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Romelu Lukaku ensured Napoli maintained their one-point lead at the top of Serie A with the only goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over his old club Roma. Belgium striker Lukaku poked home his fifth Napoli goal seven minutes after half-time in Naples, handing veteran Claudio Ranieri a defeat on his return to management with his
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An erstwhile Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to halt the harassment of traders by officials and security agents in the state. The elder statesman, in an open letter to the governor, stated that Lagos traders are not terrorists, adding that
Order your officials to stop harassing Lagos traders – Bode George to Sanwo-Olu
An erstwhile Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to halt the harassment of traders by officials and security agents in the state.
The elder statesman, in an open letter to the governor, stated that Lagos traders are not terrorists, adding that while Lagos is known as the Centre of Excellence, the traders are not being treated excellently by some security agents and government officials daily.
DAILY POST reports that, due to the state environmental law which bans street trading, the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials often arrest and confiscate the wares of traders who display their goods on roadsides or sell in traffic.
“Apart from lamenting the multiple levies they pay to councils and being subjected to extortion most horrendously by some thugs and rough-necks, they are also harassed and flogged like criminals,” George said.
The PDP leader, who stated that street trading has been part of the culture and tradition of Lagos for decades, where he was born, explained that many professionals like lawyers, doctors, engineers, and accountants were financed educationally by what their parents made through street trading.
He added that in London, New York, and other advanced cities, there is street trading.
In the letter, George noted that some traders and hawkers stay on the roadside where they pay government officials daily due to the harsh and hostile economy in the land, as they cannot afford a shop costing as high as N1 million.
“What authorities in those climes do is to regulate street trading, not subject traders to despicable treatment.
“In the 21st century, it is an act of wickedness for government officials to treat street traders like bandits and terrorists in Lagos State.
“Where is our dignity? Why should officials subject them to harrowing experiences daily?
“They are not armed robbers, and they should not be treated as such. It is despicable to treat street traders like terrorists. They are just trying to survive, and Lagos is not the only place where we have street traders,” he said.
Order your officials to stop harassing Lagos traders – Bode George to Sanwo-Olu
The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its stance that the legislative seats of factional Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 24 others remain vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. These seats, the Assembly insists, must be filled through a by-election conducted by the
Pro-Fubara lawmakers insist on vacant seats of Amaewhule, others
The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its stance that the legislative seats of factional Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 24 others remain vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
These seats, the Assembly insists, must be filled through a by-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
This development comes after the Amaewhule-led Assembly, on Tuesday, declared the seats of Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Edison Ehie, and three other pro-Fubara lawmakers vacant, citing their absence from sittings for 152 days.
During the plenary, Amaewhule stated that Ehie failed to properly notify the House of his new office, which led to the declaration of his seat as vacant.
He further noted that Oko-Jumbo and the two others were absent from sittings for 152 consecutive days without notification or permission, a violation of the 1999 Constitution.
The Amaewhule-led House held three separate votes to declare their seats vacant.
Reacting to the development, pro-Fubara Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo in a statement, explained that the 25 legislative seats were initially declared vacant on December 13, 2023, by the then-recognised Speaker, Edison Ehie.
The Assembly expressed frustration with INEC’s delay in conducting by-elections to fill the vacant seats.
Oko-Jumbo criticised INEC’s failure to act since December 13, 2023, which he said has allowed “Amaewhule and his committee of friends” to create unnecessary distractions.
He called on INEC to fulfill its constitutional duties to the people of Rivers State by organising the required by-elections.
Oko-Jumbo said: “Please, recall that on the 11th day of December, 2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored their election into the Rivers State House of Assembly, to the All Progressives Congress. Their defection was headline news and widely reported in print and electronic media.
“On the 13th day of December, 2023, the defection by Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others was further cemented in an affidavit deposed to by Martin Chike Amaewhule, when in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule & 26 Ors v. INEC & 5 Ors. in paragraphs 15 thereof, he deposed as follows: ‘That faced with the state of uncertainty and confusion in the 2nd defendant (Peoples Democratic Party) caused by division in the political party, the Plaintiffs were forced by the state of affairs within the 2nd defendant to defect and join the All Progressives Congress (APC).’
“On the 13th day of December, 2023, Rt. Honourable Edison Ogerenye Ehie, as then Speaker, declared the seats of Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others in the Rivers State House of Assembly vacant, and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct bye-election to fill their vacant legislative seats. This has not been challenged and set aside by any court of law.
“Subsequently, I was elected as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Myself and the Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been piloting the affairs of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including passing resolutions and screening various eminent persons as commissioner-nominees and recommending them to His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State to be appointed and sworn-in as commissioners, among others.
“Truth and facts are constant, sacrosanct and indelible. The fact of the defection by Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 Ors cannot be erased by pretenders like Martin Chike Amaewhule and his committee of friends.
“Today, the 15th day of October, 2024, Martin Chike Amaewhule & 24 Ors who ceased to be members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, on December 11, 2023, purportedly declared vacant the legislative seats of Rt. Honourable Victor Oko-Jumbo and others as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. They have no such powers. This is an exercise in futility. It is a joke taken too far.
“As the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, I call on INEC to immediately conduct a by-election to fill the legislative seats declared vacant on December 13, 2023. I also call on Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State in particular, to ignore the vituperations and ranting of Martin Chike Amaewhule and his committee of friends.
“They are not members of the Rivers State House of Assembly not to talk of having the powers to declare vacant the legislative seats of legitimate Assembly members, who have remained steadfast and did not defect like them,” he added.
DAILY POST recalls that the Amaewhule-led Assembly had previously suspended Ehie, Oko-Jumbo, and two others, following the causes that rocked the state Assembly after an explosion at the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex on October 29, 2023.
However, it remains unclear whether the suspended members were reinstated before their seats were declared vacant.
Pro-Fubara lawmakers insist on vacant seats of Amaewhule, others
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Tuesday, assured workers in the state that he would not disappoint them on…
