A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has said that what Nigerians are now desirous of hearing from the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government is the defeat of hunger and untold hardship ravaging the country and not recycled stories of defeat of Boko Haram insurgents, which is as usual, aimed at diverting the attention of Nigerians from the fact that there is ravaging hunger at this time of the year.
Fayose and Buhari
The governor said it has become predictable that whenever Nigerians cry of the pains and sufferings they are going through, the federal government will come with stories like; "20 Chibok girls found," "$1billion found in Mr A, B or C bedroom," "Boko Haram technically defeated," "We have captured Sambisa forest," etc just to divert attention.
In a release issued in Ado Ekiti on Monday and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said, "It is painful that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari has become directionless either due to the cluelessness of the president or his old age that has foisted a purposeless leadership on the country.
He said, "This year's Christmas is the worse in the history of Nigeria. People cannot afford to celebrate and enjoy themselves due to the hardship caused by the APC government. To make matters worse, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also created artificial scarcity of cash, such that people could not access their hard earned money in the banks as most banks in the country do not have cash to pay their customers."
"Like I have maintained, the main issue confronting Nigerians now is hunger and hunger does not speak the language of political propaganda that is being used by the APC led federal government. It is therefore no longer about diversionary news, it is about preventing Nigerians from dying of hunger," he said.
The governor said, "the only solution to the myriad of problems facing the country is for those holding power in Abuja to face the sad reality that it was the hard stance of the president, his statements against Nigeria and its people both at home and abroad coupled with his demonstration of hatred against some sections of the country and desperation to crush his perceived enemies that led us to where we are today.
"It was the president that went to foreign countries to de-market Nigeria by calling all Nigerians thieves and dishonest people. He was the one who created atmosphere of economic and political instability in the country by his acts of nepotism and vindictiveness?
"Therefore, for the country to move forward, the President must change his attitude from a vindictive military dictator to a civilian president of all Nigerians."
He lamented that those cabal in the presidency have hijacked the president and his government, running the country aground, saying, "Things were never like this at any time in the history of Nigeria apart from 1984."
He said; "They are not running the economy of Nigeria by the open participation of Nigerians but by some cabal, who see themselves as superior to others. By their failure to involve those who know more than them, they have succeeded in creating unemployment instead of three million jobs that they promised Nigerians per year. They have taken Nigeria back to the Stone Age and it will take several years for the country to recover, if it will ever recover."
Governor Fayose, who appealed to Nigerians not to keep silent in 2017, said, "With every means of livelihood of the common people taken away from them, free, fair and credible elections becoming a mirage, Nigerians must begin to speak out now before the country is completely destroyed by this directionless federal government."
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While the nation was lamenting the joke that APC leaders have turned the Nigerian Police into, following their failure to successfully rig the Rivers Rerun Elections , the Department of State Services ( DSS) has followed suit, singing shamefully from a criminally composed hymn book.
On Thursday (December 22, 2016) evening, within the space of 15minutes, I received close to 50 calls and text messages from journalists, all seeking the response of the Rivers State Government on yet another concocted statement to justify the mayhem visited on the people of Rivers State, this time by the DSS.
The ill-conceived and baseless statement was judgmental all through and reeked of what was prepared by horribly desperate sycophants, eager to satisfy their paymaster.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government has issued an official statement on this dance of shame by the DSS through the Honourable Commissioner of Information, Dr Austin Tam-George.
The statement read in part: ” "It is an irresponsible scaremongering by an agency that seems bent on a mission to blackmail the governor of Rivers State, and bring the state government into disrepute. Governor Wike is a man of peace, and would never orchestrate disturbances in any part of the country.”
In issuing a statement wherein the DSS alleged that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike planned to sponsor protests that will destabilise the Federal Government and the administration in bad light, the DSS conveniently forgot that for two separate days, APC leaders sponsored northern elements to protest against the government and people of Rivers State on the streets of Abuja.
They also forgot that on these two occasions, Police and DSS provided security cover for the hired northern protesters, giving them the official seal to insult the sensibilities of Rivers people who spoke in one voice; that APC stands rejected.
The DSS statement issued on thursday by interpretation is similar to that issued by the alleged principal sponsor of the alleged murder of the DSP. The main suspect in the murder of the DSP, according to Police Official Statement, confessed that their sponsor is Mr Wokocha, an aide to the Minister of Transportation and prominent APC Politician in ONELGA.
At the time the police released the name of Wokocha to the public, they presumed he is a PDP member. When it became obvious that the suspect is a leading APC member linked to the Federal Government, the DSS was conscripted to do damage control. As always, this damage control has worsened the already soiled image of the APC Government.
Before the DSS joke of a statement trying to link Governor Wike to any form of violence, the said Wokocha issued a statement trying to exonerate himself and his principal. Expectedly, the police is yet to invite Wokocha for questioning. Instead, the security agencies are struggling to divert attention from the substance of the matter.
In its embarrassing statement, the DSS took out time to rain insults on Governor Wike. They conveniently forgot that they are a security agency funded with the Niger Delta resources, but expected to serve all interests.
That the DSS have joined the police in straying into the bush of infamy, brings to the fore, the danger of having politicians head security agencies. The DSS, rather than gather intelligence, is desperate to defend the APC.
Did the Nigerian Police and the DSS contest the Rivers Rerun/supplementary elections? Why are they crying louder than the bereaved? Why are the setting up joint panel of inquiry to justify their concoction of an already discarded audio clip.
We understand that they are paid to act a script. But, every good actor knows when to leave the stage. It is obvious this illegal Squad (Police and DSS) are oblivious of this fact. They continue to dance naked on a stage where they have been repeatedly disgraced.
If 98000 security personnel (policemen, SARS personnel, DSS operatives, soldiers, Air Force personnel, immigration officials etc) deployed to Rivers State could not conquer the state for these political armed robbers, what makes the DSS and Police think that poorly and hurriedly written statements would move Rivers people.
In Rivers State, there are two popular political songs by the teeming supporters of Governor Wike. One: “How many dem dey wey we no go win dem” and “No body get morale like Wike “.
The DSS and Police should set up a 50 man panel to understand these songs. Nobody can intimidate a leader with the backing of his people.
These film tricks will amount to nothing. Like Governor Wike said, the security agencies should quietly retire the money they gave them for the elections without generating noise.
Governor Wike at his philosophical best sums the Rivers situation thus: “I believe that this country belongs to all of us. I believe that nobody should be a second class citizen of this country.
“I come from a state that by the Special Grace of God produces the wealth of the nation. So, even those who depend on the oil noney to survive are allowed to speak. Why would somebody that produces that wealth, not speak?”
The governor emphasized that all the people of Rivers State demand is that democracy must triumph. He wondered why the leadership of APC cannot accept that they will not win in all states, when Former President Jonathan willingly conceded defeat.
He said: “This is a government that came to power on the platform of change. We have offered ourselves to help them achieve change, instead of them to commend us, they want to eliminate us.
“I have told people who care to know, you rig election where you are popular. When you rig election where you are not popular, it leads to violence “.
Our security agencies should retrace their steps in the interest of this country. The other day it was the Rivers APC helping the Nigerian Army to issue a press statement. Now it is the DSS defending the APC.
What kind of security agency would raise very frightening false alarm over suspected protests in Abuja, just to cover up regrettable inefficiencies which have engendered unpopularity in the land.
Please as you sleep every night, pray for our security agencies. They have fallen victim of the economic recession, hence they are willing tools in the hands of wicked politicians without conscience.
Please pray for our security services so that they realise that they owe their allegiance to the Nigerian Constitution and not to the APC National Executive Council.
In fact, just pray for the deliverance of our security agencies. They have been kidnapped by the APC. Let’s join hands to rescue them in their time of need.
Their challenge transcends the Rivers Rerun and their desperation to justify their failure to successfully rig.
Simeon Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media.
…blames Gatwick Airport officials By LAWANI MIKAIRU
Med-View Airline, Monday, dispatched another plane to London to airlift the baggage the airline left behind after an earlier plane dispatched for that purpose on Saturday returned without the baggage.
The airline had blamed Gatwick Airport, UK, baggage handlers for its inability to airlift back to Nigeria left over baggage of passengers who boarded the airline in UK.
According to the Media Consultant to Med-View, Chief Obuke Oyibotha, "Med-View Airline special flight dispatched to London on Saturday to airlift left over baggage returned without the affected baggage following the inability of Gatwick Airport authorities to screen them".
While expressing regret over the development , Oyibotha said, "the Gatwick Airport had on arrival of the aircraft said it had no capacity to screen the baggage as only a handful of its workforce was on duty because of holiday".
The airline regretted the inconveniences caused the affected passengers whose left over baggage are still in London by this unhealthy development.
“We thought by Sunday we would have resolved the left over baggage issue if not for Gatwick Airport authorities,” Med-View Chief Operating Officer (COO/AM) Engineer Lookman Animashaun said.
Animashaun said another flight will leave for London today, (Monday), to bring back home the left over baggage, and appealed to the affected passengers for their understanding.
Recall a similar incidence happened recently when passengers who boarded Arik Air London- Lagos flight had their baggage left behind in London and threatened to ground the airline's international operations until their baggage left behind in London are safely delivered to them.
The passengers, who landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on Saturday, December 3, 2016, said that Arik Air abandoned them and treated them as if they were not its passengers.
They therefore invaded the airline's counters at the international wing of the airport and threatened to prevent the airline from boarding any other passengers except their luggage were delivered to them.
Life is all about relationship. It is all about how you relate well with the other man or woman. For example, a successful father should be able to relate well with his children, a successful leader should be able to relate well with his followers. Similarly, a good manager should have a good rapport with members of his workforce.How well you relate with people could determine how far you will go in life.Think about it.
Two people have been confirmed dead while two others were hospitalised after a family of five was attacked by some faceless men on Christmas day.
The incident occurred at about 1am on, at Saka Adegbose road, Adegbose Estate, Solebo, Igbogbo/Ikorodu.
The casualties have been buried according to Muslim rites but those injured are still hospitalised.
Vanguard gathered that the family occupies a room and palour apartment but the father was not around as at the time of the incident.
The mother as gathered, was in the room with one of the children while others were in the palour.
Nobody knew precisely what transpired in the middle of the night but the mother was said to have woken up at about 1.30am, to use the toilet when she saw her four children in their own pool of blood and raised the alarm which attracted other neighbours.
They were perceived to be injured with grinding stones and other dangerous after which two of them Azeezat 21, and Abeeb 16, died on the way to the hospital.
The Divisional Police Officer in the area was said to have visited.
As at 7pm today, there was apprehension in the community and its environ.
The Ekiti State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the statement credited to the State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Mr Jide Awe, disparaging the person and image of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye as a demonstration of the devilish mind-set of the party and height of political rascality, saying, denying the statement was a mere afterthought.
Pastor Adeboye
The PDP noted that Pastor Adeboye commending the State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, for the governor's courage and willingness to defend his people and the cause of the common man in the country was a statement of fact.
Spokesperson of the PDP in the State, Mr Jackson Adebayo, in a statement on Monday, said; "it is the height of crude politics for the APC to insinuate that a man of God of Pastor Adeboye's standing took bribe to commend Governor Fayose for what is obvious.
He said; "Pastor Adeboye is a respected man of God. He is not a politician. He only said what he saw about Governor Fayose and the only Nigerians, who won't want to accept the fact that the governor has stoutly defended Ekiti people and the common people of Nigeria, are those in the APC."
Mr Adebayo, who described the rebuttal, issued late on Sunday, by the APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun as an afterthought, added that, "The APC in Ekiti State has strong history of political intolerance such that anyone not with them must be condemned at all cost.
"Not minding that Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola is a leader of the party, the APC in Ekiti State reacted violently and disrespectfully to his visit to Governor Fayose in Ado Ekiti, calling him (Aregbesola) all kind of names.
"If they could attack Governor Aregbesola, one of the party leaders for coming to visit Governor Fayose in Ekiti and describing the governor as an 'omoluabi' and a performer, why won't they attack Pastor Adeboye who does not belong to their party?
"If Jide Awe could lead over 50 members of his party to protest against a highly respected Ekiti leader like Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) in faraway Ibadan, Oyo State just because he was perceived as not supporting their party candidate in 2007, mere issuing a press release to abuse Pastor Adeboye is the least of what can be expected from the APC under a character like Jide Awe."
While admonishing the APC in the State to stop behaving rascally and imbibe political tolerance, the PDP Spokesperson said, "Denying the offensive press statement ostensibly as a result of negative comments from the public will not be enough. Jide Awe and his cohorts should seek forgiveness from God for speaking negatively against God's anointed and desist from seeing whoever that is not on the same page with them politically as one that does not deserve to live."
Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, flanked right by Senator Ighoyota Amori and left Senator Peter Nwaoboshi during the Christmas day celebration at LondonL-R: Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya, Hon Ndudi Elumelu, Senator Ighoyota Amori, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, Hon Michael Diden and othersR-L: Ms Erhiatake Ibori (Ibori's daughter), Chief James Onanefe Ibori, Senator Ighoyota Amori and one other well wisher.
Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama said he could have defeated Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 presidential election if he had run against him.
Obama told his former senior adviser David Axelrod in an interview for the "The Axe Files" podcast, produced by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, aired on Monday.
He argued that Americans still subscribed to his vision of progressive change, asserting that he could have succeeded in this year's election if he was eligible to run.
Obama and Trump
"I am confident in this vision because I'm confident that if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could've mobilised a majority of the American people to rally behind it.
"I know that in conversations that I've had with people around the country, even some people who disagreed with me, they would say the vision, the direction that you point towards is the right one."
The two-term president also said that there was a difference between the hope-and-change vision he heralded in 2008, which won him outstanding victory over Republican John McCain.
"In the wake of the election and Trump winning, a lot of people have suggested that somehow, it really was a fantasy.
"What I would argue is, is that the culture actually did shift, that the majority does buy into the notion of a one America that is tolerant and diverse and open and full of energy and dynamism."
Neither Trump nor Democratic Hillary Clinton won a majority of the vote in the 2016 contest.
While Clinton beat Trump in the popular vote by almost 2.9 million ballots, Trump won more electoral votes and consequently, the presidency.
In the 50-minute session, Obama repeated his suggestion that Democrats had ignored entire segments of the voting population, leading to Trump's win.
He implied that Clinton's campaign had not made a vocal enough argument directed toward Americans who had not felt the benefits of the economic recovery.
"If you think you're winning, then you have a tendency, just like in sports, maybe to play it safer".
He, however, said he believed Clinton "performed wonderfully under really tough circumstances" and was mistreated by the media.
The podcast interview was Obama's latest post-election analysis, which had focused on Democrats' failure to convince non-urban voters and a media preoccupied with negative stories about Clinton.
Obama said his party this year had not made an emotional connection to voters in hard-hit communities, relying instead on policy points he said did not make enough of an impact.
"We're not there on the ground communicating not only the dry policy aspects of this, but that we care about these communities, that we're bleeding for these communities.
"It means caring about local races, state boards or school boards and city councils and states legislative races.
"And not thinking that somehow, just a great set of progressive policies that we present to the New York Times editorial board will win the day," he said.
Obama cited an unlikely model for future Democratic success: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who he said had executed an effective – if obstructionist – strategy.
"Mitch McConnell's insight, just from a pure tactical perspective, was pretty smart and well executed, the degree of discipline that he was able to impose on his caucus was impressive.
"His insight was that we just have to say no to that," Obama said.
He said part of his post-presidential strategy would be developing young Democratic leaders, including organisers, journalists and politicians, who could galvanise voters behind a progressive agenda.
The outgoing president also said that he would not hesitate to weigh in on important political debates after he leaves office.
Following a period of introspection after he departs the White House, Obama said he would feel a responsibility as a citizen to voice his opinions on major issues gripping the country during Trump's administration.
He, however, said that he would not necessarily weigh in on day-to-day activities.
"At a certain point, you make room for new voices and fresh legs.
"That doesn't mean that if a year from now, or a year-and-a-half from now, or two years from now, there is an issue of such moment.
"Such import, that isn't just a debate about a particular tax bill or, you know, a particular policy, but goes to some foundational issues about our democracy that I might not weigh in.
"You know, I'm still a citizen and that carries with it duties and obligations," the outgoing president said.
Obama's first acts out of office, however, will be lower-profile, according to him.
He said he would focus on writing a book and self-analysing his time in office.
The two-term president and his family plan to live in Washington while his younger daughter finishes high school, he disclosed.
"I have to be quiet for a while. And I don't mean politically, I mean internally. I have to still myself.
"You have to get back in tune with your centre and process what's happened before you make a bunch of good decisions," he said.
As he concludes his term, Obama is growing sentimental about his time at the White House, according to him.
He said he grew misty in a meeting of senior aides recently thinking about the end of the Obama era.
"I got through about four minutes of the thing and then started, you know, getting the hanky out.
"It feels like the band is breaking up a little bit," the outgoing 44th U.S. president said.
Obama was inaugurated as the 44th U.S. President on Jan. 20, 2008, the only Black man in the history of U.S. to be elected president.
The former Illinois senator, who still receives high popularity ratings among Americans, won re-election for the second and last term in 2012, will be out of office on Jan. 20, 2017.
A trip to some beer parlours in Lagos, has revealed that their operators recorded poor patronage this yuletide.
The number of people, who usually relaxed and socialise at some bars and joints in the evenings, has reduced drastically at yuletide.
Mrs Chioma Nwanze, a beer parlour owner, lamented the fall in the number of customers this festive period due to the parlous state of the economy.
"Many of us are no longer making it because there is no money in town, yet the prices of beer from brewers keep on increasing.
"Soon, many of us may have to return to our villages because of poor records of sales in Lagos.
"Sustaining our families is becoming a herculean task. There are rents and school fees to pay, in addition to feeding," she said. Another pub operator, Mrs Chiamaka Chukwuma, said that not many people were coming out to booze these days. "A few of them, who come out now go for the cheapest brands of beer; take just one or two bottles and leave. "Some people even buy on credit with the promise to pay at month's end; when they are to pay, some of them start to dodge to evade payment". Chukwuma added that in the past, he continued to sell till about 12 midnight at festive period but not anymore. Some others who usually visit joints after work, also said that the purpose of doing so was to relax and get relieved of tension. According to Mr Okon Edem, a businessman, drinking at the end of the day's work with his friends makes him comfortable. "I do not take more than two bottles of Guinness to relax. Alcohol is very good for the body but it is getting costlier.
"I am thinking of the next line of action, maybe to quit drinking but I do not think I can do that. "Again, we discuss politics to catch up with the happenings in the country, so that we get the update of issues," he said.
Olabisi Adebayo, a civil servant said that with this economic recession, he had to take at least one bottle of beer to make him sleep.
According to Ben Okechukwu, a businessman, drinking beer is part of a man's life and for men to hang out with friends, they must drink beer. "I cannot befriend a guy, who does not drink because I can't be drinking beer and the person will be drinking soft drink.
"Men patronise beer parlours to also socialise, take girlfriends or their wives out but not these days; I sit alone to drink, there is no money to throw about," he said.
Six people have been killed in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, with herdsmen suspected of committing the attack in the restive region, a former lawmaker and an official said Monday.
A long-running battle over land and grazing rights has left hundreds dead in central and northern Nigeria.
The violence occurred between Saturday and Sunday in Goska, near Kafanchan, despite a 24-hour curfew following incessant clashes between herdsmen and local farmers, they said.
“We lost six people, including my 17-year-old daughter who was one year to her graduation from secondary school,” said Gideon Morik, a former member of the state house of assembly.
“The gunmen we suspect to be Fulani herdsmen attacked the village late Saturday into Sunday,” he said, adding that the attackers wounded many people and destroyed houses before fleeing.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai condemned the attack in a statement on Monday, vowing to find the killers.
President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim, has proposed setting up grazing reserves to address disputes.
UYO-Fire outbreak has gutted another building in Uyo metropolis on Monday, less than 24 hours Works Commissioner, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen lost his residence to a consuming fire elsewhere in the city on Christmas day.
The incident which occurred at No. 25 Etim Okon Usanga Street, Nwaniba was attributed to recklessness by a neighbour.
Though no life was lost but, a seamstress, Ms Eno Una whose properties were destroyed recounted her experience this way, "I wasn't around when the fire incident occurred. Somebody called me and said, 'Eno fire has destroyed everything in your house,' I started shedding tears.
"I had to trace where the fire came from. It was later I discovered that the fire came through a neighbour's carelessness. All my certificates, from primary school to university are gone".
Ms Una, who is also a graduate of Political Science (Education), from the University of Uyo, expressed worry over the loss of her certificates and other properties worth millions of naira to the fire incident.
She maintained that, the inferno was not connected with electrical spark as power company had disconnected the compound from power source several months before the inferno and, appealed to public spirited individuals and government for help.
…Tasks security agencies to work in harmony By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA-FORMER Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, has said the non confirmation of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, by the Senate was a very big blow to the ongoing anti-corruption fight of the Federation government.
This was even as he said the rejection of Mr Ibrahim Magu’s confirmation by the Senate based on alleged security report from the Department of State Service, should not be seen as crisis within the Federal Government but the security and anti-graft agency.
Alobi, who faulted the delay in the presentation of the security reports that made the Senate to take the decision rejecting the acting EFCC Chairman, tasked security agencies to work in harmony, given that they were not only serving the same government but also the same country and same purpose.
Speaking on a telephone interview with Vanguard, in Abuja, Alobi, yesterday, the former police commissioner, who has been into legal practice since retirement from the Nigeria Police, said the Magu has worked to his admiration since assumed his position.
Even as he noted that the DSS has the duty to submit security reports of citizens of the country especially people entrusted with positions of authority, Barrister Alobi said delaying the report up to the day of confirmation of the anti-graft czar was not the best.
Magu
To him, earlier submission of the security report by the Nigerian intelligence agency would have given enough room to settle grey areas before the confirmation day.
Hear him: “The DSS has the duty to submit security report about persons as the highest intelligence agency in the country but I don’t know why it’s coming so late now since Magu’s confirmation request by the President has since been with the Senate for long now.
“Magu has been there all along as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for quite some time and he’s doing a good job.
“I don’t know really what they said is his offence because I have not seen the report, so cannot say anything much.
“All I would say is that the DSS has the duty to submit security reports about intelligence on security but my only worry is that Magu has been there all this while and he has been doing well.
” By my own assessment, he is a courageous officer who is doing his job and is doing well. But I don’t know why the delay in his confirmation.
“What is happening is not too good for the two agencies, being the DSS and the EFCC. There should be that collaboration. There shouldn’t be anything like conflict among the security agencies, the agencies should work in collaboration. I think there shouldn’t be any conflict or anything like rivalry among the security agencies.
“But like I said, I have not seen the report that the DSS submitted to the Senate against the EFCC chairman and so, can’t say anything other than what I have said here.
“I strongly recommend that the security agencies should work together since they have a common purpose of serving the same government, the same country and same interest.”
Ekiti State Government on Monday announced the approval for payment N140m severance package due to former dead and living elected-public-office holders at the local government level.
This is contained in a statement released to journalists by the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti.
According to the statement, the beneficiaries of the severance include those elected into office in 1999, 2006 and 2008.
They included : former chairmen of local governments, council secretaries, councilors as well council advisers.
He said the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, gave the order for the immediate payment of the severance package to the affected officers during a meeting he held with them on Monday.
Adelusi quoted the governor as directing that families of those already dead must also be paid the entitlements of their deceased ones.
He also warned local government officials who would effect the payment not to play politics with the exercise, saying anyone caught would face the consequences.
"The governor felt that despite the economic challenges we are facing as a state, we feel it is our duty to honour those who had served our state in the past.
"They had contributed their own quota to the development of our state; therefore, families of those that are already dead should be paid too.
"The exercise has nothing to do with politics and must be fairly shared.
"We already made some payments some months ago and we are again doing this now.
"If this had been done in the past, the backlog would not have been a burden on us now, if not for the financial challenges we are facing, we would have paid everything at a goal," he said.
The governor admonished leaders of the state to let their actions be in the best interest of the state.
The statement said Fayose urged the people of the state to expect the best from his administration, economic recession notwithstanding in the New Year.
Spanish forward Pedro Rodriguez scored twice as red-hot leaders Chelsea crushed Bournemouth 3-0 on Monday to register a club-record 12th consecutive Premier League victory.
Pedro struck either side of Eden Hazard’s 50th English league goal at Stamford Bridge as Antonio Conte’s side opened up a provisional nine-point lead at the summit in the Boxing Day action.
Olivier Giroud prevented Arsenal losing more ground, his 86th-minute header snatching a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion to lift Arsene Wenger’s side above Manchester City into third place.
But with second-place Liverpool not in action until Tuesday, when Stoke City visit Anfield, Manchester City can climb to second if they win at Hull City in the late game.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored one goal and set up two others as Manchester United closed to within three points of the Champions League places by beating Sunderland 3-1, while champions Leicester City lost again.
Chelsea’s victory over Bournemouth left them one win short of Arsenal’s 2002 record of 13 successive victories within the same top-flight season.
With Diego Costa and N’Golo Kante suspended, Conte paired Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic in midfield, with Hazard starting up front, flanked by Willian and Pedro.
Pedro broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, curling a left-foot shot into the top corner from Fabregas’s pass following a neatly worked corner.
Hazard made it 2-0 four minutes into the second half, rolling a penalty into the bottom-right corner after he had drawn a foul from Simon Francis, with Pedro adding a deflected shot in stoppage time.
Beaten 2-1 by Everton and then City on their two previous outings, Arsenal narrowly avoided going three league games without winning for the first time since January 2012.
Alexis Sanchez’s shot against the post looked to be the closest Arsenal would come until Giroud marked his return to the starting XI by looping a header over Ben Foster with four minutes to play.
Chelsea’s Spanish midfielder Pedro (C) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in London on December 26, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
– Opening draw for Allardyce –
Manchester United enjoyed a far less complicated afternoon, sinking Sunderland to record a fourth successive league win for the first time under manager Jose Mourinho.
Daley Blind opened the scoring in the 39th minute, striding onto Ibrahimovic’s lay-off and steering a shot into the bottom-right corner.
Ibrahimovic got on the scoresheet nine minutes from time, slotting past Jordan Pickford to chalk up his 17th goal of the season, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed victory with a clever back-heel.
United drew level on points with fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who visit Southampton on Wednesday.
Fabio Borini replied for the visitors, but it was a return to forget for Sunderland manager David Moyes, sacked by United in April 2004.
Sam Allardyce was denied victory in his first game as Crystal Palace manager after Troy Deeney’s 100th Watford goal earned his side a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.
Ex-England manager Allardyce saw Yohan Cabaye put Palace ahead, but Christian Benteke had a penalty saved by Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes before Deeney equalised from the spot in the 71st minute.
Champions Leicester’s woes continued as they were condemned to a ninth defeat of the campaign by Everton, who won 2-0 at the King Power Stadium courtesy of Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku.
Leicester, who were without the suspended Jamie Vardy, have won just one of their last nine league games and sit three points above the relegation zone in 16th place.
West Ham United eased their relegation fears by winning 4-1 at second-bottom Swansea City through goals from Andre Ayew, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll.
Andre Gray’s late effort gave Burnley a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, the striker’s shot squirming beneath visiting goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, has expressed confidence that God would restore Nigeria's prosperity in due course.
This is contained in a statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Head Media of CAN's president, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
"He will restore prosperity to our land and make the coming year a year of abundance.
"We thank God for the joy and hope the season has brought to all of us,'' the statement quoted the CAN leader as saying.
He called on Christians and Nigerians to pick up courage and move on with their lives in spite of the prevailing socio-economic challenges facing the nation.
"Though Joseph was disappointed when he saw Mary pregnant thinking it was an outcome of her unfaithful sexual intercourse, he decided not to allow that to determine his future.
"He made up his mind to put her away privately and move on with his life; that was courage.''
Ayokunle prayed that God would intervene in the challenges being faced by Nigerians like He did through a dream in the case of Joseph and Mary.
He noted that God restored their relationship with a baby.
Ayokunle congratulated all Christians for the Yuletide festivities that commemorated the birth of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and wished them a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year ahead.
…Urges Stakeholders, Residents To Support Exercise
The Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) has said that it would commence audit of underground and over the ground utility infrastructures within the geographical boundaries of the State in January 2017 to ascertain the quality and quantum of the infrastructures and guide in proper regulation and planning.
Chief Executive Officer of LASIMRA, Mr. Babajide Odekunle, who disclosed this at a Stakeholders' Forum with telecommunication service providers and others, said the audit became imperative owing to the urgent need to determine the actual telecommunication and water cables as well as gas and water pipelines under the ground and on the ground for effective planning especially with regards to development and redevelopment of the city.
Odekunle said the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has already given approval and necessary support for commencement of the audit, while other agencies of government which will be involved in the management of effect of the exercise have been adequately sensitized on their roles.
He said the agency was very much determined to sanitize the process of erecting infrastructures within the boundaries of the State, as such would go a long way in ensuring sanity and address issues associated with non-compliance with global best practices.
He said: "It is about time we have a database of all utility infrastructures within the geographical boundaries of Lagos State. LASIMRA was set up in 2004 to monitor, manage and control utility infrastructure within the geographical boundaries of Lagos State in the critical sectoral areas of telecommunication, power, gas and water.
"As at today, there is no record of all these things and se we need to carry out an inventory. Some of the cables and pipelines underground are going to ten years or more. We have just been lucky so far, but the State needs to do this. If anybody should ask, how many roof towers do we have in Lagos State, nobody can say; how many towers do we have in the Greenfield, nobody can say; what is the distance or length of the fibres under the ground, nobody can say.
"So, we need to know what is where. Under the ground in this state we have gas pipes, electricity cables, water pipes, telecommunication cables and yet we cannot say on Isaac John for instance, this is what we have under the ground and so we just need to do this audit and the time is now.
"At the end of the exercise, an as built database will become a most sought after information system that will become a guide to the future of our State," Odekunle said.
While urging the stakeholders to cooperate with government in its bid to sanitize the sector, Odekunle said in as much as government has made adequate preparation for a hitch-free exercise, nonetheless members of the public should also cooperate with government in that regard.
In his technical presentation at the forum, Managing Director of Critical Infrastructure Services Limited, Mr. C.O Obike said telecommunication remained very strategic to the economy and national security, and as such, all stakeholders must play by the rules.
He condemned the practice whereby telecom operators construct beyond the approved kilometers for the purpose of erecting cables underground, and the laying of cables inside drainages, saying such often times, resulted in the blockage of the drainage channels which eventually leads to flooding.
Attacks in villages and fighting between militias killed at least 35 people over the Christmas weekend in North Kivu, a majority Christian area in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The bloodshed began in Eringeti — a town 55 kilometres (35 miles) north of the regional hub Beni, which for two years has been hit by massacres killing hundreds, many of whom were hacked to death.
Rebels from The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) — dominated by puritanical Ugandan Muslims — killed 22 people after storming Eringeti on Saturday, regional official Amisi Kalonda told AFP.
The toll climbed to 35 on Monday with the announcement that at least 13 Hutu civilians, mostly women and an eight-year-old girl, were killed on Sunday by a militia from the Nande ethnic group.
“The victims were all Hutu. There was an eight-year-old girl, a father and the rest were women,” said local official Alphonse Mahano.
They were killed around the village of Nyanzale, a Hutu majority community.
The Nande and some other ethnic groups regard the Hutus as outsiders because of their attachment to the majority ethnic group in neighbouring Rwanda.
A string of attacks in the past year by both Hutu and Nande militia forces has deepened hatred between the communities.
Joseph Kabila
Hutu farmers have also been forced to abandon land further south because of high property costs and under pressure from major landowners.
– Relentless bloodshed – Although Congolese officials have blamed the attacks on the ADF, several expert reports have suggested that other groups, including elements within the Congolese army, took part in some killings.
When the Beni massacres began in October 2014, the ADF was quickly branded the culprit by both DR Congo authorities and MONUSCO, the UN mission in DR Congo.
More than two years on, Congolese authorities and the UN have been unable to protect civilians and the ADF remains the only official explanation — with the government insisting on a jihadist link to the killings.
It comes as relations with the international community have soured over President Joseph Kabila’s refusal to step down despite his term ending on December 20.
Separately, the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) announced Monday that its troops had killed 10 soldiers from neighbouring Burundi after they crossed the border last week in pursuit of rebels.
“There were 10 deaths,” Major Dieudonne Kajibwami, told AFP, following a previous statement that five bodies had been taken to Uvira, a lakeside town in the eastern South Kivu province.
Kivu is rich in natural, mainly mineral resources, such as gold, coltan and cassiterite, coveted by the telecommunications industry. Both south and north Kivu have rich agricultural and forestry resources.
North Kivu is one of the DRC’s most densely populated areas.
Tiny compared to the vast size of the country, the two provinces suffer not only because of fighting over their mineral resources but because of their proximity to an unstable border with Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, along with Tanzania.
Leicester City’s owners distributed around 30,000 Jamie Vardy masks ahead of their game against Everton on Monday in protest at the England striker’s three-game suspension.
Vardy was banned by the Football Association after being sent off for a two-footed challenge on Mame Biram Diouf during champions Leicester’s recent 2-2 draw at Stoke City.
Leicester had an appeal against the punishment rejected, which Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha described as “unfair”.
Two supporters wears a Jamie Vardy masks in the crowd ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on December 26, 2016. Leicester City’s owners distributed around 30,000 Jamie Vardy masks ahead of their game against Everton on Monday in protest at the England striker’s three-game suspension. / AFP PHOTO
Prior to the game, pictures circulated on social media showing rows of Vardy masks placed on the blue seats at Leicester’s King Power Stadium ahead of their home game with Everton.
Television footage showed Vardy jokingly putting a mask over his face after taking his seat in the directors’ box.
He then gestured to suspended team-mates Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs, sitting alongside him, both of whom laughed.
FA chairman Greg Clarke also attended the match and was also caught on camera wearing a mask.
Leicester went into the game 15th in the Premier League table, three points above the relegation zone.
