HOPELESS COUNTRY !! 2019: Sowore blasts organisers for excluding him from Peace Accord, presidential debate

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has cried out over his exclusion from signing the Peace Accord agreement of presidential candidates ahead of 2019 election.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday alongside over 68 other presidential candidates while signing the peace agreement assured that he will uphold the highest standard of conduct and ensure a peaceful 2018 election.

The Peace Accord is an undertaken by all the presidential candidates to ensure peaceful and rancour-free campaigns before, during and after the 2019 general elections.

However Sowore, Atiku Abubakar and Oby Ezekwesili were absent from the event.

Sowore, reacting on his Twitter page, said he was not officially informed of the agreement.

He also blasted organisers of the Presidential Debates over exclusion of his name which is set to hold on the 14th of January 2019.

The Nigerian Elections Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations had in a statement signed by Mr. Eddi Emesiri announced the participating parties as “Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP)”.

Sowore wrote: “First they excluded AAC party from the signing of Peace Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding by Presidential Candidates and Party Chairmen in Abuja today (yesterday).

“Just emerged also they don’t want me to participate in the presidential debates, they claim I am out of control and may spill what I know about these oldies publicly during debates. These old guards still don’t get it!

“This is exactly what they are afraid of! They can’t stand the revolutionary spirit of a youthful fearless Nigerian sharing the podium with old cargoes to debate Nigeria’s future!

Meanwhile, Atiku who was also absent at the signing of peace accord said he was not formally invited to the signing of the peace pact.

- Daily Post

Messi’s new 12m pound private jet (PHOTO NEWS)

Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi has acquired a £12million private jet for himself and his family.

The craft which adorns the No 10 offers luxury and comfort and it comes complete with a few personal touches.

One of the personal touches is the stairs leading up to the main cabin been engraved with the names of Messi, his wife, Antonela as well as their three young boys, Thiago, Ciro and Mateo.

Dailymail reports that, the aircraft comes complete with 16 seats – which can be folded to make eight beds, as well as two bathrooms and a kitchen.

- PM NEWS

EVERYTHING TO !! FG to raise N800m for mass housing

Femi Adewole, managing director (MD) of Family Homes Funds (FHF), says the federal government is targeting over $800 million in a bid to provide mass housing for Nigerians.

Adewole said this on Tuesday while speaking at the launch of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria house (REDAN) in Abuja.

The FHF is a N1 trillion scheme introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to provide housing for low and middle-income earners.

The scheme has ministry of finance as one of its sponsors.

Speaking at the event, the MD said government is seeking the support of World Bank and Africa Development Bank (AFDB) to finance the project.

With the help of the development partners, Adewole said government would be able to deliver about 200 houses by December.

“We have to raise about N800 million to provide mass housing at the rate of N1.5 to N2 million each,” he said.

“We are talking to a lot of development partners like the World Bank, African Development Bank (AFDB) to house over 500, 000 Nigerians.”

Also speaking, Ugochukukwu Chime, president of REDAN, asked stakeholders in the housing sector to work towards achieving project feasibility, execution and closure.

Chime appealed to the government to simplify the requirements for Nigerians who are willing to participate in the scheme.

“It is our responsibility to work with stakeholders in the house sector to ensure that we move away from the learning curve to a higher pedestal of project feasibility, execution and closure,” he said.

“We seek to improve one’s capacity and knowledge.”

- THECABLE

Heavyweight world champion : Big Baby to meet AJ in Big Apple

Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller believes he will cross paths with Anthony Joshua in New York this weekend – and challenged the world champion to agree a fight in America next year. 

The heavyweight rivals are both due to attend Rocky Fielding's world title fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at Madison Square Garden this Saturday, live on Sky Sports, in what could be a tense reunion after Miller and Joshua clashed at a press conference earlier this year.

But Miller is not concerned about the prospect of another confrontation after the British star arrived in his hometown.

"Yes, I'll be there in attendance," Miller told Sky Sports. "If it does [paths cross], it does. But if he's going to the fight, then I think it will. We'll make a scene of it.

"Who knows? He's in my backyard. I'm not worried about AJ at all."

The unbeaten American is due to return in January, with fellow New Yorker Trevor Bryan his preferred opponent, while Joshua has expressed his desire to face WBC champion Deontay Wilder in his next scheduled world title defence at Wembley Stadium on April 13.

And Miller insists he would not step in as a replacement opponent for Joshua, if the Wilder fight cannot be agreed, as the 30-year-old would seek more preparation time and financial reward.

"Nah, definitely not. I'm not going to be a standby for anybody, as a play toy," said Miller.

"I've been fighting for a long time, I want my due. I want my respect. I want a proper training camp, so it can't be last minute, and it's got to make sense.

"He fights the 'Big Baby', and that kind of name that I bring, and the noise that I bring, it's going to cause a sold out arena."

But with Joshua yet to make his US debut, Miller has urged him to take a showdown in the States later this year.

"For AJ, it's a must, do or die," he said.

"He's been a world champion for over a year now, and he has said he wants to fight in America, and then he changes his mind. He's not really trying to take any crazy risks right now.

"I get it, but you can't be called world champion forever, if you're not fighting around the world, and America of course."

-SKY SPORTS

Udoma: National assembly delaying presentation of Budget 2019

Udoma Udoma, minister of budget national planning, says the 2019 budget proposal is ready but the national assembly is yet to fix a date for its presentation.

Udoma made this known during a press briefing at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, who had approved the estimates of the budget proposal during a special FEC meeting on Friday.

Udoma said it is now left for the national assembly to give a date for the submission of the budget proposal.

“As you already know, the budget is ready. We are liaising with the national assembly because they are to give us a date. If they say today, we will go. The budget is ready,” he said.

In October, the council had approved the 2019-2021 medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) and fiscal strategy paper (FSP), and forwarded same to the national assembly for its consideration and approval.

In the following month, Udoma announced that the government was considering a reduced budget of N8.6 trillion, compared to the N9.1 trillion approved by the national assembly for 2018.

He said the decision was due to reduced government revenue projection for the year.

- THECABLE

Madrid suffer 3-0 shock Champions League defeat to CSKA Moscow

Real Madrid suffered their biggest ever home defeat in Europe as they were thrashed 3-0 by CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

The European champions, who had already won Group G, named a weakened team.

Fedor Chalov curled home CSKA’s opener against the run of play and Georgy Schennikov volleyed in a second after Mario Fernandes’ shot was saved.

Icelandic teenager Arnor Sigurdsson completed the convincing win with a strike from the edge of the box.

According to BBC, Real brought on Gareth Bale at half-time and the Welshman suffered an ankle injury, although he was able to play the rest of the game after receiving treatment.

The holders were booed off at full-time by their fans as they suffered a first home Champions League defeat in nine years.

CSKA Moscow, whose only two group wins came against Real, are out of Europe after Viktoria Plzen beat Roma 2-1 to finish third and clinch a Europa League place.

Real – who named Thibaut Courtois, Marcelo, Isco and Karim Benzema in their starting line-up – began the game brightly.

Marco Asensio forced three saves from Igor Akinfeev, with the Russian goalkeeper producing an excellent stop to deny Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr. Federico Valverde was also frustrated by the visiting keeper.

But from the moment Chalov opened the scoring after a good surging run from Sigurdsson, the hosts imploded and only had one shot on target in the second half.

CSKA are the first team to win both group games against Real since Juventus in 2008-09.

Madrid had won 75 points of a possible 81 in their previous 27 home Champions League matches. Their last such defeat was 3-2 by AC Milan in October 2009.

Santiago Solari has won eight of his 10 games as Real Madrid boss since replacing Julen Lopetegui, but both the other matches have been 3-0 defeats – at Eibar and now by CSKA.

- PM NEWS

Two-year jail term awaits people having sex inside car in public – Lagos police

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Edgal Imohimi on Wednesday said having sex inside a car parked in public place is an indecent act and offence punishable by law and will attract two years jail term.

Imohimi made this known in a statement signed by the spokesman of the command, CSP Chike Oti.

The Lagos police boss was reacting to an online publication credited to @POLICENG_PCRRU to the effect that ” Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria, provided the location was not a place of worship.

The publication further said that parties could have sex if age 18yrs+, the act was consensual (agreed to by parties) and parties were of opposite sex and requested to contact @POLICENG_PCRRU if arrested.

“Sequel to the development, the CP Lagos has been advised by the Director of Public Prosecution of the state Ministry of Justice and the Legal Department of the State Police Command, Panti, Yaba with relevant sections of the law as follows:

“Section 134 (a) Criminal Law of Lagos state 2015, prohibits any indecent act in any public place without lawful excuse. The Law holds that such person is liable on conviction to 2 years imprisonment.

“Section 136 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015 provides that any person who commits any act of gross indecency with another person in public commits an offence and liable on conviction to 3 years imprisonment.

“It must be noted that section 134 which deals with offences against morality particularly section 134 (a) have it that indecent act in a public place makes both parties engaging in the act liable to imprisonment for 2 years.

“In the same vein, section 231 of the Criminal Code Act which is a Federal law and applicable in states other than the northern states where Penal Code is applicable also make Indecent Acts punishable.

“Going forward, the authorities of the Lagos State Police Command hereby declares that the assertion that sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria is misplaced as the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State prohibits such acts in public even if it is done with consent of the other party,” Edgal said in a statement.

The police boss, therefore,urged Lagosians to be guided by relevant sections of the law against such acts.

- PM NEWS

Revenue with no development !! FIRS generates N5 trillion, targets N5.3 trillion by year end

The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tunde Fowler has said the Service has generated N5 trillion by the second week of December 2018, adding that the agency is at the verge of making N5.3 trillion at the end of the year.

If the FIRS pools N5.3 trillion revenue, that will be the highest revenue ever generated by FIRS in history. The highest in FIRS history is N5.07 trillion generated in 2012.

Fowler’s generation of N5 trillion is significant as it was at a period when oil prices oscillated between $50 and $70 per barrel. Oil price was at an average of $100 to $120 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.

Speaking at the induction of new members of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) on Wednesday in Abuja, Fowler said FIRS has been able to record significant achievements following maximum support from the Presidency, Ministry of Finance, the JTB and other taxation stakeholders.

“This year, the FIRS, with the support of the Presidency, Ministry of Finance, the JTB and other stakeholders, has been able to generate up to N5 trillion. We believe that we should be able to close at least at N5.3 trillion which should be the highest in the history of FIRS. And we believe that with that additional revenue, the state and federal governments would be able to provide more services and more development to the people of Nigeria”, he said.

Fowler urged the new inductees to JTB to equip themselves with new ideas and embrace the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to be able to face the reality of revenue collection in the ever-changing society.

“I see it as a privilege to be addressing this class of inductees today as history has chosen you at this critical point in time in our nations development to steer the ship of sustainable revenue generation.

“While preparing for this occasion, I came across an observation by the American inventor and author Ray Kurzweil where he noted that the rate of scientific and technological change is exponential rather than linear. This observation presupposes that the better part of applied wisdom requires that in our journey of life we are capable of identifying the most apt moment to know at what point to adapt to the ever-tumultuous sea that modern existence represents.

“It also indicates that we should be able to develop the ability to accept and embrace positive change, maybe due to the fact that change is inevitable, but more significantly that oftentimes, change presents us with the rare breaks that we can exploit to advance individual and collective goals and objectives”, he said.

The FIRS boss also stated that as global society continues to transform in structure and process, especially with new technologies and ways of doing things, the role that has been presented before tax administrators in an emerging economy such as Nigeria are quite enormous.

He said rather than being overwhelmed by the rapid changes of the 21st century, taxmen should remain undaunted and see the opportunities that are possible to us as a people in general and as tax administrators in particular.

“I believe that history has placed this responsibility on each and every one of us here today to be the critical success factors in our quest towards ensuring sustainable revenue generation for our various jurisdictions and for our country as well.

Developments in global politics and economics indicate a trend towards increased deemphasis on proceeds from oil and other commodity exports. Huge investments are being made everyday by more advanced economies towards seeking alternative energy sources; and sooner rather than later, oil as a mainstay of the nation’s economy will indeed no longer be sustainable, it is just a matter of time”, he added.

He further charged the JTB members: “This address is not an all doom and gloom affair, far from it. Rather, it is a clarion call to us all, especially you, our esteemed inductees, that though the path before you may seem strewn with sticks and stones, further down the road is a path paved with gold. To navigate to that path, we will need to have courage, a courage borne of our innate convictions towards being the tool for positive change in a time of economic uncertainty.

The JTB presents a unique platform for you to be that change. Your positive actions as the drivers of revenue generation are capable of achieving much impact. They are capable of providing the much needed funds that will provide the care that saves the life of that infant who is born in the remotest parts of Birnin Magaji in Zamfara State. They can provide the funds that ensures that a disadvantaged little child can have access to free quality education in a government funded public school in Ijesa-Isu in Ekiti State. Your actions as drivers of sustainable revenue generation in your respective jurisdictions beyond the bigger picture can achieve the little things that bring about great outcomes in the life of a nation.

“It is in the light of this that I charge you, even as you speak the words of your Membership affirmation, that you look beyond the immediate and see the deeper significance of your roles and your responsibilities as members of the JTB.

“The modest achievements that we have been able to accomplish in terms of internal revenue growth in recent time only point to the fact of the immense possibilities before us. We are encouraged that the results of the 9-month period in 2018 indicates that we shall be breaking new boundaries by full year. However, we can only strive to improve on our efforts and not rest on our oars. We can only become better at what we do, and we can only do that by embracing the positive trends in tax administration. Trends in automation, professionalism, autonomy, service-oriented approach to the taxpayer and all the positive trends that conform with international best practice.

“We are confident that by the end of this exercise and after listening to the various presentations, we shall all be better equipped for the task ahead of us”, he said.

Former Secretaries of JTB, Femi Edgar, Mohammed Lawal Abubakar and the incumbent, Oseni Salawe Elamah made presentations on the history and journey of the Board to the new inductees.

- pm news

Strike: Health workers threaten to shutdown hospitals over unpaid arrears

Health workers across the nation have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the federal government’s failure to keep its promise of prompt payment of salary arrears and other allowances owed them.

The workers, under the aegis of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), issued the warning on Wednesday at the end of the 45th session of their National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, President of the union, Josiah Biobelemoye, said government’s perennial failure to honour agreements entered with the union informed the resolution to shutdown health facilities and embark on the industrial action any moment from today.

Though Biobelomoye did not announce any date for the commencement of the strike, he urged the public to hold the government responsible for any inconvenience that may be experienced during the period.

He said: “Comrades, we have to prepare ourselves. We will no longer take that deceitful story of ‘there is no money.’

“It is our view that corruption cannot be fought when injustice is not addressed. If the same ministry of health can appropriate to pay illegal items such as skipping to the medical doctors who are not even entitled to such benefit, there is no reason they should tell us skipping allowance for other health workers has been abrogated.

“Can the Federal Executive Council quash the ruling of any court? The court has ruled that we should be paid skipping allowance. If the government believes in the rule of law, then it just has to pay us that money because it has paid those who are not even entitled to it.

“Although the Income and Wages Commission had advised that these people (doctors) are not entitled to this money, don’t pay them, they same government, the same ministry of health who claim there is no money to pay us still went ahead to pay them (doctors).

“Unless we agree to take our destiny in our hands, nobody in that ministry will give us what is due to us. We call on Nigerians to have this understanding with us when the time comes.”

- DAILY POST

I caught my husband having sex with our housemaid – Wife tells court

A 41-year-old trader identified as Risikat Kadiri, has pleaded with a Badagry Customary Court to dissolve her marriage of eleven years to her husband, Muheem Kadiri over infidelity and theft.

Risikat told the court that her husband used to sneak into their maid’s room to sleep with her, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

She said, “I am aware that my husband flirted with different women, but I was surprised the day I saw him having sexual intercourse with our housemaid, Taiwo Ogunlade.

“I had to send the maid away before he impregnated her.

“Apart from this, my husband was in a relationship with a widow who lived close to our house.

“Muheem connected our generator light to the woman’s room through a hidden conduit hole, such that each time we put on our generator, she would be supplied.

“This woman used to pass the night with my husband, taking the advantage of proximity of his room to her own.

“I did not know this until I packed out of his house and later discovered that the woman had packed in as his wife,” she said.

The petitioner also alleged that Muheem used to steal her money.

“My husband is a thief; he has the habit of stealing my money. If I put money inside my safe, he would enter my room and steal N20,000 or more in between the bundles.

“But if I asked him, he always confessed taking it in some occasions,” she said.

The respondent, 51, a petroleum dealer, denied all the allegations and that he did not have anything with a widow nor had any sexual intercourse with their housemaid.

He however confirmed that he used to take the petitioner’s money whenever he was broke.

Muheem consented to the divorce and said he was not interested in the marriage and asked the court to give Risikat the custody of their two children until they attain 18 years.

The court president, Mr Sakirudeen Adekola dissolved the marriage on the ground of mutual consent.

He said, “Since both parties consented to the dissolution of their marriage, this court has no choice than to dissolve the marriage.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mrs Florence Anyasi and Mr Stanley Anyasi dissolved today.

“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife, each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested.

“The custody of the two children of the union is hereby granted to the petitioner as the respondent did not contend for their custody.

“The respondent is hereby ordered to pay a sum of N20, 000 on monthly basis for the upkeep of the children in the custody of the petitioner, which must be channeled through the court.

“Muheem shall be responsible for the school fees and medical bills of the children as obtained in government school and hospital respectively unless otherwise mutually agreed.

“Violation of any of the orders of this court shall be deemed contempt of court and shall be so treated with appreciate sanction.”

- DAILY POST

Strike: ASUU invades anti-corruption program, stops Soyinka, Ezekwesili from speaking

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja chapter on Wednesday prevented Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon Rtd and former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili from speaking at an anti-corruption event.

The union led by its chairman, Dr Kasim Umaru, disrupted the event held at the University of Abuja.

Umaru told NAN in a telephone interview on Wednesday that they disrupted the programme because of the ongoing strike, adding that they have no regret for their actions.

He said such magnitude of programme could not hold in the institution because lecturers were also involved in the event.

“Those eminent personalities for the programme are all aware of our plight and did nothing, we disrupted the event because we are on strike,” he said.

The convener of the event and National Coordinator of African Initiative Against Corruption and Exam Malpractice AFICEM, Dr Francis Abioye regretted the action of the ASUU, saying they erred by disrupting the event.

Abioye said the management of the university had earlier approved the institution’s auditorium as venue for the anti corruption programme.

He said the programme was not an academic event, but was organized to educate Nigerians especially students against corruption and related cases.

In his remarks, the university Students’ Union Government (SUG), President, Mr Chizurum Anabaronye said the development was regrettable and disappointing.

“It is unfortunate because students would have benefited immensely in the programme considering the personalities involved in the programme.

“Wole Soyinka is a person every student wants to see and the only opportunity to hear him speak was disrupted, we mobilized the students for the event but later communicated to them on the development,” he said.

One of the facilitators and Osun High Court Judge, Justice Oloyode Folahanmi, who also spoke to NAN said AFICEM planned to celebrate the 2018 anti corruption day with a lecture on the `Benefits of Examination Ethics’ which was disrupted.

“The Noble Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, other eminent persons and myself were to speak to Nigerian students on the need to abide by the rules guiding examination ethics.

“We are partners in progress, we feel the plight of ASUU and we want to fix Nigerian problem so it was wrong to disrupt the programme,” he said.

While calling on FG to address the demands of ASUU, Folahanmi said the reason for targeting students was because of the belief that quest for societal regeneration must begin with the youths.

- DAILY POST