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Israeli Internationals, Svetlana Zilberman and her son, Misha Zilberman, made history following their heroic attainment at the just- concluded Lagos International Badminton Classics that crowned them champions in the mixed doubles event.
Svetlana Zilberman and her son, Misha Zilberman
The duo defeated Duarte Anjo and Sofia Setim of Portugal, 20-22, 21-16 and 21-7, to claim the mixed doubles event that ended on Saturday at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
Svetlana Zilberman disclosed that both had been playing together as a pair and won many championships and were elated to repeat the same feat in Lagos.
"It has been a fine outing for me and my son who I brought up to love badminton, before he developed into an international champion in the men's singles.
"We are happy to win the mixed doubles together again in Lagos, just like we did in other competitions but not as big as the just-concluded international classics.
"We look forward to coming in subsequent editions to defend our title, as it gives us great joy when we play together as a pair, especially having set an international record,'' she said.
In other final matches decided on Saturday, Raul Chttaboina claimed the men's singles trophy after defeating Karan Rajarajan, 21-15, 21-18 in an all-Indian final.
Thilini Hendahewa and Kavidi Ishadika of Sri Lanka beat Nigeria's Zainab Momoh and Ramatu Yakubu, 14-21, 21-18 and 21-15 to clinch the women's doubles.
In the women's singles, T.Hendahewa beat India's Mugdha Agrey, 21-10, 19-21 and 21-21 to emerge the women's singles champion.
The men's doubles trophy went to the pair of Manu Attri and Reddy Sumeeth, after defeating Nigeria's Godwin Olofua and Anuoluwapo Opeyori, 21-10, 21-16.
The winner of the Men and Women's Singles went home with $2,200 each, while the second place winners got $1,500 and the second runners-up $650 each.
The doubles and mixed doubles winners received $725 each, while the runners-up and the second runners-up got $400 and $175, respectively.
Francis Orbih, the President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), told reporters that the event would continue to grow and soon, national competitions would hold to prepare home grown talents.
"We are happy to host yet another competition having failed to organise one in 2016. We are proud of the support badminton gets from fans that consistently trooped in to watch our matches. It shows the sport is growing rapidly.
"We are also proud of the support we received from the Lagos State Sports Council; without them, the competition could never have held.
"We hope other states can toe this line and begin to organise state championships for their youths, to helpv them to grow their love for the sport,'' Orbih said.
No fewer than 11 countries featured in the event which began on July 26 and ended on July 29, and witnessed many spectacular performances.
By Evelyn Usman and Bose Adelaja Suspected members of the dreaded Badoo boys struck Sunday at Oke Ota area of Ikorodu, leaving four members of a family dead.
A fifth injured member of the family was said to be undergoing treatment at an undisclosed hospital .
However, the cult group has devised a new method of onslaught, as they no longer leave their weapon of murder at the scene of crime .
Nobody could say the exact time the incident occurred. But residents were said to have been attracted by the victims’ window through which the assailants gained entrance, as it was destroyed .
Senator representing Bayelsa East district, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has urged the elder statesman and former Special Adviser to Second Republic President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, to be properly guided on his stance on restructuring which he used as basis to attack the former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, saying that Alhaji Yakassai got it all wrong.
Senator Murray-Bruce said Alhaji Yakassai failed to comprehend the visionary ideas the former VP said in his debate on restructuring.
The Commons sense Senator, in putting the elder statesman to the right perspective, said, "I am a member of the National Assembly and participated fully in the budget process and I must say that Alhaji Yakassai is wrong to tie restructuring to just one budget cycle."
Atiku and Yakasai
Senator Bruce also said that what is required to "transfer schools from the Federal Government to the state government is just an executive order and not constitutional amendment.
Senator Bruce, while faulting Yakassai's comment that six months is not enough for a change in budget, however said that a nation can even restructure in just one day if the will is there. The statement read thus:
"I have just read Alhaji Tanko Yakassai’s criticism of former Vice President, Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s stance on restructuring and it is quite clear that Alhaji Yakassai failed to comprehend the visionary ideas and details that the former Vice President introduced into the restructuring debate at his speech at the University of Nigeria, Nsuka on July 19, 2017.
Sen. Bruce
"In his rush to judgment, Alhaji Yakassai said inter alia "I thought, as a politician that he (Atiku) is, that he has read our constitution from A-Z before suggesting that we can restructure in six months. My question here is, what are the details of the budgetary provisions for the Ministry of Works that should be transferred to the states' ministries of education and so on and so forth before he made his pronouncement that these could be done within six months?…We already have a budget approved by the National Assembly as empowered by the constitution for appropriation.”
"I am a member of the National Assembly and participated fully in the budget process and I must say that Alhaji Yakassai is wrong to tie restructuring to just one budget cycle.
"Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s ideas on restructuring specifies how he would do away with quota systems by increasing Nigeria’s educational capacity through the return of seized schools back to the missions and handing over federal universities back to the states while more resources will be devolved from the Federal Government to the States and LGAs to enable them build more primary and secondary schools.
"You do not need a budget to transfer schools from the Federal Government to the state government. You only need an Executive Order. I am rather surprised that Alhaji Yakassai does not know this.
"Why would anyone be against such a plan that would not require a constitutional amendment and will almost immediately take care of the over 12 million children out of the formal education system in Northern Nigeria? This number is twice the population of Togo, our next door neighbor. Is Alhaji Yakassai, as a Northern elder, satisfied with this situation? Shouldn’t he rather applaud Waziri Atiku Abubakar for wanting to fix this problem?
"And even in those areas that require constitutional amendments, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is right to say that Nigeria can restructure within six months.
"Let me ask Alhaji Yakassai how long it took the National Assembly to come up with the Doctrine of Necessity in 2010? It only took a day. When a nation has the political will to restructure she can achieve it in one day or at least begin the process!
"Northern elders like Alhaji Yakassai should celebrate Waziri Atiku Abubakar who has shown that True Federalism can work. He employs more people in Adamawa state than the Adamawa state government proving that you do not need oil to survive as a state government in the process.
"Finally, let me add that at that event at the University of Nigeria Waziri Atiku Abubakar, predicted that the automobile industry will be moving away from diesel and petrol powered cars in favour of electric and alternative energy powered cars. This, he stated, was one of the reasons why Nigeria must restructure now or risk being bypassed by the global economy.
"Of course he was criticized and painted as crying wolf by the likes of Alhaji Tanko Yakassai , yet only 8 days after he gave this warning, Atiku was vindicated by the news from the UK which was reported in ThisDay’s front page on Thursday July 27, 2017 with the headline: ‘Doom for Nigeria, Britain Moves to Ban Petrol, Diesel Cars by 2040’.
"This again serves as a warning to Nigeria to heed the warnings of patriots like Waziri Atiku Abubakar and others like him, that while we still have a few good years of income from oil we need to urgently diversify our economy which will only be possible if we embrace restructuring."
US authorities have released a recording of an emergency call in which a woman said this: “I’ve got a boa constrictor stuck to my face.”
The 45-year-old resident of Sheffield Lake in the Midwestern state of Ohio called authorities Thursday after the 5′ 6″ (1.67 meters) long snake she had rescued tightened its grip around her body and began biting her nose.
“I’ve never heard of this before,” an amazed phone operator says as the woman relates her predicament in a terrified voice.
“He’s got my nose and he’s around my waste,” the victim says as the reptile continues its attack, adding: “There’s blood everywhere.” The snake was one of two boa constrictors she “rescued” a day earlier, she explains, that joined her nine pythons.
“Don’t move ma’am,” the operator says.
“I can’t,” the woman replies.
Emergency vehicles arrived four minutes later.
Local fire chief Time Card told the Chronicle Telegram that firefighters used a pocket knife to cut the snake’s head off, then disposed of the body in a garbage bin.
The woman was hospitalized but out of danger, according to local news network Fox 8 Cleveland.
During a visit to Estonia, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence confirms that President Trump will sign a bill on new sanctions on Russia passed by Congress and warns North Korea that "all options are on the table".
U.S Vice President, Mike Pence
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reiterated on Sunday (July 30) that President Donald Trump would sign a Congressional bill imposing new sanctions on Russia.
Speaking to reporters while on a visit to Estonia, Pence said Trump would sign the bill “very soon”.
“The president’s made it very clear that Russia’s destabilizing activities, its support for Rogue regimes, its activities in Ukraine are unacceptable and… that very soon he will soon sign the sanctions from the Congress of the United States to reinforce that,” Pence said.
Pence added that he hoped the clear statement of U.S. intentions would lead Russia to change course.
“The President and I remain very hopeful that we’ll see different behavior by the Russian government,” he said, “and we continue to believe that if Russia will change its behavior our relationship can change for the good.”
Pence also responded to the second test by North Korea of a long-range missile this month, warning Pyongyang that “all options are on the table.”
“The continued provocations by the rogue regime in North Korea are unacceptable and the United States of America is going to continue to marshal the support nations across the region and across the world to further isolate North Korea economically and diplomatically. But there era of strategic patience is over,” said Pence.
As diplomatic tensions continue to rise, The United States has been in talks with North Korean ally China on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution to impose stronger sanctions on North Korea.
…Asks Court To Remove Him As APC Legal Adviser For Anti-Party Activities, Breach Of Constitution
Deputy Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun Sanni has dragged the National Legal Adviser of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Muiz Banire before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja over forgery of his purported withdrawal letter from the 2015 election into Lagos Island Constituency 1 of the House.
Sanni, who filed the suit alongside two APC chieftains – Babatunde John Kehinde and Alhaji Kazeem Olatunji, is asking the court to declare Banire as not a fit and proper person to keep occupying the exalted office of the party's National Legal Adviser owing to the forgery of the purported letter of withdrawal, series of anti-party activities and breach of several provisions of the APC Constitution.
In a 37-paragraph supporting affidavit detailing Banire's atrocities, Sanni averred that having scaled through the nomination and screening of aspirants processes, he contested the primaries of APC on December 2, 2014 along with seven other aspirants and emerged as the party's candidate for election into Lagos Island Constituency 1 of the House of Assembly by pooling 186 votes out of the total number of 279 valid votes cast, with his closest rival, one Akeem Masha pooling a distant 70 votes.
Sanni said upon the announcement of his name as the winner of the primaries by the party, he received several congratulatory messages including from the then APC flag bearer for the 2015 Governorship election in the State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (now Governor), while the party issued him with the nomination form as its candidate for the election.
However, Sanni said in gross violation of his legal right as the duly elected candidate of the party, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unlawfully substituted his name with that of Masha as the candidate of the party for the election based on a false withdrawal letter caused to be written by Banire in his capacity as National Legal Adviser to INEC.
The deponent said the withdrawal letter dated January 9, 2015 had his purported signature and name, and there was no time he wrote such.
Dissatisfied with the development, Sanni approached the Federal High Court in Lagos and in a judgment in suit with reference number FHC/L/CS/34/2015, Justice Mohammed Buba upheld the reliefs sought and ordered his reinstatement as the lawful candidate of the APC.
Sanni said ever since Banire unlawfully substituted his name and caused a purported withdrawal letter to be written, the party was yet to set any machinery in motion for him to explain or justify why the letter was written, adding that by the development, Banire had betrayed the confidence reposed in him as the National Legal Adviser and his standing as a legal practitioner, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a bencher.
Besides, Sanni accused Banire of involving in series of anti-party activities and breach of several provisions of APC Constitution such as Article 21 (a) (ii), Article 21 (a) (v), Article 21 (a) (v), among others.
For instance, the Deputy Speaker recalled the unauthorized publicity of the party's dispute in Lagos State which Banire made in the Punch of July 1, 2017 and Premium Times of July 10, 2017 respectively without reference to APC Lagos State Congress or the national executive committee, as well as exhausting all avenues within the party hierarchy in the State or the national level.
He also said that Banire, in breach of Article 21 (a) (x) of the party's Constitution, filed an action in court against the Chairman and other principal officers of the APC in Lagos State without first exhausting all avenues provided for in the Constitution of the party.
Based on the foregoing, Sanni is asking the court for a declaration that having breached the established legal principles but not limited to the provisions of the APC Constitution (2014), Banire be removed as National Legal Adviser and a declaration that he is entitled to be expelled from the party or vacate office with immediate effect in accordance with Section 21 (d) (v) for the suit he instituted against the state chapter concerning the conduct of primaries for Local Government election and denouncing the entire process.
In the alternative, Sanni is asking that having regard to the provisions of APC Constitution including but not limited to the fact that the defendant had been engaging in anti-party activities likely to cause a breach of peace amongst the party members, an order should be issued by the court mandating the APC leadership to take appropriate disciplinary measures against Banire.
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – ACTING President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Sunday night had another meeting with Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris and the Director General of Department of State Services, DSS. AG PRESIDENT OSINBAJO DEMOCRACY DAY CHURCH SERVICE 3. On arrival Acting President Yemi Osinbajo received by The Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe Ibas and others during the 2017 Democracy day Church service at the Economical Center in Abuja. The meeting according to the tweet by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande was in continuation of the meeting the Acting President had been having with heads of security agencies over the renewed onslaught by the Islamic sect Boko Haram on innocent Nigerians.
Though the Federal Government had said that Boko Haram had been decimated, there have been frightening increase of kidnapping and suicide bombings by the terrorists in recent times.
Akande in his tweeter handle did not give details of the outcome of the closed-door meeting that took place at the Presidential Villa,vAbuja.
But he said it was on the renewed efforts on the release of the abducted people including some staff of University of Maiduguri
The tweeted went thus: Laolu AkandeVerified account @akandeoj 18m18 minutes ago
In continuation of his close monitoring of Borno situation, AgP Osinbajo met again last night with service chiefs, IGP, DSS, Petroleum Mi…
Laolu AkandeVerified account @akandeoj 13m13 minutes ago Replying to @akandeoj
…Minister of State & co. Meeting reviewed progress on release & rescue (efforts) of abducted officials of UNIMAID & missing NNPC staff
0 replies Laolu AkandeVerified account @akandeoj 9m9 minutes ago Replying to @akandeoj
AgP Osinbajo had earlier met Defence Minister and military service chiefs couple days back in his office on Thursday on the situation
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma says the 4.8 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth targeted in Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) for 2018 is achievable.
Udo Udoma
Udoma said this in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr James Akpandem on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister gave the assurance at the Consultative Forum with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Private Sector Operators (PSO) and other members of the public in Lagos.
The aim of the forum was to present draft proposals for the Medium Term Fiscal Framework/Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTFF/FSP) 2018-2020 to the stakeholders for suggestions and inputs.
The inputs from the stakeholders would be considered for inclusion in the final Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which would serve as the basis for the 2018 Budget.
Udoma said it may be very challenging to achieve the target GDP growth rate of 4.8 per cent set out in the ERGP for 2018.
"It will be achieved if we are able to attract a high enough amount of private sector investment to drive economic growth.
"It is for this reason that government is putting a lot of effort and emphasis on making it easier for business to be transacted in the country.
"The good news is that there are presently many positive indicators in many sectors of the economy, which shows that we are moving in the right direction.
"They are indicators that we are moving in right direction and that the strategies set out in the ERGP are the right strategies,'' he said.
The ERGP projects that Nigeria will make significant progress to achieve structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy in five key areas by 2020.
The key areas are stable macro-economic environment, achieve agriculture and food security, ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, and drive industrialisation focusing on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as improve transportation infrastructure.
Udoma said all budgets prepared within the Plan period must be drawn from, and align with the provisions of the ERGP.
Addressing concerns raised over the level of borrowing, the minister said that the issue was not so much of a debt problem, but more of a revenue problem.
According to him, even with our present levels of borrowings, the country's fiscal deficit is still well within the three per cent (3%) limit prescribed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
Udoma said that government would continue to monitor the deficit level to ensure that it remains within the three per cent threshold.
"If we have enough revenue coming in, we can easily offset the debts.
"The problem is that we are not getting as much revenue as we require and therefore, have to borrow to make up the shortfall required to fund the necessary infrastructure that will help us make our economy grow.
"That is why we have had to borrow, but our debt level is sustainable,'' he said.
The minister, however, told stakeholders that the government had been working hard to increase its non-oil revenues, adding that it was not still sufficient.
For instance, he said the revenue from tax was very low considering the size of our economy and that it was about the lowest compared to other countries in Africa.
"Our tax to GDP ratio is 6 per cen, whereas the average in Africa is about 16 per cent.
"So we need to increase our revenues and government is working hard to increase revenues so as to be able to fund our expenditure without having to rely too heavily on borrowing,'' the minister said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Sunday goaded Republican senators to stick with trying to pass a healthcare bill, after the lawmakers failed spectacularly last week to muster the votes to end Obamacare.
For the second day running, the Republican president tweeted his impatience with Congress’ inability to deliver on his party’s seven-year promise to replace the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare bill commonly known as Obamacare. Members of his administration took to the airwaves to try to compel lawmakers to take action.
US President, Donald Trump
But it was unclear whether the White House admonishments would have any impact on Capitol Hill, where Republicans who control both houses signaled last week that it was time to move on to other issues.
Republicans’ zeal to repeal and replace Obamacare was met with both intra-party divisions between moderates and conservatives and also the increasing approval of a law that raised the number of insured Americans by 20 million.
Polling indicates a majority of Americans are ready to move on from healthcare at this point. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Saturday, 64 percent of 1,136 people surveyed on Friday and Saturday said they wanted to keep Obamacare, either “entirely as is” or after fixing “problem areas.” That is up from 54 percent in January.
With the U.S. legislative branch spinning its wheels, the executive branch pledged to look at rewriting Obamacare regulations. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told ABC’s “This Week” that he would change those regulations that drive up costs or “hurt” patients.
Price sidestepped questions about whether there were administration plans to waive Obamacare’s mandate that individuals have health insurance, saying “all things are on the table to try to help patients.”
But Price also told NBC he would implement Obamacare because it is the “law of the land.”
That Obamacare was still law clearly angered Trump, who has no major legislative accomplishments to show for his first half-year in office. “Don’t give up Republican Senators, the World is watching: Repeal & Replace …” the president said in a tweet on Sunday morning.
NOT ‘TIME TO MOVE ON’
On Friday, Senate Republicans failed to collect enough votes to repeal even a few parts of Obamacare. That capped a week of failed Senate votes on whether to simply repeal, or repeal and replace, the 2010 law, while Trump repeatedly berated lawmakers in a late attempt to influence the legislation.
“The president will not accept those who said, quote, ‘it's time to move on,'” Kellyanne Conway, a senior counselor to Trump, said on Fox News Sunday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, had made exactly that comment before dawn on Friday morning after the failed healthcare vote.
The White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, said on Sunday lawmakers should stay in session to get something done on healthcare – even if this means postponing votes on other issues such as raising the debt ceiling.
“So yes. They need to stay. They need to work. They need to pass something,” Mulvaney said on CNN.
The House of Representatives has already gone home for its August break and the Senate is expected to do the same by mid-August.
Mulvaney also said Trump was seriously considering carrying out threats he tweeted about on Saturday, when the president said that “if a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!”
That tweet appeared to be referring to the approximately $8 billion in cost-sharing reduction subsidies the federal government pays to insurers to lower the price of health coverage for low-income Americans.
The Saturday tweet also appeared to be a threat to end the employer contribution for members of Congress and their staffs, who were moved from the normal federal employee healthcare benefits program onto the Obamacare insurance exchanges as part of the 2010 healthcare law.
“What he's saying is, look, if Obamacare is hurting the American people – and it is – then why shouldn't it hurt insurance companies and more importantly, perhaps for this discussion, members of Congress?” Mulvaney said on Sunday on CNN.
Some Republicans have said they are trying to find a way forward on healthcare. Senate Republican Susan Collins, one of three Republicans who voted against repealing parts of Obamacare on Friday, told NBC that Congress should produce a series of bills with bipartisan input on healthcare, including appropriating the cost-sharing subsidies.
The Senate has one vote scheduled when it reconvenes on Monday afternoon: whether to confirm a U.S. circuit court judge. Senate aides said they had no guidance for the agenda beyond that vote
The Immediate past Governor of Rivers state and current Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the current Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike once threatened President Muhammadu Buhari's administration "with fire and brimstone…" and now brags to his cronies that he has the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the entire judiciary in his pocket whereupon he can manipulate any judgement against him (Amaechi).
Amaechi also accused Governor Wike of running an administration "that embarks on wholesale forgery and distortion of government documents and then retails it out to his minions, the media and now the judiciary in a shameful and futile bid to defame and destroy Amaechi."
According to the minister, Wike has also been bragging that he certainly must get a conviction and judgement to nail him (Amaechi) based on forged documents, adding that the governor is basing the recent visit to the state by the CJN, to brag that Justice Onnoghen is his 'main man.'
Wike and Amaechi
Amaechi gave the statement in a release to newsmen on Sunday through his media office.
The statement read thus:
"Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike has continued to twist, falsify and forge fresh documents that he intends to use against the immediate past governor of the state and now Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
"Wike wants to use the elaborately distorted and most times outright but carefully forged documents to persecute and prosecute his erstwhile benefactor in court. In the past couple of days, Wike has been telling anyone who cares to listen, bragging that he will certainly get a conviction, a judgement against Amaechi in the law courts on spurious charges of corruption using his forged documents because he (Wike) is in control of the judiciary at the state and national level.
"For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that Wike has been boasting that he has the judges in the Rivers State judiciary in his pocket, that he's in full control and that the State judiciary would always give him any judgement he wants against Amaechi.
"Furthermore, Wike is bragging that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is his 'main man', that would readily and easily assist him get any judgement he wants against Amaechi at the apex court, using his contorted documents.
"Wike is also telling anyone who cares to listen that the Supreme Court (Justices) and judges generally are not happy with Amaechi and so they would easily convict him with any forged document he presents in court. Power drunk Wike is using the recent visit of the CJN to Rivers State as his bragging right to prove his 'extreme' closeness to the CJN.
"Nigerians would recall that only a few days back, Livingstone Wechie, the young man Wike used to accuse Amaechi of corruption and write false and frivolous petitions to the National Assembly, EFCC etc, confessed in a live television programme and in a statement he also circulated to the media, that all the documents he used to wrongfully portray Amaechi as corrupt when he governed Rivers State, were phonies, forged documents given to him by Wike's Rivers State Government House.
"Wechie also admitted, like we have always said, that the forged documents were used as the template and basis for the Justice Omereji led Judicial Commission of Inquiry, a panel Wike set up early in his administration to witch-hunt, malign, vilify and persecute Amaechi.
"Sadly, this is the kind of administration that presides over the affairs of Rivers people. An administration that embarks on wholesale forgery and distortion of government documents and then retails it out to his minions, the media and now the judiciary in a shameful and futile bid to defame and destroy Amaechi. Brazenly, without any scruples, Governor Wike runs an administration that manufactures and concocts documents to indict Amaechi of corruption. Yes, this is the kind of character, a low-level conman that is at the helm of affairs in Rivers State.
"Since he became governor, Wike's sole agenda has been to attack and vilify Rotimi Amaechi, no matter how ridiculous and silly he sounds. Everyday in Rivers State, there is one frivolous, false story of what Amaechi did or didn't do. Same pattern, the same blatant lies using distorted and forged documents, same old concocted stories of corruption allegations against Amaechi told with different twists.
"Nigerians will not forget in a hurry how Nyesom Wike, hurriedly called a suspicious late night press conference to lie that the over $43million found by EFCC in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos and the apartment belongs to Amaechi.
"Wike shamelessly said that the money was part of what was stolen from Rivers State – and warehoused in the Ikoyi house – by his predecessor and current Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
"Not done with his concocted tales, Wike went further to threaten the President Mohammadu Buhari administration with fire and brimstone if the money is not returned to him (Wike).
"He gave the Federal Goovernment a seven-day ultimatum to return the money; otherwise, he would institute the mother of all legal actions against the Buhari government to recover the money.
"That's the typical Wike, a lying, reckless, irresponsible and brutal forger that has become the laughing stock of his peers and the nation."
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted prospects of thunderstorms over the Central States in the morning hours on Monday.
NiMet's Weather Outlook released by its Central Forecast Office (CFO), on Sunday in Abuja also predicted thunderstorms over Abuja, Makurdi, Minna, Mambila, Jos, Lafia and Jalingo in afternoon and evening hours.
It added that the region would have day and night temperatures in the range of 27 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius to 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The agency predicted that Southern states would experience cloudy condition over inland cities with rains anticipated over the coastal cities and thunderstorms over Enugu in the morning hours.
It also predicted thunderstorms over the inland cities with rains over the coastal cities in the afternoon and evening hours and day and night temperatures of 28 degrees Celsius to 33 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius to 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.
According to NiMet, Northern states will experience morning thunderstorms over Nguru, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa and Yelwa with cloudy and moderate thunderstorms over Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Nguru, Maiduguri and Kano later in the day.
"The region will also have day and night temperatures in the range of 31 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius.
"Most parts of the country are favourable for thunderstorms and rain activities in the next 24 hours," it predicted.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Sunday directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to immediately dispatch relief materials to rainstorm victims in Illela, Araba and Gadi communities in the state.
The incident occurred on Friday as the heavy down pour was accompanied by strong wind which destroyed residential buildings, farmlands, livestock farms as well as farm produce.
Alhaji Usman Danmadami, the leader of government delegation and Sokoto State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while commiserating with the victims urged them to see the incident as the Will of Allah.
He said the state government would work with the local authorities to assist the victims in rebuilding the communities to enable them return to their normal activities.
Danmadami prayed Allah to give the victims the strength to carry on in the trying moments, while assuring them that all efforts would be made to rebuild their lives.
"That is why Governor Tambuwal has directed SEMA to quickly deliver relief materials to them in order to cushion the hardship,'' he added.
Responding on behalf of the affected communities, Alhaji Sahabi Isa, the traditional council member of Illela, Wakilin Sarkin Rafin Illela, commended the governor for the support to the affected communities.
Danmadami was accompanied on the visit by the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Mr Manir Dan'Iya, Government House Chief of Staff, and Mr Mukhtar Magori, among others.
The Gambia is courting Beijing’s attention after re-establishing diplomatic relations last year, but villagers and activists say Chinese investment is a double-edged sword as they fight a firm accused of dumping waste.
Chinese firms in Africa are frequently accused of polluting the environment to produce materials ready to export back home, in incidents recorded by experts across the mines of Guinea, oil fields of Chad and forests of the Congo basin.
The government is nevertheless keen to kickstart direct Chinese investment to turn around the stuttering economy, though its environment agency has made clear it will tackle abuses of the delicate ecosystem in this largely undeveloped west African nation.
The residents of Gunjur, a Gambian village an hour south of the capital Banjul had welcomed the opening of a Chinese fishmeal factory in September 2016, hoping it would bring new jobs to an area reliant on scant rewards from fishing and tourism.
“When the factory came here, a lot of people were happy, including me,” said Badara Bajo, the director of the Environment Protection and Development Group of Gunjur (EPDGG), a charity.
“We felt that it would help create employment opportunities and perhaps sustainable income to local inhabitants,” he explained, describing his impressions of the Chinese-run Golden Lead company.
– Future partner? – Banjul recognised Beijing as the seat of China’s government over former ally Taiwan in March 2016, but the Asian giant was already one of the diminutive African state’s top trading partners, with the Chinese snapping up valuable rosewood timber exports.
Illegal to export in neighbouring Senegal, the prized wood was smuggled over the border into The Gambia from the southern Senegalese region of Casamance, souring relations with Dakar.
Since President Adama Barrow took power in January, Banjul has engaged in a charm offensive with Chinese businesses, seeking funding for the type of infrastructure and energy projects the government says were neglected under former leader Yahya Jammeh.
Barrow praised Trade Minister Isatou Touray last week for signing an agreement for duty-free trade with China, which he said would “make our goods more competitive, and boost our export potential.”
Touray herself told Chinese media at a regional summit in Abuja in May that “quite a number of Chinese firms are currently engaging with the new administration and we are moving in the right direction.”
– Streams turn red – Within months of the factory opening in Gunjur, residents began to notice a bad smell, followed by local waterways turning red, and finally wave after wave of dead fish washing up on the shore. Swimmers in Gunjur’s lagoon began to complain of skin problems.
“The factory is very close to the lagoon. The lagoon is also close to the nature reserve which we have managed for 22 years now,” Bajo said.
Alerted to allegations of waste being piped directly into the sea and the destruction of some the area’s mangroves, the National Environment Agency (NEA) filed a lawsuit against Golden Lead on June 14.
Bajo and his colleagues also organised a protest in late May in the neighbouring village of Kartong, where another Chinese firm has its sights set on a factory.
Lamin Jatta, a Kartong resident, said the community “would not allow the Chinese company to pollute our environment, as this will drive European tourists from our beaches.”
Cases like Gunjur’s are test sites for the new government’s willingness to tolerate what experts have described as Chinese firms’ frequent disregard for the environment and the rule of law in other parts of Africa.
In its charges against Golden Lead, the NEA alleged that the Chinese company was discharging waste water from their processing plant into the sea at Gunjur beach without permission.
Golden Lead was also failing to keep records of its activities and waste management as required by Gambian law, it said.
Nevertheless, both sides agreed an out-court-settlement, with the firm promising to clean up its act, said government spokeswoman Amie Bojang-Sissoho.
“The company will remove its pipes from the sea and will make a comprehensive ecological assessment and restore the damage done to the ecology,” she said, adding Golden Lead would “pay for testing of the water to know how and why it was affected.”
– ‘The Chinese pay’ – Bakary Darboe, the managing director of the Golden Lead Company, said he “rejected the charges” despite the legal agreement, and noted that the firm employed 64 people in the area to make animal feed to be exported back in China.
After all, not everyone in Gunjur is incensed by the presence of Golden Lead.
“Unlike the local fishmongers who buy fish on credit basis, the Chinese pay in cash and take the fish,” said Alieu Saine, a Senegalese fisherman who said the firm paid up to $2 million dalasi ($43,401) each time they purchased stock.
“The government should encourage the Chinese to set up more companies like this one as it will keep young people busy and discourage them from embarking on the risky ‘back way’ to Europe,” Saine added, referring to a Gambian term for the cross-Sahara migrant route.
The villagers, he added, would “get used to” the smell, as he had.
President Vladimir Putin said 755 US diplomats must leave Russia and warned ties with Washington could be gridlocked for a long time, in a move Sunday that followed tough new American sanctions.Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President- Donald Trump
The Russian foreign ministry had earlier demanded Washington cut its diplomatic presence in Russia by September to 455 — the same number Moscow has in the US.
“More than a thousand people were working and are still working” at the US embassy and consulates, Putin said in an interview with Rossia-24 television.
“755 people must stop their activities in Russia.”
Putin added that an upturn in Russia’s relations with Washington could not be expected “any time soon”.
“We have waited long enough, hoping that the situation would perhaps change for the better,” he said.
“But it seems that even if the situation is changing, it’s not for any time soon.”
On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill to toughen sanctions on Russia for allegedly meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and for its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Iran and North Korea are also targeted in the sanctions bill.
The law now goes to President Donald Trump who had made an improvement in ties with Russia a plank of his election campaign.
Moscow on Friday ordered the US to slash its number of diplomats in Russia to 455 and froze two embassy compounds — a Moscow summer house and a storage facility in the city — from August 1.
In December, the then US president Barack Obama ordered out 35 Russian diplomats and closed down two embassy summer houses that Washington said were being used by Moscow for espionage.
The secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council was attacked by political thugs on Sunday, injured journalists, vandalised properties and disrupted a press briefing by some APC chieftains in the state.
Thugs over powered policemen at the entrance to the NUJ secretariat where Senators Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi kicked against the result of the party's delegate election.
The thugs wielding dangerous weapons matcheted a cameraman with Liberty Television, Lawal Muhammed, damaged several cameras and injured two other reporters.
The thugs also broke doors, windows and damaged chairs and tables at the secretariat.
The chietains of the All Progressives Congress chased away by the thugs included House of Representatives members Muhamamed Usman and Musa Soba, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, Alhaji Yaro Makama, Amb. Sule Buba and a former legislator Alhaji Isa Ashiru.
Trouble started when the Gabassawa Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Sadiq Abdullahi allegedly allowed the thugs entrance into the venue.
Meanwhile, the State Police Commissioner, Mr Agyole Abeh who visited the NUJ secretariat, pledged that the police will apprehend the perpetrators.
According to him, the DPO had briefed him on the incident, claiming that the thugs had identified themselves as journalists before they were allowed into the premises.
The Commissioner said that investigation would commence immediately and those found wanting would be prosecuted.
Earlier, during the press conference, the APC chieftains said they were protesting what they termed as at 'selection ' of APC delegates in total disregard of the party's constitution.
Sen. Hunkuyi who spoke on behalf of the APC leaders said all the guidelines for the delegates election were breached.
He said that the group had written to the national secretariat of the APC asking it to set aside the purported delegates election and announce new date for the exercise.
" Stakeholders were invited on Friday we were there until 7:30 pm in the evening but the acting chairman and other leaders of the party did not show up."
According to the party chieftains, the delegates were allegedly handpicked at the Government House.
Also speaking, Sen. Sani said they would not accept "any dark room list" as delegates, stressing that APC was founded on the principle of justice, progress and unity and must be seeing to go by its principles.
"The leadership of APC in Kaduna would not accept arrogance of power and dictatorship; this is our state and we are sending this message very clear to the political adviser and his principal that we will not compromise, we need free fair and credible election."
In his reaction, the spokesman of the APC in Kaduna state, Salisu Wusono claimed that the party's delegates election was free, credible and fair.
According to him, the election was attended by all party officials at ward and state level.
Wusono told journalists that the election was conducted based on the party's guidelines and was supervised by five officials from the APC National secretariat.
NAN.
See Sen. Shehu Sani’s tweet.
Journalist Mohammed stabbed & left in blood by sponsored armed thugs in kaduna:Intolerance to criticism @amnestypic.twitter.com/GJjA056zNj
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor The Federal Government is yet to take any action on the report of the probe into the fraud allegation levelled against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, the Presidency said Sunday night. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal and Suspended Nigeria Intelligent Agency NIA Ayo Oke
Vanguard learnt that the delay in taking action as to recalling or sacking the two top federal officials might not be unconnected with the medical vacation of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was to act on it just before he jetted out of Nigeria for Britain last May.
It was learnt that although some recommendations were made on the two officials by the Panel chaired by Acting President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the Presidency had opted to await the return of Buhari to unveil the decisions of the federal government regarding the two men so that Osinbajo might not be accused of acting on his own report.
A presidency sourc, confirmed to Vanguard Sunday night that there had been no decision yet on the two men and described reports on the matter as 'mere speculations'.
"The Presidency has not released any verdict on the two men and what you are reading in the media are just speculations," Akande said.
One of the reports said on Sunday that the panel recommended the immediate removal of both Lawal and Oke from office and replacement with others, whose names were not given by the authors.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 19, 2017, suspended both men from office and raised a special investigation panel headed by Osinbajo, the National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno (rtd) and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as members, to probe the fraud levelled against Lawal and the $43.4 million reportedly taken away from a Lagos apartment.
Babachir was investigated for allegedly awarding millions of naira contracts to a company in which he had interest, Global Vision Limited, under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).
A Senate Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East headed by Senator Shehu Sani, had earlier found the suspended SGF culpable of alleged complicity in a N200 million grass-cutting contract to clear "invasive plant species" in Yobe State, had demanded his resignation and prosecution.
On the other hand, Oke was interrogated by the panel over the huge cash discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at apartment 7B in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.
While appearing before the panel, Lawal denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the money, which was duly approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for some covert operations, indeed belonged to the NIA.
The question that many people ask themselves is where do their money go. Truthfully, you are the only one who can answer that question. But, we know that a reason why you are losing your money is because you are not tracking it. Well, it is time to stop losing your money and start tracking your cash. As such, we highlight some of the ways you can do this.
Use online management software
You do not need to go to the bank because you want to check your account. There are now online management tools and applications that allow you track your spending from your computer or smartphone real-time. In addition to this, you can also see your recent transactions.
Use online budgeting software
There are certain websites, apps, and software that you can directly link to your financial accounts. They automatically organise and categorise your spending by letting you compare your projected spending against your actual spending. It will even alert you when you are overspending.
Use ATMs
ATMs are connected with banks and it lets you check your balance, deposit and even transfer funds between accounts. Ultimately, ATMs are available anytime you need them. Hence, it is easily accessible to help you track your finance.
Activate account alerts
If you want to know about all your bank account transactions or activities as well as track how you spend your money, you should activate alerts. It will allow you get new alerts and let you know when your account is low. You will just be charged a token for this service.
Pay a visit to your local bank
Banks in Nigeria can offer you financial advice if you have challenges keeping track of your spending. They can help you with a solution.
Two persons have been confirmed dead and several others critically injured in an electrical upsurge in Anguwan Biri in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger state.
Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, Director-General of the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) told newsmen in Minna on Sunday that the incident occurred on Saturday as a result of a power surge resulting from contact between a 33KV line and distribution line in the area.
He said that a middle-aged man, Alhaji Mohammed Tetengi and 8 year old Ayomide Micheal died in the incident and several people sustained various degrees of injuries.
Inga said that three persons were currently receiving treatment at the Minna General Hospital.
He said that officials of the agency have visited the scene to conduct an assessment on the level of damage, adding that the remains of the victims have been buried according to Christian and Islamic rites.
DSP Bala Elkanah, the Police Public Relation Officer in Niger, told pressmen that properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed in the incident.
He gave assurance that investigation would be carried out to determine the actual cause of the incident.
Street jogging with your chums is a sport enjoyed by millions around the world — but not by police in Sierra Leone, who have just outlawed the practice. Jogging will strengthen the muscles and bone density of your legs, hips and back while running can give you both physical and mental joy, so long you do not exhaust yourself. To the dismay of fun-runners, police in the west African state have banned group jogging in the street on the grounds that it encourages disruptive behaviour.
“Police headquarters has observed with dismay that people are in the habit of jogging in large numbers along the streets with a hint of menace, raining insults, obstructing traffic, pounding on vehicles, playing loud music, and snatching property from other members of the public,” the police announced.
Their letter, dated July 27, said an “immediate ban on such activities” was being enforced “in line with the constitutional consideration for public order and safety.”
The announcement caused a groan among some in the capital of Freetown.
Mohamed Kamara, a civil servant in Freetown, disputed that there had been any any major incidents caused by street joggers.
“We usually team up with neighbourhood youths on weekends to jog to the beach where we play football and return peacefully,” Kamara told AFP.
Jogging and playing football in large numbers has helped to transform many violent youths within his community, Kamara said.
TV celebrity Amadu Lamarana Bah said the restriction was a waste of police time and affected young people who wanted to exercise in a country where cities have few recreational areas.
“I believe there are more serious security issues you must be paying attention to,” Bah said on Facebook.
“Armed robbery and gang violence in communities should be your concern not those harmless youths who exercise on weekends.”
A local NGO, the Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), called on the police to ensure that the new ban upholds national and international law and freedom of assembly.
Group jogging has taken on a political tinge in parts of Sierra Leone. Presidential candidates have organised fun-runs in Freetown and the northern town of Makeni, with participants wearing T-shirts bearing the name of the party.
The police letter said “individuals desiring to jog for health reason” were “at liberty to do so, but at recreational facilities or at the beach.”
But, it added, “any group of persons now found jogging in the streets without authorization will be dealt with according to law. You have been warned.”
Severe monsoon flooding has killed 213 people in western India, an official said Sunday, as rescuers continue to sift through villages devastated by torrential rains.
The death toll in Gujarat state jumped from Wednesday’s total of 123 as waters recede from low-lying areas, allowing workers to reach remote spots where bodies are starting to appear.
“The death toll in Gujarat this monsoon has risen to 213,” A.J Shah, director of relief operations with the Gujarat government, told AFP.
Overwhelmed authorities, who expect the toll to rise still further, said they have struggled to cope with the number of bodies needing identification and post-mortems, resulting in delays in confirming the latest deaths.
An official at the state’s emergency control room explained that “only after a post-mortem is conducted we can officially confirm death of a person”.
“Since many bodies were found, postmortem took time hence the sudden jump in numbers,” the official, who requested anonymity, told AFP.
The rise comes after rescuers plucked 25 bodies, including 17 members of a single family, on Wednesday from two submerged villages in hard-hit Banaskantha district of Gujarat.
Rescue workers have moved close to 130,000 people from low-lying, dangerous areas as helicopters and boats try to reach those still stranded.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who surveyed the devastation across Gujarat from the skies last week, in his radio show on Sunday reassured flood-hit states that all help was being provided to them.
As well as Gujarat, the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been hard-hit by monsoon flooding, while pockets of the eastern states of Odisha and Bihar have also been affected.
In Assam at least 77 people have been killed and a state-wide emergency relief operation has been underway since April. Tens of thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed.
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