The Ondo State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for requesting the reassignment of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.

Makinde made this request during the kickoff of the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign in Akure on Tuesday, in preparation for the governorship election scheduled for November 16th.

He appealed to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to move Babalola, a sentiment that was supported by the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who expressed concerns about her being from Ondo State.

In a statement released on Wednesday, APC Publicity Secretary Alex Kalejaiye criticized Makinde’s comments as unwarranted, emphasizing that Mrs. Babalola has shown “integrity, competence, and capacity” in her position since taking office.

The statement, titled ‘Ondo Not an Appendage of Oyo,’ advised Makinde to stay out of Ondo State’s political affairs.

The statement read in part: “The REC has demonstrated integrity and competence since her appointment. It is ludicrous that Governor Makinde would make such demands when he had no influence in her posting to Ondo. Ondo State and the electoral body are not appendages of his empire, where he presides as an administrator.”

The APC also criticized Makinde’s remarks, labelling them as “unsolicited advice”  to the people of Ondo and rejecting his caution about selling their votes.

“Ondo people are politically sophisticated and act based on conviction, not as cheaply as Mr Makinde suggests,” the statement added.

In response to the APC’s criticism, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, came to Makinde’s defense, describing the APC’s reaction as “pedestrian.”

Peretei argued that Makinde, as a major stakeholder in the PDP, had every right to raise concerns about the REC’s impartiality.

“The Ondo APC is once again displaying its usual pedestrian approach in reacting to Governor Makinde’s call for a free and fair election,” Peretei said.

The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) has vehemently criticized the establishment of the renegotiation committee formed by the Federal Government.

This committee, which was established on Tuesday in Abuja, has been assigned the responsibility of renegotiating the agreements made in 2009 between the government and university-related unions.

In a unified statement from SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim and NASU President Peters Adeyemi, the unions labelled the event a “charade,” accusing the government of favouring the Academic Staff Union of Universities while neglecting other unions.

The Federal Government has reformed the renegotiation committee, setting a deadline of three months for it to complete its work.

This is the fourth renegotiation committee established by the government since 2017, following earlier committees chaired by Wale Babalakin in 2017, Munzali Jubril in 2020, and Nimi Briggs in 2022.

“The entire inauguration seemed to revolve around ASUU, with the other unions treated as an afterthought,

“The Honourable Minister of Education’s speech focused almost exclusively on ASUU, while the other unions were barely mentioned,” the statement read.

This is the fourth renegotiation committee established by the government since 2017, following earlier committees chaired by Wale Babalakin in 2017, Munzali Jubril in 2020, and Nimi Briggs in 2022.

In 2020, ASUU initiated a nine-month strike that resulted in the establishment of the Jubril Committee. The recommendations from this committee served as the foundation for a draft agreement created in 2021. A subsequent draft was presented by the Nimi Briggs committee in 2022, but negotiations have still not produced enduring outcomes.

The unions expressed their discontent regarding what they perceived as favouritism during the inauguration on Tuesday. They claimed that the ASUU President was given a significant position at the event, while the leaders of other unions were placed in subordinate roles.

“The President of ASUU was seated at the so-called ‘Responsibility table’ while NASU and SSANU leaders were left as mere spectators, a clear indication of the imbalance in the process,” the statement added.

SSANU and NASU voiced concerns that the renegotiation process would disproportionately benefit academic staff while disadvantaging non-teaching employees.

In reaction to what they labelled a “humiliating” experience, the unions criticized the Federal Government for what they see as favouritism.

“The President of ASUU was allowed to speak on behalf of all unions without prior consultation, further proving that the views of other unions are being disregarded,” it further added.

In conclusion, the unions criticized the procedure, voicing significant worries about possible bias in the forthcoming negotiations.

“We reject the charade that took place in the name of an inauguration, as it signals a clear bias toward academic staff and undermines the rights of non-teaching workers,” the statement concluded.

The Jigawa State Police Command has linked the significant number of fatalities and injuries from Tuesday’s fuel tanker explosion to the frantic efforts of residents to collect the spilled fuel from the ground following the incident.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Lawan Shiisu, conveyed this information in a voicemail sent to reporters in Kano on Wednesday.

He stated, “In spite of the police’s attempts to secure the area and alert the public, individuals defied the warnings and began to collect the fuel, which led to a catastrophic explosion.”

Shiisu further mentioned that the police had a hard time maintaining order at the scene, as numerous onlookers disregarded the cautions and approached the accident site recklessly.

“The tanker, loaded with petrol, ignited shortly after the crash, causing an inferno that engulfed numerous people in the vicinity.

“The injured were immediately rushed to General Hospital at Ringim, where medical personnel are working around the clock to treat the victims. However, the death toll is likely to rise as several of the injured remain in critical condition,” he stated.

He mentioned that the Commissioner of Police for the state, AT Abdullahi, has expressed his condolences to the residents, particularly those in Majiya town, where the incident occurred.

He also cautioned individuals to keep their distance from such incident locations to prevent loss of life and damage to property.

He said, “When the accident occurred people started rushing to scoop fuel and in the process, fire ignited from nowhere which led to the death of many persons and injured many others.

He said following the inferno, 94 persons lost their lives on the spot while 50 others that injured were rushed to Ringim General Hospital where doctors are battling to save their lives.

Nigerians, particularly those in rural areas, have been advised against reverting to firewood due to economic challenges and the recent increase in cooking gas prices.

This caution was issued by researchers and climate change advocates during a program in Abuja on Tuesday focused on “Maximizing Energy Transition Opportunities in Nigeria.”

This warning follows a rise in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, which increased from N1,350 to N1,500 per kilogram.

The PUNCH also noted that cooking gas prices reached as high as N1,500 per kilogram in certain retail outlets in Ogun and Lagos States as of Sunday, while the average cost for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas in various areas of Abuja surged by 41.6% to N17,000.

In response, Amara Nwamkpa, the Director of Partnership and Development at the Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation, acknowledged that the recent situation might compel some Nigerians to revert to using firewood for cooking.

Nwamkpa also advised Nigerians to think carefully before switching from cooking gas to firewood due to the risks associated with smoke exposure and its health effects.

The researcher emphasized that, as the global community strives for an energy transition driven by climate change, Nigerians should begin exploring renewable energy and clean cooking alternatives.

He said, “The transition to clean cooking is not an attempt to completely eliminate firewood but to reduce the exposure and inhalation of smoke in the process of its use. These are some of the things that cause respiratory diseases and 40 per cent of the pneumonia cases we are having in the country.

“There are several versions of this clean cooking (stoves) that still use firewood. The good thing about it is that it uses less wood. This involves rudimentary technology because clean cooking is all about insulation and the expertise of building these local ovens or stoves can even be done by local welders and artisans in the community.

“This is the kind of initiative that could touch the lives of the majority of Nigerians if we successfully transition from continued exposure to firewood smoke to clean cooking. It will also improve their health and quality of life, especially for people at the bottom of the pyramid. It will even ameliorate the hardship many areas facing in the country.”

Another specialist from the Africa Policy Research Initiative, Olumide Onitekun, echoed the caution that using firewood poses health risks.

Onitekun also expressed worries that persistent advocacy efforts are needed to inform grassroots Nigerians about the dangers due to the long-standing cultural norms surrounding firewood usage.

He said, “Our transition is not binary. It is a process. Nigeria has an abundance of natural gas. Health-wise, using firewood for cooking is not safe. There are a whole lot of health implications involved when humans are exposed to the emissions that come from firewood cooking.

“This is why the advocacy for clean cooking is very important. The health benefits of climate change beyond the environment cannot be overemphasised. The need to domesticate clean cooking is essential.

“We know there is a cultural barrier to this because people, especially at the grassroots have been using firewood for a long time. This is why engaging them must be targeted. I believe it is high time the government put the right policy in place to stimulate the interest of the private sector in the area of renewable energy.

“Things may be expensive, there are different forms of acquisition. For instance, I understand the pay-as-you-go model comes with its challenges. But we can’t have a solution without a challenge.”

In his earlier remarks, Patrick Okigbo, Founding Partner of Nextier Advisory Limited, highlighted that the key distinction between energy transition and fossil fuels lies in the fact that the former is motivated by climate change rather than by resource scarcity or efficiency concerns.

Okigbo also asserted his belief that Nigeria is steadily moving towards the global transition to renewable energy and anticipated a future when the country would no longer depend on crude oil from the Niger Delta.

The PUNCH

Multi-Billion Naira Initiative to Boost Nigeria’s Power Supply, Create Jobs and Stimulate Economic Growth.

Nigeria is on the verge of witnessing a significant boost in its power supply, courtesy of Ademola Adeleke, businessman and father of international music sensation Davido. The billionaire entrepreneur is set to launch the largest power plant in Nigeria, a multi-billion naira project aimed at bridging the country’s electricity gap.

Located in Osun State, the power plant is designed to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity, significantly increasing Nigeria’s power output. The project will utilize cutting-edge technology to ensure efficient and reliable energy production.

The power plant is expected to:

• Create thousands of jobs during construction and operation phases.
• Stimulate economic growth through increased power supply to industries and households.
• Reduce Nigeria’s reliance on fossil fuels and promote renewable energy.

“Diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix and promoting sustainable development are crucial for our nation’s growth,” Ademola Adeleke stated. “This power plant will not only provide electricity but also create opportunities for Nigerians and contribute to the country’s economic prosperity.”

The project is poised to:

• Increase Nigeria’s power generation capacity by 20%
• Reduce power outages and improve electricity reliability
• Attract foreign investment to the power sector.

Ademola Adeleke’s power plant project is a game-changer for Nigeria’s energy landscape. With its potential to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and increase power supply, this initiative underscores the private sector’s critical role in driving national development.

Tinubu congratulates Wahid Odhodi on His Elections As President of the African Table Tennis Federation Bola Tinubu extends heartfelt congratulations to Wahid Enitan Oshodi of Nigeria on his recent election as President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).Oshodi, who previously served as the Deputy President of ATTF and was the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Social Development, was elected during the organization’s annual general meeting held on October 15 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

President Tinubu emphasized that Oshodi’s election is a significant achievement for Nigeria, showcasing the strong support he received from various stakeholders during the election process.

Nominated by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and endorsed by numerous African nations, Oshodi’s election underscores the country’s unwavering commitment to its sports leaders.

The President noted that this election reflects a vote of confidence in a seasoned sports administrator who has dedicated his time, energy, and resources to the grassroots development of table tennis, demonstrating integrity, accountability, and a strong work ethic in all his endeavors.

Oshodi’s commitment serves as an inspiration to sports enthusiasts and signals a promising future for table tennis on the continent.

According to President Tinubu, Oshodi’s extensive leadership experience will be instrumental in advancing the ATTF and enhancing the sport’s success across Africa.

A distinguished figure in sports administration, Oshodi has previously held the position of President of NTTF, served on the Board of Directors of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF), and is currently the Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

His career in sports administration began in 2000 when he was appointed to the Lagos State Sports Council Governing Board by then-Governor Bola Tinubu.

He later served as the chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA) and was appointed Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Social Development in 2011 by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

During his tenure, he successfully oversaw the National Sports Festival, dubbed “Eko 2012,” further solidifying his reputation for excellence in sports management.

In closing, President Tinubu applauded Oshodi’s dedication to advancing table tennis at local, national, and continental levels, assuring him of Nigeria’s continued goodwill and support as he embarks on this new role.