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Welcome to the AllNews roundup of the top sports headlines for today Thursday, September 3rd, 2020. Manchester United have completed the signing of Donny van de Beek from Ajax as their first signing of the transfer window, to battle Pogba, Fernandes, McTominay for a spot in the United midfield. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made the 23-year-old Dutch international his first signing of the summer transfer window in a deal that could rise to......Read more Former Chelsea, present Real Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois has tested positive to COVID-19 after the recent test conducted in Belgium ahead of the start of the UEFA Nation League. Real Madrid players are back in the training ground to burn off fats and keep fit for the defense of their Championship on the La Liga trophy. With the exception of players on International duty, others are back for......Read more Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) World record signing, Neymar Jr has tested positive to COVID-19 after the recent test conducted ahead of their game against Lens in September. Di Maria, Paredes, and Keylor Navas also tested positive for the virus. Four players from the Paris Germain squad have all tested positive to the virus and might affect the Ligue 1.......Read more Real Madrid's James Rodriguez and Napoli's Allan are both set for medical at the Goodison Park in Everton as Carlo Ancelloti is set to up his squad for the English Premier League season. James 29, is keen to reunite with his old boss at Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelloti as Zidane already deemed him a surplus to the squad at Bernabeu with Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Brahim Diaz, and Casemiro.....Read more The founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet TB Joshua has advised Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi not to leave the club "bitter and offended". AllNews understands that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner stunned the football world recently by seeking a move away from Camp Nou after spending the entirety of his senior career there. Last Tuesday, Messi’s lawyers sent a fax to the legal services of Barcelona announcing the decision to leave the club. In the interim, the popular televangelist via his official social media handles says.......Read more Welcome to AllNews round-up of top transfer market rumours and stories for today as many European football clubs start to strengthen their squad. Chelsea is the final stage of signing the German sensational, Kai Havertz a few days for a British record fee of £90M which could break Paul Pogba's record when he signed for Manchester United from Juventus. Frank Lampard has really been restructuring the club since the beginning of the year when the signing of Hakim Ziyech was announced. Followed by Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva and now Havertz is almost a done deal. Read more New Orleans Pelicans forward, Brandon Ingram has been named the 2019-20 NBA Most Improved Player, the American men's professional basketball league announced on Tuesday. AllNews reports that a first-time NBA All-Star selection in his fourth season, the 22-year-old Ingram becomes the first player to win the NBA Most Improved Player Award with New Orleans. The annual award is designed to honor an up-and-coming player who has made a dramatic improvement.....Read more

https://allnews.ng/news/sports-news-top-sports-headlines-for-wednesday-september-3rd-2020

Sports

en

NNPC repairs Arepo oil pipeline The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said it had repaired the System 2B Pipeline, which was breached on July 21 at Arepo, in Ogun. This information is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division NNPC, Mr Ohi Alegbe. NAN report stated that the NNPC engineers, who were deployed in the scene of the incident, were able to access the pipeline after the fire was put out and began repair immediately. “The vital System 2B Pipeline, which was breached at Arepo last week, has been fixed and brought back on stream. “Pumping of products through the system began on Monday upon the successful completion of repair. “Those engaged in vandalism should desist from the act in order to avoid the consequences. “Those engaged in the criminal acts of pipeline sabotage and oil theft should stop, so as to save themselves from the resultant horrendous deaths,” said the statement.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nnpc-repairs-arepo-oil-pipeline/

Politics

en

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala The federal government saved about N500 billion in unutilized funds last year through the implementation of the Single Treasury Account (TSA). TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts that gives a consolidated view of government cash resources. It is a system, whereby all monies belonging to the government are domiciled in one account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, with payments out and collection into the account done via an electronic payment platform. The TSA became operational in 2012 with focus on payments, with a pilot phase involving 217 ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) in Abuja. Last year, the implementation was extended to all MDAs outside Abuja, hence all federal government related payments were executed via an electronic payment platform, Remita, an indegineous software developed by Systemspecs, a Nigerian software development company. Vanguard investigation reveals that the extension of the epayment for government services under the TSA resulted into about N500 billion savings for the federal government in the form of unutilized funds under the 2014 budget. A source close to the TSA project confirmed this development to Vanguard. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said that the N500 billion asegfqwould have been spent by the MDAs but they could not do so last year because of the use of electronic payment under the TSA. “You know with the e-payment, you cannot just collect money from the treasury, you have to go through the e-payment platform. The process requires you state who is collecting the money and why the money is being collected, and other information which would later be used to trace the money during audit. This helped curtailed misappropriation of funds and embezzlement which are conducted under various guises,” he said. According to Alhaji Salawu Adeku Zubairu, Director (Fiscal Account & Cash Mgt.) Funds Dept; Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, one of the objectives of implementing the TSA, is to “iincrease internal controls to prevent and detect potential and actual fraud.” Speaking on the implementation of the TSA, in a paper delivered at an e-payment conference, he said, “While this started with lots of resistance, many MDAs have come to appreciate the positive impact on their payment process. MDAs are now able to process transactions on their own taking responsibility and accountable for budget spending. The TSA has resulted into major reduction in Way and Means from CBN with funds saved used for other projects. It has also enhanced prompt disbursement of funds and payment to beneficiaries; and timely reporting of transactions, account balance and financial statement making it easy to monitor budget performance for decision making”. Meanwhile, the Federal government will this week release a circular and enlightenment booklet on the implementation of the electronic collection of revenue (e-Revenue) aspect of the TSA. Though the e-Revenue was scheduled to commence second quarter of last year, the implementation started in December with a pilot phase involving selected MDAs. Following the success of the pilot phase the federal government commenced full implementation on January 1st this year, with a directive to all MDAs to close all revenue accounts with banks by February 28. The circular and a booklet of Frequently Asked Questions on the new electronic revenue collection regime, which would be will be available at the registration desks of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and project members’ banks, are aimed at enlightening the public and all interested stakeholders on the usage of electronic revenue collection platform aimed at checking theft, diversion of collected revenue and all sorts of corrupt practices associated with revenue collection. Speaking last week at a workshop designed to sensitize MDAs to the commencement of the electronic revenue collection project. Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla said that the implementation of the project which kicked-off on January 1, would enthrone a new regime of centralized, transparent and accountable internally generated revenue management system. As such, he asked that the balances in the revenue accounts should be transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government, stating further that any MDA that failed to comply with the directive by the end of February would be sanctioned. Otunla said the new platform would improve the availability of funds for financing of developmental projects and budgets as well as plugging loopholes in government revenue collection and management. The commencement of the e-collection platform, he informed, was a product of series of treasury reforms that began in 2012 and aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of the nation’s resources. According to him, the reforms have led to the introduction of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System and the Treasury Single Account. “We have rolled out the GIFMIS and TSA implementation. At inception, a total of 93 agencies were enrolled and as of today, we have about 551, which is about three quarter of the total budget of the federation. ”We have yet to realise the full potential of the reforms. Some big budget MDAs to with the National Assembly, National Judicial Council, the armed forces and some other autonomous agencies have been reluctant to be brought into the GIFMIS and TSA process. ”The implication of this is that substantial cash resources of the government are still lying idle at a time when our cash flow is facing a lot of challenges. In the face of the cash flow problem, we need to be more creative. We can enhance the performance of the budget by either improving revenue or reducing costs.” 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/2015/01/fg-saves-n500bn-through-implementation-of-single-treasury-account/amp/

Politics

en

Dark web definition. The dark web has become a place of mystery and a lot of horrible things are happening. However, the dark web is not far-fetched from accessing it with just a click of your fingertip. The dark web is the secret part of the internet not accessible by search engines like Google, Yahoo or Bing, and other popular search engines, it, however, requires specialized browsers to access it, normal browsers such as chrome and firefox are unable to access the dark because every website on the internet that is known ends with a '.com','.net' and various other types of extensions. The dark web website ends with '.onion' domain name, this makes it impossible to be accessed on a normal browser or for a search engine to index websites on the dark web. That is the simple reason why the dark web is hidden. You've heard people saying the dark web provides anonymity for its users, as opposed to the open internet. Yes, it does, everyone on the dark web is an unknown person hiding behind a face mask. Researchers have found out that the dark web is full of 57% percent illegal content. If you are looking for information about the dark web, then this article is for you. Keep reading to find out what the internet hides from us, What is the difference between the deep web and the dark web? For you to completely understand the dark web you need to understand some technical definitions of terms, think of these terms as what will sail you through the Atlantic ocean for a better understanding of what the dark web is. The Internet is vast, with millions of web pages, and servers operating around the clock. However, the "visible" Internet can only be accessed using search engines such as Google, and others — is just a small fraction of the internet. The Deep Web: The deep web is a layer of the internet accessible by everyone, but definitely through other tools such as the command line on the various operating systems and also specifically our browsers. The deep web could be considered the bottom of the ocean. when divers dive into the ocean they get to the bottom. The deep web in simple terms is the part of the internet not indexed by the search engine just like the dark web, however, the reason for it not being indexed is not because it could not be accessed by the browser as said earlier at the beginning of this article, but due to set of rules forbidden search engine from indexing it. Have you ever thought of how the cashiers in the bank work, or how the atm machine runs, that is the deep web? They involve internal services like the database admin login page( where the admin blocks users of social forums) and various other things the owner of a particular website might want to hide from you accessing. There are various tools for scrapping those deep web links, however, those are beyond the scope of this article. It would be an encouragement for you to subscribe to my authors' page and register on Vocal Media for me to create more deep knowledge articles on how to actually scrape the deep web. The deep web is not hidden like the dark web, they also include the internet of things, like you, when connecting your internal computer to your home router, the connection is kept between your computer and the router, the router is the only part exposed to the internet. That secret connection between your router, and your computer is the deep web. The Dark Web: Unlike the deep web which is included in our day-to-day life the dark web is a segregated piece of the internet, not compared to the button ocean analogy but compared to something like outer space just like does famous Elon Musk StarShips. The dark web is a layer of interconnected IP addresses that is not accessible to the internet, here rules are not being made to keep admin pages secret, but they are literally not just accessible to us on the internet. It is however worthy to note that the dark web is also part of the deep web, it is like the core of the earth being exposed to space. If this look daunting a bit don't be scared about the explanation just keep reading on, you would understand at the end. Unlike the deep web which means anything behind a paywall, the dark web is a standalone internet created by open source foundations. Here are the basic rules of the dark web: 1. No web browser such as Google Chrome can access it. except specialized dark web browsers made to access the dark web networks. 2.“Internet proxy traffic” via a random methodology of routing traffic. 3. Not accessible to browsers due to the encryption of its network node. A simple access to the dark web website would return an error on a normal browser. This has cleared the difference on both webs. You probably want to check my video on the do's and don't of the dark web, right before you proceed way up above. The surface is the internet accessible to me and you. Our daily lives revolve around it. It is also popularly known as the internet. This is the part of the internet that is indexed by big giant search engines and is also about 5% of the total internet. An example is our popular social media sites, Facebook.com, and various others. It is also worthy to note that the domain name of these our so-called-day-to-day internet always ends with ".com" How does the dark web work Using Tor as the dark web browser? Tor is an anonymizing program that may be accessed using our conventional internet, known as the surface web. It is a tool used to access the dark web that may be downloaded from our regular internet. Tor is like an onion if you've ever seen one. It is like an onion that surrounds the sender's message with encryption. Internet entries or messages are not routed directly through the Tor network. They are instead routed through "nodes," which are various computers set up by Tor users. There is a series connection at each node, where each node knows the address of the previous and next node but not the other nodes on the network. This is the ideal method to hide one's identity. Why do people use the dark web and how to access it. The dark web is a layer of the internet that requires some special skills to access. Firstly you need to keep yourself safe, by blocking out the camera on the computer system, so as not to get hackers from being creepy. Also, you need to connect to a VPN. The dark web uses a .onion domain name. For example "facebookwkhpilnemxj7asaniu7vnjjbiltxjqhye3mhbshg7kx5tfyd.onion " is the Facebook dark web version instead of "facebook.com". If you try to access the onion domain on your browser you would be faced with a glaring error, that you cannot access Facebook over the dark web using your normal browser. Try it, by inputting the dot onion domain name into your browser. However, you would need a browser called Tor for either your mobile device or your computer from https://www.torproject.org/download. Then you would need to access WikiLeaks (https://thehiddenwiki.org) to find a list of onion websites for different purposes. Do not go to illegal websites on the dark web as you may be arrested. You can search on 'the hidden wiki' on Google and then access the website. It shows you a list of services available on the dark web. However, that is not all of the dark webs. You or your friend may set up a charity or a good course website over the dark web only accessible by you both and hidden on the dark web. You can also check an interesting video I made on youtube on how to access the dark web here: The legality of the dark web / endquote The reputation of the dark web has often been linked with the so-called "illegal trading" However, the dark web has also been used for the good course too for allowing journalists to share information without getting scared, and leaked secret papers for public safety. Even the first computer in the world does come with a disadvantage more or less of recent internet nowadays. You should however protect the computer from malware and spyware, they are personal to you, and you do not want your information littered over the internet. Hosting is done on the dark web just like any normal internet but only with specialized settings, you can however build your own simple website over the dark web. Keep Safe folks. You've made it to the end. Hurray. Kindly check on my next article About the Creator I am a Web Developer and a UX designer, a Content Writer and Social Media Manager, and a bug bounty hunter. You can also find me on Medium for more mind blowing stories, Click here: https://medium.com/@eyiteminurain There are no comments for this story Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

https://vocal.media/01/the-dark-web-what-is-it-and-easy-way-to-access-it

Programming

en

When you know Jesus as your wisdom, you will begin to see lasting and practical success over every challenge and crisis that comes your way. Join Joseph Prince in this three part series as he explains the importance of prioritizing the wisdom of God in your everyday life. God’s Wisdom Makes You Excel Ever found yourself given a job, and feeling like you’re the least equipped person in the world to carry it out? Andy had such an experience. Not too long ago, he was appointed acting manager of a leading technological company in his home state of Colorado, US. On hearing this piece of news, half of him was delighted, the other half plain terrified. His first thought was, “How am I, a 20-year-old boy with not much working experience, going to run a well-known store, effectively lead some 90 employees—some of whom are more than twice my age— and bring in the expected profits?” The young man was downright intimidated and he knew that he needed to seek God for wisdom. At the start of this job, Andy listened to one of my sermons on speaking God’s promises over his life. “This,” he wrote to tell me later, “gave me the insight to apply the spoken Word of God in my life.” I’ll let him tell you the resulting success he saw in his own words: “By constantly declaring scriptures on God’s promises, my mind was directed away from fears and into possibilities. God gave me favor with the higher management and I also gained the trust of my team as their new leader. He gave me innovative ideas that my company was able to apply at my store and these ideas are now used across the country. And to top it all off, our store had our two best quarters ever!” I want you to notice what Andy said. When the wisdom of God showed him how to apply the Word to his mountain of a situation, he began to see possibilities, not limits. The challenges were still there, but now he saw what he could do instead of being paralysed by what he thought he could not do. God’s wisdom and favor gave him influence with the management and his team. It also opened the door to a slew of brilliant ideas that became a blessing to his store and to the company, and sent his sales soaring to a whole new level! What an amazing outcome as a result of tapping into God’s wisdom. God Wants To Give You Wisdom One drop of God’s wisdom will show you what you need to do. Are you facing a situation where you’re conscious of the pressure on you or where giants loom large in the landscape? Maybe you’re a young person starting a business in a highly competitive industry dominated by big players. Perhaps you’ve been dealing with a disintegrating relationship with your spouse or child that seems to be getting worse. Or maybe you’re at a crossroad today—you have to make a decision that could change the direction of your life. Whichever the case, you’re crying out, “I don’t know what to do! Help!” My friend, God wants to give you all the wisdom you need to excel in whatever it is you need to do. You may not be the most qualified, most experienced, most talented or most intelligent, but one drop of God’s wisdom will show you what you need to do and put you at the top of your game. Like Andy, you’ll not just survive, but you’ll also thrive. You’ll not just do well, but you’ll also excel! Wisdom Above Knowledge Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not against having paper qualifications, a high IQ or pursuing information and knowledge, but think about it: in this digital age we live in, we have a wealth of information at our fingertips and yet, despite the daily bombardment of information bits and bytes, it seems like many of us are more confused, stressed and depressed than ever. What we need is not more worldly knowledge and counsel, but wisdom that comes from God. There is counsel that comes from the world, but the Bible tells us the blessed man does not walk according to it. Instead, he walks according to God’s Word and wisdom. (Psalm 1:1–3) God’s wisdom, however, does not come by reading a lot of books, going for courses or getting the latest news and information. It comes from knowing the Lord and having Him lead you by His Spirit and His Word. And His wisdom is what the world is sorely lacking. It is what we need more and more of—every day and in every facet of life. Put Wisdom At The Top Of Your List It’s no wonder God tells us the number one thing we should be pursuing every day is wisdom: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7) Let me give The Message translation, just for those who like making to-do lists: “Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!” Most of us, however, don’t seem to have “Get wisdom” on our daily to-do lists, or it’s just not at the top. We make time for anything and everything but wisdom: “Gym at 10am.” “Lunch with Pam at 12.30pm.” “Get Chelsea a dress for her birthday.” “Pick up kids at 5pm.” “Meet new client at mall, 7pm.” There’s nothing wrong with pursuing the things we need to do for the day. But God wants us to prioritize His wisdom above everything else we set our hearts to pursue. The word “principal” in Proverbs 4:7 is the Hebrew word re’shiyth, which means “very first”, “best” and “chief”, telling us that in all our daily pursuits, getting wisdom is the most important and best thing we can do. You see, if you seek the Lord’s wisdom first, He who knows all things will lead and help you do all the things you need to do for the day. Wouldn’t you prefer His kind of results over what your limited strength and intelligence can produce? How can you lose, when you have the Lord’s wisdom flowing through you? My friend, Jesus cares for you deeply and wants to bless all the work of your hands. He wants you to have fruitful days, not wasted days. He can tell you which body part needs more of a workout and which muscles need a rest, so you don’t suffer injuries. He can help you select the right dish from the menu since He knows that you’ve been wanting to lose some weight. He can help you pick out the right dress that your daughter will absolutely love, and at an affordable price too. He can give you wisdom and favor with your client, such that your client will be delighted to do business with you. How can you lose, when you have the Lord’s wisdom flowing through you in all that you set your hands to? Praise the Lord How do I get the Wisdom of Lord? Thank you Pastor. Your ministry and teachings have and will always be a blessing to me and the world. God bless you Sir. Thanks for sharing! I am studying Proverbs right now. I love how you did the word study. Am one of the beneficiary of your articles, thanks you sir. Pray that God be with my family and in my marriage. praise God. I love this exposition, Pastor Prince. May God grant your more wisdom to impart the world. Thank you Pastor J.Prince..may God be in you always..thank you for the prayer. God bless richly I am a beneficiary of your teachings and i am always blessed. I am confident my life will be transformed by the grace of God. Thank you pastor Prince. Thank you for sharing what God has given you to share with us His word and wisdom. You are a blessing from above. I look forward for more teachings and stories. You have knowledge and wisdom and I want to learn more about what God has instored for us:) God Bless you. Praise the Lord. I’m richly blessed. Thank you, pastor.

http://blog.josephprince.com/make-wisdom-your-priority-part-13/

Religion

en

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has summoned the High Commissioner of Ghana to Nigeria, Amb Rashid Bawa, over the continued closure of over 400 Nigerian shops in Ghana. Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama on Friday said the Ghanaian envoy was invited to give a definitive explanation on the treatment of Nigerian traders in that country. The closure of over 400 Nigerian businesses in Ghana had sparked protest by National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) and Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG). Onyema said: “There had been some horror stories that we have been hearing and a case of suicide of Nigerian lady and when this broke out the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana came here. “And we were assured that Nigerians were not the target and that efforts were being made to calm the situation. “Again in New York, assurances were made by President Nana Akufo-Addo and we were shown the text that the shops that have been closed that belong to Nigerians would be reopened He noted with concern that there were, however, conflicting reports on the reopening of Nigerian traders’ shops in Ghana. Onyeama said that a committee was being set up at a highest level in Nigeria to look into the matter and to look at how, as a government, how to respond to the situation. “And, we said as part of understanding of what the situation is now legally and factually, to give this opportunity to brief us on the current situation,” he said. He said “the Ghanaian envoy was invited to give the opportunity to brief us on current situation” on the closure of Nigerian businesses in that country. The High Commissioner, in his response, said he visited the areas that experienced distress by Nigerian traders. Bawa confirmed that about 80 to 85 per cent of shops that were locked had been re-opened and that the exercise was still ongoing. He said the Ghanaian authorities were also making efforts to ensure that Nigerian traders who were conducting businesses in Ghana were registered and had resident permits. “I was in Accra at the invitation of the president to go and have a look at what was happening on the ground. I spent two days on the ground, meeting with all stakeholders. “Some of the shops at the time I visited 10 days ago have been opened. Some have not yet been opened. Opening of shops are still ongoing as we speak. “Those that have not been opened are locked because owners were not present at their shops. GUTA wants to open the shops in the owners presence. “With these shops opened, I can say that about 80-85 per cent of shops that were locked have been opened. We insisted that before shops are opened, the owners should be there.” The envoy also dismissed reports that a Nigerian in Ghana, Mrs Stella Upaleke, committed suicide because of frustration occasioned by the closure of her shop. “I was with the regional police commander where the issue happened. The police statement, written by the husband and daughter of the woman, indicated that the suicide was not as a result of the lock-up of her shop,” he said. A former Secretary General of Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG), Mr Jasper Emenike, confirmed that some shops had actually been re-opened. He, however, said that some Nigerian traders refused to show up because of harassment by Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA). Emenike therefore appealed to the Ghanaian authorities to reduce the cost of registering business and totally exempt Nigerian traders from the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) Act. He said that the charges were contrary to the spirit and letters of ECOWAS free movement protocol. He also appealed that the government should stop the relocation of Nigerian traders from their shops. “We want to appeal that in furtherance to the efforts being made, there is need to put a permanent end to this issue. “There is also the need to stop charging Nigerian citizens I.D card fees, which cost 120 dollars for registration and 60 dollars for renewal every year,” he said Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/fg-summons-envoy-over-closure-of-nigerians-shops-in-ghana/

Politics

en

By Perez Brisibe KOKORI—SUCH were the authority and fame of the late Ubiecha Etarakpo, the founder of the historic African religion, Igbe, that the reigning Oba of Benin at the time had to travel incognito as a leper to Kokori, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, to validate his power. Etarakpo, who died in 1926, reportedly cured people of madness and healed men of various diseases even on his sick bed. He detected the undercover Benin monarch as he came in while an Igbe service was on and stood on his altar-like seat in acknowledgment. Worshipers in mortal realm could not fathom the forces at play, but Etarakpo ushered the “strange visitor” to his seat. Marvelling at his act, his members wondered if a tormenting spirit had possessed the sect’s founder, but after the Oba departed, Etarakpo told his bewildered congregation that the person, who just left was no less a person than the Benin monarch. “Three weeks after, the Oba visited Kokori again, this time, he came in his full regalia as an Oba and presented gifts and honoured Etarakpo for his spiritual prowess,” an unabashed Igbe worshiper told Niger Delta Voice at Kokori. His words: “That was when people feared and respected the Igbe religion founded in the 19th century. More so, there was no division in the worship rites, as approved by the founder, Etarakpo, an indigene of Kokori.” Etarakpo allegedly received the call of “God” in 1893 and sat on the throne in 1920 with a female called Oniruesi, also known as Erukainure. According to myth, he went to the farm and fell into a trance after he ate a native chalk given to him during an encounter with a divine spirit. When he woke up from his trance, he became unconventional and acted strangely. Back at the community, a woman known as Oniruesi noticed something mysteriously divine about him, unlike others, who thought he had gone round the bend. Though he later got married to her, he resided in her apartment and continued dancing each passing day, eating nothing but Orhen (native chalk), healing people miraculously by praying for them and giving them the same native chalk to consume. A school of thought said Etarakpo, purportedly mentally imbalanced, was roaming the streets of Kokori when he got a divine call, knelt down along the road, closed his hand and eyes in prayer, went into a trance and when he woke up, he saw a native chalk in his hand. As he marveled at how it came about, a divine spirit ministered to him on the efficacy and how to go about using the native chalk to heal people. This manifestation reportedly led to the beginning of Igbe. “Armed with the power of clairvoyance, Ubiecha’s deeds quickly spread far and wide with persons trooping to Kokori to consult him on their medical and spiritual problems,” the chief priest of Igbe, Chief Oberiko Omonemu, told Niger Delta Voice. Because of the increase of Etarakpo’s followers, who were trooping to Kokori for consultation and healing, he later built a worship house known as Ogwa, where he ministered to his devotees and made prophesies with stunning accuracy. However, following his death in 1926, Igbe, described as Africa’s first monotheistic religion by the Urhobo Historic Society, UHS, had since split into over 50 denominations with some worshipping animals, mermaids and other divinities. The leadership crisis over who would step into his shoes started with three of his children: Igbe-Ibodje, Igbe-Akpokovo and Igbe-Emegalise. Welcoming Niger Delta Voice into his barely lit apartment at Kokori, Mr. Micheal Ejemedefe, who described himself as the life-bearer and final authority of Igbe, being the last link and descendant of the founder of Igbe, whose mother is the eldest daughter of Etarakpo’s second son, Akpokovo, took our team down memory lane on the intricacies that befell the religion. Worship of animals According to him, following the demise of Etarakpo and the birth of the three circuits of Igbe, various offshoots like Igbe-Ubiecha, Igbe-Oghene-Uku, Igbe-Agege and Osanuge-Igbe emerged. He said the offsprings gave birth to the proliferation of Igbe with most of them involved in the culture of mermaids and other divinities, while others even indulge in the worship of animals, which they describe as the custodian of the spirit of “God.” We believe in Jesus Ejemedefe bellowed the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth while making a point prompting the reporter to ask what darkness has to do with light. He explained: “The main Igbe worshipers believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and also believe in his Father as the Almighty God. “Though Jews call him Yahweh, Islam call him Allah and Christians call him Jehovah, we (Igbe) call him Owheya. “We are also conscious of the fact that religion is not defined as belief in God but the kind of life you live while on earth, hence giving room for our belief in reincarnation and a life of purity while on earth. “Just like the liturgy of the Catholic Church, Igbe also has its liturgy, which involves Eucharistic rites and confessions before an Uku (Priest),” 58-year-old Ejemedefe, said to have amassed several degrees in London, asserted. Clay as prescribed A scholar in Urhobo culture, Mathias Orhero, who confirmed that Etarakpo’s sudden death in his prime, caused a big challenge to the group, shed light on the Igbe religion. He said as evident in the creation of man by God, Igbe adherents believe strongly in the efficacy of native chalk gotten from the earth’s crust. He said: “Do not forget that according to the Bible, Jesus Christ performed series of miracles using clay and even asked some persons to go dip themselves inside a particular river seven times. “With devotees spread across Africa, Europe, North and South America and other parts of the world, the once unified Igbe, as founded by Etarakpo, now has over 50 sects with some of these sub-divisions no longer toeing the line of their founder having introduced the worship of mermaids, divinities and animals in the worship of God.” The chief priest (Igbe Uku), Chief Omonemu, who believes in the worship of mermaids, said mermaid worship and belief in divinities do not affect his belief in Jesus Christ as the Messenger and Son of God. According to him, “Jesus Christ was sent to the earth by God for a purpose and He had since completed the task. But do not forget that there are other spiritual messengers of God. “One of such is what you refer to as mermaid, but we call them divinities and we commune with God through and with these divinities.” “On the contrary, where we differ with those you refer to as Christians is that while they await the second coming of Christ, they failed to realize that He had since come and gone when He presented Himself to Etarakpo, an apparition that gave birth to Igbe,” he said. Praise and worship session Speaking on the spiritual implication of being an Igbe devotee, both Orhero and Omonemu said, “Igbe is a religion of purity and spiritual cleanliness. It believes that your stay here on earth is a reflection of your past life and your present life would determine your future life here on earth hence Igbe believe in reincarnation.” Igbe operates an unwritten liturgy. The Uku (chief priest) initiates and oversees the liturgy of the Oghwa (shrine of divinity) and administers the Orhen on worshipers for their protection and fortification as well as presiding on all rituals performed in the Oghwa. In the traditional African society, virtually everybody believes that witches are extremely powerful and possess the powers to maim and kill people. The Igbe worshiper sees the religion as a counter force against the power of withes and that is where the protection presumably offered by the sect gained acceptance. This reporter attended an Igbe worship session at an Uku in Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli, to comprehend the liturgy better. Akin to the Christian worship in churches, the Igbe liturgy is dramatic. Reminiscent of majority of Christians, who worship on Sundays, the holy (sacred) day of worship for Igbe is once every eight days, known as Edi-Igbe or Edi-Iruo, meaning day of dance or day of work. Like a practiced session, it was observed that all members of the Ogwa seems to adhere to an unwritten program of event, which is reflected in the way and manner they kneel during worship, enter into the Ogwa through a particular entrance and exit via a different direction and same applies to how you kneel. The service includes dancing, praying, spiritual cleansing, confessions, intake of new members and other social/ritualistic functions. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/igbe-religion-torn-apart-by-worship-of-mermaids-animals-conflicting-doctrines/

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Barr. Mike Igini is a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo and Cross River States. In this interview, he expresses shock over the judgments of the Supreme Court on the card reader and warns that the verdicts could spell doom for the nation’s electoral process. As one who publicly canvassed the use of the card reader for election, what do you make of its rejection by courts? It is a tragedy for Nigeria because it will reverse our democratic fortune. Any answer I give to this question will not be complete without contextualizing the need for the card reader and the consequences of the latest development. Elections in Nigeria have often times been bedeviled by efforts to ensure predetermined outcomes. Whereas the essence of the design of election is to make the outcome as uncertain as possible to increase the credibility of the process, due to the constant attempts by contestants/candidates and their sponsors to diminish this uncertainty by manipulating the election process, management structures and managers have undergone many reforms. For instance, between 1959 and 1999, the name of the election management agency in Nigeria has changed five times from ECN in 1959, to FEDECO in 1963, then NEC in 1986, NECON in 1993 and INEC in 1999. In addition, the governing body of the institution has been reconstituted 13 times between 1958 and 2004, making it about 18 times if you add the reconstitution of the leadership since 2004 to 2015, namely Maurice Iwu, Chief Soyebi, Professor Jega, Mrs Zakari and Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Furthermore, the process has undergone many changes to voter registration, voting in the form of, hidden balloting (pre-Nwosu era), open balloting (Humphrey Nwosu period), and currently modified open balloting (post-Nwosu era). We have also had modifications in the ballot papers and result sheets with customization LGA by LGA to polling units, modifications in time of delivery of materials, release of results from wide time frames to immediately after vote counting at the polling unit, collation of results, changes to collation and returning officers as well as presiding officers to graduate cadres and federal civil servants and university lecturers. We have equally had changes to duration of dispute resolution. In these process changes, the introduction of the card reader was meant to reduce subjectivity and increase the fidelity of voter verification from the voter register, a previous weakness that allowed for multiple voting and inflated election results. In all of these changes, we can see that one thing has been missing. We have been modifying everything, election process, election management structure and election managers, without modifying the behaviour of participants. This is the one and only remaining weak link. If the card reader and all other reforms must make sense and endure, the time has come to concentrate on modifying the behavior of election participants through the creation and institutionalization of an Electoral Offences Commission to identify, investigate and punish electoral offenders, until this is done we will continue to have controversies. The control of human behaviour is usually in two forms, normative and descriptive. Normative control involves voter education which INEC has been doing, cultural sanctions and ostracism, but descriptive control requires laws and statutes prescribing punishment such as prison terms, and prolonged or life ban from participation in politics. If we have been doing that, maybe our system would have weeded off many negative elements by now. Doubts have been cast on the legal status of the card reader for the 2015 elections and its possible future use for elections given the judgment of the Supreme Court. Can we clear these equivocations in simple clear terms for the voting public to understand what is at stake? First, nobody has shown us the provision of either the Constitution or the Electoral Act that card reader has breached, except this constant confusion over the card reader with respect to voter authentication and voting that are separate procedures; as seen in the decisions of the tribunals on many state Houses of Assembly election cases across the country that did not attract the attention of Nigerians until recent governorship matters. I have been worried since last year and l voiced my concern over the future of our elections if the card reader is not given its prime revolutionary place in our electoral system. My colleagues both in the Bar and Bench involved in election petition matters should remember that the accreditation process is different from actual voting carried out at different times and should not be confused or mixed together, as it appears has happened, leading to the decisions reached by the courts most unfortunately. The act of voting begins with handing the identified/authenticated voter a ballot paper to cast a ballot. But before a person qualifies to express that choice, a presiding officer by law must first be satisfied that the voter is qualified or eligible to vote, and is in the place where he/she is duly registered as required under Section 49(1)(2) of the Act. It should be noted that by virtue of the combined effect of the powers conferred on INEC under paragraph 15(a) of the Constitution to “organize, undertake, supervise and in particular Section 153 of the Act; the power to issue regulations, guidelines and manuals for the conduct of election, the Commission, in its determined efforts to strengthen the integrity of the voter register, designed and produced the permanent voter card (PVC), with a lot of security features to be used with the card reader for accreditation. Voter authentication and the use of the card reader, therefore, is only important for the identification or verification of only those voters who actually turned out for accreditation instead voting on behalf of people who didn’t come out to vote that is made possible with manual register alone that one can tick to justify returns. Card reader has not in any way violated any known law but rather strengthened the provision of Section 49 of the Act. In effect, you are saying that the card reader’s use did not violate Section 49 of the Act now in contention? Absolutely not. The card reader verification of identity helps to objectively satisfy the presiding officer to qualify the voter at the time of accreditation to be issued a ballot paper, so that he or she can cast a ballot at the time of voting. It is a condition precedent to voting as stated in Section 49 of the Electoral Act and not the actual voting as has been interpreted wrongly. Section 49 talks of the satisfaction of the presiding officer and issuing ballot to a voter to proceed and vote. But its common knowledge that accreditation usually precedes voting and all the processes regarding accreditation are contained in the guidelines and manuals. Frankly, in terms of legality, I don’t see where any confusion should come in. INEC introduced this process of verification because it is an operational process during an election; it doesn’t need to go back to the National Assembly to seek approval for the development of an operational process for voter identification, since the National Assembly, by the instruction of the Act, has already said the Presiding Officer should be satisfied that the voter is authentic. It is left to the election managers to devise an objective way of ensuring that satisfaction is reached with minimal equivocation using a simple device like the card reader. In fact, let me take you through stages of realizing the road goal of a free, fair and credible election because it may be easier to understand this from a policy process analysis. We have to look at it from the three types of policy, from policy formulation to implementation. The Constitution and political leaders express a broad vision that, as a nation, we should conduct elections to elect people to occupy the offices created by the Constitution in Chapters 5 and 6 and the time-frame to do so and nothing more. This is a political policy statement that is generic, it does not go down to explain details of how it would be accomplished; it gives the broad goal, namely, the need to conduct elections and the body or institution like INEC charged with that responsibility. The legislature then gives more specific directions in form of an executive policy on how to meet this goal, in form of an Electoral Act, that spells out how to verify the identity of a voter, creating role players in the form of a presiding officer to be responsible for this. To operationalize an executive policy, affected departments make departmental policies, through its powers to issue and use guidelines and manuals. The affected department, in this case INEC, creates and circulates the guidelines, manual or codes of practice to stakeholders for comments as was done, and when all doubts and objections have been cleared, the governing body of INEC approved it for use as the Commission’s policy guiding the extant election. What law has been violated and, what is wrong with this ? I have taken time to explain these processes of policy formulation from political to executive and then departmental policy, to appreciate the legal basis of the card reader as it relates to the verification of the identity of a voter prior to offering the voter a ballot paper. This hierarchy of policies is necessary to allow for flexibility in operations because the higher the order of laws, the more difficult they are to adapt to required field changes, hence greater specificity and details are required from the departmental policy makers who are the operational implementers. Historically, the identification/verification of eligible voters has been a serious operational issue that has undermined efforts to create a credible voter register. The introduction of the card reader to strengthen Section 49 of the Electoral Act has helped to minimize the historical problems of massive election manipulation characterized by bogus moonlight and landslide figures that some folks want us to return to at this stage. Above all, we must not forget that the card reader was funded under the law and that is the 2013 and 2014 Appropriation Acts passed by the National Assembly. The card reader was taken to the Senate for demonstration and subsequently tested in 12 states of the federation successfully with no objection. Why now? But there are those who insist that the card reader is a violation of the Electoral Act as some of your colleagues have argued in court and the recent position of the Supreme Court appears to justify their position? I don’t agree that the Supreme Court judgments prescribe a redundancy for the card reader. We must make that distinction because, in law, the distinction of meaning and hermeneutic clarity is very important. Although the Supreme Court explanatory notes for its judgments is yet to be released as l speak to you now, however, excepts from the Ebonyi governorship judgment delivered on February 5, clearly shows that there is a serious misunderstanding of the process as contained in section 49 and the usual accreditation process carried out separately at different times from actual voting that Section 49(2) refers to partly and here lies the misdirection about compliance with the voting process in totality as against compliance with voter identification or the accreditation process. We must not forget that in the last elections, a number of people who were accredited, some went home and never came back to vote, while others didn’t show up at all. Now, with just a manual register alone, an induced and satisfied presiding officer can tick all the names at any time as having voted, but with a card reader this is difficult if not impossible because the card reader records the time every voter was accredited on the memory and here lies the distinction between accreditation period which is different from voting time. Compliance with voter identification/verification has two options: The use of the card reader with the register and, where this is not possible for technical or other cogent and verifiable reasons, the use of an incident form and the ticking of the left hand side of the register against the voter without denying him/her. Eventually, total votes cast would always be reconciled with the incidence form. Therefore, compliance with either is compliance, provided these verifications were satisfactory to the presiding officer and they correlate with other audit trails. The audit trail which should be provable in dispute resolution should include the evidence that the affected voters did present themselves at the polling unit, were duly registered with a register of collected PVC to prove this, listing in the manual register on same date, corroborating evidence of card the reader indicating the total number of accredited voters as an audit trail report. What would be the fate of future elections, now that the Supreme Court has shut down the use of the card reader? No, the apex court has not shut down the use of the card reader in our elections though that appears to be the overwhelming and very disappointing feeling of Nigerians, except something contrary and categorical in the expected reasons is stated to that effect. The confusion l see from the given reasons of the Ebonyi guber election case appears to indicate that people are mixing up the verification/accreditation process of Section 49, which is separate and ought to be separated from voting process. The number of accredited voters must be ascertained, announced and recorded in the form EC8A at the close of accreditation before voting that commences at 1:30 pm and, at the end of voting, the total number of votes cast should tally with the number of accredited voters; it could be less but cannot be more, it should not be far less than total votes recorded for candidates and must not exceed total number of accredited voters or number of registered voters, otherwise, it will be canceled in accordance with Section 53 of the Act. The introduction of the card reader is within the autonomy of the Commission as an independent umpire to organize and undertake the process of conducting election in Nigeria. The Electoral Act says that for a voter to be given a ballot paper to vote, the presiding officer must be satisfied that the voter is an authentic voter. In our daily life, when you present a cheque in a bank, the paying officer does not go back to the financial regulators or legislature to direct how to verify your identity as an account holders. Similarly WAEC, JAMB and so on do not require the legislature to redirect them on how to verify the identity of exam candidates. These are done in the most effective manner through departmental policies in the form of operational codes or practices, guidelines and manuals. The difficulties with our people in complying with a simple method of digital verification as it affects voters is because people want to rig elections and are determined to avoid transparency in the process of identifying voters. Some of us are not fooled by the deliberate hurdle or road-block being mounted against the use of the card reader and do not expect this resistance to die without a fight. We should not forget our terrible and shameful electoral history all through the first republic when we had just one frame of reference which is the manual register, and has been been used serially to declare fake and bogus figures of “moonlight” and “landslide” victory votes until the current efforts to clean up now with the use of the card reader. Today, there is an electronically compiled national register of voters with the biometric data of each voter to corroborate the number of voters in any one polling unit, which makes such ballot stuffing a joke in today’s scenario.Going forward, what we should be thinking of is how to strengthen the use of the card reader with technology and not how to make it redundant. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/use-of-card-reader-didnt-violate-any-law-igini/

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…arrests key suspects based in Benue, Abuja By Soni Daniel The Department of State Security Service has said it has busted a deadly ISIS-linked Boko Haram terrorist gang that had planned to attack the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other western interests in Nigeria. The DSS in a statement by Tony Opuiyo, said it prevented the fatal attacks between the 25th and 26th March, 2017, halting the malevolent gangs based in Benue State and the FCT, from striking. Apart from preventing the attack, the DSS said it also arrested the masterminds whose names were given Isa JIBRIL, Jibril JIBRIL, Abu Omale JIBRIL, Halidu SULE and Amhodu SALIFU. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/breaking-dss-foils-isis-linked-boko-haram-attack-u-s-uk-embassies/

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These 5 Global Celebrities Truly Love African Wildlife Safaris Africa is full of superlatives. It holds the world’s longest river and is also home to its tallest, fastest, and largest animals. What’s more, the largest overland animal migration on earth is also witnessed annually in Africa. These titbits are a small portion of what makes the continent such an enigma. Africa’s magic is difficult to capture in a few short sentences. As numerous worldwide celebrities have discovered, you have to experience it in person. Even then, it is hard to get your fill of it, and over the years, most of these global sensations find themselves making return trips. Some have even established worthwhile investments, charities and foundations due to their love of Africa- the cradle of humankind. Below, we look at the most prominent global icons with a penchant for African safaris and highlight what endears the continent to these A-listers. We also mention some exciting things you can hope to see while on an African safari. One of the landmark moments in Queen Elizabeth’s life happened while she was on safari to Kenya. Sixty-nine years ago, the British monarch had taken a trip destined for Africa, intending to unwind from her busy schedule and sample some African wildlife. Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, she arrived at the up-country Treetops lodge with an aerial view of an elephant’s watering hole. Bushbucks, baboons and warthogs frequent the spot, too, with the nocturnal leopard roaming at nightfall stalking its prey. However, midway through her visit, the queen received news that her ailing father, the king, had passed on. That visit, albeit cut short, marked the beginning of the queen’s reign. Other royals equally enamored with Kenya’s charms are Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. So much so that the Prince picked a Mount Kenya safari as the perfect opportunity for his marriage proposal to the Duchess. The proposal took place at the Lewa Downs Conservancy, which holds the world’s largest population of Grevy’s Zebra. Also present are Black Rhino, lion, giraffe, elephant, and over 400 bird species. Sir Richard Branson Passionate about Kenya’s wildlife Sir Richard Branson has been on several safaris. The British business magnate was taken by the breathtaking beauty of the Maasai Mara savannah, its people and animals. Keen on promoting wildlife conservation efforts, he sunk a chunk of his investment in building the Mahali Mzuri luxury camp in the Mara to support the local community. The Maasai Mara is an award-winning game reserve that hosts, among others, the annual wildebeest migration. Dubbed the eighth wonder of the modern world, that migration is the largest overland animal migration on earth. It involves the movement of more than two million animals from the Serengeti in Tanzania into the greener plains of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. It is a spectacular and continuous event that occurs from July- October. It is the perfect opportunity for visitors to view all manner of wildlife ranging from the Big Five, giraffe, wildebeest, jackals, hyena, cheetah, and many other animals. Overall, the Mara has more than 90 animal species, and trips can range from luxury safaris to budget trips. At Sir Richard Branson Mahali Mzuri, game drives are normally in open safari vehicles. Mainly Toyota land cruises, land rovers, and mercedes benz. The vehicle comes with an open roof and sides to allow guest maximum game viewing and unlimited photography. For Naomi Campbell, the apple of her eye is Kenya’s coastal town of Malindi and its people. On her maiden visit in 1994, the British Supermodel instantly fell in love with the little seaside town nicknamed ‘little Italy.’ The idyllic town is a favorite among European travelers hoping to catch some sun and sand or set up holiday homes. Naomi herself has a majestic seaside villa and makes regular visits to Malindi every other year. Her love for Kenya saw her appointed as an international brand ambassador for Kenya’s tourism brand, Magical Kenya. Some of the attractions that pull visitors to Malindi include sea safaris, exquisite beaches, and many water activities. You can hope to enjoy snorkeling and deep-sea diving. Big level fishing is yet another favorite, with sharks, sailfish, big marlin, and swordfish being possible catches. The affordability of these trips and the ease of movement around the country make Kenya highly enticing. Queen of talk shows Oprah Winfrey has made several trips to Africa, particularly East and South Africa. Her most recent trip was to the Serengeti National Reserve in Tanzania, where she went on a hot air balloon ride across the expansive savannah. Feeling right at home in the African wild, Oprah went on to have a hearty breakfast right in the middle of the picturesque reserve. A couple of zebras and an assortment of other herbivores could be spotted hanging out a few feet from her in the background throughout the meal. Following her trips to South Africa, she founded the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. It is a boarding school located in Meyerton, Gauteng, South Africa, to provide education and empowerment to girls in grades 8-12. Not even the world-renowned ‘material girl’ is immune to the allure of an African safari. On one of her later visits, the queen of pop visited Kenya and was taken by the richness of culture among the country’s indigenous communities. She interacted with some Pokot and Samburu tribes and was enthralled with their way of life. Besides Kenya, Madonna adores Malawi, from where all four of her adopted children hail. Such is her love for the country and its people that in 2017 she established a hospital christened the Mercy James hospital. The establishment is named in honour of her eldest adopted daughter (Mercy James). Malawi’s key attractions include wildlife tourism at the Liwonde National Park, the Majete Wildlife museum, and other reserves and parks. You could also opt for a cultural trip to the Kungoni center for art and culture and the Chemare museum.

https://thenationonlineng.net/cardoso-tope-fasua-and-national-economic-recovery/These

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Bishop Matthew Kukah The Federal Government says it is graceless and impious for any religious leader to use the period of Christmas, which is a season of peace, to stoke the embers of hatred, sectarian strife and national disunity. In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warned religious leaders that resorting to scorched-earth rhetoric at this time could trigger unintended consequences. The statement was made available to newsmen by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of the Minister of Information and Culture. The minister said that while religious leaders have a responsibility to speak truth to power, such truth must not come wrapped in anger, hatred, disunity and religious disharmony. ”Calling for a violent overthrow of a democratically-elected government, no matter how disguised such a call is, and casting a particular religion as violent is not what any religious leader should engage in, and certainly not in a season of peace,” he said. Mohammed stressed that instigating regime change outside the ballot box is not only unconstitutional but also an open call to anarchy. He said while some religious leaders, being human, may not be able to disguise their national leadership preference, they should refrain from stigmatising the leader they had never supported using well-worn and disproved allegations of nepotism. The minister said whatever challenges Nigeria may be going through at the moment could only be tackled when all leaders and indeed all Nigerians come together. He said such challenges could not be tackled “when some people arrogantly engage in name-calling and finger-pointing.” Recall that the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Kukah, in his 2020 Christmas Message, had alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is presiding over a country with prospects of a failed state. The cleric contended that “there is no way any non-Northern Muslim president could have done a fraction of what President Buhari has done by his nepotism and gotten away with it. ” There would have been a military coup a long time ago or we would have been at war.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/it-is-graceless-to-fan-embers-of-hatred-strife-fg-replies-kukah/

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By Ben Agande In the final result announced at the two polling units at the Presidential Villa Saturday night, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan lost to the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari as he polled a total of 595 votes to General Buhari’s 613 votes. Also, the All Progressives Congress Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates won the elections in the Villa. While the APC candidate for the senatorial election polled a total of 597 votes, the PDP candidate won 567 votes from the two polling units in the Villa. The APC candidate for the House of Representatives also polled 589 votes to defeat the PDP candidate who got 495 votes. A total of 1,345 voters were accredited in the two polling units. The announcement of the final result was greeted with a wide jubilation from the APC supporters. President Jonathan won the election at the two polling units in 2011. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/breakingnews-jonathan-loses-at-presidential-villa-polling-units/#sthash.G6iUojjM.dpuf

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A Leader of Hausa Community in Abia, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to jettison plans to dialogue with the Boko Haram group. Umaru, who is the Public Relations Officer of Northern Community in Abia, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Sunday. He said that dialoguing with the group would be counter-productive as it would explore the opportunity to re-organise and cause more havoc. “Islamic religion does not preach the killing of human beings, anybody who kills in the name of Islam is not a true Muslim. “In Islam, Allah tells us not to kill anybody and anybody who kills his fellow human being be it a Christian or Muslim, will go to hell fire straight,’’ he said. He said that members of the Boko Haram were aware that God condemns their activities in Nigeria, adding that unlike the Niger Delta militants, the group did not have genuine reason that would warrant government’s attention. “The Niger Delta militants’ agitation was because of unfair treatment to the oil producing communities. “The Federal Government asked them to drop arms, and then looked into their requests which led to the creation of Niger Delta Ministry, among other things. “For the Boko Haram, they do not want to take advantage of the media to tell the world what their problems are, rather they continue to kill Christians and Muslims, they kill Igbos, Yorubas, and Hausas so their motive is evil,’’ he said. NAN Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/dont-dialogue-with-boko-haram-community-leader-warns-fg/

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – Leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari Thursday reacted to the attack on the convoy of president Goodluck Jonathan by some irate youths in the state during a campaign rally on Tuesday, saying the Niger Delta would respond in due course. Asari also warned the Igbo and the members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC who currently reside in the north to return home as they would have themselves to be blamed should anything happen to them. The NDPVF leader while addressing a press conference in Abuja faulted the Abuja peace accord entered into by President Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Mohammadu Buhari with 12 others, saying it was unnecessary. Going into memory lane, Asari recalled that the north has always had the penchant for causing election violence. “There is an established pattern of pre and post election violence in the north. In the 50s when late Awolowo was campaigning in the north, he went with helicopters and he was mocked. People said he was flying over the houses and peeping their wives. That has continued and everywhere in the country, people say leave them alone. We don’t want any trouble. But I think the game has changed. The rules of the game have changed. “For every action, there will be an opposite and equal reaction. I knew that the signing of the accord was useless and that the president subjected himself to sign such an accord. For me, it was out of place for a president and commander in chief of the armed forces of a country. But the president is a humble person. He does things that even marvel some of us and make us sometimes to be very angry. “To be frank, I was very angry on that day they were signing it. The president has sworn to protect the lives of every Nigerian. So, why would he after taking a constitutional oath subject himself to another oath? “So what happened in Katsinah is not a surprise. But don’t be surprised. We are putting the world on notice that they have started first. When we reply, let no body talk. Because we are going to reply. We did not sign any accord with them. They did not sign. They are talking about about election violence now because they know that other people will respond. “Before, they had the monopoly of violence, so nobody cared who died. Our lives were not valuable and they had all the latitude to wreck havoc and did what they liked. But the game has changed. Be bold enough to tell them that game has changed. If they slice our throat, we are going to slice your throat. They stoned the president, you will hear from us. That’s the answer. “My concern is what happens after the election because we know they will do what they are known to do every time. But this time, they will cry. So all Igbo people who are there, if you don’t come back home and you want to continue to be there and something happens to you, there is nobody to be blamed. If you have a child who is a youth corper and you allow him to be there, you will not hold anybody responsible.” Asari who was also the former President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, reiterated his stand on victory for president Jonathan, saying he would win the February polls. “There is no way Goodluck will not win the election. We will win them and we know they are preparing for violence in consonance with some foreign powers. When they do that, we will respond disproportionately. We will respond. That’s what we are going to do. If you hit me with a stick, I am going to hit you with iron. I am not speaking in riddles. I am speaking in plain language. My English may not be very good. I am speaking in my own street language. We are going respond disproportionately and we are apologetic. “The people who are in Katsinah who did not hold their children should also know that I will not hold my children”, he said. Reminded that Buhari has repeatedly dissociated himself from violence, Asari said “He is a liar. This is the same man who said that the blood of monkeys and baboons will flow on the street. He sounded a note of warning in clear terms. Who are the monkeys and the baboons? He has not explained to us. So, for him now to say whatever he says, that is his business.They burnt president Jonathan’s campaign vehicles in Jos and they were singing “sai Buhari oyoyo”. Why is it that violence is always initiated by the people shouting his name?” He however said that there would not be violence unless the north “asks” for one. “I assure you, nothing will happen anywhere if they do not initiate violence. Did we ask them to stone the president yesterday? Do you want us to fold our arms so that they will kill him? Let them stop the violence. When they do, we will stop. A situation where Shakua will stand and say Niger Delta we are coming for you. Goodluck I am coming for you. You are a man and I am a man. We are going to look at each other eyeball to eyeball. You can shoot and I can shot. You can kill and I can kill. You can destroy and I can destroy. “The question is not for me. It is for Buhari, el-Rufai, Shakua. They are the people you have to direct this question to. Go and ask Buhari why he allowed his people to stone the president and commander -in-chief in Katsinah. There must be balance of terror. One person does not have the prerogative to kill, main and destroy. On the preparedness and readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct the polls, Asari said INEC was not ready. He however did not support the idea of postponing the elections “From what INEC has done so far, it is not because of the violence, so many people have not collected their PVC. Look at the “ojoro”that is going on in INEC. Twenty of the twenty seven local governments in Borno are in the hands of Boko haram but more people have collected PVCs in Borno than in Abia state where there is no crisis. “For me, let every person be allowed to vote without PVC. If we are going to use the PVC, then INEC is not ready. But I am not calling for the postponement of the election. We will win the election decisively. On the 14th of February, there will be “failbuhari” and will win decisively.” On the saga trailing the academic qualification of Buhari, the Niger Delta activist challenged the presidential candidate to produce his WAEC certificate. “A man rose to the rank of a General in the Nigeria army with a note from a principal that this man is in Form six, he will pass English, Mathematics, etcetera, he should be recruited and commissioned into the army. A year after this Mr. Saint deposited an affidavit that he has a WAEC result which has not been found. He said the military board has my result. Where on earth do you give your original certificate to your employers?” He asked. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/katsina-stoning-niger-delta-ll-retaliate-says-dokubo-asari/

Politics

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President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government cannot afford to pay forty-two ministers and that not all ministerial nominees screened by the Senate will have portfolios. The President also said that Nigeria has been ‘material and morally vandalized’ and that he will reduce the numbers of ministries. Buhari in an interview with Channels TV and Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, in New Delhi in India said that he is working with people introduced to him by others that he trust and must work with them. Buhari while reacting to a question on the divide in the National Assembly over Rotimi Amaechi’s confirmation as minister said he did not work into the presidency alone hence he can not work alone and that some of those having problems at the National Assembly he had never met them. ‘This is team work, I said I know some people but there are others, I accepted from other people that I trust without even knowing them.’ ‘May be those that are having problems in the National Assembly I doubt if I have met them in my life but then, I am working with others.’ ‘I did not work into the presidency alone. I have to defend all the three tiers of government from all parts of the country.’ Backing his 36 Minister nominees Buhari said that he cannot work out outside the constitution and that ministers must be appointed in conformity with the constitution of the Federal Government that stipulates that ministerial appointment must reflect the 36 states of the country. And that these minister nominees though representing their states some will not have portfolios but will be part of his cabinet. ‘We can not work outside the constitution there must be a cabinet representative from each state.’ ‘There use to be forty two ministers but I think we can barely keep half of that now because we cannot afford it. ‘Others may not be substantive ministers but they will sit in the cabinet because that is what the constitution said and we can’t operate outside the constitution’ ‘We are reducing the number of ministries we can’t afford to pay.’ ‘Where is the money? Do you know the Federal Government has to help twenty seven states out of thirty six to pay salaries?.’ ‘Nigeria can not pay salaries Nigeria had to summon the Governor of the Central Bank to see how it could pay salaries not to talk of projects, agreement signed with foreign countries, counter funding and so on. The country was material vandalized and morally so.’ On his ambition to see that the dreaded Boko Haram group is crushed by December the president said that his is optimistic on the capability of the military and other government agencies in crushing the terrorists and as he feels sorry for those who think otherwise or have given up on winning the war against terrorist. ‘I am an optimistic person. I am sorry for those who have already given up. I remain confident that our military and other law enforcement agencies are more than equal to the task.’ ‘Don’t forget that I made an earlier statement to the effect that the Nigerian military and police earned accolades all over the world: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan.’ “They earned international respect and then here you are, the Nigerian military and other law enforcement agencies could not secure 14 local governments out of 774 until the government was changed.’ Further more on how he feels when critics say he is being selective in the fight against corruption Buhari said that anyone who is not corrupt should not be afraid rather they should encourage him to go headlong with the fight. ‘…if they are not involve in corruption they won’t mind they would encourage us to get whoever compromised his position in the trust being given on to him. I see it in the papers, watch it on screen but I have never lost a sleep on it because those that are not corrupt should even encourage us to do more. But those that are interested in the safety of those that have abused trust in the country office will go to any length including bribing people to give false information and so on.’ He went on to say that he is not being selective in his fight against corruption and that any bdy caught will be prosecuted for Nigerians to see. ‘Whoever is caught the document use in incriminating him or her will be use to prosecute him for Nigerians to know who has abused thrust’ On how he want to remembered the president said that ‘if we survived it I want Nigerian to have found out that I was genuine,a real patriot not that I only fought the Civil war but fought corruption to a stand still’. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/we-cant-afford-to-pay-42-ministers-buhari/

Politics

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The Action Alliance (AA) party, formed by the Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, in 2005 has said that it would throw its support, not for Buhari but behind the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, for the coming election. Governor Okorocha formed the AA in 2005 after he was unable to secure presidential tickets in the PDP and APGA years back. Recall that in the run-up to the 2019 election, Okorocha’s son in-law, Uche Nwosu, defected from the APC to the AA after he was denied governorship ticket in APC. Despite his defection, Governor Okorocha has not relented to seize any opportunity to campaign for his son in-law. Although Okorocha says his son in-law remains APC in spirit, he, however, maintains that Mr. Nwosu must succeed him as Governor of the state even though he is in AA. Meanwhile, the AA has insisted that it recognizes no other but Atiku/Obi for president and running mate. The party however said that the only link Okorocha has with it is that his son in-law is contesting under it. The party made its position known on Monday in a statement by its national chairman, Kenneth Udeze. According to him, all the executive committees of the party as well as other members maintains their ground on their support for Abubakar. The party’s chairman said its members will work for the emergence of Atiku/Obi presidency. According to him, “We are for Atiku/Obi leadership and we are glad to work with all believers of true federalism and efficient administration of governance at all levels to accomplish this as we approach the forthcoming elections. “The National Executive Committees (NEC) of our party are on the same page concerning our support for Atiku, same with all our state chapters in this matter. “We hereby restate out position through this medium that AA as a certified and active member of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has not for a moment reconsidered or wished to alter that position. “For your information, AA moved the motion for the adoption of Atiku as the Presidential Candidate of CUPP, and we are on it to the end,” he said. “It is our unshakable/unfailing resolve to work for the emergence of Atiku/Obi, in the presidential election, and that we must not only be seen to be doing, but to truly do. “The only relationship between him (Okorocha) and AA is that Uche Nwosu is contesting on its platform and we are poised to deliver….” “I will not hesitate to invoke from relevant sections of our Party Constitution to deal with erring members no matter how highly placed, as AA constitution which I swore to protect remains supremely sacrosanct. Please be warned,” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/okorochas-party-dumps-buhari-adopts-atiku/amp/

Politics

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By Elliot Uko NIGERIANS are amused to no end once again as a section of the northern elite who despise President Goodluck Jonathan passionately, have once more embarked on their usual campaign for Jonathan albeit unwittingly, as usual. The vituperations of both the Northern elders forum and the Northern delegates to the confab to wit that Jonathan should not run in the February 2015 elections. This is déjà vu is of the 2010/2011 Northern faux pas. This excessive display of paranoia does not only suggest that the north has run out of ideas and arguments but it confirms that the Boko Haram madness is political. Are our Northern brothers treading this familiar road because of their love for Nigeria? Or just a last ditch effort in the desperate battle for central power and insatiable hunger for eternal domination of the rest of Nigeria. This is déjà vu, the last time our northern brothers took this road four years ago they only succeeded in frightening the rest of the country and forcing them to gather behind Jonathan. A mere repeat of the same road that didn’t pay any dividend. They terrorised him endlessly, gave him seven days to resign, chose a consensus candidate, and campaigned ferociously on religious and regional pedestal, all these failed. Then they promised to make Nigeria ungovernable. Jonathan is still trucking on. The strategy of threat of soaking dog and baboon in blood is not capable of snatching power from Jonathan as only Nigerians will decide on 2015. It’s amusing that those who are threatening to reject a new constitution cannot see that they would only be making a bigger mistake than their GREAT MISTAKE at the Jos PDP convention 15 year ago. Fifteen years ago, the same people who are fiercely resisting restructuring Nigeria through a new constitution stormed Jos, to stop, a former vice president and the only man who would have handed over power to the North after four years. Instead they brought out from Yola prison their Northern choice who dealt them a blow the north is yet to recover from. Once again as the world watches, the North is about to seal her fate as she opposes the only open route to a peaceful stable and functional Nigerian a new constitution adopted at a referendum. Their parochial mind tells them, that they would seize power and keep it forever, hence their preference for the unworkable status quo. A mistake for which they could pay dearly, sooner than later. Reminds us of the great Northern mistake at the Jos PDP convention 15 years ago. What a déjà vu. *Mr. Uko, a social critic, wrote from Enugu, Enugu State. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/2015-north-treads-familiar-path/#sthash.xDqEGayy.dpuf

Politics

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The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has raised alarm over the recruitment of children in the state into terrorism by the Boko Haram insurgent group. Zulum disclosed this at the state's capital, Maiduguri, while receiving members of a committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday. He stated this development alongside the troubles faced by people at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state. The governor said that the individuals at these camps: over 400,000 of them at Gamboru Ngala and 700,000 in Monguno are unable to access their farmlands, which poses a serious risk to their livelihood and could lead to the state facing a "very serious challenge even more than we are facing now." READ ALSO: Insecurity In Northeast Overwhelming Our Security Operatives - Ndume He said, “The only solution we have now is to ensure the safe return of our people to their homes in a dignified manner. If nothing is done, believe me sincerely, we shall face a very serious challenge even more than what we are facing now,” he said. “This is because right now, the insurgents are recruiting many of our children into the sect because of the increasing unemployment rate.”

https://allnews.ng/news/borno-children-are-recruited-into-terrorism-by-boko-haram

Politics

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Obi assures support for construction of Nnewi Mall CONSTRUCTION of the proposed shopping mall for Nnewi would commence in a few days time, Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has said. Obi ,who spoke yesterday at the inspection of the ongoing Agulu Lake Hotel and Resort with two new bridges, said other malls at Awka and Nnewi were ongoing. “The mall at Onitsha and Awka are ongoing. In a few days we shall start that of Nnewi. We had planned these things and have enough money set aside for them. We shall also start the three Arms Zone, for which we also have enough Money set aside,” Obi stressed.” He further assured said the state government had enough money to complete all the projects being embarked upon by his administration across the state.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/obi-assures-support-for-construction-of-nnewi-mall/

Business

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Onitsha becoming ‘dead’ city, Soludo laments Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra State has lamented the high rate of evacuation of businesses and productive assets from Onitsha to other neighbouring states. Soludo expressed his displeasure at a strategic meeting with landlords in Onitsha on Thursday. Landlords from Omagba Phases l and ll, GRA Onitsha Zone, Onitsha Housing Estate, American Quarters, Trans-Nkisi areas, among many others, participated in the meeting. The governor explained that the meeting was in line with the mantra of “Be Your Brother’s Keeper’, saying that it had become necessary to dialogue on how best to reclaim Onitsha, starting from the contributions of the landlords. While describing Onitsha city as ‘dead’, he said that everyone had one critical role or the other to play to take the city to an enviable reputation. “Recalled that Onitsha was once known to be housing the largest market in West Africa, which is sadly no longer the case, as new businesses and investments are now tilting towards neighbouring states. “A verifiable estimate shows that 35 to 40 per cent of businesses and productive assets in Onitsha are evacuating to neighbouring states. “This is the reality of the situation and my administration is committed to turning around Onitsha into a smart megacity, as Onitsha has advanced into a metropolis. “Hence, this civic engagement. I need your support to drive home the initiatives and policy thrusts of this administration,” he said. Soludo said that the landlords would benefit the most from the engagement because the value of their assets would increase eventually. In his remarks, Mr Edward Ibuzo, a lawmaker representing Onitsha North Constituency ll in the state House of Assembly, appreciated the governor for the meeting and promised to support the initiative. (NAN)

https://thenationonlineng.net/onitsha-becoming-dead-city-soludo-laments/

Politics

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Redmi Note 8 survives eight-floor drop and watery landing but ends up with a "curved" display Those shopping for a rugged phone might not consider the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 device, but it looks like the hugely popular smartphone just got durability as another selling point to add to its already impressive list: great display, price-performance ratio, presence of a 3.5 mm jack, dual-SIM, etc. Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun, has been sharing the experience one unfortunate/fortunate (depending on how you look at it) Redmi Note 8 owner had. It appears the Redmi Note 8 was put out on a balcony by the user’s mother, but it somehow fell from its lofty perch and smashed into the ground after an eight-floor drop (potentially over 100 ft/30 m). To add insult to injury, the stricken Xiaomi smartphone apparently landed in an unspecified body of water thus undoubtedly providing a killing blow. But the user actually found the Redmi Note 8 to be still operational and capable of being charged and with the touchscreen being usable. However, the Redmi Note 8 was left with a “curved” display after the incident and water managed to get inside the camera module. It’s more than likely the owner will have to pick up a new smartphone at some point, but after this experience it wouldn’t be surprising if they plumped for another Redmi Note 8. The Xiaomi smartphone comes with a Snapdragon 665, 6.3-inch display, tough Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and apparently a very sturdy case.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Redmi-Note-8-survives-eight-floor-drop-and-watery-landing-but-ends-up-with-a-curved-display.490452.0.html

Phones

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You probably do not know that having sex every day makes you look younger, healthier, stronger and even live much longer than those who don't have sex regularly. Having sex daily makes you and your partner feel incredible about each other, it elevates your mood, it connects you through intimacy and benefits your mind and body. At the same time, regular sex gives you and your partner the physical, mental and emotional boost. But before practising everyday sex or sexual activities, remember that consent is a paramount prerequisite and to attain consent you need to ask your partner about it and how they like you to approach the whole process. Some partner like long foreplay before sex because it gives them pleasure or brings them into the mood, others may just want a spontaneous or quickie and some like both in no particular order. Although, sex is quite crucial and one of the toughest things to discuss with a partner especially if what you want to discuss involves them changing their bedroom behaviour. Meanwhile, regular discussions about sex help partners to build a happy relationship, while having sex regularly helps to build a healthy relationship by bringing couples closer to each other’s desires, preferences and ensure you are both getting the ultimate satisfaction. Why You Should Be Having Sex Every Day Did you know having sex everyday could give you the boost that you need? Now you know, so regardless of your gender, you should be having sex regularly. Here are 10 healthy reasons why you should have sex every day with your partner. Daily sex does wonders for your heart and reduces risks of heart-related diseases such as stroke and blood pressure. During sexual activity, you tend to breathe intensely, this singular act works as a form of respiratory exercise and makes your heart function better. Lots of studies have proven that regular sex can ward off heart attacks, therefore, the more you have sex the more you see your heart getting better and stronger. According to a study carried out by Queen’s University Belfast revealed that having sex three times a week could halve your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Another study in Israel found that women who had two orgasms a week are less likely to have heart disease than those who did not enjoy sex or didn’t have an orgasm. At the same time, men who have sex more than twice a week, have a lesser risk of getting a heart attack, than men who do it just once a month. Boost Immune System And Longevity Regular sex is an automatic immune booster, the more you have sex the more your body produces chemicals, hormones and antibodies which released antigen such as immunoglobulin A (IgA) that is responsible for strengthening the immune system. Research carried out at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that participants who had sex once or twice a week had 30% higher levels of IgA than those who had sex less frequently. So feeling down or cold? Have a round of hot sex. Everyday sex increases the level of the immune-boosting antibody which in turn makes your body stronger against illnesses like the common cold and fever. When you have an orgasm, a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone is released. This improves immunity, repairs tissue and keeps the skin healthy. Men, who have at least two orgasms a week, live longer than men who have sex just once every few weeks. It Aid Good Sleep There are a couple of hormones responsible for getting good sleep and they include melatonin, serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin, all of these can be achieved through regular sex Naturally, everyday sex makes your body release happy hormones that boost your intimacy and urge for doing the act repeatedly. These sex hormones aid better sleep. Seratonin helps to make you feel calm and relaxed and the body produces this chemical in the brain as a pleasure response, and it is released during orgasm/ejaculation. Melatonin on the other hand helps to produce hormones that regulate sleep and maintain the circadian rhythm of the body. An increased serotonin level may also lead to an increase in melatonin level, which further induces sleep. While, Oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, can help you get some shut-eye as well. That happy-lovey-dovey feeling you get during or after sex is the result of oxytocin coursing through your bloodstream. It helps to reduce stress, lowers blood pressure, and makes it easier for you to fall asleep. Haven't you noticed that the sleep you get immediately after you have sex is much more relaxed and makes you feel alert when you wake? Getting a good night’s sleep works on your overall health, so have more sex regularly. Keeps You Looking Younger Sex has been proven to keep your skin looking younger for longer without using wrinkle cream or botox injections. The morning glow and the shinny body is the product of your regular sex. Hence, if you keep having dry skin or body irritation consider having sex with your partner every day, the more you do it, the more your skin gets repaired and you will develop a healthy relationship as a bonus. Spice up your bedroom atmosphere and add glow to your skin by saying yes to daily sex. Regular Sex Reduce Pain Having a severe headache, acute pain or suffering from menstrual torture? Sex can help you get rid of all of these, having sex during your period has been proven to ease the pain because when you are about to have an orgasm the level of oxytocin and endorphin hormones produced increases by five times and helps you reduce aches and pains. Trust me, it is more fun than using pain relief drugs, although it could be an uncomfortable feeling to have sex during your menstruation, it really helps and there are fewer risks of getting pregnant during this period. All you need to do is to wash out the blood thoroughly before engaging in the act to avoid any form of irritation. “Orgasms can block pain. We have found that vaginal stimulation can block chronic back and leg pain and many women have stated that genital self-stimulation can reduce menstrual cramps, arthritic pain, and in some cases even headache,” according to the neuroscience behind orgasms and pain response carried out by Dr Barry Komisaruk of Rutgers University. Builds Emotional Intimacy Regular sex helps both partners to strengthen their emotional bond and intimacy. Remember, copulating is not merely about physical intimacy and reproduction purpose alone, my dear sex goes beyond that. For any relationship to be successful, it is important that the people involved are emotionally on the same page and having sex is a great way to build that emotional intimacy. If you are trying to achieve pregnancy or you want your offspring to look fresh and beautiful, you need to keep your sperm fresh in tip-top shape by having sex at least twice a week, not only during her ovulation but steadily. This may sound odd or bizarre to your hear, but that is the truth, studies have proven that the more often you make love, the better quality your sperm will be. Semen health was found to be best when sex had last occurred less than two days before the sperm was tested and was greatly decreased after 10 days of abstinence. Regular sex has also been found to help balance a woman’s hormones and regulate her periods, which can further boost the chances of conceiving. Lowers Risk Of Prostate Cancer A state study from Harvard Medical School shows that men who ejaculated more often automatically reduced their risk of having prostate cancer by 22 per cent than men who don't. Researchers at Nottingham University have also found out that men who enjoy a regular sex life in their 50s are at lower risk of developing prostate cancer. This is because sex clears the prostate of toxins that could otherwise linger and trigger cancerous changes. The link was first suggested after several studies showed that monks appeared to have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer. Build Mental Stability Mental stability is another healthy way partners have to regularly engage in sexual activity since research has shown that having sex every day or regularly can restore all your mental health, renew your positive thoughts and strengthen your mind to accommodate innovations and ideas. When stressed, tired or not feeling right about yourself, regular sex can easily heal you, cuddling alone can help you release Oxytocin and dopamine hormones which will melt all your stress away instantly. Daily sex reduces stress by increasing endorphins-hormones that are responsible for boosting sex moods. Don’t forget that sex is a form of exercise that is responsible for reducing stress and keeping you calm. Every time you are under stress, just make love with your partner, it is the fastest yet healthiest way to beat stress. Lastly, sex helps to enhance physical and mental improvement, sex is known to be one of the best ways to build your muscle, doing workout and exercise because copulating strengthens your cardiovascular system, from your back, leg to your hip as well. So, If you find going to the gym awkward or working out at home a task, here is another healthy way to help you lose weight and keep you in shape. Half an hour of lovemaking has been proven to burns more than 80 per cent calories, consequentially, sex will do wonders for your waistline.

https://allnews.ng/news/why-you-should-be-having-sex-every-day-amazing-health-benefits

Romance

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Ortom denies making hate speech against Buhari The Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday denied claims that he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of attempting to Islamise the country. The governor said he does not indulge in hate speech against the President under whatever guise. He also said throughout last year, the state was able to pay workers’ salaries. Ortom made the clarifications in a statement by his Special Adviser (SA) on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, following alleged hate speech levelled against him by the Presidency. The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity, that Governor Ortom should desist from hate speeches against President Muhammadu Buhari. “It is on record that Governor Ortom has never stated anywhere that President Buhari plans to Islamise the country. “He prays daily for the President for God to grant him good health and wisdom and commends him for upgrading Exercise Ayem Akpatuma to Operation Whirl Stroke, which has been able to reduce herdsmen attacks in Benue State to the barest minimum. “It could be recalled that Governor Ortom was one of those who organised prayers and fasting for the President when he had protracted health challenges in 2017.” The governor said he had never blamed the President personally for the farmers-herders crises of 2018 in the state. He said he had always reported the activities of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore to the Presidency and security agencies though no action was taken. Ortom said the Presidency had never supported the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. He said: “On January 13, 2018, the Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM), met in Kano and issued a statement that what was happening in Benue State was a continuation of the 1804 Jihad when recalcitrant Benue indigenes stopped them in their quest to dip the Qur’an in the sea. “They stated that they were currently equipped with weapons and political power to continue with the agenda. “This was also reported to the Presidency and the security agencies but nothing was done. It must have been the guilty conscience arising from the failure to forestall these attacks and their enormous deadly consequences that may have prompted the Presidency to issue today’s mischievous statement. “More so that in the aftermath of the attacks President Buhari did not offer any message of sympathy or condolence to the bereaved families and the people of the state. “The best that came from him when major stakeholders from the state visited him in Abuja and after a long expected visit to the state was that Benue people should learn to live with and accommodate their neighbours. “In all these, Governor Ortom does not hold the President responsible. The well-known cabal in his administration might be responsible for his ignorance of the real situation on ground. Top notchers of his administration have blamed the Benue law for sparking the farmers’/herders’ crises in Benue State without explaining what is responsible for the crises in other states, including Zamfara, Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Kogi, Ebonyi, Oyo, Ogun, and several others where there is no such law. “Others say the blocking of grazing reserves and cattle routes is a justification for the conquest and occupation agenda. “The Presidency at a time issued a statement that it was better to give up land and be alive than to hold on to it and die. “Meanwhile, the Presidency may also not be aware of the Miyetti Allah and its supporters’ agenda in Benue State, which includes the perpetration of impunity with the connivance of the police and other security agencies. “This explains the constant transfers of police commissioners in Benue State as a search for those who will dance to the whims and caprices of All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the state. “The Presidency has never come out openly to express support for the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/ortom-denies-making-hate-speech-buhari/

Politics

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By LAWANI MIKAIRU An Emirates flight EK 262 from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai, United Arab Emirates was Saturday forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos due to the deteriorating health condition of a passengers believed to have ingested cocaine. After screening by anti-narcotic officials four other passengers are currently under interrogation after testing positive to drug ingestion. One of the suspects was immediately hospitalised as doctors battle to save his life. Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) who said that the suspect is responding to treatment called for stiffer penalty against drug trafficking. NDLEA commander at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that the Emirates flight left Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai but was forced to come to Lagos due to the health condition of a passenger on board who ingested cocaine. “A passenger complained of severe abdominal pains and later suffered three recurrent seizures thus necessitating an emergency landing in Lagos. “Upon arrival, four other passengers tested positive for narcotic ingestion. They are Okeh Desmond, Ezeanya Nnaemeka, Christopher Nonso and Chibusi Promise. All the suspects are under observation” Garba stated. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/emirate-flight-makes-emergency-landing-lagos-due-passengers-ingestion-cocaine/

Travel

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Buhari sacks NPA Managing Director … Reinstates Habibu Abdullahi as MD President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday sacked the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero. The termination of Alhaji Bayero’s appointment, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, is with immediate effect. He is expected to hand over the management of the NPA and all government property in his possession to Mr. Habibu Abdullahi who has been reinstated as Managing Director of the agency by President Buhari. The President wished Alhaji Bayero well in his future endeavours.

http://thenationonlineng.net/buhari-sacks-npa-managing-director/

Politics

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DisCos get NERC approval to increase tariff September 1 The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to increase their tariff effect from 1st September, 2021. The commission in a letter titled ‘Tariff Increase Notification’ gave the energy distributors the leverage to charge a service based tariff. The commission’s spokesman, Dr. Usman Arabi, whom The Nation called to confirm the story neither answered nor replied the text message sent to his mobile line. Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), General Manager, Corporate Services, Mr. Oyebode Fadipe, also did not respond to our correspondent’s call and text message at press time. Eko Electricity Distribution Plc, has however denied sending out information regarding hiking its tariff. In a statement signed by the MD, Engr. Adeoye Fadeyibi FNSE, the organization said: “Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds in the media from unsubstantiated sources of a planned adjustment in electricity tariffs. Eko Electricity Distribution Plc would like to inform the general public to disregard all such reports not emanating from the management or the company’s website – www.ekedp.com. “While we continue to review effective and regulatory strategies to manage the impact of changes to macro-economic indices affecting end-user tariffs, the general public will be duly informed, in the event of any changes to the end-user tariff. We advise all customers to disregard all communications that have not been issued by management or published on the company’s website www.ekedp.com. Please kindly contact our 24/7 customer care line on 07080655555, OR [email protected] for further information for enquiries and a prompt resolution of any further queries or complaints.” Meanwhile, the Association of the Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has dismissed claims that the Distribution Companies (DisCos) had pressured the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend trading of electricity under the Eligible Customer Regulation (ECR) 2017. ANED Executive Director, Research & Advocacy, Barrister Sunday Oduntan, made this known in a rejoinder yesterday. He said: “Whilst the concerns of the author and the stakeholders behind the publication are misplaced and unfounded, we found it compelling to set the records straight on the issues brought forward in the said publication.” The DisCos also said they recognize the relevant provisions of the ESPRA 2005 and the ECR as well as their objectives, noting that there has been improvement in DisCos’ performance with more collaborations to increase efficiencies of the DisCos and indeed the entire value chain to achieve clean, safe and uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians. “The regulation is therefore a welcome initiative provided that the stakeholders comply with the laid down procedures and requirements. “In response to the insinuation that NERC and the DisCos are colluding to frustrate the implementation of the regulation, we wish to state unequivocally that this is untrue, unfounded, preposterous, and irresponsible of the stakeholders who have failed to meet the requirements of the Regulation and attempting to pass the buck.” requirements of the Regulation and attempting to pass the buck.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-discos-get-nerc-approval-to-increase-tariff-september-1/

Politics

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By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the February 25 general elections, Ahmed Bola Tinubu campaigned in Awka, Anambra State on Tuesday and promised to make the state an industrial hub of the country if elected. Addressing a mammoth crowd at the Alex Ekwueme Square, the venue of the rally, Tinubu, who was accompanied by his running mate, Kashim Shetima, the director general of his campaign organization, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduge and other top officials of the campaign council, also promised to tackle the gully erosion menace that is devastating most communities in Anambra State. He said: “You know me and you know what I can do. I tamed the Atlantic ocean in Lagos and I can do a similar thing in Anambra. We will check the gully erosion devastating the state. “I will turn Anambra to an industrial revolution state. We will train our youths so that they can secure well- paying jobs and be useful to themselves. “I started paying WAEC fees for every student in Lagos, whether you are Igbo or Yoruba or Hausa and I will be fair to all Nigerians if I become president.” He promised to work with the Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who he described as a very brilliant man, if he is elected president of Nigeria, recalling that he also discovered another Anambra son, Mr. Ben Akabueze who worked with him in Lagos and is presently the presidential adviser on budget. He urged the Nigerian electorate not to listen to those he described as lying politicians. He added: “How long will it take them to lie from Port Harcourt to Onitsha; Onitsha to Aba? “For 16 years, PDP lied to the nation that they will industrialize Nigeria, but they industrialized their pockets. “One person said he is the candidate of the north and I urge voters not to listen to him. There will be hope, joy, prosperity and progress if you vote APC and I urge every eligible voter to collect their PVC and vote for Asiwaju.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/i-paid-waec-fees-for-igbo-hausa-yoruba-students-in-lagos-tinubu/

Politics

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StrangerCam is a super cool and fun video chat platform that lets you connect with strangers in a simple and easy way. Itâs like having a virtual party accessible from your browser! Donât worry if English isnât your first language â StrangerCam is designed to be user-friendly for everyone, no matter where youâre from. Hereâs the deal: StrangerCam allows you to engage in video chats with people youâve never met. Itâs a fantastic way to make new friends and expand your social circle, whether theyâre nearby or on the other side of the globe. You can share stories, exchange experiences, and express yourself in ways that transcend language barriers. Itâs like having an engaging conversation in real-time, directly from your web browser! The best part about StrangerCam is its simplicity. Itâs designed to be easy to use, even if youâre not a tech expert. Thereâs no need to create an account, add contact details, or download anything. Itâs hassle-free and doesnât require any complicated setup. Just open the site, click to start, and youâre ready to meet new people! Additionally, StrangerCam prioritizes your privacy and security. Your interactions are anonymous, ensuring that your conversations remain private. Itâs a safe and secure way to meet new people and have fun conversations without worrying about prying eyes. So, if youâre looking for a fun and convenient way to meet new people, StrangerCam is the platform for you. Discover new cultures, have meaningful conversations, and broaden your horizons. Visit StrangerCam, and let the adventures begin! So what are you waiting for? Join the anonymous Free random chat now! Now, you can send and receive tips in the form of Diamonds, our in-app currency, making interactions more rewarding. Purchase Diamonds and tip away to show your admiration or enjoy a shower of Diamonds. Random Video Chat is a fun and engaging way to meet new people from all corners of the globe right from your screen. It’s like spinning a globe, pointing your finger at a random spot, and instantly being able to chat face-to-face with someone from that place. Imagine the thrill of never knowing who you’ll meet next â it could be someone from a country you’ve always wanted to visit, or a person with stories that captivate and intrigue you. Why is it fun? Well, it’s the surprise and spontaneity of it all! Each chat is a unique opportunity to learn something new, share a laugh, or even make a long-lasting friendship. You might stumble upon someone playing an instrument, showcasing their art, or just looking to have a heartfelt conversation. It’s the digital equivalent of a surprise party, where every guest brings their own stories and personalities to the table. Doing Random Video Chat on StrangerCam is as easy and straightforward as it gets. There’s no need to download any app or software; you simply use your web browser. You don’t even have to sign up or provide any personal information, which keeps your adventures anonymous and safe. Just visit StrangerCam.com, and with a single click, you’re in. The platform takes care of connecting you to a random stranger, allowing you to dive into new conversations and experiences within seconds. StrangerCam is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that anyone can jump in and start chatting, regardless of their tech-savviness. Plus, with privacy and security as priorities, you can chat freely, knowing that your conversations are just between you and your new acquaintance. It’s a world of fun, surprises, and new friendships waiting to happen, all accessible from the comfort of your home. So, if you’re looking to add a bit of excitement to your day, give Random Video Chat on StrangerCam a try and see where the conversation takes you! Make real, tangible connections on StrangerCam, where every conversation feels as authentic and vivid as if you were chatting face to face. This platform revolutionizes the way we meet and interact with new people online, stripping away the barriers of profiles, personal data, or the ambiguity of user intentions. With StrangerCam, you’re guaranteed only real, live conversations with verified users eager to chat at this very moment. Experience the magic of instant connection with just the push of a button. StrangerCam’s sleek and user-friendly interface ensures your focus remains on the interaction, not on navigating the site. Immerse yourself in stable HD video chats that keep the conversation flowing smoothly without interruptions, freezes, or disconnects. With efficient moderation and round-the-clock technical support, your experience is seamless, safe, and satisfying. Forget the hassle of traditional social platforms where making a genuine connection feels like a chore. On StrangerCam, the emphasis is on live communication, allowing you to dive straight into engaging conversations. Whether you’re looking to share a laugh, exchange ideas, or find someone who understands you, it’s all possible here. And with no need for time-consuming profile setups or the concern of fake identities, you can relish in the spontaneity and authenticity of each chat. So, if you’re seeking a platform where connections feel real and conversations are lively and genuine, look no further. StrangerCam offers the best of live communication with the ease and convenience of online chat. Don’t let another moment pass byâdiscover the joy of real-time video chat with cute and interesting strangers right now. Let’s dive into the standout features that make StrangerCam an unparalleled platform for meeting new people and having real-time video chats: First off, StrangerCam excels in offering spontaneous video chat experiences. Without the need for registration or filling out lengthy profiles, you can jump straight into video conversations. This immediacy and ease of access mean you can start making connections in just a few seconds. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick chat or an hours-long discussion, StrangerCam facilitates it all with the click of a button. Moreover, StrangerCam enriches your chatting experience with high-quality video and audio. This feature ensures that every conversation is clear and uninterrupted, making your interactions as close to real-life as possible. The platform’s emphasis on HD video communication minimizes freezes and disconnections, allowing for smoother and more engaging exchanges. Another fantastic aspect of StrangerCam is its global reach. You can meet people from different countries and cultures, expanding your horizons and gaining new perspectives. This diversity is one of StrangerCam’s most exciting features, as it opens up a world of possibilities for learning, friendship, and fun. Privacy and security are paramount on StrangerCam. The platform offers anonymous chats where your identity is protected, and no personal information is shared. This commitment to privacy allows you to explore and connect freely, without concerns over security. Furthermore, efficient moderation and 24/7 technical support ensure a safe and respectful chatting environment for everyone. Group chat capabilities are another highlight. While StrangerCam focuses on one-on-one interactions, it’s also possible to engage in conversations with multiple people, adding another layer of excitement to your chat experiences. This feature is great for those looking to share their experiences or conversations with a larger audience in real-time. With its combination of ease of use, high-quality communication, global community, and secure environment, StrangerCam offers a comprehensive and enjoyable platform for making real connections online. Whether you’re seeking friendship, interesting conversations, or the excitement of meeting someone new, StrangerCam delivers on all fronts. So, get ready to explore, chat, and connect on StrangerCam, where every click leads to a new adventure. StrangerCam is highly rated for its user-friendly interface, anonymity, and ability to connect you with strangers globally without needing an account. As a random chat site, we have not developed many filters because we want to keep the entire concept of this chat site random. However, you do have the ability to filter users according to their location. In order to do so, click on the Country dropdown menu near the top of the screen and choose a country that you wish to meet people from. Furthermore you can also filter based on the Female or Male gender. Please note that these are premium features, for which you will need a premium membership. Swapping between users is the easiest thing ever! Simply press on the “Next” button, which is located under your own webcam and you will instantly be brought to someone else’s webcam. Keep pressing the “Next” button to go from cam to cam. Absolutely! There is a “Stop” button located right under your webcam screen – press it at any time to immediately stop viewing webcams. You can resume viewing webcams at any time by pressing on the “Start” button. Yes, to ensure a safe and appropriate experience, StrangerCam is available to users 18 years and older.

https://strangercam.com/

Romance

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By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor LAGOS — Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that two death row convicts in the state deserve to die, saying he owes no apology over his stance which he said was in exercise of his duty as governor. In a robust defence of his position, Oshiomhole, in an interview, said that even though he had the choice of exercising the prerogative of mercy on the convicts, he had chosen not to do so, given the nature of the offence of the two men whose convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court. He said: “God can have mercy on them, but I am unable having regard to the overall circumstances of the case, namely, killing and dismembering the body of your victim and wanting to sell some of the parts and you ask me in the name of human rights, let him live.” The two death row convicts, Daniel Nsofor and Osayinwinde Agbomien, are presently at the centre of an international human rights campaign to be freed from execution following the governor’s assent to their execution following the affirmation of their guilt by the Supreme Court. Nsofor was convicted on June 19, 1996 for torturing his female victim and killing her while Agbomien was found guilty of robbing, killing and dismembering the body parts of his own victim. Oshiomhole noted: “I am convinced that those people need to die. In the interest of society they need to die under the law. The rule of law is different from resolutions by some NGOs and nations are not governed by NGO resolutions. “As a governor, I subscribed to an oath of office which says that I shall obey the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including all laws without fear or favour. I cannot be afraid to sign the death warrant of a man who has been found guilty of murder. “I have no apologies, I didn’t sentence them to death. I am not the one who accused them, they were accused by those they harassed. They have been tried, they have taken advantage of the appellate courts all the way to the Supreme Court of the land and they were found guilty. The law also says that having been found guilty and sentenced to death, the governor could exercise prerogative of mercy, but I say that I have no mercy on those who kill. Why should you compel me to have mercy on those who kill?” “We must have a balanced view of human rights in which the rights, not only of the man they killed, but the right of his relations and much more importantly, to send a clear message to would be murderers, that when you kill a human being and you are caught, you are likely to die. If you don’t want to die, then abstain from killing. If criminals abstain from killing, fewer people would be killed by robbers and other murderers and that is the truth. “If you tell me that the man killed and has a right to life, I refuse that. Amnesty should not be hypocritical about it, we have the records worldwide. Nations are governed by their national values and it is debatable whether those who excuse murderers in the eyes of God whether they are better human beings than those who insist that ‘if you kill that you too should be killed if found guilty of killing’. “The second person was a man who killed a woman. He robbed the woman, raped the woman and killed her. And then he was found guilty of this offence by the Supreme Court of Nigeria and you tell me, though he has killed, let him live. I say no. If he has killed, let him die too. I am not the one who says he should die, it is the law. All I have done is that the law says I should sign and I have obeyed the law by signing because even the government is under the law.” Governor Oshiomhole, however, said that he had in the recent past also exercised the prerogative of mercy on some other convicts who did not kill in the course of their activities. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/death-row-convicts-must-die-oshiomhole/

Politics

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Abeokuta – Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun on Thursday in Abeokuta emerged the APC’s governorship candidate for the 2015 general elections in the state. The governor scored 3,554 votes from the 3,861 delegates who participated in the state chapter of the party’s primary election. The primaries saw the governor as the sole candidate of the party in the state. The exercise, which was held under heavy security presence, was also dully supervised by state and national representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), headed by Mr Kehinde Mustapha. Voting commenced at excactly 1:00 p.m. after the congress Electoral Committee, headed by Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, had finished delegates accreditation. The governor later described the exercise as a peaceful one and also a call on him to do more for the people of the state. “What happened today is a demonstration to what APC stands for; we must abide by the rule of the game which says that primaries must be conducted. “It is a call for further service to the people of Ogun; they have given me the mandate to continue the service that we have been rendering to the people of Ogun “No one person can do it alone; it will take collective responsibility of all of us; all the support you have been giving to us will not be taken for granted and we will continue to serve you better,” he said. Reacting to the news of his deputy, Mr Segun Adesegun, who also declared his intention to contest the governorship seat under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Amosun said it was one of the beauties of democracy which should be encouraged. He also said he wished his deputy well in his desire to contest against him in the forthcoming governorship election in Ogun, saying that the state was known for peace and would continue in that direction.(NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/amosun-clinches-apc-governorship-ticket-3554-votes/

Politics

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By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has filed a petition to challenge the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the presidential election that was held on February 25. Atiku, in the petition, marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, which he lodged before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, applied for the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return that was issued to Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. He maintained that the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election was “invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022”. Atiku, through his team of lawyers led by Mr Joe Kyari Gadzama, SAN, further argued that Tinubu’s election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices. “The 2nd Respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the Election. “The 2nd Respondent was at the time of the Election not qualified to contest the Election”, Atiku added while listing grounds he said the court should consider nullifying Tinubu’s election. He prayed the court to declare him the winner of the presidential election, having secured the second-highest number of lawful votes cast at the election. Meanwhile, Vanguard learned that Atiku’s legal team perfected the petition filing process at the Registry of the Court, late in the night on Tuesday. It will be recalled that the Labour Party, LP, and its candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, had Monday night, also filed a petition before the court to void the declaration of Tinubu as the President-elect. They prayed the court to hold that Tinubu was not legally qualified to contest the election, alleging that he was previously convicted and fined the sum of $460,000.00 by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Case No: 93C 4483, for an offence involving dishonesty and drug trafficking. Obi prayed the court to declare him as the candidate that secured the majority of the lawful votes cast with the required constitutional spread of not less than 25% of the votes cast in at least 2/3 of the States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In the alternative, he prayed the court to order a fresh poll, with the exclusion of both Tinubu and the APC, by virtue of their non qualification to participate in the election. It will be recalled that INEC had on March 1, announced Tinubu as the winner of the presidential poll, ahead of 17 other candidates that contested the election. It declared that Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku who polled a total of 6,984,520 votes and Obi who came third with a total of 6,101,533 votes. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/03/presidential-poll-atiku-files-petition-insists-tinubu-not-qualified-to-contest/

Politics

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Ex militant leaders threaten to disrupt inauguration over alleged insecurity of members …agree to stop monthly deduction of their boys allowance By Samuel Oyadongha Yenagoa – Ex militant leaders in the Niger Delta Thursday threatened to storm Abuja in protest over what they described as the inability of the Federal Government to guarantee their safety alleging that four of their members had been brutally killed in the last one year after embracing the amnesty programme. The former creek warlords under the aegis of Peace Keeping Ex Militants Forum who converged Thursday in Yenagoa to review the progress of the Federal Government’s Amnesty programme described the development as disturbing as some of them could no longer move freely for fear of the being attacked. The ex militant leaders who also agreed to stop deduction from the monthly allowance of their boys however called on the Amnesty Committee to look into their welfare as they (leaders) cannot be collecting the same amount with their boys. Gen Pastor Rueben who led twelve other ex militant leaders drawn from Bayelsa, Delta and Edo State while commending late President Musa Yar’Adua for initiating the Amnesty programme which brought about the relative calm in the once troubled region lamented that some of the promises made to them had not been fulfilled. Pastor Reuben who once controlled a camp on the Akassa fringe of the Atlantic Ocean lamented that in the last one year four of their senior colleagues had been killed by unknown persons after voluntarily accepting the federal government amnesty. On the contentious deduction of the monthly allowance of the boys, he said though the money was used in taking care of some of the needs of their boys, the leaders of the Peace Keeping Ex Militants Forum made of thirteen former camps had unanimously agreed to stop the deduction forthwith. His words, “It is long since we accept the amnesty and since then nothing had been for any of the leaders which necessitated the deduction from our boys allowance but today we have agreed that the deduction should stop. Unknown to many, it is from the same deducted amount that we use in meeting some of their needs.” The ex militant leaders who pleaded with the federal government through the amnesty committee to see to their welfare since they are receiving the same amount with their boys threatened to stage a peaceful protest to Abuja to register their grievances such as fear of being attack and killed as well as the improvement of their welfare package. They used the opportunity to endorsed the retention of the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke by President Goodluck Jonathan saying the minister had performed creditably in ensuring that petroleum products gets to all the nooks and crannies of the country including the creeks of the delta. Also the National Deputy President of the Ijaw Youth Council worldwide, Comrade Preye Agama who spoke at the forum lauded the ex militant leaders over their peaceful conduct and urged the federal government through the amnesty committee office to look into their demands. “President Goodluck Jonathan” he said “was part of the negotiation team at the conception of the amnesty deal for Niger Delta militants to surrender their arms and is in a better position to meet their demands and that of the entire Niger Delta.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/ex-militant-leaders-threaten-to-disrupt-inauguration-over-alleged-insecurity-of-members/

Politics

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Verdict on Osun governorship poll cannot stand, says Aregbesola Former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has described the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal last Friday, which nullified the election of Governor Gboyega Oyetola as very strange and unknown to law. Aregbesola, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, said the report of the split judgment came to every watcher of political events in the state as a rude shock. In the statement entitled: “This judgment cannot stand,” the former governor said the people of the state and the government have the highest regards for the judiciary and would keep having high regards for the revered institution. Aregbesola, however, regretted that the tribunal’s majority judgment was strange to law and common sense. He said the majority judgment, as delivered by their Lordship, did not support the cause of electoral justice and might constitute the death knell for properly conducted elections. Aregbesola said the people rejected the majority judgment and believe that it would not stand scrutiny at the appellate court. The statement noted that the majority judgment, which held that the rerun election conducted in seven polling units on the September 27, 2018, was illegal, null and void, was equally shocking and amounts to a travesty of justice. He said the government would appeal the judgment, adding that the verdict would be upturned. The former governor wondered why elections in 17 polling would be annulled when there was no evidence of any act known to render them null and void in an election petition such as over-voting, non-accreditation, ballot box stuffing among others. Aregbesola contended that concern for substantive justice should have dictated that since the results from the 17 units were duly signed and adjudged by INEC to be authentic, there should not have been any controversy over there validity. He lamented that the tribunal has effectively disenfranchised the legitimate voters in the 17 polling units and rendered the election undemocratic. The statement said: “In nullifying the elections in the 17 polling units, the majority judgment predicated it on what is regarded as ‘substantial non-compliance’ with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010. The said non-compliance, according to the judgment, borders on the failure of INEC’s appointed presiding officers to record accreditation and ballot accounting on the result forms in the 17 polling units. “There was no evidence of any act known to render election null and void in an election petition such as over voting, non-accreditation, ballot box stuffing etc. “This much was highlighted in the dissenting judgment of the Chairman of the Tribunal in disagreeing with the majority decision. “It must be noted that APC and its candidate were not accused of any electoral malfeasance in the 17 polling units. Rather, INEC, a common agent of PDP and APC (and indeed, all the political parties), which neither of the parties has control over was merely accused of not complying with its manual for the election, when the presiding officers appointed for the election failed to make the entries. “Therefore, the most relevant question one would pose here is: should the tribunal allow APC to suffer as a result of the mistakes or omissions occasioned by the INEC staff? Certainly, no!” The statement added: “Equally shocking are the reasons advanced by the two justices. They advanced the proposition that elections in the seven polling units were cancelled by the state collation officer. This was not the case. There were no elections in the seven polling units, and if there was any, the onus was on the petitioners. This onus was not discharged in anyway as no results was tendered. “The state collation officer in compliance with the margin of lead principle rightly reasoned that the outcomes of the elections could not be determined without conducting polls in the affected elections. Hence the commission’s decision to conduct supplementary elections in line with these principles.” The ex-governor urged APC members, “supporters and lovers of justice, who have been outraged by this verdict, to be calm and unruffled”. He insisted that the verdict cannot stand. “As they say in law, you cannot build something on nothing,”Aregbesola said. Youths protest panel’s judgment as Oyetola preaches peace A Group of youths under the Osun Concerned Citizens yesterday protested judgment of the Osun Election Petitions Tribunal on the September 22, 2018 state governorship poll. Last Friday, a three-man tribunal ruled that the People’s Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was the winner of the poll. During the peaceful protest, the youths, in their hundreds, marched round major streets of Osogbo, the state capital, from Ayetoro junction via Old Garage and Okefia to Olaiya area. The youths, who carried placards with various inscriptions like “Oyetola remain our governor”, “We voted for Governor Oyetola”, “We cannot be intimidated” among others, caused a traffic gridlock for many hours. Addressing the crowd, the group’s General Secretary, Comrade Yaya Ademola, said the protest was aimed at sensitising the people about issues associated with the governorship election. Ademola, who noted the lacuna in the tribunal’s ruling, was optimistic that the Court of Appeal would overturn the tribunal judgment. He said any attempt to distort the majority votes would be resisted. But, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, while addressing the protesters, urged the people to keep the peace as they await the final judicial pronouncement on the governorship election. He said the people, while expressing their views on the tribunal judgment, should exercise caution, adding that he believes in the judicial process. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, quoted the governor as saying: “I believe that the judicial process should be allowed to take its course. I have hope that we shall be vindicated and our mandate, which the people freely gave us, will be reaffirmed. “Let us all be law-abiding as we keep hope alive.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/verdict-on-osun-governorship-poll-cannot-stand-says-aregbesola/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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2023: Why Nigerians should support Tinubu, by lawmaker By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Editor House of Representatives member Akeem Adeyemi on Tuesday urged Nigerians to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, if he decides to run for President in 2023. The party chieftain, who represents Oyo East, West and Afijo Constituency, described the former Lagos State governor as a political phenomenon, an astute administrator and shrewd businessman who has within the span of 23 years become the “Generalisimo of Nigerian politics”. Adeyemi, a prince of Oyo Kingdom, described Tinubu as a tactician who has the antecedent of being a pro-democracy crusader, a bridge builder, risk taker, humanist and a man of foresight. The former council chairman also noted that Asiwaju Tinubu is a reference point in the political class, judging by his refusal to collapse his political structure into the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Paying tribute to Asiwaju Tinubu’s resilience and capacity for survival, the lawmaker said the former governor withstood the antics and manipulative tendencies of former Presudent Olusegun Obasanjo, who tried to cripple Lagos State by withholding allocations to the newly created councils. Adeyemi said Tinubu adorned the cap of creativity, deployed new strategies for internally-generated revenue to pay workers’ salaries and funded many developmental projects. Hailing him as a staunch opposition leader, Adeyemi said the APC leader never wavered in his constructive criticism of the PDP-led administration for 16 years. Going down memory lane, Adeyemi said Tinubu’s achievements have strategically placed him on a high pedestal of national politics. He paid tribute to him for his frontline role in the formation of the defunct Action Congress (AC), its transformation into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and the fusion of the legacy parties into the APC. Noting that Tinubu has never held party positions, despite his efforts, the lawmaker said he has remained an embodiment of loyalty and commitment to party causes. Adeyemi added: “His strategic political roadmap of aligning the West with the North was key to APC’s victory in the 2015 general elections. “Against all odds, he ensured the emergence of his preferred candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.” The Oyo prince also described Tinubu as a hunter for talents and a leader keen on nurturing young people for leadership. He recalled that the former governor was instrumental to the rise of prominent leaders, including Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Information Minister Lai Mohammed and Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Other included Governors Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and AbdurRahman Abdur-Razak (Kwara), as well as former Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Babatunde Fowler, Ben Akabueze, Joe Igbokwe, Mr. Supo Shasore, Femi Pedro and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

https://thenationonlineng.net/2023-why-nigerians-should-support-tinubu-by-lawmaker/

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By Babajide Komolafe LAGOS— The Nigerian economy is out of recession and growing strong, says United Kingdom-based World Economics. The organisation, which is dedicated to producing analysis, insight and data relating to questions of importance in understanding the world economy, said this development was reflected in the growth of its April Sales Managers’ Index, SMI, for Nigeria, which rose to 58.5 per cent from 56.7 per cent in March. According to a report on its website, the organisation said: “April Sales Managers’ Index, SMI, data suggests that the Nigerian economy is continuing to grow out of the recession which saw 10 months of consecutive contraction in 2016. “The Market Growth Index grew to 58.5 in April as the monthly Sales Growth Index ticked up to 56.7, its highest value since 2015 and representative of rapid growth. Price inflation for April, which is tracked by the Prices Charged Index, remained high at 58.7 – indicative of high levels of inflation. A slowing trend has, however, developed for the past nine months.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/nigerian-economy-recession-growing-strongly-world-economics/

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The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has asked Nigerians to stop eating foreign rice noting that they are poisonous. Speaking at a news conference organized by the ministry of finance, the Customs Boss said that the Federal Government is yet to issue license for importation of rice and that any rice seen on the streets that was not produced in Nigeria is smuggled. He said that imported rice is poisonous because before coming into the country, it must have spent a minimum of five years in the silos. “A chemical must have been added to sustain its freshness and that chemical is harmful. “Also, it has been re-bagged with a new date given as the production and expiry dates, and that is what we consume here which causes diseases. “So, I appeal to Nigerians to please patronise our own rice, it is available, more nutritious and if you do that you will assist customs by making sure these people (smugglers) are put out of business.” READ ALSO: Audu Ogbeh Advocates Research-Based Agriculture To Enhance Food Sufficiency Ali said that rice importation was one of the biggest challenges the agency was encountering, adding that it still happens because Nigerians consume imported rice. He added that if Nigerians stop buying the imported rice, smugglers will go out of business and there will be no need to bring it in. “We always ask for assistance from Nigerians to apprehend these smugglers, but up till now, there is no private citizen that has walked up to us to give us information, the only people giving us information are the rice millers.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/05/16/stop-eating-foreign-rice-they-are-poisonous-custom-boss/

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The Ruler of Dubai has ordered 14 tonnes of medical supplies and 20 tonnes of food supplies to Nigeria and Sudan, the Dubai Media Office said on Saturday. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum “orders humanitarian aid flight to Sudan and Nigeria carrying 14 tonnes of medical supplies, 20 tonnes of food supplies,” the press office said in a tweet. The Nigerian government is yet to confirm the reception of the supplies or the date it is expected in the country. The supplies, a statement on the Ruler’s website noted, was to help Nigeria fight the pandemic. On August 11, the United States Government also handed over 200 modern ventilators to the Nigerian government to aid the latter’s fight against the pandemic. Meanwhile, 170 Nigerians returned from the United Arab Emirates to Nigeria on Saturday, taking the number of evacuees from the Arab nation to over 3,000 amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/08/15/dubai-ruler-sends-medical-supplies-to-nigeria/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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Amid the brouhaha still trailing the allegation levelled against Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, of collecting kickbacks from contractors, the National secretariat of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has said it would not substitute his name in 2019 election. Also, a high-ranking member of the state chapter of party claimed the alleged dollar bribes were donations made for political campaigns in the state. An online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, had a month ago, released video footages captured with a spy camera showing Governor Ganduje allegedly receiving $5 million bribe from a contractor. On whether the embattled governor will eventually be dropped as APC’s Kano gubernatorial candidate, in view of published video clips, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lanre Issa Onilu, told PRNigeria that Ganduje remained the standard bearer of APC in next year’s governorship election. Onilu, who clearly pointed out that the party lacked the power to change or arbitrarily substitute a bonafide candidate, said: ‘’The INEC guidelines on the selection or replacement of candidates are explicit. It doesn’t confer power on political parties to whimsically, arbitrarily or recklessly just substitute a candidate on frivolous grounds. “It is only when a candidate dies, voluntarily withdraws from contesting an election, or a court pronouncement that a candidate can then be substituted or replaced, if you like.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/we-wont-substitute-ganduje-over-bribe-allegation-apc/

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Local contractors in Imo State under the umbrella of Unpaid Imo Contractors have taken a new dimension in their protest by conducting special prayer sessions on major streets within Owerri the State capital, in a bid to press down their demands from the State government. They complained that most of their members had suffered untold hardship over the years due to unpaid contract sum of projects executed for the State government. However, in a quick response, the Imo State Government had maintained that the claims by the group was malicious and politically motivated because the State government was not owing any contractor and if they their claims were true, they should come up with documents to prove their claims. This is the second time in 3 weeks that this group of local contractors in the state would be taking to the streets of Owerri in a peaceful protest calling on the State government to pay them for jobs executed in the State. This time around the protest took another dimension as the group gathered on major streets in Owerri to hold a special prayer session. While speaking to Channels Television, members of the group however, expressed regret over what they described as neglect and marginalization by the government on the part of contractors in the State who had executed various jobs but have not been paid by the State government. However, the state government described these claims as malicious and a smear campaign against the Okorocha led administration who has done well in developing the State. The state government called the group for a meeting at the Heroes Square in presence of the Local Government Officers in charge of projects, Commissioner of Police and other security operatives in a bid to find solution to the lingering issue. While addressing the gathering, the Chief of Staff to the Imo State governor, Sir Jude Ejiogu, who represented the Governor, said the contractors should submit their documents for verification but Mr Udogadi Ononiwu, the chairman of the Unpaid Imo Contractors declined. The meeting however, turned into a rowdy session as arguments lingered. It took the intervention of representatives from the Commissioner of Police to calm the situation down. Both parties finally agreed to reschedule in 4 days time after the contract documents have been verified by the State government.

http://www.channelstv.com/2015/02/27/unpaid-imo-contractors-hold-special-prayer-session-major-streets/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

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Clara Chime, Sullivan Chime and Mr Femi Falana, SAN LAGOS— Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has repudiated the claim by the Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, that he did not receive a brief from his wife to represent her to secure her release from the illegal detention imposed by her husband, the governor. “I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction, that I have her instructions in writing to challenge her illegal detention at the Government House, Enugu,” he declared in a statement, Wednesday. “Through the assistance of some of the security personnel in the Government House she has since spoken to me on phone to confirm her instructions. Indeed, Mrs Chime’s mother and her personal physician have also been in touch with me urging me to take all appropriate measures to secure her freedom from Governor Chime’s illegal confinement.” Chime had said that Falana would have sought to talk with his wife personally or sought audience with him to hear from the other side, adding that his wife, Clara, was not in a position to brief him properly because of the state of her health. ‘’My wife has health challenges. We have been batting her health challenges since 2011. She was confined to the Government House by his neuropsychiatric doctor. The mistake we made was that we allowed her access to her telephone and laptop, contrary to her doctor’s advice,’’ Chime had told newsmen in Enugu, Tuesday night. However, Mr. Falana pointed out that contrary to the governor’s statement, he did not need the instructions of citizens who are illegally detained to demand for their release. “Without any instructions I am duty bound to file cases in court to secure the enforcement of the fundamental rights of detainees to personal liberty. “For the avoidance of doubt, the doctrine of locus standi in the area of human rights has been abolished by the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 which came into force on December 1, 2009,” he said. Falana further noted that at the press conference Governor Chime succeeded in confirming the allegation that he has held his wife in illegal custody but attempted to justify the illegality by alleging that his wife has “a medical challenge.” Unwarranted mental torture The statement read: “When Governor Chime was recently medically challenged he was not subjected to solitary confinement in the Government House but flown abroad for adequate medical treatment. “But Mr Chime has conspired with his private physicians to sentence his wife to unwarranted mental torture and psychological trauma in a room in the Government House for the past four months. If Mr. Chime’s claim is correct that the wife is non compos mentis, when was the Enugu Government House converted to a psychiatric hospital? “Having confirmed the allegation that he has wilfully infringed the fundamental rights of his wife to personal liberty, dignity of the person and freedom of movement, Governor Chime should release his wife from illegal custody (and) be warned not to divert attention from the brutal abuse of the rights of his wife. “If he and his doctors are convinced that she is medically challenged they should send her to a hospital for quick recovery!” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/wifes-mandate-falana-tells-chime/#sthash.0bjepaVV.dpuf

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Bola Ahmed Tinubu Says APC is a veritable vehicle By Adesina Wahab Ahead of the January 25 proposed commencement of membership registration and revalidation by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a group, the Asiwaju National Students Support Organisation, ANSSO, has called on youths across the country to go and register with the party. This is as the group described the APC as a veritable vehicle that youths can use to achieve their political ambitions. The group noted that participating in party politics remains the only means of getting into elective positions in Nigeria now In a statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Giwa Muritala, in Lagos, he expressed the organization’s concern about the low youth involvement in party politics, as most youths only agitate without taking some steps to become members of a political party. He added that the few who join party politics are always afraid of big parties because of the fear of being dominated and would sometimes end up in parties that would not help them achieve their goals. “We can only have a fruitful negotiation with the older leaders on the proper ratio for both the young and the old when we have a reasonable number of youths as members of the political party, which will form a very strong ground for proper negotiations. “The membership registration and revalidation exercise about to be commenced by the ruling APC has created a very good window for both youths and students to join party politics. We must all take responsibility by playing our part. Every youth and student who are up to 18 years can vote and be voted for, but the question remains how many are in a place where they can have all that is required to be voted for? “We have advocated that we are not too young to run, a movement which gained both national and international attention, now is time to perfect the movement for youth participation by getting involved in party politics, register as a party member, unite with other youths and negotiate for a proper sharing formula of all elective positions between the older leaders, the young ones and women, that’s the only way to make headway. “Currently, the APC happens to be the only political party among other national parties to have opened a window for new entrants and that’s why we deem it proper to sensitize our fellow youths and students to go and register with the APC, as doing that will further prove our readiness for leadership which will pass a message to the older leaders that they can confide in us to continue from where they will stop. “It’s not enough agitating, or taking to social media to criticise leaders based on ideology or age, we must show the new era we crave for and we can only make the desired change when we are in where the decisions of who gets what position will be made, which is a political party,” the statement read. The group further urged political leaders to give the opportunity for the youths to participate in active politics. “Our leaders must realize that they are getting older, as well weak in strength and knowledge, now is time to pass their good ideas and experiences to the young ones before they die with them, that’s the only way to ensure sustainability in the nation-building project,” the group added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/be-involved-in-party-politics-tinubus-support-group-charges-youths/amp/

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$685m deals: Buhari orders probe of Ihejirika, Minimah Many military contracts were awarded without due process and incompetent vendors got the jobs, it was learnt last night. A panel investigating Defence equipment procurement between 2007 and 2015 has uncovered massive fraud in Army contracts. The Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP), headed by Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode, which submitted its third interim report to President Muhamadu Buhari last week, recommended further investigations, which the president has approved. To be investigated are two former Chiefs of Army Staff – Lt.-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika and Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah. Sixteen other retired and serving army officers are also to be probed, besides 12 serving and retired public officials and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the procurement of equipment. They are: former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (II), Dr Nurudeen Mohammed and three former permanent secretaries in the Ministry of Defence – Mr. Bukar Goni Aji, Mr. Haruna Sanusi and Mr. E.O, Oyemomi. The CEOs to be investigated include Col. Olu Bamgbose (retd.) of Bamverde Ltd; Mr. Amity Sade of Doiyatec Comms Ltd and DYI Global Services and Mr. Edward Churchill of Westgate Global Trust Ltd. A statement last night by the Committee gave the total amount spent on procurement and operations within the period as N185,843,052,564.30 and $685,349,692.49. The panel found that Army contracts were awarded by the Ministry of Defence without ‘’significant input from end-user (Nigerian Army) and to vendors who lacked the necessary technical competence. ‘’As an example, three contracts with a total value of N5,940,000,000.00 were awarded to DYI Global Services Ltd and Doiyatec Comms Nig. Ltd (owned by the same individuals) for the procurement of military hardware, including 20 units of KM-38 Twin Hull Boats and six units of 4X4 ambulances fitted with radios. “The committee discovered that the two companies collected N5,103,500,000.00, representing 86 per cent of the total value of the three contracts worth N5,940,000,000.00, but only performed to the tune of N2,992,183,705.31,’’ the report said. The committee also found that a contract worth N169,916,849.77 for the procurement of 53 armoured vehicles spare parts, with 90 days completion time, is yet to be completed five years after. For contracts awarded directly by the Army, the Committee found out that many were characterised by ‘’lack of due process, in breach of extant procurement regulations and tainted by corrupt practices. ‘’In this regard, a review of the procurement carried out by Chok Ventures Ltd and Integrated Equipment Services Ltd established that between March 2011 and December 2013, the two companies exclusively procured various types of Toyota and Mitsubishi vehicles worth over N3,000,000,000.0 for the Army without any competitive bidding. ‘’Though the committee found no credible evidence of delivery of the vehicles, the vendors were fully paid based on job completion certificate authenticated by the then Chief of Logistics. Also, analysis of the various bank accounts of the two companies showed transfers to individuals related to then Chief of Army Staff,’’ the report said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/685m-deals-buhari-orders-probe-ihejirika-minimah/

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By: Kingsley Omonobi Abuja – Rights Lawyer, Ozekhome Rejects Classification of IPOB as Terrorist Organization. Ozekhome Are murderous headsmen, Killers of Hundreds in Agatu/Southern Kaduna have been declared as Terrorists. Constitutional Lawyer and Human Rights Activists, Chief Mike Ozekhome has rejected the description of IPOB by the Nigerian Military as a terrorist organization saying the federal government appears to be selective in its pronouncement. Ozekhome who was reacting to the Defence headquarters categorization which was arrived at because IPOB was said to be in possession of weapons, had a secret service and was planning a national guard, wondered why other groups had not been declared terrorists organizations. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria recalled the activities of the deadly and murderous Fulani herdsmen who go about killing, maiming and raping Nigerian, the killers of score in Agatu and Southern Kaduna yet nobody declared them as terrorist organizations wondering if the federal government is operating two sets of laws for two sets of Nigerians. He said, “I do not believe the instances cited by the Defence Headquarters justify declaring IPOD a terrorist organization”. “The last time I checked, I can’t remember any of such organizations operating in the country being declared terrorist organizations”. “The herdsmen who go on rampage daily, maiming, raping, killing, those responsible for the Agatu massacre, Shiites massacre, Southern Kaduna progrom, indiscriminate killings, brazen quit notices givers, across Nigeria, etc, have never been arrested, prosecuted, let alone being proscribed and stigmatized.as terrorist organizations. “We must surely have and operate two sets of laws for two sets of peoples in Nigeria. Nigeria, we hail thee”. “A government should be seen to be fair to all component parts of Nigeria.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/ozekhome-rejects-classification-ipob-terrorist-organization/

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(FILES) US actor Danny Masterson attends the premiere of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” at the Chinese theatre in Los Angeles on April 10, 2008. – Masterson, actor in “That ’70s Show,” was sentenced on September 7, 2023, to at least 30 years in prison for raping two women at his home two decades ago. The US actor was convicted in May of drugging and then raping fellow members of the Church of Scientology between 2001 and 2003 at his home in the swanky Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP) Actor Danny Masterson, a star of the sitcom “That ’70s Show,” was sentenced Thursday to at least 30 years in prison for raping two women at his home two decades ago. The US actor was convicted in May of drugging and then raping fellow members of the Church of Scientology between 2001 and 2003 at his house in the swanky Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Imposing a sentence of 15 years-to-life on each rape conviction, to run consecutively, Judge Charlaine Olmedo said she knew Masterson continued to protest his innocence. “Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here,” she told him, adding that his actions had taken away another person’s voice and choice. Masterson, who is married to actress Bijou Phillips, and who has a nine-year-old daughter, was ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life upon his release from prison. One of Masterson’s victims, identified as Jane Doe 2, told the actor in court: “You relish… hurting women.” “You lived your life behind a mask as two people. But the real one sits here,” she said, adding the world is “safer” with Masterson in jail. It was the second rape trial for 47-year-old Masterson, after previous proceedings were declared a mistrial in November when a different jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. The jury in the retrial deadlocked on another rape charge against a third woman. That charge was dismissed. Masterson has been in custody awaiting sentencing since his conviction. The actor rose to fame with the 1998 launch of retro sitcom “That ’70s Show,” where he played the character of Steven Hyde alongside fellow stars Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. He co-starred again with Kutcher on Netflix’s “The Ranch,” but was fired in 2017 and written off the show after Los Angeles police confirmed they were investigating multiple rape allegations against the actor. The three women at the heart of the charges against Masterson were members of the Church of Scientology at the time. Two of them said church officials had discouraged them from contacting law enforcement. Masterson’s lawyers in closing arguments questioned why the court had heard “so much about Scientology,” and the defense had suggested that bias against the church could have been a motivating factor. The Church of Scientology criticized the notion that it had tried to silence the complaints. “The church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone, Scientologists or not, to law enforcement,” a statement said. “Quite the opposite, church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/fg-defends-amaechi-says-project-captured-in-budget/That

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A prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has described ‘October 1st’ under President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government as the worst ever in the history of independence day celebrations in the country. Adeyanju’s statement reads: The is typically a day of celebration for Nigeria and Nigerians. It signifies the day Nigeria achieved independence from colonial rule and began the journey towards nationhood. In the past, October 1st was a day celebrated with pomp and pageantry as Nigerians savoured the taste of liberty. In the past, October 1st was a day Nigerians put aside whatever challenges faced us as a nation and, together, shared the very essence of being Nigerian. However, October 1st 2016 is not a day of celebration. It is not a day of pomp nor is it a day to bask in the euphoria of a fulfilled nation. It is a day to spend in deep reflection about the worrying socio-political and economic state of our nation. At the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration on May 29th, 2016 many expected that he would move quickly to heal a nation sharply divided by the election season, and take urgent steps to maintain the Nigerian economy on a path of economic growth. Indeed, the statement in his inaugural speech about belonging to everybody and belonging to nobody gave credence to this hope. Alas, President Buhari has furthered those divides by his words and conduct. It is common knowledge that Nigeria is at its most fractured state, along ethnic and religious lines, perhaps since the Civil War. President Buhari has by his words, actions and inactions constantly stoked the fires of sectarian tensions creating an atmosphere of distrust and strife. This administration has failed Nigerians on so many other fronts in 2016 such that millions of Nigerians simply do not feel Independence Day is worth celebrating. For instance, its human rights record is appalling. Despite an international outcry, the government has failed to prosecute a single person for the mass murder of over 1,000 Shiite Muslims by the military in December 2015. Their leader has been detained since December 2015 along with his wife without charge despite both of them suffering severe injuries during the attack. The military has gone on to summarily execute 100s of members of IPOB without recourse to the rule of law. Opponents of the ruling party, including journalists and online bloggers/social commentators, have been arrested and detained for varying periods without charge or in violation of valid court orders. The greatest freedoms we achieved as a nation by being free is the freedom of association, worship, speech and even freedom after speech which had become more visible from 1999-2016 under the PDP years are freedoms that is now threatened by the tyrannic nature of this regime. At 56, Nigerians now live in fear of expression. On the economic front, the incoherent policies of the Buhari administration have led us into the worst economic crises in 29 years. Consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth confirm that the country is officially in a recession yet no one can point to a coherent, cogent plan to overcome this situation. An unprecedented 4.58million people have lost their jobs since the inception of this administration, the prices of food have risen astronomically to the point where people can no longer afford food and resort to stealing pots of food from the fire, inflation has hit 17.5% which has in the process caused prices of other goods & services to go through the roof and so on. The absolutely shambolic monetary policies of this administration have ensured that the Naira is thus far the worst performing currency globally after the Vietnamese Bolivar and the Suriname Dollar. As the time of writing this, the exchange rate is $1 – N490, £1 – N600 and €1 – N520. While we can appreciate sustained progress in the fight against boko haram, that war is not yet over. Only 3 days ago, BBC reported the capture of several towns by the terrorist group and the hoisting of their flags in those areas. In the North Central region of Nigeria, and parts of Kaduna, the menace of herdsmen has gone on unchecked. It is on record that herdsmen have killed more than 1000 people in 2016 alone, making them the fourth most deadly terrorist group in the world. This administration has barely even acknowledged this ongoing genocide against the peoples of North Central Nigeria. Kidnappings have become brazen and frequent, cultism is rising unchecked in parts of the country and so on. At the time of writing this, reports had just broken out about the kidnap of the wife of the CBN governor. All these indices, paint a picture of the grim reality into which the Buhari administration has forced on Nigeria. These facts paint a picture of the reasons why Nigerians find it difficult to celebrate on Independence Day. Perhaps most painful part of the current socio-political and economic reality that has Nigeria suffers on her 56 birthday is that in the midst of all this – 17% inflation, -2% GDP growth, more than 4millions jobs lost; President Buhari yesterday launched his own photo-book at the State House, Aso Rock. One is hard pressed to escape the conclusion that President Buhari is more concerned about his image than the severe havoc his policies are wrecking on the nation. Another thing that threatens our progress as a nation is the reversing of all electoral gains we have made from 1999-2015. Elections are now either inconclusive or outrightly rigged as it was in the case of #EdoDecides where fake results was announced by INEC and the APC candidate Godwin Obaseki declared as winner. But in all this, we must celebrate the indomitable Nigerian spirit. We must celebrate our ability to preserve in spite of damning odds. We must celebrate our ability to thrive in spite of the government’s determination to be a stumbling block in our path. We must celebrate because as Nigerians, we share a collective ability to bend but not break in the face of horrible circumstances. So even while we take time to reflect on the horrible circumstances in which we are being forced to live, we must take time to celebrate the knowledge that because we are Nigerians – WE SHALL OVERCOME. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/oct-1st-2016-worst-independence-day-since-1960-adeyanju/

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Ogun State Waste Management Authority, OGWAMA has sealed two Chinese companies for operating in dirty environments, with improper waste disposal. The companies are Yibao Industrial Limited, Bara Village along the Sagamu – Abeokuta Expressway and Ronchang Industrial Park, opposite Julius Berger yard Lagos -Ibadan Expressway. Special Adviser and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Abayomi Hunye who led the enforcement team said the action followed several warnings which were not heeded. Hunye explained that the two companies were also found guilty of engaging the services of unaccredited waste collectors to evacuate their waste in contravention of section 17 of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority Law of 2020 as well as their continued prevention of the assigned waste collectors to evacuate their waste from their facilities since 2021. He noted that their unaccredited waste collectors who operate at odd hours were also found guilty of dumping waste on the Sagamu – Abeokuta and Lagos – Ibadan Expressways illegally. Hunye said, “The essence of shutting them down is to ensure that they comply with the standard ways of managing wastes in the state. We have served them several notices and warnings and they refused to comply. “We have even gone to their premises for inspections severally to counsel them to clean their environment and engage government approved waste collectors but they were unyielding” “They both engage unaccredited waste collectors who have no capacities to manage their waste that is why their premises are dirty thereby exposing residents of the state to unnecessary odour and possible underground water infections from their untreated waste” “So we have no alternative than to shut them down in the overriding public interest as their behaviour and action smacks of gross disrespect to constituted authority especially from companies owned by foreigners who are hellbent on destroying our environment” He maintained that the state government would not sit back and watch the firms damage the state by engaging in conduct that is not tolerated in their home country. The OGWAMA boss, however, warned other companies engaging in similar conduct to operate within the state’s waste management laws or risk facing sanctions He also called on the Community Development Association CDA and other Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs to complement OGWAMA’s efforts by acting as whistle-blowers so that more companies who are in the habit of improper waste management can be brought to justice to further enhance the quality of life of residents of the state.

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2024/09/01/ogun-shuts-down-two-chinese-companies/#google_vignette

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Popular entertainer and activist, Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, was on Saturday arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate. The comedian had joined other protesters at the toll gate to oppose the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the facility and hand it over to the Lekki Concession Company “Na military regime?” Mr. Macaroni said after his arrest, on an Instagram Live while in a police van. “If na military, make we know sey na military, so make everybody dey hide.” READ ALSO: Popular Comedian, Mr Macaroni, Arrested At Lekki Toll Gate Protest His phone and that of other protesters were later seized by the police, ending his Instagram Live session. Later on Saturday, a video clip surfaced on social media, of Mr. Macaroni half-naked and sweating in a bus choked with other arrested protesters. If you’re not joining to protest at least retweet and let the whole world know about this#mrmacaroni #EndSARS  #LekkiTollGateProtest #EndPoliceBrutality #BuhariMustGo — LeeMeshach (@_leemeshach) February 13, 2021 The Federal Government on Thursday had warned against violence in the planned protest, going further to urge the organizers to cancel their demonstration. “At this time, the chances that any peaceful protest will be hijacked are very high. Any resort to violence in the name of #EndSARS will not be tolerated this time,” the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said. But there is no evidence that the protesters arrested on Saturday were violent.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/26/fg-may-fly-suntai-abroad-for-treatment/na

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By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja SOUTH-WEST socio-political group, Yoruba Council Worldwide, also known as Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye, alleged yesterday that Northern political class has concluded plans to scheme the All Progressives Congress, APC, standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, out of the presidential race President-General of the Council, Aare Omoluabi Oladotun Hassan, who disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja, said the Council was reliably informed of the plot to repeat the political treatment meted out on Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief MKO Abiola to pave way for the emergence of Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as president in 2023. According to him, the decision to resort to pursuing Tinubu’s disqualification through the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was taken after some Northern power brokers realised the futility of their attempt to impose Senator Ahmed Lawan as the APC presidential candidate. Aare Omoluabi also claimed that there was a plan to launch a media war of calumny against Tinubu over his missing academic certificates, but warned that the Council would not tolerate what it described as ‘premeditated treachery’ against the former governor of Lagos State. He said: “We warn against the ensuing and deadly political card by the Northern supremacist and sectional interests, specifically targeted at forcing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, out of the way in order to pave way for a Northern presidential candidate of another political party. “We are fully inundated with details of their deceitful and clandestine operations to desperately and forcibly bring in through the back door Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and back him to emerge as president in 2023. “The Yoruba Council Worldwide wishes to inform that we shall not tolerate any clandestine motive to repeat the evil machinations meted out on Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola, both of whom were politically wrecked by the power thirsty Northern supremacists who are hell-bent on retaining power in the North under any political party divide. “While warning alleged ethnic chauvinist from the North to desist from playing any card that wouldturn the Nigerian state into a Northern courtyard, the organisation expressed confidence that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would provide solutions to Nigeria’s plethora of problems.“ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/2023-yoruba-council-alleges-northern-plot-to-scheme-tinubu-out-of-presidential-race-2/

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The number of professed long distance trekkers since the conclusion of the 2015 general elections increased as one Haruna Salisu claimed to have spent about two weeks trekking from Kano State to Abuja. First it was one Mister Suleiman Hashimu who claimed to have trekked from Lagos to Abuja to congratulate the President-elect, General Muhamadu Buhari. Mr Salisu said his mission is to register his protest against alleged electoral fraud in the just concluded governorship election in Taraba State. This did not only attract several questions and comments from the general public as to the authenticity of Mr Hashimu’s claims, but it has also attracted more trekkers into the scene. His host, members of the All Progressive Congress’s Young Women Forum, also believed that their candidate was rigged out of the Taraba governorship elections. Whether these claims of long distance solidarity treks to Abuja are true or not, it is difficult to verify for now. one thing that is sure however is the fact that this development is new in the history of politics in Nigeria.

http://www.channelstv.com/2015/05/09/student-treks-from-kano-to-abuja-to-protest-alleged-electoral-malpractice-in-taraba%e2%80%a8/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

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RCCG apologises to ministry over petition on Ife-Ifewara road The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Thursday in Abuja tendered an “unreserved apology” to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing over its allegation of “false claims on the rehabilitation of Ife-Afewara Road in Osun State,” saying it was based on a false premise. The RCCG, in a petition to the Senate, had claimed that it had good reason to believe the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing had paid N151.51 million to Messrs. Cartill Construzioni Nigeria Limited for the rehabilitation of Ife-Ifewara Road, a work which, according to the petitioner, was indeed carried out by the Church. In the petition, dated 24th March, 2021, Secretary to the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, said the Church, after carrying out the rehabilitation of the road, learnt that the aforementioned company, which was awarded the contract since 2010 and had abandoned the work for over six years, had been paid by the ministry for the work, praying that the money be retrieved from the company. But responding to the allegation at a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, said there was no proof to support the position of the petitioner that an unjust claim was made by contractor or paid by the ministry between 2016 and 2019. Clarifying that both the award of the contract and payment of the said contract sum were made between 2010 and 2011, four years before the Buhari administration came to being, the minister said further that the contract was awarded on December 21, 2010 to the contractor in the sum of N662, 760,771.75 with a commencement date of March 7, 2011 and completion date of November 7, 2011. On the sum of N151.51 million paid to the contractor, he said the payment made in two tranches, was statutorily made, adding that while the first payment of N99, 414, 115.76, made on March 31, 2011, represented 15 percent of contract sum, the second payment of N52,094,785, made on December 29, 2011, was based on submission of an Interim Statement.” The minister explained further that although the RCCG could be commended for the work done, there are procedures and processes for such interventions be they on federal or state roads, adding that the Petitioner could have sought clarification either from the ministry or any other relevant agencies of government instead of petitioning the senate. The Petitioner, Pastor Adebanjo, in his response, expressed deep regrets for taking the matter to the senate saying it was not, however, meant to embarrass the minister or his ministry but in the spirit of fighting corruption by ensuring that the money paid to the contractor was retrieved and paid to the federal government coffers. Adebanjo said, “For the fact that the Ministry of Works deserves an apology and because the whole world is listening to us, I tender that apology unreservedly before this Senate Committee”. A release signed by Mr. Hakeem Bello, the Special Adviser, Communications to the Minister, said in his submissions, the Chairman of the Committee commended the minister for coming personally, “as always when we invite you” to respond to the petition and throwing more light on the whole issue, adding that other officials of government should borrow a leaf from him.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/rccg-apologises-to-ministry-over-petition-on-ife-ifewara-road/

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Buhari and Kanu By Douglas Anele Nnamdi Kanu is a well-educated indigene of Isiama Afaraukwu Umuahia, in Abia state. He is the director of London-based Radio Biafra which, for some years now, has been disseminating news and information about Igboland and the degraded status of its people in the Fulani caliphate colonialist “geographical expression” called Nigeria. Now, the main thrust of the message from Radio Biafra is resurrection of the defunct sovereign state of Biafra through non-violent means. Drawing copiously from Nigerian history, Kanu and hardcore IPOB members believe that Biafra comprises all Igbo-speaking areas of Nigeria as well as adjoining territories that have strong historical and cultural ties with Igboland. Kanu has always stated publicly his unflinching commitment to the restoration of Biafra, that is, to the quest for self-determination by Ndigbo and their immediate neighbours because, according to him, Nigeria is an illegitimate child of imperialist Britain that was born for maximum exploitation of the colonial amalgam created by Lord Lugard in 1914. To worsen matters, successive colonial administrators deliberately configured Nigeria geopolitically to favour the north, such that even before complete results of the 1959 federal election were collated and announced, Sir James Robertson had already contacted Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to become Prime Minister. As I said earlier, Nnamdi Kanu is among the Igbo youths that are thoroughly dissatisfied with Nigeria. His insistent and uncompromising stance on the issue of referendum and restoration of Biafra rankled the federal government to the extent that upon his return to Nigeria from London on 14 October 2015, he was arrested for alleged treason. News of his arrest led to protests across the south-east and south-south geopolitical zones. Subsequently, he was detained in Kuje prison for over a year and half without trial despite several court orders that he should be released. On November 23 2015, he was eventually arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court by the Department of State Services (DSS) on charges of “criminal conspiracy, intimidation and membership of an illegal organisation.” Kanu was released from prison on 28 April 2017 after meeting the stringent bail conditions set by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja. Like every non-VIP prisoner in Nigeria, Nnamdi Kanu’s prison experience was dehumanising and demoralising. Yet, going by a poem or letter he released while in prison, it seems that the 18 months incarceration actually strengthened his resolve to continue with the struggle to actualise Biafra. In the poem, he scathingly condemns Buhari’s government, proclaims himself a prisoner of conscience, reiterates the non-violent nature of his agitation, and insists that he is willing to pay the supreme sacrifice for the actualisation of Biafra. READ ALSO: Muhammadu Buhari: Nigeria’s anti-corruption president It must be pointed out that the quest for self-determination, that is, the striving by members of ethnic groups to excise themselves or break away from larger political entities that control their affairs, is one of the most pervasive and persistent movements in human history. In Nigeria, it is not a new phenomenon: for instance, in February 23 1966, Isaac Adaka Boro declared an independent Niger Delta Republic, but his insurrection was quickly and violently put down by the Balewa government. The current demand by IPOB for a referendum that would ultimately lead to the emergence of Biafra is, in an important sense, a continuation of what the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu started on May 30, 1967. Now, the quest for self-determination by a collection of linguistically and culturally homogenous communities is both logically and legally justified – and, thus, morally acceptable. Logically, it can be validly interpreted as a social extension of the right for personal freedom; from the legal angle it is recognised in international law and jurisprudence as codified in the United Nations (UN) Charter that was ratified in 1945 at the end of World War II. In fact, Article 3 of the Charter provides that “the inadequacy of political, economic, social and educational preparedness should never serve as a pretext for delaying the right to self-determination and independence.” The UN Charter is domesticated in Africa as African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHP), and was adopted in 21 October, 1986. Before then, different countries had signed and ratified the document at different times: for example, it was signed, ratified, and deposited by the Nigerian government on 31 August 1982, 22 June 1983 and 22 July 1983 respectively. The major problem with the charters and resolutions of these international organisations is that they did not insist on full independence as the best way of obtaining self-determination or self-government, nor did they include an enforcement mechanism. In addition, in the UN Charter, any new state that emerges was recognised by the legal doctrine of uti possidetis juris, meaning that old administrative boundaries would become international boundaries after independence if they had little relevance to linguistic, ethnic and cultural demarcations. From the foregoing, it is evident that the movement for self-determination is on solid logical, legal and moral footing. But actualising it in practice is a very challenging task indeed as demonstrated by the fact that only a small percentage of secessionist agitations throughout history had been successful, out of which most were achieved through violent methods. It follows that leaders of any separatist movement must think long and hard before embarking on it because of the profound repercussions on peoples’ lives, which always bother on life and death and on future generations that would have to deal with the profound unintended consequences of secession whether successful or not. Nevertheless, when a critical mass of indigenes of an ethnic nationality or closely related nationalities have genuine reasons to feel unwanted or marginalised for long periods of time within a larger geopolitical entity, the need for a separate independent country could be the best option for them in spite of the inherent dangers of secession. Having laid very briefly the philosophical or theoretical foundation for understanding the phenomenon of self-determination and the landmines on the road to it, let us now consider what Nnamdi Kanu has been saying concerning President Muhammadu Buhari and the country, Nigeria. In my opinion, the best way to do so is to listen attentively to his broadcasts in Radio Biafra. By merely reading his posts on social media, one misses the significant emotional content of his actual speeches, which is an essential aspect of his message and a subtle index of his level of commitment to the Biafran cause. Of course, I am very conscious of the fact that haters of Ndigbo with keen noses for sniffing out ethnicity where there is none are incapable of appreciating the simulacra of truth in Nnamdi Kanu’s thought-provoking claims. Similarly, it is easy and convenient to excoriate anyone who does not join the sycophantic bandwagon in dismissing the IPOB leader and his group. Yet, truth, or more accurately fidelity to the truth, is the most enduring effective weapon against ignorance, intellectual laziness and sycophancy. My analysis, therefore, will be guided by the truth within the scaffolding of awareness of human fallibility. People are fond of quoting the cliché that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but they forget that such entitlement, in order to be rational, must be premised on the presumption that the opinion is supported with, or based on, good reasons. Besides, no one is entitled to his or her own facts because facts, although difficult to ascertain oftentimes, are largely independent of opinions. For months, Nnamdi Kanu has been telling the world repeatedly that the person currently parading himself as President Muhammadu Buhari is an impostor from Sudan named Jubril Aminu al-Sudani. According to him, the real Buhari died on January 27, 2017 and was buried in Saudi Arabia. But not wanting a repeat of the Umaru Yar’Adua scenario of 2010, leading members of the so-called Fulani cabal in Buhari’s administration led by Abba Kyari (Chief of Staff to the President) quickly recruited a Buhari look-alike from Sudan who, after some cosmetic surgeries to enhance the resemblance and coaching to mimic the dead Buhari as closely as possible, brought him back to Nigeria to act as President. Nnamdi Kanu knows full well that, to be taken seriously, such a consequential, disturbing and terrifying claim must be backed by strong evidence. Hence during several broadcast episodes he takes up the challenge by presenting information that can either be corroborated or refuted through thorough investigation. To begin with, the IPOB leader quickly dismissed the false claim attributed to him that Buhari was cloned. He insists that the original Buhari had died and was replaced by a decoy or look-alike from Sudan. Kanu points to the example of Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler as leaders that used impersonators mostly for security reasons. But unlike the present scenario in Nigeria, world leaders who used look-alikes never allowed them to preside over state matters or sign official documents. To be continued… Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/supposing-nnamdi-kanu-is-right-about-president-buhari-and-nigeria-3/amp/

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Buhari’s anti corruption drive unsettles PDP The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be uncomfortable with the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to recover public funds allegedly stolen by government officials in the last administration. Apparently worried by the decision, the PDP has expressed fears that the exercise might become a witch hunt aimed at discrediting and undermining the opposition. In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party cautioned the President against politicising the issue of corruption in the country. The PDP said, “While we expect the present administration to be serious about the fight against corruption, probe and persecute each and everyone involved in such, irrespective of their party leaning, we restate that these must be done within the ambits of the law and must not be used as a witch-hunt ostensibly to discredit and undermine the opposition. We therefore caution against the current drama of politicising the issue of corruption in the country.” The party said no amount of intimidation, blackmail and propaganda by the Presidency would stop it from standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in demanding that the President kick-start his government and commence implementation of his campaign promises. The statement described as “lame and diversionary” claims by the Presidency that the financial mess created by the last PDP led administration was still being cleared. President Buhari had stated that he met a near empty treasury and huge debts at the time he assumed the Presidency on May 29, a situation he said, was one of the reasons for the delay in appointing his cabinet ministers. But the PDP said the delay is creating loopholes through which some persons claiming closeness to the President have infiltrated executive bodies, arm-twisting and conniving with unscrupulous elements in the bureaucracy to siphon the nation’s resources in the last 30 days. The statement added that the PDP would not in any way be cowed by threats and wild allegations by the Presidency into abdicating its responsibility of speaking out as an opposition party where the system is derailing. “The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians were appalled by the response from the Presidency regarding our call for prayers to enable President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration locate its bearing, compose a government and halt the prevailing stagnation with its huge negative impact on the system. “Instead of addressing the issues raised, the Presidency descended to insults, abuses and innuendos, a stance which not only bears out the case made by the PDP but also raises questions about the capacity of this administration to shoulder the enormous responsibility of governance. “Furthermore, the analogy of the Augean stable is completely baffling to us at this level as it goes to a great length to question the capacity and the sincerity of those around the President. “In Greek mythology, Hercules in his ingenuity took the task and efficiently cleared the Augean’ stable in a day for which he demanded a reward of a tenth of fine cattle belonging to the king. “Nigerians would not want to believe that in the so-called clearing of the Augean stable, although not delivering in one day, President Buhari wants to play Hercules in his demand, this time, by wanting to run the government alone without the statutory components of the executive as enshrined in the constitution. “We ask, is the so-called clearing of mess responsible for his inability after 90 days of winning an election to make up his mind on rudimentary appointments such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff and his demand for 15 Special Advisers as approved by the PDP controlled Seventh Assembly since June 5, 2015? “Perhaps we need to draw President Buhari’s attention to the fact that while he is busy clearing his imaginary mess on the pages of newspapers, some persons claiming closeness to him have in the last 30 days been piling up sleazes that also need his attention in key agencies of government.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/buharis-anti-corruption-drive-unsettles-pdp/

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By Festus Ahon, ASABA SPECIAL Adviser to the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate on Special Duties, Mr Godwin Anaughe, Tuesday, said if not for the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria would have been a failed State in totality like Venezuela, the way PDP was going. Anaughe in an interview with the Vanguard, said; “the economy was in a free fall due to falling crude oil prices when President Buhari took over the office in May 2015. It eventually went into recession in the second quarter of 2016 due to falling crude oil prices and renewed restiveness in the Niger Delta, as the falling annual real GDP growth that began in 2013 spiraled into negative territory. “Buhari stopped the slide into depression in the second quarter of 2018, after five consecutive quarters of negative growth and put the economy on the path to recovery. “Unfortunately, again in 2019, Nigeria slided into its worst economic recession in over three decades, with a contraction of 3.62 percent in the third quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic that affected every country of the world. “But this time, Nigeria exited the recession earlier than expected in the next quarter due to growth in non-oil sector; taken holistically, as government policy to make this sector the main growth sector began to yield results. “Since then, the Nigerian economy has continued on a positive trajectory, growing for the seventh consecutive quarter, even though foreign exchange earnings have lagged behind for most period. “According to the recent GDP report released by the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.54% year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter of 2022. This is a testament to the fact that the Nigerian economy is performing very well in a number of respects right now, especially in agriculture. “In the area of infrastructure development, the Buhari administration has continued to prioritise long-term infrastructure spending to catalyze rapid economic development. This has made it possible for the government to complete long-abandoned projects such as the Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe rail network, over 200 dams and Irrigation projects and no fewer than five airports. “The Second Niger bridge and the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, abandoned for 16 years by the PDP will be completed this year. Over 13, 000 kilometres of roads, including bridges, are at different stages of completion across the country. “Greater long-term infrastructure investment has made the economy stronger and better able to withstand external shocks, especially falling crude oil prices under the Buhari administration. The bottom line is that the PDP created the great mess we have in the country today. It wasted the huge revenue from oil during the period they were in government. “Buhari and APC inherited this mess in 2015, prevented the country from going downhill, put Nigeria back on its feet and began the long hard road to recovery by building a solid foundation for a diversified, strong, economy that will produce the desperately needed jobs and business opportunities for our people. “Had President Buhari not intervened, Nigeria would have been a failed State in totality like Venezuela, the way PDP was going. Unfortunately, the government is not given the high marks it deserves for its accomplishments. “The perception out there among a large number of Nigerians is that the government is not doing anything and the communication effort from Aso Rock has been uncertain and ineffective for the most part to say the least. The government, the APC and the presidential campaign need to do a far better job making their case to the Nigerian people”. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/02/13/how-the-colonial-masters-empowered-the-north-%e2%80%94-chief-mbazulike-amechi/but

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Pic 5. From left: National Security Adviser, retired Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno;Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; Secretary to theGovernment of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari during a virtualMeeting of the Federal Executive Council at the First Lady Conference Room,Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday (28/4/2021)01933/28/4/2021/CallistusEwelike/NAN By Johnbosco Agbakwuru THE Federal Executive Council, yesterday, approved a total sum of $2,541,689 and N498,230,281 for four projects in the Ministry of Power. The Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the First Lady’s Conference Room, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The minister, flanked by his counterparts from the Ministries of Works and Housing, Environment and Information an Culture; Babatunde Fashola, Muhammed Mahmood and Lai Mohammed, respectively, provided details of the contracts. He said: “The Federal Ministry of Power also received the blessing of the Federal Executive Council by giving four approvals for our contracts. One is the supply and installation of motorised portable hydraulic compressor for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, in favour of Messrs Intern Equipment Nigeria Limited in the sum of US$502,950 plus N15,800,000. “The second approval was also received for the award of the contract for the supply and delivery of three sets of online partial discharge measurement and monitoring equipment for the TCN in favour of Messrs T and D Technology Limited in the sum of US$ 874,800 offshore plus N240,100,000 onshore with a delivery period of nine months. “The third approval was the award of the contract for the repairs of 100 MVA and four sets of 60 MVA 132 33 power transformers for TCN in favour of GT Engineering Limited in the sum of US$ 661,220 offshore and N127,758,781 onshore with a delivery period of 12 months. “On the last one, approval was also granted for the contract for procurement of 10 sets of 330 KV and 30 sets of 133 KV circuit breaker for the TCN in favour of Horsepower Engineering Trading Limited in the sum of US$ 502,719 plus N114,571,500 with a delivery period of six months.” Also briefing, the Minister of Environment said the Council ratified an anticipatory approval received from President Muhammadu Buhari on the nation’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which is part of its commitment to the climate change pact. He explained that the contribution, which saw Nigeria agreeing to cut greenhouse gas emission by 20 percent as at last year and by 45 percent in 2030, adding that part of the obligations to the signatories of the agreement is the revision of the progress and the submission of an interim report every five years. He said: “The Federal Ministry of Environment presented a memo today, seeking for the ratification of an anticipatory approval that we received from Mr. President, on the submission of our primary NDC, that is the Nationally Determined Contribution. “This is part of the commitment that Nigeria made in 2016 during the Paris Agreement; that every country, after five years, will revise the commitment the country made in cutting down emission. ‘’So, at the time we committed to reducing emission by 20 percent, unconditionally, meaning we can do it by ourselves. That’s by 2020. The 20 percent is by the year 2020. At the same time, we are also committed to reducing 45% by 2030. That’s again from the year 2016. “So, we did the first the interim report, a country is supposed to send in an interim report to the United Nations Climate Change desk, and then before July 31, you’ll now submit the final report. ‘’We have done that and part of this reporting is again, for every country, doing that will put the country on a good footing as far as climate change action is concerned and this has a number of sectors that we depended on to be able to reach this: Power, Agriculture, Transportation. “These are areas that we used as part of attending to that commitment that we made and today, we have gotten the approval of the ratification following that statutory approval by Mr. President. So, Nigeria is currently in good standing, as about 100 countries have already submitted and Nigeria is one of those,” he explained. Asked if Nigeria achieved the 20 percent emission cut as at last year, Mahmood said “yes, we have. Since the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2016 and even before then, government has put in a number of interventions to deal with the issue of climate change. You see, climate change did not just start in 2016. 2016 happened to be just like the culmination of the problem that showed and there’s need for an immediate action on climate change. “So, the government rolled out a number of things and this was even before I became a minister and we have done so much, I can give you an example. That was when we started the issuance of green bond and bond issuance is to generate money, solely for green projects. “Based on our calculations, we have met that 20 percent last year, in fact, I can even say we have surpassed that. That’s why we took that as unconditional, it’s something that we know already we can.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/fec-approves-2-5m-n498-2m-for-4-power-projects-2/

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You're able to buy the domain name with over monthly installments, and at the end of the lease period, if all payments are complete, you would be the new owner of the domain name. Once you complete the checkout process for a leased domain, you will be contacted by a BrandBucket agent who will help manage your lease. The domain will be transferred from the seller to a BrandBucket escrow account, ensuring a secure hold on the domain during the lease term. We will transfer the domain to you once all payments are complete. During the lease, you're entitled to use the domain name for your website and email; your agent will guide you through that. Each month you will continue to receive an invoice with a balance statement. You have the right to cancel the lease any time or complete all payments early to own the domain outright. Established in 2007, we are the original business name marketplace. Every year, we sell 1000s of premium domains to entrepreneurs and businesses like you. All of our domain names are handpicked by branding and linguistics experts based on rigorous criteria. You can rest assured that if a domain is on the BrandBucket marketplace, it is a top-tier business name. Almost one out of every four names sold on BrandBucket is sold to a repeat buyer or a referral, which means that people who buy from us once, keep coming back for more. The .com extension is a brand in itself. As the default domain extension of the internet, having a .com domain that is an exact match to your brand name has numerous advantages: - Familiarity - People are familiar with .com. Most of the brands and websites they already trust, use the .com extension. Therefore, it serves as a subtle indicator that your business is a legitimate one. A recent study by the NCC Group, a global expert in cybersecurity and risk mitigation, found that roughly half of the consumers are uncomfortable visiting websites ending with a non .com extension, and only 9% are comfortable doing so. - Brand Protection - When you own the .com version of a domain name, you have the official online version of that name. Owning an exact-match .com can protect your brand name, as it is unlikely another serious business would use the same name when the .com extension is taken. - Easy to Communicate - .com domains are also easy to communicate. When people hear or see your business name without a TLD, they will inevitably assume it ends in .com, making it easy for them to find you online. Once you have received the name into your registrar account, you will be able to: - Use the domain as your website address. - Setup email addresses, for instance, firstname.lastname@example.org. - Use the domain and logo on business cards and other materials. If you don’t have a website built yet, you can put up a simple coming soon page, or you can just leave it until you are ready. You don’t need to do anything right away. Because you own the domain name, you can take your time. Our talented community of logo designers designs all logos on the BrandBucket marketplace. They are paid for their efforts, and BrandBucket owns all copyrights for the logos. We will transfer the full copyright for the logo to you upon purchase of the domain name. Logo files are delivered to you in the following formats: - High-resolution image file (PNG) - Editable vector file (.AI) Editing your design Vector (AI) files are entirely editable in programs such as photoshop and illustrator, so you or your designer can make desired changes. If needed, we can make basic color changes/small tweaks to the logo for you after purchase. If you are looking for a complete redesign, we can connect you with a designer from our talented design community at their discretion and price. All of our business domains are carefully chosen for their standout branding qualities. There is only one yesharvest.com. However, there may well be other businesses that are using the same brand name. In fact, with common keyword names, it is likely. That is why owning the .com is so essential. In holding the .com, you immediately establish your business as the most official version of that name. It's unlikely any serious business is going to use a brand name where the .com domain is already in use. Many companies believe that owning the matching .com version of a business name provides more protection for their brand than a trademark. No, and it’s not possible for us to do so. Trademarks are industry and region-specific, and to file a trademark for a name or logo, you must already be doing business as that name. Because of this, we can't trademark a name before your company is actively using it. Therefore, you will need to apply for trademark registration after you have purchased the name. When you purchase a domain from BrandBucket, you will own it 100%. However, all domain names worldwide must be kept registered at a registrar like Godaddy or similar that you choose. You will pay the registration fees to whichever registrar you decide to use. The price of registration varies at each registrar, but it generally ends up being around $10-15 per year for a .com domain name. Registration is annual but can be paid up for years in advance, which we suggest you do. BrandBucket serves as a third-party marketplace and escrow agent for domain names. We only offer refunds if either of these two conditions are met: - The buyer contacts us within 24 hours of purchase requesting a refund. - The seller fails to initiate the domain name transfer within 10 business days from the time of purchase. Buyers are advised to perform all necessary diligence prior to making a purchase. Your purchase is 100% confidential. Any personal information you share with BrandBucket is kept private, even from the domain seller. We never publicize any sale on our marketplace. A brand name is a name that you use to identify a family of products, services, or a single line of products or services that a company offers. For instance, Apple is the brand name used on most products manufactured by Apple, Inc. In this example, the business name and brand name are the same, a common use case. Your brand name is who you are to your customers. It is the pillar your business's public image will be built around. The products or services you offer can also have their own brand names. You may want to create new brand names for products or services that differ from your core business offering, for example: - UberEats - Food delivery by Uber - Amazon Web Services - Cloud computing from Amazon - Google Maps - Web mapping service from Google Registered Business Name A business name is the legally registered name of your business. You'll use your business name to create contracts, open bank accounts, pay taxes, and any other administrative related activities. Most business names contain the business's brand name, followed by the company's chosen business structure, for example: - Walmart Inc. - Verizon Inc. - Grasshopper LLC However, they don't necessarily have to be the same. In some cases, the business name is completely different from the brand name. This is most common in large businesses that have multiple brands housed under a single parent company, for example: - Brand Name: Google - Business Name: Alphabet Inc. - Brand Name: MailChimp - Business Name: The Rocket Science Group LLC A domain name is your website name - the internet address where people can access your website. Think of a domain as the address to the online version of your business. Every domain is one-of-a-kind. No website has the same web address as another website. Ideally, your domain name should be an exact match to your brand name. Think of your favorite companies. Odds are, their domain name is identical to their brand name. Apple's domain name is Apple.com; Amazon's domain name is Amazon.com. Having a matching domain ensures that people can easily find your brand online. What can a top brand name with a matching .com do for your business? Here are few of the many advantages of owning a premium business domain: Trust - Online, there are subtle clues that all of us subconsciously take into consideration to determine whether or not a business is legitimate and trustworthy. Having a great business name paired with a matching .com (by far the most trusted domain extension) signals to customers that you care about and are willing to invest in your brand. It makes your business and your brand messaging easier to trust. Authority - Owning a .com version of a fantastic brand name is a big signal to the world that your business means business, right out of the gate. This can lead to accelerated customer acquisition, more industry partnership opportunities, and press attention. SEO - Having a business domain that matches what customers are using in searches can lead to increased SEO, higher page ranking, and better quality traffic. Retention - Brand retention is critical for organically acquiring and keeping customers. A short, catchy, and unique business name makes your brand easier to remember, and having a matching .com means that consumers who hear about you offline will find you easily online. Save on marketing spend - Investing in a premium domain can save you a fortune in marketing spend down the line. You'll spend less of your valuable marketing budget and efforts on brand awareness, as your name will do much of the work for you. Our customers are primarily entrepreneurs looking for a quick and easy way to find a great brand name for their company. That's why when evaluating and appraising domain names, our central focus is whether they would also make great business names. What makes a great brand name? Here are some of the branding and linguistic traits we take into consideration: - Length - Great names are concise and to the point. The shorter, the better! - Common phrase/expression - Names that are based on real phrases and expressions make great brand names because of their built-in familiarity and inherent catchiness. - Letter order - Some letters are more valuable than others and better together, especially when it comes to the first letters of a name. - Pronunciation and spelling - Names should be easy to say and understand. It should also be spelled as it sounds. - Industry match - Names should be a good fit for a particular industry, or be broad enough to attract buyers from multiple sectors. - Longevity - Great brand names are broad enough in scope to grow with a company as it expands and not die when trends fade. - Uniqueness - Great brand names are easy to spot because they stand out in a crowd. - Memorability - A brand name is no good unless people can easily remember it. These criteria, along with historical sales data and current marketplace conditions, are used to determine whether a name is accepted to our marketplace, and how it's priced. Every name on our marketplace must score high in most or all of these categories to even be accepted. With an acceptance rate of only 10% of names submitted to our marketplace, BrandBucket sets a very high bar for the names we select. Customers Also Loved The following are business names for sale with similar qualities to yesharvest.com

https://www.yesharvest.com/?referral_code=8BLLXU

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By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri Suspected hoodlums on Monday shot sporadically at MCC junction in Owerri metropolis. The shooting which happened at about 05: 10 pm, forced passersby as well as traders to scamper for their safety. Many motorists drove roughly out of the venue. commuters waiting for buses to go home all ran for their lives. It was also learnt that vehicles on noticing what was happening turned away to other adjoining streets. However, as of the time of filing this story normalcy has returned back to the area as businesses and vehicular movement have started again. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/just-in-again-panic-as-suspected-hoodlums-shot-sporadically-in-owerri/

Politics

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari is due to leave Abuja for Paris, French capital Monday on a three-day official visit to France. The visit was at the instance of French President, Mr. Francois Hollande. President Buhari will be accompanied on the visit by the National Security Adviser, Major-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministries of Defence, Finance, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment as well as the Chief Executives of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. Upon his arrival in Paris, President Buhari will hold talks with President Hollande and other senior French Government officials on bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and France in the areas of defence, security, trade and investments. The meeting with president Hollande would hold at the Elysee Palace on Monday evening. Afterwards, President Buhari and his team will also confer with the French Minister of Defence, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Finance and Public Accounts, Mr. Michel Sapin, the French Minister of Economy and Industry, Mr. Emmanuel Macron and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Mr. Laurent Fabius. The President will also visit the Headquarters of MEDEF, France’s largest federation of investors and employers, where he will participate in a France/Nigeria Investment Forum with leading Nigerian and French entrepreneurs. President Buhari will also confer with the Chief Executive Officers of leading French multinational companies such as Total and Lafarge on their current and future investments in Nigeria. A statement from the presidential spokesperson, Mr. Femi Adesina further stated that President Buhari’s other engagements in Paris included a meeting with African Ambassadors to France and an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community. It is expected that the president will round off his visit on Wednesday and return to Abuja. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/buhari-jets-out-to-paris-on-monday/

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Four students have been confirmed killed with eight others injured after a pedestrian bridge collapsed at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Gubi Campus. This was disclosed to Channels Television by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdulazeez Ahmed. The bridge which links one of the hostels and another building containing lecture rooms collapsed at midnight, following a heavy downpour. The Student Union President, Naziru Mohammed had earlier told Channels TV that two students were confirmed dead and two others injured. Students of the university are however currently protesting, blaming the bridge collapse on negligence by the institution’s authorities. Director of Public Relations of the University, Andee Iheme also confirmed the death of two students following the incident. See more photos of the collapsed pedestrian bridge below…

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/08/06/breaking-two-students-killed-others-injured-as-bridge-collapses-in-bauchi/

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The National Executive Council of the Peoples Democratic Party has passed a vote-of-confidence in Senator Iyorchia Ayu, suggesting that the party chairman will not be stepping down any time soon. A motion for the vote of confidence in the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) was moved by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu at the BoT and NEC meeting which held in Abuja on Thursday. The vote was supported by a NEC member from Kwara State and presided over by the acting chairman of the PDP BoT, Adolphus Wabara. READ ALSO: PDP BoT Chair Jibrin Resigns, Wabara Takes Over There have been several calls by the southern caucus of the PDP for Ayu to step down for a southerner, however, with the vote of confidence, it is almost certain that Ayu will not be vacating the seat. In reaction to the development, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, said the party is determined to resolve its disagreements. According to him, such disagreements as have rocked the party in recent times, are normal in a family. The former vice president added that the PDP is the oldest party in Nigeria and has stood the test of time. Furthermore, Atiku explained that the PDP has a constitution that guides the conduct of members and the party’s activities, adding that all disagreements must be resolved in tandem with the party’s rules and regulations.

https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/08/breaking-pdp-nec-passes-vote-of-confidence-on-iyorchia-ayu/amp/Thanks

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By Ndahi Marama, Maidugri The new theatre Commander, Joint Tasks Force, Northeast, ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, Major General Christopher Musa has took over the mantle of leadership with the assurances that very soon, the Boko Haram insurgency will come to an end. Speaking in an interview with newsmen, shortly after taking over the command on Friday, the theatre Commander, said ” what you would be expecting, is victory, you were all here yesterday, when the President and commander in Chief was adressing the troops about the deployment of equipment and resources. We have gotten all the necessary assistance , on our part, we want to assure you that we will bring this menace to logical conclusion within shortest possible time”. “Asymmetric warfare kept on evolving, as the adversaries keep on evolving , we will do the same, untill we terminate everyone that are opposing our victory.”, General Musa stressed. While soliciting the support of the media, the New major General Musa said ” I want to solilicite for your support, we are all human beings and Nigerians. During war, nobody is a winner, we are all victims . The media has a great role to play. Security is not the business of the military alone, it is collective efforts of all. So we count on your support to win this war” Also speaking in an interview, the former Acting theatre commander, Major General Felix Omogui said ” it is customary and routine thing in the military that when you spent some time, you will be posted out to another area. We have done our best and we are still doing our best . We have disciplined, and hardwoking troops , with what my succesor has, I believe this war will come to an end very soon.” Omoigui said. Earlier while adressing the troops, the Former Acting Theatre Commander saud ” I know you are disciplined and hardworking, i urge you to continue to be hardworking, alert and vigilant, victory will be assured. “I also urge you to extend the support I have been receiving from you to my successor, If you do so, you have no problem, and we will quickly finish this war. “I want you to keep up with the good work, don”t relent . As i leave, I am going to keep in touch and pray for you to succeed. ” he stated. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/boko-haram-operation-hadin-kai-gets-new-theatre-commander/?

Politics

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….as PDP queries legality of Adamu led APC’s NWC By Ikechukwu Nnochiri It is more trouble for the All Progressive Congress, APC, as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has okayed a fresh suit that is seeking to bar all its candidates from contesting the 2023 general elections. The suit marked; FHC/ABJ/CS/1864/2022, was brought before the court by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Specifically, PDP, is challenging the legality of the process that produced both national officers of the APC and its candidates for the forthcoming elections. It is praying the court to disqualify all candidates that were nominated to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Extraordinary Convention Committee of the APC. The Plaintiff, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Ayo Ajibade, SAN, maintained that every nomination that was made by the Governor Buni-led Committee, was done in breach and gross violation of extant provisions of both the Electoral Act, 2022, and the 1999 Constitution, as amended. PDP anchored the suit on a subsisting judgement the Federal High Court delivered on September 30, 2022, which declared as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional, all actions and activities that were carried out by the governor Buni-led Committee, among which included the nomination of governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the recently conducted gubernatorial election in Osun State. The Plaintiff noted that the high court had in its judgement that was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, nullified the nomination of both Oyetola and his Deputy, Benedict Alabi as APC candidates for the governorship poll on the premise that governor Buni who submitted their names to the INEC, violated provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution and Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022. Among 53 persons that were cited as defendants in PDP’s fresh suit, included the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Kashim Shetima, as well as all governorship candidates of the party and their deputies. Also listed for disqualification in the suit, are Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates of the party. Meanwhile, the suit has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo who has fixed it for mention on November 22. The court further directed service of all the relevant processes on all the defendants. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/2023-court-okays-suit-seeking-to-void-nomination-of-all-apc-candidates/

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Isa Matori, the Chairman of Wikki Tourists Football Club of Bauchi, says the resignation of Sunday Oliseh as Chief Coach of Super Eagles is a blessing to Nigerian football. Matori told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Bauchi that the coach should not have been employed in the first place by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). “I expected his resignation a long time ago, because I believe that it was a mistake in the first place for the NFF to have appointed him to take care of the team. “He may have the qualifications, no doubt about it, but he does not have the requisite experience, the exposure and courage to lead our team to success,” he said. “He has also been looking for a way out of it. You will understand this when you look at his actions, such as when he had problems with the team captain (Vincent Enyeama) who has dedicated so much commitment to the nation in the area of football. “He should have sympathised with him when he lost his mother. Even when he (Enyeama) was able to turn up in camp, Oliseh’s reaction was bad. “So, he has been looking for a way to leave the job, and it is a blessing for us as far as I am concerned, because Sunday Oliseh cannot take us anywhere,” the club chairman said. Also, Umar Said, a Bauchi-based football commentator, supported Matori’s position, describing Oliseh’s resignation as a welcome development in Nigerian football. Said noted that the unending controversies between Oliseh and NFF was the result of the fact that due process was not followed during his engagement. He pointed out that unlike the appointments of Shuaibu Amodu, Stephen Keshi and foreign coaches, where due process, such as screening, was followed before engagement, Oliseh’s appointment “came through the back door’’. “In the case of Oliseh, he was smuggled in through the back door and this has caused the country a lot in the field of football,’’ the former state Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) said. He then called for the engagement of a Grade ‘A’ coach for the team, to enable it forge ahead. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/olisehs-resignation-a-blessing-to-nigerian-football-matori/

Sports

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says he is convinced beyond any doubt that 2019 elections will be a victory walk for the PDP. Abubakar said this during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja. He said that going by the momentum the party had gathered through its transparent primaries and the people working together, victory was awaiting the party. He urged the leadership of the party to build on the momentum from its National Convention and the just concluded primaries. Abubakar said he was surprised when the party leadership invited him and informed him of the details of the money realised from the primaries, saying that had never happened before and had posed a very big challenge to him. “I said that should we win and we must win the Presidential Election, we will have to enthrone the best fiscal responsibility this country has ever known or ever seen. “This is simply because our party has given us that leadership, chairman I commend you. “I believe with the genuine support of all of you, particularly of governors and members of the National Assembly, of party leaders, of local levels, and of course, party supporters, if we work together, I am convinced without any doubts that this election is for us to win. “We have built up so much momentum after the Port Harcourt convention, it is now time for us to pick up the momentum again until we land in Aso Villa.” Abubakar also said that he was ready to face Muhammadu Bubari, the incumbent president and Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in an election debate. The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that through the party’s National Convention in Port Harcourt, it had demonstrated to the world that it was ready to regain power and it was time to work together to achieve that. “We must stay strong. It is not easy in a third world country to defeat an incumbent government, but it has been done before by everybody and we will do it again. “I say so because the people are with us, and when the people are with you, God is with you, PDP by God’s grace will succeed.’’ Saraki stressed the need to make 2019 General Elections credible, saying if elections were not free and credible, the country would be a fertile ground for crisis. “There will be Nigeria after elections and we must fight for credible elections.” (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/i-am-convinced-2019-election-is-for-pdp-to-win-atiku/amp/?__twitter_impression=trueCc

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By Anayo Okoli President Bola Tinubu and President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, are among the eminent Nigerians slated to grace the unveiling of Peace in the South-East Project, PISE-P. Chairperson, Media and Communications Committee of PISE-P, Mrs Mary Ikoku, disclosed this, yesterday, in a statement in Umuahia. Ikoku described PISE-P as a non-partisan advocacy organisation working toward the restoration of peace in the South-East through a non-kinetic approach. She stated that the unveiling ceremony would coincide with the grand reception organised in honour of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu. Ikoku also listed other prominent Nigerians that are expected at the event to include the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of both chambers of the National Assembly. Others from the private sector are business magnets, Aliko Dangote and Arthur Eze, media moguls and politicians across party lines, amongst others. The royal fathers of the day are the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, and Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, with members of the Abia Council of Traditional Rulers. The statement read in part: “The PISE-P team and his community take immense pride in the remarkable achievements and tireless efforts of the Deputy Speaker, who has consistently demonstrated a profound dedication to the wellbeing and progress of our people. “As the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, he has played and still plays a pivotal role in shaping policies that address the needs and aspirations of the people of Bende LGA, the people of the South-East and nation at large. “The PISE-P unveiling will mark the formal declaration of peace in the South-East as well as initiate the project’s implementation. “The project aims to end not only insecurity in the region through dialogue with the combatants and key stakeholders but the rebuilding of South-East, using the projects eight pillars.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/12/tinubu-akpabio-others-to-attend-pise-p-unveiling-in-abia/amp/

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At least five persons were killed and 13 others injured in a traffic accident in eastern Algeria during celebrations of the country’s qualification to the final of African Cup of Nations (AFCON) being held in Egypt. Algeria beat Nigeria 2-1, getting the winning goal in the last seconds of the game from Riyad Mahrez. The national radio channel 1 specified that the accident occurred on Sunday overnight in the eastern province of Jijel when a semi trailer collided with a mini van carrying a group of supporters celebrating Algeria’s victory in the semi-final. Two supporters were killed immediately while three others succumbed to injures in hospital. The source added that 13 other supporters are in critical condition as they are receiving treatment. In France, nearly 300 people were arrested in clashes amid the celebrations by fans of Algeria’s national team. Fans crowded in the streets for mass celebrations, throwing firecrackers, including at police, and climbed cars. The traffic was paralyzed all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. The arrests were made nationwide on Sunday evening, the interior ministry said. Paris is home to large minority communities of Algerian origin.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/07/15/5-die-in-algeria-celebrating-teams-victory-over-nigeria/

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$29.9b loans: Senators set another hurdle for Buhari Public hearing demand likely Loans not a trap, says DMO boss Senators have put another hurdle in the way of the presidential request for approval to obtain $29.9billion loans for infrastructure. Last week, the Senate threw out the request – on the grounds that it was not accompanied with how the loan would be used and repaid. President Muhammadu Buhari, according to sources, has secured the understanding of Senate President Bukola Saraki that the request will be reconsidered when re-presented, with details, expectedly this week. But senators are pressing that the request should be taken for public hearing before approval, The Nation learnt. The public hearing clause is one of the conditions most of the senators have given Saraki before approving the loans. It was unclear yesterday whether the Senate President will accede to this condition. A source in the National Assembly said: “We are amenable to the re-presentation of the request for the loans by the President. The law or our Standing Rules allows it. “Most of us have however told the Senate President that we should subject the request to public hearing because the debts will be paid back in 20 years by the next generation. “Also, if ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo could secure debt relief of over $30billion, Nigerians need to be part of this latest decision to incur $29.9billion. “Some of us feel that if we throw the request open, we may get alternative ideas from Nigerians.” A first term Senator said: “We are pushing for public hearing to enable Nigerians scrutinise what the loans will be used for. We want them to buy into it. “Some of us will also be able to sleep well that the decision to obtain the loans has the backing of all Nigerians.” A ranking Senator said: “We are not opposed to a fresh request from the President but we prefer public hearing. I want a situation whereby I will be able to tell my children why the Senate supported the taking of the loans. “We cannot take things for granted again. The government said it will spend about N500billion on social investment but up till now, Senators, members of the House of Representatives and even governors are kept in the dark. “We do not know the shape of the programmes, how beneficiaries were drawn up and whether or not the teachers to be recruited are relevant to the need of each of the 36 states and the FCT. “If we are unsure of how N500billion will be spent, then we need to subject the $29.9billion loans to public hearing.” Another ranking Senator said: “Public hearing is not a must when the Executive needs loans. All we have to do is to refer the request to the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, which is headed by Sen. Shehu Sani. “Our colleagues are demanding for public hearing but this will amount to double standards. When we got requests for loans from Edo and Lagos states, we did not conduct any hearing. We considered the applications on merit.” “We will leave the discretion to the President of the Senate.” The President had said the external borrowing plan would be used for infrastructure, agriculture, health, education , water supply , growth and employment generation , poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms etc. He said: “The total cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing (rolling) plan is $29.960billion made up of proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274billion, Special National Infrastructure projects $10.686billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5billion.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/29-9b-loans-senators-set-another-hurdle-buhari/

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HON BOMA VS DSS IN ABUJA A member House of Representative, Hon Boma Goodhead in face-off with the official of DSS at the entrance of National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan ON April 18, 2018, some hoodlums broke into the hallowed plenum of the Senate, rough-handled everyone on their path and made away with the Mace. Till today, nothing tangible has been established as to how they managed to breach the heavy security presence at the National Assembly Complex. Who were the perpetrators and their sponsors? What are the law enforcement agencies doing to bring them to book? Again, following the recent defection of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and other federal legislators from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, pressure built within the APC towards a change of leadership in the National Assembly. The National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, pressed for the re-convening of the National Assembly which is currently on annual recess. On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, hooded and heavily-armed men of the Directorate of State Services,DSS, acting on the proverbial “orders from above”, barricaded the gates of the National Assembly Complex, fueling speculations of plots to remove Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The attentions of the entire nation, local and international media, as well as foreign embassies in Nigeria, were drawn to the unfolding outrageous assault on our democracy. It came as a massive relief when the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, after disclosing that his office knew nothing about the DSS deployments, announced the sack of the Service’s powerful Director- General, Alhaji Lawal Daura. It was also quite shocking because of Daura’s closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari who was holidaying in London. Daura’s sack, coming from a government not known to discipline its erring top officials, is a welcome development. But we demand answers to this question: Who were behind these assaults on our legislative arm, including the Police blockade of Saraki and Ekweremadu’s residences and the aborted attempt by eight lawmakers to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom in Benue State, in which the Police also played ignoble roles? Unless these lawbreakers are fished out and severely punished, the sack of Daura would seem like a mere subterfuge to cover what some see as grand plans by the state to sideline our Constitution and enthrone dictatorship. The nation cannot afford the continuation of the feud between the Presidency and the National Assembly. The two sides must put aside politics and close ranks to secure funds for the conduct of the 2019 general elections and other outstanding matters. The National Assembly must be given a conducive atmosphere to reconvene and address these issues. If there is a need for regime change, the NASS members must be allowed to decide in accordance with the law. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/obi-has-no-bullion-van-of-questionable-wealth-obidients-tackle-pro-tinubu-group/Yet

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APC, 20 others join forces to tackle anti-Buhari coalition Balarabe Musa knocks PDP-led coalition Moghalu: it lacks agenda Twenty-four hours after a group of 38 parties announced the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to wrest power from President Muhammadu Buhari, another group of 20 political parties yesterday joined forces with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in an alliance to form the Coalition of Progressives Political Parties (CPPP) Also yesterday, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Balarabe Musa described the coalition against Buhari “as an act of opportunism.” A presidential aspirant of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) also lashed out at the PDP-led coalition for its “lack of any real agenda to improve the lives of Nigeria.” There are 68 registered political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering the application for registration of about 138 others. The political parties in pro-Buhari’s CPPP which met in Abuja yesterday, are: All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), United Progressive Party (UPP), Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Others are: Freedom Justice Party (FJP), Fresh Party (FP), New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP), Nigeria’s Peoples Congress (NPC), Nigeria Peoples Movement (NPM), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), National Action Congress (NAC) and NDLP. The chairman of the coalition, who is also the National chairman of PDM, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, told reporters after hours of meeting at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja that the coalition was made up of like-minded political parties who believe in Nigeria’s unity and stability. He noted that the coalition, which was formed in 2014 ahead of the 2015 presidential election aligned with the candidature of President Buhari, then the APC candidate. Ibrahim said the coalition was merely resurrected to counter the orchestrated PDP coalition against the APC-led government. Berating the PDP coalition, he said the parties were driven by selfishness and hunger to capture power in 2019. He explained that the parties that formed the coalition with the PDP lacked the agenda to drive a new Nigeria. The PDM chairman alleged that most of the parties in the PDP coalition were fraudulently included to sign the MoU to deceive Nigerians. He noted that while the Accord Party chairman and his party, the PDM, among others, abstained from the PDP meeting, their parties’ names were listed without their consent. This, he said, raised doubts about the credibility of the coalition. He said: “Yesterday (Monday) we woke up to a new development where PDP outside power has now managed to create another coalition. As facts continue to emerge, they listed 36 political parties. Our analysis of that coalition reveals that a number of political parties were included in that coalition fraudulently. “Part of the 42 political parties they listed is Accord party and the chairman of the party is here with us. If you are creating a coalition, you need to be honest about it as to who and who are members of the coalition. “As of today, the membership of that coalition is in doubt. Two members also listed at that coalition are here. We are not part of that coalition because we represent a political type of politics which is in total contradiction of what they are doing. “We do not believe that our country should be governed by people whose only objective is to capture power. For what purpose is that coalition built? Is it for the purpose of taking Nigeria back to 1999 and 2015 or is it for the purpose of building a new Nigeria? “That purpose has not been stated, even their in their memorandum. The only thing in their MoU is to agree to capture power in 2019. Their programme has not been made known to the Nigerian public . We will not be part of a coalition that does not have a programme for Nigeria.” On the objective of the CPPP coalition, Ibrahim said it was to mobilise Nigerians to play a greater role in political activities and ensure that they are given the right to elect their leaders in a free. fair and credible electoral process. He said the agenda included to monitor and exert pressure on INEC to uphold the sanctity of elections and to help identify security threat, among others. The secretary of the Coalition and National Chairman of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Shittu Muhammed Kabiru, noted that the coalition was to advance the course of democracy and to stabilise the economy which was mismanaged by past PDP- led governments. Shittu said the coalition would bring Nigeria out of economic impoverishment. “We want Nigerians to know that our coalition is for a new Nigeria and to advance the cause of Nigeria and democracy and also to change the country from impoverishment to economic prosperity. “We want Nigeria to survive. We will do everything to defend the economy of this country; we are concerned about the unity and stability of Nigeria,” Shittu said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/apc-20-others-join-forces-to-tackle-anti-buhari-coalition/

Politics

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BY DAPO AKINREFON The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for the disbandment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, for alleged misconduct by its officials. A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, said the disbandment was imperative due to the loss of innocent lives caused by officials of LASTMA. It would be recalled that some officials of LASTMA allegedly attacked a bus driver on Tuesday beating him to death. The party stated that “we demand the disbandment and or sack of the LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Babatunde Edu. “The outfit is obviously not fit and proper to manage traffic. We reiterate that LASTMA, as currently constituted is political and has revenue target, thus cannot discharge the responsibility of traffic management without being unprofessional and thereby causing avoidable accidents. They indeed have financial targets to meet,” he said. While it accused the traffic agency of not being effective in the control of traffic across the state, it stated that “LASTMA is for revenue and not sincerely to manage traffic in the state. It is a creation of the aggressive revenue drive of the ACN state government prompted by the continuous retainership of ALPHA BETA, the tax consultant..” Furthermore, it accused LASTMA of the alleged number of deaths recorded from the professional misconduct of LASTMA officers, saying; “there are also records of illegal arrests of motorists. We all remember the case of Yinka Johnson wrongfully accused of knocking down a LASTMA officer. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/deaths-lagos-pdp-calls-for-disbandment-of-lastma/

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo WITH the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, some chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are pointing at Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the best bet for the APC. After the rescheduling of the APC presidential primaries for June 6 and 7, an informed party source close to the party executives said: “There was a meeting in Abuja with some super delegates and party stakeholders where it was deliberated that with all the facts and statistics on ground, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is the best bet for the APC to defeat the PDP in the general elections. “ He continued: “In fact there were those at the meeting who felt the VP is actually the only option if APC won’t risk losing the presidency. - READ ALSO: Yemi Osinbajo: The beckoning of a new era “Some media reports had claimed that some state delegates have expressed the view that the power of the people behind Osinbajo is robust, but warned that there are some forces scheming to truncate it. What many people are yet to realise is that so many things are happening at the same time within the party.” According to Femi Adesina, Buhari’s spokesperson, the President will ensure “there is a free, fair and credible election; that nobody would come to use money and resources to bamboozle his way into the leadership of the country.” The APC chieftain said more than just giving us free and fair elections, ensuring that moneybags and prebendal lords don’t fly the party’s flags in 2023 is critical. The collective fortunes of Nigerians which the Buhari-led administration has worked hard to build and protect in the last seven years must not go to the dogs. “Buhari’s legacy will depend on his demonstration of full commitment to free and credible elections and party primaries. “The starting point is who he is going to be supporting in the build-up to the forthcoming party primaries. As APC leader, he must ensure that he hands over the flag of the party to someone who imbibes his virtues of integrity, hard work, and patriotism. “Coming back to the issue of the negotiation that led to the extension, I have it on good authority that the candidate the negotiation favoured is Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. This is because PDP will win the general elections if any other aspirant is put forward in APC besides Osinbajo.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/2023-apc-chieftains-finger-osinbajo-as-partys-best-bet/?fbclid=IwAR1wtIdt0tJYbhrxE74x4p3YJMK6dlrhhphqyTPetatbTzDGfwJz0OmA-nk

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Chief Rochas Okorocha …Okorocha insists on new date for congress …It’s testimony to Okorocha’s failure—Ohakim …As mixed reactions trail congresses By Chinonso Alozie OWERRI—ATTEMPT by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to stop the state’s Local Government congresses held weekend, was foiled by a letter from the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Working Committee, which mandated that the congress must hold. An APC chieftain in Owerri West Local Government Area, Mr. Jasper Azuatalam told Vanguard that Okorocha had sent police officers to attempt to stop the congress, but on showing them proof from the NWC that the congresses have been approved to hold as scheduled, the police officers allowed the congress to continue. This was as mixed reactions trailed the congresses. While the chairman of the party in the state, Hilary Eke, conducted the LGA congress, said to have taken place in the 27 local government areas of the state, Governor Rochas Okorocha, had insisted that a new date be fixed for the Local Government congresses. Some of the local government areas where the congresses took place, saw thousands of the party members came out to exercise their rights. Vanguard however gathered that there were shootings by thugs in Umuaka in Njaba Local Government, there were shootings by thugs. A source said though nobody was killed or injured in the shooting, the thugs had arrived the congress venue immediately the congress was concluded. Some of the local government areas were the congress was said to have taken place included Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, which is Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s council area and Mbaitoli Local Government Area, where the state Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere hails from. Others were Ihitte Uboama, Ngor Okpala, Owerri west, Njaba, Owerri North, Ikeduru, Ohaji/Egbema, Oru East, Oru west, Oguta, Owerri North, Orlu, Isu, Ezinihitte, Ahiazu, Aboh, Ehime, Obowo, Ihitte Uboama, Nwangele and others. “The congress has been concluded the only challenge that we had was that the governor has a counter order and sent the police to stop the congress, so when the came I showd them the prove that the order to conduct the congress was from the NWC, and we were all there until the congress was concluded. It was successful,” said Azuatalam. Okorocha insists on new date for congress Reacting, Governor Rochas Okorocha through his Chief Press Secretary said: “The governor of Imo State and Chairman, Progressives Governors’ forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has asked members of the Party in the state to relax, assuring them that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party will fix new dates for the ward and local Government congresses of the party in the state. “With the unfolding scenarios and incontrovertible evidences, Nigerians have seen that the sensitive materials meant for the ward congresses of the party in Imo were stolen in actual fact and thereby making the exercise not to take place on Saturday, May 5, 2018. “The National chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun had also told Nigerians that the local government congresses of the party will be on hold pending the outcome of the report of the Appeal panel on Imo ward congresses.” It’s testimony toOkorocha’s failure—Ohakim The former Governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, described the outcome of the Congresses of the All Progressives Congess, APC, in the state as time for Okorocha to face punishment from the people of the state. This was as the State Organizing Secretary of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said that Amy party that lost internal democracy cannot lead Imo state. While Mr. Elvis Agukwe, said that the outcome of Imo APC congress was an outcome to break barriers. According to Ohakim, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Collins Ughalla, said:”The outcome of the ward congress of the ruling APC in Imo State is clear to everyone. “It was an embarrassing charade, a travesty, and it is an eloquent testimony to the failure the Okorocha administration has been and the kind of failure and pain Imo people have endured for seven years now. “By the recorded statements of the principal actors in the charade that congress materials were missing and officials detained at govt house and the police station, and going by our own independent monitoring of the congress, there is no doubt that the ward congress did not hold. “You saw how the Governor was humiliated and embarrassed to the point that he went knocking on the door of the National Organizing Secretary of the party in search of congress materials. How did we come this low? “Governor Okorocha has confirmed that he is incapable of organizing people and resources to achieve a common goal. He has shown he is a total failure when it comes to governance. “He has shown that he is not what he had claimed to be. He has shown that he became Governor by fraud. He has shown that he is only a big talker and that he is not the political Maradona he said he was. “Boycotting the Local Government Congress today is the greatest sign of failure and defeat. That Okorocha who behaved as if he owned the state and party is now the person organizing protests and boycotting party congress. “While I join those laughing at Governor Okorocha because he has been served in his own cup, Imo people should know that those who are now fighting the Governor were those who lied to all of us and put him there for selfish reasons and brought the state to this shameful state. We should get to reject them in 2019.” In his view, Mr. Elvis Agukwe, said: “This is the struggle to restore Imo state. It is the struggle to restore the party. I can tell you so far so good. It is a struggle to break barriers. It is a struggle for emancipation in Imo state. “This is to tell you that after your regime you go and another person will take over. What we are seeing in Imo state is that Okorocha is entangled in a power struggle.” Speaking also, the members representing Aboh Mbaise state constituency in the Imo state House of Assembly, Mr Mike Iheanetu, said: “What is happening in Imo APC is a by product of bad politics. These are visionless strange political fellows. I said this because APC, was never contemplated on a good intention. They were only ready to wrestle power from the PDP. “Since they got into power they have never met together for any assignment. This is the first time they are meeting together to behave as a political party. They are not used to it and as not a democratically set up party. “If you bring down to Imo state, Rochas has been in this one man business show. He chooses when to play card as he wanted. You recall, in 2015, he gave his ticket to his son-in-law and said he was going to contest for presidency and when he failed he came back and collected the ticket.” In his opinion, the Imo State Organizing Secretary of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Igboayaka. O. Igboayaka, “Any party that lacks internal democracy cannot lead Imo state. APC lacks Internal democracy. A party that it’s congress is characterized by writing of result sheets cannot assumed the leadership of the state. 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/2018/05/apc-nwc-foiled-attempt-okorocha-stop-imo-lg-congresses/amp/

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Ugwuanyi: Redefining governance at 56 Louis Amoke assesses the performance of Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who clocks 56 today He is no less a child of providence. Attaining 56 years of age on March 20, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State is certainly the man of the moment for so many obvious reasons. With his unique disposition to life, the governor has come a long way navigating with peacefulness, humility, caring, compassion, vision, hard-work and the fear of his beloved God. He has carved a niche for himself as an outstanding leader whose approach to handling issues remains unbeatable and enduring. The governor’s birthday is the first after his inauguration for a second term in office following his overwhelming reelection by the people of Enugu State. He won with an unprecedented 95.54 percent of the votes cast, the highest in the history of the country and this is symbolic and yet another opportunity to appreciate God, through acts of charity, for his mercy and kindness. To this great man of faith and goodwill, compassionate in uplifting the downtrodden and resolute in entrenching peace and good governance in the state, the anniversary, is as always, people-centered and a boost to continue to serve with the fear of God and render selfless service to the state and humanity. It is on record that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s penchant for the wellbeing of the people, especially the needy and downtrodden in the society, has been unequalled and a great source of strength. In ensuring peace and good governance in Enugu State, the governor in spite of the nation’s security and economic challenges, has continued to make sacrifices and work round the clock to sustain the state’s enviable peaceful atmosphere and enhance the delivery of service to the people at every level of the state. As an unassuming leader, Gov. Ugwuanyi is at peace with everybody; he relates and interacts with both the high and the low; he listens, tolerates, accommodates and cares; and most importantly, fears and serves God, faithfully. He has no enemy and always pays the ultimate price for peace to reign. The governor is one who delights in the joy of his people and shares in their grief as well. Gov. Ugwuanyi also delights in addressing grey issues that are paramount to the wellbeing of the people, especially the lowly and long neglected who had hitherto been denied the dividends of democracy. His administration’s widely cherished rural development policy, which has provided the veritable platform to address the hydra-headed imbalance between urban and rural dwellers in terms of distribution of amenities, indeed, caused a spontaneous revolution that brought about massive infrastructural development in the rural areas. The state government’s grassroots-development initiative has, therefore, ensured a systematic concentration of infrastructural developments more in the rural areas that were hitherto in dearth of amenities, helplessly. The special attention to rural areas, where the majority of the people reside, was borne out of the governor’s vision to give every citizen of the state a sense of belonging. It is on record that Ugwuanyi’s administration has profusely invested huge resources in developing the rural communities, concentrating development projects in the remote villages to create more urban centres for socio-economic growth. In this regard, communities such as Amurri and Ogonogoeji in Nkanu West LGA, Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo LGA, Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani in Uzo-Uwani LGA and Akpugoeze in Oji River LGA, that had not experienced state government presence for many decades, have been remembered with one development project or the other. The sum of N3.4 billion was appropriated in the 2020 budget, for the establishment of a Small/Medium-sized Industry in each of the seventeen (17) local government areas of the state, at an average sum of N200 million per LGA. While all these were going on, the Ugwuanyi administration through its urban renewal drive has equally ensured provision of critical infrastructure, beautification and upgrade of facilities in the urban areas, while restoring Enugu city to its original master-plan. The state government in its 2020 budget also captured the construction of the Enugu first ever flyover and completion of the International Conference Centre (ICC), among other legacy projects, to enhance the status and socio-economic potentials of the state capital. On the whole, about 600 kilometers of road across the state have been covered so far by Ugwuanyi’s administration. This is in addition to remarkable achievements in other sectors of development such as security, state workers’ welfare, education, health, empowerment, investment promotion, agriculture, Judiciary infrastructural transformation, among others. Only recently, the state workers trooped out in their numbers and marched through the streets of Enugu to the Government House, in jubilation, to thank Ugwuanyi for being the first governor of the state, since the inception of democracy in 1999, to pay them the minimum wage without rancour. The jubilant workers, who were led by the state leadership of the Organised Labour, sang solidarity songs and displayed banners/ placards with inscriptions such as: “Enugu State workers say Thank You His Excellency for the new minimum wage”, “Gburus, Enugu workers say Thank You for regular payment of salaries”, “Gburus, thank you for giving us new minimum wage without stress”, “Thank you for regular payment of monthly pensions”, “Gburus, you are a pacesetter”, “Gburus is our man”. They told the people’s governor that the workers were surprised and elated to receive their salary alerts during the weekend reflecting the new minimum wage in line with the agreed consequential adjustment chart. According to them, “today is a special day in the history of Enugu State. This is because there is no worker in Enugu State that did not benefit from Ugwuanyi’s alert, and that is why we are singing now”. Narrating other numerous interventions of the governor towards the welfare of the state workers, such as the 100 units of one-bedroom flats for civil servants between grade levels 01-10, regular payment of salaries and pensions and the payment of 13th month salary, the workers pointed out that “It’s instructive that Gov. Ugwuanyi was recording such feats at a time when many states could not pay their workers’ salaries”. Speaking at the event, the state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, Comrade Benneth Asogwa maintained that the state workers marched to the Government House to let the world know that “it is because you have been able to turn the history positively as far as minimum wage is concerned in Enugu State”. According to him, “we want to also tell them (the world) that what we are doing today is significant because in the past, whenever minimum wage was being expected, it was always negative. Then, we would mourn from, maybe, New Haven to our Secretariat crying and shouting. Then, you would see all Enugu in pains. But today, we have come to Government House, smiling”. Comrade Asogwa, who maintained that this was the first time the workers had a salary chart that was a product of collective bargaining, told Governor Ugwuanyi that “the greatest political party you have identified with is the public service and you are a full registered member and we can tell you that you have our mandate, anytime.” His words: “I want to summarise by saying that history will never forget your regime. We stand here to say that in Enugu State, we have worked for years without salary chart until somebody called Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, a.k.a Gburugburu, came and the dignity of workers was restored. We stand here today to say, Your Excellency, we are very grateful”. On the significance of the governor’s 56th birthday, the time-honoured occasion, symbolically reinvigorates his commitment to charity and almsgiving – a constant moral obligation in appreciation of God’s goodness and amazing grace to him as “Nwaogbenye”. The anniversary offers him and his family, friends, well-wishers, and teeming supporters, who have remained steadfast in prayers, yet another opportunity to give to the poor and less privileged in the society with all sense of divinity and benevolence. Consequently, the pet project of the governor’s wife, Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation, is at the moment offering one week free medical outreach across the 17 LGAs of the state, in collaboration with Dr. Chukwudi Abraham Nneji Hospital Organisation, Germany, to celebrate the governor’s birthday. This humanitarian exercise is in keeping with the governor’s long-held appeal that those who intended to offer him birthday gifts should deploy them to charity in appreciation of God’s mercy and kindness as well as in the spirit of the Lenten Season. As we celebrate with the people’s governor, it is our collective responsibility to continue to appreciate God‘s abundant blessings upon him and his family’s life, reflect and pray fervently for continued peace and good governance, and encourage him to hold on tightly to his sound vision to take Enugu State to the next level. Happy Birthday, His Excellency. Enugu State is truly in the hands of God!

https://thenationonlineng.net/ugwuanyi-redefining-governance-at-56/

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Makarfi, Obi working for APC chieftain – Sheriff There seems to be no let-up in the leadership crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the combatants continue to dig deeper into the trenches. The party’s embattled National Chairman; Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff Friday accused the Chairman of the PDP caretaker committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Secretary of the committee, Senator Ben Obi of working for a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Sheriff said the unnamed APC chieftain has been sponsoring Makarfi and Obi have been paying secret visits to the said APC chieftain. Makarfi and his committee have continued to insist that Sheriff was being sponsored by the APC for the purpose of destroying the PDP. But Sheriff retorted, “If there are people in the PDP working for the APC, it’s Makarfi and Obi. Makarfi should not force me to reveal details that I should not reveal under normal circumstances. “Makarfi and Obi have gone to visit this APC chieftain in his house twice and this particular individual is still in the APC. It would have been better if the man had left the APC to join the PDP. “They are reserving the 2019 presidential ticket of the PDP for this individual who has been funding their activities. If Makarfi continues to attack my person, I will be forced to reveal further details of their alliance. “Everybody in Nigeria knows this particular APC chieftain who wants to contest for president in 2019 on the platform of the PDP. So Makarfi should just shut up”. Sheriff had, earlier in the day, received a delegation of PDP chieftains from Plateau state who came to declare support for his leadership. The leader of the delegation, Dr. Haruna Dabin said the delegation decided to support Sheriff because he is the only one that can stop the culture of impunity in the PDP. Dabin said, “We have decided to stand with Sheriff on the path of truth and the rule of law. We are confident in his ability to heal the wounds in our party” The Plateau PDP chief said his group was short-hanged during the last congress held in the state, adding that winners in the congress were handpicked and imposed on the chapter. Responding, Sheriff assured them that the congress in Plateau would be revisited, with the view to correcting the mistakes of the past. “You cannot put nothing on nothing, so I will never associate myself with what is not right. I will make sure that PDP lives up to its name. So I will work hard to ensure that the right people are elected in Plateau and other states through fresh congresses.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/makarfi-obi-working-apc-chieftain-sheriff/

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Banks fail CBN’s stress test on foreign operations - Financial institutions’ Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) drops to 11.2%, below 15% threshold Eight commercial banks have fallen short of the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) required for international authorisation, the stress test conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has shown. The affected banks have been put under pressure to raise their capital base to bridge the gap, which was brought about by the depreciation of the naira against the dollar and other foreign currencies Through its 2021 guidelines, the CBN had mandated the Deposit Money Banks to maintain a prudential CAR of 10 per cent for national and regional banks. Those with international authorisation were instructed to uphold a 15 per cent regulatory CAR. However, the CBN report showed a decline in the banking system’s CAR, dropping to 11.2 per cent, which is 3.0 per cent short. This is below the 15.0 per cent threshold set for banks with international authorisation. The decline in the banks’ CAR was attributed to a decrease in total qualifying capital relative to increased risk-weighted assets due to the naira’s depreciation following the adoption of a market-determined exchange rate policy. This reflects the challenges faced by these institutions. The banks were scrutinised based on their capital strength and risk profile, a crucial measure of a bank’s financial stability. The stress test was conducted to assess the banks’ financial health and their ability to withstand adverse economic conditions and shocks. Specifically, the test focused on the CAR, which measures the proportion of a bank’s capital to its risk-weighted assets and is used to determine the bank’s financial stability. The CAR is a regulatory requirement set by the CBN and each bank is expected to maintain a minimum level of capital to ensure their ability to absorb potential losses. Based on the results of the stress test, it was discovered that among the affected banks with international authorisation, their capital adequacy ratio was lower than the minimum regulatory requirement set by the CBN. This implies that these banks may have insufficient capital to meet potential losses during challenging economic conditions, which could potentially impact their overall financial stability. The CBN’s revelation of the banks’ CAR falling below the minimum regulatory requirement emphasises the need for appropriate measures to be taken to address this issue. It could prompt regulatory action, such as requiring the affected banks to raise additional capital or implement strategies to strengthen their financial position to mitigate any potential risks to the banking sector and the economy. The depreciation, stemming from the CBN’s managed float of the exchange rate in June 2023, significantly impacted banks, leading to substantial foreign exchange losses. It also affected the required capital for international, national, and regional banks. Speaking penultimate Friday at the annual dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso highlighted plans to introduce new capital requirements for banks. He said: “Nigeria’s financial sector has demonstrated resilience in 2023, with key indicators of financial soundness largely meeting regulatory benchmarks. “Stress tests conducted on the banking industry also indicate its strength under mild-to-moderate scenarios of sustained economic and financial stress, although there is room for further strengthening and enhancing resilience to shocks. “Therefore, there is still much work to be done in fortifying the industry for future challenges, a topic that I will delve into later in my address. “It is crucial for us to evaluate the adequacy of our banking industry to serve the envisioned larger economy. “It is not just about the stability of the financial system in the present moment, as we have already established that the current assessment shows stability. “However, we need to ask ourselves: Will Nigerian banks have sufficient capital relative to the financial system’s needs in servicing a $1.0 trillion economy in the near future? In my opinion, the answer is ‘No!’ unless we take action. “Therefore, we must make difficult decisions regarding capital adequacy. As a first step, we will be directing banks to increase their capital.” The report also outlined a positive trend in banks’ asset quality, with a marginal decrease in Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) from 4.5 per cent to 4.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2023, reflecting improvement in loan recoveries and surpassing the prudential benchmark of 5.0 per cent. Furthermore, the Industry Liquidity Ratio (LR) witnessed a significant rise, reaching 62.2 per cent in the review quarter, surpassing the minimum regulatory benchmark of 30.0 per cent. This upswing signifies the banks’ robust capacity to fulfil their financial obligations. The CBN’s disclosures underscored the pivotal need for banking institutions, particularly those with international authorisation, to bolster their capital adequacy and navigate the evolving economic landscape.

https://thenationonlineng.net/banks-fail-cbns-stress-test-on-foreign-operations-2/

Business

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-Federal government has approved the sum of N4,500 for each of the 200,000 beneficiaries of N-Power Volunteer Corps jobs for the purchase of an enhanced electronic device. The device would be loaded with different applications that would further improve the skills of the beneficiaries and afford them additional training opportunities during the two-year duration of the job program. Also, a total of 149, 669 Nigerian graduates of the 200,000 are now collecting their monthly stipends of N30,000 monthly having been physically verified and deployed across the 36 states and FCT. Mr. Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made the disclosure while giving update on the Social Investment Programmes of the present administration. According to Akande who issued a statement, the device grant was in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BoI) which has extended an asset finance of 20 months to each of the 200,000 N-Power beneficiaries. He explained: “While each of the beneficiaries after being verified would select their choice of device amongst nine different BOI pre-approved vendors, the price ranges from N3,000 to N6,700 monthly deductions for the next 20months. “Therefore in some cases the N4,500 device grant would cover the full monthly deduction cost while in other cases the graduate authorizes BOI to deduct the additional differential cost from their monthly stipends depending on the device chosen.” The Vice President’s Spokesman also noted that “6 of the 9 BOI pre-approved vendors are indigenous local brands in pursuit of the Buhari administration’s push for Local Content.” He said “almost 100,000 graduate N-Power beneficiaries have completed their orders for the devices, adding that the Bank of Industry is in charge of affecting the orders made. The plan is to conduct the order of the devices in two batches of 100,000 each, one after the other. “It was further disclosed that all the 149,669 N-Power beneficiaries now collecting their stipends have been physically verified and deployed, while their given bank account information have also been matched with the Bank Verification Number.” The SSA said that “in December, about 112,475 of the N-Power graduate beneficiaries received the N30,000 monthly stipends, and the number came close to 150,000, both in January and February meaning about that number are now receiving their up-to-date stipends from the N-Power Volunteer Corps.” Akande also noted “that now beneficiaries across the 36 States of the Federation, and the FCT have been verified, totaling the 150,000 figure. He said the balance 50,000 of the 200,000 beneficiaries engaged by the FG are those who so far could not be paid for various reasons. “This includes those who were disqualified during verification on the basis of age-over 35, and inadequate academic qualification. The N-Power is for university, polytechnics and College of Education graduates only. There were also some of the selected 200,000 who were ‘no shows’ meaning they simply did not report for verification at all. Others who could not be paid were those whose personal information details were faulty, including those whose marital status have changed. There are also those who used different names and differing personal information. And lastly there are also those whose banking information simply do not match with their BVN banking records. In the case of those whose marital status have changed, Akande explained that their information is now being updated through the various States and FCT Focal Persons and then they would be represented for payment. He also disclosed that those who have sought redeployment to other states are among the 50,000 and in such cases, they will be considered alongside those to be replaced from the N-Power waiting list where necessary. “The process for the replacement of those who did not show up and those disqualified would also resume shortly to bring the number back to 200,000 for the first batch of the 500,000 promised by the Buhari administration”, he said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/n-power-graduates-get-additional-n4500-subsidy-buy-tablets/

Politics

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Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, described his encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as nice By Jide Ajani, Emma Ujah & Henry Umoru – Former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and chieftain of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has been arrested by the State Security Service, SSS over alleged “inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading” claims. el-Rufai was arrested in the early hours of yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from the United Kingdom, UK. He was said to have returned from a trip undertaken with the CPC presidential candidate in the April polls, Maj. General Muhammad Buhari, and his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who were at the Chattam House in London, to make a formal presentation about the polls which result they have rejected and are contesting at the presidential election tribunal. el-Rufai has, of recent, become very critical of the Federal Government. In a statement, the SSS linked the arrest to “recent articles in the cyber and print media which have been considered by well-meaning Nigerians to be inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading”. El-Rufai’s media aide corroborated the claim when he hinted that his principal may have been held over his allegation in the media that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) was allocated N208 billion in the 2011 budget. Sunday Vanguard security sources, however, punctured the former minister’s allegation on the N208 billion budgetary allocation to the NSA office, saying it was a lie. The sources said el-Rufai had explanations to make on the matter. It was gathered that the former minister may be charged to court tomorrow. It was not clear what he may be charged with, although a source said he may face incitement charge. Buhari was swift in his condemnation of the arrest which he described as a flagrant violation of the former minister’s right and demanded his release. Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also described el-Rufai’s arrest as “a disgrace and monumental error” on the part of the Federal Government. Why he was arrested – SSS In a statement by the SSS, signed by Marilyn Ogar, Assistant Director, Public Relations, it was discovered that the operatives who arrested el-Rufai were acting on instructions. The statement read: “At 0500 hours of 2nd July, 2011, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was intercepted on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. “This became necessary following Mallam el-Rufai’s recent articles in the cyber and print media which have been considered by well meaning Nigerians to be inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading. For instance, his column on the back page of 1st July, 2011 edition of Thisday newspaper titled “What Nigeria Pays FG” clearly attests to this. “It is pertinent to note that the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI Bill has been passed into law, yet he refused to cross check his facts before publishing. He rather chose to misinform the public with mischievously orchestrated data with the intent of causing disaffection among the populace thereby subverting Government. “It is expected that the Former Minister should have been more circumspect against the backdrop of current security challenges in the country. “Nigeria belongs to all of us and no one should take laws into their hands as no one is above the law”. How they held el-Rufai – aide Detailing how the former minister was arrested, his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a statement, said el-Rufai was, yesterday morning, arrested at Abuja airport as he arrived from London aboard a British Airways flight. SSS operatives later whisked him to their headquarters where he was hauled before their Director-General, the statement. According to the statement, ‘’feelers indicate that the immediate trigger for his arrest is his disclosure in his Thisday column of Friday, 01 July 2011 that the National Security Adviser (NSA) was allocated N208 billion in the 2011 budget. This figure is in the 2011 Appropriation Act which is a public document. “Bringing an information in the public domain to the people cannot by any stretch of the imagination be a crime even if it embarrasses security chiefs who, on the evidence of insecurity in the land, are not delivering value despite securing tidy budgetary allocations! “If the facts in el Rufai’s article, ‘What Nigerians pay FG’, are wrong in fact or context, that cannot be remedied by a denial of liberty. The government should simply publish its alternative narrative, and let the public decide. All efforts to establish contact with him have since proved abortive and the SSS has given no word to his family and lawyers who have kept vigil. “el Rufai was returning from a week-long trip to the UK where he attended the Chatham House presentation by General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the CPC, who discussed recent events in Nigeria. He also visited his kids schooling there. “Mallam el Rufai has not done anything illegal by encouraging discourse about what our government costs us. He has been outspoken about his concerns regarding the direction the current government is taking this country, and he has written critical pieces on this matter on Nigerian and international media platforms. Free speech is a constitutional right, and it implies the obligation by the state to defend even those whose views are not congruent with the powers that be. “el Rufai’s views have been opposed by commentators more sympathetic to the Jonathan government. That is the way civilized discourse ought to go in a democratic country, not an illegal resort to arm-twisting and harassment.” el-Rufai’s SMS message made available to our correspondent immediately he was picked read, “good morning. I have been detained at the airport on arrival by the SSS. Thanks.’’ Case to answer But giving some insight into the reason el-Rufai was arrested, a top placed security source told Sunday Vanguard: “We picked him up because he wrote (alleged) lies”. He went on: “In the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill 2011 passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on May 25 and signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 26, 2011, the intelligence community got a total allocation of N109,855,099,466 (approximated to N109.855bilion) which splits as follows: the Office of the National Security Adviser – N40,846,937,023; Directorate of State Security (that is the SSS) – N23,452,705,993; National Intelligence Agency – N27,720,580,338; and the Presidential Air Fleet –N17,834,876,113. So where did El-Rufai get his N208billion? Even then, all the funds due to intelligence community are controlled by the Permanent Secretary (Social Services) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)”. The source further said: “When did Amnesty Programme become part of intelligence community whose votes are being managed by the National Security Adviser? It is very wrong and inciting to manufacture figures and present them as truth because you lost out somewhere and suddenly realised you should become relevant by writing a column in a newspaper. He is certainly appearing in court on Monday.” Violation of right Meanwhile, Buhari says the arrest is a flagrant violation of el-Rufai’s right. The former head of state and the presidential candidate of the former minister’s party, the CPC, in the April polls, who also called for el-Rufai’s immediate release, said, “It only shows that there are more people in our country who know how to win by hook and crook than those who know how to make proper use of their victory.” In a statement signed yesterday by his spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin, Buhari noted that rather than what he termed unjust incarceration of the former minister, government should instead proceed to prefer whatever charges they have against him in court if he has committed any offense known to the laws of the land. “But to keep him in gaol without any charges will only cast the administration in the mould of a vindictive regime that is launching a wave of political repression because it is jittery”, he said. According to the statement, Buhari, who condemned what he described as this brazen act of intimidation,harassment and flagrant violation of citizens right in a democratic atmosphere, said ‘’that hounding innocent citizens to detention in less than a month in office while failing to rise to the security challenges facing the nation shows a regime that does not understand what its priorities should be.’’ Fani-Kayode, also querying el-Rufai’s arrest, said, “Since when has it been a crime to be critical of government?”, adding, “I thought this was meant to be a democracy. Those who speak out are not the ones President Jonathan should be worried about. “It is those that do not speak out but that bomb, maim and kill that his SSS should be hunting down.” The former aviation minister told Sunday Vanguard that the Jonathan administration cannot silence opposition as, according to him, to use force and intimidation against opposition would only multiply it. He therefore called for the immediate release of the CPC chieftain. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/sss-arrests-el-rufai-over-incitement/

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Prince Bisi Yusuff, the Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area and the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, candidate for the Alimosho constituency 01 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, in this interview with Political Platforms, speaks on his ambition and other issues. Why are you vying for the State Assembly seat? Well, I am contesting because that is the wish of my people. My people demanded that I contest because they believe in my ability and the fact that I will give them quality representation. You are moving from the executive post to the legislature. How convenient do you think this would be? That is a very good platform, I think, because my recommendation will even be that before you go to the House of Assembly, you have to be a grassroots person. You have to live in the midst of the ordinary people, to know their feelings and their aspirations. You have to know the multi- dimensional problems that they are facing. It is when you know all these that you will know how to articulate their yearnings and aspiration at the floor of the house. Apart from the fact that your people want you to contest, how prepared are you? I am very prepared. I’m always prepared. What do you intend to do to surpass what the incumbent representative has done for the constituency? Well, Hon. Adelabu has done a lot for the people of this constituency and I want to tell you that I will build on what he has done. Definitely, I know that when I get there, I will try as much as possible to live up to the people’s expectation. As a local government chairman, a grassroots politician, you seem to know where the shoe pinches your people. As their new representative, how do you intend to alleviate their suffering? Definately, that is what I called quality representation. For instance, in the area of infrastructural development, Alimosho is bigger than so many states in the federation and therefore, my focus will definitely be on that. In terms of road development, we are lagging behind; this area is going to be my number one priority because Ipaja-Ayobo has not witnessed much in terms of infrastructural development in the last couple of years, likewise Agbado Oke-Odo and Mosan Okunola and Alimosho Federal Constituency. Governor Fashola has embarked on a project in Alimosho as a mega/model city and we in the House of Assembly would try as much as possible to encourage him to quicken action on it. If we could achieve this aim, Alimosho will become a centre of excellence in the centre of excellence. How soon should the people of Ayobo-Ipaja be expecting their roads to be motorable? Already it is done. You can see that we now have about 10 BRT buses plying our roads. So, the palliative measure has started and the governor has awarded the contract. It is going to be a dual-carriage road from Moshalasi to Aiyetoro. It will commence very soon after the completion of Egbe-Idimu/Iyana-Ipaja Road, and it will then be our turn but I just have to appeal to my people to exercise some patient. Now that I am going to a higher level, definitely, there will be a lot of improvement. How did the voter registration fare in your area? When you see a good product, the people will rush it. It is the work that governor Fashola has done with the little ones that I put up, that made the people to come out en masse to participate in the exercise but unfortunately, we could not register all eligible voters because of inadequate DDC machines. If the DDC machines were enough, we would have registered over one million would-be voters in this LCDA. Now that the registration exercise has ended, what machinery have you put in place to ensure the success of ACN in your domain? By the special grace of God, we have started. You can see the kind of jamboree that Jonathan is putting up. Ours is more than that. This campaign is more than gathering, singing and dancing. What we are going to tell the people is just the issue. The issues that affect the ordinary people on the street, the issues that will alleviate their sufferings. The issues that will put food on their table, give them electricity, good road network, transportation, education and water; the issue that will affect the social life of the people and how to reduce social problems in our society. We will engage in debate with those who want to contest against us. Let us have an open debate, let us invite them so that they can engage us in a debate on what we want to do for our people. This are the issues we want to tackle because this campaign is gong to be scientific.

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/09/26/divided-anambra-gov-obis-legacy/We

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A Professor of Entomology at the University of Ilorin, Adeolu Ande, has decried killing mosquitoes, saying the insects are friends to humans that deserved to be properly managed. Ande said that mosquitoes had proven over the years that they are our friends and allies, adding that if we like them or not, they would exist and continue to source blood from humans. He also said that zoologists were expected to be the foster parents of animals in the Zoo, adding that they should be familiar with their needs and their health status. Ande made the statement on Monday in Ilorin in a paper he presented at a public seminar organised by the university. In his paper with the title “Consider the ways of Ants and be Wise,” the entomologist described insects as the “most successful and influential group’’ of organisms in the biosphere. He said that humans had a lot to learn from insects in order to be wise. “Human life is beset with inevitable associations with insects that have over the years influenced human destiny positively and negatively. “Negative influences, such as disease transmission, crop losses, food spoilage, economic losses and nuisance value caused by less than 5 per cent of insect species have been exaggerated by man. He said that positive influences of insects are not unappreciated and downplayed. He listed some of them to include: pollination of flowers, waste recycling and sustenance of the ecosystem. Others, he said, include source of silk, shellac, cochineal, therapeutic agents, aesthetics, biological control agents and food source. The don said that man deliberately misunderstood the role of mosquitoes and frequently described them as causing the diseases they transmit. He said: “in the actual sense, mosquitoes are equally sick but inadvertently and unwillingly convey pathogens that are the real causal agents of these diseases. “The female mosquito could be described as an example of a true mother who is forced to undertake suicide mission in its bid to provide for its unborn children. “The adult female mosquitoes have exceptional value for child raising hence the level of commitment and risk they take on the mission that entails decision between life and death. “The after effect of this commitment is a well thought out plan that forestalls most of the factors that may stand in the way of raising good children. “I am sure most human females will not take comparable decision in the face of similar attendant risks. “It is however certain that children born after well thought-out and risky conditions are better posited for quality living than those produced carelessly. The professor called for improvement in Zoology curriculum to ensure better focus on organisms that feature prominently around man. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/mosquitoes-friends-need-blood-stop-killing-don/amp/

Health

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By Is’haq Modibbo Kawu NOVEMBER 15th, marked the ninth anniversary of the passing of Rear Admiral Muhammed Alabi Lawal, naval officer, former Ogun state military administrator and first democratically elected indigene of Ilorin as civilian governor of Kwara state. To commemorate the anniversary, a prayer session held in his residence in Ilorin, while his political associates used the opportunity to recall his contributions to Kwara’s development. I was unable to attend ceremonies to commemorate his death. I had a very difficult relationship with Governor Muhammed Lawal. There was really nothing personal between us, but by proxy, we became enstranged, as a result of issues and individuals within his administration. Those directly concerned did everything to set Muhammed Lawal against me, and I must openly declare today, that it was testimony to his character, that he did not go as far as they wanted, in the manner that I decided to end my tenure as General Manager of the Kwara State Television Service. I met Governor Lawal alone in his office inside the Government House, Ilorin, on May 7TH, 2002, to submit a letter of resignation; we then spent the next one hour and a half hours discussing all the issues that were crafted as political allegations against me as well as my honest view of his performance as governor that he insisted that I offered. “You’re a journalist and Political Scientist”, he had reminded me, “please tell me the truth”! I resumed as Editor of DAILY TRUST the following week, and in February, 2003, I met Governor Muhammed Lawal again, in Ilorin, this time at the behest of General Ibrahim Babangida, who insisted on the meeting, so we can settle whatever differences we had. That meeting held before the 2003 elections and the backdrop was the deep political division, which had developed in the Ilorin Emirate, and the feeling that Governor Muhammed Lawal had designs against the Emir of Ilorin and the Emirate structure. Dr. Olushola Saraki postured as defender of our community’s values; therefore, a tactical alliance was built against Governor Muhammed Lawal. The late Olushola Saraki exploited our feelings and manipulated emotions about our historical values to open access for his son, Bukola, to seize the reigns of power and unfortunately, we couldn’t foresee that we were embarking on a journey to perdition. The Saraki hegemony has turned out to be the worst plague that our community has ever or can ever suffer! But that is a different issue to interrogate at another point in time. After Governor Muhammed Lawal’s defeat in the 2003 elections, I won’t get to meet the man again, until April 2004, in Sokoto and later on in Abuja. That last meeting in Abuja held for a very long time and we discussed in some detail, many of the issues that haunted his administration and led to his alienation from the community. I left Muhammed Lawal that day, a bit more sympathetic towards him, even when I was still caught up in the sweep of the emotions of the events, which led to his defeat at the elections. Not long after our last meeting, his mother died in Ilorin. I went to greet him but did not meet him, I however left a very long note. We were not destined to meet again, till he died in 2006. I wrote an obituary which some of his supporters were not happy about. And when I attended a wedding ceremony in his mosque a year or so after, a member of his family even attempted to assault me as we filed out of the mosque! It was indicative of the deep emotions that the late Governor Muhammed Lawal continued to stir in our community. But I think nine years after his death, and with the experience of the Saraki hegemony in Kwara since 2003, there has come a newer understanding of the Governor Muhammed Lawal’s years in our state as well as a greater appreciation of the man himself. The late Governor Muhammed Lawal belonged to that generation of Ilorin elite born during the 1940s; they were the first set that really had university education and therefore were the link between the older generation and the much younger. They helped the community to finally appreciate the importance of tertiary education. That generation was also unique, because many of them were outstanding students and Muhammed Lawal was also one of the best of his generation. They went into professions and would be outstanding in their various fields. Muhammed Lawal studied engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before joining the Nigerian Navy, where he rose to become an admiral. When he retired, it came as no surprise that he would join politics; and it was also remarkable that he became civilian governor at a point when the Ilorin community had reached a consensus, that one of its children should become governor, for the first time since the creation of Kwara state in 1967. Muhammed Lawal took to the job like a duck to water and made tremendous effort at rehabilitating many projects that had decayed over the decades of military dictatorship. He went on a roads rehabilitation and construction spree; health centres were rehabilitated; a new presidential lodge was constructed and Muhammed Lawal renovated Kwara Hotel and government quarters all over the GRA were given a facelift. Above all, he consciously chose to empower local contractors and so a lot of money circulated within the economy of the state. Remarkably, Muhammed Lawal did not choose to sell off state assets as Bukola Saraki was eventually to do when he became governor and he didn’t prioritise non-Kwara contractors as Bukola Saraki was to do, in a conscious effort to impoverish the community, as a weapon of control. And because Muhammed Lawal was a bonafide son of our community, he readily showed respect for our culture and our people. Whether at wedding ceremonies or funeral prayers, Muhammed Lawal knew the values that our people valorised. On the contrary, when Bukola Saraki became governor, his arrogance became the talk of the community. He looked down at people, including the elders of our community, and carried on as if he was doing a favour being governor of Kwara state. Second term politics Unfortunately, the politics of Second Term in power distracted Governor Muhammed Lawal. Unbeknownst to all, late Olushola Saraki had decided that his son, who was alien to the community, was ready to become governor. He postured as defender of the values of the community at a time that Muhammed Lawal was increasingly becoming profiled as antagonistic to the Emir of Ilorin and the structures of value of the community. It was a battle that he could not win, since the Saraki family had entered the ruling PDP; federal might was called upon, after then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar had imposed Bukola Saraki as PDP’s governorship candidate, despite protestations of original members of the party in the state. Muhammed Lawal was defeated in the 2003 elections, and people in our community and state rejoiced. What we could not foresee in 2003, was that we were about to enter into the worst possible period in our history. The Saraki hegemony was finally instituted and the control of Kwara’s finances since 2003, led to the entrenchment of Bukola Saraki’s personality cult. He defeated his father and sister in the 2011 elections and installed as governor a long-term loyalist, AbdulFatai Ahmed. With that action, the most unique political project was foisted on Kwara state, which has no parallel in Nigeria-genuinely ruling a state by proxy! There is no gainsaying the fact that the twelve years since 2003, has been the worst in the history of Kwara state. The steady impoverishment of our people has gone side-by-side with the jaw-dropping enrichment of Bukola Saraki and the coterie of political hangers on around him. Today teachers, local government staff and workers in parastatals are owed salaries. The huge sums that Kwara took from the Federation Account along with the massive loans taken in our name over the past twelve years, cannot be seen in meaningful developments genuinely touching the lives of our people. Governance in Kwara since 2003 resembles an elaborate project of deceit and patent fraud. It is like entering a “One Chance Taxi”, and in the name of Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP), Kwara state has been systematically fleeced while its resources resembles a lady that fell into the hands of serial rapists. This is the lie that governance has desperately continued to attempt to hide since 2003 and it’s the reason that Kwara state lies prostrate. Our people are in acute despair because governance is a fraud, which does not touch their lives positively. Given the pains they have gone through since 2003 with the institution of the Saraki hegemony and the enthronement of Bukola Saraki’s personality cult, it is no wonder that people are reappraising the Muhammed Lawal legacy in Ilorin in particular and Kwara state in general. There were many things that people disagreed with during his administration; they included the employment of thugs and cultists who visited violence on the community. His commissioner son-in-law also alienated people. They were also unable to tolerate his disrespect of the emirate structure and they expressed their displeasure through the ballot box. However, in the years since he left power, and following his tragic death, we now know better, who was really a genuine lover of our community and its ethos. Muhammed Lawal worked devotedly as governor and he never attempted to alienate the properties of government, nor sold them to cronies. He did not take loans in the name of Kwara, nor use the loans to build shopping complexes, diagnostic centre or aviation college; he did not appropriate hundreds of millions of naira for a so-called Zimbabwe farm, then turn around to say those projects do not belong to our state, but to a so-called “Private Sector”. That was the governance gimmick introduced to Kwara state by Bukola Saraki. Muhammed Lawal was a genuine patriot who loved our community and worked for its genuine development and the empowerment of our people. He did not manipulate the House of Assembly to approve for himself an immoral pension package and did not treat Kwara as a private estate. That came after he left power and the state became the hegemony of a single family and eventually the wallet of an individual. This is the background today, why the late Governor Muhammed Lawal is now fondly remembered in Kwara state. May Allah forgive Governor Muhammed Lawal and grant him Aljanna. Amin. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/remembering-governor-muhammed-lawal/

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BREAKING: Why we accepted N70,000 minimum wage – Labour The leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced that they have accepted the N70,000 minimum wage approved for Nigerian workers by President Bola Tinubu. A statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, indicated that President Tinubu also pledged to find ways to help the private sector and sub-national entities meet the minimum wage requirement. Following the meeting, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, briefed the media and confirmed that the unions had accepted the offer. Read Also: My new album is a labour of love, says Simi Ajaero, accompanied by Comrade Festus Usifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other representatives of Nigerian workers, stated that the unions had accepted the offer because there were other incentives attached. He said that the president’s pledge of a review every three years, as opposed to what had previously been received, was another factor in his decision to accept the offer.

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-why-we-accepted-n70000-minimum-wage-labour/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitterThose

Politics

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Pope Francis has outlawed the sale of cigarettes at the Vatican in a bid to lead by example on healthy living. “The Holy Father has decided that the Vatican will cease to sell cigarettes to employees as of 2018,” the Vatican said in a statement on Thursday. “The reason is very simple: the Holy See cannot contribute to an activity that clearly damages the health of people,” it said, adding that smoking claims more than seven million lives every year, according to the World Health Organization. “Although the cigarettes sold to employees and pensioners in the Vatican at a reduced price are a source of revenue for the Holy See, no profit can be legitimate if it puts lives at risk,” it added. Francis, who has only one lung, does not smoke. He has let the locals keep their other guilty pleasure, tax-free alcohol. The cigarettes and booze are sold in a luxury duty-free shop, opened in 2003 in what was once the Vatican’s magnificent railway station but is now home to everything from designer handbags and shoes to flat-screen televisions. Only those with a pass — Vatican employees or pensioners — can shop there, and many pick up goods, food and even fuel inside the city for Italian friends on the other side of the tiny state’s imposing walls. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/breaking-pope-bans-cigarettes-sales-vatican/

Religion

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – Strong indications emerged last night that pressures were beginning to mount on former governor of Bayelsa and other aspirants for governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Bayelsa State to step down for Timi Alaibe. Alaibe is the former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and aspirant of the ticket. The indicators of development became visible after a meeting between the aspirants numbering 19 and leadership of the APC yesterday. The meeting which behind closed door had in attendance the national chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, Deputy national chairman (South) Olusegun Oni, national organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso among other national executives of the party. It was gathered that Silva’s case with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC was acting as an albatross on his neck and as such may not be “marketable”. A source stated that the party was more “comfortable” with the candidature of Alaibe who they said had an edge over the serving governor, Mr. Serieke Dickson with his grassroots presence. “Apart from the fact that they feel he can not win the state, the leaders also think the former governor is yet to settle with the anti graft agencies over alleged misapropriation of fund when he was the governor of Bayelsa state.”the source said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/bayelsa-sylva-others-may-step-down-for-alaibe/#sthash.FIPw65iv.dpuf

Politics

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By Onozure Dania The Federal Ministry of Transport has responded to a Freedom of Information, FOI request by former 2nd Vice-President of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Monday Ubani and Lagos-based lawyer, John Nwokwu for detailed information of the $1.96billion Kano-Niger Republic rail project. Ubani and Nwokwu had last month sought details of the controversial rail project using the FOI Act insisting that Nigerians deserve to know amongst other things the economic benefits of the project, including the funding mechanism. The Ministry last week responded to the demand and gave more details of the project and insisted that the actual cost of the project is USD 1,959,744,723,71inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT. It also confirmed that the track length of the rail is 378km starting from Kano – Danbatta – Kazana – Daura – Meshi – Kastina – Jibiya – Maradi (Niger Republic) with a branch line to Dutse in Jigawa State. It also confirmed that only 20km of the track length is within the Niger Republic while 358km is within Nigeria. The MoT response reads, “Mota-Engil Africa in line with the ICRC guidelines and Public Procurement Act, 2007, was recommended as the preferred bidder for the Project haven been ranked first for submitting an excellent response to the RFP, and providing all the required information. On budgetary allocation for the rail project, the Ministry claimed in its response that the project is to be 100% funded by Messrs Mota-Engil Africa under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+ F) model through a combination of lenders from Export Credit Agencies (ECA) and commercial facilities backed by a sovereign guarantee. It, however, failed to provide any Memorandum of Understanding or agreement between the Ministry and MotaEngil. Enumerating the economic benefits of the project, the Ministry said its study estimates a total cost of road accidents saved per year is USD 57,224,095. Other economic benefits according to the Ministry include saving from greenhouse gases reduction, saving in road maintenance and promotion of Intra Africa Trade. Ubani in a statement commended the unusual timely response of the Ministry. He, however, added that he would study the response along with his partners to fashion out the best possible response. The method of funding and the liability of the funding on Nigerians, to him, appears suspicious. According to him, the contract papers were not provided by the Ministry in clear compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/transport-ministry-complies-with-foi-request-on-1-96bn-rail-project/

Politics

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Fayemi restates commitment to community policing Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has described the creation of additional zonal commands of the Nigeria Police, including Zone 17 comprising Ondo and Ekiti States, as a strategic move that would strengthen community policing in the country. Fayemi disclosed this on Tuesday when he received the pioneer AIG of the newly created Zone 17, Assistant Inspector General, David Folawiyo in his office in Ado- Ekiti. The governor who commended the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu for the creation of new zonal commands also lauded the new AIG’s vast professional experience in community policing, investigation as well as in the Interpol. He noted that AIG Folawiyo’s extensive knowledge, experience and exposure would be of huge benefit to the states under the new zone. The Governor expressed optimism that the new AIG would contribute to the development agenda of the zone because the two states are inexplicably inter-twined culturally and security wise. READ ALSO: Fayemi declares war on rapists He said: “We are delighted that this has finally happened. For us, it is a bold step in bringing the police closer to the community. Before now, we used to be part of Zone 8 which has its base in Lokoja, which is frankly not a demonstration of proximal policing in any sense. Lokoja is very far from us and we have been agitating and glad that the current Inspector General of Police harkened to our voice and Mr. President approved the devolution of policing to the local level. “People commit crime in Ekiti state and they can walk and come out of Ondo state via our bushes. You will not even know how they got there. Being in charge definitely speaks to our own commitment to community policing and we hope to benefit from your extensive knowledge and experience.” The Governor promised to assist and collaborate with the zonal command to overcome its initial challenges. Earlier, the new AIG, Folawiyo, had said that the zone would be at the forefront of combating crime at the level of community policing and other important aspects of general security. The AIG assured the governments of the two states that the activities of the command would be participatory through mentoring and ensuring training of all principal actors and stakeholders. He promised to collaborate with government in his drive to achieve success during his tenure in the zone. According to the AIG, “Our focus is going to be community policing, partnership and transformation; we have new plans and strategies to make governance better from the angle of security. We would be frontliners in general security and community policing in zone17,” he added.

https://thenationonlineng.net/fayemi-restates-commitment-to-community-policing/?fbclid=IwAR079V3PyR1p7BnBFFkc0swyUijXIRPPgLqb5MMCziDU07xVkHGU9xxeggM

Politics

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By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor The mystery over President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged agreement with northern governors of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2011 not to contest the 2015 presidential election deepened, yesterday. Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who blew the lid on the issue, it was learnt, had warned his close associates and top aides not to comment on the matter. It was also learnt yesterday, that the governor may have been mandated to make the revelation on behalf of northern governors. Governor Aliyu is chairman of Northern Governors Forum. Alhaji Tanko Yakassi, one of the leading members of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, told Vanguard, yesterday, that an attempt by the forum to get the president to concede the 2015 presidential ticket to the north failed after two meetings. Yakassi’s assertion, nonetheless, other northern opinion leaders, yesterday, pointed to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim on the final day of PDP campaigns where he was quoted as saying that President Jonathan would serve one term. President’s supporters disparage claims Supporters of the president last night disparaged the claims. Mr. Joe Ambakaderemo, national coordinator of South-South Elements Progressive Union, SSEPU, described the existence of the agreement as inconceivable, outlandish and myopic, saying Aliyu should wait till 2019 to realise his ambition. Governor Aliyu had, in a radio interview on Saturday, claimed that the president reached an agreement not to contest the 2015 presidential election. He said: “I recall that at the time he was going to declare for the 2011 election, all PDP governors were brought together to ensure that we were all in the same frame of mind. “And I recall that some of us said that, given the circumstances of the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement, it was expected that the North was to produce the president for a given number of years. “I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement. Even when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to serve a single term.” Yesterday, attempts to get Governor Aliyu to elaborate on the nature of the agreement were not successful as it emerged that the governor had decided to shut himself away from further comments on the issue. It was learnt that he had strictly instructed aides and associates not to further discuss the issue. Matter of honour Meanwhile, Alhaji Yakassi, who was Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari on National Assembly matters and was also a leading member of the NPLF, the northern group that championed a northern presidential candidate told Vanguard yesterday that following the PDP primaries efforts to get the president to agree to serve a single term did not break through. Claiming ignorance of the alleged agreement with northern governors, Yakassi said it would be a matter of honour for the president, if he ever entered into such an agreement, for him to honour it. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/2015-jonathan-didnt-sign-agreement-yakassai/

Politics

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….As Bamigbetan, Issa-Onilu, Modibbo Kawu, others in team By Olasunkanmi Akoni Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Dele Alake and Festus Keyamo have been selected to lead the Media and Communication Directorate of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-Kashim Shettima 2023 Presidential campaign composition. In a statement, yesterday, Onanuga, Director, Media and Publicity of the campaign, said the directorate as approved by the presidential candidate is made up of three departments. The three departments are; Public Affairs, Media and Publicity and Strategic Communication. In the approved directorate, Onanuga, the Managing Director of The News/PMNews and former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, will continue his role as Director of Media and Publicity. Alake, a former commissioner of information and veteran editor will serve as Director of Strategic Communication. He served in this role for the Buhari campaign in 2014-15. Minister of state for Labour, Keyamo will continue his role as spokesman of the campaign as Director of Public Affairs. The Directorate will also have six deputy directors that include Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Deputy Director, Communication Strategy, Hannatu Musawa, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Kehinde Bamigbetan, Deputy Director, Media relations. Modibbo Kawu will be Deputy Director of Media and Publicity, while Mohammed Bulama will be in charge of multi-media. Seun Olufemi-White will be the deputy director New Media. According to Onanuga, the tripodal arrangement, the first in a presidential campaign, has a line of other assistant directors and senior officials, representing the nation’s various regions with job specifications spelt out. The campaign structure will soon unveil representatives and spokesmen in all the states of the federation,” he stated. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/tinubu-shettima-2023-onanuga-alake-keyamo-lead-apc-campaign-media-team/

Politics

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By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA- The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has formally welcomed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara back to its fold, describing his return as a courageous response to the party’s call on well- meaning Nigerians to support its mission to rescue the nation. It described Dogara’s decision to dump the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a patriotic and nationalistic move that demonstrates his statesmanship and commitment to the progress of the nation, “at this trying time.” In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said Dogara’s move is “reflective of the wishes and aspiration of his larger constituency and in tandem with the determination of Nigerians across board to rally on the platform of the repositioned PDP to vote out the incompetent and divisive APC administration, which has caused untold harm to our nation in the last three years. “The PDP states that Dogara has continued to conduct the affairs of the House of Representatives with the highest level of commitment, resulting in a very productive legislature under his leadership, despite the unmitigated efforts by the Presidency and the APC to distract him. “The return of Dogara and other leaders who had earlier left our fold is a clear testament that the issues that led to their exit in the first place have all been addressed under the repositioned and rebranded PDP,” the statement read in part. The Speaker’s return to the PDP mark the end of the controversy trailing his reported defection last week when a statement from his office denied he had left the ruling APC. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/pdp-welcomes-dogara-describes-return-as-courageous/

Politics

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The Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, discharged and acquitted four persons involved in the alleged examination malpractices charge filed against former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate in the last governorship election in Osun, Sen. Ademola Adeleke. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, upheld the no-case submission filed by the defendants. The police had, in 2018, arraigned Adeleke along with Sikiru Adeleke (who is said to be the senator’s relative), Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (the school principal), Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (a school registrar) and Dare Samuel Olutope (a teacher) on a four count charge bordering on examination fraud. The charge was later amended to seven counts. MAN reports that the court in 2029, freed Adeleke from the charges after it was withdrawn by police. The police predicated their action on the grounds that Adeleke had failed to make himself available for the trial since he was granted leave to travel abroad on medical grounds. The police then prayed the court to sever the charge, to exclude Adeleke from the trial and arraigned the remaining four on a seven count charge bordering on conspiracy. After calling five witnesses the police closed its case which led to the filing of a no-case submission by the defendant. In his ruling on the no-case submission, Justice Ekwo held that the prosecution failed to establish prima facie case having not proved the ingredients of the charge. Ekwo further held that the burden of prove rest on the prosecution which, according to him, failed woefully in discharging the burden by not calling relevant witnesses. “No witness was called from the National Examination Council (NECO) to testify throughout the trial. “To worsen the situation, no eye-witness was called from the school where the alleged malpractices was perpetrated,” he said. The judge further said that there was no iota of the ingredients of conspiracy supplied to the court by the police to establish that the four defendants conspired to commit the alleged malpractices. “In all the evidence of the five witnesses were so discredited during cross examination and so manifestly unreliable to warrant the defendants to be called upon to enter their defence in the charges against them. “In conclusion, since the testimony of the prosecution is insufficient to warrant the defendants to open defence, I have no difficulty in upholding their no-case submission and discharge and acquit them from the charges. “The suit is hereby dismissed”, the judge ruled.(NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/alleged-exam-malpractices-court-acquits-sen-adelekes-co-defendant/

Politics

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By Rotimi Ojomoyela THE Ekiti State government has called on the Federal Government to allocate oil wells to states of the federation to make them more buoyant and less dependent on the Federal Government for survival. Deputy Governor of the state, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi said this is necessary to make the states more viable and also for them to meet their obligations. Speaking during an interview on Ekiti State Television (EKTV) monitored at the weekend, Egbeyemi charged the President to strip some Nigerians of their oil blocs and allocate same to the states to ensure development. In his words, “The victory achieved by the President was a victory for Nigeria indeed and the masses who reposed confidence in him and voted him back to office. “This is the time for him to take some bold and radical decisions to make life better for the citizenry and ensure economic recovery. “President Buhari, during his second term, must make the states buoyant. He must take oil wells from individuals and allocate them to the states so that they can pay their workers, build more infrastructures and establish industries. We have some individuals holding oil wells having billions of Naira coming to them every day while majority of Nigerians are living in poverty.” Egbeyemi also advised Buhari to remove People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members who are still on boards of federal commissions, boards and agencies despite the expiry of their tenure. Describing the situation as “annoying,” Egbeyemi warned that PDP members still hibernating in the APC-led administration might sabotage efforts of the President to sanitize the polity. Egbeyemi also enjoined the President to constitute a think tank that will assist his administration to immediately hit the ground running after taking the oath of office for the second time on May 29. “The task ahead is onerous but surmountable. President Buhari must allow people like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Kayode Fayemi and other eggheads in the North and the South to join hands in taking care of the situation. There must be a serious think tank to assist him move this great country forward. He should surround himself with patriotic individuals not those who are selfish. “The President should put those who want the progress of this country at the helm of affairs. See what Fayemi is doing in Ekiti, he (Fayemi) didn’t put those who don’t know what they are doing in positions of responsibility.” “The anti-corruption crusade must continue, those who have stolen the nation’s wealth must be made to face justice and such money be returned to the treasury.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/allocate-oil-wells-to-states-ekiti-govt-tells-fg/

Politics

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Cash crunch hits National Assembly The National Assembly is broke, unable to meet its financial needs, The Nation learnt yesterday. Administrative responsibilities, such as payment of monthly salaries to lawmakers, their aides and members of staff, are not being met and the management is worried. Legislators, their aides and civil servants are yet to be paid February salaries as at yesterday. The January salary was paid two weeks into February. According to sources, the management borrowed from a bank to pay last month. The salary issue is just one of the many problems facing the National Assembly. The one that is biting the lawmakers most is the inability of the management to pay their usual quarterly allocation, which should have been paid in January. Their displeasure over the non-payment of the allocation stem from the obvious fact that most of them were banking on it to fund the final phases of their election campaigns, leaving many to think that perhaps the executive deliberately withheld their funds as a punitive measure. It was learnt that late last year and also early in January, the leadership of the National Assembly met with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela, to resolve the financial crisis. While not admitting that the nation was broke as was variously insinuated, the minister was said to have told her guests that her office would release only half of their quarterly allocation. The National Assembly’s leadership, according to a source who was part of the meeting, but would not want to be named, turned down the offer, insisting that since the money had been appropriated and the minister claimed the nation was not broke, all and not part of the money should be released. This meeting took place at the Presidential Villa. By the time the National Assembly’s leadership met with the Minister again last January, both parties finally agreed that the quarterly allocation would be paid in three installments, beginning from January. This plan has been disrupted by the ministry, which paid only the January installment. Both the February and March payments that would have completed the agreed three installments are still pending. This situation, according to insiders, has put many of the legislators in a precarious position as some of them are finding it difficult to meet up with commitments with banks where they have taken loans. A source said the morale of most of the employees of the National Assembly Service Commission is at its lowest ebb with many of them struggling to transport themselves to work, their woes compounded by the recent fuel scarcity in Abuja. The financial crisis in the Assembly has also brought about frequent power outages. Electricity bills and others, such as Internet, maintenance and other sundry bills are said to be over N1 billion, leaving the service providers with no option, but to disrupt services. Construction giant Julius Berger recently pulled out of the maintenance arrangement it had with the Assembly. Several elevators in the complex have been faulty for several months.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/cash-crunch-hits-national-assembly/

Politics

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CBN’s stress test shows two banks in trouble The Capital Adequacy Ratios (CARs) of two banks have fallen below regulatory capital requirement of 10 per cent, the result of stress test conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the status of the banking system has revealed. The solvency stress test, contained in the Financial Stability Report, released yesterday by the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, classified lenders into three groups: large banks, those with assets greater than or equal to N1 trillion; medium banks with assets greater than or equal to N500 billion but less than N1 trillion and small banks with assets of less than N500 billion. The CAR is a ratio of bank’s assets to its risks and is 10 per cent for national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international subsidiaries and 16 per cent for Systematically Important Banks (SIBs). The test result showed that one of the affected banks had CAR of 1.29 per cent before the test, while two banks had 0.78 per cent and 8.2 per cent after the test. The stress test captured the idiosyncratic nature of individual bank’s balance sheet and macro-prudential concerns, using the bottom-up and top-down approaches. The exercise covered the 23 commercial and merchant banks, using the credit, liquidity, interest, foreign exchange rates and foreign exchange trading risks elements. The report, which measured the lenders’ positions as at December last year, showed that overall, there was high risk through unsecured interbank exposure. The result of the test also revealed that after a one-day run, the liquidity ratio for the industry would decline to 33.4 per cent from the 48.57 per cent pre-shock position and to 10.24 per cent after a cumulative 30-day run. A five-day and cumulative 30-day run on the banking industry would result in a liquidity shortfall of N1.79 trillion and N1.93 trillion, respectively. The test further revealed that 17 and 20 banks would record liquidity ratios below the prudential threshold of 30 per cent, following the five-day and cumulative 30-day run, respectively. There was a marginal decline in the quality of assets in the banking industry last December, compared with the position at end of June 2015. The ratio of non-performing loans to gross loans increased by 0.21 percentage point to 4.86 per cent while the decline in asset quality was attributed to the unfavourable macro-economic environment in the review period. The banking industry and large banks’ resilience to credit risk was robust. A simulated severe shock of a 200 per cent rise in NPLs resulted in CARs of 12.77 and 16.52 per cent for banking industry and large banks, respectively, which were above the 10 per cent required regulatory minimum. However, medium and small bank groups showed vulnerabilities to severe shocks of 200 per cent rise in NPLs as their CARs fell to 7.16 and 6.85 per cent respectively. Emefiele said the general decline in commodity prices, China’s efforts at rebalancing its economy and the gradual tightening in US monetary policy all combined to hamper growth in many emerging market economies, including Nigeria. He said the key task that faced monetary authorities in Nigeria in the reporting period centered on the use of effective policy tools to ensure that the shocks arising from instability in the global economy were not fully transmitted to the domestic economy. The CBN, he said, continued to ensure that the stability of the financial system was maintained and confidence in the system was sustained. The policy tool kit included both conventional and unconventional measures and these enabled us to respond to the emerging challenges.

http://thenationonlineng.net/cbns-stress-test-shows-two-banks-trouble/

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BREAKING: I was not ambushed by herdsmen, says Kayode Ajulo He said he only interacted with two members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Vigilante group around Akoko on his way to Abuja. He said the operation of the vigilance group is known to all the security apparatus in the area. He said his interaction with the members of the vigilante group was a voluntary undertaking as part of his profiling as a discerning leader of his community. He said the interaction was part of his desire of curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. He urged Nigerians to sever political and ethnic sentiments from their minds on the insecurity in the country. Ajulo, who made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja, said other security men came to corroborate the claims of the two members of the vigilante group. His statement was titled “Synoptic account of my encounter with the Vigilante Group on the Highway.” The lawyer said: “My attention has been drawn to the publication in print and electronic media of my encounter with some vigilantes on my way from Akure on the 21st July, 2019 which has generated a lot of controversial responses from different quarters. “I have received calls from various well-wishers and friends of mine, locally and internationally, who out of concern, inquired whether I was hurt or injured by the vigilantes. It is pertinent to state that I am quite hale and hearty without any injury or harm. “More so, it is important to state for the records the actual facts as regards the events that occurred that fateful, Sunday afternoon of 21st July, 2019 in order to clarify the narrative trailing the publications. “It is quite true that I was in Akure, Ondo State from Friday, 19th July, 2019 to Sunday, 22nd July, 2019 for my mother’s investiture as the Iya-Ijo (Chief Matron) of our home Church, Christ Anglican Church, Oke-Ifira-Akoko, Ondo State. “ On my way back to Abuja on the 22nd day of July, 2019 in the company of some security men, we saw two men at the highway around Akoko, Ondo State carrying dane guns. “On sighting them, inquiry was made as to their duty on the highway with guns in their hands, being not uniformed men. They thereafter responded that they were members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Vigilante group whose operation is known to all the security apparatus in the area. “Also, they willingly showed us their identity cards which had their names and designations. Some other security men came to corroborate their claims. “I therefore wish to debunk the account that I was stopped by Fulani Herdsmen as peddled by some persons. “Our interaction is a voluntary undertaking as part of my profiling as a discerning leader of my community, desirous of curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria.” Ajulo cautioned Nigerians against turning the insecurity in the country to political and ethnic sentiments, He added: “In response to the controversial reactions on my encounter with these men, it suffices to state that we as Nigerians, must sever political and ethnic sentiments from our minds in the bid to nip this ubiquitous insecurity in the land in the bud. “In my comment on the gruesome killing of Pa. Fasoranti’s daughter, and a confidant, I categorically and unapologetically hinted that we should not see the killing as inter-ethnic attack as there are reported cases of massive killings in other parts of the Country. “Recently, about 32 persons were killed in Sokoto State, several others killed in Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Zamfara and other States by some undisclosed bandits, who to me irrespective of their ethnic background are criminal and must be treated as such. “The naked truth is that the insecurity in Nigeria is national which must not be ignored and we must join hands with our security agencies to fight the menace. “Thus, we should not allow ethnicity and sentiment to becloud our sense of judgment and humanity in the war against insecurity.” He said if Nigerians, especially public commentators, were not cautious, the increasing bigotry in the country might lead to civil war. He said: “We are at a time in our nation that pretentious and sentimental interactions no longer works otherwise this bigotry may fan into flame the embers of civil war in this country. “It will not be out of place to ask this poser: is it due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Law enforcement agencies and disregards for the inputs and indelible contributions of our leaders, the OPC and other local vigilante groups that these Miyetti Allah groups are now manning our highways in the South West? “This is the question that must be addressed by all stakeholders regardless of their ethnic, religious and political affiliations. “As I thank all for their concern, may I conclude with the words of the legendry Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa JSC (as he then was) that “when we act in unison, we will achieve the peace that we search, but when we are fighting separately, it is not coordinate and if we don’t accommodate one another, we cannot live together”.

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-i-was-not-ambushed-by-herdsmen-says-kayode-ajulo/

Politics

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Militants during the submission of arms and ammunitions in Ondo By Chris Ochayi ABUJA – Ex-agitators benefiting from the Federal Government’s amnesty programme have been advised to avoid any acts capable of jeopardising the relative peace currently being experienced in the Niger Delta region with a view to encouraging investors to flock the region. The Chairman of Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, Comrade Stephen Ebisintei, who gave the advice, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, further counsel led any ex-agitations nursing whatever grievances to channel such complaint through the amnesty office. Ebisintei urged to youths in the Niger Delta region to take advantage of open door policy of the current Chairman of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme, Professor Quaker Dokubo to air their views positively in a way that will hearten growth and development of the region. Ebisintei, who is the beneficiary of Phase 2 of the amnesty program described Prof Dokubo as a round peg in a round hole who according to him “has brought unquestionable experience as a technocrat and proven integrity to the job.” He said the youth centred policies of Amnesty Office under Prof Dokubo are already yielding short term benefits to targeted beneficiaries and have restored confidence and improved between relationship between the Amnesty Office and the critical stakeholders in the region. The chairman further advised the youths of the region to shun any acts capable of rolling back the progress made so far by the President Buhari administration in restoring peace to the region. According to him, “The time has come for youth leaders across the nine states of the Niger Delta region and indeed other critical stakeholders to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his clear resolve to bring development to the region given his robust support to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, NIMASA, NDDC and the Amnesty Office. “The support is targeted at development, security and empowerment of the people of the region. “The youths should therefore shun acts that are capable of endangering their lives and jeopardizing the security of the region, which in turn discourages investors from the region. Our youths should see the office of the Special Adviser to President on Niger Delta as not just for ex-agitators alone, but for every youth, women and all critical stakeholders in the region.” Ebisintei, explained to the amnesty beneficiaries that there was no housing allowance included in the stipends paid to them as being demanded, rather it used to be what he called ‘transition safety allowance’, which according to him “is a one-off money paid at the beginning of each phase of the program. “Phase 1 received the money, Phase 2 received it and Phase 3 the same. However, if the ex-agitators want a housing allowance included, it should be done through the proper channel. The SA being a listening father can be persuaded subtly to look into it. “The ex-agitators should understand that the Amnesty Office cannot disburse money, if it has not got a release from the CBN, after approval from the appropriate quarters.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/aisha-adcs-n2-5b-scandal-frank-calls-for-independent-probe/

Politics

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HOUSTON – MAY 31: Aide Brown Ideye #8 of Nigeria fends off Javier Hernandez #14 and Francisco Rodiriguez #2 of Mexico as he attmpts to gain control of the ball at Reliant Stadium on May 31, 2013 in Houston, Texas. /AFP Brown Ideye hardly scores. He also hardly lays assists. And yet, his coach Stephen Keshi has backed the under-fire forward to come good once he sheds his anxiety. The forward scored once at the African Nations Cup and only once more since then; a penalty conversion against Mexico in a 2-2 friendly draw. And at the Confederations Cup he was guilty of squandering a host of gilt-edged chances as he failed to find the back of the net. But his endeavour, hard work, link- up play have found favour with his coach. “Yeah, it’s true that Brown hasn’t scored goals, but that does not make him a bad player,” Keshi tells KickOffNigeria.com. “Sometimes when the ambition [to score] turns into anxiety, it becomes difficult for a striker to score goals. “So all he needs to do is relax. We have been working on his inner relaxation and inner calm so that when he is in front of goal it will be much easier for him.” Keshi praised Ideye’s other qualities, especially his unselfish graft for the team. Against Spain he dropped deep to rescue the two fullbacks from sticky situations, and Keshi says that fits into his philosophy of team ahead of individual. “He is a good kid; he has been working his tail off everywhere on the pitch. And that’s what we want from somebody who plays for the team.” At club level Ideye averages more than a goal every other game, and Keshi predicts that once the forward starts scoring for the Eagles, it will be hard to stop him. “It’s just the finishing that’s lacking because that is his number one job, and that is why people are a little bit angry, but I’m very sure it’s going to come – and when it comes, it won’t stop. “We just need to support him, keep believing in him and give him the confidence to continue to express himself without pressure.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/suprise-keshi-backs-ideye/

Sports

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Save Wesley varsity from collapse, Bishop urges Bishop of Owo Diocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, Revd Solomon Adegbite has urged church members and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the faith-based Wesley University, Ondo to meet its mission in academic lifeline. The cleric pleaded with all stakeholders to do everything possible to rescue the university’s licence from being revoked by relevant agencies. Revd Adegbite spoke at the 31st annual Diocesan Synod held at the Methodist Church, Ehin-Ogbe, Owo, in Ondo state last weekend. He noted that church ministers have always paid substantially to jerk up what was being remitted on behalf of the Diocese. “Some of us were trained in Methodist Primary, Secondary and even Colleges. Some people contributed to build those schools. What are we contributing as a people and generation to bequeath to the next generation that will add value to them? This University is one of such. “Let us do our best to make Wesley University a place to be proud of,” he said. Adegbite reiterated the agreement reached at Aba conference that whatever was paid either by the church or individuals would be turned to shares which to attract dividend in the future. The cleric thanked all Methodist Church members, especially in Owo Diocese, for their support and cooperation in the past seven years he has been in their midst. He said though they had not reached their destination by his own vision and projection, but actually started the upward movement to the area.

https://thenationonlineng.net/save-wesley-varsity-from-collapse-bishop-urges/

Education

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Just two days ago on the 11th of November, 2016, Raji Fashola, Nigeria’s super minister of power, works and housing, who is more famous for spending ₦78 million on his website in 2014 (an amount then worth $500,000) said that the 7% GDP growth Nigeria enjoyed under the Jonathan administration was solely the result of high oil prices rather than any policy of that administration. Said Fashola, “I say this in the context of those who are tempted to lay some claim to any form of credit about why our economy was growing at seven percent for almost a decade, and I say very very clearly, without mincing words, that I don’t think that anybody can fairly lay claim to any economic policy that drove that growth. “It was growth that was driven by high oil prices. If we agree that infrastructure is the driver of growth, when you get high oil prices, what do you do with it? So, where are those towers, where are those bridges, where are those highways? The only part of the above statement that is true is the part where Mr. Fashola says “I don’t think”. Yes sir, you do not think. Because if you did you would know that the oil and gas industry, by the admission of even Mr. Fashola’s boss, President Buhari, is only 15% of Nigeria’s GDP. This fact which is well known to Mr. Fashola is also corroborated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. So yes, high oil prices would have a positive impact on the Nigerian economy but it cannot be the sole reason why we enjoyed 7% GDP growth under President Jonathan. After all during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s eight years in office oil price was very low and were below $20 for a while yet that Peoples Democratic Party government did not deliver excuses, instead, they delivered consistent annual 5% GDP growth. Going by Mr. Fashola’s logic, the present administration which is enjoying an oil price that is presently $45 per barrel ought to at least match President Obasanjo’s record. But here we are, at a recession. You, see, the truth is that no matter how high oil prices are, if you do not have sound economic policies, you cannot have economic progression. So what are the economic policies of the Jonathan era that drove Nigeria’s massive 7% GDP growth year in year out while Jonathan was on the saddle? What is beneath the ground cannot make a nation great. The only way a nation can be great is by what is between the ears of her people. Educating the citizenry is the fastest way to achieve economic growth because education makes you GROW through life while illiteracy makes you GO through life. President Jonathan began the practice of giving education the highest sectoral allocation in the budget. In the 2011 budget, N306.3 billion was allocated to education, in 2012 N400.15 billion, in 2013 N426.53 billion, in 2014, N493.2 billion and in 2015 N492. 34 billion was allocated for education. Never in the history of Nigeria has any government consistently shown such commitment to education. Such was President Jonathan’s commitment to education that even though primary and secondary education is the preserve of the states, the federal government intervened to reduce the 10 million children out of school in Northern Nigeria by building 165 brand new almajiri schools. By building 12 new federal universities and 165 almajiri schools and renovating 507 additional secondary schools all over Nigeria through the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Jonathan administration not only increased access to education, the policy also had the intended side effect of putting hundreds of thousands of youths to work which stimulated the economy and contributed to GDP growth. Another policy of the Jonathan administration that added to GDP growth was his deliberate effort to expand access to opportunity through the YouWIN program. The Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) scheme was a business plan competition that provided training and funding of between $6000-$80,000 to youths to start or grow existing small, medium and even large scale businesses with the proviso that beneficiaries were to compulsorily employ other youths. Mr. Fashola may also want to have a chat with the GIS Project Director in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Dennis Chukwu, who revealed in Lokoja, Kogi State, on the 5th of September, 2016 during the Career Development and Entrepreneurship Skills Training for beneficiaries of the Graduate Internship Scheme that the GIS scheme had benefited a total of 41,000 Nigerian graduates during the Jonathan administration by giving them the opportunity to earn experience and money that put them in good stead to either start their own businesses or get employed at a level that they would not have been qualified for had they not had the opportunity provided by the GIS. In 2010 President Jonathan Promised to Revive Nigeria’s Railways. By 2012 The Nigerian Railways Corporation began operating a Lagos to Kano service at the cost of just ₦1500. In 2013 rail lines were revived from Lagos Port Direct to Kaduna. By 2014, the Enugu-Port Harcourt lines were revived along with several others including the Makurdi-Port Harcourt rail. By 2015, the Abuja-Kaduna rail which was recently commissioned by President Buhari was completed BY THE JONATHAN ADMINISTRATION! Not only did work on these projects provide jobs to tens of thousands of Nigerians, by the time they were finished these rail lines eased transportation of goods and services all over Nigeria. Mr. Fashola, this was a policy that added to our GDP growth. On April 23, 2010, President Jonathan signed the Local Content Law, that he had promoted, into law. This law had the effect of forcing the oil majors in Nigeria to employ only Nigerians for certain specified jobs in the oil industry and to use only Nigerian contractors for certain contracts. Because of this law, Shell Petroleum Development Company awarded its first ever deep pressure pipeline contract to an indigenous Nigerian company, SCC Nigeria limited to the tune of $50 million in 2011. Total also awarded a multi-million dollarcontract to Nigerdock, an indigenous firm, to fabricate platforms and top sides for its off shore operations. When Nigerdock delivered on the project in June this year, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Patrick Daziba Obah said “I am proud to say that this laudable achievement is a direct result of the enactment and implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010 and the overwhelming support that the Government has given and has continued to give to the development of Local Content in the Oil and Gas industry”. This is another policy that led to the steady GDP growth of the Jonathan era. In agriculture, the Jonathan administration has a policy known as the e-wallet policy fir fertilizer distribution which cut out the middle man and sent texts to farmers on where to pick up fertilizer after payment was deducted from their e-wallet. The administration also banned the importation of rice an act that attracted Olam Farms to come to Nigeria to build the largest rice mill in Nigeria in Nasarawa state. Olam farms invested $130 million in the Nigerian rice industry. Because of these policies, Nigeria’s food import bill reduced from ₦1.1 trillion in 2011 to ₦648 billion by 2012 (the figure has now skyrocketed back to pre-Jonathan levels because the Buhari administration reversed Jonathan’s ban on rice importation for reasons best known to it). Another policy which drove GDP growth under Jonathan was the policy of 70% Tariff on imported cars to dissuade Nigerians from continuing to spend $3.4 billion annually on importing foreign cars. This policy forced Nissan, Kia and Hyundai to establish assembly plants in Nigeria for the manufacturing of partially made in Nigeria vehicles. President Jonathan ordered federal government ministries, departments and parastatals to patronize these vehicles along with cars made by Innoson motors. This policy had the effect of attracting over $150 million foreign direct investment into the Nigerian automotive industry and prevented hundreds of millions of dollars from leaving Nigeria to purchase imported cars. Time would not permit me to talk of the Nagropreneur program or the fact that under Jonathan not only did CNN Money project Nigeria as the world’s third fastest growing economy but that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development named Nigeria the number 1 destination for foreign direct investment in Africa. I also would not have the time to write about how the Jonathan administration added 1.3 million jobs in 2013 alone (per the National Bureau of Statistics, the same agency that revealed that Nigeria lost 4.58 million jobs in the first year of the Buhari administration). So, in conclusion, no Mr. Fashola, high oil prices may have contributed to GDP growth during the previous administration but it was ideas that drove growth under Jonathan and it is lack of ideas not low oil prices that is stifling growth under President Buhari. This is more so when you consider that US President elect, Donald Trump, has not even been sworn in, yet today, he named some members of his cabinet. That is real change, not the reverse change promised by someone who waited for six months after his swearing in before naming his cabinet consisting of an Agriculture minister who studied French and other misfits! That is what is to blame for your recession Mr. Fashola. That and not low oil prices. Reno Omokri is the founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Center in California, Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/fashola-buhari-administration-bereft-ideas/

Politics

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A Drowning Administration Grasps At Its Straws Being the text of a press conference addressed by the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos on Wednesday, March 25th 2015 Good after gentlemen and thank you for honouring our invitation to this press conference. It’s three days to the presidential and National Assembly elections, and the electioneering campaign is due to end tomorrow, Thursday. As newsmen yourselves, you are undoubtedly aware that, since this campaign started, the PDP-led Jonathan Administration has dwelt less on issues and more on mudslinging. In particular, it has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at our presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. They say he does not have a secondary school certificate, even when the school he attended publicly released his results. They say he is suffering from a terminal disease, even when it was clear that the medical report they used to back that claim was forged. They say he won’t be the one to rule, they say he will approve same-sex law, they say he will jail all Nigerians and they say he is a religious bigot.Plus they commissioned and ran the most untruthful and irresponsible documentary ever made, just to demonize him. When all the muckraking failed, woefully, because the stock of our candidate rose in direct proportion to the mudslinging he was subjected to, they went and commissioned an American media man, Richard Grenell, whom they fraudulently called an ex-US Envoy, to write an uninformed opinion piece that Gen. Buhari would Islamise Nigeria if he is elected. What an idiotic postulation! Had Mr. Grenell not been in a hurry to earn his pay, he would have engaged in a little logical thinking. A man who, as a military leader with little checks and balances, could have taken Nigerian to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) or introduced the Sharia if he so wished, but did not, could not be characterized as a religious bigot. A man who rose to the lofty height of a General in the army could not have been a religious bigot, because no religious bigot will reach that height in the military. Of course, no religious bigot will have among his personal staff adherents of a different religion from his, and give them Sundays off so they can go to church! Out of their desperation, they resorted to lies and frittered away millions of Naira. After commissioning Grenell to write his misleading and unintelligent article, they then went ahead to advertise the trash on the front page of many newspapers for several days, at a huge cost of more than 400 million Naira! There is no better illustration of the idiomatic expression: Grasping at straws! Left with nothing more to use against Gen. Buhari, they held on tight and celebrated what is nothing but trash! But who indeed is the author of that 419 article? Richard Grenell was never a US Envoy, as they claimed, but a spokesman for a US Ambassador to the UN. Wikipedia listed his occupation as speechwriter and lobbyist. He briefly served as a spokesman to Mitt Romney when he was a Republican presidential candidate, and he was disgraced out of the job! He is a Partner with the Los Angeles-based Capitol Media Partners. He works for his pay, and will work with any government, whether or not it is a global pariah. Mr. Grenell has worked for clients in Iran, Kazakhstan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia, among others. This is the man that was sold to the Nigerian public as a former American Envoy to con them into believing that his opinion represented the thinking in US Government circles. What a monumental scam from a fraudulent administration! Gentlemen, apart from being fraudulent, this PDP-led Jonathan Administration is also patently wasteful and corrupt! Or how else does one describe an Administration that has been wooing voters with huge bribes? Never in the history of our country has a President superintended over such a morally-repugnant act as the massive bribery of Nigerians in recent times, especially in the six weeks for which the elections were cunningly postponed. We make bold to say that no President has ever encouraged bribery and corruption as President Goodluck Jonathan has done by ferreting public funds into the pockets of a few in the desperation to woo voters. What this President has done by wooing voters with money amounts to undermining democracy, an action that is unbecoming of a democratically-elected leader of any country. According to the information in the public domain, an immense amount of money, some as high as 250,000 dollars per head, was given to traditional rulers, youths, entertainers, market women, ethnic militias and artisans. If the money being recklessly given away is from the public treasury, the implication is that they want to loot the treasury to such a level that if they lose the elections, the next government will have no money to spend. If they say the bribe money is not from the public treasury, then where is it from? If the money being nonchalantly frittered away is the President’s personal money, where did he get that kind of money from? To make matters worse, the bribe money has transformed, in the Jonathan Administration’s skewed meaning of that word, from Naira to the US dollar, a clear indication that the Administration has lost confidence in the national currency and has nothing but disdain for it. People are wondering why the Naira, which was exchanging at 160 to the Dollar when the Jonathan Administration assumed office, is now exchanging at an all-time high of 226. Well, apart from the falling price of crude oil in the international market, the reason for the huge depreciation in the value of the national currency is the unprecedented abuse to which it has been subjected by the Jonathan Administration, which apparently is engaging in a frenzied mop-up of the Dollar for bribery purposes. What the Jonathan Administration did not realize is that it would not have needed to bribe Nigerians to vote for it, if it had spent the past six years engaging in purposeful governance, instead of shameless politicking. When they should have worked diligently for the betterment of the lives of Nigerians, in accordance with their oath of office, they opted to work for themselves. When they should have served the people, they chose to serve themselves. Now they need the votes of the same people and, having realized they have not served them, they decided to bribe them to get their votes. Nigerians are not stupid, as the Jonathan Administration will soon realize. Gentleman, recall that on March 21st, our party issued a statement in which we raised the alarm over a plot to arrest some of our leaders, especially Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on trumped-up charges. Though they rushed to deny it, we have it on good authority that they have not given up on that evil plot. In fact, they have now cast their net wide to ensnare more APC chieftains, including Senator Bukola Saraki, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Senator Femi Ojudu, Hon Dakuku Peterside, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Senator Sola Adeyeye, Senator Jajere, Senator Serika Hadi, Senator Jide Omoworare, Hon Nathaniel Agunbiade and Hon Bimbo Daramola. The plot is to plant ammunition, PVCs and card reader jammers, which they have dubiously acquired, in the residence, office or vehicle of these APC chieftains. The APC chieftains will then be arrested with fanfare and subjected to trumped-up charges. Now, as Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday, we urge them to do so peacefully but resolutely. Irrespective of the conflicting signals from the police, they should not just vote but stay behind to defend their votes. Recall that the police first said Nigerians should vote and go home, and later reversed itself and said voters may stay back after casting their ballots. This confusion is aimed at confusing them. As we said earlier, voters should ignore the unlawful order from the Inspector-General of Police urging them to go home after casting their ballots. Voters should rather listen to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who said the electoral law does not state anywhere that voters cannot or should not wait to watch and ensure that their votes are counted. We are therefore urging the electorate to make sure they stay behind to protect their votes after casting their ballots, as was the case in 2011. On a lighter note, we have received support from unusual quarters on this issue. First Lady Patience Jonathan has also asked Nigerians to ignore the police directive and defend their votes. At least on this issue, we and the First Lady are on the same page! In conclusion, we have just learnt of the statement by Dr. Fredrick Fasheun of the OPC that he will deploy OPC members to every polling unit across the country to monitor the presidential elections. This is simply outrageous and nonsensical. In the first instance, Dr. Fasheun’s party, the UPN, is not even on the ballot because a court has ruled that it cannot contest the elections. Secondly, in what capacity will Dr. Fasheun deploy OPC members to monitor the elections? Is OPC accredited by INEC to monitor the polls? When did ethnic militias become election monitors? This is what President Jonathan has caused by drafting outlaws into the electoral process, all in a desperation to win. Now, those who should be in jail are calling the shots on national elections. What an anomaly! We will like to remind Nigerians that the issues that will shape these elections remain the same: Unemployment, especially among our youths; insecurity of lives and property, as can be seen in the continued disappearance of the Chibok girls and the killing of over 15,000 innocent Nigerians by the terror group Boko Haram; unprecedented corruption, or stealing if you like to use their parlance and dilapidated infrastructure. These issues must not be buried under the avalanche of muckraking and sleazy campaign embarked by the PDP-led Jonathan Administration. We will like to use this opportunity to thank Nigerians for their immense support for our party since the electioneering campaign started. We thank them for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner despite the provocations. We urge them to be extra vigilant in the days ahead, because anti-democratic forces will do everything to thwart the will of the people. Above all, we ask all our members and supporters to be peaceful before, during and after the elections. We say no to violence of any kind, and we are supremely confident that in the end, the will of the people will prevail. I thank you for listening Alhaji Lai Mohammed National Publicity Secretary Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/what-the-jonathan-administration-did-not-realise-apc/#sthash.h4PUOVkQ.dpuf-

Politics

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By Ndahi Marama MAIDUGURI—AS the Mallam Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, prepares to pick a consensus presidential candidate from the four top aspirants from the North ahead of party primaries, one of the contenders, Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State has pledged to accept the outcome of the Forum’s resolution. Saraki, who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri shortly after a meeting with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, delegates, said he would nonetheless abide by the decision reached by the forum despite his “glaring acceptability and impressive track record as the Governor of Kwara State in the last seven and half years.” His words: “I have said it repeatedly that I shall accept the decision of the group whether it is in favour of my presidential ambition or not. I can tell you without fear of contradiction that I have not changed my position on that. I believe in the power of the people and whatever the outcome is will be accepted.” He said he was in the race because he believes he can contribute to the socio-economic growth of the nation and make life better for the Nigerian people, adding that his leadership experience as a governor and his performance in the three key areas of agricultural revolution, poverty alleviation and job creation. He said: “These are what stand me out among other contenders. But then, I keep on asking Nigerians to ask other aspirants who among them is addressing issues that matter to their lives and families and could impact on their lives?” He noted that Nigeria needed a leader who could address the problem of food, education, health, road and electricity. He said the issue of power supply ought to be tackled seriously, noting that the economic, psychological and medical loss of the people were unquantifiable since the power sector became comatose. Dr. Saraki disclosed that his state enjoys electricity supply for about 20 hours daily, adding that the state government under his leadership took the power situation seriously to ensure that the people do not suffer unnecessarily, while commercial activities driven by electricity was equally encouraged through the government intervention. He said: “I do know that the Kwara of 2003 when I took over is now different from 2010 and I thank God for that. Even the opposition and our critics can testify that the state has indeed witness a radical change. “This implies that all we need is leadership that is focus, truthful and committed.” to giving his people hope for a better life,” he added. He also said the Federal Government ought not to lose hope on the possibility of getting crude oil in the Lake Chad area, adding that he would do everything possible to ensure the exploration was sustained. He said discovery of oil in the area would be his priority while agriculture would be given prominent. While underscoring the need to conduct a free and fair election in the 2011 poll, he urged Nigerians not to allow their mandate slip into the hands of those he said could use power to advance personal interest. He said the collective interest of the citizenry ought to supersede individual gains. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/how-okonjo-iweala-diverted-n61-4bn-abacha-loot-to-nsa-report/http://thenationonlineng.net/okonjo-iweala-dasuki-got-322m-abacha-loot-from-me/I

Politics

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Jonathan has failed Nigerians – APC The All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has said the claim by President Goodluck Jonathan that four years are not enough to transform the country is a “double-mouthing” by a President who has failed to deliver on his own timeline. A statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, said: “It is very imprudent of Mr. President to shift the goal post mounted by him in the middle of the game. “It was this same President Jonathan who said in 2010 that if he could not improve on the country’s power generation capacity within four years, then it means he could not do anything. “What was the president thinking about when he said: ‘Four years are enough for anyone to make significant improvement, and if I can’t improve on power within this period, then it means I cannot do anything.’ “Nigerians expect that a President must own up to his own words and be responsible for his own beliefs. “There can only be one reason why President Jonathan is changing his own beliefs about what it takes to transform the country and that is because he is incompetent for the job. “Today, Nigerians are clamouring for change because, for six years the country has been led by a President who cannot give the people direction on how to stop corruption, how to provide security, create employment and provide infrastructure that will impact positively on the economy. “We have said it in the past and we will be repeating it that the 2015 election, more than anything is a referendum on the performance of President Jonathan. The President has not measured up to the least expectations of Nigerians and that is why they are earnestly waiting for February 14 to pass their verdict. “Whereas the Goodluck Jonathan administration has not been able to deliver on any of the promises the President made to Nigerians in 2010, the government under the President’s watch has surpassed every known boundaries on issues of corruption and impunity. “Let us remind the President that if truly Rome was not built in a day, Rome is also not built forever. The President has failed to deliver by his own timelines and he should patiently wait for Nigerians to pass their verdict over the incompetence of his administration.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/jonathan-failed-nigerians-apc/

Politics

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