News

2023: How Obasanjo Dropped Non-partisan Elder Statesman Status

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2023

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appears to have dropped his status as a non-partisan elder statesman to begin campaigns for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

The former president had until now said he had turned an elder statesman who should now be seen as a father and mentor to all, regardless of their political affiliations.

Truly, Obasanjo, at his Penthouse residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, has played host to almost all the prominent presidential candidates in Nigeria.

Recall that scores of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu supporters rolled out the drums when he visited Obasanjo in August. In what many thought would be an end to the rivalry between the two political leaders, they were seen in photographs as they entered a private room for personal discussions.

After the visit, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, was quoted to have said Obasanjo had assured Tinubu of victory. It was also in the news that the former President described Tinubu as a super politician.

But, in a swift reaction, Obasanjo denied endorsing Tinubu or making a statement hyping him as a super politician.

He said: “Those claiming to be insiders at the meeting issuing statements on the discussion and those crediting to me statements I had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good.”

While saying his meeting with Tinubu was “more brotherly than political,” Obasanjo added that, at the request of Tinubu, he “agreed to no statement from either side.”

Last year, the Balogun Owu also hosted his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and others. As all meetings were held behind closed-doors, no one was privy to whatever transpired between the Ogun-born farmer and his guests. It is not clear whether or not Obasanjo had declared to Atiku, Tinubu and others that he would ignore them for Peter Obi.

It would be recalled that in the buildup to the 2015 elections, Obasanjo tore his membership card of the PDP to announce that he would no longer participate in politics, but would remain a statesman.

However, Obasanjo at the time, endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as his preferred candidate for the 2015 election. He hosted Buhari and other leaders of the APC in his residence, while he also went to some markets in Abeokuta to subtly campaign for Buhari, abandoning the then President Goodluck Jonathan of his party.

The relationship between Obasanjo and Buhari hit the rock in less than two years of his first term in office. Obasanjo could not hide his displeasure about the Buhari administration and he resorted to letter writing. In different open letters, Obasanjo called out the Buhari administration and withdrew his support.

In an attempt to remove Buhari, the octogenarian, in 2019, threw his weight behind Atiku of the PDP, but his support for Atiku was not enough to unseat Buhari.

As the 2023 presidential election approaches, the non-partisan elder statesman has taken the lead in promoting Obi. Obasanjo seems to be leaving no stone unturned in ensuring Peter Obi becomes Buhari’s successor.

At first, Obasanjo was seen during the 2022 Ibogun Day distributing Peter Obi souvenirs to the people. After this, the Balogun Owu came out clear in an open letter, in which he said the former Anambra State governor had an edge over the likes of Atiku and Tinubu.

He was blunt about his disapproval of Tinubu’s ‘emilokan’ ambition, urging Nigerian youths not to be gullible this time around or they would have themselves to blame.

The latest letter by Obasanjo raised a lot of dust and it almost heated up the polity as many criticised the former Nigerian leader; probably they have forgotten that he has the right to endorse whoever he likes.

It is left to be seen where the non-partisan elder statesman’s endorsement will take Obi and his Labour Party.
DAILY POST

News

SEC Bans CEOs From Becoming Chairmen Without 3-year Break

Published

9 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Editor

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a new directive prohibiting Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors from immediately assuming the position of Board Chairman within the same company or group after leaving office.

A mandatory three-year “cool off period” has been introduced before such transitions can take place.

The directive is part of a wider effort to strengthen corporate governance and prevent the concentration of power in public companies and capital market operators deemed to be of significant public interest.

This was disclosed in a circular released by the Commission and signed by the management on Thursday on its website titled “Circular to All Public Companies and Capital Market Operators on the Transmutation of Independent Non-Executive Directors and Tenure of Directors.”

The SEC expressed concern over what it described as a “worrying trend of the transmutation/conversion of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) to Executive Directors, including to the position of the Chief Executive Officer.”

It warned that such practices undermine board independence.

The Circular reads,”This practice clearly erodes the neutrality of the transmuting INEDs, compromises their ability going forward to provide objective judgment and is generally antithetical to the principles which underpin independent directorship as outlined in both the National Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) as well as the SEC Corporate Governance Guidelines (SCGG).”

As a result, the Commission has directed the immediate discontinuance of the conversion of INEDs into Executive Directors within the same company or group structure.

The new rules also introduce strict tenure limits. Directors in Capital Market Operators considered to be of significant public interest will now be limited to 10 consecutive years in the same company, and 12 years within the same group structure.

“A Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director who steps down after 10 or 12 consecutive years, as the case may be, cannot be appointed as Chairman until the expiration of a 3-year ‘cool off period’.

“The tenure of such former Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director as Chairman shall be for a maximum of 4 years and no more.”

The SEC said these changes are backed by its powers under Section 355(r)(iv) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, which authorises it to set governance standards for regulated entities.

“The foregoing directives take immediate effect and compliance is mandatory. Public Companies and Capital Market Operators are therefore required to take the directives into account in their board appointments and succession planning,” the statement added.

The Commission also clarified that years already served by current officeholders will count toward the newly established tenure caps.

News

We’ve Initiated Policies, Reforms For Sustainable Health Delivery System — Edo Deputy Gov

Published

12 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has
said that the Senator Monday Okpebholo-led administration has initiated policies and reforms that will ensure a sustainable healthcare delivery system.

Idahosa stated this while chairing the second meeting of the state taskforce on Primary Health Care (PHC), at the New Festival Hall, Government House in Benin.

According to statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Friday Aghedo, the meeting included the taskforce members, stakeholders, and developmental partners.

In his keynote address, the deputy governor called for societal vigilance and surveillance to help curtail the effects of the outbreak of Dengue Fever and Diphtheria.

He mentioned that the state was putting up concerted efforts at building a responsive and resilient PHC system.

He encouraged members of the taskforce to be solutions driven, as well as be an instrument of change in their quest to disseminate, enlighten and champion a result driven health process that benefits locals across the eighteen local government areas.

He noted that the plan was to make primary healthcare the most accessible form of healthcare in the state to aid better maternal and health outcomes.

Idahosa singled out and commended the Egor local government chairman, Hon. Kelvin Eguaekun, for his concerted effort to network and maintain cleanliness in his council area.

Idahosa informed the state government move to implement a reward system for local government chairmen who play critical roles in their domains by disseminating and implementing processes that showcase the benefits of a cleaner environment to drive down diseases.

Amongst chairmen who pledged to implement reached decisions at the stakeholders meeting included Hon. Haruna Mohammed of Owan East and Hon. Joy Ohonyor of Owan West.

News

What We’ve Done So Far To Curtail Ravaging Dengue Fever, Diphtheria – Edo Govt

Published

12 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Edo State government said measures have been put in place to combat the outbreak of Dengue Fever and Diphtheria.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, disclosed this during a meeting with the state deputy governor and taskforce on Primary Health Care (PHC), at the New Festival Hall, Government House in Benin

He said the government has made donations of medical supplies to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as part of the intervention.

Oshiomhole listed the medical supplies to include hospital beds, mattresses, oxygen cylinders, intravenous fluids, and and erythromycin, among others.

Dr. Oshiomhole also mentioned that the state received support of twenty doses of Diphtheria antitoxins from Delta state government.

“We also want to commend the UBTH, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and development partners such as UNICEF, WHO for their collaborative efforts and provision of technical support to combat the disease.

“NCDC provided the state with diphtheria antitoxins and intravenous erythromycin and other logistics.

“In addition, NCDC team is presently on ground to do a verbal autopsy of some of the current victims of the Diphtheria outbreak,” he stated.

He noted that the state is also faced with dengue fever which has led to the emphasis on the need for a cleaner environment.

Oshiomhole also reminded on Lassa fever whose outbreak can be controlled to an extent through environmental cleanliness.

The commissioner explained the reactive vaccination for teens from ages 5-14 in schools based on the outbreak of Diphtheria in six council areas of the state.

He harped on the need for contact tracing in neighborhoods and schools in order to track and vaccinate high-risk people, front liners, and high-risk personalities in society.

Earlier, Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Coulsen Oisokhai, called for collaboration with civil society organizations and development partners to strengthen relationships.

Speaking on behalf of implementing partners, Dr. Nora Eyo of the WHO harped on vaccine hesitancy as a major challenge faced in Edo State.

She pointed out the prevalence of waste dumps in residential buildings in the state as a challenge to sound health.