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SANWO-OLU PROMISES TO PROVIDE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR TECHNOLOGY GROWTH IN LAGOS

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Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has promised to provide institutional and infrastructural support for the growth and development of the technology sector in the State if elected as Governor in 2019.

Sanwo-Olu made the pledge on Friday during a Digital Lagos event hosted by Vibranium Valley where he addressed tech community of start-ups, developers and tech innovators.

The APC Governorship candidate said technology is changing the way people live, work and socialize adding that social and governance problems are also solved with technological innovations especially in a city-state such as Lagos with a Gross Domestic Product of more than $136b dollars.

Speaking on the importance of Digital Lagos as a veritable platform for the transformation of the country, the APC standard bearer who was accompanied to the event by his deputy governorship candidate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat said the huge investment in technology and creation of an expansive learning facility like Vibranium Valley will lent credence to the saying that Africa is the future of the world.

He promised that when elected, his government will work in partnership with the technology sector to solve social issues such as creation of employment opportunity, mentoring, entrepreneurship, education, health, transportation and to also improve the revenue profile of the government.

‘‘I’m aware that technology is the oil of today. Some ten years ago, the richest companies in the world were oil and energy giants, but the tide has changed. What we have today are technology companies dominating the global economic space. With technology, transparency and accountability in government become easier and possible. Technological innovations are helping social enterprise address social problems. Tech is accelerating SME evolutions and the impact of this is positive on the economy, which gives everyone a share of the prosperity created by this system,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also spoke on the importance of the old Concord Newspapers facility, which houses Vibranium Garden along Murtala Mohammed Airport Road and the owner, Chief MKO Abiola who he said was a man of big idea and notable entrepreneur.

“That you are using the old Concord Newspapers facility as a hub of innovation in Lagos also invokes huge memories and the symbolism of the Chief Abiola. He was a man of big ideas and he represented hope. You are incubating big ideas here that will bring hope and prosperity to Lagos, Nigeria and the rest of the world.”

In his welcome address, the Co-founder/Chief Executive of Officer of Venture Garden Group, Bunmi Akinyemiju identified how technology and innovation are critical to create economic opportunities and social inclusion in Lagos adding that the facility currently employs over 1,500 Nigerians and the 5 years plan is to generate 45,000 employments.

Akinyemiju highlighted the challenges tech start-ups face in Lagos in areas of power, funding and tax which government must address adding that with right partnership with government in Lagos and Nigeria will have exponential effect the economy.

“Digital Lagos is about digital economy that will create innovators solving problems and improving the way we live and work. With what we have here and at Yaba innovation hub we are empowering the next generation of wealth creators in Nigeria. We are driving investment. You need to imagine the amount of foreign interest we get here from around the world. We need more campuses like this across Lagos.”

Gboyega Akosile

Media Contact

Sanwo-Olu Media Office

11 November, 2018.

Politics

Edo PDP opposes suspension of LG bosses by state assembly, says ‘It’s unconstitutional’

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo says the suspension of all the chairpersons and their deputies in the 18 LGAs of the state is “unconstitutional”.

The chairpersons and their deputies were suspended on Tuesday by the Edo state house of assembly for two months over alleged misappropriation of funds.

Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the house, said Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, had written a petition to the assembly regarding the chairpersons’ refusal to submit the financial records of their LGs to the state government.

In a statement, Anthony Aziegbemi, chair of the PDP in Edo, said the “illegal” suspension is a disregard to a supreme court decision that affirms the autonomy and independence of local governments.

“How can the governor direct the State Assembly to suspend democratically elected chairmen of the 18 local councils for insubordination when these elected officials enjoy autonomy and independence as enshrined in the constitution and are not subordinates of the governor, the state assembly, or any other arm of government?,” he said.

“We are also aware that the chairmen and their vices were not even given the opportunity to be heard in their detence and were suspended unheard on watery trumped up charges, in total disregard to the constitution.

“We want to restate that the constitution remains supreme, and any attempt to undermine its provisions or disregard the judiciary and its rulings is not only illegal but also a direct attack on democracy and the rule of law.

“The speaker of the Edo state house of assembly and the entire assembly have clearly overstepped their constitutional mandates with this illegal action and we urge them to immediately reverse its decision, in respect to the rule of law and democratic governance.”

Aziegbemi said the suspended officials should report to their councils on Wednesday and carry on with their normal duties.

Also speaking on the issue, Anthony Ehilebo, a PDP chieftain, said Okpebholo has no legal backing to request the financial records of the LGAs.

“In fact, the governor and the assembly members are in contempt of the supreme court,” Ehilebo said when he appeared on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

“The purported suspension of the local government chairmen by the state assembly is as absurd as the president asking the national assembly to suspend state governors because they refused to submit statements of accounts to him.

“This is a witch hunt. The LGA chairmen are all PDP members.”

The lawyer said the suspension “is unknown to law and will be ignored”.

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Politics

Ex-sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi resigns from PDP

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Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports and youth development, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He disclosed his intention to resign in a letter dated December 16 and addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Ubadawaki, Kwara state.

Abdullahi confirmed the development to TheCable on Monday.

The ex-minister also said he is yet to decide which political platform to pitch tent with.

“The decision of what to do and where to go will be taken in the future that’s left to God,” he said.

In the resignation letter, Abdullahi said he reached the “difficult” decision after days of reflection and introspection.

“I write to formally resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the letter reads.

“I have had ample time to reflect, and I have come to the difficult conclusion that this is the only tenable option for me at this time.

“Mr. Chairman, please permit me to express, through you, my gratitude to the leadership of the party for the opportunities that I have had to serve the state and the country on its platform, and for the great moments we have shared.”

Abdullahi was the PDP candidate for the Kwara central senatorial district election in 2023. He lost the race to Salihu Mustapha of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Politics

PDP debunks inviting Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has not extended an invitation to former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the presidency on its platform in the 2027 election.

Speaking with BBC Hausa, Ibrahim Abdullahi, deputy spokesperson of the country’s main opposition party, said no ticket has been issued to the former president.

Abdullahi said the party has many eligible people who can contest for the presidency on its platform, adding that a recent interview he granted was interpreted to mean that Jonathan he asked to run on the PDP platform.

“The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true,” he said.

“What happened is this, I had an interview with a journalist where we discussed some issues.

“But in the course of the interview, he mentioned President Jonathan, asking about our opinion of him, because there are reports that he is being urged to run for the presidency.

“I responded by saying that he (Jonathan) is eligible to contest the election, because he is a Nigerian and has the right to do that by the provision of the law, and he still has one more term left.

“So, there is nothing wrong about him contesting the presidential election because he is eligible in the face of the law.”

The deputy spokesperson said the ticket would be given to someone who has shown interest in running for the presidency.

Jonathan, then in the PDP, lost the presidential election to former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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