Nigeria is doomed !! 2019 Presidential candidate: We will go with anyone including all the highly corrupt ones - PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that it would pick its presidential candidate not minding if the individual has corruption case or not.

Speaking with the Sun, the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party will not choose its candidate on the basis of whether or not they have graft cases.

Ologbondiyan also said no member of the party can bring such issues to the table or ask the party to drop aspirants with corruption cases.

The PDP mouthpiece maintained that the party would be guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as its rules in screening presidential aspirants.

He was reacting to reports that the party was planning to drop some of its presidential aspirants with cases of corruption with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and related agencies.

He said the Supreme Court had ruled in the past that anyone who has not been convicted in the court cannot be barred from participating in an election.

He said “Please, don’t bring that to us, it is not in our party. Nobody in our party told you that.

“Once you are a member of our party and you have satisfied the provisions of the constitution, and you have complied with the provisions of our own constitution, as well as our guidelines, you are free to contest (the presidential primary).” - Daily Post

US intelligence firm says Buhari could lose in 2019

Teneo Intelligence, a New York-based analysis firm, says the Osun state governorship election has shown that President Muhammadu Buhari could lose in 2019.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured the highest votes in the governorship poll which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared inconclusive.

Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the PDP, polled 254,699, while his closest challenger, Isiaka Oyetola of the All progressives Congress (APC) had 254,345 votes.

In a report obtained by Bloomberg, the intelligence firm said if the opposition manages to unite, February election would be a tough one for the ruling party.

“There is already a clear message sent from Osun State: provided the PDP remains united, and the vote is reasonably free and fair, Buhari and his APC are likely to lose the general election,” Malte Liewerscheidt, an analyst at Teneo, said.

This is the latest blow to the Buhari reelection campaign.

In its report titled: “Nigeria: Papering Over The Cracks”, HSBC Bank, a global financial organisation, said the economy will suffer setback if Buhari wins in 2019.

The institution, however, added that the chances of Buhari winning another term were slim.

“A second term for Mr Buhari however raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration, prolonging the stagnation of his first term, particularly if there is no move towards completing reform of the exchange rate system or fiscal adjustments that diversify government revenues away from oil,” the report read.

“In the near term, however, the election impact is likely to be negative as increased political uncertainty precludes policy reforms, weighs on confidence, deters investment spending and restrains the growth outlook.”

Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, had attacked the bank, attributing the report to the fear that the current administration could sanction the bank for shielding stolen wealth of corrupt Nigerians.

Shehu said the bank had soiled its hand with millions of US dollars looted by Sani Abacha, former military head of state. - TheCable

Roman Abramovich posed threat to public security - Swiss police

Switzerland’s federal police advised that the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich posed a “threat to public security and a reputational risk” to the country if he became a resident, it has emerged.

The Chelsea football club owner on Tuesday lost a seven-month legal battle against a newspaper publisher to prevent publication of information on the reasons for his failure to secure Swiss residency.

The battle between Abramovich and the Zurich publisher Tamedia began in February this year after the group obtained details of a letter written by police, who were asked by the state migration secretariat to give their view on whether the oligarch should be allowed to move to the canton of Valais.

Abramovich, who already owns a £90m mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens, Britain’s most expensive street, had applied for Swiss residency in July 2016, hoping to make the exclusive ski resort of Verbier his official home.

However, after a detailed review of the files concerning one of the world’s richest men, police raised a series of concerns. According to Tamedia, police reported that Abramovich was known for “suspicion of money laundering and presumed contacts with criminal organisations”. They also asserted that there was reason to believe that “the applicant’s assets are at least partially of illegal origin”.

Abramovich’s lawyer Daniel Glasl has responded to the explosive allegations by filing a request for correction of facts to the federal police. He said he planned to file a criminal complaint against whoever disseminated the information.

“Any suggestion that Mr Abramovich has been involved in money laundering or has contacts with criminal organisations is entirely false. Mr Abramovich has never been charged with participating in money laundering and does not have a criminal record. He has never had, or been alleged to have, connections with criminal organisations.”

The allegations are not based on any court rulings, and the oligarch has never been indicted in Switzerland. They are based on police information which cannot be easily verified, and Abramovich is entitled to be presumed innocent.

In February of this year, the oligarch had secured an injunction banning any mention in the media of police concerns. That ruling was overturned in a legal process which ended on Friday when the Swiss federal supreme court rejected Abramovich’s appeal.

After acquiring Chelsea in 2003 and transforming the club’s fortunes with an investment of over £1.1bn of his own money, Abramovich became the poster boy for the privileged group of Russian moneymen who have made London their home over the last three decades.

However, since the poisoning of the former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in March, Britain has taken steps to stem the flow of money from Moscow. Abramovich withdrew his application to renew his UK residency visa this spring. In May, the oligarch obtained Israeli citizenship.

In May, Chelsea shelved ambitious plans to redevelop their Stamford Bridge stadium and in August were forced to deny reports that Abramovich was looking to sell the club

The canton of Valais had originally accepted Abramovich’s application, on the grounds that his financial profile would make him an “interesting taxpayer” for the area. However, the authorities appear to have taken a different view at federal level. In June 2017, Abramovich withdrew his Swiss residency application.

In a written statement, his lawyer added: “Mr Abramovich has submitted to numerous, thorough background checks by governments and business partners over the years and such unsubstantiated allegations have never been an issue.” - The Guardian, UK

"Giroud's a team player and that's the problem" - Merson

Paul Merson of Sky Sports thinks he’s found the one thing holding Olivier Giroud back as a striker.

A style of play not conducive to showers of goals is preventing Chelsea from drawing valuable points out of close games, in the mind of former Arsenal man Merson.

The regular pundit said in an interview on Sky Sports: 

“Giroud’s a proper team player and that’s the problem.”

“He reminds me a bit of Emile Heskey. When the team are winning, it is all great and he brings people into the game.”

“I think Hazard would rather play with Giroud. You could see it the week before when Hazard got his hat-trick, Giroud was involved in a few of those goals.”

“He is a big player for Chelsea but when you draw 0-0, the stats appear and they are not very good.”

The World Cup winner has scored five goals for Chelsea in 24 appearances since joining in January, and has proved to be the key rival to Alvaro Morata.

Michy Batshuayi was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund last year, and has received another chance at Valencia this season. - Read Sport

PL News : Roman Abramovich sets Chelsea sale price

 Abramovich has set his asking price for Chelsea Football Club.

The Russian billionaire is looking for a bid of £3 billion for the team that he took over in 2003, whilst on the verge of catastrophic bankruptcy.

Since then, Chelsea have become one of the titans of European football. Winning the Premier League five times, the Blues added the pinnacle of club football (the Champions League) to their honours list in 2012.

Visa problems have been compounded by failed stadium plans, and the escalating international tension between the United Kingdom and Russia can’t have helped Abramovich’s desire to remain Chelsea’s owner.

Threatening to withdraw his money from the capital, Bloomberg claim the tycoon is willing to part company with the club for £3 billion.

An eye-watering sum of money, few could have foreseen the turnaround in Chelsea’s fortunes back in 2003.

Famed for scything through managers, Chelsea fans may have a difficult memory of Roman Abramovich – but few could deny his impact on the West London icon that is Chelsea FC. - Read Sport

Lagos prophet in court for allegedly defrauding woman of N2.5m car

A 28-year-old self-styled prophet, Chiweike Michael, was on Tuesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a woman of a car valued at N2.5million.

According to NAN, the prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, said that Michael committed the alleged offence on July 25 at Iba, Lagos.

He said that the accused fraudulently obtained the car belonging to Mrs Stella Osubor.

“The accused collected the complainant’s car under the pretext of delivering her from death.”

Awase said that the complainant approached the accused for prayers; the accused told her that God revealed to him that she should sow seed with her car to avert death.

“The complainant, who was introduced to the accused by a friend, gave N55,000 cash and her car worth N2.5million with the documents to the accused as requested by him.

“It was when the accused ran away to Anambra with that car that it became clear the complainant was charmed and duped.

“Efforts made to retrieve her car proved unsuccessful.

“The case was reported and the accused was traced to Anambra and arrested,” the prosecutor said, adding that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, denied committing the offences.

The Magistrate, Mrs F.F. George, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until October 9 for mention. - Daily Post

2019 presidential ticket: Restructuring campaign by some PDP aspirants mere lip service – Gov. Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that some of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirants do not have the interests of the people of the state and Niger Delta at heart.

Wike said this while reacting to the alleged opposition of some of the aspirants to the October 5 and 6 national Convention in Port Harcourt.

The Governor, who addressed reporters in Port Harcourt on Monday, said the aspirants are, by their actions, showing they are against the economic interest of the state and Niger Delta.

He said such aspirants are also not living up to their campaign for the restructuring of the country.

PDP will hold its convention for the election of its presidential candidate on October 5 and 6 in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.

Thirteen aspirants are billed to participate in the contest.

Although some aspirants have endorsed the Port Harcourt venue, there has been disquiet over its choice.

“Those against the PDP convention holding in Port Harcourt don’t have the economic interest of Rivers and Niger Delta at heart.

“If you are telling the people of the state, and by extension, Niger Delta, that you don’t want such event to hold in their domain, as an aspirant, how will you act when you become a president?

“How do you expect the people you are telling that you don’t like their state to vote for you during the election?”

The governor said it was worrisome that the same people who have been traversing the length and breadth of the country, calling for the restructuring of Nigeria, are aspirants kicking against the choice of Port Harcourt as venue for the convention.

“Why are they not acting in tandem with their campaign for the restructuring of Nigeria?

“From their opposition to Port Harcourt, it means the restructuring campaign is mere lip service.”

All the aspirants, he said, will enjoy the level-playing field, and insisted that the choice of Port Harcourt is not meant to give any aspirant an edge over others.

“Every aspirant will be given level-playing field” and added “that it is holding in Port Harcourt does not mean anybody will have undue advantage.

“What it will do for the state is that it will boost its local economy because groundnut, sachet water sellers and food vendors will have more sales. Hoteliers will also record increased business.

“That is the only thing Rivers state stands to gain from the holding of the convention in Port Harcourt. And, anybody who is against Port Harcourt hosting the event does not like the state. He is against the economic interest of the state.”

According to Wike, the person who will emerge the candidate of the party will do so on the basis of his political clout and not on any other consideration.

He stressed that what every PDP member needs at the moment is not to bicker over the choice of convention venue but to work in unity, to achieve the goal of the party which he said is to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We need to work together, we don’t need any division at this moment. Our goal must be to win in 2019,” the governor noted. - Daily Post

Minimum Wage: Strike begins Sept 26, start preparing – Labour tells Nigerians

The organised labour on Monday began preparations for its nationwide strike over Federal Government’s delay in the implementation of a new National Minimum Wage.

Labour reminded Nigerians that the 14-day ultimatum issued to the federal government expires September 26 and urged them to be prepared.

Mr. Joe Ajaero, President, United Labour Congress (ULC), said this in a communiqué issued after its meeting on Monday in Lagos.

Ajaero said that if the government failed to meet their demand on the expiration of the ultimatum, it would collaborate with other labour centres and Civil Society Organisations to embark on a nation-wide strike.

“We shall no longer be obliged by this time to give any further notice to the government before embarking on the action.

“By this communiqué, we order all our affiliates and state councils nationwide to move to the final level of alert in their preparation for the proposed nationwide strike,” he said.

The labour leader said that a new national minimum wage was desirable and possible; adding that lack of patriotism, greed and corruption was the bane of a reasonable wage.

Meanwhile the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has empowered the National Administrative Council (NAC) and its leadership to carry out all necessary actions in conjunction with other stakeholders to ensure the achievement of the minimum wage. - Daily Post

Failed Nation !! FG may sell 10 state-owned coys to fund 2018 budget

Joe Anichebe, a director at the Bureau of Public Entreprises (BPE), says the federal government will sell 10 state-owned companies for sale in the fourth quarter of 2018.

According to the director, the sales will raise N289 billion for the funding of the 2018 budget.
Anichebe said preparations are in the final stages for the sales of the companies, which range from aviation to insurance.
Bloomberg reports that the first set of companies to be sold are Nicon Insurance Ltd. and Skyway Aviation Handling Co., which the director said will be sold “this month or early next month” through an initial public offering.

Ita Enang, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters, had said the greater part of the 2018 budget will be funded by loans.
“Mr President assented to the budget. The time we are now, we are working on the implementation of the budget. We are working on steps to raise fund for the budget. You know that the greater part of the budget is going to be funded by loans, because it is a deficit budget. And so we are working on modalities to make appropriate request before the legislature,” the adviser said.

“Some of the ministries have already advertised and commenced the procurement process pending which of the projects will finally come out of the budget and how much they will come out even the budget was finally approved.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria recently paid N12.4 billion (pictured) for a 21% stake in the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC). - TheCable

Dream come true to play at Old Trafford - Gibbs-White

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has explained how it was a ‘dream come true’ to play at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Speaking to the club website, the 18-year-old said he was nervous heading into the match but thought the team deserved more than the point they earnt.
Gibbs-White was bought on to replace Diogo Jota on 87 minutes at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, adding to his two other appearances in the Premier League to date.

The Englishman has been with Wolves since the age of eight and made his competitive debut for the club in the 2-0 FA Cup win over Stoke City in January of last year.

The player is highly thought of at club and international level and was part of the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup winning side, scoring twice in the tournament.

On his cameo role against Manchester United, he said:

“Words can’t describe what it felt like to step out on an amazing pitch at Old Trafford. It was a dream come true. I remember when I was a kid I said to my dad ‘I want to play at Old Trafford one day’, and for that to actually come true doesn’t seem real.”

“I was nervous from when I stepped foot into the building, but when you get onto the pitch you don’t really notice the nerves. You just focus on the game and the task ahead. It sort of hit me just before I was about to come on, but you have to stay calm and composed and that’s what I did.”

Gibbs-White will be hoping for a more substantial role as Wolves host Leicester City in the Carabao Cup tonight before hosting Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. - Read Sport

Transfer News : Chelsea must keep tabs on ex-Blue Declan Rice

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice has been one of the club’s star performers this season.

The former Chelsea academy star has impressed in Manuel Pellegrini’s side, particularly against his former club on Sunday at the London Stadium.

Rice’s impressive start to the season has seen some of the Premier League’s big boys take notice.

The Hammers are reportedly keen to tie the player down a new long-term contract that is more fitting for his new first-team role.

However, the Daily Mail reports that Rice has turned down the club’s latest contract offer.

Amid interest from some of the Premier League big boys, this could present Chelsea with a chance to re-write their wrongs and consider a move for the player, with the Hammers unwilling to change their offer.

The report does not name any of Rice’s potential suitors, but you could imagine that all of the top six clubs are keeping tabs on his situation.

The London-born player came through the ranks at Chelsea before being released by the club at the age of 14.

Now at the age of 19, he is realising his potential and is being tipped to step up to the England senior squad soon.

Whether or not Rice would risk a return to Stamford Bridge is yet to be seen, but given the record that Chelsea have had with letting players leave too quickly, they would undoubtedly be keen to see him back at the club. - Read Sport

Man contests election for 96th time — and he’s never won in any

John Turmel, a Canadian, is currently contesting election for mayor of Brantford, the city he lives in, but that is actually his 96th shot at an elective position.

Interestingly, he has never won in any of the elections, earning him the record of the world’s biggest loser in the polls.

But he says he has no regrets and is not deterred to keep pushing.

“I have no regrets. For a guy with no resources, doing it all with my winnings from mainly illegal games, what have I got to be ashamed of?” he asked in an interview with The Guardian.

He first ran for an election into parliament in 1979, earning just 193 votes after knocking on uncountable doors, campaigning.

His main goal at the time, according to Turmel, was to legalise gambling, after series of police crackdown on his underground operations.

Four decades down the line, he has never stopped to take his chance at elective offices, sometimes earning as much as 4,500 votes, and, on one occasion, getting just 11 votes.

“People with no money can basically create their own tokens by monetising their own time,” he was quoted as saying.

“I realised that I’m going to have to take advantage of every opportunity to explain how we could save ourselves from poverty, which is created by not enough money.

“We’ve got lots of wealth, lots of food, lots of clothes, we’ve just got not enough money to buy it.

“I do zero campaigns,” he says. “I go and I sign up, I give them a press release and a press conference and then I’ll go home. And if there’s a debate, I’ll show up.” - TheCable

Donald Duke : Zoning has placed mediocres in power

Donald Duke, a presidential aspirant of the Social Democratic Party, DP, has condemned the zoning of public offices in the country.

The former Cross River State governor said zoning of public has only put mediocres in power.

Duke, while addressing the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum in Abuja on Monday stated Nigeria’s ’economy was not out of recession as claimed by the Federal Government.

“The economy is not growing because by virtue of our population growth, the economy should be growing at 4 per cent, we must exceed our population growth and Nigeria should by now have a trillion dollar economy.

“I am running for the President because Nigerian deserves as many options as possible. Things are too dire for zoning and zoning, I know, has only produced mediocres in our midst.

“The minorities should be canvassing for zoning of political offices, but I find it strange that it is the major ethnic groups that are demanding for zoning,” the presidential aspirant said. - Daily Post

2019: What Nigerians should expect from judiciary – CJN, Onnoghen

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, has assured Nigerians that the judiciary will handle disputes arising from the 2019 general elections with fairness.

Justice Onnoghen made this declaration on Monday at the inauguration of 30 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) at the Supreme Court Complex in Abuja.

“As we prepare for the 2019 general elections, I reiterate that the judiciary will in determining electoral disputes, continue to play the role of Independent and dispassionate arbiter without fear or favour; affection or ill-will.

“However, the court must partner with key stakeholders to play a critical role in the sensitization and voter education to ensure that eligible members of the public are properly enlightened,” he said.

Onnoghen disclosed that the Supreme Court treated 1, 439 cases including motions, 438 appeals and 192 criminal matters in the previous year.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro (SAN), charged the new SANs to be humble in their relations with other lawyers, explaining that the privilege bestowed by the new rank could be withdrawn at any time on grounds of misconduct.

Thirty one individuals were shortlisted out of the 164 lawyers who applied for the rank. However, the CJN said Ikhide Ehighelua was dropped by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) over misconduct.

Among the inductees was the first female professor to become a SAN, Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose. - Daily Post