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
The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the controversial Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has debunked a media report that his faction advised members of the party to defect to another party and leave behind PDP for Senator Modu Sheriff.
Reports had flooded a section of the media that Senator Makarfi urged some supporters of the opposition party to defect to the Advanced Peoples Democratic Party if their political ambitions must be met.
The former Kaduna State governor said he had faith in the judiciary to deliver the right judgment on the leadership crisis rocking the party.
According to him, "Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper's headline which stated that we advised and directed people to defect (to another party). The headline is different from the story's content."
"It became necessary we issue this statement because of wild rumours circulating, including high activities in the social media that we directed people in Lagos to vote APDA, which we never did. Also that of Governor Ayodele Fayose removing the PDP banners.
"Our statement was clear that we are in court and have faith in the judiciary. We are also aware that the PDP is being disenfranchised in some elections and that different states have adopted different approaches to the issue without prejudice to the substantive matter before the court. It should be noted that we, at the national level, have never asked anyone to defect to another party."
A car plowed into pedestrians on a sidewalk in New York City’s busy Times Square on Thursday, killing one person and injuring others.
Vanguard gathered that the incident was not an act of terrorism from police source and witnesses.
Similarly, the Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio, said there was no indication that it was an act of terrorism, while noting that the driver Richard Rojas, had been previously arrested for drunk driving.
Witnesses said that the motorist was driving against traffic before his burgundy Honda sedan mounted the sidewalk and struck pedestrians.
There was heavily Police presence in the area. Many sidewalks are lined with barricades and planters for fear of vehicle attacks on pedestrians.
The incident revived memories Of March 22, in London, where five people were killed and about 40 injured after a car hit pedestrians
Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has, Thursday, signed three executive orders which are all aimed at improving private and government's business operations in the country.
Following the campaign for Nigerians to patronise more of the country's local content and or product and jettison the consumption of foreign goods to boost the country's economy, the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government has maintained doggedness in ensuring that laws are made to the effect of providing an enabling ground for local businesses to thrive and compete globally.
Nigeria has all the basic requirements to grow her economy and create millions of jobs if the business environment is made friendly, especially to encourage local producers and local products. This calls to mind the Made-In-Nigeria project championed by this government.
However, to make this happen, the country needs a visionary, exemplary leadership that has the priority list and patriotic citizenry and the Buhari-led administration is not wavering in its promise to make for an enabling business environment for Nigerians.
To this end, the Acting President has signed three executive orders including that of the Ease of doing business which is one of the bills brought forward by the Senate to help local producers.
The three executive orders signed by Professor Osinbajo are:
1.Ease of Doing Business ( part of Senate Plan)
2. Support for ‘Made in Nigeria’ (an idea by the Senate President)
3. Timely submission of MDAs budgets (issue raised by the Senate)
Earlier before the Acting President signed the executive orders, he chaired an interactive session on “Ease of Doing Business” with Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Federal Agencies including ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of departments at the old Banquet Hall of Presidential Villa.
The session was meant to directly engage government officials who would be implementing the orders and the new instructions.
Championed by conservatives as a visionary, reviled by liberals as a menace, Fox News founder Roger Ailes re-shaped US television news and helped to craft a conservative populism that ultimately gave rise to Donald Trump.
Roger Ailes
The titles of just two Ailes biographies, “The Loudest Voice in the Room” and “Dark Genius” hint to the outsized and controversial nature of his legacy after a five-decade career in television and politics.
When Fox News was created in 1996, Australian-born tycoon Rupert Murdoch provided the money and Ailes the vision. A broadcast entrepreneur, it was Ailes who understood perfectly how to blend entertainment with conservative politics.
“Either this man is crazy or he has the biggest set of balls I’ve ever seen,” Murdoch is widely quoted as having said of first meeting Ailes.
With the slogan “fair and balanced,” Fox presented itself as a potent counterweight to perceived liberal bias of mainstream US media, and quickly rode the wave of anger over Bill Clinton’s affair with a White House intern.
Under Republican president George W. Bush, it championed patriotism, and the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Under Barack Obama, it became a soap box for right-wing Republicans, giving extensive air to the myth that America’s first black president was not born in the United States and denying that human activity played a role in climate change.
While Ailes was forced out last year in a blaze of sexual harassment allegations, which he denied, Fox News today is the most watched cable news network in America, a powerhouse of the right and the bete noire of Democratic coastal elites.
“Ailes, apart from a few presidents and maybe a scattered number of other people, was one of the most important figures in American political history in the last half century,” says David Greenberg, professor of history, journalism and media studies at Rutgers University.
“He really did as much as anyone to redefine the Republican Party as a party of cultural populism … making resentment of the media, resentment of elites, resentment of liberals who were soft on crime and soft on national security central to what the Republican Party was about,” Greenberg said.
– ‘Trump logical conclusion’ –
Born into a blue collar family in Ohio, he began his career in daytime television, learning the art of manufacturing good entertainment before moving into politics, becoming an advisor to Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
“With Ailes, you have this rare convergence of someone who is equally savvy in media style as they are in understanding the narratives and themes of American politics,” says Reece Peck, an assistant professor at College of Staten Island who is writing a book about Fox News. “Usually you only have one or the other,” he said.
But liberals rubbish the idea that Fox was a sincere counterpoint to a mainstream liberal media, accusing the channel of running a ruthlessly partisan operation.
“Fox News often operates almost as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party,” Anita Dunn, communications director in the Obama White House, told CNN in 2009.
A Pew Research survey from 2012 found that while CNN and MSNBC were watched by a more mixed audience, 60 percent of Fox News viewers called themselves conservative.
“Avowedly partisan and ideological news has made it possible for a lot of Americans to opt out of the common discourse and the common fund of information about politics that governed a political life for so long,” said Greenberg.
But if Fox was reluctant to embrace Trump during the antagonistic Republican presidential primary, the channel jumped on board after he clinched the nomination. If nothing else, its audience was a captive Trump market.
The marriage of politics and entertainment that Ailes orchestrated at Fox became an effective tool for political communication, and one that Trump also deftly put to use in his once improbable bid for the White House.
“Trump is kind of the logical conclusion of a long-term trend of entertainment-izing of American politics. And Ailes had a major role in creating that kind of political culture,” says Peck, an assistant professor of media culture.
It was a role that Murdoch recognized in paying tribute to his friend Thursday.
“A brilliant broadcaster, Roger played a huge role in shaping America’s media over the last 30 years,” said the Fox News Channel executive chairman. “Roger and I shared a big idea which he executed in a way no one else could have.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has advocated for the promulgation of a legislation to make the arrest and prosecution of suspects within Africa easier.
IGP-Idris
Idris spoke to newsmen in the Algerian Capital,Aligiers, during the maiden edition of the General Assembly of the Union Mechanism for Police Commissions( AFRIPOL).
The IGP lamented:” Sometimes, if a criminal commits an offence in your country and escape to other countries, the Police usually find it difficult to bring him back home to face justice.
” The proposed law will therefore redress this ugly trend, hence, bolster the criminal justice system in the continent.
” This therefore means more efficiency and diligence in the operations of the various police commissions and forces in the continent.”
Idris further called for a stronger synergy between the police commissions, sharing of intelligence and sustained myriad of cooperation.
” This also means effective fight of cross border crimes and criminality, as well as enhanced internal security in the individual African countries.
” I am hereby commending Algeria for bringing together police chiefs from other sister African countries to brainstorm for better policing.
” This cooperation and strategy should be sustained so that law abiding citizens in the region can go to bed with their two eyes closed,” the Nigerian Police Boss, urged.
The African Police Cooperation Mechanism has endorsed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun-Idris, as its second Vice Chairman.
IGP Idris
His endorsement came after he was nominated by the police Chiefs of all the West African countries present at the forum
The assembly also endorsed IGP of Algeria as its chairman, others are the police boss of Central Republic of African who was endorsed as the 3rd Vice Chairman while police boss of Zambia was endorsed as the rapporteur. The officials will run the bureau for a period of 2 years.
Their endorsement was announced at a 3 day meeting of all police Chiefs in Africa (AFRIPOL) held in Algiers, Algeria.
The appointment of IGP Idris was collectively accepted and lauded by assembly.
Nigeria has by this appointment gotten the first opportunity ever to serve at such a high profile capacity of AFRIPOL in the region.
Idris welcoming his endorsement said it would be an added advantage for Nigeria to collaborate with member countries in the areas of intelligence gathering and sharing.
He said it will as well ease legislation for arrest and prosecution of trans boarder criminals.
The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, yesterday in Lagos said that out of the 1,648,429 million candidates writing the ongoing UTME, the results of 1,048,914 have been released.
This was just as he also announced the extension of JAMB’s portal for registration, adding that it will finally close its registration portal on 28th May.
He said that in addition to the 1,048,914 results that have been released, over 30,406 results are also ready for upload before midnight today.
He said: “As at today, 1,648, 429 are taking our examination and we have released the result of 1,048,914. That is the result we have released up till yesterday.
“On the first day, we released the results of Sunday because anything you call CBT, the results are ready, but for environmental reasons, we do not release the results immediately.
“That is to ensure we go through the CCTV camera to see whether there are report of malpractice and prevent the situation whereby those who do not pass become agitated at the CBT centres.
“We have released the results of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and we are going to release today’s result before 12 midnight. This morning, the results of 30,046 will be release.
Asked the performances of candidates results so far, he said: “The candidates have not done badly from the resrults released so far.” As soon as the last person finished writing the last paper today, we will upload additional over 30,406 results before 12 midnight today.”
Oloyede, also disclosed that JAMB’s portal for registration has not closed, adding that it will finally close its registration portal on 28th May. He said that he got the mandate from the Senate few weeks ago to increase the UTME registration period by one month, which according to him will elapse on 28th of May. “As I speak, we have registered additional 1,100 candidates,” he added.
Oloyede who disclosed during this during his visit to one of the CBT Centres in Lagos said that in 2018, fingers print may no longer be required.
He explained: We have now been able to catch those people who registered two people with the same names. The impersonator and the one being impersonated went in collaboration with the CBT centres after screening them.”
He said: “Both the impersonator and one being impersonated used each fingers. While, the impersonator used two thumb fingers, the impersonated used eight fingers to register.
Thus, we have ten registered fingers and the ten fingers were not from one person.
“In some centres, when we tested all their fingers, we discovered that they were impersonator who had used two of their fingers thumbs in both hands.
“By next year, we may not use finger print, there are other technologies whereby with the technology, everything about the candidate is captured. We need to move in that direction.”
The Acting Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mrs Habibat Lawal, has apologised to the Senate for allowing the Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, to assume office without confirmation by it.
Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, in a Point-of-Order at Thursday's plenary, reported that the SGF made the apology through him to the Senate, while he was investigating the "irregularity''.
Recall that the Senate had on Wednesday, criticised the assumption of office by Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, in acting capacity, at the commission, without confirmation by the chamber.
Consequently, the lawmakers mandated Lawan to investigate the matter, which was reported at the Senate by Sen. Dino Melaye.
The senate leader said his investigation confirmed that Gbajabiamila had actually assumed office, and without approval by the Upper Chamber.
Acting SGF Habiba Lawal
He said though the acting Director-General (DG) was nominated for the position, he was not screened or confirmed, and had not received an appointment letter from SGF's office, but had assumed office.
"I investigated the issue. The nominee for the office of the DG of the National Lottery regulatory Commission actually assumed office.
"I think he was not properly advised and therefore assumed office without going through the stipulated due process,'' he said.
According to Lawan, I have spoken to all those who should know better, including the acting SGF.
He said the executive had concluded that Gbajabiamila had erred because probably, he did not get the correct briefing that he should have waited until due process and diligence were completed.
"I believe that it was an error and there was a genuine appeal from the executive that no such thing will ever happen again.
"I advised the SGF that the nominee should not be seen within the vicinity of the office of the SGF until he is confirmed and an appointment letter is given to him,'' he said.
The leader called on the executive to ensure that such matter never happened again and that nominees eager to assume positions must tarry until due diligence was followed to its logical conclusion.
Reacting to the matter, Sen. George Sekibo (PDP-Rivers) said in spite of the fact that the explanation by the leader was clear, the matter was complex and should not come under personal explanation but a motion.
"This matter is a complex matter and according to the point-of-order, it should not be a controversial matter, but you are bringing a major controversial matter.
"Somebody is flagrantly violating the Constitution of Nigeria, Section 5(1b) and you just bring it under personal explanation and he finished talking and sat down as if nothing has happened.
"It is a major issue. I am saying for caution, next time issues of this nature should not come under personal explanation.
"They should look for other orders to bring the matter so that it is open to us for debate," he said.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that the leader had done a very thorough job in that he had responded promptly.
"First of all, to establish that the point raised by Sen. Melaye was factual and that he got the assurances that this kind of thing must be stamped out and does not occur again.
"The nominee has erred, probably misguided but definitely, he must not be seen reporting for duty in that area.
"For nominees and the executive, they must respect our laws and processes and even if a nominee is unaware, somebody must guide him."
Ahead the start of second round of matches in the Nigeria Professional Football League (2016/17) season, the League Management Company (LMC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) are partnering to resuscitate the Wonder Goal series.
At the turn of the second round of matches last season, the LMC had introduced the Wonder Goal to build affinity between players, their clubs and their community of domicile. It aimed amongst other objectives to create an engagement channel between the clubs and their immediate communities through charity work by players who win the award.
It will be recalled that the LMC recently offered FIRS, the NPFL as a platform to engage the football community on the benefits of paying taxes and other government charges such as the Value Added Tax (VAT). Tax education messages are since being displayed on perimeter boards at all NPFL match venues.
LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko said the relaunched scheme is now to be known as the VAT Wonder Goal and to serve as a further tool for educating the football community on the essence of paying the Value Added Tax when they make purchases.
Video of goals scored during a specific match day will be uploaded on the NPFL website, www.npfl.ng, Facebook and YouTube accounts for fans to vote the most exciting and intelligently executed goal. The player whose goal attracts the highest number of votes wins the award and will be presented monetary reward, 50% of which is to be invested in a Charity of the player’s choice within the city the club is located.
Dikko also announced that the prize money has been increased by fifty percent from N100,000 to N150,000 out of which the player will invest N75,000 on the selected Charity.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday in Abuja said the Super Eagles would play two international friendly matches against the senior national teams of Corsica and Togo.
The Federation, in a statement by Ademola Olajire, its Director of Communications, said the friendlies would come up before the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against South Africa.
The AFCON qualifier is billed for June 10 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
"The team's Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf, will lead a contingent of goalkeepers' trainer Alloy Agu, home-based professionals Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Alhassan Ibrahim, Stephen Odey and Sikiru Olatubosun and the backroom staff to Paris on Monday, from where they will travel to Corsica.
"The three–time African champions will take on the Corsica Senior Team at the Stade Francois Coty in Ajaccio, from 8 p.m. on May 26.
"They will after this leave for Paris for the game against the Hawks of Togo, which has been scheduled for the Stade Municipal de Saint Leu La Foret, Paris on June 1 from 7.30 p.m.,'' Olajire said in the statement.
NAN reports that the Super Eagles clash with South Africa is the opening match of Group E of the 2019 AFCON qualifying race.
Meanwhile, the team's Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has called up Belgium–based forward Henry Onyekuru in place of Austria Wien FC player Olanrewaju Kayode, who is tied down by club engagement.
THE FULL LIST OF PLAYERS FOR THE FRIENDLIES
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal)
Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Gijon, Spain); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United FC)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Stephen Odey (MFM FC); Henry Onyekuru (KAS Eupen, Belgium);
Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Noah Serenren-Bazee (Hannover 96, Germany); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany); Sikiru Olatubosun (MFM FC)
TO JOIN TEAM IN PARIS AFTER ENGLISH FA CUP FINAL
Ola Aina (Chelsea FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England)
For the umpteenth time, workers under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PEASSAN) last week Wednesday threatened to cut down the nation's oil production by 660,000 barrels per day, picking of ExxonMobil Office in Lagos.
Addressing the workers during the protest, the PENGASSSAN Lagos Zonal Chairman, Comrade Abel Agarin, said his union members plan to gradually shut down the plants in Mobil locations all over the country.
He went ahead to proclaim that his members have started gradual withdrawal from oil and gas installations belonging to Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, the Nigeria's ExxonMobil arm.
"Currently, Mobil is one of the largest oil producing company in Nigeria with about 660,000 barrel per day (bpd). Nigeria's revenue will be negatively impacted if the shut down by PENGASSAN is carried out.
"Our members have began gradual withdrawal from oil and gas installations belonging to Mobil in Nigeria. our members in the loading bay at Best Operations Platform (BOP), where crude oil is loaded have been withdrawn, while those in Erha and Ushan FPSO will be joining by midnight today and those in Bonny River Terminal will join by midnight Thursday. Final shut down will be with the withdrawal of our members in Qua Iboe Terminal with about 14 locations and many well ends by Friday midnight.
"By Friday, other International Oil Companies (IOCs) such as Chevron, Shell, Addax, Total and Agip and indigenous oil companies will join. We are also mobilising our members in Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS)," he said.
According to the union, its members embarked on a three days warning strike on Wednesday to protest the refusal of the ExxonMobil management to honour an agreement reached during a tripartite meeting with the senior staff union and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngigi, was said to have brokered an agreement with the management of ExxonMobil last December where it was agreed that the sacked 83 employees of the company will be restated while none of the workers that participated in the protest in December will be sanctioned for their actions.
But the management of ExxonMobil seem to have a different understanding of the acclaimed agreement.
A top management of the oil company who spoke on the condition of anonymity wonder why the union think the interest of a few executive members should surpass that of the company and those of the nation.
According to him, while the union is threatening to shut down the company's facility for their personal interest they fail to realise the enormous economic impact of their action directly in terms of revenue generation and foreign investment.
Which foreign investor will be willing to bring in their funds into Nigeria if they know that this is an environment where workers can beat up management staff without any kind of reprimands? He queried.
He noted that the current crisis is the handwork of five members of the union who broke the door to the office of the company's chief executive threatening to beat him up in December when members went on strike.
The company has a code of ethics to which even staff coming in swore to adhere to, he stated. And as you know violation of such attracts the necessary punishment, he added. He stressed that leaving staffs to exhibit unhealthy workplace behaviour just because one is a member of a union is not acceptable to a multinational corporation like ExxonMobil.
Meanwhile experts have continued to express worries over the altitudes of labour unions leaders in the country especially those of the oil and gas sector.
Eze Onyekwere, Executive Director, Centre for Social Justice, said while the workers have a right to demand for good condition of service, they must not fail to have the interest of the nation at heart. He noted that there are other means of addressing workers grievances instead of strangulating the national economy.
According to him, operators of the oil and gas sector must understand how sensitive the sector is to the economy of Nigeria. He wondered if the members of PENGASSAN who are threatening to shut down 660,000bpd crude production capacity have taken out time to work out the financial implication of such loss to the nation when we are in recession.
Similarly, Dr. Daudu Garuba, Country Officer, Natural Resources Governance Institute, NRGI argues that such a threat coming from workers in the oil and gas sector now is not acceptable. According to him, whatever their grievances are the timing is wrong.
According to him, if the workers carryout their threat, the government will blame them for their inability to deliver on the 2017 budget which is yet to see the light of the day.
On his part, Adeola Abayomi, a public affair commentator expressed bitterness over what he called, "the continued holding to ransom the rest of Nigerians by the few workers in the oil and gas sector.
"How many times will these workers go on strike every year, he queried, PANGASSEN and NUPENG will go on strike for every selfish reason such as sack of one of their members, even when it is proven that such persons have violated the rules of the company that employed them.
"But this same union will not go on strike when the ordinary Nigerians do not have Kerosene or the prices of petroleum products are increased arbitrarily," he stated.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach PENGASSSAN Lagos Zonal Chairman, Comrade Agarin, to find out the stands of the union after the expiration of the ultimatum proved abortive as call to his phone were not answered neither did he responded to SMS sent to him.
So, as the country brace up for another threat to its economic by members of PENGASSAN the question in the mind of the ordinary Nigerian is who suffers most from this action? The Staffs, IOCs, Nigeria Economy, Foreign Investment or the common man. There is no better time than now to take to rational thinking rather than selfish actions. The Change Must Begin With PENGASSAN.
Olamide Adedeji Aka Badoo, the YBNL boss and a popular Nigeria musician, has said that people usually look down on talented-budding persons who want to make some changes and contribute their quota in the social development of the country.
I don’t know why people are like that, he quizzed, while reiterating his position in collaborating with Efe the winner of BBN. I am ready to partner with him whenever he is ready, I will welcome him with a warm cuddle, he said.
olamide
Recall he had promised Efe that he wants to be a part of his success story, thus to collaborate with him pending when he (Efe) builds up his fans. He made this known to newsmen via an interview anchored by ‘Soundcity radio’.
According to him, ” I mean whenever he is ready, I am. ” The only reason i said that was because a lot of people tends to look down on people who they think oh! this dude or this person is not talented enough or …… but what I see in people is beyond the cover.
“You know, you don’t judge a book by its cover in most cases. ” I see zeal, I see hunger, I see passion anytime I see Efe. ” I see someone that is really ready to grind and someone who is definitely going to be diligent in his work.
“It is written that if you are diligent with your work, you will dine with kings. ” The guy might not be all that fantastic or spectacular but I can see it in him and over time he is going to develop himself as he grows in the industry.
“So if people can give him time, opportunity and support him, let him know that anything is possible, anybody can achieve anything, anybody can be anything. “All you have to do is just a little encouragement” he said.
The Brazilian President, Michel Temer, resisted calls to resign on Thursday after allegations surfaced that he condoned the bribery of a potential witness in a graft investigation.
This will raise doubts about the future of austerity measures in Congress and sending markets tumbling.
Temer strongly denied the allegations and told allied lawmakers in a morning meeting that he would not be driven away from office.
He cleared the rest of the day's schedule to react to the crisis and was expected to address the nation on national TV within hours, aides said.
"We need to see what the Supreme Court says and whether it accepts this tape as evidence," one presidential aide said.
"The president is absolutely convinced he committed no crime, but that has to be made clear to the eyes of everyone.''
Brazilian markets slumped on concerns that the investigation could derail Temer's economic and fiscal agenda.
Shares of state-controlled companies, such as Banco do Brasil SA (BBAS3.SA) and Petróleo Brasileiro SA, or Petrobras (PETR4.SA), lost around a fifth of their value, and the nation's currency fell six per cent.
Brazil's Treasury and central bank said they stood ready to keep markets liquid and working properly.
Federal police, meanwhile, intensified their investigations in the corruption probe, dubbed "Operation Car Wash," and closed in on Temer allies.
Officers in the southern city of Curitiba searched the home of federal deputy Rodrido Rocha Loures, a longtime confidant of Temer and a member of the president's Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, or PMDB.
Loures is accused of receiving bribes on behalf of Temer, which he denies.
The O Globo newspaper reported on Wednesday night that Temer met in March with Joesley Batista, Chairman of meat company JBS SA (JBSS3.SA), which grew rapidly under 13 years of leftist Workers Party rule due largely to low-cost loans from Brazil's national development bank.
Batista recorded the conversation in which he and Temer allegedly discussed making illegal payments to jailed former House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, of the PMDB, to keep him from testifying about corruption.
Three people with direct knowledge of the investigation said the O Globo report was accurate.
The accusations are the latest in a three-year investigation that has centered on billions in political kickbacks paid by Brazil's biggest construction companies in exchange for contracts at state-run oil producer Petrobras and other government enterprises.
A pro-democracy group, Guardian of Democracy Movement (GDM) has berated former lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed over what it termed his inciting comments capable of disrupting the democratic governance which the people of Nigeria have been enjoying for almost two decades.
The group warned that Mohammed's utterances could lead to military interruption of the democracy the country fought hard for.
Junaid Muhammed, a second republic lawmaker had, in a statement credited to him, said that should anything happen to President Muhammadu Buhari, the North would insist on another two terms in 2019.
Mohammed also said that, "The zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party has not worked. Now it is trending in the All Progressives Congress. It is either we fix it or ship it out altogether. If that is not done, then you have to go back and redress it by saying that in the course of zoning and rotation, (Umaru) Yar'Adua died in office."
The group
But in a swift reaction to the elder statesman's comments, the National Coordinator of GDM, Mr. Sabo Odeh while addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said "Mohammed's criticism of the Buhari administration has become so commonplace that no one is moved by them anymore."
Odeh added that, "As much as we like to dismiss Dr Junaid Mohammed’s grave error as what it is, based on information in public domain about moves being made by some self-seeking and over ambitious individuals, the admission a few hours ago by the military hierarchy after studying the various intelligence that people are approaching soldiers for political reasons has forced us to begin connecting dots. We can see where the politician’s confidence is coming from as he apparently thinks he can compromise a few soldiers to act along the subversive ways he has been hinting at for a while.
"We are telling Junaid Mohammed and his co-travelers that he is not speaking for any part of the country even though he couched his utterances in a way that suggests he has the mandate of a section of the country for his provocative remarks. He is on his own and if he is working with anyone, such persons who are anti-democratic should know that they risk jail terms as many have observed that they are extending their nocturnal meetings to some misguided elements in the Armed Forces to co-opt them into this unholy venture," the coordinator said.
"We like to set it out clearly here that we decided to speak at this early stage, which some people may consider as hasty or premature, but we know that scenarios like our country is dealing with require proactiveness. Things must not be allowed to degenerate beyond repairs before critical interventions are made.
"Some few days ago now, President Muhammadu Buhari, notified the nation vide a letter to the National Assembly, explaining his trip to the United Kingdom for a follow up treatment with his doctors. This honest step taken in keeping with the constitution has become the subject of ceaseless abuse by people that are eager to start or reboot their political careers. The discounting of morality to explore the ill health of a leader is something that leaves those engaged in the act pitiable as they should be.
"This same understanding that desperation for relevance is behind the uninformed responses that some people have made about President Buhari’s health however does not extend to Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a former House of Representatives member and self-appointed critic of the current administration.
"He practically was calling for a coup, including making conjectures that amounted to him being categorical in wishing death on the president. This is bizarre beyond comprehension.
"Our hope is that Junaid Mohammed is not by any chance trying to have his own Cote d’Ivoire military mutiny here in Nigeria because there are laws.
According to him, Mohammed Junaid is not a supporter of the President neither is he a democrat and should not extend his hatred for the President to this venture that can set the country on fire.
"The news we have for Junaid Mohammed and those queued behind him is that nothing will happen to the President; he therefore has no business fueling such a demonic agenda that has no constitutional bearing anywhere in our statutes books. Even if he shouts himself hoarse it would be for nothing for his shouts would have been in vain when Mr President returns to resume the duty Nigerians entrusted to him."
"We urge the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to cite Junaid Mohammed for promoting ethnic intolerance and engaging in hate communication with a view to turning other ethnicities against the northern part of the country and vice versa."
A 21-year-old trader, Chukwuebuka Ezengwu, who allegedly staked N286,600 sent to him by customers into the Mavrodi Mondial Movement (MMM) scheme was arraigned on Thursday in Lagos.
Ezengwu, who appeared before a Tinubu Magistrates' Court, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and theft.
He, however, denied the charges.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Philip Osijiale, told court that the accused committed the offences on March 1 at about 12:00 p.m. at Obun-Eko on Lagos Island.
He said that the accused put some N286, 600 sent by two of his customers, Chukwumeka Okafor and Paul Ekene to help them buy goods into the Ponzi scheme.
Osijiale explained that Okafor sent N152, 000 while Ekene sent N134, 600 to the accused.
He said that Ezengwu put the money to his personal use and refused to refund the duo, having staked the money into MMM.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Section 287 prescribes three years imprisonment for theft while Section 314 carries 15 years imprisonment for fraud.
The Magistrate, Mr Kazeem Omolaja, granted Ezengwu bail in the sum of 250,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He said that one of the sureties must be either his father or mother while the other must be a gainfully employed person.
Omolaja adjourned the case until May 30 for mention.
The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government to provide quality healthcare services for prison inmates across the country.
This followed a unanimous adoption of a motion on "Need to Address the Deplorable State of Healthcare Service in Nigerian Prisons'' sponsored by Rep. Chike Okafor (Imo-APC).
Moving the motion, Okafor said that non-availability of drugs and inadequate medical personnel in health facilities in the prisons had resulted in avoidable death of inmates.
He said that due to the comatose nature of the facilities, inmates depended on donations and outreach programmes from churches, mosques and voluntary organisations to access healthcare.
According to him, inmates at times, have to buy drugs from vendors, some of whom sold fake, sub-standard or adulterated drugs with their deleterious consequences.
"This has resulted in the frequent outbreak of epidemics in the prisons and the high death rate recorded among inmates.
"It is evident in the over 32 deaths of inmate recorded in 2016 at a Lagos prison owing to unavailability of quality medical care.
"The condition of our prisoners could be said to be near death sentence as many have died because of lack of proper healthcare services.
"No wonder, in the last one year over 900 inmates died across the country, with one state accounting for 32 deaths.
"The deplorable health situation in the prisons is a major public health hazard which without intervention, could result in more deaths and would amount to unsolicited death sentence to prison inmates.
"Inmates are still entitled to their fundamental human right to quality healthcare services even while in prison as envisaged by section 12 (1) of the Prisons Act, 2004," Okafor said.
After contributions by members, the House, therefore, urged the Ministry of Interior, and the Health counterpart as well as Comptroller-General of Prisons to intervene by providing quality healthcare services for prison inmates.
The House mandate its Committee on Interior and one on Healthcare Services to embark on oversight to prisons with a view to finding permanent solution to poor healthcare services in the facilities.
The Committees are to report back within three weeks.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of what it termed "alarming rise" of obesity in Europe, saying one in three European adolescents is overweight.
The WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, stated this at the European Congress on Obesity in Portugal, citing eating habits, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviours as causes.
Jakab said "despite sustained efforts to tackle childhood obesity, one in three adolescents in Europe is estimated to be overweight, with the highest rates found in southern European and Mediterranean countries."
She particularly expressed concern over the rise in eastern European countries, where obesity rates had historically been lower.
The WHO director called for ambitious policy action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target to halt the increase in childhood obesity.
She noted that "governments must target efforts and break this harmful cycle from childhood into adolescence and beyond.
"The latest WHO study on 'Adolescent obesity and related behaviours: trends and inequalities in the WHO European Region, 2002 to 2014′ pointed to evidence suggesting that one in three boys and one in five girls aged six to nine is obesed.
"Childhood obesity is considered one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century."
The study indicated that globally, around one in 10 young people aged five to 17 is overweight or obese – with rapidly increasing levels in recent years.
According to the study, the primary cause of overweight and obesity can be traced to energy-related behaviours – physical activity, sedentary behaviour, eating behaviour and sleep – which contribute to an energy imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure.
While trends have previously been reported on separately, the study compiled the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) data on obesity and obesity-related behaviours, reviewing the latest evidence and studying the range and complexity of influences on childhood obesity.
The health consequences of excess body weight are well documented.
The study notes that obesity increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep disorder and cardiovascular disease.
It also diminishes adolescents' quality of life and is related to various emotional and behavioural problems.
Additionally, the chronic nature of obesity can limit social mobility and perpetuates an intergenerational cycle of poverty and ill health.
Many inequalities in obesity and related behaviours exist, with young people from lower socioeconomic groups generally reporting worse outcomes, the report indicates.
The study also noted that longitudinal studies had found that obesity early in life related to less educational attainment and lower incomes in adulthood, even after differences in childhood Socio Economic Position (SEP) were controlled.
Furthermore, low SEP in childhood increases the risk for becoming obese in adulthood over and above the impact of adult SEP on obesity.
"Most young people will not outgrow the condition: about four in every five adolescents who become obese will continue to have weight problems as adults," the study underscored.
The HBSC survey is a WHO collaborative cross-national study that monitors the health behaviours, health outcomes and social environments of boys and girls aged 11, 13 and 15 years every four years.
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that the recent amendments to the electoral law and the other improvements it would add to it before the next general election come 2019, when assented to, will eliminate rigging, violence and other malpractices that often take place during election periods.
Senator Saraki also said that the amendment will improve the electoral process and make it conform to international best practices especially in the area of transmission of election results after voting is done.
Saraki who, while receiving a delegation of Safran IS, an international biometric and identity management company, that visited him in Abuja, gave the assurance in a statement through his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa.
Bukola Saraki
According to him, "I believe the amendments will strengthen our electoral processes, particularly at the transmission of results to the various stages of collation.
"We make a lot of progress with the introduction of the Card Reader during the 2015 general elections and it is our commitment and determination to improve on that during subsequent elections.
The Senate President also said that, "One of the things that I think is the big issue during election is in the area of transmission of results, and it has been something that we need to improve on and we need to get that done before 2019.
"I am confident that if we can get the electronic transmission right, we will begin to have an election process that can compete with what obtains in any other part of the world.
"We want a situation that as soon as results are announced at polling units, we should be able to receive them across board. I think when we are able to do that, the challenge associate with physical result transmission would be a thing of the past," he said.
Saraki further expressed the readiness of the Senate to partner with any organization that could provide the right solutions, and requested Safran to collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and support their initiative.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Ms Jessica Van Meeteren explained that based on its experiences and successes in similar jobs in other countries, Safran IS possess the required technology and technical know-how to provide Nigeria with the solutions.
Meeteren said the company had undertook similar jobs in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, India, Chile among others.
By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief The Federal Government has appealed to the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to help fund the current administration's Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
Of particular interest in this regard, is the financing of infrastructure projects for which a wide gap exists, across the country.
The appeal was made by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, who led the Nigerian delegation to the on-going 42nd Annual Meeting of the bank in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
“We want IsDB to be more visible and deliver signature infrastructure projects in Nigeria. We appreciate their intervention in the water supply, health and education sectors in a number of our States, but we want IsDB to do more.
“Also, given IsDB's unique role as Islamic Bank with multiplicity of intervention instruments not available to traditional development banks, we expect IDB to be bold and work collaboratively with other MDBs to ensure overall complementarity in all development interventions in Nigeria,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by the Director of Press, Mr. Salisu Na'inna, from Jedda.
Dr. Isa-Dutse acknowledged IsDB past supportive role towards building a strong Nigerian economy and achieving her development aspirations.
He therefore urged the IsDB to increase its financial and technical assistance to Nigeria, to fast track the achievement of her numerous economic, developmental and inclusive growth goals.
The Perm.Sec said that Nigeria had derived many benefits from its membership of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), which has financed many development projects in various States of the federation.
He cited the US$65 million Ilesha Water Supply and Sanitation project in Osun State, a US$43 million 300-bed hospital project in Kaduna State and the US$7 million Zaria Water Supply Expansion Project as some of the ongoing projects being financed by soft loans from the Bank.
Dr. Isa-Dutse said that the National Programme for Food Security funded by the Bank, which was designed to reduce rural poverty through enhancing farmers’ access to extension advisory support for greater productivity, was successfully implemented in Anambra, Gombe and Yobe States.
He said that discussions were on-going with the Bank to conclude, sign and implement several other programmes beneficial to Nigeria, including the US$98 million Bilingual Education Project which will provide “almajirai” access to basic education and vocational skills in Osun, Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara and Kano States. Other States in the scheme are Kaduna, Gombe, Borno and Adamawa.
He stated that in addition to approving loan facilities to Nigeria, the IsDB has made several grants and provided technical assistance to Nigeria, including a US$237, 500 to the Central Bank of Nigeria for the development of regulatory framework for non-interest banking in the country.
Nollywood actors and stakeholders have expressed shock over the sudden death of popular actress Moji Olaiya. The 42-year-old actor died on Thursday.
Olaiya who delivered a baby in Canada in March is reported to have died in that country.
Just before her demise, Olaiya made some comments on her Instagram wall.
In an Instagram post two days ago, she wrote: "Allhamdulilahi to you Allah I give all the glory for all you have done. I will forever praise and worship you. It's not by power but the Grace of Allah. Thank you for the gift of life. Thanks also to all my friends and family my fans for your supports and prayers. Love you all."
And this was penned on Tuesday. The day after, she dramatically left the world.
In another post, she made after she announced to her fans that Okiki app is now available on Apple App Store. "watch movies from me and other great actors for free", she had written.
Moji Olaiya
At the moment, her Instagram account @mojisolaabikeade, where she had 240,000 followers, has been inundated with messages of lamentations and condolences by her fans.
Yomi Fash-Lanso, the Director of Public Relations and Media Affairs of the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), confirmed the death of Moji Olaiya in a statement.
Fash-Lanso said:"It is with a heavy heart and sad disposition to hear about the sudden death of our colleague; friend and sister, Moji Olaiya, who's death occurred few hours ago in Canada, few days after giving birth.
"According to reports that we gathered, we learnt she had heart seizure and couldn't make it.''
He enjoined all members of TAMPAN and friends to be calm as the association awaited further reports.
"We pray her soul finds eternal rest with her creator and pray to Almighty Allah to comfort the family she left behind and give them the fortitude to bear this great irreparable loss,'' he said.
In his reaction, veteran actor Yinka Quadri said her death would rob the industry of a talented actress. He however expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Also, Emeka Ibeh, President of Actors' Guild of Nigeria (AGN), prayed God to grant the family that Moji Olaiya left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.
Ibeh said the actress would continue to live on in the memories of her fans because of her contributions to the development of Nollywood.
"In her little way, she contributed to the development of Nollywood and she will be greatly missed by her fans.
"I pray that God grants her family members the strength to bear this loss at a time like this,'' he said.
Ibeh urged other thespians in the country to continue to impact positively on the entertainment industry saying that their good works would definitely live-on after them.
Also, Tope Babayemi, the founder, Different Aesthetics, Arts and Culture Management based at the National Theatre , Lagos, condoled with the family of the deceased.
Babayemi said the entertainment industry had lost another bright talent that had contributed greatly to the popularity of the local movies.
Also, Actor, Femi Branch said: "We were just mere colleagues until the day we had a certain discussion in Sagamu with Aunty `Fali Werepe` and you rose in my defence.
"I have recounted this tale to more people than I can recall and in every instance, the mention of your sincere intervention was the highlight of my tale.
"That day, I knew the good hearted Moji Olaiya and for as long as I have the gift of memory, Mojisola Olaiya will remain embedded in my heart.
"Sleep well `Mj'. May God erect a canopy of protection over your children and the family you left behind.
"Lord, please stay this hand of death moving over our industry and please open our eyes to know that life belongs to you and only you can give it in abundance, " he said.
Also, Actress Funke Adesiyan said, "Days like today should not exist. I refuse to believe the news of your untimely demise. "I still don't get why good people don't last. You were a true soul.
"Beautiful in and out with absolutely no space in your heart to hate or pretend to love.
"You were so genuine. May Allah rest your soul and give your family the fortitude to bear this loss. It's a sad day,'' she said.
Sunday Esan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Okiki Films said, "I'm currently in a state of grief and shock.
"Is it true that Moji Olaiya is gone? My good friend is no more; I will miss her personality, talent and humility.''
The late Moji Olaiya was the daughter of highlife musician, Victor Olaiya.
She began her acting career with Wale Adenuga Production (WAP), starring in the popular family TV drama series, Super Story, where she played the role of Ireti in "No Pains, No Gains".
She also starred in other movies such as: "Agunbaniro", "Sade Blade," "Nkan Adun'' and "Omo iya meta leyi".
Moji received awards for her diligence in Nigeria and abroad. She was nominated as the Best Supporting Actress of the Year 2003 for the Reel Award.
Moji also won the Best New Actress award and she said then that such awards were always motivating her to put in her best in any roles assigned her during movie productions.
