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Mass sack imminent in culture/film sector

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…..Presidency to sack heads of Culture Agencies, Directors

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari has acceded to the request made to him by the leadership of the amalgamated workers union of parastatals in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to sack heads of cultural agencies and some top directors in the agencies. A Presidency source confirmed that the President has communicated his approval of the request of the union to the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed. The directive will also affect some top directors in the agencies who have been accused of misconduct or who were engaged without due process. The source also revealed that the President subsequently directed that all the CEO’s and Directors accused of ‘corruption, embezzlement and maladministration’ be investigated and ‘brought to book’ where necessary.

The leadership of the unions had in a joint petition addressed to the President through the Secretary of the Government of the Federation requested President Buhari to sack all the heads of the culture and film agencies in the same manner he ordered the sack of all the heads of the information agencies earlier in the year.

A source explained that the Workers Union had alleged that most of those who are heading the culture and film parastatals are ‘square pegs in round holes’ while others who were employed by the Jonathan Administration under questionable criteria lack the capacity to run the agencies. The union leaders also alleged ‘wide scale abuse of public funds and embezzlement’ by most of the CEO’s. ‘’They even alleged that some of the CEO’s were involved in employment racketering and were squandering capital and over head votes on self serving scheme. They even gave an example of a parastatal in Lagos whose CEO padded his capital budget. They said he included organizing a workshop for kannywood filmmakers in his 2016 budget and was funded. Meanwhile they have no business with film. The agency is just a monument’’ the source said.

There are about 11 parastatals in the culture and film arm of the Ministry of Information and Culture. The parastatals are the National Council for Arts and Culture, National Theatre, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, National Gallery of Arts, National Troupe of Nigeria, National Museums and Monuments and National Institute for Hotel and Tourism Services. Others are the Nigerian Film Corporation, Nigerian Tourism Corporation, National Film and Video Censors Board and the National Institute of Cultural Orientation.

It will be recalled that President Buhari earlier in the year approved the sack of CEO’s of the parastatals in the information arm of the Ministry of Information and Culture. Those affected in the sack include Sola Omole of the NTA, Emeka Mba of the NBC and Ladan Salihu of the FRCN.

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Shuaibu: Obaseki duped me of $300,000 in guise of lobbying PDP leaders for ticket

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Philip Shuaibu, a former deputy governor of Edo State, has alleged that ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki defrauded him of $300,000.

In a recent interview with The Sun, Shuaibu claimed that Obaseki took the money under the pretense of lobbying party leaders ahead of their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“When the issue of moving to PDP arose and the debate was about what the party would gain, I told him to go ahead, even if it meant sacrificing the deputy governor slot,” Shuaibu stated.

He further revealed: “I contributed $300,000. He told me he was adding it to $700,000 to lobby leaders in Port Harcourt, but we later found out from the zonal PDP Chairman that no such money was given.”

Expressing frustration, Shuaibu added, “He duped me. It took me seven months to repay the money in installments. I had to raise the alarm because I was repaying a debt for money that was never used. Till today, he hasn’t returned it.”

He named key PDP figures, including Chief Dan Orbih and Ogbeide-Ihama, as witnesses to the situation.

Obaseki and Shuaibu were once political allies but have been embroiled in a prolonged political battle.

Their fallout began after the 2020 Edo State gubernatorial election when tensions over succession planning emerged. Shuaibu, who had been loyal to Obaseki, reportedly sought to succeed him in 2024, but Obaseki resisted the move. This led to public clashes, allegations, and Shuaibu’s impeachment in 2024.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the court later reinstated Shuaibu, declaring his removal unconstitutional. The ruling intensified the political crisis in Edo State, further widening the rift between the two former allies.

Despite Obaseki’s efforts to maintain political control, his anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, lost the Edo State governorship election to Monday Okpeboloh, the candidate of PDP.

The defeat marked a major political setback for Obaseki, further weakening his influence in the state’s political landscape.

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Former Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate Jandor Set To Join APC

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Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, a former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is reportedly set to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) today (Monday).

According to The Nation, Jandor has finalised plans to defect to the APC just two weeks after resigning from the PDP.

Reports indicate that the former Lagos PDP chieftain will formally announce his defection at a scheduled press conference at his campaign office in Ikeja.

 

Jandor had recently held consultations with President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other political figures following his resignation from the PDP.

 

His spokesperson, Gbenga Ogunleye, confirmed in a statement last Thursday that the meeting with the President took place on Monday.

 

The statement read, “I can confirm that Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran Jandor met with President Bola Tinubu on Monday (last week).

 

“He has earlier met with Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the SDP in the 2023 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, among other prominent national leaders. It is part of his ongoing consultation after his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.

 

“The National Secretary of the PDP and other leaders of the party also visited him recently to appeal for the reconsideration of his resignation from the PDP.

 

“Dr Adediran will meet with his political associates and critical stakeholders in Lagos over the weekend and address the media by Monday, 17th March 2025.”

 

Adediran was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election. He emerged as the party’s candidate after defeating other aspirants in the primaries.

 

Jandor, a former APC member and founder of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, had presented himself as a fresh alternative to the long-standing APC government in Lagos.

 

To bolster his chances and appeal to a broader electorate, he chose popular Nollywood actress and producer Funke Akindele as his running mate.

 

Akindele’s selection was strategic, aiming to leverage her massive influence in the entertainment industry and among Lagos’s youth and urban voters. However, their campaign faced significant challenges, including internal party conflicts.

 

Despite their efforts to present a strong opposition, the Jandor-Akindele ticket was unsuccessful in unseating the APC government. They finished behind both the incumbent governor, Sanwo-Olu, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.

 

In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the March 18 Lagos governorship election.

 

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Just In: Lagos court orders Oba Otudeko to appear for ‘N30bn fraud’ trial

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The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered Oba Otudeko to take a plea in the charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The order was given by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on Monday.

Recall that EFCC had filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others over an alleged N30 billion loan fraud.

At the hearing of the matter, the judge said Otudeko must take his plea before an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction on the case can be decided.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to May 8.

Details later…

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