Politics

The Federal Government is planning to establish mega universities to address admission constraints among Nigerians, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The President said this at a special convocation and launching of N50 billion Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Phase II Development Fund at the university’s main campus, Samaru, Zaria.

Jonathan was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

He said that when established, each of the mega universities would absorb more than 200,000 students.

Jonathan, however, did not mention how many mega universities the government will establish or when and where they will be sited.

 The president expressed concern at the growing number of Nigerian university admission seekers yearly in the last three years which, he said, was about 1.5 million.

He noted that the absorption capacity of the universities was about a quarter of that number.

He commended the ABU for its contributions to education and national development, saying that the university had not disappointed its founding fathers.

Jonathan said that university education development was capital intensive and required the contributions of parents, well- meaning Nigerians and all other stakeholders.

The Chairman of the project and former Military President, retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, attributed the nation's security and development challenges to declining fortune in education.

  "The security, peace and progress we aspire for ourselves and our families are not attainable, if the majority of the citizenry remains trapped in ignorance and poverty.

"Ignorance and poverty are two sides of the same coin, in the same way that knowledge and progress are to another coin,’’ he said.

Gov. Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State remarked that ABU graduates had distinguished themselves in all aspects of human endeavour.

Yero pledged to support the institution, saying that education was a topmost priority of his administration.

A former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, who was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in science at the occasion, thanked the university for the honour it gave him.

Danjuma, also a former Minister of Defence, because of whom the special convocation was held, promised to assist the university to actualise the dreams of its founding fathers. (NAN)

The Department of Weights and Measures in Lagos, a unit of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, has warned petrol stations’ operators to adhere strictly to the ministry’s regulations. Mrs Crescentia Erukpeme, Head of the department...

The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining security in Plateau said there was an attempt by some miscreants to bomb a mosque in  Jos on Friday night. This is contained in a statement signed by the STF Media Officer, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, on Saturda...

The Nasarawa State Government is to purchase 2,000 computer laptops for distribution to its civil servants, Mr Andrew Affi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, has said.

Affi however told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saurday in Lafia that the laptops would not be given out free of charge.

``Any civil servant who is interested will be given one for N135,000 and will be expected to pay up the money within 18 months,’’ he said.

The permanent secretary said that some forms had already been made available those who are interested.

``Civil servants from the state, as well as those from federal agencies and ministries, who are interested to obtain their forms should contact the necessary organs,’’ he said.

Affi said the move to purchase laptops was part of government's commitment to encourage civil servants in the state.

He also said that the laptops would enhance the operations of the civil service.

``The world is becoming a global village. We cannot afford to be left behind. You cannot do anything without the computer these days,'' the permanent secretary said.(NAN)

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Saturday in Lagos said it had arrested two suspected vandals with 68 jerry cans of petrol, worth N160,000.

The Lagos State corps' Commander, Mr Shem Obafaiye, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that his men recovered about 2,000 Jerry cans each loaded with 25 litres of petrol.

Obafaiye said that the duo were arrested at Owode border in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State around midnight where they syphoned the product from a truck at the `Miracle Oil filling'' station at Pashi Asiri.

He said that the suspects were about 10 in number but only two of them were arrested.

He said that one of the suspects, confessed that he was a motor mechanic and he usually engaged in illegal bunkering in the night.

The commandant said that the second suspect also confessed that he sold diesel and kerosine to unsuspecting companies and government offices in Ekiti.

``Illegal business has become a daily affair and the command is helpless because we are lacking operational vehicles and equipment to meet up with the challenges,'' he said.

He, however, assured members of the public that the command would continue to do its best to get rid of ``criminals'' who were out to sabotage the Nigerian economy.(NAN)

The PDP in Lagos has said that the closed-door meeting it held with the party's National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is to strategise on the 2015 governorship election in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Lagos PDP's Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, on Saturday in Lagos.

It stated that the impromptu meeting was to reassure the state of the support of the national chairman, ahead of the 2015 polls.

``Hitherto, there were speculations that the National Working Committee of the PDP had dissolved the state executive due to factions.

``The chairman's visit and the presence of party leaders in the state like the former Minister for Works, Chief Seye Ogunlewe, has vindicated the state executive that the statusquo is intact.

The statement added that ``the party remains united in Lagos."

It also said that the national chairman had charged the leaders to maintain the unity in the party and to ensure that aggrieved members who might have left the party in the past were brought back to its fold.

``We wish to re-assure our teeming supporters that the PDP is determined more than ever to take over power in Lagos come 2015, and to ensure grassroots development in all parts of the state,"

It said ``we also welcome people from other political parties willing to join us and we assure that all members, new and old, will be treated with the same love and fairness for which the party is known."

It would be recalled that, Tukur on Friday evening, held a closed-door meeting with the Lagos State Executive of the PDP at the Dominion Lounge, private airlines terminal, near the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. (NAN)

The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) on Saturday in Minna congratulated the newly-elected President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Femi Adesina. In a statement issued by the forum’s Chairman, Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger...

Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River returned to Calabar on Friday after several months of absence, an aide said on Saturday.

Imoke's Special Assistant on Media, Mr Christian Ita, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar the governor arrived after 10 p.m aboard a chartered flight.

``The governor arrived in Calabar through the Margaret Ekpo International Airport late last night,’’ he said.

Sources at Government House, Calabar indicate that Imoke would make his first public appearance immediately.

NAN reports that he was being expected to watch the friendly match between the Golden Eaglets and Botswana Starlets’ at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

The Eaglets, who have been camping in Calabar for months, are scheduled to host their Botswanan counterparts in two matches scheduled for Saturday and Monday.

NAN recalls that Imoke was last seen in Calabar on Dec. 6, 2012.

He was said to have proceeded on a two-month accumulated leave, after he had earlier written to the State House of Assembly on his intention to proceed on leave.(NAN)

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia, Chief Goodluck Njoku, has scored Gov. Theodore Orji high on road rehabilitation, particularly in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.

Njoku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Friday that the residents of the city were now experiencing a new lease of life as a result of the governor’s giant strides in giving the roads in the city a facelift.

``Aba now looks like a huge construction site with work going everywhere. The governor has kept his promise to rehabilitate the roads in Aba.

``The Obikabia road leading to Mgboko, headquarters of Obingwa Local Government Area has been completed.

``The Aba-Ikot Ekpene, and Ehere roads are now wearing new look. I score the governor high because he is tackling the basic problems facing Aba,” he said.

The PDP chieftain described security and good road network as the `pivot’ on which economic activities revolved.

He said that if the Federal Government could fulfil its promise of stable power in Aba, the city would witness a boom in industries and small scale business.

``I am appealing to President Goodluck Jonathan to fulfil his promise of partnering with the governor to change the face of Aba as he said during his election campaign in 2011.

``Since the governor has restored security, if the Federal Government can ensure stable power, unemployment will be reduced and Aba will regain its lost glory,’’ he said.

Njoku urged the residents of the city to support the governor's efforts to clean up Aba by ensuring that they do not drop refuse in drainages. (NAN)

The Oyo State Command of the  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  has recovered the corpse of a suspected  vandal from a petrol storage well at Amosun Village in  Akinyele Local Government Area of the state. The NSCDC ...

The Nasarawa State Government will settle hospital bills of students receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the Feb. 25 students protest in the state, Dep.-Gov. Dameshi Luka has said. Luka said this on Friday in Keffi when he paid ...

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Friday commended journalists  for their  role  in entrenching democracy in the country.

Ajimobi  made the commendation  while declaring open the 2013 National Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Ibadan.

The governor, however, said that online journalism posed a threat and challenge to mainstream  journalism.

The governor said this was because the profession had been infiltrated by non-professionals who malign the reputation of people.

Ajimobi urged the NGE and other journalists in the country to convene a Media Reform Conference to find solutions to the challenges facing the Nigerian  media.

In his valedictory speech, the outgoing President of  the NGE, Mr Gbenga Adefaye,  said his administration performed excellently in building the capacity of editors through training.

Adefaye said his executive successfully refocused editors on national issues through different annual conferences between 2009  and 2012.

He said that the proceedings of the annual conferences had been compiled into a book.

``The material achievements are okay. But what I consider our greatest achievement was the fierce defence of press freedom and expansion of the frontiers of free speech which in my view is the number one mandate of the Guild,'' he added.

Adefaye said the media successfully halted the passage of  the Nigerian Press and Journalism Council Bill ``  through a very innovative approach of lobbying.''

He also said the NGE  took the lead in getting the sixth National Assembly to pass the Freedom of Information Bill which President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law.

In his report, the General Secretary of NGE, Mr Isaac Ighure, recalled the activities of the secretariat in the last four years.

He said the secretariat had gone a long way in improving ICT facilities and ensuring  that it was able to reach editors operating even in areas considered remote in the country.

``It is gladdening that we have been able to achieve that goal with the provision of a new HP computer by the secretariat to reach a lot more editors anytime.

``Regrettably, however, we have yet to attain the zenith of our ambition to reach every editor in the land at the touch of a key on the computer,’’ Ighure said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr Ray Ekpu, described  journalism as a difficult profession.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said it had arrested major drug peddlers and seized 692.341 kg of cannabis sativa in Kaduna. The State Commandant of NDLEA, Mohammed Jibrin stated this when he led other members of the age...

Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Friday advised banks to seek for partnership with his administration rather than cash deposits in the course of developing the state. Yero gave this advice when the Chairman, Board of Directors of Mainstreet Bank, A...

The leadership of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has announced the expulsion of Sen. Rufai Hanga, Engr. Badmus Mutalif, Abduwaheed Adeleke and Chief Dennis Aghanya. The quartet were expelled for instituting a court action against the party w...