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Otti allegedly suspends Abia commissioner for health
By Francesca Hangeior.
The Commissioner for Health, Abia State, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, has been allegedly suspended by Governor Alex Otti.
She was said to have been suspended over allegations of lack of accountability and financial mismanagement.
According to social media reports, the embattled Commissioner was suspended indefinitely during the State Executive Council meeting on Monday.
A top Government official confirmed to Vanguard that the Governor actually asked the Health Commissioner “to step aside”.
The action of the Governor according to the source which pleaded not to be mentioned, is to give room for the investigation of the Commissioner and her Ministry concerning “barrage of complaints over financial mismanagement and lack of transparency.”
The source said:” There were issues of transparency in the delivery of duties and the Governor felt that some actions are not in tandem with his vision for accountability and transparency. He, then asked her to step aside for audit so that the process of audit will not be affected.
” It’s not as if it’s a death sentence or indictment. It’s just to strengthen the Governor’s resolve to ensure that there is accountability.
The Governor said: “Step aside let’s look through some of the issues raised against you by some people concerning some of your conducts and delivery of your mandate as Commissioner for Health.
” You know we – the Governor and those who work with him – subject ourselves to public scrutiny. People keep sending in messages, and when you see a barrage of these messages coming against one person or Ministry, the best thing to do is to look into the activities of such a person or Ministry. And that’s what the Governor has done.
” Note that the Commissioner for Health has not been indicted for anything. What the Governor said is:”step aside let’s look into your activities. The Governor is committed to transparency and accountability, and he has zero tolerance for corruption”.
Meanwhile, efforts to get a reaction from the embattled Commissioner were unsuccessful as she did not pick calls put across to her.
As at the time of filing this report, she had yet to respond to a text message sent to her phone by our Correspondent.
Her alleged suspension is coming barely 48 hours the Principal of School of Nursing, Abiriba, was also suspended for alleged high-handedness and lack of transparency and accountability.
The Students Union Government had raised a strong petition against the activities of the suspended Principal, urging the State Government to intervene.
U.S. push for Gaza ceasefire, peace deal in Israel visit
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Protests erupted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Monday morning over the continued killings of indigenous residents by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants.
The demonstrations, led by Christian leaders including the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Polycarp Lubo, commenced on Monday morning at the Fawvwei Junction community road, causing a heavy gridlock and stranding commuters.
The latest protest comes amid a surge in violent attacks by gunmen in various communities, with over 100 people killed in Bokkos and Bassa LGAS in the past two weeks.
“We are not happy over the continuous attacks and killings by gunmen in our communities. That’s why we have come out again to protest these happenings,” said Gyang Dalyop, one of the protesters.
Another protester, Hannatu Philip, called on the government to intervene before it spirals out of control.
The protesters brandishing placards with different inscriptions were seen marching towards the Rayfield Government House.
The Presidency has said the former Labour Party, LP, presidential running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed is no match for President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare was reacting to Datti’s remark that he (Tinubu) would not run for the presidency in 2027.
The former LP running mate insisted that Tinubu’s time is up, adding that everything is there for the president and the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, to see that they lose in 2027.
Dismissing such remark, Dare likened Datti’s comment to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through.
In a statement he signed, Dare said the likes of Peter Obi and Datti would have been president left for the latter’s theories.
According to Dare, Datti has chosen to venture into an unfamiliar terrain.
The statement reads partly: “Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s “illogical logic” was all over the place in his recent interview with a television channel.
“Listening to Yusuf Datti Baba- Ahmed spurn his postulations about the political future of Nigeria and that of the incumbent President is like listening to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through. Yusuf Baba Ahmed and his co-traveller Peter Obi are indeed a “double whammy“ in the Nigerian political space.
“He chose to base his political calculations on President Bola Tinubu not winning a second term given his antecedents and because Nigerians will decide at the polls among other things. He conveniently avoided the substance of performance and capacity.
“Unfortunately, he chose to walk into a lane he was unfamiliar with and chose to confront a politician he is no match for.”
Similarly, the Presidency had also stressed that Tinubu will reveal his plans for a second term at the right time.
It said the APC 2027 presidential campaign billboards had no links to Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
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