Day: April 8, 2023

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Incoming Government: Forum cautions against use of religion, ethnicity in seeking positions

Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG), has cautioned against deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in seeking positions from the incoming government of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The convener of the forum, Mr Emmanuel Nwosu, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

Nwosu said that Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, voted for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Feb. 25, presidential election for national integration.

He called on all leaders of the APC and honest supporters of the President-elect, to equally discourage and condemn those who want to use religion as a tool to get certain positions.

“It has come to the attention of the Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG) that certain persons are now deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in their campaign to get position from the incoming government.

“PAFOGG wishes to condemn this very ugly and dangerous development and calls on all leaders of our great party and honest supporters of our leader and President-elect to equally condemn this reprehensible act.

“The opposition party which deployed religious and ethnic sentiments during the 2023 general election was roundly defeated by APC because honest and peace-loving Nigerians disregarded their campaign of hate and bigotry and voted for the Muslim/Muslim ticket,” he said.

Nwosu wondered why any member of APC would dare to use religion and ethnicity as campaign tool to seek for any position.

“Knowing how delicate issues of religion and ethnicity are in Nigeria, it beats one’s imagination that any right-thinking person who claims to be a supporter of APC and Tinubu will bring this ugly trend into our party to create bad blood and division among us when we should be celebrating our well deserved victory.

“The PAFOGG condemns in its entirety, the act of using these two very sensitive areas of religion and ethnicity to campaign for any political position at all.

“PAFOGG will not stand by and watch our hard-won victory turn to bitter war among our members and supporters who are desperate for political positions,” Nwosu added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Visa: Cameroon to begin online application service April 30

Cameroonian foreign minister, Lejeune Mbella, on Friday said that all applications for entry visas to Cameroon will be done online as from April 30.

According to the minister, applications would be carried out “exclusively” through a dedicated website, www.evisacam.cm, after which an online visa authorization will be issued to the applicant.

The applicant can then go to either a diplomatic mission or a border post to actually obtain the visa, Mbella said in a statement earlier on Thursday night.

Mbella said for applicants in areas far-flung from a diplomatic mission or those not covered by a mission, “an online visa authorization, together with a QR code, shall round off the phase.”

The procedure will be completed within 72 hours from the date of pre-enrollment, or 24 hours in the case of express visa applications, the minister said.

“Cameroon’s e-visa system is part of an effort to turn Cameroon into a more attractive destination, while at the same time addressing some of the concerns of Cameroon’s diaspora and aligning our consular system with the highest international standard.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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LP crisis: State chairmen insist Abure remains National chairman

Labour Party state chairmen say they did not sack Julius Abure as Chairman of the party, insisting that he (Abure) remains the recognised National Chairman of Labour Party (LP).

The state chairmen of the party in Abuja took back the party secretariat which was alleged to have been taken over by thugs who seized and sealed the office on April 6.

Mr Ogbaloi Kelly, Chairman, Edo State LP, said that the National Working Committee (NWC) is a subordinate organ to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

“Therefore, when a faction of it is comes to take laws into its hands, it becomes a total nullity.

“Those who are taking this action are members of the party who have since been suspended, and as at the time they took this action, their suspension had not been lifted.

“Therefore, we are saying here that the 36 state chairmen have come to retake their possession.

“These miscreants who took over the office do not have the authority to control this matter, but we here have the authority and law to be in charge of the party and we affirm Abure.”

Kelly said that even the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) affirmed Abure as the chairman in their communique .

“We have come here to tell the world that the action of this faction is a total nullity and should be disregarded because the action does not follow the content of the rules and constitution of the Labour Party.”

Mr Cashmir Agbo, Chairman, Enugu State Labour Party, said that there was the need for party members to be guided by the rules and laws of the Constitutional provisions and the laws of the land and the party.

“The position of the party and the mechanism in the resolution of crises are very clear. In the constitution, you have to exhaust that mechanism in court.

“You go to court and obtain a court order and you want to enforce that order by yourself.

“What am saying in effect is this that they mixed criminality with civil process and the court that gave them that order endangered law.”

Agbo blamed the crisis on those that do not want LP to challenge the presidential election in court, adding “we are challenging the outcome of INEC’s result, they should allow the court process to finish.

“What they are doing is to enforce their will and distract and force labour party nationwide to withdraw the case in court.”

Agbo said that Abure remains the authentic Chairman of Labour Party in Nigeria and there was no body except the National Executive Committee that could remove him.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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NMC, NTIC honour best Mathematics students

The Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) has underscored the need for students to embrace the study of mathematics to enjoy successful science-related careers.

The Managing Director of NTIC, Mr Feyzullah Bilgin, gave the advice in Abuja at the 20th Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) for Primary 5, 6 and JSS3 students.

The competition was organised by NTIC in collaboration with the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) to promote the study of the subject.

“Mathematics is the key of all the science subjects and when a person is very good at maths, the person is going to be able to think abstractly and highly.

“The study of mathematics will help the student become successful in anything, including other subjects.

“In the past in Greece where philosophers were famous and active, they had an academia and at the gate was written: ‘no one can enter if you do not know mathematics’,” he said.

Bilgin advised students of the college to study very hard, so as to “become the best of the best.”

He also advised parents to always support their wards with relevant tools to enable them realise their dreams of studying Mathematics.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NMC, Prof. Promise Mebine, described mathematics as the language of science on which “the future is built”.

The D-G, represented by Prof. Jonathan Ogidi, Head of International Linkages and Advancement at the centre, said any nation that did not prioritise mathematics would have no future.

“Mathematics is important because it is a means of clothing the future; a nation that does not honour and respect mathematics has no future,” he said.

He therefore advised parents to invest in the education of their children, so as to prepare them for a responsible future.

“If the parents know what it takes to invest in the future of their children, especially education, it is not the material things you buy for them that should be your priority.

“It should be how to let your child have knowledge that will keep and help him or her to stand on their own in the near future, when you are no more to help them,” he said.

Mebine disclosed that NMC has developed a Digital Mathematics Network which would contain JSS 1 to JSS 3 curriculum in digital form, to enable students learn mathematics on the go.

Also speaking, Mr Henry Aniobi, a mathematics olympian, encouraged students to be focused while in school.

“As a student, you should be focused on learning and put in your best in all that you do because this is the beginning of your life path.

“As a math olympian, mathematical problem solving is an art. When solving a problem, you need to think creatively. Mathematics helps you think outside the box,” he said.

Aniobi congratulated the awardees and thanked NTIC and NMC for the initiative.

Nwakuche Chidubem, a pupil from Pyramid Learning Academy, Anambra, who emerged overall best, received a cash prize of N100,000, a computer set for the school and a 100 per cent scholarship to NTIC.

Amah Chibuike from Diamond Special School, Imo, who came second, received a cash prize of N75,000, a tablet for the school and full scholarship to study at NTIC.

Also, Mofiyinoluwa Joshua of St. Saviour’s School, Lagos State, who emerged third got N50,000, a printer and full scholarship to NTIC.

In the JSS category, Chukwunwike Ezebube of NTIC came tops and was recognised with a certificate.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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NANS seeks holistic approach to rescue abducted students

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has appealed to authorities concerned to use all means to rescue university and secondary school students from their abductors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two female Microbiology students of Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara and another 10 female secondary school students of Kachia LGA in Kaduna State had been in captivity.

Mr Vanessa Kwere, the Deputy Coordinator, Inter-Campus Affairs of NANS Zone A, made the appeal in a statement issued to NAN in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.

Kwere issued the statement after NANS delegation met with the management of the university shortly after the union’s Zonal Convention held in Jigawa recently.

He pointed out that the call became imperative in view of the fact that the abducted students were under the care of government, hence they remained the property of government.

Kwere said: “We were notified of the sad news regarding the abduction of two 200 level female students of Microbiology Department, Federal University, Gusau.

“It is indeed a really heart touching incident, we had to stop by to pay a solidarity visit, to also sympathise with the institution on this incident.

“We urge the students to remain calm and keep praying for the safe return of their friends and sisters.”

According to him, the union met with the school management, including Prof. Ahmad Galadima, the Acting Vice Chancellor, who is also the current Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university; Dean Students’ Affairs, Prof. Lawal Sa’ad; Deputy Dean, Student Affairs, Dr Tagba as well as the Chief Security Officer.

Kwere said during the meeting, they discussed how the incident happened and the strategies being currently applied by the institution to rescue the abducted students.

“The meeting was presided over by the pioneer Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and President FUBK, Comrd. Usman Ladan-Fakai, and attended by several NANS officials.

“Present at the meeting include Comrd. Vanessa Enoch Kwere, the Deputy Coordinator Inter-Campus Affairs Zone A, and Comrd. Daniyalu Bello Mailafiya, the Director Special Duties NANS Zone A. And a number of stakeholders from Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara axes,” he said.

The deputy coordinator noted that the Dean Student Affairs had enlightened them on the efforts made by the university to guarantee the safe return of the abducted students.

He said the acting VC also assured them that the university was doing its best to maintain security within the institution, assuring that frantic efforts are being intensified to rescue the abducted students.

In a related development, the union expressed deep concern over the abduction of about 10 female students of Kachia LGA in Kaduna State, who according to preliminary report, were students of Government Secondary School, Awon.

“It is very disheartening to learn about this incident, despite still in worry of the two 200 level female students of Microbiology Department, FUGUS, abducted at their Hall of residence.

“We are in constant turmoil because of this reoccurring incidents, our governing bodies have failed to protect us from such menace, students no longer feel safe in their institutions or anywhere at all.

“Predicaments like this are what discourages and interferes with the educational process of Nigerian students, looking at most of this cases, victims always turn out to be females, we’re fragile beings who are abducted, tortured and explored.

“We students’ representatives demand a serious and immediate intervention from the Federal Government and all relevant security bodies, it is our right to feel safe wherever we are,” he pleaded.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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10th Assembly: Group wants senate presidency zoned to South-East

The South East Forum for Senate Presidency, a pressure group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the party to zone the office of the Senate President to the South-East.

The Spokesperson of the group, Mr Nkem Ayanta-Lafia made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

He said following the outcome of the 2023 general elections, the South-West has produced President-elect in Sen. Bola Tinubu and the North-East produced Vice President-elect, in Sen. Kashim Shettima.

The spokesperson said that since the party’s National Chairman was from the North Central, it was important that the position goes to the South-East.

He said that the balancing of various offices in keeping with national diversity, was a kind of national healing and re-integration that Nigeria needed at this time.

Ayanta-Lafia said that the five states in the South-East zone produced six senators-elect on the platform of APC, representing 40 per cent performance.

He said there was no zone apart from the South-West and North-East where the president-elect and vice-president- elect is from, no zone given the number of states had done better than the South-East.

“We urge the leadership of the ruling APC, which possesses a majority of Senators-Elect in the coming 10th Senate to zone the position of President of the Senate to the South east Zone.

“We are appealing to the ruling party to back the emergence of a South easterner for the position.

“`The position will not only assuage the feelings of non-inclusion of the Igbo people in the mainstream of national affairs, but also afford them the opportunity to have a greater stake in the ruling APC.

“We call appeal to other senators-elect from other geopolitical zones interested in the position to, in the interest of national cohesion, unity and equity, jettison them and support the South east zone,” he said.

Earlier, Ayanta-Lafia said that the forum is made up of representatives of various sheds of political and cultural persuasions in the South-East.

He said that the group is campaigning, lobbying, advocating and networking with other integral parts of Nigeria for the realisation of a President of the Senate of an Igbo extraction.. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria