The Big 5: Jerry Gana rejects Donald Duke’s emergence as SDP flag bearer; Fayemi should help me pay Ekiti workers their outstanding salaries – Fayose | More stories

These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

The Federal Government says it is yet to reach an agreement with the leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the new minimum wage, explaining that negotiations are still ongoing as the different groups involved have agreed on different figures as minimum wage.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who disclosed this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the labour leaders agreed on N30,000 and the private sector agreed on N25,000 while the Federal and State governments agreed on N24,000 and N20,000 respectively.

Ngige however stressed that in accordance with Convention 131 of the International Labour Organisation, the most important thing to consider in fixing the new minimum wage is the ability to pay, adding that negotiations will continue as they plan to harmonise the agreements reached on Thursday.


Following reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had already set up a special team to grill the outgoing governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose for allegedly receiving over N1.2bn from a former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), he has expressed readiness to face the investigation team.

Speaking on Wednesday during the inauguration of a new school project in the state, Fayose who said he had a clear conscience, insisted that “the EFCC should still expect him at 1pm next Tuesday,” adding that the workers should collect their outstanding four months’ salaries from the incoming governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

“They didn’t pay Ekiti N2.2bn Budget Support Fund; my promise is fulfilled but the money is in the hands of the government, they should help me to pay,” he said.


The Professor Jerry Gana Campaign organisation (G19), has rejected the outcome of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primary which on Sunday, produced former Cross River Governor, Donald Duke as the party’s presidential candidate for the February 16 election .

The Director General of the organisation, Ike Neliaku,who stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, argued that the party went against its own zoning formula during the convention which he said were contained in Section 15.3(i&ii) of the party’s constitution,” adding that the party’s leadership was alerted to the fact that aspirants from the South should not have participated because the presidential ticket was constitutionally zoned to the North.

According to him, since the chairmanship of the party had gone to the South West, the contest for presidential candidacy should had been limited to aspirants from the North.


The Senate has passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill for first and second readings during Wednesday’s plenary and referred it to the Committee on INEC, with a mandate to report back to the chamber on Thursday for a possible third reading.

Similarly, as contained in a letter dated September 19, and read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at plenary on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari is requesting that the entire N242 billion (242,445,322,600) as requested by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for the 2019 elections, be considered for inclusion in his virement request under the 2018 Appropriation Act.

This he said, was based on the request by the legislature.order to ensure that the 2019 general elections are not affected by any delays in the passage into law of the 2019 Budget.


The Federal Government says it will be disbursing N142.58 billion to support educational growth in states, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as it called on relevant stakeholders to join hands in tackling the root causes of out-of-school children..

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu disclosed this on Wednesday, during the Northern Nigeria Traditional Leaders Conference on Out-of-School Children, adding that the World Bank had between 2016 and now issued $611 million credit facility to support states with higher number of out-of-school children.

“The Federal Government had equally deducted N71.292 billion from Paris Club Refund, as outstanding UBEC counterpart fund owed by states as at August 2018,” he said.


 

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail