News
Lagos passengers stranded as BRT fuel suppliers stop service
Hundred of passengers heading moving towards Lagos Island trying to use the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit vehicles were on Thursday stranded over scarcity of buses caused by shortage of fuel supply for operation of the vehicles.
The situation was most pronounced on the Abule-Egba-Obalende route.
At the Abule-Egba BRT park, many BRT buses under Primero, one of the franchise holders operating the scheme, were seen parked with no driver inside them.
According to some of the passengers, the BRT buses that were parked had no fuel in them.
A cross-section of the passengers who spoke with journalists explained that the problem started since Tuesday.
One of them said they had been finding it difficult to get BRT buses to CMS and Obalende since Tuesday, adding, “We heard that these buses that are parked here without drivers don’t have fuel in them because their owners are owing their fuel suppliers, who in turn cut off fuel supply to the buses.
“it’s unfortunate that this new initiative is already experiencing hitches. How long will this persist? Only God knows.”
Spokesperson for the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, confirmed that one of the service providers, Primero, had problem with fuel suppliers.
He said, “The authority is working towards providing buses to fill the gap created by Primero. This has been on since Tuesday. Due to issues with its fuel suppliers, some BRT buses operated by Primero don’t have fuel supply. Primero runs a sizeable number of the BRT buses, and that is why the lack of fuel supply to their buses is affecting commuters.
“We have however sent some other buses managed by other franchise holders to fill in the gap. The issue should be resolved soon.”
Lagos State government had in August 2020 launched the 13.68km Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT corridor supervised by LAMATA. Until now, the initiative had brought a breath of fresh air to intra-state movement within the state.
News
Ondo: Tinubu calls for peaceful polls as over 1.7m voters choose new gov today
Tinubu calls for peaceful polls as over 1.7m voters choose new gov today
Today, 1,757,205 registered voters in Ondo State will head to polling stations across its 18 local government areas to elect a new governor who will steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
This marks an increase in the number of registered voters compared to the 2020 election, which had 1,647,973 registered voters, of which only 580,887 votes were recorded.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness for the exercise, deploying 4,002 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices across 3,933 polling units, with 812 units on standby in case of technical hitches.
Speaking on the commission’s preparations, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, assured the public that sensitive materials were distributed on Thursday to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) for timely deployment.
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Tinubu calls for peaceful polls
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on stakeholders and voters to uphold peace during and after the election. Through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu emphasised the importance of the election reflecting the people’s will.
“The president reminds all political stakeholders, especially the candidates, that governance is a privilege bestowed by the people. This privilege must be respected, and Nigerians deserve a free and fair election to consolidate our democracy,” the statement read.
Tinubu also commended the security agencies’ preparedness, with the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff, assuring professionalism during the exercise.
Ondo: Tinubu calls for peaceful polls as over 1.7m voters choose new gov today
News
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was on Friday laid to rest in Abuja, amid tears and tributes.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the late Chief of Army Staff.
The burial took place at the National Cemetery in Abuja to end two days of funeral rites that began in Lagos earlier in the week.
His body was lowered into the grave at exactly 4:41pm after the ceremony that lasted over two hours.
Lagbaja’s casket, draped in Nigeria’s green and white colours, arrived at the cemetery around 3pm in a white funeral wagon after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
Dignitaries were led to the event by President Bola Tinubu. Others are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and other top government officials and military brass.
President Tinubu announced the conferment of the CFR on the late COAS during the interment at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
The President extolled the virtues of the late warrior, especially his contributions to national security.
According to him, the appointment of Lagbaja as the COAS was one of his finest made so far.
“As an eternal symbol of our appreciation, I have granted the late Chief of Army Staff, the posthumous national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic of the Niger (CFR),” Tinubu declared.
He thereafter invited the wife of the late COAS, Mariya, to collect the award on behalf of the Lagbaja family amid applause from the congregation.
News
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for determination in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court held that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
It faulted the claim by the plaintiffs that the EFCC Act, being a product of the United Nations convention on corruption, ought to be ratified by majority of the state houses of assembly.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Abba-Aji ruled that “the EFCC Act, which was not established from a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly.”
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