• 

Seun Fakorede a 27-year-old native of Oyo State who was recently nominated as Commissioner by Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde alongside two others.

Since his nomination, it has generated lots of controversies among the people for calling him “the young commissioner”

Fakorede in a recent statement rejected being called a young commissioner.

Fakorede said, a lot of us (youths) believed that we’re too young, but we’re the one that needs to change the story and the narrative of this country entirely.

“The society, the community change it in such a way that if you’re brilliant, if you’re young and doing things, they want to use the word “Young” to water down your potentials” He said.

Fakorede said, “who says you’re young? What pains me is that you’ll see some youths saying I’m a young professional, young influencer, young pastors, young Imam, young leader, young politician, young photographer”.

He concluded by advising the youths to stop saying that, because a photographer is a photographer, an influencer is an influencer, a leader is a leader, a pastor is a pastor, a commissioner is a commissioner irrespectively, don’t put yourself under the bondage that “I’m young”.

It was earlier reported that, two separate groups staged protests in front of the Oyo state House of Assembly complex, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan 2days ago.

Tropic Reporter reports that, one of the groups opposed the nomination of the 27-year-old Oluwaseun Fakorede as a commissioner-nominee by the state governor, Seyi Makinde, while the other group supported his nomination as a commissioner.

According to the news, the anti-Fakorede group, which was made up of members and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were seen protesting Fakorede’s nomination because his father had allegedly defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

They claimed Fakorede’s father worked against the success of the PDP at the just concluded 2019 general elections.

However, the pro-Fakorede group, made of students and representatives of the student association bodies, said that Fakorede has the capacity to deliver and represent the youths well in Governor Makinde’s cabinet.

• 

The Presidency has urged Nigerians to disregard concocted stories, backed with spurious visuals of any protest or harassment of President Muhammadu Buhari and his team, who arrived Japan on Monday.

A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Monday, said the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has had nothing to do with President Buhari since he arrived Yokohama, Japan.

The statement reads in part: “Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are urged to disregard concocted stories, backed with spurious visuals, of any protest or harassment of the President and his team.

“It is the stock-in-trade of hate mongers, who do not realise that the rest of Nigerians have left them far behind.’’

The presidential aide stated that Buhari would make his presence at the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) count for Nigeria, and “no scare-mongering or sabre-rattling will detract from the outing.’’

A report posted by the President’s personal assistant on new media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmed, at about 1.25 p.m. showed Buhari with Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue state and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Also in the pictorial report is the Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Mohammed Yisa, seen with Buhari at the President’s hotel in Yokohama

• 

The body of an Iraqi migrant who tried to swim across the Channel from France to Britain has been found off Belgium’s coast, Belgian authorities said Monday.

The 48-year-old was discovered on Friday near the seaside resort of Zeebrugge, wearing a makeshift life jacket made of empty plastic bottles and carrying a small bag with his identity papers, the prosecutor’s office in Bruges said.

“It’s the first time we’ve found the body of a migrant,” Carl Decaluwe, the governor of western Flanders province where Zeebrugge is located, told AFP Monday.

Officials believe the man drowned while trying to swim from a beach in northern France to Britain. Currents are thought to have transported his body to Belgian waters.

He was found drifting near a wind farm some 30 kilometres (18 miles) off Zeebrugge, the Belgian news agency Belga reported.

He had attempted the swim after failing to obtain asylum in Germany, according to the agency.

Eight days before the Iraqi’s body was found, a Belgian sailor had spotted a man wearing a belt made of empty plastic bottles crying for help in waters off the French coast of Dunkirk.

The sailor had informed French maritime authorities of the August 18 incident, saying he had tried to save the man, but he was swept away by a current.

Migrants are taking ever greater risks to reach Britain from France, which has taken an uncompromising approach towards so-called economic migrants who come to Europe in search of a better life in contrast with that fleeing war or persecution.

Since January, some 1,450 migrants have been rescued either by British or French coastguards, more than double the number who attempted to cross the busy shipping channel in the whole of 2018, according to official French figures released Monday.

Tribune

The Kaduna State government has announced that it will commence the implementation of the New National Minimum wage from September 1, 2019.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, disclosed this to Channels Television on Monday.

He made the disclosure at the end of the State Executive Council meeting chaired by the deputy governor, Mrs Hadiza Balarabe.

Adekeye explained that the Council approved that payment of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments to civil servants should begin from September.

He said the approval was part of the commitment of the Nasir El-Rufai administration to strengthening public service and its capacity to deliver quality and responsive service.

In arriving at the decision to pay the N30,000 minimum wage, Adekeye explained that the government considered several scenarios, bearing in mind the trend of Internally Generated Revenues and allocations from the Federation Account.

He noted that paying the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments would increase the wage bill of the State Government by 33.

The governor’s aide added that the development would increase the gross monthly salary outlay from N2.827billion to N3.759billion.

According to the new wage structure, the lowest-paid workers in the Kaduna State Civil Service will enjoy increments of as much as 67% while middle-ranking officers from Grade 10 to 14 were awarded increments of 60%.

The state government also confirmed the approval of the N30,000 minimum wage in a statement.

News Flagship

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned the general public against fraudulent messages in the social media circles requesting unsuspecting loan seekers and owners of small-scale businesses to apply for loans.

The fraudsters behind these, claim that the loans are provided by the Federal Government through an e-mail address (empowermentcbnloan@gmail.com) purportedly being handled by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

A statement signed by Mr Isaac Okorafor, Director, Corporate Communications at CBN on Monday noted that while the CBN, indeed, has several development finance intervention programmes from which different categories of businesses have benefitted (and still benefit), the Bank does not do so through direct interaction with prospective applicants.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there are clearly spelt out procedures for accessing CBN intervention funds, which are disbursed through Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), such as Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Microfinance Banks (MFBs),” the statement read in part.

The CBN, therefore, advises members of the public, particularly youth and owners of small-scale businesses, to disregard any message requesting them to send their personal details, including mobile phone numbers, to emails such as empowermentcbnloan@gmail.com or any other one that may be contrived. These messages it stated, are fake and anyone who enters into correspondence with them does so at his or her own risk.

Prospective applicants are advised to approach their respective banks or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch nearest to them for clarification on the procedure for accessing any of the CBN-related loans.

Source: Tribune

THE KOGI STATE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY/STATE ASSEMBLY ELECTION HAS SACKED DINO MELAYE AS THE SENATOR REPRESENTING KOGI WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

In a judgement delivered on Friday, the tribunal ordered a fresh election in the district.

Melaye (PDP) was declared winner in the February election by INEC, but Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC) approached the tribunal, challenging INEC’s declaration citing, irregularities, over voting and non compliance with the electoral acts.

The three man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke in a unanimous judgment on Friday accepted Adeyemi’s ground and order for reelection into the senatorial axis.

TropicReporters

• 

A former Enugu State governor’s aide’s daughter, a community leader and his wife, were on Thursday abducted by gunmen in two different locations in Enugu State.

Kosiso, the daughter of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani’s aide, Frank Anioma, was said to be on her way to the New Haven market when she got missing.

“Her phone was ringing when we called her number but there was no reply.

Thereafter, it went into busy,” Anioma posted.

The second incident occurred Thursday night at Amokwe, Udi Local Council along Old EnuguAwka Road where an Nnewi based businessman, Chief Ernest Otugo and his wife were kidnapped by gunmen.

They were travelling to Enugu from Nnewi, to attend a social function billed for the next day in a chocolate colour Toyota Venza when the incident occurred.

The couple also had their children and a family friend simply identified as Chief Reuben with them when the gunmen struck.

Otugo, his wife and his friend, Reuben, said to be an indigene of Awka, Anambra State, were taken captive leaving behind the children.

The wife was later released by the kidnappers for her to go and arrange for the ransom.

The amount was not mentioned.

Enugu State Police Command through its spokesman, Superintendent Ebere Amaraizu said the anti-kidnap operatives were on top of the situation.

An advocacy group for the promotion of peace and good governance in Enugu State, Enugu Youths Coalition for Good Governance, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to direct the immediate redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe, for lack of capacity and commitment to secure the state.

The group, which frowned at the spate of crimes in the state since Balarabe assumed office as Enugu State Commissioner of Police, few weeks to the 2019 general election, said that the demand was borne out of their objective assessment of the performance of the police chief and the need to protect lives and property.

In a statement signed by the Coordinator and Secretary, Hon. Ikechukwu Ibeh and Engr. Jude Onyema, respectively, the advocacy group maintained that Enugu State had been peaceful and one of the safest states in Nigeria, expressing deep concern that “if something urgent is not done to rejig the security architecture of the state; our state’s enviable status will be jeopardized.”

They stated that the present cases of kidnapping, murder and other criminal activities being witnessed in the state were strange and a sign of failure on the part of the security agencies in the state, especially the police.

The group added that “this recent ugly experience was never encountered in Enugu State in the past three years when the immediate past Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danmallam Mohammed was in the saddle.”

Another kidnap incident was recorded in neighbouring Imo State where gunmen abducted the wife of the Anglican Bishop of Ikeduru Diocese, Anuri Maduwuike.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after gunmen killed five people in a pre-dawn attack on another community in the state.

It was gathered that the victim was abducted on her way home from Owerri. According to an eyewitness, the prelate’s wife was ambushed at a bad spot by Ekemele and whisked to an unknown destination.

According to the source, “wife of the Anglican bishop of Ikeduru Diocese Mrs. Anuri Maduwuike was kidnapped by gunmen. We need prayers for God’s intervention for the safety and freedom of the God’s handmaid.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development.

The Police spokesperson told our correspondent that her abductors were yet to establish contacts with the victim’s family

• 

One of the thieves terrorising the staff, students and other residents of the Obafemi Awolowo  University has been sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that one ODIONYE Wilson was arrested by the security unit of the university when the students who were sitting for examination dropped their belongings as is customary of them during examination.

The 23 years old Wilson, who claimed to be a rusticated student, informed the University Security team, during interrogation,  that be belonged to a seven-man syndicate that specialised in coming to OAU to rob people and steal their valuables.

He was subsequently handed over to the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police, “A” Division, Ile – Ife, which arraigned him in court and secured his conviction.

Wilson, and others now at large, on Wednesday, 31st July, 2019, at about 1625:00 hours at the ICT centre of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, did steal one Itel S31 handset, valued #29,950:00 property of one Abayomi Oluwatobiloba; IPad phone, valued #200,000:00; itel phone valued #7,000:00; and one BlackBerry phone valued #45,000:00, total valued #252,000:00, property of one Ilegieuno Ibrahim.

Others items stolen include: Tecno Canon X phone valued #50,000:00 and one Tecno 66 phone valued #8,000:00 property of one Ajayi Jonathan. Rukayat Olajide’s Tecno Pop phone valued #38,000:00, Tecno phone valued #5,000:00, phone charger valued #3,000:00 and the cash sum of #5,000:00 were also stolen In a Charge Sheet No: MIF/305/2019, Commissioner of Police versus ODIONYE Wilson ‘m’ Age 23 years, Magistrate Owolawi found him guilty on counts one, two and three and accordingly sentenced him to five years on each count. The sentence were to run concurrently.

• 

Sacked chairman of the Ogun state All Progressives Congress, Chief Derin Adebiyi has cast a curse on the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

In an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta on Friday, an overly angry Adebiyi, whose officials have just been pushed out of the secretariat by the caretaker committee, transferred his aggression on Oshiomhole. He did not wish Oshiomhole well at all.

“Oshiomhole is backing this illegal caretaker committee; he has caused serious damages to the party at the national level. Mark my word, Oshiomhole will leave his position with ignominy,” he said.

Derin accused Oshiomhole of backing the “illegal caretaker committee” in Ogun and also causing crisis in the party as a whole.

Adebiyi said the takeover of the secretariat by the Yemi Sanusi-led caretaker committee was “a forceful invasion and illegal occupation by loyalists of Gov. Dapo Abiodun”.

He accused the committee members of storming the party secretariat in a “warlike manner”, accompanied by fierce looking security operatives.

“It is a forceful invasion by the loyalists of Ogun governor. They illegally occupied our secretariat.

“They stormed the offices, drove away our staff and locked the place up. The action is condemnable,” Adebiyi said.

He explained that the matter of the dissolution of his exco was currently before an Abuja High Court, wondering why the caretaker committee could not wait for the outcome of the case.

Adebiyi, who insisted that his exco was a product of a state congress held on May 2018, declared he and his members would explore all legal means to reclaim the party secretariat.

“We are products of the Congress on May 19, 2018. We are not engaging them like touts, the next court hearing is in October.

“They should have waited. We paid the rent of the secretariat. The caretaker committee has been conducting their businesses in Osoba’s house.

“We are no novice, we have refused to take laws into our hand,. but we will explore all legal means to reclaim the party secretariat,” Adebiyi declared.

PmNews

• 

Bellow are the list of Federal Republic of Nigeria New Ministers, their state and portfolios

Abia: Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, Minister of State Mines and Steel Development

Adamawa: Muhammadu Musa Bello, Minister of Federal Capital Territory

Akwa Ibom: Sen. Godswill Akpabio , Minister of Niger Delta

Anambra: Dr. Chris N. Ngige , Minister of Labour and Employment

Anambra: Sharon O. Ikeazor , Minister of State Environment

Bauchi: Adamu Adamu , Minister of Education

Bauchi: Amb. Mariam Y. Katagum , Minister of State Industry, Trade and Investment

Bayelsa: Timipre Sylva , Minister of State Petroleum Resource

Benue: Sen. George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs

Borno: Mustapha Baba Shehuri , Minister of State Agriculture Rural Development

Cross River: Goddy Jedy – Agba , Minister of State Power

Delta: Festus Keyamo , SAN, Minister of State Niger Delta

Ebonyi: Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu , Minister of Science and Technology

Edo: Dr. Osagie Ehanire , Minister of Health

Edo: Clement IKanade Agba , Minister of State Budget and National Planning

Ekiti: Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo , Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

Enugu: Geoffrey Onyeama , Minister of Foreign Affairs

Gombe: Dr. Ali Isa Ibrahim , Minister of Communications

Imo, Emeka Nwajiuba , Minister of State Education

Jigawa: Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu , Minister of Water Resources

Kaduna: Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed , Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning

Kaduna: Dr. Muhammad Mahmoud , Minister of Environment

Kano: Sabo Nanono , Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

Kano: Maj. Gen. (RTD) Bashir Salihi Magashi , Minister of Defence

Katsina: Muhammadu Buhari , Minister of Petroleum Resources

Katsina: Sen. Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation

Kebbi: Abubakar Malami , Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice

Kogi: Ramatu Tijani , Minister of State Federal Capital Territory

Kwara: Lai Mohammed , Minister of Information and Culture

Kwara: Gbemisola Saraki , Minister of State Transportation

Lagos: Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), Minister of Works and Housing

Lagos, Sen. Adeleke Mamora , Minister of State Health

Nasarawa: Mohammed H. Abdullahi, Minister of State Science and Technology

Niger: Amb. Zubairu Dada , Minister of State Foreign Affairs

Ogun: Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite , Minister of Mines and Steel Development

Ondo: Sen. Tayo D . Alasoadura, Minister of State Labour and Employment

Osun: Rauf Aregbesola , Minister of Interior

Oyo: Sunday Dare , Minister of Youth and Sports

Plateau: Pauline Tallen , Minister of Women Affairs

Rivers: Rotimi Amaechi , Minister of Transportation

Sokoto: Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi , Minister of Police Affairs

Taraba: Eng. Saleh Mamman ,Minister of Power

Yobe: Abubakar D. Aliyu , Minister of State Works and Housing

Zamfara: Sa’adiya Umar Farouk , Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development