The increment should be reversed immediately - Peter Obi reacts to alleged 114% increase in salaries of Tinubu, VP, governors

Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential elections, Peter Obi has reacted to reports of an alleged 114% increase in the salaries of the President, Vice president, senators and lawmakers.

On Tuesday, June 20, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a Federal Commissioner who represented Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Muhammad Shehu, at the presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, had reportedly said that the salaries of politicians, judicial and public office holders would be increased by 114 per cent.

However the RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, denied the reports saying  President Bola Tinubu has not given approval for the increment of salaries of public servants.

Obi on Thursday morning, June 22 reacted to the development via his Twitter handle, saying such a move was insensitive at this time and should be reversed.

"I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). This is not the appropriate time for such salary increment if it is at all necessary. We are living in a time when an average Nigerian is struggling with many harsh economic realities, and with over 130 million Nigerians now living in poverty. This is a moment when recent reform measures by the government have increased living costs astronomically.
One would expect the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting the cost of governance, alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians. This moment calls for creative ways of pulling the majority out of poverty.

In the immortal  words of Shakespeare’s Julius Ceaser, “What touches us ourself shall be last served.”   The leaders, therefore, should prioritize what affects the masses and those on the lower strata of society over themselves.

The sacrifice, at this time in our nation, should be borne by the leaders. The increment should be reversed immediately, and the savings should be devoted to fixing education, healthcare and poverty alleviation especially in the remote rural areas. -PO

15-year-old boy killed as building 'marked for demolition' collapses in Minna

A 15- year-old boy identified simply as Sallah has been killed when a storey building marked for demolition collapsed in Minna, the Niger State capital. 

The incident occurred along Shiroro Road on Tuesday morning, June 20, 2023. 

According to Daily Trust, the staircase of the building fell on the boy’s head. 

Sallah, a student of an Islamic School in the area, was said to be resting with two of his friends when the incident happened and he died instantly while one of his friends sustained injuries.

One of the residents, Jabir Ayuba, told the publication that the building which had been under construction for the past one year lacked standard specifications.

"We have been concerned since the beginning of construction of this storey building. The boy that was killed was with us this morning; he even told us that he wanted to buy a recharge card to call his mum at the village. He’s our neighbour. He was sitting here with two of his friends when the staircase of the building collapsed on his head and he died instantly.

Niger State Urban Development Board had already marked the building for demolition before it collapsed.

 

 

 

 

 

Police arrests man who tweeted “Lets k!ll all Igbos and flush them out of Yorubaland”

The Osun state police command has arrested a 28-year-old man identified as Kehinde Adesogba Adekusibe for calling for the killing of Igbos in Yoruba land.

 

 A statement released by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, said on May 18, Kehinde had posted a tweet calling for the killing of Igbos. 

"Let's kill all the Igbos Let's flush them out of Yoruba lands. I hate these people with passion. They are violent people. They are the worst. They hate us. Let's hate them without holding back. "

 

Adejobi said the police immediately began its investigation and arrested Kehinde for violating the social media policy in hate speech. He said the suspect will be arraigned in court soon.

Read his tweets below..

 

 

Man dies in Rivers after allegedly taking tramadol and sex enhancement drugs - See Photos

A man identified simply as Utobong, was found dead in his bedroom at Osina Street Mile 2 Diobu in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Rivers journalist, Allwell Ene, who disclosed this in a Facebook post on Friday, June 16, 2023, said the deceased was with a lady when the incident happened.

 

According to him, two packs of tramadol, a sex enhancer, and 2 bottles of energy drinks were found beside the corpse. 

 

“The incident happened in his room where he reportedly lodged with a lady. The lady absconded the room when the corpse was found. Two black bullet energy drinks, two packs of tramadol and another sex enhancer were found by his side according to source,” Mr. Allwell wrote. 

 

 

Nollywood actor, Brymo Uchegbu aka Don Brymo, has died. 

The 56-year-old Uchegbu, who has featured in many movies, reportedly died on Thursday. A colleague of the Anambra State-born actor, Mayor Ofoegbu, who confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Thursday morning, said he died in his sleep today June 15.

Actor Junior Pope also confirmed his passing on Instagram.

May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

 

 

 

Seven UniJos students abducted by gunmen

Seven off-campus students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) were reportedly abducted by gunmen on Tuesday night. 

Sources told The Nation that the incident happened around 1:00 am when the students, who reside at a private hostel close to the former Nigerian School of Accountancy along Bauchi Ring Road in Jos North local government, were studying for their ongoing second-semester examination. 

The kidnappers numbering about five, stormed the hostel and broke into the room where they were reading, forced them into a waiting vehicle and zoomed off.

A student told the publication that the kidnappers sneaked into the hostel and held the seven students hostage at gun point for close to thirty minutes before they were forcefully led out of the premises. Other residents of the hostel, who were aware of the invasion, could not come out until the kidnappers left the scene. 

The institution’s representatives visited the off-campus hostel on Wednesday, June 14, for first-hand information. It was also gathered that the kidnappers have started calling their victims families for ransom. 

Plateau police spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, who confirmed the incident, said men of the Command are combing the bush to rescue the students.

President Tinubu have signed into law, the Access to Higher Education Act which provides interest-free loans to students across the country who wish to further their education in tertiary institutions.

President Tinubu have signed into law, the Access to Higher Education Act which provides interest-free loans to deserving students across the country who wish to further their education in tertiary institutions.

He made the statement on his verified twitter handle this morning.

In his word - ''With this Act we shall ensure that every deserving student has access to affordable and quality education, irrespective of their financial background''.

Read the post below:

Three APC members die in auto crash on their way to Abuja for 10th National Assembly inauguration - Photo

Three members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Imo State have died in a road accident on their way to Abuja for the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly. 

 

It was gathered that the bus they were travelling in had a head-on collision with another vehicle along Agbor road in Delta State in the early hours of Monday, June 12. 

 

Others who sustained injury in the accident were taken to the hospital for treatment.

 

Two of the deceased, both males, are from Amaraku, while the other is a woman from Ogbor all in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

 

They were going to support Patrick Ndubueze, the Senator-elect for Okigwe Zone, and Miriam Onuoha Okigwe North Federal Constituency for the inauguration to be held on Tuesday, June 3. 

 

Spokesperson of the party in Imo state, Cajetan Duke described the incident as a sad development.

 

“They were travelling in two buses. It is a sad development. The party is saddened by the development.

 

We pray God accept their souls,” he said. 

Suspected yahoo boys bathe with blood in a bid to get rich (video)

Some suspected yahoo boys bathed with blood in a bid to get rich.
 

The native doctor who was spotted in the video splashing blood on the naked young men, prayed for them to get paid by “clients” who don’t pay other people.

 

Noting that the young men are already making money by defrauding people, he further prayed that their next hit will give them enough money to buy houses. The native doctor went on to break eggs on their head.

Watch the video below…

 

Labour Party brings HD TV to presidential election tribunal in a bid to prove their case of the election being “stolen” (video)

Labour Party on Friday, June 9, brought a HD TV to presidential election tribunal in a bid to prove their case of the election being “stolen”. 

It is expected that they would play all video recordings of INEC chairman, Yakubu Mahmood promising that the electoral results will be transmitted electronically. They will also play other video evidence they have on the HD TV.

This is coming after the tribunal admitted some evidence they brought into the case. Watch a video from the courtroom below…