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
By Rufus Ike The Archbishop of the Anglican Communion, Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma and the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mr. Okechukwu Isiguzoro have cautioned the All Progressive Congress (APC) led Federal Government to leave the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu alone or risk worsened agitation for secession and mass protest.
They spoke separately while fielding questions from newsmen at the town hall meeting organised by the Federal Government at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel on Monday.
On his part, the Archbishop regretted that the APC-led Federal Government had preoccupied itself with Ekweremadu's removal and National Assembly politics while national challenges were worsening.
He said: "What we are saying is that APC should not be afraid of Ekweremadu, Ekweremadu is a very simple developing senator and out of all the Senators in the South East, Ekweremadu is the most, I must say, loved, hard-working senator that APC can make use of to develop Nigeria.
"Ekweremadu should be left alone to do his work. He has been elected constitutionally as Deputy Senate President and nobody can remove him there. If they do that, it means that this government doesn't want the Igbos, then you are calling for its secession from Nigeria because that is the high ranking position we have and we are all behind him and he has been performing, and he should be left to perform.
Also speaking, the President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro declared that “the plot by some forces within the APC to remove Ekweremadu is a very dangerous dimension".
He warned that those pointing fingers at Ekweremadu were pushing the Igbos too far.
He emphasised: “Ekweremadu is not a product of the South-East but the entire Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“So, any attempt to remove him as the Deputy Senate President will be resisted by the Ohanaeze Youth Council. We will make this place very hot for any person, groups, or cabal that tried to remove Ekweremadu.
“We will match to the National Assembly straight away, occupy the place and resist any move by anybody within the government of Buhari to remove Ekweremadu. It won’t happen.”
The National Vice President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Chris Onwuka , has condemned those campaigning against biotechnology in the country as he asked them to come up with scientific evidence to back their stance.
Speaking at a Stakeholders meeting in Abuja recently, he said “a group came and were telling us recently that biotechnology is not good. I asked them to show us scientific evidence but they could not,” he told other stakeholders.
“The truth is that without biotechnology we cannot feed ourselves. What we farmers need is more yield. We already have a regulatory agency just as there is NAFDAC. It is their job to tell us what is good and what is not good. They are capable,” he added.
Also at the meeting were representatives of the academia from all geopolitical zones of the country, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Consumer Protection Council, Genetics Society of Nigeria and the Nigeria Agricultural Society among others.
Mr. Chris Onwuka said “as the reality of a rapidly burgeoning population stares Nigeria in the face, the arguments for and against the adoption of agricultural biotechnology in Nigeria as a potential solution to stem a likely food sufficiency crisis has been top on the agenda.
Onwuka said the unequal distribution of technology between the developed world and developing countries like Nigeria consistently make it unnecessary to compare their priorities with ours.
“By 2030, Nigeria’s population will have crossed 250 million. Without a technological intervention, and with continuous decrease in arable land due to urbanization, desertification and erosion, farmers’ yield are only going to decrease.
He added that the challenge before Nigeria is not just about volume of food being produced but also about its quality as well. “Nutritional efficiency is one of the hurdles we are not likely going to be able to overcome even in the medium to long term with conventional methods. Rural populations depend on a restricted number of staple foods because of their purchasing power and this keeps them excluded from a host of nutrients that are important to their physical health.
“These are some of the areas that companies like Monsanto and agricultural research institutes in the country are working to create nutrition enhanced seed varieties as well as seeds with drought and pest tolerance to help farmers maximize yields and ensure nutritional balance even for the poorest in our communities.
He added that for the most part, those against the adoption have driven their campaign mainly around calls for a reversal of the Act establishing the National Biosafety Management – an Act which the country spent almost a decade to pass into law- ostensibly as a means to halt the country’s biotechnology initiatives.
“Without an agency to regulate, every development in that direction will certainly be truncated. In addition to the NBMA, another entity that anti-GM campaigners have been cast into the role of an enemy is the America-based Agricultural company, Monsanto. ”
The farmer representative said sometimes it becomes difficult for people to separate the fight against biotechnology and the fight against Monsanto, “clearly, some of these campaigners actually do not even know that several research institutes across the country are seriously engaged in biotechnology research and may soon have their own seeds in the market.
While noting that some of the campaigners are appealing to nationalist sentiments, Onwuka said some of the important details many of the campaigners here in Nigeria do not tell those they recruit to join them is that for instance on June 29 this year, 107 Nobel Laureates, out of whom only ten were not from the sciences, signed a petition against the anti-GMO campaign.
“That singular event marked a significant in the decades long call for a halting of agricultural biotechnology. In the letter addressed to the United Nations and world leaders, the Laureates described the campaign led mainly by Green Peace, the multi-million dollar organisation spearheading most of the global efforts against GMOs, “…a crime against humanity”.
“It will be hard for all 107 to stake reputations they had built over decades for a technology which they were not sure was tested to meet all standards.
He added “their position is following series of denouncements of the anti-GM movement by former key figures from within Greenpeace itself.
A case in point is that of Patrick Moore, a founding member of Greenpeace, who served for nine years as President of Greenpeace Canada and seven years as a Director of Greenpeace International.
“He has been a leader in the international environmental field for over 30 years. Over time, he has come to realize that the facts did not support many of the opposition campaigns he had worked on through Greenpeace and is now a staunch supporter of agricultural biotechnology.
Onwuka said another case is that of Stephen Tindale, who was for six years the head of Greenpeace UK. In his words, “The reason I’ve decided to speak out on GM now is because I think it is necessary for people like me who’ve opposed it to say things have changed… The overwhelming majority of scientists think that it is safe. It is, in my view, morally unacceptable to stand out against these new technologies.”
Whilst they are quick to make reference to the report of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which described Glyphosate (a chemical used against weeds in GM farms) as a “probable” carcinogen, they never get around to mentioning that the IARC is only one of 4 (four) WHO programmes that are concerned with chemicals and cancer research and is the only one out of the four to classify glyphosate as such.
As a matter of fact, a joint Food & Agricultural Organisation and WHO issued in May 2016 clearly stated that "glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through the diet."
As a matter of fact, several reports issued after the IARC reports, notable among which are those from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (2015); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (October 2015); The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Nov 2015; and Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency, April 2015 all agree on glyphosate’s safety.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of buying PVCs from voters in different parts of the state with a view to rigging the September 10 Governorship election in the state.
Speaking at a rally of the All Progressives Congress in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, Monday, Oshiomhole said anyone caught in the illegality will be prosecuted and jailed if found guilty.
According to him, "They are going round, collecting PVCs and dropping lies, please don't sell your PVCs. Poverty cannot be cured with a dash, it has to be fought on a systematic basis.
"In Agenebode, they are buying PVCs, they will say bring it, we will give you N5,000. Ask them, if they sweat to make the money, will they use it to buy PVC?
"Don't allow them, after impoverishing you, they take N5,000 and stop you from voting. I've told the security agencies to monitor, when we catch them they will be prosecuted and jailed, but please, N5,000 will not bail anyone out of poverty."
The Governor said "when we say the PDP, you actually buried it, we only announced it, and they will remain politically dead. They died in sin, they undermined the people, looted the treasury, failed all the questions and they breached all 10 commandments of development, so they died in sin and shall never resurrect in our lifetime.
"I hear them say Change the change, the dead cannot change the living because they are dead politically, they cannot change us who are politically living. So it's a futile slogan.
He said the PDP ruined the nation's economy in 16 years. According to him "On May 29, 1999, when the PDP took over the reins of the Federal Government, the official rate of naira was N21.90 to $1, by the time they were chased out of power, the naira was already exchanging for close to N200."
We have written our own development testimonial in our own ink and they have written the testimonial of their failure in their own ink."
Candidate of the APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki said the Edo progress cannot be put on the reverse by the PDP, adding "we will continue with what Oshiomhole has started; he has built roads, schools, hospitals, so we will continue with the next phase with human capital development."
He said the Leventis Farm which has been shut for a long time now will be re-opened and will provide over 10,000 jobs for youths of the area.
He hailed Governor Adams Oshiomhole for establishing the Edo
University in Iyamho, saying the university which is world-class will be appreciated by people of the state in the next 20 years.
Over 2,000 people led by Hon Peter Iyhu decamped to the APC from the PDP at the rally.
By Nwabueze Okonkwos ONITSHA – The Chief Ralph Uwazuruike-led Biafra Independence Movement/Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, BIM/MASSOB declared yesterday that the condition of Ndigbo in the country have gradually being elevated from second to third class citizens to the extent that they have now become endangered species and as such could be prevented from occupying any public office in Nigeria in future.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra state, by Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha shortly after their monthly meeting at Ojukwu memorial Library (Auditorium), in new Owerri, Imo state, BIM/MASSOB expressed concern that Ndigbo are still being treated as inferior subjects and looked at with scornful eyes, adding that Igbo citizens have remained prime targets in every violence across the country with little or no intervention from federal government.
Mocha who described the condition Ndigbo are facing in Nigeria today as worrisome, further stated that Igbo citizens had even been relegated to the background in the unworkable contraption called Nigeria.
BIM/MASSOB specifically cited the gruesome murders of Ndigbo in recent times without any provocation in some Northern states by muslim extremists as examples, adding, “we have been massacred in the north, our women raped and abducted by armed Fulani herdsmen in our local communities”.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) is partnering with France in training and equipment support for its personnel for effective service delivery. This is contained in a statement issued by the Corps spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, on Monday in Abuja.
The statement said that the Commandant-General of the corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, made the declaration during a visit to his office by GERARD Le MER , the Interior Security Attache at the France Embassy. According to the corps commandant, the partnership will help to enhance the performance of the Corps in discharging its mandate in disaster management.
He said it would also help to reposition the Private Guards Companies to assist the NSCDC and other Security Agencies on information gathering at the grassroots level. Muhammadu also told the visitor that the corps was set to to bring back normalcy to the North-East by taking over the liberated areas and providing security at the IDPs camps, especially at the entry and exit points.
According to him, the move is made in order to make the people restore confidence and feel government presence in the area. The commandant-general said that the corps, apart from involving in the protection of lives and property, is the leading agency in the protection of Critical Infrastructure and National Assets in Nigeria.
He also said that the Corps had recorded significant achievements in curbing acts of vandalism, bunkering and stemming the tide of illegal refineries since its establishment. According to Muhammadu, the Corps as a critical stakeholder in disaster management, has already deployed 2,300 personnel to the North-East, while 2,700 shall be joining them soon.
According to him, all these security measures are being put in place to re-assure the victims of insurgency that peace has returned to their communities and that they are free to return home. Responding, Le MER said the embassy was poised to collaborate with the Corps in the area of training and intelligence information sharing.
He said that as the Interior Security Attache at the embassy he was pleased with the role of the NSCDC in the protection of Critical Infrastructure. According to him, the Corps needs to be supported with modern technologies for effective monitoring and operation.
Abuja – Sub-contractors handling projects at the housing estate being constructed by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) have urged the union to settle their outstanding liabilities of N177.1 million.
The spokesman of the sub-contractors, Obinna Okoli, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
The sub-contractors were hired by the main contractor, Brooke Moore International Ltd. in 2011 to handle various work ranging from electrical installations to plumbing at PENGASSAN’s housing estate, Lakogoma, Abuja.
He said that soon after commencing the work, the union told them that it had taken over the work from the main contractor and would henceforth deal with them directly.
He said since then only two payments were made to them in 2011 and 2012 after which everything stopped.
Okoli said in February 2014, the union, through its representative, one Hassan, conducted a verification to ascertain the level of work done by each sub-contractor.
He said the union promised that it would pay them off to enable it take over the remaining work.
He said the union, however, went ahead to settle their claims in installments, adding that after the first payment in March 2014, it reneged on its promise.
“We have not received any payment since 2014 and some of us have been going through difficulties as they borrowed the money to do the work,” Okoli said.
The spokesman said they had written several letters to the former and present executives of the union but were yet to get any response.
“We even engaged a lawyer who gave them a 10-day ultimatum but nothing was heard.”
He appealed to the executive of the union to settle the liabilities to save the contractors from further hardship.
“ We still have an outstanding payment of over N177.1 million to be paid by PENGASAN.”
Obinna said they were determined to pursue their claims, stressing that the sub-contractors would go to court if the union failed to settle the money.
When NAN contacted PENGASSAN's President, Mr Francis Johnson, he said he was aware of the case.
“I am aware of the case but I will get back to you when I go through their letter.''
Abuja – The Federal Government and Global Steel have signed an agreement for the resuscitation of the Nigeria Iron Ore Mining Company (NIRONCO), Itakpe.
The signing of the agreement, which took at the State House, Abuja on Monday, is aimed at revamping the Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi state.
Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals signed on behalf of the Federal Government while Mr Pramod Mittal, Chairman of Global Steel, signed on behalf of the company.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who presided over the event, urged the parties to stick to the terms of the agreement in order to achieve the objective of revamping the Itakpe and Ajaokuta companies within the agreed time.
“There are specific agreements that have been reached; there are specific conditions that have to be met and there are time lines which have been set in the agreements.
“I think it is very important that we keep to those timelines, and that we observe those agreements as faithfully as possible.
“There is no question at all that there might be situations where there might be slip offs of one kind or the other.
“But I hope that we might be able to accommodate each other in the spirit of the mediation and ensure that we keep the objective in sight.
“Which is, to make sure that this concession works and that eventually we are able to free up Ajaokuta for business as quickly as possible.''
The vice president noted that the signing of the agreement was unique which informed the presence of the media and other stakeholders.
“We are reasonably familiar with the history of all of what we have experienced with Ajaokuta and the iron mining corporation as well.
“It is very clear that this is one of those terrible failures of just basically getting things done over the years.
“I think that somehow or the other we let the ball drop so many years ago and somehow, we couldn't get this back on track.
“Unfortunately, it has cost us a lot; the fact that we had an Ajaokuta Steel for so long and we had the iron mining company for so long and yet produced absolutely nothing is by itself a tragedy of immense proportions,'' he said.
Osinbajo, however, noted that it was a good thing that the country is now able to recover from all that and move towards getting things right.
He stated that everybody in Nigeria keeps talking about what the nation can do with steel, adding that it was “so obvious that steel is such an important requirement and we spent so much on it.
“This is possibly the first concrete step towards ensuring that all of our complaints are dealt with and that we are able to, not too long from now, produce our own steel.
“So that we can save ourselves some foreign exchange and create jobs and opportunities for local investments and local individuals who would be interested in working with us on steel.''
The vice president said that parties should not only congratulate themselves for the feat but also hold themselves to account in the next few months, which according to him would be absolutely critical.
He thanked Global Steel for being a useful partner in getting things done.
Osinbajo expressed optimism that the present administration would work closely with Mittal to ensure that both the iron ore mining company and Ajaokuta Steel operated efficiently.
Fayemi had recalled that in 2008, the Umaru Yar'Adua administration revoked the Itakpe resuscitation contract that was concessioned to Global Steel by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2005.
The concessioning was to last 10 year.
He added that since the contract was revoked, both parties had been in arbitration and later went into mediation, which result is the current agreement signing.
The minister said the determination of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to diversify the economy ignited the effort to ensure that Itape and Ajokuta came alive again.
According to him, the agreement to return the Iron Ore Mining Company to Global Steel was reached in London in June to enable it to complete its concession and ensure that Ajaokuta reverts back to the federal government.
Fayemi said that in executing the agreement other areas such as the rail transportation and ports issues would be addressed by the Ministry of Transportation.
He said that the Iron Ore Company was the core supplier of raw materials for major steel companies in the country and that government had spent $3.3 billion to import steel products since.
He said there was enough iron ore deposit to sustain the local needs, especially the Ajaokuta and Delta steel company, Aladja, and thanked the Vice President for presiding over the execution agreement.
“It is our expectation that at the end of the review that is going to follow this execution we would have brought the Nigeria Iron Mining company back into full functioning.
“And also start the process of retaking the Ajaokuta plant and then putting it out to interested bidders who are already showing keen interest in its resuscitation,'' he said.
He said the process would move the country from being a minerals nation to a mining nation and enable the country to process and add value to the mineral resources before exportation.
Mittal in a speech said that his company started operations in the country in 2004 with determination to produce steel for the country.
He said the process was long but it was important that the steel sector was developed fast to speed up other types of development in the country.
He said the company was poised to produce three million tons of steel in three years but added that for effectiveness the company would need rail, gas and power supplies.
Mr Howard Richardson, the mediator, said that the mediation gave the best opportunity for wisdom and common sense to prevail and to give the steel industry in the country the best of all possible starts in the future.
Lagos – The University of Lagos on Monday says it will go ahead with its screening of prospective candidates for admission into the 2016/2017 academic session as scheduled.
The institution's Deputy Registrar, (Information), Mr Toyin Adebule, said this in an interview in Lagos.
Adebule gave the university's position against the backdrop of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) withdrawing the list of recommended candidates for admission, earlier sent to the various universities.
JAMB in the statement signed by its Head of Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, stated that the withdrawal was to ensure that the senate of each of the universities performs its statutory functions.
NAN reports that UNILAG had, last month, announced that it would begin screening candidates, who chose the institution as their first choice with a cut-off point of 200 and above, between Wednesday Aug. 3, 2016 and Aug. 24, 2016.
?“We want to inform the public that our screening, for candidates that will be admitted for the 2016/17 academic session, will still hold scheduled from Aug. 3, 2016 to Aug. 24, 2016.
“It is true that JAMB had sent a list to us, which it had considered as those who met our cut-off point.
“It is this same list that it had withdrawn to allow the universities carry out their admission process as required by the law setting up their senates.
“There are statutory functions meant for all university senates, among which admissions is part one.
“It is only after selecting the candidates for admission that the senate refers the list to JAMB for confirmation in line with the admission criteria of merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states.
“And so, it is only proper for JAMB to have taken this step, realising that it had taken over the job of the universities' senates,'' he told NAN.
Adebule, however, added that the withdrawal of the list did not interfere with UNILAG's proposed plan to screen its candidates.
He reiterated that candidates would be screened based on the authenticity of their results and their course combination.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, yesterday ordained a total of 8,151 persons to assist the mission to administer the fast growing church. The figure is 19 short of the 9,170 persons that were ordained last year.
The newly ordained 4,412 deacons and 3,739 deaconesses were admonished to give priority to the Word of God and pray in their individual lives and ministry for them to do exploits in their various calling.
President/founder of Doulos Ministries, Pastor Charles Achonwa made the appeal in a sermon while admonishing the newly ordained ministers during the ongoing 64th annual Convention of RCCG, at the Redemption Camp, Kilometer 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Speaking on a topic titled: “Thy Word is settled”, Pastor Achonwa explained that for any minister of God to enjoy the fullness of God, he/she must allow the Word of God to change their attitude, lifestyle and also activate it in their individual lives.
Decrying the decrease in preaching the genuine Word of God and making of disciples among Christians, Achonwa called on the newly ordained ministers to live up to their responsibilities by preaching true Word of God which, according to him, can grow into Christ disciples and make great impact in their ministerial assignments.
In his words: “The Word of God that is settled in heaven must be activated on earth. The word that created everything can be applied to change anything, arise and activate the Word. God’s word is so important that He has exalted it above His name”.
Warning the congregation against spiritual dormancy, the cleric said active word of God brings deliverance, victory over sin, flesh and devil, adding that genuine men of God dominate through the spoken word of God.
“If you stir up the word in your heart as burning fire, it will burst from your mouth as living fire”, he said.
Bishop Seun Adeoye of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministry (SGTM) Okinni, Osun State, who embarked on a one man protest in Osogbo against the Federal Government’s hike in fuel price from N87 to N145 has raised an alarm over the storming of his residence, yesterday, by heavily armed policemen.
File : One-man protester Bishop Adeoye
Bishop Adeoye in a statement on Monday, described the visit to his residence as unusual and uncalled for.
The one-time Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state noted that the police mission to his residence may not be unconnected with his critical assessment of policies of both the FG and that of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.
He said: "I belong to a class of people who will not close their eyes to injustice and maladministration. I cannot withstand government's anti-democratic ethos in a society expected to treat its people equally. I cannot choose to be mute and deaf when people are hungry and dying because of bad economic policies.
"If saying the truth is an offence, I am ready to die for it. As I mentioned during my protest, things are becoming more difficult for Nigerians and our government appeared not to have answers to myriads of problems facing the nation. I said Nigeria is in chain and I have not been proved wrong.
"I was surprised to see six stern looking and fully armed policemen storm my house on Sunday morning. They claimed to have come from Zone XI Command looking for some miscreants. Only one of the policemen wore uniform while others were on vests bearing police and they didn't come with any police vehicle but a private car.
"First of all, there was no report of any threat to peace or crime in my area at Hallehuyah Estate and till now we haven't heard of any. Secondly, my house was not the only one in the neigbhourhood, yet mine was the only one visited.
"Although, I was not harassed by them but this mission to my house is still suspicious. Adequate report of this case is being made at appropriate quarters but I need to raise alarm. I cannot be afraid but I must not keep quiet as well" he stated.
Bishop Adeoye said he was unmindful of clandestine move by agents of the state against members of his group, the Civil Societies Coalition of Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) which had stood firmly behind the suspended Justice Folahanmi Oloyede and defended her before the National Judicial Commission (NJC) and has exposed the pathetic mis-governance in the state.
"It appears our hard-earned democracy is about to be jeopardized by those who contributed nothing to it but are fortunate to find themselves in the positions of authority.
"It will be sad if state security apparatus such as the Army, the Police, the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and other paramilitary forces are being used as weapons of destruction by those in government against all their perceived enemies.
"Creating an atmosphere of fear is not the best for our democracy. We are granted certain rights in our constitution. If Nigerians are denied these rights, then, anarchy will be the order of the day. A little spark can cause a serious fire which can consume anyone", he added.
FORMER Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kano State, Abubakar Mahmoud, has emerged as the new President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
The new NBA President was elected at the 2016 National Elections held in Abuja, in contested election conducted through e-voting.
Mahmoud polled 3,055 votes to defeat Joe-Kyari Gadzama who polled 2,384 votes.
Abubakar-Mahmoud
The position of General Secretary was won by Mr. Olagunju Isiaka who polled 2,721 votes against Yamah Desmond who scored 2,510 votes.
Mr. Dajan Gal emerged as the first Vice President with 4,057 votes and Mr. Monday Ubani, second Vice President with 4,375 votes.
Olagunju Isiaka polled 2,721 votes to emerge General Secretary as against Yama Desmond who secured 2,510 votes.
Announcing the results in the early hours of Monday, the chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee, Mr. Ken Mozia (Senior Advocate of Nigeria) said both the first and second Vice Presidents emerged unopposed.
Ohagba Loe polled 2,402 votes to emerge first Assistant Secretary, while Balogun Oyeyemi emerged Legal Adviser with 3068 votes as against Onwuzuike Christopher who polled 2,043 votes.
The election was monitored by the Deputy Director, Legal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mariam Musa.
This is the first election conducted through electronic voting by the Nigerian Bar Association.
At the end of the E-voting process, the Chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee, Ken Mozia announced the result while the outgoing President of the Association advised contestants who lost the election to shun acrimony.
The new NBA President, Mahmoud in his response promised that the new executive will hit the ground running once they are sworn in.
The new executives of the NBA are expected to be sworn on August 26, 2016 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has frowned at ministers of the gospel growing beards in the name of new fashion, just as he declared that as tough as things are in the nation today, “we are not owing anybody any salary.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye
“I don’t want to see any of my pastors looking like fellows from the training camps of Al-Qaeda,” he said, stating that any elderly person who cannot show the noble journey for the youths in terms of dressing is not worthy to be described as an elder.
According to him, the youths are young and they don’t know where they are going, but if you watch closely you will find that they don’t know where they are going, noting “they often look up to their fathers for direction but if a father himself does not know what he is doing then there something wrong.
“The youths don’t respect an elder that looks like them. You are supposed to be their guiding light after they have fooled around,” Adeboye stated, saying pastors should be clean shaven at all times and must not in any way grow beards that will portray them as persons of different persuasion.
He also decreed that anybody who brings tribalism into the church should either leave the church immediately or will soon die like Annanais and Sapphira.
In the same vein, he said no pastor has the church’s blessing to impose Yoruba songs as part of the church sevice in other parts of the country, emphasising the need for pastors in other parts of the country to encourage the locals to sing and rejoice in their local dialects.
The 74-year General Overseer also enjoined all pastors in the church to regularly do a medical check up to avoid unnecessary and sudden deaths that can be avoided if the proper thing is done.
Worried about various reports of arranged marriages among brethren some of which have been linked to various disruptions in several relationships, Pastor Adeboye also decreed that no RCCG pastor should be seen to be involved in arranging marriages among brethren in the church.
We recall that Pastor Adeboye has earlier counselled youths of the church on marriage, saying “don't ever marry outside the church and you have no reason to marry outside RCCG. The reason is that if you are both from the same church even when trouble comes it is easier for the pastors to handle it!
“Don't marry a girl simply because she can sing! In the choir there are some people that can sing but they are fallen angels! Marry a prayer warrior! If a girl cannot pray for one hour, don't marry her.
“Don't marry a girl who is lazy! Don't marry a girl who cannot cook, she needs to know how to do chores and cook because you cannot afford to be eating out all the time.
“Don't marry a girl who is worldly! If you do, you have carried what you'll worship for the rest of your life!” he advised.
The General Overseer also announced the establishment of an Investigation Committee to assist the mission on issues bordering on security.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that the September 10 governorship election in Edo state would be conclusive.
Sam Olumekun, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the state, gave the assurance in Benin on Monday during the commission's voter education implementation meeting.
"We want to assure the people that we are prepared to conduct a conclusive governorship election on September 10," he said.
INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu
Olumekun explained that inconclusive elections were not about INEC, and attributed them to incidents of violence and thuggery.
He said the meeting was to critically x-ray the effective ways to sustain voter education ahead of the election.
He added that elections and electioneering were difficult because politicians saw politics as a do-or-die thing.
"We thank God that the 2011 election was a watershed, while the 2015 got a global acceptance as credible," he said.
Participants at the meeting called for collaboration between INEC and critical stakeholders, including the media, civil society organisations, persons with disability, to ensure effective education of the electorate.
The ambition of High Chief Raymond Dokpesi for the chairmanship position of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has gotten a major boost as the Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue states chapters have vowed to work for his success at the National Convention billed for August 17, at Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
He received a carnival-like reception at Nasarawa where party faithfuls and delegates lined the popular Lafia-Jos road to receive him at the party’s secretariat.
Dokpesi was scheduled to visit Benue first on Monday before meeting delegates from Nasarawa state but he had to branch the Lafia secretariat as hundreds of party faithfuls lined up the street to welcome him.
Dokpesi
The chairman of PDP Nasarawa state and a former lawmaker, Hon. Francis Orogu, said Dokpesi has the best credentials to lead the party.
He urged Dokpesi to end impunity and imposition in the party which he attributed as the failure of the PDP in previous elections in the state.
“If there is hope for PDP, it is in Nasarawa. We have been shortchanged by the national body in the past. When you get there, don’t let impunity continue. These delegates are yours. You have more than any other candidates to give to this party and we will vote for you,” Orogu said.
Other speakers including former deputy governor, Prof. Onje Gyawado assured Dokpesi of their support at the national convention.
Earlier, during his visit to delegates in Kogi on Sunday, the women leader of PDP Kogi state, Chief Margaret Orebiyi, corroborated the party chairman, Hon. Sam Uhuotu, saying that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is already jittery over the credentials of the High Chief
Meanwhile, Dokpesi, assured the delegates that when elected into office, he will end the reign of imposition of candidates in the party.
“PDP was formed to be an umbrella to protect all of us from rain, sun but after our victory in 1999, our leaders abandoned the principles of our founding fathers, which made some people to leave and led us to where we are today. We must return to the vision of our founding fathers because the PDP of today is not the same as the party that was formed in 1998,” he said.
Dokpesi and his team made up of former Chief Whip of the Senate, Victor Kassim Oyofo; former Chef of Staff in Bauchi, Mallam Shehu Musa Gadam; Edo state PDP organizing secretary, Hon. Henry Duke Tenebe; former chairman of PDP Kaduna, Chief Abubakar Gaiya Haruna and his Nasarawa counterpart, Chief Yunaha Iliya have visited 22 states.
Gov Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara warned that the state government “will deal decisively” with anyone caught desecrating the Holy Qur’an in the state.
Gov Yari
Yari made the declaration on Monday while addressing newsmen shortly after meeting with the state’s Council of Ulama Consultative Forum in Gusau.
He said the State House of Assembly would soon review its law number seven so that the culprits would be prosecuted under Shariah law if they were arrested.
He said those who committed the offence did so to perpetrate their evil machinations and called on the public to pray that such evil doers did not succeed in their mission.
The governor said the state had never experienced such situation especially since it launched the application of Shariah legal system in 2000.
He said the state government would investigate the motive behind the act which came to public knowledge during the last Ramadan fast.
He said while the state government would continue to encourage preaching against the act, it would also deploy security personnel to monitor possible places where the acts were carried out.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that mutilated pages of the Holy Qur’an were discovered in sewage in Gusau which attracted public outcry.
Abuja – A group, Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), on Monday urged the three tiers of government to extend maternity leave to six months to enable mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children.
Mr Okonkwo Sunday, the Programme Manager, Partnership for Child and Family Health and CS-SUNN, made the observation at the commemoration of this year's World Breastfeeding Week in Abuja.
It is tagged: “Breastfeeding- A key to sustainable development''.
Sunday said that scaling up of breastfeeding practices to almost universal level was estimated to prevent 823,000 annual deaths of children below the age of two years in the country.
According to him, without the extension of maternity leave to six months and non-availability of crèche in working places, the possibility of mothers imbibing by such practices is not achievable.
He called on the legislative arm of government to ensure inclusiveness in funding for maternal, child and adolescent nutrition interventions, among others.
The official said that 37 per cent of Nigerians under-five were stunted, 29 per cent underweight and 18 per cent wasted, by the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
However, Sunday attributed the development to lack of breastfeeding and funds, among other factors.
He identified full implementation of the National Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (NSPAN) 2014-2019, as providing a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to tackling the problem of malnutrition.
Sunday recommended other ways to scale up the nation's nutrition status to include full and timely release of funds allocated for nutrition in this year's budget at the national and focal states.
These are Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa states. “The NSPAN is a key document to scale up of nutrition in Nigeria, if implemented.
“We appeal to the governments to provide budgetary allocation for its implementation in the 2017 budget, with emphasis on child and adolescent nutrition and timely release of funds.
“We urge the government to ensure adequate funding for nutrition interventions in the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Education and at the national and state Primary Healthcare Development Agencies,'' Sunday said.
The future of Nigeria's economy seems to be getting brighter by day since President Muhammadu Buhari made the famous business trip to the People's Republic of China a few months back.
Many Nigerians have since expressed satisfaction over the success of the visit to China, which has yielded investments for Nigeria in excess of $6 billion.
The visit is said to have birthed several agreements and created potentials in different sectors of Nigerian economy, including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation. It was on this backdrop that some consummate private sector drivers who formed part of the trip tapped into opportunities provided by the tour sought to attract some conglomerates to invest in Nigeria.
Highlight of the trip was the business agreement sealed between an indigenous firm, the Urban Tech Engineering Limited and China CAMCE Engineering Company Limited in collaboration with DLK Engineering Limited. This deal has paid off as the China CAMCE Engineering Company Limited, has already given a nod to come into Nigerian market with zeal and commitment to invest huge amount running into several billions of US dollars in some selected areas of Nigeria's business life.
In fact, the firm has indicated its interest to get the largest chunk of her country's $60 billion funds, set outside to develop investments in Africa to invest in Nigeria. This huge money would be invested in projects under the Public Private Partnership, PPP, and Build Operate and Transfer, BOT, schemes without asking the government for a dime or contract sum.
China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd (CAMCE) an incorporated company affiliated to China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), has shown interest to participate in the areas of; Power, Railway, Oil and Gas, Housing, Agriculture, Mining , Healthcare and Road Construction, etc. CAMCE has successfully undertaken about a hundred large-scale international turn-key projects, complete equipment import and export projects and investment projects around the world over the past years. It is on this account that a delegation from China CAMCE Engineering Company Limited, led by Mr. Yu Tao, had recently paid a visit to Nigeria.
The CAMCE delegation while in the country, had undertaken a tour of three South Eastern states of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi as well as Delta State, where issues of business interests and areas were outlined. Principally, the visited states indicated serious interest in the commitment of CAMCE to partner with its Nigerian collaborators to make a difference in the life of the nation.
Speaking with Vanguard on the benefits of CAMCE's mission to Nigeria, the Secretary/Legal Adviser of Urban Tech engineering Limited, Barrister Andy Chinemelu Nwaizugbe recalled that the Nigerian team interfaced with the management of CAMCE in pursuance of the assuming Nigeria cooperation.
He said, "when we went to China during the time of the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to China, we went to their head office and we had several meetings with them. And subsequently they sent a delegation to Nigeria. And that delegation was here for about six days. During the visits, the partnerships are mostly centred in the areas of power generation, natural resource exploitation.
The delegation, while in Ebonyi State, had useful discussions with the state authorities to invest in the areas of mining, Power, the Rice mills projects, Salt deposits, and gold mine, which the state is endowed with. Ebonyi state was interesting when the delegation visited the Rice Mill, where they used the hoarse to generate about 5 megawatts of electricity, which is scattered all over the state.
In Enugu State, the issue of coal to power generation top on agenda of business discussion the delegation held with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu. Governor Ugwuanyi made the delegation to understand that there were about 17 companies/industries that are moribund to which he was looking forward to resuscitating.
However, the number of megawatts of electricity expected from the coal to power initiative, according to the meeting would be determined by the quantity of the raw material available.
In the area of agriculture, it was also agreed the CAMCE establish Staple Crops Processing zone in Enugu State, which runs to Adani and Omowun in Anambra State and some parts of Kogi state, to an extent. Upon arrival, they have interfaced officially with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, with respect to the Staple Processing zone. UNIDO did the feasibility study on that.
It also met with the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Audu Ogbe and his Minister of State, Heineken Lokpobiri, who assured them of the Federal Government's commitment to grant them tax free haven and create a level playing ground for their business. After this, they also met with the team from Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, NIPC, where other investments that they could participate in were outlined, which essentially formed a summery of their visit.
While in Anambra, the delegation had useful discussions with Governor Willie Obiano and other relevant government agencies including the Anambra State Investment Protection Agency, ASIPA.
Governor Obiano accorded the delegation, accompanied by Nigerian partners warm reception, where issues of construction of power plants, transportation, a cargo airport which is supposed to be sited somewhere in Anam area of the state were discussed.
The Cargo Airport project is conceptualised to be the biggest cargo airport in the West Africa. It will also serve as a filling station for fuelling and gassed up for aircraft.
Also in Anambra State they talked about Agriculture partnering with the Agric ministry in terms of provision of heavy machinery equipment for mechanized farming. Delta state was another place the team struck a major breakthrough in its quest to conquer the Nigerian market. In Delta State, the discussion was on industrial park. The team met with the Commissioner for industry because the Governor was unavoidably absent.
They had useful discussion about building Industrial Park in the three of the Senatorial districts in the state. They also talked about stadium, Umunede Race Park, Petrochemical Plank, among others.
On the account of this positive beginning, Barr. Nwaizugbe declared that "This is one of the biggest Chinese companies that entered Nigerian market," adding, "They are coming with their money and to stay with us here".
"They are not here to look for money but only to get guarantee of safe business environment," he added.
On whether the Federal and state governments would give them the concession to do all these, the Company Secretary noted that, "I don't see why not." Barr. Nwaizugbe said the Federal Government is encouraging PPP and there is no money anywhere and the President has said "if you want to partner with Nigeria you must show consistency and passion for this government."
On his part, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Yu Tao, assured that CAMCE was storming Nigerian market for good, to light up entire business spheres in Nigeria just like it had done in other countries around the world.
Mr. Tao said the conglomerate was on mission to replicate innovations in engineering, investment and trade in Nigeria and as well determine to achieve a greater success here.
The Urban Tech Engineering Limited incorporated in 1999, has executed many contracts for the banking industry, ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs in the last 16 years of existence.
With offices in Santiago California, USA, the United Kingdom, UK, and Europe even as plans are on top gears to open the Chinese office. The firm which has a retired Director in the nation's civil services, Mr. Kingsley Agha as Managing Director/CEO, has also participated in consultancy services and oil and gas industries contracts.
Lagos – The new Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Abdul-Majid Ali, on Monday promised to deploy robust intelligence in tackling the rising crime and criminality in Lagos and Ogun States.
“My mission is to have modern, people-oriented and effective policing of the command through community/public relations and robust intelligence,'' Ali said on assumption of duty in Lagos.
The police chief also promised to mop up hoodlums in Ikorodu, Arepo, Igando, Ibafo and other adjoining areas.
“The command has zero tolerance for cultism and any officer that engages in hooliganism will be made to face the full wrath of the law,'' he added.
Ali said that the police high command had already given matching orders to Commissioners of Police to perfect strategies to root out criminals in their states.
“We are re-energising and strategising on ways to mop up the hoodlums.
“It is crystal clear that with the present security challenges in the zone, there is definite need for paradigm shift.
“There will be general overhauling of policing strategies and ideological perspectives in having effective security of lives and property in the zone,'' said the police chief.
He warned police officers and men against any unprofessional conduct.
Ali took over the Police Zone 2 Command from Mr Bala Hassan who has retired from the force.
Lagos – Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says the Federal Government is committed to ensuring every Nigerian has access to food within the next few years.
The minister gave the assurance during the factory tour of Erisco Foods Ltd., on Monday in Lagos.
He said, “The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that our economy recovers to a level where we can create jobs for our people, we can also rebuild our image as a great nation.Ogbonnaya Onu
“No great nation can be considered great if that country cannot feed its citizens. The government is determined to feed its citizens.
“The journey has started, it is not an easy journey, but I believe that by the grace of God we will achieve it.
“Many other countries have done so. China with 1.4 billion citizens feeds its citizens, so we do not have any reason whatsoever with a population of less than 200 million.
“We should be able to feed our own citizens.”
According to him, manufacturing most of our needs locally will assist the country to achieve food security and build a resilient economy against global economic shocks.
The minister said that the government was working assiduously by stimulating economic growth, adding that patronage of locally produced goods would ensure sustainable development.
He commended Erisco Foods, adding that its production would assist in job creation, waste reduction, poverty alleviation and diversification of the economy.
Mr Eric Umeofia, the Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Foods, urged the government to formulate policies that would enable indigenous manufacturers achieve its food sufficiency agenda.
Umeofia said that government’s agenda geared towards diversification of the economy through industrialisation would only be realised with favourable policy formulation and implementation.
According to him, the “Buy Made-in-Nigeria Product” slogan can only thrive with genuine patronage from Nigerians.
He urged the government to ban imported tomato paste to support local manufacturers.
He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to improve its foreign exchange allocation to genuine manufacturers for purchase of raw materials and machinery acquisition.
Dr Gloria Elemo, Director-General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO), commended the technology and manufacturing methods adopted by Erisco Foods.
According to Elemo, I believe with the facility here we will soon be exporting tomato paste and not have it for local consumption alone.
Mr Dele Komolafe, the representative of the Association of Agricultural Products and Equipment Manufacturers in Nigeria, urged the government to support manufacturers' drive to industrialise the country.
He said, “We are of the firm belief that indigenous manufacturers should be given a chance to prove the capacity to feed the nation.
“Just like the former Prime Minister of Indian trusted Indians when he banned the importation of rice, tomato and other food items, we are trusting that our indigenous manufacturers will live up to expectation.
“He told Indians to eat food items available until they will be able to cultivate rice, tomato in the next farming season.
“Today, Indians are food sufficient.
“We, indigenous manufacturers, are very ready to meet all tomato needs in this country by December and begin to export by 2017 if our members get the required support from the government."
Lagos – A 28-year-old man, Modiu Diallo, who allegedly defiled a 7-year-old girl in a mosque was on Monday arraigned in a Surulere Magistrates' Court, Lagos.
The accused with no fixed address is facing a three-count charge bordering on rape.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the accused committed the offence at about 6:00a.m., on July 13, at Iponri Central Mosque, Surulere, Lagos.
He alleged that the accused carried out the act in a house of God without minding the consequences.
“It is a shameful act and that should not be condoled, “she said.
The offence contravened Sections 135 (2) and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.
The Magistrate, Mrs Ekpaye Nwachukwu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500, 000, with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till Sept. 20 for mention.
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
Hillary Clinton on Sunday sharply criticized Donald Trump over his “absolute allegiance” to Russian policy aims, saying it raised both “national security issues” and new doubts about his temperament.
Trump, her Republican rival in the race for the White House, responded defiantly, saying that he had “no relationship” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and had never met nor spoken to him by phone, but that “if our country got along with Russia, that would be a great thing.”
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump AFP PHOTO
He said in an ABC interview that he was not about to disavow it if Putin praised him as a “genius” (some Russian speakers say “colorful” was a better translation of the word).
But perhaps further fanning controversy, Trump added that as president he would at least consider acknowledging Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the Ukrainian territory that Russia annexed in 2014 in the face of widespread international condemnation.
“The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia,” Trump said.
He said, however, that he was not involved in Republicans’ softening of their platform language to remove a call to provide Ukraine with lethal weaponry.
The dispute over Russia is part of a broader disagreement over US engagement abroad, as Trump argues that a weakened America must retrench and demand greater contributions from its allies, while Clinton asserts that decades-old US commitments to foreign partners must be maintained.
– Backlash over emails –
Clinton, in her comments, was responding on “Fox News Sunday” to allegations of Russian involvement in leaks of Democratic Party emails that embarrassed her on the eve of the just-ended Democratic national convention.
As that convention was underway, Trump urged Russia to find and release several thousand emails that disappeared from Clinton’s private server while she was secretary of state.
“Russia, if you’re listening,” Trump said then, “I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will be mightily rewarded by our press.”
That call, of a sort nearly unprecedented in US presidential politics, drew sharp rebukes from Democrats and some Republicans.
US cybersecurity experts said it raised questions about whether Russia had attempted to influence the American campaign in Trump’s favor. Leaked emails published by WikiLeaks revealed the distrust of some key Democratic leaders of Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s former rival for the Democratic nod.
Trump’s seeming encouragement of Russian hacking, Clinton told Fox, “raises issues about Russian influence in our election.”
“And for Trump to both encourage that and to praise Putin despite what appears to be a deliberate effort to try to affect the election, I think, raises national security issues.”
– ‘Not temperamentally fit’ –
When an interviewer noted that Trump had claimed he was being sarcastic, Clinton replied: “If you take the encouragement that Russians hack into email accounts, if you take his quite excessive praise for Putin, his absolute allegiance to a lot of Russian wish-list foreign policy issues,” it suggests that “he is not temperamentally fit to be president and commander-in-chief.”
Trump had earlier unnerved NATO member nations by questioning the long absolute US commitment to defend any member of the Atlantic alliance should it be attacked by Russia.
In an interview with The New York Times just before the Republican convention, Trump said that if Russia attacked NATO member nations he would decide whether to come to their assistance only if he decided that they had "fulfilled their obligations to us.”
Trump has also said he might withdraw US troops from European and Asian countries if they failed to pay more for American protection.
"We are going to take care of this country first," he told The Times, "before we worry about everyone else in the world."
The father of a slain Muslim American soldier assailed Donald Trump as a “black soul” Sunday in an impassioned exchange with the Republican presidential candidate over the qualities required in a US leader.
Khizr Khan electrified the Democratic convention last week with a tribute to his fallen son that ended with a steely rebuke that Trump had “sacrificed nothing” for his country.Trump
Trump defended himself in an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” insisting he had made “a lot of sacrifices” while suggesting that Khan’s wife, who stood silent on the convention stage as her husband spoke, had not been allowed to talk.
But Khan shot back in interviews on US television news shows, while his wife Ghazala explained in a Washington Post op-ed that she had been too grief-stricken to speak.
“Without saying a thing, all the world, all America, felt my pain,” she wrote. “Whoever saw me felt me in their heart.”
Their son, US Army captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq in 2004 in a roadside explosion at the gates of a military compound.
Khan, speaking on CNN, accused Trump of lacking the moral compass and empathy needed to be the country’s leader.
“He is a black soul. And this is totally unfit for the leadership of this beautiful country,” Khan said.
Trump has courted controversy and sparked outrage during his drive for the US presidency with disparaging remarks against immigrants, Muslims and women.
His call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States has drawn criticism even from leaders of his own party.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, implicitly criticized Trump in a statement Sunday. He called Captain Khan “an American hero,” praised the sacrifices of families like the Khans, and said he agreed with them that “a travel ban on all members of a religion is simply contrary to American values.”
Yet Trump, despite his high negatives and penchant for controversy, has attracted a fervent following among working class white males, and he stands near even with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the polls.
In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Clinton took aim at Trump’s positive view of Russian President Vladimir Putin and accused him of “absolute allegiance” to Moscow’s foreign policy objectives.
Trump responded defiantly, saying in the ABC interview that he had “no relationship” with Putin, but that “if our country got along with Russia, that would be a great thing.”
The jousting on policy was overshadowed, however, by the emotional back and forth between Trump and Khan.
“I work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot,” Trump said about his sacrifices.
Trump questioned whether Clinton had been behind Khan’s address, which the naturalized Pakistani immigrant said he wrote with his wife Ghazala.
“Who wrote that? Did Hillary’s script writers write it?” Trump said in the interview.
“If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say,” Trump said, adding: “Maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say.”
– ‘A dark heart’ –
Khan said he had invited his wife to speak, but she declined, knowing that she’d become too emotional.
He said that running for president does not entitle Trump “to disrespect” the relatives of soldiers killed in combat.
“Shame on him! Shame on his family!” he told ABC News. “He is not worthy of our comments. He has no decency. He is void of decency, he has a dark heart.”
In a statement late on Saturday, Trump praised Captain Khan as “a hero to our country,” adding, “we should honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe.”
But Trump took issue with Khan’s convention night speech, including his claim that the billionaire candidate had never read the US constitution.
“While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr Khan, who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the constitution” and “say many other inaccurate things,” Trump said.
Clinton criticized Trump’s treatment of the Khans during a campaign stop at a church in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Mr. Khan paid the ultimate sacrifice in his family, didn’t he?” she told the African American congregation. “And what has he heard from Donald Trump? Nothing but insults, degrading comments about Muslims, a total misunderstanding of what made our country great — religious freedom, religious liberty.
“It’s enshrined in our constitution, as Mr. Khan knows, because he’s actually read it.
Eight prisoners were still on the loose following a jail break in Kogi Stae, while five other escapees have been recaptured, the head of the prisons service said on Sunday.
Ja’afaru Ahmed, the controller-general of prisons, said in a statement the incident happened on Saturday at Koton Karfe prison in Kogi state.
“Five pre-trial detainees out of the escapees had been recaptured with the assistance of other security agencies and local vigilante groups,” he said.
Ahmed said an inquiry has been launched into the incident.
Jail breaks are commom in Nigeria’s underfunded and crowded prisons.
Although Nigerians typically argue against the placement of aged parents under any form of external care, the spate of loneliness and neglect suffered by senior citizens in the country is becoming a cause for concern. Consequently, in a deliberate attempt to make old-age enjoyable, no fewer than six daycare centres have been billed for set-up by Care Companions Limited for senior citizens in different parts of Ogun State.
Monarchs donating lands for the non-profit project include HRM Dr. Joseph Adeogun Oguntona Ogunjobi, Oba Igbore, Orile Obafemi Owode LGA; HRH Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, Afin Olu Owode Egba; HRM Oba Fatai Akamo, Olu Of Itori Land; HRH Femi Ogunleye, Oba of Akinale; Oba Dosumu Olowu of Owu and the Alake of Egbaland, HRM Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III.
According to Mrs Elizabeth Akin-Abiola, Director, Care Companions Limited, the centres would take-off with temporary structures due to the urgent need to engage senior citizens with people of like-minds, and address the growing problem of depression amongst them; while fund is being raised for permanent structures.
Speaking while addressing a Council of Obas' meeting at the palace of the Alake of Egbaland, in company of her team of professionals, Abiola emphasized the need to bring total respite to senior citizens across the country, adding that Care Companions' services in Ogun and its environs would not be limited to providing daycare centre.
"Our services will include the provision of homecare services, live-in care, escort care services, domestic services, medication services, personal care services (including hygiene services), to mention but few, which will however not be non-profit.
These commercial services, she explained, would help address youth unemployment in the state, adding that with a minimum of O'level certification plus an unquestionable character and ability to render care services, interested youths in the state would be recruited, trained and placed by Care Companions.
Responding on behalf of the council of Obas, HRM Adedotun Gbadebo said the initiative was timely due to its double benefits- respite for senior citizens and jobs for youths. "Loneliness is bad for anyone. I remember how my aged father would look out through his window in want of somebody to chitchat with during the day when everyone had gone out. Whoever passed by, he would invite to come have lunch with him because he knew the process would afford him someone to spend time with and feel very, very happy."
High Chief Raymond Dokpesi has said that the corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will not affect his ambition to become the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stating that he is innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
Dokpesi
He said the charges cannot be used by the federal government or the All Progressives Congress, APC, to hoodwink him if he is elected as the chairman of the opposition, PDP.
He said this on Sunday during his meeting with delegates from Kwara state at the party’s secretariat in Ilorin.
“The case is in court and I don’t want to comment on it but I will not join APC or be a stooge because of it. I respect Buhari as the president of Nigeria but what he is doing now is not different from what he did as a military head of state. He locked up Nigerians for 200 years, some 150 years. As the Chief of staff of Gongola state, I was locked up and my charge was that I held political office,” he said.
“If you are an hotelier and someone spent three days in your hotel and paid for services rendered but days later, DSS came to arrest you that the money the client paid you was from illegal proceed from CBN. ….. Let me stop there as the judge will decide,” he said of his current charges.
On Sheriff, he said governors and other stakeholders are reaching out to him for reconciliation and peace.
Meanwhile, the Kwara state PDP chairman, Barrister Akogun Oyedepo, praised Dokpesi and assured him of support, stating that he had set a standard for others to follow.
“We have not seen any other candidate that can match your credentials. We will go with you because you are a pioneer. PDP that is almost crumbling needs someone like you. APC is jittery already because of Dokpesi credentials. We need to return the party to the people and that is what you are doing by meeting delegates. We have heard you and we will make you accountable for your words,” he said.
Other PDP stakeholders in the state, including Senator Idris Haliru Gunu and Senator Ajadi Makanjuola hailed his determination to lead the party.
By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – INDICATIONS emerged Sunday that security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara may be withdrawn on the orders of the Federal Government over the controversy surrounding the 2016 budget.
It was also gathered that a document linking the Majority leader of the House, Femi Gbajabimila with constituency projects worth over N4 billion which is domiciled in Osun and Niger States against the initial N1.8 billion constituency projects allocated to him was in circulation.
This is just as the secretariat of the House Appropriation Committee was on Sunday still under the watch of about four security operatives.
Security sources hinted that the withdrawal of security aides to the principal officers allegedly fingered in the budget brouhaha was ensure that there was no obstruction on the course of investigations.
Investigations revealed that the security personnel that were guiding the appropriation committee secretariat were not the regular operatives from the National Assembly.
Meanwhile about 27 civil society organisations have raised the alarm of alleged conspiracy with external forces against the leadership of the House of Representatives, saying that if nothing was done to apply caution, it would threaten the democracy in the country.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the national coordinator of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko alongside other 26 CSOs, said “It is disingenuous for the sacked Appropriation committee chairman, Abdulmumin Jibrin to make any claims of exposing massive corruption in the House, accusing speaker Yakubu Dogara of moves to personally smuggle N30bn into 2016 budget.”
He said that the understanding of the powers of the National Assembly seems to say that the legislature is constitutionally empowered to vet proposed budget since these elected officials were not rubber stamps of the president.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left), with Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe (right), being shown the Architectural design of the Eko Pearl Towers by the Chairman, Eko Pearl, Mr. Elias Saad (left) during the Governor's inspection visit to the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, LagosR-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Chairman, Eko Atlantic City, Mr. Ronald Chagoury; Special Adviser, Lagos Global, Prof. Ademola Abass; Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr. Adebowale Adesanya and Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna; during the Governor's inspection visit to the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, LagosR-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Chairman, Eko Atlantic City, Mr. Ronald Chagoury; Special Adviser, Lagos Global, Prof. Ademola Abass; Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr. Adebowale Adesanya and Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna; during the Governor's inspection visit to the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, LagosR-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his Special Adviser on Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule; Special Adviser, Lagos Global, Prof. Ademola Abass; Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Chairman, Eko Pearl, Mr. Elias Saad, admiring the Architectural design of the Eko Pearl Towers during the Governor's inspection visit at Victoria Island, LagosL-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with Chairman, Eko Pearl, Mr. Elias Saad; Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Chairman, Eko Atlantic City, Mr. Ronald Chagoury and Special Adviser, Lagos Global, Prof. Ademola Abass during the Governor's inspection visit to the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode is leading other Governors in the poll organised by the African Leadership Magazine to determine Nigeria’s top performing Governor.
The poll, tagged ‘Good Governance Polls for Nigeria's Top Performing Governor’ started two weeks ago with Governor Ambode maintaining the lead with 36.1 percent of the total votes cast.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano is closely trailing Governor Ambode with 25 percent.
The Poll, according to its organisers, was designed by the group as part of its strategic engagement tool to monitor performance and gauge the mood of the electorates in Nigeria in line with its objective of providing credible information and support to leaders in Nigeria and Africa at large.
An overwhelming 35 percent popularity rating for Governor Ambode, among other governors, clearly shows his popularity as he continues to deliver good governance, promoting infrastructural development and people-centred policies that better the lives of the people of Lagos.
Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun is in the third place with 8.8 percent, while Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike is in the fourth position with 7.9 percent of the total vote casts.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai sits in the fifth position with 5 percent, while as at press time, voting is still ongoing and is expected to close in the next four days.
By BEN AGANDE, ABUJA. Factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said that the former chairman of the board of trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih can only be readmitted into the board if he answered the query issued to him for alleged anti party activities.Alimodu-Sheriff
Senator sheriff was responding to a letter written by the secretary of the National caretaker committee, senator Ben Obi readmitting chief Anenih into the Board of trustees party.
Senator Obi had in the letter said: "With a view, to finally clearing all issues relating to this matter and based on your request to meet with the current Caretaker Committee, and the agreed meeting which took place on July 13, 2016, the Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, wishes to thank you for appearing before it to finally clear all issues relating to this matter.
"Having heard from you, and made some consultations, the Caretaker Committee has reviewed the whole episode and decided to withdraw the said letter from and by the defunct National Working Committee”.
But in a statement signed by Hon. Bernard Mikko on behalf of Sheriff, the faction noted that the “National Working Committee (NWC) issued a query to Chief Tony Anenih in April 2015 as part of disciplinary procedures for his anti party activities in Imo state during the 2015 General elections in line with Article 57(4) of the PDP Constitution 2012 (as amended). Chief Anenih did not respond to the query but chose to tender a letter of resignation as BoT member. Up till date, the query remains unanswered and his resignation remains valid.
“Any effort to re-admit the chief will have to follow due process which is well known to all party members . If the chief is desirous of returning as member of the BoT, he should re-apply to the party, with his response to the pending query for consideration. Party members are hereby assured that no individual or group will be prejudiced in the enforcement of discipline and the application of the rule of law” he said
Our attention has been drawn to a report titled, "Any Govt. owing salaries shouldn't exist- Amosun," published on page 10 of the Vanguard Newspaper on Friday, July 29, 2016.
The erroneous report, which was curiously repeated on Friday, July 29, was first published by the same newspaper on Thursday, July 28 with the title, "Any Govt. owing salaries not worth existing- Amosun."
While we are still at a loss as to why a reputable national daily would repeat the same report for two days consecutively, we are even more surprised considering the fact that the re-hashed report was not only false, but clearly a figment of the imagination of the writer.
For record purposes, we will like to state the true picture of what transpired as follows:
1. That on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, attended the opening session of the 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, which was held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
2. That the governor shortly before declaring the conference open took time to address some of the issues that the workers had slated for discussion in the course of the conference.
3. Expectedly, one of the main issues was the current financial challenges facing the nation and the inability of some states of the federation to pay salaries as and when due.
4. The Ogun State governor while addressing this issue, explained that whereas the Ogun State government was not owing salaries, in most states of the federation, governors (including himself) are having sleepless nights trying to ensure that workers are paid their wages as and when due
5. He used the situation in Ogun State as an example, stating that the revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Account in some months is not up to N1bn, whereas the state has a wage bill of over N9bn to pay on monthly basis.
6. The governor further stated that in the face of this reality, governors still have to ensure that social amenities like security, infrastructure and other social services are maintained.
7. Given this scenario, Governor Amosun explained that he and most of his brother governors are constantly under pressure to meet the needs of the workforce in their states knowing full well that "a labourer is worthy of his wages."
8. The Ogun State governor said, "I am not making a case for governors but we are Nigerians too." He added that governors are not happy when they are unable to pay salaries and they are all trying their best to ensure that workers are happy but "we are no magicians."
9. Governor Amosun said he and his colleagues are not oblivious of the need to meet the wage bills. He said, "Any business that cannot pay its workforce is not a business, including a state. A state that can't pay salaries, there is a problem. We know it, I know it and I know my colleagues know it too."
10. The governor further explained that the realization of this fact gives him and other governors sleepless nights as they work day and night to meet the needs of their people
11. The governor, therefore, solicited the support and understanding of workers at this critical time in the history of Nigeria saying that, "you are our landlords. If we are going to succeed, it is with your cooperation and support."
12. He appreciated the workforce in Ogun State for their cooperation and called for their continued support, which he said was responsible for the state's ability to pay salaries as and when due.
From the foregoing, it is clear that at no point did the governor say "states that are unable to pay salaries are not worth existing," as erroneously claimed by Daud Olatunji, the Vanguard Correspondent in Abeokuta who incidentally has been in the habit of twisting the governor's comments and reporting them out of context.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is not the first instance where the reporter in question would concoct reports totally at variance with the reality of what the governor might have said.
For instance, whereas on July 28, the Vanguard reporter falsely claimed that the governor said, "States that are unable to pay salaries are not worth existing," other newspapers that covered the same event did not have a similar report. The Sun Newspaper, for instance, correctly reported the governor as having said that "Governors Are not Magicians."
In another instance on July 20, 2016, the same Vanguard Reporter wrote a report with the headline "Salary Default: Govs Fail to Think outside the box- Amosun." Whereas there is no direct quote in the body of the report to support that misleading headline, the Guardian newspaper of the same day, correctly reported the governor with a report titled, "Govs have not been mismanaging funds, Amosun insists."
Similarly, on May 24, 2016, the Vanguard newspaper was once again the only newspaper that erroneously reported under the headline, "Poor Economy: Govs should think out of the box - Amosun." Reporting the same event, on the same day, the Nigerian Tribune's headline read, "Ogun Revenue rises by 98% – Amosun;" the Guardian reported, "Ogun Surpassed revenue target despite challenges, says Amosun;" while the Nation newspaper reported with the headline, "Amosun: diversification boosts Ogun IGR by 97 per cent."
This is a disturbing trend. We therefore hope that you would use your good offices to ensure that professional standards and integrity, for which the Vanguard newspapers, has come to be known over the years, are sustained.
Muslims attended Catholic mass in churches around France on Sunday in solidarity and sorrow following the brutal jihadist murder of a priest, the latest in a string of attacks.
More than 100 Muslims were among the 2,000 faithful who packed the 11th-century Gothic cathedral of Rouen, near the Normandy town where two jihadi teenagers slit the throat of 85-year-old Father Jacques Hamel.
“I thank you in the name of all Christians,” Rouen Archbishop Dominique Lebrun told them. “In this way you are affirming that you reject death and violence in the name of God.”
A few policemen and soldiers stood guard outside but did not conduct searches, seeking to reassure a jittery population after the second jihadist attack in less than a fortnight.
In the southern city of Nice, where a jihadist carried out a rampage in a truck on July 14, claiming 84 lives, local imam Otaman Aissaoui led a delegation of Muslims to a Catholic mass.
“Being united is a response to the act of horror and barbarism,” Aissaoui said.
Notre Dame church in southwestern Bordeaux also welcomed a Muslim delegation, led by the city’s top imam, Tareq Oubrou.
“It’s an occasion to show (Muslims) that we do not confuse Islam with Islamism, Muslim with jihadist,” said Reverend Jean Rouet.
Muslims were responding to a call by the French Muslim council CFCM to show “solidarity and compassion” over the priest’s murder on Tuesday.
Said a woman wearing a beige headscarf who sat in a back pew at a church in central Paris: “I’m a practising Muslim and I came to share my sorrow and tell you that we are brothers and sisters.”
Giving her name only as Sadia, she added softly: “What happened is beyond comprehension.”
At the Saint Leger church in the northern city of Lens, around 30 Muslims attended mass wearing T-shirts emblazoned with messages such as, “Terrorism has no religion or identity”.
Father Hubert Renard told the congregation: “We are not alone; our Muslim brothers are here too.”
Many were moved to tears during the sign of peace, a regular part of the liturgy when the faithful turn to greet each other in the pews, either shaking hands or kissing.
Muslims also attended Catholic masses in Italy, notably at Rome’s Santa Maria di Trastevere church, in response to a call by the Sant’Egidio community known for its international mediation efforts. Other joint services were held in Milan, Naples and Palermo, Sicily.
The killing of Father Hamel fanned fears of religious tensions in France and renewed recriminations over perceived security lapses.
Both of the 19-year-old attackers — Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean — had been on the intelligence services’ radar and had tried to go to Syria.
– Jihadist’s cousin charged –
Prime Minister Manuel Valls called Sunday for a new “pact” with the Muslim community in France, Europe’s largest with around five million members.
Also Sunday, dozens of prominent Muslims published a joint letter pledging: “We, French and Muslim, are ready to assume our responsibilities.”
Meanwhile a Syrian refugee who was taken in for questioning after a photocopy of his passport was found at Kermiche’s house has been released, a source close to the investigation said.
“Nothing suggests he had any involvement” in the attack, the source said.
However Petitjean’s 30-year-old cousin was charged on Sunday with “criminal association in connection with terrorism”, the Paris public prosecutor said.
The suspect, named as Farid K., “was fully aware of his cousin’s imminent violent action, even if he did not know the precise place or day,” the prosecutor said in an earlier statement.
Media reports say Petitjean and Kermiche met through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
By Tony Ubani Elegant Table Tennis star, Funke Oshonaike would lead out Team Nigeria at the Opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, at the Maracana stadium on Friday, August 5.Oshonaike
The graceful and stylish ping ponger who would be competing in her sixth Olympics is also the assistant Team captain to Mikel Obi who at the weekend was also named captain of the Football team, thereby making him a double captain to the Games.
Funke Oshonaike, no doubt, would treasure to be the flag bearer as marching with her fellow athletes in an opening ceremony is considered by many athletes as the pinnacle of their Olympic journey.
Table Tennis, is indeed, honoured with yet another player, Segun Toriola whose incredible willpower and perseverance sees him as the Nigerian with seven appearances at the Olympics.
The Opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics would also see an athlete take the Olympic Oath during the Opening Ceremony, ”In the name of all the competitors”.
Meanwhile, Seven wrestlers, five females and two males, who remain the hope of the nation in winning medals at the Summer Rio Olympics depart Nigeria today for the Games.
Expectations for medals from the wrestling team is buoyed by the fact that they are handled by one of the very good experienced coaches and a gold medalist in the sport, Daniel Igali.
The wrestlers are(females), Mercy Genesis, Odunayo Adekuruoye, Aminat Adeniyi, Blessing Oborududu and Hannah Reuben as well as two males; Amas Daniel and Soso Tamara.
”If you talk about efforts, we have done well and put in over 100% for this Games. All we need is prayers from our people and luck on the wrestlers”, Igali who won Gold medal for Canada in the Olympic said.
As many sports are complaining of inadequate preparation, Igali said that his wrestlers have been preparing for the Rio Olympics since 2013. ”We’re ready but I’m not making promises”, he modestly said. ”I’ll be happy if they will approve our sparring partners to travel. They’re the ones who keep these wrestlers in tip-top shape”.
Head Coach of the Nigeria Olympic team, Samson Siasia has appointed Chelsea midfield ace John Mikel Obi as captain of the team going into the men's football tournament of the 31st Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Making the announcement on Saturday while meeting with players and other officials, Coach Siasia said the choice of Mikel Obi was automatic as he is the captain of the Super Eagles and also the captain of Team Nigeria to the Games. “It’s just natural for me to pick Mikel as our captain.
John Obi Mikel . AFP PHOTO File photo
Aside the fact that he is the captain of the Super Eagles, he is also Team Nigeria captain, so after meeting with both of them and explaining my position, I am pleased to say Azubuike who has been our captain understood and was happy to hand over the captain's band to Mikel.
“It is a thing of joy for my team to produce the first footballer to captain Team Nigeria to the Olympics. This, to me, is more than gratifying.”
The players unanimously accepted Mikel Obi as their captain and expressed delight at the role he has been playing since he joined the team. On his part, Mikel expressed joy at being made the captain of the Dream Team and said he sees it as an honor that must yield result in Brazil.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria U23 will now depart Atlanta, United States of America for Brazil on Monday, 1st August. The earlier arrangement was for the team to depart for Brazil in batches due to difficulties in securing seats for team, but the Nigeria Football Federation decided against that movement and is now thinking of either getting them to Brazil as a team or chartering a private plane to take the team directly to Manaus, venue of the first team's first match.
The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, has confirmed that two Nigerians were killed in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.
Anyene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Port Harcourt in a telephone interview from Pretoria that the two men were killed on Friday, July 29, at different areas of Johannesburg.
President Muhammadu Buhari and President Jacob Zuma of South-Africa
He said that the first victim, Gideon Ogalaonye, an indigene of Onitsha, Anambra, was allegedly shot dead at 7 p.m. while on a visit to the residence of his daughters.
He said that the second victim, Nnamdi Michael, an indigene of Enugu state, was allegedly stabbed to death by a Zimbabwean national at Yeoville at 8 p.m on the same day.
Anyene said witnesses said the assailant first demanded money from Michael, which was not given and later attempted to forcefully remove his phone.
He said the assailant stabbed the victim, adding that Nigerians at the scene pursued and arrested him.
Anyene said: "The Zimbabwean has been handed over to the police and we will follow the case.
"The two incidents have been reported to the Nigerian mission in South Africa and the South African police.
"The Nigerian community in South Africa are not happy with the killings.
"We urge the Federal government to persuade its South African counterpart to investigate and prosecute incidents of killings of Nigerians in that country.
"We are getting worried about these incessant killings and we want the culprits prosecuted."
NAN recalls that Ikejiaku Chinedu, a 35 year-old Nigerian businessman, was killed on July 26 at Mokopane town, Limpopo Province by operatives of a private security firm.
By Tony Ubani Representatives of Team Nigeria would take the centre stage on Wednesday(August 3) by 10 a.m. when the Mayor of Rio, Eduardo da Costa Paes among other army of dignitaries welcome the largest black populated nation in the world to the Games Village of the Summer Rio Olympics.
Each team from the 206 countries is welcomed to the Village in a special ceremony led by the Village Chieftains as well as athletes and officials of the countries.
Team Welcome Ceremonies are a key occasion for athletes, team officials and their guests. It acknowledges their journey to the Games and marks the start of their residency in the Village.
The brief but impressive ceremony would see all Nigerian athletes in their national colours. The Nigerian Green, White, Green flag would be raised and the national anthem played. President of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Habu Gumel who is also a member of International Olympic Committee(IOC), and other Nigerian officials would be in attendance.
Brazilian officials have promised to make sure that the largest athletes’ Village in history provides a comfortable, welcoming and inspiring place for all the competitors. Team Nigeria would be housed in Block 11, occupying four floors with the Nigerian flag fluttering on top of their Block.
In the Village,Technogym has installed a state-of-the-art gym, P&G will be managing a beauty salon and Samsung will provide each athlete with a free smartphone on arrival.
Rangers are back on top of the Nigeria league table after they forced a 1-1 draw in the 'Oriental Derby' against champions Enyimba.
Rangers are now top of the table with 48 points from 28 matches, a point ahead of Wikki Tourists, who lost their leadership after they lost 3-0 at Akwa United, also on Sunday.
Striker Stephen Chukwude gave Enyimba the lead in the 45th minute when he fired home a low, left-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Itodo Akor off an assist by Joseph Osadiaye.
However, moments later Rangers restored parity through Godwin Aguda with a cut-back from Bobby Clement.
In other matches, Shooting Stars defeated Sunshine Stars 2-1, Lobi hammered Warri Wolves 3-0, Plateau upstaged hosts MFM 1-0 and Niger Tornadoes stopped Abia Warriors 2-1.
IfeanyiUbah extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches after they defeated Kano Pillars 2-1, while the match between Rivers United and Ikorodu United was shifted after the Port Harcourt outfit were involved in a road accident.
By LAIDE AKINBOADE-ORIERE Abuja – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday said it has withdrawn the list of recommended candidates for admission earlier sent to the tertiary institutions.
In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, he said the withdrawal is to ensure the university senate perform its statutory responsibility.
?The statement reads ; “This is to ensure that the University Senate perform its statutory responsibility of conducting the selection of candidates and refer it to JAMB for confirmation in line with the admission criteria of merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states as directed by the Hon Minister of Education at the policy committee meeting.
“The earlier list was sent to help fast track the process of admission so as to allow other tiers of institutions also conduct their admission.
“Candidates should not panic because this is part of the process of the 2016 admission exercise. JAMB regrets any inconvenience this decision would have caused the tertiary institutions
“The Board regrets any inconvenience it’s proactive step would have caused the tertiary institutions”.
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), yesterday, lamented the rising spate of attack by herdsme?n on farming communities across the country, while it called on the Federal Government to take decisive actions to disarm Fulani herdsmen, so as to stem the growing wave of attack and killings of harmless farmers.
He said “The Synod notes with dismay the prevalent attack on farming communities by Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country and demand that more decisive actions should be taken by the government to disarm the herdsmen to stem the rising wave of attack and killing of harmless farmers as this is inimical to its desire to diversify our economy through agriculture.” He also called on Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to take a defensive stand against the slaughtering of Christians in the name of protecting their religion, while he urged the three arms of government to guard the constitutional provision of freedom of worship and association enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and spare the church.
On corruption battle, the church appreciated the efforts of the government, urging the anti-corruption agencies to adopt a strategy that will cut across all arms and tiers of government, agencies and departments with carefully thought out long term institutionalize framework.
The church enjoined well-meaning Nigerians to partner the government for effective result.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the state of Osun has stated that according to a report by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Africa led the global begging troupe with a total aid outflow to Africa in 2013 at $46 billion, only followed by Asia in a distant second with $25 billion.
The governor stated while delivering keynote at the 2016 emancipation celebration of the pan African historical, arts and culture festival (PANAFEST), which held at Cape Coast, Ghana, on Friday July 29, 2016.
The governor who took participants at the event on the historical role the west played in under-developing and subjugating Africa said Africans are not yet totally free as long as she remains the poorest and the biggest beggar region of the world.
On aide being delivered to the continent, Aregbesola stated that ehe figure for Asia topped $25 billon only because Afghanistan alone got a disproportionate amount of $11 billion that year. In Africa, one out of every two persons is poor.
"In a 2015 World Bank estimate of GDP per capita, the average for sub-Saharan Africa is $1,571.3 compared to Middle East and North Africa's $7,342.3, or EU's $31,843.2, North America's monstrous $54,580 and even the world's average of $9995.6. Even then, this average is this high because a few rich countries like Seychelles has per capita income in excess of $25,000 whereas there are poorer countries whose income is less than $400."
The Ogbeni further stated that. "We are not free as long as the continent remains the hotbed of proxy wars between superpowers and now the theatre of religious and ethnic conflicts instigated by the elites and their foreign allies. Freedom and true emancipation must consist in the development of the continent's human and material resources for the benefit of its 1.2 billion people."
