Politics
BREAKING NEWS: Humanitarian Ministry: 10 months after suspension, Tinubu appoints Betta Edu’s replacement
After over 10 months of waiting, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced the replacement of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, with Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for Plateau State during the 2023 general elections.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
President Tinubu also announced the redeployment of the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, as the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
It was recalled that in January 2024, President Tinubu suspended the former minister and ordered an investigation into the transfer of N585.2 million into the private bank account of a civil servant, the accountant in charge of grants for vulnerable Nigerians.
The President also directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation of all the ministry’s financial transactions. The investigation extended to the entire framework of Nigeria’s social investment programs.
The report of the investigation is yet to be made public.
The newly appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, was born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Dr. Yilwatda began his educational career by passing the First School Leaving Certificate at LGED Primary School, Dungung, in 1981 and completing his GCE (O/Level) in 1986 from the prestigious Boys’ Secondary School, Gindiri.
He earned his first degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering in 1992 from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and went on to obtain his Master of Engineering and PhD from ATBU Bauchi and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, respectively, specializing in digital systems engineering.
Dr. Nentawe is a registered engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, and a member of the Solar Society of Nigeria. He has received many awards and recognitions in ICT and electronic engineering.
He was also trained by the United Nations University’s International Institute for Software Technology in Macau, China, on building electronic governance structures.
A community developer and lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Dr. Nentawe has over 29 years of experience working as a consultant with international development partners and the public and private sectors.
Dr. Yilwatda began his career as an Assistant Lecturer at Plateau State Polytechnic in 1995 and later joined the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, as a Graduate Assistant in 1996. He served in various administrative positions, including Head of Department, Director of Information Technology, and as a member of the University Senate.
In 2017, Dr. Nentawe was appointed Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by former President Muhammadu Buhari and was posted to Benue State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner.
While at INEC, he championed IDP voting by designing a template to enable Internally Displaced Persons to exercise their voting rights during elections. He also supervised difficult elections, including the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye in 2018 and the Rivers State governorship and House of Assembly polls in 2019.
Dr. Nentawe has served as a project consultant on the first Integrated Financial Management Information System for the Ministry of Finance, CBN, FOS, OAGF, Debt Management Office, OAuGF, National Planning Commission, and Budget Office. He was also part of the team that worked on a World Bank grant to implement a Unified Network and ICT Solution for Nigeria Education and Research Network (NgREN) through the World Bank STEP-B project.
During Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, President Tinubu announced the dismissal of Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women Affairs, Lola Ade-John as Minister of Tourism, Tahir Mamman as Minister of Education, Abdullahi Gwarzo as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Jamila Ibrahim as Minister of Youth Development.
President Tinubu subsequently nominated Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, officially ending the tenure of the suspended Betta Edu.
The President also nominated Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha as Minister for the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Politics
Karoline Leavitt says. ‘The Black Voters Turned Out For Trump In Numbers, We Have Never Seen That Before’
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump 2024 National Press Secretary, has emphasized the encouraging developments in states like Georgia and North Carolina, pointing out that President-elect Donald Trump achieved historic wins among Hispanic voters and witnessed historically high Black voter turnout. She credited Trump’s strong work ethic and the campaign’s ground game’s unwavering efforts for this victory.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
She stated that the election results marked what she called “the greatest political comeback in American history,” showcasing Trump’s ability to rally support even amid significant challenges. She also underscored the adversity Trump has faced during his campaign, asserting that he has encountered obstacles unlike any other political candidate in history.
She said in an interview with Fox News, ‘It was an incredible night for President Trump and our team. When we saw the returns from Georgia and North Carolina, and just the trends across the country, President Trump picking up historic gains with Hispanic Americans. The Black voters turned out for Trump in numbers, we have never seen that before. We felt very good that all of our hard work, our ground game, and President Trump’s work ethic and determination ultimately won. Last night, the world witnessed the greatest political comeback in American history. And throughout this campaign, our boss, President Trump, has faced more adversity than any candidate to ever run for office.
They tried to imprison him; they forced him to take a mugshot; they tried to remove his name off the ballot; they forced him to sit in a dirty courthouse for six weeks. Two people even tried to kill him, for goodness’ sake. And what the American people see in Donald Trump is clear: a leader who, even in the darkest of times, is going to lift his fist in the air and say, ‘Fight, fight, fight for this country.’ And President Trump last night didn’t just defeat Kamala Harris; he defeated the Big Tech oligarchs who have tried to censor him.”CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Politics
Nigerian Reacts After Tinubu congratulates Donald Trump on his successful re-election
His words: “President Tinubu looks forward to strengthening the ties between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.
“President Tinubu says, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
“According to President Tinubu, Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership. He congratulates them on their commitment to democracy.
“President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th president will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.
“Acknowledging the United States’ influence, power, and position in determining the trend and course of global events, the Nigerian leader trusts that President Trump will bring the world closer to peace and prosperity”.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
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Politics
as police disperse Ikwerre council workers with teargas, scores injured, Rivers LG crisis thickens
On Monday, police officers used tear gas and gunshots to scatter local government employees who had congregated to begin work in Isiokpo, the administrative hub of the Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State. After months of closure, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) ordered employees to return to the council’s facilities, which led to the unanticipated altercation…. CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️
Reports indicate that numerous police patrol vans stormed the Ikwerre council secretariat “commando style,” discharging rounds of gunfire and launching teargas to forcefully clear the premises. Witnesses recounted the sudden eruption of violence, which threw workers into a panic, with many fleeing into nearby bushes or scrambling for cover to escape the scene. The incident reportedly left multiple workers injured, including two women who fainted while attempting to evade the unrest.
The tense standoff followed an earlier attack on the council offices by suspected political thugs after local elections. Ikwerre LGA, alongside two other councils in the state, suffered severe damage and was subsequently shut down to prevent further violence. The reopening of the council headquarters had been under strict surveillance, given the risk of renewed arson or property destruction.
An eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous for personal safety, described the distressing scene. “This morning, NULGE instructed members to resume work at Ikwerre LGA. But over 100 armed policemen arrived, and suddenly they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere. Workers, women—everyone was running. Two women slumped, and the police initially blocked any medical help from reaching them,” he said.
According to The PUNCH reports, An eyewitness told our reporter that scores of workers, including two women, were injured while trying to escape from the scene of the shooting, adding that many fled into nearby bushes for safety. “While we were there, we saw more than 100 policemen fully armed. And they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere, workers, women and everybody started running.”
Confirming the incident, the Chief of Staff for Ikwerre LGA, Richard Henry, expressed concern over the police’s actions, noting that some workers fled into nearby bushes to escape injury. He condemned the police operation, calling it unwarranted, as the matter of the arson was already under investigation by the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry. “This was unnecessary. Our mothers and youths who were there got injured. The inquiry is still ongoing, yet the police teargassed everyone. We will not stand for this treatment,” he said.
In response, the Rivers State Police Command acknowledged its presence at the Ikwerre council premises but defended its actions, saying they were necessary to maintain law and order. Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the police command, noted that the Ikwerre secretariat had been ordered closed due to the severe damage it sustained from the earlier attacks. She explained that the police were summoned when a large group of over 300 individuals allegedly forced entry through the main gate, intending to either loot or cause further damage.
Iringe-Koko remarked, “The officers at the scene were there to maintain law and order. Some people tried to break into the council premises, and our men had to act swiftly to disperse them and prevent any damage to public property.”CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️
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