ONDO WORKERS TO GET #30,000.00 NEW MINIMUM WAGE – HOS
The Ondo State Head of Service, Mr Dare Aragbaiye has assured Workers in the State that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu would pay the #30,000.00 new minimum wage.
Mr Aragbaiye gave the assurance while briefing Journalists at NUJ Press Center, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital to kick start the 2019 Public Service Week celebration programme with the theme: “ICT and INNOVATIVE GOVERNANCE: Panacea For Youth Unemployment and Migration”.
He explained that consultations are ongoing with Labour Leaders in the state to work out the modalities on the implementation of the new minimum wage.
He added that Governor Akeredolu was waiting to hear the final outcome of the consultations for him to approve the implementation of the new wage.
The Head of Service, who also assured Workers that the outstanding 2018 leave bonus would be paid, said Governor Akeredolu would fulfill the promise made to Workers during the last May Day celebration to pay the new minimum wage.
According to him, “we would be meeting again this week so we can agree. I can assure you, there would be no problem”
The Head of Service declared that the new Public Service Reform Initiative tagged “Ondo State Improvement Programme (ODSIP)”was domestically prepared with a view to addressing the dysfunctions currently plaguing the Bureaucracy of the state and sets the tone for excellent service delivery.
He, however, stated that the 2-day programme would commence with interactive session with the cross section of public servants and would be rounded off with the anniversary Public Lecture and the launching of the new Public Service Reform Initiative Manual.
Sowore’s Rearrest: Less Than 100,000 Nigerians ‘Making Noise’, Says Adesina
As more criticisms continue to trail the incident that led to the rearrest of the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, the Presidency has insisted the Department of State Services (DSS) acted within the law.
Appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, believes only a few people are unhappy with Sowore’s rearrest.
“You can’t just take the opinion of a vocal minority and then conclude that the country is in an uproar,” he said on Monday.
The presidential aide added, “When 100,000 (people) are making noise in the media – both social and traditional, you think the whole country is in an uproar.
“There are millions and millions and millions of people who are not bothered.”
“When you say a lot of Nigerians, you know that all these noise may be coming from less than 100,000 Nigerians and the noise will be so loud that you think it’s the whole country; it’s a country of 198 million people,” he stressed.
“ANY CHRISTIAN WEDDING IN A CHURCH MUST NOW PAY THE GOVERNMENT FOR IT” ~ President Muhammadu Buhari
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has rejected the newly introduced marriage certificate law by the federal government.
The Buhari led Government had, through the Ministry of Interior, recently announced a compulsory N30,000 charge licence for Christian worship centres for the conduct of statutory marriages in churches and N21,000 for each marriage certificate.
The PFN described the policy as exploitative and an attempt to commercialize Christian marriages in the country.
The National President of PFN Rev.(Dr.) Felix Omobude, in a statement he personally signed yesterday in Benin and made available to journalist, chided the Buhari led administration and the Ministry of Interior for imposing such anti-Christian law on the church in Nigeria.
“To the best of our understanding, the new law is targeted against the Church because the Traditional and Islamic weddings are exempted from paying the new marriage certificate fees,”
“If the Ministry of Interior is in dire need of funds, it should look elsewhere and should not placing extra financial burden on the Christians and their churches.
“PFN would use all legitimate means to make the federal government to rescind its decision on the new marriage certificate law,” he said.
Adebayo Alao-Akala, who was governor of Oyo State between 2007 and 2011 has revealed that there is a big deal in the appeal filed by Adebayo Adelabu, candidate of his All Progressives Congress, APC, against the victory of Seyi Makinde, incumbent governor of the state.
The Ogbomoso-born politician, who spoke in an interview with newsmen, said members of the ruling PDP are getting it wrong by saying thinking that it will be easier for them to get the status quo maintained by the court.
According to him, “They are getting it wrong, there is a big deal. What I don’t know is this, I am not a lawyer but as things stand now, I don’t think anybody can claim victory yet. Law is an ass; it can swing to anywhere. I don’t know what the judgement would be but there is a cause for alarm. There is fire on the mountain.”
He added that he is not feeling like a big fish in a strange water.
“No. That can never happen. Politics is local. By the grace of God today in Oyo State politics, you cannot count one to four without counting Akala. I don’t need Abuja to be a politician in Oyo State.
Rather, Abuja needs me to achieve certain political objectives of who wants to be at the seat of power in Abuja. But, I don’t need Abuja person to be what I want to be in Oyo State.”
“I don’t have my eye on anything.
Also, I don’t want to be governor again. I want to advise. Let me say I am not playing politics because of any position any longer but that does not necessarily mean that I can refuse a worthy responsibility.”
On why he dropped his ambition for Adelabu, he explained that “First of all, there is dynamism in politics. If you stand still, you could be swept away. There is no basis for comparing what happened in Osun State with what happened in Oyo State. I did not have anything to trade away. By that time, it was obvious that none of us would be able to win that singlehandedly.
But as a politician, my calculation was that Adelabu would win that election. If in that election our party already got two senators and seven or eight House of Representatives members, I needed to boost the image of Adelabu. My aim was not to be governor at all cost.
There are some people who are not governors but are more powerful. I said look at this young man and I went for Adelabu.
Let me tell you on fact, when people approached me in politics for help, people were talking of pecuniary gains – money exchanging hands – definitely, if we were to win, I would demand some things. I might have other vices but the patriotism in me will not allow me to trade my integrity for a pot of porridge.”
As 2019 completes a full calendar year in a matter of weeks, iconic politician and two-time member of the red chamber, Senator Dino Melaye, will today be honoured with the prestigious ‘MAN OF THE YEAR’ Award by a leading online newspaper – Kwararafa Reporters.
This was contained in a statement signed by the special adviser on media to the lawmaker, Gideon Ayodele on Sunday.
According to the online news platform, the recognition is aimed at further spurring other Nigerians to engender good governance and ultimately a better society, through diligence, hardwork, personal integrity and leadership as exemplified by Melaye and fellow Awardees.
Recall that Senator Dino Melaye is a recipient of numerous Awards from within Nigeria and abroad. At a point, he was a serial winner of the Senate Press Corps’ coveted ‘Senator of the Year’ Award for 2016 and 2017 consecutively.
The most recent in the string of laurels in Senator Melaye’s kitty is the ‘Outstanding Personality of the Year’ Award 2019 at the North-Central Service Awards held on Thursday, November 21 in Abuja.
It is, therefore, heartening that Senator Melaye will be honoured again, with the ‘Man of the Year’ Award 2019 alongside other prominent Awardees at the Kwararafa Reporters’ Awards Night today to mark the Third Anniversary of the blossoming media outfit.
The event is slated for 5pm at NBC Century House, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.
His death was announced in a statement signed by his wife, Anni Bonnke.
The statement was shared on Evangelist Bonnke’s verified Facebook page on Saturday.
In the statement, Anni said, “Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ. It is with sorrow that the Bonnke Family would like to announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke.
“He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on December 7, 2019. For the past 60 years, he has preached the glorious Gospel of Jesus throughout the entire world. We want to thank you on behalf of him and our family, for your kind love and unwavering support, which enabled him to preach the matchless message of salvation to countless people. He preached Jesus.”
Operatives of the Department of State Services had stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning during the commencement of their trial and disrupted proceedings in an attempt to forcefully rearrest the two men.
Activist, Olawale Bakare popularly known as Mandate, who is standing trial with pro-democracy campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, in a case brought against them by the Nigerian Government, has been declared missing.
Operatives of the Department of State Services had stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning during the commencement of their trial and disrupted proceedings in an attempt to forcefully rearrest the two men.
After facing resistance from other activists inside the courtroom however, the DSS operatives retreated outside to lay ambush. The situation led to tension within the court premises for several minutes.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and lawyer to the two men, Femi Falana, was said to had ferried the defendants in his car to the DSS headquarters where they were said to have been detained.
However, it has now emerged that only Sowore, who was in Falana’s vehicle as they left the court, was submitted back to the DSS.
Operatives of the agency are currently searching for Bakare in different parts of Abuja.
The armed security personnel in their search for the young activist, stormed Falana’s chamber in Abuja this afternoon hoping to find him there.
A lawyer at the chamber confirmed to SaharaReporters that armed DSS operatives visited the place minutes ago looking for Bakare after claiming that he was not in their facility.
The lawyer, who asked not to be named, said, “DSS operatives just stormed our chamber now looking for Olawale Bakare.
“They claimed it was discovered he was not with them by the time they arrived their office. “They are currently searching everywhere for him. We are hoping that he is safe wherever he is.”
After releasing Sowore and Bakare on Thursday evening, the DSS on Friday filed fresh charges against them, rearresting and detaining Sowore in the process.
The uncertainty surrounding Bakare’s whereabouts at the moment has indeed added a new twist to the matter.
He was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State, on August 5, 2019 for participating in a nationwide peaceful demonstration aimed at demanding a better country from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Together with Sowore, Bakare was ordered to be released twice by the Federal High Court in Abuja after meeting stringent bail conditions.
LAGOS ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERS IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL MINORS FROM PRISON CUSTODY
Following a tip-off received from concerned members of the public by the office of the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice on certain Correctional Centres in the State having Minors in their custody which is contrary to the provision of Section 207 of the Lagos State Child Rights Law of 2015, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, has directed an immediate investigation into the matter.
The result of the investigation confirmed a total number of ELEVEN MINORS in custody in various Correctional Centres in the State, contrary to the provisions of the law.
With this discovery, the Attorney General further directed that the Minors be released immediately from custody to the Department of Youth and Social Development for placement in appropriate facilities.
As a result of this directive, one of the Minors (16years old) was immediately released from the Correctional Centre, Ikoyi, While sequel to section 211 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and section 71(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State 2015, the Attorney General on behalf of the other TEN MINORS, filed a Nolle Prosequi dated 29th November 2019, seeking to discontinue cases filed against them toward ensuring their release from Correctional Centres to trained officials of the State who are equipped to handle Minors in conflict with the Law with the aim of eventual release to their Parents or Guardians.
The Attorney General has also cautioned against continued incarceration of minors in Lagos State.
Sowore’s Rearrest: ‘This Has Never Happened Before’, Falana Slams DSS
Lead Counsel and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has criticised the Department of State Security Services (DSS) for disrupting court proceedings and eventually rearresting his clients, Mr. Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare at a Federal High Court in Abuja, barely 24 hours after their release from DSS custody.
Mr. Sowore and his co-accused, Mr. Bakare, were released on Thursday night, following an order given by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu who gave the security agency a 24-hour ultimatum to effect the bail order earlier issued.
Mr. Falana who spoke to Channels Television on Friday stressed that the DSS had said they were inviting the duo for questioning at their office to answer a few questions on fresh charges, but are yet to disclose what they are.
“The atmosphere was very rowdy, but I insisted that the arrest could not be carried out within the precinct of the court. He was going to be arrested outside the premises but there was a crowd that resisted the arrest, but I appealed to everybody and asked Sowore to jump into my car and so we drove to the office of the SSS because they said he will just answer a few questions, but now he is being detained.
“We are going to take steps under the law by asking for his release again since they are claiming this is a fresh arrest.
“Nobody has disclosed yet what his charges are; he couldn’t have committed any other offence because he has been detained for the past
We Are Ready To Stop Makinde From Setting Up Caretaker Chairmen – ALGON
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter has described the proposed appointment of Caretaker Chairmen for the local governments in the state by Governor Seyi Makinde as an act of illegality, executive rascality, an affront to the judiciary and rule of law.
Its chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, who spoke on behalf of other chairmen at a news conference held at ALGON Secretariat in Ibadan, said the governor’s plan will break the peace and return the state to the old days of “pankere lawless politics of thuggery where might is right will be resisted by all democratic and peaceful means.”
The chairmen stated that since the announcement of the dissolution of the democratically elected local governments and local council development areas on May 29, the state has been thrown into a series of lawlessness and impunity which has adversely affected development and democratic running of local administration, adding that “our people at the grassroots daily bear the pains of this lawlessness while the governor fiddles with his team unconcerned with the crisis of governance at the most important level of governance.
“When an act of illegality is committed by an obstinate government, other acts of illegality will be committed in a desperate attempt to cover the initial act of illegality. This is the logic of engagement the Oyo State government under His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde has adopted in its self-imposed crisis of illegal dissolution of local government in the state since May 29th, 2019 when this administration came on board.
“Our immediate and sustained response to this act of illegality by the administration was to follow the path of legality and rule of law to remind the government of the serious threat to democracy its dangerous approach to governance and flagrant disobedience of court order meant to disrupt sustained peace and development in the state.
“We reminded the government through an official letter to his office and many public statements including a world press conference, calling the governor’s attention to his violation of a subsisting court injunction against dissolution of local government in the state as ordered by Justice A.A. Aderemi of High Court 2, Ibadan, Oyo State, on May 6, 2019. The enrolment of order was contained in the suit No: 1/347/2019. This dissolution was also a clear breach of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states that: “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this constitution guaranteed” Supreme Court has also ruled against dissolution of elected local government councils (by the Governors) in similar cases in Ekiti and other states,” Abass-Aleshinloye said.
He said Makinde will be making history as the first governor to breach the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) guideline with the move, noting that the elected chairmen and councilors as members of ALGON in the state have been seeking all constitutional and peaceful means to correct “this illegal act of state governor.”
“But it is now very clear that the government has decided, out of its own volition, to be deaf and dumb to all voices of reason and wisdom in its flagrant disobedience of court order and it is in an hurry to push Oyo State into a state of anomie, a lawless state where the rule of men not rule of law reigns.
“Despite the fact that the state government has filed an appeal against the high court judgment perpetually restraining it from dissolving the elected council government, Oyo State Governor has again publicly disclosed his plan to constitute “very soon” caretaker committees in all the 33 councils and sole administrators in the 35 local council development areas which is an illegality to perpetrate,” Abass-Aleshinloye added.
The chairmen warned that any attempt by the governor to impose caretaker committees on the councils when the appeal the state government filed is yet to be heard and while a perpetual restraining order against dissolution of elected council administration is still subsisting, will be considered as the final push that will exhaust their patience.
“We will be very ready to defend our mandates popularly given by the people who elected us into position of responsibility. You do not sit on a chair that is not vacant except court clears the seat for you or you take the seat by force, a recipe for violence and lawlessness.
Peak News 
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