One of the risks in adopting UTAS is that everybody will come and say give us our own salary.
The military is on IPPIS, the police is on IPPIS
Our heritage reporter reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been urged to adopt the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) as a payment platform by the federation’s account-general, Sylvia Okolieaboh.
However, Okolieaboh asserted that the federal government will take into account the union’s unique payment requirements.
He made the appeal at a meeting that the House of Representatives’ leadership mediated to end the union’s protracted strike.
The Hon.Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said the House leadership would meet with President Muhammadu Buhari next week to discuss resolving the continuing conflict between the federal government and the ASUU after consulting with all relevant parties.
If that will end the impasse, Okolieaboh stated his administration was prepared to address ASUU’s concerns regarding salary payments.
He claimed that adopting UTAS, as demanded by ASUU, may lead to improper requests from other agencies to be compensated with platforms of their choosing.
Okolieaboh said, “If there are peculiarities in the university salaries system, what we need to do is to sit down with ASUU and identify them and address them in IPPIS. We are willing to accept, if the answer is yes, then the whole of the issues will be resolved. What we need to do, in my own opinion, is to sit down with ASUU and know what the issues are and address them inside IPPIS.
Adopting UTAS carries some hazards, one of which is that everyone will demand their own compensation. Both the police and the military are currently using IPPIS. They each have unique quirks.
Yemi-Esan, the head of the federation’s (HoSF) service, reaffirmed that the platform would take into account the union’s unique characteristics while urging the union to embrace the IPPIS.
Yemi-Esan assuaged the fears of the striking lecturers that the government would not take away the responsibilities of the Governing Council of Universities in the administration of the schools in response to complaints about the government’s attempt to deprive the Governing Councils of Universities of their administrative power through the deployment of the IPPIS.
Ben Akabueze, the director general of the Budget Office, suggested that only one payment platform be used.
He claimed that the government couldn’t afford to have more than one platform because resources were so limited.
However, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of ASUU, claimed that this was not the first time the government had made a commitment to look into the problems but had fallen short.
The IPPIS plan was not accepted by him.
Osodeke emphasized that the universities should have their own autonomy because it is what the statutes required, in his opinion. According to him, Nigeria is the only nation in which the office of the accountant-general is used to pay the wages of academics.
Osodeke questioned NITDA’s decision to withhold the results of the most recent test on UTAS and insisted that they should have access to the report so they could review it.
Dr. Chris Ngige, the minister of labor and employment, advised institutions to support themselves if they wanted complete autonomy.
Ngige said that while talks were still in progress, he had urged ASUU to accept the IPPIS, which could still account for their unique circumstances.
He praised the House leadership for taking the initiative and urged ASUU to continue working with IPPIS to resolve their issues.
He stressed that he would not accept the broken systems and expressed disappointment that ASUU went on strike while negotiations were still happening without his knowledge.
However, Gbajabiamila said that seeing the UTAS report is useless if the government is to address ASUU’s concerns in the IPPIS.
He stated that it is crucial for Varsities to restore operations as soon as possible so that students can return to their studies.
“We will give you the report. But we do not want delays. So, the issue of UTAS let us say we are waiting to study the report. What are we doing here? What is on ground now is that the government sits with you and asks ASUU what are the problems with IPPIS, we would fix those problems. They did it with the military, and the health sector and others.”
According to him, the House leadership would present a summary of its interactions with significant parties to the disagreement over the next couple of days and make recommendations that would allow the President to assess the issues at stake from an educated second perspective.
According to Gbajabiamila, the leadership will be helped in developing fact-based suggestions for handling the problem as a result of the information obtained from the extended conversations.
The House would invite the ASUU after the outcome of the meeting with the president, Gbajabiamila assured the lecturers on strike.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as six members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party returned N177.6 millions paid into their accounts as bribes by the party’s leadership.
Those who have returned the alleged bribe paid to them from the “proceeds of the N10bn sale of nomination forms” include the Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, who refunded N36m to the party’s account; National Vice Chairman South-South, Chief Dan Orbih (N28m) and National Woman Leader, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe (N28m).
Others are: National Vice Chairman South-East, Dr Alli Odefa (N28m); National Vice Chairman South-West, Olasoji Adagunobi-Oluwatukesi (N28m) and Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo (N28m).
The money paid into the six people’s accounts were said to be for ‘house rent.’
The letters for the return of the money were conveyed to the party’s national chairman and leaked to the public.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had accused the PDP’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu of pocketing N1 billion in Lagos.
The presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election converged in Abuja today September 29 to sign a peace accord. This came a day after the electoral commission INEC, granted approval to political bodies to begin campaigning for the elections.
Speaking at the peace accord signing ceremony, the Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former military head of state, Abdusalami Abubakar, appealed to the 18 political parties, their presidential candidates, and spokespersons to commit to issues-based campaigns, as fake news and misinformation are already creating a toxic environment that is capable of threatening the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections.
Some members of the National Peace Committee at the programme include Bishop Hassan Kukah, John Onayeikan, John Momoh, Aliko Dangote, as well as Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar. The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, amongst others.
Some of the presidential candidates at the event include Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar, New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
However, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress was absent but his running mate, Kashim Shettima, was seen at the program.
Father Ejike Mbaka, the spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) has announced date for the reopening of the ministry, three months after it was shutdown.
The spiritual Director of AMEN had on June 18th, announced the shutting down of activities at his Adoration Ministry Indefinitely.
The action wasn’t unconnected to the backlash that followed his (Mbaka’s) criticism of the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi.
He said Obi is too stingy and that he can never win the presidency of Nigeria because a generous old man is better than a young wicked person.
After the sermon, the Diocese quickly disowned Mbaka stating that he doesn’t speak for the Catholic Church.
Fr. Mbaka himself, in a statement announcing the re opening said, “To the glory of God, Adoration Ministries starts on Sunday 2nd October , 2022 with 10am Mass. God bless you miraculously as you come Joyfully to worship God with us. Fr Mbaka Ejike Camillus”
The Enugu fiery priest had also apologised to the supporters of Peter Obi and blessed the former Anambra Governor. The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria added that he never intended to malign Obi or any person
Prophet Isa El-buba of the Evangelical Bible Outreach Ministries International (EBOMI), he is moved to support the Presidential ambition of the former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi because of his competence and genuine commitment in salvaging the nation from its current woes.
El-Buba who is also the Convener of the Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), said as a preacher nothing is wrong with his political beliefs and conviction that Mr. Obi will deliver in his mandate, as demonstrated as a former governor.
El-Buba stated this on Wednesday in Jos, during the Middle Belt Unveiling of OBI-DATTI 2023.
I am not afraid to openly show my support for the Labour Party Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi,. We are tired of recycling old politicians who have led us to the woes we are currently facing today”, he said.
He called on Nigerians not to make the mistake of selling their votes, as 2023 will mark a new beginning for the nation.
However, the Middle-Belt Forum, drawn from the north-central States made a bold statement by endorsing the Obi-Datti 2023 Presidential candidacy.
President of the forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus said the forum selected the best candidate from the south-east region.
According to him: “For equity, justice and fairness, a president from the southeast extraction should lead Nigeria in 2023, and based on this we picked Peter Obi as the best candidate from that rejoin as our candidate.
We are going to mobilise votes from the north-central States for him and to demonstrate this commitment, we have chosen to set today aside for his unveiling”, Bitrus said.
Responding, Obi thanked the region for their solidarity promising to end insecurity that has stopped the north central States from going to farm.
Obi said the previous government has mismanaged the resources meant for the protection of lives and property calling on his supporters to hold him responsible if he fails to fix insecurity, if elected into office.
The money that was supposed to be used to equip security agencies is what they will bring to buy your votes, when they come to ask them where they got money from.
Universities are on strike for almost eight months, and they don’t care because their children are all schooling abroad. There is hunger, and poverty in the land, everybody is hungry and the monies meant to solve these problems are what they have stolen to come and share for you to buy your votes”, Obi said.
He added: “It is the turn of Nigerian youths to take over power from those who have made their future look bleak.
“If you vote the Labour Party into power, you have voted for the right leadership that will solve the problems of the youths”, he said.
A total of 1,618 workers whose letters of employment were either fake or illegal in the Federal Civil Service has been detected according to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(OHCSF)
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters,who came for monitoring of the 2021 and 2022 Budget performance of the office.
Yemi-Esan disclosed that this ugly development led to the suspension of 874 officers from the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) platforms for not updating their records and 3,657 workers detected by the Federal Civil Service Commission, who did not present themselves for the exercise.
In her Presentation,Yemi-Esan, said the introduction and implementation of the Human Resource component (HR Module) of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) has greatly assisted the Federal Government in bridging the gap created by the implementation of the IPPIS project.
She pointed out that it has also detected as well as corrected a plethora of fraudulent cases pertaining to personnel records of civil servants.
She further highlighted other achievements of her Office which include induction, SMAT- P and LEAD-P training programmes; Performance Management System (PMS), which is billed to replace the present APER in 2023, starting with the first MDA that completes its training.
Other achievements recorded by the OHCSF, according to her, include “Innovation; digitalisation; staff welfare, which has done very well in the provision of affordable housing through the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme, introduction of the Federal Civil Service Bus Scheme to ease civil servants’ transportation to and from their workplaces, agri-entrepreneurship programme; reward and recognition scheme and the provision of Group Life Assurance for Federal Government employees.
Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea legend, John Mikel Obi, has retired from professional football.
The 35-year-old footballer took to his verified Instagram page to officially announce his retirement on Tuesday evening, September 27.
Obi, who won two Premier League titles, three FA Cup trophies, the 2007 League Cup, the 2013 Europa League, and other local and international recognition, shared photos of some of his wins and wrote,
“There is a saying that “all good things must come to an end”, and for my professional football career, that day is today.
I look back at the past 20 years of my career, and I must say that I am very satisfied with all that I was able to achieve and more importantly the human it has helped shape.
All of this would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans. You supported me through my highs and lows, even on days that I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.
I will also like to encourage everyone who I may have inspired one way or the other in the course of my career to never give up on their dreams, for every time you think about quitting, remind yourself why you started.
This is not goodbye, it’s the start of another journey, another chapter of my life. I look forward to what the future holds and I hope you will walk with me. Thank you.”
Award-winning Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will receive Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal on October 6, 2022. This marks another return to Harvard for Chimamanda, who was the Harvard College Class Day Speaker in 2018, and was previously a Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellow (2011-2012).
The W.E.B. Du Bois medal is the highest honour given by Harvard in the field of African and African American studies and is making a return with a new slate of honourees after a nearly three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Past recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg, Ava Duvernay and Chinua Achebe.
The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research announced in The Harvard Gazette that Chimamanda, alongside six other honourees, will receive the medal as people “who embody the values of commitment and resolve that are fundamental to the Black experience in America.”
Other honourees include basketball legend, cultural critic and activist, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; groundbreaking actress, Laverne Cox; philanthropist and patron of the arts and education, Agnes Gund; business trailblazer, Raymond J. McGuire; former Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick and pioneering artist and visual storyteller, Betye Saar.
University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the Hutchins Center, in an official statement, said this year’s honourees represent “unyielding commitment to pushing the boundaries of representation and creating opportunities for advancement and participation for people who have been too often shut out from the great promise of our times.”
Chimamanda has received global recognition for her work, which has been translated into over 30 languages and won numerous awards and prizes.
She occupies a unique position combining a number of attributes. The New York Times T Magazine in its 2017 ‘Greats’ issue, described her as ‘one of those rarest of people: a celebrated novelist who has also become a leading public intellectual’.
Chimamanda is also a fashion and beauty icon and continuously promotes Nigerian designers, including through her ‘Wear Nigerian’ initiative. She was selected as the face of beauty brand Boots No7, and has been featured in numerous style publications including Vanity Fair’s ‘International Best-Dressed List’; and on the covers of British Vogue and Marie Claire Brazil among others.
Barack Obama called her “one of the world’s great contemporary writers;” and Hillary Clinton has written that “she has the rare ability to sum up even the biggest societal problems swiftly and incisively.”
In 2018, she was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize, named after Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter, given annually to a writer of “outstanding literary merit who shows a fierce intellectual determination.” She chose to share the Pinter prize with imprisoned Saudi lawyer and human rights activist, Waleed Abulkhair.
She was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2015, and Fortune Magazine named her one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 2017. In 2018, she received the Global Hope Coalition’s Thought Leadership Award, and the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award.
Chimamanda has received 16 honorary doctorate degrees from some of the world’s leading universities; and is a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus (2003), won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Her second, Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), won the Orange Prize for Fiction (subsequently the Bailey’s Prize, and now the Women’s Prize for Fiction) – the world’s most prestigious annual book award for fiction by a woman. Her third novel, Americanah (2013), won the US National Book Critics Circle Award – the most respected literary award in the US, being that winners are selected by professional book critics – and was named one of the New York Times Top 10 Best Books of the year.
1. ”As the Chairman of Anambra Vision 2070,I have thought through our challenges and the disruptive changes needed to secure the future and I will vigorously implement the foundational phase of vision 2070”
2. ”If you employ me as your Chief Servant , I will devote every minute of my time to work with and mobilize all critical stakeholders to make Ndi Anambra proud and I will hit the ground running from Day one being 17th March , 2022”.
3. ”It is time to decongest the heavy concentration in Abuja and encourage most people who have something to offer Nigeria to go to drive development from the bottom”
4. ” Our manifesto derives from a firm belief that despite the defects of the current federal system , there is sufficient room to manoeuvre and fully exploit synergies and complementarities with the FGN, DFIs and others to build a liveable and prosperous State”
5. ” Our primary target is sustainable and inclusive wealth creation with jobs , jobs and jobs. We target at least 130,000 private sector jobs per annum for our youths and 1000 youth millionaires per annum in the medium term”
6.” We envision Anambra as an industrial-technology hub to lead Africa’s export market ”
7. ” We plan to position Anambra as a centre of excellence for human capital development and proactively our students/youths as Africa’s digital tribe , actively ensure planned cities , communities, and markets and a more sustainable , clean, green and liveable environment and a mainstreaming of the core Igbo values of integrity, hard work, competition, compassion and morality”.
8. ”We envision a public service that truly delivers timely and efficient service to the citizens and a State with guaranteed rule of law and property rights such that commercial disputes are settled within 30 days”
9. ” We envision Anambra whereby our homeland population will have no incentive to migrate to other places in search of opportunities”
10.” Every Kobo of Anambra’s money will be devoted to working for Ndi Anambra. I sincerely believe in integrity and due process meaning that I will always allow the machinery of Government to follow due process”
11. ”I believe in equity and fairness and will consequently maintain a policy of fair distribution of resources, appointments and amenities across the State and interest groups. Meritocracy will have pride of place and those who demonstrate that they can add value to Ndi Anambra will be given the opportunity to serve”
12. ” We will hold periodic Town Hall meetings with critical stakeholders and there will be the citizens’ hotlines( phone numbers,e-mail addresses and Facebook account) to interact with me”
13 ” We will collaborate with other states in South East and south south to deepen regional integration for economies of scale and shared prosperity”
14. ”I commit to a first rate execution of my manifesto .Change and challenge of the status quo are in my DNA”
15. ”My full agenda for prosperous Anambra , costed with timelines and delivery mechanisms will be published within the first 30 days on assumption of office ”
16. ”We plan to attract 2000 small, medium , large industries across the various industrial parks/clusters we will set up in the State”.
17. ”Under my watch ,Anambra will be the digital and creative capital in Nigeria’
18. ” We shall develop Africa’s largest ,safe and accessible entertainment- leisure resort- the African equivalent of the Disney world”
19.” We shall partner with reputable business schools and consultants to develop structured training / Mentorship programs on the business models/ opportunities of the future and deploy mult- media,including mobile ICT to give give our traders scalable skills that would keep them competitive”.
20. ”We shall upgrade and modernize existing markets for the future by ensuring minimum standards ”
21. ”We shall re-invent and strengthen the Igbo apprentice system ,consistent with the evolving business models of the future by offering mobile education system on business management skills and global business opportunities. We shall work with the legislature and key stakeholders to provide a legal framework for the system in order to safeguard the rights and obligations of both the apprentice ” Nwaboy” and the boss ” Oga” ”
22. ”We shall standardize and control the quality of made in Anambra State products ”
23. ”We shall support cluster farming operations across the three senatorial zones on a comparative crop advantage basis”
24. ”We will designate new locations as industrial/ technology parks with 2000 hectares of land” .
25. ”Soludo Government will create over 2000 new medium to large businesses which will be incubated within these industrial areas within the lifetime of the administration”
26. ”Soludo Government will embark on an ambitious digital skills acquisition and empowerment program that will train and support up to 10,000 youths annually”
27. ”Soludo Government will establish a business incubation hub and a N5 Billion venture capital fund to incubate and provide additional growth capital for the most promising start – ups and ventures either by way of grants or direct investments”
28. ”Soludo Government will resuscitate and empower the creative economy council to drive innovation and partnerships to grow the industry in the state”.
29. ”Soludo Government will partner with private sector cinema and multi- use facility developers to develop entertainment centres in key cities in the state to drive the creative economy”.
30.” Soludo Government will train at least 3000 youths yearly under a skills development program in the creative industry value chain to give them exportable skills that can be harnessed for their personal development in the state”.
31. ”Soludo Government will reactivate all inactive tourist sites and work with other independent travel tours to ensure they meet the international standards for travel destinations”.
32. ”Soludo Government will complete Awka and Nnewi shopping malls ,upgrade and modernize existing markets by ensuring minimum standards such as parking spaces, conveniences ,firefighting facilities,waste disposable and hygiene,access to wi-fi ,health centers etc”
33. ”Soludo Government will procure and distribute one million high yielding palm seedlings to 100,000 farmers/ households per annum ( 10 seedlings each per annum and over a four year period ,each will have at least 40 seedlings of high – yielding varieties which start fruiting in 2-4 years”
34. ”Soludo Government will support cluster farming operations across the three senatorial zones ”.
35. ”Soludo Government will deploy a centralized e-GIS Web portal with supporting ICT infrastructure,a portal for real – time information on mining activities”.
36. ”With an estimated 1 billion barrel of crude oil and 1 trillion cubic square of natural gas ,Soludo Government will maximize the opportunity in oil and gas market to create wealth for the people of the State”
37. ”Soludo Government will construct overhead bridges (flyovers) in strategic locations such as Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Ekwulobia, Nkpor, Nnobi, etc. that will decongest
traffic and provide a better transport experience ,
Invest in social transport schemes for urban mass transport for the poor
and vulnerable/subsidized transport.
, Invest in transportation targeting those living in the riverine areas, Improve the inter and intra community road networks”.
38. ”Soludo Government will crack the nuts on power to achieve a 20-24 hour uninterrupted power supply in
Anambra State”
39. ”Soludo Government will pay special attention to the Anambra state tertiary institutions, to ensure that the
curricula and programmes train graduates with the requisite knowledge and skills for the 21st
c e n t u r y” .
”Government will work actively with the Management of these institutions to seek and institutionalize linkage and exchange programmes with universities
and polytechnics abroad. We want to see our tertiary institutions play the role that Stanford
University plays in the development of the Silicon Valley in California, USA, and Anambra
would want to see them rated among the best in the world. Government will modernize public schools in the State and make Teaching Profession attractive”
40. ”Soludo Government will create a N100 billion
(approximately US$200 million) fund (in the first
instance), and a target to scale up to US$ 1 billion
over time to invest mainly in a diversified portfolio
of bankable infrastructure projects and high
growth, return-yielding assets relevant to the
economy of Anambra”
41. ”Soludo Government will deploy technology and responsive public services to achieve optimal service delivery ,that is, requests/inquiries by citizens should not be responded
to/concluded within 48 hours” .
42. ”Soludo Government will design and execute a reward system and public celebration of integrity, hard work, philanthropy, and personal responsibility”
43.” Soludo Government will Institute a good Governance framework that will
define a structure for allocating resources to the Ministries,
Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and ensure strategic
imperatives, planning, and operations are aligned. This will
ensure equitable resource management in the state, thus
encouraging investment (both local and international). An
effective Delivery Unit will be created to drive implementation. We will also strengthen the State Statistical Agency for
measuring progress. Transparency, especially of public
finance, will be key in building the kind of public confidence
required” .
44. ”Soludo Government will reform processes, improve skills, re-orientation, motivate and leverage technology to optimize the efficiency of service delivery; eliminate waste, capture and corruption. Our target is
to transit from manual operations to complete E-government in the medium term;
Deploy a digitally enabled land administration process with a view of achieving land transfer
of title within 72 hours;
Complete and operationalize the State integrated financial management system;
Review, amend, and operationalize the fiscal responsibility law for greater transparency and
sustainability of State finance;
Continue and strengthen accountability initiatives such as publishing state accounts regularly”
45.”Soludo Government, as part of her agenda for transparency and probity, will subject the State to periodic
assessment by international credit rating agencies and multi-lateral agencies”.
46. ”Soludo Government will complete the concession of water schemes in
the State to ensure that the first four major urban areas– Awka, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia have access to pipe-borne water within three years in office and to complete the Onitsha,
and Otuocha water schemes within 12 months
in office. Our target is to make access to clean
(pipe-borne) water a right of every resident of
Anambra”
47. ”Soludo Government will strengthen existing partnerships with communities to formalize the town administration as
the de facto local administration. The community governments are the closest to the people
in Anambra. Our government will empower the community governments to deliver services
to the people, including through matching grants scheme; and
review and reform the framework for succession plan for community leaderships such as
Igwes, Presidents- General of the Communities”.
48. ”Soludo Government will actively collaborate with legislators and judiciary in the promulgation of appropriate legislations
and speedy administration of justice”
49. ”Soludo Government will standardize and control the quality of made in Anambra State products (Best-inclass) through extra product certification. In addition to certification by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Anambra will give extra quality assurance such
that any product with the signature of “Made in Anambra” will carry the imprimatur of best – in – class”
50. ”Soludo Government will be solution driven” .
Compiled by Ndubuisi Anaenugwu of Good Governance Ministry (GGM)
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has supported the move by Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to purchase sophisticated weapons for the State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps.
Akeredolu had said necessary laws would be put in place to back the purchase of arms for the Amotekun Corps.
Obi, who spoke when he paid a condolence visit to Akeredolu, described the Governor as a leader who speaks the truth at all times no matter the consequences.
The LP flagbearer, who charged Akeredolu to continue to take every necessary step to protect his people, noted that the Ondo Governor was doing the right thing.
Obi said the Governor must continue to do his best to defend his people.
He stated that things were going wrong in the country because people choose to keep quiet and commended the Governor for speaking up for the people.
According to him: “I urge you to continue in that direction. You represent one of those things Nigerians desire, ability to speak the truth no matter the consequences.
“What is lacking in Nigeria is that we choose to keep quiet when things are going wrong. You have a man here who always speaks when things are going wrong, and I urge you to continue.”
“Arm those special security people. Take every step to protect your people. It is important and it is your duty. I’m happy that you are speaking out always when necessary. May God Almighty continue to be with you and bless all of you.”
Akeredolu thanked Obi and his entourage for the visit.
He said he would miss his mother even though she died at 90.
