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Governor of Ekiti state and loudest opposition voice to President Mohammadu Buhari’s government, Ayodele Fayose has said that his agitation and revelation about what had happened to the President was responsible for the return of President Buhari last Saturday August 19.

Vanguard reports that Governor Fayose was speaking to leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party at the government office on Wednesday August 23, said he stands by all his claims about the President be in coma on July 6, adding that he has no apology whatsoever for all he has said.

The governor who reiterated his call for President Buhari’s resignation, said: “If not for our efforts Buhari wouldn’t have returned now. Buhari is sick and tired and even his physical appearance betrayed this and he needs to go home and rest.

“Today, they have cancelled the Federal Executive Council meeting. You cannot hide the truth forever, it will reveal itself someday. You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. ”

“Every word that has come out of my mouth before the President returns, I have no apology for them. President Buhari was indeed in coma and one of those who visited him said his recovery is a miracle that shows that he was indeed very sick. ”

“Let Buhari go back to Daura and rest. Don’t send him to early grave. Buhari is not old enough to be my father, my mother is older than Buhari, he cannot be my father, he can only be my uncle. I am close to 60. I stand by all I have said about the President. We are glad he is back, but don’t over flog him.

“I am not a sycophant and I stand to speak for Nigeria. Somebody must be able to speak on behalf of the poor masses. This was how they deceived us during the time of Yar’Adua. I am not a hypocrite and I will never be one.

“This country deserves a very healthy person. The office of the president is not for a sick man. The president is tired and should be allowed to resign and go and rest. ”

I have said it severally and without apologies. Everything I said when the President was away, I stand by them.

“The president actually went into coma and this was attested to by what one of the governors who visited him when he was abroad said that his recovery was a miracle.
When somebody’s recovery is a miracle it simply means something very serious happened to the person.

“Since the President himself cannot disclose his health status and also the extent of his ailment, it apparently shows that there is so much to hide.

“Not until civil societies and people like us started making noise. You can’t be our president without us knowing what is happening to you.

So, for me, the president went to coma July 6.

Today, they can come back and organise rallies and all that; they attested to the fact the President recovered by miracle which we are glad about.

“We are happy that he is back but when you look at the President physically, you will see that he is emaciated tired and weak. ”

You don’t have to be president at all cost, when you are tired. “You go home. I don’t want to talk about 2019′ but I want to tell you that Nigeria needs a president that is agile and strong.

“The job is too much for an individual that does not have what it takes. It is a common saying that health is wealth. Everything is about health. We wish him well and we want him to recover but the President should throw in the towel, resign and go home.

“You see they said he would come back and resume in his office, he resumed in his office, they said rats have taken over his office! A presidential office, rats took over his office! ”

Now they said he is working from home, tomorrow, they would say he is coming from bedroom. All these stories are ending up in a make believe.

“In a country where you have so much to do, I am not going to be a sycophant here. I am going to be on the side of the common man, the President is tired. I feel for the president like every other elderly persons, or even people who are not elderly. They could be sick. But when it comes to th e issue of governing a country.

“There is so much responsibility to this and we must equally be able to stand up and say if the president does not have what it takes to continue, he should throw in the towel. Asked if he would oblige if invited to see Buhari, Fayose said:

“I cannot go and greet the president if invited and the reason is that such action would be misinterpreted to be something else.

“So, it is good for me to wish him well from a distant and be able to tell Nigerians the truth”

Denying that he ever said he would commit suicide should Buhari returns home as being speculated in the social media.

He said: “I can’t commit suicide because of an old man. Such are from miscreants on the social media. Let me tell you expressly, why would I commit suicide?

“I cannot commit suicide because of my mother. Even if they are burying my mother now, I will cleverly stay away from the grave so that I won’t fall into it. I can’t commit suicide because of Buhari. I never said that and will never make such statement.

“Truth is that the pressure from me and many other Nigerians made the president to return home. They have been treating this matter under the table forgetting that the life of a president is an open book that can be read by everybody and anybody. What I am saying in effect is that it is in the overall interest of everybody that we have a president that is strong enough to do the job,” Fayose insisted.

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Lagos State Government To Concession Red And Blue Line Rails For Sustainability, Loan Repayment

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector in order to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

This announcement was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed the measures being implemented to ensure the continued viability of the state’s rail systems.

Osiyemi explained that the concessioning process would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a defined period. This approach is intended to ensure the continued operation and effective management of the rail projects.

“The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

The commissioner emphasized that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and long-term financial sustainability, in line with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

  • More Insight

Osiyemi further highlighted the substantial financial and technical challenges involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require significant resources and specialized expertise.

To tackle these challenges and build local capacity, he noted that the Lagos State Government has enlisted foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

These partners are expected to not only ensure smooth operations during their tenure but also transfer critical skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which the management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.”

“They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi explained.

  • Things You Should Know

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has set out an ambitious vision to develop a network of rail systems across the state.

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger services already in operation.

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and began commercial operations in September, carrying over 2 million passengers to date.

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being managed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, all aimed at enhancing the state’s transportation network.

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Lagos Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab Condoles With Families Of Epe Accident Victims

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Condolence Message from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in our community, Epe, claiming the lives of two promising young adults, a dedicated tricycle driver, and leaving several other people injured. This heartbreaking accident has left our hearts heavy, as we mourn the loss of these young souls who were full of hope and dreams, and an industrious individual who worked tirelessly for his livelihood.

As a member of this community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends affected by this terrible loss. I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and I want you to know that you are not alone in this moment of grief.

Let us honor the memories of these individuals by advocating for safety and awareness on our roads. As we move forward, may we find comfort in community and strength in one another. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find solace and healing in the days to come.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Monday Okpebholo Sworn In As Edo State Governor

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Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.

Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

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