News

Fulani Elite Wants To Eliminate Me, Gov Ortom Raises Alarm

Published

1 year ago

February 2, 2023

Editor

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has raised the alarm alleging that there are plots by some Fulani elite to eliminate him.

The governor, who made the remark while addressing newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday, insisted that he will not be intimidated by anyone to back down from his fight against the invasion of the state by Fulani terrorists from other parts of Africa.

Ortom further vowed not to back down in protecting their interest till the day he leaves office.

DAILY POST reports that the development followed allegations against the governor by a group of Fulani elite led by the dethroned Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi saying that he was being targeted for elimination.

In his reaction, Ortom opined that his attention was drawn to a “write-up signed by 52 personalities of Fulani extraction led by the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi in form of a letter to Mr President in which the group leveled all manner of accusations against me in a desperate attempt to set me up for hatred, vilification and attacks.

“The group, which refused to give itself a name, accused me of being responsible for the recent killing of some pastoralists at Akwanaja, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State via a bomb attack. They tried to link the Benue State Livestock Guards with the killings, claiming that the pastoralists were bombed on their way from Benue to Nasarawa after they had retrieved their cattle.

“The group maliciously accused me of carrying out genocide against pastoralists. The dethroned Emir Sanusi did not stop at that. He made a video in Hausa in which he maligned me and called on all Fulanis to consider me as their enemy while urging those in Benue State to vote against me during the coming elections.”

“I consider these allegations and blackmail targeted at my person and the Government of Benue State as part of a grand conspiracy by enemies of the state to eliminate me. Since 2017 when we enacted the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, I have escaped seven assassination attempts.”

“The recent utterances of some personalities such as Lamido Sanusi have revealed the true identities of those behind the sinister agenda to eliminate me. But my life is in the hands of God and only He can permit anything evil to come my way,” he stated.

He emphasised that “Let me tell the dethroned Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi and his conspirators that I cannot be intimidated by any of them. I hold the mandate of Benue people and my allegiance is to my people in respect of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which gives states as federating units, the power to enact laws for the good governance of their people.”

He spoke further, “I must state categorically that the Benue State Government under my leadership has no hand in the Akwanaja incident. Linking me with the bomb attack in Doma, Nasarawa State is the most unfair thing anyone would do to me.

“How am I connected or responsible for what did not take place in my state? Akwanaja is in Doma local government area of Nasarawa State, so how do I account for what did not take place in my state? I am Chief Security Officer only in Benue State.

“Fulani herdsmen attacks on my people in the last couple of years have caused a devastating humanitarian crisis resulting in the killing of over 6,000 Benue people and the displacement of about two million others with many living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Our people have suffered the organized genocide masked in terrorism, not because they do not know their attackers.

“Benue people know those who are visiting them with unprovoked violence and killings, but as law-abiding citizens of Nigeria, we have chosen to sustain our belief in the conventional security agencies of this country. Now, the enemy has turned round to accuse our people of being the aggressors,” he stressed.

“It is public knowledge that right from the day the law came into effect, umbrella bodies of nomadic herders boldly came out with impunity and said they would never obey the law.

“They vowed to mobilize Fulanis across the West African sub-region to invade Benue State and stop implementation of the law. They actualized their threats on the eve of the 2018 New Year when they carried out simultaneous attacks on Guma and Logo local government areas killing 73 people whom we painfully gave a mass burial in Makurdi on January 11, 2018.”

News

Drama As Outage Disrupts Power Minister’s Speech At N’Assembly

Published

43 mins ago

April 30, 2024

Editor

Drama played out when power supply was seized as the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, was speaking at the National Assembly.

Adelabu was fielding questions from senators at the investigative hearing on “the need to halt the increase in the price of electricity” organised by the Senate Committee on Power.

Power was, thereafter, restored in less than five minutes.

Speaking about the power interruption, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Eyinnaya Abaribe, said what the minister said about the stable electricity in the country was implicative.

He said, “You see what just happened. This is what we all experience. We the Senators experience it too and I am sure even the President does experience it at the Villa, just that he cannot speak out like we are.”

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had on April 3, approved an increase of 340% in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.

According to the NERC’s Vice Chairman, Musliu Oseni, Band A, customers will begin to pay N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66.

According to NERC, B and A customers are those who enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily.

Further checks revealed that customers under this classification represent 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity customers in Nigeria.

The NERC Vice Chairman however clarified that the review would not affect customers on the other bands.

The Senate had summoned the Minister to speak on the recent tariff and justify the increase.

News

Ex-WMA President, Enabulele Honoured As Labour Hero

Published

1 hour ago

April 30, 2024

Editor

The immediate past president of the World Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has been honoured as a labour Hero.

He was honoured during the commissioning of Labour House, Benin , by Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Presenting the award on behalf of Edo State Government and organized labour, the Deputy Governor of the state, Engr. Marvellous Omobayo, applauded the progressive leadership strides of Enabulele, and wished him greater attainments in his endeavours.

Responding, Enabulele thanked the state government and the Organized Labour for the honour done to them.

He commended Obaseki for his unparalleled commitment to the actualization of the Labour house, and called for its sustained maintenance and utilization for the purposes for which it was built.

The event climaxed with Governor Obaseki’s announcement of N70, 000:00k minimum wage for Edo State public sector workers with effect from the 1st of May, 2024.

The event was attended by members of the State Executive Council, the Speaker and members of the Edo State House of Assembly; NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero; Comrade Festus Osifo (TUC President).

The programme also featured the recognition of other Labour heros such as Pa Michael Imoudu, Pa Jonathan Ihonde, Comrade Festus Iyayi, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, amongst others.

News

Tinubu, GEJ, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Others To Grace Igbinedion University 25th Anniversary

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Editor

President Bola Tinubu; former presidents of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) are among dignitaries to grace the 25th anniversary of Igbinedion University, IUO, Okada, Edo State.

Vice-Chancellor of the university,
Professor Lawrence Ezemonye, , disclosed this today, Tuesday, 30th April 2024, during a world press conference held at the institution’s campus.

According to Ezemonye, President Tinubu would be the special guest of honour, while former President Jonathan would chairman the event and Abubakar would be a special guest of honour.

Reeling out activities slated for the anniversary, Ezemonye who said different activities have been lined up for the 25th anniversary, noted that the University Founder’s Day would be held on May 10th with Anniversary Colloquium, titled: ‘Re-Imagining Tertiary Education for Africa’s Present and Future Realities’.

He listed Hon. Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman; H.E. Professor Mohamed Bellhocine, AU Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, H.E. His Excellency, Shri. G. Balasubramanian, High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, amongst others, as guest speakers.

Speaking on the 25 years journey of imparting knowledge on Nigerians and beyond, the Vice-Chancellor said at inception, IUO started with a modest figure of 115 enrolment, but has over 7,000 male and female students on campus today.

He said: “Over the years, IUO has been able to provide value and significance in the higher education landscape.

Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye (First right) alongside other principal officers of the University unveiling the 25 years anniversary logo on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

“We are the first private university in Nigeria to produce Medical Doctors, Pharmacy and Law graduates.

“The first to produce a First Class law graduate who repeated the same feat at the Nigerian Law School and went on to become a Professor of Law, Deputy Vice Chancellor of a university and the youngest Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

“We are the first private university in Nigeria whose First Class Law graduate also obtained First Class at the Nigerian Law School (2005).

“We pioneered entrepreneurship as an academic programme in Nigeria before it was adopted by NUC as a mandatory component of the curriculum of Nigerian universities.”

Ezemonye, while noting that IUO commenced academic activities with 5 Colleges at inception, boasted that the University has expanded to 7 Colleges and 3 Schools today.

“The academic departments/programmes have witnessed exponential increase from 7 at inception to 85, made up of 34 undergraduate and 51 postgraduate programmes,” he added.

He continued: “We have produced over 16,000 graduates across disciplines spread across the globe, with records of stellar performances in their respective fields of endeavour.

“All courses/programmes are fully accredited not only by the National Universities Commission (NUC) but also by relevant professional bodies.

“Our admission quota for Medicine, Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science was recently increased by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) by 100 per cent each.”