Suswam denies arrest of ADC

The Benue State governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam, on Sunday, said that his aide de camp (ADC), DSP Dickson Pawa, was neither arrested nor detained by security operatives in the state.

Suswam made the clarification at the Government House, Makurdi, to debunk the rumour that his ADC was arrested, interrogated and detained by military men in Katsina Ala Local Government Area of the state for carrying arms.

”At no time was my ADC arrested or detained by military men,” he said.

He told journalists while reacting to the allegation that his aide was stopped by soldiers on his way to Harga, his village, to cast his vote and when his aide explained who he was, the soldiers authorised him to embark on his journey.

The governor stressed that the allegation levelled against his aide was an extension of what the opposition knew best to do.

Reactions as Lagosians review Fashola’s 1,400-day stewardship

Last week, traders, farmers, transport operators, artisans and public servants were among those that gathered at Onikan Stadium to mark Governor Babatunde Fashola’s 1,400 days in office.

The meeting provided an avenue for participants to evaluate the performance of the Fashola-led administration and its impacts on their lives.

Also, an array of officers of the state service agencies, and voluntary associations had a colourful parade.

Mr. Kunle Hassan said he could have died of kidney ailment if the state government did not intervene in his case. He narrated how the state government sponsored his medical trip to India, where he underwent kidney transplant successfully at the cost of N5m.

Another resident, Mr. John Omokolawole, said he took advantage of Lagos State Agriculture Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-YES), which empowered him to eke a living after wandering about streets after graduation in 2008 because he could not get a job. “I keyed into Agric-YES. The form was even free. I was selected after the exams. Now, I am living a meaningful life.”

Ruling party's shrinking majority in parliament

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) may not enjoy the clear dominance of the National Assembly that has been its lot since 1999, going by the results so far announced for Saturday's election.

The strong showing of such opposition parties as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) indicate that the federal legislature may no longer be able to operate as if the nation were a one party state.

The defeat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, was the first major indication that the party has lost more ground in the Southwest. That result was followed by another high profile loss in the state, when Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello lost her senatorial seat to the ACN's candidate.

Mr Bankole, however, quickly conceded defeat and called on politicians to shun violence.

"The exercise is a good omen in our national quest to entrench democracy in our nation," he said. "For me, the race was not a life-and-death duel. Of more importance is the building, maintenance and development of our democratic institutions and processes toward true national development and greatness."

The ACN sweep

The implications are however far reaching than the fall of these two. In 2007, the ACN, then known as the Action Congress, had only representatives from Lagos State in the National Assembly. This time around however, the party is sending senators from such PDP strongholds as Oyo, where the party has won the senatorial seats in Ibadan north and Oyo central. In the former district, Abiodun Awoleye of ACN polled 30,035 votes to beat Kazeem Adeniyi of the Accord Party into second place. In Oyo central, Ayo Adeseun of the ACN polled 105,975 votes to defeat Jumoke Akinjide of the PDP.