Today's Headlines:My Nomination Is Tinubu’s Benevolence, I had lost hope of becoming a minister—Keyamo;WAEC Withholds Over 200,000 Results

My Nomination Is Tinubu’s Benevolence—Keyamo

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Former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, on Monday said he had lost hope of becoming a minister after the first batch of nominees was rolled out.

Keyamo made the remark while noting that his nomination as minister was due to the “special benevolence of President Bola Tinubu.”

He said he had already packed his luggage and was about to embark on a vacation with his family before he heard of his appointment.

The former minister spoke during his screening at the Senate.

According to Keyamo, his nomination was by the grace of God, stressing that he was preparing for his vacation when he got the news of his nomination.

He said: “My being here is by the grace of God and by the special benevolence of President Bola Tinubu, I had lost hope of becoming a minister.

“I had already packed my bags for vacation with my family before I heard about my nomination as a minister. So I am happy to be here today.”

His screening was, however, suspended by the Senate over a rowdy session.

There was uproar and division among senators over Keyamo’s nomination, as most of them sought the suspension of his screening.

The lawmakers, mostly from the opposition parties, particularly asked that the screening of Keyamo, the ministerial nominee from Delta State, be stepped down pending when he clarified his past role in government, when he refused to abide by resolutions of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The nominee had appeared for screening in the Senate at around 1:30 p.m., during which he gave introductory remarks and his past records of achievements as a private and public servant.

WAEC Withholds Over 200,000 Results

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The West African Examination Council has said the results of 262,803 candidates, that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

Speaking on Monday, at a press briefing, while announcing the release of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates, in Nigeria, the Head of Nigeria Office, Mr Patrick Areghan, said, the withheld results represented 16.29% of the total 1,613,733 candidates that sat the examination.

He said, “The results of 262,803 candidates, representing 16.29% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. This is (6.54%) lower than the 22.83% recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2022.

“The reasons for this are not far-fetched. Candidates are no longer ready to study, they lack self-confidence, and their preparations for examinations are poor. There is over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is non-existent. Candidates got frustrated when they got to the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated was fake.”

Areghan revealed that the approved results were being uploaded as of press time, saying the exam spanned seven weeks, from May 8 to June 23, 2023.

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FG Withdraws Suit Against NLC, TUC

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The Federal Government has withdrawn its suit against the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

The Federal Ministry of Justice in a letter dated August 7, 2023, and addressed to the Nigeria Labour Congress through their counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, said the contempt proceedings filed against the congress for embarking on a nationwide protest last week Wednesday had been overtaken by events and such no longer stands.

The ministry in the letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Beatrice Jeddy-Agba said the ministry filed the contempt proceedings before the interventions of the President, Bola Tinubu, and the National Assembly.

The message which was addressed to NLC’s counsel, Femi Falana reads, “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Justice has been drawn to the Communique issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress on 3 August 2023 wherein NLC announced the suspension of its nationwide protests and criticised the contempt summons issued by the National Industrial Court (*Court”), amongst other issues.

Abia Govt Declares State Of Emergency In Six Sectors

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The Abia State Government says it has declared a state of emergency in six critical sectors of the state.

Briefing newsmen on Monday evening after the state Executive Council meeting presided over by the state governor, Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, highlighted the sectors as security, education, infrastructure, investment, climate change, and pensions payment.

Kanu said the state government has concluded plans to launch “tion Crush” to deal with insecurity in the state.

The Commissioner also disclosed that the state governor has approved the “Lighting Up Abia Initiative” which involves lighting up the major streets of Umuahia, Aba, and other cities of the state.

He said that it also involves cutting the bushes within the expressway median lane from Okigwe gate into the state, while street lights will be installed to light up the axis.

The executives, he said, have also put in place, the “Reclaim Our Schools Initiative” to “underscore the premium the state government has on education,” by harvesting support from highly placed individuals, stakeholders and international agencies to finance education from the primary to tertiary levels in the state.”

The Commissioner also disclosed that the state has concluded plans to hold a summit on climate change, the first in the state, which previous administrations in the state did not do.

On the traditional institution in the state. Kanu disclosed that, following the increase in the traditional rulers’ allowances from 3% to 5% in the state by Otti’s administration, the royal fathers will start receiving their allowances from next week, while he also affirmed the state government’s commitment to the payment of outstanding pension arrears.

Explaining further, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme said “The level of dilapidation of schools in the state is unimaginable,” pointing out that the state government concluded plans to plant in each local government, new primary and secondary schools.

He stated that host communities of such schools would be incorporated for the security of the schools under Community – based initiative where the communities would own the school.

She said the state government wants to collaborate with private schools to achieve better education and ensure that public schools are redeemed and returned to their former glory, and to galvanise the communities to be alive to their corporate social responsibility.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Caleb Ajagba, said that every school in the state will be standardised by the state governor, while the Commissioner for Environment and Urban Renewal, Philemon Ogbonna regretted that past governments were not interested in domesticating climate change in the state, adding, “but Otti wants to get all involved.”

Dunyanari (
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