Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2014—13
NASU shuts UNIUYO over sack of security operatives U
By Tom Moses
YO—ACADEMIC and administrative activities at the University of Uyo, UNIUYO, Akwa Ibom State were yesterday grounded following a three-day warning strike embarked upon by the Non Academic Staff Union, NASU of the university. Vanguard gathered the strike was as a result of the refusal of the institution’s authorities to respond to the demands by NASU for the recall of two security officials sacked last year in the wake of violent students protest that engulfed the school. It will be recalled that Engineering students of the institution had on June 12, 2013, embarked on a peaceful protest to press home their demand for affordable transport policy for students shuttling between the Old Ikpa Road campus to the main campus at Nwaniba for lectures. To stop the protest, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Comfort Ekpo, the students alleged, took an unpopular stance by inviting the Police to quell the protest. The peaceful demonstration however, went out of control as the police started shooting the students with live bullets,
leading to the death of one student, while many others were injured, including some non-teaching staff and four members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and the President of Students Parliament, who lost their lives in a ghastly auto accident along Obot-Akara, as they were rushing to Uyo to intervene in the crisis.
The Vice Chancellor’s office and other administrative offices were torched by the angry students. Consequently, the school was shut for some months. But following the reports by an independent panel set-up by the Vice-Chancellor, two senior security officers became the scapegoats and were sacked summarily. It was gathered that it took
several agitations by NASU and other affiliate unions on the campus for the management to commute their sack to premature retirements. Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the workers said they were shutting down activities for three days as a warning for management to fully reinstate their members or risked full industrial action.
INTERACTIVE SESSION: From left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator Thomson Sekibo, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Hon. Bashiru Adamu and a member of the Committee, Hon. Umar Bature, during the interactive session with the Service Chiefs in Abuja yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan
UVP seeks Jonathan, Oboro's re-election in 2015
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By Festus Ahon
GHELLI—THE Urhobo Political Vision, UPV, has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan and the member representing Uvwie/ Sapele/Okpe federal constituency in the l House of Representatives, Chief Evelyn Oboro for a second term in office. National Chairman of the group, Mr Kingsley Agaya, in
a chat with Vanguard said only credible persons would be elected into political offices in 2015. Agaya described Chief Edevbie, Mr Tony Obuh and Mrs Ngozi Olejeme as good materials for the 2015 governorship in Delta State, adding “They are all credible but the most credible will emerge governor at the end of the day.” Extolling the leadership
NASS aspirant pledges quality representation
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By Gabriel Enogholase
ENIN—A House of Representatives aspirant under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Owan federal constituency, Alhaji Tanko Ileogben has assured the Owan people that he was in politics to serve them and offer qualitative representation to the area. The businessman and philanthropist, who spoke at Sabongida – Ora and Afuze the administrative headquarters of Owan- West
and East Local Government Areas of Edo State respectively, said that he was in the councils to formerly declare his intention to represent the people in the National Assembly. Ileogben told the people of Owan federal constituency that he intends to prove them youth empowerment, employment and free medicine to improve the people standard of living as well as invest in agriculture and infrastructural development.
quality of Chief Tom Amioku, he said; “We are satisfied with the leadership quality of Amioku and his support and loyalty to President Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.” Meanwhile, the group has described the death of General Patrick Aziza (rtd) as painful and shocking.
Agaya said that the death of Aziza was a monumental loss to the Urhobo nation, adding that the Urhobo nation will miss him (Aziza). “Aziza brought love and unity to Urhobo; he united us and did his best to build the bridge of unity with Urhobo and other ethnic groups in the state.”
Estate agent denies report on community protests
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AGOS—A community leader and an estate agent, Chief Tesilimi Almaroof, yesterday described as mischievous and misleading, a newspaper publication allegedly linking him with the protracted crisis over the ownership of landed property at Unity Estate in Igbogbo Baiyeku Local Council Development Area in Lagos State. Almaroof said he knew nothing about the allegation by the residents of the area that some land grabbers popularly called ‘Omo Onile’ were harassing them. “The allegation was an attempt
to tarnish my hard earned reputation by my enemies,” he said. The residents had alleged among others, that the land grabbers, who were frequently led by a man said to be a painter, hadbeen tormenting the community, demanding certain money from them after the initial payment to some land speculators. The aggrieved community members had protested to the Lagos State House of Assembly over the crisis, but absolved Almaroof of involvement in the crisis.
Monarch dismisses Ebola cure report in community
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HE MONARCH of Akumazi in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Agbogidi Obi Stephen Osagie III and the Akumazi Progressive Union, APU, have advised residents to ignore a recent publication insinuating that the traditional healers in the kingdom have the cure for the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. APU in a statement by its President General, Chief Solomon Chukwuma, endorsed by the monarch, said following the assertion by a 300 member strong Traditional Healers’ Association, THA, of Akumazi extraction that the dreaded Ebola has a cure in Akumazi, “there is no cure yet for the virus in Akumazi.”
DELTA GUBER: Group endorses Uduehi for gov
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GBOR—IKA Political Force, IPF in Delta State to endorse a former Permanent Secretary in the default Bendel State, Dr Esther Uduehi for governorship race in the state. Chairman of the group, Mr. Michael Nwaeke in a statement, announcing the endorsement, after its meeting in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state, said: “After a careful examination of all the candidates who have indicated interest in the Delta governorship race, we have found Dr Uduehi worthy in character and performance to be the governor of the state." “Dr Uduehi, former Presidential Adviser to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and presently a chairman of a federal board has all it takes to be the governor of Delta State."