Of Yahaya Bello’s emergence, inauguration and Kogi conundrum

Opinion@ITRealms:

Kogi State is known as the Confluence State, it is a state faced with many confluences of issues. The governorship election is over, but the bells of ripples are still reverberating.

Kogi State is one of two states that have suffered the worst governance deficit since the take-off of this democratic journey. 

The sudden death of Abubakar Audu, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday, 22nd November,2015 ignited a constitutional crisis. This is the first time that such would happen in the course of a democratic transition.

After the demise, a lot of Kogites and Nigerians expected the APC to bring in James Faleke, so as to continue the joint ticket during the held supplementary poll. Out of the blues came, APC brought Yahaya Adoza Bello to continue the joint ticket. Was that not foolhardy on the part of the APC? 

The Kogi conundrum is an unfortunate creation of the ruling APC at the centre which is desperate to turn Nigeria to a one-party state & rule in perpetuity. The Kogi conundrum is a flattering commentary about the APC's capacity for political direction & that of leadership. It is yet to mature in its membership, the requisite temperament & orientation for implementation of civil, democratic ethos which is indeed unfortunate.

Kogi State on Wednesday, 27th January, 2016 made another unusual history as its fourth governor, Yahaya Bello was sworn in without a deputy. James Faleke was conspicuously absent at the event. What is your mind telling you?

Faleke boycotted the event in continuation of his stand not to associate himself with Yahaya Bello's emergence as the replacement for the late Audu. The Kogi conundrum is a warning that the party might collapse, if the necessary brakes are not applied. The swearing in of Yahaya Bello has remained an aberration.

A school of thought is saying that, James Faleke didn't participate in the election. I am not holding forth for anybody, the late Audu and Faleke went to the different LGAs,so as to campaign for votes despite Audu's state of health then. Did Yahaya Bello even vote for APC?

Did Bello campaign for votes? Did Bello support APC during the election? The PDP has described Yahaya Bello's entry into the government house as an excursion saying that he didn't participate in the overall election. Time will indeed tell, so as to know the true state of things. 

God bless Nigeria.

Chukwudi Uruakpa contributed this from Lagos
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ALTON to states closing sites: Enough is enough for multiple taxation

ITRealms:

The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has warned seven state governments over arbitrary closure of telecom sites and multiple taxation, reports ITRealms.

Speaking in Lagos, ALTON chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo listed those states currently on the wrong neckside of operators to include Ogun, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Osun and Kaduna States due to arbitrary closure of telecom sites and actions of government impacting on our operations.

He also said that ALTON is very carefully considering the situation of site closure and harassment of its members in the aforementioned states.

He warned that anytime soon, ALTON members would begin to make them feel the impact of their actions on telecom operators if they do not desist from deliberate disruption of operations.

Mr. Adebayo noted that the aforementioned states are treating industry as an extractive industry and imposing myriads of taxes on our member and closing down the BTS Sites arbitrarily.

ALTON, he said, has resolved that, arbitrary sealing of sites, without following the guidelines clearly provided by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and in line with best practices will no longer be tolerated;

“Any State or local government authority that closes our sites: our members will not reopen such sites: we will serve the necessary warnings and if such practices continue: we are then faced with two options: first is to pay the charges by such state Government, and to increase the tariff chargeable for calls originating and terminating from networks in such states:  With all the attendant service delivery issues,” he warned.

However, where such actions on the part of government continues, ALTON said it will advise all members, after due consultation with relevant authorities, because of the security and economic implications, “to shut down the entire network in such state for one full day as a final warning to such State or Local Government area.”

ALTON said that they are very concerned about the recurring cases of telecom sites closure by government agents. 

Lamenting that they continue to record cases of arbitrary site closure in many states of the federation in an attempt to force service providers to pay local taxes and levies some of which are multiple in nature and most of which are only aimed toward telecom operators.

ALTON further called for a cross-sector cum multi-stakeholder approach to reduce growing burden of taxation on telecom industry.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +ITRealms DSA @ALTON

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Pix: ALTON chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo speaking with ALTON Executive Secretary, Mr. Gbolahun.

MAAC alleges plans by Rivers govt to slander NDDC’ MD

ITRealms:

The Media Advocacy for Anti-Corruption (MAAC) said it has unearthed plans by the Rivers State Government to slander the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, reports ITRealms.

A press statement endorsed by the MAAC national coordinator, Mr. James Okoronkwo, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, was alleged to have compiled fictitious memos and doctored receipts to push out to mainly online and print media concerning Semenitari’s period as commissioner under the administration of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the current Minister of Transport.

“The plan, being coordinated by the state Commissioner of Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, is to cast her as corrupt and unfit in order to sway public opinions against the NDDC’s boss and hopefully, compel President Muhammadu Buhari from confirming her as substantive MD and as well send the anti-corruption agencies against her,” he said.

Source at the ministry of information, MAAC quoted said that “the Rivers government is desperate to taint her, given her impeccable character and time as commissioner. They are of the opinion that if they can sufficiently rubbish her, President Buhari will be forced not to appoint her as the substantive MD of the NDDC. They have also targeted her to be the first point of attack after Governor Wike's victory at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

“My brother, don’t be surprised if you see statements from the PDP Rivers state chapter claiming that the Acting MD of the NDDC sponsored the APC matter at the tribunal through award of fictitious contracts as well as alleging that she appointed 23 aides from Rivers state alone.

“The end product is to pitch the other NDDC states against her and ensure that her tenure is characterised by crisis and mistrust.”

The group further alleged that besides these malicious allegations, the Rivers PDP and commissioner of information have engaged the services of hack writers and columnists to dish out jaundiced articles and opinions against the NDDC especially her efforts to reposition the interventionist commission.

“These people are not resting about madam (Semenitari). They have hired people to demonstrate every week at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt claiming to be community leaders whose communities have been marginalised since she assumed office.

“The wicked one is their plans to release photoshop pictures of her allegedly in compromising situations with men, even women,” the source disclosed.

The group recalled that in early January, Tam-George had alleged that Semenitari obtained a loan of N1billion as commissioner, a charge that was rebuffed given that no ministry by law under the former administration was allowed to take loans.

“The state commissioner when presented with the fact could not substantiate his fact further,” they said.

The group, therefore, called on the public to be wary of this sinister plan by the Rivers government against the NDDC boss, advising them to take note of those to hold responsible for any incidence that may befall Semenitari.

 
Nenye Egbuna/GEE 
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My Digital Journey by Intel provides opportunity for women, girls - Hudnell

ITRealms:

The Vice President at Intel Corporation and Director of Corporate Affairs, cum President Intel Foundation Ms. Rosalind Hudnell has said My Digital Journey initiative by the firm provides an opportunity for women and girls, reports ITRealms.

She made this known during the launch of the programme in Nairobi, saying that as part of the first phase of the programme, it would create opportunities for women and girls in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa to learn about the internet and benefit from the wealth of information available that will contribute towards achieving their goals and provide access to opportunities

Learners on My Digital Journey, she said, will receive a digital completion certificate after successfully completing three quests.

“Each quest comprises 3-6 missions.  The first mission may take a learner 15-45 minutes depending on reading speed and the thought put into responding to challenges,” she said.

According to her, this learning platform provides women and girls with a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and access additional resources that support learning in a safe environment.

Gaining access to the Internet, Hudnell said, enables women and girls to improve their self-esteem and expression, expand their social and political participation, gain new skills that enable them to obtain formal education, become entrepreneurs, or secure employment, and in addition get access to information and new connections within their communities and beyond.

Intel believes that educating girls and closing the Internet gender gap has an important multiplier effect—expanding opportunities for families, communities, and nations.

 “Through the Intel Global Girls and Women Initiative, we are working to empower millions of girls and women around the world by closing the gender gap in access to education, inspiring more girls and women to become creators of technology and connecting them to opportunity,” she noted.

Also speaking, UN Women Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Simone ellis Oluoch-Olunya, noted that Unlocking gender equality will unlock the growth potential of the continent.

“Grounded in the vision of equality, UN Women believes that technology can be a game-changer for women and girls. Enhancing women’s economic empowerment is one of the five priority areas of UN Women’s work, therefore this initiative is one of many UN Women is undertaking to advance women’s economic empowerment and support women, particularly from a technology perspective,’’ Ms. Oluoch-Olunya said.

 
Uj N. Dominic/GEE 
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