General
APC Governors’ Visit: Look Before You Leap—SERG Warns Wike
By Dipo Olowookere
The Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike, has been advised not to make moves that could render his political useless after the 2023 general elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday, a prominent pan-Igbo socio-political pressure group, the South East Revival Group (SERG), urged the Governor to consult widely before agreeing to work with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Last week, some Governors elected under the platform of the APC from the South-West were in Rivers State for a meeting with Mr Wike. This came after it was earlier rumoured that he had a secret meeting with the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Mr Bola Tinubu, in France, though this was denied.
Mr Wike lost his bid to clinch the ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He blamed the betrayal of his colleagues in the Southern part of Nigeria for his loss.
SERG, which feels the Rivers Governor must be aggrieved over the outcome of the presidential primary of the PDP, said any hasty action that is taken in this “most slippery political period” could be disastrous to a politician.
In the statement signed by its president and National Coordinator, Mr Willy Ezugwu, the organisation counselled Governor Wike to be careful and patient in taking any political decisions in order not to lose the goodwill he has been able to earn from the masses over the years as a performer.
“As audacious supporters of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who is one of those we consider to be outstanding in the build-up to the recently concluded presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we sincerely counsel the Rivers State Governor to be very cautious in taking political decisions at this time.
“Whether the Governor is aggrieved or not, even though we know that he was betrayed during the presidential primary of his party, the political terrain in Nigeria is too slippery for hasty decisions by any wise politician in the country.
“For keen observers of political trends in Nigeria today, it is clear that the younger generation has largely taken over control of the country’s politics ahead of the 2023 presidential election just as they did in 2015.
“If the older generation of politicians is not careful, they will completely lose relevance in the coming months as campaigns begin.
“It will be suicidal for any politician, who is loved by Nigerians, like Governor Wike to swim against the prevailing national political tides.
“Obviously, those who redirected the politics of the country in 2015, have also taken a position in the current political era.
“Nigerians had yearned for a new breed of leaders (those who belong to the younger generation of politicians) to emerge as presidential candidates across key political parties in Nigeria, but they got disappointed when politicians that ought to have retired from active politics were given presidential tickets to the chagrin of the younger people across the country.
“Apart from the fact that the older generation of politicians who won presidential primaries are largely seen by the youths as corrupt and desperate, Nigerians have been in pains in the last seven years and are not keen on repeating the mistake of 2015.
“For this reason, a critical mass of disenchanted citizens, who have been at the receiving end of misused Nigeria’s commonwealth since 1999, which obviously worsened in the last seven years, has now produced a candidate of their choice.
“In the light of this, only wise politicians will look before they leap ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“We, therefore, urge Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike not to miscalculate or stand in the way of the Nigerian youths, being one of our few leaders who have so far distinguished themselves in the last seven years of misery and pains among the masses,” the group counselled.
By Adedapo Adesanya
As part of efforts to drive further adoption of energy alternatives, Schneider Electric, has shared sustainable approaches to providing resilient and clean energy in Nigeria and the world in general.
The digital energy multinational at a recent innovation summit held in Maryland, US, hosted top pioneer companies in the microgrid space to discuss the way forward in the industry.
Speaking at the event, Schneider Electric Group Chairman and CEO, Mr Jean-Pascal Tricoire, addressed how industry experts, through software and technologies, are making the digital, electric world a reality.
He also posed that organisations across the world can accelerate digital transformation by choosing the right technologies to achieve a wide range of sustainability goals, like microgrids.
Adding her input on Schneider’s aim for upscaling the energy world in Nigeria, Microgrids Expert, Schneider Electric, Ms Teina Teibowei, mentioned that carbon emissions from the power sector in the country reached around 11.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020.
She stated that existing technologies could reduce these emissions by 70 per cent and engineer a healthier energy world for humans across the world.
In addition, she shared a core point for organisations wishing to adopt microgrids in Nigeria on the use of the Energy-as-a-service funding model for seamless project execution.
“The Energy-as-a-service model limits technical and operational risk while delivering on reliability and cost-effectiveness. Schneider Electric is strong with an extensive network of partners in West Africa to deliver on this solution.”
With the recent sustainability dilemma facing the world, rapid transformations in technology across all sectors, and the tripled advancement of cars, computers, phones, and daily technologies relied on, there is an ever-increasing demand for more energy than the 20th-century technology for technological power advancement.
Microgrids are self-contained electrical networks that draw from on-site energy sources and can operate independently of the grid. They offer straightforward solutions for elevating energy resilience and clean energy. Thus, they are a key 21st -century solution for powering 21st-century technologies.
According to, Mr Babajide Ogunlesi, Regional Product Application Engineer, Schneider Electric, the use of microgrids is participating in the resolution of the energy challenge in Nigeria by paving a sustainable path to electrification, as well as providing innovative energy solutions to drive cost-efficiency for homes and organisations.
He also mentioned a key point to note when building a microgrid, which is to start with a rightsized microgrid design to optimize cost efficiency as there is no one-size-fits-all microgrid.
“It is essential to right-size at the design phase of the microgrid for it to deliver measurable
energy-cost efficiency. Factors to consider are the specific load to power, the load requirements at any given time and the demand sources.
“Taking the time to design the solution properly avoids ending up with an under or over-sized microgrid. The goal is to tailor a solution that is just right for the user’s energy needs,” he added.
Schneider Electric has committed to providing energy and automated digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability in every home, industry, infrastructure, and data centre by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Osun State Election Petition Tribunal has removed Mr Ademola Adeleke as Governor of the state.
The tribunal chaired by Justice Tertse Kume sacked the former Senator via a judgement delivered on Friday in Osogbo, the state capital.
Two of the three judges of the tribunal said Mr Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was the winner of the governorship election held last July.
They held that the Certificate of Return should be withdrawn from Mr Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and issued to Mr Oyetola.
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According to the judges, the APC was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Adeleke won the poll through irregularities, including over-voting in some polling units.
Justice Kume, who read the judgement, said Mr Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against the 219,666 votes garnered by Mr Adeleke.
In a terse reaction, the state government, via a post on the Osun State Government Facebook post, hinted that the judgement would be appealed at the appellate court.
“No cause for alarm. Appeal is the destination.
“There are two judgements given by the tribunal, one favours PDP and the other u favour if the petitioner. The next battle moves to appeal court by both parties. Status quo remains as Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke remains in office,” the post said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has said it was working tirelessly with other agencies to put out the fire at 3/5 Gbajumo Street, Balogun, Lagos Island.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the organisation said it received a distress call from concerned persons in the wee hours of today over the unfortunate incident.
It was gathered that a 5-storey building at the Balogun Market was gutted by fire, destroying properties worth millions of Naira.
Giving an update on the situation, LASEMA said the joint teams, which rushed to the scene of the inferno, were having a constraint preventing the fire trucks from having direct access to the source of the fire, which are the shops constructed on the road blocking all routes.
“The agency received a distress call around 12:30 am today, Thursday, January 26, 2023, regarding a fire outbreak at No 3/5 Gbagumo street Balogun market, Lagos Island, which prompted the immediate activation of the Emergency Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“Consequent upon arrival at the scene of the incident, information gathered revealed that some shops (rubber shoes and clothes are stored) on the first floor of a 5-storey building was gutted by fire. However, the cause of the fire could not be ascertained.
“Fortunately, there is no loss of life or casualty involved in the incident.
“Collaborative efforts to put out the fire are ongoing by the agency’s Response Team and its fire unit, alongside Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Police Force, CBD, LASAMBUS, LNSC and NEMA.
“However, the joint teams have a constraint which is preventing the fire trucks from having direct access to the source of the fire, which are the shops constructed on the road blocking all routes.
“Efforts are still ongoing to prevent the spread of the fire to nearby buildings. Operations are also still ongoing,” the statement said.
