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Buhari, Peter Obi to Inaugurate Wike’s Projects in Rivers
President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, will be guests to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on November 18 and 16, 2022, respectively to inaugurate projects in Rivers State.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, had last week announced the fresh round of commissioning beginning from Monday, November 14, 2022, by the Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero.
Similarly, the former Governor of Edo State and erstwhile National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has also been scheduled to inaugurate the Rumepirikon Flyover on November 15, 2022.
President Buhari who will be represented is billed to augurate the Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School, in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, on November 18.
On Sunday, the spokesperson for the LP presidential campaign council, Yunusa Tanko, announced on Twitter that the party’s flagbearer Obi had been invited by the Rivers State Government to inaugurate a project in the state on Thursday.
Tanko, who posted a flyer of the invite on his page, said the LP was inching closer to reclaiming Nigeria for Nigerians.
The project to be inaugurated is the Nkpolu-Oroworukwo Flyover Bridge and the inauguration is scheduled to be held on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the Nkpolu-Oroworukwo junction, Ikwerre road, Phalga, Rivers State.
Tanko tweeted, “We are inching closer to reclaiming Nigeria for the Nigerian People… Join us Rivers State People!!!. We keep moving Obidently & Yusfuly. Destination Aso villa.”
This is not the first time Wike will be inviting members of opposition parties to inaugurate projects in Rivers.
In August, the Rivers governor invited his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to inaugurate the Orochiri-Worukwo (Waterline Junction) flyover in Port Harcourt.
Wike had also invited Babatunde Fashola and Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.
Also in October, Wike honoured an invitation by the Lagos State Government to attend a women’s conference, where he endorsed the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Sanwo-Olu, for second term.
For months, crisis has rocked the Peoples Democratic Party as Wike and four other PDP governors known as the G5 have demanded the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, saying northerners should not be the PDP national chairman and presidential candidate.
The other governors making up the G5 are; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
Also, the Chief Justice of the Federation is scheduled to open the newly completed Federal Judicial Commission Liaison Office and Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute while the Inspector-General of Police is scheduled to inaugurate the Police Intelligence Centre, all in Rivers State.
Other projects to be inaugurated but are yet to be assigned include; the Nbutanwo Internal roads, Rukpoku-Rumuapu-Igwuruta Link Road, Akpabu-Itu-Umudiagha Road, Rukpakwulusi-Eliogbolo community new layout road.
Also in the list sighted by our correspondent are Basic Clinical Science Building, Renal and Dialysis Centre at RSUTH, Rumuodogho 1 and 2 and Mgbuoaimini Road.
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, presented the Appropriation Bill of the Federal government for the year 2024 tagged ‘Budget of Renewed Hope’ to a joint session of the National Assembly.
This is the president’s first budget presentation to the National Assembly since assuming office on May 29.
The President arrived at the National Assembly for the presentation of the 2024 budget at about 11:09 am accompanied some ministers and aides. and senior officials.
He was led into the chamber of the House of Representatives for the presentation of the N27.5trillion Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly which began after the rendition of the National Anthem and opening prayers.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC)on Monday approved N27.5 trillion as the 2024 budget estimate.
It will be recalled that Tinubu had about three weeks ago forwarded the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework ( MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper ( FSP), proposing an expenditure of N26.1 for the 2024 fiscal year.
After two weeks of deliberations and interface with heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the revenue and expenditure projections, the Senate through its Committee on Finance approved the MTEF.
It specifically approved the N26.1 trillion proposed as 2024 budget and other parameters proposed by Tinubu.
It also approved new borrowings of N7.8 trillion, while pegging the oil price benchmark for 2024 at $73.96 and oil production at 1.78 million barrels per day.
Other parameters approved are GDP growth rate of 3.76 per cent, the inflation rate of 21.40 per cent, a suggested benchmark exchange rate of N700 to $1 and a projected budget deficit of N9.04 trillion.
The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, said both the old and the new resigned naira notes remain legal tender till further notice.
The apex court, in a ruling by a seven-man panel of justices led by Justice John Okoro, said the banknotes should remain in circulation, pending when the Federal Government, after due consultation with relevant stakeholders, takes a decision on the matter.
It made the order, after it heard an application that was moved on behalf of the federal government by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
It will be recalled that the court had on March 3, nullified the ban on use of the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes as valid legal tenders by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The court held that the old Naira notes should be used alongside the redesigned currencies, until the end of the year.
In its lead judgement that was prepared and delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court slammed FG for unilaterally introducing the demonitization policy, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, without consulting the Council of States, the Federal Executive Council, the National Security Council, the National Economic Council, Civil Society Organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
It held that FG failed to give valid notice to all the federating units, before it decided to withdraw the old banknotes from circulation and introduce new ones.
The cupreme court maintained that evidence before it established that a purported notice on the monetary policy was through “mere press remarks” by governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
It held that such remarks did not qualify as “reasonable notice” to the states as envisaged under section 20(3) of the CBN Act.
Besides, the court invalidated the directive President Buhari gave in the broadcast he made on February 16, which allowed only the old N200 note to remain a legal tender till April 10.
While accusing President Buhari of disobeying the interim order it made on February 8, which directed that the old banknotes should remain in use till the determination of the case before it, the apex court stressed that the President, by going ahead to ban the old banknotes, acted in a way that was inimical to democratic governance.
According to the court, having acted in disobedience to its order, FG lost its right to be granted audience before it.
Following the end of the last administration, the President Bola Tinubu-led government re-approached the apex court for an indefinite extension of its December 31 deadline.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Mr. Godwin Abumisi, has cried out to President Bola Tinubu that the removal of fuel subsidy has brought pains, frustration, and hardship to average pensioners in the country.
Abumisi said this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at the opening of National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union.
He appealed to the Federal government not to renege on its promise to include pensioners in the N25,000 cash award announced to cushion the economic hardship of the petrol subsidy removal, in order to assuage the pains of his members.
The National President, who lamented that the petrol subsidy removal has further impoverished pensioners, urged the Federal government to fulfill its promise to the pensioners.
He said: “The Pensioners’ Day this year was celebrated on the 5th of October, 2023 in line with the declaration of the day as the Older Persons’ Day by the Federal government.
“We addressed a world press conference and demanded the inclusion of pensioners in the N25,000 cash award announced by the Federal Government.
“Immediately after this, we met with the Hon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Betta Edu and it is our hope that the list submitted will be treated with the needed zeal.
“This is why the theme of this year’s NEC meeting “Effect of Subsidy Removal on an Average Pensioner” is very apt and explicit.
“Without mincing words, the subsidy removal has brought with it pains, frustration and hardship to average Nigerians, including the pensioners.
“In the light of this, we wish to use this occasion to passionately appeal to both the Federal, State and Local Governments to do something very fast to assuage the pains of our members and other vulnerable Nigerians.”
The national president said that its members have been struggling and battling for financial survival.
Abumisi pointed out that if the palliatives are religiously implemented to the letter on record time devoid of the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks, it will go a long way to calm down frayed nerves of its members.
Also speaking, the Ondo State Chairman of the union, Johnson Osunyemi, who pledged their support and loyalty to the National Headquarters, promised to always operate in accordance with the spirit and constitution of the union.
Osunyemi lauded the Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for giving priority to the welfare of pensioners in the State.
“Distinguished pensioners, although we still tremble under the cumbersome yoke of unpaid gratuities, we have decided to celebrate our governor today because he paid all the arrears of pensions he inherited from his predecessor.
” Equally, he has implemented all the increase in our pensions.
“Incidentally, and sadly too, his promises to ease the problems of pensioners are being encumbered by ill-health.
” As a parting request by the host council to our guests, we appeal to you to kindly join us in praying for the quick recovery of our kind and God-fearing governor.
The State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said that as part of his admission’s commitment to the welfarism of pensioners, monthly pensions are being paid as at when due while government priorities allocation of substantial amount of money for payment of gratuities.
Akeredolu was represented by his Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr. Dare Aragbaye.
An award of excellence was presented by the pensioners to governor Akeredolu, NLC Vice President, Comrade Sunday Adeleye; the State Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa among others.
