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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with some senators at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, over the face-off between the Senate and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

The Senate on Thursday raised a 10-man panel to meet with President Buhari over the allegation leveled against the IGP by Senate President Bukola Saraki. Members of the senate delegation included former governors of Nasarawa, Gombe and Akwa Ibom states, Abdullahi Adamu, Danjuma Goje and Godswill Akpabio.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang also accompanied the senators to the meeting with the President. It would be recalled that the Senate had on May 9 passed vote of no confidence on the IGP, describing him as “enemy of democracy over his failure to honour its invitations twice.

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday also accused the IGP of plotting to implicate him and Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara in a murder case involving some suspected cultists.

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JUST IN: NLC Rejects Abure’s Re-Election As Labour Party National Chairman

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Following his reelection, Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, will not receive any acknowledgment from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

During the party’s national convention on Wednesday in Nnewi, Anambra State, Abure was re-elected as the national chairman of the organisation.

The National Working Committee members were all back at the convention as well.

Nonetheless, there were still open seats for the NLC and the Trade Union Congress.

NLC spokesman Benson Upah promised that the congress will never support the party led by Abure in response to the convention’s results.

While describing the convention as a charade, Upah told our reporter that the return of the national chairman was a nullity as far as the NLC is concerned.

He said, “It’s an illegality, a nullity. The whole exercise was a charade! Nothing can legitimise such brazen impunity.”

When asked for labour’s next line of action, the NLC head of information, who replied via a text message, wrote, “You, wait and see.”

The national convention of party had generated so much heat in the last week.

At least five persons were reportedly apprehended at the convention ground on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to foment trouble at the arena.

The arrested persons were said to be distributing inciting leaflets critical of the leadership of the party.

They were eventually handed over to the police for questioning.

In a communiqué jointly signed by Abure and his National Secretary, Umar Farouk, the party announced that the presidential flag bearer of LP, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, have been cleared to contest as the party’s candidates again in 2027.

The statement partly read, “The convention in session, based on the antecedents of the presidential candidate before, during and after the 2023 general election, recommended that the 2027 presidential ticket of the party be solely reserved for His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the national leader of the party.

“Furthermore, the convention in session reviewed the ongoing development and performance of its Governor in Abia state, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, and passed a vote of confidence on him and recommended the 2027 Abia State gubernatorial ticket of the party be reserved for His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti.”

Continuing, the leadership of the party called on President Bola Tinubu to address the rising cases of insecurity ravaging, particularly Kaduna and some other northern states.

The party also threw its weight behind the restructuring and decentralisation of policing architecture to pave the way for regional, state, and local police.

“The convention in session also noted with concerns the renewed insecurity in the country, especially Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and other states. The convention hereby calls on the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, which is the primary responsibility of the government.

“We also call for general restructuring of the security architecture to meet up with current security challenges facing the nation. The convention advocated for decentralisation of the Nigerian Police Force to pave the way for regional, state, local, and community policing,” it stated.

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Palliatives: Dangote Donates 80,000 Bags Of Rice To Lagos Residents [PHOTOS]

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  • Sanwo-Olu Says Dangote Prioritize Nigerians’ Welfare Above Profit

 

The Aliko Dangote Foundation, (ADF) has flagged off the distribution of 80,000 10kg bags of rice to the vulnerable in Lagos state.

President of Dangote Group and Chairman of the foundation, Aliko Dangote, noted that the gesture is part of the over one million 10kg bags of rice that would be distributed to reach one million vulnerable people in the 774 local government areas of the country.

Speaking at the flag off in Alausa, Dangote, said the distribution of the 80,000 bags of 10kg rice is another demonstration of the foundation’s commitment to upholding the values of compassion and solidarity that are at the core of humanity.

Noting that the distribution of the rice is in addition to the daily distribution of 12,500 loaves of bread in Lagos, Dangote stressed that with the initiative, the foundation aspires to ameliorate some of the burdens faced by vulnerable communities across Lagos State.

In his remarks, Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, applauded the many initiatives of Dangote to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians, while praiseing him for showing compassion to the needy in the society.

Sanwo-Olu said the gesture of distribution of 80,000 bags of 10kg rice shows that the leadership of the Foundation prioritize the welfare of the people beyond the pursuit of profit and accumulation of wealth.

The Governor said: “Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian that has chosen to be different. You have choices but you have made the right one which is caring for the vulnerable. I appreciate Mr. Aliko Dangote for extending his kind gestures to the people at the bottom of the pyramid and we are grateful for supporting us in government. There is a lot of global disruption in different parts of the world, and it is a tough time to be in a position of leadership,” he said.

While encouraging other wealthy Nigerians to emulate Dangote, the Governor said the distribution of the rice would support the initiative of the state in addressing the effects of the economic hardship.

Justifying the food intervention in Lagos, Dangote said: “While our traditional Ramadan food distribution has been focused on the Muslim Community, we recognize that the current circumstances where a significant proportion of Nigerians across the nation are experiencing severe hardship due to the prevailing high prices of food, require that we broaden our program to cover communities of all faiths. This is why we are extending the Ramadan initiative to cover all the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory as a testament to our commitment to supporting our communities in line with our core values and the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan,” he said.

The CEO of the ADF, Zouera Youssoufou, said the Foundation is partnering credible NGOs, civil societies, religious bodies among others to ensure the donations go to the most vulnerable in Lagos State.

She said the Foundation is guided by a vision of empowering Africans to achieve their self-actualization and full potential as it believes that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

“In times of hardship, it is imperative that we stand together as one nation, one community, extending a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in their time of need as we have done with our female empowerment programme in Lagos State which targeted 40,000 (Forty thousand) disadvantaged women,” she added.

Group Executive Director Commercial Operations at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Fatima Aliko-Dangote, noted that the flag off in Lagos is a follow-up to the 120,000 bags distributed in Kano on Saturday, said the intervention is targeted to reach the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“We have been doing this for a while but we didn’t publicize it because our chairman believes this is between him and God but this year we decided to publicize it so that we can encourage and inspire others to do so.

“There are many other things the Dangote foundation is also doing. We are also serving 2,500 breads all over Lagos daily. We started this in 2020 during COVID-19. Also in our hometown in Kano, we have been doing breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past 35 years. The foundation has invested in many things. Years back, we gave women some money to be able to invest in their businesses,” she said.

Speaking further, Dangote noted that Lagos state holds a special place in the hearts of the Group, hosting two of its major investments – Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Plant.

He disclosed that the Dangote Group is also working on the nutrition agenda and has made significant strides in food fortification, investing in iodized salt and vitamin A fortified sugar. He stressed that the Group actively promotes food fortification within the Nigerian food industry and is exploring fortification methods for staples like rice and wheat and bouillon cubes to help ensure improved nutrition nationwide.

“At the heart of the Aliko Dangote Foundation lies a deep-seated belief in the importance of nutrition in human capital development. We understand that access to nutritious food is not only a basic human right but also a critical determinant of good health and well-being. By providing these modest bags of rice to those in need, we are not only looking to alleviate immediate hunger, but also investing in the long-term health and prosperity of our communities,” he added.

While commending Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu as a Governor with a penchant for overcoming adversity and enormous capacity in handling emergencies, Dangote urged other well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations to emulate the efforts to support the less privileged in the communities, especially during Ramadan, which is a time of self-reflection, empathy, and charity.

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Tony Elumelu, Dangote Others Named As PECC Members As President Tinubu Establishes Comprehensive Economic Coordination And Planning System For Nigeria

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In a strategic move to bolster the nation’s economic governance frameworks and ensure robust and coordinated economic planning and implementation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC) and the creation of the Economic Management Team Emergency Taskforce (EET).

The Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC) comprises distinguished leaders and key government officials, including:

(1) President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Chairman of the PECC

(2) Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Vice-Chairman of the PECC / NEC Chairman

(3) President of the Nigerian Senate

(4) Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum

(5) Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance

(6) Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria

(7) Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

(8) Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development

(9) Minister of Budget and Economic Planning

(10)Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy

(11)Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

(12)Minister of Labour and Employment

(13) Minister of Marine and Blue Economy

(14) Minister of Power

(15)Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

(16)Minister of State, Gas

(17)Minister of Transportation

(18)Minister of Works

The PECC will also comprise key members of the organized private sector, with the following members joining for a period not exceeding one (1) year, subject to the President’s directive:

(1) Alhaji Aliko Dangote

(2) Mr. Tony Elumelu

(3) Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu

(4) Ms. Amina Maina

(5) Mr. Begun Ajayi-Kadir

(6) Mrs. Funke Okpeke

(7) Dr. Doyin Salami

(8) Mr. Patrick Okigbo

(9) Mr. Kola Adesina

(10)Mr. Segun Agbaje

(11)Mr. Chidi Ajaere

(12)Mr. Abdulkadir Aliu

(13)Mr. Rasheed Sarumi

Furthermore, in his determination to address immediate economic challenges and ensure the streamlined execution of economic strategies, President Bola Tinubu has established the Economic Management Team Emergency Taskforce (EET) with a mandate to formulate and implement a consolidated emergency economic plan. The taskforce comprises key government officials and industry leaders in furtherance of the President’s collaborative approach toward achieving economic resilience and growth. The EET is now mandated to submit a comprehensive plan of economic interventions for 2024 to the PECC, covering the next six (6) months, for immediate implementation within two weeks of its inauguration. The EET will meet twice weekly and is composed of the following members:

(1) Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance (Chairman of the EET)

(2) Minister of Budget and Economic Planning

(3) Minister of Power

(4) Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

(5) Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare

(6) Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

(7) Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria

(8) National Security Adviser

(9) Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum

(10) Governor of Anambra State

(11)Governor of Ogun State

(12)Governor of Niger State

(13)Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service

(14)Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation

(15)GCEO, NNPC Limited

(16) Director-General, Nigeria Economic Summit Group

(17)Special Adviser to the President on Energy

(18)Dr. Bismarck Rewane, Economist

(19)Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa, Economist

The Economic Management Team, established in October 2023, and chaired by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, serves as the working group under the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC), playing a crucial role in the economic governance structure established by the President. The EMT traditionally meets monthly or as required, but will now suspend its meetings for the duration of the EET’s mandate (six months). The EMT is composed of the following officials:

(1) Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance (EMT Chairman)

(2) Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria

(3) Minister of Budget and Economic Planning

(4) Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

(5) Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy

(6) Minister of Works

(7) Minister of Labour and Employment

(8) Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

(9) Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

(10) Minister of State, Gas

(11) Minister of Power

(12) Minister of Transportation

(13) Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development

(14) Minister of Marine and Blue Economy

The Chairman of the EMT may, as needed, call on any Federal Minister or Head of Agency to brief the EMT on key programmes and developments affecting the economy.

The President’s formation of the PECC, under his Chairmanship, alongside the creation of the EET, led by the Chairman of the EMT, and the EMT itself, is the manifestation of a unified strategy aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s economic management architecture for verifiably improved performance. The formation of these teams will complement existing economic governance structures, including the National Economic Council (NEC), which is chaired by the Vice-President.

Over the next six months, the EET will focus on the rapid implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of critical initiatives, strengthening the Tinubu-led administration’s collective approach to advancing Nigeria’s economic objectives.

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