2019: Ohanaeze Ndigbo, others demand presidential debate, regional government

The apex socio-cultural organisation in Igboland, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo World Assembly, IWA,  and other Igbo socio-cultural organisations have demanded that a well packaged presidential debate be held to enable Nigerians make informed choice on who to vote for in the 2019 presidential election.

Ndigbo were also unanimous in demanding that Nigeria goes back to the first republic constitution that gave all regions of the country windows of equality, competitiveness and fairness for a rekindled spirit of one Nigeria.

The Igbo groups shared their similar ideologies during the business conference of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the Diaspora represented by Igbo World Assembly, IWA, in Enugu, yesterday. While Ohanaeze Ndigbo is the apex socio-cultural orgainsation of Ndigbo, IWA is made up of members of the organization in the Diaspora with membership in 37 countries. Chairman of IWA, Chief Nwachukwu Anakwenze, said the group would mobilise Ndigbo and other Nigerians for the 2019 elections but that its support for any political party would be based on the position of such party on  restructuring, presidential debate and rule of law. Anakwenze said, “We are happy that the ball is set for another election and among other things, we demand a debate by the presidential candidates to enable the electorate make informed choices. “One of our goals is to regenerate the relationship with our brothers and sisters from the South South region and work for the sustained security in our region. We are resolute in making peace and combating the adversaries that have plagued us. We do not believe in promoting ethnicity but in a system where all sections are treated equally.” President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who presented the keynote address, stressed that the position of Ohanaeze had been that Nigerians were better together and that considering the investments Ndigbo have made in the country, they would have a better deal in an equitable Nigeria. He advised the people of the South East to take advantage of the 2019 general elections to support a government that would change the narrative in the country. Nwodo said the yearning of majority of Nigerians was to institute a system of government that would re-engineer the economy akin to what obtained in the first republic, suggesting that the only way to achieve that was to restructure the system of governance. “Four zones out of the six in the country have set the agenda for restructuring. I appeal to our people to go out and vote during the election because your warfare is your vote,” he pleaded. Nwodo said that he looked forward to a time when the children of highly placed politicians in the country would share the same classrooms with less privileged Nigerians as was the case in the first republic.

Source: Vanguard

Minimum wage: Governors settles for 22,500

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has agreed to pay the sum of N22, 500 as new minimum wage for workers, as against the existing N18,000.

Chairman of the Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He explained that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the governors where they deliberated on the new minimum wage after a briefing from the forum’s representatives at the Tripartite Committee.

The governor noted that the welfare of the people was the ultimate concern for the forum, lamenting the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of the populace.

Before agreeing to a figure, he explained that the governors considered the stride of development in their states, particularly in health, education and infrastructure.

Governor Yari added that the meeting did not take a position that would only reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on the ability and capacity of the states to pay.

The organised labour had demanded N30,000 as new minimum wage but the NGF said most of its members do not have the capacity to pay the sum.

As series of negotiations and meetings between the government and labour leaders ended in a deadlock, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) threatened to embark on a fresh nationwide strike on November 6.

The unions explained that the decision was necessary following what they described as the government’s unwillingness to implement a new minimum wage for workers in the country.

This, among other things, led to a meeting of the NGF with the Federal Government, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The meeting had also ended inconclusively, prompting an emergency meeting of the state governors today.


The statement reads;

 Following a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where we deliberated on the National Minimum Wage after a briefing from our representatives at the Tripartite Committee, we submit as follows:

The welfare of all Nigerians is our ultimate concern. In all our States, we are concerned about the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of our population.

In agreeing to a National Minimum Wage, however, the Forum is even more concerned about development, particularly in the health, education and infrastructure spheres.

It is, therefore, our considered position that since the percentage of salaried workers is not more than five per cent of the total working population, our position must not just reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each State.

After all, Section 3 of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission Act provides that “the Commission shall recommend a proposition of income growth which should be initiated for wage increase and also examined the salary structure in public and private sector with reasonable features of relativity and maximum levels which are in consonance with the national economy".

It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50 per cent of the revenue available to each State.

Governors, therefore, agreed to pay a national minimum wage of N22,500.

Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar.
(Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum)

Source: Channels

News flash: Oshomole suspended

15 APC governors has suspended the APC national chairman former governor of Edo state Adams Oshemole.
The governors stated that he is incapacitated and not fit to lead the party.

More details on the way.

Just being born in America no longer qualifies you for citizenship ~Trump

President Donald Trump plans to abolish the right to citizenship for anyone born in the United States — guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution — with an executive order, he said in an interview excerpt released on Tuesday.

While Trump asserts that he can change the provision with such an order, that is far from certain: there is a set process for modifying the constitution, which does not include presidential decree. 

His comments came shortly before a hotly-contested midterm election in which the president has sought to place the issue of immigration at the forefront.

“I was always told that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said in an interview with Axios. “Now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order".

The president’s opposition to the constitutional provision centres specifically on the fact that children born in the US to immigrant parents — whether they are in the country legally or not — are automatically citizens.

36 more APC Rep members to dump party

There were strong indications on Monday that more All Progressives Congress members of the House of Representatives might leave the party as the raging crisis over the loss of return tickets for 2019 deepened.

Findings showed that about 36 more aggrieved members could leave the party next week.

Recall that up to 70 members had protested their loss of return tickets after the party’s primary election to its appeal panel.

Incidentally, the panel was said to have resolved only eight of the cases in favour of the petitioners, leaving the majority of 62 out of the equation.

On Wednesday last week, a member from Kaduna State, Mr Musa Soba, resigned from the APC on the floor of the House in Abuja to cap his protest against alleged “injustice.”

confirmed to our source that about 36 aggrieved members would be in the next batch to leave the APC.

He added that more members would leave before November 17.

Soba stated, “About 36 more members will follow next week.

“Others will also exit before the 17th of November.”

The Majority Leader of the House and leader of the APC caucus, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, in a quick reaction on Monday, told our source that there were “genuine” and “not so genuine” cases, which would ultimately be resolved by the APC.

Gbajabiamila gave details, “These things are normal during election cycles when people feel short-changed. It has happened across all parties and it is how it is handled that matters.

“Some have genuine cases and some not so genuine. However, I know many of the members who might have lost out during the primaries and I believe over time when the dust settles, their issues will be resolved one way or another.

“I know them to be fierce party loyalists, who will remain true to the party. Of that, I am confident.”

The defection plans are on in spite of the ongoing efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the disputes in the party.

Three weeks ago, he had summoned the aggrieved lawmakers to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, just days to the submission of the final list of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The source stated that any meeting that would not resolve the issue of the return ticket in their favour was a “waste of time.”

The source spoke further, “There is still the last window for the substitution of the names of candidates before expiration in December.

Written by John Ameh.

Video: Nnamdi Kanu grants interview on Israeli national live TV

https://youtu.be/ntN4wY1-OQo

The leader of the indigenous people of Biafra IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Monday granted the Israeli national TV interview. He discussed Biafra and the plight of indigenous people of Biafra alongside his attack and escape.

Government should deduct tithe direct from worker's salaries ~ Archbishop

The Archbishop of Kampala, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, has suggested that the government of Uganda deduct tithe from workers’ salaries.

Speaking during a mass, the Catholic Archbishop said many Christians don’t tithe and this affects church projects, reports Citizen Kenya.

“Whenever we ask for tithe, everyone gives only what they have at that time. But the Bible says a tenth of whatever you earn belongs to the church,” said Archbishop Lwanga.

“Give me your support as I front this proposal because it is good for us. Aren’t you tired of putting money in the baskets all the time?”

Archbishop Lwanga said he wanted Uganda to go the German route, where Germans, who are registered as Catholics, Protestants or Jews have a church tax (Kirchensteuer) of 8-9 per cent deducted from their annual income.

“I was told Germans made agreements with their government to deduct monthly tithe from their salaries and forward it to the church and this money they use to build and renovate their churches,” he added.

Source: Punch