A collage file photo of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin and the institution's Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday constituted a Visitation Panel to look into the crisis at University of Lagos, NTA News has reported.
The President, who is the Visitor to the university, among other decisions mandated the panel to submit its report within two weeks.
Members of the panel include: Prof. Tukur Sa’ad as the Chairman; Barrister Victor Onuoha as a member, Prof. Ikenna Oyindo member, Prof. Ekanem Braide, member, Prof. Adamu Usman, member, Chief Jimoh Bankole, member; and Barrister Grace Ekanem as Secretary.
NTA report added the Pro-Chancellor, Wale Babalakin, SAN and the Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, have been “suspended” from office as they are both to recuse themselves from performing their functions in office during the period of the visitation.
Buhari also directed the Senate to convene an urgent meeting and appoint an Acting Vice Chancellor for the university, a directive which practically sacked the Acting Vice Chancellor, Theophilus Soyombo, who was appointed by the Babalakin-led Governing Council.
File: A collage photo of Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr. Wale Babalakin and ousted Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
Embattled Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Friday withdrew the lawsuit filed at the National Industrial Court to challenge his sacking by the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council.
Ogundipe had filed an action at the National Industrial Court in Suit No: NICN/LA/D18/2020 dated August 14, where he joined University of Lagos, Council, Senate, Wale Babalakin, Registrar, and Acting Vice Chancellor appointed by the Council, Theophilus Soyombo, as defendants in the suit.
The embattled vice chancellor, in a statement by a member of his legal team, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, said he was no longer going ahead with the legal process which he initiated at the National Industrial Court.
According to him, “Contrary to the falsehood being peddled by mischief makers, the National Industrial Court has never sat or conduct any proceedings in respect of the court case filed by the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oluwole Ogundipe.
“No court proceedings ever took place at all and so no decision or ruling has been rendered by the court.
“Indeed, upon detailed consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the university, Professor Ogundipe directed his lawyer’s to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit and this has been done on August 21, 2020.
“This is to defer to the authority of the President as the Visitor of the university as Professor Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal.
“This falsehood is being spread to malign the court and blackmail the judiciary by enemies of the rule of law and due process.
“The general public is therefore advised to discountenance these mindless fabrications as the handiwork of those who are afraid of subjecting their illegal acts to the true test of probity and to be wary of fake news being peddled in place of truth, especially as they relate to deliberate manipulation of court proceedings.
“There was no time that the court sat to fix any date for the case.”
Outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro
Outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro, Friday tendered unreserved apologies to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the association’s decision to withdraw an invite to the governor as a guest speaker at the forthcoming NBA Annual General Conference.
Usoro, in a letter titled: “Nigerian Bar Association 2020 Annual General Conference: Invitation to H.E. Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State” and addressed to the Director General,
Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru, said he took full responsibility for the unintended embarrassment and tender his regrets and apologies.
According to him, “Further to our telcon (Okauru/Usoro) this morning on the above subject matter, let me once again, through your good offices, tender my unreserved apologies to His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, for the unintended embarrassment that may have been caused him by the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA” or the (“Association”) National Executive Committee (“NEC”) decision at its meeting that was held yesterday, 20 August 2020, to dis-invite him as a Panelist in one of the Sessions scheduled for the upcoming NBA Annual General Conference (“AGC”).
“As the NBA President, I take full responsibility for the unintended embarrassment and tender my regrets and apologies.”
He explained that the initial decision to invite El-Rufai was made by the AGC’s Technical Committee for Conference Planning without any input from NEC as a body.
“The TCCP is itself an organ of NEC and was constituted by NEC at its meeting in December 2019. It is in all respects answerable to NEC and has a mandatory duty to report its activities to NEC at NEC’s quarterly meetings one of which was held yesterday. As an elected National Officer of the Association, I am personally answerable to NEC and cannot overrule its decisions even if I have totally different viewpoints and positions in regard thereto. TCCP, as an NBA organ, is in precisely the same position and the same applies to all other Committees of the NBA.
“Indeed, I need to mention that a standard agenda item for the Quarterly NEC Meeting is the Report from the various NBA Sections, Forums and Committees. To the extent that the NBA Committees’ works, and activities are on the NEC Agenda, NEC members are at liberty to raise questions, demand clarifications, discuss and give mandatory directives and directions on those works and activities and the Committees are bound by those directives and directions of NEC.
“As I also explained to you, the statutory membership of NEC is made up of all Past Presidents and General Secretaries and three members each from each of our 125 Branches. There are also about 120 co-opted members. NEC was deliberately made that large by the framers of the Association’s Constitution to accommodate all shades of opinion and thoughts.
“As I further mentioned to you during our telcon, the invitation of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was brought up by NEC members at yesterday’s meeting when the TCCP’s arrangements for the 2020 AGC was placed on the agenda for discussions and the preponderance of opinion was that His Excellency should be dis-invited. There was indeed a motion that was moved and seconded to that effect. Those who spoke in favor of his attendance, including me, were in the minority. I was personally placed in a very difficult and problematic position. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a friend that I have known as long ago as the early 1980s and we do have some other very close mutual friends. And yet, I am bound, as an elected President of the NBA, by decisions and directives of NEC to whom I am answerable in my official capacity. There truly was nothing that I or the TCCP could do in the face of NEC’s decision of yesterday.
“In concluding, I must clarify two critical issues. First, NEC’s decision yesterday had no ethnic or religious coloration or connotation howsoever and whatsoever. In discussing the issue at NEC, nobody talked about religion or ethnicity. As I recall, there were no more than 3 (three) advocates for retaining the invitation of the NBA to H.E. Nasir El-Rufai (not including me) and two of these three gentlemen are from the South of Nigeria and one is a reverend gentleman. Conversely, some of those who spoke against his attendance share the same faith with Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and some others come from the Northern part of Nigeria.
“The second point that I must clarify is that, NBA NEC, by its decision was not passing any judgment on Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. NBA NEC is not in a position to pass such judgments without having all the facts and hearing from all the sides and it did not set out to pass any such judgment. NEC merely made a judgment that it was not in the best interest of the Association to be engulfed in the controversy that trailed the invitation of Mallam el-Rufai for the Conference and that it was best if the safety-valve of dis-inviting the Governor was applied. Indeed, NEC did not howsoever or at all discuss the substance of the issues that have been raised against the Governor by the different groups and persons who clamored for his being dis-invited – and there was very considerable clamor in that regard. I perhaps need to mention that, prior to the NEC meeting I had personally taken urgent and strident steps, working with the TCCP, to douse the clamor, but we had no success.
“I truly would appreciate your bringing this letter to the attention not just of HE Nasir el-Rufai but also to all the other members of the esteemed Nigerian Governors’ Forum and in particular, the Chairman of the Forum, H.E. (Dr) Kayode Fayemi. Please, assure Their Excellencies that the Nigerian Bar Association holds all our Governors, including HE Nasir el-Rufai, in the highest esteem and would do nothing intentionally to embarrass them collectively or individually. Once again, I offer my sincere and deepest apologies and regrets for the unintended embarrassment that may have been caused to H.E. Nasir el-Rufai by the afore-referenced decision of the NBA NEC and would appreciate your passing on my regrets and apologies to him personally,” Usoro said.
File photo: Former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has joined the global community to canvass more attention to the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) still trapped in various camps as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry in the North East and North West parts of the country.
Saraki on Friday in a statement issued in Abuja by his Media Office to commemorate the International Day for the Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism noted that government, non-governmental organisations, Nigerians in general, development partners and the international community should not relent in continuing to provide relief materials for the victims of violence in IDP camps as a way of reducing the trauma they are going through.
He reckoned that providing succour for victims of violence in their temporary abode at the IDP camps should be the first step in the reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation (3 Rs) plan to finally make the victims of violence get a final closure to their sad experience and restore normalcy in their lives.
“We must pay more attention to providing more facilities for the convenience and benefit of the IDPs that will make their temporary stay in those camps less stressful and more comfortable. Today, as the global community pays tributes to the victims of violence, our attention should be focused on making their lives better.
“It is obvious that the attention being given by privileged individuals, governments, international donors, development agencies and non-governmental organisations seem to be waning. We need to all redirect attention to the welfare of the IDPs and refuse to be distracted by the real security crisis that those camps represent, among other issues”, he stated.
The former Senate President stresses that adequate security should be provided in areas where the hitherto displaced people have taken the bold steps to return home.
He said that attention should also be given to how to ensure that the people in the IDP camps eventually return home to their communities and start living normal lives.
Ex-Lawmaker Saraki further reiterated that there is need for immediate commencement of reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation of the communities affected by insurgency alongside efforts to restore peace, which inspired the quick passage of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Act by the Eighth National Assembly.
He then advised the leadership of the NEDC to make the positive impact of the commission felt immediately by commencing quick restoration of the displaced people back to their communities in peace and devoid of any present or future trauma or harassment.
“At this point, it is important to join the global community in remembering and paying tribute to the victims of violent attacks by terrorists, bandits and other non-state actors. It is important to remember all Nigerians who have lost their lives to these wanton acts of violence and pay tribute to their memories. Not only to preserve the memory of their times on earth but also to serve as a marker to the Nigerian State on the need to do all that is necessary to put a stop to these acts of terrorism and ensure a return to peace and normalcy.
“My prayers go to the soldiers, aid workers, residents and others who have over the years become victims of insurgency, violence and inter-tribal crises across the country. May Allah bless the affected families, communities and our country. May God continue to protect all those who are still involved in quelling all forms of violence in our country and may He restore peace and heal our land”, Saraki stated.
A collage photo of Nigerian Bar Association President (NBA), Olumide Akpata and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reacted to the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association to withdraw its invitation to the governor to speak at the association’s Annual General Conference billed to hold between August 26 and 29.
NBA had Thursday withdrawn its invitation to the governor via its Twitter handle.
The association wrote: “The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai, by the 2020 Annual General Meeting Conference Planning Committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the governor.”
Many lawyers and activists have criticised the choice of El-Rufai as a guest speaker at the conference with many withdrawing their participation over the governor’s invite.
The governor was accused of having poor human rights records.
But, in a swift reaction, El-Rufai accused the professional organisation of endorsing a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue.
The governor defended his administration and vowed that appropriate legal action would be taken against defamatory statements in the petition.
“When lawyer friends requested Malam Nasir El-Rufai to accept the invitation of the NBA to participate in a panel discussion on national identity, he accepted as part of his commitment to having a national conversation and the evolution of a national consensus.
“NBA platform or not, these worthy conversations must continue. He will continue to make his voice heard on the things our country needs to do for its progress.
“While the decision about who speaks at its event is clearly the NBA’s, Malam El-Rufai wishes to make clear that he did not seek the platform and is not agitated that he has one less speaking engagement.
“However, the circumstances of the last few days warrant some comments. That a professional organisation has elected to endorse a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue is something that its members may wish to reflect upon. For an association, whose bread and butter is about justice to make a ruling based on the stridency of people who lampoon judicial processes against certain individuals without hearing the other side is odd. It bears noting that in its response to pressure, the NBA leadership has signaled an unfortunate embrace of injustice, unfairness, absence of fair hearing and total disregard for the rule of law.
“The defamatory statements in the petition is another matter entirely, and they will get the appropriate response.
“Malam Nasir El-Rufai has taken several actions on the security, institutional and technology fronts to address the legacy of violent strife in the state. He is the governor that made permanent military and police bases a reality in southern Kaduna, after close to 40 years of waiting. He is the governor that set up a Peace Commission to nudge communities to embrace their responsibility to live in peace and harmony.
“He has done this with equality of concern for all residents, not just those with access to the media and who are able to mobilise sentiment even when they are part of the problem. His investments in building a constituency for peace, anchored on the rule of law, respect for the citizenship rights of everyone and an embrace of the obligations of a common humanity will continue.
“Those who have chosen to pretend that it is only Kaduna State that is experiencing the security challenges in North-west, or that it is only one part of the state that is affected can enjoy the illusion.
“Malam El-Rufai remains focused on the tough and hard work of stopping the bleeding and the needless breaking of bones,” the governor said, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye.
Apart from El-Rufai, other speakers invited for the conference include: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad; former president Olusegun Obasanjo; former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and former Anambra State governor and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi.
Others are: Chairman, African Advisory Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Tunde Bakare; a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili; and former ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Salamatu Suleiman.
British High Commission Thursday assured it would replace expired visa free for Nigerians.
The commission also stated that it has reopened its Visa Application Centres across the country, adding that the free replacements would continue until the end of 2020.
The commission, in a statement, said the decision to replace visa free was taken in view of the disruptions to business activities and travels caused by the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which it said led to an increase in the demand for a 30-day visa replacements for those wanting to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) for work, study or to join their families.
The UK government noted that any individual whose 30-day visa to the UK for work, study or visitation had expired could request for a replacement free of charge, albeit with revised validity dates.
“As a result of the disruptions to travel caused by COVID-19, we are experiencing high demand for replacement vignettes for 30-day visas to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family.
“If an individual’s 30-day visa to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, they can request a replacement visa with revised validity dates free of charge until the end of this year.
“This does not apply to other types of visas. This process will be in place until the end of 2020. The replacement visa will be valid for 90 days.
“To request a replacement visa, individuals can arrange to return their passport to their Visa Application Centre in Nigeria without an appointment,” the commission said.
Suspected killer of late Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile; Nehemiah Adejoh
A suspect, Nehemiah Adejoh, who drove the car that ran over the female helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, has said he killed her by mistake, Daily Trust has reported.
Narrating his story at a Kaduna Magistrate Court on Thursday, the suspect explained that he mistakenly ran over the deceased.
Adejoh was reported to be the one behind the steering of the vehicle that knocked down Arotile on July 11 before she was pronounced dead at the Nigerian Air Force hospital in Kaduna.
Appearing before a Kaduna magistrate court on Thursday, Adejoh noted that he never intended to kill Arotile.
He also denied having any premeditated plan to kill her in his cautionary statement.
He explained that on sighting the deceased walking along the roadside at the Air Force base, he started reversing the car in order to exchange pleasantries with her, but mistakenly ran over her.
The police have charged the suspect with culpable homicide.
The Chief Magistrate, Danjuma Hassan, has ordered the suspect to be remanded in prison pending further hearing.
The judge has, however, fixed October 3 as the day for further hearing.
Ogun State government says it is working towards delivering 2000 housing units at affordable prices to the people in a very short time.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun stated this Thursday when he received in audience the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Family House Fund, Mr. Femi Adewole, who paid him a visit in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The Governor listed housing as one of the pillars and enablers of his administration, noting that the process has started with the construction of 150 of the 400 housing units at Prince Court Estate in Abeokuta, just as efforts are on to replicate same in the other Senatorial Districts.
He said some factors like wrong location, lack of access roads, unavailability of electricity and potable water, had led to failure of housing schemes in the past, saying that housing estates built by his administration, would provide comfort for the dwellers.
The Governor said the State decided to operate under the Economic Sustainable Programme to enable it benefit from the value chains, adding that his administration was ready to provide enabling environment to genuine investors who are ready to invest in the State.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Adewole said his visit was to discuss ways of deepening relationship between his company and the State in the area of providing affordable housing to the people, help the State actualise its vision on housing, explore opportunities of working with government in creating jobs as well as to update government on its 1020 project at New Makun, Sagamu.
Nigeria’s power industry has achieved yet another improved all-time national peak of 5,420.30MW, which was effectively transmitted through the national grid at a frequency of 50.10Hz at 9:15pm on August 18.
This was disclosed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ndidi Mbah.
TCN, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said this was the highest ever recorded in the nation’s power sector to-date, surpassing the previous peak of 5,377.80MW recorded on August 1 by 42.50MW.
She added that the gradual, but steady improvement in electricity delivery in the nation’s power sector was attributable to the keen interest of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The general manager said the government has been piloting programmes and projects geared towards growing the power sector as well as the collective efforts of all power sector players in the value chain.
Mbah noted that TCN was committed to working assiduously to further stabilise, rehabilitate and expand the grid and urged Nigerians to lend their support by safeguarding electricity installations nationwide.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has offered explanation on the Wednesday fire outbreak, describing the incident as “a minor,” involving a tiny part of one of the administrative buildings within the premises of the palace, which occurred at about 1:15pm, leaving no harm to the oldest palace in Yoruba land.
“The minor inferno, which lasted for about 20 minutes was immediately put out by collective efforts of people in the palace led by the Ooni’s Chief Security, Kolawole Emmanuel, later joined by men of the fire services from Osun State Government, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.
Ooni Adimula of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi
“Aside from the fact that there was no causality whatsoever, the fire was just a minor occurrence which was nothing to be compared to the misleading huge pictures being painted in the media, particularly the social media.
“While it is suspected to have emanated from an electric spark, measures are currently in place to reveal the cause of the inferno.
“We wish to thank men of Osun State Fire Service, Obafemi Awolowo University Fire Service and OAUTH Fire Service for their swift response, while efforts of well meaning Nigerians who reached out to the palace for objective analysis are equally appreciated.
“Once again, the ancient Palace of Ife remains as rich as before in culture, traditions and tourism,” said Oba Ogunwusi, in a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare.
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