Epic battle for the soul of Lagos

The presidential election held on March 28 has come and gone, with many heaving a huge sigh of relief as a result of the feared unrest being averted by the timely concession of defeat by President Goodluck Jonathan. But it is not yet Uhuru. 

The governorship election in a majority of the states of the federation comes up this Saturday. Lagos in particular is on the radar, and understandably so because it is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, the hub which generates a substantial proportion of the revenue of the country. Lagos being the most populous city in Nigeria, the second fastest-growing city in Africa and the seventh fastest-growing city in the world, with a population of about 20 million people has earned all the attention it receives as the microcosm of Nigeria, and so when Lagos sneezes, the rest of the country catches the flu!

It is no longer news that two main candidates are vying to be at the helm of affairs in Lagos for the next four years. Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party and Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress. These governorship hopefuls are poised to slug it out on Saturday. But beyond the governorship candidates, the titanic battle for the heart of Lagos rages between their supporters and godfathers who are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring victory for their respective candidates.

Ekiti APC lawmakers to CJ: Raise panel to probe Fayose

                                                                               Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose

The 19 All Progressives Congress members of   the Ekiti State House of Assembly have written to the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, asking him to set up a panel to investigate the allegations contained in their impeachment notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The seven-member panel which should be constituted   within seven days of the receipt of the letter is to investigate allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches the lawmakers levelled against Fayose and his deputy,   Kolapo Olusola.

The legislators reached the resolution at a special sitting presided over by their   Speaker,   Adewale Omirin, at the Mary Hills Boys’ High School, Ado Ekiti.

According to a statement by Omirin’s media aide,   Wole Olujobi, the lawmakers, in a unanimous vote, supported the motion directing the chief judge to set up the panel.

Jonathan’s wife wants INEC to rig Rivers’ poll –Amaechi

                                                                           Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi

AHEAD of the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, of pressurising the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to rig the governorship election in the state.

Amaechi, who observed that President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife was in Okrika, her hometown, for the governorship election, hoped that there would not be a repeat of alleged electoral malpractices that happened on March 28 in the state.

The governor, who spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday in Port Harcourt, said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Gesila Khan, already had a mindset of delivering the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Nanny demands N15m for kidnapped Lagos children

                                                                               The missing children

A nanny, Mary Akinloye, who allegedly kidnapped three kids in the Surulere area of Lagos State has demanded N15m from the victim’s parents, PUNCH Metro has learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that the family was contacted on Thursday by the suspect and others, who were suspected to be members of her group. They were said to have demanded the N15m as ransom.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Wednesday that the Orekoya family had posted information on OLX, an online sales portal, seeking the service of a nanny.

Our correspondent reported that Akinloye indicated interest and gave the Orekoyas the contacts of two people who she said were her relatives.

CBN to publish names of ‘chronic’ bank debtors …to slash debit cardholders’ spending overseas

                                                              CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday expressed deep concerns about the growing amount of Non-Performing Loans in the books of Deposit Money Banks and said it would publish the names of chronic debtors.

The Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, who stated this at a press briefing after the 321st meeting of the Bankers’ Committee in Lagos, said the central bank, in collaboration with the committee, had also decided to stop the serial debtors from buying foreign currencies at the official interbank foreign exchange market.

Also to be stopped from buying foreign currencies, according to her, are members of the board of directors of debtor companies as well as their subsidiary firms.