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
* Oil to continue trading near $45/barrel – Goldman Sachs (Updates with settlement prices, adds quote)
NEW YORK – Oil futures ended slightly higher on Thursday, extending crude’s rally to a sixth straight session after a decline in weekly U.S. crude production temporarily eased concerns about deepening oversupply.An oil rig
U.S. crude futures settled up 19 cents at $44.93 a barrel after hitting a two-week high of $45.45 in late-morning trading. The market retreated from highs after Societe Generale became the third investment bank to cut its outlook for oil prices in the last week.
Crude prices hit a 10-month low last week but have rebounded more than 5 percent, stretching their bull run to the longest since April. Brent crude futures ended up 11 cents at $47.42 a barrel, after touching a two-week high of $48.03 earlier in the session.
“After the steep drop in oil prices of recent weeks, I believe that especially hedge funds saw nice buying momentum and lower U.S. crude production was the trigger to act,” said Hans van Cleef, senior energy economist at ABN Amro.
Analysts were not sure whether bearish sentiment had abated in the oil market, given larger-than-usual inventories in the United States for both crude oil and key products like gasoline.
“It does feel as if a wave of selling has ebbed for now,” wrote analysts at Credit Suisse. They added, however, that the rebound in prices reflected technical buying rather than a change in fundamentals.
In recent weeks, funds have been unloading long speculative positions, reducing bets on higher prices while brokerages including Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale have cut their 2017 forecasts for crude prices.
SocGen on Thursday estimated U.S. crude futures would average $47.50 a barrel in the third quarter, down from previous expectations for $55.
U.S. crude production dropped 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 9.3 million bpd last week, the steepest weekly fall since July 2016. But analysts said the decline was related to temporary factors, including production shut as a precaution in the Gulf of Mexico due to Tropical Storm Cindy, along with maintenance in Alaska.
Global oil supplies remain ample despite output cuts of 1.8 million bpd by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers since January.
OPEC and its allies, trying to reduce a crude glut, agreed in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018. OPEC has exempted Nigeria and Libya from the curbs, leaving them free to ramp up output that had been sapped by local unrest.
“That’s going to increase pressure on OPEC cuts,” said Tony Scott, managing director of analytics at BTU Analytics in Denver. “As long as Libya and Nigeria can remain stable – Libya has ramped up several times over last couple of years and then the violence has come back.”
Libyan oil production is nearing 1 million bpd, a Libyan source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Royal Dutch Shell on Wednesday lifted force majeure on Nigerian Bonny Light crude exports after pipeline repairs. (Additional reporting by Karolin Schaps in London and Naveen Thukral in Singapore; Editing by Edmund Blair and Richard Chang)
The prospect of a young English goalkeeper Craig King has been thwarted by the silent killer called depression.
Craig King
The 20-year-old before the announcement plied his trade with English football league two side Luton Town and had managed just four senior games for the Hatters after coming through the club’s ranks.
He thanked the whole club for support, singling out physio Simon Parsell and club doctor Paul Deeley, and hopes to play football at a lower level.
Luton said they “fully respect and understand his decision” and said they would continue to offer support.
The club statement continued: “All at the club would like to wish Craig every success in both his football career and life away from the professional game, and look forward to seeing him back at Kenilworth Road where he’ll always be a welcome guest.”
King’s statement in full
“After a memorable nine seasons I have decided to leave Luton Town.
“This has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but after many sleepless nights I have come to this conclusion.
“For the last couple of years I have been suffering from quite severe depression.
“The season just gone has been particularly hard for me and now I feel it’s time for me to concentrate on being happy once again.
“Growing up and slowly starting to despise the game I loved and adored as a boy is heartbreaking, and something I want and need to change.
“The only way I see this becoming a possibility is taking myself away from the professional game and starting to enjoy football at a lower level.
“The club have been aware of my situation and have been amazing at trying everything in their power to try to resolve the issue.
“Club physio Simon Parsell and club doctor Paul Deeley have been unreal support for me and helped me through the season. Now I am at the stage where I know I can’t improve my current mental state whilst being at the club.
“I would like to thank every single member of Luton Town for everything they have done for me over the years.
“The fans who when I’ve played have supported me, and every single person who associates themselves with the football club.
“Although my career as a player at the club has come to an end, I will always love and support the Hatters and will be forever grateful for the opportunity and memories they have given me over the past nine years.
“I’m excited to see the boys win promotion next season and continue the climb up the leagues!”
LAGOS – Nigerian stocks rallied for a second day on Thursday to a one- week high as shares in the relatively liquid banking sector gained ahead of half-year earnings, traders said.
The index rose 1.4 percent by mid-day trades to cross 33,000 points, a level last seen last week, helped by gains in lenders, cement and food stocks.
Shares in chocolate maker Cadbury rose five percent. First Bank Holdings climbed 4.57 percent, energy firm Oando increased by 4.74 percent while Diamond Bank rose 4.17 percent.
Dangote Cement DANGCEM.LG, which accounts for a third of the market’s capitalisation, rose 2.5 percent.
…N603 m traced to top FG official's wife Soni Daniel
Abuja: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said yesterday, it had arrested the Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA, Professor (Mrs) Lucy Jumeyi Ogbadu, for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of public funds to the tune of N23 million.
According to the commission, its operatives arrested Prof Ogbadu since Wednesday, June 28 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following her alleged linkage with the Bayelsa State Director of Bioresources Development Centre, Mr. Josiah Habu who is being investigated by the agency in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75 million belonging to the body.
A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren and made available to Vanguard last night, said that Prof Ogbadu received the sum of N23 million through a bank account belonging to the wife of Habu, Esther, a development she allegedly admitted in a voluntary statement made to the EFCC.
The statement said, "Further investigations have also shown that, Mrs. Habu is one of the contractors with Bioresources Development Centre, Odi, Bayelsa State and a total sum of N603 million has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of Bioresources Development Centres across the country. "Ogbadu’s linkage with all these scams is being investigated. She has been duly served with bail conditions while investigations continue.
By Chimaobi Nwaiwu Nnewi – The directive by the leader of Indigenous the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB to shun the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State by Biafrans is now a source of worry for Stakeholders of Willie Obiano second Tenure organization.
This was disclosed by the National Coordinator of the group Chief Ekene Enefe who warned against the dangers of shunning the election and urged IPOB to retract its statement.
Chief Enefe, who spoke at Akwu Ukwu town in Idemili South Local Government Area, of the state during a town hall meeting of the support group in the area day, said that such directive is not good for development in Igbo land.
About 1,500 members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and people from other political parties gathered to give their support for Governor Willie Obiano’s second term bid during the town hall meeting.
According to Chief Enefe, IPOB members plan to stop the governorship election in Anambra State because, because of no conduct a referendum, first to determine the emergence of Biafra nation should know that their action would amount to a disservice to Anambra State and disruption of peace.
They should allow the conduct of peaceful, free and fair election election in the State and not to draw the State backwards, politically, the issue of referendum would be handled according to the law and should not be used as a mechanism to cause crisis in a peaceful State like Anambra.
“Disruption of the election would be confronting government of the day under Governor Obiano who had been doing everything humanly possible to ensure that democracy dividends got to every nook and cranny of the State.
“Security, agricultural revolution, prompt payment of workers’ salaries including pensioners are among the major achievements of the Obiano administration, they should consider that they should consider and allow the election to be conducted for the Governor return for second tenure to complete all he started.”
Sponsor of the event, Chief Chuma Obiekwe thanked Governor Obiano for what he had done for the community so far, especially in the area of road reconstruction but requested that his community should be considered for government appointments which he said had eluded them over the years.
He also called for completion of all abandoned government projects in the area.
A member of the All Progressives Congress,APC, Mr Cosmas Eze gave a pass mark for Obiano but lamented that his Umuikuku village in Akwu Ukwu was about to be washed away by a devastating gully erosion and called upon the Governor to come to their rescue.
It would be recalled that the leadership of the IPOB issued a threats that it willhence forth not allow any election to take place in the entire South East starting with the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State until a referendum is conducted for the restoration of Biafra.
Mr. David Musa, the Team Leader, USAID Bee Keeping Pollination Project, says Nigeria can generate over 10 billion dollars from local and international trade in honey and other hive products.
Musa disclosed this during an interview on the sideline of a Capacity Building Workshop for bee-farmers in Goshen, Nasarawa State on Thursday.
"Honey trade can generate up to 10 billion dollars if you look at cumulative values from honey and other hive products and the value of pollination," he said.
The team leader is also the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Apiculture Platform.
He disclosed that the domestic consumption rate of honey in the country was currently 380,000 tonnes, with a global price of about 4.5 billion dollars.
He stressed the need for the country to get honey export certification from the European Union, adding that it would give credibility to the forthcoming largest Africa Apiculture Trade to be hosted by Nigeria in 2018.
*Honey
"Nigeria is going to host the largest bee keeping trade in Africa; it is the largest platform that will bring together many bee keeping enterprises.
"It will put Nigeria on the global bee keeping map.
"The EU certificate is one of the highest levels of certification and it is necessary to get that.
"Nigeria consumes about 380,000 tonnes of honey, a current global price of about 4.5 billion dollars and that is just domestic consumption of honey; we have not gone into industrial production, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals," he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Mohammed Mahmud, a bee-farmer and participant at the workshop, commended the Federal Government and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) for the workshop.
Mahmud, who is also the House Committee Chairman on Population and National Identity Card, assured that necessary legislation that would drive the bee farming industry would be looked into by the National Assembly.
He said that the Federal Government had made necessary provision in the 2017 budget to establish standard laboratory to test hive products before exportation.
"This programme is coming at the appropriate time because many people do not know about bee farming.
"The workshop has come to educate bee keepers like I, on the techniques, problems and prospects to move the industry and country forward.
"The workshop has come out with the position of looking at all the existing laws that governs the bee industry.
"We want to look at it together and see what changes can be made to make the industry move forward.
"I want to assure you that we will do our best to make sure that necessary legislation for the bee industry will be taken care of.
"Part of the problems that the industry has is trying to set up a laboratory where you can test the product that you want to export and this has been taken care of in the 2017 budget," he said.
Other bee farmers and participants at the workshop expressed regret over the constant neglect of bee farming.
They called for more support from the federal and state governments to make the trade attractive to many farmers.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop is a three-day programme tagged: 'EU Third Country Listing;' An Eligibility Criteria to Export Honey to the EU Market.
President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Co Founder/Chairman, Coronation Capital Mauritius Ltd, Aigboje Aig- Imoukhuede; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, are among other high profile speakers confirmed to speak at the maiden edition of Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation's breakfast dialogue billed to hold on Friday, July 7, 2017.
The breakfast dialogue with the theme "Connecting the Dots: Partnerships that work" seeks to foster a mutually beneficial relationship amongst the private, public and social sectors in other to create a collaborative platform to achieve unified success for the greater good of our country.
Regional Director, West Africa; Ford Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma; Country Director, ONE Campaign, Serah Makka-Ugbabe; Country Director, International Finance Corporation Nigeria; Eme Essien; Executive Director, The Initiative for Equal Rights, Olumide Makanjuola and CEO/Founder, ThistlePraxis Consulting, Ini Abimbola are also confirmed to speak at this interactive forum.
Aig-Imoukhuede & Oduwole
The event will also gather top government officials, captains of industries in the private sector as well as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Non Profit Organisations (NPOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), social justice actors and reputable media organizations.
ACT Foundation breakfast dialogue is a bi-annual event organized to engage experts in the third sector on pertinent issues affecting the growth and sustainability of the non profits in Nigeria. This event aims to develop a networking platform for non profits in Nigeria as well as a collaborative platform for the three sectors to engage so as to achieve their individual goals.
Speaking about the event, CEO, ACT Foundation, Osayi Alile noted that it has become imperative to harness the activities of non profits with that of the public and private sectors in order to accelerate growth and development in Nigeria.
She said "A popular adage goes, if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together. As Non Profits we want the impact of what we do to go far and so we believe that for this to happen it is important that we go work in hand with the private and public sectors". "The breakfast dialogue will enable us connect and build relationships with the public and private sectors who are instrumental in helping us achieve our goals", she said.
"The breakfast dialogue is creating a platform for discussions that are necessary to develop transformative strategies and perspectives on maximizing the development potentials of NGOs and CBOs". Alile added.
The event which is expected to galvanize conversations between key stakeholders within the various sectors on pertinent issues will also touch on topics such as bridging the need-gap between the public, private and social sector; as well as harnessing the potential for growth through the alignment of private and social sectors.
Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation is a grant making non-profit established to support local, national and regional non-profits working to address challenges and associated vulnerabilities in the African continent.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Hamburg next week, but no separate meeting is planned, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
“They will meet in any case there, on the sidelines of this summit, but no (separate) meeting is planned at the moment,” Peskov said.
Cristiano Ronaldo took to Instagram on Thursday to celebrate the arrival of his babies.
The Real Madrid forward exited the FIFA Confederations Cup after losing to Chile on Wednesday to be with his bundle of joy.
Unconfirmed reports from a Portuguese TV channel said the boy and girl who are said to be a product of surrogacy had been named Eva and Mateo, having been born on June 8 – well before the start of the Confederations Cup.
Ronaldo captioned the photo “So happy to be able to hold the two new loves of my life”
The twins now join Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr, 7, who was born during a previous relationship.
The federal and state governments have agreed to partner the private sector in the construction and rehabilitation of prisons across the country, Ebonyi governor Dave Umahi, has said.
Umahi made the statement on Thursday in Abuja while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state and Dr Sani Aliyu, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of Aids, accompanied Umahi in the briefing.
The meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
Umahi said the agreement was arrived at after the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd) and the Controller-General of Prison, briefed the council on the state of the nation's prisons.
He said that in their separate briefing, the two men presented the state of prisons in Nigeria and painted "an appalling'' picture of structures and logistics in the prison system.
"The Minister of Interior and the Controller-General of Prison came to brief us about the status of our prisons and inmates throughout the country.
"The situation painted by the minister and the CG of Prison was quite pathetic.
"It was also agreed that states that have the capacity to build prisons should go ahead including private sector participation.
"The Minister made it very clear that over 70 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial, '' he said.
Umahi said that governors who attended the meeting were unanimous on the need to rehabilitate prisons in the country.
He said: "It was indicated that states that have the capacity should as soon as practicable lend helping hand to provide facilities that will help decongest the prisons and improve the state of the inmates.''
The Ebonyi governor told newsmen that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) briefed the NEC on the implementation of the SDGs in the country.
In his contribution, Gov. Dankwambo said that Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, announced a balance of $2.3 billion dollars in the Excess Crude Account.
He said that the Accountant-General of the Federation gave update on the Stabilisation Fund, Natural Resources Development Fund and Ecological Fund:
Dankwambo quoted the AGF as saying that the balance in the stabilisation fund as at June 28 was N28.5 billion; Natural Resources Development Fund was N87.6 billion while Ecological Fund was N28.9 billion.
On the Budget Support Loan Facility, Dankwambo said the Acting President had directed that "the facility continues until claims of other states are paid. " The Budget Support Loan Facility is an initiative of the Buhari administration to help states boost their finances in the light of dwindling funds from the Federation Account.
Dankwambo said he briefed the meeting on the progress made by the Ad Hoc Committee on Excess Crude Account constituted by the NEC.
He said that 10 out of 18 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) had been audited; adding that a comprehensive report should be expected by next meeting of NEC.
In his remark, NACA Director-General stressed the need to set aside between 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of monthly federal allocation to states for financing HIV/AIDS programme.
Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa has called on Nigerians to cooperate with government at all levels in order to fight crime.
Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa
Obasa disclosed this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Musbau Razak, while urging Nigerians to be vigilant and continue to work for the unity and peaceful co-existence among themselves.
According to him, since Ramadan teaches love and unity, the lessons of the month must not be neglected.
"The issue of security is a collective task involving the governed and the government. So we must be vigilant at all times. We must be able to provide information on any questionable individual or group in our communities to security agents. This will assist government in nipping crime in the bud," he advised.
If you think ethnic or tribal differences is the cog in the wheel of Nigeria as a nation, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Nigeria has a different view of this. In its Eid-el-Fitr message to Muslims in Nigeria made available to Vanguard, the leader of the Jama'at, Dr Mas'hud Fashola said the real enemy is injustice, corruption, fraud, ethnic rivalry exploited by evil and influential people to dominate, cheat, exploit, and undermine other groups.
According to him: "Ethnic or tribal differences do not really constitute the problem of Nigeria though some people have turned our tribal differences into serious problems. The real enemy is injustice, corruption, fraud, ethnic rivalry exploited by evil and influential people to dominate, cheat, exploit, and undermine other groups, holding secret meetings. At the end of the day, they bring about poverty, disease, disunity, and disaster on the people. God's wrath descends not because of our religious or ethnic differences but for widespread corruption and evil."
Dr Fashola stated that the way out is for pious representatives of all ethnic and religious groups to come together to defend justice and equality, promote charity and good life for all citizens without any discrimination whatsoever and to oppose corruption and all evil conduct as admonished by Holy Qur'an 3:105,111.
"And let there be among you a body of men who should invite to goodness and enjoin equity and forbid evil. And it is they who shall prosper. (Q.3:104/105)
"You are the best people raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah…" (Q.3:110/111)
Amir Fashola added: "Religion should unite us across all regions and ethnicity, because believers are united by the same principle of piety and righteousness as declared by Allah.
"And the believers, men and women, are friends of each other. They enjoin good and forbid evil and observe prayer and give charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is these on whom Allah will have mercy.(Q9:70/71)
"If we do not stop ethnic rivalry, nepotism, killings, injustice, corruption and oppression, the Wrath of God will surely descend on all the groups and individuals responsible. Restructuring of Nigeria will achieve nothing if we do not uphold the principle of justice, equality, and eradicate poverty and misery."
Inspite of the ongoing recession in Nigeria, the collective capital base of the Lagos State Cooperative Societies had increased to N100 billion with a membership base increasing to two million. Meantime, to protect the cooperatives assets, the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has appointed a consortium of seven insurance companies to mitigate liabilities or losses that the cooperative societies in the state might incur. The Special Adviser on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo and President of Lagos State Cooperative Federation, LASCOFED, Mr. Oriyomi Ayeola, disclosed the appointments and cooperatives assets in Alausa, Ikeja yesterday, during a chat on the highlights of the 2017 International Day of Cooperative Societies. Olabinjo listed members of the consortium to include: STACO Insurance Plc, Industrial and General Insurance Company Plc, UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance Ltd and Capital Express Assurance Limited. Other members of the consortium listed by the special adviser were: AIICO Insurance Plc, Arm Life Plc and Cornerstone Insurance Plc, the special adviser noted that STACO Insurance Plc was the lead underwriter. Olabinjo stressed that it had become a state policy to introduce the insurance programme that would be handled by a consortium of insurance companies. He noted that the Ambode administration had initiated a state policy to mitigate losses that might occur from the operations of the stats' cooperative societies, sudden death and accidents among others. Olabinjo explained that the insurance programme became imperative to drive awareness among cooperative societies on the need to mitigate losses that might arise from their operations, death and accidents. In an interview with newsmen, Ayeola disclosed that the cooperative societies were the only sector immune to the recession that affected the country. According to him, "Our financial bases increase yearly and presently, we have in excess N100 billion assets, which has helped to boost Lagos State Gross Domestic Product (GDP). "The cooperative sector is very unique because it has the strength to absorb unnecessary recession. And that is why I can inform you that this is the only sector that has not been affected by the recession.
"Our target is to get every adult in Lagos State into the cooperatives net because presently we have two million members in the state," Ayeola added.
Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) Mr Babatunde Fowler has urged players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to continuously improve on their skills to attain the best possible height in their career.
Fowler spoke through the Assistant Director of FIRS in Ogun State, Mr Kolawole Olalekan at the presentation of the Matchday 22 VAT Wonder Goal award to Remo Stars Salefu Ochowechi in Sagamu on Wednesday.
“On behalf of the Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler, I congratulate and present this award to you. It is our expectation that this award will be a strong motivation for players to improve their skills, especially at goalscoring to reach the best career height possible in football,” Olalekan said to Salefu.
He added that FIRS would be delighted to, in the near future, see some of the recipients of the awards playing for the Super Eagles.
“To play for the national team is a very important achievement and we know that is the dream of every player. It is therefore our expectation that some of you who have won this award will someday appear in the national colours,” continued the FIRS official.
Salefu had fended off challenges from Wikki Tourists defender Festus Umanah and Mohammed Mohammed of ABS to clinch the VAT Wonder Goal number 3 and was on Wednesday presented the prize money for N150,000 half of which he will donate to a charity in Sagamu.
The VAT Wonder Goal is supported by the FIRS as a club and community engagement scheme and also for the promotion of awareness for fulfillment of tax obligations by citizens. It is a social investment of the League Management Company (LMC) through the players and their clubs.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday condemned what it termed, Collapsing Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK, into a comprehensive subject called, Religion and National Values in the Secondary School’s education curriculum, by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), saying such affiliation is unacceptable.
It also said by denying the subject its age-long position as a single subject standing on its own has foreclosed the opportunity of the subject being studied at the tertiary institutions. Rev. Felix Omobude, the National President, PFN, stated this at the end of its 2nd quarter, National Executive Council meeting held in Lagos at the Bishops Court, its National Headquarters. The PFN leader also urged the government to ensure that Christian Religious Studies stands on its own as a separate subject as it has always been.
According to the Religious body, "The PFN is concerned at the controversy that has attended the revised Basic Education Curriculum, especially the collapse of Christian Religious Studies as part of an omnibus subject known as Religion and National Values.
"We noted the explanation by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) on some of the issues raised.
Bible
"There is really no justification for the uncertainty the NERDC has created which has opened up the implementation of the curriculum to the whims and caprices.
"Collapsing CRK as only a part of Religion and National Values forecloses the opportunity of the subject being studied at the tertiary level by students and is unacceptable,'' he said.
Speaking on the compulsory study of foreign languages, the PFN appealed that windows be opened up to more languages beyond French and Arabic, to accommodate other languages.
"Windows of other languages should be open so our children can enjoy greater flexibility in foreign language study and not be compelled to study a language they have no interest in,'' he said.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday urged the Federal Government to ensure there are no sacred cows in its fight against corruption in the country.
Rev. Felix Omobude, the National President, PFN, spoke at the end of its 2nd quarter, National Executive Council meeting held in Lagos at the Bishops Court, its National Headquarters.
The body, while commending the government for fighting corruption, urged it to be fair to all and to pursue the cause within the ambit of the laws of the land.
Omobude said there should be no "sacred cows or sacrificial lambs'' in the fight.
He said the PFN was glad that some economic measures to revive the economy had been put in place.
"However, the PFN is still concerned about the hardship the ordinary Nigerian is facing.
"We are aware of the Social Intervention programmes, but we call for a more concerted efforts on the part of Federal Government to mitigate the pains and generate more employment opportunities, especially for the youth.
"We commend the efforts put into shoring up the naira in recent times, but we push for more concerted efforts in this regard.
"The government's drive to promote patronage of locally produced goods is a commendable one.
"We urge Nigerians to fully embrace this initiative and consume what we produce locally,'' Omobude said.
He commended the government's effort in tackling the insurgency in the country, urging it not to relent in its efforts at ensuring the release of the remaining Chibok girls.
"PFN calls for more attention to be paid to the plight of the victims of the Southern Kaduna crisis.
"PFN is worried at developments in Southern Kaduna, especially the lack of prompt response to guarantee the security of lives and property there, leading to a loss of lives of many indigenes of that area.
"A delegation from the PFN recently paid a visitation to Southern Kaduna and made a presentation of N15 million worth of relief materials to the different groups, irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
"From this visit, we can see that there is much more that urgently needs to be done for the people of Southern Kaduna and urgently too.
"We call on the Federal government and Kaduna State Government to immediately improve on their rehabilitation efforts,'' he said.
Recall that the Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK, and the Islamic Religious Knowledge, IRK, were merged into Religion and National Values under the secondary schools' curriculum.
Such merger sparked off a tumultuous controversy in the country, especially from those who thought that CRK was entirely struck out of the curriculum as a subject of study.
Although the merger of these subjects occurred in 2013 when the proposal was approved by the National Council of Education and was implemented by schools in September, 2014, the outcry of well meaning Nigerians over the alleged removal of CRK from the curriculum, maintaining that its removal left students with the options of either studying French or IRK also raised speculations that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, was trying to islamise Nigeria.
However, debunking the claims that the move wasn't to sideline CRK, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, Professor Ismail Junaidu, had said: "The Basic Education Curriculum which includes the CRK and IRK Curricula was approved in 2013 by the National Council on Education.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the last review of the curriculum was approved in 2013 and implementation commenced in September, 2014 and neither CRK nor IRK was removed from the curriculum.
"In fact, at the commencement of the present administration, the Minister of Education sought and obtained the approval of the National Council on Education to make Christian Religious Knowledge compulsory for all Christians students and Islamic Studies compulsory for their Muslim counterparts.
Characteristics and distinctiveness
Rejecting government's explanation, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) challenged government to publish full details of the new curriculum for Nigerians to see.
CAN President, Dr. Ayokunle Supo, had equally said: "In the new curriculum, IRK and CRK would no longer be studied as subjects on their own, but as themes in civic education. This undermines sound moral values that these two subjects had imparted on children which had made enhanced religious and ethnic co-existence without any tension.
"IRK was equally made available as a subject in another section without any corresponding availability of CRK. Is this not a divisive curriculum that could set the nation on fire? Is this fair to millions of Christians in this nation?"
Views on the merger from some individuals in the country were equally sought for: For instance, while a parent, Mrs. Chioma Chibuzor-Anakor, said such merger is the handiwork of satan to ensure good moral values are not taught to Christian children in schools, a Senior Lecturer in Adeniran College of Education and a pastor, Mrs. Dele Giwa said the merger was an act of God to use knowledge in Islam to spread the gospel of peace, unity and the coming of Christ. "The truth of the matter is that this issue is more spiritual than physical as Satan is trying to ensure that Jesus is not taught to the children in the schools. If we fold our hands, we would have a generation that wouldn't have the opportunity to encounter Christ Jesus as school children," said Mrs. Chioma Chibuzor-Anakor.
But Mrs. Dele Giwa said, "I see the present situation as an act of God especially as the Church, which ought to win souls for God has failed God. The Church ought to live communally, but today, pastors are very rich and the average citizen can't send his or her wards to mission schools because of the high cost. Also, the Koran will convert the Muslims because everything they claim to fight for is not in the Koran but in the Hadith (like Acts of the Apostle in the Bible)."
Award-wining Nigerian, Afro-Soul Queen, Aramide has teamed up with Ghanaian-South African, Afro-pop star, Adina, to release a new song today, titled 'Truth'.
Recorded during her recently completed media tour in Ghana, 'Truth' is Aramide's first duet and collaboration since the release of her debut album 'Suitcase'.
Produced by Richie Mensah, the song showcases Aramide’s riveting voice and unique flavour, with a mix of her native Yoruba, paired with Adina's equally distinctive vocals.
Both artists elevate the song into a cathartic plea about the importance of telling the truth no matter how difficult, because 'the truth hits you hard'.
Barely 23 days to the conduct of the Local Government polls in Lagos State, 15 out of the 16 All Progressives Congress, APC, chairmanship aspirants in Amuwo Odofin Local Government area, yesterday, organized a protest rally across the council area over what they called "unacceptable imposition" of consensus chairmanship candidate on residents of the council for the poll.
Leading protesters were some of the aggrieved aspirants, Hon Risikat Adegeye, (Wife of King Sunny Ade), Otunba Adebanjo Ayeni and Captain Adebayo Dosunmu, among others.
The 15 APC chairmanship aspirants during the rally rejected the decision to pick comrade Valentine Braimoh who the party said emerged as the consensus candidate in the area.
It will be recalled that earlier reconciliatory efforts by APC leaders of the Lagos State Chapter to resolve the lingering crisis as a result of the controversial primaries election for the forthcoming council polls hit the rock as aggrieved parties insisted on justice to be done.
APC leadership, had earlier set up a committee to look into various agitations and claims by some aggrieved members across the troubled councils with a view to reaching amicable resolution.
The protest started from the 11 Road, party meeting point to First Avenue, 41 road, Festac Town, the party Secretariat and later terminated at council Secretariat, Third Avenue to meet with the Sole Administrator, Mr. Bamidele Oki, in company of policemen from the Area "E' Command, who provided security as well as ensure that the rally was not hijacked by miscreants.
Ayeni who spoke to Vanguard at the end of the rally, said the demonstration became necessary in order to avoid APC losing the slots again to opposition parties in the election.
According to Ayeni, "From the all indications, we had a successful peaceful rally today. We have been able to gain the support of the electorate, leaders and the majority of the residents., the choice of Valentine as our consensus candidate in Amuwo Odofin, is unacceptable, undemocratic and injustice.
"We have all resolved that this will not stand until justice is done by the party leadership.
"If this matter is not addressed promptly, before the election on July 22, 2017, it portends grave danger for APC if they do not want to lose to opposition parties like that of the 2015 General elections.
"We are confident because the favourable response to our yearnings, as demonstrated in today's protest will guarantee the victory of APC in our LGA, provided the right and qualified candidates, both chairmanship and councilors who were democratically and truly elected during the primaries were given their mandate, otherwise the party will fail to secure victory in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.
"Valentine has even failed to engage us (aggrieved aspirants) in a meeting on the way to resolve the crisis but rather prefer to approach the party leaders at the state level because he is not popular in Amuwo-odofin."
Also Dosumu contended: "We are ready to step down for one of us, among the 15 aspirants to be chosen rather than allow Valentine who has contributed nothing to the development of the party to represent us at Amuwo Odofin.
"We have written several petitions to the party leadership, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our well respected leader but we are still awaiting positive response from him.
Meanwhile, effort to reach the controversial consensus candidate, Valentine was unsuccessful at press time as it was learned he had gone to attend a crucial meeting in Ikeja.
Makurdi – Police in Benue said they had arrested a male primary school teacher suspected to be sexually abusing some pupils.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bashir Makama, told newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday that the teacher was in the habit of molesting pupils in school.
Makama said that three boys, all in primary five, were brought to the command's headquarters in Makurdi, from Okpokwu Local Government Area, to substantiate the allegation against the teacher.
According to him, it was established that the teacher has been molesting the boys for some months after school hours and warned them never to tell anybody.
Makama also said that two females from Onitsha, Anambra, had also been apprehended for allegedly kidnapping a nine-month-old baby in Gboko.
He said that all the suspects would remain in the command's custody pending the conclusion of investigation.
The mother of the kidnapped baby, Mrs Kwaghbe Ajia, who was at the police headquarters, thanked the command for rescuing her child.
She said that her seven-year-old girl was with her in the market, looking after the little baby when the abductors lured her to a corner.
Ajia said the abductors deceived the little girl to help them buy something while they held the baby for her, adding that as the child went on the errand for them, they ran away with the baby.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday called on the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to agree on common currency to boost the regional trade.
Obasanjo made call at the ongoing 24th Annual General Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Kigali.
He spoke on: Can Regional Economic Communities Work for Africa: Lessons from a Founding Father.
He said that the issue of common currency was getting delayed because the regional leaders had put forward "ECO" as a name for the currency but wondered why it had not been adopted.
According to him, the currency is required to move the current level of the regional trade from 25 per cent to more than 50 per cent.
He said the various currency zones like the Naira zone, the Cedi zone, among others should not be allowed to mitigate the flow of trade within the region.
He blamed too many internal conflicts and changes in policies, among others, as some of the challenges facing the region.
Obasanjo, however, lauded ECOWAS countries for their ability to resolve their issues on their own, adding that ECOWAS on its own had resolved conflicts in Liberia, Sierria Loene and The Gambia.
He said that in the case of The Gambia, ECOWAS leaders agreed that a military option should be adopted but it should be without firing a bullet.
"I was sure the ousted president Yahya Jammeh will leave but when he started delaying ECOWAS leaders met, it was agreed a military option should be adopted.
"The tactics worked and when the countries leaders were saying the ousted president Yahya Jammeh had left the country with huge sums of money. I told them to allow him go with the money so far he allows the country to remain in peace," he said.
He said the region had been most democratic region going by free and fair elections done in the countries.
He told the audience that in the region, elections had been held without violence and wherever there were crisis the region had resolved such crisis peacefully.
Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed deep shock and grief following the demise of former Governor of Taraba State, Mr Danbaba Suntai, who passed on Wednesday, 27th June 2017.
The Governor expressed sadness at the news of the death of the distinguished politician and former Governor of Taraba State who died from complications from air mishap in 2012.
Governor Okowa in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu in Asaba on Wednesday said “the death of Suntai is a big blow to the family and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Taraba State, noting that the late former Governor was a staunch PDP Chieftain whose contributions to the growth of the party in Taraba State will remain memorable for a long time.
Mr Charles Aniagwu,
"Danbaba Suntai, a distinguished administrator and statesman, will be remembered for redefining the place of service and patriotism in Nigeria's development”.
"He will be sorely missed by all and sundry whose lives he affected in many ways. I therefore urge all who mourn the demise of the late former Governor Danbaba Suntai to take solace in the fact that his was a life of integrity and great accomplishments”.
"On behalf of my family, the Government and people of Delta State, I mourn with the family of the late Mr. Danbaba Suntai, the government and people of Taraba State, and the PDP nationwide on the demise of the former governor".
Okowa prayed God to grant Suntai's immediate family, his political associates, the strength to bear the irreparable loss, pointing out that his achievements in different areas of national life will always be remembered.
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
ABUJA- DEPUTY Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has described the death of the former Taraba State governor, Danbaba Suntai as an incalculable loss to Nigeria as a country. Former Taraba Governor Danbaba Danfulani Sunta.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu, deputy Senate President while reacting to the news of the death of the former governor, said that Suntai gave a good account of himself as a politician, public administrator and party man.
Ekweremadu said: "This is an incalculable loss not only to the people of Taraba State, but also to the Peoples Democratic Party family, and the nation in general. We had all prayed for his full recovery following the air mishap of October 2012.
"This is a very sad news, for he was a leader that loved his people, for he gave a good account of himself as a politician, public administrator, man of peace, patriot, party man, and nation builder. He will be sorely missed, but like all great men, he is immortalised by his selfless service to God and humanity".
Ekweremadu who condoled with the family of the late politician, Government and good people of Taraba State as well as the entire nation, also prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.
THE Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria, MWFAAN, has unveiled 'search' for young social innovators and changemakers through its Beyond School Community, BSC, challenge for secondary school students across the country.
This was disclosed by the Vice President, MWFAAN, Grace Ihejiamaizu, who explained that the BSC challenge provides a platform for teams of outstanding secondary school students to create community development projects that capitalise on people's ideas and talents as the pillar for making social and economic impacts.
The participating students are expected to be guided by advisors and supported by their schools, the students are to take an over-reaching idea and a hands-on entrepreneurial approach that empowers people to collectively tackle community development-oriented challenges.
Ihejiamaizu further stated that all applications received will be duly scrutinized and judged by MWFAAN panel judges. Each participating team will receive a feedback regarding the outcome of their applications.
Five finalist teams will receive invitation to the Pitch Competition and Summit in Lagos, Nigeria. In addition, the top three winning teams will receive exciting cash prizes, mentoring and educational grants. A Teacher Prize will be given to the most outstanding and committed teacher.
She said: "Nigeria needs more social innovators and changemakers who will take action towards solving problems. The question this challenge poses to our young ones is, 'If you could solve one problem in your community, what would it be? We want them to identify problems within their communities and propose solutions that have both social and economic impact.”
"We need to foster collaboration among our future leaders and empower them to develop skills that will transform their lives and our nation. The competition is open to secondary schools students in rural, as well as urban areas within the age range of 13-18 throughout the country. For more information on how to apply, please visit www.beyondschoolchallenge.com."
According to her the conditions interested students should adhere to include identify one significant problem in a specific community and propose an innovative solution with social and economic impacts, build a team comprising of 3 students in the age range of 13 to 18 and select a teacher as an advisor.
"Take YALI Learn courses online with the help of the advising teacher. Where it is not possible to completely access the courses online, MWFAAN will assign a fellow or a YALI network member to facilitate the courses offline, design a viable solution to the problem identified using a unique business model with the help of the teacher", she added.
According to her the proposed solution significantly addresses at least one relevant target of Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, submit an online application and upload the certificates of the YALI learn courses before the deadline of July 19, 2017.
Following the quit notice issued Igbo by the Northern Youths Coliation Forum, (NYC), Mr. Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, aka, ‘Charly Boy’ in a viral online video advised Bifran agitators who are angrily bent to have referendum, plebiscite and a separate country from Nigeria, to calm their temperament,return home and help in harnessing the key industrialized areas (Onitsha, Nnewi, Aba etc), in the South East.
According to him, “Let it be well to all the Igbo listening to me. “I know that Nigeria has shattered, Biafra is on everyone’s lip, please don’t be angry for the injustice meted on us by Nigerians. ‘Let’s use our brains in this critical period. Please let’s look inward on Biafran land, places like Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha. Lets help in harnessing these areas for tomorrow, thus to have a place to run to if we are chased out, he said.
Furthering his advice, the area boy quizzed, ” Talking about ‘Biafra’, who will lead us? Is it 419ners, (Fraudsters), criminals and saboteurs, no he forcefully abhorred. “I know all of us are angry but I said unto you today to calm down my people, whether they like it or not, in a due time our tension will be doused.
‘I want to use this opportunity to advice my fellow Igbo to calm down, ‘onye ajuru adighi aju onweya’ meaning ‘rejected people do not reject themselves’. Let’s use own brain, trade with caution and harness our place”, he finally said.
Voters in Osun West Senatorial District have been urged not to associate themselves with deceitful politicians who suddenly joined politics for personal reasons.
APC campaign for the Osun West Senatorial District By-Election
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state including the state party chairman, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, the state APC Secretary, Alhaji Rasaq Salinsile, APC Osun West Senatorial Leader, Alhaji Yinusa Amobi, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Elder Peter Babalola among others reiterated this in Iwo/Ayedire/Ola-Oluwa federal constituency during the APC Campaign for the July 8 By-Election in the district.
According to the leaders, voting the APC candidate, Senator Mudashiru Husain, in the polls will provide a platform for dividends of democracy to spread to the grassroots.
APC campaign for the Osun West Senatorial District By-Election
The State APC Chairman, Prince Famodun noted that the PDP Candidate, Ademola Adeleke is a selfish politician who suddenly joined politics to serve his pocket.
He told the electorates to vote a responsive, charismatic, experienced, progressive and result-driven candidate because that will in turn benefit the populace.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the July 8 by-election, Senator Husain appreciated the people for their support over the years urging them to replicate this in the forthcoming election.
Husain promised to serve the electorate better than he did in 2011-2015 sojourn in the Senate adding that the development of the people is his major priority.
Lokoja – A group, Aggrieved Constituent Voters in Kogi West senatorial district, says there is no going back on the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye who represents the constituency at the Senate.Sen. Dino Melaye
The leader of the group, Mr Olowo Cornelius, made the statement while addressing news conference on Wednesday in Lokoja.
He said that the recall bid was premised on lack of performance and total disconnect between the senator and his constituents.
"The recall of Sen. Dino Melaye was entirely initiated and is being pursued by constituents of Kogi West Senatorial District.
"This is after having had enough of Dino's unbearable utterances, conduct and misbehaviour both in and out of the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly coupled with his total disconnect from the people he claims to represent.
Cornelius said the group was poised to make history in the country as the first constituency to recall a lawmaker for performing below expectation.
He accused Melaye of abandoning his constitutional duties for trivialities and described the senator as "a huge embarrassment'' to the people of the western flank of the state.
He also accused Melaye of embarking on "fruitless attempt'' to discredit his recall by claiming that some personalities in the area like the late Prince Rotimi Obadofin was included in the signatories of the recall register.
He described the claim as not only "demonic, but grievous wickedness to the resting soul of the deceased politician.''
Cornelius urged Melaye to be patient and wait for verification to ascertain the signatures.
He expressed delight that the action to recall Melaye was yielding positive results as the emattled lawmaker was now on his toes attending to the needs of the people of his constituency.
According to him, nine constituency projects awarded by the senator but abandoned in the area are now "seriously" receiving attention as he had mobilised contractors to site.
He said that four constituents had benefitted from car donation from the senator, adding that the recall bid had forced Melaye to do what he ordinarily would not have done.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, has described the death of the former Governor of Taraba state, Mr. Danbaba Suntai, as a great loss to the nation.
Ekweremadu made this known in a statement by his Special Adviser, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that Suntai gave a good account of himself as a politician, public administrator and party man.
"This is an incalculable loss not only to the people of Taraba, but to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family, and the nation.
Dambaba Suntai, former Taraba governor is dead
"We had all prayed for his full recovery following the air mishap of October, 2012.
"This is a very sad news because he was a leader that loved his people, gave a good account of himself as a politician, public administrator, man of peace, patriot, party man, and a nation builder.
"He will be greatly missed, but like all great men, he is immortalised by his selfless service to God and humanity."
Ekweremadu condoled with the family of the late politician, government and people of Taraba.
He also prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.
The Police in Borno State on Wednesday refutes claims by the leader of the dreaded Boko Harm terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau.
Abubakar Shekau in a video had said that he his group had abducted about ten policewomen during an abashment in Borno recently. Shekau
"We have confiscated several cars, and we have also taken women, among them were top policewomen. God had given the senior policewomen to us as slaves and has put them in our custody, we that are known as the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna li Dawati wal Jihad, which they call with the derogatory name as Boko Haram.’ Shekau said
But in swift reacting, Wednesday, the Borno state police command refuted Abubakar Shekau claims saying ‘For avoidance of doubts, and to put records straight, there are no Police women under Boko Haram terrorist's captivity as claimed by the sect leader.’
The police statement signed by DSP ISUKU VICTOR read thus ABDUCTION OF WOMEN POLICE PERSONNELAND WIVES OF SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS:- Police denies Shaku calim on kidnap of Policewomen The attention of Borno State Police Command has been drawn to media reports over the attack by Boko Haram terrorists on Military/Police escorted convoy at Abari/Dalwa village Maiduguri/Damboa highway on 20th June, 2017 at about 1130hrs.
According to one of these reports, that "sixteen (16) female passengers in the bus trailing the ambulance carrying late Sgt Rahila's corpse were Police women and wives of Policemen asked to accompany the burial party. And all of them were taken away by BHT".
2. In another recently released video on You-Tube where Boko Haram claims responsibility for the attack on military convoy, its leader Abubakar Shekau, claims to have women Police personnel and wives of Senior Police officers in the custody of the Boko Haram.
3.For avoidance of doubts, and to put records straight, there are no Police women under Boko Haram terrorist's captivity as claimed by the sect leader. The Command wishes to reiterate as contained in an earlier Press Briefing by the Commissioner of Police, CP Damian A. Chukwu, on 20/06/2017 that: Police lorry with Reg. No. NPF 2677 D was carted away.
Occupants comprise personnel, relations and burial party for late Sgt Rahila Antikirya. Driver of the Police lorry, Sgt Kubura Mwada, was shot and injured on his back. He was able to jump down from the lorry and escaped.
Personnel missing are Inspr Fatsuma Sale and Cpl Abubakar Haruna. There is no evidence in the video clip indicating that they are in the captivity of the sect.
Other occupants of the lorry are either relations or sympathizers of the deceased, and were all reported missing in the earlier press briefing. They took advantage of the space in the lorry conveying personal effects of the deceased Police woman and joined the burial party.
4. The Command therefore wishes to advise media organisations and the general public to disregard the claim(s) in the video, as well as social media reports as they are not a true representation of that unfortunate incident.
Former Taraba state governor, Mr. Dambaba Suntai, who survived an air crash at the Yola Airport in 2012, is dead.
He died at home on Wednesday in Houston, Florida, in the United States.*Suntai at the airport File
He is reported to had brain injuries arising from the plane accident
Mr. Emmanuel Bello, a former Commissioner for Information in the state, broke the news of the death.
The former governor, who flew the light plane, crashed in October 2012 and had not recovered fully since then.
He became governor of Taraba state in 2007 and was sworn again on May 29, 2011 for a second term.
A pharmacist by training, Suntai enrolled for training as a pilot at the Nigerian College of Aviation in Zaria in 2010 and was thus licensed.
Prior to his plane crash in 2012, Suntai had been flown to Germany for medication after returning from his annual leave in August 2009, following a sudden ailment that was suspected to have developed from food poisoning.
On his return from Germany, Suntai spoke at the opening of a three-day regional convention of the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International in Jalingo, where said his meal was actually poisoned.
He had had several successful flights with his private aircraft even while piloting the affairs of Taraba State as governor.
But his current travails started precisely on October 25, 2012, when a private plane he piloted crashed in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
After receiving the initial treatment at the Adamawa Standard German Hospital in Yola he was later transferred to the National Hospital Abuja on October 26, 2012. From there he was flown to Germany and was later taken to a rehabilitation centre in the United States for further medication.
After 10 months of medical sojourn overseas, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai finally returned to the country on August 23, 2013.
After weeks of political intrigues in the North-East state based on claims and counterclaims over his health status, it was revealed that the former Taraba State governor was not healthy enough to live in Nigeria without adequate treatment, or to govern a state.
He was subsequently flown abroad again for treatment, even as his then deputy, Garba Umar, was empowered by the Taraba State House of Assembly to fully take over the ship of the state in acting capacity.
He was brought back in the build-up to the 2015 elections and remained confined in Jalingo until after the change of guards on May 29, 2015.
Suntai was born June 30 1961 and attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he studied pharmacy.
By Abdulwahab Abdulah Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, the suspected billionaire kidnapper, has dragged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and three others before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged illegal detention.
EVANSJoined as respondents in the motion he filed by his lawyers are the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.
In a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on his behalf by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, the suspected kidnapper is praying for the order of court to direct the respondents to immediately charge him to court if there is any case against him in accordance with Sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the alternative, he prayed the court for an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally in the absence of any offence that will warrant his being charged to court.
The Federal Government has announced its readiness to roll out the Digital Switch Over (DSO) in broadcasting in all the six geo political zones in the country in the next few weeks, as a practical demonstration of its commitment to the DSO project.The Control Room at Pinnacle Communications, Signal Distributors for Abuja Digital Switch Over
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the announcement in Quincy, U.S., on Tuesday during a meeting with the executives of Gates Air, a market leader in transmission solutions for broadcast network operators.
The Minister said the DSO, which was first launched in Jos in April 2016, is ready to be rolled out in six states across the country Kaduna, Kwara, Delta, Enugu, Gombe and Osun – covering the six geo-political zones.
He said the switch over from analogue to digital television is ”irreversible” because the DSO is a ”game changer” that will bring immense benefits to Nigerians and help the government to achieve one of its cardinal goals, which is the diversification of the economy.
Alhaji Mohammed said the meeting with the US company, which is a key player in the DSO process, further confirms the government’s commitment to the project, which has also been launched in Abuja.
”The DSO is very important to this Administration, because of the limitless potentials that it represents. For us as a government, DSO goes beyond just receiving digital transmission but an avenue to create jobs and ignite the huge creative potentials of our youths. It is also a solution to some of the intractable problems affecting the Creative Industry, including piracy and distribution,” he said.
The Minister, who led a Nigerian team that includes the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on DSO, Hon. Sunday Katung, and the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Malam Ishaq Kawu Modibbo, inspected the facilities at the company’s sprawling factory, where several equipment meant for the DSO roll-out are currently being manufactured.
”Seeing some of the equipment being shipped to Nigeria for the DSO project has reinforced our belief in the ability of Pinnacle Communications Limited (one of the two signal distributors for the project) to meet its roll-out targets,” he said.
For his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on DSO said he is in Quincy, home of the 95-year-old Gates Air, as part of efforts to ensure that the DSO process goes smoothly.
”We seem to be heading in the right direction, after several misses, and I can now confidently speak on the project when I return to Nigeria,” he said, describing Pinnacle Communications Ltd and Gates Air as reliable partners.
Also speaking, Malam Modibbo assured that the DSO project will be delivered on a modern platform because of the wonderful partnership involving the Ministry of Information and Culture, the NBC and the signal distributors.
The NBC Director-General described as a source of pride the benchmark set with the Abuja roll-out of the DSO in December 2016.
Welcoming the delegation to his company, the Chief Executive Officer of Gates Air, Mr. Phil Argyris, assured of the company’s readiness to work with Nigeria to ensure the success of the DSO project, saying: ”We never let our customers down.”
Other members of the Nigerian team are the Chairman of Digiteam, Mr Edward Amana, and the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications, Sir Lucky Omoluwa.
By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has weighed in on the recent ‘quit notice’ issued the Igbo by a coalition of northern groups, saying the Igbos in his state and “everybody is now an indigene of Kano”.
Speaking Wednesday in Abuja when he visited the national Secretariat of his ruling All Progressives Congress APC Ganduje also commented on the recent face off with Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, saying: “I am not aware of any compromise by the State Assembly but I know that I personally wrote to them, asking them to discontinue the investigation because of so many requests by some highly placed individuals in the country.
“Clearly the reasons were mentioned in the letter to the State Assembly and was widely published in the national dailies. We just had a successful Sallah celebration and it was peaceful”, he said.
On the quit notice, Ganduje said: “Nobody has quit Kano; they said they are not going anywhere and we too, we told them that they were not going anywhere. So, it is an issue that we in Kano want to show to be an example of national integration, therefore, in Kano we are dialoguing with the people and in fact we have even abolished the issue of indigene versus settlers. Everybody in Kano is an indigene of Kano but there are some indigenes of Kano with primordial claims elsewhere which is a fact.”
He said Kano would continue to set the pace on issues of national integration, urging Nigerians in the state to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation.
Academic and non-academic staff of the University of Maiduguri (Unimaid), have appealed to the Federal Government to approve funds for the construction of perimeter fence round the University to address the current spate of suicide bombings.
Unimaid ASUU Chairman, Dr Dani Mamman, made the appeal on Wednesday in Maiduguri while briefing newsmen on behalf of other unions which include SSANU, NASU, NAAT and SUG.
"We advocate for the immediate construction and fortification of the perimeter fence which is porous and easily accessible by the misguided suicide bombers.
"In this regard, we implore the Federal Government to give special consideration to the management request for funds for the project," Mamman said.
He also urged the government to approve the request of the management for the procurement of modern security equipment to ensure security at the university.
"Given the place of science and technology in the 21st century, we strongly believe that the use of modern security equipment is a better option of providing policing.
"We urge the Federal Government to give immediate attention to management request on the two projects which amounted to N2.8 billion," Mamman said.
The ASUU chairman added that no amount of money was too much to save lives.
"We believe that no amount of money is too much to save lives of over 40, 000 staff and students that have bravely refused to give up to the ideology of the Boko Haram insurgents that forbids Western education.
"Those staff members that braved the dreaded insurgents and remained to teach deserve special consideration and commendation by Federal Government," Mamman added.
Newsmen report that Unimaid had witnessed several suicide bombings lately.
The latest attack took place on Sunday in which over 16 persons were killed.
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano says his administration is determined to make the state a true example of national integrity and a home to all Nigerians irrespective of cultural affiliations.
The governor made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen on recent calls for the restructuring of Nigeria by some All Progressives Congress (APC) members.
He was at the secretariat to attend a meeting between members of the party`s National Working Committee (NWC) and the governors elected on its platform which was later rescheduled.
Ganduje who condemned the ultimatum given to Igbos leaving in the northern part of the country by youths to leave the region by Oct. 1, said the ultimatum was not necessary.
He explained that his administration had abolished the indigeneship status in the state, adding that all residents were regarded as its indigenes.
He said that the APC as a party would soon come up `with a concrete pronouncement' on the agitation to restructure the country by some people.
The governor said that his administration would continue to provide training to improve manpower and to better the welfare of the less privileged in the state.
He said that in spite of the economic situation in the country, his administration had ensured regular payment of workers' salaries in the state.
This, he said, was made possible because it was able to reduce the cost of governance by reducing the number of ministries in the state from 19 to 13.
Ganduje said his administration was able to block all avenues through which public funds could be siphoned as well as ensuring an effective tax regime in the state.
"Our goal is to tax the rich so that we can get enough money to improve the lives of the poor in the state,'' Ganduje said.
The Edo House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed 18 nominees as commissioners in the state.
Governor Godwin Obaseki had on June 20 forwarded the 18-man list to the house for consideration and confirmation.
The confirmation of the nominees followed the recommendation of the House Committee on Rules, Business and Government House.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee and Majority Leader, Mr Foly Ogedengbe, said the nominees were educationally qualified to be appointed as commissioners in the state
Ogedengbe thereafter presented the report to the House for consideration.
The House consequently adopted the report of the committee and confirmed the nominees as commissioners.
Meanwhile, the House is to hold a Public Hearing on a bill for a law to enact Edo State Control of Nomadic Cattle Rearing/Grazing Law scheduled on July 6.
By Anayo Okoli. UMUAHIA – SEVEN pro-Biafra groups Wednesday agreed to work together under the leaders of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with the aim of achieving faster the their quest for referendum that will lead to the emancipation of Republic of Biafra.
Nnamdi kanu
The groups said that they decided to work together so that they would be speaking with one voice seeking for one objective of securing the Republic of Biafra.
Well over 5000 people from the various groups converged on Afaraukwu, native home of Nnamdi Kanu to witness his appointment as the over leader of Biafra.
The groups were the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Biafran Revolutionary Organization, BRO, Eastern People Congress, EPC, Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra, JRCB, Biafra Liberation Crusaders, BLC, and Salvation People of Biafra, all of who agreed to work indiscriminately with the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB to pursue the Republic Biafra.
Rising from a closed down with Kanu, Comrade Uchenna Madu addressed journalists on their decision. He said the decision was to work together and speak with one voice under a central leader, saying however that all the groups still exist but would be speaking with one voice more so as the quest for referendum hits up.
A cross section of members of the various pro-Biafra groups that converged in Umuahia to name Nnamdi Kanu the leader Leader and arrowhead of the agitation for Briafra Republic
"Distinguished members and great people of Biafra and supporters of divine mission of emancipation of the land of Biafra from the oppressing Nigeria State, we salute you. Today as we stand in this holy land of Bifra in unique and brotherly gathering to honour our own brother who distinguished himself in the self determination struggle for Biafra actualization and restoration.
"Today in honour of our supreme leader, Chukwu Okike Abiama and in remembrance of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, we the people of Biafra under the representation of all the pro-Biafra groups hereby adopt and declare our brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the new leader of Biafra Nation, whose under his leadership, through the grace of Chukwu Okike Abiama shall the people of Biafra rest.
"Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's leadership shall bring unity, peace, progress and brotherly love among the esteemed people of Biafra through the instrumentality of mutual and intimate understanding among the pro-Biafra groups", the declaration read by MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu said.
Kanu Reacts In his reaction, Nnamdi Kanu said that he was humbled by the decision of the various groups and assured that h would not let them down.
"I am humbled by this decision of the groups, we started together and we have all ended up together because we are sincere and purposeful. I am not in the habit of letting my friends down, that thing you said I cannot do is what I will down.
"Everybody will be carried along; if I am invited for any meeting I will take some people along. Today is a great day for Biafran all over the world. Today we have shamed our enemies think that we cannot come together, who think that if when we get Biafra we will kill ourselves, we have shamed them".
In answer to a question, Kanu said he did not believe in the restructuring of Nigeria being called by eminent Nigeria, saying that Nigerian Government would not keep any agreement reached in the restructuring exercise.
According to him, it is a referendum or nothing. He said that Aburi agreement was reneged by Nigerian Government and that the 2014 National Conference was dumped where it was coated by dust until the Biafra agitation became intense and it was remembered.
On whether the IPOB has formerly written to the United Nations demanding referendum, Kanu said that the best letter was the continuous civil disobedience which he said serves as "handwriting on the wall for the Government, they wake up to see it every day".
"We are going to compel the powers that be to recognize the inevitability of the referendum. Man made the law, man will change it. We will continue to deploy civil disobedience. It is not war, it is self-determination", Kanu said.
UN OBSERVER.
A United Nations observer, Prof. Nwaimo Emma was around yesterday to see what was going on.
According to Nwaimo, who said he is a professor of religion, he was overwhelmed with the crowd he saw and said that he would report back to the United Nations the true position of what he observed.
WE HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN IGP
Meanwhile, the leader of Afenifere Youths, Eric Olawale has said that the Afenifere youths have totally lost confidence in the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris over his failure to arrested the Arewa Youths who gave the Igbo quit notice from the North.
Olawale also said that they have lost confidence in the Northern governors over the same issue, saying with their action they have failed to provide leadership.
Olawale who said he was in Umuahia in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu and other pro-Biafra groups, said that they are also keenly interested in having Oduduwa Republic.
He said that they came to give support to Kanu because they all part of Southern Nigeria, and will not watch and see their brother being punished.
By Ben Agande Kaduna – Heavily armed security operatives from various arms of the security services led by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Wednesday stormed the Kaduna residence of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo in Kaduna State.Namadi Sambo
The operation which lasted several hours saw the operatives cordoning off the No 1Alimi road residence of the former number 2 man while some of the operatives went into the residence ostensibly to carry out a search.
The operatives came in two vehicles, a Coaster Bus and Toyota Hilux Van while a third vehicle, a Toyota Corolla car was used to block the entrance to the street where the house is located.
An eye witness, a residence of the area told journalists that the operatives were were aggressive as they threatened to shoot any unauthorized person that got close to the residence.
“They came at about 3.00pm and left at about some minutes to 5:00pm.As they came they warned that anybody that move would be shot,” the resident said.
It was further gathered that the operatives came in with equipment, ostensibly to overcome any challenge they may face.
“When they came out, they look so rough, an evidence that maybe they break into some areas(ceiling) in the house. We saw police, SARS, DSS and we are trying to confirm from them their mission and they told us that they are here to search. “They threatened to shoot us. They blocked all the road leading to this place,” a resident told our correspondent.
He continued, “this is their fifth time in three months that they came to this house.”
An attempt by journalists to find out the motives of the Security agents was resisted as they threatened to shoot anybody that came close to the house.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has extended the deadline for stoppage of issuance of physical dividend warrants in the nation's capital market to Dec. 31, 2017.
Mr Naif Abdussalam, SEC Head, Corporate Communications disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.
Abdussalam said that the deadline was extended to give room for investors to key into the e-dividend payment platform.
He told journalists that the extension became necessary to perfect the commission's rules on issuance of dividend warrants that was exposed to the public a week ago.
Abdussalam stated that the commission's issuance of dividend warrants would be a thing of the past by Dec. 31, 2017, with the amendment of the rules and keying into the e-dividend payment platform by more investors.
Newsmen report that SEC had in 2016 announced June 30, 2017, as deadline for issuance of physical dividend warrants to shareholders by quoted companies to tackle unclaimed dividends and mitigate the risks associated with warrants.
He also said that SEC had extended the underwriting cost of investors e-dividend registration to Dec. 31, 2017 from against the earlier underwriting deadline of June 30, 2017.
Abdussalam said that the deadline was also extended to give room for enrolment of more investors in the e-dividend payment platform.
"E- dividend simply refers to an online system of paying dividends to investors when companies declare dividends, which are the profits meant for investors, rather than send it by post, they will just wire it to the investor's bank account.''
He stated that the commission's decision to continue to underwrite the cost till Dec. 31, was part of its developmental role to curb the menace of unclaimed dividend.
The commission's spokesman said that the e-dividend would strengthen the KYC of all investors in the capital market to curb unclaimed dividend and stopage of unauthorised sale of shares in the market.
Abdussalam added that lost of dividends would be a thing of the past with the e-dividend payment platform.
He said that the commission would continue to leverage on the BVN initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to boost investors' confidence in the nation's capital market.
Pressmen report that Mr Mounir Gwarzo, SEC Director-General at the Capital Market Committee meeting in May said that 2.2 million investors had mandated their accounts for the e-dividend payment policy as of April 30, 2017.
He stated that the commission would urge all listed companies to participate in the on-going enlightenment campaign on e-dividend by informing their shareholders at Annual General Meetings (AGM) on the processes put in place to increase the figure.
Gwarzo explained that the e-dividend form could be obtained and properly filled at bank branches or in the office of a registrar and stock broking firms, or could be downloaded and filled by individuals.
He added that the major aim of the e-dividend payment system was to curb unclaimed dividends in the market, noting tha unclaimed dividend figure was reducing due to the e-dividend.
Newsmen also report that major shareholder groups in the capital market had been calling for the extension of the deadline to allow more investors to embrace the initiative.
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to drive the growth of the non-oil sector through enhanced participation of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) sector.
Mrs Nike Akande, the President, LCCI, made the appeal in Lagos during the celebration of the UN Day for Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise.
Newsmen report that the UN on April 6 in New York adopted a resolution recognising the crucial role MSMEs play in economic growth for sustainable development.
Following the resolution, June 27 of every year has been set aside globally to commemorate Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises Day.
The maiden edition of the MSMEs Day in Nigeria was organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.
Akande said that the non-oil sector guaranteed a more sustainable growth beyond the volatility of oil prices in the international market.
She said that the chamber was passionate at seeing the private sector empowered in order to positively impact on job creation, poverty alleviation and supporting economic development.
"We therefore recommend that the current reform efforts are sustained to ensure stronger and sustainable businesses in Nigeria.
"There is a need for a stable policy and regulatory environment that supports the reforms on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
"Issues of taxation, trade and foreign exchange policies should be managed in line with international best practices.
"This should take into consideration policies that facilitate trade, attract foreign investment and protect businesses from avoidable regulatory pressures," she said.
Akande said that with the right policy environment and provision of needed infrastructures, Nigerian entrepreneurs were resourceful and diligent to fully contribute to economic recovery and growth.
Mr Ronald Kayanja, the Director, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), said that MSMEs were vital in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in promoting innovation, creativity and job creation.
According to him, efforts to enhance finance for MSMEs across key sectors of national economies is important to implementation of SDG Goal 8 of creating decent work and economic growth; and Goal 9 of creating industry, innovation and infrastructure.
He urged the banking and financial institutions to create a tailor-made intervention that would ease access to finance for MSMEs.
World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s possible rematch with Wladimir Klitschko could be staged in Las Vegas, promoter Eddie Hearn said on Wednesday.
Joshua, the IBF and WBA heavyweight champion, is waiting to see if terms will be agreed with Klitschko for another bout after the British fighter’s thrilling victory over the Ukrainian at Wembley in April.
Hearn has held talks with Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente and told Sky Sports News: “We’re getting close now to identifying the real options in terms of venues and locations.
“Vegas has taken a little bit of a front-runner in those. I know the British fans would love to do a trip out there for Joshua-Klitschko.
“Nigeria is still in the mix, Dubai as well, and of course Cardiff. But like I said, Vegas has probably got its nose in front at the moment.
“I think in the next week we’re looking to present all those opportunities to Wladimir Klitschko and his team.
“Speaking to Bernd Boente this morning, I feel like it’s going to take that special event to make this fight.”
