The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Emmanuel Osodeke, has revealed how the union, during its last negotiations, rejected Federal Government’s plan to increase school fees of all university students to N1m.
He said government’s plan was to open an education bank and give each student a loan of N1m annually at five per cent interest rate to sponsor themselves in school and then pay back when they graduate and start working.
Osodeke stated this while answering questions from participants at a one-day ‘state of the nation summit’ organised for ASUU members by the Bauchi zone of the union.
He said, “At the last negotiation, the first thing they told us was that we should negotiate for our allowances and salaries but we said no, let’s discuss funding first. When we know how much you’re going to pay, then we can negotiate salary. Reluctantly, they went on.
“Then, they raised another issue which was why we delayed for four years, that students must pay N1m as school fees every year; the government said 70 per cent will be paid to the university while the student keeps 30 per cent.
“We asked them where and how the students would source the money and they told us not to worry. They said they would open an education bank and the students would go there and take the N1m every year.
“And by the time you are graduating, you would have been owing N5m or N6m. If it takes you 20 years to get a job, that five per cent interest on that loan would be building.
“We said we will never allow that, and that was why we went on strike and we delayed in calling off the strike.
“If we had accepted that students pay N1m as school fees, they would have increased our pay easily and who would the public and the students blame? It is ASUU.”
Osodeke said that if they had accepted the offer, people would have accused them of fighting for their personal interests and not the collective good of Nigerians.
On Wednesday, a federal jury awarded 17 million dollars for damages to the family of a mentally disabled man who was fatally shot by an off-duty Los Angeles police officer inside a Costco in Corona.
The jury’s verdict came a day after U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal found that Officer Salvador Sanchez used excessive and unreasonable force in June 2019 when he shot and killed 32-year-old Kenneth French.
The shooting followed a brief confrontation between the two men while in a line to sample sausages.
Mr Sanchez was awaiting trial on manslaughter and assault charges filed by the California attorney general’s office after a Riverside County grand jury declined to indict Mr Sanchez a few months after the killing.
He was fired by the LAPD last year after the L.A. Police Commission’s finding that he violated department policy in the shooting of Mr French and his parents, who were gravely wounded.
After four hours of deliberations at the federal courthouse in Riverside, the jury of six women and two men found that Mr Sanchez acted within the scope of his LAPD employment when he fired 10 shots at the French family while they were shopping at Costco.
The suit was filed by Mr French’s parents, Russell and Paola French, against Sanchez and the city, but Los Angeles is liable for most, if not all, of the damages, according to Dale K. Galipo, their attorney.
The damage award was unusually high for a police shooting case, said Galipo, who frequently represents victims of police shootings and their families.
“They’re hoping that now that they’ve received some justice on behalf of Kenneth, they can start the healing and closure process,’’ he said.
Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Attorney Mike Feuer, said. “We will review all our options, including appeal.’’
Sanchez was not in the courtroom Wednesday for closing statements or the verdict in the civil case. His attorney, Andrew C. Hubert, declined to comment.
Some suspected supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have booed the campaign team of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo.
In a video circulating online, the PDP members were stopped from holding a campaign rally at head medicine market, popularly known as Ogbo Ogwu Onitsha.
They had visited the market to hold their campaign ahead of the November 6 governorship election in the state.
Rather than being welcomed, the politicians were disgraced and booed off by the traders who were heard saying there would be no campaign in the market.
In the video, the traders were seen singing in support of the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
They were heard chanting, “Holy, Holy, Nnamdi Kanu is another saviour.”
The Nigerian government had in June announced Kanu’s arrest and extradition from Kenya to continue to face trial in Nigeria.
He is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.
The IPOB leader was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but fled the country after his house in Abia State was attacked by the military.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has given reasons the Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was absent during the recent visit of the South-West governors to the residence of former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Akeredolu said that Fayemi was with them at the meeting held earlier at Lagos House, Marina, but had to leave to catch a late flight to Port Harcourt where he was a guest speaker at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yearly general conference dinner.
In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to Ondo Governor, Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu stressed the need to make some clarifications, following various insinuations and reactions in the media.
He said the visit to Tinubu was to show their love for him and wish him well after his return to the country.
In another development, Fayemi has said that the impending state awards to be conferred on former Governors Ayodele Fayose, Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and 45 others, including a legal icon, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), have no political undertone. He said that the 48 awardees were picked on merit for their contributions to the state’s development in all facets.
Fayemi, who spoke through the Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu, stated this yesterday at a press conference heralding the maiden edition of a state honour tagged ‘Oni Uyi Awards 2021’, slated for October 30, 2021. He said that two former state’s military administrators, Col. Inua Bawa and Commodore Atanda Yusuf, would benefit from the new honours designed by the state government to recognise those he categorised as ‘Architects and Builders’ of Ekiti. Fayemi said honouring Fayose and Oni, who are PDP chieftains shows the awards are without any political undertone.
The governor said that the categories of honours that would be bestowed on them included Ekiti Exceptional Achievers (EEA), Member of Ekiti Exceptional Achievers (MEEA), Member of Ekiti Meritorious Service (MEMS), Distinguished Friends of Ekiti, Member of Distinguished Friends of Ekiti (DFE) and Ekiti Reputable Entrepreneurship (ERE).
Other distinguished Ekiti indigenes to be honoured are the Chairman, Committee for the creation of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan; the Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji; Secretary of Yoruba Council of Elder (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide and the late Mrs. Bola Omojola.
Also to be garlanded with awards are top-rated traditional rulers like the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adewole; Alaaye of Efon, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare and the Obanla of Ijesa Isu, Oba Gabriel Adeniyi.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is expected to lead a Christian crusade for improved security and economy as President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s battles to keep Nigeria from falling apart amid vicious bandit attacks and weakened naira.
Osinbajo and David Abioye, the Presiding bishop of Living Faith Church, Goshen, Abuja, are billed to grace the event themed ‘Faith in Jesus Christ in times of crisis’.
“The fellowship decided to hold the 2021 version via Zoom, and we are trusting God that the event will hold tomorrow (Thursday) by 7.00 a.m. By the grace of God, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, will be joining us as well as a couple of other dignitaries including diplomats,” said Emmanuel Bwacha, the chair of the National Assembly Christian Legislators Forum, while briefing journalists at a press conference.
On Wednesday, his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, “spent quality time” at the mosque of the Prophet Muhammed, “engaging in prayers and recitation of the Holy Qur’an,” said presidential spokesman Garba Shehu in a statement.
“The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual fellowship where we pray for our country, pray for our responsibilities as parliamentarians for wisdom in passing bills that will benefit Nigerians. It was not held last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that has wreaked havoc on our economy, political and social sphere,” Bwacha explained.
The prayer session will also be used to mark the 11th edition of the National Prayer Summit organised by the forum.
“As a fellowship, we are not partisan. Ours is to pray. We are not unaware of the fact that it is not easy to ask people to follow. But ours is to intercede,” he noted. “The increasing prices of foodstuff does not recognise political parties. It does not recognise geopolitics. It does not recognise tribe and has no segregation of age. So, our own is to pray on all issues so that our lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, will intervene and restore the glory of our nation and that we be able to overcome these challenges.”
The Speaker of the Plateau State House Assembly, Hon Abok Ayuba Nuhu, has been impeached over corruption-related accusations.
His impeachment occurred at the plenary on Thursday after 16 out of 24 members of the Assembly voted him out, Daily Trust reports.
He was replaced with Sanda Yakubu, who hails from Pingana constituency of Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
The cause of Nuhu’s removal could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
A group known as the Youths Rights Against Corruption (YRAC) had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing Nuhu of financial misappropriation.
The group also alleged that he had been abusing his office.
The Executive Director of the group, Comrade Abednego Musa, in the petition titled “Petition Against Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker, Nuhu Abok Ayuba On Gross Financial Misconduct, Criminal Breach Of Public Trust And Abuse Of Office,” had asked Nuhu to immediately step down from his position, pending the completion of the EFCC investigation.
The petition addressed to the chairman of the EFCC, said, “Further to a popular demand by some members of the public to our office, this petition is written to acquaint your agency EFCC, with the gross financial misconduct and the abuse of office being perpetrated by the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Honorable Nuhu Abok Ayuba, for a thorough investigation so as to avert a further bleeding of the public treasury under his care and restore sanity in the functioning of the state’s legislative establishment.”
The African Union said Wednesday it had suspended Sudan until civilian rule in the country is restored, saying it rejected the military takeover as an “unconstitutional” seizure of power.
The continent-wide bloc said it “strongly condemns the seizure of power” and was suspending Sudan from all AU activities “until the effective restoration of the civilian-led transitional authority”.
Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday ordered the dissolution of the government and declared a state of emergency, sparking widespread international condemnation.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was placed under military arrest, along with his ministers and civilian members of Sudan’s ruling council, sparking angry protests on the streets on Khartoum.
Hamdok was later released under close guard, but other ministers and civilian leaders remain in detention.
Security forces launched sweeping arrests of anti-coup protesters Wednesday, in a bid to end three days of demonstrations against the power grab.
A number of Western powers have called for an urgent meeting with Hamdok, saying they still recognise the prime minister and his cabinet as the constitutional leaders of Sudan.
The AU suspended Sudan in June 2019 after pro-democracy protesters demanding civilian rule were gunned down outside army headquarters in Khartoum.
Their membership was reinstated three months later after Hamdok announced the appointment of Sudan’s first cabinet since the ousting of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir.
The Police Command in Ogun has filed criminal charges against a man, Sikiru Jamiu, at the Ijebu Ode magisterial district for addressing a married woman, Opeyemi Adegbesan, as “babe” in a WhatsApp chat.
According to the case filed on October 20, Jamiu, a resident of Ijebu Ode, committed the offence at 08:02 a.m. on September 19.
Jamiu is accused of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace in Opeyemi’s marriage to her husband, Akintunde Adegbesan.
He risks one-month imprisonment under the state’s criminal code.
“That you Sikiru Oluwaseun Jamiu ‘m’ on September 19, 2021, at about 8.02 a.m along Fidipote Street, opposite IBEDC office, Ijebu Ode in the Ijebu Ode Magisterial District did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the Peace in the marriage between one Akintunde Adegbesan ‘m’ and Opeyemi Adegbesan T by using the word ‘Good Morning Babe’ on WhatsApp no. 08059491562 and 08138868837. and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006,” a court document seen by Peoples Gazette said.
The section also stipulates that anyone who commits such an offence will be deemed idle and arrested without a warrant.
“Every person who, in any public place, conducts himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, shall be deemed idle and disorderly persons and may be arrested without warrant, and are guilty of a simple offence and liable to imprisonment for one month,” the section of code stated.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ogun chapter, on Wednesday in Sango-Ota, blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway over the deplorable state of the highway.
The NLC Lagos chapter of the congress joined their Ogun counterpart to stage the protest.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions, ‘We don’t want palliatives’, ‘we want good roads’, ‘Dapo Abiodun save our souls from bad roads’, and ‘We are not slaves in our country’.
The NLC chairman in Ogun, Emmanuel Bankole, said the NLC was not happy with the condition of portions of the Lagos-Abeokuta and its environs.
“We will not allow anybody to take away our right. In times like this, we do not have any option other than to express our displeasure with the government,” he said.
The chairman added that the 21 days ultimatum given by NLC after the visit of Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to Sango-Ota, had lapsed.
Bankole explained that Fashola promised to commence palliative work on the road, but nothing much had been done since then.
“We deserve better than what we have seen today. What we see today is below our expectations,” he said.
The NLC chairman in Lagos, Funmi Sessi, added, “We believe in action and the time for talking is gone. There is an urgent need to ameliorate the sufferings of the masses.”
Sessi noted that the action was long overdue as people were inflicted with serious pains following the deplorable condition of the Sango-Ota portion of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway.
She further stated that members of the Lagos chapter of NLC came to partner its colleagues in Ogun in the struggle to ensure good roads are delivered to the state’s residents.
When two years ago the Sudanese people bravely organized a spontaneous revolution that ended three decades of brutal dictatorship led by Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir the global democratic community heaved a sigh of relief that another barbaric bloody dictator (wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court) had fallen by the way side. The glory of that revolution was however stolen as it were by the military (much like in Mali) that helped in achieving a protracted gory civilian insurrection that lasted for weeks culminating in loss of precious lives and destruction of properties.
Following the deposition of Gen. Bashir a power-sharing arrangement (diarchy) was reached between the Generals and the triumphant civil society groups. Abdallah Hamdok was appointed the Prime Minister and he formed a transitional government comprising of the military and civilians. The power-sharing pact specified the roles to be played by each party with the ultimate goal being the organization of a credible free and fair general election.
The signed document equally made it clear that the Generals would lead the transitional government for eighteen months and the remaining 18 months are to be led by the civilians. Under normal circumstances the military led by Abdel Fattah Abdelrahmane al-Burhan ought to hand over the presidency of the transitional sovereign government to the civilians by November 17th. The process ought to conclude in three years period.
Shockingly however, the Generals, last Monday, moved swiftly against the Prime Minister and the other civilian executives by arresting all of them in a dawn military operation. Lo and behold chaos had set in! The Internet and other communication networks had been shut down.
Gen. al-Burhan appeared briefly on the state television where he imperially declared the end of the diarchy decreeing a state of emergency. It was a bombshell! The Head of the military junta had claimed in the national broadcast that the Sudanese politicians were divided and this division led to the dissolution of the transitional government.
Reactions from the international community had been pouring in, most condemning in strong terms the glorified coup d’etat. The US announced that it had put on hold the millions of Dollars destined for Sudan. And it called for the immediate unconditional release of PM Hamdok and other government officials arrested and detained.
The UN, EU, AU were all united in condemning the putsch imploring the Generals to free their executive hostages and arrange for a dialogue.
The streets in Khartoum and other cities in the country had witnessed demonstrations with protesters chanting ‘No Return To The Past!’ Close to dozen of them had been killed and hundreds more wounded! The Sudanese army and the militias loyal to the Generals were shooting protesters with live bullets!
And in a press conference that followed his first public intervention after the coup d’etat Gen. al-Burhan hd announced that the deposed PM Hamdok was safely in his (al-Burhan) residence for his own security. He equally claimed that the PM shared the fears of the military over the threat to the national security.
Describing the military action as “rectification” of the transitional trajectory the strongman was obviously under intense international pressure to be conciliatory in his rhetorics and act responsibly to avoid the worst scenario playing out.
Breaking news had since reported that PM Hamdok had been brought back to his house in what amounted to a house arrest. He had since spoken on telephone with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.
The diarchical transitional system put in place post-Bashir was bound to produce friction and tension. It was akin to negotiating a leadership of the jungle between lions and sheep. Alas, the lions have taken over their jungle by feasting on the sheep!
The apparent naivety of the international community in negotiating the cohabitation is deplorable. An impressive interposing counter force should have been arranged to accompany the process protecting the civilian transition team till full-blown democracy is eventually restored.
Condemnations, threats and sanctions may not do much to bring down the Jackboot. What might work remains a coordinated global military intervention led by America and her European allies.
The days and weeks ahead would be crucial and decisive for the future of Sudan. The civil society groups have called for general strike, civil disobedience. And roads and highways are blocked. Sudan is currently paralysed. Saturday is slated for a million-man march across the country.
The notorious allies of the Generals in power (notably Egypt and UAE) must be called upon to apply pressure on the coup plotters to negotiate their exit from power. Otherwise another violent revolution is imminent! And this time Generals al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (alias Emety) would be victims.
In a country where economic hardship has been accentuated by the secession of oil-rich South Sudan following years of bloody conflict and war thereby shrinking the oil and gas revenues it is only a sound democratic leadership that is capable of offering lasting solution to the deteriorating social conditions under which the Sudanese live.
We, therefore, call on the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the African Union and other regional bodies to unify their forces and efforts to end the military nonsense in Sudan. Democracy (and not diarchy or despotism) must be made to prevail in Khartoum.
