Wike Is Not Intimidated By ASUP's Planned ‘Massive Protests’

The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, has reacted to the 'massive protests' planned by striking polytechnic lecturers for the next week, tagged them as 'mere propaganda'.

He also added that such an action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to draw Federal Government's attention to the lingering strike would not be in the interest of Poly students.

According to the position of the FG, over 90% of the demands of the polytechnic lecturers have been met. The only outstanding issue is that of salary arrears. ASUP can't accept the payment in two instalments.

However, ASUP leader, Chibuzor Asomugha, described Wike's claim that about 90% of the lecturers' demands had been met as a "deliberate denial of reality" and mixing up of facts.

National Confab: There Will Be Consensus On Key Issues — Osoba

Former Governor of Ogun State and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Segun Osoba, yesterday, said the north was afraid of devolution of power from the centre due to alleged fears that they would be short-changed in the scheme of things.

He however, assured that there was no need for any section of the country to be afraid of devolution of powers, since the present system of government in the country had failed, indicating ''that an alternative system is required to harness the full potentials of the country and deliver better and quality standard of living to the people.''

Osoba said that devolution of power from the centre was the only way to get the country back on the track of progress and development. The former governor spoke during the N850 million fund-raising dinner for the Building of Editor's Plaza held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja yesterday. The Federal Government donated N50 million towards the project.

This was even as President Goodluck Jonathan described the Nigerian press as one of the freest in the world. According to him, ''such fear does not arise since the present system of government being practised in the country had failed the people of Nigeria.'' He also said that there will be consensus on some key issues at the ongoing national conference contrary to popular belief, that such feat would not be achieved.

Osoba, who was giving highlights of the proceedings at the conference said, ''though, some groups from the North are afraid of regionalism, permutations and body movements among the delegates show that they may no longer need 75 per cent votes to agree on some key issues like devolution of power from the centre and the system of government.''

He assured those opposed to regionalism and devolution of power that the National Conference would ensure ''that the present indices for revenue sharing is sustained, so that nobody would feel short-changed.'' His words, "About 75 per cent of us in that conference know ourselves, and we are sure that there will not be the need for 75 per cent consensus to arrive at certain key decisions. I know virtually everybody in that conference, so do many others.

''We have done our home work. I tell you, there will be partly consensus for some key issues on devolution and some other key issues because most of us believe there must be devolution of power. Most of us have been in government before and what we ask is, why should somebody sit in Abuja and determine how primary education in Yobe, Yenogoa and, in Benin will be run and which teacher should teach the local language? ''For us, that is an impossibility because primary school education has nothing to do with the Federal Government; primary education is cultural.

186 Hoodlums Including Woman And Children Arrested In Lagos

186 suspected hoodlums were arrested by officials of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit at Oshodi area of Lagos State, western Nigeria, on a Friday morning.

Suspected hoodlums arrested at Oshodi early today

Among the arrested were 33 underage children and a mother with her 5 children.

The children, according to the taskforce, would be taken to the Lagos State Correctional Centre for rehabilitation.

Fully equipped the taskforce officials in a police van raided the area between 12:30 a.m. and 1.30 a.m.

Initially they arrested 206 suspected hoodlums but after screening, 20 people were set free.

Taskforce Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, Chief Superintendent of Police, said the new suspected hoodlums apprehended were different from those arrested last week.

After last week successful operation on detention officails decided to do a follow-up as the exercise is continuous.

I Never Dated Gov Suswam— Imelda J

Benue State-born music damsel, Imelda Ada Okwori, whose stage name is Imelda J has got some aes up her sleeve and she is dealing them out just as nice to the delight of her growing fans, who can't seem to get enough of her pop style.

Based in Lagos, she has been in the industry for the past six years, making good music but just as her good music has won for her many fans, so are controversies which continue to trail her wherever she goes Recently, our reporter caught up with her and it was a ding-dong session, particularly over a rumour making the rounds about the diva and another music star, Jaywon, and her relationship with the Governor of her State.

Excerpts: Let's start with the rumour making the rounds that you are in a sizzling romance with Jaywon. Is it true?