Politics

Ogun: Yellow journalism and senseless propaganda of frustrated elements

Published

1 year ago

April 13, 2023

Ogun: Yellow journalism and senseless propaganda of frustrated elements

The ongoing vituperation and smear campaign by opposition elements and their cohorts against the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is clearly understandable, though pitiable, it is undoubtedly a function of frustrated minds and hopeless situation; we genuinely sympathize with them.

The most laughable of the recent junk of less cognitive strength is the one authored by a scavenger in the media space, who is in desperate need of means of survival amid marital trauma of fragmented home; I was seriously amused by his reference to ‘friends and colleagues in the media’, this is unpardonable product of imaginary error. Who are his colleagues and from which media platforms?

However, because this response is originally conceived to kill the dangerous virus the dirty mind ignorantly sold to some unsuspecting members of the public about the governor of Ogun State and his administration, I will not dignify this element by dwelling much on his personality and rough antecedents, but quickly go straight to puncture some of his lies I consider necessary for the sake of the good people of the State, as majority of those lies are too intelligible with obvious absence of logic to elicit any response.

First, we understand why these political jobbers were raising the issue of ecological funds and imaginary disappearance of $9m from the state coffers. It is a matter of messy background and history of monumental corruption that characterized the 8-year administration of their gang leader, in which every fund meant for ecological intervention was criminally siphoned by the governor and his cronies, they thought it is going to be the same style of governance this time around.

They were also hallucinating on the kleptomaniac way in which their leader swindled the State for eight years and depleted the state’s treasury with impunity, they now maliciously concluded that the stealing spree which was the order of those days would continue under PDA, moreso, when all their entreaties to join the new administration and continue their criminal activities were cleverly blocked by the governor, who knows his onions and also understands their psyches.

Putting the record straight, Governor Dapo Abiodun has been open and transparent with the management of all funds accruing to the State’s purse with high level of prudence and financial intelligence, in which ecological funds is not an exception. As a matter of facts, the Governor, more than any of his predecessors have judiciously utilized the funds as a result of his consciousness towards safe and clean environment.

At no time did Governor Dapo Abiodun, ask any Chairman of any local government to sign for ecological funds without corresponding disbursement in the same breath for the purpose it meant for. Again, the purveyors of this jaundiced narrative are former beneficiaries of callous gang-raping of ecological funds during their time, they are certified criminals.

Speaking on the Mikano Cars gifted to Chairmen of local governments and issues surrounding it, obviously, the scenario was blown out of proportion by the enemies of the Governor and the State, there is no any animosity between the Governor and the Chairmen. As a result of inclusive governance of the present administration in the State, every state functionary is fully aware of the economic status of the State and always ready to sacrifice whatever that is needed to ensure its stability and functionality, so, the impression these elements are trying to create around this issue was a mere ploy to set the governors against chief executives of councils, which has become dead on arrival indeed.

It is indeed instructive that Governor Dapo Abiodun, has been a rallying point in the administration and management of the ruling party, the APC, in the State, without unnecessary interference and with high degree of loyalty and decorum, even in the face of shameless betrayal of his supposed ally and predecessor, who stooped so low to have been manipulated by money to embark on anti-party activities during the last gubernatorial and house of assembly elections, for which he will be appropriately sanctioned for that ignoble and shameful act.

On a final note, the bunch of ignoramus, the citizen journalists who are in the business of yellow journalism in the State out of frustration and confusion and majorly for crumbs should know that the people of Ogun State are too politically inclined and sophisticated to fall for their lazy antics, while our administration can never be distracted by their shenanigans. We are without doubt a moving train.

– ‘Bisi Adedamola

Politics

15th Hijrah: Muslim Clerics Task Nigerians On Good Morals

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Sahara Weekly

15th Hijrah: Muslim Clerics Task Nigerians On Good Morals

– as Speaker charges religious leaders on impactful messages

Nigerians, irrespective of religious affiliations, must begin to embrace good morals and practise honesty, two guest lecturers at the 15th Annual Hijrah Lecture of the Lagos State House of Assembly, have urged.

This is as the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, also charged Nigeria’s religious leaders to teach messages with greater positive impacts on citizens.

Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa Al-miskinubilahi, general overseer of Al-Amani Islamic Organisation, and Sheikh Ridwanullah Jamiu, Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Lekki Phase 1, said moral conducts and honesty would help create a decent society.

Speaking at the event with the theme: ‘The Increasing Wave Of Moral Decadence In The Society’, which held at the Assembly complex on Friday, the guest lecturers condemned the spate of moral decadence in the society.

Dr. Jamiu told guests that there was need to enforce laws against anti-decent practices like homosexuality, gambling, adultery and corruption.

According to him, Allah blesses those who are kind, just and are morally upright.

“People should run away from three things: indecency, aggression and wickedness. For a society to progress and develop, it must move away from what Allah kicks against.

“Justice means giving people their rights. As a boss, you have duties to your employees. Treat others the way you expect to be treated. Allah commands kindness and generosity,” he said while urging parents to be role models to their children.

On his part, Sheikh Onikijipa lamented what he described as a growing level of corruption in the society.

“At this stage of our existence, we all know that almost everyone is corrupt,” he said while urging leaders to be more transparent.

The cleric further stressed that leaders must be determined to end moral decadence in the society, adding: “See the way the government stopped the abuse of naira with necessary legislation. The same should be done for other forms of moral decadence in the society.

“There is no religion if we don’t have morals. If you observe all the five pillars of the Islam and you are morally corrupt, then you are deceiving yourself.

“If you pray regularly and you don’t have morals, then it is a waste of time. Indecent dressing should be condemned in all places,” he said.

While noting that Nigeria is challenged at the moment, Onikijipa appealed to citizens to be patient with the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

He urged religious leaders and citizens in the country to dedicate a day for fasting and prayer instead of embarking on a protest, which has a tendency to escalate into destruction of properties.

In his remarks, Speaker Obasa said everyone has roles to play in achieving an upright society.

Obasa, who said that Hijrah is meant to celebrate the clerics, added: “You would be proud of the group you belong to when people feel your impact. We should ensure that we change our immediate environment and make things better in our time.

“We must all join hands to make our society better so that we can all have a morally upright place. It is not enough to make laws, people must exhibit good qualities.”

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Politics

Planned Protest: Tinubu, Sultan, Ooni, NSA, IGP In Emergency Meeting

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Planned Protest: Tinubu, Sultan, Ooni, NSA, IGP In Emergency Meeting

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states in August.

As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for August draws close, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday entered an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The high-delegation meeting was held at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

Some first-class traditional rulers were spotted at the meeting with the President. They include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.

The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet.

A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the high-powered meeting with the President.

Last-Minute Efforts
Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.

As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.

On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as Uzodimma surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.

Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.

Politics

Tinubu mourns Iwuanyanwu

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Tinubu mourns Iwuanyanwu

President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on Thursday.

Tinubu’s condolence message is conveyed in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu mourns Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.’

The family confirmed his demise on Thursday evening in a statement that partly read, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, announces the demise of our patriarch, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday, July 25, 2024, after a brief illness. He was aged 82.”

He was an accomplished businessman and notable politician.

Ngelale said, “President Tinubu condoles with the Imo State Government, the friends and associates of the deceased, and Ndi Igbo over this irreparable loss.

“The President affirms that Chief Iwuanyanwu will always be remembered for his remarkable legacy.”

Tinubu, therefore, prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed elder statesman and comfort for his family