News / politics

Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Zulum, others pick APC second term ticket

It was the turn of All Progressives Congress (APC), delegates yesterday, to exercise their mandate of choosing governorship candidates across the country, a day after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted theirs.

In Lagos State, delegates defied the rain at the Onikan Stadium (Mobolaji Johnson Arena) to elect Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as their candidate for next year’s election.

Even though there were three aspirants for the primary, including Mr Wale Oluwo and Mustapha Olorunfemi, only the governor attended the exercise.

According to sources, the other two were not allowed into the venue because they were not cleared at the national level.

Sanwo-Olu arrived at 12:50 p.m. and thereafter, accreditation and voting commenced. In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi and state executive council members, among others.

The total number of delegates announced by the chairman of the Lagos APC gubernatorial electoral committee, Adamu Shettima Yuguda, was 1,225 from 245 wards across 20 local councils. The total number of accredited delegates was 1,198.

At the end of the primary, Sanwo-Olu scored 1,170 votes, though he was unopposed while 12 votes were invalidated.

While declaring Sanwo-Olu as the winner, Yuguda thanked the delegates for their patience. He also reiterated that out of the three aspirants that collected forms, only one was cleared while two were disqualified from Abuja.

In his address, Sanwo-Olu said: “As God answered us today, it is going to happen to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu between Sunday and Monday.”

Oluwo, after the exercise, alleged fraud in the Lagos APC delegates list.

According to Oluwo, the delegates were those handpicked by one of the APC factions in the state through a sham delegates congress purportedly held in the 245 wards on May 18 and 19.

He said: “We note that the screening committee, which was inaugurated by the APC National Headquarters to screen all governorship aspirants in Lagos, has refused to publish the results of the exercise as at the time of this press release. The approved Election …

News / politics

APC rakes in N2.63b from presidential forms

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday, ended its sale of nomination and expression of interest forms, with no fewer than 25 aspirants jostling for its presidential ticket.

Although, the directorate of organization was still computing the figures of aspirants including those who picked forms in their states as of press time, Vanguard gathered that there are no fewer than 105 governorship aspirants, nearly a thousand National Assembly aspirants and more than 1,500 aspirants for states Houses of Assembly.

A revised timetable issued the National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, fixed the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for today, May 11, 2022.

“Also, Congresses to elect Local Government Area (LGA), State and National Delegates will now be held from Thursday,  May 12 to Saturday, May 14, 2022”.  27 presidential aspirants

  1. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
  2. Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello
  3. Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi
  4. Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba
  5. Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi
  6. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio
  7. Madam Uju Kennedy – N30m
  8. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
  9. Former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole
  10. Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun
  11. Former National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
  12. Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani
  13. Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar
  14. Labour and Employment Minister, Senator Chris Ngige
  15. Senator Rochas Okorocha
  16. Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade
  17. Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi
  18. Mr Tein Jack-Rich
  19. CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
  20. Science and Technology Minister, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu
  21. Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva
  22. Former President Goodluck Jonathan
  23. Dr Akinwumi Adesina
  24. Senator Robert Ajayi Borroffice
  25. Pastor Tunde Bakare
  26. Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo
  27. Senator Ken Nnamani
    • Total = N2.630 billion

    Why APC should cede presidency to South-West, says Sanwo-Olu

    Submitting his forms on Tuesday at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged stakeholders to cede the APC presidential ticket to the South-West.

    On why the recent meeting of some South-West APC

…
EndSARS / News / politics

Falz calls out Gov Sanwo-Olu, says there is no “March for peace” without justice

Nigerian rapper Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana has called out the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu over his proposed ‘walk of peace.’

The rapper had earlier shunned the call by the governor to join him and other celebrities for the walk of peace.

In a post shared via his Instagram page on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, the music star called out the governor over his planned trip.

“Please tell your governor that there is no “March for peace” without justice. He is still trying to deny the massacre that happened. All the lives that were wiped away unjustly,” he captioned the video of the governor addressing the press.

“You set up a panel to investigate the matter. Panel don tell you say people die by the hands of soldiers and policemen wey una send. Una still no want no want do the right thing. And you’re here asking for a ‘peace march’ DISGRACEFUL.”

It would be recalled that the rapper had called the governor’s ‘walk of peace’ disrespectful.

Sanwo-Olu had sued for peace and harmony, Tuesday, as he broke his silence on the report of the Lagos judicial panel of inquiry into police brutality and the Lekki tollgate shooting of unarmed, peaceful protesters.

The panel’s report indicted the army, police and the Lagos State Government.

The panel had also submitted that what transpired at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, was a massacre.

…
EndSARS / News

Eight states submit EndSARS judicial panel report to NEC

All 28 states that established judicial panels following the EndSARS protests last year have now completed the assignment, except Lagos State which will conclude later this year in October. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, made the disclosure on Thursday at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, saying that eight states had turned in their reports and that NEC looks forward to discussing them in full at its next meeting as more states are expected to make their submissions as well.

This was among resolutions reached at the end of the council’s 119th meeting (eighth in 2021), held virtually and presided over by the Vice President, with state governors, federal ministers, and other senior government officials in attendance. Speaking on the consideration of the panel reports, Professor Osinbajo listed the eight states that had submitted their reports as: Abia, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ondo, and Rivers.

Other highlights of the meeting include the presentation of financial updates of the ministries, departments and agencies.

Excess Crude Account (ECA) balance as at 13th July 2021 stood at $60,855,153.31; Stabilisation Account balance, N30,757,901,458.81; and Development of Natural Resources Account balance, N33,891,412,441.85. The governor of Lagos State, Babjide Sanwo-Olu, made a presentation on the progress report of the NEC ad hoc committee interfacing with the Presidential Taskforce  on COVID-19 to ease the lockdown on the economy.…

Crime / News

Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, orders arrest of three traffic robbers

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, ordered the arrest of a gang of suspected criminals that specializes in harassing motorists and road users in traffic.

Sanwo-Olu had while handing over security equipment purchased by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, for the use of Lagos Police Command, on Thursday, June 10, 2021, said there would be no hiding place for criminals in the state.

He said: “We are determined to stabilize the security situation in Lagos State, as our own contribution towards lasting national security.”

Sanwo-Olu stated after the security personnel arrested the three machete-wielding criminals that the exercise was a warning signal to other criminal elements and prospective traffic robbers in Lagos that there is no hiding place for criminality in the state.

ALSO, the Strike Squad of the Lagos State Taskforce carried out a massive raid on motorcycle (okada) riders at Second Rainbow and Toyota Bus Stop along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

During the raid, which lasted for some hours, 105 motorcycles were impounded. Prior to yesterday’s raid, 201 motorcycles were impounded last week.…

Crime / News

Yoruba Nation rally: Sanwo-Olu orders probe into killing of 14-year-old

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered a probe into the killing of a 14-year-old, simply identified as Jumoke, during the Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos on Saturday.

Sanwo-Olu’s order was contained in a statement by his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, on Sunday.

The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to the death of a 14-year-old girl in Ojota during the Oodua Republic Mega Rally on Saturday 3rd of July, 2021.

“We commiserate with the family of the deceased. The Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered a thorough investigation of the death. A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested, in line with section 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.

“By Section 14(1)(d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State: ‘A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.

“Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death.

“As a government, the security and wellbeing of citizens are of utmost importance to us. The State assures the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is known. The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable.”…

News / Penson

Lagos State pays N29 billion to 7,308 retirees in two years

Lagos State Government has said it paid N29,088,291,668.35 as accrued pension rights to 7,308 retirees in the last two years.

The Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, said this at the 2021 ministerial briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

She disclosed that the money was paid between May, 2019 and April, 2021, adding that the government implemented the upward review of pension contributions into Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) from 7.5 per cent of employee contributions and 7.5 per cent employer contributions to 8 per cent employee contributions and 10 per cent employer contributions, which s affect electronic archiving of records of payments and vital pensioners’ documents for preservation and ease of reference.

She also explained how the entire public service witnessed capacity development despite restrictions on physically gathering, following the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic last year.

The commissioner revealed that over 73,448 public servants were trained in 2020 as against the yearly average of 3,000 trained employees.

She said the ministry leveraged on several online virtual platforms to embark on training programs in a successive manner for the state’s employees.

She said: “A total of 3,101 officers were trained in 2020 across 98Ministries, Department, Agencies and Parastatals under the virtual training initiative comprising of 52 Grade Level 17 officers, 274 GL 16, 1023 GL 15, 901 GL 14, 9 and 851 GL 13.”

Ponnle further disclosed that the government paid N4,203,784,514.49 to pensioners in the state under the Defined Benefits Scheme otherwise known as ‘Pay As You Go’ from May 2019 to March 2021.

Ponnle stated that as part of commitment to the welfare of pensioners, Sanwo-Olu approved payment of 33 per cent increment for all State pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme and also paid the balance of the 25 per cent rent allowance for officers on Grade Level 07 and above who retired between May 2000 and August 2004.

Similarly, Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to staff welfare and conducive working conditions of all public servants to ensure …