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File image of a failed section of Berger Cement Bus Stop, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. By Obas Esiedesa, ABUJA Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, section of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has raised the alarm that the N621 billion provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, for rehabilitation of 21 critical roads across the country has been hijacked by some governors and politicians. The PTD National Chairman, Comrade Samon Akanni Oladiti, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that over three months after it reached an agreement with NNPC for the rehabilitation of the roads, no work has taken place. NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, had in December last year, presented a symbolic N621 billion cheque to the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to signify the commencement of the roads’ rehabilitation programme. Oladiti, however, claimed that despite the transfer of the fund to the Ministry, no work had taken place, leaving PTD members in grave danger in the hands of bandits. He pointed out that its threat to embark on strike action last year was averted after it signed an agreement with the NNPC and other agencies of the Federal Government that the roads would be fixed with the funds provided by the Corporation. “Unfortunately, and to our greatest shocks, we heard it from very reliable sources that some vultures in the garbs of being State governments, Officials of Ministry of Works and Housing and Politicians are already depleting these funds and misappropriating them on roads and projects not intended in the agreement as approved by the Federal Executive Council. “This is an open day robbery, but we are assuring all and sundry, that our Union will go to all lengths to expose these unscrupulous individuals. “Every kobo of the approved fund must be accounted for and we must see and broadcast the pre and post rehabilitation of all the identified 21 federal roads to the whole nation. “Tax payers’ money must be accounted for. “We urge every patriotic Nigerians to rise up and join us in this struggle, this is not a fight for NUPENG alone, it is our collective fight. “Our solidarity remains constant, for the Union makes us strong”, he added. Oladiti lamented that its members were spending over three weeks on the road transporting petroleum products across the country, saying the situation has become unbearable. He stressed that Federal Highways in Niger State, Sapele in Delta State and Okene-Auchi in Kogi and Edo state have become death traps for its members, calling for urgent action by the Federal Government. Attempt to speak with the Special Adviser Communication to the Minister of Works and Housing was unsuccessful as he did not pick his calls. Officials at the Ministry also declined to comment of the matter when contacted. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/02/govs-politicians-have-hijacked-nnpcs-n621bn-road-rehabilitation-fund-ptd/

Politics

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By Princewill Ekwujuru The Association of Fast Food and Confectioners of Nigeria, AFFCON, an umbrella body of Quick Service Restaurants, QSR in Nigeria, said it contributes an annual revenue of N200 billion into the growth of the economy. AFFCON among other things said its members have also paid over N1billion to various tiers of government in taxes and levies. The President of the body, Mrs. Bose Ayeni, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the forthcoming inaugural National Conference of the association with theme: ‘The Role of Fast Food Business in the Global Economy,’ which is scheduled to hold in Lagos, by September 4, 2013. Speaking on the role the fast food industry plays in Nigeria, Ayeni said that the industry employs over 500,000 workers at processing and retailing levels, in addition to paying over one billion naira to the various tiers of government in taxes and levies. Stressing the prime position food occupies in human existence, Ayeni said: “Food is at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. That buttresses the primacy of food in human existence. Life is not sustainable without food. With AFFCON, food becomes an experience to anticipate, enjoy and cherish, presented always in a cosy and hygienic environment.” Ayeni who said that the Nigerian fast food industry is a significant contributor to the Nigerian economy, with an estimated annual revenue of N200 billion, and pays over N1 billion to the various tiers of government in taxes and levies has a massive growth potential and is dominated by some 100 small-to medium –sized indigenous brands with over 800 outlets spread across have potential to become big given the right environment to thrive. The president who among other things complained of the challenges bedeviling the industry, said top on the list is inadequate power supply, whilst pointing out that about 30 percent of the gross profit made by the fast food companies is used to service power supply. She went further to say that next is the multiplicity of taxes and levies. “This is compounded by the overlapping functions of several regulatory agencies. These overlapping functions and a lack of coordination amongst such regulators lead to heavy financial burden on fast food companies. She however pleaded with government to ensure that the different regulators have distinct roles that do not overlap. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/fast-food-contributes-n200bn-to-economy-annually-affcon/

Food

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Angola will face Burkina Faso at the Stade de Yamoussoukro on Tuesday in the final round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations group stages. The Palancas Negras kicked off their Nations Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Algeria, heading into the break a goal down before Mabululu leveled the scores from the spot midway through the second half. They picked up their first win of the tournament on Saturday, beating Mauritania 3-2 at the Stade de la Paix, with former Sporting man Gelson Dala scoring a brace before Gilberto got in on the act in the second half. Burkina Faso, meanwhile, picked up a narrow 1-0 victory over Mauritania in their group opener last week with Aston Villa man Bertrand Traore coming off the bench to win the game from the spot in additional time. They then played out a 2-2 draw against Algeria last time out and had looked set to be headed toward a narrow victory before their opponents leveled the scores at the death. Angola and the Stallions sit first and second in the group standings respectively with four points from an obtainable six, with the winner of Tuesday's game set to finish as group winners. Angola vs Burkina Faso Head-to-Head and Key Numbers - There have been eight meetings between Angola and Burkina Faso. Both sides have won three games apiece while their other two matchups have ended in draws. - The two sides last faced off in an AFCON qualifying clash back in November 2018 which Angola won 2-1, ending a four-game winless streak in this fixture. - Burkina Faso have the best defensive record in Group D so far with a goal concession tally of just two. - The Palancas Negras were ranked 117th in the latest FIFA rankings and now sit 60 places behind their midweek opponents. Angola vs Burkina Faso Prediction Angola's latest result ended a seven-game winless streak and they will be looking to build on that come Tuesday. Burkina Faso, meanwhile, have won two of their last three games and have lost just one of their last eight across all competitions. The Stallions are in much better form than their opponents ahead of Tuesday's game and should come out on top here. Prediction: Angola 1-2 Burkina Faso Angola vs Burkina Faso Betting Tips Tip 1 - Result: Burkina Faso to win Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals (Four of the last six matches between the two teams have produced more than 2.5 goals) Tip 3 - Both teams to score: YES (Both sides have found the back of the net in four of their last six matchups)

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/angola-vs-burkina-faso-prediction-betting-tips-january-23rd-2024

Sports

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Sen. Dino Melaye A statement yet to be confirmed which is however circulating the social media and claimed to be from the Dean of Students, Ahmadu Bello University, ABU Zaria, Bar. Ahmed Tanimu has surfaced wherein the varsity don is alleged to have confirmed that Senator Dino Melaye is a “bonifide graduate of ABU Zaria who has his genuine transcript and certificate.” In the alleged confirmation claimed to be from the varsity’s Dean, Bar. Tanimu, the don is said to have stated that although Senator Dino had not wanted to graduate from the school, the institution, however, graduated him and his likes so that “peace may reign.” Whatever is meant by the statement “so that peace may reign” could not be ascertained. Melaye is a Senator representing Kogi West in the Senate on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Recall that Melaye has been embroiled in certificate scandal since Sahara Reporters, an online media platform, published report that the lawmaker never graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he attended his first degree course. The development court the Senate attention Tuesday, leading to its decision to refer the matter to its Ethics and Privileges Committee for investigation ,when Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South, brought up the issue during plenary. The committee was directed to investigate the claim that he does not possess an authentic first degree certificate from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. During the day’s plenary presided by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the upper legislative chamber decided to conduct the investigations, following a point of order raised by ousted Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, who noted that both issues, raised by the online medium, borders on the privileges of the senators. However, according to the confirmation making the rounds on social media, “Dino is a graduate of ABU Zaria. I do not like him but the campaign of calumny and falsehood against him must stop. I recalled a meeting with the then VC, chief security officer Mallam Ashiru.” “At the meeting it was resolved that all politically exposed students and unionist must be graduated for peace to reign in ABU. “The VC started by asking me, the then SECGEN ABUSUG, when am I supposed to graduate? I told him I was only in 4 hundred level law then, he then asked after so many other commrades like Anslem, Chris, Ochums, Arokoyo, Ribadu, Renshaw, Kamal, Ntom, SB, Bright, Ganzi, Kombitel, Realman, Kurfi, Kabir Mustspha, Tijani Kabir(refused to graduate and 8 years later became NANS president), Precious Abdul, MB Mustspha, Dino etc……he gave a marching order that the Dean student affairs must ensure that our types are promptly graduated and leave the school in peace and in good time. Refering to all the so called elders and Unionist of ABU then.” The case of Elder Dino as he then was, was even the worst. In truism, Dino never wanted to graduate from ABU. He was benefiting handsomely and almost feeding from Unionism like many Unionist, he deliberately keep having carry-overs so as to remain in ABU against the orders of the VC. Trust the smart VC Mahdi, he ensured that Dino swiftly passed all his carry-overs. When Dino resisted that move by the VC, he was told by the Dean that the University has the power to pass and graduate any of it’s students if they are satisfied that such a student has attained sufficient learning or good character standing(whether he actually pass all his papers or not).” “In Dino’s case, the emphasis was placed on his good character and not necessarily the waived passing.” “I repeat, Dino is a bonifide graduate of ABU Zaria, Department of Geography and Faculty of Social Science. He has his genuine transcript and certificate. He might have been exempted from NYSC as he was an adult even when in school.” Recall also that Senator Melaye, while determined to prove that he was awarded a Bachelors Degree by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has on Thursday, pledged to tender his certificate before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama, Abuja in a N5 billion libel suit he brought against SaharaReporters. In the suit he filed through his lawyer, Mr. Mark Ikongbeh, Senator Melaye, insisted that he indeed bagged a B. Sc in Geography from the University. He told the court that the certificate scandal has exposed him to great psychological stress and emotional trauma, saying he has been abandoned by his friends and associates owing to the defamatory publication by the defendants. Cited as 1st to 4th defendants in the suit marked M/4812/17, were, the Incorporated Trustees of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, Omoyele Sowore, Temitope Olumuyide and Sahara Reporters Media Group Inc. Aside praying the court to award him N5billion as aggravate and exemplary damages for libel, the plaintiff also applied for an injunction restraining the defendants, by themselves or by their servants or agents, from making further publications on the issue. He is equally seeking N10million as cost of the legal action. In the statement of claim, the plaintiff told the court that a great number of his constituents, friends, associates, foreign acquaintances have felt so betrayed and let down by conducts maliciously and falsely alleged against him by the defendants, to an extent that they have ostracised him and have currently given him a wide berth. He said: “Many invitations to honourable events have been withdrawn and attempts to reach out to several people who had very cordial relations with the plaintiff has been met with a cold shoulder. “The plaintiff has suffered great psychological stress and emotional trauma by reason of the defamatory publications arising from the loss of company he has suffered from friends and associates. “This precarious psychology state has been exacerbated by the number of people whom the plaintiff has had to reach out to or who have reached out to him for explanation and reassurance of the truth in the situation. “The plaintiff has greatly been weighed down emotionally by the sudden loss of huge public goodwill which he enjoyed prior to the publication of the defamatory publication. “Further, the defendants published the defamatory words out of malevolence and spite towards the plaintiff and with a view to cower the plaintiff into soft pedalling on his stance in several issues ongoing in the Senate chambers”. In a 15-paragraphed affidavit that was personally deposed by the plaintiff, he averred: “That I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State and I was once the honourable member of the House of Representatives representing the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency. Amongst other duties; I currently serve as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT. “The 1st defendant is an organisation setup under Part C of the companies and Allied Matters Act as a non-profit organisation ostensibly dedicated to promoting a brand of investigative journalism pioneered by the 4th defendant. The 1st defendant is the Nigerian arm of the 4th defendant. The 1st defendant by its official filings at the Corporate Affairs Commission is based in Lagos. “The 2nd and 3rd defendants are the Trustees of the 1st defendant and also the promoters of the 4th defendant. They are self-styled investigative journalists who are not visibly known to be accredited by or affiliated to any registered media outfit. “They operate under the popular ‘Sahara Reporters’ brand. The 2nd and 3rd defendants operate all over Nigeria but have listed addresses located in Lagos in their corporate filings. “The 4th defendant is a business Corporation organised under the laws of New York State in the United States of America and is the proprietor of a website and other online channels through which it disseminates news items predominantly about governance issues in Nigeria. “The 2nd defendant is listed as the Chief Executive Officer of the 4th defendant. That the 4th defendant is based in New York, United States of America but is represented in the country by the 2nd defendant who is also its alter ego and service of court process on the 2nd defendant will definitely bring the suit to the 4th defendant’s attention. “On the 19th and 20th March 2017, the defendants falsely and maliciously wrote, posted, and published or caused to be written on their verified Twitter handle identified as @SaharaReporters hosted online at the web address of and concerning me by directly mentioning and linking it to my Twitter handle identified as @dino_melaye hosted online at the web address ; the following words: “FLASH: University teachers at the Geography Department of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria insists that @dino_melaye did not graduate, bribed his HOD/1 (posted at 4:09 PM- 19th March 2017. “FLASH: University teachers at the Geography Dept of ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated, DG DSS informed but covered it up. (posted at 4:11 PM- 19th March 2017. “FLASH: At least 3 Exam Officers at ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Dept, DG DSS alerted but covered it up (posted at 4:14PM – 19th March 2017). “FLASH: Exam Officers at ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Dept, they said Dino’s name was not on graduation list (posted at 4:16 PM -19th March 2017)”. He said the online media outfit equally posted that his HOD, Prof. David Okoro Ogbonna, assisted him to forge his transcript and that he applied for a Post Graduate program at UNIJOS, went to ABU for transcript and none could be provided. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/dino-bonifide-graduate-abu-zaria-tanimu-dean-students-affairs/

Politics

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The PDP in Rivers State has dragged the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, the INEC and some personnel of the Nigerian Army to court for the deployment of soldiers during the rerun in the state. The Nigerian Army personnel include: the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and the Commander, 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army. The Counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kingsley Chuku, made the disclosure to Channels Television in Rivers State, southern Nigeria. Mr Chuku said that the suit, which was filed on Tuesday before a State High Court in Port Harcourt became necessary after an earlier order granted by the same court on March 15, 2016 was disobeyed. He insisted that Justice George Omereji had in his ruling, restrained the parties from aiding the use of soldiers in the Rivers rerun election. According to the legal practitioner, committal proceedings against the defendants seek to commit them to prison for disobeying court order. The court has fixed April 14 to commence hearing of the committal proceedings by the PDP in Rivers State. Both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have traded words over the parliamentary rerun polls which ended in violence in the oil-rich state.

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/03/29/rivers-rerun-pdp-sues-amaechi-inec/

Politics

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The Lagos Experience 2020 of the House on the Rock will take place on Friday, December 11th virtually with many guest artists set to attend. AllNews reports that the theme of the 2020 Lagos Experience is “Global Edition,” according to a statement by the organisers. The Lagos Experience 2020 is an all-night musical show involving top music stars in and outside Nigeria. The 2020 edition of the concert is scheduled to hold on Friday, 11th December 2020. As a result of the restrictions on mass gatherings and to maintain physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition of the concert, (tagged "The Experience 15 - Global Edition"), will for the first time, not be held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos which had hosted the past 14 editions. Instead, the entire concert will be strictly online, live-streamed around the world on various designated channels on satellite television and social media. Keep tabs on AllNews for 'Experience 2020 Live Stream'. On the 4th of December, organizers tweeted salient information about the event. — The Experience Lagos (@TheExperienceLG) December 4, 2020 Time: 9pm WAT | 8pm GMT. Don’t be anywhere else. #TE15G#TheExperience2020#TEGlobalEdition pic.twitter.com/XjktHSnnhU The 2020 edition will showcase artistic musical performances, goodwill messages, and intercessory prayers by internationally-recognized artists. Below is the Gospel acts already confirmed to perform at the Experience Lagos 2020 #TE15: Ana Paula Valadao from Brazil The Capetown Philharmonic Choir, from South Africa Nokwe the Poet, from South Africa Eben from Nigeria Matt Redman from England Chevelle Franklyn from Jamaica Ada from Nigeria William Mcdowell from America Travis Greene from America Tasha Cobbs from the USA Maverick City from America Sonnie Badu from the United Kingdom Sheldon Bangera from India Sinach from Nigeria Nathaniel Bassey from Nigeria Eben from Nigeria Onos Ariyo from Nigeria Planetshakers from Australia Travis Greene from the USA Mercy Chinwo from Nigeria Tope Alabi from Nigeria Don Moen from America Donnie McClurkin from America

https://allnews.ng/news/full-list-of-lagos-experience-2020-house-on-rock-guest-artistes

Religion

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President Muhammadu Buhari Photo by Abayomi Adeshida BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI ILORIN – The ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) has commended Nigerians for their patience and perseverance over the delay in the appointments of ministers,saying that the list would be released soon. National publicity secretary of the party, Alh Lai Mohammed speaking with journalists at Oro, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Thursday at the 9th annual Ramadan lecture also admitted that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would have fared better had the ministerial appointments been made before now. Lai Mohammed however explained that the delay was basically caused by the transference of government from one political party to the other. He recalled that when transition in government took place within the then ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), ministerial appointments were usually made two weeks after inauguration. According to him, “The concern of Nigerians over the delay in the release of ministerial appointments is genuine. But the fact is that this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that the opposition party will take over government from the ruling party.” “Our plan was to interface and interact with the outgoing government, but it didn’t just work out so the party set up transition committee which later presented 800 pages handover documents to Mr. President” “So, in this kind of situation we found ourselves, we have to be thorough in making appointments because Nigerians expectations are very high and it’s understandable. So, in a couple of days the ministerial cabinet list would be made available and it would be a thing of the past” Continuing, he said “We might be slow, but in reality when we make the right appointments, we will make up for all the shortcoming Nigerians have been complaining about”. He also decried the comment of the opposition PDP on the performance of President Buhari’s 30 days in office, saying, “the PDP is just revelling in its new found role of opposition, they are entertaining themselves and Nigerians” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/buhari-will-release-ministerial-list-in-few-days-apc/

Politics

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By Bartholomew Madukwe A 62-year old man, Mr Patrick Lawrence, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos over alleged N9.2 million fraud. The accused, of No. 1, Allan Balogun Street, Agungi, Lekki, was arraigned on a two-count charge of fraud and theft. According to the prosecutor, Insp. Stephen Molo, the accused committed the alleged offence between Dec. 21, 2012 and March 22 at the stated address. Molo told the court that the accused, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N9.2 million from one Mr Folorunsho Ogunwale. “The accused obtained the sum with the pretext of selling a half plot of land to him, a representation he knew to be false,” Molo said. Molo pointed out that the accused was also alleged of dishonestly converting the sum to his personal use. He noted that the alleged offence contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011. However when the plea of the accused was taken before Magistrate F.O. Aigbokhaevbo, he pleaded not guilty. The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum, as she adjourned the case to June 11 for mention. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/62-yr-old-man-arraigned-over-n9-2m-fraud/

Politics

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By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South NIGER Delta Greenland Justice Movement, NDGJM, the last militant group to heed the plea of monarchs, leaders and stakeholders of the Niger Delta coastal states to stop bombing oil facilities bowed, last night. The leader of the group, who simply identified himself as ODU, called Sunday Vanguard on phone to announce the group’s surrender. He said:”NDGJM has accepted to stop bombing of pipelines in obedience to the call by Niger Delta leaders at the meeting convened in Effurun, August 19 by a former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark.” He, however, demanded that the Urhobo ethnic nationality should not be left out in the dialogue and negotiations by the leaders with the Federal Government. The NDGJM leader said the group would nominate its own representatives in the pan-Niger Delta group. A source familiar with the ceasefire said the deal was brokered by Clark, who sent emissaries to leaders of the group to key into the peace process in the region. “Chief Clark’s team met with the leaders of the militant group and briefed them on the efforts to make peace in the region. They assured the militant group’s leader that nobody would subjugate Urhobo interest in the dialogue and negotiations, but there was no monetary attachment,” the source added. With the ceasefire, the coast is now finally clear for the oil companies in the region to operate. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/finally-peace-n-delta-defiant-militant-group-announces-ceasefire/

Politics

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By Tony Ubani, in South Africa What happened? Was it a curse? Was it sabotage? My friend, we need to know from youâ€. Those were questions that have bombarded me since the Eagles made their exit from the first World Cup in Africa. Many people especially Journalists and the people of South Africa would not let anybody rest once they notice you are a Nigerian. For the foreign media, we have to know ourselves through interactions either from the media centre or the media tribune or from the mixed zones where we meet in the course of getting stories for our different organisaions. I know that many Nigerians by now have come to terms with the sour performance of the Eagles but out here, mentions are still being made to the early exit of the Eagles. One British Journalists said that he has never seen such a miss in the whole of his 39 years of writing sports and covering many international competitions. He was referring to Yakubu’s miss. In the 66th minute of Tuesday’s final group match against South Korea, trailing 2-1 and needing a win to have a shot at advancing, striker Yakubu was set up with an absolutely perfect opportunity right in front of the goal. With the keeper sprawled out beside him and a wide open net waiting to be fed the ball, Yakubu tried to flick the pass in for the astonishingly easy score and he put it wide off the post. He missed. I still don’t think it was possible, but he missed. Well, he did hit a water bottle, but that doesn’t count for anything. Since then, I have not rested for the silly mistake of Yak. He has made me to be answering questions that I don’t know. Nigerians and Africans, too, have been attributing the miss to Native Doctors, or a spell. One said boldly that it was not for nothing that he missed the chance. I am not an authority in such mundane trivial things of ‘tying’ the players’ legs as is being suggested here. Some claimed that some native doctors were ferried to South Africa from Nigeria by Nigerians to ensure that Sani Lulu and his group of traveling members in the NFA do not use the glory of the World Cup by the Eagles to climb back to the glass house. Others have insinuated that it is retribution. That the Eagles and NFA and indeed Nigerians reaped what they sowed by kicking out Amodu Shuaibu from his post after suffering to qualify Nigeria for the World Cup. I learnt that Amodu was at the World Cup but did not set my eyes on him. I thanked God that I did not see him because I would not have faced him for an interview. Yes! How could I have done that or what question could I have asked him knowing his temper. I didn’t want to be like Onochie Anibeze who faced the wrath of Emmanuel Okala after Rangers International were defeated by the then Leventis United. Rangers had played the match of their lives and controlled every aspect of the match. Rain suddenly started falling and a harmless shot, the type that Goalkeeper Robert Green of the Three Lions of England conceded against USA was fired by Leventis. The goalkeeper bent to hold the ball and it slipped into the net for the only goal of the match. Rangers officials and players wept. And as a cub reporter Onochie went straight with his tape recorder to Okala and asked, “Coach what would you attribute to the defeat? Okala in his giant size seized Onochie by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up, retorting in Ibo. “ina attribute, ifuro rain? It means, “Are you attributing, didn’t you see rain? By the time he hauled Onochie down, he had a stiff neck. I still remember that incident as if it happened yesterday. And I thanked God that I did not see Amodu because I wouldn’t have avoided the urge to ask him questions. Why that happened in those years, now mistakes by keepers and strikers are being attributed to the Jabulani; the official ball of the World Cup in South Africa. Players who shoot wide pass the blame on the jabulani while goalkeepers who fumbled point at the Jabulani. Yakubu has not said anything on his infamous miss but don’t be surprised that one day he would either blame the jabulani or agree that external forces misdirected the ball from the yawning net. I still wonder why the Nigerian Television Authority stopped one kiddies program called Tales by moonlight. Such excuses or blames on external forces or spiritual attacks, frankly, are nothing but tales by moonlight. Even though that Friday Nwankwo Kuja a.k.a Ambassador swore that many people cursed the FA members and some of the players because of their greed and cheating innocent people. Funny, funny identity! I don’t know if you still remember one of the classics done by Oliver de Coque? The late high life musician who lifted the burden of Nigerians with his music. If you do, then, you must know about funny, funny identity. Part of the track says, “sometimes when I dress, I dress like boyoyo, sometimes when I dress, I dress like Chief of Kings. I been get beer-beer, my beer bear is from nature, music is my talent, that’s my identity. Eh weeee, mama mo, funny, funny identityâ€. Our Entertainment Editor, Ogbonna Amadi still has it as his ring tone in his phone. But the funny, funny identity of the world cup is coming from the President of the Nigerian Supporters Club, worldwide, Dr Rafiu Ladipo. Ladipo is designed with tribal marks on his face. He wouldn’t have allowed his parents to mutilate his face if he had the choice. If you know our Photo Editor, Joseph Akintola, then, you know what I am talking about. He too has s designer’s mark on his face. But then, such marks were the identity of the Yorubas, Once you see any man or woman with marks you know where he or she is coming from. But while in Primary School, we had a Yoruba boy called Ebenezer. He too was heavily designed with tribal marks. He was huge and feared by all. We were told that he fought with a Lion and killed the king of the jungle with his bare hands. That it was during the battle that he got the marks. And since then, he had learnt to be humble by genuflecting while greeting people. I didn’t know if he knew about the tales but enjoyed it when people carried out his orders. Things have changed. I would have wished that they still draw marks on their faces especially my friends who are so fine and deprive me from things. If they had marks(tribal or from the Lion), I would have been the king of the jungle in their midst. Anyway! Dr Ladipo told me that he would be going back to Nigeria since the Eagles have been kicked out of the World Cup. He would have loved to stay in this beautiful country till the end of the world cup. But his tribal marks give him away as a Nigerian. People ask him annoying questions on what he is still doing around after their team lost. He bemoaned his tribal marks and said that if he had fine face like me, he would have stayed back. We all laughed, Then I took a closer look on his face and wanted to count the number of lines on his face. He was talking and always moving his head. I lost count. At a stage I started getting dizzy following his head. It made me remember during our WAEC exam how one boy who got an expo wrote the answers on the ceiling fan. The questions were OBJ(I don’t mean our former farmer President). He would read question one, and looked up to see if the answer was a, b or c and he would circle it. But a vigilant teacher who was watching him went and switched on the fan. As the fan was rotating, our friend was rotating his head to get his answer. He complained that he was cold but majority of the students said that they were sweating, unaware of what was happening. He continued moving his head to the rotation of the fan until he slumped. There was commotion in the hall. We thought he was suffering from epilepsy until the Teacher poured water on him and revived him. Then, he switched off the fan and showed us all his writings on the blades of the fan. That man is a Medical Doctor, now. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/06/28/is-it-a-curse-or-sabotage/comment-page-2/#comment-257696

Sports

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By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA—Justice Audu Bako, a member of the panel hearing petition seeking to annul the election victory of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, is dead. Vanguard learned that Justice Bako died around 2p.m. yesterday at Primus Hospital, Karu, a suburb in Abuja, after a brief illness. He was buried in his home town, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State, according to Islamic rites. Bako was a member of the three-member panel of Yobe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that had, on August 12, heard how Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, traced the origin of N15 million that was lodged into the bank accounts of a Resident Electoral Commissioner. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/yobe-election-tribunal-judge-dies/#sthash.0I9wMtHn.dpuf

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Oyegun, Tinubu and Buhari SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN-CITY Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in this interview, says his party is not worried about a mega party said to be in the pipeline and allegedly being formed to rival APC, saying his party will win the 2019 presidential election.“He also speaks on many other issues, including his planned meeting with the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Economic recession is biting harder, particularly in this festive period. How do you see the situation as the National Chairman of the ruling party? I hope it was low key, but what is important is that you could see signs of fun everywhere. Which means that inspite of everything, people are happy. That is not say that there is not some degree of belt tightening. I can feel it but what is also good is that people are still able to eat rice. We have become a bit of wasteful society; now we are being forced to adjust, measure the way we spend money. People hardly fly business class these days. These are signs of growing realism, growing change, an acceptance that it can no longer be business-as-usual. But, personally, what made me glad this Christmas is the existence of local rice; we now have Ebonyi Rice and the Lake Rice. Nigerians are beginning to domesticate their taste in the local rice they prefer, which is very good. The fact that there was so much in terms of quantity of local rice all over the place is something that makes me glad. It means that there was good harvest, and that, next year, for the fact that the market has now been established, it means we can even export rice. So, thank God, out of every seeming adversity, the good Lord opens windows of prosperity. I think we are at the start of a prosperous period, when this country will be depending not just on oil but on a broader base of production. Are you not scared that the recession may degenerate to depression? We are working hard. We are not even thinking of depression, we are thinking of getting out of the recession that we are in. And all government policies and projects are geared towards getting this nation out of the recession as soon as possible. Perish the thought of depression, we will never get there. What is happening with rice now, the same thing is going to be replicated in the agricultural sector and, as soon as the power sector stabilizes, we will get industries like the textile kicking back into production. We can only look upward and not backward. Your party has been accused by the PDP of rigging recent elections that took place in the country. What is your view? Accusation of that nature is basically stupid and silly. Anybody who knows the President and what we stand for as a party and the true meaning of change, will notice that what is being done is that every effort is being made to create the atmosphere for Nigerians to exercise their fundamental right to choose in a free and unfettered atmosphere. But the reality on the ground is that there are still people who are not used to free and fair voting. That is why there is this strong presence of security to ensure that nothing untoward happens. Security was provided in Edo State during the election and we saw how it went without the loss of a single life. It happened in Ondo State where we had a free and fair and transparent voting without the loss of a single life. We have the singular exception of Rivers State. And let us be honest with each other, Rivers is a state that truly never genuinely voted in the past, that is the reality. Port Harcourt, yes, there is a show of voting, in the past, but in the riverine areas, that was a totally different kettle of fish and, you know, if you are honest to Nigerians, you will know that people in the riverine areas of Rivers never voted in the past, these are areas where the PDP just wrote results. Buhari and APC this time ensured that people felt free enough to come out and exercise their voting right and, to do that, you have to massively police the area. And you can see that inspite of that there were still a lot of violence to the extent that police officers were beheaded. And if you read papers you will find that this violence is still going on in Rivers. You have a government there that came into office, the verbal language of that government was one that is virtually saying that it is legitimate to employ violence. Speeches were being made that any INEC officer coming who does not dance to their tune should write his will before coming to operate in Rivers. You cannot have a situation like that in this country. When we campaigned, we had to be robust; why we were robust in our rhetorics was because we wanted to give people the courage to come out and vote. If you did not do that, they will say these are people that will just come and talk and go back and there won’t be anybody to protect them. So we tried to be robust to give the people the courage to come out in the knowledge that enough security had been put in place to protect them. So the accusation by anybody that the APC is rigging elections is silly and stupid and totally untenable. Rumoured formation of mega party Mega party, I don’t know where the name mega party suddenly came from in the lexicon of politics in this country. When two people gather to have a meeting, it is a mega meeting. We don’t feel threatened; we will in fact encourage a mega party, because with the gradual collapse of the PDP, we want a party that can make us sit upright and be on our toes in terms of delivery of service to our people; a party that will make us feel challenged, that will make democracy real, offer the people a real choice. We are not threatened at all, we are focused on our mission made difficult by the current economic situation worldwide, which of course is compounded with the collapse of the oil market. You will observe that I have held meetings with the National Assembly leadership, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and we are waiting for the arrival of Asiwaju Tinubu who is outside the country. Once he comes back we intend to visit him and have meaningful discussion. We are reforming this country, reforming it ethically, morally and economically by building a fresh economic base which will no longer depend on an extractive industry which does not involve the people. Now we are pushing agriculture, most Nigerians are in the field of agriculture. We are pushing extractive minerals which of course are virtually all over the country, a lot of Nigerians will be involved in that enterprise. We are pushing power generation and distribution because that will also energize the small and medium scale industry. So we want an economy in which most Nigerians are participants, it is no longer oil which is highly technologically based. So it is a different reality we are trying to build and establish. It involved sacrifices, hard work but what is necessary today is that we are focused. What is real today is that the government of Buhari is passionate about seeing this thing to its logical conclusion. This nation must change and the change is so fundamental that there is no question at all that a lot of people are going through temporary hardship but the situation is such that, tomorrow, everybody will be glad that we pursued this line of development inspite of the problems we are facing currently. So we are not bothered about the rumoured formation of any new party. The APC is solid enough to win any election including the 2019 presidential election. And I can tell you that some of these our leaders who they are using their names to talk about the new party thing is not true. Some mischief makers are trying to use their names to achieve their selfish interest. APC is intact, and that is the secret of our success so far. It is a war that in the interest of this nation must be won. What has destroyed every facet of this country is corruption. We had 16 years of PDP government; tell me one of the national problems that was ameliorated? Corruption was high, not that they wished the country ill but they were so corrupt that they did not see the need of focusing on development either of the citizens or institutions; everything today is in a total state of decay because of the corruption entrenched by the PDP. We must beat corruption, it may again mean taking a few short cuts. I know of course that the law to create special courts for corrupt people is under way but, as far as I am concerned, we should not allow the technicalities of the English legal system to hold back the reality. A man is getting half a billion Naira every month and you allow him to take ten SANs to go and argue the case, it will be difficult for the government to secure convictions. Why should a man get half a billion Naira every month and be buying houses for his children? This is my personal view, it has nothing to do with APC. We must beat corruption or corruption will beat Nigeria. Buhari has zero tolerance for corruption and we must end it this time. People see INEC as an appendage of the APC-led government. Are you not bothered? That is part of the PDP propaganda. They talked about postponement of elections and cancellations; do you expect the Commission to go on with an election from security reports that said the election will be bloody? Let me tell you, in the Edo election, we knew the kind of thuggery the PDP wanted to unleash and the kind of resources the PDP states in the South-South allegedly deployed with a view to rigging the election here. States like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, which are the wealthiest states in the South-South allegedly brought money here to rig the Edo election. And INEC postponed the poll for security reasons and you know that the INEC work with the security agents to ensure credible election. And inspite of the long delay in the Rivers election we still did not get away with it violence free and that I must say is a major consideration. We don’t want lives lost because somebody wants to be in office, that is not acceptable. And that is why you see INEC shifting polls and you cannot blame them. We want elections but not bloodshed and you cannot blame the commission for trying to save lives. The NYSC people, are they not human beings, you want a parent to train the child, the person dies conducting an election, haba. It is left for politicians to behave themselves so that elections will be held as scheduled. So, let us stop blaming INEC on every issue. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/2019-will-stop-mega-party-oyegun/

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The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation to immediately delete Section 84 (12) of the amended Electoral Act. Justice Evelyn Anyadike on Friday held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever and cannot stand, as it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution. The section says: “No political appointee at any level shall be voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”. In the suit marked FHC/UM/CS/26/2022, Justice Anyadike further stated that Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election and that any other law that mandated such appointees to resign or leave office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution. Read Also: Electoral Act Amendment Request: FG Considering All Options Including Legal Actions – Malami While signing the Electoral Bill into law last month, President Buhari had asked the National Assembly to delete section 84 (12). President Buhari had argued that “Section 84 (12) constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election”. However, the Senate refused to consider the president’s request and threw out the bill seeking the amendment of the section, with lawmakers stressing that an amendment would be going against the civil service norms and would be injurious to the well-being of the society. On Wednesday, the AGF said following the Senate’s refusal, the Federal Government will consider all other options available to it before a position will be taken. Malami further explained that even though it is the responsibility of the lawmakers to legislate, if it becomes necessary, the government will exploit other options which will include either putting forward another request to the parliament for reconsideration, approaching the court, or accepting the law just as it is. Addressing newsmen after the court sitting on Friday, Counsel to the Plaintiff Emeka Ozoani, (SAN) stated that by this judgment, the National Assembly is not required to further make any amendments to the section as the import of this judgment is that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act is no longer in existence or part of the Electoral Act. The Judge, thereafter, ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act, 2022.

https://www.channelstv.com/2022/03/18/breaking-court-orders-fg-to-remove-section-8412-from-electoral-act/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

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By Akpokona Omafuaire WARRI – HIGH Chief Government Ekpemupolo,also known as Tompolo, has called for calm and order over the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held weekend. Tompolo made the call Thursday, in Warri in a statement by his spokesman, Comrade Paul Bebenimibo. Tompolo used the medium to congratulate Nigerians, especially the South East and the South South people for their support for President Jonathan election. “I want to appeal to all our people to be orderly, calm and embrace peace. The will of the people is sacrosanct and the existing peace be maintained. “I believe that nothing can happen if God does not approve of it. Peace is a prerequisite for national development. People should remain calm also during the governorship election.” Tompolo added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/election-results-tompolo-calls-for-calm/

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http://techafrikico.com/2015/02/08/first-time-ubuntu-phone-goes-sale-europe/

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Rivers crisis: Fubara’s deputy walks a tightrope Since she emerged as Governor Siminialayi Fubura’s deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu has remained loyal to his principal, despite the escalation of the political crisis in the oil-rich state. But, at the same time, she has abstained from abusive outbursts against former Governor Nyesom Wike, who is Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Correspondent MIKE ODIEGWU reports When she was unveiled as the running mate to Siminialayi Fubara, the then governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, had dreamed of and prayed for two things; victory at the poll and a peaceful tenure as a deputy governor. Undoubtedly, Odu, born on October 23, 1952, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, has her first prayer granted. She excelled at the 2023 election with her boss. But, the same thing cannot be said about her request for a peaceful, crisis-free and fulfilled tenure. Odu, who obtained her first degree in Microbiology from the Paisley College of Technology, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the United Kingdom (UK), watched as the substructure of a once united political family built by a former Governor Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, began to collapse, following irreconcilable differences between Fubara and Wike, his erstwhile godfather. The same family nominated and worked for her to become deputy governor. Her choice was unanimous. She was singlehandedly picked by Wike through the recommendations of former Governor Peter Odili. Odili is a key figure in modern Rivers politics who supported Wike throughout his tenure as his political father. He has also often been referred to as the political godfather of Odu. While Wike solely nominated Fubara and made him governor, the former governor out of respect for Odili reportedly asked the latter to recommend Fubara’s deputy. Without hesitation, Odili was said to have chosen Prof. Odu. Odu, a refined international scholar and first PhD graduate at the Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, was brought into politics by Odili. Under the administration of Odili, Odu was a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health between 1999 and 2006, making her the longest-serving permanent secretary. She also rose to become the Commissioner for Education in January 2006. The scholar, who led the rescue team of the December 2010 ill-fated Sosoliso crash in which only two people survived, owed her political loyalty to Odili. She was said to have developed a fondness for Wike, who used to pour encomiums on her publicly, especially during the campaigns. Read Also: Atiku as an endangered specie How has Odu faired amidst the political crisis in Rivers? A peep into her activities shows that the professor has been discharging the functions of her office diligently. The nature of her office and Odili’s position in the impasse have helped Odu to define her feelings. The office of a deputy governor has always been likened to a spare tyre. Just like her predecessor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, who is now the senator representing Rivers West, Odu has maintained a quiet mien. She has never made controversial political statements. Though she has maintained her loyalty to Fubara, she has never been heard casting aspersion on or verbally attacking Wike. She has meticulously attended all programmes of the governor that required her presence. She has also been representing the governor in various events. In her public speeches, Odu has shown her complete loyalty to Fubara as required by her office. Recently at the 2024 Rivers Economic Summit, Prof. Odu described Fubara, whom she fondly refers to as her boss as a leader with the ability to inspire, motivate and encourage people to bring out the best in them. She said: “We thank him for conceiving the idea of this summit. He is a man of courage; a man of focus and a man, who puts Rivers people first.” Similarly, when Prof. Odu received the Silverbird Man of the Year Award on behalf of Fubara, she wrote: “It was truly well-deserved for my boss to be recognized for his efforts in promoting peace and unity in our state. This award serves as a reminder of the importance of working towards a peaceful and harmonious society for the betterment of all. “I am proud to be a part of his team and to contribute to the progress and prosperity of our dear state. Thank you, Silverbird, for this recognition. We also thank everyone who has supported us in our mission for peace. Let us continue to strive for a world where peace and harmony prevail.” While refraining from making public statements about the crisis, Odu has shown nothing but complete loyalty to Fubara. For instance, during the governor’s birthday, Odu wrote: “Your excellency, as you celebrate your birthday today, it is my fervent prayers that the Almighty God shall continue to bless, protect, guide and keep you in good health and give you the wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state excellently.” Apart from the nature of her office, a key factor that has propelled Odu to maintain unwavering loyalty to Fubara is that Odili has pitched his tent with Fubura right from the beginning of the crisis. The former governor chose to support the Fubura camp from the outset. He is said to be an active leader of the camp and the backbone of the governor in the crisis. In the heat of the crisis, Odili has openly identified Fubara as the political leader of Rivers. He further remarked that Fubara had taken full control of his administration. He said: “The time for politics is over; it is now time for governance. You have done well by hitting the ground running. You have touched all sectors: education, agriculture, and now health. This is in line with Mr. President’s agenda. “Regard your office as key. Don’t look back. It is not a matter of age. What is important is that your people are with you. The Rivers State people said I should tell you that you are their political leader. Whatever you say stands and wherever you go they will follow.” Fubara has also boasted that Odili’s membership of his camp was giving his enemies sleepless nights. Therefore, Prof. Odu naturally belongs to Odili’s camp and can flaunt her loyalty to Fubara without any doubt. Despite not having the peace she dreamed of, which her predecessor enjoyed, Odu has continued to discharge her responsibilities, guarding her utterances and demonstrating unalloyed loyalty to Fubara while showing gratitude for the roles Wike played by resisting the temptation to be drawn into abusive outbursts against the FCT minister.

https://thenationonlineng.net/rivers-crisis-fubaras-deputy-walks-a-tightrope/

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The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has revealed that the federal government cannot prosecute the people indicted in the House of Representative probe into the management of the fuel subsidy, saying the probe was just a ‘fact-finding’ mission. Reacting to calls for the prosecution of those allegedly indicted in the report of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, the AGF in a statement on Thursday stated that the government will need relevant agencies to conduct necessary investigations before it can commence the prosecution. According to the AGF, “government must be guided by the dictates of the rule of law and due process as required of any democratically elected and responsible government. In this regard, the need to ensure that thorough investigations are carried out by relevant law enforcement agencies cannot be overemphasized.” Even as the House of Representative in a unanimous vote approved all the recommendations of the report, the AGF noted that the exercise carried out by the legislature is “mainly fact-finding.” He further pointed out that the report of the ad-hoc committee and the resolutions adopted by the House of Representatives, were yet to be transmitted to the executive arm of government. “Nevertheless, when the report and accompanying resolutions are received, the relevant law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies will commence the tedious process of sieving through the report, with a view to assembling all the essential ingredients required to sustain criminal charges that may be filed as a result of such investigations” he added. Lack of evidence Referring to recent flaws recorded by the anti-corruption agencies in the trial of some corrupt allegations, Mr Adoke stated that “experience has shown that whenever our law enforcement agencies are stampeded to arraign suspects, the end result is usually the discharge of such suspects by the courts ostensibly for want of evidence.” “Nigerians must therefore allow our law enforcement agencies to conduct painstaking investigations that will ultimately satisfy the standard of proof required in criminal cases.” He however admitted that the allegations contained in the subsidy probe report deserve serious action on the part of all those with oversight responsibility over the agencies and persons concerned. He urged Nigerians to have faith in the processes being undertaken and to patiently wait for the outcome of the investigations and subsequent prosecutions that may flow from the fuel subsidy probe and also the on-going probe by the Senate. Mr Adoke also reached out to the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) that has given the government a two weeks ultimatum to commence the prosecution of all those indicted in the report; else they will call for a nationwide protest. The AGF stated that the threat to embark on demonstrations and strike actions will only “compound the problem and divert attention, as well as, the energy that would otherwise have been channeled into productive use by law enforcement agencies” Mr Adoke reiterated government’s commitment to anti-corruption as he recalled the President’s initial reaction to the Report of the Fuel Subsidy probe, saying that “any person found wanting will be prosecuted irrespective of the person’s standing in the society.” He therefore enjoined all Nigerians who are concerned about the revelations from the fuel subsidy probe report to be “patient and exercise restraint while these difficult, but essential processes are carried out by appropriate agencies.” “As Attorney General of the Federation, I swore to uphold the Constitution and I am therefore not oblivious of the constitutional responsibility placed on my shoulders to ensure that those who contravene our laws are held accountable through the legal process” he stated. Read the Complete statement of the AGF here.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/05/03/those-indicted-by-subsidy-probe-report-will-not-be-prosecuted-minister-of-justice/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, produced Form CF001, containing WAEC-GCE certificate and Secondary School Testimonial of Gov. Ademola Adeleke before the Osun Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Osogbo. This was in compliance with the order of Justice Tertsea Kume, the Tribunal Chairman, on Nov. 25. Kume had ordered the National Chairman of INEC to produce Form CF001, after INEC in Osogbo office said the documents were not in it’s custody, but with its Headquarters in Abuja. Lead Counsel to INEC, Prof. Paul Ananaba, informed the court that the order given had been complied with and that the documents had been brought from Abuja by Mrs Joan Arabs, a Deputy Director. Arabs, thereafter, presented the documents to the court, which was admitted and afirmed that the documents had been produced in compliance to the order. However, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, Counsel to the petitioners (APC and Gboyega Oyetola), after going through the two pages documents, told the tribunal that the documents produced by INEC (Form CF001) were not legible and could not be used to prosecute their case. Fagbemi pointed out that they paid N305,000 for the documents and that the first document, West African Examination Council (WAEC) – General Certificate of Examination (GCE), does not have anything/result details on it and that only the signature at the bottom was legible. He also said that the second document, School Testimonial, obtained from Ede Muslim Grammar School by Adeleke, does not have the address or location of the school on it. Fagbemi told the court that the documents could not be used or managed by them, saying that they were not clear and legible. The petitioners’ counsel urged the tribunal to take note of their objections to the documents produced by INEC. Kume upheld the objection of the petitioners and ruled that the respondent (INEC) had not fully complied with the tribunal’s order to produce Form CF001, saying that the documents produced were not legible. The tribunal chairman then, ordered that INEC should produce a clearer and readable copies of the documents. INEC counsel, thereafter, asked the tribunal to allow it snap the documents in their custody in Abuja and forward same, so that the hearing could go on. Kume then granted the request and gave a break of one hour 30 minutes for INEC to get the documents. As the hearing continued after the break, Ananaba said INEC Abuja had made the screenshot of the copy of the documents, which he printed and presented to the tribunal. Kume, however, said that the copies were not better than what the INEC Deputy Director brought. After the arguments and submissions from the petitioners and respondents’ counsel, they agreed that the original file containing the Form CF001, in INEC custody in Abuja, be brought to before the tribunal next week. The tribunal chairman said it was unfortunate that the respondent (INEC) could bring unclear and blurred copies of the documents requested by the petitioner. He said it was agreed that sittings shall be held week days, weekends and even, public holidays, from the on set of the Tribunal’s pre-hearing. Kume then adjourned next hearing to Dec. 3, asking INEC to produce clean and clear copies of the original file containing Form CF001. He said that if INEC failed to comply with the order, it would result or compel the tribunal to invoke its power. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/inec-produces-adelekes-certificates-before-osun-tribunal/amp/#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16699856315491&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com

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By Bartholomew Madukwe LAGOS— A lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, has said President Muhammadu Buhari should be embarrassed at the manner the police treated protesters under the aegis of OurMumuDonDo movement. The protest, which started last Monday, has seen the protesters asking President Muhammadu Buhari to either resume work or resign, following his over three months stay in London, United Kingdom, on medical vacation. The police, however, disrupted the protest on Tuesday, on the grounds that it would be hijacked by hoodlums. But Falana in a statement issued, Suday, gave instances where the President led protests as a private citizen without harassment or assault from the police. He said: “It is pertinent to remind the presidency and the Nigeria Police Force that President Buhari had, in the recent past, taken part in peaceful rallies in Abuja to protest alleged manipulation of election results and perceived injustice in the country. “It is on record that as he exercised his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly with other Nigerians on such occasions he was never subjected to any form of assault or intimidation by the police.” He also urged the Inspector General of Police to apologise to leader of the protest, Charles Oputa,aka Charly Boy. “By providing ‘adequate security’ for the pro-Buhari demonstrators while harassing the anti-Buhari protesters the police engaged in the violation section 42 of the constitution, which has prohibited discrimination on grounds of political opinion. “To that extent, the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force should apologise to Mr. Charlie Oputa and other members of the ‘our mumu don do’. “No doubt, the violent disruption of the anti-Buhari rally ought to have embarrassed President Buhari who had advised President Yar’Adua, in a similar situation, to step aside as he could no longer discharge the duties and functions of his office.” He gave the example of a September 2003 protest by the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, which was disrupted. He said: “The police authorities justified the disruption by claiming that the organizers of the rally did not obtain a police permit. “Completely aggrieved by the action of the police, Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the ANPP instructed our law firm to sue the inspector general of police to justify the legal validity of asking for police permit before protesting against the government.” He said the presiding judge of the case had identified protests as a recognised form of expression in a democracy. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/08/buhari-embarrassed-police-treatment-ourmumudondo-protesters-falana/

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Buhari seeks waiver for Oyegun to contest for second tenure —–Says victory is sure for party in 2019 polls By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has finally decided to seek re-election in 2019 general elections. The President has also asked party members to grant waiver to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odegie-Oyegun and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, who want to recontest in the party’s Congress. Speaking at the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting also appealed to members of NEC to also grant waiver to the party’s national chairman Chief John Oyegun and other National and State Executive members wishing to seek re-election. NEC meeting which is presently holding is being attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and 24 state governors. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/04/breaking-ive-finally-decided-contest-2019-buhari/

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Bolanle Arowole, the 52-year-old mother of Akolade Arowolo, who allegedly killed his banker wife, Titilayo has absolved her son of complicity in the death of his wife. Mrs Bolanle, who appeared as the second defence witness in the ongoing trial of Mr Akolade before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, said she would disagree with anybody who claims that her son killed Titilayo “because Akolade is not that kind of a child who is violent”. She said, “My son (Akolade) from his childhood till the day he got married when he stopped staying with me has always been well behaved, had the fear of God and was never violent. “I know his behaviour well enough and he has been a pastor at age 12. Though I don’t know what killed her (Titilayo) but I will disagree with anybody who tells me that my son killed her because he is not that kind of a child.” Mrs Bolanle said she fainted at the residence of the couple on the 25th of June 2011, when she learnt that Titilayo’s lifeless body was lying in the apartment. She said Akolade’s younger brother, Tunde, was the first to go in to the couple’s apartment through the ceiling and came back to break the news. She said, “The news that Titilayo was in that apartment was shocking because she had long moved to her father’s place after issues relating to an abortion she had without her husband’s consent. “As soon as Tunde told me that he found Titilayo dead in the apartment, I fainted and just suddenly woke up inside a vehicle while they were taking me for medical care. “I saw Akolade five days after at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti. I met him in a very bad state and he couldn’t even utter a word and speak with me. “He had deep cuts on his palm while he also sustained wounds on his arm, navel region, and some other body parts and the police said they were taking him to the hospital for medical treatment.” Mrs Bolanle also described her son’s marriage to the deceased as accidental. She said, “I first met Titilayo in July 2007 when Akolade brought her home and described her to me as his school mate at his master’s degree class. “I didn’t see Titilayo again until July 2008 when Akolade brought her home again that she was pregnant for him. I was shocked at the development and asked Titilayo if she was truly from a Christian family. “Both of them begged me and my husband & i went to see the deceased parents after two weeks. But, after one month, my son suddenly brought the wedding invitation cards saying he had fixed a date in consultation with the deceased’s family.” After cross examination Justice Lateefah Okunnu adjourned till 29 January for continuation of the case of the defence.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/01/22/my-son-is-not-a-murderer-mother-of-suspected-banker-wife-killer-says/

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By Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech Editor As the low 3G coverage comes to the front burner, following the electronic transmission of election result debate in the National Assembly, Group Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi, looks at how protection of available facilities and more investment in telecom infrastructure can improve service quality and increase coverage. Omoniyi also used the opportunity to speak about the successes and challenges in offering retail and enterprise solutions in the 20 years his company, VDT, has been around in the telecommunications ecosystem. Telecom infrastructure is on the front burner today considering the revelation that Nigeria has only 50 per cent 3G coverage even as we clamour for 5G deployment. Do you see a continued poor service quality? Service quality is a factor of so many things, including the ability to invest in infrastructure. We have moved from 2G to 2.5G and to 3G, 4G and 5G and all these technologies have positively impacted on the telecoms sector and other sectors of the economy. However, most times telecoms operators face insecurity challenges and threats to telecoms facilities and all these could affect not only service quality, but fast roll out of relevant facilities. If one telecom site is vandalised, it can cause ripple effect on other sites that are connected to it. Again if there is a cut on the backhaul transmission cable, it can adversely affect service quality. So we need uninterrupted telecoms facilities, including investments in telecoms infrastructure, in order to achieve faster, wider coverage and better service quality. The Federal Government’s national broadband plan is to cover 90 per cent population and 70 per cent landmass by 2025. Where do operators like you stand in this plan? I am pleased with the bold ambition of government concerning broadband penetration. However, government alone cannot achieve it without contributions of industry players and stakeholders like VDT Communications. 90 per cent population coverage and 70 per cent landmass coverage by 2025 is a tall order but achievable through collaboration with industry stakeholders. To achieve the target, there must be increased investments from industry players. Already, VDT is fast expanding its services to provide connectivity to more organisations and people. We have plans to further deepen our retail strategies and offerings to customers in the next five years. We are investing in broadband infrastructure to boost our retail and enterprise service offerings, and we are doing so in every state of the federation. Through our expansion plan, we will be covering more organisations and homes, thereby helping government to achieve its broadband target. There was this Universal Services Provision Fund meant for operators to access in order to move services to the critical areas, why are we still talking about low coverage particularly in rural areas? The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), which is being offered by the telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is like the equalisation fund that we see in the petroleum industry. The USPF is meant for network expansion in rural and underserved communities, but most operators are only concentrating on urban areas where they can make quick returns on their investments. The essence of USPF is to encourage operators to develop rural areas that may appear unprofitable at the moment. What the NCC did was to use certain percentage of the money from Annual Operating Levy (AOL) for USPF and only operators that are willing to invest in rural communities have access to the fund. VDT is expanding in some parts of the rural areas and we are working with NCC to achieve further expansion in the rural and under-served areas of our country. You play in the data space, where revenue for data is fast growing while that of voice is depleting by the day. The bigger operators are beginning to shift operations to data. As a small industry player, is VDT threatened by the shift from bigger operators? The revenue for voice did not actually drop. What dropped significantly is the rate of growth in the voice segment of the business, because technology evolution is beginning to compel people to do more of data than voice. For VDT, even though we are small industry operator, our business model has been centred on data from the very first day of our operations. So, we are not threatened by the incursion of bigger players into the data space. You have played in the telecom sector for 20 solid years, tell us your story? My motivation to become a player in the telecoms industry, providing bespoke telecoms services, started from my school days in the University of Ilorin, where I studied engineering. At my final year as an engineering student, I had the push and zeal, as a communication/computer student, to become a provider of communications services to people after graduating from the university. After graduating, I worked as computer engineer in an engineering company, handling systems integration and maintenance. From there, I developed the interest to build networks for customers, and ensuring that different computers align and connect with each other in a seamless communication flow. That was 36 years ago. Having seen my dreams come true, I applied for a licence to operate VDT Communications. At the onset in 2001, we started operations with 14 staff addressing just five points of services, but today we have grown to 400 staff, attending to 143 points of services across the 36 states of the federation. In the last 20 years, it has not been easy doing business in Nigeria, but we remained focused in delighting our customers and meeting their needs. That, and other factors, have brought us this far. How has the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria affected your business, since VDT plays in the data environment? VDT is a customer-centric organisation and our focus is on customers who use our connectivity services. We provide Virtual Private Network (VPN) for customers but that is strictly private to gain access to connectivity. We also have VPN servers in the cloud where people can log on to and get connectivity to carry out several online activities. So the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria is not affecting our business growth. We have built security around our networks to protect the data of customers. The Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) is another policy that is helping to protect customers’ and organisations’ data. How fair is the current Forex regime to your business? Communication services involve different equipment not manufactured in Nigeria. So we are understandably import-dependent. This makes foreign exchange inevitable for us. But the strength of our Naira currently has been weakened against the dollar. This has raised the rate of Forex which of course is affecting our business in Nigeria. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Naira has lost its value the more and it is telling on importation of communication equipment because Forex has gone so high and access to Forex is even a nightmare. Before Covid-19, the value of Naira was N360 to $1, but today, it has jumped to over N500 to $1, which is now eating deep into our revenue. So what’s the way forward? On the interim, the government must give ample opportunities for telecoms and communications operators to have easy access to Forex. However, the lasting solution is for the government to protect and promote indigenous manufacturers of communication equipment so that importation of equipment will be drastically cut down. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/tinubu-holds-lowkey-rally-in-katsina-vows-to-defeat-terrorists/amp/Low

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The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to stop its opposition to the Student Loan Programme. The NEC of the union had on Thursday said ”Nigerians should be aware that the Loan scheme is a way of starving public universities of funding and a ploy to divert public funds into private universities owned by politically exposed individuals and their friends.” Reacting to this, the President of the Senate, NANS, Dist. Sen. Akinteye Afeez Babatunde in a signed statement said ASUU were pushing forth another agenda that favours them. ”It is disheartening to witness ASUU, an organization purportedly dedicated to the welfare of students, opposing a program that could provide much-needed relief to countless individuals. This begs the question: does ASUU truly represent the interests of students, or do they have ulterior motives? ”We are dismayed by ASUU’s hypocrisy in this matter. If ASUU members were to benefit from the Student Loan Program, would they still be opposed to it? It is time for ASUU to come clean and clarify any hidden agenda they may have regarding the student loan. Students demand transparency and honesty from ASUU regarding their stance on this crucial issue,” he said. Babatunde also call of the University Union to refrain from acting as the mouthpiece of the Nigerian students ”Furthermore, ASUU’s attempts to speak on behalf of students regarding the Student Loan Program are unwarranted and unacceptable. Students are perfectly capable of voicing their own opinions and advocating for their interests. ASUU should not presume to speak for students without consulting them directly.” he said. ”Today, students across the nation are calling on ASUU to refrain from interfering in matters concerning the Student Loan Program. Contrary to ASUU’s assertions, students are not only supportive of the program but are actively advocating for its implementation. The Student Loan Program represents hope for many Nigerian students, especially those facing financial hardship. It offers an opportunity for sons and daughters of ‘nobodies’ to access higher education, thereby levelling the playing field and fostering equal opportunities for all.” ”In conclusion, students urge ASUU to cease its opposition to the Student Loan Program and to refrain from speaking on behalf of students without their consent. If ASUU has any genuine concerns or reservations about the program, they should address them openly and transparently. It is time for ASUU to prioritize students’ interests and support initiatives that will benefit the entire student community.”

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/04/18/orji-commissions-road-to-fast-track-power-project/ce

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BY EMEKA MAMAH Igbo youths Thursday rose from an emergency meeting in Enugu, with a call for full implementation of the agreement signed by Nigerian leaders in Aburi, Ghana in 1967 as the only means of saving the country from disintegration. The youths met to deliberate on incessant killings of southerners and other Christians by Boko Haram in the north. They said Boko Haram and their sponsors were killing Nigerians, simply because a northerner was not the President of Nigeria. According to the President of the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, Elliot Ukoh said, “We have decided to demand full implementation of the Aburi accord, whereby Nigerian leaders agreed in principle to establish a confederation in Aburi Ghana in January 1967. ’’We are demanding for its implementation because the deliberate slaughter of Ndigbo by Boko Haram cannot go on perpetually. ’’It is unacceptable, we plead for a national conference where Nigerians will come together and decide on confederation. Therefore, on Aburi accord we stand”, Ukoh said. ‘’The systematic killing of Ndigbo in the North by Boko Haram and their sponsors, simply means that some people do not want Nigeria to remain as one entity; they hope to provoke Ndigbo to retaliate and move the country to a war situation. We believe they are tired of Nigeria. ’’The Federal Government’s assurances do not match its capacity to stop these killings. That means that the country is only being held together by Ndigbo’s endurance and tolerance in the face of such blatant provocation. That is the point, the killings have continued. Boko Haram targets Ndigbo in the churches; at town hall meetings and even inside buses heading for the south east. The killings are systematic, geared towards attracting reprisals in the hope that a civil war could break out. They want to destroy Nigeria. It is very clear to everyone. ‘’We will not fight back the Boko Haram way, because it is not in our character to kill in cold blood; innocent northerners in our midst, and also because, we do not want Boko Haram and their sponsors to have their way. Boko Haram will fail in their bid to set the agenda. We will not play into their hands, ‘’We want to halt the wanton massacre of Ndigbo by Boko Haram. Ndigbo have been killed by our Northern brothers for more than 60 years. They are looking at the only way to seize Igbo properties in the North as abandoned properties; they want a violent confrontation but we agreed not to play into their hands.Their leaders tell us, that they are helpless. That means there is a grand conspiracy to disintegrate Nigeria violently and only a loose federation will save the situation. This present unitary structure has proved unworkable for all to see. The mistake of 1914 (amalgamation of Nigeria) is staring us all in the face. Boko Haram wants to destroy Nigeria because a Southern Christian is president. These killings are aimed at the unity of the country. ‘’Ndigbo live in Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger among others and they cope with all their laws. Only a confederation will guarantee peace now. On Aburi we stand. Our Northern brothers want war, we don’t want war, we want a way out. We want the killing of Ndigbo to stop.’’ He however, declined comments on the death of Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, saying, ‘’I do not want to talk about Ojukwu. People tend to use OJukwu’s name to enhance their profile. We are not fighting for political space and I do not want to use Ojukwu’s name. He groomed people to continue the struggle. I do not want to talk about Ojukwu. If you noticed, I retrained from making political capital with his name. I am not a politician.’’ Asked to access the performance of President Jonathan as it concerned the activities of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, he said, ‘’Jonathan is clearly under attack. The Federal Government is under attack by Boko Haram and their sponsors and Nigerians understand. ’’We are solidly behind Jonathan. He will only disappoint us when he refuses to fight corruption headlong. Nigeria is under siege. Some people want to destroy Nigeria, because they believe their religion is superior. On Aburi we stand.’’ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/igbo-youths-want-govt-to-implement-aburi-accord/

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By Juliet Umeh Google for Startups (GfS) Wednesday, announced the 25 African-based startups selected for this year’s $4million Black Founders Fund. The Black Founders Fund, now in its third year, aims to help tackle systemic racial inequality in venture capital (VC) funding by providing equity-free grants and mentoring to early stage Black-led high-growth businesses across Europe and Africa. The selected cohort of 40 startups from Europe and Africa, includes 25 African startups that embody the diverse entrepreneurial spirit across the African continent. Startups led or co-founded by women make up 72% of the group, highlighting the role women play in shaping Africa’s startup ecosystem. The funding will provide the businesses with the capital needed to take their ventures to the next level and expand to new markets, supercharging economic opportunities and job creation. Early-stage investment is essential for the success of startups and the African startup ecosystem as a whole. This is crucial for Africa to become a global tech leader. With the significant decrease in African tech investment in 2023, startups in Africa need funds to sustain their growth and develop innovative solutions for the continent. From accessible healthcare to efficient logistics, to innovative fintech solutions, these startups are harnessing the power of technology to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges. HealthDart is elevating healthcare by providing comprehensive services and insurance through its digital platform. Tushop is reimagining retail with a group-buying platform in Kenya that encourages cost-saving and community engagement. Herconomy is breaking new ground in the fintech sector with its goal to become Africa’s first women-focused bank. Each selected startup will receive up to $150,000 in non-dilutive cash awards, up to $200,000 in Google Cloud credits, Ad support, 1:1 mentoring by industry experts and invaluable connections within Google’s network. Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startups Ecosystem, Africa at Google said “Startups play a major role in advancing Africa’s digital transformation. We look forward to working with this group of innovative founders who are using technology to solve some of the most pressing challenges in Africa. The Google for Startups Black Founders Fund is committed to addressing the stark inequality in VC funding by providing Black founders with the resources and support they need to succeed” Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti, Founder of Herconomy, selected for the 2023 Fund comments:, “At Herconomy, we are on a mission to reimagine the financial landscape for women in Africa. Being chosen for the prestigious 2023 Black Founders Fund will fuel our revolutionary vision and accelerate our progress. With the funding and support provided by the program, we will expedite the development of our innovative solutions, enhance support for our valued customers, and expand our presence on an international scale. Cathy Chepkemboi, Founder of Tushop, selected for the 2023 Fund comments:, “At Tushop, our passion lies in leveraging technology to empower Kenyan consumers and increase their buying power. Our ultimate ambition is to transform the way daily essentials and FMCG products are accessed, enabling individuals to save significantly. With the support of Google for Startups, we are one step closer to realising our goal of positively impacting the lives of millions of consumers in Kenya and beyond. Njabulo Skhosana, Founder of HealthDart, selected for the 2023 fund comments, “At HealthDart, we empower patients to access affordable and timely solutions for basic health problems through our technology-driven approach. By integrating pharmacy, telemedicine, and insurance with seamless payment options, we ensure affordable access to comprehensive primary healthcare. With the support of Google for Startups, we are poised to further enhance our platform, enabling more individuals to find the most cost-effective and efficient healthcare options. Since its inception, the Black Founders Fund has facilitated over $205 million in investor conversations, representing a 12-fold increase. This has sparked significant growth within the participating startups, with their combined monthly recurring revenue now exceeding $6.1 million, marking a 7% increase. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/06/25-african-startups-to-receive-4m-google-for-startups-black-founders-fund/amp/

Business

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Jagaban had promised to surpass his feat in Lagos. We have now seen his ministers. He deserves the benefit of the doubt. Because when the biblical David set out to rescue Israel, he had gathered some of the most despicable people and reformed them. Amongst his army were rogues, pickpockets and morally bankrupt drunkards. The difference between David and Jagaban, however, is that David didn’t announce himself as a discoverer of talent. He had no access to the cream of society, so he used the dregs. His circumstances were forced on him. We might never know all Jagaban has been through. Another critical difference is that David understood his predicament. He didn’t pretend he had geniuses. That acute self-awareness might have shaped his attitude towards the mission as relied heavily on God. Perhaps Jagaban needs no reminding of the qualities of the people he has chosen. He made good picks like Alake, Fagbemi, Adelabu, Edun, etc. But he has a bunch of mediocre folks. Amongst them is a certain loquacious former governor who lacks the capacity for decency and discreetness. The man has publicly professed his love for 40-year-old whiskeys. The public also knows he can’t keep secrets. In his penchant for exhibitionism and a quest for superciliousness, he flaunts 10 million naira-per-bottle whiskeys on garden tables in the govt house. Jagaban must be informed of these details since he is on a self-imposed damage-limiting exile from social media, the only place where these things matter. Because having asked the poor to make neck-bending sacrifices to save a country in peril, he must advise this minister to drink his luxury wines behind closed doors. But if he must drink in the open on his lawns, then he should contain himself and not flaunt sybaritism into the faces of suffering masses whose degree of wretchedness has convinced the government that N8000 a month to households for six months would be great succour. It’s been said that Jagaban keeps his word. That’s a virtue. In other words, with him, ‘agreement is agreement’. So he is bound to compensate those who helped him win the election and respect the compromises reached, whether ugly or beautiful. But Jagaban need not be reminded that faithfulness must begin with the electoral promises he made to the electorate. Otherwise, it might appear that the masses have been duped by a syndicate. He promised to renew hope. To begin that laudable task, the young men and women who work in our critical institutions must be inspired. Two of our most important institutions are the EFCC and INEC. The EFCC had fingered some governors as crooks. Against these governors, the young men and women in the EFCC had amassed clear documentary evidence, implicating the respected rogues in grand theft and money laundering. If these fellows who have used the courts to thwart legitimate attempts by the young men and women to clean up the polity are allowed to triumph, these patriotic youth will become disillusioned. While Jagaban reserves the right to override the indictments by any agency against any nominee to high office, it might be advisable to tell these lucky individuals not to brandish the impunity awarded to them before TV cameras. So that they do not grate the sensibilities of a bemused public. So that sleeping dogs can lie. Often the end justifies the means. So the EU report on the 2023 elections can be dismissed as the ranting of meddlesome interlopers. But from the EU to YIAGA to the United Kingdom, a certain state was implicated by all observers. During the electioneering campaigns in that state, naked violence and official subterfuge were brazenly employed to prevent other party candidates from canvassing for votes. On the 25th of February 2023, electoral malpractices happened in that state on an industrial scale. Of all the states in the country, that state has results on IREV that is so spectacularly different from the results announced by INEC for the presidential elections. Jagaban knows where all the fingers are pointed. Those in INEC know the state in question. To restore and renew hope in the electoral process, those who exceeded themselves in the perpetration of these sorts of grotesque election malpractices can be rewarded but not with the pulpit. Agreed, we live in a banana republic, but we can’t compensate thugs with the oversight of any of our critical ministries. And if the renewal of hope must take place in INEC, the young men and women who witnessed some of the atrocities in the last election must be sanctified. The best way to begin rehabilitating their minds will be to make them see remorse on the part of the state. But, if the linchpins of the electoral heist are allowed to brag about their rapaciousness, many of these youth will lose faith in the process and the nation. Perhaps Jagaban might have to advise a few of these ministers to resist the temptation of electoral chest-beating especially while kneeling in church at Thanksgiving to mark their appointment as minister. Before Jagaban, Buhari had come to bring Change. Many months after he took the reins, he had no clue whom he wanted to work with. But because his lifestyle inspired hope, folks waited with expectations still. When the list of his ministers was released, village people yawned. Old wines in new plastic bottles. They had seen many of those folks before. But many who had implicit faith in Buhari persevered. Because there was a sprinkling of people of character and zeal in that list. When portfolios were attached to the names, expectations dipped. Because Buhari handed a critical ministry to a particularly inept charlatan. That fellow went on to become the centre of gravity of the administration. He stalled and ruined ideas using unscrupulous emanations as legal advice. With Jagaban we had great expectations on cabinet picks. Jagaban ought to benefit from Buhari’s errors. Though biblical David harnessed rogues to achieve Godly aims, a rotten egg can send out a stench that would mar a party. The Senate could have helped Jagaban to edit the list dispassionately. But the Senate has been redesigned to serve as a virtual rubber stamp, and the confirmation process has since become a picnic. A certain lady on that ministerial list trained as a medical doctor. She fancies herself as a preventive health expert. In the thick of the COVID epidemic, she had the responsibility to liaise with federal authorities to check the spread of the disease in her jurisdiction. Rather than abide by the oath of her profession and yield to proven medical science, she submitted herself to superstition and egotism. Alongside her often delusional governor, who loves jejune ideas, she declared that there was no covid in her state. But that wasn’t all. She accused the NCDC of attempting to import the virus into her state to sully their clean state. This irresponsible disposition to undermine a federal medical army, which was fighting a viral insurgency, was treasonous. Ludicrous as it was then, a couple of states had believed mangling data and registering no covid case was some great achievement. So they suppressed figures and cooked facts without regard to the consequences on the populace and medical staff. While a belligerent village novice in Kogi could be excused, a preventive health expert who legitimised such a persecutory delusion should have been forced to undergo a mental reassessment. But since biblical David did wonders with all kinds of characters, Jagaban can proceed with the circus clowns in his team. However, it might be necessary to remind him that a covidiot shouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere near the Federal Ministry of Health. All hopes are not lost. By the grace of God, David achieved great things with reprobates. Jagaban needs our prayers. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/tinubu-blasts-party-leaders-over-loss-to-pdp/Jagaban

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President Jonathan and former President Obasanjo •Says Achebe is living in the past Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of mismanaging the security issues engulfing the country. Obasanjo stated this in an exclusive interview published in the February issue of the pan-African magazine, New African. He blamed Jonathan for the deteriorating situation caused by the insurgent Boko Haram. “If the President is the chief security officer of the country and there is a security problem, where do you go for the solution? And if that solution is not coming from the chief security officer, who else inside and outside will get a solution? He has the responsibility to solve the problem, and nobody else should be blamed but him.” In a wide-ranging interview, the former General also challenged claims made by Nigerian literary giant, Chinua Achebe, regarding the country’s civil war in the 1960s. Obasanjo rebuffed claims that successive Nigerian administrations have marginalized the Igbo ethnic group within the country. “Maybe he is making those remarks because he is not living in Nigeria. If he was living in Nigeria, when I was the president of this country, an Igbo lady was my Minister of Finance, and Igbo man was the Governor of the Central Bank; an Igbo man was one of the military service chiefs. The permanent representative to the UN was also an Igbo person. What more do you want? For someone to say the civil war has not ended, 40 years after its conclusion, that person is living in the past.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/blame-jonathan-for-insecurity-obj/

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By Rita Okoye In recognition of her unrelenting philanthropy, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji OON, the Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, has emerged winner of The Humanitarian Services Icon of the Year Award 2023 at The Sun Awards 2023, which took place on Saturday, February 17th, 2023 at Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos. In the award citation, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji OON was recognized not just for her outstanding banking career and contributions to the development of an effective Nigerian financial services sector, but more importantly for her many philanthropic works and a sustained commitment over the years to improve the lives of less privileged persons. Her Pink Breath Cancer Care Foundation undertakes several healthcare programs annually within the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, to provide much needed medical care for persons living with cancer and other ailments. She also donates relief materials and provides free healthcare to internally displaced persons nationwide, through several other intervention initiatives. Dame Adaora Umeoji OON recently donated a Church building to the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja and has held yuletide programs for nearly two decades, which have positively impacted the lives of over 5,000 indigent children. Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji OON is a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC), a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI) and a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester. In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria honored her with the national award of Officer of the Order of the Niger, in recognition of her contributions to nation building. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/02/the-sun-awards-dame-adaora-umeoji-bags-humanitarian-services-icon-of-the-year/

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*LAGBUS buses at their depot Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday said that the first set of 5000 brand new buses under the Bus Reform Initiative, a brain child of his administration, would be flagged off within the next six months. Governor Ambode, who spoke when students of the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School of Government, United States of America, paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House in Ikeja, said that his administration was working round the clock to revolutionalise the transportation system in the State and improve the way and manner 23 million Lagosians commute daily. Fielding questions from the visiting students, Governor Ambode alluded to the fact that an integrated transportation system was key to growing the economy of the State, Governor Ambode said the 5000 new buses would be the first step by his administration to change the existing transportation system predominantly driven by the yellow buses, popularly known as danfo. The Governor said: “In the last one year, we have decided that we must integrate rail, road water and air transportation systems in such a way that the system of connectivity is improved upon and I would like to have a direct partnership on how that can actually be actualised. “Right now we are cleaning out all the yellow buses you see in the State. As we proceed in the next six months and a span of three years, we are introducing 5000 new buses of European standard to actually clean up the city because if you want to grow the economy of Lagos, transportation is key and then it’s a major infrastructure for tourism itself.” Governor Ambode noted that the dependence on road transportation in the last two decades, as the major means of transportation in the State has give rise to a chaotic system where about eight million Lagosians commute across the State every minute. “The question is how do you move 23 million people on a daily basis from point A to point B with ease and comfort? So the way the city has been so designed in the last few years, the city has actually concentrated on only one mode of transportation, which is road transportation. There has not been any comprehensive planning to integrate all the modes of transportation in a way that makes it easy. “There are eight million people walking on the streets of Lagos every minute, did we create more points for them. The answer is no. We have one-fifth of the State on water, are we doing effective water transportation, the answer is no. The rail system is still under construction in such a way that it can move mass number of people from one point to another. That is why we have a whole lot of congestion on the road,” the Governor said. Besides, Governor Ambode said that State Government had made series of intervention to improve road transportation network through the creation of more bus terminals, lay bys, bus stops to accommodate the eventual take off of the Bus Reform Initiative. The Governor also disclosed that the reforms in the water transportation system was ongoing and would take off fully within the next six to nine months, as a means to encourage residents to utilise it as an alternative means of transportation. Governor Ambode also listed urban migration as one of the major challenges his administration was contending with just as he revealed that about 86 persons enter into Lagos on a daily basis without any plan to go back. He said the attending consequence of such migration was evident on the State’s healthcare system as well as the 13,000 tonnes of waste generated daily in the State on a daily basis, saying that his administration however must continue to think outside the box to provide solutions to such infrastructural challenges. “People fly in from Ghana to come and use our hospitals here in Lagos. So we now have to sit down beyond what we have learnt in school to look at the practical challenges of urban migration and good governance and things we have to mitigate against a population that is unaccounted for,” Governor Ambode said. Thanking the Students for choosing to visit Lagos, he tasked them to go beyond acquiring leadership skills, but also get involved in policy formulation and implementation in their various domains. Earlier, immediate past Vice President, International Affairs of Harvard Kennedy School, Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji said the team was proud of the exploits of the Governor in the last two years, noting that despite the major challenges of urbanisation Lagos was facing, there was appreciable level of progress. “I am overwhelmed with joy that I can bring some of the brightest and the best brains in the world to come and see the beauty, the greatness, the resilience, the talent and accomplishment of Nigeria. Lagos is the staple success story of Nigeria. I know Nigeria is not where it ought to be, but I know a State that is sustaining itself by itself under a crucial administration that understands how people should feel, she said.” Thanking the Governor for receiving the Students, she said that the visit was to explore possible areas of partnership with staff of the State’s Public Service through research fellowships, policy analysis exercises, collaborations on talent, capabilities and constructive criticisms to move the State forward. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/08/lagos-roll-first-set-5000-new-commercial-buses-six-months/

Politics

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…says chairman’s actions, utterances deceitful …as Atiku, Ayu lead protest March John Alechenu and Omeiza Ajayi The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has submitted a strongly worded protest letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to register its displeasure over the conduct and announced outcome of the Presidential election held on February 25th, 2023. National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu who led other party leaders and supporters to the INEC Headquarters, on Monday, submitted the letter which was received by INEC’s Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Information, Barrister Festus Okoye, on behalf of the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu. In the letter which was signed by Ayu and the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the party said it’s decision to embark on a peaceful March backed by the protest letter, was taken after a series of meetings to review the elections. The letter read in part, “…after long sessions of meetings to review and deliberate on the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25, 2023 considers it expedient to communicate to you and other critical stakeholders and partners in the advancement of democracy in Nigeria, the position of our great Party (PDP) with regard to the conduct and outcome of that election. “It is indeed disheartening to say that the election which raised the hopes of all Nigerians to witness an advancement in our electoral process turned out to be a charade. “You would recall the outcry of many concerned citizens of this country variously accusing your commission of complicity in a planned manipulation of the electoral process in favour of the ruling Party (APC). “ At each time the issues took the media front burner you were quick in dispelling them as rumors and mere allegations. Today Nigerians have all seen that those allegations were true. “In many meetings and briefings your commission held with the Political Parties and the Press ahead of the 2023 general elections, you assured Nigerians that INEC under your leadership would conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election. “You also promised the use of the Bimodal Verification and Accreditation System (BVAS) technology in voter accreditation and result management whereby the public would have unhindered access to the results uploaded to your Servers online and in real time (iREV). Contrary to this belief there was an abysmal failure on your part to honour your promises. “Predictably, the conduct and outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections fell below acceptable standards. It has resonated the fears of all Nigerians in your integrity and that of your commission to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election. “The confidence you deceitfully made us to repose in you and your commission has been battered and eroded away by the outcome of that election. The masses are angry and have not hidden their resentment and rejection of the purported declaration you made to that effect. “Without any equivocation, this election, in the history of our country elicited so much interest, awareness, commitment and dexterity in Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibility. “The major factors that heightened the zeal and confidence of Nigerians to participate in the electoral process were the failures of the ruling APC government, the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology ,the Electoral Act 2022 and your repeated assurances of bequeathing Nigerians a credible electoral process. “Everyone recalls with disappointment the reported widespread irregularities and manipulations that marred the election. There are ample evidences to show deliberate complicity of your commission in the entire fraud. “ The falsification of results and deliberate de-activation of the BVAS and your Servers to frustrate the transmission of election results directly from the Polling Units attest to that. In all these issues brought to your attention you refused to act. “Nigerians are no more in doubt of your direct involvement in aiding and abetting the monumental rigging and manipulation of the election results in favour of the ruling Party (APC). “In addition, the refusal and neglect of your electoral officers to transmit the results of the election directly from the Polling Units (PU) to INEC Servers as required by law is a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. This action is not acceptable to Nigerians and neither to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It therefore stands to be challenged. “For want of clarity, Section 64 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act 2022 specifically provides thus; “A collation officer or Returning Officer at an election shall collate and announce the result of an election subject to his or her verification and confirmation that the – (b) “Votes stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the votes or results recorded and transmitted directly from Polling Units under Section 60 (4) of this Act” “Consequent upon the above Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, the result you have announced and the declarations made are ultra vires, illegal and of no effect except for results transmitted directly from the Polling Units.” The letter further read, “It is therefore circumspect that despite the agitations by Nigerians and our Party during the collation process protesting the reported irregularities surrounding the election you proceeded with the announcement of the results in utter disregard of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. “It is funny and a gross abuse of our electoral process for your commission to have commenced transmission of the February 25, election results from the various Polling Units (PU) days after the results of the said election had been announced and purported winners declared. Your action in this regard is an affront on the sensibilities of all Nigerians which we have vowed to resist. “Notably, the hasty declaration of the election results evidently violating the Electoral Act 2022 places your integrity to total scrutiny going by your deceitful representations and assurances to Nigerians and the International Community that the Electoral Act 2022 is a game changer that would guarantee a free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process especially with the BVAS transmission of election results directly from the Polling Units. “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) detests and condemns this absurdity and brazen rape of our electoral process. Nigeria should be seen as a country governed by the rule of law and it is a responsibility we collectively owe our citizens desirous of entrenching true democratic principles and the rule of law. In this circumstance we call on all Nigerians both home and in the diaspora to stand firmly in defense of their rights, votes and stolen mandate. “In consideration of the foregoing, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) acting on the mandate of the Nigerian electorate has resolved as follows; - To reject and declare as unacceptable the outcome, declaration of the Presidential election results. “ 2. To call on your commission to suspend the on- going transmission of the Polling Units results to your Servers which is in complete breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. - To warn your commission against a repeat of the experiences of the February 25, election in the coming Governorship and State Assembly elections of March 11, 2023. Any attempt to manipulate the electoral process will be vehemently resisted. - To call on all Nigerians to be co- partners in defense of our democracy, votes, the rule of law and their Rights to freely choose the candidates of their choice. - To demand an explanation why you proceeded with the declaration of the election results marred with irregularities against all calls to address the complaints brought to your attention before and during the collation process. “We are writing to you because we want to bring our grievances and demands formally to your attention for necessary action. “Furthermore, to inform you and your commission that, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) together with the ordinary and aggrieved masses of our dear country will no longer tolerate any act in defiance of our electoral processes and laws. “We feel pained at the outcome of the February 25, 2023 election and the provocative declaration your commission made against the will of the people. Sadly, this is coming at the time Nigerians were in high hopes of embracing a reformed electoral process. “Please take caution in your acts to avoid destabilizing our fledgling democracy.” In his remarks after receiving the protest letter, Okoye said, “So, I have received this protest letter on behalf of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and I promise you this letter will be transmitted to him. “If they’re remedial issues we will deal with those remedial issues. But I want to assure you that this Commission is a listening Commission this Commission is a public trust and this Commission belongs to the Nigerian people. Our allegiance is to the people of the federal Republic of Nigeria. This Commission does not owe allegiance to any political party.” Earlier, dozens of party supporters dressed in black outfits marched from the PDP Legacy House to the INEC Headquarters amidst singing and dancing with armed regular and riot policemen in several trucks providing security cover. The March started and ended without incident. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/03/presidential-polls-your-integrity-is-on-trial-pdp-tells-inec/amp/

Politics

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Meet Nigerian woman who has no formal education but lectures at Harvard, other top varsities - Her rapport with Bill Clinton, George Bush, others Not many in her homeland appear to know about her unique story. But in other lands, especially Europe and America, she is a ‘goddess’ whose works are cherished by kings and presidents. Without a doubt, the story of Nike Okundaye, the face behind the huge success story of Nike Arts Gallery, located in Lagos, Abuja and Osogbo, is as compelling as it is inspiring. At a time when young Nigerians are in desperate need of a role model and inspiration in what self-belief and hard work can achieve, Nike’s rise from the status of an unknown village girl born into a seeming insignificant family in a rustic village to a globally celebrated icon would make an A-list inspirational novel. Born in her native village of Ogidi, Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State, young Nike had high dreams about what type of future she wanted for herself. But her dreams were truncated even before they could take form when she lost her mother at age six. “I was six when my mother died,” she said with a tinge of sadness. With the blow inflicted on her dreams by her mother’s death, young Nike was taken away to live with her grandmother. At the time, many believed that by going to live with an old woman, the young girl’s future had been compromised. But events have since proved that destiny may indeed have been at work in her journey through life. She had her first contact with the world of arts through her grandmother, who at the time, was the leader of cloth weavers in the community. She said: “I come from a family of craftsmen. My parents were crafts people from Ogidi in Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State. My life as an artist is something that I was born with. I started weaving at the age of six. “I started with weaving different things, including adire, a traditional Yoruba hand-painted cloth design. As a matter of fact, I can say everything that had to do with textile. They taught me how to weave, using a little calabash. Gradually, I graduated to using bigger materials.” Though Nike was six years old and barely able to tell the difference between her left and right hands, she already had a picture of the kind of future she wanted. “My grandmother was the head of all the weavers in our community. So, even as a little child, I already had a dream that I would own a big studio when I grew up. People came from different areas to buy the cloth from her. So, at that time, I already sensed that I might not have the opportunity to go to school.” With the death of her mother, her grandmother, whose responsibility it was to look after her, did not pamper her in any form. She ensured that the virtue of hard work was instilled in Nike’s young, impressionable mind. At that time, young Nike, unaware of the reason behind her great grandmother’s action, would cry, believing that she was being unnecessarily punished. “I would cry and lament because I thought she was wicked and punishing me. But today, I always thank her for inculcating in me the virtue of hard work. It was through her that I learnt that you must persevere in whatever you do and never give up on your dreams.” Although she lost her mother at a time she needed her most, Nike believes that destiny might have been involved in the way her life played out, including her mother’s death. According to her, the mother was a very hard working young woman who would have spared nothing to ensure that her child got a good education up to the university level. “Even at that young age, I knew that my mother was very hard working. And I am very sure that if she had not died, she would have trained me up to university level. My father was a farmer. He also did several other things like basket weaving to supplement his income. So, definitely, I would have been educated very well if my mother had not died. “But today, I look at my childhood and all that I went through as something designed by destiny. Who knows, maybe if my mother had not died and I had gone ahead to be educated, I may never have had the kind of opportunity that I have today and may never have risen to the level that I am.” Nike never went to school to study art, the vocation that has brought her to global spotlight. Vocational training in art was passed down to her by her great grandmother, the late Madam Ibikunle. Watching her great grandmother in the art of adire textile processing and helping her out, Nike walked up the line to become an expert in adire making, dyeing, weaving, painting and embroidery. A product of the famous Osogbo Art Movement, Nike is today a world acclaimed artist and textile designer. She brings vivid imagination as well as a wealth of history and tradition into the production of adire. Her works are celebrated in major capitals of the world, with her designs exhibited in countries like the USA, Belgium, Germany, Japan and Italy, among others. Nike spent the early part of her life in Osogbo, a recognised hotbed for art and culture in Nigeria. During her stay in Osogbo, her informal training was dominated by indigo and adire. Nike’s romance with international exposure began in 1968 when she had an exhibition at the Goethe Institute in Lagos. Since then, she has grown to become a major name on the international art circuit. She is most outstanding in paintings and design of adire, beadwork and batik. Among Nike’s proudest achievements was her invitation to Italy by the Italian government in 2000 to train young Nigerian sex workers on how to use their hands to engage in creative ventures. Her invitation was as a result of complaints to the Italian government by the young Nigerians that they left Nigeria in search of work, not knowing what they would be forced into. When Nike got to Italy, she taught them skills in craft making and many of the women became self-reliant in no time and stopped their old means of income. In 2006, she was awarded one of the highest Italian national awards of merit by the government of the Republic of Italy in appreciation of her efforts in using art to address and solve the problems of Nigerian sex workers in Italy. About two years ago, her adire painting was accepted at The Smithsonian, the world’s largest museum, located in Washington DC, US. Some of her works can be found amongst the collection of prominent personalities around the world, including the White House. While little is known about Nike and her works across the country, two former presidents of the USA, Bill Clinton and George Bush, were so enthralled by her works at various times that they sought audience with her during their visits to Nigeria. Much more than just meeting and shaking hands with the two former presidents, it was Nike that decorated George Bush’s room in Abuja during his stay in the country. These two incidents, Nike told The Nation, were some of the best things to have happened to her. She said: “When President Bill Clinton of the US visited Nigeria, he asked to meet the woman behind Nike Gallery, and I was taken to Abuja to meet him. It was the same thing with President George Bush. I was invited to meet him in Abuja during his visit to Nigeria. I was the one that decorated the room where the president stayed during the visit. What honour can be greater than this? I feel accomplished.” As an accomplished artist, Nike has taught in several universities in the US, imparting the knowledge of her traditional adire designs in thousands of eager students from across the world. Her teaching exploits, she disclosed, have taken her to revered institutions like Harvard and Edmonton in Canada. “I have lectured and held workshops in several noble institutions across the world. Some of the universities include Harvard, Columbus, Edmonton, Ohio and in Los Angeles, among others. My first experience with teaching was in 1974. At that time, I taught people with doctoral degrees.” Interestingly, all the education she had at the time, according to her, was the traditional education that parents pass onto their children. “The type of education I had at the time was the education that is passed from parents to their children, not the education you get in a classroom. It was the practical type of education,” she said with a wry smile. In 1983, she established the Nike Centre for Art and Culture in Osogbo, Osun State, where trainings are offered free of charge to Nigerians in various forms of arts. The centre was opened with 20 young girls who were picked from the streets and offered a new life in arts. So far, according to her, more than 3,000 young Nigerians have been trained at the centre. The centre also admits undergraduate students from many universities in Nigeria for their industrial training programmes in textile design. The centre now admits students from Europe, Canada and the United States of America. International scholars and other researchers in traditional African art and culture also visit the centre from time to time for their research works on the processing of adire fabric and African traditional dyeing methods. But she says the true story of the gallery started in her bedroom about 47 years ago. “The gallery you see today actually started in my bedroom in 1968. In 2008, we opened the one in Lagos, and my husband was always the motivator. It was intended to give the young and old a platform to hear their voice.” As she spoke, with signs of fulfillment splashed on her face, her husband, Reuben Okundaye, a retired commissioner of police, who had remained quiet since the interview started, suddenly joined in the conversation. He said: “It is with practical education that she has continued to teach and impart knowledge into people with doctoral degrees and masters in Fine Art. Some of these people even come here under the cover of night to seek advice from her. Yet, some would say she is not educated.” Speaking about another experience, Mr. Okundaye said he once had an encounter with a prominent Nigerian who told him that his wife would have been made a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if she was educated. Surprised, he said he took a swipe at the man, telling him his wife was better educated than most of the people that were being flaunted. He said: “You can imagine, I was discussing with one big man the other day and he said that my wife would have been made a minister if she was educated. I was angry and I asked him what he meant by that. Here is a woman who teaches people with doctoral degrees in higher institutions all over the world, yet you say she is not educated. But when the chips are down, they come to her for advice.” Asked how she feels whenever she teaches in the classroom, Nike looked up as if relishing her achievements, and said: “I feel fulfilled. It was a very high sense of fulfillment. Imagine, a little girl who grew up in a rustic village without any sign of hope for a good future. Now I stand before PHD holders and teach them. I have been invited to meet presidents of foreign countries. I think I should be proud of my little achievements and be grateful to God.” In spite of her seeming low education, she insists she has no regrets about not attending school. “I have no regrets at all. I give thanks to God for making all these things possible for me. I also thank my husband for standing by me all these years. I must confess that it was not easy coming this far. You will agree with me that for a woman to be recognised, she has to work three times harder than a man.” Reechoing his wife’s position, Mr. Okundaye said Nike could not have had any regrets, having attained the heights sought by many across the world. “You asked if she has any regrets. How can that be possible? What kind of regret was she supposed to have with all her achievements? She is fulfilled in every sense of the word,” he enthused. Expectedly, the couple was attracted to each other by their mutual love for arts. Okundaye told The Nation how it all started: “I have always been an arts lover. I have some of her works. Perhaps, like you said, maybe it was destiny that brought us together.” With a sterling career as a police officer, which saw him attaining the rank of Commissioner of Police and serving in more than four states, the couple has in the last 20 years of their coming together enjoyed the beauty of marriage and weathered the storm together. Nike, who would be 64 in a couple of weeks, has also successfully created an identity for herself. Her most treasured clothes, she confessed, are adire fabrics. And it is not surprising that she cannot remember the last time she wore anything other than that. “You may be right if you say I have created an identity for myself with my adire clothes. It is the only thing that I am known with. I don’t wear any other clothe, even when I travel out of the country,” she said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/meet-nigerian-woman-who-has-no-formal-education-but-lectures-at-harvard-other-top-varsities/

Education

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State addressing journalists at Iyamho Primary School. Benin – Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo said that his victory in Saturday’s governorship election would propel him to do more for the people of the state. “The way the people have voted has made my job easier,’’ Oshiomhole told a news conference in Benin on Sunday. “I will build on the existing bridges of unity and sustain our developmental agenda.’’ The governor commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his neutrality in the election, describing him as “a statesman and a man of honour’’. Oshiomhole said that he was particularly grateful to Jonathan for his adherence to the principle of “one man, one vote’’, which partly engendered the conduct of a free and fair election in the state. He, however, urged the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, to investigate the reasons behind the late arrival of election materials in the Benin metropolis, with a view to forestalling its recurrence in future elections. The governor, who gave the advice while speaking with journalists in Benin, said: “I ask Jega to conduct an investigation into why for four hours; election materials were not delivered in Benin City. “That investigation would help determine why some people were disenfranchised.” Oshiomhole, nonetheless, commended the INEC Chairman and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner for conducting a free and fair election in the state. “I believe that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Kassim Geidam, has particularly demonstrated an uncommon quality of leadership.” In a related development, Mr Louis Odion, the Commissioner for Information, said that the citizens of the state should expect increased development during the current tenure of Oshiomhole. “Gov Oshiomhole is not a sectional leader and Edo people should expect more good things from him,’’ he said. Odion stressed that Oshiomhole would use his second tenure to consolidate the feats he had achieved in providing the dividends of democracy for the people. “If the governor was able to rehabilitate more than 500 primary and secondary schools in just three and half years, then imagine what he will do in the next four years,’’ he said. Meanwhile, congratulatory messages have continued to pour in from different quarters for Oshiomhole on his victory on Saturday. For instance, Mr Lanre Banjo, the Director of International Mobilisation and Coordination in National Conscience Party (NCP), has commended Oshimhole and the people of Edo for the successful conduct of Saturday’s election. Banjo, a former NCP governorship candidate in Ogun, gave the commendation on Sunday in an interview in Abuja. He, nonetheless, called on Oshiomhole and his team to intensify their efforts to transform the state. “With this victory, the governor and his team have been further challenged to do more for the people of Edo and establish an enviable lasting legacy. “Gov. Oshiomhole should consciously embark on programmes that will reduce poverty in the state, while removing the people of the claws of moneybags who are fond of giving pittance to voters to garner their support. “If the citizens are able to reject money or any form inducement for their votes, they will consequently be spiritually and psychologically free to hold elected officials accountable for any form of misrule,” he said. Oshiomhole had also received similar congratulatory messages from President Goodluck Jonathan and other state governors. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/oshiomhole-pledges-massive-development-in-edo/

Politics

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Erelu Abiola Dosumu By Charles Kumolu, Deputy Editor When the author of Usefulness of Useless Knowledge, Donald Jordan, said “history is an aggregate of half-truths, semi-truths, fables, myths, rumours, prejudices, personal narratives, gossip and official prevarications,” he may have been frustrated by the historical contradictions of his time. And such inconsistencies have been the fate of history from time immemorial, making Karl Marx to observe that it first repeats itself as a tragedy, and later as farce. While these observations rightly mirrored the status of past events, whether documented or oral, they nonetheless, didn’t dismiss the instructiveness of history. The latest debate on those who founded Lagos is yet another repetition of history, which gives room to distortion to suit interests and times. Such a situation re-echoes the author of The War of the World: History’s Age of Hatred, Niall Ferguson, who said oral history is a recipe for complete misrepresentation. The American scholar added that when it comes to oral history, almost no one tells the truth, even when they intend. That is a case of the Lagos question, which seems to have birthed many later-day historians, whose conceptions and interpretations contradicted generally accepted narratives on the subject. Since the storyline dates back centuries gone, the witnesses to that history are now history themselves, but there are those who qualified as custodians of that history. One of them is Her Royal Highness, Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, a direct descendant of the progenitors of Lagos kingship. Her bloodline alone makes her side on the origin of Lagos more authoritative than anyone else. In this interview, which was conducted when the same controversy came up a few years back, Erelu Dosunmu narrated the story of Lagos as handed down by her ancestors. The current debate was provoked by the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, who restated what others had said in the past. Oba Ewuare on a visit to Lagos said: “I cannot help but say that it is in history books that Benin founded Lagos. But when some people hear it now they go haywire that ‘what is the Oba saying?’ But it is true . Go and check the records. Maybe not all of Lagos as we know it now but certain areas in Lagos – maybe the nucleus -was founded by my ancestors. The Oba of Lagos will say so.” Just as the monarch anticipated, the remark has reignited the controversy over who founded Lagos. Are you not concerned about the controversy over the true aborigines of Lagos? I would not say I am concerned because I know the truth. The history of Lagos is not obscure, it is very clear. If people are going to say the truth, we all know what the truth is. A friend was saying to me if I was not sure there is no third party trying to take the rights of Lagos through this raging controversy. We all know the story of Lagos from childhood. Even a play was staged about the beginning of Lagos last year. I just know that the truth will surface after this raging controversy because a lot of the gladiators are being miserly in some of their discussions. Can you give clarity on some of the things you consider not to be factual among those that have been said so far? The territory of Lagos has always been an extension of the Benin Kingdom in the sense that they used it as a passage to the port for their trading and interaction with foreigners. We all know that foreigners visited the Benin Empire long before colonialism and signing of the treaty of Lagos. This is their passageway and hunting ground. As soon as strangers came to settle down, they would pounce on them and make them pay royalties. Like all human beings, when you settle in a place for a long time, it is expected that you will have the right of ownership. And the foreigners were not ready to be subservient and refused to pay Isakole (royalty) and the Benin king did not take kindly to that. He sent an expedition and subjugated the foreigners and set up his own administration in form of a kingdom. Therefore, when I say that we are purely and predominantly Benin, it is the truth. The royalty of Lagos is predominantly Benin. But we have all intermingled and have since inter-married with people from Yoruba land and people from other places. And we are enjoying the two cultures. We are even enjoying more because we now have Igbo, Hausa and other tribes settling in Lagos. We are not enjoying the Yoruba influence alone, we are also enjoying other influences. Prior to the institution of the royalty with Oba Ado as the first king, who were the people that the Benin met on the ground? The Benin has always known about Lagos because they considered it as part of their territory and they used it for many purposes. And when the Awori came from Ife to settle in the areas of Lagos, the Benin quickly got them to pay royalties. Benin was landlocked but, as Benin Empire, they were interacting with people from other parts of the world. It was Benin Empire and, when the Portuguese and others came, they also had to pass through the Kuramo waters to get there. They had already laid claim to the land called Lagos. Whether they gave it a name or not, it was an extension of their playground. And when another group of people came to settle there, the Benin said they already had authority over the palace. That was what informed their decision to make the Awori pay royalties. And after paying the Isakole for a while, they (Awori) decided not to pay anymore. That made the Benin to decide not to leave a vacuum anymore and set up an administration. That is why I am saying that there is no ambiguity in the history of Lagos if we are going to tell the truth. All these people, who have been talking, never mentioned that they paid Isakole but we all know that. It is written in books that they paid Isakole. That was the main reason the Benin came and took Olofin away. He refused to be subservient to them. The Benin came here because it is their territory. There is evidence that an expedition was sent from Benin, there is evidence that they were conquered because there was an obaship in place. Even if they did not have anything and just sent an expedition to conquer, when someone conquers, he takes over the land and property of the conquered territory. Now, we want to unify our views and have a consensus so that those people, who are trying to take our rights away, can be confronted to see if we can get some kind of compensation for our children. This is not the first time such controversy is raging, what do you think is responsible for its recurrence? What I did at NIIA was to state that Oba Dosumu was an unsung hero. It was to state that the treaty for which he was being castigated was a masterstroke. He was a forward-looking king who had the interest of his people at heart. He did not allow his position to go into his head by allowing his subjects to be destroyed in a meaningless battle. He found a way to a roundtable discussion and was able to retain integrity for his kingdom, while still retaining the friendship of the colonial people. There are many countries in Africa where people don’t remember their culture but he found a way to get a concession by which he was allowed to remain a king and sustain the culture and pride of his people as independent human begins. And the people actually enjoyed the benefits because they were able to carry British passports and get scholarships to study abroad. That is why a lot of early educated people were the indigenous people of Lagos. For example, people like the late Justice Elias, Justice Junaidu, and Prince Ajose were among the early educated people. Our fathers and grandfathers were all products of King’s College; they were either great bankers or doctors or pharmacists, etc. It is wrong to think that Lagos people are lazy. It is not the indigenous people of Lagos who are lazy, it is those who come from other places. This kind of controversy happened before and it is here again. In the light of that, how can the issue be resolved because oral history is easily distorted and told to suit individual and group interests? If you don’t talk about issues, solutions may not be found. I think it is appropriate that we should discuss it. There should be this kind of conversation going on but, at the end of the day, a superior argument will carry the day. It is okay to take a story from wherever, but it is right to take it from the beginning and analyse it in a sensible way based on what our ancestors told us, what other people have written and what we learnt from our research. That is the best way instead of the jaundiced way it is being done now. We will get there. It is healthy that conversations will be going on, at the end of the day we will sit at a roundtable and harmonise our views. And whatever that is not clear, we will address it and come up with a consensus. We have had this kind of issue before on the story of the Eyo. The story is so clear but when the conversation started, people were attributing it to a princess from Badagry, but, at the end of the day, it was confirmed that the fetish came from the palace of the father of Queen Olugbani, wife of King Ado of Lagos. But the colourful Aga is a creation of Oba Akisemoye of Lagos, the fetish was to protect them from the curious gaze of the people of Lagos. Strong young men in the neigbourhood were clad in white and given a stick to ward off anybody that wanted to interfere and they were called the Laba. That is why the Laba will always say that they are the head of the Eyo because they were the ones guarding the fetish until the early 1950s when the fetish felt they were not guarded properly by the Laba. Otherwise, Eyo, in the past, instead of the yellow Aga, was always red. They were protecting the fetish but when the fetish felt the Laba was not protecting them anymore, they started having their own people to protect them with different colours of Aga. From there it expanded to the palaces of the white chiefs who started having their groups. It also expanded to groups formed by the Eyo Omo Oloku because, whenever there is an Eyo, it is always to honour departed obas. The Eyo Omo Oloku can also come out in subsequent Eyos. So it kept getting bigger and definitely more colourful but it was a creation of the Oba of Lagos. The fetish was what was brought and the first Eyo was performed at the funeral of Queen Olugbani from where the fetish came from. But before we settled that matter, people told different stories. I believe this one will be resolved. The problem is even not with the indigenous people of Lagos, it is being caused by people who want to claim ownership by default. They are the ones who are actually fueling the controversy. The Benin Kingdom is always a central factor in the history of Lagos and Oba Akiolu even acknowledged the place of the kingdom recently. Are there still some cultural activities that take place between the Lagos royalty and Benin royalty? There is nothing stringent but there are still some courtesies that are exchanged between the two kingdoms. And if a new king is being crowned in Benin, the Oba of Lagos will have a vantage position as a son of the soil within the context of the ceremony. Apart from that, everybody is independent in his own right but we enjoy a lot of goodwill. Whatever is between us now is ceremonial and more of courtesies. Since all these started, have you reached out to the dramatis personae? I decided to talk because many people have called that, as the person who seems like a custodian of history and culture of Lagos for over 40 years, I should make a statement and reach out to everybody. I am talking because I want us to speak with one voice and not allow other people to take advantage of the situation. I am reaching out and hope that my views will throw more light on the issues. We are going to reach out to more people and iron these out behind closed doors rather than on the pages of newspapers. On oral history… When people talk about oral history, they also have to think of logic because if people rely on what they hear, they can never have a consensus. But logic must prevail. Time must also prevail because things are time-bound. If, for instance, they are saying that a certain people were paying royalties to the Benin Kingdom and others said they had been there centuries before the Benin came, but the same person who was said to have landed first was the same person that the Benin captured, how many centuries can that be? How long do human beings live? If they are saying the same person who came the first time was captured by the Benin and then returned, how long can it be? A lifetime! Okay, he came as a young man and was captured as an old man? How many years are we talking about? I have read stories where they said some had been here for centuries and they are talking about the same original settlers. Therefore, common sense and time factor should also come into play when saying things based on oral history. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/12/eko-row-benin-people-owned-lagos-awori-paid-royalties-to-them-erelu-abiola-dosunmu/?s=09

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…Says all oil revenues squandered on recurrent expenditure …Restructuring will halt Nigeria’s drift to a failed state – Anyaoku …South-East govs have adopted Igbo position on restructuring – Umahi By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor FORMER Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo and former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Wednesday, dissected the state of the nation and returned a grim verdict: Nigeria will implode and become a failed state without restructuring. To avert the looming disaster, they urged Nigerians to make restructuring the basis for electing any party or candidate in the 2019 general election. According to them, the current structure of the country, which depends mainly on petroleum resources, and constitution has perverse incentatives for a productive economy, and diversification, if not restructured urgently will spell doom for the country. They spoke, Wednesday, in Lagos at the maiden lecture of Ndigbo Lagos Foundation, to mark the end of the six-year tenure of Professor Anya O. Anya as president of the foundation, and refelect on what should be the role of the Igbo voter in the 2019 election. This is as Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, Governor Dave Umahi, who was also at the lecture, said the five governors of the South-East are for restructuring of the country and have adopted the Igbo position, which was canvassed at a summit in Awka, two months ago. Chief Anyaoku, who chaired the lecture titled: ”The Political Economy of Retructuring The Nigerian Federation,” faulted the notion expressed by some people that restructuring Nigeria ”is a veiled campaign to dismember or weaken the Nigerian federation.” To survive, he said Nigeria should copy the kind of federalism practiced by India and Switzerland, which have similar pluralistic ethnic nationalities. His words: ”Since my return to Nigeria in 2000, I have been saying that, informed by my long association with governance in over 50 member countries of the Commonwealth, it is only through restructuring its governance architecture that Nigeria can achieve the national unity with political stability and economic progress that its citizens profoundly desire. ”Indeed, I do not see how the country can arrest its current drift towards becoming a failed state without restructuring to a true federation of fewer and more viable federating units with greater devolved powers to plan and pursue development and peace in their respective areas. Eminent personalities at the lecture included Igwe of Oko, Professor Laz Ekwueme; former Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke, retd; Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka; Elder Uma Eliazu; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; Chief Ziggy Azike; Mr Cosmas Maduka; Mrs Stella Okoye and Mrs Kate Onyechere among others. Delivering his 12-page lecture, Professor Soludo outlined a litany of reasons Nigeria must be restructured urgenty. The reasons include: Nigeria’s constitution, which he said is an inappropriate Meta institution for a productive economy, institutional dysfunction and circular stagnation, unviable states and inability of 30 of the 36 states to pay salaries without federal allocation, over-dependence on oil revenue, and disincentive for economic diversification among others. Nigeria suffering from oil structure disease He said the overarching case for restructuring is economic. ”Restructuring should provide the necessary foundational meta-level socio-political-governance architecture for the emergence and sustainability of a secured and prosperous post-oil economy… ”Nigeria’s meta institution, its Constitution (legal-political-governance architecture) is designed to share and consume the oil rents and has perverse incentives for a productive economy. Oil or natural resource boom is known to cause the appreciation of the real effective exchange rate thus harming the economy, and this has been reffered to as the Dutch Disease syndrome. Ours is beyond the Dutch Disease. We also suffer what can be described as a Lottery Effect – a syndrome whereby a hitherto hardworking person wins a lottery, quits his job and restructures his family’s lifestyle around the consumption of the lottery money; breeds more children and each with guaranteed allowance from the lottery money; and centralises decision-making in the family such that the children never have the experience to take up challenges and mature in the process; etc. At adulthood, the children have developed a dependent/entitlement mind-set and the ageing dad can no longer cope while the lottery money can no longer service the bloated livestyle. Instead of the lottery windfall aiding the family, the arrangements designed to utilise it might turn the Lottery into a curse. ”The above is a caricature of Nigeria’s experience with oil and the institutional arrangements to share and consume it. A combination of the Dutch Disease syndrome and Lottery Effect produced what I refer to as Nigeria’s Oil Structure Disease. Until we wean the system of this Disease, Nigeria’s economy will continue to sluggishly muddle along. This structural disease is the key reason Nigeria’s quest for economic diversification over the decades has been moving in fits and starts.” The way out To solve the problem, Soludo said there are three types of restructuring: soft restructuring (amendment of the constitution to allow state police, scrapping of local councils and resource control, etc) as recommended by the All Progressives Congress, APC, Restructuring Committee; and Hybrid restructuring (negotiation of a new constitution with regional auttonomy within the federation); and hard restructuring (confederation or outright independence for any desiring part of the country.) He identified hybrid restructuring as the best for the country and urged political leaders, who he said have developed inertia to act, to carry it out. He also observed that those benefitting from the current structure do not want restructuring. Noting that restructuring will have short to medium winners and losers, he added that everyone could potentially win in the long run. Oil money revenue squandered on bureaucracy He argued: ”For a constitution that proclaims a federal structure, the exclusive and concurrent lists constitute an atypical concentration of powers at the centre. Currently, the federal government is burdened with hundreds of parastatals and agencies trying to inefficiently micro manage the entire Nigeria, with recurrent expenditure of the federal government exceeding total federal revenue. Every penny of capital spending by the Federal Government of Nigeria is borrowed, and its fiscal position is precarious. Put starkly, not one kobo of oil money is invested in infrastructure by the FGN; it is all consumed by the obtuse federal bureaucracy. Unless we assume that oil boom will rebound and endure, devolution is a matter of survival for the FGN and the national economy.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/2019-poll-a-referendum-on-restructuring-soludo/

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Chief Bode George, Mr. Aderemi Olusegun. Prof Tahoed Adedoja, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Prince Uche Secondus and Professor Tunde Adeniran By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA- The moves by the Post-Convention Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile aggrieved members of the party, especially those who stood for election in the recently held elective convention has suffered a set back, following the call for the nullification of the chairmanship contest by a former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Professor Taoheed Adedoja. Adedoja who contested the chairmanship position with Prince Uche Secondus, Professor Tunde Adeniran and High Chief Raymond Dokpesi told journalists in Abuja on Monday that his name was excluded on the ballot, making it impossible for delegates to vote for him at the convention. According to him, his lawyer, Ricky Tarfa has already filed a suit before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to amongst others, declare null and void, the election of the national chairman of the PDP on 9 December 2017. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/breaking-troubles-pdp-adedoja-calls-nullification-convention/

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The Federal Government on Tuesday said traffic would be diverted on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway around Makun section for 72 hours to enable the contractor install a bridge beam. The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, said this during inspection of ongoing reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project. He appealed for understanding and urged the public to disregard rumours that the road would be closed. Popoola said traffic would be diverted on a stretch of just 400 meters around the construction zone where beams were to be laid on the flyover under construction at Makun near Sagamu Interchange. He said the diversion would begin on Wednesday, July 28 and end on Friday 30 July, a total of 72 hours. He explained that the reason for the diversion was to allow for safe installation of cross beams, adding that, vehicles would not be allowed to ply the area where the beams would be laid to prevent accidents. “The purpose of this inspection is to check the extent of the flyover bridges being constructed on this Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. “The contractor will launch this beam you are seeing on the ground here at Makun and that will take us about 72 hours to complete,” he said. Popoola said contrary to media speculations, it would only take 72 hours to launch the beams of the flyover because the diversion points had already been created about 400 meters away from the construction zone. “Any vehicle coming from Ibadan that is approaching this Makun at kilometer 37 plus 100 will now have to shift to Lagos bound lane and then after this place, another 400 meters away, he will now come back to his own lane originally. “We are not closing the road. It is not partial closure and it is not total closure, motorists will still be allowed to move but there will be a diversion, 400 metres away and 400 meters after where we are working,” he said. The controller said adequate road diversion signs had been provided and there would be a collaboration between traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies to avert gridlock. He appealed to motorists to be lane disciplined and obey all diversion signs and traffic laws and assured that there would be seamless movement on the highway. He said increased alternative funding was speeding up construction works on the highway, assuring that both section one of the project being handled by Julius Berger and section two handle by RCC would be delivered in 2022. Popoola said 31 kilometres of work had been completed to the final stage out of 43.6 kilometres of section one being handled by Julius Berger bringing the total completion to 76 per cent. “We have achieved about 45 per cent completion of the bridge alone, if you add it together with the pavement work that we have done, the average completion percentage is in the neighbourhood of 76 per cent,” he said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/lagos-ibadan-expressway-fg-diverts-traffic-72hrs-to-fix-flyover-beam/

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The arrested suspect. By JIDE AJANI, DEPUTY EDITOR The man suspected to be behind last Christmas Eve bombings in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security Service (SSS), Sunday Vanguard can reveal. He was arrested in Jos on Wednesday. Coincidentally, Wednesday, September 7, 2011, marked the tenth year anniversary of the commencement of hostilities in Jos, a development that has become the negative hallmark of the once peaceful town. The hostilities have claimed hundreds of lives, the latest being the two attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen on two Christian communities in the state last Sunday and Thursday respectively which left more than 20 dead. The suspected bomber’s arrest, it was learnt, came following what competent security sources in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, and Jos, described as “some very useful information”. According to the security sources, “whereas the intelligence community had been getting signals about the whereabouts of the mastermind of the Christmas Eve bombings in Jos, he kept eluding the operatives. “Fortunately, a big break came last Tuesday after the arrest of some Boko Haram suspects in Suleija. The arrested suspects provided useful information which led to the arrest of the alleged mastermind of the Christmas Eve bombings in Jos”. Attempts to get the name of the suspect proved abortive as the sources maintained that investigations were still on-going. Sunday Vanguard was nonetheless told that “the suspect is already providing useful information that would assist in the investigations of some other dastardly acts”. Once the investigations are completed, the security sources stated, “the bombing mastermind would be arraigned along with his collaborators in the aw court”. 32 people were confirmed dead and 74 hospitalized in the blasts which rocked two parts of Jos, last Christmas Eve. Giving details of the bombings, Plateau State commissioner of police, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano, said a total of seven explosives were planted in the two parts of the state capital. According to him, five of the explosives went off at the Kabong area while two were detonated at the Angwan Rukuba area. One of the bombs was planted in a busy market at Kabong where people were making last-minute purchases for Christmas while another was planted at a relaxation spot in Angwan Rukuba. He said dynamites and about 100 match boxes were recovered from one of the places combed by men of the bomb unit of the police and were being analyzed. Akano described the incident as more political than religious or ethnic, saying, “Honestly, my own estimation of this is that it is political. Explosives have been introduced for the first time. When you understand that the problem on the Plateau is more political than religious, when the dust settles, people will know that this is not religious.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/jos-bomber-in-sss-net/

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By Dennis Agbo, Enugu The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, has disclosed that top of its submission at the recently concluded national assembly zonal public hearings on the amendment of the 1999 constitution was its quest to extend the tenure of local government chairmen to statutory four years. ALGON, therefore, asked its members and affiliates to pursue the matter through persistent engagement with both National and States legislators to ensure that the amendment is enacted in the process of the constitution amendment. ALGON also said that it is asking for an increment of the federal allocation to the councils from its present 20.60 to 35.5 per cent, so as to make the local government system more effective in its grassroots development. Furthermore, the association wants the state and local government joint account to be scrapped in order to free the councils from the stranglehold and domination of the state governments. ALGON made the disclosures at its third rotational National Executive Council meeting, just concluded in Enugu, where its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Solomon Onah disclosed that other resolutions reached the meeting included ALGON’s support to the issue of State Police so as to curtail the rising insecurity challenges. On the issue of the ALGON Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centres, the NEC expressed its dissatisfaction and displeasure with the Contractor over the limited and poor number of projects executed across the country. NEC directed that the Contractor should move back to the site within one week and that an additional 300 PHCs should be completed, fully equipped and delivered to ALGON on or before the end of August 2021. The association threatened to take necessary steps to enforce compliance by the Contractor. Onah said that ALGON has taken the initiative of bringing to an end ‘Multiple Taxation of goods and services, and illegal roadblocks across the country with National Anti Multiple Taxation Scheme, NAMTAXS, and National Transit Insurance Scheme, NATIS. “This will optimally address food security challenges, reduce the cost of goods and inflation in the country and strengthen the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Local Governments and Area Councils in collaboration with the States, Federal Government and their stakeholders. NEC is happy that the projects will seek to assemble all the road users and capture them into its tax net. NEC equally set up a five (5) man committee to properly harmonize all modalities for their take-off and report back in two weeks for implementation,” Onah said. On the sustainable paradigm shift to develop the capacity of members and collaborate with Local and International Agencies, NEC approved continuous engagement with key stakeholders. They also passed a vote Of Confidence on the National President, Hon Kolade David Alabi, for his inclusive leadership. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/algon-seeks-four-years-tenure-for-council-chairmen-2/

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Drama as 107-yr-old man takes heartthrob, 95, to altar For 70 years, Elder Dikam Garba Dabo’ok and MrsKa’a Nafung had lived together as husband and wife. But the couple, now 107 and 95 years respectively, have found a new sparkle to rekindle their marital love in the church. The church ceremony in Plateau State, has remained the talk of the town in the social diary of the state and may remain so for a long time. This is particularly so because the celebrants are the first couple in the history of the state to be administered marital vow at such unusual ages. At 95, the bride is well past her menopause. Her surviving first child is 65 years old. The groom, popularly known to many in his neighbourhood as Baba Dikam, is 107 years old and may no longer be sexually active. But all that is not enough to discourage the couple from walking down the aisle arm-in-arm for a new marital oath. The ceremony, which was held at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Chizu village in Bwai, Mangu Local Government Area of the state, was a delight to watch as it was packaged in the manner that young grooms and brides would walk down the aisle. The groom was dressed in black suite and a red neck tie to match, while the bride stepped out dressed in a pure white wedding gown with a neatly made hair to match. They drove to the church in separate vehicles, as if they never met before. The groom was accompanied by cutely dressed men and the bride by a long bridal train. They had a procession and matched into the church separately as if they never met before. They only came together after they were wedded by the officiating pastor. The officiating pastor of the church, Rev. Tongwe Sale, congratulated the couple and admonished them as if they were young couples. He said: “Marriage is ordained by God and it should be kept sacred.” He charged them to keep faith in God since they are still alive, noting that although they are old, they can still be important in the lives of their children and grand children. Taking his message from Genesis 1:26-27, Rev. Elisha Pam spoke on the topic, “Marriage: Highly mysterious” and pointed out that when God created Adam, the woman was already in existence in the body of man, after which she was brought out in a mysterious way and Adam named her Eve. He noted that the grounds for a solid marriage are patience and obedience through Christ as he read Ephesians 5:21 They happily took the oath that they would love themselves until death do them apart. They also vowed not to allow a third party in their marital life. They signed the marriage certificate after the service and marched out of the church dancing to the admiration of their guests. When they got outside the church auditorium, the newly wedded couple posed for photograph in various styles and angles. After the photograph session, they moved in a car and zoomed off to the reception ground accompanied by their guests, children, friends and family members. When it was time to cut the wedding cake, the couple walked hand in hand to where the colourful cake was placed. The groom continuously gazed at his wedding ring in a manner that suggests that the occasion was a dream come true for him. Like marksmen, they held the knife firmly and on completion of the spelling of Jesus, they cut the cake and feebly smiled at the guests. They trilled their guests with the ceremonial culture of couple feeding one another with the cake and non-alcoholic wine. After feeding themselves, the newly wedded couple danced to the music blasting from the loud speakers in “old school” style to the admiration of their guests. It was celebration galore at the reception for the family and friends of the couple. The couples told their excited guests at the reception their true life stories. They said it was the grace of God that allowed them to solemnise their marriage in the church. The groom narrated his life story thus: “I had seven wives and 32 children during my younger days, but I did so because I did not know Christ. But that made me great among my contemporaries as only those who were wealthy could do that. But in spite of that, God remained faithful and merciful for me. I have a lot of testimonies to show that God was so faithful to me. I am now in a better position to advise my children and my well wishers to live the life of Christ. I don’t want any of my children to emulate my past life style, because you may fall out of the grace and mercies of God. But I’m so pleased because my children are committed to Christ; they lived the life of Christ, they were the ones that insisted I must come to Christ and take their mother to the altar. “Before now we lived our lives outside Christ, but from today, we are now confirmed children of Christ. It would have been worse for us if we had died without Christ. But God has protected our lives up till this moment to come to Him.” One of the children of the couple, Barr. Zephaniah Garba was full of appreciation and praises to God when he spoke with our reporter. He said: “I am full of joy today because my father has come to profess Christ at his old age. I have been looking forward to this day and I thank God they were able to make it. I want to encourage those who did not conduct their marriage in Christian way to try and do so; it is never late. My father’s own should be an example to others, you can still do it”. There were goodwill messages from the Chairmen of PCC Kabwir, Rev. David Musa, and Langtang North LG Chairman elect, Hon. Daniel Dandul, while various dance groups added colour to the event as the couples cut their wedding cake.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/drama-as-107-yr-old-man-takes-heartthrob-95-to-altar/

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The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the postponement of the nationwide membership registration update and revalidation exercise schedule to commence on Saturday, December 12. According to the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, John Akpanudoedehe who disclosed this, membership registration has been postponed to the second week of January 2021 taking into consideration the Christmas season and to ensure maximum participation by all party. “As you are all aware, the membership registration, update, and revalidation exercise of our great party was supposed to commence on Saturday, December 12, 2020. "On account of several factors, however, including the fast-approaching Christmas and End of Year celebrations; as well as the interest of our Christian members; and the objective of ensuring maximum participation, the CECPC has decided to shift the date of the exercise to the second week of January 2021. “The CECPC sincerely regrets any inconveniences that may arise out of the change in date; but appeals for the understanding of our teeming members and the general public, in the interest of preparing a solid foundation for a successful Exercise. "The party wishes you all; as well as members of the public, a peaceful and rewarding Yuletide, and End of Year celebration.” AllNews recalls that on Wednesday, the APC dissolved all its party structures nationwide after its National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.

https://allnews.ng/news/apc-postpones-nationwide-membership-registration-till-next-year

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Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democrtic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar acknowledging cheers from hin teeming supporters as he was warmly received from the trip to the United States of America at the General Aviation Terminal, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida By Dirisu Yakubu Ahead of the Presidential election slated for Saturday, Presidential candidates of the Peoples Coalition Party, PCP, and the All Grass Alliance, AGA, Nicolas Felix and Chuks Nwachukwu have dropped their respective ambition in support of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. In a ceremony currently going on in Abuja, the two called on their supporters to rally behind Atiku, saying his capacity to provide a new direction for the country informed their decision to subjugate their ambition, in the interest of the nation. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/breaking-two-presidential-candidates-endorse-atiku/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri Member representing Marte, Monguno and Nganzai federal constituency, who is the Chief Whip, Rt. Hon Mohammed Tahir Monguno, in collaboration with the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services donated the sum of N10 million and improved seed varieties to some farmers across the constituency. This was disclosed yesterday at a 2-day training for 200 farmers have a good modern agricultural knowledge to apply on their farms during this year’s cropping season. The Lawmaker said, each of the participants would receive a certificate of training, Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) cash and improved seed varieties of 12.5kg maize, rice, beans, soya beans, guinea corn, millet among others. He said, agriculture which is the mainstay of his people’s means of livelihood need to be given much priority support farmers improve on their economic survival, hence, he has been championing this course for better. “Agriculture remained the mainstay and occupation of my people, this is not the first time we are giving them incentives, for over a decade, i have been supporting my peoplw with fertilizers, improved seed varieties, free tractors, trainings and retrainings to enable them cope with modern and easy methods of farming. “These initiatives, as you can see, have greatly assisted and lift my people out of poverty, and we would not relent”. Monguno stated. Earlier in his remarks, an elderstateman, Alhaji Bukar Garadai commended the effort of the lawmaker for his developmental projects so far, and especially the proposed N600 million Gajiram Water Project (GWP). He added that, the people of the constituency are extremely lucky to have Hon MT Monguno as their representative at the lower chamber. He urged the constituents for total loyalty and support to the present administration of governor Babagana Umara Zulum and Hon Monguno. The ceremony was attended by members of Borno State House of Assembly, representing Marte, Monguno and Nganzai local government areas, ruling All Progressives Congress, APC Chairmen and other critical stakeholders from northern Borno senatorial district. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/borno-federal-lawmaker-mt-monguno-shares-n10-million-improved-seed-varieties-to-200-farmers/

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Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole said he invited the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi to commission projects in Edo State when he was governor of the state. He stated this on Wednesday at the inauguration of the Rumuepirikom Flyover in the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Oshiomhole, who was Edo governor between 2008 and 2016, was invited to commission the project by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. According to him, executive exchanges have a way of communicating to the people that political divide is not war. “I listened to you (Wike) attentively and you said Peter Obi is coming tomorrow. I want to congratulate you for that because I also invited Peter Obi when I was governor and those executive exchanges have a way of communicating to our people that political divide is not war,” Oshiomhole stated. “I also invited governors from other states to Edo the last one week before my tenure as you said, for them to see what I was able to do. “I promise that when I get back to Abuja, I go take my mouth talk am wetin my mouth see (sic). The flyover I saw is not a culvert. There are people who commissioned culverts and said they were flyovers but what I am seeing here is a beautiful flyover which you will see anywhere in the world,” he added. READ ALSO: Wike Apologises To Oshiomhole For Supporting Obaseki’s Re-Election Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had invited members of opposition political parties to inaugurate projects in the oil-rich South-South state. Members of the APC and Labour Party (LP) were invited to the Fourth Quarter 2022 Project Commissioning in Rivers. Obi is scheduled to inaugurate the Nkpolu-Oroworokwo Flyover on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the state capital. Also, President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the Nabo Graham Douglas Campus, Nigerian Law School, in Obio/Akpor on Friday. This is not the first time Wike invited opposition party stalwarts to commission projects in Rivers. In August, the Rivers governor invited his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to inaugurate the Orochiri-Worukwo (Waterline Junction) flyover in Port Harcourt. Similarly, in October, Wike honoured an invite by the Lagos State Government to a women’s conference. At the event, the two-term Rivers governor endorsed APC’s Sanwo-Olu for second term, an action that riled PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Olajide Adediran better known as Jandor. For months, Wike and four other PDP governors known as the G5 have demanded the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu, saying northerners should not be the PDP national chairman and presidential candidate. However, Ayu, a Benue indigene, has insisted that he won’t step down till the end of his four-year tenure, even as the G5 made his resignation a precondition to support Adamawa-born Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential ambition.

https://www.channelstv.com/2022/11/16/how-i-invited-peter-obi-to-commission-projects-as-edo-gov-oshiomhole/

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By Chidi Nkwopara OWERRI—There is observable crack in the Governor Rochas Okorocha-led All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State, following the refusal by most of the APC candidates to join his son in-law, Uche Nwosu to defect to Action Alliance, AA. Vanguard investigation yesterday, showed that majority of the stakeholders strongly backing the candidature of Senator Hope Uzodinma, have appealed to the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party to dissolve the Imo State party executive, following the defection of some of them to the Action Alliance. Nwosu, whose backbone is his father in-law, Governor Rochas Okorocha, had also urged APC candidates and lawmakers to follow him to his new party, so as to achieve his governorship ambition. The stakeholders argued that already, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Onwuasoanya Jones has joined Nwosu to the AA while other members of the State Executive are expected to follow suit. However, strong feelers from Mr. Nwosu’s camp, showed that all attempt to lure most of the APC candidates to the new party, hit the brick wall as most of them did not see AA as a platform that could win election in the state. Meanwhile, some diehard APC loyalists, within the Rescue Mission administration of Okorocha have appealed to the NWC of the party, to dissolve the state party executive, following the resolve of Governor Okorocha and his followers to work for Mr. Nwosu. Dissolve state Exco now —APC chieftain A leader of the party in the state, Mr Livinus Osuagwu, who spoke to Vanguard, asserted that “it will be foolhardy for the NWC of the APC to allow the Imo Executive to remain at this stage”. According to him: “We, the entire stakeholders of the APC In Imo State, genuinely working for the victory of the party in the forthcoming general elections are appealing that the state executive be dissolved since the leader of the party in the state, Governor Okorocha has vowed to play anti-party roles in the forthcoming election. “The chairman of the APC in Imo State, was a Personal Assistant to Uche Nwosu before he became chairman. It is very obvious he will not work for Uzodinma. The state publicity secretary has already joined AA while others will join soonest”, Osuagwu said. “As a result, for the survival of the APC In Imo State, it is better to dissolve the state executive so we can concentrate properly on our elections to avoid saboteurs,” Osuagwu pleaded. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/crack-in-okorochas-apc-faction/

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Ex-NIMASA chief admitted to N20m bail Justice Raliat Adebiyi of a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere yesterday granted a former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, and four others bail of N20 million each in a N754,740,680 alleged fraud case. Akpobolokemi and six other employees of the agency were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N754,740,680 belonging to NIMASA. The 13-count charge LD/2181C/15 filed before Justice Adebiyi bordered on allegations of stealing and forgery. Akpobolokemi was arraigned alongside Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Amechee Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Adegboyega Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited. The 1st to 5th defendants (Akpobolokemi, Captain Agaba, Nwakuche, Juan, Udoye) were alleged to have between October 30, 2014 and May 6, 2015 converted to their personal use N346,844,680 property of NIMASA released to them for the implementation of Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS). They were also alleged to have on or about May 28, 2015 with a dishonest intent converted to their own use the sum of N257,000,000.00 released for the implementation of VIMSAS. The defendants were alleged to have with intent to defraud knowingly forged a document titled “Re: Request For Payment as consultant for VIMSAS Administration Services” dated May 25, 2015, purported to have been issued by Aroward Consulting Limited. The offences were said to be contrary to Section 409 and punishable under Section 285(1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2011. They were also alleged to have forged a document titled : Re: Final Invoice for Consultancy services with respect to the development of VIMSAS Implementation framework, Reviews and Updates” dated April, 28, 2015. Specifically, Captain Olopoenia, Udoye, and Gama Marine Nigeria Limited were alleged to have on February 2, 2015, with a dishonest intent converted to their own use the sum of N16,000,000.00 property of NIMASA. However, all of the defendants pleaded not guilty and their counsels urged the court to admit them to bail on the existing conditions for which they were given bail in sister cases pending before the Federal High Court. Addressing the court, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), counsel to Akpobolokemi (1st defendant), informed the court that his client is facing three other similar charges before the Federal High Court in Lagos and had been granted bail. He submitted that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJA) encourages judicial officers to grant bail in liberal terms and conditions. He urged the court to stand on the existing bail conditions granted Akpobolokemi adding that there were sufficient materials before the court to enable it grant bail to the first defendant. Nwobike also drew the attention of the court to a ruling delivered by Justice Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court where an accused person was granted bail based on existing conditions of bail granted by another court. The other defence counsels aligned with the submissions of Nwobike and moved for bail in liberal terms. However, in her ruling, Justice Adebiyi refused the request to admit the defendants to bail based on the stated conditions. She held that it would be practically impossible for her to compel the sureties to produce the defendants if they (defendants) absconded. Justice Adebiyi, however, granted the first to fifth defendants bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in the like sum. She also granted the sixth and seventh defendants bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in the like sum. The sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside in Lagos State. The sureties are to swear to an affidavit of means to be verified by the court. The matter was adjourned till February 24, 26, 29 and March 18, 21 respectively for trial.

http://thenationonlineng.net/ex-nimasa-chief-admitted-to-n20m-bail/

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•Deplorable state of roads around Ngwa Road market in Aba By Eric Ugbor TRADERS at the Ngwa Road Market in Aba, Abia State, (Ahia ohuru), have lamented the deplorable state of the road and appealed to the state government to urgently rehabilitate the road to save the traders from untold sufferings and hardship. The traders who spoke to South-East Voice in Aba regretted that several promises by the state government to reconstruct the road has failed as the traders continue to suffer every rainy season with water overtaking the road that leads into the market. The worst spot on the road is the Ohanku Road junction where thousands of traders and other residents have continued to suffer during rainy ing season into almost the end of the dry season each year hindering a lot of commercial activities. Traders display their products and wares on top of water logs and still pay daily levies to alleged agents of the state government while the road is completely blocked. Chief Nwankwo Nnodim a distributor of drinks and other beverages whose shop is located along the Ngwa road market regretted that despite the huge resources generated from the market that the state government has failed to reconstruct the road for over years. He said “every successive government had always made palliative efforts to reconstruct the road but none has concretely undertaken this task to permanently solve this perennial hardship along this road” Chief Nwodim who has been trading under this deplorable road for the past few years said, “where shall we run to, which market is free from the deplorable state of the roads in Aba. So where do we run to but all we are saying is that the state government should help the traders by permanently fixing this road, look at ohanku road and other roads that link into this market all of them are blocked due to this road”. Mrs philomina Nwaigwe a highly famous distributor on women hair weavon also appealed to the state government to judiciously utilize the levies being generated in the market by reconstructing the road stating that a lot of money is being generated in the various markets in Aba which are enough to fix the roads that lead into these various markets. She said “we have big markets here in Aba which are being patronized from across the country and beyond but one of the major challenges hindering the commercial activities in this commercial city is bad roads”. She said “ some of the markets in Aba can only have relief during the dry seasons but we suffer heavy losses because the water logs on the roads like Ngwa road over laps into the end of almost every dry season so there is no way out for the people”. For Mr Okechukwu Onyekere a commercial bus driver and many other residents who do business along the Ngwa road which is one of the most populated areas of Aba, the inability of the state government to repair the roads will remain a nightmare and decline in commercial activities in the market. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/traders-lament-deplorable-state-ngwa-road-aba/amp/

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Fayose gives cars to aides over EFCC detention •Governor to sue anti-graft agency Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has fulfilled his promise to give new cars to the two officials of his administration who spent two weeks in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged diversion of over N680 million from the state’s share of bailout funds. The governor yesterday presented the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, with new Kia Rio cars after a thanksgiving service to mark the third anniversary of his administration. Fayose said he was honouring the two officials “for their loyalty to the state” in the face of a fresh onslaught by the anti-graft agency. The two government officials were arrested in Abuja on September 28 while attending the governor’s declaration to run for President in 2019. The governor also held a welcome party for Ojo and Owolabi last Thursday, which he declared as “half-work day,’ to allow civil servants attend the occasion. But majority of workers shunned the event. At yesterday’s event, Fayose said: “We have to reward you for enduring intimidation, mental and emotional torture and illegal incarceration for the sake of our state. The Constitution of Nigeria does not empower the EFCC to arrest state officials over alleged graft. “That function belongs to our House of Assembly. We will sue the EFCC to court for this illegality, pursue the case to a logical conclusion and get damages for this ill-treatment. “The Constitution of Nigeria is supreme and has over-riding influence over any government parastatal, such as EFCC.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/fayose-gives-cars-aides-efcc-detention/

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Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Abuja for London where he is scheduled to meet with his doctors for routine medical check up. The presidential aircraft conveying the president and few of his aides took-off from the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at 3.20 p.m. The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari were among those at the airport to bid the president farewell. Others included members of the president’s media team Mr Femi Adesina, Malam Garba Shehu, as well as other presidential aides. Garba Shehu had on Monday in a statement said President Buhari would on Tuesday begin a four-day trip to the UK on medical check up. He said “in the course of the technical stop-over for aircraft maintenance in London on his way back from Washington last week, the president had a meeting with his doctor. “The doctor requested the president to return for a meeting which he agreed to do.” Shehu added that the president, who would return on May 12, would undertake a two-day visit to Jigawa, which was postponed because of the All Progressives Congress’s Ward Congresses. He said the visit would last between May 14 and May 15. President Buhari first went on medical vacation on Jan. 19, 2017 and returned later than he planned and declared that he had never felt so ill in his life. The president returned for treatment on May 7, 2017 and came back after 103 days. Before leaving Abuja on Tuesday, May 8, Buhari received Letters of Credence from ambassadors of Netherlands, Republic of Botswana and Lebanon to Nigeria, where he stressed the need for sustained financial, technical and capacity building from the international community to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/buhari-departs-london-4-day-medical-check/

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…The children were so brilliant, proprietor gave them scholarship—Teacher By Monsuru Olowoopejo, Esther Onyegbula & Miracle Oweazim …Late woman’s mom slumps, dies A family of six—man, pregnant wife, his three children and a female relative— were found dead yesterday, in their apartment at 19 Olowora, Mafoloku area of Lagos State. The family were said to have eaten jollof rice the previous (Tuesday) night. However, one of the children, a twin, aged four, survived the attack, but was still undergoing treatment at press time. Though there was no official report on the cause of the death, the family was suspected to have either been suffocated by an insecticide which was sprayed in their one-room apartment on Tuesday night, or died of food poisoning. Identities of the deceased are Mr. Zakaria, popularly called Cool Money; pregnant wife, popularly called Iya Aliyah; Aliyah, 11; Firdaous, 9; Tawio, 4, and Wasilia, 17, a relative that came to spend the holiday with the family. …late woman’s mother Vanguard gathered the mother of late Mrs Zakaria slumped and died when news of her daughter’s death was related to her. The aged woman was said to have visited her daughter the previous day, but left for Badagry at night, turning down request by her pregnant daughter to pass the night with them. It was learned that at about 9a.m. yesterday, curious neighbours discovered that no member of the Zakaria family had come out of their apartment, which was unusual. After several attempts were made to wake them up by knocking on their door, the neighbours had to forcefully open it. The family’s neighbour, Aina Adeleke, told Vanguard: “Immediately we forced the door open, we found seven of them lying down like they were asleep. On closer look, we observed that Mr. Zakaria a.k.a. Cool Money, was dead. “Wasilia had foamy substance in her mouth, while the corpse of Firdaous and Taiwo (one of the twins) were very cold and stiff like they had died several hours ago. “As soon as we discovered that Mrs Zakaria a.k.a. (Iya Aliyah), Kehinde and Aliyah were still breathing, we rushed them to the hospital. Unfortunately, only one of the twins, Kehinde, survived, while Aliyah and her mother died at the hospital.” The emotional Adeleke added: “Sincerely, I can’t say for sure what happened to them or what killed them. But we found out that they ate jollof rice last (Tuesday) night. It is only God that can say what exactly happened to the family.” It was learned that one of the twins, Kehinde, who survived at a private hospital was later referred to Lagos Teaching University Hospital, LUTH. … at the scene When Vanguard got to the scene of the incident, it was like a tourist centre, as people trooped in. Policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Makinde Division, were sighted at the scene collecting items for forensic investigation, while the bodies were moved into the ambulance of Lagos respond unit by officials of Lagos State Emergency Agency, LASEMA. Thereafter, the building was sealed off by health officials from the Oshodi Local Government Area, Bolade, Oshodi. A staff of Bells Nursery and Primary School, where the children attended, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “The children were so brilliant that the owner of the school had to award them scholarship.” Another resident, Azeez, said: “I was in the bathroom when I heard shouts from neighbours that something had happened to the Zakarias. I didn’t know it was serious until I got to their room and saw the lifeless bodies. “Cool Money was very jovial and popular because he was an electrician and helped people in the street repair electrical appliances. His wife, Iya Aliyah, sold shoes and bags at Ajibolu Market, in Mafoluku. That is why there is so much crowd here.” It was gathered that late Cool Money was a contract staff at Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC. Resident, LASEMA, Police Lamenting, another resident, who simply gave his name as Lukmon, said: “If really the security officials who sealed the place, want to do a thorough investigation, they won’t have allowed any tenant or occupant in the building to take any item before sealing the entire building. “Allowing them take things from the building would lead to loss of vital evidence.” Meanwhile, Mr. Bosun Olukolade, Operational Head of LASEMA, who supervised the evacuation of the bodies, advised tenants of the building to restrain their movement into the deceaseds’ apartment, as fumigation would be carried out to prevent outbreak of diseases. Contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Elkana Bala, said investigation into the incident had begun. According to the Police spokesman, “when we got the distress call, we responded and found a 42-year-old man, his wife and three other persons dead. One of their children survived.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/09/man-pregnant-wife-3-children-relative-die-after-rice-meal/

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By Hector Igbikiowubo, with Agency reports A study a study of the global anti_corruption group Transparency International, TI, estimates that the average yearly value of illicit global oil trade from 2003 to 2010 was $10.8 billion and the major primary sources of the illicit oil includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, Nigeria, Angola, and Iraq. The TI study which touched on total global sources and value of illicit trade disclosed also that the Philippines is among several developing countries which are said to be major sources of goods involved in transnational crimes. Another international report disclosed that the Middle East countries have seen the largest increase of illicit outflows of funds to richer nations, depriving the developing nations of much needed development money. Developing countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region lost 1.2 trillion dollars in the nine years of the study, an average of 130 billion dollars a year, most of which goes to banks in the U.S.A., the UK, Switzerland and other G8 countries, economist Karly Curcio told IPS in an interview. MENA alone accounted for 24.3 percent of the hike in all global illicit money outflows between 2000 and 2008, according to a new report by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington_based organization that advocates transparency in the international financial system. Four oil_producing Arab countries appeared on the top 10 list of illicit money transfer exporters. Saudi Arabia was the lead Arab country with outflows of 302 billion dollars over the nine years studied the report, ‘Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries 2000 – 2009’. The United Arab Emirates came next at 276 billion dollars, followed by Kuwait at 242 billion dollars and Qatar at 138 billion dollars. Curcio said that capital flight in the region was mostly in the form of bribes, kickbacks, tax evasion, deals in contraband goods, criminal activities and other forms of corruption. TI which early this year also placed the Philippines in the 11th spot of developing countries with the biggest losses on illicit trades, said the Philippines is among the sources of goods for the illicit trade on counterfeit items, human organs, oil, and gold. TI looked into 11 different “criminal markets,” which also include drugs, wildlife, humans, small arms, diamond and colored gemstones, timber, fish and art and cultural property. It placed the trade at $639 to $651 billion. The illicit trades “originate primarily in developing countries, thrive in the space created by poverty, inequality, and state weakness, and contribute to forestalling economic prosperity for billions of people in countries across the world.” “Though data is scarce and experts are constantly debating the relative merits and weaknesses of every new study, it is generally accepted that illicit drug trafficking and counterfeiting are the two most valuable markets. This report finds the illicit drug trade to be worth roughly $320 billion and counterfeiting $250 billion. These numbers reflect the potential for huge profits which is the fundamental driver of criminal trade,” it said. “These criminal flows can do immeasurable structural damage to developing economies by empowering forces which erode the capacity of the state,” it added. TI said that while most counterfeit goods are produced in China, production can also be found in the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Russia and other former Soviet republics, as well as countries in Latin America and Africa. Counterfeit goods are then shipped, often through free trade zones like Dubai, to their final destinations in the United States, the European Union, or where there is demand. Shipping through free trade zones allows the origins of the goods to be disguised, and also provides a chance for “unbranded products to be decorated with the appropriate logos close to the destination market,” noted TI. “Once the goods get through customs at their destination they are shipped to a warehouse for ‘storing, repackaging and distribution.’ This provides another opportunity for labels to be put on anything that has not yet been branded,” it added. TI toted that an Interpol report estimates global commercial losses due to counterfeiting at $500 billion, while another, published by OECD in 2009, suggests that the annual value of internationally traded counterfeit and pirated goods could be around $250 billion. For organ sale, the Philippines is among the “common donors” of these organs together with China, India, Turkey, Egypt, Moldova, Romania, Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru for buyers coming from developed countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Australia, as well as the wealthy classes from developing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Oman. Kidney is the most commonly transplanted organ, with a global estimate of 68,500 transplants performed per year, followed by the liver (20,100), heart (5,200), lung (3,250), and pancreas (2,800). Illicit trade in kidney and liver alone is estimated to reach between $600 million and $1.2 billion per year. “As with other forms of trafficking, the illegal kidney trade generally ‘flows from poor, underdeveloped countries to rich, developed ones’… Recently China, Pakistan, and the Philippines have taken steps to prohibit ‘transplant tourism,’ which the United Network for Organ Sharing defines as ‘the purchase of a transplant organ abroad that includes access to an organ while bypassing laws, rules, or processes of any or all countries involved.’ These efforts have dramatically slowed the practice of open transplant tourism, but experts believe that the practice continues as ‘an underground criminal activity,’” TI said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/nigeria

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Stella Oduah, Aviation Minister By Kenneth Ehigiator An average watcher of recent developments in the aviation sector in the country may be tempted to say Nigeria has never had it so good in terms of paying attention to upgrade in infrastructure and key navigational facilities at the nation’s airports since most of them were built decades ago. For instance, the nation’s flagship, the Murtala Muhammed Airport was commissioned in 1979 and ever since, no efforts had been made to renew it until the recent re-modelling embarked upon by the present administration. However, the re-modelling of physical infrastructure of airports is where the transformation of the industry stops as policy flip-flops still trail developments in the sector. Even the re-modelling appears not holistic, what with the cooling system of Lagos airport which performance remains epileptic as the chillers are as old as the airport itself. Talks of replacing them had been mere lipservice, even by the present dispensation. What is the essence of exotic physical structures without comfort for the travelling public. The functionality of an airport goes beyond beautiful terminal buildings as exemplified by LeopoldSedarSenghor Airport in Dakar, Senegal, for instance. That airport is not presentable in terms of physical beauty but is functional 24 hours of the day without power failures, stuffy terminal building and epileptic navigational aids. Where Nigeria is struggling to position the MurtalaMuhammedAirport as a hub in West Africa without success, the airport in Dakar remains a natural hub due to its functionality. The stowaway incident at Benin airport weeks ago is symptomatic of the rot still prevalent in the aviation sector, in spite of the semblance of transformation in the industry. Without necessarily instilling fears in the public, there may yet be more incidents of stowaway at the nation’s airports. This is because aside from the airport in Benin, several others in the country, including the international airports, lack airport fencing, let alone perimeter fencing as prescribed by global aviation regulator, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. When a herd of cattle strayed onto the runway of Port HarcourtInternationalAirport about a decade ago, the promise was that within that period, all airports in the country would be equipped with perimeter fencing. Because nothing was done, a cab rammed into an Arik airliner ready for taxiing at MargaretEkpoInternationalAirport in Calabar, which an airport fencing could have averted. “ All we have at some of our airports at present are airport fencing, no security fencing to satisfy Annex 17 of ICAO. I think government ought to have done this a long time ago. It is unfortunate that nothing had been done about this currently,” said Capt. Dele Ore, a stakeholder. Although these lapses were present when Nigeria got U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, category 1 certification on August 23, 2010, the expectation was that all issues relating to airport safety and security would be addressed shortly after. However, things seem to be degenerating further, four years after. At the moment, no Nigeria airport is certified by the regulatory agency, not even the international airports. The fear is Nigeria may lose the certification unless practical steps are taken to redress the present situation. The infractions that made Mexico lose its certification a few years ago are not as serious as the stowaway incident at Benin airport, which gave the impression that the nation’s airports unsafe for passengers and investments .Another stakeholder, Capt Tito Omaghomi, is only concerned about the embarrassment the country had been subjected by the stowaway story, wondering why airports in Nigeria had been left with perimeter fencing, almost four years after the country secured FAA Cat1 certification. “This incident has offered opportunity to award contracts now; we don’t do the right thing at the right time but wait for things to degenerate before we start scrambling to award contracts,” he lamented. Beyond just creating the opportunity for Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights into U.S. destinations, the certification also serves as a blank cheque for local airlines to source for necessary foreign capital to upgrade their operations but because government is not interested in the development and growth of local airlines, this aspect of FAA category 1 certification does not appeal to those in government. Otherwise, how else does one describe recent hoopla that greeted Ethiopian Airlines’, ET, foray into AkanuIbiamInternationalAirport, Enugu, two weeks ago. It should be noted that any government serious about the development of its aviation sector would not celebrates multiple entries for foreign airlines into its territories as doing that sets the tone for death of local airlines. And for an aviation sector that is as fledgling as Nigeria’s, the multiple entries granted foreign airlines by officials of the Aviation Ministry can best be described as debilitating for a struggling economy. The implication of this is capital flight which, before now, had been put at close to N100 billion annually. So, the wild celebration that greeted ET flight into Enugu demonstrated the lack of capacity on the part of those drawing up policies for the aviation industry. Enugu now makes Ethiopian Airlines’ third entry point into the country, after Lagos and Abuja. Other foreign airlines enjoy same approvals from the Aviation Ministry. This makes the aviation industry the worst bleeding spot for the country in terms of capital flight. Ideally, local airlines are positioned to feed passengers for foreign airlines but now that the international airlines are indirectly carrying passengers to virtually every corner of the country, government’s talk about assisting domestic airlines to grow amounts to policy somersault. No sane country does it. The entry of Ethiopian Airlines into Enugu is a negative development for domestic airlines. All we have done is to give way to kill the domestic carriers; we are killing the industry gradually. They have also succeeded in killing operations into Port Harcourt, Owerri and Asaba, as the domestic airlines are supposed to feed passengers for foreign airlines to these airports. Politically, we have scored some good points but on the other hand, we are damaging the economy,” said Capt. Dele Ore, an ex-pilot. In the past one year, there had been so much agitation by stakeholders against infiltration of the sector by non-aviators, people with little or no knowledge about aviation. Although the practice did not start today, close watchers of the industry expected that for a government that expressed so much passion about changing things for good, it would have been a thing of the past. Because aviation is a technical sector which revolves around human lives, critical sections of the industry should be driven by people with sound knowledge of aviation matters. Unfortunately, political considerations had been the main criteria in employing and deploying personnel in the sector. In the past, a minister had flooded the regulatory agency with recruits from village of origin, qualified or not, and this accounted for the rot that culminated in series of crashes in the industry. However, when another minister came in, who also recruited his kinsmen into critical sections of the sector, they were all swept away. The tragedy of the whole thing is that the practice is still prevalent. Aviation is too sensitive to be placed at the altar of ethnicity, nepotism and jingoism. What the practice had engendered in the sector is low moral of personnel as those imposed from outside the industry are often placed in management positions to boss others around. Aviation regulation is one area stakeholders and observers of the industry expected the present administration to build on the foundation laid by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government. Suffice to say that prior to December 2005, aviation regulation was non-existent as airline operators and other critical players in the industry carried with business as usual. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, at the time had no autonomy to properly regulate the industry and had every of its programmes, from staff recruitment to airlines’ regulation, dictated by officials of the Aviation Ministry whose interest were self-serving. Consequently, their action and inaction led to the series of aviation accidents recorded between 2005 and 2006. It was the same ministry officials who in 2003 enslaved the sector to the U.S. and its allies through the Open Skies Agreement, which resolutions were completely skewed against Nigeria’s interest. That tactless move is partly responsible for dominance of the industry by foreign airlines at present. However, with the close collaboration of the Presidency and National Assembly, the country came up with the new Civil Act 2006 which granted the NCAA autonomy, even though the Aviation Ministry still reared its head occasionally. That brought some sanity into the sector and culminated in the U.S. FAA category 1 certification the country attained in 2010. Can NCAA still be said to be autonomous now? Certainly not, what with the new aviation policy the Aviation Ministry churned out earlier this year. There again lies another threat to FAA Cat1. Observers contend that the Ministry of Aviation should put into enthronement and sustenance of aviation safety and security the same level of zeal deployed into airports’ re-modelling. This contention is hinged on the fact that the NCAA had had problems of inadequate inspectors which the immediate past director-general, Dr. Harold Demuren, had always admitted to have worked against the agency’s capacity to adequately effect safety and economic audit of airlines operating in the country. While re-modelling of airports could be said to be desirable, there are much more deeper issues to be addressed in the sector, if it must play the role of driving the economy as it does in other countries of the world. What appears germane to drive growth in the sector and larger economy of the country are policies that are investment-friendly, that could place domestic airlines on the plain not only to compete but also contribute effectively to development of the economy. The airlines, as they are, cannot grow and create jobs because of the inconsistencies in policies churned out by government. What should bother this government, in the main, is how to address issues of multiple charges, navigational and non-navigational, skyrocketting fuel prices and high interest rates. These are leverages foreign airlines enjoy from their host governments to make them competitive. Floating another carrier without resolving these issues would result in the scenario that saw the end of Virgin Nigeria, after only four years of operations. It should be noted that the industry cannot grow without commensurate growth of local airlines; foreign airlines cannot grow the country’s economy, they only help to bleed it through capital flight. Perhaps those in the Ministry of Aviation need some training to be tutored on the mechanics of using aviation as economic driver rather than a vehicle for just moving people from points A to B. Nigeria’s aviation has no reason not to grow, what with a population of about 170 million, which is the requisite incentive for foreign airlines who fall over themselves to do business here. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/aviation-development-a-rehash-of-old-tunes-2/

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Senators worried over COVID-19 status of 35 colleagues By Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Abuja Fear heightened on Monday over the fate of about 35 senators who have not complied with the measures to determine their Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) status. The senators last week returned from a trip to the United Kingdom (UK), where they attended a Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) seminar in London. It was learnt that they were caught in the web of coronavirus outbreak in the UK at a time the Federal Government directed that those returning from any of the COVID-19 high-risk countries should self-isolate for 14 days. It was gathered that other senators are pressuring Senate President Ahmad Lawan to prevail on their colleagues to excuse themselves from the chamber’s business. Some of them (senators) were also said to be pushing for COVID-19 test for their colleagues. The senators are members of the Senate Committees on Upstream, Downstream and Gas. Two female senators are among those on the trip. It was learnt that since the senators returned on March 14, they had been coming to the chamber to participate in legislative activities. A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “When the senators returned to the country, the President of the Senate tactically told them to go into self-isolation for 14 days. But most of them ignored his advice. “In fact, the senate president refused to either hug or shake hands with them to the consternation of the affected senators. “Now, we have a big challenge in the Senate. Some of us are pushing that these Senators should rescue themselves from all the activities in the chamber.” Although a senator confirmed some of his colleagues had just returned from the UK, he was quick to add: “Some of them have actually gone for test to confirm their status. “When we meet on Tuesday, we will be able to ascertain their real status and the next steps the chamber should take to protect the hallowed chamber.” There were indications that the executive was worried about non-compliance of the Senators with the guidelines on the management of COVID-19. A source in government said: “There are no records that some of them went into self-isolation or test. “I think the government has sent the necessary advisory to the leadership of National Assembly on the need for the senators to respect the rules and regulations on COVID-19.” When contacted, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said: “I’m not aware that some senators travelled abroad and that rather than go into self-isolation, went into hiding. “But I know that the leadership of the National Assembly has directed that all its members that have just come in from any of those countries should self- isolate for 14 days. “Our appeal is that such members will heed the directive.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/senators-worried-over-covid-19-status-of-35-colleagues/

Politics

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NNPCL expands global market footprint to Japan, China with LNG Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has commenced shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargoes to Japan and China on a Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis. It is in line with its strategic vision to be a dynamic and reliable global energy supplier of choice. NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, disclosed this in a press statement on Monday, August 26. The statement said NNPC Ltd achieved the milestone through the collaboration of two of its downstream subsidiaries – NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd – which delivered its first DES LNG cargo from the 174,000m³ LNG vessel Grazyna Gesicka at Futtsu, Japan, on 27th June 2024. NNPCL said since then, it has expanded its footprint to China with the delivery of one LNG cargo on a DES basis. The state-owned company explained that delivered Ex-Ship (DES) is an international commercial term that requires the seller to deliver the products/goods at a specific port. The seller takes responsibility for the shipping and insurance for the products/goods until they get to the specified port of delivery. It requires expertise and a higher level of efficiency to execute than the Free on-Board (FOB) system. Read Also: 10 reasons why you should get enough sleep NNPC Ltd has been involved in LNG trading since 2021 with its first LNG cargo sale in November of that year. It has since traded over 20 cargoes into the European and Asian markets on FOB basis. Speaking on the development, the Executive President, Downstream, Mr. Dapo Segun, said: “The DES system, apart from being more financially rewarding, allows NNPC Ltd inroads into the downstream segment of the LNG sector and positions it to capture more market shares while building in-house capacity and ensuring that global customers are familiar with the NNPC Ltd brand”. The collaboration between NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd in executing the LNG supplies on a DES basis has strengthened the latter’s position as a world-class shipping provider in the LNG sector. “NNPC Shipping intends to build a shipping portfolio (including owned vessels) so that we can provide our sister company and other clients all the shipping flexibilities they need”, Managing Director of NNPC Shipping, Panos Gliatis, enthused. NNPC LNG Ltd, in collaboration with NNPC Shipping Ltd, is scheduled to deliver at least two more LNG cargoes to the Asian market on a DES basis by November. Many more orders are expected before the end of the year.

https://thenationonlineng.net/nnpcl-expands-global-market-footprint-to-japan-china-with-lng/

Politics

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#Budget2018: ‘Nigerians will be better, happier in 2018’ The All Progressives Congress (APC), South-East, says the era of abandoned projects contained in budgets and dashed hope of development is over. The APC South-East Publicity Secretary, Chief Hycienth Ngwu, stated this in his reaction to the 2018 Budget Presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja. Buhari presented the N8.612 trillion 2018 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly. Ngwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday that the Federal Government, through the budget presentation, had given assurance of completing all ongoing projects and projects abandoned by past governments. “There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigerians will be better and happier in 2018, if all stakeholders work in synergy with the Executive arm in seeing to the actualization of the estimates as contained in the 2018 Budget of Consolidation as presented by President Buhari. “Budget 2018 is a follow up to 2017 budget and aims at consolidating the gains achieved in 2017. “The expected 2018 expenditure of N8.612 trillion, to be financed by N1.699 trillion as loans, out of which 50 per cent will come as external borrowing, while more than 50 per cent of the balance from the original estimate will be financed through non-oil revenue, is quite a realistic and a welcome development. “This is a clear testimony that Nigeria has exited a mono-product economy. “Also, with a pledge to reduce our domestic debt from 79 per cent to 60 per cent and massive injection of about 30.8 per cent of the total funds to finance capital projects, will, in no small measure, lighten the tight liquidity in our economy and make Nigerians happier and better.” He also noted that the budget pledged to consolidate on the positive impact of the social intervention programme by maintaining N500 billion funding for it in 2018. According to him, civil servants are equally carried along with a total of N260 billion for their overhead costs. He further said that with a projected oil price of 45 dollars per barrel and daily oil production at 2.3 million barrels as well as external reserves currently at 34 billion dollars and robust diversification of the economy at an exchange rate of N305 to a dollar, the expected GDP growth of 9 per cent was achievable and sustainable. He also commended the plan to work on the Enugu-Port-Harcourt, Enugu-Onitsha and other critical roads in the South East as well as the 2nd Niger Bridge just as it is expected that the Enugu coal mines would benefit from the N300 billion Solid Mineral Development Fund. The APC publicity secretary said that what was required most now was good synergy among major stakeholders. “Nigeria will be economically stable for the betterment of all people, states and regions of the country. “Bureaucratic bottlenecks and official competitions should give way for quick service delivery and harmony,’’ he advised. NAN reports that the proposed budget increased by 16 per cent over the 2017 appropriation of N7.298 trillion. Buhari said that 30.8 per cent of the budget proposal was as against N3.5 trillion earmarked for recurrent expenditure. According to him, N2 trillion of the budget has been set aside for debt servicing. The President said that the size of the 2018 budget was a reflection of his administration’s determination to consolidate and sustain the nation’s economic growth. (NAN)

http://thenationonlineng.net/budget-nigerians-projects-happy/

Politics

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Nigerian teen gets 19 scholarship offers worth $5m in US, Canada By Ekaete Bassey with agency reports Nigeria’s Victory Yinka-Banjo, a 17-year-old high school graduate, was offered more than $5 million worth of scholarship money for an undergraduate program of study, according to admission documents and estimates of financial aid awards. “It still feels pretty unbelievable. I applied to so many schools because I didn’t even think any school would accept me,” Victory told CNN, relishing her academic prowess. Born to Nigerian parents, Chika Yinka-Banjo, a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos and Adeyinka Banjo, procurement and supply chain executive, Victory was given potential full scholarships from the Ivy League schools, Yale College, Princeton University, Harvard College, and Brown University. Other US scholarship offers included those from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Virginia. In Canada, Victory was offered the Lester B. Pearson scholarship from the University of Toronto and the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow (KMILOT) scholarship from the University of British Columbia. “Their admissions processes are extremely selective,” Victory added. “They only accept the best of the best. So, you can imagine how, on a daily basis, I have to remind myself that I actually got into these schools. It is surreal!” A senior prefect during her time in high school, Victory rose to national prominence in late 2020 after she scored straight As in her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Months earlier, the Nigerian teen had been rated as the “Top in the World” in English as a second language (speaking endorsement) by the University of Cambridge International Examination (CIE). Victory aced the Cambridge IGCSE exam acquiring A in all six subjects she sat for. Victory told CNN her remarkable achievements are borne out of hard work. The teenager remarked that her multiple scholarship offers have made her stand taller, smile wider, and pat herself on the back more often.

https://thenationonlineng.net/nigerian-teen-gets-19-scholarship-offers-worth-5m-in-us-canada/

Education

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Online Casino Real Money – Legit Casino Websites to Play For Money The best real money online casinos offer a safe and exciting place to play some of the top casino games. The first step to playing in online casinos for real money is to find a site that suits you. With many eye-catching real money casinos to choose from, you need to choose carefully. You’ll find out here about the casinos online real money that has earned an excellent reputation for looking after their players and offering top-quality games. Take a look at the main reasons to try a real casino online from the list below and try to win some cash. Best Real Money Online Casinos in 2024 The following real money casino online sites have all been ranked using the most important industry criteria. You can be sure that every name on the list has been fully checked and meets the highest standards as a casino for real money betting. - Wagering Req: 35x - Max. Cash out: $5,000 - Wagering Req: 25x - Max. 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Casino | Average Payout | Payout Speed | Free Play | Min. Deposit | DuckyLuck | 95-98% | 2-5 business days | No | $25 | Las Atlantis | Not stated | 1-5 business days | Yes | $20 | El Royale | Not stated | 1-5 business days | Yes | $20 | Wild Casino | Not stated | 1 hour – 15 business days | No | $20 | Ignition | Not stated | Up to 1 hour for cryptos. Other methods not stated | No | $5 | Roaring 21 | Not stated | Instant – 5 days | Yes | $10 | Vegas Online | Not stated | 5 – 7 business days | Yes | $25 | Bovada | Not stated | 1 hour – 15 business days | Yes | $5 | Buzzluck | Not stated | 1 – 5 days | Yes | $35 | Lucky Red | Not stated | 1 – 5 days | Yes | $35 | Miami Club | Not stated | 2 – 15 days | No | $10 | Why You Can Trust Our Casino Real Money Reviews The casino brands, like Betonline poker, covered in these reviews have been chosen because they offer the best online casino real money experience. 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Take a look at the details you should take into account to help you decide when to make your next move. - The chance to win real cash - A big variety of different types of games to try - Numerous ways of depositing and withdrawing money - Legal sites in the US offer a safe and trustworthy experience - Simple registration process and easy games to play - You could lose the money you gamble with - Some withdrawal methods may be slower - You need to control your betting limits and avoid addiction issues - There are illegal, unlicensed casinos you need to avoid - Not all real money casinos have demo games you can play for free Common Mistakes to Avoid When Playing for Real Money You enter an online casino to win real money but what mistakes might you regret? Here are some of the most common errors you’ll want to avoid making. Don’t Ignore Responsible Gambling Practices Responsible gambling is important when you play in the best online casinos for real money. 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Their details of how the no deposit bonuses work are also crucial, as this is where you can see how you can hope to withdraw real cash winnings. Tips for Gambling with Real Money Online Before you start gambling in a casino online with real money. You’ll want to be clear about some of the biggest issues you’ll come across with your cash. Taking the following points into account will help you do this well and remove any stress from the activity. Know the Withdrawal Process Before you start playing, you need to know how you’re going to get any winnings out if you win real cash online in the casino. You can often use the same method you used to make your deposit, but you should always read the banking section to see how long the process takes and any limits. Manage Your Money Make sure you set a budget and keep to it. When you start playing in the best real online casino, it can be easy to get carried away and bet more than you should. 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By making sure that you’re using a secure, fully licensed casino, you’ll be giving yourself the best possible chance of winning real money and enjoying the experience. Stick to the best real money online casinos we’ve reviewed for maximum fun.

http://www.nanngronline.com/section/tourism/custodian-decries-governments-neglect-of-ogbunike-cave-in-anambra

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*Oshiomhole and the widow, Mrs Ifijeh drinking tea yesterday. Mrs Joy Ifijeh, the widow who was rebuked by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for blocking the road with her goods, says she snubbed the offer of N250,000 by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because she was satisfied with the apology and offer of a job and N2m by the Governor. She also said she is not ready to be used as a pawn by the PDP on the chessboard of politics, advising the party to give the said money to another widow instead. She disclosed this during the presentation of her letter of appointment into the Edo State War Against Indiscipline to her by Special Adviser to Governor Oshiomhole on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Kassim Afegbua at the Government House in Benin City, yesterday. According to her “I want to thank Oshiomhole sincerely for this appointment and I wish to state that I have forgiven him from the bottom of my heart. And for the money promised me by PDP let them give it to other widows. I do not need the money”. She described the governor’s gesture as humane and promised to support the government policies and programmes in the state. Earlier, while presenting the appointment letter, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Mr Kassim Afegbua,said “the appointment is in fulfilment of Comrade Oshiomhole promise to offer the widow employment into the service of the Government. He said the appointment is effective from 3rd December. 2013, stressing that she would be expected to resume conform to the ethics of her position. It will be recalled that Mrs Joy Ifijeh was on Monday offered two million naira by the Governor and also promised employment. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/snubbed-pdp-offer-edo-widow/

Politics

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BY NDAHI MARAMA MAIDUGURI—Troops from 7 Division, Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, yesterday, launched separate preemptive attacks on Boko Haram enclaves at Ajigi, Kafa and Izza villages of Bama and Damboa council areas of the state, killing no fewer than 30 suspected members, including an Amir (leader) of the sect. Also killed were unspecified members of the group at Izza village in Bama town just as five Hilux vehicles mounted with anti-air craft guns and one 18-seater bus with foodstuff belonging to the terrorists were destroyed. A statement by the military spokesman in Maiduguri, Captain Aliyu Danja, yesterday, said the operation involved air strikes and ground attacks. Danja also said that the pre-emptive attack followed intelligence reports about plans by the insurgents to attack Bama and other towns in the state. The statement read: “Our troops launched separate attacks on Boko Haram enclaves in different parts of BornoState, where we killed 30 of them in Ajigi and Kafa villages of Damboa Local Government Area. “Those killed were suspected to be the group of terrorists that fled Damboa town, following an encounter with the security forces last Sunday. “Also, a pre-emptive attack on Boko Haram concentration at Izza town in BornoState, Sunday afternoon, led to the killing of an unspecified number of the sect’s members.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/army-kills-30-suspected-boko-haram-members/#sthash.6wYd24Q7.z96hK8qZ.dpuf

Politics

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President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari addresses the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly September 28, 2015 at the United Nations in New York. AFP The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the credentials of its candidates in the Kogi and Bayelsa States forthcoming governorship election, makes a mockery of the party’s anti-corruption stance. The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, described as a shameful irony and display of crass hypocrisy, the fact that a ruling party that prides itself as an anti-corruption crusader, will field candidates being held on corruption charges, saying such has further exposed the insincerity of the APC. The party said “it is a mockery of strategy that the APC which has been touting the fight against corruption as its major policy, would present to the people of the two states, candidates whose public questionable credentials are further evidenced in the charges brought against them by anti-graft agencies. “In Kogi, we have the APC brazenly fielding, for the November 21 governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, a former governor of the state that was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for corruption, and who is now facing charges before the court, of breach of trust, embezzling and misappropriating the sum of N10.9 billion meant for the development of his state. “In the same vein, in Bayelsa state, the APC is fielding, for the December 5 election, Chief Timipre Sylva, also a former governor of the state, who is similarly before the court on charges of embezzlement of a staggering sum of N19.2 billion belonging to Bayelsa State. “This APC candidate in Bayelsa is being charged by the EFCC for embezzling funds meant for state workers for a period four years, ‘under false pretence’ of using the funds to augment their salaries. “Now that the APC is brazenly fielding candidates with questions of corruption, we ask, do they in all honesty expect Nigerians to take them seriously on their much-hyped anti-corruption crusade? “Does the APC expect the people of Kogi and Bayelsa states to be fooled into voting for the same individuals who are facing charges of looting funds meant for the development of their respective states? “Also, the controversies trailing the primaries conducted by the so-called APC’s best hands, to produce these candidates with questionable credentials, further foreground the corruption prevalent in the party, which has also manifested in the presence of some persons with debatable reputations in the 21-man list of ministerial nominees forwarded to the Senate for clearance. “Evidently, the APC has clearly established itself as a party enmeshed and thriving in corruption, even as it tries to hoodwink the public into believing that it is on a mission to fight graft in the country, a contradiction we urge all Nigerians to take copious note of. “It has therefore become manifest that this administration’s anti-corruption agenda is dead on arrival and only applicable as a tool for witch hunt against the PDP and those holding views divergent to those of the government. Consequently, this is an open invitation by the APC to corrupt persons to join them as a party that accommodates, protects and promotes corruption in the country. “Our joy remains that the people of Kogi and Bayelsa will definitely reject this attempt to use immunity to cloak and protect friends and associates of the ruling party and government from further prosecution. “It is on this note that we urge the people of the two PDP states to remain unrelenting in their support for our great party and its candidates; Governors Idris Wada and Seriake Dickson respectively, to ensure their deserving overwhelming victory at the polls,” the PDP said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/gov-election-audu-sylva-mockery-of-apc-anti-corruption-stance-pdp/

Politics

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Militant groups threaten to resume armed agitation over 13% derivation By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa A coalition of nine militant groups in the Niger Delta has threatened to dump the ceasefire reached with the Federal Government and resume armed agitation over the alleged refusal of the government to stop paying 13 per cent derivation to the governors of the region. The coalition, under the aegis of Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), accused Governors of the region of allegedly diverting the money accruing from the 13 per cent derivation to personal pockets without recourse to the infrastructural development of the oil-producing communities. The RNDA, in an electronic statement on Friday by its Coordinator, self-styled ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonebi, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to pay the derivation directly to oil producing communities since the governors had allegedly failed the people of the region. The coalition lamented despite the series of complaints and petitions against the state governors concerning the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta, the Federal Government had not deemed it necessary to stop paying the derivation to them. The RNDA threatened the alleged decision by Buhari to side with the state governors by refusing to the stop the derivation payment to them would not be tolerated any longer and it might lead to resumption of hostilities in the region. The coalition said: “We frown at the payment of 13 per cent derivation funds to state governors in the Niger Delta despite protests and suggestions that it be paid to the oil-producing communities in the region in order to improve the direct welfare and infrastructural needs of the oil communities. “We agreed after our emergency meeting in the creeks of the Niger Delta that we will soon collapse the cease-fire agreement entered with the Federal Government since on the 21st of August 2016, if the payment of 13 per cent derivation fund to the governors continues. “And that it will be bloody in the creeks if our demands are not met because we will not fold our arms and continue to tolerate the deliberate perpetual injury occasioned by the governors of the oil-producing states to the people who are from the oil-producing communities in the creeks. “There is serious deliberate neglect by the governors of the region despite receiving such huge amount of money monthly while the people in the communities are abandoned and left to suffer. “The Governors live flamboyantly without having any human feelings for their fellow kinsmen who suffer most hazards from the exploitation and exploration activities from crude oil production from the communities. “Our people are left with no single meaningful development and human empowerment despite the billions and trillions of naira being collected by these Governors on behalf of the oil-producing communities. “The level of deliberate abandonment and neglect by the governors of the South south states who are receiving over N180 billion yearly from the Federation Account as payment of 13 per cent derivation from the Federal Government on behalf of the oil producing communities is nothing to write home about.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/militant-groups-threaten-to-resume-armed-agitation-over-13-derivation/

Politics

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As he has always done, Nwannekaenyi "Nnamdi" Kanu, a Nigerian Biafra political activist, and leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group canvassing for the secession and sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria on Monday hit out at his country of birth, AllNews reports. Self-exiled Kanu via his known Facebook page wonders why Nigeria would 'build expensive refineries; export crude oil, but import diesel, kerosine, and petrol at twice the amount they sold the crude oil'. These are the some of the headlines that makes you wonder what sort of demon created the Zoo Nigga-area and the animals Niggerians that inhabit. This is the type of headline that makes you wonder if black Africans are truly humans or not. Nigeria’s petroleum imports exceeded exports by $58.5bn — OPEC NNPC Imported 18bn Litres of PMs in 2019 - PPPRA Nigeria now import diesel and gas from Niger Republic. They have expensively built refineries, they have full compliment of staff, they have universities offering courses in Petro-Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering; they have millions of unemployed graduates looking for work but nothing seems to be working. They export crude oil but inport diesel, kerosine and petrol at twice the amount they sold the crude oil. Economics of insanity. Only black Africans, especially Niggerians can conjure up such monumental stupidity. May God have mercy on your sad demented souls. Ndi isi ojii. READ ALSO: Biafra: IPOB's Nnamdi Kanu Declares Death Upon A Choice Of People IPOB is one of the organisations leading the renewed agitation for Biafran independence. Its founder, Nnamdi Kanu, first revived Radio Biafra in 2009, using it to further the organisation’s pro-independence cause with broadcasts from abroad. Researchers have found that the pirate radio station plus Kanu's known social media handles supplies disinformation. Prof Lai Oso, who teaches mass communication at Lagos State University’s School of Communication, likened Biafra’s online disinformation campaign to propaganda. Oso is also the president of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria. “In this era when fact-checking is becoming common and advancements in technology have made it easier for people to find facts, propaganda or disinformation is not a good communication strategy,” he told Africa Check in January. Furthermore, a professor of mass communication at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Emmanuel Udeze, stated that the false claims about Biafra seem to be taking advantage of the limitations of social media when it comes to gatekeeping. “This is the other side of citizen journalism. Because everyone can now do reports and disseminate information, you can’t prevent the publishing of false information online. “And because of people’s varying levels of understanding, quite a number of people can be fooled to believe false information at first,” Udeze said.

https://allnews.ng/news/biafra-economics-of-insanity-ipob-s-nnamdi-kanu-blasts-nigeria-over-again

Politics

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Rivers sets up 12-man Task Force Rivers State government has set up a 12-man Task Force on the enforcement of ban on public gatherings and places of worship in order to check the spread of coronavirus. The Task Force is headed by His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike , Governor of Rivers State. Other members include: The Commissioner of Police, Garrison Commander, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Air Force Commander, Naval Commander, State Director, Department of State Services,State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Secretary to the State Government, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief of Staff, Government House, Commissioner for Health, while the Commissioner for Information and Communication will serve as secretary. The Task Force will hold its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, by 11am at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

https://thenationonlineng.net/rivers-sets-up-12-man-task-force/

Politics

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President Jonathan and Emeka Nwogu, Minister of Labour and Productivity. while at the the background job seekers scramble for few job opportunities. By Emmanuel Edukugho With an estimated 60 million unemployed persons representing nearly one-third of the country’s population, human capacity development is being seriously endangered. This situation is not only making a mockery of Nigeria’s so-called vision of becoming one of the 20 leading economies in the world by the year 2020, but also threatening national security as obviously the nation seems to be sitting on a keg of gunpowder likely to explode at any time with devastating consequences. But more astonishing is the recent disclosure by a human resource company, Employment Clinic, that the government spends N960 billion annually on artisans from abroad to work in the country. Unfortunately, the Nigerian education system is still structured to prepare graduates for employment in an over-saturated labour market in which organisations or establishments in both public and private sectors of the national economy are cutting jobs while the concept of self employment remained a novelty. Although the tertiary education system is only now trying to embrace entrepreneurial skills development to tackle problem of unemployment among graduates, the nation is still far from the ideal of education for employment, that is knowledge for practical action. The present realities make this style of going to school in order to be employed after graduation no longer fashionable. The unemployment situation is worsening with every passing day moreso as thousands of graduates are being churned out from tertiary institutions yearly to besiege those already hopelessly waiting for employment and roaming our streets searching for means of earning a living. For some years now, we have piled graduates upon graduates mortgaging the nation’s future and our children’s future for the greed, avarice and planlessness of our leaders through bad governance. The enormity of unemployment challenge which has become a colossal one – a socio-economic affliction of great proportions can be illustrated most vividly when out of the 13,000 applications received by the Dangote Group of Companies for Graduate Executive Truck Drivers, there were six Ph.D, 704 Masters and over 8,460 Bachelor degree holders. Most astonishing was the fact that the company only needed 100 drivers but got 13,000 applications, most of them from reputable universities. According to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, more than 41% of Nigerian graduates are without employment after the mandatory National Youth Service Corps engagement. The National Bureau of Statistics said over 50% of youths in Nigeria are jobless, while the World Bank puts the figure at 56%. Considering the country’s estimated population of about 167 million and 60 million jobless, these are grim figures portending danger to economic growth and development of a nation with the largest concentration of black people on earth. Perhaps worried that the youths are at the receiving end of this unemployment scourge, President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration came up with an initiative of youth entrepreneurship in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communication and Technology, Ministry of Youth development and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development called “The Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN)”. This will help to generate jobs by encouraging and supporting ambitious and creative enterprising young men and women to develop and implement business ideas for job creation. It is envisaged that over a 3-year period in which the second cycle will be completed in 2013 (September) between 80,000 to 320,000 new jobs will be created at cost of N10 billion. In addition, the Federal Government said it has given over 1,000 youths who distinguished themselves after screening and training offered them in various vocations a take-off grant of about N1 billion to actualise their aspirations. There is also Women and Youths Employment project carried out under the subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme targeting employment for over 300,000 unskilled youths, women and the disabled each year. Some experts doubt the sustainability of these initiatives and whether they can be permanent bearing in mind the failure of the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and the Micro Finance Bank initiative launched in 2005. Invariably, all these are mere palliatives, only trying to scratch the surface of the unemployment problem. Government can arrange special stimulus packages to several companies and conglomerates operating in Nigeria from oil to telecom, construction and manufacturing to expand and provide employment to qualified youths. Government should engage in specific projects with the objective of creating jobs. Areas begging for massive investment include infrastructure like roads, electricity, housing, agriculture, railways, environmental sanitation, bridges, water and refineries. Others are education, health, petrochemicals, mining, excavation, as all these projects have potential to create millions of jobs. An American scholar puts it succinctly in this way: ”One of the unwritten and unspoken commonplaces lying at the root of modern academic policy is that the various universities are competitors for the traffic of merchantable instruction in much the same fashion as rival establishments in the retail trade compete for customers.” The school system comprising primary, secondary and tertiary is not providing patriotic, productive, self-actualising, creative thinking individuals, while at the same time, the various regulatory agencies have failed to set standards and to ensure compliance at all times. President Obama once said that the American youth needs education that will make them possess 21st century skills like problem solving and critical thinking, entrepreneurship and creativity. This is because economic progress and educational achievement have always gone hand in hand. It was the belief of Professor Julius Ihonvbere while delivering a Foundation Day Lecture of Lead City University, Ibadan, that Nigerian youths need even a higher level of that standard, especially in this internet age. “Rancid educational and economic policies that pay cursory attention to unemployment, coupled with unyielding and formidable peer pressure, are combined attractions for crime for the present day youth.” It was noted that the leaders are no longer trusted and the mill of the antisocials enlarges by the day. No wonder we have armed robbers, political thugs, kidnappers, religious/tribal fanatics, drug couriers, yahoo yahoo boys all of them designed to cut corners. And they all passed through one school or the other. Against this background, there is urgent need for massive employment in order to check youth restiveness. A nation not interested in developing the youth (as is the case of Nigeria), will only be stranded in the earliest forms of pre-industrial and primitive stages of existence. According to Ihonvbere, it is wicked for present day public office holders to insist that fresh graduates must be self employed without the enabling environment. In civilised world, it is the duty of government to ignite such a revolution in the youth. None of the big economies which Nigeria aspires to be part, leaves her productive sectors to the vagaries of market forces just like that. Saturday Vanguard investi-gation showed most graduates of higher education are still looking for jobs rather than create jobs. Only about one out of one thousand graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions get employment. The low level of entrepreneurial zeal among graduates of higher education can be attributed as the main reason why they are not starting their own businesses coupled with inability to access loans provided by some banks, especially bank of industry. “In fact, the major challenge is the take-off capital or seed money required for some of these graduates in moving forward,” declared Engr. B.A. Odufuwa, Chairman, Governing Council, Lagos City Polytechnic in the 5th Convocation address. Many eminent persons and scholars have also pointed to entrepreneurship education as a bail out from unemployment. The Vice Chancellor, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Prof Tolu Odugbemi affirmed that one major outstanding feature of the institution is the emphasis on entrepreneurial training and skill development for the students. “Our students are being trained in over 20 various vocational skills aside from their normal academic pursuit to make them self-reliant, independent and job creators after their graduation,” he told this writer recently. He expressed concern over the teeming number of graduates produced annually by universities without employment opportunities. Similarly, Covenant University, Ota, runs a Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Studies (CEDS) aimed to develop capacity to nurture the talents and ideas of students to create and sustain businesses and become creators of jobs, not job seekers. Prof. Pat Utomi, at the 4th Convocation Lecture of Redeemer’s University, titled “Entrepreneurship as panacea for unemployment in the 21st century – The Role of the University”, said that entrepreneurship is a fundamental part of our human dignity and it goes beyond passing a course but using what one has learnt and apply the knowledge in what one is primarily engaged in to create value and wealth. On the other hand, it is believed that federal government’s 2013 budget would not favour job creation needed to tackle unemployment as allocations to infrastructure such as electricity, roads, etc are grossly inadequate. It was also noted by stakeholders that banks have zero tolerance for risk and this is stifling private sector growth and capacity of entrepreneurs to create jobs. Lack of skills has been identified as the reason many of our graduates are unemployable in the first place. According to a human capital development expert, Mr. Williams Ibiyinka, there is a clear difference between acquiring university education and acquiring skills. Human capital or skill development is another strategy to reduce unemployment in this country. A lot of stakeholders want efforts to be intensified to ensure that youths are productively engaged and government provides necessary infrastructure to establish small and medium enterprises so as to reduce unemployment. Again poverty level seemed to have risen, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The Statistician-General of Nigeria, Dr. Yemi Kale was reported in the press as saying: “It remains a paradox that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year. This trend may have increased further if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account.” If the federal government is sincere with promises being made to provide millions of job for the unemployed, then the nation should be seeing signs towards that direction. “But what we have are mere slogans without concrete actions to show as the unemployment situation worsened. I left school since 2006, till today nothing to do. I don’t have sufficient capital to go into productive business,” laments Mr. Tuoyo Paul, an accounting graduate of University of Benin. Another engineering graduate of University of Ibadan who has spent the past five years going about looking for employment (names not disclosed) said the situation is highly frustrating and embarrasing. “Most employers give conditions like obtaining second class upper, not above 25 years and some years of experience. It’s just too bad.” The construction sector, agriculture, environment, housing, can throw up thousands of jobs for youths if government can harness the potentials for national development. “But government has left these options open to foreigners to exploit at the expense of our teeming young population seriously trapped by unemployment,” said Rotimi Funsho, an economist. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/unemployment-nigeria-sitting-on-keg-of-gun-powder/4

Politics

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Captain Chinyelu Chizoba Ndubuisi is the Pilot of Airforce 001, the aircraft that takes President, Muhammadu Buhari on local and international trips. Captain Ndubisi is an Igbo man Speaking on her Twitter handle the Personal Assistant on Social Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie who post the photos of Captain Ndubuisi said ‘ for those who only remember Geography & skewed religious knowledge lessons, work out the rest.” What do you think she is talking about ? Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/captain-ndubuisi-buharis-airforce-001-pilot/

Travel

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NEWCASTLE (AFP) – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could be set to ring the changes after launching a scathing attack on his players following their shock 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United. The Chelsea manager left his squad in little doubt about his displeasure after an abject display saw them squander an opportunity to make ground in the Premier League title race. Chelsea have an immediate chance to atone for a disjointed performance — which Mourinho described as lacking in all departments — when they host German side Schalke in the Champions League this week.Several of the players who failed to impress at St James’ Park are unlikely to have an opportunity to restore their reputations immediately, with Mourinho ready to shake things up to avoid a repeat of the 90-minute no-show in the northeast. Taking his own share of the blame for a defeat that leaves Chelsea with just five points from five away league games so far this term, the Portuguese said: “I made 11 mistakes with my team selection — 11 mistakes. “That’s the feeling I have when my team plays so badly. We deserved to lose because for 45 minutes we played at the level of a friendly. The result is down to the fact that one team wasn’t there. “There was no aggression there and we lacked intensity. It was a bad performance and it sends me home with a lot to think about because I have to try and understand where a display like this came from. I have to admit I’d be worried if we play like that again.” Mourinho concedes Chelsea’s patchy away form is a concern after they succumbed to second-half goals from French duo Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy. “We’ve won just once away in the league this season and that worries me,” he said. “You have to come here to Newcastle with a certain mentality, and we just didn’t show that. We were lacking everything, to be honest, and that’s how I explain a result like this. “We’re 10 games in and it’s an open title race, but that’s not something I’m thinking about every week at the moment. I must go home and reflect on this game because Newcastle gave us a lot of space to play in and hurt them, but we just lacked any kind of sharpness.” Newcastle ended a testing week on a high with a fully deserved win to help erase the memory of their derby defeat at Sunderland last weekend. Manager Alan Pardew paid tribute to his side and dedicated the win to owner Mike Ashley, who has come in for criticism for banning three local newspapers from reporting on Newcastle’s games in a stand-off over their coverage of the club. “We started off conservatively, because if you go chasing from the start you’re in for a long afternoon against Chelsea,” he said. “In the second half we had a bit more energy to put more pressure on them and that cranked up as we went on. “We’ve been playing well for the past four or five games, and if you work hard enough and keep showing that spirit you’ll get the breaks, and that happened today (Saturday). Our players really put in a shift and got their reward. “This win is for Mike Ashley and all our Newcastle fans. Trust me, he is a fan. I’m pleased for the club. We’ve had to make a stand with the local press. We want them to be onside with us and this was about giving a message to our fans that we are very much alive and kicking.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/made-11-mistakes-mourinho-admits-chelsea-crash/

Sports

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By Nwafor Sunday The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday lashed at those who make jest of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ill health. Speaking with newsmen in Awka, Ngige averred that Buhari is healthier and stronger than 80% of Nigerians. “I can tell you authoritatively as a medical doctor of over three decades standing that Mr President is physically and mentally healthy. He is healthier than 80 per cent of Nigerians”, he said. Gving reasons for his statement, Ngige opined that Buhari sits for over eight hours during their executive meetings. Whereas most of them who thought they have sat for a very long time would go for a tea break to stretch the legs. “Mr President sits on his seat continuously, drinking only water”, he said. When asked to speak on the federal character and allegations on marginalization of the Igbo, Ngige opined, “There’s nothing that is being shared by the Buhari government that is not equitably done. Buhari has five flagship projects; Lagos-Ibadan to Ilorin Mambila Power Plants; Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway; Second Niger Bridge and East West roads. “You can see how it was shared. So, how are you(Igbo) left out, why are you crying marginalisation, why are you crying wolf when there is none and it is this mentality that I’m telling you people that you have to come out from. “So, all I’m saying in effect is that you (Igbo) must do political engineering; that’s the Igbo of the South-East and the step to take forward is to support a Buhari presidency for 2019/2023 and vote for it with all their strengths. By so doing, they will not be left out in the power-sharing that will come thereafter like was done at this period.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/buhari-is-healthier-stronger-than-80-of-nigerians-ngige/

Politics

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THE founder of Resurrection Praise Ministry, Archbishop Samson Benjamin has called on the Federal government to probe the activities of Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) with a view to ensuring it has not gone beyond its purview. He noted that AMCON which was established to bail out ailing companies had been going contrary to the objectives behind its establishment. His words: ‘’For the sake of transparency in fighting corruption I still maintain that all the cases against AMCON in court and what led to the take-over of most people’s properties should be subjected to serious scrutiny and investigation”. “This will douse the tension among many people and companies. We don’t consider the antecedent of people but rather we celebrate their failures by giving them higher responsibilities. Recently Arik airline was taken over for some reasons. If Arik was a failure as claimed, they have passed judgment on the entire management staff, from which they still took the Deputy CEO and made him the CEO of Aero Contractors. ‘’ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/can-make-petrol-sell-n97-per-litre-titi-governor/Activities

Politics

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has demanded for a review of the present minimum wage paid to workers in accordance with the economic realities. The Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led faction of NLC yesterday in Abuja after its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting also said that an increment of workers salary would help to reduce corruption in the polity. He said that it was unacceptable for Nigerians including the labour force to live in abject poverty while few privileged people continue to steal the nation’s resources and starch it in foreign banks. Comrade Wabba who assured that the labour movement would lead the protest to ensure that the federal government recovered the looted funds said that NLC would organise a symbolic national one day protest to ensure that such funds in the hands of individuals were recovered. He explained that the NEC would demand from government and the tripartite partners for the review of the minimum wage. He also noted that the pitiable state of the nation’s economy has become of great concern to the labour union as it has affected the working class and had led to many states not being able to pay salaries as at when due. While appreciating the efforts of the Council of States for approving the bailout for states that had been unable to pay salaries to workers, he said that NLC was disturbed that despite the federal government gesture, the effect of the bailout was yet to be seen. According to him, while in some states relative progress had been made, few states had remained chronic, adding that the Central Working Committee, CWC of the union was of the view that payment of salary should be a matter of national priority and that the NEC would not fold arms watching workers not to be paid as at when due. For the states that had received the bailouts, Wabba called on the Federal Government to also put in place mechanism to monitor how the funds were utilised and also frowned at the development where some banks withheld the bailout fund as a result of the indebtedness of some the states to the banks. NLC condemned the waiver granted to some establishments in the country which had denied the country money while workers were subjected to pay taxes, and said that nobody should be allowed to evade taxes in any form. He urged the judiciary to hasten the trials of those indicted for looting the nation’s treasury and other allegation of treasury and also told the anti-corruption agency to always device a process to promptly responding to allegations of corruption. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/increment-of-workers-salary-ll-reduce-corruption-nlc/

Career

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By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor LAGOS — All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has said that no right thinking Nigerian would vote President Goodluck Jonathan again to power, affirming it would mean a sustenance of all that is presently wrong with the country. The APC presidential candidate in a statement posted on his facebook page last night flayed supporters of the present administration of spreading a message of fear which he said was only because of their support of the very things that degrade the country. The assertion came as the Buhari Campaign Organisation, BCO, yesterday pledged to present strong arguments why Buhari should become the country’s next president. A statement by the newly appointed Director of Media, Dele Alake, said the combination of Buhari’s sterling military career and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s legal expertise would serve as an antidote to the insecurity and disorder now confronting the polity. Gen. Buhari in his comment on facebook said: “Those who are afraid of the change we seek are the people destroying our country and stunting its progress. They are the same people who spent four years in power without improving our electricity by a single megawatt, the same people who spent four years downgrading high-level corruption to common stealing, the same people who spent four years watching over terrorists desecrating our territorial sovereignty, the same people who spent four years without laying the critical infrastructure for sustainable growth and job creation; those same people are now asking you for four more years.” “No right thinking Nigerian would wish that our next four years look like the last four. Change has to come, and it begins with you getting registered and spreading our message of change and hope, from sibling to sibling, family to family, neighbourhood to neighbourhood; in our schools, in our market places, in every community, and in every gathering.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/no-right-thinking-nigerianll-vote-jonathan-back-power-buhari/

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Chief Edwin Clark By Emma Amaize, ASABA South South Leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has said it would be erroneous for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, to authorise zoning of 2023 governorship at the next caucus meeting in Asaba. Clark, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, asserted: “It will be wrong for Delta PDP to ratify zoning at their next caucus meeting. Any decision to zone must be discussed first before you say it is your turn. Why are they putting the cart before the horse? “If they know every zone has violated senatorial zoning in the state, let us sit down and say now that all the three senatorial zones have got it, which of the zones should now have it. That is how it should be done. “After Delta Central senatorial district, it will come to this or after Delta South senatorial district, it will come to this and after Delta North senatorial district, it will come to that. Or you can say, okay, like osusu (traditional money collection system), now that we have finished this round, let the North start. It does not mean that if Governor Ifeanyi Okowa goes, it cannot start from the North again. If it is by osusu way that is way it should happen? ALSO READ: Unknown assailants kill 2 guards at Ogun filling station “Was there any meeting when it was decided that Urhobos should start the rotation on senatorial basis or Urhobos are using their majority in the PDP caucus and knowledge to want to impose their wish on other Deltans. “If it is so, what are we in the South-South part of the country generally fighting the North for? We are saying that they cannot use their population and education to oppress the minority. “What the Ijaws are saying is that we are in minority, our area is peculiar to other areas. The Urhobos have only the Urhobos in Delta Central, the Aniomas have only the Igbo-speaking people in Delta North, but in Delta South, you have the Isokos, the Ijaws and the Itsekiris and for anybody to say that you cannot zone, according to ethnicity, can you do anything in Delta state without saying that you are doing it on ethnicity. “So if you saying that cultural dance troupes should be invited, are you going to invite only Itsekiri dancers from Delta South, leave Ijaw and Isoko and you take Urhobo, take Anioma, will it work in the state? So every situation requires a particular solution, we have five ethnic nationalities in the state. Everything has been done on that, not based on senatorial zones. So if three of them have got it, other two are saying that we want to have it,” he said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/02/delta-2023-itll-be-wrong-for-pdp-to-okay-zoning-clark/

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‘There is vacancy in Edo Government House’ Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship flagbearer Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on why he believes voters will reject Governor Godwin Obaseki at the poll. In this era of COVID-19 pandemic, how are you going to campaign? I must confess to you that campaigning in this era of COVID-19 pandemic is not an easy task but we must not stop. So, we are breaking ourselves into units, so that we can actually do the door-to-door campaign. So, we are deemphasizing huge rallies and focusing more on small meetings. Again, we now need to actually spend more time on dissemination of information through the media, which means that we need the television, radio and newspapers. There is the belief that some loyalists of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who did not defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with him, might play the role of moles during the election. How is APC going to do deal with this issue? Yes, we know that there are moles within the party but I want to assure you that we will deal with that. I will not elaborate on our plan to deal with that, but we will deal with it. Tension is building up in Edo State ahead of the election. How can violence be averted before, during and after the poll? We have said that we want this election to be issue-based. We don’t even want to resort to name-calling, let us focus on our agenda. I can assure you that we as party will do everything possible to avoid violence during the election and we hope that the other parties, especially the PDP will do the same because of what is already playing out. They have campaign billboards and posters across the state; in fact they started erecting such billboards before us but we approached the agency of government in charge and asked about available spaces and the cost. They told us and we paid only to find out that a top official of the government said how can APC be allowed to have campaign billboards at strategic locations. The next thing that happened was that they began to remove our campaign billboards but we have petitioned the commissioner of Police in Edo State and the state Director of the Department of State Services (DSS). Our campaign organization also addressed a press conference, where it made clear that the PDP must be accommodating and tolerant as well as well as avoid anything that will trigger violence. We could have taken the law into our hands but we didn’t do that. From that time till now, they have not mentioned that one of their billboards was destroyed by our supporters. So, I am assuring you that there will be no violence during the election as we will do our best and will cooperate with the security agents to make sure that election is peaceful. Have you been able to address those factors that worked against you in the 2016 governorship election? If you had followed that election, you would have found out that despite the fact that I was coming from an opposition party in the state at that time, it was not easy for the ruling party. They had to postpone the election a day to it and brought it back after 18 days and when the result started coming out and I was leading, but you saw the drama that ensued and announcement of the results had to be stopped. By the time they came back, the whole thing had changed. But, when the Supreme Court says a particular person won, you don’t have to argue. However, I can assure that everything that happened then have been addressed and this time is our time. Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole said all sorts of things about you during the last election, but you are working with him now. How do you react to that? Yes, Oshiomhole threw punches at me in 2016, but people tend to have short memory. Oshiomole was at Ben Idahosa University, when I was being given a doctorate and he spent over one hour praising me for my contributions in his government and the role I am playing in the state. Oshiomhole also came to my farm at one time, when I was graduating students and he listed the roles I was playing in the state. At my 50th birthday, there was no world he didn’t use to describe me including the fact that if he wants to mention those, who have helped him to succeed in government, there is no way my name will not be there. So, if during the campaigns for the 2016 governorship election he was abusing me because I was on the other side, what do you expect? Of course, he needed to abuse me, especially when he didn’t have a good product. You can imagine how Governor Godwin Obaseki started his camp for the forthcoming election. They placed a big screen on Ring road in Benin, where everybody passes and one would have thought that all he would be playing on that kind of screen are achievements of his administration in the last four years. Instead of that, he is playing about the governor of Kano State. It was when condemnation came from within and outside Nigeria that they had to stop it. What has the governor of Kano State got to do with the governorship election in Edo State apart from being the chairman of APC National Campaign Council? I am sure that those who had gone through campaigns before will tell you that people will call their opponents all sorts of names during electioneering campaigns, but if you allow those things to border you, they will distract you. In fact, I confessed somewhere that they succeeded four years because I had my SIMPLE Agenda but I didn’t talk about it as I spent all the time replying their insults. Everyone knew that I had the SIMPLE Agenda but I didn’t talk about what I had, which they never had. This time I will not allow myself to be distracted; I will tell Edo people about my SIMPLE Agenda. Are you going to limit yourself to just one term in office if you win the election? When you are elected; are you elected to serve for two terms? You serve one term at a time and one term is four years, not eight years. So, in terms of planning, don’t leave any of your projects to run for an eight-year period or 20 year-period. If you want people to appreciate what you are doing or you want your agenda to be measurable and achievable, let it be within the period of your tenure. So, when I say four years, I am clearly conscious of the number of years a tenure is. Again, we are not God and nobody knows who will be alive tomorrow and death is not determined by age or position. So, why don’t we talk about what is on ground and leave the future to God? What is your take on security votes and are you going to stop it? I won’t say that I will stop security votes because what is important is what you use it for. I can’t make security a cardinal part of my agenda and there are no security votes; it is ridiculous. How do you handle security matters without financial votes? But the money you put in will determine or reflect the seriousness you attach to that area. So, for me, part of the security votes apart from going to the security agencies should also go to vigilant groups. They should not be working for gratis. How can communities raise people, who are guarding farmlands and rural roads and government will not send them anything as support? Today, all the forests in Edo State have been taken over by criminals. If security votes were well managed by the present administration in the state, those forests would have been cleaned out. So, let use security votes judiciously and not see it as money for the governor.

https://thenationonlineng.net/there-is-vacancy-in-edo-government-house/

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By Emma Una CALABAR —PEACE Mass Transit, a popular mass transport company that operates in Cross River State and other states in the South-South and South-East has bemoaned the multiple taxes and levies imposed on it by agents of the Cross River State Government and has threatened to vacate the state if the trend continues. Managing Director of the company, Dr Sam Onyishi, in a letter to the Cross River State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong, obtained by Vanguard, said the persistent and unfriendly activities of persons who parade themselves as state and local government representatives on levies and taxes in various forms were ruining the operations of the company in the state. He said: “These persons have continually inundated us with requests for all manner of levies and taxes including those we are not owing. “May we point out to you sir, that one sure implication of these people whom we refrain from calling touts is disruption of our business, consequently, damage to our investment and we have genuine fears that with this state of affairs, we are being forced out of Calabar and other cities in the state.” Contacted, Chairman, Internal Revenue Service, Dr Ukam Edodi, said only consultants were authorised to collect revenue on behalf of the government as he warned touts harassing companies and individuals to desist from such actions. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/peace-mass-transit-bemoans-high-levies-threatens-vacate-criver/

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Kabiru Tanimu Turaki Peoples Democartic Party, PDP, presidential Aspirant and former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has said that the ruling APC government is scared and has gone into a desperation mode and inflicting vendetta on politicians holding contrary opinion because the opposition parties have decided to unite more than ever before to wrest power from them. He said that the APC is jittery also, because Nigerians have determined to take their destiny in their own hands by acquiring their Permanent Voters’ Cards to vote out the ruling party and its baggage of propaganda, poverty, unemployment, insecurity, hopelessness, intimidation and violation of rights and the rule of law. The presidential aspirant stated this at the Ondo State PDP secretariat in Akure on Wednesday, in continuation of his consultations with state executive committees, delegates and elders of the party ahead of the PDP’s national convention. Turaki accused the APC of extreme discriminatory approach to the fight against corruption which, he noted, was spearheaded and reinforced by the PDP at the onset of the current democratic dispensation in 1999. He noted that ironically, a sizable number of the APC’s current bigwigs including some defectors in their ranks, were part and parcel of the past PDP administrations labeled as corrupt by APC which ceased to hound them with the EFCC once they defected, while loyal PDP leaders were being investigated and discredited in the media even when the law do not justify such an action. He pointed out that corruption is not about money only, and asked: “When you give your own people unfair advantage in employment as the APC is doing now, or when people or groups are being treated unfairly simply because they do not come from your area or did not vote for you, what is that?” He also accused the government of destroying the economy which it inherited on May 29, 2015 as the fastest-growing in Africa and number three in the world after China and Qatar, and pledged that visionary economic policies and highly knowledgeable and respected experts would be put in place to restore the sector to the glorious era. Turaki who was once the chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the North East said that the security challenges bedeviling the country currently will be tackled in a much more robust and effective manner, if given the chance to serve. He lamented that Nigerians had never been so divided as now with an increased resurgence of agitations for self-determination and pledged that, as a bridge builder, he will ensure a turnaround situation that would bring peace and trust required to galvanize the people for accelerated development. He said: “The situation in Nigeria today is so serious that we must come together to tighten our nuts to make the Nigerian Project solid.” Turaki, who commended the current PDP national leadership led by Prince Uche Secondus for its policy of justice, equity and fairness, traced the genesis of the party’s recent crisis and the steps which he and other concerned members took in salvaging the PDP from disintegrating. He therefore warned that members should resolve never to allow charlatans again to determine their affairs. The Ondo State chairman of the party, Engineer Clement Faboyede remarked that Turaki had won their hearts with his dynamism, and the intellectual depth and eloquence of his analysis of how to make Nigeria greater, while the chairman of the elders committee, Professor Olu Agbi said that he saw in the aspirant, a leader who would re-unite and take the country to the desired level of development in the 21st century.. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/apc-jittery-scared-has-gone-into-desperation-mode-says-turaki/

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… As Geregu pumps $250m into power generation expansion project, marks one year on Stock Exchange By Prisca Sam-Duru To say that it is ‘appalling and disheartening’ that Nigeria’s power sector is yet to witness the needed improvement for greater impact on the people and the economy despite the huge amount of money sunk into it by successive governments is an understatement. That, however, was how the Executive Chairman, Board of Directors, Geregu Power Plc, Mr Femi Otedola described the state of the power sector during the week. Otedola who though, who acknowledged that the sector has its challenges, noted however that, they are surmountable problems. The major problem he pointed out, is transmission and everyone wonders as he did, why it has seemed impossible for successive governments to fix the issue of transmission. Baring his mind on the sector while speaking at the “Closing Gong ceremony” and commemoration of the first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) in Lagos, Otedola revealed the hard truth that if the power sector was well organised it would be cheaper and have a lot of positive impact on the manufacturing sector as well as the entire economy of the country. “The power sector has a lot of problems but they’re surmountable problems. It’s a matter of leadership in the country and willpower. If power is well organised, it’s even cheaper. “We will get there, it’s a matter of time.” The business mogul queried why it’s difficult for the country to improve on the amount of power it generates when an individual like Aliko Dangote, has built 2000 megawatts for his plants. “Aliko, an individual has built 2000 megawatts of power for cement, fertilizer plants and refinery. And the country where I was born, has only 5000 megawatts. “So it’s appalling and disheartening that all the successive governments have failed in this regard but I believe we are now at the stage where the power sector will get a lot of attention and priority. We have new plants still sitting idle that the government built years ago and the real problem is transmission, there is a need to look in this direction,” he said. He further said that Geregu was taking necessary steps to expand its capacity to deliver improved performance and maximise shareholders’ wealth, stressing that the challenges in the sector could be tackled if the government sets its priority right. For starters, he believes that the best way would be the engagement of investors in the sector. “Any government that thinks well will look for entrepreneurs in this sector that have committed so much capital and time and let them sort out the problem. “If the government then did not invite Aliko to build a cement factory and create an enabling environment, today we’ll still be importing cement.” While celebrating Geregu’s achievements on its first anniversary as a listed company, Otedola emphasised that for any company to sustain its wealth, there was a need for it to be listed on the stock exchange. “To sustain wealth, you need to list your company on the stock exchange”, he stated, adding, “We’ve come with a lot of firsts; the first power company to list on the Exchange, the first power company to embark on an aggressive 300 % expansion drive; the first company to release its results on the stock market.” In a related development, Doron Grupper, a director of the power holding company, who is satisfied with the achievements of the power company so far, disclosed that Geregu boasts of professionals and good management to increase its capacity. “I’ve been with Geregu for years now since we started the power station. I think this power station according to my experience, works on natural gas. We have a great team of professionals, and good management to increase our capacity. “We are producing today, 450 megawatts but we have the potential for the next two years to increase to 1300 megawatts. We have the money, and we have the people but we need the assistance of the government of Nigeria to solve some problems with the gas issues. “We have a huge potential to increase and to contribute to Nigeria in the power sector and to increase the quantities and capacity of electricity to the people of Nigeria.” Grupper who spoke to Arise, TV correspondent, on the sideline of the NGX event on Tuesday, stated that the gas challenges have to do with the price of gas which he noted, is still low so there’s a need to increase it. The challenges also have to do with the quantity of gas and, “the pressure of the pipeline; we need to increase it. These are the three main issues that the government need to take care of and to assist us to increase the capacity.” “I hope that in the near future, we will come into a new era of electricity here in Nigeria,” he added. On how much investments have been put in Geregu, he said, “When we bought the power station back in 2015 we produced 113 megawatts. We made a major overhaul to get to 450. Now, we are doing a major overhaul again…more than 250 million dollars altogether.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/04/nigeria-has-generated-only-5000-megawatts-since-i-was-born-femi-otedola-laments/

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Governors’ visits to Wike, Udom stir anxiety in APC Visits harmless, says spokesman Tambuwal: we’re not politicking There is disquiet in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over some governors’ visits to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, who are of the Peoples Democratic Party. (PDP). The APC governors, who visited their PDP counterpart, are: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi). The governors also jointly hosted Wike in Sokoto- an action that sent political circles guessing that a major plan was on. A minister protested to the APC leadership in the Northwest over the trips, The Nation learnt yesterday. Some Presidency officials are also said to be disturbed by the signal which the visits generated. Some APC leaders were “shocked” that Tambuwal and Bagudu visited Wike before the last legislative election rerun in Rivers State, spending a day with him. The two governors teamed up with Yari, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), to spend Christmas in Akwa Ibom. Wike reciprocated the visits last weekend when he went to Sokoto. The Rivers State Governor was at the Sultan’s palace where he said the Niger Delta would not be part of any move to dismember Nigeria, adding that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable. A source, reflecting on the development, spoke of “unease in the APC on the shuttles by Tambuwal and others to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states”. “Some of our leaders are uncomfortable with snippets from these trips”, he said, asking not to be named. “The timing of the first visit to Rivers State made some of our leaders to be suspicious. It was like paying a solidarity visit to Wike ahead of the Rivers State rerun elections. “Some leaders have been suspecting that the three governors might be the arrowheads of a political realignment in the country.” There have been talks of a new party ahead of the next general elections. The direction and planners of the “mega” party remain unknown. The source quoted the angry minister as saying; “We heard what you people are planning.” A party leader said: “Some of us have been angry with these governors because our members are going through hell in these states. “There is nothing wrong in exchanging visits or comparing notes, but we saw the trips as missteps at a time we are seeking redress or justice for our members in the affected states. “Of what use is an APC governor’s romance with a PDP governor in whose state APC members were attacked and maimed or where policemen were beheaded?” The Department of State Services (DSS) last week gave indications that some politicians are under watch. The politicians include those who are making “inciting” statements. It could not be immediately ascertained if the governors in question are under watch. But one of the governors had complained that his telephone conversations were intercepted by security agents. Another source close to one of the governors added: “Of recent, we observed that some agents of a minister have been abusing our boss online over some of these visits. “It is unfortunate that friendly visits are being turned into other things. Some of these governors have been friends before getting into office.” APC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said: “My reaction will be that I think we should not read too much political meanings to all these trips. Governors socialise, regardless of party affiliation. “If governors decide to visit each other and socialise, I don’t think the party has the authority to stop them. I think we should not read any meaning into it. “But if the party has reasons to suspect gatherings are contrary to what the party stands for, the party will meet and take appropriate action. At this moment, there is no basis for that.” Alhaji Imam Imam, Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said: “There is nothing political at all with all these shuttles. The commitment of the governor of Sokoto State to APC is not in doubt at all. Tambuwal is fully committed to APC. Our commitment to the President, the leadership of the party and all APC structures is unshaken and undiluted. “We work within the confines of APC. Nobody should link us with 2019. During political season, we will engage in politicking. But this is a period of governance; we are now focused on governance.” Imam added: “Tambuwal believes in inter-state trade. So long as states cooperate among themselves, the potential for the nation’s economic growth is large. When we visited Rivers, we had discussion on youth empowerment and sports; when we visited Aba, Abia State, the governor sold the idea of marketing Sokoto leather to them. When we went to Kano for inspection of projects, we interacted with some businessmen and one of them is now establishing a fertiliser plant in Sokoto.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/governors-visits-wike-udom-stir-anxiety-apc/

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The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has established a specialised crime prevention unit to curb the activities of electricity installation vandals in the country. This was revealed on Tuesday in Abuja by the Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime Prevention and Community Safety, Mr Austin Iwar, who unveiled the unit as the Anti-Electricity Vandalism Response. Mr Iwar, who spoke on the occasion of the deployment of vehicles to the unit by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, decried the increasing rate of vandalisation of electricity installations across the country. He, however, warned vandals to desist from such acts and reiterated the resolve of the police to protect all electricity infrastructures from theft. Details to follow…

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/01/31/ekiti-election-aluko-presents-evidence-claiming-it-was-rigged/P.S

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Senator Alimodu Sheriff, addressing press men after finally gaining entry into the PDP National Secretariat on Monday, June 13, 2016. By Ben AGANDE, Abuja – The Senator Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Tuesday alleged that the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress are behind the leadership crisis rocking the Party. Addressing a press conference, the member of the committee in charge of Publicity, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said the crisis was orchestrated by the APC in order to whittle down the effect of the PDP in the forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo state. Prince Adeyeye who was flanked by the Senator Ahmed Ningi, Senator Odion Ugbesia and Hajia Aisha Aliyu noted that the “All Progressives Congress, APC has contracted Sheriff and his cohorts to scuttle the chances of the PDP in the Edo governorship elections. We have credible intelligence that Sheriff had a meeting on Sunday night with an APC governor from North West, where it was agreed that he would be given full security and financial support to exacerbate the crisis in the PDP with the objective of preventing the PDP from presenting a candidate for the Edo governorship elections, or in the very least to prevent the PDP from offering a serious challenge to APC whose electoral fortunes has continued to nose-dive”. While expressing reservation of the committee on the role of the police in the whole saga leading to Senator Sheriff taking over the party’s secretariat, Prince Adeyeye said the role of the police has indicated that there was a superior authority directing the chain of events. “Up to a point, the police discharged their responsibilities satisfactory. However, later on without any justification whatsoever, Ali Modu Sheriff and the other renegades were allowed to gain entry into the secretariat, where they later proceeded to address a press conference. “While we are still trying to understand the role of the police in the entire saga, it is curious that the police made no arrest of the thugs who openly brandished various dangerous weapons in and around the premises of the secretariat in full glare of the police. It is also curious that the police claimed to be acting on “orders from above” in allowing Sheriff and his cohorts to gain entry into the secretariat. If we may ask, who is the authority that issued the “orders from above?,” he queried. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/presidency-apc-behind-pdp-crisis/

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ABUJA- PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, requesting for the screening and subsequent confirmation of former Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Musiliu Adeola Smith as the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC. Smith, representing South West was the Police boss in Nigeria between May 1999 to March 2002 and if approved by the Senate, he would replace a former inspector- General of Police, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro. The letter was read to the Senators, yesterday, by Senate President Bukola Saraki, during plenary. President Buhari is also seeking the approval of the Senate for the appointment of Justice Clara Bata. Ogunbiyi, retd as full time Commissioner of the PSC , representing the North West and Lawal Bawa, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, as a full time Commissioner. According to Buhari, members of the Commission are Mohammed Najatu, representing North West; Braimoh Adogame Austin, representing South South; Barrister Rommy Mom for North Central and Dr. Nkemka Osimiri Jombo- Ofo for South East. Buhari in the letter said, “in compliance with the provision of Sections 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria( As amended), I write to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the understated names as the Chairman and members of the Police Service Commission, PSC. I attach herewith their CVs. “While thanking you immensely in anticipation of the early consideration and confirmation of the above appointments by the Distinguished Senate. Please accept, Mr. Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/buhari-writes-senate-requests-confirmation-musiliu-smith-chairman-psc/

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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has expressed shock and sadness over the killing of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, by yet unknown gunmen, saying the death reinforces the belief in certain circles that Nigeria is fast becoming a failed state. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if such a high ranking security officer can be so cheaply gunned down, “then no one is safe!” It however, called on the police high command to ensure that the killers are caught and brought to justice, to prevent a recurrence, stressing that it is imperative to catch the perpetrators and bring the full weight of the law to bear on them as nothing portrays a nation as a failed state more than when security agents, on whose shoulders lie the responsibility of protecting lives and property, themselves become easy targets for criminals. ”Because of their onerous tasks, the police personnel and other security agents deserve a reinforced level of security. They need to be alive and well before they can protect the lives and property of others. That is why one of the indices of a failed state is anarchy, which starts when security agents become targets of attacks and criminal elements overwhelm state security apparatus. ”Attacks on police and military formations; killing of security agents, out-of-control armed robbery and pervasive kidnapping, just to mention a few of the security challenges facing our nation, are pointers to the fact that our country is fast becoming a failed state” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/acn-condemns-killing-of-kwara-police-boss/

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By AbdulSalam Muhammad KANO – No fewer than 36 Northern Coalition of Concerned Youths and Women Groups Sunday in Kano kicked against President Muhammadu Buhari bid to seek second term in office. Addressing Reporters at the NUJ press centre, Kano, the Chairman of the Coalition Groups, Comrade Abdulmajeed Babangida Sa’ad said that President Buhari’s last three years in office has not shown signs of direction that suggest meaningful improvement if offered the opportunity. Babangida said that “the Coalition out of patriotism and zeal for purposeful drive to posterity wish to asked Mr. President to honourably shun any call by sycophants and mischievous politicians who are bent on continued self serving ego which is detrimental to the diverse interest of the teeming populace” Sa’ad stated that “from what we have seen over the last three years , we are convinced there are no concrete groundswell of hope that Buhari has the capacity to delivered on good governance when given the second chance. The Youths Coalition said “this Government has failed, and the issue of security goes beyond insurgency , you have unemployment, no basic and effective health system, education is collapsing, and all these are elements that have direct bearing to the security” . Speaking further “the way people percieved security is very narrow , they should looked at security beyond insurgency, and to put into consideration the kidnapping, farmers/herdsmen clash , ethnic clashes, and religious tension” Commenting on the legitimacy of the Groups, Babangida Sa’ad said “a larger number of these Group are registered with Coporate affairs, and are recognized by the law, most others are pressure Group and are equally recognized by law because of the section of the Constitution that recognize freedom of Association” The Chairman who denied that the Coalition are been used by another interest group explained that “most of us here were part of fought for the actualization of this Government , and nobody in the past accused us of supporting the Government, we palyed our part in bringing the government to power, and now we discovered it is performing below our expectation, and it seems it has no blue print or programme to delivered Nigerians from the problems they are in, and our advise is that they should delivered on there promises rather than thinking of a second term. The Northern Youths Coalition said “it is obvious that there a lot of contradiction , and evidence of cluelessness in this government, and we cannot wait and be expecting it will have any yielding result at the end.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/no-hope-buhari-capacity-deliver-good-governance-northern-coalition/

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The Nigeria Police has opened up on why the Force cannot arrest crossdressers in Nigeria. In an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday, the police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that they cannot be arrested because it is a very tricky situation. He established that cross-dressing is not yet a punishable offence in Nigeria. He also stated that even if there might be allegations of people who cross-dress also being a part of the LGBTQ community, there is no specific evidence to back that up, hence they cannot take them to court. “There are some cases that are always very difficult to prove. I’m not ruling out that we have many of them. Let us be reasonable, you can’t have someone you want to prosecute without having credible evidences against them. I have not read anywhere where crossdressing is an offence in Nigeria. “Some of them that are into crossdressing, the allegation is that they are into something else. That’s where the problem lies. We need to have enough proof, credible evidence to prove that they are actually into that. All those offences are natural offences in Nigeria and they are punishable under our laws”. Why police cannot arrest or prosecute Bobrisky and the likes….. pic.twitter.com/Lp7TGxmyHr — Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) April 2, 2024 Adejobi’s comment comes at a time when some Nigerians question the moral stance of crossdresser Bobrisky, who was recently named the best female dressed at a movie premier by Eniola Ajao. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/why-bobrisky-others-cant-be-arrested-police/

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Twitter on Friday permanently suspended accounts for former national security adviser Michael Flynn, pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell and former 8kun administrator Ron Watkins as part of a crackdown on content linked to the QAnon conspiracy theory. A spokesperson for the platform told The Hill that each of the individuals was banned in line with Twitter’s policy against harmful coordinated activity. “We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm, and given the renewed potential for violence surrounding this type of behavior in the coming days, we will permanently suspend accounts that are solely dedicated to sharing QAnon content,” the spokesperson added. Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, has been one of the most visible QAnon supporters with close ties to the administration, posting a video of himself reciting one of its “oaths” last summer. Powell, who led Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to overthrow the results of November’s election, was sued for $1.3 billion earlier Friday for spreading misinformation about Dominion Voting Systems. Watkins was also a key figure spreading falsehoods about the voting company. His former platform hosts posts by “Q,” the anonymous figure who posts the cryptic messages that serve as the foundation of the theory. 8kun changed its name from 8chan after it was used to post manifestos by mass murders, including the one in El Paso, Texas, that left 17 dead in 2019. Followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory believe baselessly that Trump is working to expose a shadowy cabal of elites in Democratic politics in the media running underground child trafficking rings. Supporters of the theory were heavily involved in Wednesday’s deadly insurrection at the Capitol. Critics say Twitter had plenty of time to act on these high-profile accounts before the violence Wednesday. “So much unnecessary suffering would have been averted if Twitter did this two years ago instead of today,” Travis View, co-host of the “QAnonymous” podcast, posted shortly after the takedowns. Several other major QAnon accounts were suspended Friday as part of the crackdown, including @prayingmedic and @majorpatriot. Twitter has taken steps to remove the presence of the conspiracy theory from its website before, including pulling down thousands of accounts in July. However, many major accounts were unaffected or were simply able to evade bans. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/533424-twitter-permanently-suspends-michael-flynn-sidney-powell-and-others

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Chadian troops gather on February 1, 2015 near the Nigerian town of Gamboru, just accros the border from Cameroon. In a deserted Gamboru, Chadian forces carried out clean-up operations after entering the town and retaking it from Boko Haram, which seized control months ago. AFP PHOTO / MARLE ABUJA — Chadian soldiers have killed more than 200 Boko Haram terrorists as the soldiers recaptured Nigerian town of Gamboru after the Islamist terrorist group attacked a military base in Cameroon and were chased into north-eastern Nigeria. In the encounter, according to Chad’s military chief in a statement, nine Chadian soldiers were killed and 21 injured when the insurgents attacked the base of the Multinational Joint Taskforce, a coalition Chad, Niger and Nigeria formed to fight Boko Haram. Chad’s military chief said: “We regret nine dead and 21 wounded. On the enemy side, more than 200 deaths…,” adding that the toll could rise since clean-up operations in the Nigerian town of Gamboru were continuing. The Chadian soldiers reportedly pursued the Boko Haram fighters into Nigeria and followed them to their bases in the towns of Gamboru and Ngala in Borno State, the general said in a statement published on the Chadian news website, Al Wihda. Soldiers destroyed a dozen Boko Haram vehicles loaded with heavy weapons and about a hundred motorbikes and seized a canon, according to the statement. According to a source with Nigeria’s Defence Ministry on the condition of anonymity, “Gamboru has been liberated, and that came with a serious cost to Boko Haram.” The multinational troops are working in tandem to rout out these elements. About 2,000 Chadian soldiers were stationed along the border this week after the African Union agreed on January 31 to send 7,500 troops to fight Boko Haram. In Gamboru, the offensive, which was preceded by days of Chadian air strikes, had left scenes of desolation, with bodies lying on the ground, houses destroyed, shops gutted and trucks charred. “We have routed this band of terrorists,” the commander of the Chadian contingent Ahmat Dari told AFP Tuesday, vowing to “hunt them down everywhere.” Nigeria’s sovereignty not compromised —DHQ Nigeria has reacted defensively to the presence of foreign troops on its soil. “Nigeria’s territorial integrity remains intact,” defence spokesman Chris Olukolade insisted, claiming national forces had “planned and are driving the present onslaught against terrorists from all fronts in Nigeria, not the Chadian forces.” Regional forces have gone into action on several fronts. Nigerian and Chadian war planes have been bombing Boko Haram hideouts since Monday. Defence spokesman, Chris Olukolade, said Tuesday that Nigeria’s sovereignty was not compromised by the presence of Chadian troops because all units were working in cooperation. The insurgents are in control of about 130 villages and towns in northern Nigeria A security source said, “when the Chadians entered Gamboru, the Boko Haram members who were in the town and some villages fled and clashed with Cameroon soldiers at Fotokol as the Islamists fled an offensive by Chad’s army. Fighting between them and our soldiers is really intense.” Chadian jet fighters had also bombed Gamboru before its troops entered. Boko Haram fighters were said to have gone on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol, yesterday, killing civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces. Some of the insurgents escaped and slipped back across the border into Fotokol at dawn to make a fresh attack. “Boko Haram inflicted so much damage here this morning. They have killed dozens of people,” Umar Babakalli, a resident of Fotokol, told AFP by telephone. Civilians killed, houses burnt Several residents said civilians’ throats were slit and that the town’s main mosque was torched. “They burnt houses and killed civilians as well as soldiers,” a source close to security forces said. Another resident who had fled to another town told AFP he knew of at least 10 people who had been killed. After several hours of clashes Cameroonian troops, backed by Chadian forces who scrambled back from Nigeria to help guard the town, managed to repel the assault. “People are coming back little by little to assess the damage. The survivors among the attackers have left the town,” a source close to the Cameroonian security services said. No official death toll was immediately available. The sound of automatic gunfire could still be heard Wednesday in the town as the troops combed the town for remaining rebel elements. Chadian troops and vehicles have massed near Boko Haram-held towns along Nigeria’s border with Niger, pointing the way to another possible cross-border operation on that frontier.. “A contingent of about 400 vehicles and tanks is stationed between Mamori and Bosso,” Niger’s private radio Anfani reported Tuesday. France is supporting the operations by carrying out reconnaissance flights over border areas of Chad and Cameroon to provide them with intelligence, defence officials in Paris said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/chadian-soldiers-kill-200-boko-haram-terrorists

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APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu. Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu has written to congratulate the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his emergence as standard bearer of the party at its 2022 Special Convention and Presidential Primary. Adamu had in the lead up to the exercise demonstrated open animosity towards Tinubu who he said would be severely sanctioned for publicly recalling how he (Tinubu) helped President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015. The party chair had also announced Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the preferred consensus presidential aspirant of the party, a move that was fiercely resisted by critical stakeholders of the party including members of the National Working Committee NWC. However, in a congratulatory letter to Tinubu on Wednesday night, Adamu said the emergence of the former Lagos State Governor as standard bearer of the APC has now vindicated the party’s nationalistic outlook and patriotic disposition. He said; “I present to Your Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my compliments and those of the members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, in the best of traditions. “I write on behalf of the entire membership of the All Progressives Congress to congratulate Your Excellency on the sterling victory that you recorded at the just concluded Special National Convention to emerge as the Presidential Candidate of our great Party. “Your victory has vindicated our Party’s nationalistic outlook and patriotic posture as the Party of choice for every Nigerian. I am pleased that the Party spoke with one voice when the delegates voted overwhelmingly to nominate you as our presidential candidate. “It is my sincere hope and prayer that our collaborative efforts between the Party’s National Secretariat and your Presidential campaign team will proceed with the shared expectations of victory at the 2023 general elections, by the grace of God. “Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest regard”. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/tinubus-victory-has-vindicated-our-partys-nationalistic-outlook-abdullahi-adamu/

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BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU ABUJA -THE African Peoples Congress, one of the political associations contesting the APC acronym with the registered All Progressives Congress, Thursday said that the decision by the National Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the All Progressives Congress does not take away its legal right over the APC acronym. The group also lampooned the commission saying that the registration of APC despite the pending court matter was a deliberate plan by the commission to plunge the country into anarchy. National Chairman of African peoples Congress, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu in a news briefing at the association’s headquarters in Abuja, said despite what he described as a set back, his group would continue with the preparations to contest the Anambra governorship election slated for November this year. More details soon Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/apc-registration-we-still-have-legal-right-of-apc-says-rival-group/

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Senate under pressure over Ngige, Amaechi, Shittu Ogbeh, Ibeto, Sirika, Alhassan, Udoma may ‘bow and go’ Ex-Rivers governor writes Senate on enquiry Will the Senate change its parliamentary tradition or ask ex-lawmakers who are ministerial nominees to take a bow? That was the question at the weekend ahead of tomorrow’s screening of the nominees. Senate President Bukola Saraki is under pressure to stick to the tradition, it was learnt. But some senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are pushing for “an open and equal screening”. It was gathered that the leadership of the Senate may take a decision before the screening opens. Saraki is likely to present the issue before the Executive Session prior to the screening. Eight of the 21 nominees are former lawmakers. They are: Sen. Udoma Udo-Udoma; Sen. Aisha Alhassan; Sen. Chris Ngige; Sen. Hadi Sirika; Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi (a former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly); Mr. Audu Ogbeh (a former Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly); Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto (a former member of the House of Representatives); and Adebayo Shittu (a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly). It was learnt that many senators supported “parliamentary tradition” for the automatic clearance of the eight former lawmakers. Also yesterday, the Senate re-echoed the statement by its Adhoc Media Committee Chairman Dino Melaye on the need for two senators to endorse a nominee from their state. This followed the apprehension that some of the ministerial nominees will not be able to scale the screening hurdle, following their apparent likelihood of not getting the endorsement of two senators from their states. On its Twitter handle @NGRSenate yesterday, it said: “The tradition of two senators having to endorse a ministerial nominee is not sacrosanct and can be waived, if a nominee passes other criteria.” A principal officer said: “The Senate President is under pressure to break the tie and provide direction for senators who are divided on some nominees, especially the former lawmakers. “Saraki’s personal relationship with some of these former lawmakers has made the pressure on the Senate more challenging. “But the main issue is whether or not to give parliamentary waiver to ex-lawmakers who have been nominated as ministers. “Some senators are insisting on the adoption of the parliamentary tradition to screen and clear the eight ex-lawmakers. Normally by our tradition, the eight nominees are expected to take a bow after explaining their plans for the nation. “These senators have warned against the consequences of changing the tradition by the 8th Senate because it could be anybody’s turn tomorrow. “They said if the Senate played into the hands of some politicians and governors, it might affect the prospect of some lawmakers in the future.” Responding to a question, the officer added: “These senators are saying that we should grill these ex-lawmakers on their vision for the country but they are making a strong case for automatic clearance. “Some of them cited the row which the screening and clearance of ex-Minister Musiliu Obanikoro generated and how ex-Senate President David Mark stuck to the parliamentary tradition.” Another Senator said: “We have received many petitions against some of these nominees, including some of these eight lawmakers. A few Senators are demanding the waiver of the parliamentary tradition to enable the Senate leave the screening open. “These petitions have been referred to the relevant committee of the Senate for consideration. “We are looking into these arguments which have put the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, under pressure.” Amaechi is said to have written to the Senate to stay action on any issue emanating from the Commission of Inquiry set up by the government of Rivers State. He said since a matter was pending in court on the inquiry, it would be subjudice for the Senate to dabble in it. A source in the Senate said: “Amaechi’s counsel has written the President of the Senate on the need to avoid consideration of a subjudicial matter. “You know the Senate has a procedure of not treating any matter before a court.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/senate-under-pressure-over-ngige-amaechi-shittu/

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President Muhammadu Buhari chairs the meeting of the Peace and Security Council at the 25th AU Summit in Johannesburg on Saturday By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Chris Ochayi ABUJA—ABUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari declared, yesterday, that his age will not affect his job as president of Nigeria. He said that at 72 he has in quantum, the wisdom, the patience, the temperance and forbearance that age brings and has brought all these virtues to the presidency to make a difference in our national life. The president said this ,yesterday, in Abuja, in response to reports quoting him as saying while addressing the Nigerian community in Johannesburg, South Africa, that his age will limit his performance. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said the president’s comments in South Africa were totally taken out of context to mean that he was too old for the demands of the office. The Presidency spoke as Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State urged Nigerians not to politicize the issue, saying that the time for political campaigns was well past. He rather asked Nigerians to pray for the President for him to have the grace to execute the demands of his office. The governor’s assertion came as a fringe group in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which called itself the PDP Media Watchdogs demanded the President’s resignation upon comments made in South Africa on Monday night. The PDP Media Watchdogs was immediately disowned by the mainstream PDP which claimed ignorance of the group, saying that the language of the group was strange to the party’s posture, which is to only engage in healthy opposition to the administration. The PDP nevertheless, said that the PDP Media Watchdogs may have been instigated by the kind of bitter language used by the All Progressives Congress, APC, against former President Goodluck Jonathan while he was in power. The ruling APC equally chided the PDP Media Watchdogs, describing their call as the product of deliberate mischief and a result of their members’ poor understanding of the English language. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, clarifying remarks given by the President to the Nigerian community in Johannesburg in a statement titled- “Like Good Wine, President Buhari Gets Better With Age”, said: “On Monday evening, President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with the Nigerian community at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa. “Speaking extempore, because according to him, he wanted to “speak from the heart,” the President urged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria, a country he went to the war front to keep together. “Still extolling the virtues of our country, Nigeria, the President, who had served as a military governor of the then North-Eastern State at 33 years old, declared: ”I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.” “The above comments have been reported by some newspapers to mean that the President was saying he was too old to cope with the demands of his office. Far from it. “As the saying goes, “old wines are tasty” and the President Buhari we have today is a man, like old wine, that has got tastier. At 72, yes, he can’t be called a youth, but he has in quantum the wisdom, the patience, temperance and forbearance that age brings. And all these virtues he has brought to the Presidency, to make a difference in our national life. “The President assured the Nigerian community in South Africa that his administration will make a positive impact on the country. “Insecurity, as symbolized by insurgency, will be brought to an end, corruption will be fought to a standstill, employment will be created for the teeming army of unemployed, the economy will be revived, and the quality of life of Nigerians will take an upward swing again. These will not come by a sudden flight, but they will happen in the life of this administration. “At 72, the Buhari persona has not changed. He remains the simple, honest, incorruptible patriot he has always been. And because Nigerians earnestly desired change, that was why they voted for him overwhelmingly at the general elections in March, this year. All the virtues and values of the Buhari persona will be deployed into governance in the weeks and months ahead. “The Nigerian community in South Africa was enthralled as President Buhari spoke with them on Monday. In fact, leaving the venue was an effort, as they swarmed around the President, who shook hands with as many of them as he could. “They took his message well. That is the essence of good wine. It gets better with age. And it is a message for all Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora.” Pray for Buhari — Fayose Governor Fayose, who had during the campaigns raised issues about the President’s age, was very conciliatory yesterday, urging that the comments should not be politicised even as he called for prayers for the President to discharge his duties. “No, no, we cannot comment on that, but all that we owe the President is to pray for him to be able to do the demands of his office,” the governor’s spokesman, Mr. Lere Olayinka said yesterday. “Election is gone, and all that was done in the past is past and the time for election campaign is gone,” he restated yesterday. PDP fringe group flays Buhari Earlier, yesterday, a fringe group in the opposition PDP had upon the published assertion demanded the resignation of President Buhari from office for the reason of dwindling productivity in old age. The group in a statement issued by one Tunde Lawal said: “It’s barely three weeks into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and his age is already telling on him, so, what will happen to Nigeria in the remaining 1,440 days of this government? It’s better to find a black goat in the day time rather than looking for it in the night and this is why we are asking President Buhari to resign now because Nigerians will not entertain further excuses of why the APC cannot deliver on its campaign promises.” Not part of us— PDP The group was immediately disowned by the mainstream PDP which through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said: “This group is absolutely unknown to the PDP and has no connection whatsoever with our party at any level, neither is the content of their statement a reflection of the position or stance of the party. “For the avoidance of doubt, our great party has not authorized this group to use its name, acronym or logo to issue statements or make public pronouncements on any matter and we caution those behind them to henceforth desist from such immediately. “The PDP, therefore, distances itself from the embarrassing statement by this group wherein it called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign and went ahead to use offensive and denigrating language on the person and office of the President of our great country. “This is completely unacceptable and against the posture of the PDP to engage only in robust and credible opposition while constructively offering alternatives to the programmes and policies of the APC-led government, preparatory to our return to power in the next four years. “We note with dismay that the attitude of this group is a direct consequence of the approach adopted by the APC in denigrating and insulting our immediate-past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. “Though we know that former President Jonathan suffered such fate in the hands of the APC, we shall not repay them in the same coin as such is not part of our tradition and values as a party. Responding to the PDP Media Watchdog, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in a statement accused the group of mischief and of poor knowledge of the English language. “What President Buhari was saying, which was lost on those who issued that jejune statement, is that only his love and passion for the country could have made him, at his age, to come out of retirement to seek the office of President, over 30 years after he presided over the affairs of the country. “For 16 years, Nigerians gave the PDP the benefit of the doubt to move the country forward, but instead, the party put Nigeria in reverse gear at a high speed, spinning it towards a doomsday that was only averted when Nigerians showed the PDP the red card. This is what necessitated President Buhari to continuously seek the country’s highest political office, so he can help put the country on a forward march again. Nothing else matters, not for him the excitement of an office he previously held and the quest for personal accomplishment. “If the country had been well managed, President Buhari will not at 72 be crisscrossing the whole world seeking solution to Nigeria’s problems”, it said. The party said only anarchists and non-democrats will ask a president who has not spent one month in office to resign, adding: “It rankles when those making these calls are from the ranks of the party that failed to avail itself creditably in 16 years.” Labour Party blasts president The National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdulsalam also flayed the remarks by the president, saying it was an admission of failure. Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, Abdulsalam said: “This is an expression of failure on his part because when he was campaigning, he gave us the impression that he was hale, healthy, and not fragile, has the capacity, ability and agility to carry out the function of state as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/old-age-wont-affect-my-job-buhari/#sthash.7iDtMNPx.dpufcc

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast on Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 7 am. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President of Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina. According to the statement, “Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/breaking-naira-redesign-buhari-to-address-nigerians-today/

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Seven ‘moments’ Nigerian women hit the ‘front-line’ By Alao Abiodun At different points in Nigeria’s rich history, women have taken so many important positions in yearning for change. It should come as no surprise that Nigerian women are sometimes on the front lines of political change. In many ways, history has always repeated itself. Nigerian women have a long history of mobilising for protests and demonstrations, they have been frontliners, driving change where needed. Sometimes, Nigerian women have historically employed ‘naked protests’ to seek change. On July 23, 2020, hundreds of women – mostly naked – staged a protest in the northwestern state of Kaduna, Nigeria. They protested at the killing of people in their community. From the Women’s war protest of the 1910s to the Calabar Women Protest of 1924, the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929, the Abeokuta Women’s Revolt of the 1940s, the “Bring Back our Girls” movement of 2014, and the March against Rape of June 2020, #EndSARS movement, in many ways, women have determined the shape of how Nigerians protest. In celebration of International Women’s Day 2021 themed as ‘Choose to Challenge’, here are seven moments in the history of Nigeria where Nigerian women were at the front-line. 1. Women’s war protest of the 1910s In the 1910s, women in Agbaja stayed away from their homes for a month in protest due to suspicions among them that some men had been secretly killing pregnant women. Their collective absence pushed village elders to take action to address their concerns. 2. Aba Women’s Riots of 1929 This was a period of unrest in colonial Nigeria. The “riots” or the war was led by women in the provinces of Calabar and Owerri in southeastern Nigeria in November and December of 1929. The protests broke out when thousands of Igbo women from the Bende District, Umuahia and other places in eastern Nigeria traveled to the town of Oloko to protest against the Warrant Chiefs, whom they accused of restricting the role of women in the government. The Aba Women’s Riots of 1929, as it was named in British records, is more aptly considered a strategically executed revolt organised by women to redress social, political and economic grievances. The protest encompassed women from six ethnic groups – Ibibio, Andoni, Orgoni, Bonny, Opobo, and Igbo. It was reported that the war resulted in the death of 51 women. 3. Calabar women protest of 1924 3,000 women in Calabar went out to protest a market toll that was required by the government. When the Colonial officials announced the toll, the women disregarded it and went about their usual market activities but alas they were driven away by colonial police. This however led to a massive revolt by the women Back then, the presence of women associations and market women networks helped the protest movement. 4. Abeokuta women’s revolt of the 1940s These women spent several years protesting the tax increase and the lack of women representation in government. They believed that until they were granted representation in local government, they shouldn’t pay taxes differently from men. This revolt led to the creation of Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU) under the leadership of Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti. This political organisaton, united market women and middle-class women and also challenged the colonial rule and patriarchal structure. 5. Bring Back Our Girls movement of 2014 After over 200 girls were abducted from the school in Borno by Boko Haram insurgents, all eyes were on the Nigerian government to act swiftly. When the response of the government was not yielding positive results, women mobilised in Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos and across the country to protest for the rescue of these girls. The #BringBackOurGIrls and #SaveOurGirls went viral and piqued the interest of the international community. Women from all over the world joined the protest and over a million people signed the petition to mobilise world leaders to help rescue the girls. 6. Protest against rape and sexual violence in June 2020 In June 2020, Nigerian women took to the streets after a series of high-profile rape cases caught the interest of the people. Following the story of 22-year-old Uwa Vera who was raped and murdered in a Church, more stories of women getting raped and killed surfaced online and this led to a protest organised by women. Women mobilised and held a protest in Abuja and Lagos. The hashtag #NOmeansNo trended online as more victims of rape shared their story. There was a movement to stop victim-blaming and to discourage people from enabling rape with their silence. 7. #EndSARS movement – Feminist Coalition At the forefront of the revolutionary youth-led movement against police brutality in Nigeria is the Feminist Coalition – a group of young Nigerian feminists collectively mobilizing all facets of the global #EndSARS protests. During the protests the non-governmental organisation raised $385,000 (£290,000) through crowdfunding and spent part of the money on legal services for those protesters who were arrested, to pay medical bills for those wounded, to provide private security at protest points and daily refreshments. The coalition is the brainchild of Dami Odufuwa and Odun Eweniyi. Formed in July, the #EndSars protest was the organisation’s first major project. Although women’s safety and financial equality are at the core of the organisation’s aims, equality for all people is their vision, and so they decided to fight the injustice perpetuated by the squad by joining in the protests. These women, named and unnamed, are the backbone of a series of resistance. By marching, volunteering, mobilizing, tweeting, speaking, donating, and flagrantly trampling on sexist, they are, without a doubt, the amplifiers of this historical Nigerian revolution.

https://thenationonlineng.net/seven-moments-nigerian-women-hit-the-front-line/

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By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief THE federal government has paid another set of 14 whistleblowers the sum of N439.276 million for providing tips on tax evaders. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who briefed the press yesterday, in Abuja, disclosed that the payment was made this week, after the government received the sum of N13.8 billion from the affected tax evaders, mainly corporate organizations, based on tips by the whistle blowers Her words, “The Whistleblower Policy started December 2016. Since then, we have had 8, 373 37communications of which 1, 231 were actually tips. “We have conducted 534 investigations; 10 prosecutions and four convictions. “This week, we paid whistle blowers the sum of N439. 276 million, it was to 14 people who provided specific tips on tax evasions about companies who deliberately evaded or under-paid taxes. Working on those tips, we have held discussions with those companies and they have paid N13. 8 billion which we have confirmed have been paid to the Federal Inland revenue Service. “Under the VAIDS, We are getting far more tips on tax evasions, which of course is a crime against us all and this is a new trend that we thought is worth bringing to your attention. So these people, are being paid this month. “This is the first time we are having that number where we have concluded either communications with companies and the companies have actually paid the money to FIRS.” Mrs. Adeosun said that the Whistleblowing strategy would be revising some of its mode of operations based on what the unit has learnt from a recent trip of its officials to the United kingdom. She disclosed that the federal government was actively preparing cases for prosecution against tax evaders and that very serious actions would be taken at the end of next month, when the tax amnesty would end. Payroll irregularities being tackled with IPPIS On the battle against ghost workers, the minister said that there were still some irregularities in the payroll but that her team was paying closer attention to details in the IPPIS to eliminate them. She said, “For instance we are investigating some cases where name on the payroll is different from the name on the bank account. “We are looking at that. In some cases, it is as simple as some people got married and did not update their names but in other cases, it is a matter of fraud. This is just to give you an idea of how detailed we go and we keep checking the payroll on a regular basis.” Mrs. Adesoun also said that over 100 properties of the nation’s foreign missions and federal government agencies which were not captured in an earlier audit were found. “Teams visited foreign missions and discovered that foreign missions and some government agencies had over 100 properties that were not recorded. Some abandoned. And some people trying to sell them off and we have to stop them,” she said. On the performance of the 2017 Budget, she expressed optimism that at the end of the month, about N1. 5 trillion would have been spent on capital projects. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/fg-pays-14-whistle-blowers-n439m-2/

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By Dayo Johnson Akure—NINETY TWO mud houses have been demolished in Akure, the Ondo State capital for the construction of N300 million Ultral Modern Motor Park in the state capital. Consequently, the state government has paid compensation to owners of the houses. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Gboye Adegbenro said while inspecting progress of various construction works in Akure that the aim of the motor park was to de-congest traffic on major streets of the state capital Adegbenro said that the car park project had achieved 70 per cent completion. The project according to him will be inaugurated as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration adding that it will have a clinic, a police post, modern boreholes and fire service station among others. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/ondo-demolishes-92-houses-for-motor-park/

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BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG BARELY 24 hours after the Federal Government said it had approved N384 billion for the payment of entitlements of workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Organised Labour has rejected government’s position, threatening to shut down the sector next week should government fail to reverse its position. Under the umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, labour wondered how the government arrived at N384 billion when the technical committee comprising government appointed actuarist – Alexander Forbes, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, PHCN, and the unions charged with the responsibility of computing the exit package of PHCN staff was yet to conclude its assignment. Reacting to government announcement through its General Secretary, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the workers argued that Alexander Forbes and BPE officials discovered and accepted fundamental errors in the data used for their computation in the course of the committee’s discussion and thus agreed to reconvene on a later date towards addressing the fundamental errors. According to the statement “It is therefore amazing that figures can be conjured to calculate the exit benefits without reference to the technical committee. The announcement is highly provocative. “The figure (N384billion) is laughable because government is also aware that one third of the staff population were excluded and majority of those captured had their entitlement calculated based on two grades lower than their actual grades”. “Besides, regularization of casuals who have been in the industry for a long period is yet to be concluded and the value of their exit benefits should form an integral part of the total package. “If the money (N384 billion) to be paid to the staff is to appreciate them for their concerted efforts towards the noticeable power improvement in the country, we shall gladly accept it and commend government for the largesse. “But if it is for our exit packages, then government should do the right thing. It is imperative to remind government that time without number it has made pronouncement to its commitment to the rule of law which unfortunately has not been demonstrated in this case. This can only be regarded as an act of impunity, since this figure was not a product of consensus by the parties involved in this matter.” It added that. “Calculation of exit package not done on the basis of accurate data is totally unacceptable to us and shall be resisted through all legal means. The Technical and Implementation Committees should therefore be allowed to conclude their assignments without hindrance and resort to the use of armed forces to short change workers in the Sector. Besides, the use of Sacked workers the drivers of this process as lacking in the knowledge of Personnel and Industrial Relations. If it is not reversed, we would behave like Sacked workers effective next week. Power of impunity will definitely not work towards addressing these issues.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/labour-rejects-n384bn-settlement-threatens-to-shut-power-sector/

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By Henry Umoru ABUJA- THERE are strong indications that there would a charged Executive session tomorrow following President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal, for the fourth time, to assent to the Electoral ( Amendment) Bill 2018 which was passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The battle will be between Senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC and those of the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as there are moves by the anti- Buhari Senators to override his veto. Vanguard gathered that the matter which would come up during the Executive session tomorrow where the decision of the next line of action would be taken, following the rejection of the Passed Electoral Bill, would have the Senators disagree sharply along party lines. President Buhari’s letter where he declined signing the Electoral ( Amendment ) Bill 2018 on the grounds that it was capable of derailing preparations for 2019 elections would be read to the Senators tomorrow because the letter got to the National Assembly on Friday when there was no sitting in both chambers. Senators on the platform of the APC who spoke separately with Vanguard have vowed that they would stop their colleagues in the PDP if there was such a move against the backdrop that the opposition party has no such required number to override the President’s veto. Speaking with Vanguard on the next line of action and whether the Senators would override the President’s veto, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, PDP, Enugu East said, ” When we get to sitting, maybe in an Executive session, we will definitely decide on the next line of action.” On his part, the Deputy Minority leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, PDP, Taraba South, simply said that they would do that “if we have the number.” Also speaking with Vanguard, a very strong supporter of President Buhari, Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, APC, Delta Central who dismissed any such move, said that there was no way they will allow Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the PDP Senators to carry out such an act at the Senate hallowed chamber. Senator Omo – Agege said, “As a caucus, we the senators of APC extraction will not allow saraki and his PDP crew to humiliate Mr President. We will not allow any override. They don’t have 73 votes in the senate to carry out their threat. “You must understand that Mr President has no problems with the content of the bill as passed. His problem is with the timing and the chaos the bill could generate where it to become law. Those who support the bill like myself are happy that it would not be signed into law and be used.” Also speaking with Vanguard, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, APC, Yobe East said, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s reasons for not signing it are genuine.” On his part, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, APC, Lagos East has vowed that the Progressive Senators would block any move by the National Assembly to Veto President Muhamadu Buhari’s refusal to once again sign the recent amendments to the Electoral Act. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/buharis-veto-on-electoral-bill-apc-senators-vow-to-block-pdps-override/

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Major Nzeogwu was "an unknown entity among the Igbo's in the Eastern region."- ex-Senate President, Nwafor Orizu. General Benjamin Adekunle, the civil war time hero popularly called black scorpion passed away few days ago and argument over the civil war as well as the military coup that led to the war raised its ugly head again. The social media is now littered with e-argument or e-war as some people describe it by many young people who where not yet human when the civil war occurred and also by some older people who mostly speak from their sentimental point of view. As a result of sentiments adopted by elders in narrating the civil war story, many young Nigerians who have no means of confirming what they were told by these elders or story writers had hold unto such fallacies and continue to promote the sentiments without questioning its logicality from basic human reasoning.. Some had even gone beyond promoting the sentiment to outright falsehood, concocting their own false tale to back up myth in justification of any view they hold or promote in public discuss regarding the civil war or the 1966 coup.. In view of the heat generated by such argument, I present this piece, ''victim of unknown conspiracy'' to dissect the first coup détat in Nigeria. It is an effort to gather facts based on various narrations by the different writers. In January 1966, a bloody coup took place in Nigeria which claimed the lives of several important personalities. Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu is the visible leader of the bloody coup which led to the death of several Nigerian leaders particularly in the northern Nigeria. C.K. Nzeogwu was an infantryand intelligenceofficer of the NigerianArmy. He is an igbo man from eastern Nigerian, but was born in the north. His Hausa colleagues in the Nigerian Army gave him the name “Kaduna” because of his love with the town. Nzeogwu and others who were mostly from the eastern part of the country planned and executed the coup which led to unrest in the country. The perceived tribal consideration of the new military head of state subsequently led to a counter coup and also the Nigerian civil war popularly known as the Biafran war. Late literal icon, Prof Chinua Achebe in his book titled, ''there was a country'' wrote about the Biafran war. The book generated a lot of controversy with the perceived sentimental account narrated by the revered writer, bringing back the tensed atmosphere of the civil war itself. Many prominent Nigerian countered the narration of the late writer and termed his book, igbo narration which contained sentiments rather than truth. Another book, ''Half of a yellow sun'' written by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie was another prominent narration of the civil war story from an igbo perspective which most Nigerian regarded as a sectional account of the reality of war. Both books depict igbo as victims, which many Nigerians feel otherwise, accusing the writers of false narration. According to the history as written on Wikipedia, In the early hours of January 15, 1966, Nzeogwu led a group of officers on a supposedly military exercise and led them to attack the official residence of the premier of the north Sir. Amadu Bello in a bloody Coup that saw the murder of the Premiers of Northern and Western Nigeria. The Prime Minister, a federal minister, two regional premiers, and top Army officers from the Northern and Western regions of the nation were brutally murdered. The premier of the Eastern region (where most of the plotters came from), the Igbo President of federation and the Igbo Army Chief were the only notable individuals spared . The coup failed, and he was later arrestedin Lagoson January 18, 1966. Reliable account have it that, Nzeogwu could not have been responsible for sparing the Eastern politicians during the coup because he was in charge of the North, while fellow coupists who were equally from the east were in charge of the Eastern region. The coup failed, as one of those marked for execution in the coupist plan ( G.O.C. Ironsi) seems to be awaren of the plot and was prepared to suppress it after a partial execution. Nzeogwu eventually surrender to Ironsi, but instead of restoring order to the appropriate political leadership, Ironsi at gun point forced the deputies of the civilian murdered leaders to hand over power to him which they did. He became the head of state and made some appointments. Nzeogwu and other plotters were arrested and transferred to prison In eastern part of the country where they hail. The leniency with which the new leader, General Aguiyi Ironsi (also an Igbo), handled the coup plotters led to the dissatisfaction of northern officers and subsequently resulted in a counter- coup on the 29th of July, 1966. In Nzeogwu's wikipedia profile, it was reported this way, the coup d'état itself failed, as Ironsi rallied the military against the plotters. But Ironsi did not bring the failed plotters to trial as requested by military law and as advised by most northern and western officers. Ironsi then instituted military rule by subverting the constitutional succession and alleging that the democratic institutions had failed and that, while he was defending them, they clearly needed revision and clean-up before reversion back to democratic rule. It was established according Wikipedia that, Nzeogwu was initially detained at the Kirikiri maximumsecurity prisonin Lagos, before later being transferred to the East. He and other January 15 mutinydetainees were subsequently released from jail by governor of the eastern region Lt. Col. Emeka Ojukwu (also an Igbo) at the end of the first quarter of 1967, following demonstrations by Igbo students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. On May 30, 1967, The nation of Biafradeclared its independence from Nigeria. Nzeogwu was released from close observation, and asked to go into battle on the side of the Biafrans. 3.0 UNKNOWN CONSPIRACY Since January 1966 when the first military coup took place in Nigeria, many have continued to argue about the agenda of the coup plotters. Some say it was a poorly executed national exercise,while others see it as a grand plot by a section of the country to seize power, but in the opinion of this writer, the coup seems to be carried out by two (2) ideological blocs which is unknown to some of the plotters, particularly Nzeogwu who was known as the visible leader of the coup. The first ideological bloc include those who genuinely believe in the coup as a national exercise and are patriotic enough to want to lay their lives for the prosperity of the country. These group consist of Nzeogwu and few others. The second ideological bloc was those coupists that were tribalistic in motive, but displayed patriotic outlook to convince others of their dedication to the national exercise. These group is represented primarily by those who were suppose to execute the coup in the eastern part of the country and probably some from among those who are to execute it in the western region. According to revelations that emerge from police investigation, it was revealed that the coup was initiated by the second ideological bloc before Nzeogwu was recruited, the coup planning started in August 1965, Nzeogwu was said be recruited in September that year. According to official police report of the coup's investigation. In August 1965, three officers, Major Okafor, Major Ifeajuna and Captain Oji who were already dissatisfied with political developments in the Federation and the impact of these developments on the Army, held series of discussions between them about the matter and set about the task of searching for other officers who held views similar to their own and who could, eventually, be trusted to join them in the enterprise of staging a military coup d'etat. In September 1965, Major I. H. Chukwuka of Nigerian Army Headquarters Lagos was persuaded to join the group of conspirators, followed in October 1965 by Major C. I. Anuforo, also of the Army headquarters. Major Chukwuma. Kaduna. Nzeogwu was brought in around that time through the efforts of Major Anuforo, an old friend of both Majors Nzeogwu and Okafor. Major Nzeogwu in turn secured the support for the plan of Major A. Ademoyega who had worked with him in the Nigerian Army Training College Kaduna. By early November, the recruiting activities of the group were completed and an inner circle of conspirators emerged. We must note here that, the three (3) officers, Major Okafor, Major Ifeajuna and Captain Oji who initiated the coup were just the actual executors of the coup, there might be shadow parties involved that may have given these young officers the motivation and secret backing to go ahead with the coup before they recruited other members including Nzeogwu. 3.1 WHY NZEOGWU WAS RECRUITED It is a well known fact that Nzeogwu resent the way the country was being governed at that time.This can be seen in his speech after he successfully executed the plan in northern Nigeria. According to Nzeogwu, “Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek and take bribes and demand 10 percent (from contracts), those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as minister or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circle, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds.”— Kaduna Nzeogwu, January 1966 He never hides his resentment. It was also a well known fact that the only person capable of successfully eliminating the Northern leaders was a man like Nzeogwu who was well respected in the north despite being from the east. Knowing how much he was ready to get rid of all enemies of his beloved nation, it was easy to get him on board. According to a Nigerian historian MAX SIOLLUN,what is clear is that Nzeogwu had harbored some anti-government sentiment for several years before 1966. Max stated that, Nzeogwu's boss at the Nigerian Military Training College, Colonel Ralph Shodeinde, had in the past reported Nzeogwu to Army Headquarters for allegedly disseminating anti-government rhetoric to junior officers. Shodeinde's report claimed that Nzeogwu had been attempting to poison junior officers' minds against the Government (see Obasanjo: “An intimate portrait of Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu”). Nzeogwu was so disillusioned with the farcical vote rigging that he exclaimed, “It is impossible to vote out a Nigerian minister.” Explaining how Nzeogwu recruited his team to execute the plot, Nigeria's former Defence Secretary, Lt-Gen Theophilus Danjuma who gave insight into how Nzeogwu's coup recruitment policy worked said. “Nzeogwu was a very charming person. He had his method, he would start by criticizing government and then watch your reaction…..if you joined him in criticising the government…..then he would say well, we would (sic) fix them one day. That's how he recruited.” Danjuma said. Max Siollun had stated that, Some claim that Nzeogwu's participation in the January 1966 coup was part of a grand Igbo agenda to “dominate” the country. He argues that this argument overlooks the fact that Nzeogwu was an Igbo in name only. Nzeogwu was born in the Northern Region's capital of Kaduna to Igbo immigrant parents from the Mid-West Region. Such was his family's affinity to the city of Nzeogwu's birth that they and his military colleagues called him “Kaduna.” When not in his army uniform he wore northern mufti and frequently referred to himself as “a northerner.” Nzeogwu spoke fluent Hausa (the lingua franca of the Northern Region) “like a native” (Forsyth). In fact Nzeogwu's command of Hausa was better than his command of Igbo. It is a mark of Nzeogwu's popularity that when his body was discovered during the Nigeria-Biafra War by federal soldiers, they took his body away for burial with full military honours (but not before his eyes had been plucked out). said Max. In my opinion, the above argument by Max even gave further reason why Nzeogwu was recruited. For such a coup to take place succesfully, there must be competent hand in all region to adequately take care of the identified enemies, but there was no way the initial plotters could convince nothern officcers close enough to the targets to join the plot. They needed someone with credibility enough to gain confidence of junior officers in the north, someone who could convince them to join in the implementation of the perceived national exercise. May be, just may be, Nzeogwu was recruited to fill such a strategic vacuum. Here, we must understand the nature of the igbo reasoning even in the present day Nigeria. According to an igbo associate of mine, Henry Chukwuma who felt frustrated about his effort to be an igbo as well as Nigerian faithfully, he stated that, ''tribalism for our people (igbo) is the order, while nationalism is an exception. Chukwuma noted that, our people know we are tribal and they are proud about it, in fact, we igbo's are exposed to ethnocentric ideas from childhood. Chukwuma said. He further added that, any igbo man or woman not egocentric in nature is considered a bastard, adding that, any nationalistic igbo person may have been brought up outside igbo land or at least, must have traveled far and wide to balance his or her reasoning. If such individual actually grows up and live in the east, they are very rare and should be considered as special igbo, adding that, it would be difficult for such individuals to rally much support for any political engagement. Chukwuma further added that,nationalistic igbo person is likely not to be trusted by most people in the east because they see them as likely saboteur against the igbo interest. To our people, it is either you are for igbo or against it. Henry said. Chukwuma didn't stop there, he went further to say, we igbo are not just tribal to other tribes like Yoruba,Hausa and the rest, even among ourselves (igbo), our people are discriminatory against other igbo whom they consider as less igbo. For example, people from Anambra are considered as the original igbo, while people from Imo are considered less igbo. Our Anambra igbo surely discriminate against Imo igbo. In any political or social engagement, hardly will Anambra igbo support Imo or others considered as less igbo to take leadership Chukwuma concluded. From the above, it could be said that, to some igbo's, igbo superiority against other tribes is a right that must be upheld by all igbo. If you consider other tribes like you consider igbo, you are likely to be regarded as untrusted or a likely saboteour to igbo interest. That may be the reason why Nzeogwu was unaware of the motives of other coupists from unset. He Nzeogwu later confessed, ''it was tribal in the south''. Nzeeogwu was known to be nationalistic in view, and someone who may never consider participating in any sectional agenda. Recently, in an open electioneering campaign, an igbo man (Chris Ngige) who is merely in a political party other than known igbo dominated party (apga) was publicly declared an enemy by some igbo leadership in Anambra state. He was accused of contesting the election under Awolowo, Muslim or hausa party (APC). To them, it is a crime to belong to none igbo controlled party. Another example can be seen in the Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha who is a nationalistic leader and a member of none igbo dominated party. He his mostly condemned by some igbo's for what they described as anti igbo (whatever that means). Although, not all igbo subscribe to such reasoning, but there are considerable number that does and such people stop at nothing to advance such interest through politics. So, Nzeogwu may not have known about the plan of the eastern officers to betray the national exercise for sectional loyalty, a national exercise which may likely not exist in the heart of eastern coupist in the first place. It may be deduced here sthat, while Nzeogwu is an igbo man by nature, the fact that he has different ideology from most igbo's cast him aside as a mere tool in the hand of the other plotters to achieve an earlier designed agenda before his recruitment. ex-Senate President Nwafor Orizu told Alhaji Shehu Shagari that Major Nzeogwu was "an unknown entity among the Ibos (sic) in the Eastern region." Major Abubakar A. Atofarati: CSC 1992 stated that, the aim of the coup is as follows: To establish a strong, unified and prosperous nation, free from corruption and internal strife. The outcome of the half-hearted and ill-fated coup was a change of political balance in the country. Here, it can be argued that, while Nzeogwu's interest and desire of officers in the first bloc lie in the aim, the interest and desire of the second bloc lie in the outcome as it was said, nothing ever happens in world politics without people planing it. 3.2 CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION NEVER HANDED OVER Many have also faulted how Aguinyi Ironsi took over power from the civilian administration. It was expected that, after the coup plotters were apprehended, power was suppose to be restored back to the civilian administration, but ironsi who seems to have other ideas took it for himself. While Ironsi said the civilian administration voluntarily handed power to him to restore order, that view was countered by various narrations of those who took active part in the process. According to Nowa Omoigui, In July 2000, at a public book launching ceremony in Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide stated: "Talking on the first coup, when Balewa got missing, we knew Okotie-Eboh had been held, we knew Akintola had been killed. We, the members of the Balewa cabinet started meeting. But how can you have a cabinet meeting without the Prime Minister acting or Prime Minister presiding. So, unanimously, we nominated acting Prime Minister amongst us. Then we continued holding our meetings. Then we got a message that we should all assemble at the Cabinet office. All the Ministers were requested by the G.O.C. of the Nigerian Army, General Ironsi to assemble. What was amazing at that time was that Ironsi was going all over Lagos unarmed. We assembled there. Having nominated ZANA Diphcharima as our acting Prime Minister in the absence of the Prime Minister, whose whereabout we didn't know, we approached the acting President, Nwafor Orizu (igbo) to swear him in because he cannot legitimately act as the Prime Minister except he is sworn- in. Nwafor Orizu refused. He said he needed to contact Zik who was then in West Indies. Under the law, that is, the Interpretation Act, as acting President, Nwazor Orizu had all the powers of the President. The GOC said he wanted to see all the cabinet ministers. And so we assembled at the cabinet office. Well, I have read in many books saying that we handed over to the military. We did not hand-over. Ironsi told us that "you either hand over as gentlemen or you hand-over by force". Those were his words. Is that voluntary hand-over? So we did not hand-over. We wanted an Acting Prime Minister to be in place but Ironsi forced us, and I use the word force advisedly, to handover to him. He was controlling the soldiers. The acting President, Nwafor Orizu, who did not cooperate with us, cooperated with the GOC. Dr. Orizu and the GOC prepared speeches which Nwafor Orizu broadcast handing over the government of the country to the army. I here state again categorically as a member of that cabinet that we did not hand-over voluntarily. It was a coup. " Akinjide said. Corroborating Akinjide's account, Shehu Shagari in his Book "Beckoned to Serve" wrote, "…....….At about 7.00 am, I returned to Dipcharima's residence to meet with some NPC ministers who had gathered there. Dipcharima was then the most senior NPC minister available. We received the latest reports on the situation, first from Alhaji Maitama Sule, Minister of Mines and Power, who had visited the PM's residence by bicycle! We then heard from Alhaji Ibrahim Tako Galadima, the acting Minister of Defence, who had brought along with him Chief Fani-Kayode. Chief Fani-Kayode said he had been fetched from Ibadan early that morning by rebels and locked up at the Federal Guard Officers Mess in Dodan Barracks, where the mutineers initially made their headquarters. Disguised in army uniform, loyal troops handed him over to Alhaji Galadima, who had called in at the barracks, which was a stone's throw of his residence…………….The acting Minister of Defence assured us that Major-General Ironsi was doing his best to arrest the situation. Maitama Sule and I were separately detailed to explore with our absent NPC and NCNC colleagues the possibility of naming someone to stand in for the PM. I was consulting with NCNC ministers at Dr. Mbadiwe's residence when we heard that the Northern and Western premiers, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Chief Akintola respectively, had been assassinated. Hence I rushed back to Dipcharima's residence, where I found my colleagues in a state of shock and desperation. However, we decided to recognize Dipcharima, a Kanuri from Bornu, as our interim leader; and to ask the acting President, Dr. Orizu (President Azikiwe was away on leave), to appoint Dipcharima acting Prime Minister. We also summoned Major General Ironsi and gave him full authority to use every force at his disposal to suppress the rebellion. He moved his headquarters temporarily to the police headquarters at moloney street to facilitate easy communication with army units in the regions. While at Dipcharima's residence, we contacted the British High Commission and requested for military assistancein the event that our loyal troops should require any. The response was positive, but the British insisted that the request must be written by the PM; or, in his absence, by a properly appointed deputy. We, therefore, drove to the residence of Dr. Orizu, and requested him to appoint Dipcharima acting prime minister. Dr. Orizu requested to see our NCNC colleagues to confirm whether they supported our proposition, and they joined us soon afterwards. They had apparently been caucusing at Dr. Mbadiwe's residence. He (Mbadiwe) was their choice of acting Prime Minister. This was naturally unacceptable to us since the NPC was the major governing party. While we were at Orizu's residence, Major-General Ironsi, who had seemingly secured Lagos, came in with some armed escorts. He requested for a tete-a-tete with Orizu. The two had a 40 minutes discussion in another room, while we waited anxiously in the sitting room, with the armed soldiers standing and staring at us. When Major-General Ironsi finally emerged, he talked to Dipcharima sotto voce; and then drove off with his troops. Dr. Orizu then joined us, regretted his inability in the circumstances to oblige our request. He suggested we all return to our homes and wait until we were required. All efforts to get any clarification failed, and we left in utter desperation. I was about to break the Ramadan fast on Sunday 16th January, when all ministers were asked to report to the Cabinet Office at 6.30 pm. The whole premises was surrounded by soldiers in battle order that some of us initially hesitated to enter. In the Cabinet chamber were Major General Ironsi, Bukar Dipcharima and Ibrahim Tako Galadima. There were no officials present. Major General Ironsi admitted to us that he had been unable to suppress the rebellion, which he said was getting out of hand. He stated that the mutineers were in control of Kaduna, Kano and Ibadan, and had killed two regional premiers, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Chief Akintola. They had also murdered a number of his best officers, including Brigadiers Maimalari and Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun, the Commander 1st Brigade Headquarters in Kaduna. Ironsi was full of emotion and even shed some tears. When we asked him about the whereabouts of Sir ABubakar and Chief Okotie-Eboh, he said he still did not know but averred efforts were being made to locate them. At this stage Mbadiwe broke down and kept crying: "Please where is the Prime Minister?" When we reminded Major-General Ironsi if he needed to avail himself of the British pledge of assistance, he replied it was too late as the army was pressing him to assume power. Indeed, he confessed his personal reluctance to take over because of his ignorance of government; but insisted the boys were adamant and anxiously waiting outside. He advised it would be in our interest, and that of the country, to temporarily cede power to him to avert disaster. Accordingly, we acceded to his request since we had no better alternative. Ironsi then insisted that the understanding be written. Surprisingly, there was no stationery to write the agreement; and all the offices were locked while no official was around. Alhaji AGF Abdulrazaq the Minister of State for the Railways (former NPC legal adviser), managed to secure a scrap paper on which he drafted a statement, which we endorsed. That was the so called voluntary hand-over of power by the Balewa Government to Major General Ironsi! It was agreed that the statement would be typed and Dipcharima would sign it on our behalf. We were then advised to return home and await further instructions. I only got to break my Ramadan fast around 9:30 pm. Later at 11.50 pm, Dr. Orizu made a terse nationwide broadcast, announcing the cabinet's voluntary decision to transfer power to the armed forces. Major General Ironsi then made his own broadcast, accepting the "invitation". He suspended certain parts of the constitution; set up a national military government, with the office of military governors in each region; and briefly outlined the policy intentions of his regime. Nigeria's first democratic experiment was effectively over. And although the mutiny had by then practically collapsed, military rule had arrived. It was a fact. The following morning, 17 January, Alhaji Kam Salem, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (then also doubling for the Inspector-General, Mr. Louis Orok Edet, while on vacation), called at my residence to confide that both the PM and Chief Okotie-Eboh had been confirmed killed. He then hinted that Major General Ironsi was still negotiating with the rebels in Kaduna, led by Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu" Then Lt. Col. (later General) Gowon, who was not physically present when the rump cabinet was handing over, says he was later told by Ironsi and other officers (who were outside the cabinet office chambers, and thus did not themselves witness the event) that it was voluntary. He recalls asking three separate times to be certain, but now says that had he known it was not, he would have acted differently on that day as the Commander of the 2nd Battalion at Ikeja which supported Ironsi in putting down the Ifeajuna-Nzeogwu revolt. The substantive President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, also of eastern origin, had left the country in late 1965 first for Europe, then on a health cruise to the caribbean, after allegedly being tipped off by his cousin, Major Ifeajuna, one of the masterminds of the coup and, some say, overall leader. Interestingly, (assuming reports that he had foreknowledge are true) Azikiwe did not notify his alliance partner, the Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, with whom he had clashed over control of the armed forces during the Constitutional crisis of January 1965, following the controversial December 1964 federal elections. In fact President Azikiwe's personal physician, Dr. Humphrey Idemudia Idehen, abandoned him abroad when he got tired of the "health trip", having run out of his personal estacode allowance, unaware that there may have been a good reason why Azikiwe did not want to return to Nigeria, after their original planned return date in December 1965 passed. Not even the Commonwealth Leaders' Conference hosted for the first time by the country in early January was incentive enough for the President to return, for obvious reasons of protocol. However, after the coup, in a statement to the Press in England on January 16, among other things, Azikiwe did not condemn the coup per se, but said: "Violence has never been an instrument used by us, as founding fathers of the Nigerian Republic, to solve political problems. ….I consider it most unfortunate that our 'Young Turks' decided to introduce the element of violent revolution into Nigerian politics. No matter how they and our general public might have been provoked by obstinate and perhaps grasping politicians, it is an unwise policy……..As far as I am concerned, I regard the killings of our political and military leaders as a national calamity…. Major Ifeajuna was later to be accused by Major Patrick Nzeogwu, leader of northern operations, of bungling or ignoring an apparent understanding to assassinate General Ironsi in Lagos - an oversight, or "misguided consideration" (to use Nzeogwu's words) that caused the failure of the coup. Indeed, Nzeogwu bluntly declared publicly that the execution of the coup in the South was tribalistic. Captain Emmanuel Nwobosi (rtd), leader of operations in the Western region, has since corroborated the view that operations in Lagos were compromised by nepotism. For this and other reasons, over the years, some analysts have come to view Nzeogwu, who was recruited two full months after the plot was already in progress, as a tool in a plot he never fully understood. Indeed, in offering condolences for the death of the Sardauna of Sokoto, ex-Senate President Nwafor Orizu told Alhaji Shehu Shagari that Major Nzeogwu was "an unknown entity among the Ibos (sic) in the Eastern region." 4.0 VICTIM OF THE UNKNOWN CONSPIRACY When the eastern region Governor, Emeka Ojukwu after the counter coup declared the secession of Biafra, the only igbo military voice heard against such secession was from Nzeogwu. Other coupist went mute. Where are the other patriotic national officers ready to lay their lives in a military coup for Nigeria? Their much beloved Nigeria is on the verge of civil war and their voice were no where to be heard. What was the reaction of Okafor, Major Ifeajuna and Captain Oji who initiated the coup when the war almost broke out? Nothing. On the eve of the civil war, Nzeogwu whose eastern region was about to go into a civil war with the rest of the country publicly expressed his opposition to the Biafran declaration in an interview despite knowing the consequence of such expression. In the first place, secession will be ill-advised, indeed impossible. Even if the east fights a war of secession and wins, it still cannot secede. Nzeogwu stated further that, personally, I don't like secession and if this country disintegrates,I shall pack up my things and go. In the present circumstances, confederation is the best answer as a temporary measure. In time, we shall have complete unity. Nzeogwu said. To further establish the nationalistic nature of this patriotic fellow called Nzeogwu, MAX SIOLLUN quoted Nzeogwu's letter before the war to his friend Olusegun Obasanjo In June 17, 1967 where Nzeogwu confessed: “You have no doubt heard a lot of rumours about my relations with Ojukwu. We obviously see things quite differently after what he did to my supporters in January 1966. He is also worried about my popularity among his own people. I was to be put back in prison, but he was afraid of repercussions. Right now I am not allowed contact with troops nor am I permitted to operate on the staff. One gentleman's agreement we have is that I can carry on with what ever pleases me.” From the tone in this letter, we could see that Nzeogwu see's himself less of an igbo, but more of a Nigerian. He also wrote in the letter: “I will create a new Nigerian army inside Biafra!! With Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and all other ethnic groups.” Nzeogwu wrote. Even inside Biafra while the war was abut to begin, Nzeogwu was still committed to building a great Nigeria. What a rare patriot we have lost to internal strife. In an interview with Ejindu in 1967, Nzeogwu was asked that, alot has been talked and written about the January coup. But how tribalistic was it really in conception and execution? He responded thus: In the North, no. In the South, yes. He stated that, ''we were five in number, and initially we knew quite clearly what we wanted to do. We had a short list of people who were either undesirable for the future progress of the country or who by their positions at the time had to be sacrificed for peace and stability''. ''Tribal considerations were completely out of our minds at this stage. But we had a set-back in the execution. Both of us in the North did our best. But the other three who were stationed in the South failed because of incompetence and misguided considerations in the eleventh hour''. '' The most senior among them was in charge of a whole brigade and had all the excuse and opportunity in the world to mobilize his troops anywhere, anyhow and any time. He did it badly. In Lagos, even allowing for one or two genuine mistakes, the job was badly done''. '' The Mid-West was never a big problem. But in the East, our major target, nothing practically was done. He and the others let us down. Nzeogwu said. This above submission by Nzeogwu clearly reveal the conspiracy of what truly happened in the eastern part of the country during the first coup. The explanation by Nzeogwu himself was clear, there was of course tribal consideration by those in the east. In the words of Nzeogwu, ''they let us down, because nothing practically was done''. In this text, Nzeogwu made it clear that in the west, it was probably due to incompetence or misguided considerations, but in the east, certainly, it has nothing to do with incompetence, but nothing was practically done to execute the coup. While Nzeogwu may be committed to a national exercise, the other igbo co-plotters had other ideas. Here we know, Nzeogwu was victim of unknwon conspiracy. When Nzeogwue was further asked by Ejindu: It has been said that Gen. Ironsi set out to complete your job for you. Was there anything you did not like in his administration? Nzeogwu replied: Yes, everything. First he chose the wrong advisers for the work he halfheartedly set out to do. Most of them were either mediocre or absolutely unintelligent. Secondly, he was tribalistic in the appointment of his governors. Thirdly the Decree 34 was unnecessary, even silly in fact. With the above submission both by Nzeogwu and other events that followed the coup, it was obvious that there was indeed a conspiracy, which Nzeogwu happens to be a victim. The decree 34 gave Nigeria's federal status a setback in 1966 when the then Military government promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree No. 34 of 1966. Section 1 of the Decree stated that, as from May 24th 1966, Nigeria would cease to be a federation and would be known as the Republic of Nigeria. The decree 34 made far-reaching changes in the political structure of the country and converted it to a unitary sate. The government at the Centre was named the National Military Government while regions were called groups of provinces.Professor Justus A. S,Dr. Ifidon O,Mr. Ige A, and Miss Omotayo O ''Constitutional law 1''. Commenting on this Decree, the eminent jurist, Dr. T. O. Elias said: “It would seem that by this Decree, a unitary form of government had been established for Nigeria. The Federation itself was abolished as were the regions as such.” Professor J.D. Ojo also said, “This Decree that was promulgated without taking into consideration the heterogeneous nature of the society was to say the least, an exercise in futility”. 4.1 VICTIM OF ETHNIC SENTIMENT When one take a look at the social media, particularly nairaland.com or facebook where young people have access to interract with each other on a daily basis, you see how young people as young as 20 years of age indulge in insulting each other in defence of certain views or opinion particularly on the civil war. These youths who were not yet human when the war took place now see themselves as experts on the civil issue and speak about what they were told with confidence as if they actively participated in the war. Infact, some of them go as far as seeing their fellow youths from across the divide as war enemy that must be annihilated. They promote hate, illogicality and advance the course of sentimentalism that brought about the war in the first place. These are people that i refer to as victims of ethnic sentiments. While growing up, these young victims of ethnic sentiments grow up to hear what their parents are saying about the civil war or read about what their ethnic people wrote about it. It doesn't matter if what they wrote was true or not, what mattered was that, those who they look up to as mentors, parents, leaders and others have spoken and they cannot be wrong or questioned since they fought and later surrendered to save future generations. Some concerned observers of the ugly trend have been wondering how these young people develop such negative attitudes towards issues of national concern, but we must not forget the effect of socialization and upbringing which tutor children and instill certain believe in them. How can a child disbelieve what his parents say about a war in which they suffered greatly? How can he or she disbelieve a story that corrobated what his parents had said about the war, writen by his ethnic adored writer who articulated such story in a widely circulated book outlet? How will he disbelieve a story told by people who nurtured, feed and educated him from childhood? Ofcourse, he can hardly have a different view and even if he did, he his less likely to express such to avoid being seen as opposite to the feelings of majority of his ethnic people. Very few individual can summon the courage to think outside the box and open their mind to the variety of facts to determine truth rather than hold unto myth.These young people have been indoctrinated to hate from childhood,their mind had been shot to objectivity and they hardly reason with logicality. We have now getting to a stage that, instead of seeking to enlist the support of fellows youths towards developmental accomplishments, youths focus on ethnic superiority. They ignorantly create enemy from nowhere and focus on attacking each other for what none of them can actually confirm its genuinity since they were not present during its occurrence. We must make concerted effort to reverse this ugly situation to avoid future catastrophe. 5.0 WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT NZEOGWU Despite killing the most revered political leadership of the northern Nigeria during the coup, those who knew Nzeogwu including the northern officersstill hold that, he was a patriotic officer who did what he did out of patriotism After his death, the Nigerian soldiers that found his corpse cried most of whom were of Northern origin. This lay credence that he was dragged to the battle front by the Biafrian authorities. Major General Yakubu Gowon, the then head of state referred to Nzeogwu as a detribalized Nigeria and most Nigerians who know him share that view. According to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo ''Nzeogwu was "both a Nigerian & Pan-Africanist", "a kind-hearted, open and generous man, who believed that there should be no dividing line on any basis between Nigerians in one part of the country and those in other parts." "He detested injustice and arrogance... Chukwuma had a dream of a great Nigeria that is a force to be reckon with in the world, not through ineffective political rhetoric but through purposeful & effective action...He had a dream of an ordered and orderly nation, through a disciplined society. He also dreamt of a country where national interest over-rides self, sectional or tribal interest... He had a dream of a country free of graft and greed" Obasanjo said. Maj-Gen. Olufemi Olutoye who was once Nzeogwu's instructor also said, there was no doubt he had traces of eccentricity but he was a very good person. He was very kind and truthful. When he had a point and was convinced, he would stick to it. That was one policy he had. General Domkat Bali, one of the key participants in the civil war noted that, '' we believed that he (Nzeogwu) was a genuinely patriotic officer who organized the 1966 coup with the best of intentions who was let down by his collaborators…if we had captured him alive, he would not have been killed. I believe he probably would have been tried for his role in the January 15 coup, jailed and probably freed after some time. His death was regrettable.” Domkat Bali said. While it may not be completely proven that there indeed exist a conspiracy, I believe the time line of events and actions of key players in the coup as clearly established in the above submission shows the possibility of a conspiracy. But irrespective of what happened during the early days of Nigeria, we must learn from the past and move forward. Accusation and counter accusation is not the best way to heal past wounds, it can never be a way to re-write the wrong of yesterday, rather, it fuels hatred and suspicion. Therefore, all Nigerians irrespective of region or tribe must agree that, those who represented us in the past had committed some error and we must never allow it to repeat itself. 70% of people living today in each region have nothing to do with yesterday's error, greed and conspiracy. They have nothing to do with the mockery of northern region, neither do they participate in the pogrom of the easterners. If we all relate with each other with respect, truth and sincerity, there won't be any reason to remember past mistakes. Nigerian civil war history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu profile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukwuma_Kaduna_Nzeogwu The Inside Story Of Nigeria's First Military Coup part 1. http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/781/3/The-Inside-Story-Of-Nigerias-First-Military-Coup-I/Page3.html The Inside Story Of Nigeria's First Military Coup part 2. http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/1376/1/The-Inside-Story-Of-Nigerias-First-Military-Coup-2/Page1.html Interview with Major Nzeogwu. http://maxsiollun.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/interview-with-major-nzeogwu/ Police report of january 1966 coup. http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/MilitaryRule/Omoigui/1966Coup-Part1.html Major Nzeogwu's Anti-corruption Coup Speech http://www.igbofocus.co.uk/Nzeogwu-s_Declaration_of_Marti/nzeogwu-s_declaration_of_martial_law_-_january_15-_1966.html The 1966 Intervention of Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu http://www.searchlightnigeria.com/2014/01/the-1966-intervention-of-major-patrick.html Though I begged Major Nzeogwu not to stage 1966 coup, he ignored me –Gen. Olutoye http://www.punchng.com/feature/life-times/though-i-begged-major-nzeogwu-not-to-stage-1966-coup-he-ignored-me-gen-olutoye/

http://www.modernghana.com/news/569166/1/victim-of-unknown-conspiracy-in-nigerias-january-1.html

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By Ibrahim HassanWuyo Security agencies have reported to the Kaduna State Government the killing of six bandits by mobs in Sanga and Lere local government areas of Kaduna state. According to the operational feedback, on 24th December 2020 at Fadan Karshi in Sanga local government area, two bandits attacked a businessman and dispossessed him of money and other valuables. Samuel Aruwan , Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State,said on receiving the distress call, the military and police set out to the location. However, on getting to the scene, some angry locals had already lynched the bandits and burnt them to ashes.In the same local government, on Thursday night armed bandits opened fire on motorists plying the Aboro-Kafanchan Road. The bullets hit one Richard Sabo who in the course of driving knocked down one of the bandits to death. Sadly, Mr. Sabo who suffered bullet wounds was confirmed dead at Gwantu General Hospital. In Lere local government, security agencies reported that some bandits from a neighboring state who specialized in stealing livestock were also killed through mob action. According to the report, the bandits were chased and overpowered at Domawa village where three of them met their end in the hands of the mob. On a sad note, the government is in receipt of a report of the killing of a commercial motorcyclist, one Hudu Yahaya of Ungwan Nungu village of Sanga local government. He was beheaded by bandits who escaped with his motorcycle. Governor Nasir El-Rufai has sent condolences to the families of Richard Sabo and Hudu Yahaya and prayed for the repose of their souls. The Governor has also made a strong appeal to citizens to continue to have recourse to the law and not resort to jungle justice. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/mobs-kill-six-bandits-in-southern-kaduna/

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The Second day protect of students of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye in Abeokuta the Ogun State Capital turns violence snatching cars windscreen and others on Friday 15-08-2014 BY WUMI AKINOLA By Festus Ahon ASABA – National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS Zone B has vowed to shutdown Federal Government parastatals and institutions in the South South and South East should President Mohammadu Buhari fail to revert to the old pump price of fuel. Describing the hike in the pump price of fuel by the Federal Government as a ploy to impoverish Nigerians, they alleged that Mohammadu Buhari was insensitive to the plights of Nigerians. South South and South East zonal Coordinator of NANS, Pedro Chibuzo in a statement made available to newsmen, said; “we expressly register total dissatisfaction towards the callous and insensitive hike in price of Premium Motor Sprit (PMS) from N86 to N145 by President Muhammadu Buhari. “NANS is irked by this ugly development that has no doubt turned the country’s economy upside down. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu had made public declaration concerning the PMS price hike to N145, asserting that it is the best for the nation. “But the truth is that Mr. Kachikwu’s verbal utterance is a pronouncement of economic malady in disguise to the nation. President Buhari who claims to be the senior Minister of Petroleum has outrightly jettisoned the tenets of democracy by this singular act of his, haven failed to consult relevant stakeholders before the hike”. Chibuzo in the statement, said “we had advised the President to abdicate his acclaimed position as the Minister of Petroleum”, pointing out that “it would spell disaster on the nation’s economy and here we are as we have been vindicated. “Contrarily to this demand the President have remained obdurate and tactically recalcitrant to our demands. It is conspicuously clear that the Minister of State Petroleum , Mr. Kachikwu is only working in line with the President’s directives. And it becomes bizarre to understand why a President who had no knowledge of the downstream sector is being deputized by a more knowledgeable and sophisticated man in the field, coupled with other state engagement of Mr. President. “The hike in price of the PMS has affected students in our various campuses negatively, where they are now forced to pay more for intra and inter campus transportation fare. Those who travel from far and near to campuses , have also been subjected more to this social catastrophe. Price of goods and services have skyrocketed to an unimaginable proportion. “The timing no doubt has also aggravated the effects of the hike. It is an aberration to increase the price of PMS when the economy presently hangs on an abysmal economic pendulum of glaring adverse effect. Nigerian students under the aegis of NANS Zone B say no to hike in PMS price, hence we demand immediate reversal of the PMS price to N86. Anything short of this will attract the burning wrath of the Nigerian Students in South South and South East Regional block of Nigeria. “This we are not sure the Federal Government would be able to quell when it finally comes up. Strategic mobilization has began across various campuses for the total showdown, if our demand is neglected. The government must learn to respect and consider students welfare before taking certain decisions with far reaching negative effects such as this, as many of our campuses are already closed down as a result of the Federal Government’s insensitivity to the Education sector and general students welfare. “If our Demands are not considered and an immediate reversal is not achieved within the shortest possible time, we will alongside Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other civil society organisations, occupy and shutdown all federal parastatals and campuses across the eleven States of South South and South East Nigeria. “We reiterate, that this decision by the President is inhumane, callous, vile and tyrannical in all respects. It is a fact that the President neglected the students body when taking the decision, and this also has amassed our grievances for the Federal Government. “That which happened in 2012 when former President Goodluck Jonathan removed subsidy from PMS would not only happen again, but would be doubled this time around. Unilaterally fixing PMS price has once again brought to fore the dictatorial attributes of President Buhari, as the PPPRA board, which is the board saddled with fixing PMS price is yet to be reconstituted, therefore whatever price being brandished by Federal Government is null and void and we reject same in its entirety. “We therefore call on the Nigerian people to rise up to their responsibilities as this government has shown time without number that they don’t mean well for the masses. This government has continued to swim from one economic blunder to the other, dishing out anti masses policies on daily basis. “This government has been thriving on propaganda and lies, with Minister of State Petroleum stating that subsidy on PMS has been removed while the Vice President; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is countering same by saying No Subsidy was removed. Which one do Nigerian masses believe, a government of confusion”. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/pms-price-hike-students-avow-shutting-down-govt-institutions-in-ssouth-seast/

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By Abbas Bamalli/Katsina The Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said two persons died in floods that destroyed over 1,500 houses in the aftermath of heavy rainfall in three Local Government Areas. Alhaji Umar Mohammed, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the agency said over 800 houses were affected in Faskari, 400 in Bindawa and 300 in Sabuwa Local Government Areas (LGAs). The two deaths recorded happened in Bindawa LGA, where the heavy rain lasted almost five hours. Mohammed said the agency was already looking at how to assist the victims. The heavy rain started at about 10 a.m on Monday and stopped at about 4 p.m.. It forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles. Some of the residents of Katsina metropolis who spoke to NAN expressed worry over the flooding of some major streets due to the heavy downpour. Many motorists driving along Kofar Kaura roundabout and some parts of the layout area of the metropolis were able to divert by using a single lane of the road to their various destinations. One of the motorists, Malam Muhammad Safana, described the situation as worrisome, saying that it could worsen if the heavy rains continued. “As you have seen, the rain has caused flooding, which filled some major roads in the city, looking for a route to pass, and also some houses were affected. “As I was passing through the Tudun Katsira layout, some buildings were also affected due to the lack of proper drainage in the areas. Even those areas with the drainage are blocked by refuse, which obstructs the free flow of water during the rainy season,” he said. Malam Abubakar Sani, another motorist, called on the state government to take immediate measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. “I hope that following this incident, this will serve as a reminder to the state government to take action immediately, to avert future recurrence.” Sani said

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/07/28/2-dead-1500-homes-destroyed-in-3-flooded-lgas-of-katsina/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=2-dead-1500-homes-destroyed-in-3-flooded-lgas-of-katsina

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Babatunde Raji Fashola By Olasunkanmi Akoni Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Tuesday, formally gave a breakdown of how his administration spent the $90million about N13.5 billion, education grants by World Bank to state in 2009, saying the state government had nothing to hide. Fashola stated this at the launch of a book, “Eko Project: A Legacy of Excellence.” The book was a documentation of all the activities of project during the period and the different projects executed. According to him, contrary to concerns raised in some quarters that the money had not been spent in an open manner, is actually not true, “the funds had been deployed judiciously.” Fashola said the loan, obtained to fund teaching and learning infrastructure under the sate`s Eko Secondary Education Project was achieving its purpose as it had significantly improved student`s performance. It will be recalled that Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, had in December 2013 sought the order of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, to compel state government to release information on its spending of the loan. SERAP also asked the court to demand details of the projects executed with the loan in the 667 schools across the state in line with the Freedom of Information Act. Speaking in reference to the move, Fashola stated: “Some people have made unsubstantiated allegations against us that we have stolen World Bank money.” He continued: “ But in this government our collateral is our collective integrity. We have nothing to hide. That is why when we mark our every 100 days in office, we give account to the people because we have nothing to hide. “The results of our N13.5billion World Bank Education loan are in the open for everybody to see. And those who are managing the funds are providing the details of how they are spending the loan. “So nothing really to hide. The money is not in our hands ,it is in the hands of the schools and the funds is been used judiciously “. Fashola stressed that the World Bank intervention was to improve teaching and learning infrastructure in schools with a view to raise education standards. Hence, “The deployment of the funds had helped improved students performance in public examinations as performance had improved from 7 per cent in 2009 to 41 per cent in 2013.” While saying he was satisfied with the results of the intervention so far, Fashola charged teachers to work towards achieving 61 per cent WAEC performance in the nearest future. Giving details of the spending,Ms Ronke Azeez, Special Adviser to the Governor on Eko Project disclosed that the $90 million loan provided direct funding to schools between 2009 to 2013. According to her, “N 2.4billion of the loan was spent on the training of 16,445 teachers and 7,998 principals during the programme period, while N2.1billion was spent on students tracking and assessment over the period and N480million was also spent on teachers mentoring programme and allowances of volunteer teachers.” The Special Adviser said an average of N10million was released to each of 667 schools during the period while N40million was released to each of 104 federal unity schools under the Step-B project. Azeez said the government procured 839 projectors,753 internet modems,3,441 softwares,656 generators for schools during the period. “To improve reading culture during the period, the government created 525 libraries,305,000 textbooks,423 students work book and about 10,899 reference materials.“she said. She said the government spent some of the funds on 7,786 white boards,20,592 mathematical set ,4668 teaching modules,and procurement of 52,532 furniture. Azeez added that the World Bank had given the state a pass mark on the funds utilization and rated the Eko project as highly satisfactory. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/06/spent-90m-world-bank-education-loan-fashola/

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Oyo APC demands arrest of PDP’s Makinde As the final collation of results across the local governments is ongoing, the Oyo state chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress has submitted a petition against the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate Seyi Makinde to the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The APC petition accused Makinde of what it described as “breach of electoral laws” and thereby demanded for his immediate arrest and prosecution. Read Also: APC sweeps 25 of 26 Assembly seats in Ekiti The petition addressed to the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner and entitled “Petition Against Engr. Seyi Makinde on Electoral offences committed in breach of electoral laws “, was submitted to the Agodi office of the commission on Sunday. According to the petition, Makinde was accused of releasing a video in the early hours of Sunday where the PDP candidate “pointedly proclaimed himself winner of the governorship election in Oyo state when INEC, the authorised umpire has not concluded same nor declared any such results.” The petition signed by the APC state secretary, Mr. Mojeed Olaoya, said Makinde by the action is clearly inciting the citizenry against an eventual credible outcome of the elections.

http://thenationonlineng.net/oyo-apc-demands-arrest-of-pdps-makinde/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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