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Gunmen Burn Down INEC Office In Rivers

Published

2 years ago

April 27, 2018

As the June 16 local government election in Rivers State approaches, gunmen on Friday burnt down the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISEC) in Bori, the headquarters of Khana local government area.

The gunmen left on their trail expended bullets and destruction of many vital and sensitive documents slated for the conduct of the local government election.

Bori, which is also the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni ethnic nationality has a record of electoral violence. In 2015, the liasion office of Senator Magnus Abe and the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were set ablaze by arsonists.

The Director of Public Affairs and Civil Education, Mrs. Menney-Amgbare Sarah Hope, confirmed that some sensitive documents meant for the conduct of the election were burnt.

She disclosed further that some expended bullets were recovered at the scene of the incident. No live was lost.

Ahead of the election, there have been accusations and counter accusations by aspirants into various councillorship positions under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that some persons have been imposed on the party as favoured candidates for election against rules of the party.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State is boycotting the election because of a case it instituted against the government over the sacking of council chairmen and councillors elected under the APC government.

They argued that the planned election is subjudice to the court case.

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ADEDEJI DOHERTY EMERGES CHAIRMAN LAGOS PDP

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2019

prestigeNewsEditor

Doherty

Engineer Adedeji Doherty has emerged as Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He emerged through delegate election held Wednesday in Lagos.

The amiable politician scored 27 votes to defeat his close rival, Mrs. Omotanwa Olusi who scored 21 votes.
Doherty in his speech said as State Chairman of the party he would move the party forward by strengthening love in Local Governments Areas and 4,760 polling units.
He added that he would ensure the party wins 2023 elections in Lagos State. Doherty also promised to reconcile aggrieved members in the party.

Doherty is a successful Nigerian Industrialist, Entrepreneur and politician. He is the founder and Chairman of Dohagro Allied International (DAIN) Ltd., an industrial conglomerate headquartered in Lagos.

The PDP chieftain started his business acumen at Cargill Nigeria Ltd. Cargill was the largest grain merchants in the world, he worked there in the capacity of regional head in charge of logistics, transportation, warehousing and exportation of cocoa, maize and other grain products. In 1990, he bowed out of employment of Cargill Nigeria Ltd after a service of five years to start his own business, Dohagro Allied International Nigeria Ltd. ( DAIN) and Dain Events Ltd which was incorporated in 1986

1986, Engr. Doherty founded Dohagro Allied International Nigeria Ltd. As an Agricultural Engineer, he aided the grain farmers along the food basket of the South-West Region of Nigeria with Shellers and Dryers to process their grain for market. It was during this venture that he was invited by the Directorate of Food and Rural Infrastructure (DFRI) to join in the establishment of a Nigerian arm of the Multi-national Agricultural Commodity business, Cargill. The mission was to establish a grain procurement system in which semi-processed commodities would be exported to processing plants globally for further processing.

In lieu of his established relationship with the grain-farmers, he was given the position of the Commodity Procurement Manager of the Southern, Eastern and Northern regions of Nigeria within the firm. This position provided him with exposure to the Agricultural Industry in various parts of the North(Saminaka, Jos, Biu, Fontwa, Zaria), South-West(Oyo, Fiditi, Awe, Iwo, Ogbomosho) and East( Abakaliki, Inewi, Aba, Port Harcourt and Calabar) in which he was opportune to short term residency in these areas, thus building a quintessential understanding of the Nigerian Agricultural Industry.

As a kind hearted philanthropist, Engr. Doherty has over the years rendered adequate care and various assistance to the needy and less than privileged including several Non Governmental Organizations and associations which today have also earned him so many awards. Majority of his donations have centered around health-care, education and socio-economic necessities. He was bestowed awards by the Children’s Down Syndrome Association of Nigeria for his efforts and the EDUMARK Recognition award for his aid in providing affordable education for the youth in Lagos State.

Engr. Doherty learnt a great deal about the political history of Nigeria through close association with his late uncle, Barrister Doherty, a close political associate of Obafemi Awolowo and Chief S.L Akintola. The Doherty pedigree radiates his personality, qualities and abilities at different times. In 1999, he entered the political center stage by joining the People’s Democratic Party.

In 2003, he contested for Governor of Lagos state on the PDP Platform. In 2007, he lost at the primaries level to Musiliu Obanikoro. In 2012 he contested for the position of Chairman of Lagos State PDP. He was appointed Secretary of PDP South-West Zone but was eventually given the position as Organizing Secretary. In 2013, the Executive Council headed by Ishola Filani and Former Ekiti State Governor, Segun Oni, was dissolved. Ishola Filani resigned his position to contest in a zonal congress. Engr. Doherty being the highest-ranking officer in the council was installed as the Acting National Vice- Chairman until Filani was returned by court in May 2014. In 2015, Doherty was also actively involved in governorship race.

AWARDS

Majority of Engr. Doherty’s awards were consequences of his business achievements and socio-economic involvement especially in the State of Lagos. A few worthy of mention are:

Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria Award 1999
INRI Widows Foundation for Excellence
Brazilian Campos Caretta Carnival Award
Ikeja City Award Outstanding Male Politician of the Year 2006
ECOWAS International Gold Award 1998
ECOWAS Captain of Industry Award 1998
ECOWAS Young Businessman of the Year Award 1998
City People Award For Excellence
International Entrepreneur Excellence Award
Politician of the Year 2006
EDUMARK Recognition Award

Engr. Adedeji Doherty was born into the famous Doherty Dynasty in Lagos with the family settlement at popo Aguda Area of Lagos, on 9 March 1962 to Dr. and Mrs. J.A. Doherty. He started his education at Mary Hill Covenant School, Ibadan. Thereafter he preceded to Loyal College, Ibadan for his secondary education. He finally completed his secondary education at C.M.S Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos. He was admitted into the prestigious Central State University Xenia, Ohio, USA. He graduated with an associated degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelors Degree in Industrial Technology.

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Call NEC meeting now or resign, APC Governors tell Oshiomhole

Published

14 hours ago

November 13, 2019

prestigeNewsEditor

Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to call for National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to resolve the party’s challenges now or resign.

In a statement signed by the Director-General, APC Governors’ Forum, Mr Salihu Lukman in Abuja on Wednesday, the forum said that Oshiomhole should either respect the provision of the party constitution and convene a meeting to deliberate on the party’s challenges.

“Somehow, unfortunately, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, which is the organ vested with the statutory responsibility of responding to all these challenges appear to be suspended.

“The last time it met was August 2018. In its place, the National Working Committee (NWC), which is an administrative organ with the responsibility of implementing decisions of NEC and other higher organs seems to have usurped the powers of NEC.

“Sadly, even the NWC, as at today, is a shadow of itself, as it has lost many members either on accounts of appointment into government or controversial suspension.

“For instance, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Deputy National Chairman (South) is today a Minister of the Federal Republic.

“Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy National Chairman (North) is allegedly suspended. Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, National Vice Chairman (North West) is similarly suspended,” he said.

Lukman recalled that in June 2019, the NWC allegedly suspended Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo.

He added that during the 2019 general elections, on accounts of the roles of former governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun against the candidates of the party, they were similarly suspended.

According to him, whether all these actions are permissible by provisions of the APC’s constitution is highly contestable.

“Why should all these be allowed to happen? Why is it impossible to convene a NEC or even National Caucus meetings, which are supposed to hold every quarter to resolve all these issues?

“Why should the NWC in Oshiomhole’s leadership continue to imagine that it can conduct affairs of the party without mandatory meetings of party organs?

“What legacy is Oshiomhole hoping to achieve as a national chairman by running the party in a way that suggests almost zero commitment to issues of party development?

“Our national leaders must rise to the challenge facing us as a party and take all necessary measures to convene superior organ meetings to begin to resolve all our challenges as a party,” he said.

features

THE BRAVE, BOLD AND BEAUTY BEHIND YABA NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, THE ELEGANT DR. OLUWAYEMI CECILIA OGUN, A RARE GIFT TO NIGERIA

Published

19 hours ago

November 13, 2019

prestigeNewsEditor

She is the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, Lagos State. Dr. Oluwayemi Cecilia Ogun is indeed a brave, bold and beautiful woman who sacrificed her convenience to ensure that the mental health of Nigerians are stable and are in normal situation. After her secondary level of education, Dr. Yemi Ogun attended the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos where she graduated as a Medical Doctor with MBBS in the year 1986. She later obtained a degree in Public Health (Epidemiology) from the same University.

Venturing into the medical professional world, Dr. Ogun worked in various private and public hospitals in Lagos State before starting her Residency Specialist Training at Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, Lagos State. She is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians which she bagged in 1997 before being appointed as a Consultant in the Hospital in 1998.

She has worked as the Head of Training and Research at the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, she also worked as the Head of Clinical Services where she served from the 1st of March, 2010 to the 20th of March, 2014 before she became the Acting Medical Director of the Hospital for nine months. Her extreme and selfless service to the mental health needs of Nigerians encouraged the Federal Government to confirm her as the Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba on the 1st of June, 2017.

Under her watch and as the head honcho of the biggest neuro-psychaitrist hospital in the country, Dr. Yemi Ogun has recorded gigantic feats which include the recent 50 percent increase in the number of patients treated for drug and substance abuse this year, recording a 22 percent increase in the number of new patients with various forms of mental disorders, rising from 3,591 in 2017 to 4, 376 in 2018. It was also recorded that patients with drug and substance abuse related cases seen in the hospital rose from 157 in 2017 to 235 in the current year. Lamenting that the issue of drug abuse has reached epidemic level, she said the hospital has concluded arrangement to open its Oshodi Annex to ensure that as many Nigerians with such cases receive needed medical attention. Also, on the 30th of October, 2019 the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba held a programme tagged Book of Abstracts with the theme Emerging Trends and Innovations in the Management of Psychiatric Disorders: Challenges and Prospects in a developing Country. The event was ell attended by notable medical practitioners some of whom spoke on various topic like Psychological Correlates of Anxiety, depression and quality of Life amongst women with infertility, practice conformity with guidelines in a psychiatric hospital, toxicity and sedative effect of ethanolic leaf, psychological sequale of marijuana intoxication and many others. For the past 10 years, she has been a Trainer and Examiner for the West Africa College of Physicians. She became the pioneer Psychiatrist of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Centre of the Hospital in May 1999. She has attended many local and international trainings and workshops, some of which are leadership trainings, observership programme for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and educational capacity building programme (Doctors as Educators). She has also been involved in community outreach programmes by which she has raised awareness of the community members on mental health issues. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Centre (CAMHSC) is the first multi-disciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre in Nigeria and has become a reference point in the country. She has published scientific papers in both local and international journals. Dr. Ogun also belongs to some reputable professional associations which includes, Fellow, West African College of Physicians, Chairperson – Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and Allied Professional in Nigeria (ACAPAN) – An affiliate of International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and Allied Professional (IACAPAP), Member, Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, Member, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM), Honorary Member – American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists.. The vast of experiences acquired and the hard work as well as dedication to duty exhibited within and outside the hospital made her a clinician per excellence. Dr. Mrs. Oluyemi Ogun is happily married with three children who are all successful. There is no doubting the fact that this virtuous, hard working and prudent woman of value is worth celebrating