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Ex-APC spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi drops Buhari’s appointment

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Bolaji Abdullahi, a former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced his resignation from President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment.

The former minister confirmed this on his Twitter page on Friday.

He wrote: “Following my resignation as National Publicity Secretary of APC and my decision to quit the party, I announced to the board this morning that I have resigned my appointment as Chairman, Nigeria Sugar Development Council.”

Bolaji Abdullahi officially quit the ruling party on Wednesday.

A statement he signed read: “In view of recent political developments in the country and within the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have decided to resign my position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today.

“In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards.

“I have served the APC honestly and to the best of my ability and when I stood for and won my election at the last convention, it was a keen desire to continue to do so. However, in a situation whereby my loyalty is constantly brought into question; my subordinates deployed to subvert my office; and my views constantly second-guessed on the basis of my political affiliation, it has become imperative for me to review my position.

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“Since assuming office as the spokesman of the party, I have tried to set a new template for public political communications in a way that departs from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past, where cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even celebrated as measures of competence. Unfortunately, those who felt I was not “forceful enough” framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a lack of commitment to the party.

“The unlawful dissolution of the validly elected party executive in Kwara State earlier in the week was only another phase in the unrelenting assault I have had to endure. As a national officer of the party, who sit in that Committee, courtesy should demand that my views be sought on a matter that concerns my State and in which I am directly involved. That action was, to say the least, disrespectful.

“Quite recently, we all took the oath to do justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with our official responsibilities.

“With this obviously presumptuous action, and the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in my State, the NWC has taken sides, violated its oath office and subverted its own credibility as an impartial arbiter. Yet, these are the same people that have continued to insinuate that others are serving interests other than those of the party.

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“Politics is local, and my personal stake in the issue of Kwara makes it incongruous for me to continue to sit as part of the working committee of the party. Clearly, I cannot continue to function as the spokesman of a party whose expectations of that role is incompatible with my personal principles.

“In the same token, I can no longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party which has now made it clear to the world that the political group that I belong is no longer wanted, and which has hung my membership of that group as an albatross around my neck.

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Senate Approves Tinubu’s $500m Loan for Power Sector Boost

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The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s $500 million loan request intended to bolster the operations of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to enhance the financial and technical performance of electricity distribution companies, ultimately benefiting citizens.

The endorsement, announced on Tuesday, follows a thorough examination of the report presented by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, who heads the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts overseeing the 2022 – 2024 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan specifically for the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

During the presentation of the report, Senator Haruna Manu, serving as the Vice Chairman of the Committee, emphasised the importance for the Senate to duly receive and deliberate upon the report of the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts concerning the 2022 – 2024 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan for the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The $500 million loan constitutes a portion of the $7.94 billion loan originally requested by President Bola Tinubu on November 1st, 2023, within the framework of the 2022-2024 external borrowing plan. In addition to the $500 million, President Tinubu also sought approval for a €100 million loan.

However, during a special plenary session on December 30, the Senate greenlit the borrowing of $7.4 billion after careful consideration of the report furnished by the Committee on Local and Foreign Debt.

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Melinda Gates Resigns from Gates Foundation, Set to Receive $12.5 Billion

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In this file photo taken on September 26, 2018, Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda Gates, introduce the goalkeepers event at the Lincoln Center in New York. Ludovic MARIN / AFP

Melinda French Gates announced Monday she was leaving the philanthropy mega foundation she established with her ex-husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

The resignation, which becomes effective on June 7, will leave Bill Gates as the sole chair of one of the world’s most influential and powerful non-governmental organizations.

“After careful thought and reflection, I have decided to resign from my role as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” Melinda French Gates wrote in a statement posted on social media.

The statement gave no reason for her departure, but noted that “under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families.”

The couple married in 1994 but announced their divorce in 2021.

They had continued to co-chair the foundation which they established in 2001 with the vast wealth acquired through the success of Microsoft.

With a focus on child poverty and preventable diseases, the foundation has been heavily involved in fighting malaria and in providing toilets and sanitation in poorer parts of the world.

The foundation’s website says it has spent $53.8 billion since 2000, and claims the number of children around the world who die before their fifth birthday has halved in this time.

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Bill Gates thanked his ex-wife for her “critical contributions” to the organization.

“As a co-founder and co-chair Melinda has been instrumental in shaping our strategies and initiatives, significantly impacting global health and gender equality,” he said.

“I am sorry to see Melinda leave, but I am sure she will have a huge impact in her future philanthropic work.”

The organization’s chief executive, Mark Suzman, said its name would change to simply the Gates Foundation — it has been known as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“I truly admire Melinda, and the critical role she has played in starting the foundation and in setting our values, she has played an essential role in all that we’ve accomplished over the past 24 years,” he said in a video posted to social media.

“I will miss working with her and learning from her. I look forward to seeing her continued impact.”

 

 

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EFCC calls on banks’ compliance officers to uphold confidentiality

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The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged Compliance Officers of Banks nationwide to refrain from unauthorised disclosure of EFCC’s investigative activities and requests made to banks’ customers.

Speaking through the Acting Zonal Director of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC, ACE I Hauwa Garba Ringim, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Compliance Officers of Banks in Oyo State on Tuesday, Olukoyede emphasised the detrimental impact such disclosures have on the investigation of financial crimes and the timely filing of corruption cases in court.

Olukoyede expressed concern over the tacit support fraudsters receive from the Nigerian banking sector, highlighting the challenges it poses to the Commission.

He urged Compliance Officers to promptly respond to EFCC’s correspondence with certified true copies of relevant documents, as this facilitates swift investigation processes.

Also, Olukoyede addressed the illegal trading of naira with Point-of-sale (POS) operators, stressing the need to curtail such practices for the benefit of Nigerians.

In response to the chairman’s directives, Compliance Officers assured the EFCC of their unwavering support and commitment to enhancing collaboration between the Commission and banks for more effective anti-corruption efforts.

 

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