March 9 polls: NGO begins peace campaign

A non-governmental organisation, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, said it has commenced massive campaign on the need for peacefully governorship and state assembly elections, targeting violence prone communities in the country.

Mr Uchenna Okoh, Coordinator of the Centre, made the disclosure on Thursday during a strategic Town hall Meeting on promoting peaceful 2019 General Elections in Nigeria.

He said, “we are going to communities to do rapid assessment and sensitization on how to ensures that there is peace in the forthcoming governorship elections.”

According to him, the project is aimed at promoting peaceful elections in the country as Nigerians are tired of violence and want to go out and vote peacefully.

“The country has a history of violence during election and some states are flash point states.

“So the idea of the project is to promote elections that are peaceful and encourage people to conduct themselves peacefully.

“Elections is not war, everyone is free to come out and vote for the candidate of their choice peacefully.”

Okoh said the organisation is working with some communities in Kaduna State including Sabon Tasha, Mando, Kachia among others to address issues that easily ignite violence.

” The aim is to mitigate and prevent violence from happening, because it’s easier and cheaper to prevent violence than to manage a violent situation,” he added.

He said the town hall meeting involved traditional rulers, faith based organizations, women and youth leaders.

In his remarks, Alhaji Rabiu Sulaiman of Jamaatu Nasril Islam, noted the relative peace recorded during the presidential elections and urged the people to replicate such during the governorship and state assembly elections.

Mohammed Umar, who represented District Head of Kachia, encouraged all to live in peace, pray for their elected leaders, and respect each other’s choice of leaders during the election.

Also, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kachia Local Government, Rev. Isah John, appealed for peaceful conduct during the polls, to enable people exercise their civic responsibility.

Mr Yohana Alkali, a youth leader, appealed to the youth to avoid reckless victory celebrations or mock those who lost in the election to avert violence.

Mr Mubarak Zakari of the State Emergency Management Agency, commended the efforts of the organizers of the programme.

Zakari stressed the need to respect each others’ opinion and live in peace and harmony with one another.

- PM NEWS

Nigeria election: We’ll not stand, watch repeat of 1966 bloodshed – 17 Biafra groups blow hot

A coalition of groups agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra has expressed disappointment over the conduct and result of the 2019 Presidential election.

The coalition said that “what passed Saturday as Presidential and National Assembly elections can best be described as a sham and at best, a rape of democracy.”

The coalition include: Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB; Eastern Peoples’ Congress, EPC; Igbo Youth Cultural and Restoration Initiative, IYCRI; Bilie Human Rights Initiative, BHRI; Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria, MOBIN; Salvation People of Biafra, SP; World Union of Biafran Scientists, WUBS.

Others are: Shadow Government of Biafra, SGB; Biafran National Liberation Council, BNLC; Biafran Revolutionary Organisation, BRO; Biafran Liberation Crusade, BLC; Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra, JRCB; Biafra Revolutionary Force, BRF; Customary Government of Biafra, CGB; Biafran Intellectual Clergy Forum, BICF; Biafra Movement for Sovereignty,BIAMOS; Biafran Central Council, BCC and Biafran United Liberation Council, BULCO.

Their position was made known in a statement by Comrade Uchenna Madu, for MASSOB; Nwada Eberechukwu Anigbogu, MOBIN; Innocent Amadi, BHRI; Mazi Okechukwu Orji, EPC.

They signed the statement on behalf of the coalition, expressing disappointment over Nigeria’s inability to conduct free and fair elections during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

In a statement, the groups numbering about 20, said, “It is a disappointment that Nigeria could not conduct a mere national election in this 21sth century.

“What passed last Saturday as a presidential and National Assembly elections can best be described as an exercise in idiocy and a rape of democracy.

“Each day, Nigerian states help us in consolidating our argument as Biafrans that Nigeria is a dysfunctional country.

“What is more annoying is the blame game targeted against Biafrans whenever Nigeria goes on one of its useless spins.

“This time around, it is the sacred blood of Biafrans that they have sacrificed for a worthless exercise called an election.

“Throughout the preparation, campaigns and eventual execution of the fraud they called elections, Biafrans’ blood were shed not only in Biafraland but across the nation.

“We wish to place it on notice that no single Biafran bloodshed will be in vain. Assuredly, a detailed dossier of these perpetrators is being religiously updated. At its full-time and season, we will bring the perpetrators to justice.

“If Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of choice, why kill Biafrans in the quest to exercise the freedom constitution guaranteed them?

“The coalition of Biafran groups will not stand by and watch a repeat performance of 1966.

“Never! If you think you can intimidate millions of Biafran citizens earning their legitimate daily bread outside of Biafraland, you are joking.”

- DAILY POST

US offers $1m reward for capture of Osama bin Laden’s son

Hamza bin Laden, 30, is the son of one of Osama bin Laden’s three surviving wives, Khairiah Sabar, who was living with her husband in a compound in Abbottabad, near a large Pakistani military base, when he was killed.

He has since made public statements urging followers to wage war on London, Washington, Paris and Tel Aviv and is seen as a deputy to the terrorist group’s current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, The Mirror reports.

Labour congratulates Buhari, wants minimum wage paid fast

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to and enforce the new minimum wage Act as soon as passed by the Senate.

Mr Bashir Lawal, ASCSN Secretary-General, made the appeal on Thursday in Lagos in a congratulatory message to the president on his re-election.

Lawal said that Buhari should not delay in signing the new wage bill when ready.

He noted that the bill had already been approved by the House of Representatives.

Lawal commended the president for ensuring timely payment of workers’ salaries.

He said that it was good that the president did not lay off workers, noting that the labour market was over-saturated.

”We commend the president for ensuring that salaries and allowances of public servants are paid as and when due.

”We are happy that promotion arrears and outstanding salaries owed workers had been settled,” he said.

The ASCSN scribe said that there was no doubt that workers omitted or short-paid would be settled soonest.

He further hailed the president for keeping his promise to make unity colleges to remain a commonwealth.

He, however, advised Buhari to use the next four years to look at areas that would need improvement in order to enhance national cohesion, peace, prosperity and progress. (NAN)

LAUTECH, NDLEA collaborate to combat drug abuse

The Management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, has said it was set for a partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in its fight against drug abuse.

LAUTECH made its plans known in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Lekan Fadeyi, on Thursday in Ibadan.

Fadeyi said that the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the institution, Prof. Michael Ologunde, made this commitment when he hosted the NDLEA Area Commander in Ogbomoso, Mr Yusuff Ahmed in his office.

Ologunde said that the country could no longer continue to fold its arms and watch the future of its youths destroyed by drugs.

He promised to support the agency and the Drug Free Club of the institution in the area of sensitisation so that students could be better educated on the negative effects of drugs on their future.

The VC said henceforth, the University would make it mandatory for intending leaders of the Students’ Union to undergo drug tests before they were certified to contest for any position.

Earlier, Ahmed had informed Ologunde of the prevalence of drug abuse in Ogbomoso and other parts of the state, noting that those mostly affected were students.

He said the NDLEA was seriously troubled about the ugly trend.

“Rather than expel culprits, we will appreciate if you use both our counselling and rehabilitation centres as a means of rehabilitating those saved from the path of peril,” the NDLEA commander said.

- PM NEWS

Amended Act: NOUN equals other Nigerian universities – Pro-Chancellor

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) says the recent signing of its (Amendment Act, 2018) will place it at par with all recognised universities in Nigeria.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the university Prof. Peter Okebukola said this at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, with the act recently gazetted and published on Dec. 3, 2018, will further strengthen the university to provide Open and Distance Learning (ODL) opportunities to millions of Nigerians.

“We want to extend our gratitude therefore to the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the NOUN amendment Act.

“This has recently been gazetted and published on the 3rd of Dec. 2018 as National Open University (Amendment) Act 2018.

“With this recognition, the university is now placed at par with all recognised universities in Nigeria under the various Acts that amended the provision of higher education in Nigerian universities.

“What this means for the students also is that they now have a vista of opportunities that they did not have before.

“For instance, for those who are reading Law, it will enable them access after graduation to take on their training in the Law School as negotiations between the university and the Council for Legal Education on this, has almost reached a breakthrough.

“It also will allow those who are eligible to be mobilised for NYSC to go for NYSC but to me, what it means is that it elevates the NOUN to the same level with other universities, in terms of status and provisions as the others.

“So, we can operate as they operate, we have the same general guidelines for our operations and so no one will say NOUN is substandard to the others,” he said.

Okebukola said the council had also approved March 23 and March 23, for the university’s 2019 convocation ceremony, where approximately 18,000 students will be graduating.

He added that a total of 17,000 students would be officially admitted into the university for the 2018/2019 academic session during its matriculation ceremony scheduled for March 3, in all the study centres across the country.

Okebukola, who lauded the TETFund for intervening in capital development and in staff capacity building and also urged continuous funding for NOUN, being a specialised university that enrols the largest number of students in Nigeria.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, reiterated the management’s commitment to producing quality graduates needed to take the country to the next level.

“Our university remains the university to beat in the country and Africa as a whole, going by our programmes, study materials, affordability, and others,” Adamu said.

- PM NEWS

Elections: Igbo, others safe – Lagos CP

The commissioner of police in Lagos State, Mr Zubairu Muazu, has said that Igbo and other ethnic groups in the state are safe to go about their normal businesses.

Muazu gave the assurance on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the update of the security situation in the state ahead of the governorship election of March 9.

According to Muazu, one serious issue the command is contending with is the menace of fake news circulated on social media, on the planned attack on Igbo traders in Lagos.

The commissioner, however, warned those he described as initiators and distributors of fake news to stop causing unnecessary tension.

He said that the command had provided adequate security for all Igbo and other persons in Lagos State.

“Let me re-emphasise that Lagos State is peaceful and Lagosians are peace-loving people.

“There is no tribe or community under threat in any part of the state. Our patrol and surveillance are intensified.

“We have reviewed and redoubled our strategies to ensure a peaceful conduct of Governorship and State House Assembly Elections come March 9.

“I called on Lagosians to support the police to serve them better by being vigilant and report any suspicious movement or persons to the police.

“Let me use this medium to sound a big warning to initiators and distributors of fake news. We will identify you, isolate you and bring you to justice.

“To the good people of Lagos State, do not just believe everything you see on the social media, you are free to always verify such information from us,’’ he said.

The CP said he had met with some ethnic groups’ leaders, including the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba after the presidential election, adding that suggestions and observations from the meetings would be used for other elections.

He said that there would be total restriction on the election day, stressing that no motorcycle or tricycle would be allowed to move as INEC had engaged vehicles to move materials and officials.

- PM NEWS

O to Ge !! Police barricade anti-Tinubu rally in Lagos

Armed policemen have invaded Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, where some political activists are holding a rally ahead of the March 9 governorship election.

Under the Orange Movement, the group converged on Oramiyan Hall in the hotel to strategise on how to stop Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from having his way in the election.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, candidate of the APC in the election, has the backing of Tinubu.

Some critics of the APC leader and members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have alleged that a win for Sanwo-Olu translates into  a fifth term for Tinubu, who served as governor between 1999 and 2007, and influenced the emergence of Babatunde Fashola, who governed the state between 2007 and 2015.

Tinubu was also played a key role in the emergence of Akinwunmi Ambode, incumbent governor of Lagos.

The Orange Movement had adopted “O to Ge”, meaning “Enough is Enough”, a crusade which was used to uproot the political structure of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

A member of the movement told TheCable on Thursday that the police said the group did not seek permission from the appropriate quarters before organising the rally.

- THECABLE

Why Harry Kane, Pochettino could miss crucial Arsenal clash

Harry Kane could miss Tottenham’s clash with Arsenal this Saturday, after he escaped punishment for headbutting Cesar Azpilicueta during Spurs’ 2-0 defeat to Chelsea Wednesday evening.

Match officials missed the incident, but if referee Andre Marriner notes he did not see the headbutt in his post-match report sent to the Football Association on Thursday, retrospective action could be taken against the Spurs’ striker.

If found guilty, Kane would receive a three-match ban for violent conduct.

“Harry Kane can count himself lucky not to have been sent off on Wednesday.

“There looked to be minimal contact with Azpilicueta but it does not matter how severe it was.

“Even if it was an attempted headbutt, that still carries the same punishment – a red card.

“Fortunately for Kane, Azpilicueta did not make a meal of it.

“The incident seemed to be missed by the match officials and the FA could now take retrospective action against Kane,” Former EPL referee, Mark Clattenburg, told the Daily Mail.

Spurs could also be without manager, Mauricio Pochettino for the North London Derby, after he accepted the FA’s charge for improper conduct.

Pochettino is now facing a touchline ban.

- DAILY POST

Saraki’s political career dead, buried – Oshiomhole

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that Senate President Bukola Saraki’s political career has been buried with his recent defeat.

Oshiomhole stated this on Wednesday while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a congratulatory visit to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: “But let me also say, to be honest, as much as we want to be magnanimous in victory, there are a couple of things that happened that show that Nigerian people know who to reward and they know the appropriate time to punish those who are extremely arrogant.

“Those who came to the Senate with less than a hundred thousand votes and began to hold the country to ransom, their own people have recalled them.

“While we are saying we will impeach them, their people said no, they will rather bury them; politically now, they are out; it shows the power of democracy; it is a leveler; it is an equaliser.

“You cannot be bigger than the people; I think a couple of lessons have been learnt; that this game is for people who are humble; the game is for those who believe in the people; this game is a leveler; there are no dynasties; the people are the sovereign.

“When they lend you the power, remember it is only loaned to you; and it will expire and it will require renewal and if you don’t behave; they will not renew it,’’ he said.

- DAILY POST

Presidential election result: ASUU tells Buhari issues to address in second tenure

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Thursday pointed out issues President Muhammadu Buhari should address in his second tenure.

ASUU stated that Buhari should address policies that would stimulate economic growth for the benefit of poor people during his next four-year tenure.

National President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Buhari polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party in the presidential poll conducted on Feb. 23.

Atiku polled 11,262,978 to lose the election with a margin of 3,928,869 votes.

Reacting, Ogunyemi urged Buhari to get down to work and ensure that his administration comes up with pro-people policies that will be majorly tailored around key sectors such education, health, transportation and employment.

“We must have a Nigeria that is liveable in the sense that what some people have been taking for granted must now be seen to engage the attention of any government that cares for the masses especially the under-previleged.

“That is why we as a union, are calling for free education at all levels because we know that Nigeria as a country can afford it.

“There is provision for it in our 1999 constitution as amended.

“For us to look towards a future that we can all be proud of, we must task government to be more pro-active in matters concerning the poor masses,” Ogunyemi said.

The unionist also urged the president to put issues concerning the recent Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with ASUU in the front burner.

“This government signed a MoA with us and we will insist on it. That is not negotiable.

“Government is a continuum. Now that they are still in the saddle, that makes it more imperative for them to implement the MoA to the latter,” he said.

- DAILY POST

Trump a ‘racist’, ‘conman’ and a ‘cheat’ – Cohen

President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen on Wednesday told the U.S. Congress that Trump is a `racist,’ a `conman’ and a `cheat.’

Cohen, Trump’s onetime `fixer,’ said Trump knew in advance about a release of emails by the WikiLeaks website aimed at hurting his 2016 Democratic presidential rival.

According to Cohen’s prepared testimony, Trump directed negotiations for a real estate project in Moscow during the White House race even as he publicly said he had no business interests in Russia.

“I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is, he is a racist, a conman and a cheat,” Cohen said in an opening statement to a House of Representatives committee.

“Donald Trump is a man who ran for office to make his brand great, not to make our country great,” Cohen said.

“He had no desire or intention to lead this nation, only to market himself and to build his wealth and power.”

Michael Cohen warned members of Congress not to follow Donald Trump `blindly,’ saying his own fate is a cautionary tale.

“The more people that follow Mr Trump as I did blindly are going to suffer the same consequences as I am suffering,’’ Cohen noted.

He, however, blamed the president for the destruction of civility in the country.

Cohen accused Trump of “becoming an autocrat’’ and using his Twitter account to intimidate.

He was also sharply critical of members of Congress who he accused of “silliness.’’

“I’m responsible for your silliness because I did the same thing you’re doing now, for 10 years, referring to his time employed by Trump,’’ he stressed. (dpa/NAN)

BUSINESS AS USUAL !! FAAC: FG shares N610.36bn allocation to three tiers of govt. in Feb.

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris said the Federal Government on Wednesday shared N610.36 billion, generated in January to the three tiers of government.

He said this at a news conference at the end of the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja.

He, however, said approval was being awaited from the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed for additional N50 billion from the Foreign Exchange Equalisation Account, which would be distributed accordingly.

According to him, Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account (ECA) currently stands at 249 billion dollars.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting noted that in January, the federation crude oil sales increased by 2.4 million barrels, resulting in increased federation revenue by 149.94 million dollars, in spite of a drop in price of crude oil from 81.06 dollars to 75 dollars per barrel.

In the month under review, oil royalty, import and excise duties increased substantially while Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) decreased marginally.

It also said that the gross revenue of N505.24 billion was received in January, a figure lower than the N547.46 billion received in the previous month by N42.216 billion.

“The gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) is N104.46 billion as against N100.76 billion distributed in the previous month, resulting in an increase of N3.708 billion.

“From the total gross revenue from VAT, the Federal Government received N15.04 billion, the States received N50.14 billion, while the LGAs received N35.10 billion and the revenue generating agencies received N1.17 billion,” it stated.

The communiqué also showed that the Federal Government received N252.41 billion, the States received N170.54 billion, while the Local Government Areas (LGAs) received N127.923 billion.

It also indicated that the oil producing states received N41.99 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue, while the revenue generating agencies received N17.50 billion as cost of revenue collection.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the revenue was derived in January but was shared in February.

- PM NEWS

Hypocrisy: Saudi minister talks about human rights, doesn’t mention Khashoggi

A Saudi minister told the United Nations on Wednesday it would cooperate with its human rights mechanisms, on the other hand he did not explicitly refer to a UN-led inquiry into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Agnes Callamard, a UN investigator on extra-judicial executions, said after a mission to Turkey this month that evidence pointed to a brutal murder “planned and perpetrated” by Saudi officials.

However, her final report is due in June.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered an operation to kill Khashoggi, a critic and Washington Post columnist.

They say his body was dismembered and removed to a location still publicly unknown.

His murder in the Saudi Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2 provoked widespread revulsion and tarnished the image of the Crown Prince, who previously was admired in the West for his reform efforts.

“We will also cooperate with the UN mechanisms related to human rights, including the Human Rights Council,” Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of State for Foreign Affairs, told the Geneva forum.

Jubeir, asked twice by a Reuters reporter whether that meant the kingdom would cooperate with the Khashoggi investigation led by Callamard, declined to respond.

The Saudi public prosecutor’s spokesman said late 2018 that 11 Saudis had been indicted and referred for trial over the case, with authorities seeking the death penalty for five.

- PM NEWS