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Ex-Ondo PDP chair Alabi rejects Mimiko’s appointment A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)in Ondo State,Mr Ebenezer Alabi has rejected his recent appointment as one of the Senior Special Assistants(SSA)to Governor Olusegun Mimiko. He stated this in a letter he sent to the governor. In the letter dated October 7, 2015, the former Chairman of Ifedore Local Government Council appreciated Mimiko for counting him worthy of the appointment which he said he could not accept due to some personal exigencies. Part of the letter reads: “Regrettably sir, I will not be able to take up the appointment as I have set in motion business plans that now demand my attention. Pending the time the set-up stage will be scaled and surmounted, my presence must be sufficient in the day-to-day running of the business. For the above reason, I humbly plead you allow me turn down the offer. “I am also working on my professional practice which will commence soon. In few months time, the office will be opened for business, which means in a few months to come, I shall have two businesses that will be competing simultaneously for my attention. “Your Excellency,let me assure you of my loyalty and that I shall continue to do my best for the PDP as one of its leaders in the state,thanking you for the honour and sincerely look forward to working with you sometimes very soon.” A PDP chieftain in the state, Mr. Biyi Poroye has applauded Alabi for taking such decision which he said would save his political career and benefit him in the future Poroye berated the governor for not taking good care of old PDP members in the state in the appointments. He said the appointment of Alabi as SSA to the governor was an embarrassment as it betrayed the agreement the governor had with the old PDP during his defection to the party in Abuja last year. According to him, Alabi as a symbol of the party, deserves a better appointment to make up for the sacrifice he made during Mimiko’s struggle to take over the leadership of the party after his defection. He said: “I want to applaud Alabi for taking such decision and courage to turn down the offer. The appointment was a complete embarrassment. It betrayed the agreement we had with the governor during his struggle to take over the leadership of the party in the state. It also contracted the agreement he made with us during his defection to the party in Abuja last year. Alabi as a symbol of the party, deserves a better appointment under Mimiko’s government. I will advise the governor to address this injustice in order to save him and the party from further embarrassment.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/ex-ondo-pdp-chair-alabi-rejects-mimikos-appointment/

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Shehu Sani asked me to give four Judges N1m each, witness tells court Alhaji Sani Dauda, a prosecution witness, told a Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday, that Sen. Shehu Sani asked him to give N1 million each to four judges to ”help” his case. The former senator is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on bribery and advanced fee fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC). When the matter was called, the judge ordered that it should be stood down for 15 minutes to allow the court get an interpreter for two witnesses the prosecution had in court. While being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel Mr. Abba Mohammed, Alhaji Sani Dauda, through the interpreter, told the court that he was arrested by the police with his entire family and released on Dec. 15, 2019. According to Dauda, after my release Sani visited to sympathise with me after which he called me that he wanted to see me. When we met at my house in Maitama, he told me that I needed to give money to some judges to help my case. “He told me that he spoke to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) on my case. ”He told me to speak to the CJN but I told him I will also like to see the CJN but he said that the CJN will not want people visiting his house since security operatives including the Department of State Services, (DSS) is watching who goes in an out. “He then made a call and I spoke to the person on the phone and the person told me that Sani spoke to him about my case and he has spoken to four judges that when my matter comes to them, they should inform him. “Sani said that there are four judges that we should give N1 million each but I told him that I was already in this predicament and can’t give out money. “He also told me that he was told that Abubakar also had a case at the EFCC and the prosecutor was asking for N1 million, a total of N5 million and I told him I didn’t have money today and he should come back the next day.” “I then called a Bureau De Change Operator, Abubakar to bring the money to me.” While the witness was trying to explain how he raised the money, converting dollars to naira, the judge said that he was not satisfied with the interpreter. The interpreter said at some point that he didn’t know how to interpret what the witness had said just as he had a hard interpreting the figure the witness was calling. The judge adjourned the matter until July 7 and ordered that another interpreter be provided. Earlier, Mr Bala Ismael, another prosecution witness and an employee of Dauda had told the court that the former senator visited his boss five times before the COVID-19 lockdown. He, however, said that he was not privy to their discussion and didn’t know what Sani left with in a brown envelope.

https://thenationonlineng.net/shehu-sani-asked-me-to-give-four-judges-n1m-each-witness-tells-court/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA—Ahead of the 2019 Presidential election, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has ruled out any possibility of micro zoning its ticket to a particular geo-political zone in the north. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this in reaction to a call by the lawmaker representing Kano Central senatorial district, Rabiu Kwankwaso, that the PDP should pick its presidential candidate from the North-West to stand a better chance of ousting All Progressives Congress, APC, from Aso Rock in 2019. Ologbondiyan, who had often insisted that the leadership of the party would not stand in the way of delegates in the determination of the PDP flag bearer for the 2019 presidential election, noted that all aspirants would reach out to delegates to present their plans for Nigerians ahead of the polls. He said: “Senator Kwankwaso said what in his opinion, represents the best option for the PDP but as a party that is democratic, there is no way we will shut out any aspirant because of where he comes from. “The party has encouraged them (aspirants) to reach out to Nigerians and present their plans so that at the end, the one that will emerge the candidate will carry the others along. “I repeat, we are not going to shut anybody out of the presidential race because we believe each of these aspirants has what it takes to outperform President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC if given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of this nation.” The North-West currently has formidable aspirants on the platform of the PDP, including Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State, his Kano and Sokoto states’ counterparts, Ibrahim Shekarau, and Attahiru Bafarawa respectively as well as erstwhile Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki, and businessman, Sen. Datti Baba-Ahmed. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/2019-presidency-we-wont-micro-zone-ticket-pdp/amp/

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By Bashir Bello …She didn’t attend ante-natal; no scan— Hospital source KATSINA—A woman identified as Sahura reportedly gave birth to quadruplets, all boys, in her home at Zakara area of Makera village, Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State without any assistance. It was gathered that after giving birth, Saturday evening, Sahura later proceeded to the General Hospital, Dutsinma. A source in the hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said though all the babies survived, they are underweight. The source also said the woman doesn’t have an ante-natal care attendance record and despite an offer to accommodate them for further examination in the hospital, they insisted on going back home to return the following day (yesterday), a promise they did not fulfil. According to the source, “it is true. The woman gave birth at home on Saturday. After the birth, the woman, the babies and the husband proceeded to the hospital on Sunday. “But when they were asked to stay in the hospital for further examination, they insisted on leaving to return the following day (yesterday). But as I speak with you we have not seen them in the hospital. “And upon interrogation, we discovered she did not attend any hospital for ante-natal care. Again, there was no scan before the birth.” Another source has it that the delivery of the quadruplets made it third of Sahura’s delivery. In October last year, one Gaje Zubairu, also without antenatal care, gave birth to quadruplets through caesarean section, but she died four days after. Three of the quadruplets survived, but one died days after delivery before the mother, Gaje, died. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/katsina-woman-delivers-self-quadruplets-home/

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By Boluwaji Obahopo – Lokoja The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission, KOSIEC, has declared the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner in all the 21 local government council elections conducted on Saturday. The state electoral body also declared the APC winner of all the 239 wards. The election was contested by other political parties in the state as voters turned out to vote for their respective candidates. Although there was low turnout in some places, but it was peaceful throughout the state as no single crisis was recorded during the election. KOSIEC chairman, Mamman Nda Eri while announcing the result on Sunday said the All Progressive Congress (APC) won the chairmanship position of all the 21 LGA and all the councillor seats of the 239 wards in the state. He said that the local government councils polls were free, fair and credible. However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi state chapter has faulted the council polls across the 21 Local Government Election of the State describing it as a big mockery to the nations nascent democracy. The State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr Bode Ogunmola in a statement on Saturday, described the entire process as a scam. He said the State Government should have opened up to the entire Kogite that they were not ready to conduct any council election rather than wasting the precious time of electorates who are willing to express their anger through the ballot on the maladministration of the present All Progressive Congress, (APC), in the last five years. Ogunmola noted that the feelers he is getting across the state polling booths showed that there was no election conducted anywhere in the State. The Party spokesperson alleged that some thugs loyal to the ruling party, invaded the headquarter of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission, (KOSIEC), on Friday night, to snatch ballot boxes into an unknown destination. He said the ruling party would have tasted a sweeping defeat if they were willing to conduct a credible, free and fair election, as their five years in power has been greeted with poverty, unemployment, hunger and a shrinking economy. His words, “There is no election anywhere in Kogi State. I am at 002 Open space voting unit in Ogori, This is 9.30 am and there is no sign of any voting anywhere. Reports reaching me from across the state is the same. This is a big disgrace to our state again under the APC led government”. Also, the state chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Muktar Atimah has condemned the outcome of the election. Speaking with newsmen on Sunday, Atimah pointed out that having received assurances from the SIEC Chairman of conducting a credible polls, the council election lacked the minimum standard, was an aberration to known democracy. The SDP called on the President to ensure that holistic reforms on the conduct of the election are carried out before he lives Office, “Else it will be safe to say democracy in the country has been murdered. “We called on the members of our party to observe a month of mourning as a way of registering our displeasure to the conduct of the concluded Kogi State Council election. The elected chairmen are expected to be sworn in on Monday at government house Lokoja. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/kogi-council-poll-apc-wins-all-21-lgas-239-wards-opposition-parties-kick/

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Africa Unite: Tb Joshua’s Tearful Song Goes Viral! TB Joshua’s emotional song calling for African unity has gone viral, ratcheting up over 700,000 views on social media in under two days. The Nigerian cleric, who penned the lyrics in the in the wake of the recent eruption of xenophobic violence in South Africa, was visibly moved and shed tears as the song was played during his church service on Sunday 8th September 2019. The song clearly struck a nerve with thousands commenting that the composition made them equally emotional and echoing Joshua’s call for African unity. The simple melody calls on Africans to avoid violence, overlook differences and embrace peace. According to the lyrics: “The South cannot do it alone. The West cannot go it alone. The East cannot do it alone. The North cannot go it alone. We need each other; we need one another to grow. Africa unite.” Joshua also called on all parties involved to respect and uphold the law. “See the killing over drug misuse. See the fight over joblessness among the youth. Where is the law?” The song concludes with a plea for Africans to ensure fellow citizens of their continent do not ‘feel unwelcome’. Remi Sonaiya, a former Nigerian Presidential candidate, was among those to react on Twitter after watching the song replayed on Emmanuel TV. “It was rather moving and many in the congregation were in tears. May the prayers be answered. Killing and looting aren't the solution to our problems. Good governance is,” she wrote. On Emmanuel TV’s official YouTube Channel, the song has recorded over 300,000 views with another 400,000 watching the clip uploaded to Joshua’s verified Facebook account. Ihechukwu Njoku is a freelance journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/281497/africa-unite-tb-joshuas-tearful-song-goes-viral.html

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From left: Mr Lawrence Okah, APC leader, Comrade Isaac Okunbor-Oguns, President Edo State Welders Association and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State during a thank-you visit by the Welders Association to the Governor, on Wednesday, for his empowerment programme for their association. By SIMON EBEGBULEM BENIN CITY-GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has taken a swipe at the Federal Government for buffeting Nigerians with excuses, saying Nigerians are tired of waiting in vain for the party to get its acts right and are yearning for change to return the country to the path of glory. Speaking Wednesday when over 3,000 members of the Edo State Welders Association paid him a thank-you visit at the Government House, Oshiomhole said in spite of the media hype from the PDP Federal Government about revolution in the agriculture sector, he was surprised to read in the newspapers that the country still imports rice. According to him, “they say we are doing well in agriculture but we are importing rice and PDP says those who import rice have not paid export duties, so I ask, ‘what happened to the agricultural revolution we are celebrating’? Can you be importing what you are producing? Everywhere you turn to, it’s always excuses and that is why in Edo we have said it is about ‘eye-mark’, not ‘I shall’, but ‘I have’ and you can see it”, he said. The Governor said as March 28 approaches, “the issues in the forth coming election are between the forces of the status quo, business as usual continuing versus change. They tell us there is train, but I don’t know when last you entered train but we see it on television. Second River Niger Bridge we see it on television. They said they have created millions of jobs but we only see it on the pages of newpapers. They arrange some well-dressed young boys and get them to do fake confessions. We see young farmers wearing three piece suits and they say they are farmers.” The Governor said it is laughable that rather than own up to its inefficiency, the PDP Federal Government is blaming the current fuel scarcity on the APC , saying the Sure-P programme has been bastardised as it is now used to patronize political thugs of the PDP. According to him, “we hear of what they call SURE-P, which we now know is “choppie” They take government money, Nigeria peoples’ money and give to PDP leaders to give to thugs rather than give it to people who will work.” He said it is unfortunate that the PDP Federal Government has brought the nation to so much ridicule that we now rely on small neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Camroon to quell insurgency in parts of the country, saying “We in APC understand clearly that Nigeria cannot continue to behave like a lazy elephant on its knees. It has to get up and dominate the African forest. We are destined to lead the black world not to be assisted by any country but to lead them. That is God’s wish for us. He gave us land, He gave us people more than 170 million, He gave us liquid gold, solid gold, all kinds of gold and above all he gave us brain, so what is our excuse?” The Governor said he is happy that the Welders understand the issues on the frontburner for the next elections, saying “You have your PVCs, use it to vote for change, to vote for light, to vote for security, to vote for anti-corruption. I ask you to have faith in our country and I am happy that in spite of the frustration, you are on course and the energy you demonstrate shows you are determined to move the nation forward and ensure Nigeria makes it”, he said. The Governor who praised the welders for judiciously utilizing Government’s support to them in 2012 pledged an additional N50 million support for them to help boost their trade. He said: “Consistent with our commitment to support our people regardless of your place of birth or so called origin, once you are here, you are Edo; we don’t care where you happen to have been born, we care where you reside. To further encourage you to expand your business, we have decided to again support you this year as we have done in previous years by providing you with N50million. Oshiomhole said, “Once you have shown the capacity to manage a small capital, government needs to give incentives to keep on expanding. So to ensure that this support goes to your capital and you don’t mistakenly use it for any other thing, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will sit with your leaders, and identify how best to procure the equipment you need and a small working capital to expand your business. “I believe that giving you small money to expand your business to grow is more helpful to Nigeria than leaving people idle, spending the money to buy hilux to chase criminals because if people are working, they will not go to commit crime.” According to him, “whatever support we have given you is informed by my own background. The way to keep our country going is to connect with the real people and the needs of our real people are still very basic. No Nigerian says Government should bring food to his table. What Nigerians say as in your case is give us light so that we can weld. If there is no light and we have to buy diesel, let the diesel be available, not the one that is adulterated and will destroy your generators.” Earlier, President of the State Welders’ Association, Comrade Isaac Okunbor-Oguns said the association was in Government House to appreciate the Governor for the support he gave the union in 2012 which has led to the expansion of their businesses. He said: “Have you ever seen any Governor or Head of State that recognized any welder, it’s only our Comrade Governor.” He said the Governor provided provided tools for workers, something they’ve agitated for over the years saying “we have our PVCs to vote for or against any government. “In Nigeria today the two major parties, APC and PDP are under watch based on their campaign slogans of continuity and change. “We enjoin Nigerians to view continuity from these perspectives: one. Electricity blackout to continue? Corruption to continue? Insecurity to continue? The devaluation of our currency, Naira, to continue? Decaying infrastructure to continue? Those canvassing for change want change from blackout to light. To change the country from being the most corrupt country in the world. To change the country from the present level of insecurity to a more secured environment where we can sleep with our two eyes opened. To change the current level of our naira to be equivalent to other currencies in the world. “We call on Nigerians to study these analyses carefully and choose this day, the party to vote for. For us welders, we have collectively chosen the party of change.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/nigerians-tired-of-pdps-excuses-says-oshiomhole/

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*Scarcity, long queues persist nationwide By Ediri Ejoh, Oghene Omonisa, Iloaze Blessed-Odidi, Boluwaji Obahopo (Lokoja), Ola Ajayi (Ibadan), Francis Igata (Enugu) & Luka Binniyat (Kaduna) Despite assurances by the Federal Government to end the lingering fuel crisis yesterday, the scarcity of the commodity persisted across the country, as petrol continues to sell at N150 and above per litre depending on the part of the country. It will be recalled that Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, had a couple of days ago, promised Nigerians to end the harsh reality and agony of fuel scarcity on April 7. This is the second time Kachikwu has promised to end the scarcity that began late February. Initially, he said it would go away in 48 hours, after which he recanted and said he was not trained as a magician, and gave a May deadline. Saturday Vanguard gathered that across the country, the fuel agony is far from abating, as the price of the product continues to rise above the regulated price of N86.50 to N120 and N150 per litre. Saturday Vanguard also learned that while customers decry increasing queues at filling stations across Lagos, the case was different at Badagry, on the outskirts of the state, as report indicated availability of the product which was dispensed at N200 per litre to customers. Speaking to Saturday Vanguard, a motorist at Agbara, Mr. Jide Aladejo said, “The fuel scarcity currently witnessed across the country is quite terrible. For us on this axis, we have conceded to fate as the regulators have totally given marketers the licence to regulate, otherwise these spates of irregularities would not be the case.” The situation is not different nationwide. In Enugu State, Saturday Vanguard gathered that fuel sells at N300 per litre across the filling stations in the state, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles for commuter buses. The situation has engendered a rise in the cost of goods and services to over 200 per cent marginal increase. From Kaduna State came the report that fuel now sells for between N200 and N250 per litre in the black market, as record fuel queues hit the state. Residents of the state yesterday said there was no time that the state has ever witnessed such fuel crisis, not even back in the military era. Some motorists who spoke to Saturday Vanguard said that they spent days waiting for their turns to get fuel at the few filling stations dispensing fuel. The streets of Kaduna are devoid of the regular vehicular traffic with thousands of passengers scrambling for the few available commercial vehicles, whose prices have risen by over 150 per cent. In Abuja, the fuel situation is biting harder. As at yesterday, the situation had not abated, rather the queues had grown longer at the few filling stations that were selling. In Oyo State, the fuel scarcity clearly has risen from bad to worse, Saturday Vanguard learned. Independent marketers now sell between N200 and N290 per litre. Despite the outrageous price, thousands of motorists and workers struggle at filling stations in Ibadan, Oyo, Saki, Sepeteri, Iseyin, Ogbomoso and many other cities in the state to buy the products. Most people have abandoned their vehicles on queues at filling stations especially the few major marketers which sell at the approved pump fuel price of N86.00. Queues in some filling stations stretch as far as one and half kilometres. Several workers have resorted to trekking long distances to their places of work. Meanwhile, in a bid to curtail the excesses of filling station operators, who are believed to hoard the few available fuel and sell in the black market, the Department of Petroleum Resources, Kogi State has revoked the license of one of the filling stations in the state while sealing-off two others for shady deals. The DPR State Controller, Lokoja Field Office, Mr Amos Jokodola who disclosed this yesterday warned owners of filling stations to desist from selling PMS above the government regulated price or they would have their stations sealed. Jokodola who gave the warning while inspecting filling stations in Lokoja to assess the level of compliance in the area of price and accurate pump dispensing of the petrol to consumers, lamented that the two stations sealed, A.G Nasa (Nig.) Limited and MSS Budun, erred for selling above the pump price and under dispensing. However, marketers have assured Nigerians of speedy end of the country’s current fuel scarcity. A marketer who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in Lagos, on condition of anonymity, said, “The government have pleaded with us to bring out our trucks to fast-track the distribution of PMS across the country, and that we have done. We were told that payment would be made under Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF but we were not given specifics on when to receive payment. “On the contrary, we wonder why they keep blaming marketers. Why not blame NNPC and the majors? We don’t have access to FOREX for importation. The truth is that no marketer is working against the Nigerian government or against Nigerians, to prolong the suffering of the people. “If you don’t pay your bank, they cannot do any transaction with you. We are here to do business and not sabotage the government. The debt is affecting our credit rating all over the world and the government needs to pay off those debts.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/april-7-deadline-fg-fails-on-fuel-supply-promise/

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PRESIDENT BUHARI IN LONDON: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI RECEIVES APC CHIEFTAINS, SENATOR BOLA AHMED TINUBU AND CHIEF BISI AKANDE, AT ABUJA HOUSE IN LONDON ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 Dutse – The Jigawa chapter of the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) has organised a special prayer for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari and his safe return to the country. Its Secretary, Malam Muhammad Babangida, disclosed on Sunday in Dutse. Babangida said the prayer was conducted on Friday in Miga local government area of the state. He explained that a special prayer was also offered for peace and economic prosperity in the country. According to him, the gesture is to seek God’s intervention in the nation’s quest to overcome the present insecurity in some parts of the country. Babangida expressed optimism that fervent prayers by Nigerians would enable the Buhari administration to overcome the nation’s challenges. He said the president, governors and other leaders needed prayers for God’s grace and wisdom to steer the affairs of the nation toward salvaging it from its present challenges. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/jni-prays-buharis-quick-recovery-safe-return/

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By Ikechukwu Nnochiri The Supreme Court, on Friday, upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence that was handed to the former governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame, for stealing public funds. In a unanimous decision, a five-man panel of Justices of the apex court led by Justice Mary Odili, said it found no reason to set-aside concurrent judgements of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal, which found Nyame guilty of embezzlement and money laundering. Justice Amina Augie who delivered the lead judgement held that appeal Nyame filed to challenge his conviction and sentence, lacked merit. However, the apex court held that the appellate court was wrong to also impose fine against the convict. It, therefore, affirmed the imposed jail term but freed the convicted former governor from paying fine for the financial crime he committed against the state. It will be recalled that Justice Adebukola Banjoko of an Abuja High Court had on May 30, 2018, found Nyame guilty on 27 out of the 41-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him. Specifically, the court sentenced him to 14 years for criminal breach of trust, 2 years for misappropriation, 7 years for gratification and 5 years for obtaining valuable public properties without consideration. However, the appellate court on November 16, 2018, reduced the sentence which is running concurrently, to 12 years, 5 years, 4 years and one-year and nine months, respectively, with fines ranging from N100m to N5m. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/breaking-supreme-court-upholds-conviction-of-ex-taraba-gov-jolly-nyame/

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By Juliet Umeh THE Chairman of the Nigerian Heart Foundation, Prof. Basden Onwubere, has raised alarm over the low level of awareness of hypertension in Nigeria, stating that more than 70 percent of Nigerians who are living with High Blood Pressure, HBP, are unaware of it. Onwubere raised the alarm when NHF joined the rest of the world to mark 2022 World Hypertension Day with a theme, ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.’ He said that globally, more than one billion people are known to have Hypertension and the figure is estimated to increase to 1.5 billion by 2025. Onwubere said: “Of great concern is the fact that more than half of the individuals with Hypertension are unaware of it. In many of the low and middle income countries, less than 40 per cent are unaware. In some of these countries’ awareness levels are even less than 30 percent. “A nation-wide survey in Nigeria published about two decades ago by Akinkugbe et al showed awareness level for Hyper tension of 30 percent and recent publications have not shown any significant improvement in this regard, and in Nigeria more than 70 percent of those with Hypertension are unaware of it though the population in Nigeria has increased significantly over the last decade. “This low level of awareness has given it the name: “The Silent Killer”. Hypertension is also noted in that publication to be the most common non-communicable disease, NCD, in Nigeria. “It is a known cardiovascular risk factor with a significant number of global deaths attributable to its complications. Studies also show very poor control levels of HBP worse in the Lowand Middle-Income Countries. “Cardiovascular Disease (heart disease) is the commonest cause of death in the adult population in Nigeria and Hypertension is the number one heart disease affecting about 38 percent of the adult population. “In addition, Hypertension is the main risk for stroke, heart attack (coronary heart disease), chronic kidney disease, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms and dementia. “This year’s WHD theme is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer. The WHL has chosen this theme based on current statistics showing uncomfortably low awareness and poor control of HBP especially in the Low and Middle-Income Countries.” He charged relevant governmental agencies in the health sector to ensure adequate prevention of avoidable deaths and morbidity in the country. According to him, “a crucial first step for control of hypertension and achievement of the WHO Target 2025 for a 25 percent reduction in uncontrolled hypertension is to improve hypertension diagnosis and strategies have been put in place to encourage BP screening and awareness programmes in communities, and this Target has been adopted in the latest review of the Federal Ministry of Health Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases 2022-2025. “To maintain adequate control of hypertension, it is advisable to maintain the following lifestyles: reduce salt consumption and maintain a policy of ‘no added salt’ after food has been prepared with appropriate quantities of salt. Choose a healthy diet which includes vegetables and fruits. Do not smoke. Smoking has no known benefits. Limit alcohol consumption. Your Healthcare managers will advise you on this. Maintain healthy weight. Avoid sedentary lifestyles. Exercise at least 30 minutes daily,” Onwubere advised. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/over-70-of-nigerians-with-hypertension-unaware-nhf/

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PDP Presidential candidates By Dirisu Yakubu Port Harcourt- The picture is getting clearer and uncertainties giving way to identity of the likely candidate delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will pick to fly the flag of the party in the 2019 Presidential election. The delegates drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, met with the Presidential aspirants in a brief interface a few hours ago where age and pending court cases dominated discourse ahead of voting. They were told in clear terms that the party would not afford the distractions court summons and trials would fetch the party and its candidate ahead of the 2019 polls. This development, Sunday Vanguard gathered is likely to pave way for the emergence of Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal who at 52 is not only one of the youngest in the pack of the aspirants but also enjoys a constitutional immunity. A delegate to the convention who craved anonymity told our correspondent that the decision was arrived at a meeting earlier on Saturday. The Delta state delegate said, “I want to authoritatively tell you as an insider and a delegate to the PDP convention today (yesterday) in Port Harcourt that after a brief meeting with all the aspirants, age factor aand issues in court and with the Eeconomic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, were discussed. The consequences and challenges they portend for the party were also mentioned,” adding that at the end, “only Aminu (Tambuwal), Turaki (Tanimu)and Datti (Baba-Ahmed) stood out.” He noted however that politics “being about self fish interest, Atiku Abubakar has what it take to confront President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.” However at 71, Atiku may have to contend with the age factor as he is second on the log as immediate past Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang is first at 74 years old. The duo of Senator David Mark and Mallam Sule Lamido are both 70 years old while Attahiru Bafarawa is 63, a year older than Ahmed Makarfi who is 62. Former Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso is 61, same as Tanimu Turaki. Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo is 56 years old, a year older than Senate President, Bukola Saraki who is 55. The youngest in the pack is the founder of Baze University and a former lawmaker, Datti Baba-Ahmed who is 49. However, the PhD holder in Economics is seen as unlikely to beat others to the ticket considering his political visibility and structures across the country compared to others in the race. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/2019-age-court-cases-to-determine-pdp-presidential-candidate/

Politics

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OKONJO-Iweala in SENATE—From Left, Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama , with the Minister of Finance , Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriation, and Finance interactive session on the implementation of 2012 budget at the National Assembly Abuja. The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi okonjo-Iweala, said it was strange for the Governors Forum to allege that 20 billion dollars were missing from the Excess Crude Account (ECA). This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, spokesman for the Minister, in Abuja on Tuesday. The statement said there was no basis for the forum to demand that the minister should account for such money from June 2013 to April 2015. “The statement by the governors is totally strange because Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), meets every month and the ECA is discussed at every session with all the state commissioners of finance present. “Nothing is hidden. At these meetings, the Minister of State who is the Chairman of FAAC, announces the balance in the ECA which is then discussed. “So, governors who want any information about the ECA should ask for details from their commissioners who should have the records of what was discussed and agreed upon”, it said. According to the statement, details of the ECA are also published every month along with the allocations to the three tiers of government. It added that the reference to June 2013 was immaterial as FAAC meetings during which the ECA and similar issues were discussed held every month. The statement said Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, who was reported to have read the communique on behalf of the governors, made a similar unsubstantiated allegation in Nov. 2013. According to the statement, he alleged in Nov. 2013 that 5 billion dollars were missing from the ECA. “We subsequently showed with facts that not only was the amount not missing, Rivers received N257.6 billion from the Federation Account between January and October 2013. It assured that ministry of finance in the interest of transparency and accountability would publish the details of the ECA for the last four years in a couple of days. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/strange-to-say-20bn-missing-from-account-okonjo-iweala-tells-ngf/#sthash.R41FpuTX.dpuf

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There is good news from the health world where researchers say the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be flushed out of its hiding places in the body using a cancer drug. Already, the anti-retroviral therapy, kills the virus in the bloodstream, but leaves “HIV reservoirs” untouched. This latest study shows that the cancer drug is “highly potent” at reactivating hidden HIV. Experts say the findings are interesting, but it is important to know if the drug is safe in patients. A strategy known as “kick and kill” is thought to be key to curing HIV. The kick would wake up the dormant HIV, allowing the drugs to kill it.

http://www.channelstv.com/2015/07/31/hiv-can-be-flushed-out-by-cancer-drug-researchers-say/

Health

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By Gbenga Olarinoye OSOGBO—The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osun State chapter, yesterday warned President Muhammadu Buhari against acts capable of plunging the country into civil war, saying tampering with the constitutionally guaranteed immunity of governors would spell doom for the country. The party, in a statement issued in Osogbo by its Director of Research, Publicity and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, urged the President to immediately drop plans to alleged plans to impose travel ban on governors of Rivers and Ekiti states – Nyesom Wike and Ayo Fayose, respectively, saying there was nothing done to Buhari by the duo that Rauf Aregbesola of Osun did not do to Goodluck Jonathan while he was in office. Odeyemi said the same Section 308 of the constitution that gives the President immunity also provides the governors with same leverage, adding that, instead of tinkering with the idea of travel ban on the governors, if any security infraction is noticed, the President should approach the court. Recalling how the PDP Obasanjo-led Federal Government approached the court when the administration of Senator Bola Tinubu created local government areas in Lagos State, Odeyemi opined that adding the salt of travel ban on governors with immunity which is the same as the president, to the injury of constant flouting of court orders by the Buhari administration in the last one year is not portraying the president as a true democrat. The statement reads in part: “Since the news broke of plans by Buhari to ban PDP governors Ayo Fayose and Nyesom Wike from travelling using Department of State Security, DSS, as threat, images of events of the past years have kept on reappearing “We don’t want anything that can truncate this democracy. Attempt to strip two PDP governors of their immunity is capable of enacting civil war .” The party then called on all past leaders to prevail on President Buhari to shelve the idea to save the country of needless tension and constitutional crises. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/travel-ban-govs-plunge-nigeria-civil-war/

Politics

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Jonathan releases N5b to buy stoves for rural women President Goodluck Jonathan has released N5 billion to the Ministry of Environment for the purchase of clean cook stoves for rural women, a project which is expected to gulp N9.2 billion. Minister of Environment Laurentia Mallam, who said this yesterday, added that the President will inaugurate the project today. Mrs. Mallam said the stoves will be distributed to women in the rural areas through the state ministries of environment. According to her, the contractor, Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited, has been given N1.3 billion from the N5 billion released by the Federal Government. She spoke during an inspection visit to the Velodrome at the National Stadium, Abuja, where some of the 750,000 stoves were being assembled. The minister added that clean cook stoves will help to discourage the use of firewood for cooking, which she said is one of the causes of desertification in the North. She said: “We started in the northern parts of the country because of the challenges we are facing there with the desert encroaching into the country and people still cut down trees. “Now, the President wants it to spread throughout the country and so we have this project. “The ministry has received N5 billion so far. You know when N9.2 billion was approved by the Federal Government last year, we told Nigerians that N9.2 billion has been approved by the Federal Government. But so far, N5 billion has been released to the ministry. “We have given the contractor 15 per cent, which is N1.3 billion. That is what we have released to the contractor and we still have N3.7 billion in the ministry’s account.” Mrs. Mallam added that by 2020, most women in the rural areas will have access to the stoves.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/jonathan-releases-n5b-to-buy-stoves-for-rural-women/

Politics

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PVC: aggrieved voters barricade INEC office in Imo …REC, others held hostage Thousands of angry voters who could not collect the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) in Imo State, Friday, overrun the Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in protest of what they called deliberate attempt by the electoral body to disenfranchise the people. The protest which resulted in heavy gridlock along the busy Port Harcourt -Owerri road and other parts of the capital city, crippled activities at the INEC Secretariat as the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Selina Oko and other staff of the Commission were held hostage by the protesters who locked up the entrance gate and prevented vehicles from going in or leaving the premises. Addressing Newsmen, Victor Okonkwo, alleged that INEC in collusion with some politicians, had hijacked the PVC meant for the people, stating that the Commission has proved that it cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair election in the state. Expressing his doubts over the 2015 general elections in the state, Okonkwo described the withholding of the PVC by INEC as ‘electronic’ rigging, which he said was one of the newly introduced measures to undermine the conduct of the election in the state. According to him, “we demand the immediate release of our PVC. Let this not be an electronic rigging, INEC, our PVC is our right, let us be real Nigerians, why hijack some booths, INEC has failed. About 20 million PVC is missing in the state”. He threatened further that, “there won’t be election in the state until INEC does the right thing. INEC should not disenfranchise Imo people, we say no to this plot.” However in her response via a radio broadcast, the REC appealed to the people who were yet to get their PVC to remain calm as efforts were already on top gear to get it distributed. Meanwhile, addressing the protesters at the Government House, the Commandant General of the Rochas Campaign Organization and Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Barr Iheukwumere Araribe, assured that the obvious malpractices will be urgently addressed. He noted that the reported malfunctioning of the machines could be one of the ploys by INEC to disenfranchise the people.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/pvc-aggrieved-voters-barricade-inec-office-in-imo/

Politics

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Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk lost his spot as the world's richest man again after the electric carmaker's shares fell by 8.6 percent on Monday, wiping a whole $15.2 billion from the billionaire's net worth. Yesterday's decline was the company's biggest loss since September, bringing Musk's net worth all the way down to $183.4 billion after peaking at $210 billion in January. Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos reclaimed his spot as the world's richest man despite a $3.7 billion decline in his fortune to $186.3 billion on Monday. This came after Elon Musk tweeted on Monday that Tesla's Model Y Standard Range SUV would be available "off the menu," which substantiated an earlier report from Electrek, an electric vehicle news site, that the model had been removed from its online configurator. Tesla Inc. has had a dramatic year in the stock markets, starting the year with an astounding 25 percent surge in its shares but has now given away most of those gains. Many of the super-rich were hit by Monday's market selloff, including Zhong Shanshan, Asia's wealthiest man, whose net worth dropped by a staggering $5.1 billion after Nongfu Spring Co., his bottled-water company dropped by 4.5 percent.

https://allnews.ng/news/elon-musk-loses-15-2-billion-in-one-day

Business

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Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi says the Fulani herdsmen involved in banditry are ready to negotiate and be incorporated into the society. Sheikh Gumi on Wednesday said, “they are ready to negotiate, to tell us their grievances and they are ready to be incorporated into the larger society”. The Islamic cleric made this disclosure during a virtual meeting hosted by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies. Defending his stance on the touchy issue, Gumi said: “Nobody can justify criminality, what we are saying is what we saw in the forest is an ethnic war going on between people in the forest and the neighbouring villages and hamlets. When the herder felt he has grievances and nobody was listening to him, he took on weapons. “So when we went there and they saw a listening ear, they were ready to negotiate, tell us their grievances, and ready to incorporate into society. “So in such a case, I see no reason why we should not have a dialogue with them.” READ ALSO: Nigeria Has Become Attractive To Kidnappers, Says Governor Masari He added that “If you don’t show them they’re safe in the larger society, there’s no way they can leave their weapon. And that’s why we asked for amnesty for them just like we had in the Niger Delta. “I’m not justifying their kidnapping, what they do is a crime. But their kidnapping is to get more money to buy more weapons so they can protect themselves.” The sheikh further stated that the nation must begin to think about the education of the nomads. Gumi said he sees no reason why a nation that is serious about security will leave a chunk of society so uneducated. He argued that the country has left the people to arms and drugs. He reiterated that Fulani herdsmen involved in banditry are victims of circumstance, adding that the bandits should be granted amnesty.

https://www.channelstv.com/2021/03/25/bandits-are-ready-to-negotiate-and-be-incorporated-into-society-gumi/

Politics

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The Federal Government has given indications that the lingering tussle between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is complex. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari. He said that in spite of the complexities, a lot is being done behind the scene to resolve the issues. The minister argued that the Federal Government is concerned about the protracted issues with the lecturers and will continue to work to find an early resolution to the problem. ASUU embarked on its latest nationwide strike since February 14 over issues bothering the adoption of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), non-payment of salaries and allowances, and poor funding of universities among others. READ ALSO: FG Continues Talks With ASUU As Strike Enters Fourth Month As part of moves to end the four-month-old strike, the government and officials of the union continued their negotiations on Monday. The meeting between the striking lecturers and the Professor Nimi Briggs Committee, however, ended without a concrete agreement as members planned to reconvene within 24 hours to consider a draft agreement. Talks between both parties were held at the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A senior member of the union, who attended the meeting, told Channels Television that they reached some agreements with the Federal Government but members had to take a break and reconvene within 24 hours to consider the new terms in the draft agreement. The Federal Government set up the committee led by Professor Briggs on March 7 with a three-month mandate to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement.

https://www.channelstv.com/2022/06/15/ASUU-issue-not-as-simple-as-it-seems-lai-mohammed/

Education

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RunStripe.com offers a unique blend of brevity and relevance, making it an ideal choice for businesses in various industries. Its simplicity allows easy branding and memorability, enhancing customer engagement. Plus, the domain name implies a sense of continuous progress and innovation. Using RunStripe.com can grant you an edge in industries such as technology, fitness, or transportation. It can function as a powerful marketing tool, enabling you to create a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience. The name's energy and dynamism can attract potential customers and help establish your business as a leader in your field. RunStripe.com can significantly impact your business by driving organic traffic through improved search engine rankings. With a domain name that is easy to remember and relevant to your industry, potential customers are more likely to find and visit your website. This increased visibility can lead to increased sales and revenue. A domain like RunStripe.com can contribute to the establishment of a strong brand identity. A distinctive and easy-to-remember domain name can help build trust and loyalty among your customers. It also enables you to create a consistent online presence, strengthening your brand across all digital platforms. Buy RunStripe.com Now! At DomainMarket.com our goal is to make the domain process as painless and transparent as possible for you. Once your funds settle and we have verified the transaction (typically between 3 to 7 business days), we will be contacting you via email with the transfer instructions to take control of RunStripe.com. To acquire the domain, you incur a one-time expense. Subsequently, upon the domain’s transfer to your ownership, you must annually renew it through your domain registrar. These renewal charges varies depending to your registrar and remitted directly to the registrar. We accept various payment methods, including major credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers. Our payment processing system ensures a secure and hassle-free transaction experience.

http://runstripe.com/fashion-business-series-hold-month-get-fore-details/

Fashion

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NFTs are the hottest topic right now. Non Fungible Tokens, popularly known as NFTS, are a blockchain-based technology that can grant ownership over digital art pieces. Currently, they are making waves in the art market. But NFTs go way beyond just having ownership of particular artwork. In the years to come, as the technology evolves further, NFTs will have a bigger role to play in the investment and technology market, especially once Web3 comes into action. Alt Crypto Gems understands the potential of NFTs very well. He suggests getting into NFT investments early. According to Alt Crypto Gems ‘s research, listed below are the hottest NFTs to watch out for right now. 1. Cryptopunks: Cryptopunks debuted on the Ethereum blockchain in 2017. It has been developed by American studio Larva lab in collaboration with two Canadian developers. At the time of launch, they had a fixed set of 10,000 released on the Ethereum blockchain. It consists of punks that can be bought, sold, or bid upon. Since its inception, it has proven to be a valuable NFT to invest in. 2. Cryptoads: Cryptoads is popular for its quirky graphics and playful nature. A collection of 6969 cryptoads, you can use them in whichever way you want. The tokens follow the amphibious creatures as they wander around the Uniswamp, trying to get freedom from the evil King Gremlin. 3. Bored Ape Yacht Club: Apes and monkeys have become the most popular NFTs, and the Bored Ape Yacht Club ranks at the top. A collection of 10,000 NFTs, they are super unique tokens, each with their unique set of characteristics on the Ethereum blockchain. The Yacht club provides exclusive membership to all its holders. These are just a drop in the sea of NFTs. But they are known to be bang on the buck for investors. With their immense experience and foresight, Alt Crypto Gems stands by these NFTs as the best NFTs to invest in. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/08/arewa-youths-suspend-notice-quit-accuse-ipob-amassing-weapons/These

Politics

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JUST IN: Senate recalls Ningi from three months suspension The Senate on Tuesday, May 28, recalled Senator Abdul Ningi from a three-month suspension. Ningi representing Bauchi Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was on March 12, suspended for three months by the Senate for claiming during a BBC Hausa Service interview that the National Assembly passed two 2024 Appropriation Bills. He also alleged that the 2024 budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion. The Senate had rejected the allegations, saying the amount was meant for statutory transfers to federal government institutions on first-line charge. Ningi had through his counsel, Femi Falana SAN, wrote to the Senate president and gave him seven days ultimatum to recall him or face legal action. Akpabio in his reaction to the ultimatum said the suspension of Ningi was not a unilateral action by him but the collective decision of the Senate. However, the suspension was lifted on Tuesday following the consideration and adoption of a motion titled: “Motion for the unconditional recall of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, sponsored by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP – Benue South). Moro said that the minority leadership of the Senate has taken full responsibility for Ningi’s action and apologised to the Senate on his behalf. Moro in his lead debate said to the Senate: “Notes that on Tuesday 12th March 2024, this very revered loth Senate in plenary suspended the former Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi of Bauchi Central Senatorial District for three months following a media interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9, 2024, in which he alleged that about 3.7 trillion Naira representing over 10% of the 2024 budget was illegally inserted into the 2024 National Budget. “Notes further that Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi was asked to address his allegation of budget padding against the National Assembly, following a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, the chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations. “And failing to address the allegation, the Senate resolved to suspend Senator Abdul Ahmed Ning for three months for violating legislative rules, misconduct, and unethical behaviour for the interview he granted on BBC Media on the 2024 Appropriation Act, legislation which process he was part of. “Aware that the said Senator Abdul Ahmed Ninigi, being under suspension, has spent over two months outside the precincts of the National Assembly Complex and needs to return to continue with his legislative activities as the Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District; “Flowing from the above the Senate Minority Leadership takes full responsibility for the actions of our colleague Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi and apologizes on his behalf.” He urged the Senate to reconsider the additional resolution of the Senate of the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday 13th March, 2024, to recall Senator Abdul Ahmad Ning to the Senate as senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District. Senators approved the prayer of the motion when it was put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.

https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-senate-recalls-ningi-from-three-months-suspension/

Politics

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Tor Tiv IV, Alfred Akawe Torkula ….Northern monarchs mourn BY Peter Duru, Mayen Etim & Faith Bature MAKURDI—Chairman of Benue State Council of Chiefs, Alfred Akawe Torkula, Tor Tiv IV, died yesterday in an Abuja hospital. Vanguard learned that Chief Torkula was rushed to Abuja a week ago for medical attention after taking ill in Gboko and the news came as Northern monarchs expressed regrets over his passage. News of the death of the paramount ruler filtered into town yesterday morning but at the time of filing this report, his rumoured death had not been confirmed by the traditional council. The rumour was further heightened by the summoning of an emergency meeting of the Tiv Traditional Council in Gboko yesterday It was gathered from an insider that after the meeting in Gboko, a delegation of the Tiv Traditional Council would depart for Makurdi to brief Governor Ortom on the development. “It is after the briefing that the Tiv Traditional Council will announce whether The Tor Tiv, Begha-U-Tiv Orchivirigh Dr Alfred Akawe Torkura,The Tor Tiv IV, has in actual fact joined his ancestors or not,” a source said. Meanwhile, Northern monarchs yesterday regretted the passing away of Tor Tiv, Dr. Alfred Akawu Terkula. Chairman of Northern Traditional Council of Chiefs, the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Abubakar Sa’ad II, announced the demise of Tor Tiv, who was also Chairman, Benue State Traditional Council of Chiefs, during a meeting of the council in Kaduna yesterday. Sa’ad described the late Tor Tiv as a bridge builder who has led his people into prosperity and peace in his chiefdom and the Northern region. He said: “It is with a sad heart we announce the demise of one of our own royal father the Tor Tiv, Dr. Alfred Akawu Tukula who recently passed away. “It is a sad moment to the Council but we take solace that during his reign he contributed immensely to the development of Tiv kingdom and the Northern region. Our only prayer is that whosoever succeeded him will continue with good works he set on ground. “We console the people of Benue State in general and the Tiv in particular. We know that losing someone like the late Tor Tiv is not easy but they should seek solace in the fact that he was a traditional ruler of exception. “An educationist who ensure that his people move from the level of illiteracy to literacy; a businessman who create avenues for incomes for many of his subjects.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/tor-tiv-is-dead-as-tiv-traditional-council-summons-emergency-meeting/

Culture

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APC launches crowdfund App Tuesday The All Progressive Congress(APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) is set to unveil the Crowdfund App to mobilise funds for its presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator, Kashim Shettima. A statement by the Council said the app will afford Nigerians the opportunity to poll financial resources to back their preferred Presidential Candidate, who is reputed for assembling the best crop of administrators in the history of Lagos State. The crowd funding will reduce the influence of money bags, give more citizens a sense of belonging and deepen democracy in the country. The unveiling of the fundraising app will take place at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria-Island on Tuesday, November 29 by 11am.

https://thenationonlineng.net/apc-launches-crowdfund-app-tuesday/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1669660335

Politics

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MASSOB: FG behind plan to probe Air Peace boss Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has accused the Federal Government of Nigeria of being behind the plan to probe Air Peace Chief Executive, Allen Onyema by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). MASSOB also said the probe was not only a witch-hunt against the Air Peace boss, but a persecution against the Igbo race. Leader of the movement, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike told journalists on Tuesday, while reacting to plan by EFCC to open a probe against Onyema, and the recent call by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Loretta Onochie asking Onyema to face his charges in the USA. Uwazuruike said that Onochie spoke the mind of the presidency, but warned that Igbos will rise against any plan to humiliate Onyema. “There are lots of prominent people in this country whom the civil society organisations have even petitioned the EFCC against over alleged money laundering and the commission has not probed them” he said. Uwazuruike, who is also the leader of the Biafran Independent Movement (BIM), alleged that the probe was masterminded by federal government, but added that it will be heavily resisted by Igbos. It would be recalled that the EFCC last Saturday set of a special panel to probe the allegation of $44.9 million wire fraud and money laundering against Onyema. But Uwazuruike insisted that the allegation of fraud against the Air Peace boss was a calculated attempt to continue the alleged persecution of the Igbo race. He said “I am an Igbo and it is my responsibility to defend Igbos which Onyema is one of them and I tell you that I have all is takes to resist FG from persecuting my people. “We have been pushed to the wall by the federal government and Onyema’s case will prove a point, so he should not be intimidated and must remain firm”, he said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/massob-fg-behind-plan-to-probe-air-peace-boss/

Politics

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Foreign Investment into Africa is the most deceptive and abused phrase ever used purposely to confuse people of goodwill that International Corporate world is trying to do for Africa what was done for Europe after the War. While it is true that Europe and other continents got richer, the face of poverty shifted from Asia to Africa. This is reality today that most people, with any form of sincerity or conscience, cannot argue with. What most of us do is blame Africans for their own predicament from slavery to neo-colonialism. Of course, there are enough blames, greed, traitors and accomplices to go around. It still takes two tangles. European countries have benefited right from the days of slavery to money laundering today; not by passive accidents but by active designs. While it is true that money laundering incurs consequences for Africans caught in the process, it does not negate the amount of stolen money into European and American banks or economy; into the hands of legal and financial accomplices that are charging about a third of the loot as fees. Helped hide poor countries' foreign reserves abroad. Foreign companies are still at it just as when economic opportunities dried up in 1800 Europe and the Americas, they turned too faraway continents looking for natural and human resources. Even the Moroccans, decided on further South into West Africa to capture the gold after fighting wars that depleted their resources and left them poorer. All these have become ancient history today. But if we do not learn from our past, we are bound to repeat the same mistake in the future. Africa’s future started yesterday. According to OXFAM, it is indisputable that about one trillion American dollars have been lost from Africa to enrich other countries in Europe and Asia. If that is not Foreign Investment (or drain) from Africa, how difficult is it to understand the reverse psychology practices of how Europe (under) developed Africa. It has never been a secret since France, a small country with a tiny “tribal” population still feeds on French Speaking developing countries. African foreign reserves in France Treasury cannot be spent without the approval of France. Indeed, one of their Presidents so admitted publicly. Middle Class Africans, especially the ones trained at the London School of Economics, Wharton Business School, Harvard or University of Toronto have preached to us since Independence that only Foreign Investment can save Africa. Voila, realities have taught us different lessons. Sixty years is a long time, enough to understand the Dynamics of Economics. Somehow African markets have adopted Western and Eastern European Economics, be it capitalist or communist theory like old wine in a new bottle. Obviously, the only missing theory has been African Economics. We must hastily add that it is not out of commission or omission but out of favor to old colonialists to be like them. Those African professors that dared criticize the cramming of Communist or capitalist economic theory as unsuitable or unworkable without adaptation to African market realities, were run out of town as teachers of Voodoo Economics. The reason is not farfetched. Africans longed to be part of the world communities so bad, we were willing to relinquish anything with African appellation or culture. Those that are still preaching African Salvation by the way of foreign investment have not given up. Indeed, their staunch advocates come are Africans. While those old enough to remember the relative economic reprieve Africa had after Independence, they came to realize that it was only political but did not include actual economic independence. The ploughing of African wealth continued as foreign investment. Moreover, Africa's economic fortune declined further with the introduction of Structural Adjustment. Even when the International Monetary Fund and World Bank expressed misgivings at a conference in Ghana that they did not take the sociopolitical factor into consideration, we had some African economists insisting that African countries implemented Structural Adjustment wrongly, as the cause of the problem. Then came Devaluations that paralyzed most African countries in the guise that once our human and natural resources become cheaper for foreign currencies, they would be able to buy more and that would spur economic growth by creating more jobs. Those propagating what we all knew as blatantly false then and now realized that we had no commodity that would enter their market. Even under Obama Administration’s AGOA, most of our commodities were rejected as substandard. Most African businesses do not realize what it takes to get our products into their markets, in their store shelves, even at the risk of a temporary loss in profit. It all boils down to promises into the future prospects or fooled as promising emerging markets that has never been realized. They choose the best countries open for business based on what they can scoop out as fast as they can on demand not on what Africa can gain. We are the fastest growing economies after they have had their lion share with promises of crumbs in the future. They sell us rosy prospects as they did with religious deliverance that we will reap our reward in heaven, as long as we obey and abide by their rules on earth. So, there has never been any reasonable chance that foreign investment from their countries would liberate us in 60 years after Independence or ever as their internal traitors support their chicanery. An attractive charade for a toddler's intelligence. There has always been one-way flow of capital either by money laundering with their corporate firms that source raw materials in Africa before and after Independence. Most, if not all, have never been foreign currency earners into Africa but they dip into meagre reserves to launder money back into their countries under the guise that they have to buy and import foreign materials for our factories; otherwise they layoff local workers. African businessmen have learned well from their foreign masters and partners. Most of them have never earned foreign currency for their countries but dug deep into local reserves as international companies and launder foreign reserves into shell companies. How much longer is this going to take until Africans realized that if they were crawling for over 60 years since Independence, they could have been better off than the abject poverty, disillusionment and obsession the foreign investments have left them. When all along, Africa was the source of foreign investments into Europe, America and Asia.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/976879/foreign-investment-came-out-of-africa-never-into.html

Politics

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By Peter Duru, Makurdi Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has canvassed the introduction of death penalty in Nigeria’s legal system as punishment for corrupt practices in the country. Tsav maintained that when introduced, the new law would go a long way in checking the rising cases of corrupt practices in all sectors of the nation’s economy. The anti corruption crusader who was reacting to the various cases of fraud and corruption involving top government functionaries said the rising wave of corruption among those entrusted with positions of responsibilities in the country has made it inevitable for the introduction of death penalty for corruption. According to him, “the level of stealing by those entrusted with sensitive positions in the country calls for the introduction of death penalty as punishment for corrupt practices in the country. “Stealing in Nigeria has gone high tech and it will take a corresponding action by government to checkmate the masterminds of this condemnable act in our country”, Tsav added. He however, urged the government to scale up its fight against corruption in the country if it must win the war against the menace. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/tsav-canvasses-death-sentence-for-corruption/

Politics

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By PROVIDENCE OBUH The Financial deal entered into by World Bank and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, mother body of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) will fast track its global member status. In his speech during his investiture as the 49th ICAN President, in Lagos, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed, who disclosed this said “One critical issue that has continued to confront young members of the Institute is the prospect of labour mobility. Indeed, failure of past effort, at signing reciprocal relationship with some International Federation of Accountants member-bodies has been the subject of serious engagements between the Institute and the World Bank. Through a World Bank-financed twinning arrangement with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the very Institute that gave birth to ICAN, this huddle will soon be surmounted. “To achieve this, the Institute’s syllabus, training manuals and certification processes, are being comprehensively reviewed and examinations under the new syllabus are due to start with the November 2014 diet. Products of the new syllabus will write only the tax and law papers of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales examinations and become members of that revered global body. “In anticipation of this, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, has offered to grant direct admission to ICAN members, subject to their writing one paper in its final qualifying examinations. In view of the expected benefits, the Council under my leadership will ensure scrupulous implementation, of the various components of the World Bank initiative. We will build technical capacity within the Secretariat to sustain the gains of the above initiative.” Also, he added that members who qualify through the ATS platform are discriminated against in the market place, in spite of their acknowledged expertise, and proven skills as middle level manpower. To this end, he said, “The Council under my leadership will address and permanently resolve this issue. Following the discussions and effective contacts made early in the year with University Utara, Malaysia, one of the top eight universities out of 50 in that country, very soon, an MoU will be signed by ICAN with the leadership of the University Utara, in order to give effect to the arrangement. As envisaged, holders of only ACA who desire to pursue academic master degree by course work, or research, can also do so directly, with their qualifications at the university, some members of the institute are already enjoying this concession.” Meanwhile, he expressed disappointment over members’ unwillingness to pay their subscriptions, saying that some blame it on the current economic challenges facing everybody. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/world-bank-initiative-to-facilitate-icans-global-membership/

Career

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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT: Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has imposed a 24-hour total curfew for two weeks on parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Wike stated that the curfew which takes effect from Monday, 23rd, covers the entire area around the Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover in Rumuokoro. The governor explained the decision was due to an upsurge of cult activities and related violence, warning that government would spare no efforts to deal appropriately with anyone who disturbs peace and security in the State with cult activities and associated violence and killings. Governor Wike, in a state-wide broadcast, explained that decision to impose the curfew was taken after the State Security Council meeting on Sunday in Port Harcourt. He explained that the Rivers State Government was seriously disturbed by the recent upsurge of cult activities and related violence and killings around the adjoining areas of the Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The governor stated that the government has repeatedly warned misguided youths that engaging in cultism because of its abhorrent anti-social effect on society. He said: “As part of measures to tackle this menace, therefore, Government has imposed a 24-hour total curfew for two weeks on the entire area along and around the Okoro-nodu flyover up to one-kilometer radius from Saint Emmanuel Anglican Church, Rumuokoro, extending to the Rumuodomaya Slaughter and Local Government daily market with effect from Monday 23rd November 2020. “Consequently, no form of trading, human or vehicular movement is allowed within the afore-mentioned restricted areas until further notice. Only staff and vehicles belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited are exempted from the curfew and associated restrictions on movement so that construction work on the Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover is not stalled.” The governor directed security agencies are to enforce strict compliance with the curfew and arrest and summarily prosecute any person, trader, or vehicle that may attempt to violate the curfew. “Again, we wish to warn that community leaders that allow cultism and related activities to thrive unabated in their communities would be treated as collaborators to the resulting crimes and dealt with accordingly. “We urge all citizens to be part of the efforts to curb cultism in the State by reporting any suspicious cult activity, including gatherings and initiations in or around their neighbourhoods to the security agencies for immediate action.” He further disclosed that the State government would construct the 7th flyover in Port Harcourt to traverse Ikokwu to Azikiwe Street. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/11/just-in-wike-imposes-24-hours-curfew-on-parts-of-p-harcourt-warns-youths-against-cultism/

Politics

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By Victoria Ojeme The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Olaf Scholz, will visit Nigeria on October 29-30, 2023, at the invitation of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This will be the first visit of a German Head of Government to Nigeria since the inauguration of the new government. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Germany and Nigeria, two natural partners as the strongest economy and the most populous country on their respective continents. Scholz will meet with Tinubu, ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, representatives of Nigerian civil society, and Nigerian start-up entrepreneurs. He will also open a Nigeria-German Business Conference and take part in a tour of Lagos. Scholz will be accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking German business people and a cultural delegation. The visit is also aimed at intensifying economic and cultural relations between the two countries and exploring opportunities for investment in Nigeria. “The German Embassy in Nigeria is honoured to welcome Chancellor Scholz and looks forward to continuing to work on strengthening the important and warm bilateral relations between Germany and Nigeria,” a statement from the embassy said. The visit of Chancellor Scholz to Nigeria is a significant event in the bilateral relations between the two countries. It comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to strengthen its ties with key international partners, and Germany is eager to expand its presence in Africa. The visit is also a sign of the growing importance of Nigeria in the global economy and politics. As Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, Nigeria is playing an increasingly influential role on the continent and in the world. The visit is expected to boost bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, investment, security, and development. It is also likely to generate new opportunities for Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-to-visit-nigeria/

Politics

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Keshi and Amaju Stephen Keshi will reportedly sign a new deal with the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and will now be earning seven million Naira per month. The deal is expected to be a 12-month contract that will elapse at the end of 2015. Keshi’s last contract with the NFF which ended after the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament was at N5million per month. And one of the reasons why a deal failed to be brokered since then was the haggling over the price he wanted to be paid. While the previous NFF board were said to have been insistent on retaining the N5million price-tag that he was paid, some reports claimed that Keshi wanted N10million, which stalled the deal. But with the turn of events of late, and also the intervention of government which saw Keshi brought back after he was dismissed in October, a truce seems to have been reached. Keshi will now earn N7million per month, which will culminate into N84million by the time the contract expires next year. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/keshi-earn-n84m-annually/

Sports

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In this screen grab image taken on February 9, 2015 from a video made available by Islamist group Boko Haram, leader Abubakar Shekau (C) makes a statement at an undisclosed location. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed in a new video released on January 9, 2015 that the group would defeat a regional force fighting the militants in Nigeria’s far northeast, Niger and Cameroon.”AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM” – Boko Haram released a new video Friday denying any suggestions it would surrender, just over a week after their shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau appeared in a rare message looking dejected and frail. Shekau, who was not seen on camera for more than a year, released an unverified video late last month and said his time in charge of the Nigerian jihadist group may be coming to an end. If the video indeed depicts Shekau, he appears thin and listless, delivering his message without his trademark fiery rhetoric. It prompted speculation from the army that the Islamist group was on the verge of collapse in the face of a sustained military counter-insurgency. However, in Friday’s message, Boko Haram maintained it was a potent fighting force, with fighters posing with AK-47s in front of Toyota Hilux pick-up trucks and a lorry mounted with a military cannon. “You should know that there is no truce, there is no negotiations, there is no surrender,” an unidentified masked man wearing camouflage said in a prepared script in Hausa, in the video posted on YouTube. “This war between us will not stop.” The video, which was of markedly better quality than Shekau’s and included Arabic subtitles, featured nine masked Boko Haram fighters standing on sandy ground in an undisclosed desert location. It is unclear if the masked people in the video include the Boko Haram leader. Shekau was still the head of the “West African wing”, said the masked man in the video, likening Boko Haram to the Islamist insurgencies in Iraq, Libya and Syria. In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, another of the world’s most deadly terror organisations. But there were few signs Boko Haram — now styled as Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) — has so far benefited from the partnership. Nigeria’s army has since then won back swathes of territory from the militants, liberating thousands living under Boko Haram control. An estimated 20,000 people have been killed since Boko Haram began its campaign of violence in 2009 to carve out a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. More than 2.6 million people have fled their homes since then but some of the internally displaced have begun returning. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/boko-haram-releases-new-video-says-no-negotiations-no-surrender/

Politics

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By Daud Olatunji ABEOKUTA—Ogun State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested 84 suspects with cannabis sativa, otherwise known as Indian hemp, between January and June this year. The sector commander of the agency in the state, Balla Fagae, disclosed this in Abeokuta after a roadshow organised by the agency in collaboration with other sister security agencies to mark this year’s World Drug Day. Fagae explained that the command found 2,633 kilograms of Indian hemp and 35 kilograms of psychotropic substance with the suspects. He further said that of the 84 suspects, the command had been able to secure 18 convictions in all the cases charged to court, while 30 of such cases were still pending at the Federal High Court. He said: “Between January and June, NDLEA, Ogun State command has been able to arrest 84 culprits from whom we have been able to make drugs seizure totalling 2,633 kilograms of Indian hemp majorly, 35 kilograms of psychotropic substance.’’ Speaking on the strategy adopted by the command to reduce the rate at which cannabis sativa was being planted in the state, Fagae said: “We have embarked on Operation Weed Out, where we moved into the forest reserves where these drugs are cultivated, destroyed such before they are ripe for harvest because it will be difficult to be able to curtail such drugs if allowed to be transported into the city.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/ndlea-arrests-84-suspects-with-2633kg-of-indian-hemp-in-ogun/

Politics

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the newly crowned Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III to deepen his relationship with God as he begins his reign. Obasanjo gave the advice during the coronation thanksgiving service of the monarch at his palace in Warri on Sunday. The former President also prayed for the peace and unity of the kingdom. Ogiame Atuwatse III was crowned the 21st Olu of Warri on Saturday at Ode-Itsekiri, ancestral home of the Itsekiris in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. READ ALSO: Tshola Emiko Crowned Ogiame Atuwatse III “With the way you have started, I believe you will live up to the responsibility that God has given to you,” Obasanjo said. “But two things I will leave with you. One: do not shun the experience and the advice of elders. Make use of the experience of people around you. “The second: please be very close to God. Whatever situation you may find yourself, please be close to God and God will make way for you even when and where people may think there is no way.” The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa also charged the Olu of Warri to unite the Itsekiri nation. “It is a time for healing,” Okowa said. “It is a time, Your Majesty, to ensure that the entirety of the kingdom comes together. Whether people are stubborn or not, we must still extend the olive branch to them and I know that it will be well with the Itsekiri nation in your time. “You have a lot of work to do, not only in the Itsekiri nation but across our nation Nigeria. The nation-building that we spoke about this morning, we all have a role to play; but as the Olu of Warri, you have a lot of roles to play; and therefore we cannot afford any distractions at home, so that the larger role in the nation would be provided enough time to have your presence in that nation-building.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2013/05/21/jonathan-approves-n30b-for-loko-oweto-bridge-project/Please

Politics

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Cameroon’s Communication Minister, Issa Bakary, says that he is surprised by the news that some hostages kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect in northern Cameroon have been released. Earlier reports had said that the sect members have released the wife of Cameroon’s Deputy Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, 10 Chinese workers and district heads who were kidnapped in different attacks. The Chinese workers were found missing and believed to be taken by the sect on May 16 after an attack at a Chinese work site in northern Cameroon. The wife of Amadou Ali was also believed to be kidnapped on July 27 by Boko Haram militants in Kolofata but the group did not claim responsibility. Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, in August, strengthened military operations in the far north region to fight against Boko Haram militants.

http://www.channelstv.com/2014/10/10/cameroonian-official-denies-report-release-boko-haram-hostages/

Politics

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By Gabriel Olawale LAGOS — The League of Yoruba Professionals in PDP, has accused former Minister for Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe of allegedly betraying Yorubaland. While it tackled the former minister for supporting governor Nyesom Wike’s outburst on the South West describing him as a “turncoat and a failed leader.” In a statement by its chairman, Dr Adegoke Adaranijo, the forum said: “We read with dismay and total shock the unwise pronouncements of Senator Seye Ogunlewe in an interview with a newspaper when he virtually derided his own people by defending Mr Nyesom Wike, the Rivers State Governor insisting that Wike should not apologize to the Yoruba people. Wike had publicly demeaned our people and our leaders as symbols of failure. “Even when all leaders in Yoruba nation within the PDP fold had denounced Wike’s utterances as crude, uncouth, virtually uncivil and primitive, Ogunlewe, has aligned himself with the traducer of his own people. What a great shame. What a disgraceful aberration. A true born Yoruba person will never partake in this crass idiocy.” “Ogunlewe is a total disappointment to the Yorubaland. He is a turncoat and a failed leader. He had behaved like an untidy, raggedy traitor to our people. We, at the League of Yoruba Professionals in PDP, demand an immediate retraction of the defence of Wike by Ogunlewe and he should tender an apology.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/ogunlewe-betrayed-swest-yoruba-professionals/

Politics

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*Some trafficked girls… hiding their faces out of shame A medical practitioner, Dr Godwin Uwaoma, said on Monday that girls in Aba, Abia engage in active sexual activities from the age of 10, raising higher chances of contracting HIV. Uwaoma, the Chairman of the Thematic Working Group at the Nigerian Faith Based Advisory Council for AIDS (NFACA), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba that a 2014 research revealed the development. He said that the study was conducted to find out the awareness of preventive measures among youths in the secondary schools for the Department of Public Health at the Imo State University. “We discovered that some girls in Aba start sexual activities at the age 10 to 12 and that at the age of 12, girls in Aba have “regular boyfriends” with whom they agree to have sex regularly. “This was not known before. Usually HIV prevention was targeted at age 15 upward but we now know that before 15 they have become sexually active. “And there is a lot of difference between when you are forced into it and you remove yourself thereafter and when at this age you now have a regular partner. “That was what we discovered and it is not normal but an aberration but obviously the fact is there,” he said. At a lecture organised by the Aba chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to mark their week, Uwaoma called for prevention rather than cure which was unavailable for HIV cases. He urged the students to desist from watching pornographic films, playing sexual games with opposite sex and keeping bad friends to save them from sexual temptations. In another lecture titled “Sex and Puberty,” Dr Kenneth Ngwogu, a lecturer at the Abia State University, said that puberty brought changes in character and body composition to young people. Noting that most youths ruined their lives through dangerous actions like early sex, Ngwogu urged them to consult doctors or adults to manage the challenges of puberty. He charged the youth to desist from sexual activities which could refocus their attention while in school to reach their goals of becoming successful people. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/girls-aba-start-sex-age-10-research-shows/

Romance

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By Kazeem Ugbodaga Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday announced a programme, tagged: “Food Kitchen” aimed at feeding 100,000 youths daily to cushion the effect of Coronavirus lockdown in the state. The governor disclosed this while giving update on the Coronavirus situation in Lagos in Marina, Lagos Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. According to Sanwo-Olu, “in the next couple of days, we will commence a daily “Food Kitchen” programme which will see us aim to feed about 100,000 people daily. “This will largely target the youths. We are identifying local food vendors who will pilot this programme and ensure that the process of cooking and serving of the meals adhere strictly to public health guidelines.” The governor also said his administration was cleaning up its data from various social registers to get a clean list of truly vulnerable and economically challenged persons to enable it remit some cash to them. “We aim to do these cash transfers by the end of the week to a minimum of 250,000 indigent citizens,” he said. Also, Sanwo-Olu said he had just issued an order to the Police; LASTMA and the VIO to release all impounded vehicles arrested for minor traffic offences from the 1st of March 2020 to date. He said the directive would take effect at the end of the lockdown. The governor also announced that all the Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs and Small and medium-sized Enterprises, SMEs who had taken Lagos State Employment Trust Fund loans and other government programme loans would enjoy a three months moratorium. “This will further help to cushion the effect of the lack of economic activities occasioned by the lockdown,” he said. Sanwo-Olu reminded Lagosians that this is a season for obedience and personal responsibility, urging them to follow the guidelines as issued by the health experts and authorities. “Please, let us cooperate with the government to ensure that we have an outcome that is favorable to all. I can assure you that we will surely overcome this pandemic, and we will emerge stronger and more determined to transform the lives of all Lagosians and all the people of Nigeria, for the better,” he said.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/04/14/lockdown-lagos-launches-food-kitchen-to-feed-100000-youths-daily/

Politics

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The head of Nigeria’s electoral body said on Monday it was ready to conduct presidential and parliamentary elections in less than two weeks’ time, after the vote was delayed by security concerns. Attahiru Jega told a meeting in the capital city Abuja that his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had done “everything humanly possible” for a free, fair, credible and peaceful vote on March 28. INEC has come under close scrutiny since last month when Jega was forced to postpone the February 14 general election on the grounds that troops could not provide adequate security on polling day. Nigerian soldiers, backed by troops from Cameroon, Chad and Niger, are currently involved in a major offensive against Boko Haram, which has seized swathes of territory in Nigeria’s northeast. The Islamist insurgency, which began in 2009, has killed more than 13,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee, raising the prospect that the displaced will be unable to vote. Despite a series of claimed military successes, security fears remain over the safety of polling stations after an increase in bomb and suicide attacks in recent weeks. Jega maintained that the election would be peaceful, despite the insurgency and election-linked violence, and said the six-week delay had given his organisation more time to prepare. A week before February 14, INEC said that two-thirds (66.5 percent) of the 68.8 million registered voters had collected their ID cards, prompting claims that it was unprepared. On Monday, Jega said 67.8 million cards had been produced and distributed to individual states, including to the internally displaced, who would be able to vote near camps in the north. But he added: “The level of collection… nationwide is about 56 million out of these 68.8 million (81 percent). “So, there are millions of cards out there that… people have not gone out and collected.” President Goodluck Jonathan’s ruling party has raised concerns about the use of electronic card readers, claiming it is untested technology, as well as the rate of distribution of cards. But Jega said the card readers, which scan fingerprints and record personal data against the electoral roll, will work and reduce the possibility of the persistent problem of fraud. Cloned cards would not work, he said, adding that INEC had “cleaned” the electoral register since the last vote in 2011, removing over four million multiple registrations. Jonathan is seeking a second term in office but has faced a strong challenge from the main opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/jega-says-inec-ready-for-free-fair-credible-elections/

Politics

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By Henry Umoru ABUJA- FORMER Senior Special Assistant to the ex- president Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Sunday explained why was paid various sums of money from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) Okupe also took a swipe at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for leaking to the media his health status which he had revealed to the commission’s operative in confidence designed for it to understand his special needs. According to him, for not getting clearance or authorization from him before the information was revealed to the media, was not only a breach of confidence reposed on the anti- graft agency, but designed to embarrass him as a person. In a statement he signed yesterday and made available to Journalists, Okupe explained how he got various sums of money from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) which has now become the subject of investigation by the EFCC. Denying being linked to any unwholesome benefits from the NSA, he said it became imperative to explain based on media reports that he was involved in N162million and N85million fraud, adding that in his interactions so far with the anti-graft agency, he had only been requested to make clarifications in three areas. Okupe who lambasted the EFCC said, “I confided in the officers of the commission about my health situation for them to understand why where and how I sleep was important to my overall well being. “Without clearance or authorization by me this information was revealed to the media. “I woke up to hear it on radio broadcast nationwide and was published in many newspapers. This is a sad development and a definite breach of the confidence I reposed on the commission as an institution of government. “I was born with sinus bradycadia, a non disease based slowness of the heart. It precluded me from vigorous exercise from childhood but I have by God’s Grace been able to live a normal and active life. “With age the slowness grew worse and life threatening. I sought medical help and went through a procedure at the Arrhythmia cardiac Research center in Atlanta, where this defect was corrected. Its just a year ago and I am still under satellite monitor from the USA. The statement said these include: “Why I received N50m from the office of the National Security Adviser at the onset of my appointment, and what I used the money for. “Why I was paid N10m monthly by the Office of the National Security Adviser. “Why I received another sum of N50m from the NSA in October 2014. “The initial N50m was approved by the President to be paid to me from His Security vote. N10m was to furnish my rented living apartment and another N10m for my office. The balance N30m was approved as take off grant for my office. “The N10m I received from the Office of the National Security Adviser monthly was to run my office, pay salaries of staff, including overheads, pay expenses for our numerous press conferences, pay for publications in newspapers, magazines, local and foreign, television programs, bulletins, and media consultants who assist and facilitate our work. “I had about 23 staff, 11 were graduates out of which 5 were Masters degrees holders. Details were submitted to EFCC. “The second N50m was approved again by Mr President when I reported to him that the monthly allowance has been cut from N10m to N5m and that I was no longer in a position to keep running a 1hr NTA network program called INSIGHT which was aired 9-10am every Friday and some other days of the week. “We paid NTA about N1.2m monthly for airtime. Two presenters were paid N600,000 monthly. We paid for tapes and Editing per program. “Besides we also pay honorarium for guests either directly or inform of hotel bills for those outside Abuja, or transportation. “This cost averagely N500,000 weekly or about N 2m monthly. All in all we spent about N4m monthly on the program. “Mr President promised to help with the expenses. About a few months later when we had incurred some debts, the NSA sent me a sum of N50m which was to cover the cost of the program for 12 months(12×N4m=N48m).” Okupe who wondered why payment made to his private company for handling a state government contract had been linked to his function as a presidential aide, said, “The Fact however is that my company Romix soilfix was one of the over 20 construction companies who were duly awarded contracts for rural roads some 5yrs ago by the Niger state govt. “Due to lack of funds, contractors were paid irregularly thus making the job to drag on for long. The job is still on going. The relationship of this to my service as Senior Special assistant to President is still not clear.” “This is what I revealed to the EFCC and they made it a public issue. “I have been in public service in more than 20years. Because of my pedigree, I have by deliberate policy avoided anything that will bring shame to me and my family. “In spite of my high level involvement in politics and government, I have never done directly or indirectly any federal government contracts. In the whole of this world, I have only two houses. One in Lagos and another in my home town. I have no house elsewhere including Abuja. “It is a pity that the situation in the country is so bad that everybody believes that there are no men with honour in politics or government. It is not true. I have submitted all my personal and company accounts to the EFCC. I have nothing to hide.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/okupe-explains-nsa-paid/

Politics

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The word “strong” in the body of a piece written by a certain Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s social media activist, lauding the governor’s achievements tickled my curiousity. One is literally eviscerated when words are abused to achieve determined dubious ends, having been in the voyage of literary/words structuring for nearly two decades. The dubiety inherent in the word ‘strong’ in the context where it was used is nothing other than reducing our cherished democratic struggle as a people and nation to something profane. There is no gainsaying the fact that Governor Oshiomhole made minimal dents on the governance of the state, namely: reconstruction of roads, renovation of schools (red roof) and the building of a single hospital that many referred to as a whited sepulcher! If a few reconstructed roads and schools and hospital are all we can get in eight years of Oshiomhole’s over dramatised administration(let’s add the regular payment of less than 5,000 state’s civil servants workforce), then finishing ‘strong’, which connotes potency, effectiveness, authority, resourcefulness, firmness, solid, stable, fortress, uncompromising, fervent, thoroughness, vivid was lavishly and wrongly used. Talking about thoroughness and fairness, shall we say Governor Oshiomhole has demonstrated leadership in those areas in terms of political appointments and infrastructural allocations? How about job creation, award of bursary to students and student’s scholarship? What happened to the promised rejuvenation of state-owned existing industries like Bendel Brewery, Edo Line Transport Limited and the Fruit Processing Company in Eho and many more? Shall we regale ourselves with the failed retreat being the chief anchor of a faded slogan called One-Man-One-Vote?! The majesty of democracy is inherent in its pluralism: accountability, openness and equitable patronages of political positions across the various interest groups. But that cannot be said of Governor Oshiomhole’s nearly eight years in the saddle. Against all logic, merit and fairness, Governor Oshiomhole as the visitor to the two state-owned institutions: Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma and Edo University, Iyamho appointed Prof. Ignatius Onimawo and Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor from Etsako, respectively. If the appointments of Prof Onimawo and Prof Aluyor came as a surprise to Edo People and to those from other parts of Edo North who are eminently qualified for the job, the appointments of Dr. Mustapha Lekki and Mr. Pius Akpaibo as the INEC South-South Commissioner and Federal Revenue Mobilisation Chairman simply rattled them, as both of them are from Etsako. What with Governor Oshiomhole’s selection of Hon. Philip Shuaibu as Deputy Governor on the APC’s ticket, an Etsako man like himself from the same ward and local government? Ditto Senator Francis Elamikhena from the same Etsako as Governor Oshiomhole. To make the matter worse, all the Etsako people in his government who constitute more than 60% of the state’s political appointees (just three local government) are reportedly receiving what they called Iyamho (double) salaries different from what every other political appointees take home. The Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in section 14 subsection 4 of the Nigeria Constitution is against concentration of political appointments or elected political office holders in a given space to the detriment of other parts of the state thus: “The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the State/Federation”. Subsection 2 and 3 states: “Accordingly, national integration shall be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited. For the purpose of promoting national (state) integration, it shall be the duty of the State government”. In the eye of the Nigeria’s Constitution, Governor Oshiomhole is not merely an ethnic potentate, but a dictator who prides himself as an emperor who conquered the same institution and people that brought him to power. It all began during the 2013 local government election with each subsequent manipulation becoming progressively easier. With less than 130 days to the end of his administration, the Governor grudgingly gave 10% mobilisation fee to two contractors for the flagging off of two political roads in Ekpoma and Okpuje, Esan Central and Owan West, respectively. This was done after he had fixed more than 30 roads in the three local government areas in Etsako land, leaving Esan land: Owan East, Owan West and Akoko-Edo to wallow in economic degradation. How do we discuss Governor Oshiomhole’s job creation fiasco without mentioning the over 20,000 Edo youths (Edo YES Empowerment scam) who were sacked after being casualized for nearly three years? How do we describe the anguish of Egor, Orionmwon, Owan East and West local governments whose workers haven’t received any alert in their bank accounts in the last 18, eight, seven and five months, respectively? Governor Oshiomhole’s earlier momentum has faded, instead of ‘finishing strong’. His determination to turn Edo into a cluster of hit parades suggests to Edo people that it wouldn’t take much, now, to push him over the edge. - Erasmus Ikhide, a social Activist wrote from Lagos. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/edo-2016-a-question-of-finishing-strong/

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By Ogalah Ibrahim Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda has announced a special N45,000 Sallah support package for Civil Servants in the state ahead of the upcoming Eid-l-Kabir celebrations. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on employees under the State Unified Local Government Service and Local Education Authorities during the festive period. According to a statement released by Governor Radda’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, the N45,000 package is divided into two parts: A N30,000 Loan/Advance to be conveniently repaid over three months (July, August, and September) with a manageable monthly instalment of N10,000. The second part is a N15,000 Sallah Package gifted to each of the state’s civil servants to allow them celebrate Eid-l-Kabir without financial constraints. Malam Falalu Bawale, the Katsina State Head of Service, applauded the Governor’s thoughtful gesture. He stated that the financial assistance “will undoubtedly bring relief to numerous households, enabling them to fully celebrate the joyous occasion of Eid.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/06/katsina-civil-servants-receive-n45000-financial-aid-ahead-of-sallah/

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By Clara Nwachukwu The Federal Government has again, secretly indulged in the discretionary award of oil blocks in Nigeria, a development that contravenes global practice of open bidding and a negation of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, EITI, of which Nigeria is signatory. Without following due process, government recently awarded the Otakikpo field in Oil Mining Lease, OML 11, and the Ubima Creek field in OML 17 to Green Energy, and All Grace Energy; respectively. The circumstances and reasons for these discretionary awards, which were approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, are not too clear; a development industry watchers criticised as being unfair to other indigenous companies. The two companies are relatively unknown, as there is no information regarding their capacities and or abilities to handle the fields. Also, nothing is known of how much government realised from these discretionary awards, as in the 2006 bid round, government earned about $292 million in signature bonuses from the auction of 18 oil blocks, and $266 million in the 2007 rounds. Discretionary awards was the norm in the days of the military regime, where all and sundry with any kind of political connection, including service chiefs, relations, friends and allies of the ruling class, and even hairdressers got oil blocks, which they simply traded offshore for huge profits since they had no competence whatsoever to operate an oil block. The incidence of oil block award for political patronage was reduced upon the return of democracy, with the holding of three oil licensing rounds during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime in 2005, 2006, and 2007, which were executed under equally controversial competitive bid processes. However, defending the legality of the awards, the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, told journalists in Houston Texas, USA, on the sidelines of the just-concluded Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, that there was nothing illegal about the awards. He said, “Those were discretionary awards by Mr President, and he has the constitutional powers to do that. If you look at the reasons for every discretionary award has been made, there were strong reasons.” Part of the Petroleum Act “Marginal field means such field as the President may, from time to time, identify as a marginal field.” But he could not cite any of the good reasons except to recall that discretionary awards had been done in the past for specific reasons. “If you look at Oldwok and Ebok, why were they discretionarily awarded? Because the companies that owned those blocks when Nigeria did boundary readjustment with Equatorial Guinea, those blocks went to Equatorial Guinea. So, it made sense for the President of the day to say, No, it is not fair and had to do something about it and that is what happened. Same thing happened with Agip in the Oyo block,” the DPR boss offered. New bid round Nigeria has for a while been planning to hold another bid round after the 2007 licensing rounds for marginal field production, which offers indigenous operators the opportunities to acquire licences for oil production. But Olorunsola had spoken of “ensuring fairness” and promised that “Going forward, things would be properly planned, which is what we are going to do right now, everything will be openly tendered, openly bided, and openly awarded.” He also hinted that government might not enforce the use-it-or-lose-it practice, which stipulates timeline within which a license holder can hang onto the block or lose it after a period of time, saying, this “is a global benchmark that we are adopting, but there are no really hostile timelines for the blocks.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/fg-secretly-indulges-in-discretionary-oil-block-awards/

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Lagos – A manufacturer, Mr Edwin Ibude, on Saturday said high cost of production due to the erratic power supply, still posed a challenge to the manufacturing sector in Nigeria. Ibude, the Group Executive Director, of a manufacturing company, said at the ongoing 2011 Lagos International Trade Fair. NAN reports that the company is a local conglomerate with interests in lubricants, plastic packaging and pharmaceutical products, farming, haulage and supermarkets. “There are challenges peculiar to all the manufacturers. Source of energy is an issue and cost of production is high because of cost of energy. “Our roads are in deplorable conditions which have effects on maintenance and life span of our vehicles. “Water is also a challenge to us because, before you set up a plant, you have to think of how to source your water,” he said. The group executive director said that access to fund was also a challenge as the situation made it competitive when doing business outside the country. Ibude, however, stated that the Local Content Act would encourage local manufacturers to be actively involved in the oil industry.(NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/manufacturer-identifies-energy-supply-as-main-challenge-facing-manufacturing-sector/

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Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Sunday says that the first commercial vessel has berthed at the Lekki Deep Sea Port. This is contained on the official Twitter handle of the authority. It reads, ”Ahead of the President’s commissioning of @LekkiPort for commercial operations tomorrow, one of the largest container vessels, the CMA-CGM, has berthed at the port. “Once more, @NigerianPorts has proven that it is prepared to offer marine services for seamless port operations. https://t.co/jEv99qwJdv,” it said. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Muhammed Buhari will officially inaugurate the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport, for commercial operations in Lagos State. The Lekki Deep Seaport is a state-of-the-art facility, the largest seaport and one of the biggest in West Africa. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/first-commercial-vessel-berths-at-lekki-port-ahead-of-buharis-commissioning/

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PDP And APC The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress party, APC, has alleged that the state Governor, Nyesom Wike has turned the state from Rivers state to Rivers of blood. It said the leaked audio recording making the rounds and claiming that Wike allegedly made bribery calls to some INEC officials to rig the recently concluded re-run in the state shows that the victory recorded by Wike’s quarters and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state were bought. In a statement signed by the Chairman, APC in Rivers state, Chief Davies Ibiyamu-Ikanya, it said the violence and killings that took place during the state’s re-run election that was conducted proved that Wike and PDP never planned for a free and fair elections. “You are all aware of the incidents that happened and the comments that were made by leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP especially the Governor, Nyesom Wike in the build up to the December 10 rerun legislative election in the state.” “You are also not ignorant of the inciting comments made by the Governor; his charge to members of his party to resist arrest by security operatives, the threat to officials of INEC and security agencies who fail to do the bidding of the PDP or even the threat to teeming supporters of APC who decide to come out and vote on election day.” “The Governor did not stop there. On the eve of last Saturday’s election, Governor Wike continued his ranting like a mad dog let loose with droplets of venom from his wagging tongue, threatened leaders of our party who came from far and wide to show solidarity with us. He threatened them to leave Rivers state hence they risk losing their lives.” “For us as a party, we have watched with keen interest the derailing actions of the Governor of our dear Rivers state. How he has used his comments to destroy the legacy of our founding fathers. Rivers state, which used to be the pride of the nation has now turned to a theater of violence, filth and riducule. Now, the state is referred to Rivers of Blood.” “As members of the fourth estate of the realm, we are sure you have heard the conversation currently trending in the social and conventional media between a Chieftain and candidate of the PDP in Khana Local Government Area, Dum Deekor and Governor Nyesom Wike.” “The Governor in that conversation threatened to kill officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission who had apparently found it difficult to manipulate the result of the elections in Rivers South-East Senatorial District after collecting from him, huge sums of money as inducement to rig the election. He warned that his money be returned or he will kill the officials should they fail to rig for him.” “Governor Wike procured the seats won by PDP in the last election. He warned the coordinators of the electoral officers of Khana, Etche, and Ikwerre Local Government and threatened to kill them.” “The Governor has never been prepared for a free and fair election since 2015. His only strategy is violence. Thank God the security operatives were on Rivers state to protect us last Saturday. Imagine what would have happened.” “The Governor would have ordered his armed and blood thirsty goons to kill us all. With his large scale bribery, Wike procured the Senatorial seats, House of Representatives seat, House of Assembly seats declared for the PDP. PDP NEVER won any elect “Our position is further made plausible with the recent statement from the Police High Command about the arrest of Dike Deinpiribo, Valentine Aldibo, Onwuarari Warmate and Iloke Stephen belong to a group of cultist and professional political thugs.” “Confessional statements were taken and the boys confirmed that their services were engaged by Honourable BomaGoodHead who procured two AK47 rifles and commissioned his driver, one Iryo to convey the weapons in his black Toyota Prado jeep and handed same to the suspects at Degema.” “The Police said the suspects were responsible for several armed attacks that took place during the elections in places like Abonnema, Emuoha, Elele, Eteche and Omoku where a police officer was gruesomely killed. The rifles and 112 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.Other members of the killer gang fled and detectives are on their trail.” “We are therefore not surprised when Wike led a protest to demand the removal of gallant police officers and Military officers that risked their lives to protect innocent citizens on election day.” “It shows that the just concluded December 10th rerun election was massively rigged in most of the Local government areas and constituencies in favour of the PDP. We have always maintained that the hues and cries by the Governor about the posting and reposting of INEC officials and Service Commanders are smoke-screens to divert members of the public from the real issues.” “The said conversation has gone viral and we want to use this medium to call on all relevant agencies; the DSS, the EFCC, the ICC and security agencies to investigate the veracity of that audio clip and take necessary actions.” “We have been vindicated that who we have as the Governor of Rivers state is a beast, a killer who believes that human life means nothing.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/re-run-wike-turned-state-rivers-blood-rivers-apc/

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•In view of the deluge of allegations involving corruption in his era, the former president owes it to Nigerians to explain his role In the past month, Nigerians have been besieged by a surge of sleaze. The panel, led by Air Vice Marshal John Ode, has unearthed stories of alleged corruption in high places. It has revolved around the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, involving about several billions of naira. The narrative has evolved as a theatre of accusations and recriminations, about full-throated defences, protestations of innocence, explanations hiding under veils of technicalities, half-confessions overcast by shadows of regret, epistolary flourishes marked by aggressive assertions and the bandying about of figures. Whether during arrests, or through supine visages in court or defiant poses on newspaper pages or electronic media, the persons involved in this still unfolding drama have further desecrated the cathedral vista of government office. They have brought the dignity of public service down to a farce of thieving. Many persons were on the take. Many contracts defied the minimal rules of civilised transactions. The money disbursed in the name of national security fulfilled any imaginary purpose from online fantasy to religious ecstasy. What is baffling in this cacophony of iniquity is the inscrutable silence of the principal actor in the regime: ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. To be fair to the former Nigerian leader, he uttered a rebuttal on the onset of the allegations. Hear him: “I did not award any $2 billion contract for the procurement of weapons. Where did the money come from?” he asked at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in the United States. Showing how he felt about the welter of allegations, he said, “Sometimes I feel sad when people mention these figures.” President Jonathan also adverted to figures cited by the President Buhari Muhammadu administration after a visit to the U.S barely a month after he assumed office. “When the president paid official visit to the US, there were some figures that were mentioned that I don’t believe.” He referred to “$150 billion American money” reported to be missing, adding rhetorically, “and Americans will not know where it is?” He felt the allegations were not pelted at his administration. This was November 19, 2015. In the flush of the first few days of the allegations, ex-NSA Dasuki also presented an exterior of innocence and victimisation. He issued a statement that seemed sturdy and beyond reproach. He said he was made NSA on June 22, 2012 while the allegations dated from March 2012. He explained that “all contracts and accruing payments were with the approval of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. Once the President approved, the NSA paid.” He added that “there was due process for every purchase in line with regulations guiding arms procurement for the armed forces.” He noted further that “Nigerians should note that all the services generated the types of equipment needed, sourced for suppliers most times and after consideration by the Office of the NSA, the President will approve application for payment.” He boasted that “I am ready for trial on all the allegations in order to prove to Nigerians that I did nothing untoward.” Weeks after though, the picture seems to have changed. Its web has enveloped quite a few politicians, business men, the media, etc. Confessions have erupted from the lips of some of those who collected money direct from the Office of the NSA. For instance, the former chairman of the African Independent Television, or AIT, confessed to collecting the sum of N2.1 billion. His son defended the contract by saying former President Jonathan and former Vice President Namadi Sambo were present at the moment of approval. Was that what the NSA characterised as due process? Another absurd part of the story was the confession and revelation that N4.6 billion was disbursed to a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, for religious purpose. The president of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN, Nduka Obaigbena, confessed to receiving N670 million as compensation for newspapers that suffered damages when the military impounded their products last year, and also for the bombing of his office building in Abuja by Boko Haram insurgents in 2012. Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, a former minister of state for finance, said he dished out N100 million each to leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the country, but the drama spun into an absurd light when some denied, including Bode George. George said the sum was inflated while Jim Nwobodo knew about the disbursement not from Yuguda but from party chairman Adamu Muazu. He claimed that when it fell on his laps, it was N500 million and he distributed it to the five governors of the southeast. We cannot ignore former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her confession. She wrote that the sum of $322 million was approved by President Jonathan before she conveyed the princely sum to Dasuki for the war on terror. The minister who claimed a regime above board has not explained how the sum was disbursed and why she raised no eyebrows while our soldiers starved and died in spite of the large allocation. What this shows is that this is no more a fairy tale series of allegations. From the confessions, it is clear money passed from the office of the NSA, and princely sums at that. It refutes the NSA’s claims that they were unleashed on the war on terror, given the purposes for which some of the money was disbursed. Why, for instance, would a former governor collect N4.6 billion for spiritual reasons? It is also questionable if these sums passed through the due process. Where were the certificates of incorporations of the companies, particulars of directors, tax clearance certificates from 2011, letters of award of contracts, invoice of supplies or services, evidence of payment so far and outstanding balances, personal income tax clearance certificates of directors, etc.? The presences of party bigwigs in this unfolding narrative revealed that national security may have been the bogey man for this liberal shower of corruption. Is it true as some of the confessions have implied that national security was a guise to funnel slush funds for political campaigns? What this betrays is a fundamental cankerworm in our body politic, and this is not restricted to the PDP. The perception of public funds as the entitlement of the power-that-be has turned our patrimony into a battleground. Any party or person in power uses the advantage of public funds to energise political campaign, pay off loyalty and overwhelm the opposition. Now, the former president denied the allegations at the beginning, probably hoping the matter would die like a suffocated cat. But since the damning revelations, outcries of condemnation and sighs of disgust in the civil society, the principal player of the era, President Jonathan, needs to come clean about what he knows. If he knew nothing, then he was not in charge. But how could such huge sums of money move out of the government coffers without the knowledge of the chief accounting officer in government? When he said he did not “believe” it, did he mean it was a lie or he wondered if it was true. If a former president spoke in such terms of ambiguous indignation, we have reason to wonder how he governed the country in about six years. That is why he ought to unveil a methodical defence of all the allegations, even if the president is not willing to put him in the dock.

http://thenationonlineng.net/jonathans-silence/

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ince the Federal Government (FG) last year mandated the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) for all transactions in the country, some private and public sector officials have resorted to exploring the bureaucracy surrounding its process to exploit Nigerians. TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) in the first series of this special report carried out by its undercover reporter beamed its searchlight on activities of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), uncovering how officials of the agencies engage in massive extortion of innocent passport applicants in their offices. The NIS headquarters, located along the ever busy Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua expressway in Abuja, is one full of activities anytime, anyday; such that a first time visitor might easily be frustrated. Arriving at the NIS headquarters, it does not seem as though the rotten practices going on can ever happen there. There are two gates, being two layers of security, and there are immigration officers stationed at the gates, who profile people before they are allowed access into the NIS headquarters premises. Immediately after the second layer of security, by the right is a building housing the data centre of the NIS. The data centre, on a good day, is more of a beehive, filled with people, not to mention there are no air conditioners, and the place is usually stuffy. Meanwhile, there is a waiting area, but the experience is generally frustrating. When a person applies for a Nigerian passport, usually done online, they, thereafter, go to the data centre of the NIS to have their biometrics captured. To be captured, the bio data on applicant’s NIN must be verified against data the applicant filled while applying for the passport online. When there is a mismatch, the data have to be corrected. TNG findings reveal that most often, the mismatch is usually with the data on the NIN. When this is the case, the passport application returns NIN verification failed. As a matter of fact, NIMC already has a presence at the NIS headquarter in Abuja to make passport and NIN application easy and simultaneous. This means passport applicants make use of the NIMC office inside the NIS headquarters premises in droves to have their data corrected. However, the experience at the data capture centre of the NIS headquarter was not any different from the NIMC when a TNG reporter visited both in the course of gathering facts for this report. The visit notwithstanding the exhaustiveness afforded our reporter the opportunity of discovering first hand (with evidence) how officials of both agencies are extorting money from persons applying for Nigerian passport. TNG reports the NIMC, under the purview of the Minister of Commission and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, especially might be the culprit in abetting the extortion of passport applicants through what is known at NIS offices as “your NIN never drop” or “your NIN is yet to drop”. Mandatory requirements for NIN data modification Meanwhile, to have data on NIN corrected, the NIMC has listed the mandatory requirements for the modification of NIN data to include the presentation of the original copy of the NIN slip issued after the first registration and printout of the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) Number given at the bank after payment or a printout stating the payment details if the payment was made online. Other mandatory requirements for the modification of NIN data are an application letter duly signed by the applicant for change in the data fields he/she wishes to modify stating the reason, and the supporting document to back the proposed changes to be submitted accordingly. After meeting the mandatory requirements above, the supporting documents for data modification applicants are expected to provide in the case of change of name are sworn affidavit, newspaper extract or marriage certificate (in cases of marriage). In the case an applicant is applying for change of address, they are expected to present a utility bill, tenancy agreement, bank statement or community leader attestation. For change of phone number due to loss or mechanical damage, change of level of education and change of occupation, applicants are required to present a police report, certificate obtained and employment offer letter respectively. TNG gathered that for every data field to be modified, a service fee of N500 per field is expected to be remitted by the applicant, except for change of date of birth, which attracts a service fee of fifteen thousand Naira (N15,000.00) only. However, TNG findings reveal that NIMC officials do not comply with the mandatory requirements for modification of NIN data, as officials of the Commission cut corners and flagrantly flout the laid down procedures for the modification of NIN data. While some fields in the data are non-updatable and cannot be modified, the NIMC listed updatable fields as names; date of birth; addresses; phone number; place of birth – State; place of birth – LGA; place of birth – country (if different from Nigeria); place of origin – State; place of origin – town, village, and place of origin – LGA. Other updatable fields are father’s NIN; father’s town, village of origin; father’s State of origin; father’s LGA of origin; mother’s NIN; mother’s town, village of origin; mother’s State of origin, and mother’s LGA of origin. TNG reports the non-updatable fields are gender, NIN, State of registration, LGA of registration, registration centre, ward, polling unit, date of death, date of death type, tracking number, date of registration; originating centre; loading centre, ID card number, applicant’s fingerprint, applicant’s fingerprint reason and applicant’s signature TNG reporter’s experience Findings by this medium when its reporter visited the NIS headquarters revealed that NIMC officials coerce applicants who want to modify their NIN data, fraudulently collect money from them, and jump the mandatory requirements to modify the NIN data for them. “To change your name you have to present an affidavit, newspaper extract and pay N500 to NIMC through Remita for us to do it. But, if you give us N5,000, we will get it done for you immediately,” an immigration officer [names withheld] who serves as a partner in crime to an NIMC official [names withheld], told a TNG reporter who presented himself as an applicant at the NIMC office inside the NIS headquarters in Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT). However, despite making the requested payment, the modification of the reporter’s names was yet to reflect at NIS weeks after. When the reporter approached the NIS official, he was told to make another payment of N5,000 before the NIN could drop. He specifically dropped account details with which to receive the payment. Meanwhile, several other passport applicants, some at the NIS headquarters have narrated similar or even worse ordeals to TNG. TNG observed based on applicants’ accounts that the practice, which began almost immediately when the FG made NIN mandatory last year, has now turned to norm. Checks by TNG on the official Facebook page of NIMC show the page is replete with similar complaints. However, the Commission never responds to the complaints nor gets the complaints addressed. Calls pulled through to the telephone number shared via the Facebook page were never answered. Text messages are never replied to. A probe by TNG revealed that when a modification is done on an NIN data field, the update does not immediately synchronize with the central database of NIMC. The modification is not automated with the central database of the NIMC and usually takes weeks to months, providing the loophole for NIS and NIMC officials to collude with themselves in extorting money from passport applicants in their numbers. Several efforts to reach NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr Amos Okpu, an Assistant Comptroller, and Director of Corporate Communications of NIMC, Kayode Adegoke to address the matter proved abortive.

https://thenewsguru.com/top-story/tng-exclusive-nin-how-nis-nimc-officials-extort-passport-applicants-part-1/

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Gowon and Obasanjo •Say $10bn spent on subsidy payment in 2022 By Johnbosco Agbakwuru INDEPENDENT Media and Policy Initiative, IMPI, has traced the genesis of subsidy regime to the administrations of the former military Heads of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon, and Olusegun Obasanjo, alleging that they institutionalised petrol subsidy at a time Nigeria’s economy was bouyant. IMPI explained that the two former military heads of state introduced subsidy as a short-term measure to cushion the rising international oil price. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the Chairman of IMPI, Chief Niyi Akinsiju, stated that subsidy was intended as a temporary fiscal response to an oil price spike instigated by the actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. He said ordinarily, when the economy was experiencing a downturn, the tendency was to halt their implementation because of the distortion inherent in their continued application. Akinsiju expressed dismay over the position of labour unions who, he accused of being too critical of the present government over the removal of subsidy, even though, according to him, most Nigerians were of the opinion that it should be exited prior to 2023. He said: “General Olusegun Obasanjo, then military head of state, formalised the petroleum subsidy regime into law when he numbered it among products for which the government would be responsible for fixing their prices and for which they should not be sold above the fixed prices. “This was a short-term measure to cushion the rising international oil price. It was intended as a temporary fiscal response to an oil price spike instigated by the actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. “It is, however, instructive to note that under the two principal protagonists of subsidy, the price of petrol recorded increments in response to emerging economic realities. Under Gowon, the price increased by 40 per cent from six kobo a litre to nine kobo a litre, while under Obasanjo, it skyrocketed by 70 per cent from nine kobo a litre to 15.3 kobo a litre. “Our argument is that subsidies were introduced into the Nigerian economic ecosystem as a consequence of the availability of fiscal resources. They were then a mechanism for a fairer redistribution of the country’s wealth among the populace in times of huge revenue earnings. ”When there is a downturn, the tendency is to halt their implementation because of the distortion inherent in their continued application. “But, as it were, the subsidy and we as a people have become economic Siamese twins. Every move by the government to stop its application since 1988 has been received with uproar and outrage, despite the material changes in the economic dynamics that informed the policy in the first place. “This latest furore over fuel price increase is typical of other times. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has taken its traditional front role and, as always, pointing fingers at the federal government for being responsible for the price increase. “However, as a body of analysts, we submit that all this trouble-mongering should stop.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/09/obasanjo-gowon-started-fuel-subsidy-impi/

Politics

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After working very hard in a foreign land, it should have been an exciting experience if one intends to travel to his country of birth but I don't feel that way. My heart pounds in my chest like a criminal running from the law anytime I want to travel to Ghana. Ghana is one of the famous countries in the world, not even Africa, because of the achievements of Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister of the country, who rallied behind and supported other African leaders to fight colonial powers for independence. A publication about Ghana caught my attention some time ago: Ghana: "What’s so special in this country that everyone is talking about and wish to visit there?” It’s true, Ghana is a nice country because they treat foreigners like queens and kings, however, they treat their own nationals like street rubbish dumped at a refuse site. Nothing in Ghana works in a good condition or the right way. The system is so corrupt that it has affected the judiciary system. The leaders make noise and boast over achievements but when in Ghana from abroad you will realize how miserable Ghana is as a country. Even the church mouse which has nothing to feed on sometimes feel comfortable than poor ordinary Ghanaians because of the church's communion. At times, I wonder if Ghanaian leaders take time to walk around the city to see how dirty the environments of Ghana is. Yes, Ghanaian leaders would have taken certain things into consideration or work efficiently, if any of them would have disguised himself and walk with ordinary citizens in the cities throughout Ghana. They don’t visit the city; instead, they ride in expensive motorcade surrounded and protected by the police on motorcycles, often disturbing public peace with the blurring noise of siren, finding their way through the congested stinky environments of Accra. The fact that nothing including the law works in Ghana scares me so much that my heart pounds in my chest whenever ready to travel to this lawless country without shame. The only thing common in Ghanaian papers is: ‘ A mechanic jailed for stealing a goat or hen, but the corrupt Ghanaian leaders are enjoying impunity because no one sees what they do. Corruption is so severe that like a virus it has infested Ghana beyond remedy. Businesses and banks have collapsed. The position at the moment in the Ghana Ports Authority reveals the sad and depressive state of Ghana. Officials at the port think the best way to redeem their corruptible activities and help build Ghana is to inflate custom duties on imported goods. Therefore, businessmen, entrepreneurs, and foreigners bringing in raw materials or commodities have to pay over two hundred percent more than purchasing price. Ghana is now like a sinking ship and every effort to salvage it isn’t working, yet political parties want us to believe that they are performing miracles. Why must I feel this way when visiting my beloved Ghana? I always wish to settle finally in Ghana. I sat beside a chief and bought land and invested 10,000 Euros. The project is under construction when people with cutlasses stormed the place, claiming the land is theirs. The chief sold the same land to more than one person. Would I feel happy when coming to Ghana? If the law of a country works, such a thing will never happen and if Ghana is not corrupt, such things wouldn’t take place. The leaders are corrupt and greedy. Ghana is sick a nation because the country is in the hands of sick leaders, and frankly speaking, many of the Ghanaian leaders need psychiatric evaluation because what is happening in the country is not normal. I second that!! So called MP and ministers should have the police escort. They should not be traveling with sirens blurring. They should sit and endure the traffic chocking the cities. Until they are made to endure the same lifestyle as the ordinary Ghanaian nothing will change. In the case of chiefs selling land not only to multiple people but also to the Chinese who pillage our lands, l say we should do away with the whole chieftaincy nonsense. Let's digitize the lands, and have a good of la...

https://www.modernghana.com/news/907135/why-travelling-to-ghana-scares-me-to-death.html

Travel

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Governor Bello Matawalle has formally announced his defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Zamfara State. Speaking at a rally on Tuesday in Gusau, Matawalle said that he had been nursing the ambition of leaving his party PDP for several reasons. “I am now the leader of APC in Zamfara state and I am ready to work with each and everyone wishing to contribute to the rapid development of the state”. The National Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni congratulates Matawalle for defecting to the party. Matawalle said based on the provision of the APC, Governor Bello Matawalle was now the leader of APC in Zamfara state READ ALSO: Niger State Government Sacks 758 Workers Over Misconduct He also announced that the state caretaker committee has been dissolved. “I also want to bring to your notice that as from today, the APC Caretaker committees of Zamfara state from the ward to the state level have been dissolved”. Also speaking at the occasion, the former Governor of the state, Abdul Aziz Yari welcomed Governor Bello Matawalle to APC, adding that, he was ready to give all necessary support and cooperation for Matawalle to succeed. “I want to bring to the notice of each and everyone in Zamfara state that, I am not in any way against the defection of Governor Matawalle to our great party”. “I was a Governor for two terms as such, I thank the Almighty Allah for giving the chance to lead my people for eight years”. Governor Matawalle joined the APC with all members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly Members except a representative from Anka/Talata-Mafara Federal Constituency who remains in the PDP, the state Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau also did not decamp to the APC. The rally was attended by Governors of Kogi, Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Borno, Ogun, Jigawa, Plateau, and Kebbi State, Secretary to the Government of Federation Boss Mustapha and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, and others.

https://www.channelstv.com/2021/06/29/governor-matawalle-formally-defects-to-apc-becomes-party-leader-in-zamfara/amp/

Politics

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Former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Tuesday, refuted online reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigation into his alleged involvement in the payment of N2.1 billion from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, to the former Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi. Okupe who took to his Facebook page to debunk the reports which stated that the EFCC has written to the Presidency to investigate the involvement of his office as Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, however, pointed that his office didn’t have a budget or any capital vote and therefore lacked the capacity to award contracts, when he held sway. Okupe said: “My attention has been drawn to publications on two online publications stating that EFCC is probing me with respect to the payment to Daar Communications Ltd. and the now famous $2.1 billion Dasuki gate. “They claim in their write up that EFCC has written to the Presidency to investigate the involvement of my former office, office of the special assistant to the President on public affairs. “My office does not have a budget or any capital vote. My office lacked the capacity to award contracts. I was employed to do a job and I was loyal and committed totally to my employer and whatever I considered was important in the line of my duty. “I did not receive neither did I take any special gratifications for what I did. This is what is difficult for most of my detractors to believe. From the entire write up it is obvious the writer(s) of the story were speculating and imagining things that are not real. “The EFCC cannot embark on an investigation based purely on fiction and delusionary imaginations. I am ashamed at the extent some unscrupulous and ill-bred journalists will go to disparage the innocent by publishing outright falsehood. Even if people are paid to bring imaginary political enemies down, do they not have the fear of God? “Those who are impatiently waiting for my arrest , by the Grace of the Almighty God who I serve, and whose precepts I have kept all my life, in and out of office, will wait till kingdom come,” Okupe said. However, according to one of the publications, in the letter titled: “Investigation Activities Re: Presidential Media Initiative (PM)” dated December 3, 2015, with Reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ ABJ/STF/VOL.137, the EFCC said it was investigating a case of diversion of public funds in which the sum of N2.1 billion was paid for purpose of providing national public relations project. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/alleged-n2-1bn-fraud-those-waiting-for-my-arrest-will-wait-endlessly-okupe/

Politics

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Lagos records another five COVID-19 related deaths The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday announced five COVID-19 related deaths for Lagos State, increasing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 72. The NCDC made the disclosure in its COVID-19 Situation Report for June 8. According to NCDC, seven COVID-19 related deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours in three states with Lagos having five, while Kano and Katsina recorded one death each. The centre disclosed that Lagos also recorded 128 new COVID-19 infections, increasing its total number of confirmed cases to 5,895. The state, however, did not record new recoveries on the reported day, thus the number of discharged patients recorded for the state still remains 944. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos State remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases with 5,895 cases of the total 12, 801 cases.

https://thenationonlineng.net/lagos-records-another-five-covid-19-related-deaths/

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The All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Council has said that those against the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party are hypocrites treating the presidential race with bias. Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday shortly after a flag off ceremony of the distribution of one thousand bags of assorted food items donated to the Christian community in Zamfara State, Senator Kabiru Marafa, said those against the party’s Muslim/Muslim ticket are being economical with truth because politics is not about religion but about choices. According to Marafa who is Coordinator of the Asiwaju/ Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, the gesture of reaching out to Christians is to put smiles on their faces and to assure them that there is nothing ominous about the APC’s presidential ticket. READ ALSO: Obi: Clark Has Never Supported APC For Presidency, Says Keyamo He said, “The Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign council has donated 1,000 bags of rice and corn flour to the Christian community in our state to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. “The gesture is aimed at joining our Christian brothers in celebrating the festive season which we also got the full support of Governor Bello Matawalle in achieving this. “This issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket that people are crying about, most of it is hypocrisy because politics is not about religion or anything, it is about choice and nobody says there is just one political party in Nigeria.” Senator Marafa added that the APC in the state has put in place strategies for the party’s victory at all levels He expressed optimism that the Christian community will contribute in creating awareness and sensitization on the need to vote for the APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as Governor Bello Matawalle who is seeking re-election and all APC Candidates across the state. Sen Marafa urged all to continue to pray for the growth, peace, unity, security and development of Zamfara State as well as that of the nation, especially as the 2023 Elections draw nearer.

https://www.channelstv.com/2024/01/02/youths-wont-keep-silent-for-long-adeyemi-tells-older-generation/Those

Religion

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By Destiny Eseaga TECNO mobile, a leading smartphone brand in Nigeria, in collaboration with Wakafire Photograghy, has organized the second edition of the WakaFire Mobile Photography Masterclass designed to give participants tips on mobile photography and how Tecno mobile works in every photographic exercise. Held under the theme: ‘Leveraging Mobile Photography to tell a Compelling Stories’, the session which was broadcast live to international audience via mobile phone, provided ideas, trends, insights, and inspiration for individuals and businesses (start-ups and established) on how to get an extra edge in a high-strung connected world. On the panel of instructors was Modupe Oduyemi, Creative Director of MOA Creative Design Studio, who took participants through branding processes for individuals and businesses. Also, Osaretin Avbuleimen, Managing Partner at Jonathan Cole, spoke about the instruments of stories which he mentioned were words and pictures. Host and Senior Photographer at Wakafire, Obasa Olorunfemi, took participants through his journey into photography and the interesting relationship he built with TECNO devices and brand. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/tecno-mobile-wakafire-holds-mobile-photog

Phones

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The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, won four out of the five local government areas of the re-run election in the Abia North Senatorial election. He recorded over 26, 000 votes and was cruising to victory until the result of Bende local government, won by former governor of the state and candidate of the Progressives Peoples Alliance, PPA, Orji Uzor Kalu significantly reduced his lead. Orji Kalu is from Bende LGA and came second with over 25, 000 votes. Dr. David Onuoha-Bourdex of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, came third with a total votes of over 13, 000. Nnenna Nma Lancaster-Okoro of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scored a total of 916 votes, coming a distant fourth. The cancelled votes which is over 26, 000 is far higher than the margin of 195 votes between the Senator Mao and Chief Kalu, indicating that the election might be declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The election took place in 808 polling units of 57 wards in five LGs. Final result as collated Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/617409/7

Politics

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…99% staff and students affected. By Oko Ebuka The Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State is in deep accommodation crisis as over 99 per cent of the school including lecturers and 1,400 students are affected. A source close to the management revealed to Vanguard Maritime Report that the main campus at Okerekoko currently do not have any project going on there while the take-off campus at Kurute does not have what it takes to accommodate the students and staff of the institution. The source also reported that the female lecturers are sharing rooms with female students while the male lecturers are sleeping in their offices and the students don’t have any place to sleep and those who have money to rent private accommodation because there are none to rent. “As I speak to you now lecturers are sleeping in their offices, in lecture halls female lecturers are sleeping in female hostels. The students don’t have accommodation apart from the first year, and there are no houses to rent in town even if you have your money, and the population keeps increasing” the source said. The source calls on the present administration to find a lasting solution to the problem by signing the proposed bill into law in order to make provisions for the institution to provide accommodation for them. “Attention of the federal government should be quickly drawn into it so that they will go and find a solution. Don’t also forget that the president refused to sign the bill into law. That is another problem because if that bill was signed into law, they will make provisions for and be able to reach out to those who will be able to provide the accommodation.” “The project was started by Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and this present government has not added even a block to the little project done by the PDP government,” the source said. The source further disclosed that only year one student of the university have accommodation presently and expressed worry that the fresh intake of students later this year will further compound the problem, he concluded. Efforts to get the reaction of the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. (Mrs.) Maureen Ongoebi Etebu was unsuccessful as she neither picked her call nor responded to a text message sent to her on the issue. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/accommodation-crisis-hit-nigerian-maritime-university/

Education

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BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG NEW operators in the nation’s power sector have asked for increase in electricity tariff in the midst of worsening power situation in the country. The operators have already jerked up service charge from N750 to N1,500 monthly. This came as the Federal Government and organised labour are meeting today to review labour issues in the sector especially non-payment of terminal benefits for thousands of sacked workers, alleged victimisation of labour leaders in the massive sack of workers immediately after the take-over of the assets of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, among others. Vanguard gathered that the operators met with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, last week to demand for increase in tariff. It was gathered that the Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Sam Amadi, told the operators that they had no basis to ask for increase when Nigerians were still lamenting the negative effect of last increase and the worsening power station in the country. He was said to have also blamed the new operators for the massive sack of workers of the defunct PHCN, which had created shortage of manpower and compounded the power situation. According to Vanguard sources, the new operators were said to have dissociated themselves from the sack, blaming the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, for same. However, it was not confirmed if NERC approved the increase in service charge from N750 to N1,500 monthly less than one month after take-over of assets. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/electricity-new-owners-demand-increase-tariff/

Politics

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Kwara resumes Oct 15 Ekiti teachers adamant By Amaka Abayomi, Gbenga Olarinoye, Daud Olatunji & Tare Youdeowei AFTER the over two weeks of extra holiday as a result of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, schools in ten States resumed yesterday. The States include: Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Benue, Ekiti, Kano, Kogi, Akwa-Ibom, Ebonyi, and Ogun. Meanwhile, Kwara State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Saka Onimago has directed both public and private schools in the state to open October, 15. He noted that the extention was to enable the state acquire necessary equipment and organise seminar for stakeholders. Moreover, public school teachers in Ekiti have maintained that until the state government pays their two months salary arrears, no teacher should go to the classroom. It will be recalled that the National Executive Council of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, while countering government’s directive, had called on its members to ignore the September 22 resumption date, saying the date was not realistic in view of what was required to prevent theoutbreak of Ebola in the schools. NUT’s National President, Mr. Michael Olukoya, said schools in various states would remain shut until adequate preparations had been made by the state governments for resumption, as teachers were not ready to endanger their lives and those of the school children when necessary preventive and protective measures had not been put in place. Situation report: A visit to some schools in Lagos, Osun and Ogun states revealed that the contentious preventive measures, like running water and hand sanitisers had been provided at the entrances and other strategic places of schools. Also, personnel to check the students’ body temperature with digital thermometers have been trained. At the schools visited by Vanguard Learning, the administrators said at least two teachers have been trained on EVD and how to handle any suspected case of the virus. Government, NUT agree Pointing out that everything was set for resumption, an official of Lagos State Ministry of Education said teachers had no excuse not to resume work yesterday as digital thermometers, drums of water for washing hands, hand sanitisers, among others, had been provided. The NUT National President, Olukoya, said teachers resumed in states where safety measures are already in place and strategies on how to cover the syllabus will be worked out state by state. The state NUT Chairman, Mr. Adesegun Raheem, said the national leadership had given members the green light to resume after ensuring that all was ready for academic activities. Raheem said: “The NUT set up monitoring committees to ensure that the preventive materials were supplied to all schools. Though we encountered some challenges, we reported same to the government and proffered solutions to them.” On how teachers intend to cover up the syllabus due to lost time, the Lagos State NUT Chairman said: “The number of school days missed is just 12 and we know that the first week of resumption is used in getting the schools ready for academic activities. “Also, since school closing time has been extended from 2pm to 3:30pm to encourage reading culture in students, we intend to maximise that extra time and the last week of the term, which is for revision.” Osun: Teachers in Osun State have also joined their counterparts in Lagos and Ogun for resumption of academic activities following the distribution of digital thermometer to all public schools in the state. Pointing out that the thermometers will go round the 1,593 public schools in the state, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran, said more emphasis was given to flash points local governments like Ejigbo, Ede, Iwo, Odo-Otin and Ikirun that have students that might have travelled to neighbouring countries like Cote-de-Voire, Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic during the long vacation. With the distribution of preventive materials, the Osun State NUT chairman, Mr. Atanda Laidi, said: “The minds of our members are now at rest and we appreciate government’s effort at considering the safety of the students and teachers. “I’ll also use this medium to appeal to government to ensure prompt release of running grants, especially now that schools are resuming for the 2014/2015 school year.” Ogun teachers resume but In Ogun State, both Nigerian Union of Teachers and Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, had also given their members the green light to resume, with ASUSS warning that it might review its stand if its members complained about lack of or inadequate preventive materials. Though efforts to confirm from the state Commissioner for Education, Segun Odubela, if government was ready to reopen schools proved abortive, the Ogun State NUT Chairman, Mr. Dare Ilekoya, said teachers in public schools under NUT resumed yesterday as government had put in place every needed material for the prevention of the virus. He said: “The procurement of the preventive materials was enough reason for us to resume, though the World Health Organisation has cleared Nigeria of Ebola.” In the same vein, the ASUSS chairman, Mr. Akeem Lasisi, said though its members in all the 473 secondary schools resumed yesterday, they are ready to down tools if government fails to provide all the materials needed. Strike in Ekiti In sharp contrast to their counterparts, teachers in Ekiti State did not to resume for the new academic session on Wednesday as directed by the state government. Giving reasons for not resuming, the state chairman of the union, Mr Samuel Akosile, said asking teachers to resume for the session with empty stomach was like attempting suicide. Akosile said: “How can we go back to work when we are being cheated? We cannot pretend that all is well when teachers are dying in silence. As we speak now, teachers have not received August and September salaries as well as the deductions in July salary. “This made us direct our members to remain at home until we are paid because we don’t want a situation whereby teachers will either be dying on the roads or working with empty stomachs.” Teachers, parents and students react Excitement was in the air as pupils and students exchanged pleasantries with each other while they did their Ebola check. But same could not be said of their parents as they dropped them off. At Ibafon Primary School, Apapa, students were given a pep talk on Ebola, washed their hands and had their temperature checked before entering their classes. The Headmistress, Mrs Adeyemi Adenike appreciated the efforts of government in providing everything needed to curtail the spread of the virus, while the Chief Education Officer, Mr. Salau O. Kabiru, assured that the exercise would be daily and at regular intervals. The The Headmistress, Kajola Primary School, Kirikiri Road, Lagos, Mrs Kazim A. Mariam, said “the process was smooth as all the necessary materials were provided by the government and are being fully utilized. Though the turnout is low due to celebrations, classes will commence immediately so that we can make up for lost time.” Expressing delight to resume school, Amarachi Idenyi, a primary six pupil said “I am glad school has resumed. Ebola that has been killing people kept me from school and that made me very sad. I am looking forward to starting lessons.” Also, Favour Obi, a primary five pupil said resuming school was one of the best things to have happened to her as she was tired of staying at home. But some parents still have mixed feelings about allowing their kids to go to school. speaking the minds of most parents, a mother who simply gave her name as Mummy Damian who said “though I was getting tired of my children’s restlessness at home, but I’m not so pleased to have them in school just yet as I can’t really control who they mix or play with. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/ebola-finally-10-states-resume-nationwide/

Education

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The Abuja Original Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), in collaboration with National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), have evacuated over 279 students, who are natives and residents of Abuja from Jos. The President of AOIYEO, Mr Isaac David, disclosed this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja. READ ALSO;NEDC: Appraising House of Reps Accountability Report David said that the evacuation of the students was necessary in order to prevent death of indigenes and residents of Abuja in Jos. The youth leader revealed that all the buses sent to convey the students from their various schools safely brought them back to Abuja. He revealed that another round of evacuation would be made on Aug. 21, to ensure that all natives and residents of Abuja were brought back home, pending when normalcy returns to Jos. “As FCT indigenous people, we have to carry out our civic responsibilities as indigenous organisation, with the little resources at our disposal and achieved major result. “Although, previous government has made people to believe that the FCT is just the city at the expense of over 868 villages in remote areas. “Many people should understand that FCT indigenous students studying in Jos are from various local communities that make up the entire FCT. “Our citizens studying in Plateau state were stranded in the area as a result of the curfew imposed on some local government areas by the state government. “It was as a measure to curtail the security situation in the state. “We closely monitored the situation and we collaborated with National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to ensure the safe evacuation of our citizens and it became achievable,” he said Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/insecurity-fct-natives-nans-evacuates-279-students-from-jos/

Politics

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THE political history of Nigerian democracy cannot be complete without outlining auspicious roles being played by the electoral umpire—Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to accelerate the nation’s fledgling democracy. In fact, Nigeria joined highly respected democracies of this world, with democratic ethos and values as a result of INEC’s capability to conduct free, fair and credible elections, which came to international recognition under then visionary and pragmatic leadership of Professor Attahiru Jega. Prof. Jega’s INEC held Court pronouncements and judgements to its high esteem, and precisely obeyed them. Court-ordered rerun elections under this trail blazer never exceeded 90 days before being conducted and concluded without running into logjam of inconclusiveness. But since the present INEC leadership came on board, Prof. Jega’s hard-earned legacies in INEC are grossly and speedily being battered by undemocratic, biased and partisan actions and inactions of INEC authority led by Prof. Mahmud Yakubu. What brought INEC’s conspiracy against our young democracy to limelight is its unfolding partisanship and deliberate delay in conclusion of all the court-ordered reruns across some geo-political zones. It is no longer news that millions of Nigerians spread across Rivers South-West, Rivers East, Rivers South-East, Anambra Central, Imo North and Kogi East senatorial zones, are left without representatives in the Red Chamber for almost five months and running, as a result of INEC’s inability to conduct elections for respective senatorial seats and federal constituencies. The most striking aspect of the unholy political script being played out by INEC is that, those Senatorial zones were hitherto occupied by opposition party, the PDP Senators. For purpose of clarity, Court of Appeal Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja had on 10th and 11th December, 2015, respectively nullified the elections of three Rivers Senators: Osinakachukwu Idoezu (Rivers South-West), John Olaka-Nwogo (Rivers South-East) and George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers East), and ordered INEC to conduct rerun elections in the affected zones within 90 days. The 90 days ordered by Appellate court expired on 10th and 11th of March 2016. In same vain, nine House of Representatives members out of 13 from Rivers State, whose elections were set aside by same Court of Appeal on 12th December 2015, and ordered rerun within 90 days. Like others, the 90 days expired on 12th March 2016. In Imo North Senatorial zone, the election that brought Senator Achonu Nneji was nullified on 11th December 2015, by Court of Appeal, Owerri Division and consequently ordered INEC to conduct a rerun within 90 days. The 90 days’ timeline given to INEC by the Appellate Court, which was derived from 1999 Constitution cum 2010 Electoral Act, elapsed on 11th of March 2016. As regards Anambra Central Senatorial zone, Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, nullified Senator Uche Ekwunifie’s election on 6th of December 2015, and ordered a rerun for within 90 days. Unfortunately, court order expired on 6th March 2016, without any election coming forth thereby leaving Anambra State under-represented in the Senate. INEC went beyond its constitutional responsibility and powers, by disqualifying and barring candidates of certain political parties from being part of the election. The aggrieved political party approached Federal High Court, Abuja, where it got a court order mandating INEC to include its candidate in the rerun election. Instead of INEC retaining its roles as a plaintiff Party in a politically motivated and ill-conceived appellate suit, questioning the grounded decision of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on 1st March 2016, which rightly ordered the Commission to include wrongly, excluded parties and their candidates in the court-rerun. INEC absconded and defaulted on its bipartisan mandate as electoral referee, and even descended so low, by aligning with a political party just to frustrate another political party out of the race. Kogi East Senatorial zone is left without a substantive senator for months, irrespective of the fact that the Appeal Court-ordered election is almost concluded, except for few polling units. The court ordered 90 days has expired, yet not a word has been heard from INEC in that regard. It is very clear that the only reason, INEC is yet to finalise the election and declare triumphant candidate winner, is because the PDP candidate is leading with wide margin—which makes him presumptive Senator-elect of Kogi East. The recent rerun election held in Rivers State, passed a vote of no confidence on the electoral commission. For the first in the history of Nigerian democracy, INEC has refused to release, cancel, uphold or reschedule rerun for the yet-to-be-concluded local government areas in state. INEC has resorted to releasing election results by piecemeal against electoral guidelines. The entire three senatorial rerun elections of Rivers State are still outstanding, as well as nine other House of Representatives seats. The 90-day period given by Appeal Court has elapsed, yet INEC has not even fix date for conclusion of this election. Can INEC tell Nigerians where it derives this unconstitutional power to delay rerun elections outside Appeal Court stipulated 90 days from? One of INEC’s flimsy excuses has been that River State is not secured enough to guarantee peaceful electoral processes. If INEC under Prof. Jega could supervise peaceful general elections in Bokoharam-ravaged states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, why won’t Prof. Yakubu-led INEC conclude rerun election in only one state of Rivers? If Rivers State is too volatile for elections, what stops INEC from fixing date for rerun elections of Imo North, Anambra Central, and conclusion of rerun election of Kogi-East Senatorial zones? According to propagation of conspiracy theorists, it is being eluded that INEC is acting out well-scripted plot of ruling the APC, just to decimate political interests of opposition, the PDP, especially in the Senate. The biased, undemocratic and unconstitutional; deliberate delay of rerun elections in PDP stronghold, cannot be unconnected with machinations of the APC leadership to remove Sen. Bukola Saraki asSenate President via on-going trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and install a puppet Senate President. The groundswell and unreserved support of the PDP Senators, being enjoyed by Senate President Saraki, and capability of the PDP Senators to influence Sen. Saraki’s successor, based on its numerical strength, if he is eventually removed, and the ignoble roles of anti-Saraki forces, who are discreetly using INEC to keep numbers of PDP Senators down in case of election of new Senate President, is behind INEC’s unexplained, unsubstantiated and unconstitutional delay of rerun senatorial elections. Controversial appointment of acting Clerk of National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori who happens to be a junior civil servant to Benedit Efeturi—serving Deputy Clerk of National Assembly and the dusts it has raised, all points towards desperation of dictatorial elements to control NASS at all cost. CNA’s role as electoral umpire in the event of electing new Senate President cannot be far from all these conspiracies. It saddens my heart to state that, those who are bent on accomplishing their Saraki-must-go mission have succeeded in dragging critical government institutions into their political conquest—ranging from INEC to CCT to National Assembly Service Commission. INEC should note that, hitherto unwavering trust and confidence of Nigerians in the electoral commission, is being eroded. INEC’s partisan stand as regards delayed senatorial reruns has made more than 16 million Nigerians to be without representatives in the National Assembly, which is unconstitutional. Mr. Nwobodo Chidiebere, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/of-reruns-and-inecs-partisan-conspiracy/

Politics

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Slump in oil prices: A progressive way out I offer this advice, this warning, because the people have suffered enough hardship. I offer this advice in the slim hope those in power will ignore the messenger and objectively weigh the quality and humane nature of the message. If so, they will spare the people the grief visited upon a vulnerable people when their government blindly imposes last century’s policies in a modern setting inappropriate to the old strictures A wash in the great tide of politics, we must not forget why politics can be a noble endeavor. It leads to governance. When done correctly, governance can reform a nation and improve the lot of the people. In the hands of the ignorant and the mean, governance cast abundant misfortune upon a nation and upon the welfare of its citizens. This commentary concerns governance and policy more than it does politics. I offer it to generate debate on an important economic issue. No matter who is in power, we must do whatever is in our capacity to do to steer the nation away from economic woe. The people have suffered too much hardship already. Neither side of the political divide should seek to purchase transient advantage at the high price of dousing the people in greater economic calamity. Thus, I suggest this progressive’s position on how best to shape economic policy during this period of falling oil prices. I state this hoping those in charge will take pertinent advice from any quarter. My prayer is that they are not so stubborn as to adhere to a strategy that will deepen the economic misery of our people even when better policy measures are proffered. I confess to writing this also for a reason essentially political but non-confrontational. It accentuates the distinction between the conservative PDP and the progressive APC. The nation faces momentous elections when next year turns to its second month. The choice is a stark one; but many people do not believe as such. The differences are vast especially regarding economic policy. On the one side, the PDP champions a conservative, elitist economic model based on the theory that wealth money must first go to the already rich and well-heeled who shall determine how small a fraction of it will trickle-down to the rest of society. On the progressive side, we believe government can fillip economic growth and development in such a way that brings the fairness of prosperity to all of society. We don’t seek to penalize those who already have but we will do our utmost to remove from the clutch of poverty the bulk of our people. We seek to turn the hungry suffering of our poor and working classes into a dignified livelihood that provides a dignified existence for all. Global oil prices have fallen from over 100 dollars a barrel to approximately 80 dollars per barrel. This slide has caused a corresponding drop in government’s dollar revenues. With this, the federal government claims it has less money at its disposal and the paucity of dollars necessitates austerity measures. Most people accept this position as gospel; debate about its correctness has been nil. Yet, the stakes are much too high to assume this subjective position as an economic certitude or uncritically accept its propriety. What they proclaim as policy is not based on any unassailable economic principle. It is statement of economic bias that beckons to the wealthy while auguring unnecessary hardship for most Nigerians. Look at jobless and poverty levels as well as the diminished status of our middle class. After viewing these statistics, most objective economists would conclude Nigeria is mired in a long-term, secular depression. Forget the rosy GDP numbers. They signify a great economic and financial segregation between those who have and others who have not. If we continue with the policy preferences of the current administration, the haves shall become the “have–mores” and the “have-nots” shall become the “have even less.” The vast majority of the claimed GDP growth has fallen into the laps of those already enjoying obvious luxury. The rest of the people are left to gaze at the enormity of the income and wealth chasm separating them from the cabal orchestrating the discordant political economy. While a small group flourishes, the rest of the nation subsidizes their economic bounty. A tight confederacy rides an economic skyrocket while the bulk of the people languish in the swamp. For one group, the economy is effervescent. For the other, it is catatonic. Nigeria is one nation with two economies. For this government to speak of austerity is to further enrich the affluent while casting the average Nigerian into greater hardship and deeper socio-economic depression. As with the Euro zone the past five years since the global financial crisis, austerity has not solved the dire economic weakness of the nations that employed this sickening remedy. All austerity has done is tighten the grip of the wealthy on the economy while weakening the position of the middle class and the poor. Austerity weakens aggregate demand, deflating an economy already fatigued and against the ropes. Those with hefty portfolios, profit as the value of their holdings appreciates by the very dynamics of deflation. Those who don’t have, find money even dearer to come by. Jobs and commerce disappear. Debt climbs. Deflation turns a noble but poor household into a committee of beggars and street urchins. The austerity that the current Administration offers is an insensitive, myopic policy that lends primacy of favor to meaningless accounting figures instead of to the material wellbeing of the people. Austerity undermines our economic pillars and breaks the spirit of the people. Austerity is the merchant of pessimism and hopeless futility. If you desire a nation of thralls, by all means continue this bleak path. If we want a nation of prosperity and economic justice, a different course is our due. Listen carefully to the position of the Jonathan Administration as articulated by the finance minister and you shall collide into the barricades of illogic and its weighty consequences. The claim is that government is low on funds because the lower price of oil means fewer dollars are being collected from oil sales. This sounds logical but for one fundamental point. The dollar intake is basically irrelevant to determining the amount of naira the government commands and places into the political economy. This fundamental point reveals the government’s position to be the antiquated relic of a past era. It is the way of the gold standard which ceased to exist over forty years ago. As such, government’s stance is based more on superstition than on the actual functioning of modern economy with a sovereign fiat currency of its own. The last I looked, Nigeria operates a Naira-based economy not a dollar-based one. There is no legal or moral restriction strictly limiting the amount of Naira in the system to match the amount of dollars collected via oil sales. More importantly, there is no economic justification for the close linkage implied by the government. If we take its position at face value, the Jonathan Administration is advocating that we effectively place the Naira and thus our fiscal policy on a “dollar standard.” The world jettisoned the gold standard in 1971 because it proved unworkable, reducing the policy space in which governments could pursue fiscal programs promoting full employment and social welfare. We should likewise reject this government’s imposition of a dollar standard on our nation’s fiscal operations. Under the gold standard, a national government took pains not to incur budgetary deficits that exceeded the dimensions of its gold reserves. This was because the currency had no value by itself. Its value was based on the convention that the currency was backed by the nation’s gold holdings. Those governments that ran deficits had to pay those debts in gold. Given that gold supplies were always and everywhere finite and exhaustible, a nation had to keep its deficits within the confines of its ability to pay debts in gold. Because of this straitjacketing effect, nations would abandon the gold standard during harsh economic times in order to give them the fiscal freedom to rejuvenate their economies. This was the case during the Great Depression with the major economic powers. This should be the case with Nigeria today since the bulk of our people live in conditions redolent of the Great Depression or any other depression for that matter. Our government persists that it must limit fiscal outlays to the amount of dollars the nation holds. Similar to the operation of the discarded gold standard, following this path is to strap ourselves to austerity and the chronic deflation of austerity produces. Worse, it serves to enthrall the fiscal policy of our sovereign nation to the monetary policy of another country. That nation plies monetary policy to serve its interests and not the economic interests of Nigeria. I am baffled why this government would give such power over the fate of our economic wellbeing to another nation that does not incorporate our interests into its decisional processes. This government makes our nation the economic servant of another so that government may turn about to make the Nigerian people its economic servant. While there is a certain logic to this dynamic, it is a perverse and debilitating one. Because we operate a sovereign fiat currency the federal government issues at its sole discretion, the federal government can never be rendered insolvent in Naira. This means it can run Naira fiscal deficits indefinitely. The only outer bound is to ensure the fiscal expansion does not incur damaging inflation rates. There is no logical reason to peg the flow of Naira into the economy to the flow of dollars received. The correct perspective is not to mechanistically restrict Naira expenditure to dollar intake. This would be tantamount to those crippled with economic blinders forcefully leading those who can see we are heading for disaster. It points to deflation, recession and worse. The better methodology is to ascertain, then achieve, the level of Naira expenditure needed to expand the economy and create jobs without causing inflation to rise to dangerous levels. This is how broadly-shared prosperity is generated in a sustainable manner. In this way, the nation’s economic engineers should focus primarily on allocating value and opportunity to our underutilised labour force and our idle, yet potentially productive capital in a way that promotes wealth creation and expansion of aggregate demand. It is this sustainment of aggregate demand that empowers the nation to rescue itself from the whirlpool of economic contraction. This avenue is more benign than the one the federal administration now advocates. Their way calls for us to forget growth and for government to preoccupy itself with allocating economic misery among those segments of the population too poor and weak to contest the immiserating actions of government against them. In the face of recessionary headwinds, government should run countercyclical fiscal policy by using its Naira sovereignty to fund fiscal deficits. The deficit is not simply for the sake of running a deficit; the funds cannot be spent on nonproductive matters. It must be used to fuel infrastructural and other projects that not only employ great numbers of people but enhance the overall productivity of the economy. The funds must be used to backstop state governments in a nonpartisan manner so that each state government may continue to pay salaries and pursue projects essential to that state’s economic critical path. To accomplish this, the federal government needs to reverse the inimical “dollarization” of the national economy in two ways. First and most importantly, it must abandon the outdated peg of fiscal policy and expenditures to the dollar intake. The one actually has no correspondent nexus to the other. Any commanding connection we give it is an artifice not an economic necessity. Related to this, we must reverse a trend that has gained momentum under this government. Among government-aligned elites, the fad has been to conduct domestic business transactions in dollars. Policy must “nairasize” the economy by requiring all domestic transactions occur in our legal tender. As this is done, the government’s infinite ability to issue Naira will come to outweigh the limitations inherent in the overuse of the finite supply of another nation’s currency for transactions wholly internal to our domestic economy. Inflation is the major risk of running budget deficits to spur growth. We can contain inflation to acceptable levels by ensuring additional government expenditures are for items that can be supplied domestically, particularly labour. Naira paid to poor and working class people mostly circulates in the domestic economy, spurring additional local commerce and production. This is because their consumption patterns do not approach the level of import expenditures associated with their wealthier compatriots. Related to this, we must decrease our level of superfluous imports. These measures will place downward pressure on the Naira. Devaluation will not be destructive but it will be noticeable. For most nations, such devaluation would be welcomed as it would make export industries more competitive, thus creating jobs and export earnings in the process. However, this will not be the case initially for us because of the moribund state of our industrial sector. Here, government would need to initiate crash programs aimed at enhancing those domestic industries perched on the borderline of international competitiveness. In the end, the policy I propose is not without risks, inflation being the chief concern. Yet, if wisely prosecuted, the rewards of job creation and economic growth allocated among the bulk of the populace outweigh the inflationary risk. More to the point, the policy now pursued bears no risks at all. It is certain to toss the average man’s economy into a stagnation that will resemble the onset of a major recession. Saving the people from this unnecessary plight is sufficient imperative to eschew the policies of old and embrace the progressive course. I offer this advice, this warning, because the people have suffered enough hardship. I offer this advice in the slim hope those in power will ignore the messenger and objectively weigh the quality and humane nature of the message. If so, they will spare the people the grief visited upon a vulnerable people when their government blindly imposes last century’s policies in a modern setting inappropriate to the old strictures. Regardless of our partisan affiliations, let us consecrate this land by dedicating ourselves to the betterment of the poor, weak, and needy members of our national family. Let this moment not pass like so many others where we have demanded that the most vulnerable among us bear the greatest weight of the national burden. Let us give them the hope, change and dignity they deserve and human decency demands. This is how we make the nation great. When I speak of a common sense revolution, this is what I mean.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/slump-in-oil-prices-a-progressive-way-out/

Politics

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Ondo guber poll: APC Youth, women declare support for Abraham Damisi Ojo, Akure Ahead of the October 10 governorship election in Ondo state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth and Women Forum for Good Governance has unanimously expressed their support for the 2016 APC primaries runner-up, Olusegun Abraham as candidate of the ruling party for the coming poll. Speaking during their monthly meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday, the group’s chairman, Olotu Oluwatoba reiterated the need to have a compassionate technocrat who has contributed immensely to economic and infrastructural growth of the state to occupy the Alagbaka Government House in 2020. According to him, the endorsement of Abraham is coming in view of the need for him to expand and improve the people-oriented programmes he has been doing in his life to make Ondo State and Nigeria a better place to live in. Oluwatobi said Abraham has also been awarding multi-million naira scholarship to the less privileged students across the six local governments in Ondo North Senatorial District and beyond for almost 20 years and setting up of businesses for the needy across the entire 18 local government areas in the state. READ ALSO: Ondo 2020: Why I’m challenging Akeredolu Also, the state secretary of the group, Mrs Olayinka Alasan, said ” Abraham is a blessing to Ondo State because he is the best among the aspirants who have so far shown interest for the 2020 governorship election in our state and we must support him. “We should not forget that he provided medical and financial assistance to many across the state. “As a progressive and a loyal party, he campaigned for late Adebayo Adefarati across 18 local government areas and rejected the position of Commissioner offered him by the late Governor because he wanted the grassroots politicians to grow. “He later left his multi-million naira business in Nigeria and abroad to help set up Adefarati’s government especially on industrialization and infrastructural development across the state”. Mrs. Olayinka reminded the citizenry of Ondo State how Abraham turned the fortunes of Owena Motel from loss to profit when he voluntarily served as the Chairman of the motel for four years between (1999-2003) without collecting salary or any allowance during the period. She assured the people of the State that Abraham would not disappoint them if given the mandate to serve the people.

https://thenationonlineng.net/ondo-guber-poll-apc-youth-women-declare-support-for-abraham/

Politics

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By Yinka Odumakin “Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 per cent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds”–Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, Jan 15,1966. “N78m too little for Fashola to steal”- Ben Akabueze, Sept 18,2015. BETWEEN the time Nzeogwu railed against corruption in high places during the first military putsch in Nigeria in 1966 and September 18,2015 when Ben Akabueze,a former commissioner in Lagos declared that it would be infra-dig of Mr. Raji Fashola to steal a little sum like N78m ( the amount Lagos government announced he spent on a website)when he was presiding over an average of N400b annually for eight years;Nigeria has sunk below,below. The Nigerian situation is not only about corrupt officials but corruption itself being one of the officials of state. In 2009, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak had to resign his office as Sports Minister in Ghana for mis-applying $10,000 to sponsor Ms. Edith Zinayela, Secretary to the Majority Leader in Parliament, to embark on a trip to Germany in his official entourage. That would not happen in Nigeria where corruption only wears the garb of corruption mostly when the accused are not properly aligned. The cruel joke of anti-graft war in Nigeria can never be better illustrated than a story told by my good brother and friend,Olusegun Adeniyi in his column in THISDAY of January 9,2011. It is better served in his own words: “On the night of December 16, 2006, I got a call from Alhaji Aliko Dangote who sought to know whether I was in Abuja. When I answered in the affirmative, he requested that I joined him and a few other people he would not name at the residence of Senator Andy Uba, then a Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo. This was on the day the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was holding its National Convention to pick the presidential candidate for the April 2007 general elections. When I arrived at Uba’s residence, I met Dangote and Uba as well as four others: then EFCC Chairman, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu; former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori; his Kwara State counterpart, Dr. Bukola Saraki; and Zenon Oil Chairman, Mr. Femi Otedola. Since my arrival did not change the tone of discussion, it was easy for me to keep abreast of what the issue was: then Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili, had been selected by President Olusegun Obasanjo as running mate to his anointed PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Odili’s name had even been written into the acceptance speech to be read by Yar’Adua after what would have been no more than a hollow ritual at the Eagle Square. The essence of the gathering was to stop Odili from becoming Yar’Adua’s running mate on grounds of alleged corruption. When I asked why I was invited to the meeting, they said they had an “exclusive story” for THISDAY which would highlight allegations of corruption against Odili but with a caveat: it had to be published in next morning’s edition of the newspaper. The evidence was to be supplied by Ribadu who held a file containing the documents. While I considered the proposition somewhat ridiculous, I also wondered how a THISDAY publication could affect the decision to make Odili the running mate. It was then they explained what was going on”. Res ipsa loquitur. The composition of this anti- corruption caucus would make one bend double with laughter were it not for the monumental tragedy that is at play. It is not different from some poster boys of corruption who have been lately talking of clearing “the rots” of the past of which they are very active participants. A friend of mine quipped the other day that it is easier counting the number of houses that don’t belong to one of them in the state where he once governed than the ones he owns. In the days of Obasanjo farcical fight against corruption, he ensured that some governors who were aligned with his arch-foe who was his also his Vice were bloodied in the nose. One of them was Joshua Dariye who was arrested in London for money laundering. But shortly after Obasanjo handed over Dariye wrote to his successor,Umaru Yar’Adua that his loot had been re-looted. He said that the worth of his loot was N741, 056,000, while just N29.3 million was returned to Plateau state “where is the remaining N712 million?” At one sordid point in our history, Sani Abacha decided to fight corruption by setting up Failed Banks Tribunals to recover loots from thieving bank officials. By the time the maximum ruler expired allegedly in the embrace of oriental beauties he had looted 1000% more than he ever recovered from the rogue bankers. High drama over assets declaration: We have just been treated to high drama over the alleged false declaration of assets by Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. While this column holds that anyone who runs foul of the law should face the music, and the allegations against him are weighty to warrant proper trial when we start a real anti- graft war- the fact remains that Saraki would not have been prosecuted for what ALL politicians do if not that he defied the party supremacists. Among the “supremacists” choreographing Saraki’s ordeals are people who need more than a lifetime in jail for all they had illegally acquired as public office holders.Those who prostrated out of the dock a few years ago on worse charges are now talking of how impossible it is to “overlook certain things in the past”. I thought they said the “past” was only six years of Jonathan! That giants of corruption are gloating over this shows it is not about fighting corruption. They would have fooled at least the unwary that they are dealing with corruption if the “Lion of Bourdillon” has not been showing his fingers all over the place and causing nausea as the spokesman of the administration’s anti-graft crusade. A society where Lawrence Anini becomes the head of Special Anti-Robbery Squad should just legalise robbery! Hate Saraki or like him,(I am certainly not his fan)we must insist that every due process of law should be followed in determining his guilt or otherwise. Hounding him out of his seat with what is known in Lagos as “jankara” would herald a fascist order in Nigeria. Our fathers from the depth of their wisdom say when a man used a pestle to beat his full-blooded brother,his half-brother should know that the Amber light is on. Father Niemoller admonition in the days of Hitler still ring true: First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak The comedy of it all is that the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Court trying Saraki and the Chairman of the Conduct Bureau are under investigations for allegations of corruption.The EFCC chairman himself is answering allegations of corruption from Saraki’s Senate. Between 2003 when EFCC was established and now,hundreds of cases have been filed against corrupt officials with less than two dozens conviction.The Commission has succeeded more in dealing with plebeian rogues who deal in advance fee frauds than the captains in the corruption industry who are able to steal more than enough to perverse the entire system. For people in the latter category ,the whole ordeal of corruption trial is not more than the one week of interrogation by the EFCC and media hype. Once they are charged to the courts and the Senior Advocates of Nigeria take over,that is the end of the story. Anti-corruption on corruption foundation The bottom line is that there is no way corruption can be fought successfully in a country that is built on a foundation of corruption and whose constitution mandates corruption. The 1999 constitution upon which entire governance machinery rests in Nigeria is the greatest enabler of corruption in the country.The process of accessing political power is also so expensive that it is easier for the camel to shuttle effortlessly through the eye of the needle than for clean money to take anyone to political office. A government that therefore seeks to concentrate only on “fighting corruption” within the present structures of Nigeria without creating alternative incentives would at the end of the day discover that it is wasting it’s time.That was what Ricardo meant by saying that throwing bad eggs into the sea on its own is not capable of making good eggs flow to the shores. It would make more sense to fashion out an agenda of deliverables,build institutions that make it difficult for thieves to access the treasury and ultimately reconstitute Nigeria in a way that the architecture of corruption would be smashed so that it would no longer be fashionable for political office holders to be comfortable with the legacy of theft Until then it would be what Yoruba call “ole gbe,ole gba”(thieves recovering from thieves) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/fg-suspends-unn-chairman-governing-council/Hopeless

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By Adeola Adenuga and Oluwatobiloba Adeyemi A pastor, Samuel Oyedotun, stunned an Ake Customary Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State when he said he wouldn‘t have got married to his wife, Lydia, if he knew the woman was not responsible. Oyedotun said his wife made him believe she‘was religious when they met, until after she bore two children for him and he discovered she indulged in drinking beer and was also adulterous. This, according to him, gives serious concern to the extent that he hardly prayed as he used to do before they became husband and wife. The pastor said he met Lydia in lbadan and they got married legally while the union, according to him, is blessed with five children. He added that what informed his decision to sue for divorce was that he found that she was dating some rich men in his church, and that when he confronted her, she threatened to deal with him ruthlessly. The plaintiff said that all efforts to stop her from continuing in the habit proved abortive. He therefore urged the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the children. Though the 37-year-old woman denied the allegations levelled against her by the husband, she told the court she was ready to accept the divorce since her husband was adamant. Lyndia said it was not the end of road for her. The respondent however pleaded that the court grant her custody of the children because she knew that the money Samuel would be making from the church would not be enough for the upkeep of the children. Meanwhile, the case was adjourned for further hearing. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/pastor-laments-rich-church-members-snatched-my-wife/

Religion

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Buhari and Jonathan By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor LAGOS — The two leading presidential candidates, President Goodluck Jonathan and Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) are today and tomorrow shifting their focus on the South-East with separate bids for the zone’s 6.6 million voters. The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Buhari, is trying to puncture the seeming strength of President Jonathan in the South-East with rallies and town hall meetings in the zone today. The tension shadowing the efforts of the two contenders are expected to be tempered today at a joint meeting between the two contenders and President John Mahama of Ghana. The meeting, it was understood, is expected to provide an opportunity for the two major contenders again to pledge a determination to abide by the rules of the contest. The APC candidate is expected to attend a strategic meeting of the party’s governors and senior party officials in Owerri today. Buhari is also expected to preach his message of change at the South-East zonal rally holding on the sidelines of the meeting of the governors and senior party officials. Following the meeting, the APC candidate is to proceed to Onitsha where he is expected to have an interactive session with traders and religious leaders in the commercial city. Buhari, according to campaign officials, is also expected to provide assurances to the traders during the session of his determination to ensure a conducive environment for their businesses to flourish. Buhari’s visit to Onitsha is coinciding with a visit to the same town by First Lady, Patience Jonathan, who is also scheduled to hold a women sensitisation rally in the commercial city. Mrs. Jonathan, who has maternal links to the South-East, is expected to appeal to the sentiments of her Igbo brothers and sisters in keeping their in-law in office. Jonathan’s town hall meeting in Aba President Jonathan is himself expected also to visit Aba, Abia State for a major town hall meeting with the business community in the South-East. At the town hall meeting, the president is expected to address the concerns of the business community, giving facts and figures on the efforts of his administration in bolstering the environment for small and medium scale businesses. The president’s renewed interest in the South-East is on the strength of recent mutterings from some stakeholders that the president had disregarded the region and put his focus on the South-West. President Jonathan swept most of the states in the South-East in 2011 and got more than 90 per cent in most of the states. However, his political supremacy has faced challenges on account of allegations of inefficiencies in the system. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/jonathan-buhari-lay-siege-to-south-east/#sthash.3uT2H4Sq.dpuf

Politics

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By Nwafor Sunday with Agency report Wife of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, has on Monday told the governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano, Akpokuedike Aguleri, to stop avoiding the memorial lecture of Late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, noting that there were no evil spirits in the venue. “This is the second time the event is holding and Obiano doesn’t want to attend by himself. “Tell Obiano that there is no evil spirit in the venue of Ojukwu memorial lecture”, Bianka said. She expressed reservation over the absence of Obiano at the second memorial lecture of her husband. Mrs Ojukwu spoke during the lecture at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Igbariam, Anambra State on Monday. She said that Obiano was one of the greatest beneficiaries of Ojukwu’s legacy. She called on the governor not to erode the legacy of her late husband especially regarding All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). She thanked former Gov. Peter Obi for renaming the state University after Ojukwu who was truly a hero in life and death. Reacting, Obiano who was represented at the event by his deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, said the governor was absent at the event due to other official engagement. “It is unfortunate that Obiano has not attended the memorial lecture since it started last year, but that is not to say that he will not attend. “The governor still has time in office and could still attend in future,” he said. Muoghalu whose lecture was titled: Ndigbo in the contemporary Nigerian politics, problems, prospects and way forward, said the Igbo people must be given equal treatment like other tribes. Muoghalu regretted that since the Nigeria/Biafra civil war, the effect had held the nation backward due to inability of the leaders to address the matters arising. “I suggest that key actors during the war like retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon should speak to heal the wounds to ensure lasting peace,” he said. Former Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu who chaired the event called for restructuring of the country and introduction of state police. He said restructuring and de-centralisation of the police were key to addressing the mirage of problems plaguing the nation. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/11/bianka-ojukwu-to-obiano-there-are-no-evil-spirits-in-the-venue-of-ojukwus-memorial-lecture/?fbclid=IwAR0sebQozZ7L7dVWi1fbUZbq7knIn4LkbYz4jBVSDlrLZK5STeUA4-Rjuq4

Politics

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By Ben Agande ABUJA — The Presidency said yesterday that the Probe of the Subsidy regime by the House of Representatives which exposed massive fraud in the oil sector lacked credibility as “it looks like the probe is targeted at some individuals”. The Political Adviser to the president, Alhaji Ali Gullack, said though the president is committed to clearing the Augean stable in the petroleum sector, he was yet to receive any report from members of the House of Representatives on the petroleum subsidy probe. His comment is, however, in sharp contrast with those of the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Joy Emordi who had stated that the president was on the same page with the National Assembly on the subsidy probe. The Presidential Aide who spoke with State House Correspondents in Abuja, yesterday, added that the manner of invitations of persons that appeared before the committee further lend credence to the belief that the probe was meant to advance the political ambition of some individuals. “Why did they not invite Rilwanu Lukman? He was the Minister of Petroleum Resources during the period of the probe? Where is Mohammed Barkindo who was the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the time? Where are the other key actors who were at the vanguard of the subsidy regime? The House of Representatives must probe these individuals before we can truly say they are doing the right thing, otherwise the report will lack credibility. What is worth doing at all is worth doing well”, he said. The presidential Adviser warned that “people should not allow themselves to be used to promote the political agenda of some selfish individuals”. Defending the President, Alhaji Gullack said: “President Jonathan is one person that wants things done and done correctly. He is the only president in the history of this country that has embarked on the cleansing of the oil and gas sector. He is the only president that has embarked on fighting corruption in the sector and for anybody to say that Mr. President is sitting on any report is unfair and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good name of the president”. He said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been given the mandate to go into the matter and you will also recall that not too long ago, Mr. President approved appointment of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC chairman to help sanitise the oil and gas sector. The president is determined to do more if he is given the necessary support by Nigerians,” He acknowledged that “money has been stolen in NNPC and we have to get to the root but in doing that, we must go back to when it all started? At what point did things go bad? Mr. President is even the one that is saying no more stealing with the subsidy regime and that it must stop, how can he then turn around and sit on something that will help him sanitise the sector”, he queried. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/subsidy-probe-lacks-credibility-jonathans-aide/

Politics

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WORLD CUP—Germany’s forward Andre Schuerrle (C) holds the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after his team’s victory in the final football match between Germany and Argentina for the FIFA World Cup at The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, . AFP PHOTO. FIFA yesterday cleared the air on the World Cup prize money that accrues to each participating federation at the World Cup finals. Nigeria was exposed to public shame in Brazil when the Eagles demanded for their share of the prize money, which FIFA normally pays at the end of the tournament. NFF had told the players that the money was yet to be paid but the players went on strike, missing a day’s training prior to their second round match against France. A panicky Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan quickly dispatched his Minister of Sports , Dr. Tamuno Danagogo to give the players $3.8m, being their conceived share of the prize money from the yet to be released FIFA money. It was hoped that the money would ginger the boys to beat France but the African champions succumbed 2-0. Nigeria government fell to the players’ blackmail. The aftershocks of that loss are still reverberating in Nigeria with the NFF board being dissolved and FIFA placing Nigerian on suspension, with a possible indefinite ban if the board was not reinstated today. And only last night, FIFA moved to clear the air on the World Cup prize money, which is tearing Nigeria apart, stating that the money was for the federation which they said has the right to use it at its own discretion. It is largely for development of the game but some federations pay players who played the qualifying matches and World Cup matches a certain percentage of the money. “That prize money from the World Cup will go to each country’s soccer federation and it is at the discretion of each nation how to dole out the winnings”, said FIFA. That prize money is in addition to the $1.5 million each nation was given prior to the tournament for training, travel and other expenses. FIFA also has a pool $70 million to pay to the various clubs that employ the 736 club players in the tournament, which works out to $2,800 per player per day that the player was in the World Cup. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/fifa-clears-air-world-cup-prize-money/#sthash.fZURdoUB.dpuf

Sports

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Nigeria’s airline, Air Peace, begins scheduled flights into Anambra on Tuesday. Its spokesman, Mr Stanley Olisa, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday. Olisa stated that the commencement followed approval of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. He added that the consistent route expansion by the airline was a reflection of its “no-city-left-behind’’ initiative. Olisa stated also that the initiative had seen the airline expand its footprints both in Nigeria and beyond, while easing the transportation burden of Nigerians. He said the airline would begin with four flights per week and that passengers could now fly directly from Lagos and Abuja into the Anambra Airport located at Umueri. “This is great news for the people of Anambra as we are launching four flights weekly into the new airport on Tuesday. “For a start, we shall be operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and as operations gather momentum, we shall increase frequencies to daily flights,’’ he stated. Olisa said passengers could start booking on Air Peace’s website: www.flyairpeace.com or on its mobile app, stressing that the airline planned to connect Anambra with other cities outside Lagos and Abuja. He noted that by the end of January 2022, the airline would have started flying Anambra-Kano-Anambra, Anambra-Ibadan-Anambra and Anambra-Port Harcourt-Anambra routes. He added that Air Peace was unwaveringly determined to interconnect Nigeria, providing connections which facilitate seamless economic exchanges and foster unity. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Air Peace currently services 19 domestic routes, six regional routes and two international destinations. The airline operates an increasing modern fleet of 32 aircraft, including four new Embraer 195-E2 jets and two Airbus 320s. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/12/air-peace-begins-scheduled-flights-into-anambra-2/

Travel

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Buhari’s victory an end to tyranny, says Afenifere Ekiti State chapter of the Yoruba socio cultural and political organisation, Egbe Afenifere Ilosiwaju Yoruba, under the national leadership of Senator Ayo Fasanmi, has declared the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari as the end of discussion for old breed politicians. The elders said those parading themselves as ‘deciders of human fate’ and holding Nigerians to ransom have been rendered useless politically. It added that the people have taken over power in a bloodless and democratic manner. The group disclosed that the election was a departure from the old nuances oligarchs , who had always believed they held the ace in through politics of the nation. A statement signed by its publicity secretary, Chief Biodun Akin Fasae, in Ado Ekiti, described the victory of the president as a referendum for good governance, integrity, honesty, patriotism and love of the masses. He said it is a poof that Nigerians were appreciative of the giant strides recorded by Buhari-led federal government. “On behalf of Egbe Afenifere Ilosiwaju Yoruba in Ekiti State, I heartily congratulate our President Buhari for this historic re-election to pilot the affairs of our great nation for the next four years. Our interpretation of the historic victory is that the power of darkness is limited to the extent of availability of light and since Nigerians have chosen to hold on to light, then darkness has perished. Power brokers who always believed that they held the ace, holding Nigerians by the jugular had now been rendered useless. The group also congratulated the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi who within four months have changed the Ekiti political narrative from that of backwaters to a front liner. Afenifere said: “He did not only come up with a winning strategy, he also led Ekiti people to Aso Rock by the result of over 60% coming out as the best in the Southwest for APC. This is apart from scoring a full mark as all members of both Senate and House of Representatives were elected on the platform of the party”.

http://thenationonlineng.net/buharis-victory-an-end-to-tyranny-says-afenifere/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Politics

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Expectant mum, kids stranded in U.S. after husband’s sudden death They were only a few days old in the United States. Tunde Adepegba, his wife Oluwayemisi , who is seven-month pregnant, and their two chidlren, arrived the U.S. in April. But on April 26, Adepegba died in a bus. His wife has sobbed her heart out since then. Mrs. Adepegba, who has two daughters aged two and eight, had barely spent 12 hours with her husband when he was picked up dead inside a metro bus. The late Adepegba, a computer systems analyst, suffered a suspected heart attack while inside a metro bus in Annapolis area of Maryland and died with no help until the bus driver got to a final stop and came for him. The late Adepegba’s burial will cost about $10,000, which the wife does not have. A gofundme account has been set up for her husband burial. A deputy editor with THISDAY newspaper, Olawale Olaleye, who has been part of the fundraiser, wrote on his facebook wall: “This is no good news but a time I need the Nigerian in us to act true to type. Sadly, he left behind a pregnant wife. It is such a pathetic situation. But we can’t go on and on brooding over what we can’t change. This is an appeal for his burial, which is a bit expensive in the U.S and of course, whatever is left of this will be given to the pregnant wife.” A columnist with THISDAY newspaper, Adeola Akinremi, who is in the US and has seen the family of the deceased, said: “It is a sad story. The gofundme.com is probably the first place to start, but you can also reach out to the woman directly.” Mrs Adepegba and her children are in Randallstown, Maryland, United States, where a Good Samaritan is accommodating them.

http://thenationonlineng.net/expectant-mum-kids-stranded-u-s-husbands-sudden-death-2/

Family

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Some of Nigeria’s millionaires By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor Despite increasing economic hardships, the latest wealth report has indicated that the number of millionaires in Nigeria has risen to 15,400, about 305 per cent from 5,000 recorded in year 2000, when the last study on wealthy was conducted. Their combined networth is about USD150 billion (about N30 trillion).Global Wealth reporters are calculated on legitimate and registered assets within the tax net. According to the latest research report by New World Wealth focusing on Africa’s wealthy class 2015, wealthy elite is expanding at a dramatic pace. Forbes wealth report had put total wealth of top 15 wealthy Nigerians at about USD36 billion (about N7.2 trillion). The top 10 list includes Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Folorunsho Alakija, Femi Otedola, Abdulsalamad Rabui, Theophilus Danjuma, Orji Uzor Kalu, Tony Elumelu, Jim Ovia, Mohammed Indimi and Tunde Folawiyo. Though Nigeria was rated high in general economic performance emerging the largest economy in Africa, according to the ranking parameters, the 305 per cent growth rate in number of millionaires puts the country fourth position in Africa behind Angola, Ghana and Zambia which came first, second and third with percentage growth rate in number of millionaires at 482 per cent, 440 per cent and 400 per cent growth respectively. However the number of millionaires in these countries are far less than in Nigeria with Angola, Ghana and Zambia recording 1500, 2700 and 1000 millionaires respectively. Moreover the continents economy powerhouses Morrocco, South Africa and Algeria took distant back positions in rate of growth in number of millionaires in the continent coming 15th, 12th and 8th respectively. However the number of millionaires in these big econmies are still far much more than other countries with South Africa in predominance at 46,800 millionaires. ‘’Though huge parts of Africa remain locked in extreme poverty, it’s impossible to miss the emergence of ultra-wealthy individuals’’, the report stated. New World Wealth defines High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) as people with net assets of USD1 million and above. Overall in Africa, the number of HNWIs has risen by 145 per cent over the period, while the world in general has seen an increase of just 73 per cent. New World Wealth provides information on the global wealth sector, with a special focus on high growth markets. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/nigerias-millionaire-class-increases-from-5000-to15400/

Politics

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By Ishola Balogun It was one Hamas activist, Muhammad Abu Wardeh, who was reported to be recruiting terrorists for suicide bombings in Israel more than a decade ago that said: “God would compensate the martyr for sacrificing his life for his land. If you become a martyr, God will give you 70 virgins, 70 wives and everlasting happiness.” All the informed Muslims knew certainly that Wardeh was only shortchanging his recruits. This has become widespread to the extent that non-Muslim and mischief makers who have no modicum of knowledge about Islam use this false assertion to denigrate the religion, especially when the dare devil bombers or blood thirsty group struk. They say: Hey! they want to go to heaven and acquire 70 virgins and other bla bla… It is only a sick and despicable mind that feels that it has a right to attack, steal, murder and cause harm to others. One, suicide which is qatlu nafsi-hi is strictly forbidden in Islam, and it is followed by the punishment of Allah. The flesh and body are not our own possession but a trust granted to us in order to preserve our spirit. So, we cannot attempt to blow up the divine work of art entrusted on us. We cannot also destroy it by going on hunger strike; it is unacceptable in Islam. The Quran which guides the actions and activities of any Muslims says: Suicide is forbidden. “O ye who believe!… [do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancour and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire…” (Qur’an 4:29-30). Then the Prophet says “Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever”, [Bukhari (5778) and Muslim (109 and 110)]. What the Hadith referred to is matayr which is (sahid) contrary to killing of oneself. Martyrdom is everywhere praised and encouraged. Again, the Prophet said: “The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self.” “Whoever suppresseth his anger, when he has it in his power to show it, God will give him a great reward.” “Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow beings first.” “Wish not or supplicate for death before its taime cometh.” Secondly, paradise is described in great sensual detail in Suratul Waqiah; Q56 verses 12-40 and other chapters as well as the hadiths. Also, Q55 verses 54-56 ; Q 76 verses 12-22. In one of the verses, Hurun moqsuratun fil-khiyam. Meaning: Fair ones are reserved in the Garden. Yes!, the Quran talks about damsels, but in a context that most people especially the non-Muslims have misrepresented and always paint in a derogatory manner to suit their interests and purposes. There is no where in the Qur’an where 70 virgins was mentioned as a reward for killing people. In paradise, there are many things that you cannot describe or comprehend except with spiritually assistance. Allah mentioned in Qur’an many things about Paradise. Comparing the earthily with that in heaven is mismatch. It is not about emotional and biological relationships, it is not about the way we relate here on earth. The Qur’an says: In Gardens of Bliss: A number of people from those of old, And a few from those of later times,(They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other. Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains: No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication: And with fruits, any that they may select: And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes,- Like unto Pearls well-guarded. A reward for the deeds of their past (life). Not frivolity will they hear therein, nor any taint of ill, Only the saying, “Peace! Peace”. Q56 v 12-26 Non-Muslims are quick to refer to Islamic term of Jihad. Not many of them read the Qur’an or the hadiths to know exactly what the term means. Those of them who take Comparative studies or those who assume to know usually have a warped knowledge of the term as a result of sentiment of ‘mine is the only way’. They have refused to be guided by the substance in what they read, rather they twist it and allowed themselves to be ruled by sentiment. You will be surprised by the idea of a Pastor on Jihad, or the meaning a student at the seminary will give to Jihad. Even when you explain to them, they still hold firmly to what they think they know because it serves them a purpose. I have had to explain ‘Jihad and the virgins’ a number of times to some of my non-Muslim colleagues, yet, it has not changed anything; they still hold on to their idea. Islam is all about mercy, about virtue, about sacrifice and about duty to humanity. It encourages moral perfection and any activity that is far from these, no matter the colouration, is not Islam. As Muslims, there is no room for fanaticism, for hatred, for racism, for terrorizing or killing innocent people in Islam, even in a state of war. Shedding innocents’ blood constitute a form of injustice that can not be tolerated by Islam. The Qur’an states that to kill one innocent person is like killing all of humanity. Now, for the umpteenth time, Jihad, which literally means ‘struggle,’ has an internal, societal and combative dimension. The internal dimension of Jihad encompasses the struggle against the evil inclinations of the self, and the spiritual project to adorn the self with virtues such as justice, mercy, generosity and gentleness. Secondly, the societal dimension includes struggling against social injustice and creating a communal identity based on charity, respect and equality; while the third aspect of jihad is only to be used as self-defense against aggression or to fight oppression, and, even at that, it is strictly within the limit of good conduct, justice and preservation of life of the innocents and the sanctity of the environment. For those who don’t know, this latter type of Jihad can only be declared by a legitimate, recognized religious authority, not any individual or a group of people with no legal identity or accepta Hijab: Fashola seeks out of court settlement The Lagos State Government is seeking an out of court settlement in the suit filed against it by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit over the victimization of Muslim girls wearing Hijab in state public schools. When the case came up for first hearing before Justice J.O.K Oyewole of the Lagos High Court Ikeja today, counsel to the state government, S.A Ajanaku, said no defense had been filed in the case, but added that steps had already been initiated towards settlement of the matter. He pleaded with the judge to allow the government more time to consummate the steps already initiated. However, counsel to the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit Barrister Hassan .A. Fajimite, who led other nine lawyers to the court, expressed surprise at the request of the state counsel, saying that they were not aware or informed of any move by the state government to settle the case. He nevertheless obliged to the option. Justice Oyewole thereafter asked the parties to meet and work out terms of the settlement and report back to the court on July 10, 2013. Meanwhile, members of the MSSN and other Islamic organizations, who thronged the court premises for the case, later embarked on a peaceful protest to Ikeja under-bridge and back to the old secretariat mosque beside the high court. They carried placards with inscriptions like ‘Hijab is our right,’ ‘Why must Lagos State Government compete with God?’ ‘Hijab our pride,’ ‘Nudity is not our way,’ and others. Addressing the people, the Amir Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit, Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen, urged all Muslims in the state to remain calm and peaceful throughout the period the hearing of the case would last. He also thanked all Islamic organizations that came to solidarise with the MSSN on the Hijab issue promising that the society would not relent until victory is achieved. It would be recalled that the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit had taken the state government to court over persistent victimization of Muslim girls using Hijab by some secondary school principals in the state. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/70-virgins-in-heaven-another-misconception/

Religion

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Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent about N6 billion to establish a business school in the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna. The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, made this known on Saturday at ABU’s 40th convocation ceremony held at its main campus, Samaru, Zaria. Garba said that the business school had begun as a faculty, covering Accounting, Business Administration and Economics Departments. The vice said that the development gave room for expansion of the departments and introduction of related academic programmes. He said that the ABU’s Faculty of Medicine had been transformed into ABU College of Health Sciences and headed by a provost. “The college has taken off with four faculties of Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences and Allied Health Sciences. “Along with this development is the commencement of three new academic programmes beginning from 2017/2018 session. “These are Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences and B.Sc. Medical Radiography,” he said. The vice-chancellor said that the university had introduced e-learning methodology in academic delivery to tackle growth in the number of students. Garba said that the e-learning was in line with developments in pedagogy and technology. He said that ABU last year introduced four additional courses in its Department of Mechanical Engineering. He said that the university had continued to improve and expand the existing facilities for teaching and research within the limit of available resources. Garba said that the university was using Tertiary Education Trust Fund and Presidential Need Assessment Intervention Fund to execute the projects. The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Kachalla-Baru, said at the occasion that he was impressed by the performance of 50 of the graduating students who had first class degree in different fields. He announced NNPC’s scholarship up to PhD level for the overall best student with Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.93, Mr Al-Amin Bashir-Bugaje from Electrical Engineering Department. “NNPC will sponsor him fully to wherever he wants to study in this world up to PhD. Level,” he said. Kamchatka-Baru said that NNPC had been at the forefront of fostering education in Nigeria. Earlier in an address of welcome, the ABU Chancellor, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, said: “Since my installation as the Chancellor of this university on Nov. 1, 2015, I have found this university to be vibrant and promising. “It has enormous human and material resources and a number of specialised research institutes, particularly agro-based ones. “These institutes include the Institute for Agricultural Research, National Animal Production Research Institute and National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services.’’ He said that the institutes had over the years made significant contributions to the agricultural sector of the Nigerian economy. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/cbn-spends-n6bn-abu-business-school/

Education

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HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, the Olomu of Warri. during the HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, The Olu of Warri Kingdom, 1st coronation anniversary celebration yesterday at Ode-Itsekiri. Photos: Akpokona Omafuaire. By Egufe Yafugborhi WARRI – THE Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, has suspended his plan to confer the vacant title of Ologbotsere (Prime Minister) of Warri kingdom on Chief Ayiri Emami in response to the mass protest by his subjects who besieged his palace Tuesday. Teeming Jakpa people, owners of the exalted Itsekiri heritage title, joined by other subjects had surrounded the palace at dawn on Tuesday, shutting all entrances to entry and exit to all persons to the palace with a vow to stay put till the Olu rescinds the choice of Ayiri who they termed as unqualified for the title. Also suspended by the monarch were the conferment of the titles of Iyatsere on Chief Johnson Atserunleghe and Uwangue on Mr. Gabriel Awala. Alex Eyengho who disclosed the development to Vanguard said, “The Olu graciously listened to the voice of the Itsekiri people. He has already sent words to the concerned families that the Itsekiri people do not want the three men, and as such, fresh names should be submitted. “Ogiame however advised all protesters to work within the concerned families with a view to ensuring that the right names are submitted this time around. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/breaking-olu-warri-bends-subjects-suspends-plan-robe-ayiri-ologbotsere/

Culture

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By Chimdi Maduagwu I have come across many references to the past. Some state that the past is very important because it is a guide to the future; some believe that the past must address its present (apologies to Soyinka in his Nobel Lecture) and some, like I want to be part of now, believe that the past is gone and should be allowed to rest in peace; however only to be remembered for its good contributions. I have decided to join this group of philosophers because of what is happening in the country now and what will happen in the near future. I am really worried about the current developments where things are going wrong and out of place and many of the critical minds feign ignorance of them all. It is not that I do not know the importance of a clean and relevant reference to the past, it is only that I am somehow afraid of a complete reliance on the past for actions of the present. Let me not go too far in search of justification for my position as I make this allusion. This is a digital age and just the immediate past—a very short while ago—was analogue. It will indeed be analogous to use the analogue instrument to broach digital problems; this is a democratic dispensation and just the immediate past—a very short while ago—was the era of military dictatorship. It is also an aberration to apply dictatorship standards in the democratic age. We must therefore be careful with the past. Standards change every day and as we talk, changes are taking place. We are in an age that is characterized by an extremely fast mode of change. This is why humanists call it the post modern age. It is an age where it becomes not too easy to determine the status of development because one wonders what becomes the real definition or meaning of “modern.” For instance, we would ask in Modernist Studies, what do we do with a Modern that is no longer modern? The prefix, “post” helps solve a barrage of problems associated with such uncertainties. For instance, we begin a project or programme and just before we are done with it, that has already become post programme or post project. I say all these because it appears as if our country is not in a hurry to join the entire humanity in her pursuit of modernity and race against time; rather, we relish in a constant romance with the past. I have a few experiences that come to mind. Fighting corruption is one business that is thriving in this country today and the index of corruption is a reference to the past. The evaluation of services, goods and even personnel as to their degrees or levels of corruption is directly related to what they have done in the past. This insistence on combating corruption as a full time endeavour is a delicate and almost permanent fixture of attention on the past. I do not have anything against fighting corruption but when the enemy is so delicate, abstract and subtle that it easily appropriates the instruments of the battle against it, there is every need to be careful. I am worried about this because the first attack of corruption on those who fight it now, in this democratic dispensation, is to present to them a corrupt version of democracy. This means that the virus called corruption has infested our democracy. It surprises me that people do not see it all. Just as the Boko Haram menace resurges most times it is combated, so is corruption. Just as it is difficult to pin down the mysterious source of the insurgence, so it is to nib corruption in the bud. The reasons are myriad but one simple significant reason is that roots of these evils are deeply planted in the systems which “pretend” to fight them. This is why I say that our democracy has been attached by the virus called corruption. For this reason, operators of the system are unable to face the present. They have taken a safe escape into the past. Many of us still remain skeptical about the composition of the Federal Executive Council. If I accept to be one of those who have decided to watch—with tongue in the check—I do so because I am concerned about the purity of democracy. Democracy is a system, but it is actualized by people who reflect its colour. Like the Greek musician once said “it’s hard to sing a love song when you’re not in love…,” I also believe that it is hard to operate the democratic system when you are not a democrat. Many politicians are not democrats. They simply flow into the system that affords them the opportunity to practice their vocation and for us in Nigeria, it is the democratic system. We can recall that the same people equally operated or facilitated the older military dictatorship which the country grumbled under for a long time. We hear that they repented and converted into democrats and we are watching. Genuine repentance presupposes forsaking the past. I am a Christian and the governing statement for true repentance is “… old things have passed away … all things have become new.” I believe this is both sensible and logical and radiates a universal appeal. It ought to be adopted by all who wish to lead a decent life. If by any means, we seek to be accepted as “converted,” whether from a military dictator to a democratic leader, or from sinner to a saint, there is a need to realize that the basic issue is forsaking the past so as to gain acceptance. One can repent or convert but if one does not forsake the past and thus is not accepted, it all amounts to nothing. Acceptance is premised on forgiveness. If and whenever forgiveness takes place, we let go! It is for this reason that I make a passionate appeal to our political elite: this is the time to let go. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/let-the-past-be/

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By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona LAGOS—CONVENER of Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday, vowed to mobilise 12 million Nigerians to campaign against the candidacy of erstwhile military President, General Ibrahim Babangida in next year’s election. Delivering a lecture entitled The Interplay of Religion in the Leadership Failings in Nigeria—Which Way 2011?” at the seventh annual Adeleke Adejobi Foundation public lecture in Lagos, the fiery gospel preacher and social crusader, said: “If it remains the last drop of my blood, I will resist the candidacy of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.” Continuing, Bakare vowed that IBB will not be allowed to rule this country again, “because he annulled the freest and fairest election in the history of the country and now without feeling remorse about his action, he wants to come back through the back door and enslave the nation again. “We won’t allow that to happen again.” According to the cleric, the ruling party, PDP, is only a fraction of the country made up of about three million Nigerians who had managed to teleguide the lives of the rest of the nation, adding “the nation has grown wiser now and will no longer accept corrupt politicians in next year’s elections.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/bakare-vows-to-mobilise-12m-nigerians-against-ibb/

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Whistle-blower exposes N8.4b fake bank account Fed Govt seeks court’s nod to seize cash Telecoms firm claims money Who owns an account in which N8.4billion has been found? This is the puzzle that detectives are battling to resolve, following the discovery of the bank account which has no signatories. The huge deposit has been traced to a bank which is believed to have assisted the money launderers to convert the cash to dollars. There was suspicion last night that the cash may have been wired into some foreign accounts, but the government has filed an ex parte motion to place it under temporary assets forfeiture. A telecommunications company has gone to court, claiming ownership of the money, The Nation learnt. A whistle-blower alerted the government to strange deposits into the ECOBANK account by some suspected government officials. Of the many deposits, about N8.4billion was singled out for investigation in the interim. A source involved in the investigation said: “A whistle-blower alerted the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, leading to the involvement of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) in the investigation. “The probe of the account by detectives showed that the funds were routed through the account of a telecoms giant but there was no disclosure of the signatories to the account. “Also, the list of depositors into the account was unknown but the sequence of deposits was tracked by detectives.” The source confirmed that an ex -parte application had been filed at the Federal High Court 11 in Lagos, presided over by Justice Abdulazeez Anka, to recover the cash under temporary forfeiture. The matter is coming up on March 3 for hearing. The Federal Government has hired two lawyers, Mr. John Samuel Opeyemi and Mr. Oluwafemi O. Aweda, to recover the funds. Another source also privy to the investigation said the probe so far indicated that the cash paid into the account could be over N10billlion. The source added: “Detectives stumbled on separate deposit of N5billion and N4billion. But investigation is at present concentrated on the recovery of N8.4billion, which was changed to dollars and probably wired into some accounts abroad. “A telecommunications giant has approached the court to claim the ownership of the cash. “We have been demanding for the list of signatories to this account but it is yet to be provided. The Minister of Information, Alh. Lai Mohammed, on February 12 said the whistle-blower policy had started yielding fruits, with the recovery of US$151 million and N8billion. The Minister said: “The looted funds, which do not include the $9.2 million in cash allegedly owned by a former Group Managing Director of the NNPC (which was also a dividend of the whistle-blower policy), were recovered from just three sources through whistle-blowers who gave actionable information to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. “The biggest amount of $136,676,600.51 was recovered from an account in a commercial bank, where the money was kept under an apparently fake account name, followed by N7billion and $15million from another person and N1billion from yet another. ‘’When we told Nigerians that there was a primitive and mindless looting of the national treasury under the last administration, some people called us liars. “Well, the whistle-blower policy is barely two months old and Nigerians have started feeling its impact, seeing how a few people squirrelled away public funds. “It is doubtful if any economy in the world will not feel the impact of such mind-boggling looting of the treasury as was experienced in Nigeria. ‘’Yet whatever has been recovered so far, including the $9.8million by the EFCC, is just a tip of the iceberg.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/whistle-blower-exposes-n8-4b-fake-bank-account/

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By Alemma Aliu BENIN—A Benin socio-cultural group, Great Benin Descendants, GBD, worldwide, yesterday, cautioned the leadership and members of Independent Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, to stop including Benin kingdom as part of its enclave saying the Benin kingdom that has existed for more than 5,000 years could not be part of Biafra. Addressing newsmen in Benin City, Coordinator-General of GBD, Mr. Imasuen Izoduwa also cautioned the Ijaw in Benin kingdom, whom he said were becoming antagonistic by their utterances and actions against the Benin kingdom. He said GDB frowned on a statement credited to the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, that South-South geopolitical zone is part of Biafra, describing the statement as an aberration to the pre-colonial and post-colonial history of Nigeria. He said: “History easily remembers that the term Biafra is a borrowed word from the Portuguese colony in present-day Cameroon and a supposed secessionist nation borrowed a name that is foreign to them. Kanu should be taught how the Benin people and their descendants controlled the South-South, part of South East and South West. He should be taught that it took the British to cut off our power and give it to some selected few which the Igbo are the biggest beneficiary. Otherwise, people like Nnamdi Kanu wouldn’t have the effrontery to place older ethnic groups who have been in these places for more than 5,000 years under the wings of a group that is purportedly claiming to have come from Israel about 2,000 years ago. Hence we wish to warn IPOB and their supposed plan that no inch of South-South’s vast and rich land is theirs.” Izoduwa said his group has identified over 36 ethnic nationalities from the South-South and South East that have traced their roots to Benin and wondered where Kanu is getting his claims from. On the recent verbal altercation between the Benin and Ijaw over ownership of lands in the kingdom, the GBD said: “However, we might have abandoned our way of aggression after the unfortunate episode of 1897 but we have not lost it. Maybe a little refreshing of the minds of these modern Ijaw youths in our lands should be appropriately done by their elders about who the Benin people were.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/benin-not-part-of-biafra-group-cautions-ipob/?fbclid=IwAR3kja2mOk00mz2g2gIZt59BINSylmwYpZ4QIWgjTcybPGAMvJu8Ls0ErRM

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The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, headquaters, Abuja •Market watchers advocate measures to protect reserves By Babajide Komolafe THE nation’s external reserves are set to hit six months high of $45 billion before the end of this month as foreign portfolio investors, FPIs, sustained dollar injection in a bid to take advantage of the double digit interest rate on Nigeria’s fixed income instruments. Last week the reserves maintained upward trend for the sixth consecutive week. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the reserves rose to $44.722 billion as at Thursday, April 11, from $44.683 billion on Thursday April 4, implying weekly increase of $39 million. Further analysis showed that the reserves have gained $294 million dollars from $44.428 million since the beginning of the month. With this upward trend expected to continue, the reserves will hit $45 billion before April 30. This will translate to the highest level of external reserves for the country in six months, specifically since September 18 when the reserves stood at $45.002 billion. After falling persistently for seven months, from peak of $47.989 billion on July 5, 2018, the reserves commenced steady ascent from $41.296 billion on February 28. Since then the reserves have gained $3.43 billion or 8.3 percent. This sharp gain is driven by increase in crude oil price and huge dollar injection by foreign portfolio investors seeking to take advantage of double digit interest rates on Nigeria’s fixed income instruments, namely treasury bills and FGN bonds, to maximise returns on their investment. According to FSDH Merchant Bank, “The rise in the external reserves was driven by the significant rise in Foreign Portfolio Investors, FPI, in March and increase in crude oil price. We believe the increase in FPI was as a result of foreign investors’ interest in the Nigerian fixed income market on account of attractive yield and relatively stable exchange rate.” Financial Vanguard analysis showed that dollar injection by foreign portfolio investors, FPIs, spiked by 363 percent to $7.54 billion dollars in the first quarter of the year, Q1’19 from $1.63 billion in the previous quarter, Q4’18. The highest dollar injection of $4.47 billion by foreign portfolio investors was recorded in March, up by154 percent from $1.75 billion in February. Meanwhile activities in the Investors and Exporters, I&E, foreign exchange window indicate that dollar injection from FPIs is still high though lower than the level recorded in March. Data from FMDQ showed that $2.1 billion have been traded in the window in the first two weeks of April. This translates to weekly average of $1.05 billion so far in April, down from weekly average of $2.3 billion in March. Naira gain persists in I&E Meanwhile the naira last week continued its upward trend against the dollar in the I&E window, as it appreciated further by one kobo. The indicative exchange rate for the window dropped marginally to N360.32 per dollar last week from N360.33 per dollar the previous week. Analysis showed that the naira has gained 36 kobo since April 1 and remained at 67 kobo since February 28 in the I&E window. The naira, however, last week depreciated for the third consecutive week in the parallel market. According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange rate platform of Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, ABCON, the parallel market exchange rate rose further to N359 per dollar last week from N358.8 per dollar the previous week, translating to 30 kobo depreciation of the naira. On its part the CBN last week sustained its weekly sales of $210 million to support the naira. The wholesale segment of the market was offered $100.0m, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment received $55 million. Similarly, customers requiring foreign exchange for invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), among others, were also allocated $55 million. Analysts recommend measures to protect external reserves Meanwhile analysts at Lagos based investment firm, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited have stressed the need for measures to protect the nation’s external reserves. Speaking in the latest edition of the company’s bi-month update, they stated: “External reserves constitute an important metric to evaluate the credit worthiness of a country by international agencies and foreign investors. External reserves are increasing in recent times, thanks to the rally in crude oil prices and higher oil production in Nigeria. By implication, the frequency of CBN’s forex intervention is expected to increase with the resulting stability in the exchange rate. In order to maintain the current tempo, various measures have been suggested, and they include convergence of the exchange rates, transparency in the remittance of crude oil earnings, less emphasis on Eurobond issuance and controlling the influx of hot money That said, political will is the crucial ingredient to ensuring that these measures achieve their deliverables.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/external-reserves-to-hit-45bn-as-dollar-inflow-from-fpis-continues/amp/

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…FG’s N54,000 offer is a wage reduction —Labour …No governor in attendance …Meeting to reconvene today …CDWR calls for mass action By Victor Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru The tripartite minimum wage negotiation meeting involving Organised Labour, the federal and state governments, and the Organized Private Sector, OPS, yesterday ended in deadlock, following Labour’s dismissal of the government’s N54,000 offer as expected. Labour leaders also lamented the absence of state governors in the meeting to present their offers, as their representatives said they had no mandate. However, Vanguard gathered that the meeting will reconvene today by 4 pm. According to sources, labour leaders insisted that the Federal Government has not made an offer and that it appears the government is not serious. According to Labour, the N54,000 offer falls below the N77,000 salary its workers are earning. Before the meeting adjourned for today, it was agreed that governors must attend to make presentations. Confirming the development, a member of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, lamented the absence of six governors who represent the six geopolitical zones, stressing that it would not augur well if any agreement was reached without the governors. Professor Ndubuaku reiterated the May 31 deadline labour had given to the government to conclude negotiations. He said: “It took them (the government team) some time and they were passing the buck on who would present the offer. It was then the Minister of Labour who now said they had shifted ground to N54,000. ‘N54,000 is wage reduction’ “We still told them that the ground they shifted means nothing. They have not started the negotiation because as of now, the take-home of the lowest-paid federal worker is over N77,000. By their standard, we have not started negotiating minimum wage. “What we are negotiating now is wage reduction because what they are now telling us is that if we walk out of there if we agree on N54,000, that means we will come out and tell people who are already earning N77,000 that their wage has been reduced. “We told them that a worker can’t start earning less than what he or she was earning. Is it that there is a reduction in inflation that the cost of living has improved, or is it that the cost of food items has come down? “Why will they now be negotiating wage reduction? It is unthinkable. We cannot be involved in this kind of process where labour will sit down and negotiate wage reduction. On what will it be based? Will it be based on the fact that the revenue government is realising now since the petroleum subsidy was removed has been reduced? “Or why will the government be talking about wage reduction when even the inflation is going higher and the cost of living is going higher? So, we told them it is not acceptable, but then we had to adjourn because we could not continue to negotiate without the presence of governors. It will not augur well for the tripartite committee. Governors not at minimum wage talks “The Federal Government’s team said it did not know why the governors were not around because six of them were sworn in as members of the committee. We told them this is a serious matter. If they refused to come, even if in the end we agreed on anything, they would say it was not binding on them because they were not there. “There was a permanent secretary that represented one governor and the person had no input. So, nobody will decide on their (governors) behalf when they are not at the meeting. So we said let us adjourn and invite the governors formally. So, we had to adjourn to tomorrow (today) by 4 pm.” On the reaction of organised labour when the N54,000 was offered, he said: “When they offered N54,000, we told them they have not started. We did not see that as any shifting of grounds which they promised. “Shifting grounds must start from the point of negotiation for minimum wage. Anything below N77,000 is a wage reduction, anything below the take-home of the lowest-paid worker is a wage reduction. We cannot start negotiating wage reduction. “Already the clock is ticking. We gave them a May 31 deadline to conclude negotiations, today (Tuesday) is May 21. We have 10 days to go and it will not augur well for this country if negotiations are not concluded on time. “This one is no more the case if we did not agree. It is the case of the government not negotiating the minimum wage. I do not think we need any other notice (for a strike). They also said that as far as they are concerned, they are working towards the deadline so that we will conclude before we go to Geneva for the ILO.” Recall that labour walked out of last week’s meeting after rejecting the government and the Organized Private Sector, OPS, new minimum wage proposals of N48,000 and N54, 000 respectively. Under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, Labour described the government’s proposal of a paltry N48,000 as not only insulting the sensibilities of Nigerian workers but also falling significantly short of meeting their needs and aspirations. According to organised labour, what the government offered is a reduction in income for federal-level workers who are already receiving N30,000 as mandated by law, augmented by former President Muhammad Buhari’s 40 per cent peculiar allowance of N12,000 and the N35,000 wage award by the present government, totalling N77,000. CDWR calls for mass action Reacting to the development yesterday, the Campaign for Workers Democratic Right, called on labour leaders to mobilise workers for sustained mass action to actualise living wage and end all anti-people capitalists policies. The group in a statement signed by national chairperson, Comrade Rufus Olusesan, and national publicity secretary, Comrade Chinedu Bosah, said: ‘’The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, calls on labour leadership not to turn this ultimatum to another empty threat like the previous one which has expired since March 13 without the NLC saying a single word, let alone a declaration of mass actions. ‘’Despite the ongoing negotiations, it is only a struggle anchored on mass mobilisation of Nigerian workers and the masses on a sustainable basis, demanding living wage and reversal of all anti-poor policies that can win reasonable concessions from an anti-people government. ‘’Therefore, after the expiration of the ultimatum, we propose a 48-hour general strike and mass protest as the first step. The struggle is going to be protracted, and so labour leaders should be prepared to sustain the mass actions through a programme of actions that allows workers to actively participate and be democratically involved. ‘’This will entail producing and circulating mass leaflets and posters, media campaigns, community mobilisation, mass meetings at workplaces and communities, and setting up community/workplace action committees to make clear that labour will wage a determined struggle to defend and improve the living standards of the vast majority of Nigerians.’’ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/05/minimum-wage-labour-fg-meeting-ends-in-deadlock/amp/

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We must ask ourselves repeatedly why our African Youths with all their talents and our politicians as useful fools, would rather squander and launder the wealth or talents that freed Asians from abject poverty? The next generation and history will take us to task about how the richest Continent God created abandoned its children like absentee deadbeat parents to the whims and Salvation of those that only see them as instruments of cheap labor. These children of Africa are no longer sold by Chiefs into Slave Ships. African Youths use their first million, all their savings or borrowed money to board expensive planes or cross deserts and seas to reach their "promised land" outside Africa. https://time.com/longform/african-slave-trade/ Despite the numbers of thinkers and historians laborious efforts to inform and educate them constantly. No matter our efforts and information about what awaits them outside, they are blinded and overwhelmed with token few that tell them they saw the "Promised Land". We just have to ask why a reasonable parent would be willing to give up children for adoption by dropping babies by the gutter, in a dustbin, in charge of Asma boys, tonton macoute, pollero/chayote, janjaweed slave traders in Sudan and Chard or drug traffickers as by seashore wishing that the daughter of Pharaoh would pass by and rescue Moses. https://time.com/5042560/libya-slave-trade/ Instead of putting all energy on prayer, we must understand that heaven helps those who help themselves. So who are the Youths traveling out? Believe It or not, most are not the poorest, hungry and the destitute. Many of them are highly educated engineers, physicians, accountants, teachers etc that go out and start their own businesses abroad under strenuous situations worse than at home when they realized there was no other way to survive. Less effort could have rescued their own country. Some look at salaries for their professions overseas compared to local salaries, regardless of standard of living, gross domestic product or growth. Most do not take into consideration the school loans professionals acquire abroad in the course of their study. We have to face the crises of African Youths escaping from their own countries by any means just to make a living. Most of them have training that has not got them their expected reward in the marketplace at home. It is too embarrassing or depressing for them. They would rather go hungry, homeless and underemployed with their skills and certificates outside home. Therefore, we are not talking about the untalented, most wretched Africans fleeing their homes. Actually, most of those fleeing saved or borrowed from relatives, good money that could be used to start a business, rather than pay traveling agents marketing overseas opportunities and paying for tickets with everything they saved in order to escape. There are also slave traders willing to pay their expenses to Europe and America on contracts. They demand guarantee pay back with usury interest abroad. Unfortunately, the girls end up as prostitutes and others used as body parts if their sponsors cannot pay back. Yet, the majority of those escaping “hell” in their countries are not the poorest in the community that cannot have three meals in a day. They are not the ones that either go hungry to bed, do without breakfast or lunch. They are the ones buying tickets or paying travel agents to escape. Most of these agents want some money down which the poor do not have except the use of their bodies. They pay dearly for what they had seen on their expensive Iphones at home. Another lure abroad is their friends that have escaped, telling them they are making tons of money and living big. Even when this is true, they never mention the pains, indignity and the stress of surviving against all odds, no matter how highly qualified they are. How “temporary" are the top positions they hold before being replaced for any or no reason. Those frustrated out of jobs even as the head of dog catchers never relate their frustrations to those at home. The greatest reason most Africans give is that they are ready to go through subjugation, discrimination and rejection overseas as price they have to pay so that their children can have a good education and future. If and only if Africans work half as hard in their countries as they do when they leave Africa, most of our countries would be a better place. The resentment between African Americans and Africans points to this fact that Africans do not have African American experience of the generational subjugation they suffered. Recently, it is filtering through that some of their highly educated colleagues are not only underemployed but forced to take menial jobs to put food on the table for their families. The shame and embarrassment of relating disappointments back home are too great to expose. As most of these so-called highly successful workers abroad grow tired of the daily insults; they take to nefarious activities like drugs. Those too old to return home for lack of investment, become miserable and disappointed. How can parents absorb these without affecting the same children, mentally and physically? It is the beginning of an inferiority complex as their children watch them being relegated to the bottom of their new communities. While it is true that first generation children of immigrants do not tolerate as much abuse as their parents, some of the abuse rub off on them right from kindergarten making it difficult to get into colleges unless they work against the odds inherent in communities abroad. Most of the successful Africans overseas not only work twice as hard, but are also squeaky clean. Put the same persons in charge of funds in Africa, they would loot the allocation dry without a blink of an eye. They know every eye is on them waiting for them to make a mistake, fail or trip. But in Africa, they feel they can steal and go scott free since they know their way around the judicial process. Most of the Nigerian looters convicted for money laundering or facing charges abandoned the loots overseas to enjoy freedom at home. There is no better place to fight for economic justice than in Africa where we still have ownership Rights against those encouraging us to sell ourselves for pittance or instant gratification. Everybody likes readymade and hunger is a very strong motivating force. We have seen homeless folks begging to work for food around the world. One of the most resentful sayings by Umaru Dikko was that he had not seen anybody picking food from garbage cans in Nigeria as he saw in America. Well, that was years ago. Youths now eke out a living on environmental dumps. African politicians, even those old enough to expire, wish to be buried with their loots into the afterlife. They are taking actions against our children that slide us deeper into poverty because they cannot see beyond the immediate wants of their individual families. This is not different from a parent leaving a newborn on the street hoping against hope for a miracle. However difficult it is to reverse this trend, the day we throw up our hands and give up is the day we all perish.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1072527/live-free-in-africa-or-die-as-useful-fools-slave.html

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By Michael Eboh with Agency Report Militants, Thursday, blew up Chevron Nigeria Limited’s onshore oil facilities in the Niger Delta, forcing the company to shut down its operations. This was even as the price of crude oil rose above $50 a barrel, for the first time in nearly seven months as a global supply glut that plagued the market for nearly two years showed signs of easing. The disruption in Chevron’s operation was caused by the Niger Delta Avengers, who claimed the bombing of the facility’s mains electricity feed. The group said they blew up the Escravos tank farm main electricity feed pipeline. The group declared that its decision to bomb the facility was because Chevron ignored its warning not to fix a pipeline they had bombed earlier in the month. Industry sources said that Escravos onshore production accounts for roughly a third of Chevron’s total output, on average 3.8 million barrels per month (bpm) in 2014. The company’s projected exports for the first half of 2016 averaged 167,000 barrels per day (bpd) or about five million barrels per month. . Reports claimed that Escravos production was already down by more than 40,000 barrels per day after a May 5 militant attack on a Chevron offshore facility, adding that increased violence over the past few weeks had also made international buyers more reluctant to buy Nigerian crude due to fears of loading delays and cancellations. Meanwhile, as a result of the unrest in the Niger Delta,l as well as crisis in Libya and wildfires in Canada, which had reduced global crude oil out by about four million barrels per day, the price of crude has risen above the $50 mark. Specifically, benchmark crude oil grade, Brent, was up 36 cents at $50.10 a barrel, the highest in nearly seven months, after a larger-than-expected draw in United States’ crude oil inventories last week indicated buyers are starting to mop up spare supply. U.S. crude futures were up 29 cents at $49.85 a barrel, after touching $49.97, the highest since mid-October. Reports stated that at abbove $50 a barrel, oil was seen by many market players as breaching a psychological barrier that could lead producers, particularly among U.S. shale companies, to revive operations scrapped in recent years. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/bombings-chevron-suspends-operations-oil-rises-50barrel/

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By SIMON EBEGBULEM BENIN – FORMER Director-General of the Centre for Democratic Studies, CDS, Prof. Omo Omoruyi, has advocated for a referendum that will enable the Boko Haram religious sect have their own country in order to avoid further bloodshed. Querying the call by some Nigerians for the granting of amnesty to members of the sect, Prof. Omoruyi, argued that so far Nigerians were yet to know “exactly” what the sect was agitating for, unlike the former militants in the Niger Delta, who fought marginalisation. He said: “I think there is a lot of confusion about the demands of the militants in the Niger Delta and the Boko Haram of the North. In Niger Delta, we knew what the problems were, who the people were and what they were talking about; being injustice arising from the oil in the area. “They did not hide it. Sometimes, it manifested as resource control, sometimes, derivation. They cried that the oil is dooming in the Niger Delta but the money is booming in the North. “For Boko Haram, is theirs political? Are they saying that they want Afghanistan in Nigeria? The solution I think is lets give them that part of the country for them to live in the stone age. There is nothing you are going to do than allow that to reign there. Let us have a referendum and give them the opportunity to run their state according to the Sharia. I believe so. “We don’t know these people. They have not come out to say who they are. Therefore, when somebody said that they want to dialogue, dialogue with who? When they say give amnesty, amnesty to who? “You can talk with militants you know are fighting for their oil, because you know it belongs to them and it is true. “There is a monogramme I am putting in place now which I will dedicate to Chief Edwin Clark because of what he did for the oil producing areas over the years; what I called the politics of oil. “If oil were found in Kano or Enugu or Ijebu Ode, the Nigerian history would have been different today. If today oil is found in Borno, Nigeria will be divided. “There was a time Gambo Jimeta, the former Inspector-General of Police said that Northerners will go to war over oil. Any attempt to deprive the North of the oil, they will go to war. Why should they go to war? “So rather than grant amnesty to faceless people, let there be a referendum and give them their own country.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/let-boko-haram-have-their-own-country-says-omoruyi/

Politics

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Social rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has vowed that she will hold the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, accountable to Nigerians if elected President in 2023. Yesufu made this vow while speaking at the presidential campaign flag-off of Obi in Lafia, Nasarawa state capital on Saturday. Read also: 2023: Voting Peter Obi is voting competence – Aisha Yesufu She said, “…2023 election is an election for survival…we are not only voting for ourselves, we are also voting for our children and our grandchildren, and the generation yet to come, we want Mr Peter Obi to be in office, I will hold him accountable, we’ll ensure he works for the people…” Also present with Obi on the campaign ground are his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, Yesufu, and the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, among other party chieftains. Speaking earlier, Obi decried Nigeria not qualifying for World Cup, saying his administration, if elected, would invest money in sports. He said, “A country of 200 million people, we did not qualify for World Cup? …We will put money in sports, the youths will have goals, we will go to World Cup one way. How can they play World Cup without Nigeria?” Obi queried. “We will give you back your job, we will give you back your country. You will be proud of Nigeria,” he also said earlier. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/ill-hold-peter-obi-accountable-to-nigerians-aisha-yesufu/

Politics

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By Kenneth Ehigiator & Gabriel Enogholase LAGOS—NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Action Congress chieftains, Thursday, boycotted the “One man, One Vote†rally in Benin organized by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State over the presence of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, and Senate President, David Mark. This came even as Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, identified the liberation of all Nigerians through transparent, free and fair elections as the quickest route towards strengthening the unity of the country. Tinubu had flown out of Lagos for the Benin rally in company of Action Congress, AC, governorship candidates in Ekiti and Osun States, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Engr. Rauf Aregbesola, around 10:00a.m. Another aircraft was positioned to fly Fashola and his entourage for the event. About an hour later, the aircraft that was to fly Fashola to Benin was withdrawn, while his advance party at the airport went back to Governor’s Office at Alausa. Vanguard learnt that the governor received a security report that General Babangida and the Senate president were already in Benin for the same rally and aborted the journey. About two hours after Tinubu’s plane took off in Lagos, it returned to the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport with the former governor, AC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, National Secretary, Usman Bugaje, National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as well as Fayemi and Aregbesola. Shortly after the plane touched down at the airport, the private jet which had Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on board, also landed. Speaking in an interview with newsmen shortly after, Soyinka said: “Let me just put it this way, this is the last straw, pointing to a newspaper. I saw this and this is the last straw, the guest of honour, David Mark. “That is all I will say to you right now. I think the people that gave me a ride will have a lot more to say, referring to Tinubu and his AC delegation.†On the removal of Iwu, Prof. Soyinka lauded his sack, saying it was just the beginning of the electoral reforms. He said: “We have always said this that the system is very important, very fundamental and also those who operate the system must be held culpable any time there is a flaw in the system to deliver to the nation. “The little irritant, which, however, was a very big one has been removed, but we are still being confronted with the major issue, which is the adoption of the Justice Uwais reform. That is the crucial thing. Removing of the bad driver “I don’t want anybody to underestimate the importance of removing this bad driver who was given a rickety vehicle to drive and proceeded to smash it deliberately and virtually decimate all the passengers in that rickety vehicle. The removal of that driver and his punishment, these are also critical in sanitizing the rickety vehicle.†Reacting to the boycott, AC National Secretary, Alhaji Usman Bugaje, said it was not possible for the party’s delegation to have remained in Benin to attend the rally with a Senate president that destroyed recommendations of Justice Mohammed Uwais’ electoral reforms panel report. He said: “We went to Edo for a rally on “one man, one vote,†meaning a rally on electoral reform so that we can press home the point that we cannot afford to continue with the kind of electoral system that we have seen, that we must have a free, fair, credible and transparent election. “But when we went, we found out that a stage had been set for one of the presidential aspirants on a platform, which is not our party and we thought our participation will mean some kind of endorsement, which we were not prepared to do.” Jonathan identifies route to unity Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, identified the liberation of all Nigerians through transparent, free and fair elections as the quickest route towards strengthening the unity of the country. Also yesterday, former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida got a dose of what awaited him in his bid to contest the presidential election in 2011. Acting President Jonathan who spoke in the Edo State capital during the One Man, One Vote rally organized by the Edo State government, said: “There is no doubt that our aspiration for liberty and protection of our fundamental freedom cannot be achieved when citizens have their rights abridged at will by undemocratic forces. “The pre-eminent mission of this generation must, therefore, be to deliver on the promise of good governance through the process of election that is free, fair and acceptable. Any society or country that closes the vital valves of its democratic space cannot develop at a reasonable pace. For where there is no opportunity for one man, one vote, there will be no accountability and correspondingly no responsibility. “We are gathered here, I believe, to denounce electoral fraud otherwise known as rigging or better still, vote stealing. To me, electoral fraud is the basest from of corruption and we must do everything in our power to bring this to an end.†Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/04/29/soyinka-tinubu-shun-ibb-mark-at-benin-rally/

Politics

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By Ifeanyi Okolie A 25-year-old woman, Patience Benedict, told police detectives that she stole the four-year-old son of one of her boyfriends’ neighbour to present him to another boyfriend as the son she had for him, so he will marry her. She was arrested by operative of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, for kidnapping the boy at Masaka area of Nassarawa State. Vanguard gathered that the suspect, who is a native of Kagoma in Kaduna State and a mother of three, was said to have kidnapped the boy (names withheld) last Monday, after telling his mother that she wanted to buy clothes for the boy. The suspect had two boyfriends: one in Masaka, Nassarawa State, and the other at Kubwa, Abuja, where he took the stolen boy. Police sources disclosed that Okpe’s mother was thrown into confusion when her son did not return while Patience, who took him away, refused to pick her calls. The boy’s mother reported to the police in Nassarawa State and when they could not make head way, the case was transferred to IRT. The IRT operatives trailed Patience to Kubwa area of Abuja through her mobile phone, apprehended her in the home of her boyfriend and rescued Okpe. During interrogation, the suspect said she had no intention of kidnapping the boy, who she just wanted to use to fool her boyfriend, who she claimed refused to marry her. According to her, “I have no intention to kidnap that boy, but only wanted to use him to get back my boyfriend’s attention because he abandoned me since 2014 when I had a child for him. “I was formerly married to a man in my home town, who I had two children for. But I divorced him because he was always beating me when he is drunk. “I came to Abuja and I had two boyfriends. One was at Masaka, Nassarawa State, and the other was at Kubwa, Abuja. I became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl for my boyfriend in Kubwa, known as Itortim Iorhemen. “But he did not know when I put to bed. Two months ago, I called and told him that I had a male child for him and he was eager to see his son. He even promised to marry me if could bring him his son.” She said it was then that she went to the house of the other boyfriend in Masaka, where she saw the small boy in the compound. According to her, “I told his mother that I have a sister, who has a child of same age and that I want to buy him clothes for Christmas so I would use his (victim’s) measurement to buy the clothes. “After much persuasion, the woman allowed me go with her child and I took him to my boyfriend, who was very happy. We even took group photographs and I fed the boy very well. But three days into our stay, the police showed up and arrested me.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/woman-steals-4-yr-old-boy-deceive-boyfriend-marriage/

Family

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Alleged $44.9m wire deals: EFCC quizzes Air Peace boss Onyema Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation AS part of the ongoing probe of alleged $44.9 million wire deals, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema. Also, there were strong indications last night that the EFCC may watch-list a former Special Adviser/Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme Office. It was learnt that the ex-Special Adviser might be placed on INTERPOL red alert list. Investigation revealed that Onyema, who was quizzed on Wednesday, has been placed on administrative bail. It was, however, learnt that his activities are under the anti-graft commission’s surveillance. A reliable source said the invitation of Onyema was part of the ongoing collaboration with the FBI and other security networks working on the alleged $44.9 million wire deals in which Onyema, his Finance Officer Ejiroghene Eghagha and two banks were implicated. The source said: “Our team of detectives on Wednesday interacted with Onyema in our Lagos office on the wire deals, especially on issues involving money laundering. “The questioning was part of our ongoing collaboration with the FBI and other agencies in line with the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Nigeria and the United States. “We decided to release Onyema on administrative bail in deference to his constitutional right of innocence until proven guilty. “But Onyema is on surveillance by the EFCC pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.” Asked why the EFCC opted to interrogate Onyema after charges have been preferred against him and Ejiroghene Eghagha in the United States, the source added: “There are vital Nigerian components of the indictment and demands of the US Government. “For instance, the US is seeking the forfeiture of over $13 million left in some accounts linked with the suspect in the United States and Canada. The funds are $4,017,852.51 in JP Morgan Chase Bank in the US and $4,593,842.05 and $5,634,842.04 in the Bank of Montreal, Canada. “We cannot rule out some of the money in some accounts in Nigeria. And our investigation may reveal the identities of other accomplices. Also, two Nigerian banks have been mentioned in the wire deals, especially transactions on purchase of aircraft. “If there are assets to be seized in Nigeria, we have to collaborate with the US Government on the forfeiture process.” As at press time, it was learnt that the EFCC was on the trail of a former Special Adviser/ Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme Office. Another source said: “The suspect has gone underground. We may have no choice but to watch-list the ex-Special Adviser. We will eventually place him on INTERPOL red alert. “Preliminary findings revealed a nexus between Amnesty Office and the activities of Onyema’s firms/groups/ NGOs as applicable. “These groups include the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Centre for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited and Every Child Limited. “Our detectives discovered that the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) handled the training and transformation of some former Niger Delta militants for both the Amnesty Programme Office and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).” Responding to a question, the source said: “We are probing allegation of money laundering which led to the buying of exotic vehicles by Onyema. Read Also: US court issues warrant against Onyema “He blew about N170,100,000 ( $472,500) on three vehicles with cash transferred into his BOA 8086 account from Nigerian and other foreign bank accounts. We want him to explain the sources of the cash.” According to the unsealed indictment, Onyema bought the luxury vehicles as follows: armoured Lexus LX570 ($204,000); Rolls Royce ($180,000); and Mercedez Benz($88,500). The indictment reads in part: “Between April 2010 and January 2016, Onyema transferred millions of dollars into his BOA 8086 account from Nigerian and other foreign bank accounts, including hundreds of thousands of dollars transferred directly from accounts for Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited, and Every Child Limited. “Onyema used the funds in his BOA 8086 account to pay for personal living expenses, among other purchases. For example, Onyema purchased an armored Lexus LX570 ($204,000.00), using, in part, funds from BOA 8086. “In or about January 2016, Bank of America closed BOA 8086 and issued a cashier’s cheque in the amount of $4,000,396.43 made payable to Onyema and his wife. “On or about March 1, 2016, Onyema opened a checking account ending in 3417 (“WF 3417”) and a savings account ending in 8020 (“WF 8020”) at a Wells Fargo Bank branch in Atlanta, Georgia. Both WF 3417 and WF 8020 were opened in the name of Allen I. Onyema, and Onyema was the sole authorised signatory on both accounts. “Between on or about March 2, 2016, and May 10, 2016, Wells 8020 received numerous wire transfers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his bank accounts domiciled in Nigeria, including but not limited to the bank account for All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited and Foundation for Ethnic Harmony. “From March through May 2016, Onyema made numerous cash withdrawals from WF 8020 totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. WF 3417 was used to pay for personal expenses, including purchases at Atlanta, Georgia locations of Prada, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Louis Vuitton, the Apple Store, and various airlines. “In March 2016, Onyema also used WF 8020 to purchase luxury cars, including a Roll Royce for $180,000 and a Mercedes for $88,500, among others. “On or about November 14, 2017, Onyema opened a business savings account ending in 2151 (JPMC 2151) at a JP Morgan Chase Bank branch in Atlanta, Georgia. Both JPMC 5512 and JPMC 2151 were opened in the same name of Springfield Aviation Company, LLC, and Onyema was the sole authorized signatory on both accounts. “In total, from 2010 through 12018, wire deposits amounting to over $44.9 million transferred from foreign accounts into Onyema’s Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and JP Morgan Chase accounts.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/alleged-44-9m-wire-deals-efcc-quizzes-air-peace-boss-onyema/

Business

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ABUJA— A total of N386.879 billion has been disbursed as federal allocation, for November 2016 for the Federal, state and local governments. The figure was released after the meeting of the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, in Abuja, yesterday. According to the figures released by Mrs Kenechukwu Offie, Director Information, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the gross statutory revenue of N240.120 billion received for the month was higher than the N238.716 billion received in the previous month by N1.404 billion. Federation revenue was low as a result of shut-in and shut-down of pipelines for repairs and maintenance due to leakages and sabotage, however, Companies Income Tax, CIT and Value Added Tax, VAT, recorded marginal increases. The distributable Statutory Revenue for the month is N206.448 billion. N6.330 billion was refunded by NNPC to the Federal Government. There is a proposed distribution of N 66.000 billion from the Excess PPT Account. Also, exchange gain of N 38.852 billion is proposed for distribution. The total revenue distributable for the current month (including VAT) is N386.879 billion. Consequently, from statutory revenue, Federal Government received N97.897 billion (52.68 per cent); states received N49.655 billion (26.72 per cent); local government councils received N38.282 billion (20.60 per cent); while the oil producing states received N13.613 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/faac-disburses-n386bn-fg-states-lgs-nov/

Politics

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By Steve Oko The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has said that the visit of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo to their son in detention, was a confirmation that their son “is not a bad man as being portrayed by the Nigeria authorities”. Kanu’s family hailed the Anambra State Governor for his courage to visit Kanu in security custody. Soludo was at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS, on Friday where he met with the IPOB Leader. Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel, who spoke with Vanguard in Umuahia, described the visit as remarkable. Vanguard recalls that Soludo is the first sitting South East Governor to visit the IPOB Leader since his rendition from Kenya on June 28, 2021. Kanu’s family commended Soludo and all those making genuine efforts towards security freedom for the IPOB Leader. ” It was a good move and a very remarkable one. It shows that Kanu is not a bad man as being portrayed by the authorities. ” We thank him for deeming it fit to visit Kanu in detention. It’s a good step expected of a good leader. ” We thank everyone for making frantic effort openly or privately to secure his release. All hands must be on deck until freedom is achieved”, Kanu’s family said. Soludo who broke the news of his visit to Kanu on his Facebook page where he also posted pictures of the visit, said they discussed the sit-at-home protests and killings in the South-East. “I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, (Friday, 13th May, 2022) to felicitate with him and also as part of the wider consultations with critical stakeholders in search of lasting peace and security in the South-East,” Soludo wrote. “He was in very high spirits and we had quality and frank discussion in a very convivial atmosphere. He expressed sadness over what he described as “sacrilegious killings” of innocent persons, kidnappings and all forms of criminalities, including the brutal enforcement of the senseless “sit-at-home” perpetuated by sundry groups claiming to be acting for or on behalf of IPOB. “He assured that if the opportunity arises, he will be glad to personally broadcast to his followers to maintain the peace. “Together, we shall restore peace, security and prosperity in Anambra and the South-East”, Soludo wrote”, Soludo posted. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/soludos-visit-confirmation-kanu-isnt-bad-as-being-portrayed-family/amp/

Politics

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– Revives LG legislative system By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo The Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Counci, Mukhtar Baloni has revived the local government legislative system and presented N4.7bn 2022 budget to the council legislators for approval. The Chairman presented the budget before the local government legislative assembly which was presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Umar Ilyasu. He said the revival of the legislative system was to ensure transparency and inclusiveness in the administration of the Local Government. “The state legislative arm had in its wisdom made law for the practice of legislative arm at the local government level and Kaduna North local government under my leadership has resolved to implement the law to engender inclusive participation in government at grassroots level,” he said. While presenting the budget, the Local Government Chairman said, the N4.7 billion budget was prepared with input of demands from various wards under the local government. According to him,the budget is going to be funded with local government allocation from the Federal Government, as well as the iInternally Generated Revenue of the Council saying that, the Council was projecting IGR of N1.4 billion in 2022. He said, health, education and security will get the lion share of the budget presented before the council assembly, while priority would also be given to women and youth empowerment in the 2022 fiscal year. While receiving the budget, the Speaker, Umar Ilyasu said, the local government legislators will look into the budget and ensure its speedy passage. He said they are working harmoniously with the Local Government Executive Arm to ensure delivery of good governance to the people of Kaduna North. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/12/kaduna-north-lg-chair-presents-n4-7bn-2022-budget-to-council-legislators/

Politics

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By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri A local government secretariat in Njaba local government area of Imo state, on Monday, was said to have been attacked, with the doors, windows as well as vehicles in the premises damaged. The attacks were linked to the hoodlums who broke into the Owerri correctional centre and freed thousands of inmates. This is as military checkpoints along Onitsha road and the one around Ugwu Orji in Owerri North local government area was also burnt by the same hoodlums. At the time of the attacks, Vanguard was told that the military men on sighting the hoodlums took cover and abandoned their duty post. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/breaking-njaba-lga-secretariat-attacked-army-checkpoints-burnt-in-imo/

Politics

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By Emmanuel Elebeke The Federal Government has adopted the .gov.ng unified email platform for the federal civil service of Nigeria. The adoption of the domain platform, marked the official take off of the official electronic communication platform in the Federal Civil Service of the Federation. Addressing the Directorate of the Federal Civil Service of the federation, the Minister of Communication Technmology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, said the switch to gov.ng is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology to drive transparency in governance and improve quality and cost effectiveness of public service delivery. The Minister said the adoption became significant considering several unsuccessful attempts by both present and other administrations in the past. She urged workers of the federal civil service to re-commit themselves towards this common purpose to improve internal productivity and quality service delivery to all citizens. She added that “though, this may have come late, today’s event marks a major milestone in our pursuit to use the potentials of ICT to advance our economy. ” She noted that the new platform will improve the speed and efficiency of official communications and provide the means to share, store and gain access to official documents anytime, anywhere and on any computer or mobile device. “The migration of websites to the .gov.ng platform and the unified email platform would not only enable the delivery of government business over a more secure and robust technology platform, it would also enhance national cyber identity on the internet and improves confidence in citizens, businesses and foreigners as they seek Government information and services online,” she added. She said the platform could be accessed through the www.fedcs.gov.ng, a simple easy to navigate portal to enable the users activate email accounts. The portal will also eventually serve as the central information portal or Intranet for government, offering authorized and secure access to online services documents and resources. A standard naming convention such as [email protected]. has been adopted in the creation of email accounts for all civil servants. Special e-mail accounts have been created for Ministers who are not part of the civil service workforce but should be associated with their portfolios – but still with the standard naming convention. Role specific email accounts have also been created, but she said they will be extremely limited to avoid a proliferation of email accounts and unnecessary redundancy. These special accounts may be used for non personal, departmental functions and roles. Meanwhile, the platform is available on mobile devices such as BB, Android and Windows phones and tablets. According to the Minister, about 42,000 email accounts have so far been created for all officers on GL 10 to 17 in the Federal Civil Service, while they expand the infrastructure and the capacity of the platform email accounts to be created for federal civil servants on GL09 and below. Prior to this adoption, the Ministry of Communication Technology with the support of the Council of ICT Heads hard embarked on an initiative to standardize the look and feel of federal government websites and also migrate all Ministry websites to the .gov.ng domain name. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/fg-adopts-gov-ng-unified-email-platform/#sthash.uBZMZiXF.dpuf

Politics

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Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni; Commander, RRS, ACP Olatunji Disu; DPO Ilasamaja , SP Oriyomi Titilayo Oluwasanmi and Area Commander ‘D’, ACP Salisu Gyadigya, inspecting the diesel from one of the wells . pix by Evelyn Usman By Evelyn Usman The Lagos State Police Command yesterday, uncovered eleven buildings in Ilasamaja area of Lagos, with one of them popularly called PDP house which were used for illlegal bunkering activities. The police equally arrested four persons allegedly involved in the bunkering. The buildings located on Ibadan and Abeokuta streets, had underground pipes which pump petroleum products suspected to be diesel into wells. Thereafter, the products are loaded into trucks, drums and jerricans at night. Vanguard gathered that activities of these suspects had been going on for over five years until policemen from Ilasamaja division led by the Divisional Police Officer, Titilayo Oriyomi Oluwasanmi, a woman Superintendent of Police, SP swooped on them at the early hours of yesterday. During the routine patrol around Abeokuta street, it was gathered that some buyers who came with jerricans and drums ran into a building on 10 Abeokuta street and locked the door from behind, on sighting the police van. The DPO was said to have gone back to the division, changed into mufti and returned to the street, with a jerrican and went straight to the building ,while her men positioned at strategic points . Apparently thinking she was one of the buyers, the door of the storey building on 10 Abeokuta street was flung open, only for the occupants to discover that the purported buyer was a cop. She was said to have combed the building to ascertain what they were doing, only to discover a brick on top of the well. She ordered her men to remove the brick, where it was discovered to the amazement of all that they were siphoning petroleum product from the well. Preliminary investigation revealed that owner of the building , Mrs Moji Adesina, had ejected all her tenants, in order to avoid being implicated. It was discovered that a pumping machine was mounted inside the well, from where the product is pumped into trucks which were usually stationed outside. Some jerricans and drums yet to be filled , were recovered close to the well. Checks carried on nine other buildings reveled that similar illegalities were going on there. It further discovered that under ground pipe was connected to some buildings on the next street (Ibadan street). One of the buildings comprising 17 rooms on number 11 Ibadan street, popularly known as PDP house, had stickers of the Peoples Democratic Party on them. Other buildings on same street where similar discoveries were made included numbers 7, 9, and 13. The eleventh discovery was made at about 1.35pm, while the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, who visited the scene made an attempt to check the well of a building on number 5 Ibadan street. Owoseni who was accompanied by the Commander Rapid Response Squad, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, therefore , advised residents of the affected streets to relocate , in order to safeguard their lives in the event of likely fire outbreak. Also on ground was the Area Commander ‘D’ Mr Salisu Gyadigyadi , an Assistant Commissioner of Police. Addressing the residents in Yoruba dialect, Owoseni said : “You can not tell us that you are not aware of these illegalities in your vicinity. Nevertheless, for your safety, it is better to relocate because with this discovery, perpetrators of this act may decide to set fire on the wells in order to jeopardize investigation. And when that happens, your lives will be endangered. Consider your lives and those of your children”. Investigation by Saturday Vanguard revealed that about five landlords allegedly started the illegal bunkering and introduced others. It was reliably gathered that over 50 buildings had oil wells around the area. Some of the wells were painted with sky blue colour to indicate their owners. Some were even connected to uncompleted buildings. However when approached, occupants of the buildings claimed ignorance of the on-goings. However, one of them who spoke with Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity, stated that, “We packed into this building ( 11 Ibadan street) four months ago. The first thing we noticed was that the well was locked. When we asked why, other tenants said the landlord locked it because kerosene was mixed with it. But every night, we notice movements where the well is sited. When my husband came to find out what the movement was all about, he noticed that the people were holding jerricans and drums. We sensed that something was amiss but could not place our hand on what it was. We concluded to pack out when the rent expires before this happened ”. Another resident, who simply gave his name as Ukachukwu maintained that, “all the tenants in the buildings know that there is oil in the wells but they are afraid to report to the concerned agency out of fear. Some of them who have stayed long are also into it. NNPC should also be investigated because at times, it will come as petrol and at other times, it will be diesel, the question is how is this possible without connivance with an insider in NNPC”? The residents however reacted to advice for them to relocate, begging to be given some time to gather money with which to pay house rent. However, houses where the discoveries were made were locked up by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC . General manager, Lagos State Emagency Management Agency, LASEMA Mr Michael Akindele who visited the area said that his agency was working out on strategy to prevent calamity that could lead to loss of lives and property, even as he advised the residents to seek alternative shelter. Chairman of the Ilasamaja Community Development Area, Alhaji Abdulfatai Abusiga, who expressed shock over the discovery claimed that he was never aware of such illegalities until yesterday. Also lending voice to the suggestion that residents vacate the area, the Sole Administrator of Isolo Local Council Development Area, Miss Abimbola Osukoya, said that the council would ensure that the directive was adhered to. Four suspects; two of them landlords and the rest tenants were arrested , with the recovery of four drums and several jerricans. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police said that the suspects would be interrogated with a view to arresting the end users. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/police-uncover-illegal-oil-wells-in-pdp-house-10-others-in-lagos/

Politics

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Representative of Lagos State Governor, Commissioner for Special Duties & Inter-governmental Relations, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo (right), with Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni (2nd right) during the commissioning of the newly rehabilitated Fuel Dump Facility at the State Police Command, Ikeja, on Monday, August 29, 2016. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday commissioned the newly rehabilitated fuel dump for the State Police Command, just as he reiterated his unwavering commitment to keep Lagos safe, secured and uncomfortable for criminal elements and their collaborators. The facility, which has 33,000 litres capacity for both diesel and premium motor spirit (petrol), was rehabilitated by the State Government for the purpose of dispensing fuel to vehicles used for patrol and surveillance activities by the Police in the State. Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo, said provision of the facility was in line with his administration’s determination to further enhance security of lives and property in the State. He said: “Since our inauguration, we have left nobody in doubt about our commitment to keep our State safe and secured. We have demonstrated commitment to this course through massive investment and the provision of modern security equipment to strengthen the crime fighting capacity of security agencies, especially the State Police Command. “Till date, we have empowered security agencies with 100 Saloon Cars, 195 Ford Ranger Pick Ups, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Hilux and several others. “These were provided with the main objective of facilitating mobility of officers within the nooks and crannies of the State. “With this dedicated facility, the State Government has once again made a clear statement of its determination to make Lagos uncomfortable for criminals and their collaborators,” he said. The Governor said he was not oblivious of the fact that the major requirement for efficient running of vehicles is regular fuel supply and maintenance, adding that such necessitated the approval he gave for the revamping of the old and dilapidated fuel dump at the State Police Command. While expressing delight at the completion of the rehabilitation and handing over to the police, Governor Ambode urged the State Command to ensure adequate monitoring, as well as usage of the fuel only for the purpose intended. Besides, Governor Ambode assured the State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni of the readiness of the State Government to sufficiently service the facility for a 24/7 mobility of security vehicles. Earlier, Owoseni thanked Governor Ambode for once again demonstrating that he is a worthy partner, adding that the commissioning and handing over of the facility was a milestone to the Police. “The State Government has been at the forefront of supporting us both in terms of equipment and logistics. On behalf of the Inspector General of Police, I want to specially thank Governor Ambode and the State Government for supporting us in fueling the vehicles provided for us. “We want to assure the good people of Lagos that we recognise that to whom much is given, much is expected. We will reciprocate this kind gesture by redoubling our efforts in other to make Lagos safer and more secured,” Owoseni assured. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/ambode-empowers-police-fuel-dump/

Politics

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By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA: Suspended National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has accused the court-endorsed acting National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Giadom of attempting to destroy the party the way his group allegedly did in his home state, Rivers. Oshiomhole in an online television interview monitored in Abuja also declared that Giadom was no longer a member of the National Working Committee NWC of the party, noting that assuming he was still one, it would not be possible for a deputy National Secretary to superintend over the affairs of the party in the presence of other high ranking officials. This was as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Yekini Nabena accused an unnamed Minister in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and a North Central Governor of being behind the leadership crisis in the party. He said both men are using Giadom to destabilize the APC. On his part, National Legal Adviser of the APC, Babatunde Ogala dismissed the reported waiver said to have been granted Giadom which allowed him to view for an office in the last general elections without resigning from the NWC. Also, a former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has called on President Buhari and state governors in the party to take steps to convene a National Executive Committee NEC meeting where a Caretaker Committee would be put in place to oversee affairs of the party. Oshiomhole’s reference to Rivers state is seen as a subtle attack against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi whose battle of supremacy with Sen. Magnus Abe led to the court disqualifying the APC from participating in the 2019 general elections. Giadom is a known political protege of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Oshiomhole said; “My advice to my brother (Giadom) is about common sense. In the absence of the Chairman, there is nothing in our rules, and the courts can only interpret the rules of the party and the Constitution of Nigeria. I mean it serves to common sense that if the Chairman is absent, it should be the deputy. In the absence of the deputy, it is the vice chairman. How does the deputy secretary come in? “As we speak, we have a Secretary sitting in the office working late hours to ensure that the secretariat functions. I think that my brother, Victor Giadom wants to take our party to the root of Rivers state where they created so much problems that, as we speak today, in Rivers, we have crisis. “My plea to them is that they should put God first and put our national party interest second and out our democracy deep in their hearts and not try to use externalities to destabilize our party the way it has been destabilized in Rivers state. How can a deputy National Secretary, assuming he was still one, claim to be chairman?”, He queried. Nabena fingers Minister, Gov Nabena in a statement on Saturday said “the APC is clearly at a tipping point”. The APC deputy spokesman also accused Giadom of doing the bidding some fifth columnists. According to him; “Not too long ago, Victor Giadom claimed the position of the National Secretary now he is claiming the chairmanship. It is unfortunate that Victor Giadom is being used as a destabilizing agent by fifth columnists. On what ground is Victor Giadom claiming chairmanship of the Party when he long ceased to be a member of the National Working Committee following his resignation to contest as the Rivers State Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2019 elections? Whatever waiver Victor Giadom is brandishing cannot stand as the Constitution and INEC guidelines require resignation from public office to contest general elections, which Victor Giadom did by resigning as Deputy National Secretary. “The same Victor Giadom and his sponsors are already engaging in anti-party activities through their continued support of Governor Godwin Obaseki despite formerly joining the Peoples Democratic Party to contest the Edo State Governorship election. “The National Judicial Council should investigate boasts by sponsors of Victor Giadom, a minister and north central governor that they are in control of the Court of Appeal and are already using it to further their selfish interest and sabotage the APC. “Atleast four people are laying claim to the chairmanship of the APC following the court-ordered suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. All manner of Court cases and orders are flying around contesting party decisions and National Working Committee positions. Factions are festering at the national level and many states. The APC is clearly at a tipping point. Need for NEC meeting “The several court cases and orders over the national leadership of the party has put the party in a standstill and is a legal threat to forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo States. President Muhammadu Buhari is the leader of the party and it has become imperative for him to convene an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee NEC to find solutions to the crisis and chart a way forward.” Nabena stated. “As I have always said, personal interest must never override Party interest. The APC is nobody’s personal property. I call on our dear President to accede to the request by majority of well-meaning party members and leaders and convene an emergency NEC meeting to address the leadership crisis and deliberate on consolidating the APC’s control of Edo and Ondo States ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections”, Nabena said. Giadom’s waiver defective National Legal Adviser of the party, Barr. Babatunde Ogala faulted an alleged waiver granted Giadom to return to the NWC having reportedly resigned to vie for an office in the last general elections. He also dismissed reports of crisis in the APC saying what is happening is just the handiwork of rascals. Ogala said; “There is nothing strange going on in the APC. The Press call crisis, I call it brigandage and rascality of one or two members of the 20-man NWC. Lowest ranking NWC office “Of course we have also heard about Giadom’s court order and we have never been served any order of court, that somebody, one of you, the lowest ranking NWC member has purportedly been asked to resume as acting National Chairman. “We find it ridiculous because he has never served this process on us, we only saw it in the social media. So, as far as we are concerned, the party is running according to the provisions of our constitution notwithstanding the act of rascality of one member. “On waiver, going by the provisions of our constitution, to obtain a waiver is a process. You apply through your Ward, the LG, the State, the Zonal and to the NWC. So, it is a process in five steps. The National Chairman cannot give him a waiver without the Ward. But anyway, let us even assume he went through the process, the Supreme Court in Ibrahim Umar’s case had even said the erstwhile executive in Rivers State was illegally constituted and whatever action they had taken was null and void which was what led to the nullification of all APC candidates in Rivers state. So, if it is that same executive that made us not to have candidates, can that executive give him a waiver? Certainly not. So, it is null and void even if he got it but to my knowledge, he never got any”. Chief Odigie-Oyegun in his statement also called for a NEC meeting, saying that there is need to invoke the doctrine of necessity to put in place a Caretaker Committee. He said; “This statement is therefore a clarion call to leaders of the party, particularly the Governors and Mr. President to urgently bring a stop to the disgraceful and humiliating charade occurring within the National Secretariat of our great party. There is a most urgent need for the party NEC to meet and institute for the party a Caretaker Committee (even if we have to invoke the doctrine of necessity), whose main responsibility will be to arrange for a special National Convention. The All Progressives Congress was built on the blood and sweat of Nigerians, young and old, too numerous to count, who were willing to give everything in the service of progressive politics. We must not allow their great sacrifices to go in vain. Today, almost every member of the party feels a deep sense of alienation and dissatisfaction with the state of the party. It hurts deeply to see how hollow it now rings to mention our party and ‘change’ together. The time to act is now, before it is too late”. He said in the last few months, Nigerians have watched how the party has brazenly subverted its own principles of internal democracy and flagrant violation of every rule of decent political engagement in a manner that makes everyone associated with its promise of change liable to be accused of either hypocrisy or apostasy. “We must therefore remember that our victory in the 2015 Presidential elections and the peaceful transfer of power that followed was a major testament of progress in our nation’s journey towards real democracy. This unprecedented democratic achievement has since inspired progressive forces all over Africa and has become a standard by which democracy is measured in the rest of the continent. Unfortunately, it appears that while other countries around us have marched ahead in the democratic journey, we have largely regressed. Because we were the political party that benefitted from a system that offered the opposition a chance, everyone expected us to show unwavering dedication to broaden the democratic space for everyone; to ensure that equity and justice take precedence over all other considerations and to ensure that our party truly functions as the vehicle for aggregating and managing contending political interests. Unfortunately, what we have witnessed from our party is the steady erosion of even the very basic tenets of democratic principles in a manner that could turn our watershed victory of 2015 to the waterloo of our hard won democracy. “As a major stakeholder and as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, I have made various efforts to add my voice to those of several other well-meaning leaders of the party, in ensuring that the ideals and principles that we fought for are not completely thrown overboard. However, I have come to realise that those who feel more entitled to the party are no longer capable of hearing alternative viewpoints other than those counselled by their ego and their self-serving interests, which they have promoted over all other considerations, including that of common decency. Yet, no political party will survive for long, which is unwilling to accommodate competing ideas and provide the space for healthy debates”, said Odigie-Oyegun. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/06/giadom-wants-to-kill-apc-as-they-did-in-rivers-oshiomhole/

Politics

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…as yam exportation to begin July 2017 By Gabriel Ewepu ABUJA – THE Chinese government has demanded dry yam from Nigeria to meet industrial and domestic needs. This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Thursday, in Abuja, which a technical working committee was inaugurated to fast track the exportation of yam by July 2017. The Minister said Nigeria has remained one of the world’s largest producer of yam, which accounts for 61.7 per cent of the global production of the rot crop, while there are over 60 varieties of yam, but sadly, Nigeria not among yam exporting countries. He assured that local production and consumption of the commodity would not be affected by the move to export yam soon, rather government would scale up intervention in yam production, as farmers in the country have indicated willingness to increase production to meet both local and international demands. He noted that high level of yam production was going on in Zakibiam in Benue State, the Minister said government would leverage on it and also spread production across the entire country. However, he lamented Ghana, which produces far less than any yam producing state in Nigeria, has taken over the European market. According to him yam consumed in the United States were imported from Ghana and a tuber of yam cost as high as $15. He said: “Ghana is controlling Africa’s yam export market where Nigeria is one of the world’s largest producers. I am not sure if Ghana produces as much yam as any state of the federation”. The Minister noted that the private sector driven committee was deliberate in other to guide the government on how to get a fair share of the global yam market. He noted that the Nigerian yam export promotion programme was aimed at taking Nigerian yam production, processing and marketing to next level in line with what is done in other country. He also emphasised the need to ensure that Nigerian agricultural produce meet the standard of foreign markets, and stressed the need for the country to design produce that would meet Nigerian health standard. The minister tasked the committee to develop a framework for establishment of Nigeria yam export sea and airport where all documentation relating to the export are prepared, adding that they should facilitate acquisition warehouses at the receiving destination, rationalize the bureaucracy of export and enforcement agency located within one roof designated for Nigeria yam export park houses. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof Simon Tsange, said they have been doing underground work on the programme adding that the committee would ensure that in six months time, Nigerian yam would hit the international market. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/chinese-govt-demands-dry-yam-nigeria/

Business

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Work on Lagos-Calabar railway to start this year —Amaechi Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi, says work on the proposed Lagos-Calabar railway will commence before the end of this year. Delivering the 34th Convocation Lecture of the University of Calabar with the topic: “The National Question and the Challenges of Nationhood in Nigeria” in Calabar, yesterday, Amaechi said the Buhari administration was committed to massive infrastructural development across the country. Amaechi explained that the objective was to ease movement across the country and by extension enhance national integration. Read Also: Buhari: P/Harcourt–Maiduguri railway will reactivate economic activities on Eastern Corridor “In a few weeks from now, we are going to sign the loan agreement for the commencement of that project and before the end of the year, contractors will move to site,” he said. He added: “The President Buhari administration has embarked on railway construction and rehabilitation from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, from Ibadan to Kano and from Abuja to Kauran Namoda, among others. “We are also renewing the Lord Lugard railway line that has been out of effective service for decades,” he said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/work-on-lagos-calabar-railway-to-start-this-year-amaechi/

Politics

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