Datasets:

saheedniyi

/

naijaweb

like 32

President Goodluck Jonathan’ By Onoja Innocent BOMADI— Niger Delta ex-militants under the amnesty programme, have warned politicians against playing politics with the present insecurity situation in the country, particularly the issues of Chibok girls abduction and the Boko Haram phenomenon. Delta State Chairman, Amnesty Phase 2 ex-militants, Mr. Kingsley Muturu, told newsmen in Warri, Delta State, that the politics of Chibok girls and the Boko Haram phenomenon were orchestrated to frustrate President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 ambition. He said efforts to stop Jonathan from running for a second tenure would not prevail, as Nigerians can testify that President Jonathan does not deserve to be bullied by those who think themselves superior. He said: “A situation where a large number of girls are abducted from a school without anybody knowing their whereabouts until now, coupled with their states of origin, is appalling. Or are they all from Borno State? “They should stop deceiving Nigerians and allow Jonathan to work for the people who voted him. They do all these things because of 2015 elections. “There is no information from the world powers that came for the rescue of the girls. Everybody is keeping mum over the issue, politicking and manipulating information. “It is all a ploy against Jonathan and his government. “We Niger Delta ex-agitators are behind Jonathan for a second tenure. The security situation in the country is a plot by a group of people, and Niger Delta agitators are keenly watching their diabolic activities.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/chibok-girls-politics-boko-haram-cant-stop-jonathan-ex-militants/

Politics

en

Former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole By SIMON EBEGBULEM BENIN CITY- GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state yesterday declared that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has killed many Edo indigenes due to the alleged refusal by the President to give ecological funds to areas devastated by erosion in the state and many other APC states. He regretted that the President would play partisan politics with the lives of Nigerians and Edo people in particularly despite the 95 per cent votes he enjoyed in the state in 2011, vowing that the President and his party the PDP, would be voted out come 2015. Oshiomhole also lampooned the Federal government austerity measures due to fallen prices oil, querying that “ what did they do with our money when oil was N108 per barrel. They said we should tighten our belt but they gave us no belt, that is anti people”. The Governor declare this at the traditional Urhokpota Ground Ring Road Benin City, where he received the former Minister of State for Works and PDP Chieftain, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and over two thousand of his supporters into the APC. About 20 palace chiefs led by Chief Jackson Igbinoba, and different PDP groups one of them led by Chief Arala Osula, dumped the party for the APC. Ogiemwonyi said he decided to dump the PDP after what he described as the failure of the PDP to fix both the economic, security and other problems bedevilling the nation. He added that Governor Oshiomhole’s developmental strides in Edo state and the achievement of other APC governors convinced him that APC means well for the Edo people and Nigerians in general. Oshiomhole who received the decampees into the party gave reasons why Nigerians must vote the PDP led Federal government out. His words, “What is buried in the name of PDP can never resurrect because the Bible says, he who die in sin shall perish and languish in hell. And because PDP died in sin, they killed, they embezzled our money, they dehumanized our people, they enveloped Benin with flood, converted our young one to prostitution and reduced Edo from the heart beat to a part of the country that was now remember only by reference to very negative headlines. “ It will take PDP more than a hundred years to pay reparation to Edo people. If anybody imagine what has happened in this state for six years, then you can better calculate how much they stole from the treasury of this state and how many miles they set up backwards in terms of where were are supposed to be. And that is why when the President came here to say that Edo will fall, I said well who is speaking. Can a man who is on the ground speak to a man who is on his feet? “ PDP has already been fallen and buried in Edo state many many years ago. Yes in the last election we asked our people to vote on the basic of certain sentiments, and the PDP at the Presidential level won 95 per cent of the votes. But now Edo people are asking, what do we have to show for it. The erosion caused by PDP at Queen Ede has destroyed the schools built for Edo child. That erosion is destroying the Catholic Church, it has destroyed several houses, killed many of our people. “ Federal PDP shared money to PDP states including states where the President lost election, they did not give one dim to the people of Edo state. Our crime because we voted wrongly. In Auchi, erosion have swept away more then 50 per cent of the houses and swept away others, they shared the ecology money they gave no dim to the people of Auchi. In Esan Central and West, erosion has destroyed a number of communities, PDP produced leaders in Esan land they did not bring one dime to deal with erosion in Esan land, but they gave money to Delta, they gave money to Bayelsa, they gave money to Cross River, they gave money to Niger, Jigawa, Kaduna and others. “ What is our offence because we voted wrongly? So when we say APC, Change PDP, Change Jonathan it is informed by evidence. We must change both the party and the driver. PDP has failed for sixteen years they should leave. “And let me be very specific, if we had not removed PDP in Edo we wold not have experienced the change we are seeing today in Edo. If we remove PDP from Abuja the way we removed them from Edo we will have power, universities will not be closing for six months, they will not be distributing SURE-P through PDP leaders, they will not be devaluing the currency and they will not be acting like small gods” he asserted. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/jonathans-administration-must-go-oshiomhole/#sthash.t3ChZggQ.dpufThe

Politics

en

By Udeme Akpan THE price of petrol has been increased to N151.56 per litre, according to Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. In a statement obtained by Vanguard, D.O Abalaka of the PPMC, stated: “Please be informed that a new product price adjustment has been effected on our payment platform. “To this end, the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is now one hundred and fifty-one naira, fifty-six kobo (N151.56k) per litre.” He added: “This takes effect from September 2, 2020.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/breaking-petrol-price-now-n151-56-per-litre-%e2%80%95-ppmc/amp/

Politics

en

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has faulted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) protest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Labour had early this morning blockaded the airport owing to its faceoff with the Imo State government after the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero was beaten up in the South-East state. The move grounded activities at the airport, leaving many travellers grounded. But speaking at an aviation retreat for the Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary, Directors and Head of Agencies of the Aviation Ministry, in Effurun on Thursday, Keyamo faulted the move and questioned why the unions targeted the sector that was not involved in the maltreatment of the NLC chairman. “Aviation was not involved at all. Nothing about aviation but their target is aviation; their retaliation is aviation. So, please I want to beg them: ‘Leave us alone’. Leave aviation alone. You cannot target aviation in trying to address your grievances,” he told the gathering. “You cannot target a nation in trying to address your grievances. In targeting aviation like the Chairman of the Senate Committee [on aviation], it is a global village, it affects foreigners coming into Nigeria. It affects ordinary Nigerians going about their normal businesses,” Keyamo maintained. “As of yesterday, we were battling with the fact that they said for only flights for Imo that they would disrupt. But this morning, they blocked the access roads to the Abuja airport. They are disrupting the entire country.” [READ ALSO] Protesting NLC, TUC Members Ground Activities At Abuja Airport While the minister said he is a friend of the labour movement, he called on the protesting unionists to sheathe their swords in the interest of the nation. The Imo State government had in the wake of the assault on Ajaero denied any involvement and accused the labour chief of dabbling into politics. Although the unions have pencilled November 14th for a nationwide strike owing to the assault on Ajaero, Keyamo is warning them to distance themselves from politics. “Do not allow the Labour Party to destroy the labour movement. I repeat, do not allow the Labour Party and party politics to destroy the labour movement,” he said. “Call the leadership to order. Don’t get steeped into politics, it would destroy the movement.” The NLC, an umbrella group of trade unions, had planned a demonstration in the Imo state capital Owerri on Wednesday over “non-payment of salaries and pensions for 44 months and violation of other labour rights,” according to its spokesman Benson. But state police said the protest had been banned. The unions claimed “police personnel” attacked Ajaero after a crackdown on the demonstration.

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/01/06/over-1500-pdp-supporters-decamp-to-apc-in-katsina/It

Politics

en

* Critics are wrong; his good works will speak for him APC BY WALE AKINOLA The day started on a queer note. Bomb scare at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This happened at a time stalwarts had gathered at the secretariat preparatory to the Obokun-Oriade federal constituency mega rally at Ibokun, the headquarters of Obokun local government area, some 30 kilometres away. Some people were alleged to have thrown some substances believed to be explosives from behind the fence. Those who reportedly saw them alerted the party chieftains. Panic ensued. The police were called in. The entire premises combed. No explosive substances found. Two suspects were arrested. The police took them away in their pick up van. Many of the APC stalwarts concluded that law enforcement by the police in the August 8 gubernatorial election that has raised so much tension in Osun State would make a lot of difference if the promptness with which the police responded to distress call on this particular occasion is sustained. They added that law enforcement in the poll in which the state government, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is the APC candidate and a leading contender, must also be seen to be carried out in an important manner. The tensed atmosphere in the wake of the bomb scare at the APC secretariat and arrest of suspects soon gave way to relief. In less than one hour later, the party train took off for Ibokun. The APC stalwarts, comprising of men and women, old and young, wielding brooms of different colours, were resplendent in purple uniform. They were met at different points from some 10 kilometres to the rally ground by groups of party supporters, singing, dancing, wielding their brooms, and shouting APC slogans. The atmosphere at the rally group L.A. Primary School, Ibokun was a different ballgame altogether. Billboards announcing Aregbesola’s second term ambition and his achievements of the last three and a half years stood at strategic points. The crowd was impressive. There were all categories of people, many of them dressed in the APC’s purple uniform while others were Aregbesola’s supporters group’s T-shirt, bearing the portrait of the governor. School children, wearing their school uniforms, were not left out of the occasion. The Osun APC Director of Publicity, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, described the crowd thus: Some critics said we have been renting crowds to attend Governor Aregbesola’s rally. I am sure you will agree with me that you cannot rend this kind of crowd. The crowd, as you can see, is representative of all categories of people in this constituency (Obokun-Oriade), and the fact that they have come to see the governor campaign at their ally shows that they appreciate his good works of the past three and a half years. I make bold to say that the Ogbeni’s good works will speak for him at the August 9 election. We are sure to win the election. Indeed, the tumultuous crowd at the rally could have been a question of what Aregbesola’s loyalists see as his ‘sterling performance’ since his tenure started in 2010 which, according to them, has endeared him to the Osun people, and for which he should be re-elected. The loyalists readily point to the Aregbesola’s education policy which they believe has transformed the state and is on the way to putting Osun on a pedestal to compete with other states across the country. ”The school children in this locality have no reason not to be here & if not to appreciate Ogbeni Aregbesola for all he has done to ensure that learning in schools is carried out without tears”, the interim chairman of the Osun APC, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, told Sunday Vanguard at the rally ground. Under the Osun education policy, one of the six-point integral action plan of the Aregbesola administration, entitled, ‘Promotion of functional education’, decayed infrastructure is being replaced and there is quality control. Other legs of the action plan are banishment of hunger/unemployment, enhanced security/welfare, restoration of healthy living and promotion of communal peace. Under the education policy school children up to primary four are being fed in school. One of the key points of the policy is re-classification into elementary school (5 years), middle school (4 years) and high school (3 years), as against the national education policy of 6-3-3. The Osun education system gives the pupil more time at the middle school which the initiators believe he needs to prepare him for maturity into high school. The education policy with its attendant mega schools to accommodate many small schools brought children from different religious backgrounds under the same room to learn soon sparked controversy. Critics interpreted it to mean the erasure of religious lines especially in schools with bias for religion. The policy was resisted in at least one school before the fire was doused. Oyatomi, the Osun APC image maker, said the crisis was politically motivated. His words: The policy was fashioned out by a team of educationists led by Professor Wole Soyinka to revive the education sector which was practically dead before Governor Aregbesola came into office. Unfortunately, some people tried to politicise it by saying it is anti-Christianity. Nothing could be far from the truth. We have only brought together children of diverse backgrounds to learn under the same roof and conducive atmosphere unlike the former situation where schools were more of pig sties. This administration built no fewer than 25 mega schools for this purpose. Oyatomi spoke further: School children up to primary four also eat one nutritious meal at school every school day to help their brains develop properly and build a better state in future. According to him, the feeding programme has multiplier effects in Osun as it empowers farmers who supply the schools with the food items. The APC spokesman also spoke on the Opon Imo, tablet of knowledge, distributed to pupils across Osun. The tablet, with 56 e-books, visual training and 10 years past questions, in addition to the Bible, the Quran and traditional religion content, also saves the government huge sums that could have been spent buying books under the free education programme, year in, year out. On the alleged involvement of Aregbesola’s son in the Opon Imo project, the APC spokesman said the son, being a software expert, merely introduced it to government, challenging anybody who has the facts that he (Aregbesola’s son) benefitted financially to make them public. Oyatomi also described as nonsense the allegation that the state government brought to Osun a school uniform making project for which a huge sum was paid, and, in the process, denying local tailors business. According to him, government facilitated the project to relocate to Osun on the condition that it will employ local hands, thereby creating job opportunities for the people. Parents are also beneficiaries of the new dispensation on Osun education as they now spend less to educate their children. Even if the parents did not come to the Aregbesola rally for this reason, they possibly had many others bordering on the governor’s achievements in many other sectors. The sectors include agriculture where farmers have access to soft loans and good roads to transport their produce to the market; health where new hospitals are being built and old ones renovated in addition to free health treatment for a section of the people; aggressive infrastructural development which has seen roads rehabilitated and new ones built; youth empowerment which takes care of unemployed youths; the empowerment of security agencies to ensure peace and stop criminality; and ‘robust management’ of the state economy. Oyatomi was particular about the Osun governor’s achievements in the road sector where, according to him, Aregbesola is bringing to bear his ingenuity as an engineer. Durable roads, the APC spokesman stated, are being built all over Osun. The novel aspect of road construction in the state is that roads are delivered before contractors are paid. This ensures that jobs are done to specifications and are not abandoned. Oyatomi dismissed critics claim that the Osun governor is a religious bigot fighting Christians. To justify his position, the APC spokesman explained: Although the governor is a devout Muslim, and he does not hide it, his cabinet is dominated by Christians. Of the 34 members in the cabinet, 22 are Christians and 12 Muslims. And of the 32 permanent secretaries in the state, 20 are Christians. In the House of Assembly, made up of 26 members, only nine are Muslims. All these are apart from his policies devoid of religious sentiments. So, how do you sustain the unfair tag that the governor is a religious bigot? On the state’s economy, Oyatomi said the state administration has managed it from the point of near bankruptcy when it assumed office to the point that it is now sustainable. Our greatest challenge now is that government allocation from the federation account has dropped from about N5 billion every month to about N2.5 billion. This is augmented with about N1.6 billion monthly IGR which government upped from N300 million when it came in. But the downsize of it is that we have workers salary / pension of N3.6 billion monthly to pay. It is a dicey situation, but the statement government has made over time is that we have the capacity to manage the Osun economy. The spokesman pointed out that sourced for N10 billion Sukuk bond that was over subscribed to N11 billion, and another N60 billion bond, out of which N30 billion had been drawn. The over-subscription of the Sukuk bond, according to Oyatomi, told the story of the investors confidence in the Osun economy under Aregbesola. All considered, the Aregbesola administration has a testimonial that justifies re-election, Oyatomi added. The Osun governor arrived the Obokun-Oriade constituency mega rally to a tumultuous welcome. Defying the rain that had threatened before he came, he immediately mounted the rostrum to address the crowd which had waited patiently since 10 am. Aregbesola burst into song: Let the rain fall to drench us. After all we own our clothes. He warned the opposition in the August 9 poll against dividing the Osun people along religious lines as it would have grave consequences. The governor said he had done so much to improve the lives of the Osun people and expressed optimism that he would be re-elected for the goodies to continue. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/osun-2014-aregbesola-testimonial/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Politics

en

By Olasunkanmi Akoni The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the 950 million Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme, RHIESS, aimed to support vulnerable elderly citizens from age 65 and above in all 36 states of the federation during this festive period. Senator Oluremi, at the maiden edition of RHIESS, held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, noted that the initiative themed: “Better Days Ahead,” is an economic empowerment programme for the well-being of elderly citizens across the country. Wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who presented the cash worth N250 million and gift items to the beneficiaries on behalf of Senator Tinubu, said that the gesture marked a significant stride in the government’s collective pursuit of a more inclusive and compassionate society. She stressed that over 250 beneficiaries selected from the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, were given a sum of N100,000 each. According to her, “The total sum disbursed is N950,000,000 as approved by the Governing Board of the Renewed Hope Initiative and each State of the Federation received the sum N25,000,000,which includes beneficiaries from Lagos State. “We are committed to ensuring that each State benefits from this gesture without discrimination and this is to cushion the effect of the economic situation and to alleviate the burdens of our esteemed elders during this festive period.” She stressed that the event was held simultaneously in all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) will also benefit from this initiative. Mrs Tinubu therefore, charged the senior citizens to embrace life to the fullest, prioritise their health and strengthen their bonds with loved ones and with God, stressing that “these are the key ingredients to a rich and fulfilling life in their golden years.” In support of the initiative Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, in her capacity, also supported the RHIESS with the presentation of gift items and foodstuff to the 250 beneficiaries. The maiden RHIESS event featured the presentation of cash to beneficiaries, free medical screening and the distribution of other sundry items. As Abiru distributes over 8,500 food packs vulnerable for Yuletide In a similar incident, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, has distributed over 8,500 food packs to his constituents for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The packs, containing rice, beans, and garri, were simultaneously distributed across the 16 Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas of the Senatorial District. The initiative targeted vulnerable groups within the district, including widows, individuals with physical disabilities, unemployed youths, women, and the elderly. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/12/tinubu-launches-n950m-elderly-support-scheme-in-lagos

Politics

en

The domain name UHUH.COM is for sale. $92700Lease to Own $8112 / monthExpert curated premium domain name Professionally crafted logo design Guaranteed transfer or your money back A catchy and memorable four-letter name that is sure to stand out and grab attention. Possible uses: A clothing brand. A social media platform. A mobile game. A digital marketing agency. A Premium Domain Name Every business name on BrandBucket is curated by our experts.Professionally Designed Logo A creative logo created by a highly skilled logo designer.Transparent Pricing No hidden fees, no escrow fees. Guaranteed delivery.What's Next? We accept all major credit cards, Bitcoin or wire transfers.Follow Transfer Instructions An agent will contact you with personalized information.Confirm Delivery Payment is held in escrow until you've received the name.Frequently Asked Questions Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBucket’s secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files. In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days. BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars: - Google Domains - Amazon Route 53 - 123 Reg 2. We request the name from the seller. Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process. 3. Transfer the name into your account As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process. 4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the The BrandBucket lease-to-own program is available as an alternative to purchasing the name outright. You're able to buy the domain name with over monthly installments, and at the end of the lease period, if all payments are complete, you would be the new owner of the domain name. Once you complete the checkout process for a leased domain, you will be contacted by a BrandBucket agent who will help manage your lease. The domain will be transferred from the seller to a BrandBucket escrow account, ensuring a secure hold on the domain during the lease term. We will transfer the domain to you once all payments are complete. During the lease, you're entitled to use the domain name for your website and email; your agent will guide you through that. Each month you will continue to receive an invoice with a balance statement. You have the right to cancel the lease any time or complete all payments early to own the domain outright. Established in 2007, we are the original business name marketplace. Every year, we sell 1000s of premium domains to entrepreneurs and businesses like you. All of our domain names are handpicked by branding and linguistics experts based on rigorous criteria. You can rest assured that if a domain is on the BrandBucket marketplace, it is a top-tier business name. Almost one out of every four names sold on BrandBucket is sold to a repeat buyer or a referral, which means that people who buy from us once, keep coming back for more. The .com extension is a brand in itself. As the default domain extension of the internet, having a .com domain that is an exact match to your brand name has numerous advantages: - Familiarity - People are familiar with .com. Most of the brands and websites they already trust, use the .com extension. Therefore, it serves as a subtle indicator that your business is a legitimate one. A recent study by the NCC Group, a global expert in cybersecurity and risk mitigation, found that roughly half of the consumers are uncomfortable visiting websites ending with a non .com extension, and only 9% are comfortable doing so. - Brand Protection - When you own the .com version of a domain name, you have the official online version of that name. Owning an exact-match .com can protect your brand name, as it is unlikely another serious business would use the same name when the .com extension is taken. - Easy to Communicate - .com domains are also easy to communicate. When people hear or see your business name without a TLD, they will inevitably assume it ends in .com, making it easy for them to find you online. Once you have received the name into your registrar account, you will be able to: - Use the domain as your website address. - Setup email addresses, for instance, email@example.com. - Use the domain and logo on business cards and other materials. If you don’t have a website built yet, you can put up a simple coming soon page, or you can just leave it until you are ready. You don’t need to do anything right away. Because you own the domain name, you can take your time. Our talented community of logo designers designs all logos on the BrandBucket marketplace. They are paid for their efforts, and BrandBucket owns all copyrights for the logos. We will transfer the full copyright for the logo to you upon purchase of the domain name. Logo files are delivered to you in the following formats: - High-resolution image file (PNG) - Editable vector file (.AI) Editing your design Vector (AI) files are entirely editable in programs such as photoshop and illustrator, so you or your designer can make desired changes. If needed, we can make basic color changes/small tweaks to the logo for you after purchase. If you are looking for a complete redesign, we can connect you with a designer from our talented design community at their discretion and price. All of our business domains are carefully chosen for their standout branding qualities. There is only one uhuh.com. However, there may well be other businesses that are using the same brand name. In fact, with common keyword names, it is likely. That is why owning the .com is so essential. In holding the .com, you immediately establish your business as the most official version of that name. It's unlikely any serious business is going to use a brand name where the .com domain is already in use. Many companies believe that owning the matching .com version of a business name provides more protection for their brand than a trademark. No, and it’s not possible for us to do so. Trademarks are industry and region-specific, and to file a trademark for a name or logo, you must already be doing business as that name. Because of this, we can't trademark a name before your company is actively using it. Therefore, you will need to apply for trademark registration after you have purchased the name. When you purchase a domain from BrandBucket, you will own it 100%. However, all domain names worldwide must be kept registered at a registrar like Godaddy or similar that you choose. You will pay the registration fees to whichever registrar you decide to use. The price of registration varies at each registrar, but it generally ends up being around $10-15 per year for a .com domain name. Registration is annual but can be paid up for years in advance, which we suggest you do. BrandBucket serves as a third-party marketplace and escrow agent for domain names. We only offer refunds if either of these two conditions are met: - The buyer contacts us within 24 hours of purchase requesting a refund. - The seller fails to initiate the domain name transfer within 10 business days from the time of purchase. Buyers are advised to perform all necessary diligence prior to making a purchase. Your purchase is 100% confidential. Any personal information you share with BrandBucket is kept private, even from the domain seller. We never publicize any sale on our marketplace. A brand name is a name that you use to identify a family of products, services, or a single line of products or services that a company offers. For instance, Apple is the brand name used on most products manufactured by Apple, Inc. In this example, the business name and brand name are the same, a common use case. Your brand name is who you are to your customers. It is the pillar your business's public image will be built around. The products or services you offer can also have their own brand names. You may want to create new brand names for products or services that differ from your core business offering, for example: - UberEats - Food delivery by Uber - Amazon Web Services - Cloud computing from Amazon - Google Maps - Web mapping service from Google Registered Business Name A business name is the legally registered name of your business. You'll use your business name to create contracts, open bank accounts, pay taxes, and any other administrative related activities. Most business names contain the business's brand name, followed by the company's chosen business structure, for example: - Walmart Inc. - Verizon Inc. - Grasshopper LLC However, they don't necessarily have to be the same. In some cases, the business name is completely different from the brand name. This is most common in large businesses that have multiple brands housed under a single parent company, for example: - Brand Name: Google - Business Name: Alphabet Inc. - Brand Name: MailChimp - Business Name: The Rocket Science Group LLC A domain name is your website name - the internet address where people can access your website. Think of a domain as the address to the online version of your business. Every domain is one-of-a-kind. No website has the same web address as another website. Ideally, your domain name should be an exact match to your brand name. Think of your favorite companies. Odds are, their domain name is identical to their brand name. Apple's domain name is Apple.com; Amazon's domain name is Amazon.com. Having a matching domain ensures that people can easily find your brand online. What can a top brand name with a matching .com do for your business? Here are few of the many advantages of owning a premium business domain: Trust - Online, there are subtle clues that all of us subconsciously take into consideration to determine whether or not a business is legitimate and trustworthy. Having a great business name paired with a matching .com (by far the most trusted domain extension) signals to customers that you care about and are willing to invest in your brand. It makes your business and your brand messaging easier to trust. Authority - Owning a .com version of a fantastic brand name is a big signal to the world that your business means business, right out of the gate. This can lead to accelerated customer acquisition, more industry partnership opportunities, and press attention. SEO - Having a business domain that matches what customers are using in searches can lead to increased SEO, higher page ranking, and better quality traffic. Retention - Brand retention is critical for organically acquiring and keeping customers. A short, catchy, and unique business name makes your brand easier to remember, and having a matching .com means that consumers who hear about you offline will find you easily online. Save on marketing spend - Investing in a premium domain can save you a fortune in marketing spend down the line. You'll spend less of your valuable marketing budget and efforts on brand awareness, as your name will do much of the work for you. Our customers are primarily entrepreneurs looking for a quick and easy way to find a great brand name for their company. That's why when evaluating and appraising domain names, our central focus is whether they would also make great business names. What makes a great brand name? Here are some of the branding and linguistic traits we take into consideration: - Length - Great names are concise and to the point. The shorter, the better! - Common phrase/expression - Names that are based on real phrases and expressions make great brand names because of their built-in familiarity and inherent catchiness. - Letter order - Some letters are more valuable than others and better together, especially when it comes to the first letters of a name. - Pronunciation and spelling - Names should be easy to say and understand. It should also be spelled as it sounds. - Industry match - Names should be a good fit for a particular industry, or be broad enough to attract buyers from multiple sectors. - Longevity - Great brand names are broad enough in scope to grow with a company as it expands and not die when trends fade. - Uniqueness - Great brand names are easy to spot because they stand out in a crowd. - Memorability - A brand name is no good unless people can easily remember it. These criteria, along with historical sales data and current marketplace conditions, are used to determine whether a name is accepted to our marketplace, and how it's priced. Every name on our marketplace must score high in most or all of these categories to even be accepted. With an acceptance rate of only 10% of names submitted to our marketplace, BrandBucket sets a very high bar for the names we select. Customers Also Loved The following are business names for sale with similar qualities to uhuh.com

http://www.uhuh.com/unreal/moncur.htm

Religion

en

The narrow gauge train travelling from Lagos to Kano derailed at Farin Ruwa, near Jaji in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing the train driver in the process. Malam Abdullahi Alhaji, Public Relations Officer, Northern Regional District of the Nigeria Railways Corporation (NRC), Zaria, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria on Thursday. According to Alhaji, Bala Kawu, the driver of the train, died during the incident as the cargo train was conveying soft drinks to Kano. He said the incident happened as a result of vandalization of the slippers and other accessories of the rail track in the area. Alhaji said rescue efforts are currently ongoing to recover the remains of the deceased to salvage the situation for the train to continue its journey to Kano. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/03/one-dies-as-lagos-kano-train-derails-in-kaduna/

Politics

en

The chief pastor of the worldwide Catholic Church, Pope Francis has asked everyone to "pray to the Lord for Nigeria, so that every form of violence might always be avoided". AllNews reports that the West African nation has been engulfed by two weeks of massive protests against the government’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which were sparked by a video depicting a man being shot by SARS officers in Ughelli, Delta State. SARS has long been accused of carrying out harassment, extortion, torture, and murder. The demonstrations, conducted under the banner #EndSARS, led the Nigerian government to dissolve the controversial police unit. However, the demonstrations have persisted and turned violent as protesters demand broader changes to policing and overall, good governance. Amid the unrest in major parts of Nigeria, Pope Francis took to his verified Twitter handle on Sunday to enjoin people to uphold values of social harmony. Let us pray to the Lord for Nigeria, so that every form of violence might always be avoided, in the constant search of social harmony through the promotion of justice and the common good. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 25, 2020 Since the protests began, estimates are that at least 100 individuals have lost their lives; 48 of whom were killed on 'Black Tuesday' alone. Black Tuesday is the latest in a long history of police and military campaigns in Nigeria against the civilian population.

https://allnews.ng/news/nigeria-unrest-what-pope-asked-each-person-to-do

Religion

en

One of the ponzi schemes in Nigeria, Ultimate Cycler has crashed, sending panic waves across many of its Nigerian members who have invested their money in it as well as those who have equally invested in others such as MMM. The ponzi website, Ultimate Cycler went down early Thursday morning, specifically around 10:30am(Nigerian time), shutting out every member who owns an account with it. When accessed, the site initially displayed an error line of code, before displaying ”Error 500” in bold letters, then it proceeded to display another message: “Be right back. We are currently updating the site to give you a more pleasurable experience and will be back online shortly. Our update estimation is to be complete over the next 6 – 12 hours. Thank you, Peter Wolfing.” Ultimate Cycler is a new ponzi scheme that followed MMM. This new money doubling scheme claims a promise of better returns on invested money than MMM. The hook for Ultimate Cycler is members get a return of N50,000 after paying N12,500 to a fellow member he or she registered under. As at the time of filing this report, the ponzi website has still not come to life. Dangers for members who have invested in it or others like MMM is that when such websites go down, chances are that it never comes up again and hence, “investors'” money goes with it. So, will Ultimate Cycler ever come back to life? This is question on the minds of every member. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/fear-grips-nigerians-mmm-others-ponzi-website-ultimate-cycler-crashes/

Business

en

LAGOS—NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday, lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged refusal to obey court orders, describing it as a national embarrassment. Soyinka spoke as many prominent Nigerians called for the restructuring of the country as a way out of the present challenges against the unity of the country. They spoke at the Handshake Across Nigeria summit titled: ‘Nigeria beyond oil’, organised by Nzuko Umunna and The Core Federalists, which took place in Lagos. The summit was graced by prominent Nigerians, among whom were the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Maj-Gen Ike Nwachukwu (retd); Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Young Progressive Party, YPP, presidential candidate, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu among others. Soyinka, in his presentation, upbraided the administration’s failure to obey court orders particularly on the cases involving Shi’ite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and erstwhile National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd). His words: “Forgiveness is a virtue. Although, I have the same temperament with my late friend, Tai Solarin, but it is a national embarrassment that our President has refused to obey laws. Citizens should not be the one to choose the laws to obey. “We want the government to understand that they are part of the community and have been given a mission of carrying out the will of the people. When we talk about governance, we are talking about an instrument for the execution of people’s policy. Insecurity has reached a certain level that even when we bring experts in they wonder what exactly they have come to do. They are given a certain problem to solve, and when they arrived here they meet another problem. “One way of stopping the bloodbath is to reconfigure the nation. States must be given maximum control over their resources. There are some, who prefer to grow rice, there are others who prefer to grow religion and we know where religion has taken us today. Some people will like to say, it is not really religion that has gotten us to where we are, I agree with you; but some people have manipulated religion to suit their purpose. The effect of those who manipulated it is disastrous. If some people prefer to grow rice, and others to grow Sharia, then, both sides should be given the means to develop. “Those insisting on restructuring do so because they know that there is something wrong with the state of Nigeria. Many times, Nigerians have come together to proffer solutions and the way forward for the country, but after spending so much time and effort, nothing ever comes out of it. The recommendations are left to gather dust. How much longer shall we continue like this?” Nwachukwu canvasses return to old regions Nwachukwu, who was the chairman of the occasion, cautioned that Nigeria could only reap the benefits of its potentials through a return to the old regions. Nwachukwu said: “As we prepare for the elections, it is pertinent to remind members of the INEC that theirs is a sacred trust. Though appointed by the government, they are responsible to the people of Nigeria. To make INEC truly independent, there is the need to review the system of appointing its members.” Nwodo chides opponents of restructuring Ohanaeze President, Chief Nwodo, in his speech, said: “Those campaigning against restructuring in Nigeria have painted an unfortunate and untrue picture that those of us in support of restructuring are doing so in order to deny the northern states, who have not yet any proven oil reserves of the ability to survive. This is unfortunate. The new model we propose for Nigeria recognizes that revenue in the world today is promoted by two main sources namely, human capital development leveraging on technology to drive the critical sectors of the economy and agriculture. “Nigeria beyond oil must contemplate the implementation of legislative independence to the federating units, sovereignty of mineral and oil resources to the federating units, a painstaking resolve to support all electoral processes and candidates that would bring about this change.” Adebanjo harps on restructuring A chieftain of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Adebanjo, expressed shock at the differences in opinion shared by President Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. Adebanjo said: “It is unfortunate that both President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo do not understand each other as regards restructuring. I do not know why the Vice President, who is a Professor of Law, does not know what it entails. “If you do not restructure, the country would break up. If you say that the unity of the country is non-negotiable, then you do not have a choice than to restructure.” We won’t decide for people — NEF boss The Director-General of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Yima Sen, however, differred saying: “As a group, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has met several times with the northern governors and the northern traditional rulers over the issue of restructuring and discussions are still ongoing. But one thing we have decided is that we are going to dialogue with our people and know what they want. Most often, the elites push an agenda because they think that is what those they are leading want and they usually do it out of pride and arrogance. “We need to move from the level of sentiments to the scientific. It is important that when such important issues are discussed, the elites should be humble enough to ask their people what they want and that is what we are doing. We are not going to decide for our people whether they want restructuring or not. We are going to ask them and listen to what they have to say.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/dasuki-el-zakzaky-buharis-failure-to-obey-court-orders-a-national-embarrassment-soyinka/amp/

Politics

en

Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abuja More details about how the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested have emerged. Kanu’s lead defence counsel, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on Friday night, confirmed that his client was arrested and detained for eight day by Kenya’s Special Police Force, before he was eventually handed over to their Nigerian counterpart. Ejiofor who made the disclosure shortly after his team were permitted by the Department of State Service, DSS, to have a meeting with Kanu, said his client was arrested in Kenya on June 18. In a statement he posted on his Facebook page, Ejiofor, said his client was tortured and subjected to various forms of inhuman treatment in Kenya, a situation he said worsened his health condition. ALSO READ: UNIUYO shuts hostels as suspected rival cult groups clash, kill one The statement titled ‘Update on meeting with MNK today, 2nd July 2021’, read: “My Client – Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was actually abducted by the accursed Kenya’s Special Police Force on the 18th of June 2021 at their International Airport, and consequently taken to an undisclosed residence under dehumanizing conditions. “He was tortured and subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment which worsened his health condition. “He was illegally detained for eight (8) good DAYS in Kenya before being transfered to their Nigerian counterpart. “He was purportedly investigated on a bogus charge while in their custody, ostensibly, awaiting to be handed over after their findings proved him innocent of all the spurious allegations. “They later beckoned on their Nigerian Counterpart to take over. “Kenyan Government was deeply involved in the abduction, detention and ill-treatment of my client before the illegal handover to their Nigerian counterpart. “A scan of his heart showed that the heart has enlarged by 13% due to the dehumanizing treatment meted to him. “There will be need for immediate proper medical examination and attention for him. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu conveyed his goodwill message to all IPOB family members worldwide, and craved for your unrelentless prayers. “We are going back to the Court for the needful. Other details cannot be entertained here. “His fortified legal team will address these infractions at the proper forum as we progress. Other details on our legal strategy, may not be made public. “With Chukwuokike Abiama on our side, Victory is assured. For if God Almighty be for us, who can be against us?”. Ejiofor had earlier on Friday, revealed that the DSS had acceded to request by Kanu’s legal team to have audience with him. A post he made to that effect read: “Update. Thankfully, our effort is yielding the desired result, We have just received a communication approving Our visit to Our Client- Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Shall keep the World posted on the outcome, immediately after the meeting, later in the Day. God is with Us”. ALSO READ: Railway vandals should be charged for manslaughter ― Amaechi The defence lawyer had in a series of posts he made on Thursday, vowed to go to court should the DSS decline application to allow Kanu to have access to his defence team. He equally hinted that Kanu would be applying to be transferred from DSS custody to a Correctional Center. “If at the close of work today, nothing is heard from Department of State Security Sevices, we will be returning back to Court for the needful.DSS custody shouldn’t be the appropriate custody to keep our client, because they are hostile not only to we lawyers but his relatives too. “As it stand today, we cannot verify the health status of Our Client Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has hitherto been on a daily medication. “It is most plausible, that following retriction placed on visiting him, he may have been subjected to all forms of inhuman treatments ranging from torture, roughhandling and threats, all targeted at extracting confessional statement from him. “The World is hereby placed on Notice that if anything happen to Our Client-Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is presumably being subjected to these inhuman treatments. “The Nigeria Government will be held responsible. Our Client is inherently and Constitutionslly presumed innocent of all allegations against him, particularly now the Government has submitted to judicial process. “We still apply for calm from all corners as we expedite legal action”, Ejiofor stated. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/kanu-tortured-for-8-days-by-kenyas-special-police-lawyer-alleges/

Politics

en

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke …You’re chasing shadows – PDP Shina Abubakar, Osogbo The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun state has called on the State Government to come clean on the whereabout and health status of Governor Ademola Adeleke. According to the opposition party, the governor has been conspicuously absent from the state since 31 days ago, alleging that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration has been holding back information on the governor’s mission outside the country. The APC Chairman in the state, Tajudeen Lawal in a statement issued by the party’s Media Director, Kola Olabisi on Monday the manner the governor’s media handlers handles his whereabout is enough to show that the administration is hiding something from the public. It reads partly, “The contradicting reasons for the absence of Adeleke from the state for 30 clears days are enough reasons to suspect and conclude that the governor is using falsehood to deceive the people of the state which is an indication that he has something to hide. “Any mortal can fall sick any time and anywhere. It however, becomes a matter of public interest when someone who is politically-exposed like Governor Adeleke is now found wanting in the performance of his constitutional responsibilities. “A camelion which walks gently falls sick to talk less of a frog that daily hits its whole body against the ground. There is no human being who could be engaging in the dancing style of Governor Adeleke at 60 plus that would not have one or two health challenges to contend with. “The long and short of our sermon is that Osun State is not an individual enterprise that can be run outside the provisions of the constitution. The governor needs to sit up to his constitutional responsibilities of providing qualitative governance for the people of Osun State as anything short of this is balderdash Reacting, Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi in a statement by the party’s Media Director, Oladele Bamiji, insisted that the Governor was on vacation and due to arrive this week. “Mr Governor has used the one month vacation to relax, to reenergize, refresh, and recharge as he starts his second year in office. You remember the Governor granted an interview on both radio and newspapers to mark his one year in office, and I can tell you our Governor has no health challenges. It is not a crime to take a vacation after working so hard for 12 good months.” “Even while on vacation, the Governor was coordinating his team from his vacation. He launched the implementation of the Multi-billion Infra Plan project. Everybody can see the ongoing work at Oke-fia – Lameco Junction. Our Governor is even working while on vacation.” “As soon as the Governor arrives this week, Osun should be prepared for more delivery of dividends of democracy and good governance. Osun APC is just chasing shadows. The Adeleke governorship is the best for the state”, it reads partly. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/12/disclose-adelekes-whereabout-health-status-apc-asks-osun-govt/

Politics

en

A Victim of Bomb Blast At A Television Viewing Centre in Tudun Wada Area of Jos Metropolis Receiving Treatment At Jenvak Hospital in Jos on Tuesday Night (24/4/12).NAN Jos – One of the victims of Tuesday’s explosion in Tudun Wada, Jos, Mr Felix Samtiem, 30, says he only saw himself “lying helplessly’’ on the ground when the bomb went off close to his seat at a football viewing centre. “I just heard some loud sound and discovered that I was on the ground and unable to stand even when many others were shouting and rushing out. I just tried to crawl, “ Samtiem said. He told reporters in Jos on Wednesday on his hospitals bed at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, that the bomb went off “very close” to where he was sitting and that many people were thrown to the ground. The bomb exploded around 9.00 p.m. while soccer fans were watching the UEFA semi final match between Barcelona FC and Chelsea FC. “When it happened, virtually everybody was thrown to the ground. My legs are badly hurt. I hope I can still walk,” he said. Another victim, Mr Jerry Boyaks, said he would not have been affected by the blast if his wife did not fall ill that evening. “My wife developed fever that evening and I went out to get some drugs for her. It was while I was returning home that the blast occurred. “The route to my house is close to the viewing centre and that was my undoing. I was only passing when the incident occurred. “I began to run when I heard the loud bang, but I didn’t realise I was injured on my left leg till I got home and saw blood oozing out,’’ Boyaks said. Another victim, Mr Yusuf Dido, said only God saved his life as he was very close to the side where the blast occurred. “The fan that died here in the hospital was sitting next to me. I thank God I am alive even though I sustained injuries on my elbow and waist. “At first, I thought nothing was wrong with me till I finally found my way out of the centre. I started feeling pains around my waist and discovered my elbow was bleeding, “ he said. Boyaks said that it would have been terrible if the perpetrators had succeeded in planting the bomb inside the viewing centre. One person had died while nine of the football fans are still receiving treatment in two hospitals in Jos. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/jos-bomb-i-only-saw-myself-helpless-on-the-ground-victim/

Politics

en

…Warns against non-compliance with environmental laws By Olasunkanmi Akoni Lagos State Government, through the state Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has reopened the popular Ladipo auto spare parts market in Mushin area of the state. Recall that the market was shut last month after several warnings and notices for sundry environmental infractions, including improper waste disposal and several unhygienic practices. The market was subsequently reopened for business by LAWMA, after substantial compliance with rules and regulations, to sustain clean and hygienic environment in the market. The Managing Director of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, through, Head of Public Affairs, Hakeem Akinleye, who disclosed this, said that the market was reopened having met the demands set for the resumption of business activities there. He revealed that the leadership of the market has signed an undertaken not to breach any environmental laws or any market and there be any violation of the state’s environmental laws, the extant laws of the state will be brought to bear on them. Odumboni stated that the Authority would not condone any form of indiscriminate waste dumping and other environmental infractions, especially at market facilities across the state, adding that such acts had attendant negative consequences on the environment and residents. He said further that LAWMA would continue to monitor the situation at Ladipo market and other marketplaces, to ensure full compliance with the environmental laws of state, warning that the Authority would not hesitate to shut errant shopping centers found to pose dangers to the environment. Odumboni, therefore, appealed to residents to imbibe the attitude of keeping the environment clean at all times, by bagging their wastes and patronising assigned PSP operators, adding that LAWMA was totally committed to making Lagos cleaner and livable for all. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/just-in-lagos-reopens-ladipo-market/

Business

en

By Vincent Ujumadu Awka- TENSION is mounting at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka following a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Joseph Ahaneku by the president of the Students Union Government, SUG, Mr. Noble Eyisi over some perceived anomalies in the institution. As the students were circulating the letter in the campus,Tuesday, security operatives tried as much as they could to mop up the document, but it was late as most people in the university community had got copies of it. In the letter, several allegations were leveled against the VC by the SUG, most of which bordering on corrupt tendencies. For instance, the SUG alleged that for the first time, Year 1 students were asked to pay the sum of N7500 for what the school management called ‘Biometric Capturing fee’, adding that with about 6000 students admitted this session paying the amount, the sum of N45 million was collected and wondered what the money has been used for . The students’ union president also demanded to know how the students union dues paid annually were utilized because, according to him, the students who are the sole owners of the money have been demanding to know how much is in the account. Other demands of the students include reasons behind the hike of the post-UME fee from N1000 to N2000 by the present management of the university, why the management objected to the food price of N150 per plate initiated by the SUG, why SUG officials were not paid allowances as obtainable in other tertiary institutions and why the VC initiates and carries out policies that directly affect the students without consulting them. The letter said: “Our dear VC, the students are the bedrock of any university. We demand that you take us as your utmost priority. As this is a federal institution and in view of the trending change and zero corruption in Nigeria through our president –elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, we demand a transparent system and a complete students- oriented government.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/tension-in-unizik-as-sug-president-queries-vc-on-alleged-corruption/

Education

en

Jonathan Goodluck and PDP governors in Bayelsa By Henry Umoru ABUJA- NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Tuesday said that the All Progressives Congress, APC led government has come clearly with what it termed, police state policy. Speaking Tuesday at the PDP National Secretariat when he received briefing from the Taraba state Governor, Ishaku Darius on the recent election tribunal verdict that nullified his status as governor of the state, PDP Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said that for the love for peace, the PDP failed to challenge the 2015 Presidential election. Secondus who cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against what he described as ‘brazen impunity’ specially designed to punish members of PDP by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government agencies, warned that enough is enough of that, adding that the President requires peace in the country to govern well. The PDP acting National Chairman who warned that the party will no longer accept the situation where the APC led Federal Government connive with security agencies to rob PDP some of its states at the tribunals, stressed for the Taraba primary election, the PDP followed every stage of the Electoral Act and the PDP guideline in the submission of the governor and his deputy to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that the electoral body never rejected them. Prince Secondus who expressed shocked at the ground of the nullification of the election, vowed that the law would take its course, just as he accused the APC led Federal Government of using security agencies to write tribunal judgments. Secondus who alleged that there was a grand design by the APC to take Taraba, Rivers nd Bayelsa states led PDP states governments by all means there-by planting seed of discord amongst the people, however urged President Muhammadu Buhari to note that without peace, he cannot govern the country well and for that reason “we did not go to the tribunal to challenge the presidential election.” According to him, crises looms in these states where the APC plans to take away the wishes of the people and also in the south East, adding that the party was solidly behind the Taraba state governor to exercise all legal avenues at his disposal to challenge the election tribunal judgement against him. Secondus said, “There is a grand plan to takeover PDP states. The tribunal judgement is a conspiracy. We believe in the judiciary, we believe that justice will done, we believe that nobody will coarse the judiciary. “The president should know there will be no development without peace. The president needs peace to drive his change. There is tension everywhere. The government should engage South East where people are protesting, in a discussion but not to coarse or arrest them. “There is crisis in the land. Government should dialogue with the people.” Earlier, Governor of Taraba, Ishaku Darius who noted that he was at the National Secretariat to intimate his decision to challenge the tribunal judgement against him, just as he described it as an accidental discharge, adding that the “tribunal judgement was a very rude shock to people of the state. “I am not shaken God is on His throne. I will defend the mandate Taraba people gave to me. Light must defeat darkness. I’m appealing the judgement of the Kangaroo tribunal and I’m confident that there are still good judges that would give good judgement. I have confidence in judiciary but there is corruption in the judiciary. Just like in every profession, there are bad eggs. “There are good drivers and there are bad drivers. It is unfortunate that this driver (of the tribunal) was a bad driver. That judgement was an accidental discharge.” The governor expressed surprise that a tribunal, which held that he won the election could delve into pre-election matter, adding that the judgement was a rude shock to the people of Taraba, and advised President Muhammadu Buhari to start his anti-corruption fight from tribunal judges if he wants to succeed in his war against corruption. The governor told the party leadership that normalcy has returned to Wukari area of the state where there was violence, and charged the political class to ensure safety of lives of their supporters. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/stop-impunity-you-need-peace-to-govern-pdp-tells-buhari/

Politics

en

Jonathan lacked will power to fight corruption – Clark … Hails Buhari’s anti-graft crusade … Quits partisan politics The Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday said former president Goodluck Jonathan lacked the political will to fight corruption while in office. He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s ongoing anti-corruption crusade. The former federal commissioner for Information also announced his retirement from partisan politics. Clark said he has quit the Peoples Democratic Party and will not join the ruling All Progressive Congress. Despite announcing his retirement from politics, the elder statesman said he will continue to speak out against any form of injustice anywhere in the country. Clark, who spoke while hosting the “Think Nigeria First Initiative” group, who visited him at his Asokoro Residence, Abuja, said Jonathan meant well for Nigeria but lacked political will to tackle corrupt politicians in the country. He said, “I have joined the group of those who don’t belong to any political party anymore. “I no longer belong to the PDP. I won’t go to the APC either, but I will continue to talk as an elder statesman and leader of this country. I have left politics. If anyone comes to me to say he’s running for any elective position in PDP or APC, I won’t support you. I’m not a member of the PDP anymore. “I’m a true Nigerian. I have Muslims in my house even though I’m a Christian. Boko Haram is a problem of all of us and we must fight it together.” He reiterated his support for Buhari’s quest to fight corruption and urged Nigerians to support him. “It is not everything done by the opponent that is wrong. I will therefore support the policies that are for the good of the country because Nigeria belongs to all of us.” “We are all to support him, particularly in his determination to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. For eight years Obasanjo legalised corruption. Yet, he’s the one talking about corruption. If your brother is arrested, did he give you money? If your sister was arrested for corruption, did she give you money? “Nobody should distract Buhari from fighting corruption. People should stop talking about sectional or selective justice. “Jonathan didn’t have the political will-power to fight corruption. He’s too a gentleman. Drivers of yesterday are living in palatial buildings now under his government. In advanced countries, when you are living above your means, people query you. That’s not so in Nigeria. Former governors and lawmakers are now asking for immunity. “Jonathan meant well for this country, but the will power to fight corruption was not there. “In an ideal society, when a man who earns 20,000 as his monthly salary and all of a sudden he acquire something that is worth N100,000, he should be questioned, but here in Nigeria, immunity has covered those that should be questioned. “That is not the kind of country that we want. Being a gentleman is not enough to govern this country.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/jonathan-lacked-will-power-to-fight-corruption-clark/

Politics

en

A mother thumb prints her finger to be accredited to vote at a polling station in Daura, Katsina State, during presidential elections on March 28, 2015. Voting in Nigeria’s general election has been extended to March 29 in 300 out of 150,000 polling stations, the electoral commission said, after technical glitches marred polling nationwide. AFP PHOTO …Says INEC Still Collating Authentic Figures The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerians to totally disregard misleading figures being circulated by the APC in the social media as results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in some polling booths. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement, Sunday, said the figures were “fake and do not represented the true results which are currently being collated by INEC, the only body authorized to release and announce results”. “The APC in its desperation for power has resorted to posting fake results in the social media in a bid to ambush the electoral commission, mislead the unsuspecting public to believe it is winning, all in furtherance of its grand plot to cause confusion and set the stage for violence when the authentic results are finally released. “We therefore alert Nigerians to be on their guard and close ranks in resisting the APC’s plot to plunge the nation into chaos and anarchy. Our democracy has come to stay and the will of the people must prevail over and above the parochial ambition of a selfish few. “Finally, we strongly caution the APC against its acts of desperation and use of dishonest methods including physical attacks against our members and supporters as these pose great threat to our democracy, the unity and stability of our dear nation. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/apc-posting-fake-results-says-pdp/

Politics

en

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has responded to allegations that President Buhari spent about $15 million for the treatment of his ear infection in the UK earlier in the year. He was responding to the allegation by a renown journalism veteran, Professor Farooq Kperogi. Mr Shehu, in a statement on his Facebook page said: “The disclosure on Professor Farooq Kperogi’s wall that President Muhammadu Buhari’s ear treatment in the United Kingdom cost a whopping six million pounds must have shocked many of the respected scholar’s followers. “The story reads like an incredible tale by moonlight that belongs to a different era, which fortunately is now history. That’s when a fortunate lady saved $15 million for medical treatment! “But was it possible that the account of this balanced journalism teacher was hacked? I will give him the benefit of the doubt. “Given the austere president we have, Muhammadu Buhari would not have approved this amount if he was shown a six million Pounds bill. I won’t be surprised if the President may have asked if the fat bill was for the purchase of a brand new pair of ears. “I’m prepared to share documents with Farooq, one of the brightest ever produced from the Bayero University Kano (BUK) that the whole treatment, including a follow-up visit by a specialist to Nigeria didn’t cost 50,000 pounds. “For the records, the administration advanced a higher sum, but the President’s doctor returned the balance to the treasury. “Indeed, it’s a new day, and President Buhari’s change mantra is real. Let no one confuse my fellow countrymen and women.” Shehu said.

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/09/19/buharis-ear-treatment-didnt-cost-50000-pounds-garba-shehu/

Politics

en

Religious, former political leaders plotting to ‘overthrow’ Buhari – Presidency By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja The Presidency has alert of an alleged plot by some Nigerians, working with foreign elements, to overthrow the current administration. In a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the Presidency attributed its allegation to a recent alert by the Department of State Services (DSS). However, while vowing to decisively deal with the alleged plot and its masterminds, the Presidency reiterated that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was legally constituted, following a popular election process. The Presidency, which categorically pointed at some unnamed religious and former political leaders as masterminds, claimed to be in possession of evidence to prove its allegation of plots to pull the government down. According to the statement, the Presidency observed that recent agitations by various groups and individuals were actually being orchestrated with the intent to create an atmosphere suiting for passing a vote-of-no-confidence on President Buhari. It, however, vowed to do all it would take to ensure that the country is kept together throughout the remaining days of the mandate of the current administration in 2023, not minding whose ox would be gored. “The Department of State Services (DSS), on Sunday alerted on sinister moves by misguided elements to wreak havoc on the government, sovereignty and corporate existence of the country. “Championed by some disgruntled religious and past political leaders, the intention is to eventually throw the country into a tailspin, which would compel a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership. “Further unimpeachable evidence shows that these disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed on the President, thus throwing the land into further turmoil. “The caterwauling, in recent times, by these elements, is to prepare the grounds adequately for their ignoble intentions, which are designed to cause further grief for the country. “The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections. “Nigerians have opted for democratic rule, and the only accepted way to change a democratically elected government is through elections, which hold at prescribed times in the country. Any other way is patently illegal, and even treasonable. Of course, such would attract the necessary consequences. “These discredited individuals and groups are also in cahoots with external forces to cause maximum damage in their own country. “But the Presidency, already vested with mandate and authority by Nigerians till 2023, pledges to keep the country together, even if some unruly feathers would be ruffled in the process,” the statement reads.

https://thenationonlineng.net/religious-former-political-leaders-plotting-to-overthrow-buhari-administration-presidency/

Politics

en

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor After many months of investigating the atrocities allegedly committed by the First Group, a property firm said to be based in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, closed down the Abuja Office of the entity, accusing it of fleecing unsuspecting Nigerians to the tune of $200 billion. The sealed office of the company is located on the 7th floor of Bank of Industry Building in the Central Business District, Abuja. A top source in EFCC said the firm was shut because it was implicated in what it called ‘phony real estate scam in which innocent Nigerians were duped to the tune of $200 billion. According to the anti-graft agency, it is as a result of the scam that the commission raided the Abuja office in May this year as part of its investigations into the alleged large-scale fraud perpetrated by the Group. “Investigations into the scam revealed that the company originally known as TFG Real Estate Limited operates in Nigeria in the guise of being The First Group Company, a Dubai-based real estate firm, which is not registered in Nigeria. “The modus operandi of the company is to lure innocent Nigerians interested in owning properties in Dubai, into parting with their hard-earned money. “They are mandated to make the payment in instalments; however, the payment is deliberately structured in such a way that the debt is difficult to offset, and as soon as one defaults, the money will be “seized” by the company. “The company is implicated in a phony real estate scam in which innocent Nigerians were duped to the tune of $200 billion. “EFCC operatives had in May 2016 raided the office as part of investigations in the alleged property fraud. Several implicating documents were discovered, including a list of high profile patrons,” the source said. Attempts to get reaction from the corporate headquarters of the firm in Dubai were unsuccessful as the office claimed ignorance of sealing of the property in Abuja. The office, which was contacted by Vanguard around 6p.m. on ++971 4 455 0282, said they would, however, get in touch with our correspondent in future date in order to respond to the development. A message on the TFG website claims, among other things, that: “When you invest in property with The First Group, our promise is to provide you with much more than amazing real estate and lucrative returns. “Ownership with us gives you instant membership to our prestigious club and access to a world of exciting rewards and privileges, from cash returns and investment property credit to fully paid Dubai holidays. We invite you to discover more about these outstanding benefits, created exclusively for our owners. “As a property owner with The First Group, you are our top priority. Our commitment to you is to ensure you enjoy a superior level of service that goes above and beyond simply buying an amazing property in Dubai. “This is why we have created a specialised company, The First Group Asset Management, to look after every aspect of your finished investment property. “Their highly skilled team of industry specialists have an impressive track record spanning decades of experience in the global hotel and property market. Our property investors can rest assured that they are in expert hands. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the rewards of a truly effortless investment.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/200bn-scam-efcc-seals-first-group-office-abuja/

Business

en

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) has boasted that the #ENDSARS protest will not in any way affect the party's chances of victory at the 2023 Presidential election. According to Dailypost, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Yakubu Nabena said the #ENDSARS protest will not affect the party's chances of remaining in power come 2023. READ ALSO: US Rescue Mission: Explain How You Handled Chibok Girls Abduction, APC Slams PDP The party's spokesperson further urged Nigerians not to connect #ENDSARS with political activities. “I don’t think so, how many people have been confirmed dead or their bodies in the mortuary based on the analysis and censors taken so far on the Lekki toll gate massacre? “You see, we also have to look at the political tune under this, everything must not be about politics though. Yes there was genuine demand for police reform but at this point, allowing politicians to come in with hoodlums to cause a crisis is the adverse effect of it. “The issue we should be looking at now is how government can reform the police completely; you know SARS is just a name,” he said. Following the treatment meted on the #ENDSARS protesters by security operatives and the reactions of the Nigerian government, there have been agitations for the removal of APC at the 2023 elections, with some social media influencers urging Nigerians to vote out the APC in 2023.

https://allnews.ng/news/2023-presidency-endsars-protest-not-a-threat-to-our-victory-apc

Politics

en

BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI Following President Muhammad Buhari’s directives to military to move its command centre to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital fight Boko Haram sect, the authorities of the Nigerian Army has heeded to the order and concluded arrangement for all Service Chiefs to move in tomorrow (Tuesday). The establishment of the Command centre for ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ was contained in a press statement signed by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman and made available to our Correspondent in Maiduguri on Monday. “In compliance with Presidential pronouncement and the Chief of army Staff’s directive, a reconnaissance and advance team for the establishment of Military Command and Control Centre (MCCC) for Operation Zaman Lafiya for the fight against terrorism and insurgency has moved to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. “The team, which is led by a Two -Star General, has already commenced work in earnest and it is comprised of elements of the officer of the Chief of Army Staff, all the relevant Army Headquarters Departments and other combat support components. The centre will serve as a forward command base for the Chief of Army Staff and other service chiefs. “The centre is essentially an elaboration of an already existing Army Headquarters Command and Control arrangement. From now on, the fight against terrorism and insurgency would be monitored, coordinated and controlled from this centre. “I wish to inform you also that its establishment would not create another layer of Command structure but would add impetus and renewed vigour to Operation Zaman Lafiya, all aimed at bringing terrorism and insurgency to an end. “However, an alternate command centre is also being established in Yola, the Adamawa state capital of the north east”. Colonel Usman stated. End. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/military-bows-to-buhari-moves-command-control-centre-to-maiduguri/

Politics

en

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has denied referring to former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he spoke with the Senate Press Corps on Tuesday. A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja on Wednesday described reports that Saraki referred to ex-president as “mere mischief and misrepresentation’’. Olaniyonu said the Senate president would not use the media to respond to Obasanjo directly or indirectly but would only write officially to him as he had earlier said. He said Saraki only responded to two questions which bordered on the feasibility of the 2016 budget and whether the details of the National Assembly Budget would be made public. “The Senate president’s answer on the first question was that the success of the 2016 Budget will depend less on oil price but more on the non-oil and independent revenue. “That is why the Senate will lay emphasis on the scrutiny of these areas as well as ensure that leakages are blocked so that the budget can be realised without any hitch. “On the second question, he reiterated his earlier position that the Senate budget will no longer be a one-line item. “He said details of the budget of the National Assembly will be provided for all to see what goes to what budget head. “He urged all Nigerians to realise that mistakes have been made by all stakeholders in the past and that we should all move forward by ensuring those mistakes are not repeated. “In fact his position that mistakes have been made by all of us in the past was a reference to all stakeholders like political office holders, the media, civil society, professional and business groups, among others.” The statement said the president of the Senate had maintained that he would only write a formal letter to Obasanjo to explain efforts made on some of the issues raised by the former president. It restated that Saraki would not use any public event or the media to give any direct or indirect response to the legitimate points raised by the elder statesman and father of the nation. “The president of the Senate further urged the media to refrain from sensationalism which leads to twisting and misrepresentation of the position of public officers. “The urge to sell newspapers should not override the need for ethical standard and accuracy in presentation of news to be maintained. “The media should equally be sensitive to other people’s feelings,’’ the statement added. Saraki addressed newsmen on Tuesday when he opened the newly refurbished Press Centre for journalists covering the activities of the Senate. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/i-never-referred-to-obasanjo-in-my-speech-saraki/

Politics

en

File: Prepaid meters Momas Electricity Meter Manufacturing Company Ltd. says Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) directives to begin the roll out of new meters by May 1 is not feasible and realistic. Kola Balogun, Chairman of the company, told Newsmen in Lagos on Sunday that rolling out meters by May 1 as directed by the NERC was unachievable, considering other challenges that required attention. On April 5, NERC issued permits to Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) to roll-out new meters not later than May 1, 2019. According to Balogun, the directive cannot work; in the first instance, consumers need to be educated about what is expected of them to have access to MAP licensee. “Secondly, consumers have to be informed on the methods of acquiring meters, whether by payment or by investment. “Lastly, every manufacturer ( licensee) that wants to roll out meters needs a grace of three months to enable them have the meters available in their warehouses. “The modality to start rolling out meters has to be put in place viz a viz all the various documentations that are required and the infrastructure that will make deployment a smooth running, ‘’ he said. “If we are licensed this month (April) three months are enough for us to prepare, that is April May and June, while in July we start implementation. “Except for few numbers of us who have some stock at hand that can roll out but the modality to roll out is also a question. “ Apart from NERC giving licences, we still need processes to be put in place before meters will get to consumers because we need to train the meter installers, they need to be adequately trained on installation in consumers’ premises. “Consumers also need to be educated on payments, there will also be an “EXCO account’’ in the process. These are challenges that require a long period. “While that one is going on, anybody who wants to place an order from manufactures will also be signing a contract agreement for the meters. “Those who want to import will also be making orders for importations,’’ Balogun explained. The indigenous meter manufacturer said he could not fathom how the NERC came up with such directive, because of the time frame required in the processes. “NERC only engaged few MAPs last week and then we have Mojec and others, including two Discos and we still have about 8-9 Discos which are on the process of licensing. “However, the process needs to be expantiated so that the media will have a clear understanding of the issues and the directive. He said that according to NERC perspective, meter prices have been benchmarked on what was accepted for consumers to pay. He said that consumer would be paying between N36,000 to N37,000 on single phase meters and between N63,000 and N67,000 on three phase meters, saying that was the position of the regulator. “We have the capacity to roll out massively, when the projects kick start and we also pray for that. “We have sufficient financial support from financial institutions like the CBN and other financial institutions that will support the schemes to have sufficient fund to rollout meters massively. On April 3, 2018, the NERC introduced the MAP regulation to new investors in the power sector to fast-track the roll-out of meters through the engagement of third-party investors. The Commission issued permits to Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) on April 5 in accordance with section 4(3) of the MAP Regulations 2018, to MAPs that were successful in the procurement conducted by Abuja and Jos Discos. Section 4(3) of the MAP Regulation 2018 require all electricity distribution licensees to engage MAPs that will assist as investors, in closing the metering gap and thus eliminating estimated billing in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/why-may-1-deadline-roll-out-of-new-electricity-meters-not-realistic/

Politics

en

Sen. Buruji Kashamu By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – An Abuja High Court sitting at Apo, on Wednesday, voided the expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu who is representing Ogun East, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Valentine Ashi, equally set aside the expulsion of Ogun State Chairman of the party, Engr Adebayo Dayo. Justice Ashi held that the purported expulsion of the duo was unlawful, saying it was done in flagrant disobedience of a subsisting order the court made on December 7, 2017, and further restated on January 9, 2018. The said order had directed parties in a suit pending before it, which included the PDP, not to do anything to jeopardise the subject matter of the litigation. While re-affirming the order, the court specifically warned the PDP not to carry out any disciplinary action against the Defendants without recourse to the pending proceeding before it. Meantime, in his ruling that nullified the later expulsion of the Plaintiffs, Justice Ashi, equally set aside PDP’s letter dated August 1, conveying the expulsion to Kashamu and Dayo. The judge ordered the National Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus, to within 48 hours of his receipt of the court order, show cause why the court’s disciplinary measure should not be deployed against him for aiding his party to violate a valid court order. In the alternative, why he (Secondus) should not be referred to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice for prosecution, before the Magistrates’ Court of the FCT, for obstructing the course of justice. The ruling followed an application marked: M/8696/2018, which Kashamu and Dayo filed through their lawyer, Mr.Charles Ndukwe. The PDP had on December 4, 2017, sued Kashamu and four others, seeking among others things, an order restraining Kashamu and the other defendants from preventing it from carrying out its legitimate activities, including its national convention that was slated for December 9 and 10, 2017. However, the court, on December 7, 2017, granted PDP’s ex-parte motion and ordered parties to maintain the status quo by refraining from doing anything capable of jeopardising the hearing of both the pending interlocutory application and the substantive suit. Sued with Kashamu were Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe (PDP South West leader), Alhaji Adewale Adeyanju, Engr Adebayo Dayo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On January 9 when the case came up for hearing, the court, upon complaint by Kashamu and Dayo, vacated their suspension by the PDP on the premise that it was carried out while the case was still pending. The court proceeded to restrain the PDP from taking any disciplinary action against the Defendants without first making recourse to the court. Nevertheless, on July 24, PDP announced the expulsion of Kashamu and Dayo via a letter dated August 1, a copy of which was served on the Defendants. Dissatisfied with the action, the duo re-approached the court to seek redress. Ruling on the matter, Justice Ashi agreed with the Applicants (Kashamu and Dayo) that the order made on December 7, 2017 and restated on January 9, 2018 was still binding on the plaintiff (PDP) and all parties despite the fact that PDP subsequently abandoned the case. Justice Ashi noted that even when the main suit was struck out, the counter-claim filed by Kashamu and other defendants was still pending. He rejected PDP’s objection to the suit and held that the legal Action Kashamu filed against the party before the Federal High Court in Abuja was different from the one before his court. “In my view, the Plaintiff/Respondent was in error to have expelled the defendants in utter disregard of the order of the court, including the directive that no disciplinary action should be taken against defendants while this suit subsists. “The facts before me show that there has been a consistent pattern violation of the orders of this court by the respondent (PDP) with impunity. “On the strength of the doctrine of lis pendens, it is wrong for the respondent to have acted this way against the applicants. “It is trite law that where a party carries on an activity which is either out rightly by prohibited by a positive court order or where such party, after having due notice of a pending application brought against him to restrain him from so doing and he nevertheless goes ahead to do those very things that are either expressly prohibited by an order of court or in respect of which notice has been given, this court has the jurisdiction to undo what has been wrongly done and put parties back to the status quo. “In my view, that is what ought to be the justice of this case. Accordingly, and in consequence, I make the following orders: “The purported expulsion of the 1st and 4th defendants from the PDP as announced by the respondent in the media and the letter of expulsion addressed to them and two others, which letter is dated the 1st of August 2018, is hereby set aside and nullified as an act done in gross and wilful violation of an express order of court made on the 8th of December 2017 and the 9th of January 2018 directing parties to maintain the status quo and in particular, not to acrry out any disciplinary action against the applicants without first having recourse to this court. “The said letter of expulsion of the applicants made by the respondent on the 1st of August 2018 is hereby set aside and declared null, void and of no effect, in that it was made in gross violation of the aforesaid subsisting orders of the court. “The National Chairman of the respondent party herein (PDP) is hereby ordered to show cause by affidavit, within 48 hours of the service of this order on him, explaining while the court’s disciplinary measures should not be meted out on him on the account of the contemptuous and gross violation of this court’s order made on the 9th of January 2018 or explaining why this court should not refer his conduct to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution before the Chief Magistrate’s Court of the FCT for the offence of obstruction of the course of justice. “The case is fixed for the hearing of the cause to be shown, as ordered herein on the 17th of October 2018”, Justice Ashi held. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/court-nullifies-pdps-expulsion-of-senator-kashamu-ogun-state-chairman/

Politics

en

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, ABUJA THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its allies will on Wednesday, embark on a nationwide protest over the alleged attempts by some elements at the National Assembly to remove the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. Also read: Crisis looms in National Assembly over alleged lopsided promotions in favour of the North A statement from the NLC headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday stated that the mobilization will start from the Unity Fountain Abuja at 7:30 am to the National Assembly complex. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/breaking-minimum-wage-nlc-to-embark-on-nationwide-protest-on-wednesday/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Politics

en

Pandemonium broke out in Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja, yesterday when members of the State University (LASU) staff unions stormed the secretariat in protest and attacked THISDAY Correspondent, Mr. Gboyega Akinsanmi for covering their protest against LASU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lateef Hussein. The incident happened when Akinsanmi was snapping photographs of the protesting members of the LASU unions which include Non-Academic Staff Union of University (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU) and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). It was the propmt intervention of the officers of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by the squad Commander, Akeem Odumosu that saved the journalist from being beaten to a state of pulb. However, in the process the victim had his middle left finger broken and sustained various injuries on his body. He also had his shirt tore and were on the verge of stripping him naked when the Commander of the RRS intervened. However, in a swift reaction to the assault, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Media Relations Mr. Hakeem Bello condemned the act which he described as “unnecessary†He took Akinsanmi personally to the state house physician, Dr. Alesh who diagnosed the injuries sustained by the reporter. Speaking shortly on his return from the hospital, Akinsanmi stated that it was the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of the University that actually directed his members to attack him. His words: “I was trying to explain to them that I’m a journalist but they refused to listen.†Sequel to the attack, crisis had engulf after the meeting of LASU Governing Board with the state Ministry of Education and the unions’ leadership. It was learnt that the university’s Vice Chancellor was not allowed to leave the ministry, as the mobs waited with an intent to beat him up. The meeting however, ended in deadlock, leaving the union members booing members of the governing board, including the chancellor, Chief Molade Okoya Thomas Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/17/irate-lasu-staff-attack-thisday-reporter/

Politics

en

Ambode flags off commissioning of 114 LG roads ……Commissions Lay-By, Slip Road in Alapere Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Saturday flagged off a week long commissioning of 114 roads newly constructed in all the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State, with a pledge to commence the construction of second round of another 114 roads across the State soon. The construction of the inner roads, which is an initiative of the Ambode administration and in fulfillment of his campaign promise, was geared towards massive intervention on access and link roads, boost security and increase the socio-economic well-being of residents of the State. The newly constructed 114 roads which were designed with walkways, medians, street lights and standard drainage systems, were selected two per each of the 57 LGs and LCDAs in the State. Speaking at the formal flag off of the commissioning ceremony in Ikorodu North LCDA, Governor Ambode said the remarkable feat was not only an eloquent confirmation of a promise kept, but a testimony of the popular saying that nothing can stop a people who have resolved to move forward. The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr, Mrs Idiat Oluranti Adebule, recalled the contract of hope which he signed with the people during the electioneering and his inaugural speech, adding that the completion of the 114 roads was a glorious dawn of community development accelerated through inclusive governance and a historic leap of faith for his administration and the citizens. “This means that the road network in our State of Excellence has increased by 56.1 Kilometers. It means that we have added 112 Kilometres of walkways and covered drains. And it means additional 56.1 kilometres of our roads are being lit by independent powered street lights to improve the security of our neighborhoods, the visibility of pedestrians, commuters and motorists as well as creation of a night economy. “At a time the national economy is facing financial challenges, our administration is able to inject over N19 billion into the economy of our State, stimulating employment and engaging the business sector. “No fewer than 89 local companies executed the road project with thorough supervision by the communities and government. About 5,700 direct jobs were created for professionals, artisans and laborers in the construction industry. A larger number of people, approximately 10,000 suppliers and dependants felt the positive impact of this stimulus package in their lives,” Governor Ambode said. Giving an insight as to how the roads were selected, the Governor said in line with the principle of civic engagement of his administration, Community Development Associations (CDAs) were encouraged to suggest the roads requiring construction according to their needs, adding that the CDAs were also motivated to participate in the monitoring of the projects with the view to taking ownership on completion. He said Jimoh Street in Ikorodu North LCDA which was the first to be commissioned, was one of the community driven projects, adding that the road was picked as the first to be commissioned in appreciation of the diligence of the contractor, DC Engineering for being the first to complete the project within the stipulated six months. He said the road, no doubt, would go a long way in improving the State and make it a preferred investment destination worldwide. Besides, Governor Ambode said the 114 roads would be an annual rite to make Lagos a true megacity, adding that the process for the second round of the 114 road projects had already begun, and urged the residents to be part of it and guard the infrastructures being provided by government jealousy. In a similar development, Governor Ambode also commissioned the Ketu-Alapere Lay-by and 700m concretized Slip Road, saying that it was another mission statement of his administration’s commitment to making life better for residents and investors in the State. Speaking through his Deputy, the Governor said that the new look of Alapere-Ketu Lay-By, was characterized by the construction of a two-lane access road from Iyana Oworo inwards Alapere-Ketu that would relieve traffic flow towards Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Ojodu-Berger axis. He said that provision was also made for pedestrian safety with the integration of a two-metre wide walkway and drainage on one side of the lay-by access inwards Alapere-Ketu, to ensure that vehicular movement is not impeded by pedestrians. Governor Ambode urged transport unions to educate their members on observation of State Traffic Laws and road etiquette for the safety of all, saying that the provision of the lay-by will considerably reduce travel time for all motorists therefore, commercial vehicles have no cause to create gridlocks in order to get to their destinations. Apart from being concretized, the Slip Road also comes with horticulture, artworks, walkways, covered drains and street lights, and is designed to last for at least 25 years.

http://thenationonlineng.net/ambode-flags-off-commissioning-114-lg-roads/

Politics

en

File: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, during his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Villa, on Friday, April 29, 2016. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, on Friday, paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, where he lauded the President’s recent overseas trips aimed at attracting foreign direct investments into the country. Governor Ambode who spoke to State House Correspondents shortly after the visit expressed high optimism that the President’s trips would in no short time begin to yield benefits in the interest of all Nigerians. The Governor specifically commended President Buhari for his purposeful leadership to restore the nation’s place in the comity of nations, saying his recent trip to China and the profitable discussions will go a long way move Nigeria forward, including Lagos. He said the investment pact signed with the Chinese Government will benefit the people of Lagos, especially with the coming of the Lagos-Kano Rail Project and the Lagos Metro-rail project expected to cost about $2.5billion. It would be recalled that President Buhari recently returned from a one week visit to China where Nigeria signed series of investment pact expected to yield about $6 billion investment for Nigeria and also expected to have positively huge impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation. He said the visit was therefore to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his laudable plans for Nigeria and especially Lagos State. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/ambode-visits-aso-villa-commends-buharis-economic-drive/

Politics

en

For her third World Cup, Francisca Ordega wanted to stand out. She had worn her hair in dreadlocks for her first and had a wavy, blonde ponytail for the second, but this time she wanted something bolder. “I was looking for green and white,” she said about her search for hair extensions in the colors of her native Nigeria. “But then I saw the blue and purple — and I had to have them.” She expedited an order all the way from the United States and braided the colorful strands into her hair herself. But after the team’s 3-0 loss to Norway in their opening game, Ordega logged on to Twitter to find that people were blaming the defeat on her makeup, nails and long hair — it didn’t “make her run well,” one user wrote. Some watching the World Cup seem perplexed that athleticism and femininity could coexist — Is Alex Morgan wearing makeup? Were Sydney Leroux’s eyelashes fake? — or in Ordega’s case, they were irritated. It’s grounded in antiquated notions of how women, and specifically female athletes, should present themselves — strong but not too strong, athletic yet feminine, feminine but not so feminine that they would wear lipstick.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/style/world-cup-women-hair-gender.html

Sports

en

Shina Abubakar, Osogbo The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has challenged academia in Nigerian universities to properly document the history of Yoruba race rather than relying on jaundiced history. He said proper documentation will not only foster unity but reveal the ties across ethnic groups, saying evidence showed that the Igbo race migrated from Ile-Ife. The monarch put the challenge before the academia while addressing journalists ahead of an International Conference on ‘Ile-Ife and Yoruba Civilization: Nexus between Tradition and Modernity’, at his palace in Ife. He said Yoruba race has about a quarter of its history documented, hence, the reason he is collaborating with select universities on the need to properly document the history of the race with a view to enhancing cohesion among the people globally. “We have good evidence to believe that Igbo race has its roots here in Ile-Ife. There is Ile-Igbo here in the palace which was not a recent creation but has been existing here for decades. For this and many other reasons, I believe we need proper documentation of our history,” the Ooni said. “We are not involving government in this project so that we can just place all the facts together, we must write our history properly and put things the right for the coming generations”. Also speaking, a renown professor of history, Siyan Oyeweso, said the conference aims at bringing scholars together to discuss how to properly document the history of Yoruba, with focus on Ile-Ife as the source of the race. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/igbo-migrated-from-ife-ooni/

Politics

en

Gombe State Police Command says it has arrested two persons suspected of homosexuality and another for rape. Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, made this known yesterday in Gombe. Atajiri said that a 25-year-old suspected homosexual of Dubai by-pass Gombe had, on September 15, lured a seven-year-old boy to an uncompleted building, threatened him with a knife and raped him. According to him, an old man notified the police after querying the boy, whom he met walking in pains after the rape. The police spokesman said the suspect was immediately arrested and after interrogation allegedly confessed to have committed the offence. Also, Atajiri said another suspect, who resides at Riyal quarters, Gombe, was arrested at a building site in Cham village of Balanga Local Government after raping a 12-year-old boy. He said that the police had also apprehended another person, who goes by the alias Popo, for allegedly raping a three-year-old girl. He said the cries of the baby alerted her mother, who rushed to the scene and caught the suspect red-handed. Atajiri said when Popo of Sarkin Yaki quarters, Kumo, in Akko Local Government tried to escape, neighbours helped to arrest and lock him up in a room until the police arrived. The police spokesman also disclosed that three robbery suspects were arrested by residents in Bambam town of Balanga Local Government, after attempting to rob one Alhaji Hamma Cham. Atajiri said all the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations were concluded. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/2-men-accused-of-raping-teenage-boys/

Family

en

Fayose and Buhari Lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Sen. Shehu Sani has condemned Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, over his Monday’s criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments so far. Governor Fayose had a statement issued on Monday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, accused Buhari’s style of governance since his emergence on May 29, 2015, as one that portrays him as a president of the Northern Nigeria only. Fayose who said it was wrong for President Buhari to have made 31 major appointments and only seven will come from the South while 24 were from the North, explained that his appointments made so far negate the principle of federal character, adding that it appears the unity in diversity of Nigeria is being taken for granted by the President. However, responding to Fayose’s outburst, Sani in a statement on Tuesday, said although everyone has a right to freedom of expression, but that Fayose’s recent utterances are nothing but “divisive, inciting, provocative, and mischievous tantrums against President Muhammadu Buhari.” The activist lawmaker described Fayose as a man suffering from political depression in the aftermath of the defeat of his patriarch, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the last Presidential election on March 28, 2015. The statement reads thus: 1-I recognize the fundamental rights of Ekiti State Governor to freedom of expression. 2-I unreservedly condemn his divisive, inciting, provocative and mischievous tantrums and invectives against President Muhammadu Buhari. 3-Ekiti Governor is a relic of the old order, he represents the old Nigeria of waste, of hollow ritual of noise and nuisance. 4-Fayose is a man suffering from political depression in the aftermath of the defeat of his patriarch Goodluck Jonathan. He is a hallucinating Man of the ancient, yet to come to terms with the realities of a new dawn and new Nigeria. 5-The Ekiti governor is a man on the loose ready to use stones, sticks and any object to inflict harm and to be noticed. 6-Fayose failed to stop the election of President Muhammadu Buhari by the use of false, misleading and subversive propaganda laced with lies and deceit and now resort to firing arrows of hate, smear and distortions. 7-Fayose is a glorified tout, deficient in morals, character and courteousness. 8-Fayose’s imprudent utterances are nothing but an attempt to incite Nigerians from the South against those from the North. 9-Ekiti Governor’s utterances are unbecoming of a state Governor who should symbolize, exemplify and personify national unity and peace. 10-Fayose’s utterances are farts from a rotten road side Beans meal. 11-The constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria guarantees all Nigerians the right to freely express their opinion and criticize the operations of Government. The Ekiti Governor is simply on a toxic smear campaign against PMB. 12-President Muhammadu Buhari is not a ‘northern president’:He is a Nigerian president out to correct the wrong of the erstwhile sectional president whom the Fayoses of Nigeria supported and collaborated with. 13-Fayose is a weeping and whipping boy of the dead PDP. 14-I call on the APC Governors to appropriately respond to their peer, Fayose and return him to the cesspit pit, where he rightly belongs. Senator Shehu Sani Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/buharis-appointment-you-re-suffering-from-political-depression-sani-tells-fayose/#sthash.y2bE1MGG.2dka4Dyo.dpuf

Politics

en

A coalition of 28 groups have purchased the All Progressives Congress’ presidential forms for the President of the African Development Bank and former minister of Agriculture, Dr Akiwumi Adesina. The coalition consists of groups such as Youth Arise Movement, Nigerians in Diaspora, One Nigeria Group, Prudent Youth Association of Nigeria, women groups, farmers, and other civil society groups. Although they have not been able to collect the forms the party this evening issued a receipt for the payment, which cost N100m. READ ALSO: Akeredolu Asks CBN Governor To Resign Over Presidential Ambition Dr Adesina has not publicly signaled his intention to run for President. On Friday, some supporters also picked up APC presidential forms for Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele. Mr Emefiele has since rejected the forms, saying he has not decided to run for President.

https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/07/coalition-purchases-apc-presidential-forms-for-akinwumi-adesina/amp/Mynd44Lalasticlala

Politics

en

By Victor Arjiromanus In the ever bustling city of Lagos, great talents have been made that could be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Abule-Egba area is one of those places in Lagos famous for producing many of such talents. Terry Gee, Lilian Esoro, Nkechi Blessing, among others are celebrities that once domiciled in the growing Abule-Egba. One of the entertainment companies that is responsible for polishing these talents to limelight is the renowned Record label *Jamika Entertainment.* Jamika Entertainment owned and founded by the imaginative, confident but down to Earth C.E.O, *Mr Jerry Ihensekhien* was created on January 2013, and its focus is to identify and push young talents to public recognition and importance. In a chat with the Record label C.E.O, he shared the vision of the company and why he started it. “I always had a knack for guiding and mentoring teenagers. Many of these teens who are dancers and singers in their respective churches and elsewhere have dreams of making a name for themselves in the entertainment industry.” I am aware of the pitfalls which young talented musicians face in trying to get to the top, and to support their dreams to keep them away from trouble and bad influence in the society, I started Jamika Entertainment and that’s why it was born.” READ ALSO: Two die in Abule Egba pipeline explosion Ever since the foundation of the label, Jamika entertainmet have signed and promoted multiple artists, music producers and dancers. The experience gotten from working with a well run international standard label has helped this talented acts to push their career to better heights. In 2013 a band from the label, ‘Church of Men’, won the Top Naija Music Award for best pop single, an award previously won by Korede Bello of Don Jazzy’s Mavin record label. Since then many more of the acts have been nominated, and have won various other awards. Right now, the label is currently promoting one of their most talented and youngest act, a Sixteen year old Sultan Ayo Tijani, fondly called ‘Sultan’ who has a debut album titled ‘Baby Shark.’ After listening to the whole Twelve songs on the album, this reporter can honestly say Jamika Entertainment has truly unravelled a real gem in Sultan. Jamika Entertainment has their very own modern music studio in Abule Egba, where many of the rough diamonds in the environs come to work their craft. In an industry where the competition is tough, Jamika Entertainment is ready to take it with the hidden gems from Abule Egba to the world. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/from-abule-egba-to-the-world-as-jamika-entertainment-churns-out-young-talents-to-stardom/

Music-Radio

en

Why FG can’t implement 2016 budget – SGF The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, on Wednesday declared the Federal Government cannot fully implement the N6.06 trillion 2016 budget as passed by the National Assembly. Lawal told a joint Senate committee on Appropriations, Finance and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions that the revenues of the government had dropped by 50 to 60 per cent contrary to projections. The SGF was invited by the Senate to explain his comment that the 2016 constituency projects as captured in the budget would not be implemented. He pointedly blamed the drop in Nigeria’s revenue on activities of militants in the Niger Delta. Lawal noted that the oil benchmark of $38 per barrel fixed by the Federal Government has been drastically dislocated. He added that the benchmark has been grossly affected by activities of militants in the Niger Delta. The SGF said, “The statement is correct. That is my statement, we cannot guarantee the implementation of constituency projects in the 2016 budget. As a government, constituency projects are championed by members of the National Assembly. Like the legislature, members of the executive are politicians who canvassed for votes. “Lawmakers are aware that oil barrels had dwindled to about 800,000 per day. This has led to the inability of government to finance the budget. It is the duty of government to prepare the minds of Nigerians ahead that there will be challenges in implementing the budget. “Government based its principle on zero budgeting this year. Funds will be released to finance key projects in line with the implementation plans of the government. I will explain why it will be hard for the government to implement the budget. “I spoke with the Minister of Budget this morning and I asked him the revenue base of the government. We are now receiving about 50 to 60 earnings from what we projected.” “Some Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) might find it impossible to implement projects appropriated in their budgets. We have to re-prioritize. I like us to understand that this is the background upon which I made that statement. “

http://thenationonlineng.net/fg-cant-implement-2016-budget-sgf/

Politics

en

Coalition Hails Atiku for Dumping APC, Felicitates With Him At 71 The decision by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to dump the All Progressives Congress in search of better party with democratic ideals is most commendable. Democracy Coalition have longed passed it verdict on APC as a deceptive party devoid of any democratic credential. Hence, we thank God that Alhaji Atiku has finally seen the deception in APC and have summoned the courage to quit because when the falcon can no longer hid the falconer, the best option is to quit. By that resignation, Alhaji Atiku has once again proved to the world that he is not only a bulwark of democracy, but a defender of democracy at great personal risks. As stated earlier, we as a coalition of true democrats will move along with a democratic icon in the person of Atiku to any party with democratic appeals ahead of 2019. However, we are wishing our adopted Presidential candidate for 2019 a happy birthday anniversary as he clocks 71 on November 25. Mr. Michael Williams, Contact us via [email protected]

https://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/260255/coalition-hails-atiku-for-dumping-apc-felicitates-with-him.html

Politics

en

Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has given an assurance that the government has put strategies in place to deal with falling oil prices for as low as $60 dollars per barrel. The Minister said the scenario-based approaches developed to cushion the unfavourable effects of the falling prices are comprehensive and supported by extensive consultations with global analysts such as the International Monetary Fund. She said short to medium term strategies, mainly targeted at the poor and vulnerable, had been developed. “People should not get fixated on the $73 dollars. It is just the midpoint of the range we have. If it falls to $70, we are ready with additional measures. We have organised a set of measures around $73 dollars. We have further measures at $65 and a third set of measures at $60,” she said. Dr Okonjo-Iweala said part of the medium term strategy was a revenue target of three billion dollars over the next three years with substantial cuts on expenditure both recurrent and capital. She, however, said the cuts would not affect priority sectors – infrastructure, health, education and security – that would focus on the poor and average Nigerians. While presenting a master plan for the Nigerian capital market towards global competitiveness, at an event that brought together experts and key players in the financial economic sector, held on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister tried to ease Nigerians nerves, as the recent devaluation of the Naira had started showing multiplier effect on cost of goods. Key issues in the economy came up for discussion and first among them was the falling oil prices and the consequences on the economy. The minister also assured the participants that the medium term strategies to cushion the falling oil prices would prioritise sectors that directly affect the poor and vulnerable. But for most of these strategies to work, a robust capital market that will provide long term finance for developmental projects is needed. This is what the master plan developed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the body regulating the capital market, is set to tackle. The plans so far announced by the key players in the financial economy are targeted at creating wealth and opportunities for many Nigerians. The Finance Minister emphasised that although the global environment was uncertain, Nigeria had the strategies to cushion the effects. Crude oil sales is Nigeria’s major source of revenue and the price of crude has in the last few months hovered around $80 and the drop in price has forced the government to adjust the crude oil price benchmark used in the proposed 2015 budget that has not been submitted to the National Assembly. In the midst of the drop in price, the Nigerian government announced austerity measures aimed at cushioning the effect of the drop in crude oil price. The development coupled with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s devaluation of the Naira had triggered fears over the economic situation of the country and the days ahead.

http://www.channelstv.com/2014/11/27/okonjo-iweala-says-strategies-place-deal-falling-oil-price/

Politics

en

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said his senior brother was kidnapped by bandits and he had to pay a ransom to get him released. Gumi made the disclosure in an interview as he responded to critics who clamoured for his arrest for making case for bandits and for visiting them in their forest conclaves. He called the critics clowns and said he had also been a victim of the bandits on several occasions. “Also in our mosque, we have paid ransom. Even now, somebody is asking me to assist him to pay ransom. Our family driver who happens to be our relative, his son, a private soldier, was killed by bandits. So how I can support such people?,” Gumi told Premium Times. The Islamic cleric who said his efforts with bandits have been sabotaged recently said he has quit meeting with bandits because it will be dangerous for him to continue to engage with them. Gumi described those calling for his arrest as not different from bandits stressing that it is a constitutional right for someone to express his views. The cleric said his efforts is to prevent banditry in his own way stating that he has also been a victim of banditry. “They are clowns, they don’t know anything about the Nigerian society, they don’t know about the Nigerian constitution and liberty. It is a constitutional right for someone to express his views, so long you are not calling for violence or to harm anybody. ‘These people calling for my arrest, I don’t see them different from the bandits. To say that I am supporting or sponsoring bandits is malicious. I am just trying to cure them in my own way. I am trying to prevent it my own way and I have seen how my little efforts have helped. ‘I just have a different perspective in addressing the issue. But to encourage them? No. To help them? No. It is impossible. I am also a victim of banditry.

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/12/12/my-senior-brother-kidnapped-by-bandits-sheikh-gumi/

Politics

en

By Dr. Ugoji Egbujo They fight tooth and nail. Someone told me that to prosecute an effective governorship election in Imo that about 5 billion naira could be needed. It will sound outrageous until you start. You will start with notice me philanthropy and mid-night meetings. Those who come to the meetings will have to go back with something. This early stage of warming up to small gods costs quite a bit. Then when the time comes you may have to buy the ticket of a good party. You saw what happened in Port harcourt in 2019. A newcomer with loads of money can stage an ambush, on the eve of the primaries, and mop up all the delegates. So you have to be alive to small things like booking and seizing hotels and bureau de change facilities. After you have captured a good ticket, you have to resurrect and renovate the structures of the party in the state. If you have an existing godfather then your job is not daunting, you are a baby being carried on the back. Structures of opposition parties in many states have seasonal lives. They go into hibernation after elections and have to be resurrected. The god-fatherless, after buying his ticket, must keep money to fight off hyenas who will come to make clams to it. Sometimes he will pay ransoms and let sleeping dogs lie. Some other times he will have to fight the fight in court. At every stage , at every turn, he is hemorrhaging money. When campaigns get underway, he will discover that everybody around him will become a mercenary. His bishop, his cousins, his bosom friends. They will all want to be paid for running errands and for praying for him. He will need thugs to strengthen the security already purchased from the police. He will have to hire the boys. That is the way it works. He will go from church to church seeing priests, ‘collecting’ prayers and blessing their pockets. It’s all quid pro quo. Everywhere he goes, he will be expected to drop something and promise something. The traditional rulers will want his gifts. And that tribe that loves long robes, has large eyes. When he sends money to people, half of the money will get lost in transit. He will never know because receipts are never issued. He will discover after the elections that many of the seeds he sowed, fell by the way side, and were eaten by hungry birds. When he has his rallies, he will get some people free, but he may have to hire others. There are agents that furnish crowds. And there are all kinds of crowds. Those who remain come rain or shine cost much more. There are the vociferous ones but they have no endurance. So he must know what he wants. He will have to pay to prevent others from scattering his crowds. That’s the way it works. You pay to fetch the crowd. You pay to protect it . Sometimes, you pay to get value, some other times you pay to prevent sabotage. They go hand in hand. You pay rain doctors to stop rain. Then you pay some other rain doctors who come frowning, not to bring rain. While campaigning, he will have to keep an eye over his shoulders. He can’t afford to sleep or lose concentration. Because his name can go missing from his party’s list, anytime. So he will keep in touch with his party’s secretariat, nursing their moods and greasing their palms. But he must not be deceived. The eve of the elections is critical. He will have to keep money for the election eve. Election gifts expire quickly in Nigeria. So he will start recharging the gifts he had given earlier, two-three days to the election. On election day, money has to reach his agents. Those who have run successful elections will tell you that money has to reach many other institutions and actors too. You can name them. These govt institutions collect theirs in hundreds of millions naira. Those transactions are too filthy to be mentioned here. But every agency that takes part in elections expects gratifications. They collect in bulk and share to their officers. The ground game on election day is very important. If his agents are infiltrated, they can sign fake result sheets and sell him off. So he must keep a tight leash on his network. After the counting of votes, he must stay awake and police his results. And it’s no easy task. Money will chase the result sheets from all angles, so he must be on ground to use money and prevent evil. If he wins and is announced winner then he is lucky. He can take a deep breath before resuming his fasting and prayers. Many of the winners would have borrowed from friends and strangers. Many governors get into office with debts running into billions of naira. That is why when they lose, it’s truly a tragedy. When they win they begin the process of repayment from state coffers. But often times, the cases go to court and the sleeplessness is prolonged. And because the lawyers know what is at stake, some of these lawyers have smartly branded themselves election petitions experts. And they demand hundreds of millions of naira in fees. Behind the scenes some of the senior lawyers will tout their closeness to the judges and to convince a party to an election case to cough out humongous sums. So our friend who has just won his election but who is troubled by a sore loser may be asked to make provisions for some judges by his lawyers. This is the country. That is why judges love election tribunals. Consequently, a winner of a governorship election who travels all the way to the supreme court would have to cough out so much money in legal fees. Someone once said the desperate ones could spend up to a billion running helter skelter. So imagine a man of ordinary means who borrows billions and wins, and borrows a billion to defend his victory, only to lose at the Supreme Court. He will be in all kinds of trouble. He might have taken one of two new chieftaincy titles he would not know what to do with again. He might have asked one or two relations to leave certain jobs in or outside the country to come and chop. He might have promised his former headmaster a new house. He might have sent one girl friend to the state liaison house in Abuja. All the appointments he made for which he has collected accolades and gratitude will all be reversed. Election losses are especially difficult to take when one has been through seven seas and managed to sit on the throne for seven months. One might have bought secondhand tractors and established a new construction firm under a new name and awarded all roads contracts to that company. One might have dusted up a former governor friend and placed him to chop in the state’s refuse collection agency where nothing can be tracked and two hundred million naira can be siphoned monthly. If only we could sanitize our electoral processes. And put a tight legal lid on electoral expenses. And conclude all litigations before elected official are sworn in. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/01/why-election-losers-cry-from-the-heart/

Politics

en

FG ends feeding of inmates in 2024 States should brace up for the responsibility of feeding inmates in Correctional facilities from January 2024, the Federal Government said on Friday. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who announced this in Owerri, Imo state capital, said States should take maximum advantage of the constitutional amendment to improve the conditions of inmates in their domains. He said the step would help to further decongest the custodial facilities, which harbour state offenders who make up more than 90 percent of the total number of inmates nationwide. Aregbesola also reiterated the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s criminal justice system in a bid to addressing the alarming figure of inmates who are awaiting trial and languishing in jail. The Minister spoke at the commissioning of the Command Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Owerri. Aregbesola, in a statement by his media aide, Sola Fasure, said the Buhari-led administration has done a lot in making the reformation process at Custodial Centres impactful through increased budgetary provision as well as the upgrade of old and construction of new infrastructure at the facilities. “One big challenge we have at Corrections is congestion, especially at the urban centres where the population density is high and human relations are more complex, leading to higher crime rate and the need to keep some people behind bars. But we are addressing this challenge with the construction of six mega custodial centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The ones in Kano and Abuja are ready and with regular funding, the remaining will be completed. “It is also hoped that State Governments will take advantage of the constitution amendment recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which makes corrections a concurrent affair. It is on record that more than 90 per cent of inmates in our facilities are state offenders. It is important therefore that State Governments begin to invest in corrections,” the Minister said. . “Furthermore, by January 1, 2024, the Federal Government will stop feeding state inmates kept in federal facilities. State governments must now start budgeting for feeding their inmates in federal facilities while we wait for them to build their own facilities,” Aregbesola explained.

https://thenationonlineng.net/fg-ends-feeding-of-inmates-in-2024/

Politics

en

By Innocent Anaba ABUJA—Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted the former Group Managing Director of Transcorp Plc, Mr. Tom Iseghohi. The appellate court in a unanimous decision, also set aside the decision of a Federal High Court in Abuja of October 20, 2014, which overruled the no-case submission by Iseghohi. In the lead judgment, the Appeal Court further dismissed entirely, the 32-count charge of money laundering brought against him by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The anti-graft commission had arraigned Isoghohi; former Company Secretary, Mohammed Buba; and Deputy General Manager, Mike Okoli, in 2009 over alleged fraud and money laundering in connection with the botched acquisition of the Nigeria Telecommunications, NITEL, by Transcorp. At the lower court, trial began before Justice D.U Okorowo, before it was transferred to Justice Evoh Chukwu. The first prosecution witness (PW1) was Helen Iwuchukwu, now Company Secretary and former Legal Adviser, Department of Shared Services and Strategic Partnership of Transcorp when the alleged crime was committed. Five other witnesses testified for the prosecution, with PW4, who was in charge of audit and finance, saying he did not trace any money to the accused persons. The fifth prosecution witness, Aminueem Mohammed, an EFCC operative, said he investigated the case but added under cross-examination that the commission did not receive any petition from Transcorp and NITEL against the defendants nor did they complain about missing funds. Consequently, the defendants filed a no-case submission, urging the court to dismiss the charge because it established no prima facie case against them. But the Court of Appeal in setting aside the decision of the Federal High Court, held that from the evidence adduced by the prosecution at the trial, there was no basis for the refusal of the no-case submission. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/alleged-fraud-court-acquits-ex-transcorp-md/

Politics

en

Minister, Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama The Federal Government on Sunday dismissed the report of a purported attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Cotonou, Benin Republic. Minister, Foreign Affairs Geoffrey OnyeamaThe Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwonye, stated this in a statement in Abuja, He said: “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media purportedly showing an attack on the Embassy of Nigeria in Cotonou, Benin Republic. “The ministry wishes to inform Nigerians that the video is an old video of an attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal and the incident under reference occurred on the 4th of March, 2013. The ministry also wishes to state that the ring leaders of the unwarranted attack in Dakar were arrested by Senegalese authorities and jailed for six months. “The general public should, therefore, disregard the fake news being spread by mischief makers to whip up sentiments and cause unnecessary tension in Nigeria/Benin relations.” (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/10/nigerian-embassy-in-benin-not-attacked-fg/amp/

Politics

en

The two-month ultimatum from the Northern Elders Forum to President Jonathan to rescue the abducted Chibok girls rekindles fault lines in the Nigerian nation By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor It was a battle they inherited from their ancestors. The faceoff that emerged yesterday between Afenifere, the Yoruba Socio Cultural group and the Northern Elders Forum, NEF over the feasibility and competence of President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection was a recall of the mutual suspicion that existed between Nigeria’s first indigenous regional leaders. While the conflict of the forefathers was essentially centered around regional domination, the conflict that burst yesterday is on the surface focused on the fate of the more than 200 Chibok secondary schools abducted last April. At the peak of the distrust between Nigeria’s founding fathers, the late Northern leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello was quoted as saying that his priority in filling job vacancies in the north would be “first a northerner, then an expatriate and then a southerner and that on contract.” Bello’s assertion was to be the basis of the chasm and subsequent hostility that shadowed relations between the two sides of the country since independence. The hostility which was fueled by the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election Chief Moshood Abiola was only partially soothed by the election of General Olusegun Obasanjo as president in 1999. However, since the Obasanjo phenomenon and the relegation of the north from its position of political dominance, the seeming discomfort of the north in playing second fiddle in the polity has taken a central role in the polity. It has been especially so under President Jonathan who has generally been affirmed to be Nigeria’s most “troubled” leader. Jonathan has been troubled by the insurgency fanned by what was once thought to be a mainly Islamic agenda. The Islamic Boko Haram group which started by killing Christians, burning and bombing churches has lately expanded its agenda to killing non conforming Islamic leaders bringing to question the real motif of the group. While some allege that it still has an Islamic agenda, the gruesome and unrestrained brutality of the group has given vent to a political agenda. So when the NEF last Monday urged President Jonathan to forget re-election if the Chibok girls are not returned, the group whether advertently or inadvertently rekindled the regional distrust that existed between the north and the south. In a statement issued by Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the group alleged that the ongoing insurgency in the north was aimed at politically and economically weakening the north to allow the easy reelection of President Jonathan. “We also reject the notion that multiple internal security challenges such as attacks on villages, ethno-religions conflicts and banditry springing up by the day in many parts of the north are all a coincidence,” the statement said. “Indeed, we are convinced that most of these conflicts are being engineered to weaken the North politically and economically by interests which intend to exploit such weaknesses for electoral benefits.” Alleging that the administration was deliberately allowing the crisis to fester, the NEF said: “The lack of a strong will at the level of the presidency to fight it, as well as deep-seated corruption and incompetence in governments and in the management of our security challenges has allowed a band of terrorists to take and hold vast parts of our land and populations hostage, while every citizen lives in fear that they will be its next victim.” The NEF which has such prominent Jonathan bashers as Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Prof. Ango Abdullahi in its fold and had never hidden its revulsion of a second term for Jonathan or the aspiration of any other southerner, was quick to push forward its most notable agenda, to wit, that Jonathan should not re-contest. “In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October, 2014. The circumstances under which our fellow citizens in and around Gwoza in Borno State in particular live and die will not be tolerated by any people who have a government and a leader sworn to defend them, and they must be reversed immediately. In the event that President Jonathan fails to do this, Nigerians will be left with the only conclusion that he has forfeited his right to ask for our mandate beyond 2015.” Afenifere in a sharp rebuttal was quick to enter the fray yesterday. The group in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin said the statement by the NEF was an exposure of the linkage between the Islamic Boko Haram sect and some northern elites. “By linking the electoral fortune of President Jonathan in 2015 to “Bring Back Our Girls” latest by October as well as ending Boko Haram at the time, the “elders” have just confirmed the suspicions in the land that the activities of the Islamic Sect Boko Haram is either enjoying the sponsorship of some elites of the North or at the least having their sympathy.” Afenifere was quick to spot out what it referred to as the unwillingness of the northern elders to condemn the activities of Boko Haram while focusing on the alleged failures of the president. “In all the sound and fury of the Forum, we searched in vain any outright condemnation of Boko Haram. And this has .been the pattern of most reactions from the majority of the elites of the region who always appear politically correct to the insurgents while using their activities to rattle the government. The most audacious of this perfidy is this direct put by the Northern Elders Forum.” “A traumatized country that has been held in anxiety over the fate of the abducted girls cannot but challenge these elders at this stage to appeal to their wards in Boko Haram to release the innocent young girls who now appear cannon fodders in the struggle for “we want our power back”. “A time has come to let these elites know they can no longer play the ostrich by burying their heads in the sand and think no one sees them because they are seeing no one.” “We, however, frown at the disingenuous attempt by unconscionable elites who are now dishing out two months ultimatum to end an insurgency that they prepared the atmosphere for in decades of exploitation and iniquitous dealings with their own people. Can they name one country that has defeated terror in 60 days?” “How many rulers have we had in Nigeria since 1960 and how many come from the North? Why did it not occur to any of them that the Almajiris should go to school?” “The country has suffered enough of the errors of these leaders which has now produced terror in the land, they should stopping pouring salt on the injury,” Afenifere said. Northern Elders on Jonathan •Administration is insensitive to the plight of •Toying with corruption •Has put politics ahead of governance •Has closed its eyes to the Boko Haram scourge in the North Afenifere on Northern Elders •They are cuddling Boko Haram •Refusing to condemn Boko Haram •Prefer to cite alleged incompetence of Jonathan •Not sincere about Chibok girls Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/2015-afenifere-north-fight-dirty/#sthash.QhqOjKY6.dpuf

Politics

en

Remarks by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta, on Thursday 14th, January, 2016. I thank the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, for inviting and honoring me today, and especially so, as this invitation comes right about the period when the world stands still in recognition of the selfless sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When we think of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), it is virtually impossible to separate this worthy body from its founder, the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, or from epoch making landmark events of the American Civil Rights movement. I am pleased to know that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is not just one of the great American institutions, it is also one of her more potent vehicles for the advancement of liberty and freedom for all God’s people. For that, I also commend Charles Steele for his leadership and commitment to peace and justice nationally and globally. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s principles of non violent protests played a great part in the independence movement in my native country Nigeria and indeed throughout Africa as a whole. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr witnessed the British Union Jack being lowered in Ghana in 1957 when Ghana became the first Sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence, an action which set off a positive chain reaction all over the continent. In 1963, Ambassador Leslie O. Harriman, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who prosecuted our anti apartheid strategy at the UN, testified of the support he received from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in kick starting that noble effort. Suffice to say that the efforts of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in advancing Liberty and equal rights transcended national boundaries. Speaking for my foundation, the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I must say that I have been inspired by this great man and the worthy institutions and legacies he left behind and I am further inspired to continuing doing good and advancing human freedoms just by being present here today. My personal takeaway from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, is service to God and the brotherhood and equality of all men before their Creator. In keeping with that, I have learnt not to look up to any man, except he is taller than I, or to look down on a fellow mortal, except I am admiring his shoes. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said: “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love”. Those words helped me deliver on my stated promise to deepen democracy in Nigeria and in the process demonstrate through action that nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. Once again, I thank the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for having me. May God bless you and continue to raise up from among you men and women who will continue in the footsteps of your worthy forebears. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/15/i-have-learnt-not-to-look-down-on-a-fellow-mortal-except-im-admiring-his-shoes-jonathan/

Politics

en

By Garba Shehu I have been amused, reading a number of jokes concerning the frequency of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips. Questions have been raised about why so many visits, and what are the benefits Nigeria is getting? I will make it clear from the beginning that the critic is entitled to his and her opinion and nothing said here is intended to silence him or her. Criticism goes with the territory and as it is often said in a wisecrack, if you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen. President Muhammadu Buhari came into office under the mantra of change. While Nigerians are yearning for change, you need someone who will set up the infrastructure, both at home and abroad for it. President Buhari is busy doing that. The change is manifest in where he visits and what he does. In the delegations accompanying him abroad, President Buhari has slashed the numbers, bringing them down to a tolerable or the bearable minimum. He went to the United Nations General Assembly in September with an unbelievable 32 officials in his delegation. These included his cook, his doctor and luggage officer. His predecessor in office went to the same meeting with 150 officials and family members the year before. Wherever they are given government accommodation and feeding, members of President Buhari’s entourage receive reduced allowances, thereby saving the government some money. In public diplomacy, experts say that it is better conducted through face-to-face interaction than through third parties. This is even moreso at the level of heads of state. To do by it by proxy is to miss the effect of fostering strong interpersonal relations between leaders, by which nations benefit. President Buhari has so far visited Germany, South Africa, USA, Niger, Tchad, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, South Africa, India, Iran and Malta, where we are presently for the Commonwealth Summit. Mostly, these were due to either the United Nations, EU, African Union or energy and security-related summits. They were mostly undertaken to attend specific meetings, not State Visits. Looking at these assignments, the trips are inescapable for the President. What would Nigerians say of their leader when see the array of world leaders assemble, as they would shortly be doing discussing climate change in Paris on Monday and their own President is missing from the table? Those of us who were around under Abacha read all the taunts about him being a sit-at-home leader. Abacha was despised for not representing his country abroad. President Buhari’s foreign visits have been marked by punishing schedules. They are always business-like and results-oriented. All trips have been marked by tight schedules. Meeting after meeting, happening back-to-back morning, afternoon and evening. The President has had to travel overnight for some of these meetings. The visit by any president to another country is the highest act in international relations. It sends out a message that that county is important to the visitor. It is not like your usual vacation abroad. Official discussions involving political leaders, the military, the diplomats and at times, business people are held at multi- track levels. In foreign policy you stand on a quick sand of events and you slip up if take a rest or lose focus. Governments also know that their achievements at home will be meaningless if they cannot project them abroad. Who or where are the foreign investors,whose hand you are seeking if you can’t travel meet them? Will they come if they don’t know about the country? President Buhari demonstrated a keen understanding of these when in the first week of his taking the office, he brought together foreign policy and all three cardinal objectives of his administration-security,economy and war on corruption- by embarking on visits to neighboring countries. In our recent history, much of the West had ignored Nigeria under the corrupt PDP administration for many years, which warranted the country’s tilt towards some Asian countries. As a consequence, this country has suffered past isolation of various types, including the denial of access to the arms-purchase market. As a member of the then Standing Committee of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, I remember being in a delegation that visited the Aso Rock Villa, to beg the government at that time not the execute the writer and activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa. At the meeting with the Number Two man in that government, Major-General Oladipo Diya, he announced to everyone’s shock and disbelief that Ken had been executed. “Honestly,” he muted, “I think he has been executed about two days ago.” What followed that pronouncement was a global outrage. The then Foreign Affairs Minister, Arch. Tom Ikimi representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth meeting in New Zealand, shattered the feelings of the leaders of those countries when he announced to them that he had not been briefed about the executions and begged for time to talk to the leaders back in Nigeria. Nigeria faced an imminent expulsion from the group and would have been so sacked but for the intervention of the then President of South Africa, late Nelson Mandela. In place of this extreme form of sanction, a suspension and and a barrage of sanctions followed and remained in place until an appreciable remorse was was shown and progress made towards the return to democracy by Nigeria. Throughout that period of time, it was difficult being a Nigerian in the international space. As council members of the UN Human Rights Commission, Africans would caucus in Geneva without us Nigerians. Like lepers, we were shunned wherever we showed up. I mentioned this short narrative to illustrate two things: one, for a country to do the right things all the time and two, you don’t know the joy being a part of international gatherings until you suffer the pain of exclusion from them. Short of begging the world, there was nothing that the Abacha government didn’t do to be taken back into the Commonwealth. And it is against this background that I felt the need to pen this opinion in the hope of bringing better understanding to fellow countrymen and women on the current subject matter. There is no reason to be angry with anyone criticizing President Buhari for traveling abroad. In politics, even if President Buhari were to bring with him a suitcase full of cash and a pot gold each time he returned from a trip, someone will criticize him, saying that the journey is wasteful. The PDP will kick, knowing that they got 16 years and did nothing with it. Those who didn’t do much during their term of governance will find it instructive to fault whatever the President is doing. If President Buhari is successful as a leader, the PDP will be history. My own point here is that he is doing a great job and the fruits are here, and many more will soon come. He is working to strengthen diplomatic relations, trade and the security of our nation. He holds serious meetings with serious investors and has fetched us investments in the range of billions of US Dollars. Now, countries such as France, UK, The U.S are supporting Nigeria with intelligence, weapons and training for our military against Boko Haram and the economic saboteurs in the Delta region. President Buhari will definitely make Nigeria great,what the PDP fooled us for 16 years. All heads of countries around the world now take Nigeria seriously. His foreign trips are for business, security of the country and bilateral contacts- contacts that get actualized by follow-ups and the love and support a leader enjoys at home and abroad. Today the world is in a warm embrace of President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigerians should be proud of the attention, love and admiration, importance, respect and investment he is bringing to Nigeria. These trips are not for enjoyment. Lastly, to answer those who ask all the time, what is he bringing back home? We are not a country of beggars. It is good if something is in the bag as the leader comes home from a trip. Culturally, we never return home from a trip without a souvenir for everyone left at home. Yes it is good he declares something upon his return. But the most important task for the President at this time is to reset the image of Nigeria abroad, given the damage it sustained over many years in the past. So far, in fairness, the President has projected a large image of Nigeria and of himself which should be a matter of pride for all our citizens. Marketing of Brand Nigeria can never be more important than currently it is. The President is doing a great job for the nation. He needs to be supported. Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President, SSAP (Media and Publicity)

http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/buharis-trips-are-not-for-enjoyment-by-garba-shehu/

Politics

en

By Dele Sobowale “In times of crisis; facts first.” CNN Advert, March 2020. Nigeria, like all nations in the world today, faces an economic and a health crisis. Unlike others, our nation is burdened by three other major problems. The first is crisis of leadership at the topmost levels of government in Nigeria. The second is the stark reality that there is no ruling political party – as it is known in all democracies. The third disaster, which is inextricably tied to the first, is what can only be described a President who has no luck. Just before Buhari’s army of sympathises, led by his loudspeakers in Aso Rock, think that luck is irrelevant at this time, or one is insulting Buhari, permit me to take our readers, especially the young, through African history. Sir Milton Obote would be remembered by those of my generation, or older, as the man who led Uganda to independence in 1962 during the “wind of change blowing through Africa.” (Sir Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister). Like most first generation African leaders in the 1960s, he was overthrown by the military in 1971 and went into exile in Britain. When military rule went out of style late in the 1990s, Obote was recalled to lead Uganda. History has recorded that Obote was kicked out a second time by the army in 1985. No reason to bring other examples from Europe and Asia. Some individuals are just unlucky. No reason why some of them cannot be Nigerian leaders. READ ALSO:50 soldiers killed by Boko Haram in Yobe “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Harvey B Mackay, 1994. VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 146. It is necessary to take the matter of luck first in the situation in which we find ourselves now. I am aware that those who benefit from our national distress will not want us to consider facts that are embarrassing or inconvenient. For a man who makes his living from hauling human waste, a tragedy occurs when there is no sh*t to carry. Many Buhari’s sympathisers are in that category. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria had experienced two recessions, in 1984 and 2016 – both of short durations. The third is underway and inevitable in 2020. All three will be debited to the account of one Head of State – President Muhammadu Buhari. That is a fact which his loudspeakers in Aso Rock cannot deny. They can only offer explanations; but cannot alter the facts. By contrast, General Gowon, in 1973-5, had such an unprecedented deluge of dollars, that Nigeria donated $100 million to the African Development Bank to help poorer African nations. Obasanjo returned in 1999 to see crude oil prices surging upwards. His administration was able to leverage our improved economic future trends to get us out of the debt trap in which we found ourselves. He also established the Excess Crude Account, ECA – which was finally run down by Buhari’s government this year. Goodluck Jonathan was really the good luck President. Crude oil prices went up to $100+ and stayed up for four of his five years – as the Age of Oil went into the twilight zone. Under Gowon and Jonathan, the economy grew at averages of six to eight per cent. Those were our finest periods from the standpoint of economic growth. Only Gowon’s regime took us to full employment – meaning anybody who wanted a job could literally get one. While Buhari cannot be held totally responsible for the recession of 1984, because he took no part in the coup which brought him to power, the fact remains that he was ill-prepared for it and he had no clue regarding how to manage an economy in distress. Virtually all the measures he introduced made the situation worse. When failure stared his regime in the face, he and the late Major-General Idiagbon resorted to authorised violence. Grandmothers and housewives were whipped by twenty-year old soldiers while on queue for essential commodities – sugar, salt, detergents and soaps, baby food etc. The scarce commodities returned to shop shelves and markets after he left in 1985. The recession of 2016 should not have caught Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, by surprise – if they were really embarking on ruling the nation instead of just seizing NNPC and CBN for whatever reason. Buhari ran for President in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. He lost three times and won in 2015. The least that would have been expected of anybody aspiring to leadership in any country is that they should have a good grasp of what they are likely to inherit – if they win. That explains why effective leaders elsewhere appoint their cabinets within days of getting to office instead of five months as Buhari did in 2015 and 2019. He was unprepared. Any half-decent economist could have predicted that a recession was coming in 2015/2016 even if Jonathan had been re-elected. But, GEJ had Dr Okonjo-Iweala who could have foreseen that possibility and the government would have taken pre-emptive steps to minimise its impact. Mrs Kemi Adeosun was not and can never be in the same class as her predecessor. Nigerians paid dearly for it. We failed to learn our lessons. “The APC government has dragged our country down the gutter. This was not what we promised in 2014/15 when we campaigned vigorously for a Buhari Presidency.” Dele Momodu, THISDAY, March 28, 2020, last page. Dele and I have two things in common. We both worked our hearts out for Buhari. I toiled like a galley slave in 2011 and 2015. In 2011, I actually developed an outline for Economic Governance if Buhari won at my own expense. It took two months of 2015 to realise I had made a grave blunder. Buhari is not worth it. Dele still believed in Buhari and, on March 21, 2020, he wrote about his encounter with the President – who massaged his ego by telling Momodu that he reads his columns. I have been hearing that story since 1987. Reading the two articles, it is clear that my namesake is almost at breaking point with regard to Buhari. He even tried to advise the President on March 21. Pure waste of time. “Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it most always want it least. Earl of Chesterfield, 1694-1773, VBQ, p 5. It is doubtful if Buhari reads newspapers himself. Most likely, he reads only what his aides cut out for him. I never flatter myself that he reads my articles. He might not even understand them. I will suggest to my fellow pen-pushers to forget Buhari as a reader – unless they write articles that flatter him. At, any rate, it is impossible to advise a leader, who in the midst of our worst crisis, retires to “the other room” and only addresses the nation through loudspeakers. It is a fact that stewards are not hired for their intelligence but their reliability. Buhari, hunkered down behind his loudspeakers, cannot hear what Nigerians are saying. A President, whose Vice President, Ministers and heads of Departments and Agencies, as well as party leaders cannot access except through a fence – called Chief of Staff – has already deliberately cut himself off from the people he rules and is about to ruin irredeemably. And, now the “fence” is temporarily broken. “Every country has the government it deserves.” Joseph De Maistre, 1753-1821, VBQ, p 80. Since his first prolonged illness during his first term, Buhari has been governing by remote control. He emerges occasionally to make totally forgettable utterances. There has been nothing inspiring Nigerians to make the great efforts and sacrifices necessary to reverse out head-long descent into crushing poverty and anarchy. We already summarised the legacies left behind in relatively short periods by others. In two months time, Buhari would have spent five years in office. His first four years were characterised by excuses and failures. When he chose to re-contest for office and ran with the slogan TAKING NIGERIA TO THE NEXT LEVEL, an article was published on these pages titled THE NEXT LEVEL IS PURE ANARCHY. I was under no illusion that Buhari would allow a free and fair election to be conducted. He would win. Not because of a great performance but because of his cynical reliance on the almajiri votes. He got the votes and now the almajiris are being driven off the streets of Kano and Kaduna states which gave him second term. And, pray what had he done for the millions who voted him into office? Nothing. Unfortunately for Buhari and Nigeria, he failed to heed the warning in another article titled THE REVOLT OF THE ALMAJIRIS – in which he was warned that male young almajiris are joining bandits and kidnappers in droves. They are no longer satisfied with the pittance dropped into their beggar’s bowls. They want more. All it takes is the first successful operation fetching thousands of naira at once and a bandit or kidnapper is born. A senator (name withheld) told me that his kidnapped wife recognised one of the beggars who came to their gate for alms. The beggar-turned-bandit had not been seen in the community after his gang collected N5 million as ransom. The North has hundreds of thousands of them now. Premature abolition of street begging in some Northern states without making provisions for their livelihood will certainly add thousands more to hardened criminals in that region. That was before COVID-19. “Anger supplies the arms.” Virgil, 70-19 BC, VBQ, p 10. If anyone in Buhari’s government thinks that the pandemic has provided all the excuses for abandoning Nigerians to their disastrous fates, then that person deserves to have his head examined. COVID-19 will certainly add millions of Nigerians to the number of people with nothing to lose. Even the village idiot knows that a hungry man/woman is an angry person. Unprecedented millions of Nigerians face imminent starvation in the months to come on account of recession, COVID-19 and poor leadership. They will acquire weapons. Depend on it. At a time we need a visible leader to reassure us that efforts are being made and measures put in place to minimise the awful impacts of the challenges facing us, an announcement was made by one of the loudspeakers that what other world leaders do – including Africans – is not necessary. We deserve the President who has no luck. But, he will also deserve the anarchy that may follow any time soon. “We have no other country…. We must stay here together.” General Buhari, January 1, 1984. COVID-19 has done ordinary Nigerians a favour. All the countries of the world have slammed their gates in the faces of our political leaders. Nobody can hope to escape this time. Yes, we must stay here together now…. THANK YOU EX-PRESIDENT JONATHAN “I never quarrel with those I don’t respect.” US President Richard Nixon. I am not on twitter directly. But a lot of my friends and my PA on it drew my attention to ex-President Jonathan’s post in response to my published apology to him. His comments portray true nobility of spirit seldom found in people who have achieved great heights in life. I cannot thank him enough for his broad-mindedness. Like all our leaders, he was a victim of his close associates while in office. It might be of interest to him to know that I was tougher on Babangida in 1985-1992. One fateful visit to the Ministry of Justice Library in Lagos in 2018 altered my views about IBB. The same might still happen to GEJ. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/a-president-without-luck-and-a-nation-on-verge-of-anarchy-1/

Politics

en

Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari has raised alarm over the refusal of some lawmakers who just returned from foreign trips to be screened at the nation’s airports. Kyari in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said the issue was reported to his office by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire. The letter dated Saturday, 21st March, 2020 tagged confidential and obtained exclusively by TheNewsGuru.com, was signed by Kyari himself. Kyari in clear terms told the Speaker to order all lawmakers who just returned from foreign trips to submit themselves for compulsory screening at any of the NCDC centres nearest to them. TNG reports that as at Sunday night, the number of coronavirus cases in the country had increased from 27 to 31 with three new cases in Lagos and Atiku’s son who tested positive.

https://www.thenewsguru.com/news/nigeria-news/article/leaked-memo-buharis-cos-abba-kyari-writes-gbajabiamila-over-lawmakers-refusal-to-be-screened-at-airport/

Politics

en

By Jethro Ibileke Justice Joy Okeaya-Inneh of a Benin City High Court on Friday issued an interim injunction restraining embattled National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, the State Secretary of the party, Hilary Otsu and nine others from participating in the national convention of the party, scheduled to hold from 30 to 31 October, 2021 in Abuja. Others restrained from participating in the convention by the court order in the suit marked B/218/os/2021, include the member representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Hon. Samuel Saiki, Vincent Ekpomhoriri Umoru, Leslie Ebozoje, David Okoh Aigbodion (also known as Arizona) and Abdulkareem Kassim. Others are Kayode Ogunubi, Mr. Oduwa Igbinosun and Mr. Friday Enaruna and the PDP which was listed as the 12th Defendant. Justice Okeaya-Inneh while ruling on the motion ex-parte filed by Chief Idehen Manfred Ekundayo, Mr. Stanley Iduoze and Odior Omadimhe, restrained 1st to 11th Defendants from attending, participating, or voting at the National Convention of the PDP, the 12th defendant in the suit. The court also granted “an order of interim injunction, directing the 12th Defendant (PDP), its servants, officers, agents, or otherwise whosoever, to deny admittance to the 1st-11th Defendants at the National Convention of the 12th Defendant (PDP) scheduled for 30th and 31st October 2021 or any other day and ensure that the 1st-11th Defendants do not vote or participate in any shape or form at the National Convention of the 12th Defendants scheduled for 30th and 31st October 2021 or scheduled for any other date(s), pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice herein”. According to the enrolment order of the court, Justice Okeaya-Inneh granted leave to the Claimants to serve the concurrent originating summons on the 12th Defendant, outside the jurisdiction of the court at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, namely at the National Headquarters of the 12th Defendant (PDP) being Plot 1970 Michael Okpara street, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. The court also granted leave to the Claimants/Applicants to serve the originating summons and all other accompanying processes in the suit on the 1st-11th Defendants by substituted means, to wit, by Advertisement in a National Newspaper. Justice Okeaya-Inneh cited the salient pressing issues raised in the processes before the court and ordered accelerated hearing of the Motion-On-Notice. He further directed the Bailiff of the court to effect service as a matter of urgency of “all the processes in the suit on the 1st–11th Defendants and thereafter adjourned the hearing on the suit to November 2, 2021.

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/10/22/edo-court-stops-orbih-10-others-from-pdp-convention/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Politics

en

But another Igbo coalition cautions While many coalitions and civil society organisations are caught up in the frenzy of deploying unlawful and insidious measures to dismantle the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential election victory in favour of the PDP and LP, an umbrella body of Igbo youths, the Igbo Youths Movement (IYM), has cautioned the Southeast from waging a recklessly abusive post-election war to advance the interest of the LP candidate, Peter Obi. Though the IYM did not, however, mention names, it left no one in doubt what the statement meant. According to the IYM: “The elections were held over six months ago, but the ugly abusive culture of mob attack deployed by certain individuals during the elections is getting difficult for our people to leave…The unrestrained, mostly unjustifiable mob attack of insulting anyone with contrary political views associated with the past election is dangerous, unhealthy and unhelpful. Hurling insults at highly respected clerics for no other reason than the fact that they called for respect and support for our political leaders will isolate our region and make it difficult for us to find allies in our hour of need. Men of God presently ruthlessly pilloried by our people do not deserve the insults rained on them for standing on God’s word that we should respect and pray for our leaders. This new age 2023 culture of descending on anyone with contrary views, is strange and not Igbo. We are frightening other Nigerians; we are unwittingly suggesting that we are desperate for power.” Unfortunately, as sensible, relevant and prophetic as the IYM statement may be, the abusers will neither listen to nor heed the warning. It is not even clear that after the election petition is finally resolved the abusers will relent. They have been primed to go on and on.

https://thenationonlineng.net/disquiet-in-apc-over-plot-to-throw-open-presidential-ticket/But

Politics

en

There are indications that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria may end its four-month old strike on Saturday, November 16. About 120 chapters of the union have voted in support of the decision to end the strike at their various congresses held in their institutions. However, the National Executive of the body has not ratified the decision to end the strike. A Pro-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Senator Effiong Bob, urged ASUU to end the strike in honour of Late Fetus Iyayi, a former president of the union. Senator Bob, who was at the residence of the late professor pointed out that Late Iyayi died while trying to resolve the issue. “ASUU Should call of the strike so that both the union members and students can come and give him the last respect he deserves during his funeral,” he said. Late Iyayi died on Tuesday, November 12, in an auto crash on his way to Kano for a meeting of the union. In a meeting with the leadership of the union, President Goodluck Jonathan had agreed to provide 1.1 trillion Naira (about 6.9 billion dollars) in the next five years and the balance of 62 billion Naira (about 390 million dollars) and allowance to each university. The union had embarked on a nationwide strike on July 1 suspending all academic activities.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/11/15/ASUU-may-end-strike-on-saturday/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Education

en

Other forms: terrorists Someone who uses violence, mayhem, and destruction — or the threat of those things — to coerce people or countries into taking a certain action is a terrorist. A terrorist may be motivated by religious fervor, politics, or just plain old-fashioned greed. Terrorist has at its root the word "terror," which comes from the Latin word terrorem, meaning great fear. Great fear is exactly what terrorists hope to create so they can manipulate the situation to their benefit. The label terrorist is a subjective one. To the British, the American colonists who destroyed shiploads of tea in Boston Harbor in 1773 were terrorists. To colonists, they were patriots and heroes.

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/terrorist

Politics

en

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor LAGOS — GOVERNOR of the Central Bank, CBN, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, has said that no Nigerian has been mentioned in relation to the $10 million polymer bribery scandal. He said when the money is eventually traced to Nigeria or to a Nigerian, he would expect the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, to swing into action. Sanusi added that many media houses and other Nigerians have called to ask for CBN’s position, wanting him to confirm that the said scam took place. He said at this time when some people are seeking political office, some are looking for what to use against their opponents. The CBN Governor said no Nigerian has so far been named or accused of taking the said bribe, stressing that no official reaction has come either from CBN or the Federal Government. Sanusi declared this at a session with Vanguard Editors, in Lagos last Thursday. According to him, investigations are ongoing and that until names are mentioned, there is nothing any government official can do about it. He dispelled speculations by some international and local media reports that he has asked the Australian Central Bank to investigate the company that supplied Nigeria the polymer notes and disclose the names of Nigerians that were allegedly bribed by the company. According to him: “Concerning the polymer issue, I cannot add anything to what I have said about the issue. ”There is a story that says that there is an investigation being carried out on an Australian company, that gave $10 million bribe in connection with the contract for printing polymer notes in Nigeria. ”None of the people mentioned so far, among the recipients of the bribe, are Nigerians. Nobody has said that the bribe was given to somebody in CBN. It said it was given to some top government and political officials in Nigeria. “As far as I am concerned, at this level, I place them on the same level of accusation that the Governor of the CBN is pursuing a Northern agenda. When they begin to give names, when they trace the money to Nigeria or to a Nigerian, I would expect EFCC to swing into action. “As I speak to you, to the best of my knowledge, not a single Nigerian has been named in the issue. Is it a true story? I do not know. I think that as they continue tracing the money, they would end up finding where it went.†The immediate past Governor of the apex bank, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, had in an interview with Vanguard in 2006, when CBN was planning to introduce the polymer notes, said: “We are planning or not planning is not the word. The whole issue of this currency policy is evolving include the clean note policy. ”That is part of the master-plan that we are planning. It links also to the design, to the restructure that we mean. The polymer technology is new, and is not being used widely around the world. ”People who advocated the idea do think that is the best thing that has happened while those against it think it is the most horrible thing. ”We, at CBN, are open to examine our actions, but will be guided by what is in the best interest of Nigerians. ”For example, I want to get down to what you said about security features. ”Most people think that the polymer is more difficult to counterfeit than the paper, and that the major reason people are moving to the polymer is because of the security. ”In Chile, they launched it last week, and was the major argument that they had. ”People say the marks can washout because they are plastic. We are open. We are going to have presentations from the various groups. ”If we have any cause to change one side or the other, we will also subject it to serious scrutinising in terms of technology and compatibility with the master-plan that we are developing for the mint. ”The cost-benefit analysis will also be considered. The major reason people call for the polymer is that it is durable, it is plastic and it can last for an average of three to nine years or more. It is also more expensive to print. ”For us, it is going to be another cost-benefit analysis and also given the technology that we have. ”It will cost us a lot of money to begin to redo them. We have spent quite a lot of money to do it better. In short, we are open to proposals but we have to make the best decision for Nigeria.â€. Media reports had it that a Reserve Bank of Australia company is under Federal Police investigation for allegedly bribing Nigerian officials to win a bank-note deal in the most serious development yet in the cash-for-contracts scandal. Northern agenda over sack of bank MDs, Sanusi insists Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/26/no-nigerian-linked-to-10m-polymer-bribe/

Politics

en

Pedro joins APC Former Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Pedro yesterday joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said he shared the same desire to improve the lot of Nigerians through the APC. In a statement by his Special Assistant, Media Strategy, Lanre Anjolaiya, Pedro said: “Our dear country, more than ever before, is in dire need of purposeful leadership committed to leading us out of the woods; and one for which all men of good conscience must join hands. The task of nation building no doubt comes with challenges and always at great personal costs; yet it must be fulfilled by genuine patriots. After series of discussions between Otunba Pedro and the national leadership of the APC, it was clear that they mutually share the desire to see Nigeria become great again. “Otunba Pedro is convinced beyond doubt that the APC offers that veritable platform to put Nigeria back along the path of glory and prosperity. For this reason, I am delighted to announce that Otunba Pedro has formally declared for the APC. He left the PDP with his teeming supporters and party stalwarts across the Southwest to partner the party of the progressives – APC – towards the attainment of these noble objectives.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/pedro-joins-apc-2/

Politics

en

By Michael Eboh Lead investors of the proposed $1.5 billion ship repair facility, Badagry Ship Repair and Maritime Engineering Company (BSMEC), Monday, disclosed that its decision to site the project in Badagry, rather than in the Niger Delta was based on a sound and rigorous feasibility studies. The decision to site the project outside the Niger Delta has been a source of controversy, as different groups in the region have condemned the move, while some threatened to shut down the operations of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company, NLNG, in the region, especially in Rivers State over the alleged location of the Drydock in Badagry, Lagos. This was even as the NLNG had dissociated itself from the ownership of the project, stating that its only involvement lies in encouraging investors to consider building dry docks in the country. BSMEC, in a statement by its Project Director, Mr. Laolu Saraki, stated that for every wise investor, the place of a research-backed feasibility study cannot be relegated, adding that a painstaking process was carried out in order to produce a tested feasibility study. According to him, the purpose of the feasibility study was primarily to answer some of the questions and concerns, one of which is if it is commercially viable to develop a new shipyard for the repair of large ships including LNG carriers. He said, “To answer this question, two fundamental pieces of information are required; the revenue available and the costs of developing and then operating the shipyard. This information was then input to a business model to produce a business plan. “The pre-project technical consultant, Royal HaskoningDHV, took a completely independent approach working from first principles to establish the input for the business plan. “To determine the revenue, Royal HaskoningDHV carried out a market study using raw data, local and regional, on vessel movements and fleet characteristics. This provided a picture of the total market available to a large ship repair yard situated in Nigeria. “From the range of available vessel types and sizes identified, a coherent target mix was derived that would efficiently utilize the shipyard facilities. The only mandatory ship type to be included in this mix was large LNG carriers. A view was then taken on the proportion of the available market for the coherent target mix that the new shipyard could reasonably expect to capture. “The resulting projected throughput was an average of 12% of the available market across the coherent target mix. The revenue could then be calculated by applying current market repair rates to the projected throughput.” Continuing, Saraki noted that, “The cost of developing a new large shipyard is dependent on the site conditions where it is constructed. Therefore a search was made of the whole Nigerian coast and inland waterways for a location which provided the best technical balance of factors including access to deep water, good ground conditions, local workforce, free trade zone, transport links, access to suppliers and contractors. “In addition to this, the perceived attractiveness of the location for ship owners and for investors was taken into account. Royal HaskoningDHV concluded that for the purposes of the feasibility study, Badagry Port should be the selected site to provide data input to the business model. “Following the positive conclusion of the study, Royal HaskoningDHV was commissioned to manage an open competition to select the Lead Investor to take the project forward. Accordingly, potential investors and developers made written submissions, which were evaluated against a common set of criteria. “The successful organization was Badagry Ship Repair and Maritime Engineering Company (BSMEC), a consortium of five Nigerian companies. Although we have been provided with the feasibility study, we do not have any onus to follow its findings.” Saraki further stated that BSMEC is free to develop the new shipyard in whatever location and to carry out whatever throughput of business it wishes as long as it includes the capacity to repair large LNG carriers. According to him, in return for the undertaking to include the LNG carrier repair capability, BSMEC is able to call upon the promotional support of the initiators of the feasibility study, namely Nigeria LNG, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries. He, however, reiterated the unwavering commitment of BSMEC to bring this concept to reality and use it as a veritable platform to contribute substantially to Nigeria’s economic growth. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/why-badagry-emerged-preferred-site-for-lng-shipyard-project-bsmec/

Politics

en

Going to an Ivy League School or college is a magnificent achievement. But how to accomplish it, is a mystery to the aspirants and their parents. Thousands of students all over the world dream to get into Ivy League Colleges. The top Ivy League Schools– Yale, Princeton, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and Harvard received a total of 2,81,060 applications, and less than 10% got admission offer. It is becoming much more difficult as the applicant pool is proliferating but you can certainly increase your odds of getting into one. Some tips to Get Into an Ivy League College Get Your Grades and Scores Up For starters, you will need stellar grades and scores consistently if you need to go to an Ivy League College. As grades are still the most critical factor in admissions. Being in the top 10% of your class dramatically increases your chances of getting in. Engage In Extracurricular Activities Ivy League Schools want to see all-rounder applicants, not the bookworms who lock themselves up in a room with their books to get good scores. Join the sports team, theatre department and get involved in a club or two at your school. You can also explore the volunteer opportunities outside your hometown. Follow Your Passion and Be Yourself Students who get admitted to Ivy League Schools are skilled and competent. They have a life outside the classroom and campus. It doesn’t matter whether the student is doing community service or academic clubs. What they are looking for is a passionate and creative student. Polish Your Essay Straight A’s and stellar SAT scores are not enough for Ivy League Schools. The last thing you want is a dry and monotonous essay. Even a small error or two can kill your chances of getting into an Ivy League College. You can ask a friend or a relative to edit and proofread your essay and give you an honest feedback. Go To an Elite Preparatory High School Elite high schools send a high percentage of their students to Ivy League Colleges. Going to an elite preparatory school gives you access to a great admission counsellor. Apply For Early Decision If you think you are ready, you can apply for early decision. This can boost your chances of getting into an Ivy League School. But you need to choose thoroughly as you can pick only one school for early decision. The early decision acceptance rate for the class of 2021 show how much better ED applicants’ chances are: - Brown: 9% compared to 9% - Columbia: N/A for early decision/action; regular acceptance rate was 6.04% - Cornell: 6% compared to 12.5% - Dartmouth: 8% compared to 10.4% - Harvard: 5% compared to 5.2% - Princeton: 4% compared to 6.1% - Yale: 1% compared to 6.9% Take Professional Help Students whose sights are set on Ivy League Colleges, use consulting firms to get ahead of the competition. These firms are pricey, but they provide tutoring as well as counselling for all the four years of high school. 92% of students who took professional help got into at least one of their top choices. Be realistic but don’t be afraid of shooting for the stars. If you are an average student, the sooner you start strengthening your application, the better chance you will have. As the saying goes, ‘shoot for the moon and if you miss, you’ll land among the Stars’. Ivy Leagues are not the only universities worth going to, so also apply to a few backup schools. If you follow these tips you might end up getting into an Ivy League College, but don’t forget to enjoy high school because these are the golden days of your life.

https://www.homeworkminutes.com/blog/how-to-get-into-ivy-league-schools-or-colleges-tips/

Education

en

By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has said the state government has fulfilled all terms of agreement reached with representatives of Academic and Non-Academic Staff Union of the state university during a stakeholders meeting with bishops and elders of the state in Onitsha last week. Consequently, the governor expects the striking university workers to call off the strike and resume work. But the striking lecturers rose from a meeting at Igbariam campus of the university yesterday and insisted on continuing with the strike because, according to a source at the meeting, government is yet to meet their conditions. Vanguard gathered that the lecturers said they were not interested in the salary increase but a salary scheme that would clearly spell out their conditions of service. After the meeting of the governing council and ASUU at the weekend, it was thought that the strike would be called off this week, but it appeared there is still no hope for the university to reopen on November 22, 2010, as promised chairman of the governing council, Prof Elochukwu Amaucheazi. Governor Obi, while speaking at Anambra State Youth Reorientation and Empowerment Programme for youths of Anambra South Senatorial Zone at Saint Cletus Catholic Church, Nnewi, said that based on the intervention of the elders of the state, his administration had fulfilled the terms of the agreement. The programme was organized by the state government, in collaboration with Anambra Rebirth and Institute for National Transformation. According to him, with what has been agreed upon, lecturers of the university will be earning 80% of what their counterparts in federal universities earn at present. The governor said that during the meeting hosted by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the stakeholders requested all parties to make sacrifices to reach a compromise, explaining that the state government had fulfilled all terms requested by the stakeholders. He said with the new salary for the lecturers, they were now the highest paid workers in the state, with professors earning twice the salary of the deputy governor. He said, in spite the pressure from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, no member of the State Executive Council was earning the salary recommended by the commission because of the lean resources of the state. He also said that till date, states in the South West and South South, including Lagos and Rivers States, with their jumbo revenue, were not implementing the new salary structure. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/we-ve-fulfilled-our-agreement-with-ASUU-obi/

Politics

en

FOR nearly two weeks now the entire news space has been filled with what a LEADERSHIP editorial correctly described as “the valorisation of secessionist hubris.” The purveyors, sponsors and foot soldiers must immediately stop this nonsense. In apparent reaction to the irresponsible and unrestrained comments of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, some clowns, under the umbrella of the so-called coalition of Arewa youths, held two press conferences last week in Kaduna, during which they gave Igbos a ridiculous ultimatum to leave all parts of the North by October 1 and also for all Northerners in the South East to return to the North. Since then, virtually every ethnic champion has spoken in the name of one ethnic group or another for, against or in-between. Secession is the new demand for states and local governments. Video game kids For too long, post-1967/70 children who didn’t experience Nigeria’s civil war have been playing with fire. They have been behaving as if war is just another video game, in which contestants can score points without bloodshed and real-life consequences. War costs more than data plan on a digital device; it’s more than virtual experience on a console. Nigeria’s civil war cost more than one million lives, displaced and disrupted the lives of millions more, and left even a greater number stranded with permanent scars. Forty-seven years after the war ended, the country has yet to recover and both the Igbo and non-Igbo political elite have been hand-in-glove in betraying any hopes for genuine progress. No lessons have been learnt. This is largely because the older generation whose responsibility it is to shine the light and call the rascals on all sides to order prefer to play politics with the country’s future. Those who are not playing politics are maintaining criminal silence, which is just as reprehensible. Tail wags the dog It’s time to call a spade by its name. When Kanu was released on bail on April 28 most well-meaning Nigerians across ethnic lines who had called for his release, genuinely believed that he would respect his bail bond by disciplined and restrained conduct, especially in his public utterances. But no. Not only did he dishonour his bond, he persisted in making inciting and vexatious comments and behaved as if the installation of the Republic of Biafra at which he would be crowned the new potentate was only days away. MASSOB leader, Ralph Uwazuruike, has also been trying to out-trash Kanu’s war and secessionist rhetoric. On May 29 IPOB/MASSOB organised and led the shutdown of many parts of the South East, with mobs subjecting those who wanted to continue their normal lives to violent attacks. Police and fishwives Strangely, the police and the entire security apparatus looked on. Strangely, too, the governors of the entire South East and their political leaders, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who posted Kanu’s bail bond, turned a blind eye. Are we a serious people? Kanu’s conduct and utterances since his release on bail are deplorable; but no less deplorable are the so-called Arewa youths and their “Kaduna Declaration.” The fellows have no right under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deploy a traffic sign, much less order fellow citizens to leave their places of residence. That ultimatum was an insult on our collective sensibilities and must be condemned. If the current feeble political leadership had not infected our security services and turned the police into fishwives, Uwazuruike, Kanu and the Arewa youth jokers will all be in custody by now; they have become a danger to themselves and to the society. I laugh when the Inspector General of Police and his men pretend not know where the fellows are. I’m also appalled by the mushrooming of ethnic groups whose singular purpose appear to be how to break up Nigeria and leave with their own fragments of the whole. From Yugoslavia to the Soviet Union to Sudan, breakups have hardly ended in the romantic tales canvassed by the instigators. Of course, diversity and multiculturalism have their challenges, but there’s not a single one of the countries mentioned above that was not better off and more prosperous together than they are today. To put it bluntly, all the countries are worse off. It’s been said in some quarters that after watching the South West produce a president on the heels of the OPC terror; the South South getting the same chance after Niger Delta gangs held the country hostage; and the North using Boko Haram to pave the way for Buhari, South East youths want to take the same violent route to power. The subtext is more complex than it seems; yet there are those who think that if two wrongs don’t make a right, we might as well try a third. There’s no point living in denial. The country is facing difficult times: millions of youths cannot find meaningful jobs, while millions more cannot get a decent education. The few who get it cannot get a fair chance to compete, while infrastructure is breaking at the seams. Families across the length and breadth of this land are eking out a living with increasing difficulty, while the government grapples with a telling recession. It’s tough; and the harsh times appear to have made Nigerians more vulnerable to exploitation by ethnic and religious chauvinists and bigots. Yet, in spite of the odds, there is strength in Nigeria’s diversity and promise in its vibrant market of 180 million people. The conflict resolution mechanism is flawed; and because of the lack of transparency at the centre the states are getting away with murder. Power to the people Should there be more devolution of powers and responsibilities to the states? Yes. But you only need to inspect the havoc in many of the states to understand that until citizens themselves begin to hold governments at all levels to account, 180 million countries out of Nigeria will produce the same result. We’ve seen it play out in fallen nations: those who valorise secessionist hubris or who cannot tolerate others that are not like themselves will ultimately replace one form of tyranny with another. The nonsense must stop. *Ishiekwene is the MD/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine and board member of the Paris-based Global Editors Network Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/biafra-quit-notice-nonsense/

Politics

en

We’ll retrieve Olusola’s mandate – Fayose Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Tuesday expressed confidence that his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, would be declared winner of the July 14 governorship election by the state Election Petitions Tribunal. Fayose alleged that the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is holding on to “stolen mandate” which would be retrieved at the tribunal. The governor claimed that the election was marred by irregularities. Olusola, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the poll, has declared his intention to challenge the result of the election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the tribunal. The PDP candidate has up till August 3 to submit his petition as the 21-day window to challenge the result is expected to close on that day. Fayose spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday during an unscheduled visit to the new Erekesan Market (Oja Oba) which is nearing completion. The governor, who was cheered by market women during the visit, urged the people of the state to remain calm and be law abiding. Fayose pleaded with PDP members and sympathizers to keep their cool in the face of alleged intimidation and provocation by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on the market, Fayose said he was pleased with the pace of work on the project and quality of work done by the contractors. Fayose said: “This is the only legacy project we have not completed as we have delivered others such as the flyover, the new high court complex, the new Governor’s Office and the dualization of Ado-Ikere Road among others. “Though time is no longer on our side, we will surely push this project and as at now only finishing touches remain to be done. “I will complete it and commission it before I leave. We appreciate the people for their support and cooperation and we want them not to despair. The light is coming after darkness and we shall overcome.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/well-retrieve-olusolas-mandate-fayose/amp/

Politics

en

Buhari has not disappointed me—Obasanjo *Says African youths must not accept status quo FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his achievements so saying there is need to encourage him to do more. He also appealed to leaders and youths in Africa to embrace change to tackle the continent’s challenges besieging it. The former President said his, Thursday, on a CNN global affairs interview programme hosted by Chief International Correspondent, Christiane Amanpour. While he called on African youths not to accept the status quo, he said there is need for them to make bitter sacrifices. On the challenges facing the African continent, he said there is need to change from the status quo. He said: “There are many challenges. How do we feed our population that is supposed to double in about a generation from now? How do we provide jobs for them and employment? Now, these are the challenges. It cannot be business as usual. We cannot sit in the cool and comfort of our past and think that we will be able to bring about change. Change has to come.” Below is an excerpt of the interview: How do you, as someone who is seen as Africa’s elder statesman, say to these African leaders like the former Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos? The fact that José Eduardo dos Santos decided to go, for me, is some comfort. That he handpicked somebody to succeed him may not be good as it should be. Maybe that somebody may not do it the way he would have wanted to do it. So, let us see what happens in Angola. I know you are sitting here with the benefit of the years you have had in leadership position but you also remember what it is to be like that young man who was imprisoned by military regime. Would you have been happy to be told ‘let us wait and see’? Yes, I would have been happy to be told ‘let us wait and see’. But you were imprisoned? I was put in prison. Is it because you believed in freedom of democracy? I spoke for democracy. I said if any military man wants to continue to rule, he should put off his military uniform and contest election and for that, I was put in jail. But when I was in jail because Nigerians and the international community stood for me, I came out of jail. When I was released from jail, the hope I had materialized. I am an optimist. I am always full of hope. I look for the best even in the worst of situation. But again, we go back to the same point when you have an elite that is either controlling the ruling of the country or controlling, in the example of José Eduardo dos Santos’s daughter, who runs some of the lucrative business in the country. You can see why it would be disheartening for Africa’s youth. There is a limit to how much you can take on unless you are truly a devil I incarnate and when there is too much pressure, you will give in. So, your message to the youth is to maintain that pressure and to continue believing. Yes, I believe that they must be ready to also make a bitter sacrifice and that means not accepting the status quo. Look at what happened in Burkina Faso, the leadership there did not want to go, but when pressure was too much, they gave up. You were a big supporter of President Buhari but at the moment, there are a lot of concerns about his health. There are concerns about Nigeria’s economy. What worries you? President Buhari has not disappointed me. Yes, he is fighting corruption, he is fighting insurgency. We are not there yet and it is not a one night wonder. With what he has done, we should credit him and encourage him to do more. Is there something you want to say as a clear message to Africa’s leadership in terms of what they have to do to achieve what the continent is capable of achieving? Stop doing what is wrong like impunity and corruption. Africa is not destined to have. People try to make excuses, there should be no excuse and then we must place our individual countries and Africa above all interests. I believe that this is what we should do and if we do this, we will get there. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/buhari-not-disappointed-obasanjo/

Politics

en

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday begin a two-day official visit to Lagos State, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan said on Wednesday. According to Bamigbetan, the President, will during the course of his visit carry out some groundbreaking ceremonies and inspect some ongoing projects in the State. He said the President, on arrival, will attend the Colloquium organised to mark the 66th Birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu scheduled to hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday. He said the President would perform the official flag-off ceremony for the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port project, Ibeju Lekki. Bamigbetan said on completion, the multi-purpose Lekki Deep Sea Port, located at the heart of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, would be one of the most modern ports in West Africa, offering enormous support to the growing commercial operation across Nigeria and the entire West African region. He said the President would also inspect the ongoing construction works at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island. He said the Eko Atlantic City Project, a planned city being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean, is projected to accommodate at least 250,000 residents and a daily flow of 150,000 commuters, adding that the development will also have a positive environmental impact, as it will help in stopping the erosion of the State’s coastline. The Commissioner said the President would also commission the Ikeja Bus Terminal, expected to commute over a 100,000 residents across 23 bus routes in the State. According to him, the Ikeja Bus Terminal is part of the comprehensive plan to redefine public transportation which the present administration is implementing across the State. Aside the Ikeja Terminal, the Tafawa Balewa Square Bus Terminal has been commissioned, while work is ongoing in Yaba, Oyingbo, Ojota, Agege and other areas. It would be recalled that the State’s Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal had on Tuesday announced traffic diversions and alternative routes ahead of the President’s visit assuring that adequate preparations have been made to mitigate the impact of the road diversions on residents, while access would be given to any emergency situation. The State Government had also declared Thursday, March 29 as work free day to ease movement in and around the State as well as enable Lagosians come out enmasse to welcome the President. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/03/buhari-pays-2-day-visit-lagos/

Politics

en

WHO welcomes malaria vaccine for children in sub-Saharan Africa The World Health Organisation (WHO) says 29 million to 44 million Africans may get infected with COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic if containment measures fail, according to a study. The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, disclosed this in a statement posted on its website. The UN health agency also said the study revealed that 83,000 to 190,000 people in Africa could die of COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic. “The research, which is based on prediction modelling, looks at 47 countries in the WHO African Region with a total population of one billion. “The new estimates are based on modifying the risk of transmission and disease severity by variables specific to each country in order to adjust for the unique nature of the region. “The model predicts the observed slower rate of transmission, lower age of people with severe disease and lower mortality rates compared to what is seen in most affected countries in the rest of the world. “This is largely driven by social and environmental factors slowing the transmission, and a younger population that has benefitted from the control of communicable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis to reduce possible vulnerabilities,’’ it said. The lower rate of transmission, however, suggested a more prolonged outbreak over a few years, according to the study. It also revealed that smaller African countries alongside Algeria, South Africa and Cameroon were at a high risk if containment measures were not prioritised. “Containment measures, which include contact tracing, isolation, improved personal hygiene practices and physical distancing aim to slow down the transmission of the virus so its effects happen at a rate manageable by the health system. “Physical distancing is not about the confinement of people but rather avoiding unnecessary contacts as people live, work and socialise as a means to interrupt transmission,’ it said. The statement quoted Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, as saying:“ While COVID-19 likely won’t spread as exponentially in Africa as it has elsewhere in the world, it likely will smoulder in transmission hotspots. “COVID-19 can become a fixture in our lives for the next several years unless a proactive approach is taken by many governments in the region. We need to test, trace, isolate and treat,” it further stated. It further said that the predicted number of cases that would require hospitalisation would overwhelm the available medical capacity in much of Africa. “There will be an estimated 3.6 million–5.5 million COVID-19 hospitalisations, of which 82,000 – 167, 000 will be severe cases requiring oxygen, and 52, 000 –107, 000 will be critical cases requiring breathing support. “Such a huge number of patients in hospitals will severely strain the health capacities of countries,’’ it stated. It said a survey of health services in the African region undertaken in March 2020 based on self-reports by 47 countries to WHO, revealed that there were on average, nine intensive care unit beds per one million people. “These will be woefully inadequate. Additionally, the physical access to these services to the general population is very low, suggesting many people will not even have the chance to get to the needed care. “Diseases that can be managed can easily become more complicated as a result. “The study recommends that countries across Africa need to expand the capacity, particularly of primary hospitals and ensure that basic emergency care is included in primary health systems,” it said. The statement further quoted Moeti as saying, “The importance of promoting effective containment measures is ever more crucial, as sustained and widespread transmission of the virus can severely overwhelm our health systems. “Curbing a large scale outbreak is far costlier than the ongoing preventive measures governments are undertaking to contain the spread of the virus,” it said. All countries in the WHO African Region were using these results through the WHO country offices to inform their containment actions. The detailed methods and results were currently in press at the British Medical Journal-Global Health after extensive peer review and validation. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/05/covid-19-may-infect-44m-africans-who/

Health

en

A yet to be identified man has threatened to commit suicide by climbing a telecommunications mast. The incident occurred on Friday in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital in the north-eastern part of the country. According to eyewitnesses, the man was seen approaching the mast with chains around his waist without knowing that he had the intention of climbing the mast. Speaking to Channels Television, two persons – Mohammed Aminu and Suleiman Musa – explained that they suddenly discovered that the man was already at the peak of the mast. READ ALSO: Court Orders Remand Of Former AGF Adoke For 14 Days They added that he started shouting and throwing down papers with a short message entitled ‘To Whom It May Concern’. “I did not know when he climbed the mast; I’m the guardsman here,” said Aminu who added, “This is the first of its kind.” “He was throwing down some papers which were picked by some persons,” the guardsman narrated. The man, however, made a demand that he would only terminate the suicide mission if the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet T.B. Joshua, intervened in his case. The inscription on one of the papers read, ”People of God, I need your prayer for my safety. As Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree to see Jesus Christ out of the crowd, fortunately, he got his salvation from God. “After so many revelations about SCOAN, I am not coming down from this place until prophet T.B. Joshua asks me to come down. This is my last hope even if it is the last thing that I will achieve in life, so be it. “Please and please prophet of God, help and deliver me for God’s sake.” Meanwhile, security operatives have arrived at the scene in an attempt to bring the man down in the dark without any iota of light. This strategy, according to the team, is to avoid suspicion by the victim and prevent him from jumping off the mast.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/12/20/man-climbs-mast-to-commit-suicide-seeks-tb-joshuas-intervention/amp/?fbclid=IwAR1pbchTEyMnPkftfD_8rGAY8KwNeDKAGw-xreV1rXWq3tAQ2Y5colu8ncc

Religion

en

Taraba State government has officially effected its ban on open grazing throughout the state. Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State has, therefore, joined his counterparts in Benue and Ekiti State to officially place a ban on open grazing. Governor Samuel Ortom on May 22, signed the anti-open grazing and anti-kidnapping, abduction, cultism and terrorism bills into law in Benue State and effected the anti-open grazing law on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. Governors Ishaku and Ortom also close ranks against attempts by the Federal Government to establish cattle colony in both states. Ishaku made notice of the ban while addressing a crowd at the burial of the lawmaker representing Takum I state constituency, Late Hosea Ibi who was kidnapped on December 30, 2017, and was later found dead. Some Federal lawmakers including Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and the Speaker of the Taraba State assembly have appealed to Governor Ortom to protect the state against the alleged genocide agenda of minority tribes in the Middle Belt by suspected herdsmen. Governor Ishaku at the burial, therefore, declared Wednesday, January 24, as the official date banning open grazing while Ortom called for synergy in protecting the Benue/Taraba corridors. The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from…

https://www.channelstv.com/2018/01/24/taraba-govt-officially-bans-open-grazing/amp/?

Politics

en

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has congratulated Mr Diri Adonye on his victory at the Appeal Court, Abuja. Adonye is the party’s candidate in the March 19 state constituency re-run election in Opobo/Nkoro state constituency of Rivers. The party’s congratulatory message was issued by Chinwe Nnorom, Head of PDP Publicity Division for the National Publicity Secretary, on Friday in Abuja. The Appeal Court on Dec. 1 reversed the Ruling of the Election Petition Tribunal and upheld Adonye’s election into Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency of Rivers. The Special Appeal Panel justices led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa unanimously nullified the Certificate of Return issued by INEC to Mr Andrew Miller of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The court ordered INEC to immediately issue a new Certificate of Return to Adonye. Andoye’s election was also upheld by the Election Petition Tribunal. Nnorom noted that the `joyful mood’ of well-meaning democrats following the Court of Appeal judgment had once again, confirmed that the party is popular in Rivers and in Nigeria. He added that the celebration of the people indicated that Andoye is popular in his constituency. “To this end, we again congratulate the Judiciary for upholding the democratic tenet of the majority mandate freely given. “We urge the Court to continue defending its constitutional role in the defence of the rule of law in Nigeria as a sure way of sustaining our nascent democracy. “We admonish INEC to stop forthwith from taking sides in the conduct of elections in the country and maintain its statutory responsibility of an unbiased Umpire,” Nnorom added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/pdp-congratulates-adonye-victory-appeal-court/

Politics

en

By John Alechenu, Abuja The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, 2023 election and first petitioner in the ongoing case at the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, Peter Obi, has in his response to the legal team of President Bola Tinubu, declared that anarchy only reigns where the rule of law is trampled upon. Obi said this through his legal team in response to the written address by Tinubu’s lawyers who had argued that an interpretation of the law requiring 25 percent of the total lawful votes cast 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory could lead to anarchy. According to Obi’s media team, in a release on Friday, the LP candidate through his legal team has given a principled response to the threat of Anarchy from the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the 2nd and 3rd Respondents in the petition, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shetimma, “that if the Court interprets the Electoral Act section 134 against them it might lead to breakdown of law and order.” The release read in part, “Recall that Tinubu’s legal team, led by Wole Olanipekun, had in their final address to the court threatened that, “Any other interpretation different from theirs will lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature.” However, “Peter Obi’s lawyers led by Dr Livy Uzoukwu and Onyechi Ikpeazu disagreed saying instead that what will lead to anarchy is where the rule of law is trampled upon or truncated, that in such situations anarchy reigns supreme! According to Obi, “A sentence in the 2nd-3rd Respondents’ address alarmed the Petitioners and millions of Nigerians. The 2nd-3rd Respondents went too low and abandoned discretion when they claimed as follows: “Our submission is that the Petitioners are inviting anarchy by their ventilation of this issue of non-transmission of results electronically, by INEC.” “Obi’s legal team noted that they found Tinubu’s outburst as “a cheap, misguided, and destructive blackmail clearly intended to target the country’s judicialism and constitutionalism. It also aims at cannibalizing our democracy. “The legal team also noted that the careless and absurd statements of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents intend to raise the issue of insecurity if the Petitioners were to emulate the bad example of the 2nd-3rd Respondents but remarked that such will never happen because of the petitioner’s discipline and peaceful disposition and believe in the rule of law. “Still underscoring the pointlessness and the supererogatory of the Respondent’s threat, Obi’s legal team wondered, ‘When has it become offensive for Petitioners to canvass a ground prescribed for the challenge of an election in section 134(1)(b) of the Electoral Act 2022? “The legal eggheads attributed the needless flare-up and effusion of the Respondents to desperation taken too far which can be extremely dangerous. “Let the 2nd-3rd Respondents know that where the rule of law is trampled upon or truncated, anarchy reigns supreme.” The Electoral Court is expected to enter judgement in the matter soon. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/where-rule-of-law-is-trampled-upon-anarchy-reigns-supreme-obi-replies-tinubu/amp/

Politics

en

WHEN the just concluded Lagos City-Wide Crusade kicked off on September 8, not many people envisaged that the General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), Pastor William Kumuyi, 74, could withstand the rigour of the 18-day non-stop event, let alone travelling from one location to the other with all the stress involved. But he did, in what some participants described as utmost sacrifice for the salvation of souls. The results were overwhelming, as the crusade, organised by the DCLM, in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recorded over 40,000 converts to the Christian faith, aside diverse miracles that took place. In Ikorodu, alone, over 4,682 people made decision for Christ, while in Badagry, over 5,000 people received salvation. In Epe, information gathered revealed that about 4,000 people got converted, while in Agege over 1,500 people reconciled themselves with God. In Surulere, a 22-year old man, Uche Nwaogbola, deaf and dumb from birth, spoke for the first time. His teacher in the deaf and dumb class, Ms Lovett Osondu, was amazed, saying: “It is a miracle.” Martins Nwankwo, who was paralysed and bed-ridden, was also miraculously healed at the Surulere crusade. In Shomolu crusade, which held at the University of Lagos, a 200-level Law student, Miss Ayomide Akinbode, testified to her miraculous healing. A year ago, according to her, she noticed a lump in her breast and visited several hospitals without a solution but after Pastor Kumuyi’s prayer, the lump disappeared. Chairman of CAN, Isolo, Ejigbo and Oshodi Province, Archbishop Peter Febusoro, who was overwhelmed with the manifestation of God’s power, pointed out that the crusade not only brought unity within the Christendom, but also helped to rebuild lives, which were in shackles. Febusoro said: “It was a well organised crusade. Everything was in order. Everybody that came saw the presence of the Holy Spirit. I just think that such a thing could be coming up once in awhile so that people can be revived. It will help to reshape the lives of people in the state because a lot of things have been happening in terms of criminal activities, immoral acts and other vices. “The crusade could tackle these acts. Like in Isolo, most people who attended the crusade would have by now changed from their wayward ways of doing things and come to God. Pastor Kumuyi talked on so many things that would touch the lives of the people,” the CAN chairman stated, hoping that other churches will capitalise on it to achieve what the crusade was envisioned. “That is why I said that I hope the crusade would come once in a while because it will bring unity among the Christendom. Christians were not as united as the other religion. But with this crusade, we have seen unity. For me, it is a joy,” he stressed. The Managing Director of Jones-Olu Nigeria Enterprises, Jones Bagbe, was particularly concerned about the follow-up of the converts to establish and sustain their conviction in Christ, noting that it would enhance positive socio-moral disposition in Lagos State. According to him, the level of immorality, criminality, cultism and waywardness in the state is on the high side, but the crusade had brought a lease of life to many families. Bagbe said: “The impact of the crusade can never be overemphasised, looking at the participation and the joy that pervade every arena where the crusade was held. It will drastically reduce the level of criminality in the society. Therefore, the crusade has been a huge success, judging from the report so far received and the testimonies that were shared in the various locations, as well as the response to altar calls. “By now the first and the second batches of the crusade must have conducted their water baptism for the converts, and this is one of the ways to measure the spiritual impact of the crusade,” he noted. The Lagos State Moderator of Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), Pastor Joseph Fasanmi, had, earlier at a press conference, stated that the crusade was to address not only the alarming rate of robberies, cultism, drug abuse and corruption, among other ills, in the state, but also to usher people into the kingdom of God. Fasanmi explained that respective governments in Lagos State, since the advent of democracy in 1999, had made significant efforts to improve the socio-political and economic situation, noting that their collective actions could not “sufficiently lift the state because of the people’s attitudinal dispositions, moral and spiritual make-up.” He pointed out that unless the “heart of man was changed and turned around by God” to undertake salutary and positive designs, government’s measure would ultimately be feeble and less impactful. According to him; “the leaders, themselves, are outcrops of a depressed environment, and cannot be expected to provide enduring solutions to the multifaceted challenges facing mankind and summed up in one word – sin. We make bold to state that it is only a completely changed heart of man by God through the gospel that can bring about a fundamental and unadulterated transformation in our broad landscape. “All those that have conquered the basic challenges of development have done so because, at one time or the other in their chequered history, they had embraced the commanding imperatives of the gospel,” he added. Kumuyi, while noting that the crusade was a divine assignment, stated: “I think the secret is the grace of God. This is the first time we will go through like this for 18 days non-stop, travelling from place to place in the state. “We give the glory to God and the cooperation of the people as we have worked together in unity. There is unity in strength and I felt the unity of the people, not only Deeper Life but CAN, everybody, even the media too,” he added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/lagos-city-wide-crusade-records-over-40000-converts-diverse-miracles/

Religion

en

By Emem Idio, Yenagoa Following the arrest of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N80bn fraud, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has urged the EFCC to also beam its searchlight on the administration of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, managed by the embattled AGF. The Chairperson of ASUU, Federal University Otuoke, FUO, Bayelsa State, Dr Socrates Ebo, who made the call in a statement in Yenagoa while reacting to the arrest of the AGF, said it is no longer news that both the Auditor General of the Federation and the Head of Service had separately decried the corruption in IPPIS. His words: “Since the deployment of the payment platform, no lecturer can say for certain what his salary is. They deduct what they like from the salary and pay what they like to whom they like. “It had been severally alleged that the payment platform sometimes generates “audio” personnel on the payroll. Someone who could allegedly pilfer N80 billion naira from public coffers cannot possibly pay Nigerian workers their due salaries with sincerity. “The AGF is the manager of the IPPIS. EFCC should extend its searchlight on the administration of the payment platform. I believe it will make interesting finds. It is no longer news that both the Auditor General of the Federation and the Head of Service had separately decried the corruption in IPPIS.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/arrest-of-agf-ASUU-urges-efcc-to-investigate-administration-of-ippis/

Education

en

Google on Friday suspended social media platform Parler from its app store while joining Apple in calling on the platform to tighten its content moderation rules or risk permanent removal. Google said in a statement it is suspending Parler, an app popular among conservatives that has gained popularity in recent months over its hands-off approach to content moderation, due to “continued posting” in the app that it said “seeks to incite ongoing violence in the U.S.” “In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like spots that incite violence. All developers agree to these terms and we have reminded Parler of this clear policy in recent months,” the company said in a statement. “We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content,” the statement continued. Google said that in light of “this ongoing and urgent public safety threat,” it is suspending Parler listings from the Play Store until it “addresses these issues.” Apple similarly threatened to ban Parler from its app store, BuzzFeed News reported Friday. The tech giant sent Parler an email Friday noting “numerous complaints regarding objectionable content” on its platform, and accusations that Parler was used to “plan, coordinate, and facilitate the illegal activities in Washington D.C.” on Wednesday, according to the report. A Parler spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. The app has increased in popularity since the election, drawing in prominent conservative voices. Parler has branded itself as a pro-free speech platform, citing its decision to largely not moderate content. Posts with election misinformation that may be flagged on traditional mainstream platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, are left untouched on Parler. The site was also rife with posts about the deadly riot at the Capitol on Wednesday, when a mob of President Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Accounts related to the QAnon conspiracy theory, as well as some belonging to a far-right anti-government militia group, known as the 3 percenters, were promoting violent content about the riot, according to a report by Advance Democracy, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that conducts public-interest research & investigations. As Google and Apple put mounting pressure on Parler to tighten content moderation rules, mainstream social media platforms have cracked down on election misinformation, violent content and the president’s own accounts. Twitter on Friday announced it had permanently banned Trump’s account. It followed a decision announced by Facebook the day before to ban Trump’s account indefinitely, at least until President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Trump does not appear to have created a personal Parler account yet, but the app was experiencing outage issues early Friday evening after Twitter announced its decision to ban the president. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/533451-google-apple-tell-parler-to-tighten-moderation-or-risk-removal-from-app

Politics

en

Osborne Towers: EFCC invites ex-governor, others How NIA got property where $43.4m was found Amaechi seeks N2b compensation Detectives are to question a former governor and some high-profile owners of apartments in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos where $43.4million was recovered last Wednesday. Besides, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has identified how the controversial apartment 7B, where the $43.4m was kept, was acquired. Also recovered were £27,000 and N23m cash. The EFCC has intensified investigation into the roles played by some apartment owners and tenants on how the cash was brought into the Towers, The Nation has learnt. The anti-graft agency is said to be suspecting that some owners or tenants may have been complicit in the matter. A source said: “The more we investigate this $43.4m haul, the more we get fresh facts. It has become imperative to interact with some owners or tenants of apartments in the Towers. “We have invited a former governor and other high-profile owners and tenants for interaction. It is just to ask a few questions on whether or not they were aware of such movement of cash. “We have clues linking some occupants of the Towers to the cash haul. And in line with sections 16 and 17 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004, we are inviting these landlords or tenants. “Unless we get to the root of this case, Nigerians may not know the truth or otherwise about the cash. “We are not saying that those invited are guilty of any infraction or having link with the $43.4million but we need to hear from them – in line with the ongoing profiling of those in the Towers.” Sections 16 and 17 of the EFCC Act reads: “A person when – (a) whether by concealment. removal from jurisdiction, transfer to nominees or otherwise retains the control of the proceeds of a criminal conduct or an illegal act on behalf of another person knowing that the proceeds is as a result of criminal conduct by the principal, or (b) knowing that any property is in whole, or in part, directly or indirectly represent another person’s proceeds of a criminal conduct, acquires or uses that property or has possession of it, commits an office and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than five years or to a fine equivalent 105 times the value of the proceeds of the criminal conduct or to both such imprisonment and fine. “(1) A person who, without lawful authority (a) engages in the acquisition, possession or use of property knowing at the time of its acquisition, possession or use that such property was derived from any offence referred to in this section, or (b) engages in the management, organisation of financing of any of the offences under this Act; or(c) engages in the conversion or transfer of property knowing that such property is derived from any offence under this Act; or (d) engages in the concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to or ownership of property knowing that such property is derived from any offence referred to in this section, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalties provided in Subsection (2) of this section. ”The penalties for offences under subsection (I) of this section shall be imprisonment for a term not less than 15 years and not exceeding 25 years.” Meanwhile, there were indications yesterday that the EFCC had been able to trace how the controversial 7B apartment, where the $43.4m was kept, was acquired. Another source said detectives discovered that the 7B Apartment was bought in the name of a company allegedly owned by the wife of a senior government official. “Since investigation is still ongoing, we will not release the identity of the owner of the company. Doing so might jeopardise investigation,” the source said, adding that the EFCC had interacted with “some people from the company.” A National Intelligence Agency (NIA) source said of the apartment: “What happened was that because of the nature of the covert operations which the apartment will be used for, it was necessary to manage the process well.” Only the Deed of Assignment was acquired by Thabis Ventures Limited on behalf of NIA. “And immediately the process for the purchase of the apartment was completed, the ownership was clearly stated in the name of NIA. All the papers are reflecting NIA too, he said, adding: “The title document is available for anyone to verify.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/osborne-towers-efcc-invites-ex-governor-others/

Politics

en

PDP knocks Dokpesi, Secondus out of chairmanship race … Zones position to Southwest The desire of media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been truncated by leaders of the party from the three geo-political zones in the south –Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth. PDP governors, National Assembly members, former ministers and other leaders from the south at a crucial meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, ahead of the August 17 national convention billed for the city opted to zone the post to the Southwest. Also out of the race is Uche Secondus, former acting national chairman of the PDP, who is from Rivers State. Dokpesi is from Edo State. Both Edo and Rivers are part of the Southsouth geopolitical zone. Although Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said any party member willing to contest any position was free to do so, he was quick to advise party members to respect the zoning formula. Also zoned to the Southwest are the positions of national treasurer and deputy national publicity secretary. The party zoned the positions of first deputy national chairman, National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Women Leader and Deputy National Auditor to the Southsouth, while South-East got National Organising Secretary, National Youth Leader and Deputy National Financial Secretary. PDP stalwarts from the Southwest who have signified their intention to contest the PDP national chairmanship include former Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority, Chief Bode George, and a former minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

http://thenationonlineng.net/pdp-knocks-dokpesi-secondus-chairmanship-race/

Politics

en

By Tony Edike ENUGU—Enugu State Government, weekend, ordered the closure of 83 privately-owned secondary, primary and nursery schools in the state for failing to meet the minimum standard set for their operations. The government has also approved the establishment of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency to coordinate all the activities of primary healthcare services in the state. State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, who disclosed this at the end of a meeting of the State Executive Council, explained that the council took the decision on the schools to ensure that uniform standards were maintained in schools in the state and also ensure that children were given qualitative education. He added that the Ministry of Education would soon furnish the public with the names of the affected schools. Ugwoke said the council had also approved the reactivation of inter-house sports competitions in public secondary schools in the state. This, according to the commissioner, will promote teamwork and friendship among students and create the spirit of competition and discovery of talents. The government spokesman noted that about 305 secondary schools in the state would be involved in the exercise and that the council had approved the sum of N48,903,400 per annum for the programme, with each school receiving average of about N200,000 for the organization of successful inter-house competition. On the new health agency, Ugwoke stated that the body when established, would address the gaps existing in the District Health System and problems occasioned by the fragmentation of healthcare delivery system in the state. He said it would also enable the state leverage resources from the proposed National Primary Health Care Development Fund, adding that the council had directed the relevant ministry to prepare all the needed legal documents and processes and forward same to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage into law. He further disclosed that the government had awarded a contract worth over N574.3 million for the completion of work at the State Medical Diagnostic Centre. He said the contract originally awarded to Silhonettes AB + T Turnkey in 2009 was terminated in 2010 for non-performance, noting that it was now re-awarded to Turner Construction Nigeria Limited. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/enugu-orders-closure-of-83-private-schools/

Politics

en

President Muhammadu Buhari By Michael Eboh THE administration of President Muhammadu Buhari earned N16.647 trillion from the oil and gas industry in its first tenure, from May 2015 to April 2019. According to data obtained from various reports of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the country’s earnings from the petroleum industry was from crude oil and gas sales, royalties, Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT, and other sources. The money was earned by Nigeria only and does not include earnings by oil and gas companies operating in the country. The total oil revenue represented the amount that was later shared to the Federal, State and Local Governments after the inclusion of non-oil revenue, as well as after other deductions and transfers. However, from the reports, it was observed that the amount earned by Buhari in the first four years of his administration was 43.6 per cent lower than the N29.514 trillion earned by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan from May 2011 to April 2015. Giving a breakdown of oil revenue recorded during the Buhari administration, the CBN reports stated that from May 2015 to December 2015, oil revenue stood at N2.3 trillion; in 2016, 2017 and 2018, earnings from the industry stood at N2.693 trillion, N4.109 trillion and N5.63 trillion respectively, while from January to April 2019, the country earned N1.882 trillion. On the other hand, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan earned N29.59 trillion from the petroleum industry, broken down into N6.321 trillion from May 2011 to December 2011; N8.094 trillion, N6.809 trillion and N6.793 trillion in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively, while from January to April 2015, the administration recorded oil revenue of N1.497 trillion. The amount earned by the Buhari administration in its first tenure represented 61.42 per cent of the country’s budgets for 2015 to 2018. Specifically, between 2015 and 2018, the Federal Government’s total budgets stood at N27.1 trillion. In 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Federal Government’s budget estimates were N4.5 trillion, N6.06 trillion, N7.44 trillion and N9.1 trillion respectively. Commenting on earnings from the petroleum industry during the Buhari administration, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Association for Petroleum Economists, NAPE Professor Omowumi Iledare, argued that the money was better utilized.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/10/buhari-administration-earned-n16-6trn-from-oil-in-four-years/amp/

Politics

en

Senator Shehu Sani A former Senator representing Kaduna Central District, Shehu Sani, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to name the governors ‘stealing’ local government funds in the country. Sani made the appeal in a tweet via his verified Twitter account on Friday. He wrote, “The President should have the courage to specifically mention those governors pocketing LG allocations rather than timid generalisation.” His challenge comes on the heel of Buhari’s revelation that some state governors remitted half of the funds allotted to local governments in their states. Sani urge the President to be courageous in being explicit with the names of the governors involved in the reckless use of local council funds. Recall that Buhari made the revelation at a parley with graduands of Senior Executive Course No. 44 2022 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies held at the Aso Villa in Abuja on Thursday. He said, “Governors and local government officials who ‘pocket’, according to the President, public monies are to blame for the stalled development at the local governments.” However, the 36 governors in the country have not made their position on the development known. Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Muhammad Bello, disclosed that he did not receive any formal communication on the issue. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/name-govs-stealing-lg-funds-shehu-sani-challenges-buhari/amp/

Politics

en

Several parts of the country, including the capital Stockholm, have not seen a single hour of sunlight in December according to official measurements. As well as Stockholm, the instruments in Karlstad, the Tarfala Valley in Kiruna and the northern cape of Öland failed to measure any sunlight this month, meteorologist Ulrika Elvgren said on Twitter. Typically, December in Sweden replaces the grey, cloudy weather of November with crisp coolness and clearer skies. But in many places that hasn't happened this year. According to Aftonbladet, the last time sunlight was measured in Stockholm was November 28th, almost two weeks ago, while in Karlstad it was November 27th. And these two cities are in the southern half of Sweden. In the north, it will soon be polar night – the time of the year when the sun does not rise at all. Kiruna, the northernmost city, doesn't see sunrise between December 10th and New Year's Day. And at the northernmost point in the country, Treriksröset, the sun has already set for the last time this year, back in November, while the furthest inhabited village, Keinovuopio, ushered in the polar night on December 2nd. It's not unprecedented for cities further south to experience the entire month of December with no hours of sunlight at all. This happened in Stockholm in 1934, but the good news is that would be very unusual. dark – mörk cloudy – molnig to measure – att mäta polar night – (en) polarnatt sunlight – (ett) solljus Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected]. Please log in here to leave a comment.

https://www.thelocal.se/20201209/stockholm-and-karlstad-havent-had-a-single-hour-of-sunlight-all-month/?ampHmmm

Travel

en

Damaturu — Residents of Nasarawa ward of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, yesterday, woke up to the shocking news of the slaughter of twin teenagers by yet to be identified persons. The state Commissioner of Police, Patrick Egbuniwe, who confirmed the incidence in Damaturu said the command was suspecting members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. He also revealed that the oldest private school in the state, Yobe Children’s Academy, had also been burned down. According to the Police boss, the cases of night killings and burning of schools are on the increase in the state capital as the hoodlums no longer use gun or explosive devices but resort to slaughtering of their victims as sounds of guns and bombs often attracts immediate response by security agents. The Commissioner of Police who wondered why the attackers will slaughter 15-year-old set of twins said the incident occurred at about 10pm on Saturda. He also stated that the Yobe Children’s Academy was set on fire around 11 o’clock of the same day. A staff of the school who spoke on condition of anonymity said 30 classrooms were razed as only the staff room, library and laboratory were spared. The school, according to him, has pre-nursery, nursery, primary and secondary sections and currently with over 3,000 student population. He expressed grief over where the students will write the Junior Secondary School Examination slated for today. The school was established in 1992 and at the moment is one of the leading institutions with good academic records with several of its products excelling in high institutions at home and abroad and internationally. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/15-yr-old-twins-slaughtered-in-yobe/

Politics

en

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos has lifted the injunction imposed on Omoni Oboli’s movie, Okafor’s Law. The order which was slammed last Friday was lifted today, clearing the way for the public screening of the film beginning from tomorrow as planned. The injunction and a confiscation order that came with it had stopped the premiere of the film at IMAX Cinema in Lekki Lagos on 24 March, souring the party mood of the scores of guests at the three-legged event. Omoni Oboli was sued by a Canada based Nigerian, Jude Idada, who claimed the movie was his intellectual property. Oboli said the idea and the movie was hers 100 per cent. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/breaking-court-lifts-ban-omoni-obolis-okafors-law/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitterCc:

TV-Movies

en

Supreme Court orders EFCC to return N9bn to ex-bank director The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the N9 billion seized from the former executive director of a first generation bank, Dauda Lawal. In a unanimous judgement, the five-man panel, led by Justice Muhammad Lawal Garba, dismissed the appeal filed by the EFCC against the judgement of the Court of Appeal which, among other things, ordered that: “The decisions of the Federal High Court, Coram Judice: Hassan, J. delivered in suit no: FHC/L/CS/13/2017 on 16th February 2017 are hereby set aside. “The order of final forfeiture of the sum of N9,080,000,000.00 (Nine Billion and Eighty Million Naira) to the Federal Government of Nigeria is hereby set aside. It is hereby ordered that the said sum of N9,080,000,000.00 (Nine Billion and Eighty Million Naira) be returned to the Appellant forthwith.” The judgment delivered by the court of Appeal, Lagos Division was in Appeal No CA/LAG/CV/480/2019 DAUDA LAWAL V. EFCC & ANOR dated 25 March 2020. The Supreme Court judgement which, unanimously, affirmed and upheld decision of the Court of Appeal, is Appeal No: SC.212/2020, EFCC v. DAUDA LAWAL. The ruling conclusively upheld, affirmed and determined that the Order of Final Forfeiture of the sum of N9,080,000,000.00 made against Mr Dauda Lawal is set aside and rescinded; and that the said sum of N9,080,000,000.00 be returned to Dr. Dauda Lawal forthwith. The EFCC, in May 2016, charged Lawal with allegation of money laundering and obtaining monies suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. On 7 October 2020, the Federal High Court, Lagos Division discharged and acquitted Lawal of the offences of money laundering, obtaining monies suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and the other unsubstantiated charges brought against him by the EFCC in charge No FHC/L/419C/2018 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V. DAUDA LAWAL.

https://thenationonlineng.net/supreme-court-orders-efcc-to-return-n9bn-to-ex-bank-director/

Politics

en

By Ayo Onikoyi Following their positive influence in the development of the Yoruba movie industry, and their impact in the society, popular actors who are also a couple, Mr Lukuman Raji and his wife, Bukky Adekogbe-Raji, popularly known as Aminatu Papapa, have been made the face of a home of hospitality, Bumat Hotels in Oyo State. The couple was confirmed as the ambassadors of the five-star hotel during the unveiling and formal presentation of the new ambassadors by the management of the hotel, recently, and the duo were delighted to accept the offer with gladness. Speaking at the unveiling of the actors as ambassadors, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the hotel, sitting on Plot 6, Lanje Area, off Oyo Ibadan expressway, Oyo State, Mr Bukola Ojediran, noted that the management made the best choice in making the revered couple and actors as the image of the establishment. “We are delighted to have the Rajis as our ambassadors. This shows the extent how which we cherish bond and respect every prospective guest. We are ready to give a high quality and quality service through our hospitality facilities,” Ojediran added. In his remarks, Mr Raji noted that it was a welcomed development for his family, just as he stressed that they would not hesitate to project the image of the establishment positively as well as remain good ambassadors. Mrs Raji also said, “We promise that the management and entire staff as well as the prospective customers will not regret making her family ambassadors of the establishment. We will give our quota and ensure Bumat Hotels witness a great uplift beyond comprehension. We are indeed grateful for this recognition.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/apostle-suleman-sues-stephanie-otobo-online-medium-n1b-defamation/

Religion

en

Abubakar Malami (SAN) . Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan *Says Nnaka holding Nigeria to ransom By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA — The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied allegation that he demanded kickback from United States-based attorney, Mr. Godson Nnaka, who is laying claim to 40 per cent of $458 million loot the US government seized from late military dictator, General Sani Abacha. Malami said the only communication his office had with Nnaka or his counsel was “only out of professional courtesy.” According to him, “allegations of a kickback demand are untrue and simply reek of desperation.” The AGF, in a statement made available to Vanguard, yesterday, said there was need for him to address specific misconceptions about the role he had played so far towards securing the return of the Abacha loot from the US. The AGF maintained that the stolen funds, which were frozen in various jurisdictions in the US, would have been returned to Nigeria since, if not for an appeal filed by Nnaka, wherein he is claiming 40 per cent of the forfeited loot as part of his legal fees. Nnaka holding Nigeria to ransom Malami, who accused Nnaka of “holding Nigerian people to ransom and unnecessarily depriving them of the forfeited funds,” said he had already engaged a lawyer to challenge the competence of the appeal. He further challenged the US-based attorney to adduce evidence that he (Malami) requested for a kickback from him. Giving his side of the story, the AGF said: “In 2013, as part of its Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, the USDOJ commenced a forfeiture proceeding to confiscate approximately $550 million that had been corruptly obtained by late General Abacha and his associates (the ‘Abacha Case’). “A portion of the Abacha loot, valued at $458 million, has now been forfeited to the United States. On December 17, 2015, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered final judgment forfeiting certain Abacha assets valued at $458 million. “The forfeiture proceeding as to those assets is, therefore, concluded and the forfeited assets are ripe for repatriation to the innocent victim – Nigeria. “However, Godson Nnaka has filed an appeal against the judgment of forfeiture, falsely claiming to be entitled to a portion of the assets as compensation for legal services allegedly rendered to Nigeria. “The USDOJ has represented to us that the appeal is the only issue delaying repatriation of the forfeited assets to Nigeria. “They have explained that the forfeited assets are not located in the United States and that only upon disposition of the appeal would the United States then have a final judgment upon which it can seek the retrieval of the forfeited assets which are frozen in multiple foreign jurisdictions and return same to Nigeria. “The forfeiture of the remaining $100 million in assets is still pending. The forfeiture of these assets is being contested by certain individuals, who are related to Atiku Bagudu (General Abacha’s associate) and who claim that these assets are the subject matter of a private family trust. In this regard, we are co-operating with the USDOJ by providing them with the documents, information, witnesses and other evidence required to secure expeditious forfeiture of this portion of the Abacha loot.” “Nnaka claimed to have been retained by former Attorney General Olujimi sometime in 2004, however, the purported letter of instruction from Olujimi states that it is predicated on Nnaka’s representation that there are looted funds in United States banks.” “However, the records the Abacha case indicate that the USDOJ, initiated the Abacha matter based on United States Civil Asset Forfeiture statutes and that the funds in question are not located in the United States but are in multiple foreign jurisdictions. “Even assuming Nnaka did have a proper letter of instruction from Olujimi, Nnaka never brought any action in the US to recover the monies but claims to have been travelling around to meet with the Abacha family and others for discussions. As stated above. The USDOJ filed its forfeiture action against the Abacha loot in 2013, some 11 odd years after Nnaka claims he was hired. “In spite of the above, Nnaka never stopped trying to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria or to extort settlement from the Federal Government of Nigeria. “In 2016, he hired a lawyer to file an appeal in both his name and the name of the Nigeria against the Court’s order striking his filings and dismissing his claim. “Nnaka would have needed a separate retainer agreement to act on behalf of Nigeria in any asset recovery litigation. “Put differently, Nnaka did nothing to identify, trace and recover the Abacha loot. Even if he did identify assets, he did not actually recover anything on Nigeria’s behalf. All the asset forfeiture litigation was handled by the USDOJ without Nnaka’s participation or assistance. “Instead, Nnaka has at each point attempted to intervene and shore up his baseless claim to a 40% fee for doing absolutely nothing. Such conduct is corrupt and seeks to deprive Nigeria of its rightful funds. “The office of the AG never negotiated any terms with Nnaka or his counsel. The only communication with Nnaka was only out of professional courtesy. He was advised to follow due process in requesting instructions as outside counsel retained by Nigeria in this case did. He was advised to submit his proposal to President Advisory committee on corruption, the office of the Solicitor General, the Department of State Security and based on evaluation and recommendation from the above bodies, the Office of the Attorney General would consider his request. “Nnaka’s allegations of a kickback demand are untrue and simply reek of desperation. “We should remember that the person making these accusations was disbarred by at least two bar associations in the United States and one occasion instructed clients to lie on his behalf to the Court! We challenge Nnaka to prove his allegations!”, Malami added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/edodecides-nigerians-react-debate-obaseki-ize-iyamu-2-gov-candidates/

Politics

en

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has replied the presidential standard-bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who labelled him unfit to contest in the 2023 presidential election. Tinubu in his response also berated Obi for saying his (Tinubu) supporters are backing him for his money, stressing that he is hale and hearty. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga. The statement read in part: “Since he is not Asiwaju’s doctor and is not privy to his medical record, Obi has again disgracefully elevated what has for long been a beer parlor gossip and social media lie being propagated by his IPOB supporters. “Obi in his characteristic manner is amplifying falsehood which should not have a place in decent political campaign. “We believe that political leaders should be guided in their utterances and be sticklers for the truth, but Obi has thrown all caution to the wind, pronouncing on issues he has no moral and professional competence to make a judgement call on. “We want to make it crystal clear to all the traducers of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate that Asiwaju Tinubu is not ill. He is hale and hearty. A man who works for 20 hours a day, meeting people and strategising about finding solutions to Nigeria’s problems, cannot be said to be ill. We make bold to say that our candidate is as fit as the fiddle. “We also want to educate Peter Obi and his horde of gullible followers that Tinubu’s millions of supporters countrywide are backing him not because of any pecuniary benefit. Asiwaju Tinubu supporters are rooting for him because of their strong belief in his demonstrable ability to provide progressive leadership for our country. “They are supporting him because they believe in his capacity as a transformative leader, who once made a historic mark in Lagos State and is capable of replicating same in Nigeria. “On this score alone, Tinubu is unmatched in the field by even the perennial presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He is certainly not in the same league with the rabble rousing Peter Obi by all leadership parameters,” the Presidential Campaign Council noted. The campaign council, however, cautioned Peter Obi to “desist from politics of falsehood”, adding: “We advise him to canvass on issues and for once give his hollow campaign some credibility by refraining from telling lies.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/tinubu-replies-peter-obi-youre-not-my-doctor-im-fit-to-run-for-presidency/

Politics

en

By Simon Ebegbulem BENIN—THE rumoured endorsement of the chairman of the Economic Team of Edo State Government, Mr Godwin Obaseki, as Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s preferred governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2016 governorship election in the state is causing tension in the party. The tension is due to the calibre of aspirants in the party, including the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, former governor of the state, Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor, Oshiomhole’s Works Commissioner and political son, Osarodion Ogie, former Minister of State, Works, Dr \ Chris Ogiemwonyi, Kenneth Imasuagbon (Rice man) and Gen. Charles Airhiavbere. Obaseki’s emergence in the governorship race came as a surprise to many due to the fact that he is seen as a technocrat and not a politician. He is alleged to be backed by business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. However, tension heightened in the state’s APC last week after some leaders of the party informed their followers that Obaseki was the governor’s anointed and urged them to key into it. Vanguard learned of an alleged plot to ensure that his emergence was frustrated at the primaries by other aspirants. Oshiomhole had in an interview with Vanguard, expressed his respect for each of the aspirants and assured that the leadership of the party would ensure the emergence of a candidate that will sustain the infrastructural development he put in place. But a chieftain of the party, Rev Michael Egharevha, dismissed such threats, saying: “If Obaseki is the governor’s choice nobody will stop him. Oshiomhole made most of us what we are today and if he decides it is Obaseki, so be it, we will all support him. So if anybody is threatening, it is only a waste of time.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/edo-2016-tension-in-apc-over-oshiomholes-rumoured-endorsement-of-obaseki/

Politics

en

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu By Olasunkanmi Akoni The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the call by Lagos Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Code of Conduct Tribunal to re-open the case against the National leader of APC and former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu as an attempt to tarnish Tinubu’s image. Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, in a statement, yesterday, said APC viewed the call “as silly rants of frustrated losers desperately splashing mud to tar others when they are facing weighty corruption cases.” According to APC the trial which happened during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s led government and instigated by PDP; “Lagos PDP and indeed the entire PDP are suffering acute Tinubu-phobia borne out of the fact that Asiwaju Tinubu constitutes the greatest nightmare for PDP rank and file given his prosecution of the defeat of the PDP last year.” APC, also described Lagos PDP as a spent gathering of losers facing indictment for their role in the monumental corruption that marked the woeful PDP governance in the country. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/apc-chides-pdp-attempt-re-open-tinubus-cct-trial/

Politics

en

At least six people were killed when suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked a town in northeast Nigeria, in the latest attack against vulnerable, isolated rural communities, the local government said on Monday. Bukar Wakil Tawu, secretary of the Magumeri local government area, said about 20 people believed to be from the jihadist group attacked Jaddannam at about 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Friday. “They killed six people and burnt almost the whole town. They also burnt livestock and food supplies from recent harvests,” he told AFP from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, nearly 50 kilometres (30 miles) away. “I went to the town yesterday (Sunday), where I met the poor residents. They are peasants who rely on subsistence farming and their livestock. “They have now lost all their belongings. We are appealing to the government to come to their aid and for patrols to be intensified because the area is remote and it has relatively huge population.” Eight years of conflict have left at least 20,000 people dead and more than 2.6 million homeless in northeast Nigeria but has also devastated infrastructure, including telecommunications, leaving communities virtually cut off. Local residents had to travel to Maiduguri to report the attack. Recent weeks have seen an increase in Boko Haram activity in northeast Nigeria and the Far North region of neighbouring Cameroon after the end of the rainy season in September. At least 20 people were killed in a series of raids and suicide bomb attacks in the space of a few days last month, while civilians were also killed when their vehicles hit landmines planted by the Islamists. Those deaths — and the latest in Jaddannam — underline the continued threat posed by Boko Haram, despite claims from the military and the government that the insurgency is nearing an end. Boko Haram fighters loyal to factional leader Abu Mus’ab al-Barnawi have been known to operate in the Magumeri area. In July, 19 soldiers and 33 militia members were among 69 killed when Boko Haram ambushed a heavily-armed convoy of oil exploration workers. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/six-killed-town-burnt-borno-boko-haram-attack/

Politics

en

PROTEST: Abia indigenes in Lagos, under the aegis of Abia Youths Good Governance Advocacy Project (AYGGAP), protesting over the failure to uphold the court ruling of an Abia High Court that pronounced Dr. Samson Uchechukwu Ogah as the new governor of the state. By Bose Adelaja Hundreds of Abia State indigenes residing in Lagos weekend embarked on a peaceful protest on what they described as a deliberate attempt by their leaders to impoverish their masses. The protesters under the aegis of Abia Youths Good Governance Advocacy Project, AYGGAP, who staged the protest in Okota area of Lagos said it’s high time the masses began to reap the dividends of democracy rather than being impoverished and relegated to nothing despite their natural endowment. Their placards gave them out as supporters of Samson Ogah who is in court for the state governorship seat. The youths who were with various placards were led by Dr. Nwabuchi Chukwuemeka, Great Imo Jonathan and Honourable Henry Ogbulogo among others. They called for peace, progress for the entire Abia citizens saying they were denied of jobs, health facilities, equity and justice. The youths who converged at Nwachukwu street before the protest march frowned at the impuniry abuse of power and total disregard to court rulings, saying that its high time the state upheld the court ruling of Abia High Court which pronounced judgement that Dr. Samson Uchechukwu Ogah be sworn as the new governor of the state. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/abia-indigenes-stage-peaceful-protest-lagos/

Politics

en

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State went all out on Thursday, going down on his knees to canvass support for Governor Yahaya Bello’s re-election bid. El-Rufai who is also the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Gubernatorial Campaign in Kogi State made the gesture at a mega rally held for the governor in the state capital Lokoja. “Many people say Yahaya Bello is young and that he has fought many people. For every one that the governor has offended, I am asking all of you to forgive him. He is young, he is supposed to make mistakes. When you are young, you make mistakes, but you are supposed to learn from him. On his behalf, I am kneeling down to beg all of you to forgive Yahaya Bello if he has offended you,” the governor said. Beyond seeking forgiveness for whatever mistakes the governor had made, Governor El-Rufai praised him for his performance and took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party, urging the people to “bury PDP once and for all”. He claimed that although the PDP had ruled the state for a long time, they “have done nothing” in the state. “In the past four years, the progress recorded by the APC government under Governor Yahaya Bello is more than what the PDP has tried to do in 13 years,” he said. Whatever might have happened in the first tenure of Governor Bello, El-Rufai appealed to the people to know that he cares about the people of Kogi State. Singing Bello’s praises, El-Rufai said, “He cares about this state, he has brought progress to this state, he has brought young people into government, he has brought women into government. He has brought physical progress; he has cleared salary arrears that he inherited from previous governments. “You must all come out and support him. I beg you all.” Among those who canvassed support for the Kogi governor at the rally ahead of Saturday’s election were the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari; wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; and the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/11/14/el-rufai-kneels-begs-kogi-people-to-forgive-governor-bello/

Politics

en

OBJ visits IBB, hugs Atiku at airport Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday visited former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, who just returned from a two month medical treatment in Germany. Obasanjo also met with his estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, at the Minna International Airport where the two leaders buried their differences and hugged each other. The Nation gathered that Obasanjo was in Minna to visit the recuperating Babangida, while Atiku who had visited the former military president was in the town to attend the presidential declaration of Sam Nda-Isaiah of All Progressive Congress (APC). Obasanjo, who arrived in a plane with registration number – GDOUR along with Senator Andy Uba, Chief Ayo Fashawe and a unidentified lady at about 4:30pm was about to be conveyed to Babangida’s house when his attention was drawn to the presence of Atiku at the airport. The former vice president who was already seated, awaiting clearance for his flight, stopped the pilot, alighted and headed straight to the car ferrying Obasanjo out of the airport and the two leaders hugged each other. A black BMW car with registration number – ABJ 01 RJ then took Obasanjo to the uphill residence of the former military president in company of Mohammed Babangida.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/obj-visits-ibb-hugs-atiku-at-airport/

Politics

en

Gov. Bindo Jibrilla of Adamawa says he has no plan to toe the line of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC). Jibrilla made his position known on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said he would remain in the ruling party with his numerous followers and give the maximum support to the Buhari administration to succeed. “The former vice president is more than mature enough to decide whatever he wants to decide for himself. “As far as I am concerned, I am one of the founding fathers of APC. “When I was in the Senate, we were the ones, alongside the current Senate President that worked very hard to ensure that all members of the National Assembly; that we agreed to move to APC. “So, I cannot see any reason why, today, that the House I built, that I will leave. “So, I am in APC for the rest of my life, period.’’ According to Jibrilla, the entire North East remains solidly behind the President in view of the achievements of his government. The governor explained that the resignation of Atiku would never affect the fortune of the APC in Adamawa. “Well, APC is strong, we have 25 members in the state assembly. 23, in fact, 24 now because one of them have moved to the APC, so, 24 out of 25 members in the House of Assembly are APC. “The three Senators from the state are APC, even the House of Representatives, including Adamu Kamale who recently moved to the APC. “So we are strong and we will continue to be strong,’’ he added. Atiku Abubakar, in a statement on Friday, announced his resignation from the APC.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/08/11/nigerian-horror-boy-tethered-with-animals-for-two-years-lives-on-their-food-remnants/Jibril

Family

en

Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa. We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant. We aim to answer the most relevant questions about Africa in areas of entertainment, famous people, emerging technologies while we also engage with various distribution capabilities to connect with Africans in need of information who rely on our website to keep in touch with the world that is changing so fast. These are some of the articles you may be interested in reading:

https://answersafrica.com/lagos-aje-oil-field.html

Politics

en

Atiku’s leading gang of mercantile politicians, APC responds By Dirisu Yakubu & Omeiza Ajayi Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a live, one-on-one debate with its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on critical sectors of the nation’s economy. PDP accused President Buhari of neglecting troops fighting in the North-East and reneging on his promise to “lead the fight from the front,” which it said has resulted in the vulnerability and killing of soldiers by insurgents. The All Progressives Congress, APC, in a swift reaction, described PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku, as leading “a gang of selfish and mercantile politicians,” who cannot withstand the credentials of its candidate President Buhari. In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said Nigerians are aware that President Buhari is “afraid of facing our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in a general debate organised by independent bodies. For this, PDP grants him the liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient for him to face our candidate before a neutral panel. “President Buhari must face Atiku in person, as Nigerians are not ready to accept any representation from him. If, as a Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President cannot face a political debate, how then can he vigorously engage international competitors?” PDP also tasked the President to muster the courage to “face his failures and avail Nigerians of his sectoral performance scorecards, as well as present his future blueprint, if any, to enable the electorate weigh him alongside our presidential candidate.” There’s no credible opposition—APC Reacting, APC, in a statement by Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said: “From silly conspiracies on the shape of the President’s ear, a ludicrous allegation of a presidential body double named Jubrin from Sudan, tales on the #NextLevel- Nigeria campaign and the rested certificate issue, Nigerians have been entertained by the comical displays of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. “It is now clear that we have no credible opposition political party, but a gang of selfish and mercantile politicians that will do anything to return to elective office.” The ruling party also alleged that the Dubai meeting attended by Atiku and other PDP leaders was “a last-ditch effort to raise presidential campaign cash from foreign financiers by mortgaging key national economic assets, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/youre-no-match-for-atiku-pdp-tells-buhari/

Politics

en

You are the next President, Ondo monarchs tell Tinubu Traditional rulers in Ondo State have promised to work towards the emergence of former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as President of Nigeria. The monarchs said Tinubu’s antecedent stood him out as the next person to take Nigeria to the place of her dream. They spoke separately when Tinubu visited traditional rulers in the three senatorial districts of the state. Oba Fredrick Obateru-Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugboland, who spoke at Okitipupa, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government, said Tinubu has the charisma and ability to turn the country’s fortune around. He said all traditional rulers in Ondo South have blessed and endorsed him for the number one job. In Akure, the Ondo State capital, Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, said Tinubu would transform the country technologically and in other sectors. Oba Aladetoyinbo described Tinubu as a maker of men even those he rarely knew. He said the prayers of the obas in Ondo Central Senatorial District would ensure Tinubu becomes the next president. On his part, Tinubu informed the monarchs that he was running for the presidency because he is seriously bothered about the development of Nigeria. Tinubu stated that Nigeria would compete favourably with Russia in the exploration of oil and gas if its natural resources were properly harnessed He said he knew the problem of the country and if given the opportunity, Nigeria would be ranked among the best nations in the world. “I don’t run away from battle. I am very particular and passionate about democracy. During MKO’s time, we tried but we could not get it. When they came to meet us to support Buhari, we sought your support and Buhari became the president. “I have gone to inform Buhari that I want to contest, particularly now that it is remaining few months for him. It is not a matter of fight, the constitution stipulated it. Buhari told me to go ahead and declare. “I informed Buhari so that people would not say who did I inform before taking the decision. I am the most qualified to become the president. I will ensure that our children get employed, there will be industries and all- round development across the country. “Ondo State is abundant in natural resources and Akeredolu is really trying. The job of a president is all about the brain and I have it. Inform everyone that I want to contest. I will make Nigeria to be more developed than Lagos. “It is a pity that ordinary brake pads Nigeria cannot produce. I will turn Nigeria around for good. All I seek are your prayers and support for me to become the president. It is your son that wants to contest and I’m that your son. “Lagos State was the worst state in Africa when I became governor. We were generating megre revenue then but we did our best then. Look at Lagos now, it generates over N40 billion in revenue “Division is one of the problems in Nigeria too but there is no division in Lagos because any tribe or religion is welcome as they can contest and win elections and that is why Lagos is thriving. “I am here to seek the blessing of our royal fathers for my presidential ambition because I know where the problems are and if given the opportunity in 2023, Nigeria will be ranked among the best nations in the world. “I am imploring all eligible voters to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) revalidated for them to exercise their civic responsibilities,” Tinubu said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/ondo-monarchs-to-tinubu-you-are-next-president/

Politics

en

By Emma Amaize WARRI- HUNDREDS of Ijaw natives from Delta, Edo, Ondo and Bayelsa states residing at Aladja and other Urhobo communities in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, have started relocating from the localities, as anxiety shoots up over the 14-day quit ultimatum slammed on them by the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Youth Wing, Udu chapter, over alleged kidnap of Urhobo people. Vanguard learned that despite the peace efforts by the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, UPU, youth wing, and other groups, Ijaw residents in Udu communities feel unsafe since November 17 when the ultimatum was issued and started packing bag and baggage in the last two days to avoid possible hostile response. Though the president of Federated Youth of Isaba kingdom, Ogugu Moses, denied that his people were the aggressors, he said in a statement: “On the 11th of November 2016, we the people of Isaba Kingdom released one female and six males of Aladja indigenes alive to Nigeria Navy, Army and Chairman, Delta State Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Opudu.” He claimed that Aladja people attacked and burnt Ayama and Pamie, two Isaba communities on 10th, 11th and 12th of November and the seven persons released by Isaba people to government security agencies were strangers found in their territory during the offensive. However, Urhobo youth leaders insisted on Tuesday that the whereabouts of four natives taken hostage by Isaba people were unknown and demanded their release before they would attend any peace meeting with their Ijaw counterparts. They insisted that Ijaw youths were the ones that occupied Ayama and Epama, two Urhobo settlements becausesome Ijaw oil thieves were prevented from using Ayama as a bunkering route. IYC chair, Ogulagha kingdom, Burutu area, Mr Doubra Okotete, who corroborated our findings, said: “There is serious tension in Udu right now as Ijaw people are leaving Udu kingdom because of the inability of the state government to handle the dispute promptly.” He also wondered why the president general of UPU, Chief Joe Omene, should support such an ultimatum by UPU, Udu youth wing, saying: “It is like pouring fuel into fire instead of fighting to quench the fire.” He said: “There is serious tension all over…people have started packing out of their houses and relocating to other areas. Some youths have been engaged in breaking into people’s houses and doing away with their properties and so many crimes are being committed by Udu youths, having created the space for crimes to take place.” His words: “Governor Okowa should sit up, as a matter of urgency, and prevail on the Udu Kingdom by extension the Urhobo to put a stop to the current situation before it develops into an ethnic crisis.” “The current situation is solvable if only the government is sincere and willing to make peace. Ijaw People are currently moving out of Udu kingdom, leaving their houses and properties. For those thousands of people moving out, what do you think will be their reaction to other innocent Urhobo sons and daughters living and doing businesses within their own areas, be it offshore or onshore,” he said. Okotete, however added: “The ijaw nation is not ready and would never go into crisis with our brothers of the Urhobo nation because what we share as a people are far more than what should tear us apart or break our long-aged relationship. Therefore, I call on Urhobo Leaders in all strata to live up to expectations by prevailing on the Udu kingdom to reconsider its decision and douse the already raised tension.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/ijaw-indigenes-flee-urhobo-land-tension-rises/

Politics

en

Ibrahim Babangida has threatened to pull out of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, By JOSEPH ERUNKE ABUJA–DR Maryam Abdullahi, a delegate representing Civil Society Organisation, CSO, at the on-going National Conference, Tuesday, accused former military President, Ibrahim Babangida of starting religious crises in Nigeria. Dr Abdullahi said the former military ruler pushed Nigeria into membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, without the consent of the people he was ruling, a development, she said started religious crises in the country. She insisted that the relationship between Christians and Muslims deteriorated when Nigeria was admitted as a full member of Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Abdullahi, specifically said Babangida, who pushed for Nigeria’s full membership of OIC, did that to manipulate religion in order to perpetuate himself in the office, insisting that this was the beginning of mistrust between adherents of the two faith because of mutual suspicion of possible Islamization of Nigeria. Abdullahi spoke while making her contribution to the debate on the report of the conference Committee on Religion, during plenary. The delegate who spoke to the applause of her colleagues, said: “The relationship between Christians and Muslims deteriorated when Nigeria was admitted as full member of Organisation of the Islamic Conference. “This made Christians to start resisting any move that would portray Nigeria as an Islamic state. “Consequent to this, there is the prevailing mistrust and disharmony between the adherents of the two religions in the country. “Mr. Chairman, the then Head of State, that pushed for the admission of Nigeria into OIC did not do that in consultation with the Muslims. He did that in order to manipulate religion as a political tool to perpetuate himself in office and now Nigeria is the worst for it,” she said. She, however, cautioned against viewing every political policy from religious perspective, explaining that OIC an economic forum not only for Islamic states but also for countries that have Muslims minority. Dr Abdullahi appealed to the conference to allay the fears of Nigerians that nobody would Islamize or Christianize Nigeria and urged political class to stop manipulating religion and ethnicity in order to achieve a political goal. She called for strengthening of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in order to promote inter-religious peace and stability, while also calling for inter-religious dialogue in Nigeria. But the recommendations by the Committee on Religion that governments at all levels shall not utilize public funds to sponsor any religious pilgrimages for any category of citizens and government functionaries generated heated arguments among delegates. Similarly, the recommendation for establishment of a National Religious Equity Commission to be jointly chaired by a Muslim and a Christian, generated heated debate among the delegates. While some delegates applauded the report, others condemned the two recommendations, describing them as unnecessary. The immediate past Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, in her contribution, commended the work of the committee and supported the recommendation that government should stop sponsorship of delegations on any pilgrimages. But she disapproved the recommendation for establishment of a National Religious Equity Commission, arguing that Nigeria already had too many commissions and that there were bodies on ground, especially the National Human Rights Commission to deal with such issues as stipulated in the committee’s recommendation. Also contributing, another delegate, Mr. Atedo Peterside, said he endorsed over 90 percent of the report in view of the excellent work done by the committee but disagreed on the recommendation for establishment of a National Religious Equity Commission. He argued that establishing the commission was like what he described as “using a single evidence to arrive at different results.” Mr Peterside drew the attention of the delegates to the situation in France where he said religious organisations came together to address some of the problems they faced instead of bringing the government into it. “I have strong reservations in this. We should not allow government to get into religion under any guise. Countries that don’t take religion so seriously make far progress than those, who embrace religion. “As beautiful as this report is, we should be careful. This is the kind of item for which it is very clear that fundamental rights are the issues. Those rights should be handled by religious NGOs and we should not elevate religion above fundamental human rights,”he added Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/ibb-started-religious-crises-in-nigeria-confab-delegate/4

Politics

en

Chief Olu Falae Dayo Johnson Akure THE church of Nigeria Anglican communion Wednesday went spiritual as it prayed for the quick release of the former Secretary to the Government of Federation SGF) Chief Olu Falae. Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Most Rev’d Nicholas Okoh led Standing Committee of the Anglican Church consisting of 180 bishops and Laity to pray and plead that his abductors should have a rethink and set him free forthwith. Okoh was in Akure for a four day meeting of the standing committee of the Anglican Church. Chief Falae who is a member of the Church and the chairman, local Organizing Committee of the four day meeting was kidnapped on Monday, the day the meeting commenced which coincided with his 77th birthday. Okoh appealed to security agencies to ensure that the former Finance Minister is released unhurt. The meeting was held at the saint David Cathedral Church, Ijomu in Akure, the state capital The primate who lauded the Federal government on the fight against insurgency in the country said the kidnap of Chief Falae should be a matter of concern to all and sundry in the country. Okoh called on the government at all levels to establish a special task force in the forest to rid the country of kidnapping and insecurity in the country and to disarm them. He expressed concern over the terror unleashed by the insurgent in the north east of the Country adding that ” Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the World”. Speaking on the theme of the meeting ” Look and live ” the primate said the way for ” Nigeria and the World at large to experience God’s intervention in the crisis going on everywhere is to look up to Jesus in simple faith and obedience” ” This World is truly bitten by the poisonous serpents and like Israel in the desert, is sick and in need of divine intervention urgently The Bishop of the Akure Anglican Diocese, Bishop Simeon Borokini was optimistic that God will put the abductors to shame by exposing them. Borokini said the Church is praying and will continue to pray for Chief Falae until he is released by his captors. Governor Olusegun Mimiko who attended the occasion said it was the intention of the devil to abort the meeting by what happened to the chairman, Local Organizing Committee the day the meeting was to commence. Dr Mimiko pointed out that ” as usual the devil will fail, why the kidnap the day the meeting started. He promised that the politician would be rescued unhurt as security operatives are on the trail of the kidnappers. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/primate-of-anglican-church-leads-180-bishops-to-pray-for-the-release-of-falae/

Politics

en

Ibadan – An Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Iyaganku on Monday remanded Yekini Kazeem, 18, and Ifeanyi Ezekiel,18, for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl. Kazeem and Ezekiel were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and rape. The prosecutor, Cpl. James Oriola, told the court that Kazeem and Ezekiel with others now at large conspired to rape the victim. Oriola said the girl was on an errand for her grand mother when the accused pounced on her. The offence was said to have been committed on Oct. 14 at about 8.30 p.m. at Ijokodo Agbaje area of Ibadan. Oriola said the offence contravened sections 357 and 516 and was punishable under section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The pleas of the accused were not taken. Chief Magistrate Risikat Ebeloku-Mustapha ordered the accused to be remanded at Agodi prison pending the outcome of legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. Ebeloku-Mustapha adjourned the case till Nov. 26 for mention. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/2-remanded-rape-17-yr-old/

Politics

en

Court refers Sen Uzodinma to EFCC for investigation A court in Abuja has referred the case of criminal complaint, made against Senator Hope Uzodinma (Orlu District, Imo State), to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and appropriate action. Judge Abdulwahab Muhammed of the Grade 1 Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Arab Road, Kubwa, Abuja made the referral following Uzodinma’s alleged consisted failure to attend court to answer to the complaint made against him and his firms by Chitex Ventures Ltd and Chima Akuzie, who claimed that the Senator issued them a N200 million UBA dud (bounced cheque). Akuzie claimed the Uzodinma subcontracted to his company, a shoreline protection project in Koko, Delta State, which he (Uzodinma) allegedly got from the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and that the dud cheque was intended as payment their successful execution of the project. The referral of the case to the EFCC was conveyed through a letter dated October 29 this year, was received by the EFCC, Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu on November 6. A copy of the letter, sighted by The Nation on Friday, has as its reference number: FCT/JD/AC/ABJ/CORR/EFCC/VOL1/2018. It was addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC. Part of it reads: “Re-Criminal complaint against Senator Hope Uzodinma, Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company Limited, and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited for criminal conspiracy, joint act, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and cheating. “The above subject matter, with case number: CR/358/2018 between Chimex Ventures Ltd & 1 other and Senator Hope Uzodinma & 2 others, refers. “With reference to the above subject matter, I am directed to inform you and refer the above matter to your office for proper, thorough and discreet comprehensive investigation in line with Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. “Please find attached copy of the complaint for your information and further action.” The court’s decision to refer the case to the EFCC was taken on October 29 when the case came up, but neither Uzodinma, nor his lawyer was in court. The court, on September 18 this year, issued a bench warrant against Uzodinma and ordered his production by security agencies on September 25 this year, on the grounds that he allegedly failed to attend court to answer to the criminal complaint pending against him and his companies – Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company Limited, and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited. On September 25, the court granted a request by lawyer to the complainants, Tosin Ojaomo for the publication of a public summons against Uzodinma following the failure of security agencies to produce him despite a pending arrest warrant issued against him. When the case came up again on October 29, Uzodinma was still absent in court, following which Judge Muhammad elected to refer the case to the EFCC for investigation and further necessary actions.

http://thenationonlineng.net/court-refers-sen-uzodinma-to-efcc-for-investigation/amp/

Politics

en

IBB backs state police, more power for states Ex-military leader: secession, hate speeches bad for our country Former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) yesterday joined the league of Nigerians calling for the restructuring of the polity to give states more power. Many groups, including governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have voted for the restructuring of the country—to douse the agitation for secession and for equity. Gen. Babangida was the Chief of Army Staff in the Muhammadu Buhari military government that toppled the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. But 18 months after, on August 27, 1985, he led the palace coup that edged out Buhari and his Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters (second-in-command), the late Gen. Tunde Idiagbon. He ruled as Military President till August 27, 1993, when he was forced to “step aside”. He ran a political transition that ended with the election of the late Chief Moshood Abiola on June 12, 1993. Although adjudged widely as Nigeria’s freest and fairest ever, the election was inconclusive after results had been released in all the states. Babangida annulled the election. In a statement he personally signed yesterday, Gen. Babangida canvassed: - devolution of power to states; - adoption of state police; - doing away with federal roads; - rejection of secession and hate speeches; and - a caution for the media. He said the “drums of war are easy to beat, but their rhythms are difficult to dance”. He said there was nothing romantic about war because “war is bad, condemnable and must be avoided”. Babangida said the fact that Nigeria had not realised its potentials as a great nation was not enough reason for it to want to demolish its foundation. But he said it was time to restructure the country, with devolution of more powers to states. He also said the nation was ripe for state police because policing has become sophisticated. Babangida, in a statement he personally signed, said the Civil War between 1967 and 1970 was preceded by similar hate speeches which the country had been witnessing in the past few weeks. He said he cried out because he is still nursing the pains of the injury he sustained during the Civil War. The former military leader urged the media to exercise caution in their reportage of volatile comments. He said: “Nigeria, my dear country, is not a stranger to crisis, nor is she immune to it. In a profound sense, she can be said to have been created out of crisis, a nation state that will continue to strive to subdue and transcend crises. In over a century of its formalised colonial architecture, Nigeria has grown and made remarkable progress in the midst of crises. “The most tragic and horrendous episode in Nigeria’s history has been the 30-month Civil War of July 1967 to January 1970, in which many of our compatriots lost their lives. Indeed, many others also suffered terrible injuries of human and material dimensions. “So, who really wants to go through the depth and dimensions of another Civil War in Nigeria again? Who does not know that that Civil War was preceded and started by intolerance and a series of hate pronouncements, hate speeches, hate conducts and actions that were inflicted upon one another by the citizens? “Today, with a deep sense of nostalgia, I still carry within my body the pains of injury from the Civil War: there is nothing romantic about war; in any form, war is bad, condemnable and must be avoided. “I need hardly say I am very worried by the current ongoing altercations and vituperations of hate across the country by individuals, well-known leaders, religious leaders, group of persons and organisations. “We need to remind ourselves that conflicts are not evidently the stuff of politics and governance, particularly so of democracy, hence we must apply caution in our utterances, body language and news reportage. “The management of conflicts is the acid test of maturity, of mutual livelihood and of democratic governance. We cannot and we must not allow the current hate atmosphere to continue to freely pollute our political landscape unchecked. “Personally, I reject the proceedings of hate and their dissemination and urge my fellow citizens to strongly condemn the scourge and orgy of the current crisis which, in my view, is an outcome of vengeful appetites within the multiple contexts of our democratic governance and the profound inequalities that have distorted our social relations. “Nonetheless, it is not the place of leaderships to fuel and hype conflicts nor should we allow losers and gainers of our governance regimes to make pronouncements and threats that exploit our ethnic, religious and geopolitical construct. Democracy, anywhere in the world, is a work in progress; and one that is subject to constant evolution and debate.” Babangida cautioned those calling for civil war to break Nigeria to desist from such a venture because the consequences of war were “tellingly unpalatable.” He said: “The drums of war are easy to beat, but their rhythms are difficult to dance. Starting wars or political upheavals comes with the slightest provocation, but ending them becomes inelastic, almost unending with painful footages of the wrecks of war. I have been involved and its ripples are tellingly unpalatable, with gory details of destruction and carnage. “I am a Nigerian, a citizen, patriot and concerned stakeholder. It is my strong belief that Nigeria can attain greater greatness if we all nurture our minds in the direction of building a nation, and accepting responsibility for its successes and failures. “We cannot deny or repudiate our progress at nation-building in spite of the limitations and challenges that we have continued to experience. As a people, we need a proper study and understanding of our history in order to correct the warped perceptions of our past so as to minimise the dangers of badly skewed stories of our democratic experience in governance; and to regenerate mutual confidence and uphold the tenets of living together as one country. “No one government or administration can provide all the answers to the myriad of problems and challenges confronting us as a country; no matter how determined, resolute, committed and motivated such a government is. “The citizens have their roles to play, and their obligations to fulfill in order to motivate government in achieving its stated goals and objectives. Governance is a function of the leadership and the followership. It is a two-way traffic that demands certain responsibilities from those involved. “Of late, Nigeria has become so sharply divided with emotions running high on the least provocations. Once tempers are that high, the fault-lines become easily visible and with the slightest prompting, the unexpected can happen. “But I want to believe that Nigerians are still their reasonable selves, highly endowed in various skills and intellectually empowered to compete anywhere in the global arena. As a Nigerian, I have had the rare privilege to benefit from robust relationships from different people across the socio-political divide; East, West, North and South. “I have also immensely interacted with persons from all the numerous tribes, cultures and ethnic configurations dotted across the entire gamut of Nigeria’s expansive lands. I have made friends, built alliances, nurtured relationships and sustained linkages amongst Nigerians of all shades and opinions. “In fairness, Nigerians are great people. In those hours, moments and duration of friendship and camaraderie, no one talks about origin, geopolitical zones or even states. The issue of religion does not dictate the flow of discourse. We deal with ourselves based on our character and content, and not the sentiments of what part of the country we hail from. “The inalienable fact that Nigerians can live in any part of the country to pursue their legitimate aspirations is a strong indication that we have accepted to invest in the Nigerian project, and are no longer driven by mutual suspicion but mutual respect. “That we have not fully realised our potentials as a great nation is not enough reason for us to want to demolish the foundation of our nationhood or rubbish the labours of our heroes past; both of which are borne out of our collective efforts to build a truly great nation, and great people. “If we have repeatedly done certain things and not getting the desired results, we need to change tactics and approach, and renew our commitment. It is our collective responsibilities to engender a reform that would be realistic and in sync with modern best practices.” In Babangida’s view, it is time to restructure Nigeria with devolution of more powers to states. He said restructuring would strengthen our structures to make the union more functional, based on our comparative advantages. He added: “For example, restructuring has become a national appeal, as we speak, whose time has come. I will strongly advocate for devolution of powers to the extent that more responsibilities be given to the states while the Federal Government is vested with the responsibility to oversee our foreign policy, defence, and economy. “Even the idea of having Federal roads in towns and cities has become outdated and urgently needs revisiting. That means we need to tinker with our constitution to accommodate new thoughts that will strengthen our nationality. “Restructuring and devolution of powers will certainly not provide all the answers to our developmental challenges; it will help to reposition our mindset as we generate new ideas and initiatives that would make our union worthwhile. “The talk to have the country restructured means that Nigerians are agreed on our unity in diversity; but that we should strengthen our structures to make the union more functional based on our comparative advantages.” To Babangida, Nigeria is ripe for state police – in line with global best practices. He said: “Added to this desire is the need to commence the process of having State Police across the states of the Federation. This idea was contained in my manifesto in 2010 when I attempted to contest the presidential elections. “The initial fears that state governors will misuse the officers and men of the state police have become increasingly eliminated with renewed vigour in citizens’ participation in, and confidence to interrogate power. We cannot be detained by those fears and allow civilisation to leave us behind. “We must as a people with one destiny and common agenda take decisions for the sake of posterity in our shared commitment to launch our country on the path of development and growth. Policing has become so sophisticated that we cannot continue to operate our old methods and expect different results.” He pleaded with the media to exercise caution and weigh security implications in their reportage. He said: “I also want to appeal to the Nigeria media to be more circumspect in their news reportage. They should always weigh the security implications of the contents of their news and the screaming headlines that stare us in the face every day, especially at this fragile period of our political emanations. The media play an important and remarkable role in shaping the flow of discourse. “Their level of influence is also not in doubt, but as the fourth estate of the realm, it has a greater responsibility to moderate public discourse in a manner that will cement inter- and intra-cultural relationships. If Nigeria works, it benefits all her citizens; if it fails, it hurts all her citizens too. The media should be patriotic in its present engagements to berth a new Nigeria of our dreams.” Babangida said Nigerians should remain united by seeing strength, determination, commitment and confidence in their diversities rather than adversities. He said: “On a final note, I really wish we see strength, determination, commitment and confidence in our diversities rather than adversities. “As a heterogeneous country with flourishing skills and numerous endowments, we should dictate the pace in Africa and lead by example of what is possible amongst a people that are focused and determined to pursue common national goal. “As a former Military President who had the rare privilege to travel around Africa to sustain the African cooperation through peace-keeping operations, I have come to the conclusion that nations are driven by a common ideal and not by the homogeneity of their race. “I saw Somalia, such a homogeneous conclave yet one of the most troubled countries in Africa today. I saw South Sudan, which broke away from the old Sudan, but peace and stability have eluded them. Rwanda genocidal experience is not romantic either. “But a President from the minority ethnic group has repositioned the country to assume its pride of place in the comity of nations. That a people share common identity, language, history, doctrine, culture, mores and values is not synonymous with development, growth, stability and peace. “When we went into peace-keeping operations in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Liberia and Congo, we had in mind to sustain oneness in Africa even though we are a continent of different countries all bearing different logos and identities. Our motivation was simply that we are Africans. “I am therefore appealing to the sensibilities of all of us, young and old, leaders and followers, groups and organisations, that in the interest of peace and stability of our country, we need to sheathe the sword. At 76, I have seen it all. I have seen war. I have fought war. “And I have survived war, even though I still suffer the pains and injuries of war, it is part of the selfless sacrifice to keep the union afloat. We must build a country that is forward looking for our children and future generations of Nigerians. “We cannot afford to toy with the destinies of the 170million Nigerians by the shape of our discourse and the content of our interaction. “We must carry out conscious attitudinal orientation that will change the mindset of our youths and the held beliefs of the elderly. We must explore the therapies of dialogue and constructive engagements in our desire to make life more meaningful for our people. “My friends cut across all regions, zones and states. I am proud to be a Nigerian because I see hope in the youthful population of Nigerians. I see remarkable skills and raw talents that can stimulate enterprise and innovations. “This is the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a month in which Muslim faithful have dedicated their lives to seek closeness to God, and forgiveness of their inequities. It is a month of penance; a month of prayer for physical, moral and spiritual rejuvenation, regeneration and rebirth. I urge my countrymen and women to use the occasion to look ahead with hope and renewed dedication to the service of our country.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/ibb-backs-state-police-power-states/

Politics

en

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said that his primary assignment in government is to serve the people and honour God. Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Sunday during the 65th birthday and retirement thanksgiving service for a notable Nigerian pilot, Capt. Usman Saleh Yahaya, which was held at ECWA Goodnews Church, Maitama, Abuja yesterday. The VP said, “the scriptures say that we are the salt of the earth. Every time people ask me, they say, oh, why are you in government? And I say, why not? “The calling of God upon our lives is that we must be in service. What is the point of light if it is kept under a bushel? What’s the point of salt if it does not go into the soup? If it is afraid of soup, what kind of salt is that? ALSO READ: PREMIER LEAGUE: Five new signings to watch out for “The scriptures say that we are the salt, so we should play the role of the salt. Now, salt is to make things better. The VP then extended the issue to the church as an organization saying “it is the duty of the church never to lose hope. As a matter of fact, the only reason why hope is one of the central pillars of the church is because the history of mankind, the history of people, started from hopelessness. That is why we are there to give hope.” Expressing optimism in the country’s bright future, Prof. Osinbajo added, “I’m very confident that no matter what we are seeing today, our country will be great. I’m very confident that as the Scriptures say, weeping may endure for a night, but surely joy will come in the morning.” ALSO READ: Suspended Sit-At-home: Fear as Imo residents go about their businesses Indeed prominent Nigerians from all walks of life have continued to praise Osinbajo for his service and dedication as Nigeria’s number two citizen. Some have even described him as the best and most hardworking vice president Nigeria has ever had. For instance in March this year, the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, commended the VP for his leadership and being a dependable ally to President Muhammadu Buhari. “This demonstrates your own role in the Buhari administration and a lot of confidence that Mr President reports on you. We in the North are closely following your steady achievements; first as a successful law professor, a religious leader and now as the Vice President of Nigeria,” the Emir had said when Osinbajo paid him a courtesy visit. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/why-i-am-in-government-

Politics

en