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Leaders must address marginalisation concerns to foster patriotism – Lawan

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2 years ago

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Senate President Ahmad Lawan
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President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has advised Nigerian leaders not to ignore concerns by any part of the country decrying the marginalisation of its peoples.

He warned that doing so would only decimate their patriotism and erect walls of division among the country’s regions, as well as further inflame calls for secession.

Lawan, gave the warning on Wednesday, in an address delivered at the presentation of a book titled, “Foundations of Nigeria’s Unity.”

The book was authored by Senator representing Cross Rivers Central and Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Cross River State, Sandy Onor.

The Senate President was a special guest at the event which held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

Speaking, he said, “There is no part of this country that does not cry about marginalisation from time to time, but, I think, some of these tendencies of pull-away are centrifugal tendencies created by the elites.

“It is our duty as leaders to look into those genuine calls when our citizens complain.

“Where we find justifications, we shouldn’t shy away from addressing those calls to make our citizens more patriotic.

“It is a proven fact, as the book argues, that nations are made by men and women, by peoples and communities, who are painstaking in efforts at staying as one, and harnessing their diversities for greatness.

“This process has been the hallmark of nations in history, which is why some of the greatest nations on planet earth are neither completely homogenous nor heterogeneous.

“They have moved on to higher levels by deliberately working on their diversities, and making the best out of it through resolves, regulations and the instrument of good governance.

“Growth and development are neither a function of the commonality of culture nor the disparities in traditions.

“Progress come through the determination of a people to stay together, leveraging on the vision and mission of the constitution and the leadership.

“Calls for separation are therefore inimical to efforts at nation-building, especially if the consequences of this are put into proper perspective.

“It is the reason we often desire a good understanding of history for all to be better guided in our calls and agitations.

“Distinguished Senator Onor has provided a thorough understanding through this intellectual analysis, focusing on the past to interpret our present, and concluding that our heterogeneity can be a foundation for unity.

“This patriotic and nationalistic effort is a step in the right direction, in the bid to expand our knowledge of nationhood, such that our challenges would not be seen as unusual and insurmountable.”

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Tinubu Seeks Senate Nod For Seven New Ministers

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3 weeks ago

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October 24, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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Tinubu Seeks Senate Nod For Seven New Ministers

 

President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate to approve the nomination of seven individuals who have been appointed as ministers in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tinubu’s request is detailed in a letter directed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, which was presented during the plenary session on Thursday.

Tinubu, in the letter, listed the nominees to include: Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Mukhtar Maiha, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad.

Akpabio, thereafter, referred the request to the committee of the whole for expeditious consideration.

The nominees are expected to bring valuable experience and expertise to their respective roles, contributing to the country’s development and progress.

Recall that the president had on Wednesday reshuffled his cabinet.

President Bola Tinubu made a major shake-up in his cabinet by nominating Bianca Ojukwu for ministerial position while dismissing six Ministers from his cabinet.

In conjunction with this shake-up, he has also submitted seven ministerial nominees to the National Assembly to fill the newly vacant positions.

The Ministers that were relieved from the cabinet were Prof. Tahir Mamman, (Education), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Mohammed Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism) and the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, who has been replaced.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tinubu, FEC Scrap Niger Delta, Sports Development Ministries

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3 weeks ago

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October 23, 2024

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FEC In Session
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President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have scrapped the Niger Delta Ministry, and the Ministry of Sports Development.

The decisions were taken on Wednesday at the meeting of the FEC in Abuja, as seen on the X handle of the Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga.

There will now be a Ministry of Regional Development to oversee all the Regional Development Commissions, such as the Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and the North East Development Commission.

The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports.

The FEC also approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.

Despite the announcement, Onanuga did not state what would happen to the ministers in charge of the scrapped ministries, or how they would function henceforth.

The Niger Delta Ministry is being headed by Abubakar Momoh, with John Enoh being in charge of the Ministry of Sports Development.

The development comes following recent clamour for a reduction in the number of ministries and political officers in the country to reduce governance costs.

 

 

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Immigration Arrests ‘Fleeing’ Bobrisky At Seme Border

Published

3 weeks ago

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October 21, 2024

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Nigerian Immigration Service
Bobrisky
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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed the arrest of controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye also known as Bobrisky at the Seme Border.

The Service in a statement on Monday night said the social media sensation was arrested while trying to flee Nigeria.

A spokesman for the Service, DCI KT Udo, described Bobrisky as a person of interest over recent issues of public concern.

Udo said, “He is undergoing interrogation and will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.

“The Service assures the public that it will continue to be civil and professional in its statutory responsibility of manning the country’s borders.”

A blogger, Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, had alleged in viral videos that some officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) collected ₦15 million from Bobrisky during his naira spraying ordeal in April for the anti-graft agency to drop money laundering charges against him.

After that, a court sentenced the crossdresser to six months imprisonment and he was released in August.

The blogger also alleged that Bobrisky paid some millions of naira to secure a choice place in prison.

Bobrisky has since denied the allegations while the EFCC and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) had ordered investigations into the allegations by the blogger.

The House of Representatives also waded in and invited those involved for a probe while the Federal Government suspended some NCoS senior officers.

On September 30, 2024, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, inaugurated a committee to probe allegations of gross misconduct against the NCoS.

The panel submitted its report on Monday saying the social media sensation served his six-month jail term in prison but he enjoyed several privileges including access to television and a fridge.

 

 

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