Modular refineries can’t resolve fuel crisis - Kachikwu

Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the proposed modular refineries in Rivers and Delta states are not intended to resolve fuel shortage in the country.

Addressing state house correspondents after the federal executive council meeting on Wednesday, the junior minister said the purpose of the refineries is to stop illegal refining.

He said: “On modular refineries; modular wasn’t supposed to provide a sufficient solution to your product needs, modulars are on the average between 2,000 and 5,000 maybe 10,000 at most capacity per refinery.

“Your consumption is about 630,000 barrels per day, that is not the essence of modular, what modular was supposed to do for us is provide work within some of these communities where people are busy doing illegal refining.

“It’s not meant to address the refining product gap we have in the country, we are hoping that those gaps will be covered by a mixture of the three or four refineries that government owns currently, Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna and of course the Dangote refinery of 650,000 barrels.”

Kachikwu said the federal government does not have money to fix the state-owned refineries.

“As a seasoned professional, I have given all the guidance that is required to fix the refineries. We came into a situation where we don’t have money to fix the refineries. We had to raise the money looking into the PPP model; it has to go through a process,” he said.

“The technical committee is headed by the NNPC. Obviously, they’ll submit their report to the board when they complete their work.

“So, from a governance and guidance sense, steering point of view, I think that steering is right on track, from a management of the technical aspect of the contracting, that is something we would have to allow NNPC handle, it is not the job of the ministry to superimpose, you’ve got to let them do their work and do it efficiently.” - Cable Nigeria

Shocking !!! 29-year-old man breaks in, rapes pregnant woman in her house

One man, Monsuru Adeniji, was on Friday arraigned before Ikorodu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State f‎or allegedly raping a pregnant woman.

Adeniji is facing a charge of sexual assault by penetration to which he pleaded not guilty.

Police Prosecutor John Iberedem alleged that the accused committed the offence on Feb. 22 on CAC Street, off Marrass Road, Owutu, Ikorodu, at 3.00 p.m. at the woman’s apartment.

Iberedem told the court that the accused, who lives next house to the woman, who is two months pregnant, had been going to her house to pray.

“He had earlier made sexual advances to the woman, touched her buttock in the kitchen sometime ago which she shared with other neighbours.

“On the day the accused committed the assault, he noticed the woman’s husband was not at home and entered her apartment, grabbed her, covered her mouth with cloth and raped her.

“It was her noise that attracted one of the neighbours and the accused was immediately arrested and handed over to the police.

“The woman lost her two months old pregnancy due to the rape,” he said.

Ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs F. A. Azeez, said the accused should be remanded in prison pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The offence contravened Section 260 of the Lagos State Criminal Code Laws, 2015. Rape attracts life imprisonment in Lagos State.

The court adjourned the case till April 5.

Pogba not as good as Kondogbia - Valencia boss Marcelino

Manchester United's under-fire midfielder Paul Pogba is not as good as Geoffrey Kondogbia, according to Valencia coach Marcelino.

Pogba's form has faced heavy scrutiny recently, particularly in United's dismal 2-1 Champions League defeat to Sevilla on Tuesday that saw them crash out of the last 16.

The former Juventus midfielder was brought on for the last half hour with the score at 0-0, but failed to make an impact and made several errors – including a woeful misplaced pass that went straight out of play – leading United great Roy Keane to describe his performance as "schoolboy".

Conversely, Kondogbia has enjoyed a terrific loan spell for Valencia since joining from Inter and was influential in the 2-0 win against Sevilla last weekend that left them 11 points clear of their rivals in the battle for fourth in LaLiga.

However, Kondogbia was not included in France's squad alongside Pogba for upcoming friendlies against Colombia and Russia and won the last of his five caps in September 2015, something Marcelino is perplexed by.

"Kondogbia didn't only play brilliantly against Sevilla, but he has had a lot of excellent games throughout the entire season," he said ahead of Saturday's contest with Deportivo Alaves.

"He is a key player for us, he is important for how we play and although I don't follow how the other French midfielders are getting on, recently I don't think that some of them would be close to how Kondogbia is playing.

"We saw Pogba play against Sevilla and Kondogbia against the same opponent and there isn't any kind of comparison to be made.

"As always, however, I have total respect for the national team managers and as Valencia boss I am happy that he is here with us." - Goal

Transfer news : Arsenal linked with shock swoop for Real Madrid star

Arsenal are interested in making a surprise move for Real Madrid star Luka Modric, according to reports in Spain.

It’s claimed by Diario Gol, as cited by the Liverpool Echo, that the experienced midfielder could be on the move this summer, which has put the Gunners on red alert.

Modric has been a key player for Real for a number of years now but with the Croatian international now 32-years-old, it’s thought that the club could be willing to part company with the midfielder.

As per the report, Modric is keen to return to the Premier League to test himself in the English game once again. It’s believed that Arsenal are interested in helping the player achieve this, whilst Liverpool have also been touted as a potential destination for the player.

It’s stated, however, that Modric would be more receptive to a move back to London, following his successful tenure with Tottenham Hotspur. This then begs the question of whether or not he would move to his former club’s rivals, though.

Arsenal will undoubtedly be on the lookout for quality additions in the summer as they bid to force their way back into the Premier League’s upper echelons. - Read Sport

826 personnel deployed to Nigeria to contain Lassa fever - WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has deployed its personnel to rapidly contain the outbreak of Lassa fever in more than 18 states in Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement released in Abuja by Charity Warigon, communication officer for WHO in Nigeria.

The statement said: “For the Lassa fever response, 271 are involved in active case search, 235 in contact tracing and 320 in community sensitisation activities in the 18 states active states.”

According to Warigon, from January 1 to March 4, a total of 1,121 suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported across 18 states.

The states are Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe and Ekiti.

“Of these, 353 are confirmed positive, eight are probable, 723 are negative and 37 are awaiting laboratory results,” she said.

“Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, there have been 110 deaths, 78 in positive-confirmed cases, 8 in probable cases and 24 in negative cases. Case Fatality Rate in confirmed and probable cases is 23.8 percent.”

Warigon said on several instances, polio workers have provided frontline support for outbreak response, adding polio workers were essential to containing the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.

Quoting Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO country representative to Nigeria, Warigon said the polio infrastructure was originally designed towards achieving the polio eradication goals.

Alemu said 2,500 WHO personnel and 390,000 ad hoc personnel are supporting polio eradication in Nigeria.

“Now polio infrastructure has expanded its support to broader disease surveillance strengthening, outbreak response and basic health care services including immunisation,” Alemu said.

“With the imminent eradication of polio globally, plans are underway to determine how best to transition polio assets including health workers to retain their knowledge and skills.” - Cable Nigeria

Face of corruption : EFCC closes cases in trial of Jonathan’s ex-aide

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday closed its case in the prosecution of former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

EFCC arraigned Dudafa and Iwejuo Joseph Nna before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos on 23-count charge of conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to N1.6billion on June 11, 2013.

Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, after tendering some documents, said he had no more witnesses to call.

Oyedepo added that he intended to file an amended charge without re-opening his case.

Defence counsel, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and Ige Asemudara, said they would make a no-case submission on the matter.

The defendants allegedly concealed the sum through a company, Seagate Property Development and Investment Ltd, an  offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 17(a).

They were also accused of knowingly concealing proceeds of crime through Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd in the sum of N 399, 470,000.00, among others.

EFCC said Dudafa “procured” Nna and Ebiwise Resources to conceal N150million being proceeds of crime.

Gibraltar warns it could rescind citizens rights if Spain uses veto on Brexit deal

The government of Gibraltar has warned that it could rescind the rights and protections enjoyed by Spanish and other EU nationals living and working in the territory if Madrid uses its veto to exclude the Rock from any Brexit deal between the EU and the UK.

According to EU negotiation guidelines issued in April last year, Gibraltar will find itself outside any future trade deal with the UK unless an agreement is reached in advance with Spain over its status, effectively giving Madrid a veto.

Gibraltar’s deputy chief minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, described the veto clause as illegal and said its use would be challenged in court.

He said that its invocation could prompt his government to review the status of EU nationals and also to revisit an agreement guaranteeing the payment of pensions to Spaniards who worked in Gibraltar before Franco closed the border in 1969.

 “We’ve taken advice from the most senior UK lawyers and our advice is that the clause is illegal and our position is that if Spain exercises a veto under that clause, we will challenge it in court – whatever that may do to the whole of Brexit,” he said.

Garcia said that Spain was trying to draw a distinction between withdrawal and transition, even though Gibraltar insists transition is part of withdrawal.

Were Gibraltar to find itself excluded from the transition and withdrawal, he added, the government might, reluctantly, be forced to reconsider the rights of both EU nationals who live and work in the territory and the 13,000 workers who cross the border from Spain every day.

“Our view is that we are then no longer obliged to allow or provide the citizens’ rights that are provided in withdrawal or in transition, because it doesn’t apply to us,” Garcia said. “In terms of workers, it isn’t something we want to do – let me stress that. But it’s something that is an option. 

“There are 2,000 EU nationals who live in Gibraltar, quite apart from the workers. Some of them obviously work here as well. Eight hundred of those are Spanish and they’ve chosen to make Gibraltar their home.

“We welcome them in Gibraltar, but if transition and withdrawal is not going to apply to us – and it includes chapters specifically on citizens’ rights and workers’ rights and frontier workers and what have you – then we would be free to do whatever we like on those elements as well.”

Garcia said that while Gibraltar did not want the negotiations to be about “vetoes or exclusions or threats or about denying people legitimate rights”, the enduring threat of the veto had brought an “element of uncertainty” to proceedings.

“We said at the very beginning – before the UK had spoken about guaranteeing citizens’ rights – that we would honour citizens’ rights already and acquired rights in particular,” he said.

He pointed out that the question of pensions for the Spanish workers forced from Gibraltar when Franco closed the border almost half a century ago had only been resolved through an agreement following three-way talks in 2006.

“The UK continues to pay the pensions to these workers,” said Garcia. “These are acquired EU rights. There are now others who’ve worked here since who will have acquired rights as well. Spain cannot seriously put us in a position where we are forced to look into these areas, which are areas – I stress once again – where we don’t want to go.”

The negotiations, he added, “should be about lowering the temperature, sitting down and ensuring a sensible, orderly and well managed Brexit, because it’s in both our interests”.

Residents of Gibraltar, which was captured by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704 and ceded to Britain in perpetuity nine years later under the treaty of Utrecht, voted overwhelmingly against Brexit. Up to 96% of voters cast their ballots in favour of remaining within the EU. - UK Guardian

Citadel of corruption : Yabatech Dismisses Bursar For Exposing Corruption - Centre

The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), has called on the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to urgently intervene and void the sack of a lecturer, Mr Joseph Akeju, whose appointment was terminated by the governing council of Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos, for exposing corrupt practices at the institution.

Mr. Akeju, a Chief Lecturer in the Department of Accountancy at Yabatech was dismissed for seven years for using his position then, as bursar, to expose corrupt practices at the College.

Although he was recalled in 2016 after the Minister of Education gave the directive for his immediate reinstatement, Akeju who has worked for 31 years at Yabatech may be denied his entitlements due to the recent termination of his appointment by the college’s governing council, just a few days to his retirement.

In a letter signed by its Coordinator, Chido Onumah, AFRICMIL, a civil society organisation committed to creating awareness and advancing the safety of whistleblowers, said it was imperative for the Minister of Education to look into the case of Mr. Akeju as any step taken to deny him his entitlements as a patriotic and upright retiring public servant will spell doom for the fight against corruption.

AFRICMIL expressed sadness over Mr. Akeju’s predicament and urged the Minister of Education to protect the interest of the lecturer who had blown the whistle against corruption.

According to AFRICMIL, Akeju's recent dismissal by the management of Yabatech was pure vendetta to prevent him from getting his entitlements.

“Mr. Akeju is due for retirement from public service on 20th of March, 2018, but the chairman of the governing council, in a glaring act of desperation, perfected a scheme to deny him a dignified and honorable exit with the purported dismissal,” the letter noted.

AFRICMIL described the dismissal of Mr. Akeju as “vengeful, malicious and unjust,” noting that the action of the governing council of Yabatech was unmistakably a retaliation for Mr. Akeju’s outspokenness on the mismanagement and lack of openness and accountability perpetrated by the current governing council.

AFRICMIL said the continuous intimidation of Nigerians who have chosen to expose corruption will not only be a setback for the anti-corruption fight but will also make it difficult for anyone to blow the whistle. - Saharareporters

Soyinka : Buhari jittery about herdsmen but declared IPOB terrorists

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly treating killer herdsmen with kid gloves.

Soyinka, while speaking at the Ripples Nigeria Dialogue in Lagos, on Thursday, charged the president to declare herdsmen terrorists.

“We expect the president to have the courage to declare such monsters as terrorists and enemies of humanity with the same dispatch in which he declared the far less violent, albeit, disruptive IPOB terrorists. We expect a culture of even-handedness”, he said.

“I have always refrained from labelling the herdsmen as Fulani but since they have publicly come out to admit they are responsible for the killings, we can say they are Fulani herdsmen.

“An organisation has been rampaging the nation armed to the teeth and descending on innocent people. Their spokesman appeared on TV, unrepentant, distorting history, calling on a state government to rescind their laws and proceeding to defy such laws.

“They went ahead and threatened continuation of the same acts of degradation. The nation has been placed on the defensive simply because of the failing of governance.

“Have you ever encountered a more cynical rendition of the sequence of events when spokesmen of this same organisation came out to say the killings were taking place because of the laws which was made to stop the killings in the first place?

“I have not heard that the leaders of that group have been summoned the way those who do far less things would have been summoned. Nigeria is not the first country to experience natural disasters but this is not an excuse to take guns to destabilise other peace-loving people in their communities.

“While addressing the victims of the rampage of Fulani herdsmen, the minister of defence asked the victims what they wanted the herdsmen to do when the grazing routes for their cattle were being blocked and that minister is still in Buhari’s cabinet.

“I get impatient when I hear people say that Buhari failed to sympathise with victims in Benue and Taraba. Who needs presidential sympathy? Is it sympathy that will re-order their broken lives? We are talking about security of lives and property and bringing perpetrators to book.

“We expect the government to respond with massive punitive action when the fundamental security of a people is violated. We expect the president to immediately show up at the scene of these disasters and order his troops into action against these arrogant and blood thirsty people.

“When stung by the criticism that the president rather chose to attend a wedding in Kano instead of being present in Dapchi, presidential apologists said the wedding was a needed therapy for the trauma caused by the abduction of the schoolgirls in Dapchi. That statement is blasphemous.

“There were so many formula that would have been adopted to ensure that the couple had their wedding without the accompanying exhibition of lavishness so soon after a national tragedy. The nation was in mourning and Buhari would have told the couple that he was not obliged to be there,” Soyinka said. - Daily Post

Sowore bounces back as fundraising account is restored

A Gofundme account opened to raise fund for Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a 2019 presidential aspirant, has been restored after 48 hours of suspension. 

“A people determined can never be defeated!” Sowore wrote in an update announcing the development.

“A few hours ago, I wrote Gofundme to explain why they can’t afford to let the politically exposed persons mess with our path to victory in 2019.”

Sowore explained that he made a strong point about the integrity of his candidacy.

On Wednesday, Sowore had informed the public of the suspension of the account.

“Gofundme just alerted us to the suspension of our fundraising efforts on their platform,” Sowore wrote in a Facebook post.

“Apparently, our opponents have panicked and massively reported the fundraising effort considering how successful it was.”

Sowore raised $2,000 in less than six hours that the account was created.

Sowore, activist and journalist, who announced his intention to run for presidency in March, said he intends to sponsor his campaign through crowdfunding.

“The goal is to raise $2 million before before February 2019,” he had said, adding that “it is not about the money alone but a transparent and in-your-face covenant to let these wicked leaders know that their time is up!” - Cable Nigeria

South west farmers threaten Fulani herdsmen, say they will retaliate further attacks on them

A group of Yoruba farmers under the auspices of Oodua Redemption Alliance (ORA) on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital declared that further incidents of farm destruction or attack on any person of Yoruba extraction by suspected Fulani herdsmen would be given appropriate reprisal it deserved.

ORA while insisting that the idea of the federal government to establish cattle colonies or grazing reserves for the herdsmen was a direct ploy to take Nigerians’ lands and give to the Fulanis, implored all herdsmen to move their cattle to the allocated lands reserved for such purpose by both Kano and Niger state governments saying that the allocated lands were enough to accommodate herdsmen and their cattle.

The group while urging other Northern state governments to emulate the gesture of the Mallam Abdullahi Ganduje and Alhaji Abubakar Bello of Kano and Niger states respectively however warned that “Failure to accept these offers, any further incidents of farm destruction or attack on any person of Yoruba extraction in any parts of Nigeria covering Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Edo, Delta states would be given commensurate reprisals.”

ORA in its 31-item resolutions signed by its President, Comrade Victor Taiwo, a copy of which was made available to DAILY POST at the end of its emergency meeting themed, “Just before the Fulanis finish us!” held at House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan on Thursday said, “We are conscious of the character of trail of the Fulanis that they conquer people, occupy their lands and rule over them. This led to their conquest, domination and rule over the entire Hausa land till today. We have the memory of how the Fulanis trickled the Ilorin Yorubas into capturing their land over which they rule till today.

The group said to avoid further incursion into Yoruba land, “We implore all Fulani herdsmen to vacate Yoruba land with immediate effect and relocate to Kano and Niger states or their Northern states of conquest. We are conscious of the fact that a lot of well tondo people in Yoruba land also have their cattle breeding contracted to the Fulani herdsmen, we therefore implore all Yorubas in this category to withdraw their cattle with immediate effect and establish ranches, pens or byres for their cattle breeding.

“The resurgence or large scale perpetration of the evil has now gotten to an uncontrollable and unacceptable level that an open confrontation or war has now been provoked between the Yorubas and the Fulanis.

“Before the war is ignited, we have deemed it fit to call this summit where we discussed and made our grouse and positions known to the Nigerian government and the global community to the effect of our further intolerance of the menace on our racial pride.

“The basis for giving preferential or sacred cow treatment to the Fulani herdsmen whose business contribute no resources whatsoever to the coffers of Nigerian government is not there at all.

“It is on the record that 95 percent of the resources sustaining Nigerian government comes from the Southern part of the country. The cattle business of the Fulani herdsmen is their personal affair which other people of the country must not be sacrificed for.

“We take this opportunity to declare Mr. Ayodele Fayose the Ekiti state governor as a hero of Yoruba land for being the only Yoruba governor who took the bull by the horns by legislating against the menace of the Fulanis in his state.

“We, therefore, implore all other Yoruba governors to be courageous enough as to follow suit.

“We commiserate with Governor Samuel Ortom and the people of Benue state on the recent evil perpetrated against their kinsmen.

“We also commiserate with all Yorubas’ relations who have fallen victims of the Fulani’s menace over the decades and most recently. We share our feelings with Chief Olu Falae and Admiral Samuel Afolayan a former Chief of Naval Staff of Nigeria over the wanton and massive destruction of their respective farmlands by the Fulani herdsmen.

“A standing committee of representatives from each of the states shall be established to ensure the implementation of the resolutions so arrived at.” - Daily Post

Fraud everywhere !!! Court remands MD of First Nation over N1.7bn ‘fraud’

Mojisola Dada, justice of the Ikeja special offences court, has ordered the remand of Kayode Odukoya, managing director of First Nation Airlines, over the alleged theft of N1.7 billion.

Dada also ordered that the accused be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Odukoya had pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge of forgery, use of false document, perjury and stealing filed against him by the anti-graft commission.

First Nation and Bellview Airlines are joined in the suit as second and third defendants.

“This case is adjourned till March 26, for the hearing of the bail application,” Dada said.

Following the order, Odukoya was led away from the courtroom by two uniformed officials of the EFCC.

During the proceedings, M. S Usman, the lead prosecutor for the EFCC, had asked the court to remand Odukoya.

“My Lord, I urge the court to remand the defendant pending the trial date. On three occasions prior to today’s proceedings, the defendant had frustrated his arraignment,” Usman said.

However, John Odugbela, counsel to Odukoya, informed the court that he had filed an application for the bail of his client, which had been served on the prosecution.

According to the EFCC, Odukoya committed the offences of forgery, use of false document and perjury on March 21, 2013.

The EFCC alleged that the accused forged the memorandum of loss of Lagos state certificate of occupancy registered as No. 33 at page 33 volume 1011 at the Lagos state land registry, Alausa, Lagos, so the document could be regarded as genuine.

The forged document was in respect of a property located at No. 29, Oduduwa St., Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

He allegedly used the false document, and also gave false information on oath, concerning the loss of the certificate of occupancy at the Lagos state land registry.

The anti-graft commission also said on October 7, 2016, Odukoya stole and dishonestly converted to his own use N1.7 billion belonging to Skye Bank.

The offences violate Sections 85, 86(1) 278(1)(b), 285, 361(1),(a) (b), 363 and 364(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Odukoya and his legal team had shunned his arraignment in court on three prior occasions.

Following his absence in court on March 9, Dada had rescheduled April 9 for his arraignment. He was however brought to court earlier than scheduled by the EFCC.

Odukoya was detained when he had honoured an invitation to the office of the anti-graft commission on March 13, and arraigned by the EFCC on Friday. - Cable Nigeria

Bribery is now a culture !!! Pat Utomi : In Nigeria you can’t do anything without bribery

Renowned political-economist and ‎founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership, CVL, Prof. Pat Utomi has decried the collapse of culture in Nigeria “where you don’t do anything without bribery.”

He stated this while delivering the first of the lecture series organised by the Students Affairs Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, College of Medicine, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, with the theme: “Excellence in character and learning as a tool for restoration of the dignity of man.

According to him, “If we do things with commitment, there is no stopping us. With the will to dare, if you can dream it, you can make it. Seize every opportunity. Do not procrastinate. Nothing is impossible. It is only your will that can stop you.”

Utomi stated that he had wanted to be a pilot, but ended up an academic and intellectual. He urged the students “to blend character with learning to be a wholesome man, which in the long run would make for a wholesome society.” - Daily Post

Donald Trump Jr., wife headed for divorce after 12 years

Donald Trump Jr.'s wife took legal steps on Thursday to formally end their 12-year marriage, and the couple issued a statement saying they're going their separate ways but "will always have tremendous respect for each other and our families."

Vanessa Trump, a former model, listed the breakup as "uncontested" in a state Supreme Court divorce complaint filing that is secret except for the title of the case.

The Trumps, each 40 years old, were married in 2005 and have five children. Their first child, a girl born in 2007, made a grandfather of Donald Trump a decade before he became president.

In a statement issued through The Trump Organization, where Donald Trump Jr. is an executive, the couple said in part: "After 12 years of marriage, we have decided to go our separate ways. ... We have five beautiful children together and they remain our top priority."

The divorce filing comes as Trump Jr. has emerged as a central figure in at least one focus point of the special counsel's investigation into Trump ties to Russia: a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower involving a Russian lawyer and top campaign aides that, according to Trump Jr.'s emails, he accepted after being promised dirt on Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival.

Trump Jr. was an enthusiastic mainstay on the campaign trail during his father's 2016 march to the Republican presidential nomination and then the presidency and now co-runs the family business with his brother Eric Trump, overseeing a global empire that includes hotels, golf courses and a winery.

He is a popular GOP fundraising draw and has expressed political ambitions of his own, though he has drawn criticism for peddling online right-wing and alt-right memes.

Vanessa Trump's engagement and marriage to Trump Jr. had been a subject of tabloid fascination in New York long before her father-in-law, who has been divorced twice and married three times, entered politics.

At the time of their engagement, there were unflattering stories about how Trump Jr. had accepted a free diamond ring from a jewelry merchant in New Jersey in exchange for staging a recreation of his wedding proposal outside the store for reporters and TV cameras.

But soon, Trump Jr.'s name was more often associated publicly with his appearances alongside his father on "The Apprentice" or as a judge at beauty pageants.

A profile on the couple by The New York Times in 2006 reflected the lightheartedness and pressures of the pair's early days and led Trump Jr. to reflect on the spotlight that fell on his father anytime the family business soured or he confronted divorce.

"Sometimes being a Trump, everyone kind of wants to see you fail," Trump Jr. told the newspaper.

The article said Vanessa Haydon Trump grew up in a town house on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and it recalled her amusement at their initial 2003 meeting when Donald Trump introduced himself and his son to her, only to return later and say: "I don't think you've met my son Donald Trump Jr." The Times quoted Vanessa Trump as responding: "Yeah, we just met, five minutes ago."

When the young couple met again at a party six weeks later, they didn't remember the earlier meeting until they talked for an hour and Vanessa Trump suddenly recalled that encounter, the newspaper said.

Last month, Vanessa Trump opened a letter to her husband containing an unidentified white powder and was briefly hospitalized as a precaution, but the substance turned out to be nonhazardous. A Massachusetts man later was charged with sending the threatening letter. - AP