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REVEALED: Real Reason Tinubu Sacked Uju-Ken Ohanenye

Published

1 month ago

October 24, 2024

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, politician, and film producer on Wednesday topped the list of the major casualties of President Bola Tinubu’s first cabinet reshuffle.

For keen watchers, it would be difficult if not impossible for her to survive the weeding exercise going by many and needless controversies the female politician stoke since her assumption of office. Perhaps, the most controversial Minister during her short stint in the nation’s Federal Executive Council.

She contested for the first female candidate for the presidency under the All-Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections but later stepped down for Tinubu. Her appointment by the President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development on August 21, 2023, was seen as compensation of some sort.

Here are some of major controversies of Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye with her 14 months stay in office:

THREAT TO SUE UN OVER DONOR FUNDS

Barely two months after she assumed office, Kennedy-Ohanenye in October, 2023, threatened to sue the United Nations (UN) for allegedly mismanaging funds meant for Nigeria.

Addressing a press conference on October 16, 2023, Kennedy-Ohanenye accused the UN of obtaining funds on behalf of the country without remitting them.
She did not state the specific amount the UN allegedly accessed on Nigeria’s behalf, or what the funds were meant for, but threatened to take legal action if the organisation failed to provide an account of the funds or issue a public apology to Nigerians.

“If you don’t give us this account, at least let Nigerians see what is going on, then you [UN] apologise to them.
“From 16th of October to November 15, if we don’t get those reports for Nigerians to see, we are heading to court. [They have] from 16th October to November 8.

“They will get our pre-action letter that is to prepare that by 15th we are heading to court and I am promising Nigerians that by 15th you will hear the lawsuit number,” she said.

Commentators, however, knocked the former Minister, saying the threat exposed her misunderstanding of international law, as the UN enjoys immunity from lawsuits.

DISRUPTED ABUJA EVENTS

In August, she disrupted two separate events organised “without her permission” in Abuja. During the first event tagged “Unveiling the Power of Women and Food Security,” held without the ministry’s approval, the former minister said the organiser had been taken into custody by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged impersonation of the ministry.

“There is an impersonating thing going on here. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs did not plan this. The lady, I have arrested her. Right now, she is with the DSS.

“After we wrote that we were cancelling, the president approved that we should cancel until further notice; she still went ahead to print this thing”, she said in a video posted on her X page.

However, about 22 days after, another video went viral on social media where the former Minister was heard expressing opposition to workshops and seminars.

She said organisers of such programmes must ensure they infuse empowerment of women in their activities.

According to her, organising workshops and seminars would not directly impact the people.

‘’Let this be the last time Women Affairs will organise anything that I am not aware of. You try next time, I will come here and get you people disgraced.

“I know what I am going through in this country. For a while, this is what we keep on organising. Few weeks ago, there was a hunger protest and they talked about peace and security. Women are not empowered.

Children are suffering. Nigerians are suffering but we waste money all the time on frivolous things.

“I am sorry. Many people may misunderstand me but I am ready to be misunderstood. I am ready to be tortured. I am ready. I have changed the narrative, I said no programme without empowerment”, she added..

SUED NIGER STATE SPEAKER OVER MARRIAGE SAGA

In May, Kennedy -Ohanenye filed a suit against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, following his decision to marry off 100 orphans from his constituency.

The speaker had announced plans to marry off 100 orphans in his constituency as part of measures to alleviate their sufferings.

While the development had sparked national outrage, the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, urged the minister to withdraw the litigation and petition she wrote to the Inspector General of Police.

The Chairman, Kano State Chapter of MURIC, Malam Hassan Indabawa, in a statement, urged Nigerians to learn to respect other people’s culture and traditions.

“We found the harsh and hasty decision taken by the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs over a matter that is entirely beyond the scope of her Ministry.

“The minister’s attempt at media demonisation of marrying off of 100 poor and orphaned girls, who were largely traumatized for losing both parents to brutal and bloody banditry and insurgency, exposed her ignorance to the culture and traditions of the Muslim North.

“This elaborate media blitz, over the matter, MURIC observed, was deliberately done to sway public opinion against the marriage institution, and an attempt to vilify Sarkin-Daji, after demonstrating his genuine concern for the needs of members of his constituency,” Indabawa said.

She later withdrew the suit, saying the Ministry in collaboration with the Speaker and traditional rulers from the state, were already investigating the ages of the girls to ascertain if they are within the stipulated age for marriage.

UNICAL S3XUAL HARASSMENT CASE

In September, 2023, Kennedy-Ohanenye, after a backlash, tendered an apology over comments credited to her in a viral video concerning the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

This was about 24 hours after a coalition of over 500 gender rights activists under the aegis of Womanifesto convened by the Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, had demanded a retraction and public apology.

The women activists had said they were gravely concerned about the minister’s utterances on the UNICAL sexual harassment case and the implications for the interest and protection of vulnerable women and children in Nigeria.

The former minister, in the video, also purportedly insinuated that the students were being used and manipulated by some people to get suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon out of office, so they themselves could take his place.

She was reportedly heard in the trended video threatening the students of UNICAL with dire consequences including imprisonment if they continued to pursue the case of sexual harassment against Ndifon.

In the video, the then minister had said since the female students had admitted that they were not raped, it meant they were not sexually harassed.

But the Minister in a statement personally signed by her , in Abuja, emphasised her, “unwavering dedication to upholding due diligence and the rule of law, recognising that justice and fairness are the fundamental principles upon which equitable societies are built.”

ADVOCATING CHILD LABOUR

The female politician had also faced severe backlash for her comments at the Anambra Investment Summit 2023, where she advocated for the use of school children as workers to manufacture essentials such as toothpicks, sanitary pads, cotton buds, and matchboxes.

At the event which took place on 7th September, 2023, she had been accused of promoting child labour and violating the rights of children, when she said, “I am pleading for us to look into more production of some of these things in our society. Especially, the necessities like the matchbox, the toothpick, the cotton buds, the sanitary pads and stuff like that. Let us introduce urban development in the schools. If we can think about using Fridays as free, for our children to start producing things just like they do in China. In China, even young kids get involved in production.”

Women and child rights activist, Betty Appiah, condemned the statement by the minister, saying it implies less value on children or the various child’s rights laws that Nigeria is signatory to.

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Reps Quiz Federal Polytechnics Damaturu, Mubi, Monguno Over Infractions

Published

21 minutes ago

November 24, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has queried the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Borno State and Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Yobe State over series of administrative and financial infractions.

This was as Rectors and some management staff of the three institutions appeared before the house Committee on Polytechnics and other Higher Technical Education, as part of oversight function to render accounts of their budget performances.

But the Committee found various infractions in the documents presented by the three institutions which ranged from abuse of Federal Character in employment, Extra-Budgetary spendings and recurring abandoned, uncompleted projects in one of the institutions.

During presentation by the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Dr. Abdulrahman Ishaku, the Committee discovered that projects that were to be completed in two to three years were not finished despite adequate release of funds in budget.

Specifically, the Committee was provoked by the non-completion of a staff quarters and an administrative block project by the institution for years.

Speaking, Rep. Emil Inyang who stood in for the Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda at the meeting on Thursday, lamented that, the projects have not been completed and have been recurring in the budgets.

He said, “Physical Planning, can you show me where you rolled over the project to 2023? It’s not here. Is it in 2024? Why do you come here to lie? Where is it? That admin block, is it in use? Has it been completed? So, you have abandoned it.

“Gentlemen, I don’t know what to say to these kinds of people. Construction of staff quarters, Item number Nine under 2022 capital projects. Have you seen it Rector? What is the state of that building? Is it completed? It is completed, that’s what is shown here, and you are saying it is still remaining fittings. Is fittings not part of completion?

“You people are just disgracing yourselves. We are just killing this country from various directions. From our various positions we are just killing this country. Let me ask a question on this staff quarters. In 2022, the amount appropriated was N57.9 million, N28.9 was utilized was released, so remaining N28.9 that’s half.

“But, by 2023, appropriation was 88 and the entire amount has been released. So, is it the same project?If it is the same project, when this appropriation was done, does it mean that, the other 28 that was not done, not utilised that time, is it kept somewhere?”

The Rector however informed the Committee that, the fund was later mopped up.

In his ruling after the submission, the Chairman stated, “What I will tell you now is that, instead of going through this your document that does not satisfy anything, please, you will.list all the abandoned, all the structures you have not completed. When it started, How much was appropriated, How much you have put in till date, the state of those projects one after the other in the entire school.

“Not just in. your regime. From inception till date.So that, we will include them in your 2025 budget. You will not do any new thing as capital. You must complete these abandoned. You have turned some of these projects to conduits of putting money into them and not completing them. Even the ones you have written as completed here. You used your own mouth to tell us here that, you have not installed fittings. That is what you said.

“So, this is why it is necessary for us to go there and see things for ourselves.Because what you are doing here, you are just wasting governments’ resources. These abandoned projects or the state of the jobs especially constructions, let’s have it in one week time. How much you have put in there, at what stage are they, how much you will need to complete”.

Similarly, the Committee criticized the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu over using Insecurity as an excuse for financial malfeasance and other infractions as well the abuse of Federal Character in employment.

Chairman of the Committee noted that, the institution has carelessly spent its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) according to the records presented to the Committee.

In his presentation, the Acting Rector, Dr Ibrahim Babale Gashua said, the institution is faced with the challenge of low IGR as a result of the insecurity being faced in the state, which according to him, has reduced students intake and other activities.

He said, “We that are residing in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, we have three different high institutions. We have to lower our tuition fee because not everybody will come from outside the state. Even those in the state, it is only the course that is not available in their places that they come for in Damaturu because of the insurgency”.

The Committee however discovered that, despite the insurgency claim that reduced the institutions IGR, there was no commensurate reduction in its spending which the Committee said cannot be justified.

Another member of the Committee while commenting on the matter said, “Everybody comes to claim insurgency. Students don’t want to come to the schools. But it doesn’t stop them from spending the whole money.IGR, you blow it, Overhead, and yet, there is insurgency. So, it’s funny. You see, if I have a house and I am supposed to have 10 people occupying it. If 10 people are not occupying it, it means that my NEPA.payment, my PHCN money will reduce, because consumption of power supply will reduce. My water consumption will reduce. My number of cleaners will reduce because I don’t have full occupation. You understand what I am saying? My security personnel will reduce in terms of numbers.

“So, these are the issues.Most of the Polytechnics in the North come here brandishing this insecurity issue as the major reason for non performance. You are not performing on students admission, but you are performing on your expenditure profile”.

Speaking, Chairman of the Committee said, “Ok, this insurgency is a big excuse. Once you mention it, you will all close our mouths.Look at your Nominal Role, a federal Institution. Open to page 47 and 48, you will see how you have obeyed the law of the land, the Federal Character. Have you seen it Acting Rector? That’s the best you can do? You think from all those Zero-Zero states, if you offer them employment they wouldn’t come?”.

The Rector however reacted saying, “Some of them don’t come. Even those that we have left. I am telling you Sir”.

But a member of the Committee, Rep. Adebayo Adepoju faulted the Rector’s claim and said, it was not justifiable.

He said, “You cannot defend it, because if you are trying to defend it, saying that you’ve done everything in your powers and Nigerians have refused to come to your school, at that point, you say you have done the most you can do.

“But, when you did not even given Nigerians the opportunity to apply. We know what goes on in Federal Character. We know. I am telling you, if you go there and you want to apply, everybody has an interest, they give you. And before you know, they give you Certificate of Compliance.

“That Certificate of Compliance, we have shredded it so many times. Give yourself the opportunity to be fair to Nigerians.People want jobs in this country. We have so many jobless people and you will agree with me, there are many that will say, I won’t mind to go to Borno to teach.Please let’s give them an opportunity”.

The Rector and Management of the Polytechnic were directed to remedy the anomalies in their employment and henceforth advertise all vacancies in national dailies in order to give all Nigerians equal opportunity.

Similarly, after a presentation by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Prof. Garba Mohd, the Committee directed the institution to also be diligent in its observance of Federal Character and other issues as the Committee discovered a skewed empolyment in the institution in favour of a particular section of the country.

It reminded the Rector and members of his management that, as a federal institution, it is required by law to treat all parts of the country in terms of employment and other considerations.

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Obasanjo narrates how he escaped becoming drug addict

Published

4 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Naijablitznews

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he almost became a drug addict.

He spoke in Abeokuta over the weekend at the second edition of ‘Fly Above The High’ anti-drug campaign conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.

Obasanjo stated that smoking during his youthful age led to chronic coughing and almost became an addiction.

The former President, while lamenting the increase in drug abuse among Nigerians and other West Africans, urged Nigerian students and young people to refrain from abusing psychoactive drugs, saying that they ruin life rather than enhance it.

“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out.

“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction.

“We found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” Obasanjo said.

He cautioned against stigmatization and urged individuals who are already addicted to psychoactive drugs to get help.

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We saved $20bn after Petrol Subsidy Removal and FX Rate Reforms, Says Finance Minister

Published

4 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Naijablitznews

Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from petrol subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.

Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.

“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on PMS; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.

“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”