CNPP, CHRSJ stage rally to commemorate annulment of June 12 election

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, (CNPP), Osun State chapter and Centre for Human Right and Social Justice (CHRSJ) yesterday staged a rally in Osogbo, capital of Osun State to commemorate the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.

The leaders of the two bodies addressed the rally at Olaiya junction where other interest groups and civil servants joined them to mark this year anniversary of June12. 

Aregbesola dissolves UniOsun Governing Council, sacks VC, 3 others

Osun State government has released a White Paper on the report of the Visitation Panel that investigated the crisis that rocked Osun State University.

The Director of Media and Strategy in the office of the governor, Mr Semiu Okalawon confirmed that the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola approved the recommendations of the visitation panel and dissolved the governing council of the university headed by Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin.

Okanlawon said the council will still be in place until the process of the appointment of a new vice chancellor of the institution is completed.

Aregbesola’s spokesperson said the governor also approved the termination of the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Bashiru Okesina, the deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Siyan Oyeweso.

APC Senators tackle Saraki

The rumbles from Tuesday’s election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President continued, yesterday, with opponents and supporters of the nation’s new number three man stalking one another in furtherance of upturning or sustaining the new order.

Senator Bukola Saraki was nevertheless conciliatory towards his antagonists in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as he dismissed insinuations of his imminent defection from the party.

BCI workshops kick-off in UNIOSUN

By Yinka Odutuyo

Beyond classroom initiative, a movement by some students of Osun state university has commenced a series of workshops in Ikire campus of the university. 

The workshop which held its first series at the old library of the campus yesterday was aimed at exposing Linguistics and Communication students of the institution to practical knowledge of journalism.

Speaking during the workshop, Mr Femi Makinde, a correspondent of Punch newspapers urged the participants to imbibe the spirit of seriousness in their journalistic endeavors.

Makinde who was the resource person for the workshop taught the students the journalistic techniques and skill required to source for publishable news and how to write news for newspaper according the standard of Punch newspaper.

Also speaking, Mr Hameed Oyegbade, a correspondent of Daily Trust newspaper said " endeavor to put everything you learned today into practice, At least, you should challenge yourself to writing a news story everyday".

One of the participants Popoola Oladoyin, she said “I commend the efforts of the organizers, it was an insightful workshop and they even served us drinks and snacks, kudos to them".

Aregbesola inaugurates Osun sixth assembly, Speaker returns unopposed

Osun state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola yesterday inaugurated the sixth Osun state House of Assembly as Speaker of the House; Mr. Najeem Salaam was returned unopposed.

The 5th Assembly of the Osun State House of Assembly, which was inaugurated on June 2, 2011, was dissolved having completed the four years term as stipulated in the constitution while the 6th Assembly was inaugurated.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Mudashir Oyeniran conducted the swearing-in of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker after making the roll-call of members-elect.

The governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, while inaugurating the assembly, said members of the Assembly were being inaugurated at a time the state is facing financial challenge, calling for their commitment to the state to overcome the challenge.

EFCC nabs 6 CBN officials, 16 other bankers over N8bn fraud

Six top officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and 16 other workers of commercial banks in the country have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for a mega scam involving N8 billion.

The suspects were picked up by operatives of the anti-graft agency for stealing and putting into circulation defaced and mutilated Nigerian currency notes to the tune of N8 billion meant for destruction. All the suspects have already been taken into EFCC custody preparatory to their arraignment at the Federal High Court, Ibadan. The trial will run till June 4 in a bid to speed up the prosecution of the suspects by the court.

A statement signed by the Head of Media of the EFCC, Mr. WilsonUwujaren, gave the names of the suspects as: Patience Okoro Eye (Abuja), Afolabi Olufemi (Lagos), Kolawole Babalola (Ibadan), Olaniran Muniru Adeola (Ibadan), Fatai Yusuf, Adekunle (Head, Security, CBN (Ibadan) and Ilori Adekunle Sunday (Akure).

the Burning of old newspapers in place of defaced Naira notes
The 16 suspects, who colluded with the CBN officials to commit the fraud, are officials drawn from Zenith Bank, FCMB, Wema Bank, Access Bank, FirstBank, Skye Bank, Ecobank and Sterling Bank.

Check Muslim clerics with radical views — Don

A lecturer at the Department of Actuarial and Insurance, University of  Lagos, Dr. Tajudeen Yusuf, has urged the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to always check Muslim clerics who hold radical  views that may be contrary to Islamic teachings and inimical to national  development.

Delivering the pre-Ramadan lecture organised by the Fountain University, Osogbo (FUO), Dr. Yusuf said the NSCIA should encourage Muslim clerics to  always promote religious tolerance in the interest of unity and harmony among the citizenry.

Bank of Industry disburses N2.4bn to SMEs in Osun

The Bank of Industry has disbursed N2.4 billion to the Small and Medium-size Enterprises in Osun to enhance businesses and facilitate the growth of the economy of the state.

The managing director of the BOI, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, disclosed this during the official commissioning of a branch of the bank in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

He said the bank has put mechanism in place to provide working capital for the SMEs and assured that more funds would be provided for the benefit of more business owners in the state.

Governor weeps as pregnant woman, 68 others die in Onitsha tanker fire

Anambra State Governor,   Willie Obiano, broke down in tears at the scene of the incident where a fuel tanker rammed into a building and caused an inferno on Sunday.

The unfortunate incident occurred at the Upper Iweka Roundabout in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State and no fewer than 69 burnt to death in petrol tanker accident.

It was gathered that the victims, including a pregnant woman and some children, were burnt by the fire, which also consumed about 15 buses.