Makinde Reverses Appointment of 15 Permanent Secretaries

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reversed the appointment of 15 new permanent secretaries.

He reversed the promotion on Friday as part of the fulfilment of his promise to review all new contracts and appointments made by the former governor Abiola Ajimobi in the last three weeks and his administration.

The Nation gathered that Makinde announced the decision at a meeting he had with all permanent secretaries in the state.

Confirming the development, the spokesman of the Seyi Makinde Campaign Organisation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said: “Governor Makinde will be very consistent and finicky with all his campaign promises and this is not an exception.

‘’The governor said that all transactions either contractually or in terms of appointments and promotions that were done especially between Monday March 11 and May 28 would be given closer scrutiny particularly because of the obvious mischief that has been introduced into the whole governance within this period.

‘’So, it’s true that during the campaign period, the governor promised that the people of the state would not have him in the Governor’s Office to embark on distractive traditional probe but the brazen attitude that bothers on attempt to block the success of the current administration has made the governor to decide the latest course of action which is to reverse many of the policies and actions of the Ajimobi administration at the eve of his exit because they were borne out of malice.

“So, just like he made good the promise to cancel the N3, 000 paid by parents on their public secondary school children and open the Governor’s Office flyover for every citizen of Oyo State, in the same manner he is dealing with the issue of the appointment of the permanent secretaries and civil servants.”

Credit:thenation

Akpabio Vs Ekpenyong: Tribunal Adjourns Sitting To June 10

The Akwa Ibom North West Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo has concluded its pre-hearing session on petitions filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio, seeking to invalidate Engr. Christopher Ekpenyong as legitimate winner of the February 23 senatorial elections. 

The session which afforded the tribunal opportunity to meet the parties with a view of setting up modalities to be adopted in the actual hearing of substantive issues in dispute, has ended today, as trial is set to commence on June 10, 2019, the adjourned date. 

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Robert Egwono Emukpoeruo SAN, submitted to the tribunal Schedules of Electoral Forms and INEC Adhoc Staff 

The tribunal was adjourned till May 31, for submission of Schedules of Electoral Forms and INEC Adhoc Staff Reports for Essien Udim, Ini, Abak and Obot Akara Local Government Areas.

On resumption of hearing, Barr. Emukpoeru who represented INEC sought the  tribunal's consent to tender:

1. Schedule of electoral forms and INEC adhoc staff reports for Essien Udim, Ini, Abak, and Obot Akara LGAs.

2. Certified true copies of Form EC40G for Midim 2, Abak LGA.

3.Certified true copies of Form EC40G(1) of INEC adhoc Staff reports for Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika.

4. Certified true copies of documents for collation at LGA level for Essien Udim.

5. INEC EC8A (1), Polling unit results  for four wards (1, 2, 8 and 9) in Essien Udim.

6. Certified true copies of form EC8C (1) for Essien Udim LGA.

7. Certified true copies of form EC8D (1) for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

8. Certification of compliance with section 84 of the evidence act with a smart card reader report and accreditation from polling units.

9. Regulations of guidelines for conduct of the election.

10. Schedule of polling units for ward 10 in Ini LGA as captured in EC40G.

11. Schedule for forms  EC8A(1), EC8B(1), EC8C(1) in Obot Akara LGA.

12 . Evidence of Certified true copies of  forms EC8A(1), EC8B(1), EC8C(1) in Obot Akara LGA.

The tribunal granted consent and admitted the evidences as exhibits R216, R218, R219, R221, R222-R250, R251, R232, R253 and R253A, R254, R255, R339-348, R349.

INEC adhoc Staff Reports for Abak, Ini, Essien Udim and Obot Akara LGAs were admitted and marked as exhibits R220A, R220B, R220C and R220D.

The tribunal chairman, Justice W. O. Akanbi granted consent to INEC and admitted the evidences as exhibits. He also announced that the pre-hearing report would be presented on the adjourned date.

The tribunal adjourned to Monday, June 10, 2019 for commencement of the trial proper.