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2023: Don’t allow people you chased out return to power, Lawan tells Kwarans
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Saturday advised the people of Kwara State not to allow those people that they chased out of the state government house in 2019 find their way back to power.
The current administration of the All Progressives Congress(APC) took over power in the state in 2019 from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but the PDP is scheming to recapture power in 2023.
The Senate President was in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State to commission some of the Constituency projects sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe who is representing Kwara Central Senatorial District.
Lawan spoke at a town hall meeting organised by Senator Oloriegbe to account for his stewardship and also declare his intention to run again and represent his people of Kwara Central in 2023 polls.
The Senate President told the people of Kwara State in general to continue to keep faith with APC.
“I will like to remind you here, those people that you chased out will never get tired of trying to come back. You have only one more of “Otoge” and they will never come back.
“In 2023, just chase them far away from Kwara, and they will never find their way to Kwara. Don’t take it for granted. They are smart people. You know that. Chase them far away, if you can, up to the Atlantic Ocean if you chose to chase them to the South. If you wish, chase them up to Niger Republic. Chase them far away from here.
“The people of Kwara, you have gotten what you deserve from 2019. You have a state Governor that is for you. You have your National Assembly members that are for you. You have your state Assembly members that are for you and council chairmen and councillors.
“Don’t ever take that for granted. Less than three years, what our state Governor in Kwara has done, what our members of National Assembly, our Distinguished Senators, all the three of them, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe from Kwara Central, Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar of Kwara North, Senator Lola Ashiru of Kwara South, have given every time that they need to give for us in the Senate to achieve what we have been able to achieve in the Senate.
“You don’t need to think twice. Vote for them more than you did in 2019. Make the gap more than convincing. Vote massively. Don’t assume, well we have win in 2019, this people, send them far away from Kwara so that we can maintain the trajectory of what you have been able to get today because, Nigerians, having gone through 16 years of deprivation, of mis-governance between 1999 and 2015, deserve the Progressives to continue to provide leadership in Nigeria,” Lawan said.
Speaking specifically on Senator Oloriegbe, the Senate President said the people of Kwara Central could not have had it better considering the achievements of the Senator within less than three years of his being in the Senate.
“What we watched, the 30 minutes documentary on the activities of Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, showed something more than three-year activities of a Senator.
“For you to achieve what you did in less than three years, it beats my imagination, how a new Senator, in three years, can attract so many projects, sponsored so many bills and engaged himself in so many activities within a short time.
“Imagine if you had him as your Senator in the Eigth Assembly, so if you are talking of seven years down the line, probably we will be here until next day going through his achievements,” Lawan said.
Earlier before the Town Hall Meeting, the Senate President perform the Foundation Laying ceremony of the Drug and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Centre for Federal Neuro-Psychiatry Hospital, Budo-Egba, Asa Local Government Area.
Lawan also commissioned a Comprehensive Health Center, Dr Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe Foundation Building at Idi-Isin, Ilorin South Local Government Area and commissioned as well the Ilorin Emirate Mobile Health Clinic.
The Senate President commended Senator Oloriegbe for facilitating the idea of a rehabilitation center.
He said the idea of the center was “to show that the Federal government of Nigeria cares about our youths. That our President, Muhammadu Buhari cares about our youths and their tomorrow. That the Distinguished Senator you voted for, the man representing you today in the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe cares.
“That we all care for the Youths of this country and for the development of this country because the Youths in any nation are the leaders of tomorrow.
“Today, its a fact, that across the country, we are challenged as a people, as a nation by substance and drug abuse. Some of our youths that fall victims need to be rehabilitated.
“But I want to take the opportunity here to appeal to all of us in the leadership positions at all levels of government, Federal, State and Local Government to ensure that we are proactive, that we make it difficult for drugs and substance to be available for them to be abused.
“That we protect our youths because by protecting them, we are protecting our tomorrow, we are protecting the development of our nation and therefore this particular project is one sure way of ensuring that those that are falling victims will have a centre to go to for rehabilitation.
“But that is not what we want. That actually is not what we need. My prayer will be that after we construct this centre, there should be nobody inside it because nobody should be a victim. But we need to prepare for the worse at all times.”
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers State, saying it discredits Nigeria’s image.
The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara packing for six months, while the elected members of the State House of Assembly have also been suspended.
Jonathan stated this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.
He said elected officials have been removed from office in a very disappointing manner.
Contrary to Jonathan’s view however, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, expressed support for Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.
NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.
“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.
“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”
But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”
He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.
However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.
He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.
Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has expressed joy over the pace of work at the construction site of the first flyover bridge in Edo State, located at Ramat Park, in Benin City.
The project expected to be completed in 18 months is being executed by the administration of Governor Okpebholo. The project was flagged off in November, 2024, barely one week after Okpebholo assumed office as Governor of Edo State.
The contractor handling the project, Mr. Andy Duan of CCECC told Governor Okpebholo during an unscheduled visit to the site that 20 percent of the project had been done so far.
Duan noted that the construction, which started last year, has reached 20 percent of stage of completion, assuring the people that the company will work according to specifications.
“For this work which commenced in December 2024, we have done seven pillars, underground cross beams and other works are ongoing as we are doing our best to meet up with the construction period,” he stated.
Governor Okpebholo, on his part, said he is not sleeping, as he continues to monitor projects cross the State to ensure the jobs are done according to agreed specifications.
The Governor threatened to revoke contracts whose handlers were not working according to specifications and assured Edo people that under his administration, Edo people would benefit from quality infrastructural development.
“We are not sleeping. We go around the State to monitor all our ongoing projects to ensure quality job delivery. Also, to ensure contractors meet specifications.
“For the Ramat Park flyover, the contractor is doing well, and I am impressed with the speed of the job done so far. If they continue with this kind of speed and pace, I believe they will complete the construction at the stipulated time. The materials like the iron being used and other materials are of high quality and standard.
“Inspecting projects across the State is a way for us to know those who are working and those playing with the projects they were given.
“We have gone to some sites, and we are not happy with what we met as some of these contractors are not meeting our targets and not doing the jobs according to specifications. Such contracts will be revoked.
“As an administration, we want to leave a legacy for our people, and we must ensure that we fulfill all our promises made to Edo people. We will continue to inspect and monitor every project to put contractors on their toes to deliver quality jobs according to specifications for the benefit of Edo people.
“I am not happy with the job of one of the contractors working for us and we will invite him on Monday for a discussion and you may hear bad news because the way they are going is not the way a contract should be executed,” he added.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, John Obanor, who accompanied the Governor on the inspection of the flyover, said the project is on track.
He noted that the job is not being appreciated now by people because it is in its early stage, but sooner than later, as the work progresses, it will be appreciated better. He noted that the company handling the project is doing a good job.
Other road projects inspected by Governor Okpebholo included Uteh Temboga road, open drainage at upper Ekenhua road opposite Nigerian Army cantonment Benin City, Upper Ekenhua road and Catholic Charismatic Renewal road Ugbiyoko.
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