“I am the only governor in South West following Awolowo’s legacy” – Mimiko

The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko had said at the weekend that his administration was the most progressive in the South West contrary to what the opposition parties have put up to abuse the minds of the Ondo people against his government.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko

While commending his administration, the Governor had specifically applauded the vision of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo for bringing unprecedented development to the defunct Western Region with his innovative projects.
He affirmed that he is the only governor in the South West who had executed projects similar to what Awolowo did during his reigns

Mimiko who spoke in Idanre, headquarters of Idanre local government area of the State during his campaign tour of the local government, urged aspiring politicians to follow the footsteps of Chief Awolowo.

He commended the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo for his visionary and life-changing projects, which made the Western Region the best region during his time, saying that the legacy he left behind should communicate volume to the present set of Ondo politicians who will through such message know the essence of governance.

“His Words,” I believe I am following the legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In our education sector, we are proud to say that no State in the South West compares to us. Indeed, while students pay as much as two hundred and fifty thousand (N250, 000) and above in tertiary institutions in all the South West states, most of our students in Ondo State tertiary institutions pay less than Twenty Five Thousand (N25, 000) yet, members of a particular political party say they are progressives and boast that they will capture us.

“In Nigeria today, our workers collect the highest Minimum Wage of N22, 000 while most of the workers in the South West are still agitating for the N18, 000 Minimum Wage yet they claim they are the progressives. Initially, they came to ask for the blueprint of our projects, we gave them, and now they copy them outright, yet they could not even imitate us well. And they said they want to capture us as if we are rats and grass-cutters.”

Addressing a rally at Ofosu, Governor Mimiko promised that the electricity project of the town would receive prompt attention during his second term in office, while other social infrastructure would also be provided to make life meaningful to the people.

He therefore solicited for the votes of the people which he said should be used to bring continuity for the developmental programme of the Labour Party in the state.

Source: Daily post.

Ondo Poly workers begin three-day warning strike over non-payment of 16 months arrears

Workers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Ondo State (RUGIPO) today embarked on three days warning strike over its non-payment of 16 months arrears.

In a communique jointly signed by the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic [ASUP] Mr. Oluwabanji Kumuyi, Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnic [SSANIP], Saibu Ifedayo and Non-Academic Staff Union [NASU], Agbi Nelson, vowed to embark on indefinite strike if state government fails to pay them the money.

They noted that the government had earlier promised to pay the arrears, which it did not comply.

According to the union leaders, despite losing three of their union leaders to the struggle in 2010, the state government is still playing politics on them.

According to Daily Post, an online medium, the ASUP Chairman, Mr. Oluwabanji Kumuyi who spoke with journalists said the 21 days ultimatum earlier given to the workers by the state government had expired.

When asked if their action was politically motivated, the ASUP Chairman said “It is legal for workers to embark on a strike if their demands are not provided after necessary consultation, the state government owes us 16 months arrears and you are expecting us to keep quiet. Some of our leaders died during this struggle and despite losing our union leaders, our money is yet to be paid. Our strike is not politically motivated but borne out of a genuine agitation of our members”.

I remain in ACN, says ex-OSOPADEC chief, Omojuwa

A former chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Chief Adewale Omojuwa, yesterday debunked the rumour that he has dumped the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for another party.

Omojuwa, who is a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), joined the ACN early this year. He hails from Ilaje Local Government Area in the Southern Senatorial District.

The politician aspired for the deputy governorship ticket of the party, which was given to a doctor, Dr. Paul Akintelure, from Okitipupa Local Government Area, in the same senatorial district.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, Omojuwa said: “It has come to my notice that some faceless politicians have been peddling rumours that since I was not picked as ACN deputy governorship candidate, I have resolved to defect to either the PDP or the ruling Labour Party (LP).

“I state here categorically that the rumour is false, satanic and irresponsible. I am a committed, dedicated ACN member with unwavering support for our candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), and his running mate, Dr. Paul Akintelure.

“I have an unshaken belief in Yoruba regional integration and the development of Ondo State, the Southwest and Nigeria.

“All my supporters are, therefore, once again enjoined to remain calm and be more dogged in our avowed support towards ensuring ACN victory in the October 20 governorship election in the state. I believe ACN is the only alternative party that is poised to win the coming election.

“Finally, my teeming supporters and the general public are hereby urged to disregard this rumour, which is aimed at tarnishing my image by my political detractors.”

The former OSOPADEC chief worked with the defected ACN governorship aspirant, Dr. Olu Agunloye, to establish the Omoluabi Platform for the former minister.

Agunloye defected to the LP when he did not get the ACN governorship ticket. But most members of the platform remained in ACN to ensure Akeredolu’s victory.

Source: The Nation.

Omotola in court over breach of contract

Top Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde who just back from  Jamaica where  she  reportedly finalised  some juicy contracts, has engaged the services of popular Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Festus Keyamo to defend her in a case of  breach of contract filed against her company, Redhot Concepts Limited by an up and coming lawyer, Keshi Elvis who holds brief for Megafield Solicitors.

According to the lawyer, trouble started when the latter failed to honour the contractual agreement they entered into in 2010.

He said all entreaties he made to Omotola and her company to honour the agreement hit brick wall, a situation which prompted his decision to  seek redress in court.

*Omotola

Narrating how he met Omotola, the young lawyer said   one Isaac  who was his younger brother ‘s colleague in his  office introduced him to the actress some  two years ago (February, 2010. ). Isaac had hinted his younger brother that Omotola was  in dire need of a young and vibrant lawyer to  handle her briefs. According to Isaac, Omotola’s former lawyer wasn’t handling her briefs satisfactorily and it was on this  premise  that  Elvis was introduced to the actress.

The lawyer stated further that “Omotola’s number was made available to me and after  series of telephone discussions, we scheduled an appointment in her office. Then, she was having issues with Africa Independent Television, AIT following a programme on Kakakii, where Omotola was said to have travelled to the United States to carry out breast enlargement.”

“I wrote a letter to the management of DAAR Communications, owners of  AIT and Raypower 100.5. The  matter was eventually resolved via retraction on the same programme and a letter of apology tendered by the company’s law firm representing Jumoke Alao.”

“ Impressed on how I  handled the matterwith AIT and other assignments, the actress  entered into contractual agreement  with my firm, where I insisted that my annual retainership fee would be N500,000. She negotiated for N200,000 per annum retainership fee. I prepared an MOU and after studying it, she invited me on 22nd or 23rd of February, 2010 for the execution of the MOU.” he recounted.

Meanwhile, in the memorandum of Understanding signed by Omotola’s company  and the lawyer, Keshi explained that the actress agreed to pay him  the sum of N200,000 annually as his retainership fee in addition to paying him also a professional fee as well as out of pocket expenses incurred by me while  handling her  brief which she did not honour.

“Both parties, without coercion,  signed the agreement. I have since carried out all instructions from Redhot concepts through Omotola”Elvis said.

According to the young laywer, since  the MoU,was endorsed,   he  has  only received a cheque of N50,000 from Omotola. He has gone to court  to demand for the balance of his retainership agreement for 2010 (N150,000) and the retainership agreement for 2011 ( 200,000) as well as fee for services rendered between this period which amounted to  N1,150,000.

“In February 2012, I wrote Omotola  where I terminated our agreement, with a letter of demand.. She ignored me all this while.”

However, in a counter affidavit from Omotola’s counsel, Festus Keyamo ,  and which was made available to WG, the actress agreed  owing the complainant the sum of N350,000, and not N1,150,000”as he claimed. The case came up yesterday, at the Magistrate court 1, Ikeja, Lagos.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact Omotola over the telephone to get her own side of the story proved abortive as her  cell phones were switched off.

Source: Vanguard.

PHCN to publish names of debtors in national dailies

A PHCN Transmmision site

PHCN will not hesitate to drag its debtors to the press. The Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, will soon publish names of its debtors in national dailies if they fail to pay their debts amounting to N16 billion. The Managing Director of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Idris Mohammed, said this during the First Customers Consultative
Council meeting on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Mr. Mohammed said electricity consumers owe the company huge debts despite all efforts to ensure regular and effective debt collection. He said the present debt profile was inimical to the company’s corporate survival. He urged consumers to settle their electricity bills to ensure good service delivery at all times.

The Kaduna electricity boss said more than 50,000 pre-paid meters had been distributed to customers in Kaduna metropolis, Samaru, and Zaria Business Units. He said more than 3,500 special pre-paid meters had been deployed to Sokoto State to cater for both Gwiwa and Marina Business Units under the Federal Government’s Pilot Programme.

“This special Federal Government project will promote customer satisfaction and revenue improvement,” the managing director said. He said that the company would soon send prepaid meters to Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and other states to guarantee accurate billing of customers.

The initiative is expected to help reduce friction between customers and marketers, which often resulted to disconnection. According to him, the company has purchased more than 50 transformers to replace ageing ones, while some injection sub-stations have been completed.

The Zonal Chairman of the Customers Consultative Council, Linus Alhassan, urged various communities to set up monitoring teams to guard PHCN installations. He said the activities of vandals had continued to increase daily.

Mr. Alhassan noted that there was a dearth of PHCN equipment in the store, which had made replacement of stolen ones difficult, saying adequate security of PHCN cables and other materials would enable customers enjoy adequate power supply.

A customer from Kano Business Unit, Umar Muhammed, commended the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company for engaging electricity consumers through the Customers Consultative Council meeting. He expressed the hope that the steps taken by the company would improve power generation across the zone.

Source: Premium Times