Confab: It’s a distraction, waste of resources —Tinubu

Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, weekend, criticised the convocation of a National Dialogue by President Jonathan saying it is a distraction and mere waste of time and resources.

She also questioned the rationale behind the convocation of a National Dialogue when the 2015 elections is around the corner.
Speaking during the 10th Town Hall meeting with constituents of Lagos Central Senatorial District, Sen. Tinubu said the government must get its priorities right in pursuing real economic growth and Nigeria must cure itself of waste and over dependence on oil income.

According to her; “In the 2014 budget that just passed through second reading on Tuesday February 4, 2014, a total sum of 7 billion was allocated for the National Dialogue. I am not against convening a National Conference, but the question is why now that gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states are just around the corner.”

INEC releases 2015 Elections time table

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 14, 2015 for next year’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

This was contained in a statement issued last night in Abuja  by the Secretary to the Commission Mrs Augusta Ogakwu.

The statement further indicates that the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections would take place on 28, February, 2015.

The Commission’s Scribe also released the detailed time table for the Ekiti  State governorship elections scheduled to take place  in June  this year.

The statement shows that June 21, 2014 has been set aside for the conduct of the Ekiti State Governorship election, while the Osun State gubernatorial polls has been scheduled for August 9, 2014.

For the Ekiti Governorship polls the detailed  electoral time table indicates that the commission shall issue notice for the election on March 3, 2014.

The time table further indicates that commencement of campaigns for the polls begins on March  23, 2014 while collection of forms for candidates by their political parties begins on April 1.

The time table also shows that the last day for the conduct of party primaries is April 14, 2014.

The table further  shows that the last day for submission of forms CF001 and CF002 at the INEC headquarters is April 21, 2014. Publication of personal particulars of the candidates shall take place on April 26, 2014.

The last day set aside for withdrawal by candidates and their replacement by political parties has been fixed for 7th May, 2014 while the last day for submission of nomination forms is fixed for May 20, 2014. Publication of the official list of voters is also scheduled for May, 20.

The Commission has  set aside publication of notice of poll for June 4, 2014.

The table also shows that Submission of names of party agents  for the polls to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government or Area Council has been fixed for June 5, 2014. The last day for campaigns would be June 19, 2014.

“The tenure of office of the Governor of Ekiti State will expire on the 15th day of October 2014. By virtue of the provision of Section 178(2) of the Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Governorship election in the State shall hold not earlier than one hundred and fifty (150) days and not later than thirty (30) days before the exiration of the term of office of the Governor. The commissionmis by virtue of Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) expected to issue notice for the election not later than ninety (90) days before the date of the election.  The implications of the above provisions are stated below…

Goat gave birth to human-baby in Ekiti

According to a report by Vanguard newspaper, a mystery was recorded  in the  rural community of Olori Oko near Ogotun Ekiti in Ekiti South-West Local Government of Ekiti State as a goat allegedly gave birth to a strange creature.

Olori- Oko, a farm stead dominated by people of Ede and Modakeke in Osun State  is about six kilometres  to Ogotun Ekiti and three kilometres away from Ikeji Arakeji  in Osun State, with  about 500 residents, witnessed a huge, bewildered crowd that stormed the serene community from the neighboring towns and villages to catch a glimpse at the strange birth.

According to an eye witness, who is also a  member of the community, Mr. Ganiyu Adetokun,  the strange goat  delivered the kid at about 6a.m., yesterday, after a long and protracted labour which lasting for about 10 hours.

According to him, a Pastor, Daniel Odedele, resident in the community had to intervene by forcing the baby out of the goat’s genital when it was apparent that it could not deliver it unaided.

His words: “Strangely, the kid  had human hairs on its head  and female genital similar to that of human being. Then people started raising alarm.”

The kid was said to have  survived for about  one and a half hours before it died. owing to lack of care and disturbance from the people, who scrambled to take its picture.

According to him, the incident have been formally  reported to the Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti , Oba Samuel Oyebade, adding that the residents would take a step further by making necessary sacrifice and appeasements to gods of the land to forestall calamity from befalling them.

Corroborating the experience of  Adetokun, the  chairman of Commercial Motorcycle Association in the village, Mr Saheed  Oladepo (aka Akanmu), said the incident attracted people from the various neighboring communities of Ikeji Arakeji, Ogotun town, Ipetu  Ijesa, Ado Ekiti, Ilawe, Igbara Odo, Aba Ede, Aba Osogbo have turned the village to a Mecca of sort  to catch a glimpse of the mysterious goat and its kid.

Policemen  and men of the Ekiti State Peace Corps, had according to him, visited the village to see things for themselves and make possible reports to appropriate authorities.

2 remanded in prison for murder, rape

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court on Friday remanded two men in prison for allegedly killing a woman after raping her.

The accused men, Olanipekun Omoniyi and Yemi Adegoke, both resident in Igede-Ekiti, were alleged to have committed the offence on Nov. 8 at about 5.30 a.m.

The police prosecutor, Mr David Emmanuel, told the court that the accused persons laid ambush for one Mrs Titilayo Ogundele, along Irona street in Igede-Ekiti.

``This was while she was on her way to her place of business. The accused men then raped the 35-year-old woman and hit her with a mortar after the act,’’ he said.

Emmanuel added that the woman, who lived at No. 60, Anaye street in Igede-Ekiti, died at the scene of the act as a result of the attack on her.

He said the offence was a contravention of the Criminal Code.

TheNo plea was taken from the accused men and they had no legal representation.

The prosecutor told the court that he had duplicated the case file and sent it to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Simeon Ojo, ordered that the accused persons should be remanded in prison pending the DPP's advice.

Ojo later adjourned the case to Jan. 9, 2014 for hearing.

Falana lambasts Fashola for deporting beggars

Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN has described as illegal the deportation of 'beggars' by the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, stressing that the action is against the spirit of federalism.

Mr. Femi Falana who spoke with journalists in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state, said that no state in the country has legal justification for deporting Nigerians as it violates the fundamental rights of citizens of the country.

Falana submitted that the deportation of some alleged beggars by the Lagos State Government was "contrary to the provisions of the Constitution which stated that Nigerians could choose to live in any part of the country."

He went further to note that, "virtually all the states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are guilty of this offense, It will be wrong to restrict the condemnation of illegal deportation to Lagos State because many other states are into this barbaric act. The deportation of some beggars by the Lagos State Government to Anambra State was illegal, it is against the constitution”.

He urged governments across the tiers to see to the needs of Nigerians rather than deport them.

Fashola and the governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi are at war of words over the deportation of beggars from Lagos state to Anambra state.

EKSU dismisses randy lecturer

…staff escape rape

The management of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has dismissed a  randy lecturer of the institution.

The Registar of the University, Dr. Omojola Awosusi who failed to name the dismissed lecturer, said the action of the institution was a warning signal to the university community that gender-based violence will not be treated with levity.

Dr. Awosusi also disclosed that a non-academic staff of the former University of Ado-Ekiti would have been raped if not for the timely intervention of passers-by who heard her shout.

The disclosure by the Registrar was a rude shock to the wife of the governor of the state, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi and the commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi who led the Gender-based violence prohibition Law (GBVL) management committee on advocacy visit to the Ekiti state owned university.

Mrs. Fayemi enjoined the University management to vharge internal security personnel to take gender-ased violence issues seriously with prompt report of such cases to the appropriate authority. She also canvassed for the establishment of gender-based violence prohibition support club in the university, with membership cutting across students and lecturers.