“It is with gratitude to God that I announce the recovery and subsequent negative test for COVID-19 of the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.
“Following the mandatory isolation, the Commissioner retook a COVID-19 PCR test which returned negative yesterday evening.
“Professor Abayomi is very grateful and humbled by the deep concern shown and expressed by Executive Council members, civil servants, Lagos residents, Nigerians, both locally and in the diaspora, through prayers, messages, phone calls and gifts.
“He will be returning to his full duties gradually and remains resolute in delivering the mandate of Mr. Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom he says stood by him steadfastly in these trying times and is very appreciative of.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Incident Commander, is excited by the news and urges Lagosians to realise that COVID-19 is still with us; they should keep obeying the guidelines – washing their hands, wearing face masks and avoiding large gatherings, among others,” said a statement by Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso.
The victory of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Bello, shortly after the ruling, was seen in a viral video expressing gratitude to God for granting him victory at the Supreme Court.
A seven-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, in a unanimous judgment, affirmed Bello’s election and dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Musa Wada, challenging the governor’s victory.
In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro but read on his behalf by another member of the panel, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the apex court affirmed the earlier July 4 judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja and the May 23 majority verdict of the election petition tribunal, which had both upheld Bello’s victory at the poll.
The apex court resolved all the five issues raised for determination in the appeal against PDP and its governorship candidate in the disputed poll that jointly filed the appeal.
The court resolved all the five issues in favour of Bello, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and declared the appellants’ appeal as lacking in merit.
“Having resolved all the five issues against the appellants, it is abundantly clear that the appeal is devoid of any scintilla of merit and it is accordingly dismissed,” the court ruled.
Other members of the panel are: Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and Amina Augie.
File photo: (L) Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed; (M) Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; (R) Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Issa Pantami during a media briefing at the State House, Abuja.
Nigeria’s Federal Government has transferred the operations of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
This was made known by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Mallam Isa Ali Pantami, who in a statement signed by his sokesperson, Mrs Uwa Suleiman, confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari approved for the transfer of the agency to his ministry.
Pantanmi said the decision of government was based on the President’s consideration for the critical role of NIMC towards the realisation of the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria (NDEPS).
He noted that this was in line with the effort to ensure that synergy and effective ministry supervisory mechanism is put in place to coordinate, monitor and track the progress of Federal Government’s digital transformation initiatives.
The Minister noted that the President’s directives for NIMC to be under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is an illustration of Mr President’s vote of confidence on the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, based on his performance adding that Pantami had within his first year in office, amongst others, resolved the ICT sector’s decade-long dilemma of Right of Way charges.
“He was also able to secure Mr President’s approval for the provision of security as well as designation of Telecommunications Infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, regularization of improperly registered SIM cards and deactivation of unregistered ones, the deployment of over 250 digital projects across the country under his policies and supervision as well as built the capacity of over 36,000 Nigerians,” she added.
Recalling NIMC’s mandates to create, manage, maintain and operate the National Identity Database established by the NIMC Act, 2007, Suleiman stated that the Commission has so far registered around 41 million eligible enrollees for the National Identity Number (NIN).
According to her, “The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the other hand has details of over 191 million mobile subscribers. Furthermore, the National Information Technology Development Agency has recorded huge successes in the development and implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), the country’s first codified data protection regulation. The Agency has also reached an advanced stage on the implementation of the National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI). Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) also provides services to Government Agencies – Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service.”
Suleiman therefore emphasized the need for NIMC, NCC, NITDA and GBB to work closely together under the supervision of one Ministry towards harnessing what has already been achieved.
She said that the NIN, considered as a social security as well as civil number, is very important for economic planning and social intervention. With Federal Government’s digitalization initiatives in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, access to services and interventions will require it.
“We therefore urge all eligible individuals to enroll as soon as possible. Furthermore, the Honourable Minister is assuring Nigerians as well as residents that appropriate measures will be put in place to ensure that opportunities for enrollment are provided to all.”
Despite being at what he calls “the low ebb of resources caused by COVID-19 and fallen oil prices,” Nigeria will continue to provide support for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) based in N’djamena, Chad Republic, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured.
According to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke Friday at State House, Abuja, while receiving Ambassador Mamman Nuhu , Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission and Head of Mission, MNJTF.
President Buhari said despite paucity of resources, security of Nigeria and that of her neighbours must have pride of place, “so I will consult with all the relevant officials, and we will do our best.”
Ambassador Nuhu gave the President updates on the proposed recharge of Lake Chad, which he said was one of the priorities of Lake Chad Basin Commission, “and for which you have great passion,” informing that the governments of China and Italy were of great support, and positive action should commence soon.
He also commended countries which have contributed troops to MNJTF, adding, however, that kinetic military approach alone would not eradicate insurgency, and emphasis must also be placed on the root causes, particularly poverty.
A collage photo showing Polaris Bank's newly appointed Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Innocent Ike (above); retired MD/CEO, Tokunbo Abiri (left/below) and Polaris Bank brand identity.
Polaris Bank has appointed Innocent Ike as Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
The bank, in a statement, announced Ike’s appointment to succeed Adetokunbo Mukhail Abiru, who recently retired from the bank.
The outgoing managing director has been touted to become the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State as a replacement for Bayo Osinowo, the deceased senator who represented Lagos East Senatorial district, but died on June 15 of complications arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Abiru, whose retirement takes effect from August 31, was appointed to head the bridge bank which took over the assets and liabilities of the defunct Skye Bank.
The statement said Ike’s tenure as Acting Managing Director of the bank would be effective September 1.
“The incoming Acting Managing Director/CEO was until now the Executive Director, Technology and Services while also overseeing the South-south/South-east Directorate of the bank,” the statement read.
Ike joined the defunct Skye Bank in July 2016 as the Executive Director, Technology and Services after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s intervention in the bank.
He was reappointed in the same capacity in Polaris Bank in September 2018, upon the acquisition of the assets and some liabilities of the defunct Skye Bank Plc by Polaris Bank.
Prior to his appointment on the board of Skye Bank, Ike was an Executive Director in Keystone Bank.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has directed all tertiary institutions in Lagos State to re-open for academic activities from September 14.
He added that his administration was working towards re-opening of primary and secondary schools anytime from September 21.
However, the governor, said the decision to re-open the basic and secondary schools is not cast in stone, noting that this is subject to a review of our ongoing modelling of the state’s response to the pandemic.
This was disclosed directive by Sanwo-Olu at the 18th state-wide briefing held at the State House in Marina on Saturday.
The re-opening order was coming six months after all tertiary institutions and basic schools were shut on the order of the government, following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Sanwo-Olu said the decision to re-open the schools was carefully thought through, given the decline in the number of positive cases and the progress recorded in the state’s response. He asked the management of the schools to ensure adherence to the safety guidelines as they re-open their campuses for activities.
The governor, in addition, also permitted the re-opening of recreational centres and social clubs that have registered trustees, but on the condition that they obtain a provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC).
“I am pleased to announce that tertiary institutions in Lagos State will re-open from September 14, 2020. We are also working towards the reopening of Primary and Secondary Schools anytime from September 21, 2020.
“However, the decision to re-open the basic and secondary schools is not cast in stone and is subject to a review of our ongoing modelling of the state’s response to the pandemic.
“Also, social clubs and recreational centers that have registered trustees have also been permitted to open, on the condition that they have applied for and obtained a Provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of Lagos State Safety Commission.
“Restaurants are now permitted to open for in-dining services, but they must ensure the maintenance of a 50 per cent maximum occupancy at any point in time. They must also have obtained a provisional Safety Compliance Certificate,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained sympathetic to the plight of business owners, especially those operating in hospitality and tourism sectors.
He added that the state government was still reviewing the permissible opening dates for businesses tourism and hospitality industry, pointing out that there would be concrete decisions on easing the lockdown on tourism businesses before the end of September.
The governor directed that all event centres, bars, lounges, night clubs, spas, beaches, cinemas, gyms and game arcades to remain shut till further notice.
As Federal Government prepares to re-open international airspace for traffic on September 5, Sanwo-Olu said his administration had started to work with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to put adequate measures in place in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of Lagos residents in the light of resumption of international air-travel.
The governor also ordered civil servants in the state’s unified public service to comply with existing guidelines and roster schedules issued by the Head of Service and the heads of MDAs.
According to him, “As a government, we will continue to keep our citizens informed and updated on the decisions that we are taking in response to the pandemic.
“We will also continue to ask for your understanding and cooperation. These are challenging times for all of us, and it requires extra levels of patience, sacrifice and3 understanding.”
Sanwo-Olu said the observed decline in the number of positive cases did not mean the pandemic was over. He urged residents to continue to adhere to the safety guidelines outlined by the health authorities.
“The fact that we have been seeing a gradual easing of the lockdown does not mean that we are now returning to our old way of doing things.
“The easing you are seeing is the outcome of a careful and deliberate attempt to ensure that livelihoods are not crippled by the overwhelmingly disruptive impact of the virus. It is certainly not an invitation to carelessness or nonchalance,” the governor said.
The governor disclosed that the atate’s Deputy Incident Commander and Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has been discharging his duty and responding to treatment, adding that Commissioner remained asymptomatic.
Sanwo-Olu, at the briefing, launched a COVID-19 Care Pack, which contains medications, hand sanitiser, face masks and handy medical equipment that could be used to check temperature.
The Care Pack is to be given to those who have been confirmed positive of the COVID-19 free of charge and who prefer home-based care.
“I am here to do a real on the-spot-assessment and I have seen things for myself. We thank God that as painful as the incident might be, the damage was not beyond what we have witnessed. We are pained by the death of the three people on board but we thank God because it could have been worse than that.
“The affected buildings are residential homes that have citizens living there. As at the exact time the helicopter crash happened, a lot of people were not in the premises and even the elderly people that were around and in their rooms.
“But as God would have it, nothing in term of fatality happened to people on the ground. So, we need to thank God. If not, fatality may have been a lot more than what we are talking about.
“As you can see the people affected are senior citizens; they are people in their 80s and 70s that I have come to condole with and also thank God for them.
“We have seen the level of destruction and damages. Tests will be conducted to understand the integrity of the buildings and once that is ascertained today or tomorrow, we will start work with the federal agencies.
“We will start the reconstruction and renovation of the places affected by the crash; the rooms, walls, tents and ensure that we quickly bring respite to the senior citizens that have been affected.
“From Monday, we will start rebuilding the damaged structure and also assist in any areas the owners of the buildings need our assistance. We will also assist the senior citizens wherever they need help. We know that the incident has had some impact on them. We will give them whatever support we can give them to reduce their psychological, physical and emotion hardship, which may have been caused by the incident.
“We would be doing that for them as a government. The whole essence of governance is to ensure that once your citizens are affected like this, government need to rise up.
“I want commend all our frontline workers, all the emergency staff that turned up yesterday with citizens in the neigbourhood that turned out in large number to help.”
With these words, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Saturday expressed empathy when he visited the site of the helicopter crash at Salvation Road in Opebi area of the state 24 hours after the incident to assess the damage of the crash.
Speaking to journalists after inspecting the crash site and meeting with the owners of the affected properties, Sanwo-Olu promised that Lagos State Government would carry out integrity tests on the buildings and do necessary repairs and assist the affected families.
A Bell 206 Helicopter, belonging to Quorum Aviation, from Port Harcourt, Rivers State with two crew members and a passenger had Friday crashed in between two residential buildings in the Opebi area of Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu also sympathised with the families of the three people that lost their loved ones during the crash and prayed God to comfort the families of the deceased.
Reacting to the governor’s visit, residents of the area thanked Sanwo-olu for visiting the crash site and expressed gratitude to God that when the helicopter crashed, there was no fuel in it.
They appreciated several government agencies for making quick response to the crash site and clearing the place.
In her address, one of owners of the affected buildings, a 77-year-old woman, Oluwayemisi Oluwole, said the repairs promised by the governor should be done quickly for her to be able to move back into her residence.
“I thank God for what happened because there was nobody in the apartment affected by the crash. We thank God that the helicopter didn’t land on top of the house. We thank God that there was no fuel in the helicopter when it landed.
“I hope somebody will come and assess the degree of the damage and that should be done quickly because I have not entered the house since yesterday because I have been banned from entering the house.
“Since yesterday a lot of people came here without observing any COVID-19 protocols. In my house now, I can count 20 face masks on the floor. So, I want to appeal to government to come and help us to sanitise the place. I am very happy that you (governor) have blood that you know something happened to your subjects and you decided to visit them. Your reign will be sweet in Jesus name,” she said.
In his reaction, Sesan Kuyoro also thanked government agencies for making quick response to the crash site, adding that their response showed the commitment of the Sanwo-Olu administration to welfare of the citizens of the state.
Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed media report that it has handpicked outgoing Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Adetokunbo Mukhail Abiru, as its consensus candidate for the forthcoming Lagos East Senatorial District bye-election.
Dismissing the report, Lagos State APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, said the party has not conducted its primary election for the forthcoming bye-election and such could not have chosen any candidate.
He advised well-meaning citizens of Lagos State and Lagos East Senatorial District to be calm and wait for the outcome of the forthcoming primary that would take place next Thursday.
According to him, “The party has not picked any candidate for the forthcoming bye-elections. It is not until next week Thursday when the primary will be conducted that the candidates for Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe 2 constituency will be determined.
“Lagosians should disregard any speculation or rumors making the rounds that the party has already picked Mr. Tokunbo Abiru as the party’s consensus candidate for the senatorial election.”
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had quoted Lagos State APC Assistant Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Salami, to have confirmed in an interview with newsmen on Friday that Abiru had been picked as the party’s consensus candidate for Lagos East Senatorial District election.
The reports said, Abiru, who served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance under the Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, was allegedly handpicked by party elders, including the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.
NAN disclosed that Salami confirmed Abiru had been successfully screened at the party secretariat, adding that all the other aspirants had purportedly stepped down for him in agreement with the party.
“Mr. Abiru is the consensus candidate of the party; it is confirmed.
“The elders, under the platform of Governor’s Advisory Council met and consulted widely and they resolved on the choice of Abiru as the consensus candidate.
“The choice has been endorsed by the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; all the other aspirants have stepped down in agreement, it was a unanimous decision,” Salami was reportedly quoted.
Lagos East Senatorial District became vacant following the death of Bayo Osinowo (Peperito), representing the area, on June 15.
He died of complications arising from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Ghana would host the African Development Bank’s next Annual Meetings in May 2021, it was announced Thursday, at the end of the group’s 2020 meetings.
The 2021 meetings would take place in the country’s capital city, Accra.
Côte d’Ivoire Planning Minister Niale Kaba, handed over the baton to Ghana, announcing that the Board of Governors would be chaired by Kenneth Ofori-Atta, Ghanaian Finance Minister, supported by the Governor from Austria as first Vice President, and the Niger Governor as second Vice President.
The 2020 edition of the Annual Meeting originally scheduled to be held physically in Côte d’Ivoire, home to the bank’s headquarters, was entirely virtual due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, for the first time in the bank’s history.
“It is with great honour and humility that I accept, on behalf of the Republic of Ghana, to chair the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group and host the Annual Meetings for 2021,” Ofori-Atta said in accepting the nomination.
“Let me thank (Kaba) for her incredible strength, fortitude and wisdom…The results today is a clear manifestation of what a great woman she is.”
Ofori-Atta outlined the challenges the continent faces due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic – contracting economies, risk of economic depression, 25 to 36 million Africans being pushed into extreme poverty, and the rising debt burden.
Yet, the minister said, the bank’s recent increase in capital, which rose from $93 billion to $208 billion in 2019, and the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA), gave room for hope.
“A one percent increase in Africa’s trade will result in $70 billion coming to us. So we must work hard to make sure that the days ahead are fulfilled for Africa,” Ofori-Atta said.
The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area deal, set to launch on January 1, 2021, would result in the world’s largest free trade area, with a potential market of 1.2 billion people and combined GDP of around $3 trillion across the 54 regional member states of the Bank. Ghana hosts the secretariat, which is located in Accra.
Ofori-Atta’s remarks were preceded by a brief video showcasing Ghana as a prime investment location and one of Africa’s growth success stories, alongside Ethiopia, Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya.
The bank’s Annual Meetings represented a unique opportunity to discuss challenges and ways to advance the continent’s regional integration agenda. It also saw the re-election of current President Akinwumi Adesina for a second term.
“Thank you Côte d’Ivoire for handing over the baton in such a spectacular way. Ghana looks forward to hosting the Annual Meetings with much anticipation. There has never been a more opportune time to challenge the global financial infrastructure as we have it, with its inherent biases toward Africa.
“I urge the AfDB to use this pandemic as an opportunity to innovate and enhance its governance to truly serve the African people. Congrats Mr. President Adesina and may we continue to make history,” Ofori-Atta said.
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has felt remorseful and tendered fresh unreserved apology to a Daily Trust reporter for the verbal attack he meted out during a recent press conference in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
Fani-Kayode apologised to the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), family members, friends, and colleagues of the reporter.
Speaking on Friday during a press conference at the Government House in Uyo, the former minister said he disappointed himself and everyone, noting that his reaction was undefendable.
According to him, “I’m deeply sorry for the manner I reacted to the said reporter. I was too hard on him. The question was mischievous, but I fell for it.
“I have regrets, it was not my finest day. No leader or public figure should ever react like that. I disappointed myself. I deeply regret it and I believe it will never happen again.”
Fani-Kayode had described the reporter “stupid” for asking who was “bankrolling” his recent tour of several southern states.
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