…Describes the former Governor an Exemplary leader

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State extends his heartfelt congratulations to Captain Idris Ichalla Wada as he marks his 73rd birthday. The governor takes this moment to express his admiration for Capt. Wada, recognizing him as an exemplary leader endowed with an exceptional vision.

Governor Bello takes great pride in characterizing the former pilot as a leader who has consistently exhibited an unwavering commitment to both the service of God and the betterment of humanity. It is with respect and honor that Bello acknowledges the significant contributions that Captain Wada made to the advancement and prosperity of Kogi State during his tenure as its governor from 2011 to 2016.

The governor goes on to emphasize Captain Wada’s enduring influence, noting his invaluable guidance and sagacious counsel, which continue to inspire and shape the aspirations of the younger generation of leaders. As the anniversary of Captain Wada’s birth is celebrated, Governor Yahaya Bello wholeheartedly extends his wishes for a joyous occasion.

In his prayers, Governor Bello beseeches the divine to bestow upon Captain Wada the blessings of longevity and robust health, allowing him to continue to enrich lives and make positive impacts.

Born on the 26th of August, 1950, in the Dekina local government area of Kogi State, Captain Idris Ichalla Wada’s legacy is multifaceted. His journey encompassed not only a distinguished career as an accomplished aircraft pilot within the Nigerian Aviation Industry but also a remarkable tenure as the governor of Kogi State from 2011 to 2016.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% in the first quarter of 2023 from 5.3% in the fourth of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said.

This was contained in a report titled, ‘Nigeria Labour Force Statistics Report Q4 2022 & Q1 2023’ which was released on Thursday by the NBS.

Recall that the bureau had pegged the country’s unemployment rate at 33.3 percent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020.

The NBS said it enhanced its methodology of collecting labour market data through the Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS) in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines.

“About three-quarters of working-age Nigerians1 were employed – 73.6% in Q4 2022 and 76.7% in Q1 2023. This shows that most people were engaged in some type of jobs for at least one hour in a week, for pay or profit,” the Bureau said.

“About one-third (36.4% in Q4 2022 and 33.2% in Q1 2023) of employed persons worked less than 40 hours per week in both quarters.

This was most common among women, individuals with lower levels of education, young people, and those living in rural areas.

“Underemployment rate which is a share of employed people working less than 40 hours per week and declaring themselves willing and available to work more was 13.7% in Q4 2022 and 12.2% in Q1 2023.”

It added that most Nigerians operate their own businesses or engaged in farming activities.

“Unemployment stood at 5.3% in Q4 2022 and 4.1% in Q1 2023. This aligns with the rates in other developing countries where work, even if only for a few hours and in low-productivity jobs, is essential to make ends meet, particularly in the absence of any social protection for the unemployed.

“22.3% of the working age population were out of labour force in Q4 2022, while it was 20.1% in Q1, 2023.

The rate of informal employment among the employed Nigerians was 93.5% in Q4 2022 and 92.6% in Q1 2023.”

Amb. James Momoh JP, the Chief Executive Officer of Social Plus Africa Communications Ltd and convener of the GIS-Awards, has issued a commendation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding the appointment of 45 ministers to take charge of the nation’s affairs.

In his statement, Amb. James Momoh congratulated the newly appointed ministers responsible for key portfolios including the FCT, Agriculture, Women Affairs, Humanitarian, Communication, Information,Steel among others

He urged them to extend their full support to the federal government’s policies.

The swearing-in ceremony for the 45 ministers-designate, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, took place on Monday at the banquet hall of the presidential villa in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

During the event, President Tinubu addressed the newly sworn-in ministers, acknowledging the current formidable challenges the country is confronting.

He emphasized the necessity for these ministers to promptly implement much-needed reforms that have been postponed for an extended period.

President Tinubu stressed that the responsibilities of the ministers commence immediately.

With the nation facing pressing issues, he highlighted the urgency of the ministers’ roles in driving change and progress across various sectors of the government.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday swore in 45 ministers to a new cabinet that must get to grips with tackling the problems of sluggish growth, a weak currency and high inflation in Africa’s largest economy.

The country also faces widespread insecurity, including the theft of crude oil by criminal gangs.

The ceremony took place nearly three months after Tinubu took office on May 29 after winning a disputed presidential election in February which is being challenged by his main opponents in court.

“Your obligation is to return public faith in government so that our people can once again believe in government,” Tinubu told the new ministers.

The new cabinet will have to confront sluggish growth, caused by a previous collapse in oil prices that weakened the currency, slashed government revenues and drove up inflation.

It must also try to win back foreign investors who fled as currency controls were introduced in 2016.

Tinubu, 71, who is chairman of regional bloc ECOWAS, is working with other heads of government in West Africa to find a solution to the crisis in Niger where a military junta has seized power.

He has embarked on some of the boldest reforms that Nigeria has seen in years, including scrapping a popular but costly petrol subsidy and removing exchange rate restrictions. The naira has weakened to record lows.

The reforms are a gamble to try to kick-start growth but inflation has soared, worsening a cost of living crisis for Africa’s most populous nation. Nigeria will release its second-quarter growth data on Friday, the first after Tinubu initiated the reforms.

Tinubu, appointed former investment banker Olawale Edun as finance minister and coordinating minister for the economy. He named Heineken Lokpobiri as junior minister of petroleum and Ekperipe Ekpo as junior minister of gas resources.

A main petroleum minister has yet to be appointed, spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said.

Tinubu’s cabinet is bigger than that of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who had 36 ministers in his first terms and 43 in his second term in office. Under the law, the president must include a member from each of the country’s 36 states.

Most cabinet members are political veterans, many of whom were key players in Tinubu’s election campaign.

“I believe in you that government can be a positive force for transformation and the vehicle for the collective progress of this country,” Tinubu said.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, dismissed the appeal filed by a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Abubakar Achimugu, seeking to nullify the primary election of the party, which produced Usman Ododo as the APC Governorship candidate for the election slated for November 11 in the state.

The court held in a unanimous judgment that the appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked merit and dismissed it accordingly.

Justice Muhammed Lawal Shuaibu, leading a three-member panel of Justices of the court
held that Achimugu’s appeal was bereft of merit and affirmed the judgement of the trial court.

Achimugu’s case was dismissed on the same day the appeal filed by a former Senator who represented Kogi West in the 9th National Assembly, Smart Adeyemi, was also thrown out for lacking in merit.

The appeal was against the judgment of Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered on 18th July which held that, Ododo can lawfully continue to fly the flag of the APC in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi State.

The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday held that Achimugu’s appeal was bereft of merit and affirmed the judgement of the trial court.

Achimugu had approached the trial court with a suit seeking to disqualify Ododo from contesting the November 11 governorship election on the ground that he did not resign his employment with the Kogi State public service 30 days before contesting the governorship primary election.

But the trial court, in its judgment, held that, contrary to the claim of Achimugu, evidence showed that Ododo resigned his appointment more than 30 days before participating in the APC primary.

According to Justice Egwuatu, exhibits tendered by the defendants showed that while Ododo’s resignation letter was received by the Office of the Kogi State Governor on March 8, that of the 3rd defendant, Mr Salami Deedat, was received on March 9.

“Satisfied that they resigned their appointment on March 8 and 9, more than 30 days before the April 14 primary election of the APC, the suit is bereft of any merit and is accordingly dismissed,” the court held.

Achimugu, in a Notice of Appeal filed on July 21 through his counsel, Josiah Daniel-Ebune, said Justice Egwuatu erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he held that Ododo and Salami Deedat (2nd and 3rd defendants) duly resigned their appointment and thus, not caught up with the mandatory provision of what the law requires them to do before they participated in the APC governorship primary election for Kogi State held on April 15, 2023.

He asked the appellate court for an order setting aside the judgement of the trial court and granting all his reliefs sought in his amended originating summons.

In the case of Adeyemi, the Appeal Court held that the former lawmaker failed to prove the criminal allegations in his case.

Justice Shuaib held that the burden of proof was on the plaintiff who alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primary election of the APC for the nomination of its governorship candidate.

He said, “The evidence placed before the trial court by the respondents was not controverted by the appellant in this circumstance, issue one is hereby resolved against the appellant.

“Where commission of a crime is an issue, it must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Allegation of falsification of votes is a criminal act and it is required in law to be proved beyond reasonable doubt, which the appellant could not prove, consequently, issue two is resolved against the appellant.”

“On the whole, the appeal is un-meritorious  and it is hereby dismissed. The judgement of the lower court is hereby affirmed. Parties are to bear their respective costs,”Justice Shuaibu held.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in a judgment delivered on July 12, held that Adeyemi did not prove his allegation that Ododo was not lawfully nominated by the APC.

Adeyemi had alleged in his suit that the primary election that purportedly produced Ododo as the APC governorship candidate did not hold and that the results were forged.