Strike: Education minister, ASUU in secret meeting

Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday met with the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Abuja.

It could not be ascertained if the meeting which lasted barely one hour produced desirable results.

The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge and the minister refused to speak with journalists after the meeting.

Fagge did not respond to questions on the outcome of the meeting and the  next line of action of the union.

He simply told one of our correspondents that, “I am not in a position to talk.”

At the meeting were the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie; the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole and a few national officers of the union.

Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo on Tuesday met briefly with stakeholders in the nation’s education sector.

Eaglets beat Iran, set up Uruguay clash

The Golden Eaglets on Tuesday advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup after they trashed Iran 4-1 at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates.

Nigeria will engage Uruguay, who defeated Slovakia 4-2  in another Round of 16 fixture in Ras Al-Khaimah  earlier in the day,  in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

The Eaglets  began on a lively mood and Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali should have scored in the early minutes.

Iran got into the game gradually but it was the Eaglets who got the lead in the 23rd minute when left-back Samuel Okon tapped in a low ball from Musa Yahaya past the outstretched hands of  Iran goalkeeper Mahdi Amini  to send the Nigerian supporters into rapturous celebrations.

Just two minutes later, Iheanacho got his fifth goal of the tournament. The impressive forward started the move off a counter-attack in the Nigerian half, sending a long ball to Taiwo Awoniyi, who controlled before passing to the onrushing Iheanacho to finish beautifully from the edge of the box.

Meeting with Jonathan ’ll decide our next move – Rebel govs

Chairman Northern States Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has said the outcome of discussions between aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors and President Goodluck Jonathan; hold the key to the group’s next move.

Aliyu, who is also the Governor of Niger State, said this while hosting leaders of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, in his office in Minna, on Tuesday.

The governor also used the occasion to debunk media reports that he had pulled out of the group of seven aggrieved PDP governors.

He described the media report as the handiwork of his detractors who would stop at nothing to break the ranks of the rebel governors.

He said the report which claimed that he had withdrawn from the group because he did not attend the last meeting was an act of mischief.

Aliyu said, “This is not the time for anyone to pull out of the party when out of respect for the office of the President, and the President himself, we are discussing.

“There is no way you can wake up and say you are pulling out when you are already negotiating. You cannot pull out at this moment. The time for decision to be taken will be when we have concluded discussion with the President.”

He explained that he was shocked to read in the papers that he had pulled out of the group in which he remains a leading figure.

PUNCH

Jonathan places Oduah on ‘tactical suspension’

President Goodluck Jonathan may have placed the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, on  “tactical suspension,” findings by The PUNCH have revealed.

A reliable Presidency source   said Jonathan decided on the  “tactical suspension,” hours before the signing of the Bilateral Air Service  Agreement between Nigeria and Israel on Monday.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mr. George Ossi,  had on October 24 told the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation that Oduah   led a Nigerian delegation to Israel to sign the BASA.

The House committee  is probing the  purchase of  two  bulletproof cars  at  a whopping N255m  price by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the minister.

Our source explained that  it was the ‘tactical suspension’ that made Jonathan to direct the Minister of  State (1) for Foreign Affairs , Prof. Viola Onwuliri, to sign the  agreement instead of  Oduah.

PDP ex-chair, Ahmadu Ali, others get board appointments

Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, on Monday commissioned 12 governing councils of parastatals and institutions, as well as two committees on Need Assessment for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

Chairing the Board of the National Universities Commission is a former Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, while Mrs. Yejide Ogundipe chairs the National Board of Technical Education.

Others appointed as chairmen are Prof. Greg Iwu, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria; Chief Emmanuel Edohoeket, Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry; Dr. Tosin Awolalu, National Institute for Nigerian Language, Abia State; and Col. Theophilus Bamigboye (retd.), Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State.

Another plane crash averted in Abuja

Another air disaster was averted at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja on Monday as a Med-View Airlines aircraft from Lagos suddenly took to the air again at the point of landing in Abuja.

The pilot told the passengers that he took to the air again to avoid a collision with another aircraft on the tarmac.

The airline Flight VL2104 took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at noon and was scheduled to land in Abuja at about 1.05pm.

The pilot had already announced final descent into Abuja and asked all passengers and cabin crew to fasten their seat belts but the pilot suddenly took off to the air again with barely 30 seconds to touch ground.

The plane had 150 passengers on board. A correspondent of The PUNCH was one of the passengers.

After about three minutes of gaining altitude, the pilot announced that he decided to take off again to avoid colliding with an aircraft that was on ground.

Our grouse with Jonathan – Rebel govs

The seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party  on Monday opened up on the cause of their dispute with President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP.

They said the President had refused to act on the issues they raised during their meetings with him and some leaders of the party on how to restore the crisis rocking the party.

They added that the President had refused to act on issues discussed with the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led Elders Committee and the reports presented to him.

Rather than act, they said President Jonathan and his supporters bluntly turned down the report.

The governors stated this in the communique issued after the meeting, which they held in Abuja on Sunday night.

The communique was signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the New PDP, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze.