The minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musawa has denied issuing statement on her NYSC status as a serving Minister, which is circulating in the media.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the minister said she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and asked the public to be cautious of unverified information.

She expressed appreciation to the support, solidarity, and understanding of Nigerians in these times, and insisted that she had not issued any statement on the issue.

The statement reads in parts: “The attention of Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Hon. Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, has been drawn to a recently circulating piece titled:

“MY PERSONAL STATEMENT ON MY NYSC STATUS AS A SERVING MINISTER. The piece is inaccurately associated with her in relation to the current NYSC discussion.

“The Hon. Minister clarifies that she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and kindly asks the public to be cautious of unverified information.

“I deeply value and appreciate the support, solidarity, and understanding of Nigerians in these times. For clarity, I wish to state that I have not issued any statement on the current issue.”

Politicians, leaders, aides and other watchers of political activities in Edo State, watch with uncertainty as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu resumes today, after a one-month leave. The decision of the deputy governor to institute a suit against his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the state House of Assembly, and others to stop a purported impeachment plan had generated controversy in the state in the past three weeks.

The governor and several political groups and leaders have condemned the move with the governor likening it to his deputy planning a coup. Political watchers have waited for today to come and Shaibu’s Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, yesterday, confirmed to Vanguard that his boss would resume today.

Shaibu had earlier in the day attended the thanksgiving service to celebrate 60 years of the referendum that led to the creation of Midwest Region, which later became Midwest State, Bendel State and now Edo and Delta states.

However, a source close to the governor said Obaseki was still in shock over the action of his deputy despite efforts by some political leaders to resolve it and may create a new office outside the Government House, where he is expected to attend to official matters.

It is, however, not clear if the governor would also hold exco meetings in the new office, which is about 1,500 metres from the rarely used emergency gate of the Government House.

The governor would today host his Delta State counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other stakeholders from Delta and Edo states at a colloquium to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the govermor, Andrew Okungbowa, said the colloquium being organised by the state government was among other activities lined up to celebrate the diamond anniversary of the referendum, bringing together leaders from the two states among other stakeholders to chart a path forward.

Nigerian Governors were treated to a dinner by the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, in Kigali on Saturday. The Governors were in that country for a three-day Executive Leadership Retreat sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

The theme of the retreat was, “Leadership in Shaping the Future of Pan-Africanism and Integration in a Changing World.” A press statement by the Zamfara Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, noted that President Paul Kagame participated in the closing session of the programme.

The statement said, “During the retreat, the governors were engaged in sessions that explored Rwanda’s successful investment destination transformation in digital technology, urban planning, and socio-economic transformation, capping off with a candid private dialogue with President Kagame.

“To honour the visiting Governors from Nigeria, His Excellency, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame hosted them to a closing dinner. “The dinner served as an avenue to strengthen relationships and collaborations between the government of Rwanda and Nigerian Government at the subnational level.”

The Humanity Services Project, HSP, yesterday, urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to reconsider and approve the names of the commissioner-nominees forwarded to them by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Those rejected include Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Mr Yomi Oluyomi, Mrs Folashade Ambrose, Ms Barakat Bakare, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, Engr. Olalere Odusote, Dr Rotimi Fashola, Mrs Bolaji Dada, Mr Sam Egube, Mr Olalekan Fatodu, Mrs Solape Hammond, Mr Mosopefolu George, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, Mr Seun Osiyemi, Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, Dr Olumide Oluyinka.

The HSP, in its reaction, expressed worries that the majority of those dropped are good hands that assisted the governor to perform in his first term in office, adding that they must have been tested and trusted.

Convener of the organization, Mr Linus Okoroji, in a statement, said the governor is “in the best position to know who has satisfied him in his first term among those he wants to return.”

He, however, warned that any attempt to force the governor to change his mind would amount to “arm-twisting that may not augur well for the polity.”

Okoroji also urged the governor to represent the names to the Assembly in the interest of the state.

He said: “We want to remind the House of the importance of the better second term the governor has promised. All hands are supposed to be on deck for him to achieve his promise as a man who always walks his talk. We appeal to the lawmakers to strive hard to ensure that the executive/legislative synergy is sustained and strengthened for the good of the people.

“We, therefore, warn that, if the needful is not done to the satisfaction of the group and the generality of the good people of the state, a huge peaceful protest could not then be ruled out because we would not fold our arms and allow anybody to play politics with the fate of the people.”

The Lagos State Government, yesterday, directed law enforcement agencies to apprehend motorists with defective vehicle registration number plates and those without any number fixed on their vehicles. In a chat with newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Abdulhafiz Toriola, noted that the wrongful use of number plates has become rampant.

Toriola, who cited Section 16 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, stated that a vehicle without a number can be used to commit crimes that may never be tracked. He said: “The purpose of using number plate is for proper identification and security as it is personalized for each vehicle.

“The law enforcement agencies have been mandated to apprehend defaulters. I urge vehicle owners to comply with the State Government to strengthen the security architecture already put in place.”