Folarin Kehinde

Staff of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) have shut down the head office of the service in Abuja in protest against the appointment of Tola Odeyemi as Chief Executive Officer/Post Master General.

Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, had announced last week that President Bola Tinubu made some changes in the leadership of communication agencies, including NIPOST.

However, moments after the news of Odeyemi’s appointment broke, there were reports that Adeyemi Adepoju, the sacked Post Master-General had been reinstated.

In a viral video, Adepoju was seen addressing some workers who claimed Tinubu had reappointed him.

But on Monday, the protesting workers denied entry to the newly appointed NIPOST CEO, saying her appointment was against their wish.

The workers, who said they preferred Adepoju, chanted solidarity songs and wielded placards.

The Lagos government, on Monday, issued a 7-day ‘Vacation Order’ to motorists/commercial bus drivers operating on top of bridges across the state.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Hon.Sola Giwa said the ultimatum was given based on the need to remove every infraction impeding free traffic flow on bridges across the state.

Hon. Giwa disclosed that despite several warnings, motorists/commercial bus drivers have continued to defy government orders and cause severe obstructions around these bridges, negatively impacting the integrity of the bridges and traffic.

He confirmed that the present administration is expending enormous resources on constructing standard bus terminals/garages for commercial activities in every part of the state.

According to the Special Adviser, “Every motorist/commercial bus driver operating along ‘Apongbon’ and ‘Idumota’ (Cater) Bridges, ‘Elegbata:, ‘Ebute-Ero’ and ‘Ejalonibu’ must as a matter of urgency vacate these areas as LASTMA would commence strict enforcement operation immediately after the expiration of this ultimatum until zero tolerance is achieved across the state.”

He added that the activities of these motorists/commercial bus drivers on bridges are contrary to the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 provisions as amended.

Hon. Sola, however, affirmed that after the expiration of the ultimatum, any vehicles contravened would be immediately charged to the Lagos State Mobile Court for prosecution.

He added that the ultimatum takes immediate effect from Monday, 16th of October, 2023.

Nigeria has maintained its fourth position on the World Bank’s top 10 International Development Association (IDA) borrowers’ list after moving up from fifth in the 2022 fiscal year.

Even though Nigeria maintains the fourth position, it has accumulated about $1.3 billion in debt within one year.

This was disclosed in the World Bank Fiscal Year 2022 audited financial statement, which showed that Nigeria moved to the fourth position on the list with $13bn IDA debt stock as of June 30, 2022.

However, the World Bank Fiscal Year 2023 audited financial statement showed that Nigeria owed about $14.3bn IDA debt stock as of June 30, 2023, but maintained its fourth position on the list.

With $ 19.3 billion, Bangladesh moved up the list to become the topmost IDA debtor, taking over from India ($ 17.9 billion debt), which fell to the second position.

Pakistan maintained the third position from the last fiscal year with a debt of $16.9bn.

The World Bank 2022 audited statement also showed that Nigeria has the highest IDA debt in Africa, while the top three borrowers, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, are from Asia.

Also, in the World Bank 2023 Annual Report, Nigeria was among the top 10 countries that acquired fresh IDA loans this year.

The report showed that the bank committed $ 1.55 billion to Nigeria in the fiscal year of 2023, with the country recognised as the ninth-highest beneficiary.

Armed security operatives from the police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) have stormed the Ondo Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevent a planned peaceful protest by youths of the party.

LEADING REPORTERS reports that the protest organised by the youths demands the whereabouts of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who has been absent from the state since April 2023.

Kennedy Peretei, the spokesman for the Ondo PDP, said that staff were not allowed into the secretariat by the security operatives.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had raised the alarm on Sunday over alleged plots by the PDP and some APC chieftains to instigate crisis in the state.

The APC, however, said that Governor Akeredolu would soon be back in the state and that he has been performing his official duties irrespective of location.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Water Board has said that 30,000 households will be disconnected over non-payment of utility bills.

Daniel Salka, acting general manager of the board, said the disconnection exercise became necessary to recover all unpaid debts from customers.

Salka said many consumers have been “enjoying uninterrupted water supply but are not ready to be responsive”.

He said only 15,000 of the board’s 50,000 customers are paying the water utility bills regularly.

Salka added that officials of the board have been directed to ensure compliance with the disconnection to increase the revenue base of the FCT administration.

He also “challenged the staff to wake up to their responsibility by ensuring no further delay in meter reading and transmission of the same to the billing office to ensure early printing of bills”.

The acting general manager also directed all the commercial officers to ensure early distribution of water bills to customers “to make sure at least 80 percent of revenue is collected to justify their pay”.

Salka said he would personally lead the distribution of bills to customers in the city.

Members of the National Assembly have started receiving their brand new 2023 model Toyota Land Cruisers worth over N100 million each.

LEADING REPORTERS recalls that the NASS leadership had earlier revealed plans to purchase 109 2023 model Toyota Land Cruisers for senators and 2023 Toyota Prado for 360 members of the House of Representatives.

This has commenced, starting with female lawmakers. Reports have it that 12 of them have already taken possession of their cars, given the priority given to them in the distribution of the vehicles. Principal officers of the two chambers are billed to be the last to receive theirs.

Confirming the development, a lawmaker who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said the House members would start receiving their vehicles this past weekend.

“I will be glad to receive my own, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Reacting to the issue, House spokesperson and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, said in a statement that the vehicles to be allocated to the offices of members are utility operational vehicles tied to their oversight functions in the discharge of their duties in the standing committees.

He clarified that the vehicles are not personal vehicles gifted to honourable members. “For the duration of the 10th assembly 2023 – 2027, the vehicles shall remain the property of the National Assembly,” he said.

Rotimi added that at the expiration of the tenure of the 10th Assembly in 2027, should the extant assets deboarding policy of government still be in place, members may have the option of making payment for the outstanding value of the vehicles to government coffers before they can become theirs, otherwise, it remains the property of the National Assembly.

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Thursday, attacked a Benue Links bus conveying passengers to Otukpo en route Naka road Gwer West LGA at Tyolaha village.

One passenger was killed and several others were injured during the attack by the marauders.

LEADING REPORTERS gathered that the latest attack is not the first time marauding herdsmen had carried out such gruesome attacks on passengers along the dilapidated road.

Tyolaha village has been a hotspot for persistent attacks by suspected Fulani Herdsmen.

The herdsmen who were almost 15 in number thwarted any resistance by their victims which caused them to disperse on an escape with ease.

This incessant attacks have caused most residents to flee and farmers to relocate from the that part of the road while the remnants call on the government and security operatives for protection.

Benue Police Public Relations Officer, Anekwe Catherine, who confirmed the incident said “a bus belonging to Benue Links which was heading to Otukpo was attacked by unknown gunmen and three persons including women were wounded and one person died this morning.”

Music executive, Kenny Ogungbe, completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme at 53.

Ogungbe, who is famous for shaping the Nigerian music scene through his Kennis Music label in the early 2000s, posted pictures from his Passing Out Parade on Thursday.

He captioned the photos on his Instagram page, “NYSC graduation/POP today. Lagos/12C graduation day. To God be the glory.”

The one-year mandatory service for the Batch C stream was concluded on Thursday, October 12.

Some Christian leaders on the platform of National Solemn Assembly (NaSA) have declared 40 days of “intense” fasting for President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the nation.

The clerics disclosed this at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, during the inauguration of committees and flag off of the national orientation and mobilisation for ‘A day of Praise Worship and Thanksgiving to God for Nigeria’ slated for December across the country.

Chairman of the committee, Archbishop Leonard Kawas, urged all Nigerians, especially Christians, to actively participate in the 40-day fast and prayers for Nigeria and its leaders.

According to him, the fast would commence on October 20, 2023 and end on November 30, 2023, a day before the Solemn Assembly.

Kawas also said that their initial fear over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of President Tinubu and Shettima has been allayed.

They said their fear was predicated on the possibility of religious subjugation and oppression of Christians in the country.

Prof. Anthony Bature, who is also the national president of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, said that President Tinubu should be commended for disappointing many who thought that a Muslim/Muslim ticket would set the country on a path of chaos, by ensuring a balance in the appointment of both Christians and Muslims into political offices.

“One of the things that created tension during the last electioneering period was the fact that many Christians in Nigeria were so scared of the idea of a Muslim/Muslim ticket. It brought a lot of fear but as God will have it, that fear has been removed from us. The president and his vice have demonstrated nothing but balance in the kind of political appointments that they have made.

“We have seen that nobody can cry of marginalisation because Muslims have gotten their fair share and Christians have also gotten theirs too. So this is one of the reasons why we must thank God because some people thought a Muslim/Muslim ticket will Islamise Nigeria,” Bature said.