Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has expressed great sympathy for the victims of a gas explosion at the Ita-Oshin area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

According to reports, there was a fire incident at about 5pm caused by a lone accident of a gas truck with the inscription Gasco Marine Bar 250 at Ita Oshin junction a few metres from the roundabout.

The truck, moving inward Abeokuta, lost control and ran into the road pavement before it eventually stopped.

The driver fled the scene while the truck boy lost his life. His mutilated remains have been deposited at the General Hospital, Ijaiye.

It was gathered that four parked vehicles were burnt to ashes. The inferno also affected five shops, with one completely burnt.

Four trucks from the Federal and the Ogun State Fire Services were on the ground to put out the inferno.

Governor Abiodun, in a statement on Saturday night, regretted the loss of life in the inferno and the attendant destruction of properties.

He, however, called for calm, assuring that everything was being done to put the situation under control.

He said: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic gas explosion that occurred in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday, which led to the loss of an innocent life and destruction of properties. This is a devastating incident that has brought pain and anguish to many families.

“On behalf of the government and people of Ogun State, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of the lone victim of this tragic incident. My prayers are with them during this difficult time.

“I also wish to express my sympathy to those who suffered damage to their businesses.”

The governor praised the quick intervention of relevant agencies of government and first responders, which brought the situation under control.

Governor Abiodun noted that relevant authorities have been mandated to ascertain the cause of the explosion and ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to prevent a recurrenc

Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has vowed that any attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, would be vigorously resisted.This is coming as a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Chuka Odom, has resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Also, more members of the PDP have tendered their letters of resignation from the party, since last week’s resignation of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha from the party.

Senator Wabara who was responding to the reported mass resignation of some key PDP members in the South-east geo-political zone, accused the APC of using some elements in the PDP to disintegrate the party.Recall that the former Governor of Imo State, Ihedioha, on Tuesday, resigned his membership of the PDP, citing the lingering controversy over the position of the PDP National Secretary.

Barely 24 hours after the former governor’s exit, key members and officials of the party in Imo State also tendered their resignation letters.

Some of the National officers from Imo State who had allegedly resigned from the PDP included: BoT member, Chief Chris Okewulonu; four zonal officers – Mr Stanley Ekezie, ex-officio Zonal Officer; Chief Austin Okeke, Zonal Publicity Secretary; Chief Emeka Nwokeke, Zonal Organising Secretary and Zonal Woman Leader, Mrs Ruth Nkwocha.

Others were three state officers and a local government Chairman of the party in Imo, namely: Mr. Kissinger Ikokwu, State Legal Adviser; Mazi Emenike Nmeregini, State Publicity Secretary; Chief David Abanihi, State Assistant Treasurer and Hon Sambazz Iheaturueme, Obowo LGA Chairman.Former members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Obinna Onwubuariri; Mr Chibuzor Agulana, Prof. Obioma Iheduru, Mrs. Amarachi Owuamanam , were also said to be among those who had dumped the main opposition party.

Reacting to the development, Wabara said that the PDP BoT would swiftly wade in to halt further exit of other members.Wabara said that the BoT as the conscience of the party, would not allow self-seeking individuals to be used by the ruling party to destabilise the PDP.He said: “The BoT will wade in expeditiously to save the deliberate and planned extinction of this great party, the Peoples Democratic Party.“The BoT with the array of distinguished men and women of invaluable experience and integrity will surely salvage the party. The BoT did it once and shall do it again no matter whose ox is gored.

“The BoT will never allow the APC to use some characters in the PDP to turn this beautiful and sweet Nation (Nigeria) into a one-party state,” Wabara added.
Meanwhile, a former Minister of State for the FCT, Odom, who was a gubernatorial aspirant in Abia State in 2015 on the PDP platform, has also resigned from the party.

Before his resignation, Odom held various political positions, including Commissioner for Special Duties in Abia State (2003-2007), Federal Minister of State for Environment, Housing, and Urban Development (2007-2009), and Minister of State for FCT (2009-2010).

In a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Odom stated that his resignation was prompted by two considerations.

According to him, the PDP is no longer capable of providing a credible and robust opposition to the ruling party, which he considers essential for the survival of democracy in Nigeria.He also indicated his desire to take a break from partisan politics to pursue other interests.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Leadership and Citizenship, Ms Rinsola Abiola, has urged schools to set up mechanisms to address incidents of bullying and other related negative attitudes in schools.

Ms Abiola stated this following the recent incident of bullying recorded in a school in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), when she spoke at a Behavioural Pattern Initiative seminar organised by the Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Pattern Initiative (APBPI) in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Secondary Education Board.

The seminar, which was held at the Government Secondary School Gwarinpa, Life Camp, Abuja, had in attendance hundreds of students and representatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The presidential adviser said bullying is not a generally positive development and should be discouraged and condemned.

“It is very important that schools set up mechanisms to properly address these issues before they become a public matter where Nigerians will start weighing in directly.

“As Nigerians and parents, when it comes to young people, we have to be very sensitive and mindful in how we approach those issues,” she said.

Abiola further stated that the incident is a wake-up call for the management of schools across the country to be mindful of what transpires between children and students and see that there is prompt intervention when it comes to young people displaying negative behaviours.

Commenting on drug abuse, she noted that it is a scourge bedevilling the youth population, and recent studies showed that young people from 25 years to 39 years are very severely impacted by drug use.

“We are starting to see high incidents of drug use among young people between 16 and 24. It is very important that we make young people understand that whatever benefit they think they derive from drug abuse is very short-lived and that there are serious health consequences attached to abusing drugs.

“The price of drug abuse is very high; it is something you pay with your entire life, with your well-being and body, and we have to deter our young people from drug abuse as much as possible,” she added.

Mann Bamidele, Chairman and Director, Campaign Team, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Pattern Initiative, said they took their campaign to schools and found out that students of the Government Secondary School Gwarinpa, Lifecamp, have this lackadaisical attitude towards their academics, and this is borne out of their behavioural pattern.

“We took this campaign to this school because we did our findings and we found out that in some of these schools, the students over here have this lackadaisical attitude towards their academics, and this is borne out of their behavioural pattern.

“And we found out that over the years, from the statistics that we have with us, there has been some form of violence among the students, especially when it is towards the end of the term. You see them engaging in one form of fighting or another.

“So, we brought this advocacy campaign here in order to tell them why they need to stop the violence and change it into cooperation so that, with togetherness, they can get to higher ground in life.

The Principal of Government Secondary School Gwarinpa, Lifecamp, Mrs. Akerele Irene, who was represented by the Vice Principal Administration, Bilikisu Ibrahim, said that in society today, especially among the younger generation, it is imperative to foster behavioural patterns in order to safeguard children.