A Kenyan man has lost his life after he fell off from a balcony while fighting another man he found having sex with his wife at their home in Nairobi.

Dickson Samba arrived unannounced late at night and found the man in bed with his wife.

A fierce fight between Dickson and his wife’s lover then ensued.

Dickson’s wife’s lover reportedly pushed him over the rails of the balcony and he fell from the 4th floor, losing his life on the spot.

https://www.amagitesblog.com/2018/09/kenyan-man-dies-while-fighting-another-man-he-busted-having-sex-with-his-wife-photos.html

Tinubu's Company Fingered In N100 Billion Fraud (court Documents)

A consultancy firm, Alpha Beta, owned by APC chieftain and former governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently embroiled in a N100 billion Tax Evasion, Money Laundering, and Fraud case, according to a petition filed by one Dapo Apara, its Managing director/CEO.

According to Apara’s petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Alpha Beta “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices”.

PoliticsNGR learned that in the petition, sent on his behalf by Adetunji Adegboyega ESG, his solicitors, Apara said: “Over the years the company is being protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable, but our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption, which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it’s time to expose and open the can of worms called ALPHABETA CONSULTING.

“Our client is of the firm belief that it is time for the commission to step in and conduct a holistic investigation into the activities of ALPHABETA CONSULTING LIMITED AND ALPHABETA LLP, with a view to uncovering the massive corruption, money laundering, tax evasion etc going on in the company. Kindly note that one of the companies being used to perpetrate money laundering by the company is still another company named Ocean Trust Limited.

“The only hope of our client and indeed the teeming Nigerians who are victims of the crimes being perpetrated by these companies, in seeking justice is the commission, which we strongly believe in and therefore call on the commission to cause a holistic investigation into this case and all involved with the aim of bringing these criminals to justice, and not allow their claims of being untouchable to be validated.

“Kindly note sir that as our client is willing and able to provide information to substantiate the claims, though, we will plead for these to be done through us as he is presently fearing for his life having been receiving death threats from a lot of quarters because of this case.”

Alpha Beta first became known when it was appointed as a consultant to the Lagos State Government, arguably its first client, under the tenure of Babatunde Fowler as the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.

The company got the appointment when Bola Ahmed Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State. The speculation, which has yet to be dissipated since then, is that Tinubu completely owns or is a major shareholder in the company.

In the same vein, the state has also never denied claims that the company takes about 10 percent of internally generated revenue of Lagos, estimated in 2016 to be about N40 billion every month.

View Court Documents below;

https://politicsngr.com/just-tinubus-company-fingered-n100-billion-fraud-court-documents/

As the Senate President was heading from Owerri to Abia on the Aba-Owerri road. A truck fell, causing significant traffic. Bukola Saraki stopped his convoy, got down and assisted road users. He also directed his Security team to help out.

Source: https://twitter.com/AedanAsika/status/1038074222302638080

The police in Lagos state have arrested a group of cultists that were carrying out new initiations into a newly formed secret confraternity named " THE NEW BLACK MOVEMENT OF AFRICA", a breakaway faction of the AIYE cult group, at about 12am at Jakande estate, Ajah Lagos yesterday Thursday August 6th.

A statement by the command's spokesperson, CSP Chike Oti, says one of the recruits who couldn't endure the torture and other initiation rites he was subjected, bolted for his dear life and ran to his mother's house at Jakande estate, Ajah Lagos. Miffed by the apparent show of cowardice by the intending recruit and the fact that he may give them up to the police, the group chased him to his mother's residence and began to beat up everybody in sight, at same time, robbing residents of the estate who were woken up by their noise.

Unfortunately for the group, the mother of the runaway boy, sneaked out of the house and a placed a distress call to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ilasan division, CSP Onyinye Onwuamaegbu who led a contingent of policemen to the estate and arrested eleven members of the group, all males; namely, Godwin Victor, Benjamin Daniel, Saviour Anioffiong, Lawal Ibrahim, Shola Odekunle, Sodiq Olawuyi, Segun Fagbohun, Bashiru Lawal, Chinedu Francis, Wahab Adams and Ifarinde Adeniyi.

The police team recovered the following items from the suspects, viz: one locally made shotgun, four live cartridges, three cutlasses, one sledge hammer, ten horse whips and assorted charms.

In a related development, two notorious cultists, Rasheed Yusuf aka Radical and Abel Okwo, were arrested during a supremacy battle between the Aiye and Eiye confraternities at Akerele street, Oworonshoki. Meanwhile, the said Abel Okwo was charged to court two months ago by the Command for cult related offences only to come back to terrorise the town the more.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Edgal Imohimi, vows that the Command will not relent in its efforts at ridding the state of members of these unlawful societies. He therefore calls on parents to hold heart to heart talks with their children, male and female alike, on the evil consequences of belonging to cult groups. He thanks Lagosians for always providing the Command with information about the activities of these outlaws and solicits for more cooperation.


More below:

https://zenithnaija.com/cultists-chase-new-member-to-his-home-attacked-his-entire-family-neighbors-after-he-fleed-pics/

Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, has accused the Federal Government of "deliberately corrupting the elections in Osun" by launching the Trader Moni venture in the state three weeks before its scheduled governorship elections.
In a widely publicised event, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on September 3, 2018, had launched the programme, which targeted 30,000 traders in Osun.
According to information from the programme's Twitter handle, Trader Moni is a "Federal Government empowerment scheme to help alleviate poverty in Nigeria by empowering traders and artisans".
The Federal Government budgeted N300,000,000 to "empower" traders in Osun, and the loan is expected to be repaid within six months, after which the traders can access higher amounts.
However, Ezekwesili berated the timing of the launch in Osun, stating that "such behaviour after the grand corrupting of voters in Ekiti is reprehensible".
SahareReporters had reported that for traders to access the N10,000 loan, they had to provide evidence of having registered for the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).http://saharareporters.com/2018/09/07/ezekwesili-hits-fg-deliberately-corrupting-osun-voters-n10000-business-loan

Quote:Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja



The Nigerian Medical Association says errant doctors can no longer be punished because President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to reconstitute the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria Council which he dissolved three years ago.

The NMA , therefore , gave the President till the end of September to set up the MDCN or face serious backlash from Nigerians.

The President of the NMA , Dr Francis Faduyile, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Faduyile stated that this was the decision of the National Executive Council of the NMA at a meeting in Osogbo , Osun State.

The MDCN is the professional health regulatory agency for the professions of medicine , dentistry and alternative medicine in Nigeria .

It is also in charge of disciplining errant doctors and enforcing global best practices.

Faduyile, however , wondered why such an important organ would be dissolved for so long .

He explained that most members of the MDCN were statutory members . Some of them include the NMA President , the secretary of the NMA and the Director of Hospital Services from each state .

Faduyile said Buhari only needed to nominate one person for the council to be set up but that he had failed to do so for the last three years.

He said , “As it is, medical practice in Nigeria is highly unregulated because the council is not in place . 

Those who had run afoul of the rules through negligence or gone against the physician pledge outright cannot be prosecuted and this is necessary as it is in the interest of the public .

“We want the public to rise up . The undergraduate medical curriculum has not been regularly updated and the world is leaving us behind .

“ For your information , the President of Nigeria needs to appoint just one nominee because every other member of the council is a statutory member. I don’ t know why it is difficult and because of that , the NMA has decided to defend the health of Nigerians.

“ By September 30 , if the council is not constituted , we will take decisive action so that you will know that we are serious about it . 

It is not about money but the health of the public . I want members of the public to join us in telling the President of the country that enough is enough, we want the health of our people to be properly taken care of . ”

The NMA boss said the association would soon approach the courts for proper interpretation on the MDCN matter.

Quote:ABUJA – A former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido has described as questionable, the integrity credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari. *Sule Lamido Lamido who addressed journalists after submitting his nomination forms at the party’s headquarters yesterday said the party would be coasting home to victory if he is given the ticket of the party. 

He said, “There have been integrity before Buhari, there have been honesty in Nigerian before Buhari. So, integrity is not an invention of the All Progressives Congress, APC. “Before Buhari , even our anthem says the labour of our heroes past. Before Buhari, we had Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aminu Kano, Tafawa Balewa and these are people of integrity. And Buhari has never for once, paid tribute to them. “Wherever he goes, he destroys history, reinvent it, re-write it and say he his the only person with integrity. 

Before Buhari, there have been integrity, honesty and he is going to leave all these behind. Beyond and after Buhari there will be Nigeria. So Buhari integrity is a fraud.” On his chances at the polls if given the ticket, Lamido stated that his consistency stands him out among other aspirants. “I am not bragging. This party has gone through hell. In 2015 hell was unleashed on us. 

So here in this house we have been brothers and sisters, consistent, steadfast and we are ready to do everything to save Nigeria. “And so in picking the Presidential candidate of the PDP, the choice is beyond PDP, it is also a choice of Nigerians.

The nonagenarian wondered why the police authorities are going after four junior officers who were merely carrying out instructions from their superiors.

Quote:Godwin Tsa and Molly Kilete, Abuja



Elder statesman and leader of the South-South region, Chief Edwin Clark, has revealed the identity of top police officers allegedly involved in the raiding of his Abuja residence on Tuesday on information that he was stockpiling arms in his house.

Clark, who is demanding a full blown investigation into the matter, named a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Kolo, Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tactical Squad and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Federal Intelligence, Umoru Usman as those who instructed the raid and search on his residence.

This was contained in two separate petitions addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Mohammed Babagana Monguno (Rtd). In the petitions with reference number KACCL/ PET/KA/76/18, dated September 6, 2018 and signed by his lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Clark said though he has accepted the public apology from the police, he want the matter to be thoroughly investigated.

In the said petitions, the nonagenarian wondered why the police authorities that should know the masterminds and conspirators of the invasion are going after the four junior officers, who were merely carrying out instructions from their superiors.

The petition reads: “Our client did brief us that at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, officers and men of the IGP Tactical Squad, a unit under the direct command of the Inspector General of Police, alongside pressmen invaded and ransacked his Asokoro residence on the pretext that they were in search of arms and ammunitions. However, despite the siege and search, they found nothing incriminating on our client.

“Our client further briefed us and we confirmed that at the point where officers and men of the IGP Tactical Squad were to commence their search, they introduced themselves as acting under the instructions of the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Kolo, who is their commander.

Former SSG, Bayelsa State and former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Power, Ambassador Boladei Igali, who was with our client at the venue of the search, put a call through to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Federal Intelligence, Umoru Usman Shehu, who spoke with the leader of the search party and gave authority to go ahead with the search.

“Having so searched in vain, the Inspector General of Police, in the face of the impudent search conducted on the property of our client, has publicly denied any knowledge of the said search and has immediately ordered the arrest of the four junior officers, who were responsible for the search and tendered a public apology to our client.

“Taking into consideration the circumstances of the invasion and uncivilized search conducted on his property, and the attendant embarrassment caused to our client and what he stands for, it is imperative to hold the view that there are serious questions which ought to be determined forthwith and without mincing words.

“It will be rather unfortunate for junior officers and men of the IGP Tactical squad who were at best acting on the orders of their superiors to fall prey in this regard. It beats our client’s imagination that despite the fact that our client has the compliments of the Nigerian Police Force and the State Security Services protecting him, his property, and overseeing his daily activities, such level of conspiracy could be perpetuated against him.

He wonders what exactly warranted such unfounded suspicion on his person to the extent that a search warrant could be procured against him on the demeaning allegation that he is involved in gun running.

“Our client appreciates unreserved double apologies by the Nigerian Police; the first which was conveyed by the delegation of the IGP lead by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Habila Joshak (Operations), Assistant Inspector General of Police, David Ogbodo (Legal), Commissioner of Police, Abu Sani (IGP Monitoring Unit) and Commissioner of Police of FCT and the second which was publicly tendered on behalf of the Nigerian Police Force by the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood.

“While our client accepts the apologies, it is his sole demand that this case be comprehensively probed and thoroughly investigated to fish out all the conspirators who masterminded the invasion of his residence without due cause.”

When contacted the Force public relations officer Jimoh Moshood, said: “With all due respect to the elder statesman, we have done everything to investigate that matter. When the incident occurred, IGP directed an investigation promptly and that the personnel who went there should be investigated and detained and that was carried out.

“And that same night, the IGP sent a delegation to the elder statesman to apologize to him and the DIG with the others that went said the apology was accepted by him. There is no institution that would allow its personnel, on their own, to carry out an unauthorized and illegal activities as we have reported.

“And based on that, it is not Kolo that tried these personnel. It is the provost office that tried the men and found them guilty and dismissed them from service, which the IGP approved.

If you ask some of your colleagues, they will tell you that Kolo was at parade of suspect that Monday helps along the Abuja/Kaduna highway. He was within that vicinity and he was not in Abuja at the time. “So, we plead for more understanding from the elder statesmen.

But we want Nigerians to know that Kolo was not behind it. If he has sent a petition, then the IGP will investigate but I want to make it clear to the public that we seek for more understanding from the elder statement that it is not Kolo that is behind it. Those that were behind it have been dismissed and the officer is undergoing interdiction now and the police service commission would determine his fate.”

Quote:Lagos – The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday said it will not succumb to pressure from governors elected on its platform and their state chairmen to accept indirect primaries as means of electing candidates who will fly the party’s flag in 2019 election.

There is a deep division in the party between those who favour direct primaries preferred by President Muhammadu Buhari, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s National Chairman and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a National Leader of the party and head of its reconciliation committee and most of the governors led by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and head of the APC Governors’ Forum, who prefer indirect primaries.

Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), had also advised the party leadership to concede to the governors’ demand, saying the party cannot afford to go to war with the state governors who are critical stakeholders in the party with just few weeks to the general election.

However, speaking with Daily Independent on Thursday, Yekini Nabena, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said the party is still holding on to the decision reached at the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

“No, we have not yielded to the governors on indirect primaries. The states will go and bring their reports and the National Working Committee will take a look at it.

“We will want to know why they want indirect primary instead of the direct primary that we decided upon. Because it is only when there is logistics challenges like we agreed on at the NEC meeting.

“Not that people will just go and do a kangaroo meeting and come to say that they have agreed on indirect primaries. The NWC will take a critical look at it with the State Executive Committee before accepting”, he said.

Also speaking, Prince Tony Momoh, a former Minister of Information and a National Leader of the APC, said there is no war between the governors and the APC leadership over the use of direct primaries.

He said, “There is no pressure or any war. There is no problem. People are just interpreting the issue in different ways.

“Let me tell you what was decided at the NEC meeting. We said we are going to have direct primaries for the presidential election and we also said that we are going to have direct primaries for all other elections unless where, because of the issue, indirect primary takes place.

“For us to accept indirect primary, the stakeholders within the area where indirect primary will take place will meet and decide that they want indirect primary. They will then write to the National Working Committee (NWC) which will now approve it.

“If the governors or state chairmen are holding meetings, they are not plotting against the party. They will be holding meeting to decide why it should not be direct primary. Because the state chairmen are stakeholders, if they decide why it should not be direct primary, they will package their decisions and send to the headquarters. Then the headquarters will look at and say okay, you can have indirect primary.

“There is no threat from the governors to Oshiomhole. Why should they threaten him? They are loyal members of the party and the governors are the ones who are in charge of the states. They are the ones who know where the shoe pinches. They are the ones who will advise why there shouldn’t be direct primaries in their states. So, how can they decide if there will be no indirect primaries without meeting with the stakeholders?” Momoh queried.

Following a fine of N5.87 billion the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently imposed on Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Citibank and Diamond Bank, the banking sector regulator has finally debited the accounts of the respective banks.

While Stanbic IBTC thursday disclosed in a statement to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) that the central bank has debited its account, a CBN source told THISDAY that the amount has been deducted from the affected banks’ respective accounts at the CBN.


The CBN last week slammed a fine of N5.87 billion on four banks over the violation of extant laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995, and the Foreign Exchange Manual, 2006.

Also affected was MTN Nigeria, which the CBN directed to immediately refund $8,134,312,397.63, which was illegally repatriated by the telecoms company, to the coffers of the bank.

For the banks, the highest fine of N2,470,604,767.13 was slammed on Standard Chartered Bank, while Stanbic IBTC Nigeria was fined N1,885,852,847.45.

Citibank also got fine of N1,265,541,562.31, just as Diamond Bank was directed to pay N250 million penalty.

But Stanbic IBTC in a statement explained: “Following our earlier announcement to the NSE on 30 August 2018, in respect of the penalty of N1.886 billion imposed by the CBN on our banking subsidiary – Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc in relation to the remittance of foreign exchange on the basis of certain capital importation certificates issued to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, we write to update the NSE that the CBN has debited the account of our banking subsidiary with the CBN for the full amount of the above stated fine advised to the bank.

“Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC as well as our banking subsidiary maintain our position on this matter, which is the fact that the bank has done nothing illegal and accordingly the bank will continue to provide CBN with documents and details in support of our contention that our actions in relation to these transactions were not illegal.

“Please note that this debit does not impact on the capacity of our banking subsidiary to handle clients’ requests or clients’ ability to continue to carry out viable business transactions with either the bank or any member of the Stanbic IBTC Group, whether in relation to the importation of capital or otherwise.

“Our business transactions will continue to be handled professionally and in a manner that is aligned with Nigeria’s laws and regulatory guidelines.”

Nonetheless, the central bank source who pleaded to remain anonymous, confirmed that the respective accounts of Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank and Diamond Bank, at the CBN, were all debited as well.

Responding to a question on when MTN Nigeria would refund a total of $8.134 billion as directed by the CBN, the source said talks were still ongoing on when and how the fund would be returned to the country.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele had explained that the hammer on MTN Nigeria was because the telecom company took liberty for licence in flouting Nigeria’s foreign exchange laws in the manner of the funding of their equity investment into MTN and subsequent capital repatriation that resulted thereafter.

“They brought in $402 million and said about $350 million of that was equity and the balance was loan, and they were issued Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) for the equity.

“They later reversed that position when they realised that the loans will not attract the kind of taxation equity investment will attract.

“And they altered the structure of their funding in a clear violation of the spirit and intent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange regulations,” the CBN Governor had explained.

Emefiele had stressed MTN Nigeria manipulated the regulations for maximum profit and tax avoidance, without regards to the laws when they embarked on unauthorised conversion of loans to equity so as to game the system and exploit loopholes.

Meanwhile, both the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) indicated that they do not want to be dragged into the current allegation of $2 billion tax indebtedness by MTN Nigeria to the federal government.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami, had asked the telecoms company to remit the amount to the federal government having failed in its tax obligation within the past 10 years.
But, MTN had however, insisted that all pending taxes had been settled.

When THISDAY sought to know the step being taken by FIRS to ensure the taxes are recovered, officials kept mum about the matter.

Although there was no formal statement from the FIRS, a top official of the agency said the matter had to do with import duties and should be handled by the customs.

The FIRS source said it had limited information on the taxes in questions.

Also, customs’ spokesman, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, told THISDAY over the telephone that other than, “pay your duty and get cleared,” the service had nothing to do with the current issue with MTN.

MTN Faces Moody’s Downgrade

Meanwhile, the MTN Group is under review by Moody’s Investors Service, for a possible credit rating downgrade following the allegation of illegal repatriation as well a tax arrears in Nigeria totalling $10.1 billion.
Moody’s, one of the leading rating agencies in the world disclosed this in a statement obtained thursday.

“Moody’s has today placed MTN Group Limited’s (MTN or Group) Ba1 corporate family rating (CFR), Ba1-PD probability of default rating (PDR) and the Aa3.za national scale corporate family rating on review for downgrade.
“Moody’s has also placed the Ba1 rating on all the senior unsecured notes issued by MTN (Mauritius) Investments Limited on review for downgrade,” it stated.

According to the agency, its decision followed the CBN allegation that the CCIs issued in respect of the conversion of shareholder loans in MTN Nigeria to preference shares in 2007 was improperly done as well as Attorney General’s notice to MTN Nigeria of an intention to recover $2 billion in taxes relating to the importation of foreign equipment and payments to foreign suppliers over the last 10 years.

“MTN’s ratings have been placed on review for downgrade to reflect the uncertainty around the potential implications of the recent CBN and NAG announcements on MTN’s credit profile.

“MTN’s management has indicated that both allegations are without merit and will be engaging with the relevant authorities to defend its position and to get more clarity on some of the requests being made.
“As such, there remains a range of possible outcomes which will have different consequences on MTN’s credit profile,” it added.

Accordingly, Moody’s said it would monitor the developments and would consider the credit implications as events unfold.

“In the absence of the $8.1 billion refund demand and potential $1.3 billion tax liability shortfall, MTN has sufficient liquidity to repay approaching debt maturities over the next 12 to 18 months with the next sizable refinancing wall only in 2021,” it added.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/cbn-debits-four-banks-over-n587-billion.html

Quote:Suleiman Abba, former inspector-general of police, has issued out a warning to Reno Omokri, former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking with reporters when he visited the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lagos, Abba expressed dissatisfaction with the reaction of Omokri to an interview he granted to Daily Trust last month.

In the interview, the former number one police officer had said the force he led compelled Jonathan to concede the 2015 election.

Abba also said a top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member reached out to him to influence the Osun state 2014 governorship election in favour of the then ruling party.

Omokri had responded by accusing him officer of spreading falsehood.

“The accusation of the former IGP of Police makes no sense to reasonable men and women,” Omokri had said.

“IGP Suleiman Abba is proof of the fact that liars need a very good memory otherwise they would contradict themselves with their lies.”

But in his own response, Abba challenged Omokri to a debate on his activities as the IG.

He said if Omokri provokes him, he would open up on some things and Jonathan would feel sad.

“Please tell him (Omokri) to leave me alone as a retired police officer. He cannot change the narrative of what I did in office… If I open up, his godfather (Jonathan) will be sad,” he said.

“Reno should keep quiet and leave me alone. He should know that he is talking about a former police IG and a lawyer. I am well informed about my fundamental human rights. It is my right to speak when I choose to.

“That he was queering why shouldn’t I speak two or six months after leaving office, is not his business. If I can defend the right of others as lawyer, I should be able to defend my own by expressing myself.

“Out of the five IGs his boss worked with, I acted in good conscience. That much is not controvertible. I am proud to say that the police under my watch forced ex-President Jonathan to accept the result of the 2015 poll through our professional conduct.

“It was not the duty of the police to conduct election neither do we vote on election day. 

I have no regret over my action. Our action gave credibility to the 2015 poll which was widely acknowledged by both the local and international observers.

“For me, that translated into legitimacy for the current government. The practice all over the world is that whenever election is over everyone should work with the any government that emerged to move the nation forward. If Reno Omokri is sad that I am in Nigeria relating with a legitimate government, that is his headache.”

Jonathan had fired Abba shortly after he lost the 2015 election.

Senate President and Presidential aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that Nigerians deserve a President with proven capacity and capability in 2019.

Saraki made the assertion in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during the commencement of his nationwide “Meet the delegates” campaign starting from Ebonyi and Enugu States.

Saraki, who was given a very warm welcome by enthusiastic party loyalists and supporters in Ebonyi State during a reception organized in his honour at the Ebonyi State Banquet Hall, told his audience, which included Governor Dave Umahi, his Deputy, Barr. Eric Kelechi, Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, former Governor of the State, Senator Sam Egwu, PDP state chairman and other stakeholders, that if elected he will run an inclusive government to ensure equity and fairness in the country.

He further told his audience that Nigeria is at a major crossroads in its developmental history and that at a “critical period such as this, the President Nigeria deserves must be the very best available with proven capacity, knowledge and capability.”

He congratulated Governor Umahi on his excellent performance in the state which led to his endorsement for a second term by the state PDP stakeholders and also seized the opportunity to request for similar endorsement by the Ebonyi state delegates to the PDP national convention.

In his response, Governor Umahi, praised the Senate President for his achievements as eight year Governor of Kwara State and President of the Senate since 2015.

He affirmed that from Saraki’s eloquent and excellent delivery before his host, they would seriously consider his request for the endorsement of his candidacy by the state delegates to the PDP’s National Convention.

dailypost

British Airways said that the personal and financial details of customers making bookings between August 21 and September 5 had been stolen in a data breach involving 380,000 bank cards.

The almost two week long hack did not involve travel or passport details, the airline said, adding that it had launched an urgent investigation into the theft of customer data.

“The personal and financial details of customers making bookings on our website and app were compromised,” it said. “The breach has been resolved and our website is working normally. We have notified the police and relevant authorities.”

BA said the breach took place between 2158 GMT on August 21 and 2045 GMT on September 5 and that around 380,000 payment cards were compromised.

BA advised anyone who believed they may have been affected to contact their bank or credit card provider and follow their recommendations.

In terms of compensation, BA said they would be in touch with customers “and will manage any claims on an individual basis.”

“We are deeply sorry for the disruption that this criminal activity has caused,” the airline said.

It said customers due to travel could check in online as normal as the incident had been resolved.

BA customer Daniel Willis, 34, who booked a flight on Monday with the airline, said he had not been contacted by the airline despite being affected by the data breach.

“I’ve not heard anything from them on this and I’ve just had to cancel the card I used. They’re a shambles,” he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Another BA customer, Stephanie Jowers, said she contacted the airline hours before the hack was announced to query a suspicious charge on her account but was not informed it could have been compromised.

“I asked repeatedly for an explanation. None was given,” she told the Daily Telegraph.

Past IT issues 
The National Crime Agency said: “We are aware of reports of a data breach affecting British Airways and are working with partners to assess the best course of action.”

The NCA is set up to tackle the most serious and organised crime posing the highest risk to public security in Britain.

BA apologised in July after technology issues caused dozens of its flights to and from London Heathrow Airport to be cancelled.

The airline said the problem was down to an incident with an IT system.

And in May 2017, British Airways suffered a major computer system failure triggered by a power supply issue near Heathrow which left 75,000 customers stranded.

IAG, which owns British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, said last month that first-half profits more than doubled.

Earnings after taxation flew to 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in the first six months of 2018 compared with 607 million euros a year earlier, IAG said in a results statement.

The London-listed group, which is also the owner of Irish airline Aer Lingus and Spanish carrier Vueling, added that total revenues swelled three percent to 11.2 billion euros.

BA announced last month that it will halt flights to Tehran in September, citing low profitability as the US reimposes sanctions on Iran.

guardian

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES


FRIDAY, 7TH SEPTEMBER.

MINISTERING THE SPIRIT.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

When we minister the Gospel, we’re to minister the Spirit; otherwise, our preaching and teaching will be mere words, and empty. Preaching the Gospel isn’t about how many scriptures you can quote; it’s about communicating those scriptures with, and by the Holy Ghost.

This is what we’re called to do as God’s children and ministers of the Gospel. Anybody can sermonise or give great lectures and speeches, but without the Spirit, they’ll have no lasting impact.

In 1 Corinthians 2:4, Paul said, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 says, “…our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” We’ve been sent by the Spirit, and anointed of God; therefore, we can only carry out His work by the power of the Spirit.

This is one of the reasons we’re required to spend quality time fellowshipping the Spirit; praying in the Spirit, to be filled with the Spirit. That way, your message and your preaching wouldn’t be persuasive words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Read again who we are: “…able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). We minister the Spirit; we minister Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5 says, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord….”

No matter what you preach or teach, it must be Christ Jesus, and you can’t preach or minister Christ without the power of the Spirit. Therefore, get yourself immersed in Him; soak your spirit more in the Holy Spirit through fellowship. Pray and fast often. Study and meditate on the Word, so you can walk and talk in sync with Him, and His glory and power will always be revealed in, and through you.

PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for your Spirit at work in my life. I’m ministering life and divine blessings by the power of the Holy Ghost who’s at work in me today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1 & Proverbs 20-21

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 & Jeremiah 25

Lagos State generates 0.17 million metric tons of global plastic wastes, according to a 2010 data captured in a Wall Street Journal publication of February 12, 2015.

The report showed that Nigeria ranked ninth among countries that pollute oceans and waterways and contributes 0.34 million metric tons.

Commissioner for the Environment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, disclosed this during the launch of Clean-Up Lagos Waterfronts initiative at Ibeshe Waterfront in Ikorodu yesterday.


He said Lagos, like other mega cities of the world, has huge socio-economic and environmental challenges, one of which is pollution, particularly of the marine environment, which has become a major source of concern globally in view of its socio-economic and public health implications.

He stated that the marine ecosystem was delicate and must be protected to effectively facilitate socio-economic activities such as transportation, power generation, irrigation and preservation of aquatic life.

Durosinmi-Etti explained that the water bodies, which were priceless gifts of nature with huge aesthetic, tourism and economic potentials, have been subjected to all forms of abuse and degradation, including dumping and littering of the waterfronts with solid wastes and debris.

He urged users of waterways and waterfronts to see the natural resources as precious gifts of nature that should be protected and preserved, while charging operators in the water transport sector, such as sand dredgers, fishermen, private boat owners and owners of other facilities along the waterfronts to protect the waterways.

He said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was committed to the environment, as demonstrated by the implementation of Solid Waste Management sector reforms, saying this will ultimately eliminate plastic waste pollution, especially in the water bodies.

Speaking, General Manager, Health and Safety, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Yusuf Ahmed, noted that the exercise was important because a large percentage of solid wastes in the Lagos waterfronts end up in NPA channels and the ocean.

“The wastes disturb our senses and the use of waterfronts. This is harmful to aquatic life and could negatively affect the nation’s image in the international community,” he stated.

The maiden Cleanup of Lagos Waterfront with the theme: Save Our Waterfronts, was organised in partnership with the NPA and other stakeholders.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/lagos-generates-017-million-metric-tons.html

We advise the failed factional National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to caution his party thugs, that the APC detailed to disrupt activities at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, today. 

The whole world witnessed with dismay, how APC thugs, brandishing their party’s famished brooms and charms; armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons stormed our national secretariat which has become a beehive of activities and attacked our members/supporters.

We had repeatedly warned against APC's proclivity for violence and unprovoked attacks, but we never imagined that their desperation for power will drive them to the insanity of attacking our national secretariat.

Quote:Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has barred its members from campaigning for any of its presidential aspirants.

The party presently has about 13 aspirants jostling for its sole presidential ticket.

The aspirants are a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo and a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa.

Also in the race are a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki (SAN); a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau; a former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang and Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, amongst others.

The BoT took the decision not to back any of the aspirants at its meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Chairman of the Board, Senator Walid Jibrin, who spoke with journalists after the meeting, also said that the Board would look at the possibility of pruning the number of the aspirants.

He said that the BoT would set up a committee that would look into it, but added that the none of the aspirants would be forced to step down.

He said, “The BoT deliberated on the current situation in the party. We also discussed about the number of our presidential aspirants.

“We are recommending that we have to manage the situation very well, so that it does not lead to crisis. The presidential aspirants are 13. We are trying our best to ensure that the number is reduced.

“But we are not forcing anybody. More consultations are ongoing among the elders. We are going to bring out a committee that will be best for Nigerians.

“We are forming a committee to meet with the aspirants. After that, we will decide on what to do. We have decided to firm a special committee to advise the National Working Committee.

“If you are a member of BoT, you remain as a member of BoT and conscience of the party. They should not move about with any aspirant.

“If we are really the conscience of the party, we should not move about with aspirants. That was what happened during the last national convention when we elected the national chairman.

“Some of us went and pitch camp with aspirants, taking them all over the place. This time, we will not allow that to happen.

“Anyone of us who move about with any aspirant should resign from the BoT. We are the one that will settle the complaint.

“But if we are involved it will not be fair. So we have told the members not to campaign with the aspirants; we are also the delegates.” ‎

OurMumuDonDo, a civil society group led by Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charlyboy, on Thursday called on youths in the country to produce a consensus candidate that they would support in the 2019 presidential election to realise the “Not Too Young To Run” dream.

Just happened in Awka, the founder of Grace and power prophetic ministry international Pastor David Elijah has just been attack in Awka while going to his Church by Assassins and to God be the glory non of the Bullets penetrated his body, only tearing through his clothes as it can be seen

Quote:Anambra Pastor Shot by Unknown Gunmen


Unknown gunmen Thursday evening trailed and shot a popular cleric, Pastor David Elijah Chidiebere, in front of his church in Awka, Anambra State.

The middle aged pastor who is the founder of Divine Prophetic Ministry, is known for his very intriguing prophesies and healing miracles in the city.

Though it was not clear if the cleric was attacked by assasins or armed robbers, THISDAY gathered that the gunmen trailed him in their vehicle from Enugu to Awka where he was attacked when he wanted to park his car in front of his church.

An unidentified source from his church was quoted as saying the suspects demanded to be given N5million, but he offered them N1million which they declined.

Another account however stated that the gunmen after spraying his vehicle with bullets, left him in the pool of his blood and carted away an undisclosed sum.

Pastor Chidiebere was rescued by some members of his church after the gunmen drove away, and was said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

When THISDAY visited the church premises, some members of his church were seen discussing the attack in clusters.

A resident, who gave his name as Johnson, said he was passing through that road when he saw some persons pulling out a man from the bullet riddled vehicle.

“When I enquired, I was told that he was the pastor of the church. Who knows what he must have done to attract this kind of treatment?” he wondered.

Haruna Mohammed, Anambra State Police spokesperson, could not confirm the attack. He promised to get back to our correspondent after enquiring from the DPO in charge of the area but had yet to do that at the time of filing this report.

The incident happened less than 500 meters from B division, police station.

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https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/09/06/anambra-pastor-shot-by-unknown-gunmen/%3famp




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Quote:Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday said he will fight corruption holistically when if he wins next year’s presidential election.

He said he will not encourage selective corruption in his administration.

Saraki spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital where he kicked off his presidential campaign for 2019 general election.

He said the choice of Ebonyi was informed based on the developmental agenda of the present administration and leadership prowess and his quest for inclusiveness in governance.

Saraki while addressing the stakeholders of Ebonyi State said Nigeria is at a crossroads and danger of living full life anchored on rule of law.

He said Nigeria has never been so divided like it is now and lamented that the unity our founding fathers propagated is at the verge of collapse while the country is drifting into anarchy.

“There is a high level of uninclusisivness in the country. We must choose leaders that have the capacity to move the country forward. What you are seeing in Ebonyi is not by chance, it is because your governor has the capacity that that is why you are witnessing development. How then can you choose a man with capacity in your state without choosing also a leader with capacity at the national level.

“We fight poverty, we will fight corruption too and not do a selective corruption fight. We will develop solid minerals in Ebonyi State. We will bring private investors into the country and turn around youth involvement in governance by bringing youths to governance”, he said.

He endorsed Umahi for second tenure.

Responding, Governor Dave Umahi who was presented with the governorship norminaton form purchased by the members of the State Executive Council described Saraki as a refined Nigerian and defender of democracy as well as friend to Ebonyi State.

He reiterated his earlier promise to return power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after his second term, adding that his administration remains focused on the developmental agenda.

“We will handover a state that is most beautiful, best economy and richest in the country”

He commended Saraki for standing firm over the various crises and urged that the National Assembly must work together to unite the country and turn its fortunes to the best.

He called on the Senate President to look into cost of projects in the country to stop profligacy in execution of projects in the country.

“South East will ready to support anybody who will be ready to recognise the rights and needs of the people of the above by way of negotiation”, he said.

Quote:The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the purchase of N45 million naira presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in the 2019 election violates the stipulations of the electoral laws of Nigeria. PDP also said that the purchase of the form for Buhari by a group it said is not registered smacks of fraud because, according to it, “Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.”


In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said section 91 (9) of the electoral laws of Nigeria stipulates that “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (#1,000,000) to any candidate.”

It therefore held that, for a group to purchase a form of N45 million naira for President Buhari amounts to violation of the country’s electoral laws.

PDP said “Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.”

Below is the full statement:

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the use of a shadowy group as a front to purchase the N45 million All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari as a worn-out stunt, smacking of fraud and worsening the already battered image of the President.

The party said President Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.

Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015.

Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians.

Moreover, the PDP urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to note that the purchase of the N45 million form by the group directly violates section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act which provides that “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (#1,000,000) to any candidate.”

Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.

Finally, it is unfortunate that President Buhari and his handlers, in their desperation to hang on to power, even when they have been rejected, have reduced themselves to objects of public ridicule with their many bloopers ahead of the 2019 general elections.”.

The two suspects who allegedly stabbed a man with a big nail in his throat in Kano state, have been apprehended. The victim was rushed to a hospital after he was attacked by the suspect pictured with nail and his accomplice..

According to reports, the man identified as Alhaji Auwalu Muhammad, was attacked by the two men who wanted to rob him of his car after disagreement over money issue.

The victim was stabbed with a big nail in his throat before the attackers left him for dead and fled.

The man appeared very calm after he was rushed to Aminu Kano teaching hospital for treatment.

The suspects have been apprehended by the Kano state police command after manhunt was launched and the stolen car of the victim, recovered.

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/09/photo-of-young-men-who-stabbed-alhaji-with-big-nail-in-his-throat.html

See previous thread >>> https://www.nairaland.com/4700633/man-rushed-hospital-big-nail

See How Much Former Governors in Nigeria Get as Pension - SERAP

A bike rider was, yesterday, nabbed in Iree, Osun State, after he and a friend slept with two prostitutes without paying.

According to “Enu o gbeni” one the prostitutes, the other client fled after successfully sleeping with them and they were only able to nab one.

Upon catching him, Enu o gbeni and her friend promptly put a call through to their madam to mobilise security operatives to the scene so that the culprit could be handed over to them.

Watch Video

Source:
http://nairaplus.com/2018/09/two-prostitutes-held-bike-man-for-refusing-to-pay-after-sleeping-with-them-video/






Watch Full Video HERE

No fewer than three people have been killed, while others were injured following collapse of a building in Zaria, Kaduna state on Wednesday (yesterday). A man lost his three children in the unfortunate incident after the building collapsed on them before they could be rescued. 

The deceased were laid to rest amid tears earlier today according to Islamic rites as villagers gathered to morn the losses. 

May their souls rest in peace. 

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/09/man-loses-his-3-children-after-building-collapsed-on-them-in-kaduna-photos.html

Quote:It seems the animosity between Bola Tinubu, National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), and Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Governor of Ondo State, is yet to completely thaw out. 

This became obvious on Thursday when Akeredolu refused to shake hands with Tinubu at the massively-attended rally of the party in Osogbo, Osun State, ahead of the September 22 governorship election in the state.

The Ondo State Governor bided his time in the throng of people around Tinubu and shielded himself with Abiola Ajimobi, Governor of Oyo State, before filing past the former Governor of Lagos State, whom other party bigwigs were shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with.

It will be recalled that Tinubu supported his anointed candidate, Olusegun Abraham, against Akeredolu in the Ondo State governorship primary, which Akeredolu eventually won before going on to win the election proper.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the purchase of N45 million naira presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in the 2019 election violates the stipulations of the electoral laws of Nigeria.  PDP also said that the purchase of the form for Buhari by a group it said is not registered smacks of fraud because, according to it, “Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.” Uche Secondus In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said section 91 (9) of the electoral laws of Nigeria stipulates that  “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (#1,000,000) to any candidate.” It therefore held that, for a group to purchase a form of N45 million naira for President Buhari amounts to violation of the country’s electoral laws. PDP said “Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.” Below is the full statement: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the use of a shadowy group as a front to purchase the N45 million All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari as a worn-out stunt, smacking of fraud and worsening the already battered image of the President. The party said President Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians. Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015. Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute  another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians. Moreover, the PDP urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to note that the purchase of the N45 million form by the group directly violates section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act which provides that  “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (#1,000,000) to any candidate.” Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws. Finally, it is unfortunate that President Buhari and his handlers, in their desperation to hang on to power, even when they have been rejected, have reduced themselves to objects of public ridicule with their many bloopers ahead of the 2019 general elections.”

The Nigerian Army has warned that it will deal decisively with political thugs, kidnappers and other criminal elements caught with weapons during the 2019 general elections.


It further warned that it would deal with anybody who might attempt to breach the peace during the exercise.

The Chief of Army Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja, after he met with Principal 

Officers, General Officers Commanding, GOCs and field Operational Commanders.


 
Buratai said he met with them for consultation and to review of ongoing operations.

He assured that the army was prepared to ensure security before, during after the election.

READ ALSO: British MP protests, calls for Leah Sharibu’s release

“We must make it clear that all political thugs, militants, kidnappers and other criminal elements identified with weapons will be dealt with decisively.

“Our rules of engagement are very clear and they conform to international best practices. We are going to apply them to the letter,’’ he said.

On security, Buratai said that the Operation Lafiya Dole and other operations being conducted by the army across the country were being reviewed and reinvigorated to address identified challenges.

The army chief, however, expressed satisfaction with the performance of ongoing operations to tackle various security challenges in different parts of the country.

He promised that the army would strive to maintain the relative security and peace, and ensure that the confidence reposed in it by Nigerians was maintained.


 
Buratai also revealed that there are upcoming operations like “Crocodile Smile III in the Niger Delta and Python Dance III’’ (Egwu Eke) in the South-East without specifying when they would be conducted.

(NAN)

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said that he would not be seeking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket to govern Nigeria if the country was working.


He stated this in a statement by his Media Office shortly after submitting his nomination form at the PDP’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

Abubakar said that he was saddened by the fact that 11 million Nigerians, excluding “the millions more who never had a job since leaving school’’, had become unemployed since May 29, 2015.


According to him, this was one of the reasons he considered running for presidency.

He, however, said that he had created thousands of jobs in his private businesses and knew how to lead a government that would do the same for Nigeria.

“It weighs deeply on my heart that Nigeria has become the world headquarters for extreme poverty according to the World Economic Forum and the World Poverty Clock.


“I am not happy that there are so much killings and terror across the country that the Global Terrorism Index rates Nigeria as more terrorised today than she was in 2015.

“I am not happy that Nigeria is perceived to be more corrupt today than she was in 2015 having moved 12 steps backwards, from 136 in 2014 to 148 today, in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.

“136 is bad enough; 148 is simply unacceptable and shameful, especially under a government that claims that fighting corruption is its priority.

“Let us work together to create the right conditions for investments to flow in and flourish to create jobs for our people. Let’s work together to send poverty packing.

“Let us, together, reduce corruption so that our resources will be deployed to our national priorities. Let us work together to fight all types of terrorism and other crimes.

“Let’s work together to restructure Nigeria for better governance and to unite our peoples. Let’s get Nigeria working again,” he said.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday lamented the growing division in Nigeria, warning that the country risks drifting into anarchy if nothing is done quickly to curtail the division.



He said Nigeria has never been so divided as it is now and lamented that the nation is at the verge of collapse.

Mr Saraki, a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke at the Government House, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State where he met the governor, David Umahi, and members of the PDP in the state.

He said he chose to begin his consultation tour in Ebonyi because of his quest for inclusiveness in governance.

He commended the state governor for his developmental strides and leadership prowess.

“There is a high level of uninclusiveness in the country. We must choose leaders that have capacity to move the country forward. What you are seeing in Ebonyi is not by chance, it is because your governor has capacity and that is why you are witnessing development.

“How then can you choose a man with capacity in your state without choosing also a leader with capacity at the national level?

“We will fight poverty, we will fight corruption too and not do a selective corruption fight. We will develop solid minerals in Ebonyi State. We will bring private investors into the country and turn around youth involvement in governance by bringing youths to governance,” he said.

Responding, Mr Umahi described Mr Saraki as a refined Nigerian and defender of democracy as well as friend to Ebonyi State.

The governor reiterated his earlier promise to return power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after his second term, adding that his administration remains focused on the developmental agenda.


 
“We will handover a state that is most beautiful, best economy and richest in the country,” he said.

He commended Mr Saraki for standing firm despite challenges, and urged that the National Assembly must work together to unite the country and turn around its fortunes.

He called on the Senate President to look into the costs of projects in the country to stop profligacy in execution of projects in the country.

Earlier, members of the state executive council, led by the deputy governor, Kelechi Igwe, had presented to Mr Umahi the governorship nomination form they purchased for him.

The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has said that Nigeria is more divided under the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari who, according to him, cannot give what he (Buhari) does not have.


Saraki made this known while addressing the Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Umahi and stakeholders of the state during his consultations for next year’s presidential election, which took place at the Dr. Sam Egwu lodge in Abakaliki.

He said that Nigeria was presently at crossroads, stressing that he will address the growing impunity in Nigeria if giving the chance to become the PDP presidential flag bearer in the forthcoming 2019 general election.


The Senate President stated that Nigeria has never been so divided like it is now and lamented that the unity the nation’s founding fathers propagated was at the verge of collapse, while the country is drifting into anarchy.

“As you endorse your governor, you will also endorse me as your presidential candidate. It is a trying time for our nation. The country is more divided than it used to be.

“We know about the insecurity situation. We must ask our self how did we get here and who can bring us out? You cannot give what you don’t have. We must create enabling environment for leadership capacity.


“There is a high level of un-inclusiveness in the country. We must choose leaders that have capacity to move the country forward. What you are seeing in Ebonyi is not by chance, it is because your governor has capacity, that is why you are witnessing development. How then can you choose a man with capacity in your state without choosing also a leader with capacity at the national level?

“We fight poverty, we will fight corruption too and not to do a selective corruption fight. We will develop solid minerals in Ebonyi State. We will bring private investors into the country and turn around youth involvement in governance by bringing youths to governance,” he said.


In a remark, the governor, Chief David Umahi, who was presented with the governorship nomination form purchased by the members of the State Executive Council described Senator Saraki as a refined Nigerian and defender of democracy as well as friend of Ebonyi State.

Umahi reiterated his earlier promise to return power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after his second term, adding that his administration remains focused on the developmental agenda.

“We will handover a state that is most beautiful, best economy and richest in the country,” he assured.

The Governor commended Saraki for standing firm over the various crisis he faced, and urged that the National Assembly must work together to unite the country and turn its fortunes for the best.

He called on the Senate President to look into cost of projects in the country to stop profligacy in the execution of projects in the country.

Umahi added that the South-East zone will be ready to support anybody who will be ready to recognize the rights and needs of the people of the zone.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has disbursed a grant of N45 million to local inventors and innovators in the country. Making the disclosure to newsmen in Abuja, recently, the Director-General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI),

Mohammed Jubrin, said that the fund was disbursed to inventors and entrepreneurs in 2017 by the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, in order to aid a culture of technology based entrepreneurship.

According to Jubril, another N45 million had been appropriated this year for disbursement to other inventors and entrepreneurs.

He added that the NBTI will soon announce for inventors and innovators to apply for the grant.

“The NBTI has been part of the presidential standing committee on inventions and innovation, which identifies innovators, inventors and other technocrats for grants.

READ ALSO To promote peace, we must return to ‘Imo Charter of Equity’ –Ohakim


 
“A committee had been set up with the aim of using industries for the development of Nigeria by harnessing all researches and development results and other innovative efforts for commercialisation.

“Fortunately, the NBTI has been part of the presidential standing committee on inventions and innovations. This a committee that identifies inventors, innovators and other technocrats for grants from the Federal Government.”

Jubril said that the board was committed to intensifying linkages and collaborations so that all inventors would have more opportunities in NBTI, saying that the board would lay more emphasis on commercialisation and community incubation.

The NBTI boss also stressed the need to devote more attention to having new companies emanating from a thorough research endeavour.


 
His words: “We will pay more attention to the real commercialisation of research and development results so that we can have new emerging companies that originate from literary works and from knowledge sources.”

Over 100 groups scrambled to buy the presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari, the spokesperson of the Buhari campaign organisation reveals.



pro-Buhari group, Nigerian Consolidation Ambassadors Network, picked the expression of interest and nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari for N45 million ahead of the 2019 general elections.
 
In a reaction to the news, the official spokesperson of the Buhari 2019 campaign organisation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), revealed that over 100 interest groups scrambled to buy the presidential nomination form of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for President Muhammadu Buhari. 
 
The legal practitioner who is the director, strategic communications of the president's campaign team, who made the disclosure through his Twitter account on Thursday, said the group who eventually bought the form “beat other groups to purchase the nomination form for Buhari.” 
 
He wrote: "Congrats to NCAN group that beat other groups to purchase d Nomination Form for PMB.
 
"Officially, there were more than 100 PMB groups rushing to Abuja in a fierce race to purchase d Form. Some rice farmers was one of such groups. As the trendsetters would say ‘na dem dey rush us!’."

*FRIENDLY ENEMIES*
*Episode 1*
 
Samantha was all smile as she made her way to Rentadress Shop in Wuse II to try out a wedding dress for her wedding which was scheduled to hold in a month’s time.  She was excited as she boarded a taxi from Banex Junction. Who wouldn’t be happy in her shoes? At 30 she was already worried about her prolonged spinsterhood when luck smiled at her and she met Dozie at her friend’s engagement ceremony. That was nine months ago and today she was due to be married in a month’s time. Her friend, Eno who watched her as she was smiling to herself broke the silence.

Eno: “My friend, my friend. This one that you are smiling like this, what are you thinking of?”

Samantha: “Ah, you ask what I am thinking of? What else but my wedding? I am so excited, girlfriend. I can’t wait for the 22nd to come”.

Eno: “What is there to be excited about? I mean it is good to be excited but the way you are going about it, one would think that you are the only one to ever get married on planet earth”.

Samantha: “Mr dear, I have every right to be this excited. Do you know what it means to be unmarried at age 30 in Nigeria? No matter how successful you are in this country, once you are not married as a lady, you become the topic of people’s gossip”.

Eno: “Of course I know what it means. I am a year older than you and I am not married so, I know what you are talking about”, she replied with a pinch of bitterness and jealously in her voice.

Samantha: “My dear, try get a husband. In fact, don’t worry, God will give you a husband of your dreams soon. Just trust him, inugo?”

Eno: “Abeg, pack well jor. Na me you dey preach to? Which one be inugo seff? So because your fiancé na Igbo you too don dey form Igbo abi? Yeye dey smell”.

Samantha: “Hehehe … my friend is jealous”.

And truly, Eno was jealous of Samantha’s achievements. As childhood friends, they had grown up in the same neighborhood and had gone to the same school. While Eno had struggled to graduate as an average student, Samantha was always topping the class and was always the talk of everyone in the school. She ended up as a medical doctor. After graduation, Eno had fallen in love with a car dealer who broke her heart few months after their engagement. Since then, she had been single without any serious man coming her way. This was no big deal to her as Samantha who was her friend was also single. However, she became bitter when Samantha announced to her that she was getting married.

“Oya o, madam best lady come down, we are at the the bridal shop“. Samantha’s voice brought Eno back to reality.

More than 30 minutes after they got to the shop, Samantha was still busy trying on one gown after the other to the disdain of her friend who kept cursing and hissing under her breath.

Eno: “Common, Samantha, you have tried enough gowns. Just pick your choice and let us leave here. The way you are trying on all the gowns, one would think that you want to rent all the gowns in the shop”.

Samantha: “Biko free me o, I am getting married only once in a lifetime. So, allow me to pick the best dress. I want to look so beautiful on my wedding so much so that my husband will live the rest of his life thanking God for giving him a wife like me”.

Eno: “You know what? I think this gown is perfect on you. It’s a Bohemian dress and mehn the material is beautiful”.

Samantha: “No o, I can’t pick this dress o. See the way I dey inside now. E be like say na the gown wear me and not the other way round. I want something that will bring out my curves, you know. So that my husband’s eyes will be only on me during our wedding”.

Eno: “Oh please, men are natural cheats. No matter how good you look, a man who wants to cheat will still cheat. If you like turn 360 in bed, men will still go after other women”.

Samantha: “No, girlfriend. Not my man. He can never cheat on me. Never!”

Eno: “I hear, abeg do quick make we go. I don dey hungry”.

Samantha: “Not until you pick a dress of your choice that you will wear as my maid of honour”.

Eno: “Really? Me? I thought I would get my dress myself”.

Samantha: “Don’t worry, my husband will pay. You just pick a sexy dress and all the accessories that you would need. I want a dashing maid of honour. Who knows, you may meet your Mr right there”. She winked at her friend.

Eno: “Oh, you are so sweet my friend. God will bless your home. In fact, your husband will never be attracted to any other woman as long as you are alive”. She drew near and hugged her.

Eno got home at 8:14pm armed with a bag of the things she had bought from the bridal shop. Her mum was watching Zee World when she got in.

Eno: “Hi, mum. Watching Twist of Fate? I will join you soon, I need to shower”.

Mama Eno: “Welcome, my dear.  Where have you been and what is that you are carrying?”

Eno: “Oh, coming in from a bridal shop in town. We went to shop for Samantha’s wedding dress and here, she got me this to wear as her maid of honour”.

Mama Eno: “I see and you are excited?“

Eno: “Well, do I have a choice?”

Mama Eno: “Of course you have a choice. What is wrong with you this girl? A girl who is younger than you is getting married before you and instead of you to brain storm on ways of getting your own man, you are busy following her up and down shopping. Shame on you”.

Eno: “What is that supposed to mean, mum. Is it my fault that no man is asking for my hand in marriage? Okay, what do you want me to do?  Go on my knees and propose to any man I see on the street?”

Mama Eno: “I don’t care how you do it. Even if it means snatching your friend’s fiance, do it. I am tired of sharing my house with an overgrown daughter”.

Eno: “I can’t believe that you are saying this. If marriage was this important to you, how come you are not married?”

Mama Eno: “I didn’t marry your father because he was very poor and couldn’t afford to give me the kind is life I had envisioned for you. That is why I chosed to bring you up as a single mother. When I made enough money and was ready to settle down, the stupid man had already married another woman”.

Eno: “So, why are you forcing me to get married?”

Mama Eno: “Times have changed, my dear. Your generation is different from mine. You need a man, if not for anything at least to bear his name and to warm your bed. Your getting married is the only way I can prove to the world that I succeeded in bringing you up well as a single mother”.

Eno: “Mum!”

Mama Eno: “Listen to me, it is either you snatch Samantha’s fiance or you prevent that wedding from taking place. Use everything that you have to achieve that. You are a woman”.

Eno: “You know what? I really don’t have the strength for your talk this evening. I need to shower and rest, I have had a long day”. She ran up stairs.

Dozie was on his bed day dreaming of his honeymoon. His wedding to Samantha was barely three weeks away and he was looking forward to making her pregnant on their first night as husband and wife. He couldn’t explain his feeling but the prospect of having a little one to call him father thrilled him. His Sony Z5 rang and he picked it. “Hello, who is this?”

Caller: “My identity does not matter. I am calling in respect to Samantha, your fiance. That girl is not good for you. She is a slot who just wants to settle down with you because she is getting old. She doesn’t really love you and your life will be miserable if you end up with her. Your wedding is still some weeks away. Call it off now before it is too late”.

Dozie: “And why do you think I should listen to you? How do I know the authenticity of what you are saying?”

Caller: “Why would I lie about this?”

Dozie: “Just listen to me, whoever you are. I have already made up my mind about this wedding and there is nothing, absolutely nothing you or anyone can say to make me change my mind. I love Samantha and I am going on with this wedding, that is my final answer”.

Caller: “Very well then, we shall see!”

Dozie: “We shall not see anything. My wedding will be successful and I will live happily with my wife”.

Caller: “Don’t be too sure, you idiot”. The call went off leaving Dozie afraid and bewildered.

Question: Who called Dozie? Will he cancel the wedding plans? Will Eno succeed in preventing the wedding?

Unions’ threats to picket MMA2 bad for Nigeria, says stakeholder

MEMBER of aviation industry think tank group, Aviation Round Table (ART) and Chief Executive, Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), has warned that the threats by unions in the aviation industry to disrupt the activities of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) over their demand that some workers disengaged by the firm must be recalled remained the greatest threats to the country’s aviation sector.

Speaking at a Channels Television programme, Aviation Today, monitored in Lagos, Ojikutu said if the unions carried out their threats, it would tarnish the image of the country and negatively affect the travelling public, as well as airlines and other businesses operating at the terminal.

Although, according to him, “the unions have the right to go on protests but there must be limits in aviation. If you say you want to disrupt the operations of MMA2 and you call the airlines operating from there to find an alternative, I get worried and I ask, what is the NCAA doing about it? There is nothing that happens in aviation today, good or bad, call the NCAA. If they fail to do it, then something is wrong.

“Disrupting the operations of the airport terminal will affect airlines, who have a responsibility to the travelling public and other operators. If you disrupt an operator, you are simply hurting the nation and giving a very bad image of the country to the outside world. This is a country that wants to concession some of its airports, what are you telling the people that want to come in to buy into this? You are simply telling them not to come and if they don’t, how do you have a meal on your table? That is where my worry is.

“My question is, where does the NCAA come in, in all of this because something came up before I heard about the union crisis? NCAA came up with a report on the number of flights and cancellations not too long ago, I challenged it and it was blamed on the airlines. More than 6,000 cancellations in 10,000 flights in one-quarter is worrisome. Is it coming from the airlines alone? Are the terminal operators not part of the reasons, particularly passenger facilitation?

Ojikutu pleaded that instead of disrupting the operations of MMA2, “both parties should come to a resolution but I tell you, NCAA is not doing a good job. I’ve just done an analysis. If the unions go to MMA2 to disrupt flight operations, it will affect the GAT. Already it is affecting GAT without a strike action. Eighty per cent of the 6,000 delays are from GAT without anybody telling you. At GAT, they are restricted by the number of checkpoint screenings and boarding gates which is not the case at MMA2. If they disrupt activities at MMA2 and passengers move to GAT, what happens? It will only increase the problem over there.

“I plead with the unions to sit down and look at the impact of their actions on the public and also the image of the country to the outside world. Especially in this time that my government is talking about concession of airports, if we have these kinds of problems, who will come? They should be concerned with the planned concessions”.

https://nigerianflightdeck.com/2018/09/unions-threats-to-picket-mma2-bad-for-nigeria-says-stakeholder/

• Asks for removal of obstruction to fix ILS, airfield lightning
  
  

ARIK AIR has reported that its aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ900 operating flight W3 7631 from Benin to Lagos this morning aborted take-off when the Pilot in Command observed an abnormality during the take-off run.


The aircraft, the airline said, was brought under control on the runway in the process with no damage to the aircraft and no injury to the passengers on board.

An alternative aircraft was immediately provided to fly the passengers to Lagos while the former aircraft has since been ferried to Lagos for checks/observation and maintenance.

The airline was full of apologies to its customers for any inconveniences caused by the incident and restates its commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards at all times.


https://nigerianflightdeck.com/2018/09/arik-air-aircraft-aborts-take-off-in-benin/

The Carnival has launched its largest Cruise ship ever. The giant ship ,named the AIDAnova ,will set sail for the first time in December.

The 1,106 feet long ship is the fifth largest Cruise ship in the world. It cost a staggering ₦398billion ($1.1 billion) to build and can accommodate 6,600 passengers and 1,500 crew members.







Inside ,there are 20 decks with a state-of-the-art gym and spa, 17 restaurants, 23 bars, a casino, rock climbing walls, a water park and mini golfing green.





It also boast of a two-storey penthouse suite with floor-to-ceiling windows, a three-deck high theatre space and robot staff members.





Other distinct attractions includes a full-size basketball court, zip wire, ice rink and surf simulator.





The 184,000-ton ship is also the world’s first cruise ship that can be powered by low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) both at sea and in port with a top speed of 26 mph

The Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas (1st 2 pics below) is the world's biggest cruise ship.It weighs 228,081 tonnes and can accommodate 8,000 people.








The AIDAnova cruise ship will make its first passenger cruises in mid-December, sailing the Canary Islands and Madeira off the coast of Africa on seven-day itineraries.



https://autojosh.com/inside-the-worlds-5th-largest-cruise-ship-it-cost-₦398b-and-will-accommodate-6600-passengers/

The Presidency in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said there was no truth in the allegations of the media house.


He said “We reject The Punch newspaper’s September 4th, 2018, editorial which alleged that President Buhari had sympathy for criminality perpetuated by a misguided group.

“The editorial was not only disrespectful of the President and his office, but was also reckless, thoughtless, inflammatory and totally irresponsible.
“It is steadily becoming clear from the views, news and opinions of this newspaper that it will explore every opportunity and twist every fact to declare every Nigerian and ECOWAS member with Fulani blood a terrorists, who must be stripped of their rights as citizens, or worse subjected to ethnic cleansing.

“We believe and strongly insist that criminality perpetrated by some miscreants should not be used to demonize other responsible and decent members of the same ethnic group. 

“The collective demonization of any ethnic group because of the misguided behaviour or conduct of criminals is improper and no responsible government will ever do so.” 

He went on “The Punch editorial is, therefore, sheer blackmail and mischief designed to push its own sinister and unpatriotic agenda disguised as free speech. “By inciting the people against an ethnic group because of the criminal activities of a few is unhelpful and deleterious to peace.

“Rather than proffer solutions, the editorial only regurgitated simplistic narratives of complex national issues, deliberately neglecting the broader and unbiased understanding and interpretation. 

“After the highly biased and misleading editorial, the newspaper could not but come to terms with the established fact that climate change and criminality remained key drivers of the farmers-herdsmen conflict.

“Currently, a massive and fierce military operation is going on in Zamfara State to neutralise the activities of bandits who have been sacking communities and killing innocent people, and the security outfits have been deployed to safeguard lives and property.”

He added, “In its attempt to build a case against the President and tarnish his hard-earned reputation, the newspaper misquoted and removed from the actual context words attributed to him, one or two of which we wish to clarify here.

“In pointing out that some Nigerians, who dare the desert and the Mediterranean in order to migrate illegally to Europe have to blame themselves, the President had a context, following severe warnings by local authorities that were clearly being ignored.
“The unfortunate Nigerians were always lured into harmful and unsafe journeys, with high likelihood of death or slavery.

“The President said the ECOWAS protocol allows freedom of movement but Nigeria will not tolerate the illegality. An administration that paid USD500,000 to evacuate 3,000 stranded Nigerians in Libya and a similar amount to bring back those that went to Russia to watch the World Cup this year cannot, in all fairness, be accused of insensitivity to the plight of illegal migrants.

“The question to ask the newspaper is simple: are we to say nothing, do nothing when our young citizens make the wrong choice of embarking on journeys that lead to slavery and death in the Mediterranean? “Is it out of place to warn of the dangers of such wrong decisions?”

He said that for the second issue, the President could not have been wrong in drawing attention to negative, abrasive and insensitive reporting by a section of the press that threatens to jeopardize national security by draining the morale of uniformed men and women who are sacrificing their lives to keep the country united.

“Without a safe, peaceful and stable country, it is difficult to imagine how newspapers can prosper in their trade.

“Under this administration, no media, no matter how provocative, will be fettered in their freedom of expression. Rather, we will continue to appeal to their conscience to place national interest and professionalism above narrow concerns.

“The Presidency advises members of the media to exercise restraint and good judgement for the larger good of the society.

“We must not forget the significant and unsavoury roles played by journalists in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which claimed almost one million lives. We should all work for the good of the country and all citizens.” 


Source : https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/buhari-not-sympathetic-to-killer-herdsmen-presidency/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is unfit to lead Nigeria.

Yekini Nabena, APC National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

He noted that while every Nigerian has the right to run for any office, there are many issues that border on such person’s integrity, antecedents, competence and capability to preside over the affairs of the country.

Nabena stated that APC was aware that Saraki’s presidential declaration was a tactic to deflect attention from the deluge of issues he deals with, particularly ahead of the 2019 General Elections.

He said pressure to reconvene the National Assembly, a fast-shifting political order in Kwara State, among others were a few examples.

Nabena wrote: “By virtue of Saraki’s antecedents, he is an abysmal failure and is totally incompetent to offer himself as a candidate for leadership of Nigeria. Saraki was a two-term Governor of Kwara State and Senate President in the last three years. What were his performance records in these two assignments?

“As Kwara State Governor, was his Shonga Agricultural Programme, not a white elephant project in which hundreds of millions of State funds was sunk into? The infrastructure, particularly roads network in Kwara State in which the present administration remains under his tight grip and political machinations long after leaving office, remains deplorable while state resources are mismanaged through corrupt enrichment.

“A Presidential aspirant who promises to create jobs and turn around the economy at the national level must have done so in a state he served as Governor for eight years. We challenge Saraki to give the nation his scorecard as a Kwara State.

“As Senate President, how Saraki used the position to superintend over budget padding, sabotage of the executive by frustrating confirmation of presidential nominees, stalling legislative approvals for election budgets and his recent shadow boxing on the Electoral Act, among other treacherous actions against the APC (which he was then a member) in pursuit of his selfish political interests has been well reported.

“Was Saraki’s Senate Presidency not a journey of shame and disgrace? – moving from one Court or Tribunal to another over charges of forgery of Senate Rules, false declaration of assets, and being linked with armed robbers who brutally killed and maimed innocent residents in Offa recently.

“Saraki says he is heeding the call of Nigerian youths to contest the Presidency. We are not aware of any meeting of Nigerian youths held during which they decided that. For the record, the #NotTooYoungToRun group berated Saraki for selfishly using their forum to make his presidential declaration. We are not surprised by Saraki’s selfish actions as it has come to define his politics and persona.

“Saraki says he will offer leadership driven by empathy. Coming from an incredibly selfish and self-opinionated politician this is indeed an irony. Saraki’s Presidential aspiration is a huge joke and should not be taken seriously.

“He has repeatedly displayed his character as extremely selfish, deceitful, untrustworthy and unreliable. His only goal is to get to the top, stay at the top, ruin or wreck whatever he finds there or in the event of failure, collapse the system or process.

“Nigerians have had enough of Dr. Bukola Saraki’s retrogressive and disruptive style of politics and deserve no more.”

Source: http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/why-saraki-cannot-be-nigerias-president.html

To demolish illegal structures

Quote:The Federal Government has commenced move to rehabilitate the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu with plan to demolish illegal structures standing on the runway path.

As part of the planned rehabilitation, there are indications that the runway of the airport may be shut down temporarily as done in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja last year.

Also, to make the airport operational at night, the government has procured Instrument Landing System (ILS) and airfield lighting system which would be installed once the right of way is acquired.

This emerged when a team of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) inspected the airport designated as one of the international airports in the country on Wednesday.

The inspection was coming few days after the Southeast Governors cried out to the Federal Government to intervene in the airport.

Though the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Mukhtar Usman said the runway is still in good shape and meets international safety requirements, he explained that there is the need to improve the landing and riding quality of aircraft on the runway.

He said, “We came here by air and we landed except for the landing quality, there is a lot that can be done to improve on the riding quality of the runway and it is because of those failures that you see in some areas. Plans are on the way to carry out similar works that took place in Abuja runway to ensure longer life, better riding quality for the runway. We have some international flights coming to Enugu, some are three times a week.

“DREAMLINER lands here, Boeing 777 also lands here, especially for cargo. Generally speaking, we will say the runway is still very safe to operate. This is in line with the government policy to ensure that whatever is done is in line with the international standard. Arrangements are being made to rehabilitate the runway.”

The acting Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Salisu Daura while giving insight on the planned installation of the ILS and airfield lighting system said a clear distance of one kilometre was required to carry out the installation.

During the inspection, the team visited Orie Emene market and Methodist Church Nigeria Central School in Emene which are parts of the structures that might have to give way for the installation of the improved landing system.

Daura, who is also the Director of Engineering of FAAN, said many structures and buildings would have to be demolished “because we only have 420 meters instead of the one kilometre we need.”

“Safety is very paramount in aviation. You can’t have aircraft hovering so low over a populated area. Definitely certain structures must go”, he said.

The aviation authorities are however soliciting for the cooperation of the state government to fast-track the acquisition of the right of way to be able to install the equipment.

According to the DG of NCAA, acquiring the right of way is not within the purview of the Federal Government as “it is completely under the control of the state”.

He however said talks are ongoing at the highest levels in aviation and the state to address the right of way and other germane issues critical to improving the state of the airport.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to even contemplate presenting a governorship candidate for the 2019 election in the state shows that something is fundamentally wrong with the party.

Wike spoke in an interview at the Government House, Port Harcourt, stressing that aside from the plot to rig, the APC has no platform to campaign upon in the State.

“For the APC to think of bringing somebody in this state to challenge me, shows that something is fundamentally wrong with the party.

“What has the Federal Government done for the APC in Rivers State? What has Rivers APC achieved? Mention one thing. Is it in terms of the roads, the airport or seaports?” he queried. He regretted that the APC did not believe in credible polls, noting that rigging and fraud were in the DNA of the party.

“All their meetings, all their gatherings at the federal level, whether by hook or crook, they must have Rivers State. They want to use soldiers, SARs, DSS. All cries by the international community don’t matter. Just take Rivers State first,” he said.

Governor Wike said as a Minister of State for Education, his contributions to the development of Rivers State were scattered across the state.

He wondered why the current Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has failed the people of Rivers by refusing to attract a single project to the state.

Governor Wike said: “When I was a minister and he was in APC, I brought development to the state. For example, I brought the Faculty of Law to the University of Port Harcourt. I brought grant of N500 million to Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.

“I’m from Rivers State and must contribute to the development to the state. As at the time I was in the Federal Government, he was the governor under APC and there was no development in the state. I brought the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intervention to Rivers State. This is my State.”

Wike said, as governor of the State, he has transformed Rivers, citing key projects across the state. He said his third-year anniversary celebration underscored the fundamentals of good governance with leaders across political, traditional and social divides commissioning key projects.

The governor said in October, his administration would commence another leg of project commissioning. He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari would be invited to commission projects, even though he is unlikely to honor the invitation for political reasons.
Governor Wike said contrary to the propaganda of the APC, he is not against the federal government, adding that he is only committed to the fight against injustice.

“That’s the misconception; I don’t stand up against the federal government. I stand up against injustice and marginalization. It has nothing to do with the federal government. If this government is not in place tomorrow, and another government comes and perpetrates injustice, I will stand up against them. It has nothing to do with federal government,” Wike said.

On the alleged media propaganda by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), on the management of Rivers State finances under his leadership, Governor Wike maintained that the law had declared that the EFCC has no power to investigate the state government.

He said: “I’m not interested whether EFCC backs off or not, being a body that does not respect the rule of law. That is what the federal government is all about, impunity. You heard the president say national interest supersedes the rule of law. I’m not against the EFCC fighting corruption if at all they are fighting corruption.

“My concern is for us to do things in accordance with law. The law says we have a federation comprising the federal government, the states, and the local government areas. We go to the monthly federal allocation when money comes to the federation and all tiers take their share. The federal government is now saying the money that comes to states will be monitored.”

He noted that the EFCC could only be taken seriously, if it operates within the rule of law, by successfully appealing the 2007 judgment between the commission and the state government.

“I was not here in 2007 when the Rivers State government went to court against the EFCC; to say the commission has no constitutional power to interrogate the finances of the State government. And the matter was adequately addressed and judgment was given against EFCC. Since 2007; EFCC has been struggling to appeal the judgment. EFCC has not succeeded up till now. What they are doing now is when they feel a government is not pro-Buhari, let’s do this.

>> https://groovenaija360.com.ng/apc-has-no-business-presenting-candidate-in-rivers-governor-wike/

Quote:Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday hijacked a commercial bus and kidnapped the passengers on board in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

A relative of one of the kidnap victims, Isa Musa, told Reuters that between 10 and 20 people were kidnapped by the insurgents. It was uncertain of the exact number of people abducted.


“Boko Haram attacked a commercial vehicle and abducted some civilians – over 10 men and women were abducted,” Musa said.

He stressed that his “uncle was in the bus with some other passengers, men and women, about 20 of them, when the incident occurred.”


The incident was confirmed by a soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has berated the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, over the federal government’s empowerment of some traders with N10,000 in Osun State.



PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was a shame that Osinbajo could condescend to empower “Agbo jedi” sellers with N10,000 in Osun State.

Sharing a photograph of those empowered on his Twitter handle, Ologbondiyan wrote, “It’s a shame that a pastor and a professor of law, VP @ProfOsinbajo will stoop this low to encourage the 10k “agbo jedi” empowerment in Osun.

“Aregbe has made life so pitiable for Osun citizens.”

Osinbajo had on Monday arrived in Iwo, Osun State, to launch an empowerment programme for 30,000 traders across the state.

The programme tagged ‘Tradermoni’ is an initiative of the Federal Government in collaboration with the Bank of Industry for petty traders.

Each of the 30,000 traders are billed to receive the sum of N10,000 to boost their businesses.

Executive Director of BOI, Toyin Adeniji, said the bank would not relent until every Nigerian who is willing, has access to loans irrespective of their status or level of education.

https://dkmngr.com/pdp-mock-osinbajo-empower

Quote:The National leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has criticised the sacking of workers by some oil and gas companies for active unionism.

NUPENG described the action as oppressive and a height of high handedness on the part of the firms.


It accused the management of Sterling Energy Exploration Company (SEEPCO) and its drilling arm, British Oil and Gas Ltd of denying workers their rights to unionise.

The union, therefore, called on the authorities and other relevant stakeholders in the sector to wade into the issue without delay to avert industrial crisis in Kwale, Warri area of Delta.

“For the records, five drilling oil rigs being operated by Sterling Energy Exploration Company (SEEPCO) and its drilling arm, British Oil and Gas Ltd in Kwale, Warri, have been in operation for several years.

“The period has witnessed continuous refusal by the management of these drilling companies to allow workers to join the union.

“Workers of these drilling rigs have overtly indicated their willingness and readiness to join the unions of their choice and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has responded appropriately to the request.

“Unfortunately, the management of SEEPCO and its drilling arm, British Oil and Gas Ltd have resulted to high handedness and violence through the use of military men and armed militias to forcefully evacuate over 2, 500 workers from the five drilling rigs.

“These companies are Indian operated companies and NUPENG found it grossly unfortunate and unacceptable that these companies would be using brute force to dehumanise, terrorise, and victimise Nigerians in their own country,” the union said in a statement on Wednesday signed by its President, Mr Williams Akporeha.

It vowed not fold its arms while its members were being dehumanised in the course of demanding for their legitimate rights as recognised by labour laws and the International Labour Organisation charter.

To avoid further escalation, NUPENG urged the authorities, particularly the Federal Government and its agencies, to call the management of the companies to order, while directing them to follow path of best practices by granting the legitimate wishes of the workers.

NUPENG also called on its members to be “on red alert” as they might be called upon at very short notice to withdraw their services nationwide in solidarity with their oppressed colleagues if the situation was not addressed immediately.

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES


THURSDAY, 6TH SEPTEMBER.

REAL WORSHIP

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him (John 4:23).

When you were born again, not only was your spirit recreated, you were also immersed into Christ; you’re literally joined together with Him in an inseparable union. It’s the reason we can worship Him. Real worship is a mingling of spirits; a moment of divine ecstasy, where you’re enraptured in the bliss and glory of His presence.

Nothing beats that divine connection that takes place in real worship, where you’re lost in Him, completely oblivious of the world and everything else around you. Real worship is a communion with the Father. It’s beyond the singing or the words offered in prayer; it’s about the fellowship that takes place in the realm of the spirit as your spirit communes with Him.

Recall the words of Jesus in our opening verse. God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Worshipping God in Spirit means it’s got to come from your spirit. We serve God from our spirits. We understand the things of God from our spirits. It’s one of the reasons we need to be constantly filled with the Spirit, because only the Spirit can help us guide and sanctify our minds to think towards God, and express our love for Him from the deep recesses of our inner being as we should.

In real worship, you experience glorious transportations of the Spirit. Sometimes, as you worship, you feel enraptured; taken away from the earth realm into the amazing wonders of God’s Spirit. This blessing is for everyone who’s born again. We’re the only ones who can worship the Father and experience such a glorious fellowship in His presence, as our spirits are mingled with His.

PRAYER

Dear Father, I take advantage of your presence in my life, and the inextricable oneness with your Spirit; and as such, I enjoy and experience a glorious fellowship and transformation from glory to glory. I’m full of strength, courage, and divine vitality, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Corinthians 5:1-6:1-2 & Proverbs 18-19

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 & Jeremiah 24

Quote:PDP and other opposition parties should talk sparingly… Instead they should consult, organise and strategise more on how to win back the hearts of Nigerians. Condemning every step of the ruling party is not constructive and cannot serve the PDP’s interest. What will stand it in good stead is to task the government on good governance and take it up on bad policies.

Quote:…what is the PDP’s scruples with how APC conducts its primaries; whether direct or indirect, in the open or in secrecy? Why is PDP taking Panadol for APC’s headaches? Of all the frivolous knee-jerk reactions to APC matters, this clearly missed the point.

Quote:There should be decorum, decency, and believability in order to avoid scornful rebuke from Nigerians, just as our form of democracy will not grow to maturity with the mediocre government and opposition that we have continued to produce in the country.

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested three one-chance robbers on the Third Mainland Bridge while another jumped into the Lagoon with the gang’s loot.

The robbers, John Akinyemi, 27; Paul Oliseh, 37 and Amos Williams, 12, were arrested on Monday afternoon on the Third Mainland bridge after a chase by the Rapid Response Squad patrol team monitoring Iyana-Oworo.

The policemen after being informed that the one-chance robbers were operating around the area, chased the bus, a Volkwagen Transporter with the registration number, AKD 562 XP to the bridge.

The robbers, after being double crossed by the officers on the Third Mainland Bridge, abandoned their vehicle and were fleeing on foot when they were arrested.

One of the robbers, who was later identified as Junior, 19, was reportedly hit by speeding vehicles twice on the bridge before jumping off into the Lagoon.

According to the leaders of the gang, John Akinyemi, “there were four of us. I was in charge of calling the team to work. It was our first trip for the day. We took four passengers in Estate Bus Stop in Alapere. They were going to Oshodi. We dispossessed them and dropped them off before Iyana-Oworo one after the other.

We took their phones and money. We have been doing this for more than three months. We sell the mobile phones and jewelry, and we share the money”.

One of the victims, Semiu Oluwaseun, who alerted the RRS officers immediately he was thrown out of the moving bus, said the robbers collected his phone and the sum of N500,000:00.

Another victim, Jamiu Ojuroye, who was robbed on Sunday, identified John Akinyemi as the driver of the bus he was robbed in. He noted that he was robbed on Sunday night and that the robbers team took N150,000:00 from him before threw him out of the speeding bus.

Ojuroye added that after struggling with the robbers, they poured a peppery substance on his face, took his money before throwing him off around 8:00 p.m.

The robbers were paraded today by Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, at the Command Headquarters.

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/09/police-nabs-3-one-chance-robbers-in-lagos.html

The Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC), the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja held an election which ushered in the new NEC that will stir the affairs of the committee for the next one year.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has lambasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) for declaring that he is unfit to lead Nigeria.

  

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has charged young Nigerian innovators and entrepreneurs to always be focused and dogged in transforming their ideas into reality. Osinbajo Osinbajo gave the charge in Kano at the 2018 Northern Regional Finals of Students Innovation Challenge (SIC) held at Dangote Business School (DBS) of Bayero University, Kano. “Never give up try and try again. You should keep on trying. I am very excited by this project. As many of the innovators are educated here in Nigeria, it is evidently clear that we must support these young innovators. “This project, Students Innovation Challenge is a public private partnership which is put in place for the development of our nation. For you, our dear innovators, the fulfillment of your dream has since started,” the vice president said. “It is clear to all of us, that the university is one of the most fertile grounds for the development of talent. The story of the immense contributions of Stanford University to the emergence and development of Silicon Valley in California is a well-told one and an inspiration to the rest of the world. “Here in Nigeria, we are optimistic that Nigerian Universities will similarly play vital roles as incubators and accelerators for small and emerging business ventures. The Bayero University, Kano (BUK) is already taking a huge step in this direction in collaboration with the Dangote Business School (DBS), yet another example of impactful public-private collaboration. “The Student Innovation Challenge, is a public-private partnership, involving the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Bank of Industry (BOI), Civic Foundation for Innovation, and Access Bank. “I am pleased to note that this is the first time that a platform has been created in Nigeria, which allows students from all over the country to pitch their business ventures and ideas to a panel of expert judges. And I should mention again, that each of the winning businesses will receive an investment of one million naira.” Also speaking at the occasion, the Dean of Dangote Business School, Profesor Murtala Sagagi said the institute has designed programmes and courses that would enhance the skills, knowledge and experience related to professional and managerial activities through developing technical and non-technical competencies required for carrying out professional endeavours. Professor Ayagi said: “The Dangote Business School believes in the developing adequate manpower for self-reliance and empowerment through innovation, creativity and entrepeneurship. “Apart from the private sector and the Presidency, some states including Kano and Jigawa are partnering with us in creating and sustaining training programmes for youth development and empowerment.” Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje announced a donation of N15 million for the development of the new project of young innovators and entrepreneurs. He said: “The innovators have translated their ideas into opportunities. These innovators can help in the development of the country. In the past, there were such innovations but they fizzled away because there were no similar programmes as this. The way things are moving now, it is very clear that our population is fast becoming an asset.” While commending the Bayero University, the governor said: “The succession system in the university helped much in making the university one of the most peaceful universities in the country.” Dangote Groups, through the Group Managing Director Engineer Mansur Ahmed, donated N10 million; the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), N20 million and the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), N10m. The Director General of Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), donated N4.5m to winners at the event. The first winner got N2 million; the second, N1.5 million and the third, N1 million. 

Sowore, Presidential Aspirant and Founder and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, has said “the old order; the regime of deceit, hunger and starvation is about to collapse in Nigeria”.
He made this know when he addressed hundreds of supporters, who thronged the arrival wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, to welcome him back from a fundraising campaign in the United States and Canada.
Speaking to the ecstatic crowd, he said: "Your PVC is the major weapon to liberate yourselves from the shackles of oppression and retardation in this country", just as he encouraged his supporters to keep advertising the liberation that has come to Nigeria on streets, towns and villages across Nigeria.
He expressed his determination to work for the development of the country, stating that "by this time next year we can deliver road infrastructure, education and a leadership that is respected all over the world, not a Nigeria where they say youths are lazy, when they provide them with nothing”.
Shortly after his arrival, while taking questions from a group of students of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, who had come to show their solidarity, said when elected, Sowore said his administration will focus on “providing scholarships with cash support per semester for students, while ensuring that students are connected through technology", in order to ensure that the students can access resources like books from other countries and also share ideas.
He added that “during our time, Wi-Fi will become a fundamental human right, so that everyone is connected. And I am not saying this as a promise; there are tons of organisations who want to provide Wi-Fi for free”.
Reacting to Sowore's comments, Rakiya Ahmed, one of the students at the event said: “What he is saying sounds impossible; I won’t lie to you. But at least he is young”.
Olagunju Oluwafunminiyi from Agege, however, contradicted Rakiya's position on the impossibility of Sowore's campaign promises, stating that "I am not really happy with what is going on in Nigeria. I’ve never been a fan of politics, but I changed my mind when a friend told me about him. He had a town hall meeting. I followed him and I saw that he truly has experience, even in Nigeria and not just outside the country, so I will support and give him my vote”.
Sowore declared his intention to contest for Nigeria's presidency on March 9, 2018, and has since chosen the African Action Congress (AAC) as his political platform for the February 2019 polls.

By Wisdom Nwedene 

The Nigerian Deputy senate president, sen. Ike Ekweremmadu has picked up his nomination form to return to the senate for the 5th time.

According to a message made available to Igbere TV correspondent,  he said his people requested him to go back to the senate.

The message reads:

"AS REQUESTED BY MY PEOPLE, I WILL RUN FOR THE SENATE AGAIN"

"My people, the good people of Enugu West Senatorial District, including the Enugu West Peoples Assembly, Members of the National Assembly, Council Chairmen, members of the Enugu State Executive Council, Enugu State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, leaders of the PDP from Enugu West, among others gave me a surprise on Sunday. They presented to me the PDP nomination form for the Senate, which they purchased for me, requesting that I return to the Senate in 2019. "

" Instructively, only a Few weeks ago, I reflected on my past engagements with the people of Enugu West and I was satisfied that, by the grace of God, we were able to make so many improvements in the lives of our people."

"I reflected on my next move and the available options. One option is to come back to you in Enugu and run my Foundation, which will give me opportunity to mentor young men and women in leadership. The second is probably to go to a university and take a fulltime academic job and also try to mentor young people in school. And behold my people came calling."

"My people, my primary employers have spoken. I have no choice than to humbly accept to run for the Senate again."

"Nevertheless, I believe that the beauty of democracy is the enlargement of the political space in which everybody is free to participate, bring and exchange ideas, and disagree in order to agree. "

" Just yesterday, I got a call from a man who introduced himself as an engineer from Achi, but lives in Jigawa. He later came with his family to tell me that he wanted to run for the Senate in Enugu West. I congratulated him and offered to help purchase his nomination form. But he told me he had already bought his form. He was quite surprised when I offered to buy form for him. But it has always been my philosophy to help nurture the opposition, for as far as I am concerned, all power belongs to God and we should never try to reduce the political space. We must allow and indeed encourage other people to participate", he said.

Source : http://igberetvnews.com/452481/breaking-senate-president-ekweremadu-picks-nomination-form-photos/

The Observers Times

Quote:

FORMER Senate President, David Mark, has picked the expression of interest and nomination form to contest for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), confident that President Muhammadu Buhari will lose to the party in next year’s election.

Speaking to journalists moments after collecting the forms at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Tuesday, he observed that Buhari had become unpopular and this had become obvious to all. Asked about his chances against the president if given the party ticket, Mark said: “My chances which are actually PDP chances against the current government, you can see what is happening for yourself. 

I don’t think anybody needs to preach that gospel anymore. If you can’t see it, you can perceive it. If you can’t perceive it, you can hear of it. It is obvious that the next election, PDP’s presidential candidate will win.” He said as long as the PDP had zoned its presidential ticket to the North, he was qualified to vie for it, saying that his wealth of experience gave him an advantage for the position. 

He also asserted that his campaign represented the youth in consonance with the clamour for younger leaders in the country. The three-time Senator stated: “The issue is that the party has zoned the presidential vacancy to the North. Whether you are from North East, North West or North Central, we are all northerners. 

And I think that that is what qualifies me in the first place. “Secondly, I think I have something to offer. I got a wealth of experience in administration. And you recognise that I was also President of the Senate for eight years. “So, I think I have garnered a lot of experience to be able to move the country in the direction that all Nigerians want. 

And that is the direction of prosperity, good economic policies, reduce the level of insecurity, get Nigerians to become very proud citizens, create job opportunities for the teeming youths and change the economy. “Like I said, there are lots of young boys and girls working in my team who are very vibrant and who are very articulate and who know what they want. So, we are a focused team.” 

On the move for a consensus candidacy for the PDP, Mark opined that the important thing was for the presidential aspirants to realize that it was only one of them that could be the candidate in the end. He added: “If we all agree. But all of us who have gotten the nomination forms now have to agree on that. Whether we get a consensus candidate or whether we go through the primary itself truly doesn’t make much difference. “The important point is all of us must realise that there is only one person who can occupy that seat. 

And that power comes largely from God. Once God decides that this is the person, and the process through electing that person is free, fair, credible and transparent, we should all accept it.” The former Senate President said whatever the outcome of the party primary, he would not leave the PDP. He explained: “Have you heard me before saying that no matter what happens, I will never leave PDP? I have said that too many times and I keep saying it, sounding like a broken record now in that process. But that doesn’t stop anybody from coming in to join the party. “Now, PDP has become the party of choice. 

That is their only reason why people are coming. Nobody will leave a party that is good and go to another party that is not a party of choice. So, the mere fact that people are coming to PDP means that PDP is now the party to be if we want to make an impression on this country. “Also, if a man comes to the party, he is an integral part of the party. And I think we should not bother too much about whether the man has been there for a long time or whether the man is coming. 

But that decision will be made by the electorates.” Meanwhile, former Sokoto state governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, has become the first PDP presidential aspirant to return his completed nomination form. His campaign Director General, Senator Paul Wampana, who returned the form on his behalf to the national secretariat of the party on Tuesday, told journalists that Bafarawa did not believe in consensus candidacy and was only seeking assurances for a free, fair and credible primary. 

Wampana said the more aspirants that were in the race, the better for the party. He, however, expressed confidence that having learnt from its past mistake, the PDP would indeed create room for a credible exercise. He said: “We are not against many aspirants. What we need is a level playing ground. The people will speak. It is the people we will listen to. Let there be free, fair and credible elections in this country. We have discounted the idea of anyone stepping down. The more the merrier.”

Quote:Again, for the third time, President Muhammadu Buhari refused to sign the amended electoral bill into law on Monday.

According to his Senior Special Assistant on National assembly matters, Ita Enang, the latest refusal to sign the bill is due to some drafting issues that remain unaddressed, among other irregularities.

The President’s decision may signal another tug of war between the Executive and Legislature when the National assembly resumes from recess. However, a close look at the “old” act and the proposed “new” reveals that the amended version falls into three categories: THE GOOD, THE FILLERS and THE SUSPECT.

Here are the highlights of only the good and the suspect, as the fillers will add nothing to the vexed issue.

THE GOOD

There is an introduction of subsection (5) to Section 8 (containing four subsections in the old) of the act, which addresses the appointment of secretaries and other staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The proposed amendment seeks to penalise any INEC official who knowingly refuses to disclose his political affiliation before being employed by the commission. The penalty is a fine of N5million, an imprisonment of at least five years or both.

INFERENCE: To enhance the non-partisanship status of the commission.

There is Section 38 in the old, which covers the failure of nomination by a party and mandates the commission to postpone the election dates for this reason. The amended version includes a new subsection (2) which makes postponement of election unnecessary once there is at least one valid nomination by a political party.

INTERFERENCE: This saves time and prevents the electoral processes from dragging unnecessarily.

We also have Section 44, which stipulates that INEC must ensure the ballot papers contain the symbols of the political parties. The amended version inserts of new subsections 3, 4, 5 which, in a nutshell, state that political parties must be invited to inspect their identities and show whether they approve or disapprove of their of how they are represented on the electoral materials after two days of invitation. And any party that fails to honour the invitation shall be deemed to have agreed with symbols of its party as presented.

INFERENCE: To forestall the usual litigation after elections where parties claim their parties’ logos, symbols or names are omitted, or misstated.

There is Section 49, which addresses the issues of ballot paper, confirmation of voters’ names. The amended version seeks the inclusion of Subsections 1 and 2, which recommend the use of card reader and other technological devices in elections.

INFERENCE: Simply to forestall irregularities and inconsistencies that often mark and mar our electoral results.

There is Aection 53, which addresses the question of over-voting and stipulates that the results of a polling unit where the number of votes cast exceeds that of registered voters should be declared null and void. The proposed amendment states that the results should be cancelled when the number of votes cast exceeds that of ACCREDITED voters.

INFERENCE: This reflects the current practice in Nigeria when accreditation precedes voting.

THE SUSPECT

Section 63(4) of the “old” electoral act addresses the issue of counting of votes and forms. This subsection says the presiding officer should count and announce the result at the polling units. The amended version to this subsection strikes out COUNT and simply states that the presiding officer should announce the result.

INFERENCE: This makes the process liable to manipulation.

Section 91 addresses the limitations on election expenses. The following is the list of maximum limit on election expenses that can be incurred by candidates, according to the old and the proposed:

Presidential election N1billion (Old)- N5billion (New)

Governorship election M200m (Old)- N1bn (New)

Senatorial Seat N40m (Old) -100m (New)

Federal House of Representatives N20m (Old) - N70m (New)

State Assembly N10m (Old) - N30m (New)

Chairmanship election N10m - N30m

Councillorship N1m (Old) - N5m (New)

Even 91(9) that prohibits any individual or entity from donating more than N1million has been amended to N10million.

INFERENCE: Is this a ploy to make our political space an exclusive preserve of the money-bags? Or to make the anomaly of vote buying a permanent feature of our elections?

And the most vexed and suspect is Section 25, which addresses the days of election. The proposed version tinkers with the sequence of elections. The elections will now be from the national assembly to the state assembly, then governorship and presidential, and not the other way round.

INFERENCE: The unofficial word out there is that the President would abandon the lawmakers if he contested first. But if his election was the last, he would dance to their tunes till the very end. Knowing how bills are typically driven by personal interests in this part of the world, it's hard not to think the lawmakers' minds are working this way, and even harder not to think Buhari will never sign!

A Nigerian man was rushed to the hospital after allegedly falling from a five storey building in a migrant camp in Germany. According to media reports, the new migrant jumped from the building in a suspected case of suicide before the arrival of the police and emergency officials who rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. 

In a trending video footage posted online, other Nigerian migrants at the camp can be heard speaking in Pidgin English as they revealed their shock over the alleged suicide attempt. 

Meanwhile, president Muhammadu Buhari publicly told German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, his government does not support Nigerians trying to illegally enter Europe, saying those caught would be “at his or her own risk”.

The president said this on Friday morning after receiving the German Chancellor at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The president said “Any Nigerian found in Libya or anywhere on his way to Europe through illegal means will be brought home and we will send him back to the local government.”

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/09/nigerian-migrant-jumps-from-five-storey-building-in-germany.html

Watch Video HERE.

Nigerian senator, Ovie Omo-Agege has made a startling allegation, claiming that Bukola Saraki tried to impeach Buhari. 




Ovie Omo-Agege, the senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, has vowed that himself and other progressive senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, would ensure that Senate President and senator representing Kwara central, Dr. Bukola Saraki is sacked from office and “chased away” from the senate.
 
According to Vanguard, Senator Omo-Agege also accused Dr. Saraki of allegedly plotting to impeach President Muhammad Buhari adding that “as long as him and other APC senators are in the Senate, any attempts to impeach Buhari, would not succeed.”
 
He made made the disclosure at Sapele, Delta State during the climax of his consultative visit to leaders, elders, ward and local council executives of the APC in Delta central on his reelection bid ahead of the 2019 general elections.
 
The lawmaker who also used the opportunity to present his scorecard to members of his constituents, said: “As we speak, we have driven him out of the APC and we would also sack him as Senate President and chase him away from the senate. At the end of everything, he would know that it is me that is behind it.
 

“He (Saraki) does not like President Buhari. He and his friends have been praying for the death of Mr. President and when they didn’t succeed, they plotted to impeach him and we have refused that. As long as we are in the senate, I want to assure that it would not happen.”
 
In his remark, Delta state APC chairman, Jones Erue who was a guest at the event assured aspirants of the party of a level playing field and expressed confidence that the APC would produce the next governor of the state come 2019.

Following renewed bargain hunting embarked upon by stock market investors, transactions on the equity sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), closed upbeat yesterday, as the All-share index rose marginally by 0.3 per cent. 

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, the All Share Index (ASI) gained 96.18 absolute points, representing a growth of 0.3 per cent to close at 34,933.86 points. Similarly, the market capitalisation gained N35 billion to close at N12.753 trillion.

The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Okomu Oil, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings, and Custodian and Allied Insurance.

Analysts at APT Securities and Funds Limited, said: “the NSE-ASI ended the trading session on a positive note to reflect prior prediction. We hope to see more bargain hunting as we go further into the trading week.” 

Market breadth closed positive, with 23 gainers versus 18 losers. Aiico Insurance recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent, to close at 99 kobo per share. Jaiz Bank followed with a gain of 8.89 per cent to close at 49 kobo, while CI Leasing rose by 8.80 per cent to close at N2.72 per share.Diamond Bank gained by 8.70 per cent to close at N1.25, and Japaul Oil and Maritime Services rose 8.33 per cent to close at 26 kobo per share.

On the other hand, Fidson Healthcare, PZ Cussons Nigeria, and Universal Insurance led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent each, to close at N5.40, N13.50, and 36 kobo respectively. Tripple Gee and Company shed 9.41 per cent to close at 77 kobo, while Guinea Insurance depreciated by 8.57 per cent to close at 32 kobo per share. 

The total volume traded appreciated by 82.82 per cent to 240.46 million shares worth N3.61 billion, traded in 3,400 deals. Transactions in the shares of United Bank for Africa topped the activity chart with 54.44 million shares valued at N436.03 million.Access Bank followed with 38.45 million shares worth N359.44 million, while Stanbic IBTC traded 35.23 million shares valued at N1.68 billion.Guaranty Trust Bank traded 15.75 million shares valued at N576.77 million, while Aiico Insurance transacted 14.31 million shares worth N14.16 million.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/stock-index-rises-03-amid-renewed.html

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES


WEDNESDAY, 5TH SEPTEMBER.

HIS SACRIFICE WAS ENOUGH.

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently…what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:10-11).

After the sufferings of Christ, a life of glory ensued. You don’t need to “pay” any additional price, aside what Christ already did for you to have a beautiful life, and be all that God wants you to be. His sacrifice was enough. Due to that sacrifice, you’ve become one with God; you’re now a partaker of His life and of His righteousness. What He expects of you now is that you enjoy your life and live your best to His glory.

On the Cross, before His death, Jesus said, “...It is finished...” (John 19:30). He announced the end to suffering for all humanity. Anyone who believes in Him and accepts His vicarious sacrifice is automatically ushered into the transcendent life of glory. Yes, Christ suffered for us, but that suffering brought us life eternal, and righteousness.

Moreover, the story didn’t end with His death; the Bible says, “…Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day…” (Luke 24:46-47). Therefore, rather than lament, we celebrate His death for us; much more, we celebrate His resurrection that gave us a new life and made us associates of the God-kind.

God wants you to live every day in the victory of the death, burial and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. This means if you were lying on a sickbed, it’s time to get up, because His suffering brought an end to sickness, disease and infirmities. Just as death and the grave couldn’t hold Him down, nothing of darkness should be able to exert influence or control over you; refuse to allow anything keep you in bondage.

Refuse to allow poverty take a hold of you, for Jesus took your place of poverty on the Cross and gave you prosperity (2 Corinthians 8:9). If you’ve desired to have children but couldn’t, because there’s something wrong with your womb, change has come! Now you can, because of the victory of Christ’s sacrifice. Glory to His Name forever! All things are possible in His mighty Name. Amen.

PRAYER

Blessed Father, I’m grateful for your life in me, which was made possible by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. I thank you that I’m the object of your love, and my prosperity and wellbeing are your delight. I live in the victory of Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Titus 3:5 CEV He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning.

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Corinthians 3:7-4:1-18 & Proverbs 16-17

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 & Jeremiah 23

the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday challenged the claim that the sum of N1.6bn linked to a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was a donation to the Anglican Communion of Otuoke Community, Bayelsa State.
Counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, challenged the ex-presidential aide, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to show evidence that any part of the N1.6bn lodged in the Heritage Bank account of a firm, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, was transferred to the church.



But replying, Dudafa said only his former principal, Jonathan, could offer an explanation on that.
The EFCC is prosecuting Dudafa for an alleged fraud of N1.6bn.
He was charged alongside a banker, Joseph Iwuejo, who the EFCC said was his (Dudafa’s) account officer with Heritage Bank.
The defendants opened their defence on Monday after the court dismissed their applications for no-case submission.
Dudafa had while being led in evidence by his lawyer on Monday, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), contended that he was not guilty of any wrongdoing as alleged by the EFCC.
He said the N1.6bn found in the account of Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, which the EFCC linked to him, was not proceeds of fraud but part of the money donated to Jonathan’s church in Otuoke to build the St. Stephens Youth Development Centre, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
Dudafa said following a fundraiser organised in Lagos, the ex-President instructed him to follow up with Prince Arthur Eze, who pledged $10m (about N1.8bn).
He said the ex-President asked him to look for someone in the private sector who could help to keep the $10m once Eze redeemed his pledge.

Dudafa said, as a result, he got an ex-military man, Somprie Omiebi, who lodged the money in the Heritage Bank account of Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.
However, while being cross-examined on Tuesday by the EFCC lawyer, Oyedepo, Dudafa was presented with the statement of account of Avalon and was asked to point out if there was any money transferred from the account to the church.
Responding, Dudafa said, “From Exhibit B (the account statement), no fund was transferred to the Anglican Communion of Otuoke Community. I can’t see it. It couldn’t have been because only the former President could have given directive on what to do.”
Asked by Oyedepo to name the Bishop of the Anglican Communion of Otuoke Community, Dudafa said, “I don’t know; I only related with the former President.”
In the course of the cross-examination, Oyedepo led Dudafa to point out to the court from the statement of account that a sum of N30m was transferred on November 25, 2013, to The Jakes Fast Food and Restaurant, in which Dudafa had the highest share and often addressed himself as the chairman.
The EFCC lawyer also showed Dudafa the statement of account of The Jakes Fast Food and Restaurant with the Guarantee Trust Bank, saying, “It is correct that as of today, the funds that are in the account of The Jakes, paid by a Bureau De Change operator, Murtala Bashir, is in excess of N500m.”
The prosecutor also led Dudafa to point out that a total of N30m was transferred between December 21 and 22, 2015 to the law firm of Mr Habila Sylvanus, who is an uncle to Dudafa.
The EFCC lawyer also led Dudafa to show the court that several millions of naira were transferred from the account of Avalon to a firm, Light Light, owned by one Engineer Brisebe, who helped Dudafa to build his house in Lagos.
Dudafa, however, said he was not the one who managed Avalon’s account and he knew nothing about the payment to Light Light.
The prosecutor also led Dudafa to point out that N40m was paid on November 11, 2015, to Joseph Iwuejo, who is standing trial along with Dudafa.
Further proceedings in the case have been adjourned till Friday, September 7, 2018.

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY, 4TH SEPTEMBER.

GIVING AND RECEIVING

Now ye Philippians know also, that inthe beginning of the gospel, when Ideparted from Macedonia, no churchcommunicated with me as concerninggiving and receiving, but ye only (Philippians 4:1)

Sometimes, there’re those who get veryexcited when we say, “In giving to the Lord, itdoesn’t really matter the ‘size’ of the seed.” But the Bible says, “…this I say, He which sowethsparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians9:6).

In other words, if you’re miserly in your giving, you’ll reap a paltry or meagre harvest, but if you givegenerously, you’ll also reap generously. That’s theWord; it’s a spiritual law. It’s simply about sowing andreaping, or as Paul puts it in our opening verse, “givingand receiving.” You don’t need to “pray” to God tomake a law work which He already instituted.

Laws, anykind of law, when applied rightly, would produce the requisite results. Likewise, if you misapply them, they’llwork against you.

There’re things you don’t need to petition God
tomake happen, once you’ve acted on the Word or on aspiritual principle. This is clear in some of the parablesof Jesus on how the Kingdom of God functions. Forexample, when you read Mark 4:26-28, He didn’t say after sowing into the ground, the man fasted and prayed for the seeds to grow; no! Rather, he went tosleep; and of their own accord, the seeds grew andproduced fruits.

When you apply the law of sowing, it works. The Bible says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Aslong as there’s seed time, it means harvest is assuredand it can be anytime; the harvest happens automatically.

God isn’t necessarily the one to make the harvest happen. All He does is to channel His grace and favour towards you for superabundance. 2 Corinthians 9:8(AMPC) says, “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance,so that you may always and under all circumstancesand whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessingenough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].” Always give bountifully, for the promise is to the giver, not the receiver (Luke 6:38).

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the privilege of giving into the Gospel. I’m blessed in all I do, andprosper in all things, because I’m a giver. I’ll always give bountifully for the propagation of the Gospel of Christ in all the earth; likewise, my harvest is sure, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”


1 Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Corinthians 2:5-3:1-6 & Proverbs 14-15

2 Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 & Jeremiah 22

The Consul General of The Peoples’ Republic of China to Nigeria, Ambassador Chao Xiaoliang, has disclosed that trade volume between China and Africa reached $1116 billion in the first seven months of 2018 with an increase of 18.7 per cent.
Xiaoliang, said this in Lagos, while giving updates on the ongoing third Forum On China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), summit holding in Beijing, China. According to him, trade volume between the two sides reached $116 billion in the first seven months of 2018 with increase of 18.7 per cent, even as China’s exports hit $59.36 billion and imports reaching $56.81,thus, making China retain its position as Africa’s largest trading partner, since the year 2010. “The two previous FOCAC had improved bilateral relations between China and Africa, with China establishing diplomatic ties with 52 African countries, maintaining high-level exchanges, and deepening strategic mutual trust”, Xiaoliang said, stressing that, “In 2017, trade volume between China and Africa reached $170 billion, with about two hundred increase fold from the volume in 1978.” He further disclosed that China’s total non-financial investment in Africa in 2017 exceeded $100 billion, around 100 times than that of the year 2000 while in recent years, China’s direct investment to Africa stayed around $3 billion, with about 3,200 Chinese companies having investment in Africa on projects in transportation, energy, telecommunications, industrial zones among others. “Up to date, China has helped to train more than 16,200 technicians in Africa, provided over 43,000 training opportunities in China and 20,000 government scholarship for African countries with the number still growing” Xiaolinag enumerated. He said that the Summit in summary would make a new call to build an even stronger community with a shared future between China and Africa, write a new chapter for the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of Africa, as well as connect the people of China and Africa as close as a family, which in turn, will set a new path towards a stronger China-Nigeria strategic partnership

 
Consul General, Consulate General of the Peoples Republic of China in Lagos, Chao  Xiaoliang

The United Kingdom Department for International Development in Abuja on Monday gave details on how the UK government plans to create 100,000 jobs in Nigeria would be realized.

Earlier in the week, details emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari had withheld assent to the harmonised Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB).

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday arrived in Iwo, Osun State to launch an empowerment programme for 30,000 traders from across the state.

The programme tagged ‘Tradermoni’ is an initiative of the Federal Government in collaboration with the Bank of Industry for petty traders.
Each of the 30,000 traders will receive the sum of N10,000 to boost their businesses.

The Executive Director of BOI, Toyin Adeniji, said the bank would not relent until every Nigerian who is willing has access to loans irrespective of their status or level of education.
Adeniji said the programme which has now been activated nationwide will support two million Nigerians to grow their businesses.
She also stressed that the BOI is determined to empower the bread sellers, vegetable sellers, and other small business owners and advised them to use the money judiciously.

Also present at the launch of the programme was the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Traditional rulers, National Assembly members and cabinet members of the State Executive Council.

Lagos has been described as the home of aquatic splendor and as part of efforts to harness the potentials of water transportation, MTN Nigeria has donated a world class ferry terminal to the state government at a colourful ceremony in Falomo, Ikoyi on August 30, 2018.
The new Five Cowrie Creek Terminal was built at the site of a former refuse dump near the lagoon, close to MTN’s headquarters. After seven years of work, the jetty will now serve as the headquarters of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), and includes a berthing area for up to 20 boats, ticketing/waiting areas, a restaurant and a rooftop section with a lovely view of Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
In addition to the terminal, a multi-level carpark (with the capacity to house 800 cars) was also commissioned by the State Governor. This carpark was also built and operated by MTN Nigeria for the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Both facilities were commissioned by the State Attorney-General, Adeniji Kazeem (who represented Governor Akinwunmi Ambode) in the presence of excited LASWA staff, state government officials and some traditional rulers.
The MTN delegation to the event was led by the Chief Operating Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mazen Mroue; the Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint Nwafor and the Customer Services Executive, Ugonwa Nwoye among others.
In his speech, the governor said the completion of the new Terminal project was a demonstration of the state government’s resolve to ensure the development of the water transport sector in the state.
He praised MTN for its investment, support and commitment to ensuring that both projects were delivered, while calling on corporate organisations to partner with the state government in its efforts to improve public infrastructure.