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Senator Wakili’s wife found him slumped on the floor –Bauchi Rep
..Says tea was the last beverage Wakili requested but never drank it
A member of House of Representatives, Mr. Mohammed Sani-Abdu, on Tuesday gave the first vivid account of how the late Senator Ali Wakili died.
Wakili, who died on Saturday morning at the age of 58 in his Abuja residence, represented Bauchi-South Senatorial District of Bauchi State.
Sani-Abdu, who is also from Bauchi State, recounted Wakili’s very last moments when the House paid tributes to the late retired Comptroller of Customs.
The session was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, who hails from the same district as Sani-Abdu and Wakili.
Sani-Abdu said that as the very first person to arrive in Wakili’s residence after receiving a distress call, he could authoritatively reveal that Wakili slumped in the presence of his wife.
According to him, Wakili had got dressed and ready to travel to Yola, Adamawa State, to attend the wedding of the daughter of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha.
But, before leaving the house, Sani-Abdu said, the late senator asked his wife to prepare a meal for him to eat.
He spoke further, “This is why we have to continue to appreciate our wives. His wife received the first shock.
“She prepared porridge and brought it for him to eat. But Wakili told her he wanted something light instead, like tea.
“She went back to get the tea, only for her to return and find her husband slumped on the floor.”
Sani-Abdu recalled how he personally washed the late senator and prepared his body for burial, having been told what happened.
He added, “The wife is a very courageous woman. I asked her whether she would be strong enough so that I could remove the cloth from his face for her to see the husband for the last time.
“She agreed. You know, people are somehow afraid of dead bodies. But, this woman did not only hold her husband, she prayed for him and tightly embraced the body.
“She did not want to let go of the body. It took some women, who had strength, to pull her away from Wakili.
“Immediately she was separated from him, she fainted and people had to bring water to pour on her. She took the first shock.”
Dogara had opened the session by recalling the good deeds of Wakili, including his courage as a politician, to challenge the political class in the state for taking decisions that did not serve the interests of the majority.
The Speaker said, “He fought for good governance, especially in our dear state of Bauchi, and Nigeria at large.
“Merchants and profiteers of bad governance had the knives all out for him, but never to be intimidated, he stood his ground and held the lines with rare courage until his death. He represented an idea that death cannot kill.”
A former customs officer, Mr. Jerry Alagbaso, who was Wakili’s contemporary in service, described the late senator as “a jolly good and resourceful officer while he was in the service.”
A member from Jigawa State, Mr. Mohammed Gudaji-Kazaure, said he learnt from Wakili the lesson that those fighting for political positions ahead of 2019 might not live to see the year.
“We were very close. He told me that people were fighting because of 2019 elections, but who would say with confidence that they would see 2019?
“He was not desperate about positions and this is a lesson for all of us.”
On his part, another retired customs officer, Mr. Albert Adeogun, said, “It is not possible in a moment to describe the person of late senator Wakili.
“I pray God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.”
The House observed a minute’s silence in his honour and later shut the plenary till Wednesday after praying for Wakili’ soul.
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US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
The Ekiti State Government has reached an agreement with labour leaders in the state, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists at a brief ceremony in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, announced that the payment would commence immediately.
She lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the welfare of workers despite the state’s limited resources.
“This development demonstrates the governor’s commitment to improving the livelihood of our workers,” Dr. Olomojobi stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by the administration to ensure prompt implementation.
In their remarks, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Olatunde Kolapo, expressed their appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for fulfilling his promises to workers.
They confirmed that the new minimum wage would apply to all cadres, including employees in ministries, parastatals, agencies, and pensioners.
The Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Comrade Femi Ajoloko, described the implementation as a fair and commendable adjustment.
“This decision reflects the governor’s magnanimity and his dedication to fostering a productive workforce in Ekiti State,” he said.
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