News

Tension In Benin As Men Of Special Anti-Robbery Squad Takeover Assembly

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2020

Editor

… It’s A False Alarm- OC House

Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad deployed from Abuja allegedly have chased away policemen guarding the Edo State House of Assembly Complex, currently undergoing renovation, in a bid to forcefully takeover the assembly and illegally inaugurate another House of Assembly.

The SARS officials believed to be acting on orders from Abuja are currently at the Assembly Complex, in the King’s Square area of Benin City, the Edo State capital.

A retired deputy Clerk (name withheld) has been allegedly hired to illegally inaugurate a parallel assembly that will take over the function of law making in the state.

However, answering questions from the Speaker who later paid a visit to the Anthony Enahoro Complex which under renovation, officer in charge of the House, ASP Timi Peter said there was no such invasion.

She told Mr. Speaker that everything was calm and under control.

Recall that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye, on Wednesday raised the alarm over a plot by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma and stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, to import a fake mace to violently take over the Edo State House of Assembly.

Okiye, who spoke after plenary on Wednesday, in Benin City, said the plot is to be executed in cahoots with the impeached Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yekini Idiaye.

According to him, “The dubious plan by the Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma and stakeholders of the APC in Edo State to import a fake mace to take over the Edo State House of Assembly working in cahoots with the Deputy Speaker, who recently declared support for the candidate of the APC to congregate in a secret location to illegally and violently take over control of the Assembly has been brought to our notice.”

Warning of the grave consequences such a move portends for democracy in Nigeria, Okiye called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Presidency to urgently call the Imo State Governor and others working with him to execute this illegal plan to desist from their plans and allow the laws of the state to guide them.

“The state’s polity is already heated by the high political tension from the electioneering campaigns. Their planned action is akin to lighting a match in an already tensed political environment, which conflagration is capable of causing crisis in the state, and of a scale beyond our imagination.”

He said, “We call on Edo people whose mandate and interests the state’s legislature holds and protects, to rise against this planned attack and plot to subvert their will and subjugate them using external forces.

“We urge lovers of democracy across the world, institutions that uphold democratic tenets and values, pro-democracy groups, to denounce this planned illegality that seeks to distract a duly constituted authority.”

“We recognise the constitutional right of the three members of the House of Assembly to support the candidate of their choice, but that should not distract them from coming to work to carry out the job they were elected for.

“We are, as always, committed to the protection of the democratic rights of our people as the legislature remains a sacred institution in the democratisation process,” he added

Meanwhile at time of filing this report, governor of the State alongside top government functionaries were at the Assembly complex to assess situation of things.

Details later…

News

2nd House Prize Winner Emerges In Festival Of Joy Promo Draw In Port Harcourt

Published

3 hours ago

December 8, 2022

Editor

Foremost mobile network operator, Globacom, on Thursday held a draw to select the winner of a second three-bedroom house prize in Port Harcourt in furtherance of its Festival of Joy loyalty reward promo.

In a press statement issued by the company after the Port Harcourt draw, Globacom encouraged subscribers who desire to win prizes in the promo to dial *611# and keep recharging (voice and data during the promo period) to qualify for the draw.

The winning number was drawn by an elderly Glo subscriber, Mr. Ogbomade Sampson Joe, who was present at the Gloworld to transact business. It was witnessed by several Glo subscribers, the media as well as Mr. Koko Finny, the representative of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) in Port Harcourt.

The lucky Glo subscriber who emerged winner in the draw will receive the house prize at a presentation ceremony billed for Friday, December 9, 2022.

Three lucky Glo subscribers had previously become landlords in Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt courtesy of Glo Festival of Joy promo which has on offer, 20 houses, 24 brand new cars, 100 generators, 200 sewing machines and 1,000 rechargeable fans.

News

Abducted Ondo Monarch Regains Freedom

Published

10 hours ago

December 8, 2022

Editor

The monarch of Oso Ajowa Akoko in in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Clement Jimoh, who was kidnapped, has regained freedom.

The traditional ruler, who was abducted in his palace, was set free by the bandits after he had spent seven days in their den.

According to a family source, the monarch was freed on Wednesday evening and he had been taken to the hospital where he was receiving treatment.

“Kabiyesi regained freedom yesterday (Wednesday) evening but he has been taken to the hospital for treatment,” the source stated.

Details later…

News

Withdrawal Limits: Senate Raises Concerns, To Debate New CBN

Published

20 hours ago

December 8, 2022

Editor

A file photo of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during plenary at the upper chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja.

The Senate has raised concerns about the latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on cash withdrawals.

Senate Minority Leader Phillip Aduda in a point of order during plenary on Wednesday called the attention of his colleagues to the new policy and demanded for caution as it will affect many Nigerians, especially small business owners.

In his response, Senate President Ahmad Lawan cautions the CBN not to approach the policy by jumping into it at once as many Nigerians will be affected.

He further noted that there is a need to engage the CBN in discussions to get more details of the policy and he directs the committee on banking to discuss this matter during the screening of the CBN Deputy Governors expected to hold before next week.

The Senate has set next Tuesday to debate the new CBN policy.

Under the new withdrawal policy, the CBN restricted the maximum cash withdrawal over the counter (OTC) by individuals and corporate organisations per week to N100,000 and N500,000 respectively.

The CBN stated, however, that withdrawals above the thresholds would attract processing fees of 5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for individuals and corporate entities going forward.

In addition, third-party cheques above N50,000 shall not be eligible for OTC payment while extant limits of N10 million on clearing cheques still remain.

The new withdrawal regime further pegged the maximum cash withdrawal per week via Automated teller Machine (ATM) at N100,000 subject to a maximum of N20,000 cash withdrawal per day.