₦airaland Forum

A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Buba Galadima, has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for withholding assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The politician criticised Buhari when he appeared on Channels Television on Sunday.

President Buhari had on Friday refused assent to the bill for the third time as the election approaches.

Galadima said, “This government is a government that is desperate; that wants to be in power by all means.

“There is nothing under the sun that they cannot do,” he said during his appearance on Sunday Politics.

“The President doesn’t have that prerogative. It is not personal, it is a constitutional issue.

“It is a Nigerian issue and any patriotic Nigerian would assent to something that will bring benefit to Nigerians, will bring about credible election, free and fair election, level-playing field.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/10/2019-election-theres-nothing-buhari-apc-cannot-do-buba-galadima/

Popular American gospel singer, songwriter, pastor and producer of Christian worship music, Mr. Don Moen, on Saturday expressed delight at the calm and peaceful atmosphere prevailing in Enugu State.
Moen, who spoke in Enugu during the inspirational and soul-lifting gospel concert organized by House on the Rock ministry, which was graced by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, said it was a nice and wonderful experience for him to visit the state.

The gospel singer while presenting his popular rendition “God is Good”, noted the presence of God in Enugu State, saying: “God is moving in this state, it is showing that this will bring more blessings”.
Also at the event, the General Overseer/Presiding Pastor, Old Path Revival Commission, Pastor Alfred Itiowe, offered special prayers for the re-election of Gov. Ugwuanyi in 2019 as well as God’s guidance, protection and more blessings on him and his family.

Pastor Itiowe commended the governor for his uncommon humility, closeness to God and commitment to peace and good governance in Enugu State, stressing that “we want God to position him for a greater second term”.

He equally prayed against any plot aimed at undermining the untiring efforts of the governor to continue to advance peace and good governance in the state, declaring that “Gov. Ugwuanyi is going higher in Jesus Name”.

The climax of the event was the conferment of a “Leadership Excellence Award” on Gov. Ugwuanyi by House on the Rock’s pastor in Enugu, Rev. Edwin Bia Yeibo, and his wife, Sonia, “in recognition of your sterling visionary leadership in creating an enviable legacy of peace and security for Enugu State”.

Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi, who welcomed “all the powerful men of God” to event, including Mr. Moen, thanked the organizers of the concert for the honour to host “an event of this magnitude that is wholly devoted to the praise and worship of the living God”.

“It only goes to strengthen our confidence that Enugu State is truly in the hands of God”, the governor declared, recalling that “a few days ago, we concluded a 7-day prayer and fasting period for peaceful and successful elections in Enugu State come 2019”.

His words: “I urge you to also support this intention with your prayers and indeed all that we are doing to make Enugu State a safer, more peaceful and more prosperous place for all.

“I use this occasion to, once again, thank the Churches and all the religious organizations in Enugu State, for their unceasing support and prayers. For we know that with God on our side, all things will end in praise in Jesus Name. Amen”.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/09/enugu-state-nice-calm-peaceful-don-moen/

As the race for the 2019 election gathers momentum,GABRIEL ATUMEYI, examines whether the outcome of recent elections are necessarily a forecast of the much anticipated 2019 polls. As the race for 2019 heads into the campaign stage, the two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have, expectedly been locked in a perception battle. While both sides scale up the exchange of accusation over corruption and incompetence, analysts and professional pollsters are also engrossed in the task of predicting the possible outcome of the election. For PDP, the success of its presidential primary and the formidable statue of its candidate, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi, is a good start.

They also hope to ride on narrative of economic hardship, the wave of insecurity in the country as well as what they consider lopsided anti-corruption war under the current administration. The APC is hitting back. The ruling party believes it has done enough to deserve a second term at the helm of the federal power because the 2019 election would be a referendum on President Muhammadu Buhari’s achievement so far. The party is quick to extend its argument of having an upperhand with the electoral successes it has recorded in recent times. For them it gives an indication of what is to come.

The later argument seems plausible given the fact that this year alone there have been a number of off season elections and by-elections that the ruling party won, even though it attracted protests from the opposition party. In Ekiti State, the ruling party in the state, PDP, was dislodged by the APC under the former minister of Power and steel, Kayode Fayemi and in Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, succeeded the incumbent APC governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

Similarly, the recent House of Representatives by-election held in Bauchi, Katsina and Kwara States saw the APC, not only consolidate its presence in areas it already controlled, but took control of areas it didn’t control before the polls. In Toro Federal Constituency (Bauchi), Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu of APC defeated Shehu Umar of the PDP with a difference of 9,102 votes. In Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero constituency in Kwara State, Mr. Raheem Olawuyi of the APC triumphed over Saheed Alatise of the PDP; and in Kankiya/Kusada/Ingawa Federal constituency of Katsina State, Alhaji Abubakar Kusada of the APC. Also in the senatorial by-elections that took place in August this year the APC in Katsina and Bauchi States.

The APC also made a strong showing as Ahmad Babba Kaita won the Katsina North Senatorial District after polling 224,607 votes against his closest rival, Kabir Babba Kaita of PDP who polled 59,724 votes. The APC candidate, Lawal Yahaya Gumau, also won the Bauchi South Senatorial seat. Also in August, Haruna Isah of the APC won the Lokoja /Kogi Federal constituency by-election polling 26,860 while the candidate of PDP, Engr Bashir Abubakar scored 14,845 votes to place second. APC couldn’t win the Anambra central senatorial rerun in which Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won. But it came second.

The APC conscious of the next general election has not taken any preceding election for granted, so they seem battle hardened and perhaps have perfected their tactics and strategy. But these victories are not without controversies they have been accused of using the security apparatus to coerce the outcomes of those polls. The Ekiti State governorship poll of July 14 that witnessed the deployment of 40,000 policemen while the Osun State election of September 22 was reported to have seen the deployment of 30,000 police personnel among other security personnel. The opposition cried foul over this deployment.

In Ekiti State, the then governor, Ayo Fayose, a member of the opposition, PDP was allegedly denied movement for two days effectively stopping him from going out to campaign for the last two days of the exercise. This was allegedly done by a combination of Police and military personnel drafted to the state for the purpose of the election. The legality of that action is still being contested just as some analysts have opined that it amounts to the principle of political intimidating by a ruling party against the opposition.

In Osun State, PDP’s candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke was leading with 353 votes before it was declared inconclusive by INEC. But Gboyega Oyetola of APC came from his second position in the main election to win the supplementary poll and he was declared winner in the final results. PDP rejected the outcome even claiming that the actual margin of the win against Oyetola in the first election was 4,740 and not 353. It was claimed that the party alleged that INEC added 2,000 votes to what the APC polled in Osogbo and 1,387 to what it scored in Olorunda. The party also alleged that 1,000 votes were deducted from what Adeleke scored in the Ayedaade council area.

The early post 2015 elections also show same pattern of APC domineering the polls, amid lots of intra and inter party intrigues, legal drama and protestations. While the PDP retained Bayelsa State at the governorship election, the APC took Kogi and Ondo States from PDP and retained Edo State. But despite the suspicions of the opposition, the presidency has continued to maintain that the electoral victories of the APC was evidence of the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari. The odd seems to favour the APC, still having a majority of governors in the states, with 22 governors of which 14 are in the North. The South-eastern states and the South-south states have voted PDP in the past while the South-west has increasingly remained an APC strong hold under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as reinforced by the outcome of elections in Ekiti and Osun states. This is in spite of alleged frictions between Tinubu and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, on the one hand and Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on the other hand. The middle belt states have oscillated sporadically depending on the mood of the nation, in 2015 it was expected that they will vote massively for PDP but they ended up voting for the APC. But the PDP has further claimed that what makes coming presidential election interesting is because they will be fielding a northern candidate unlike 2015. They believe that Buhari had it so easy against Jonathan because the party jettisoned its zoning formular which saw a southerner taking the slot of the North, a situation which culminated in lots of votes going to Buhari.

They argue that that may not be the case in 2019. For instance, in 2007, the contest between late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua and Buhari, perhaps gives an insight into the argument of the PDP. Buhari according to INEC scored a little over six million votes in that election (even though Yar’Adua admitted that the election was flawed) compared to 15million votes he scored in 2015.

The debate continues. With the North-east (where Atiku hails from) eager to produce the president of the country decades after the former Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, and the clamour for more inclusivity gaining traction, the prospects for both parties and their candidates remain a close call for pundits. Reacting to the outcome of the federal constituencies by-elections in Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi States which the APC won, the senior special assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, believed it was symbolic of how the party will perform in 2019.

“This is a sign of things to come in the 2019 elections”, Shehu noted in a statement. He added, “This victory should be a blow for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaigners who have maintained that by merely claiming that they have rebranded, Nigerians will have forgotten all the mess they left behind in 2015. “By voting overwhelmingly for the ruling APC, Nigerians have shown their confidence in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, and their willingness for continuation of this government and its policies. “This clear show of support can only be a synopsis of what Nigerians should expect in the forthcoming elections, at all levels.” A PDP chieftain and former chairman of the rested Fresh PDP, Chief Olukayode Akindele, believes the outcome of previous votes won’t affect his party’s fortunes. He said “That is a big laugh. What the ruling party has done is to play the game the way that most ruling parties in Africa do. However, thank God that in Nigeria, we have precedence of court decisions.

I am sure that by the time one or two of those elections are fully addressed in the courts, the outcome of these elections will be reversed. “I have no doubt about that. It has happened in the past. Fortunately we still have a credible Judiciary.

I am certain that in states like Osun, the illegality will be reversed by God’s grace.” But political analyst, Martin Odega, avers that the behaviour of electorate, the quality of engagement between candidates/parties and voters will be critical. He also stated that what is critical is for the electoral umpire and all other critical stakeholders in the electoral process, especially the security agencies provide not just free and fair election but an environment for people to freely engage the process. “I like to think that every election is different because the issues that determine how the electorate will vote vary.

Ideally, the issues that should define how people vote should be more of capacity to meet the needs of the people rather than issues of ethnic and religious sentiments. So it might not be totally correct to predict one way or the other because these primodial sentiments unfortunately still exist, perhaps in ways they ought not to. “But it is also important that people are free to come out and vote and not be intimidated by political thugs. It is equally very important that the electoral umpire, INEC and security agencies are seen to be non partisan,” he added. But the ultimate verdict lies with the electorates.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/09/pdp-and-the-burden-of-recent-elections/

Nineteen out of the 27 lawmakers of the Imo State House of Assembly have joined Action Alliance Party (AA), denouncing their membership of All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party respectively.

The speaker of the State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, who read the notice of defection signed by the lawmakers during plenary, equally announced that he had joined his colleagues in AA.

Reading the defection notice, the speaker stressed that the members, elected on the platform of PDP have also joined AA. According to him, the defection notice was dated November 7, 2018. The former PDP lawmakers are Ken Agbim, Bruno Ukoha and Mike Iheanatu.

Apart from the speaker, the former APC lawmakers who joined AA are Ikechukwu Amuka, Authur Egwim, Uju Onwudiwe, Uche Ejiogu, Ngozi Obiefule, Lugard Osuji, Lloyd Chukwuemeka and Victor Onyewuchi. Others are Chinedu Offor, Kennedy Ibe, Lawman Duruji, Max Odunze, Henry Ezediaro, and Obinna Egu.

Speaking after the notice of defection was read, one of the defectors, Amuka, a former member of APC, accused the national chairman of the ruling party, Adams Oshiomhole of allegedly “collaborating with crooks to hijack APC in Imo State.”

The majority leader, Osuji, who equally joined AA, said that the APC national chairman was unjust to them during the controversial APC primaries in the state.

He said that he felt ashamed that he was ever associated with APC. Osuji, who still maintained his status as the majority leader after the defection said that the lawmakers, would team up with the AA governorship candidate in the state, Uche Nwosu, to win the governorship election and ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari wins re-election. Agbim, who joined AA from PDP, said two of his colleagues and himself, left the main opposition party because of the emergence of new PDP in the state.

He said that currently, PDP in the state had no leadership direction forcing them to join AA in order to ensure that Nwosu and Buhari win elections. The speaker said that what “Oshiomhole did in Imo State was unjust and against the tenets of ideal democracy.” He said that the lawmakers would work for the electoral success of Buhari and AA governorship candidate in the state, Nwosu.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/08/19-imo-lawmakers-defect-to-action-alliance/

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday graduated 626 regiment personnel, 134 personnel of the air police unit and nine intelligence specialties. The officers and airmen/airwomen graduated in different fields, including the Basic Regiment Officers Course 13/2018, Advanced Regiment Airmen Course 1/2018 and Basic Regiment Airmen Course 26/2018 at the Regiment Training Centre, Kaduna.

Addressing the graduating officers at the combined graduation ceremony of officers and airmen/airwomen, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, noted that the Regiment Training Centre had remained a centre of excellence in the pursuit of ground combat skills training for the Nigerian Air Force.

He said the combined graduation ceremony was another milestone in its achievements, addjng that the tempo should be sustained. The CAS said, “This is remarkable because it is our deliberate policy to train personnel of regiment, air police and intelligence specialties together for complementary roles in the Base Defence Architecture. In this light, let me acknowledge the contributions of our training partners – British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT) and the Four Troop Team – for the great jobs that they are doing. “Since the NAF entered into partnership with these training teams, particularly BMATT in 2015 to train our personnel in Force Protection in Complex Air and Ground Environment (FP-CAGE), we have so far trained 2,251 personnel in this regard. I am therefore happy to note that the collaboration between our organisations have been mutually beneficial.

“Since my assumption of office, the Nigerian Air Force has continued to build a sustainable and functional air force that will be highly responsive to our contemporary security challenges. We have continued to invest in capacity building aimed at generating combat forces that are capable of securing own bases against all forms of hostile elements. “Accordingly, we have undertaken several air and ground related capacity building initiatives.

This is to significantly enable the Nigerian Air Force have depth, flexibility and capability to operate either singly or jointly with our sister Services and other security agencies”. Abubakar disclosed that the desire to make the Nigeria Air Force the best in the sub region necessitated new platforms, equipment and specialised training, adding that within the available resources of government, NAF has enjoyed tremendous support from government.

“On our part, we will continue to support federal government policies and continue to conduct operations ranging from humanitarian services, peace enforcement to counter insurgency operations in furtherance of our national security and developmental objectives”, he stated. He applauded the graduating students for working hard, even as he said their commitment, high-discipline and determination, through which they have met the standard required, brought them to this level.

The CAS said, “I am sure you have imbibed the attributes of the military profession, which include absolute loyalty, discipline, honesty, intelligence, physical fitness, accountability, decisiveness, teamwork, and courage among other values. I want you to note that it is the possession of these virtues that binds all ranks in the Service.

“Our administration is committed to enthroning professionalism and as such, the rigorous military training you received was designed to enhance your professional performance. I therefore implore you to put all that you have learnt while on this course to maximum use to safeguard lives and property within your area of responsibility.

“Let me remind you that you will be deployed to the field at a time when our nation is facing security challenges. You must therefore be disciplined, vigilant and guard your utterances and conduct at all times. You must not allow yourself to be used by ‘disgruntled elements’ in the society. “Also, you must submit yourselves to the civil authority and protect our democracy.

In addition, you must avoid acts capable of denting the image of the Nigerian Air Force. Always remember that your duty is to protect all Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic background or religious inclination. You must strive to add value to the Nigerian Air Force in whatever capacity you may find yourself”.

He pledged the unalloyed support of the Nigerian Air Force towards federal government’s policy thrust to improve the economic, social and political development of the country.

The CAS also commended the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) and the Detachment Commander of No 5 Royal Air Force, Force Protection Wing, Wing Commander Kevin McMudro for their dedication, hard work and commitment to the FP-CAGE training package at Regiment Training Centre.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/07/air-force-graduates-769-trainee-officers/

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has hosted members of the state Cultural Troupe, for emerging first in the just concluded International Arts and Crafts competition, held in Abuja and other events.

Amosun, while receiving the troupe in his office, in Abeokuta, commended the troupe for emerging tops in various national and international Arts and Culture competitions.

The governor disclosed that the state troupe was overall first in the International Art and crafts competition after winning six out of nine awards in Abuja, adding that they also came first in the traditional Ayo Olopon game at the National Festival for Arts and Culture in Rivers State.

Amosun showered encomiums on the troupe for showcasing the great and enviable standard the state is known for at the competitions.

He enjoined the troupe not to relent, but continually showcase the prowess the state has been displaying in all spheres.

The State Commissioner for Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Barr. Muyiwa Oladipo, noted that the state would not have excelled, if not for the support of the governor, who he described as a lover of culture and a man who will not take anything less than excellence.

He promised that the ministry, particularly the state troupe, would continue to reciprocate the gesture of the state government, by winning more laurels in art, culture and tourism competitions.

The statement also revealed that the project would be jointly executed by the Ministries of Urban and Physical Planning, Housing and Bureau of Transportation.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/06/amosun-celebrates-ogun-cultural-troupe-for-emerging-tops-at-international-cultural-festival-others/

The Senate, Wednesday, approved a request by the Executive for the payment of N338.9 billion local debts owed by the Federal Government through a promissory note programme and bond issuance.

The figure consists of N102 billion as refund for federal projects executed by Delta and Taraba states; N43.5 billion for debts owed five contractors, and N193 billion as outstanding Export Expansion Grant (EEG) claims by 269 companies.

It was reported that Delta’s share of the N102 billion refund is N67.9 billion, while Taraba will get the balance of N34.3 billion.

A breakdown of the N43.5 billion contract liabilities shows that Setraco will get N37.4 billion, Bouygues (N4.6 billion), and Simida S and I. International company (N346 million).

Hamadala Homes and Agency Ltd will get N346 million, while the balance of N960 million goes to LEJMEJ Nigeria Ltd.

The Senate approval followed the submission and presentation of the report of its adhoc committee chaired by Sen. Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) which worked on the executive request.

Presenting the report, Alimikhena said the committee was furnished by justifiable details of all claims submitted by representatives of Delta and Taraba states, beneficiaries of the EEG scheme and the contractors.

The details, according to him, include the Federal Government’s approval through its Ministry of Works for the highway projects executed by the two states.

Others are contract agreements between the state governments and the contractors that handled the projects, and evidence of payments to the contractors.

Also received by the committee, Alimikhena added, were certificates of project completion and evidence of part payments made by various MDAs to the five contractors, among others.

The senator said after exhaustive deliberations on the submissions and presentations, the committee found that the federal highways constructed by the states were in deplorable conditions before the intervention.

He said beneficiaries of the EEG scheme had not been paid since 2007 up to the compilation period in 2016/2017.

“The backlog in disbursement of the EEG claims seriously affected the liquidity strength of most of the companies which has resulted in difficulty of loan repayment and meeting employees obligations.

“Contractors that appeared before the committee justified their claims by presenting all supporting documents including evidence of part payments received,” he said.

The committee, therefore, recommended that the president’s request be granted for the settlement of the debts.

Some senators, including Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto), Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba) and Barnabas Gemade (Benue), supported the motion for approval of the recommendations.

However, Gemade urged the committee to request for evidence of the income earned by the country from the exports claimed to have been promoted by the benefiting companies.

“I believe the item on the exports expansion grant should be reconsidered by the committee because we don’t even know how much income a company asking for N7 billion for exports promoted has brought to the nation.

“We know there is a huge amount of funds around this EEG, and we should not push things unnecessarily,” he said.

But his argument fell on deaf ears as the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the sitting, put the recommendations to a voice vote and it was approved.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/05/senate-okays-buharis-n338bn-local-debt-payment-request/

PORT HARCOURT—Four more dead bodies were recovered, yesterday, from the collapsed seven-storey building in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, bringing the death toll to 13. The mistress at her husband’s funeral! As at yesterday, 44 people have been brought out from the rubble, with 31 people rescued alive while 13 were brought out dead.

During yesterday’s operation, four dead bodies were brought out of the collapsed building, while nine were brought out last week bringing the total number of deaths in the incident to 13. The South-South Zonal Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency, Martins Ejike, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, described the incident as peculiar.

Ejike said the peculiarity of the collapsed building has made it difficult for the disaster management team to conclude the rescue operations despite the level of equipment deployed at the site.

He, however, dismissed claims that NEMA has not done well in the operation, stressing that NEMA was only a coordinating agency and not a main rescue agency in an incident of such. “The kind of experience we have in Port Harcourt as it concerns the collapsed building we have not had it anywhere else.

The way the building collapsed makes it very difficult for us to rescue victims. “You have to clear everything before you can bring out anyone inside either alive or dead. The building just fell down flat; something must be wrong somewhere. “I hear people say NEMA is not doing enough in the rescue operations, which is not true. We are not a rescue agency but rather coordinating agency.

“As soon as we heard the case of the collapsed building, we had to call on our sister agencies whose major work is to rescue. We sent in our equipment, mobilised our men to site, that is why you see operation still going on and we will remain there till everything is done at the site.” Ejike, expressed sadness over lack of manpower in carrying out their operations, adding that such makes them depend mainly on collaborations. It is worthy to note that the rescue operations at the site of the collapsed building in Port Harcourt has, at yesterday, lasted for 10 days and is still ongoing.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/05/death-toll-in-rivers-building-collapse-rises-to-13/

As Britain’s exit from the European Union takes more shape with the recent deal, economists have cautioned that Brexit may affect Nigeria’s $8 billion trade with the UK.

They argue that if Brexit impacts negatively on the British economy, it would in turn dwindle Diaspora remittances to Nigeria which is a major source of inflows into the country.

According to Nigeria’s first professor of Capital Market, Uche Iwaleke, of the Nasarawa States University, Brexit may stifle emigration to Britain by Nigerians and so Diaspora remittances could drop if the deal hurts British economy.

He explained that Britain still remains the largest source of capital inflow into Nigeria, citing the National Bureau of Statistics.

British investment flow to Nigeria would also be imperilled if its economy is affected negatively by Brexit, Iwaleke added.

The university don is, however, optimistic that as Nigeria’s colonial master, the UK will have the greater freedom to relate with Nigeria the way it deems fit without recourse to EU rules and regulations.

“As the former colonial master, Britain will now have the freedom to deal with Nigeria as opposed to if they are dealing with us a bloc.

“Her membership of the EU serves as a constraint on what the UK can do with Nigeria. Now that it is pulling out of the EU, the freedom to relate with Nigeria will be limitless.

“Again, trade negotiations with Nigeria

will no longer be with a single bloc which becomes a little more complex,” the professor of capital market said.

Principal Research Fellow, National Defence College, Abuja, Dr Chinedu Udeh, also weighed in on the mixed optimism of Brexit.

He said that with the UK’s exit from the European body, “migration to Britain by Nigerians will become more difficult and so Diaspora remittances could drop.

“We are going to see the impacts in the areas of immigration. It might become difficult for more people to go to UK.

“Before now, some Nigerians will go through other EU countries, get EU passport before moving to the UK. Once the deal is sealed as expected sometime in March 2019, accessing EU passport as a means to gain access to the UK will become difficult.

“If the deal hurts the British economy, foreign investments in Nigeria could be affected as Britain has remained the largest source of capital importation in Nigeria for many years now, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.”

Udeh also spoke on the impact of Brexit on the European body.

“The first implication is for the European Union, in terms of trade emigration and jobs. The UK has very powerful influence in the EU. It is the second largest contributor to their budget. As a matter of fact, it contributes 11.5 billion euro to EU budget, Germany contributes about 15 billion euro or so. So, UK’s withdrawal will put lots of pressure on other countries, in terms meeting their budget or they have to cut down the budget.”

Udeh, however, sees some positives impact for non-European workers, including Nigerians.

“On the positive side – let me be optimistic, a lot of the workers that are coming from the EU might not be able to gain access to EU freely.

“In terms of labour, it means citizens of non-EU countries like Nigeria in the UK will be able to get jobs.

“Brexit may favour Nigeria in the area of improved trade with the UK. These are possible scenarios that may play out.”

On the visits of Prince Charles and Prime Minister Theresa May within the interval of three months, Udeh said it could be due to the search for new markets by the UK.

“If eventually the UK exits the EU, its market will certainly shrink. So, they ought to look for new market.

“Brexit also has implications for separatist agitation in Nigeria. It could fuel such sentiments. It may also impact negatively on

development assistance from the UK because if Britain’s economy shrinks, it may cut overseas aid. There could be increased educational opportunities for Nigeria but tougher visa regime.

‘I wish it does not happen because of its wider implications for the Europe and Nigeria in particular,” he stated.

On his part, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja and Sokoto State University, Professor Nuhu Yakubu, believes that Brexit could become the silver lining for the Nigerian economy in dire need of investment.

“It is clear that Britain is looking for friends because it is winding down on its membership of the European Union. This could become a window of opportunity for Nigeria to exploit. For instance, the prime minister, Theresa May, was here in August, and two months later, the heir apparent to the British throne, Prince Charles, came for an elaborate visit. These visits are certainly not a jamboree but looking for new opportunities, which Nigeria can tap into.”

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that Nigeria is Britain’s second largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa, with £6 billion (about N2.4 trillion or $8.52 billion) in bilateral trade volume last year.

It is feared that the deal hurts UK, its GDP would shrink over time and a weaker and smaller UK economy would scale back its investment in development projects in Nigeria.

Also, Britain is expected to be very strict on immigration and visa applications especially from countries like Nigeria which has plenty visa applicants to the United Kingdom, with already an estimated two million Nigerian migrants in the country.

Another possible outcome, analysts say, is that investment in Britain by Nigerian businessmen would be less attractive since the country would no longer offer full access to the lucrative EU market.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/02/brexit-puts-8bn-nigeria-uk-trade-at-risk/

The struggle by factions of the Anambra State House of Assembly to take possession of the seat of the Speaker is currently causing a fight in the hallowed chambers.

Both factions of the House, led by their separate Speakers had arrived the State Assembly complex at about 10am in the morning, but could not sit for plenary because of the tussle over which of the two Speakers should preside over the meeting.

About 22 out of the 30 members of the House had three weeks ago impeached Speaker Rita Maduagwu, replacing her with Hon. Ikem Uzoezie. But Maduagwu had quickly denied being impeached, while the Uzoezie faction insisted she remained impeached.

This had led to the sealing of the House by police authorities to forestall any breach of peace.

But at about 10:30pm on Wednesday, police unsealed the complex ahead of Thursday sitting, but, both factions iwent nside to administer the House.

Maduagwu had first entered the hallowed chambers and sat on the Speaker’s seat, but later left when she found that only two of her supporters were present.

As about 2:30pm when she returned to preside over the House, Uzoezie had already taken the Speaker’s seat, refusing to give way for Maduagwu, causing a huge uproar in the House.

Two members, Hon Obinna Emenaka, and a pro Maduagwu lawmaker who recently suffered a vehicle accident, however, engaged a pro Uzoezie lawmaker, Romanus Obi, in a fight but members rallied round to stop the fight.

Emenaka who now uses crutches deployed them in the fight, but was quickly dispossessed of them by another Pro Uzoezie lawmaker, Onyebuchi Offor.

“You are not ashamed of yourself, you were schemed out of the party’s primary election in your area and you could not do anything,” Emenaka yelled at Obi.

Obi was, however, urged by members of his faction to keep calm and not to reply.

DAILY POST gathered that the bone of contention in the Assembly was the refusal of APGA to give tickets to most members of the House.

It was gathered that all the pro-Uzoezie members of the House are those denied ticket by APGA to either return to the House or move over to the House of Representatives.

As at the time of filling this report, all the lawmakers have refused to leave the chambers, with Uzoezie sitting tight on the Speaker’s seat, while the refusal of the clerk to make available the mace was still stalling Uzoezie’s attempt to preside over the House.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/29/breaking-fight-in-anambra-assembly-as-factional-speakers-struggle-to-take-seat/

Facts have emerged that northern states allocated more funds to education than their southern counterparts in the 2018 fiscal year in their bid to improve enrolment and provide adequate infrastructure in primary, secondary and tertiary schools.

Figures gleaned from the budgetary allocations of the 32 states of the federation covered in this report showed that the trailblazers in fund allocation and disbursement to the sector in the outgoing year are Sokoto and Gombe states. While Sokoto voted 31 per cent of its total budget for education to top the chart, Gombe allocated 30 per cent of the 2018 appropriations to the sector to occupy the second position.

Remarkably, Sokoto and Gombe were the only states in Nigeria that not only met but exceeded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO’s) international benchmark of 26 per cent budget allocation to education.

The only state in the south that came close to meeting the UNESCO benchmark is Ogun State which allocated 23 per cent of its 2018 budget to education.

Just like Sokoto and Gombe states, Ogun State also disbursed a chunk of the allocation to various capital and recurrent expenditure.

On the flip side, Taraba State occupied the rear among northern states by allocating the least figure of five per cent of its budget during the period under review. Akwa Ibom State shared the same position among southern states, voting only two per cent of its 2018 budget for education.

These striking and in some cases appalling figures were unearthed by LEADERSHIP in a nationwide investigation of the funding of education at the state level during the year.

The findings were corroborated by a report published by Eduplana Research, an organisation committed to promoting the funding of education at both the national and state levels.

According to the report, among the states that poorly funded education in 2018 are Abia and Edo, which allocated only four per cent of their entire budgets to this critical sector.

While Taraba allocated five per cent, representing N5 billion of its N96.5billion, to education, Edo voted four per cent, or N6.3billion of its N146billion budget, and trailed by Abia with the same four per cent, or N5.42billion of its N140.9billion budget.

Akwa Ibom shocked stakeholders in the sector with the least allocation of two per cent, representing N10.52billion of its N651.5billion budget for the outgoing year.

To clinch the top position, Sokoto allocated N67billion, or 31 per cent of its N220.5billion, to education while Gombe came second by setting aside N31.46billion, or 30 per cent of its N104.96billion appropriation, for the sector.

LEADERSHIP recalls that in the national budget, the federal government allocated only seven per cent, or N102.907billion of the current budget, to education.

Although, Ogun did not meet the UNESCO benchmark, it led the South West region by allocating 23 per cent, or N79.24billion of its N345.4bn budget, to education.

Other top ranking states are Katsina and Nasarawa which allocated 20 per cent, or N42.4billion of N213billion and N13.37billion of the N122billion budget respectively to education.

Bauchi came next with 19 per cent (N31.5billion) of N168billion; Borno followed with 16 per cent (N27billion) of N170.27billion; Kaduna voted 15 per cent (N33billion) of its N216.5billion while Jigawa allocated 13 per cent (N17.7billion) of its N138.6billion budget to education.

The mega states: Lagos, Kano and Rivers fall into the 10 and 12 per cent categories. The three states earned the status from their huge internally-generated revenue (IGR), federal allocation and high student/pupil density.

Lagos, with the highest budget of N1.04trillion in the country, allocated 12 per cent (N126.3billion) while Niger, Rivers and Zamfara states voted 10 per cent – N13.37billion of N128billion, N50billion of N510billion and N13.32billion of N130.7billion respectively.

Kano and Yobe also allocated 10 per cent of their budgets of N233.8billion (N21billion) and N92.2billion (N7.9billion) respectively, while Plateau voted eight per cent of its N145.4billion (N11billion).

Those at the rear are Imo, Kwara and Bayelsa which allocated seven per cent of their budgets of N190billion (N13.5billion), N190billion (N12.63billion), and N295billion (N22billion) while Anambra, Enugu and Delta voted six per cent of N167billion (N9.5billion), N105.1billion (N6.24billion) and N298billion (N18billion) for education.

The allocations for Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Kebbi states were not available at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, most of the states contacted by LEADERSHIP on their actual disbursement for the year spoke only about their releases for capital projects.

The Niger State government said that it had so far expended N3.89 billion in its schools to bring infrastructure and other learning facilities to standard.

The commissioner for education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, said, “We renovated nine senior secondary schools, provided furniture and fittings for students and staff members, science equipment and solar power at the cost of N3.89 billion.”

On the recurrent expenditure, Madugu said that N1billion was paid for internal and external examinations, “that is WAEC, NBAIS, NABTEB and BESCE.”

She added that the government still owes N480 million balance for examination fees under its free education policy.

Madugu disclosed that the state’s Universal Basic Education Board also secured a facility of N2.1 billion for 10,000 teachers to motivate them. Capital projects designed for tertiary education in the state valued at over N1.6 billion have been stalled by lack of funds. Sixteen of such projects were included in the 2018 budget.

The commissioner for tertiary education, Alhaji Baba Adamu, said that only three projects in the 2018 budget had attained between 20 per cent and 82 per cent completion with less than two months to the end of the year.

Adamu said that nine other projects designed for execution in the year were yet to take off

In Borno State, of the N27billion allocated to education, the infrastructure and management of secondary school education received N12.6 billion, N10.3billion for tertiary education, while N4.4 billion went for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) programmes.

In Adamawa State, stakeholders criticised the state government for not releasing details of sectoral allocations to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the 2018 budget.

The state governor, Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow, allocated N50billion of the N162.7billion budget to the education sector.

There are no details on how much was disbursed to the sector from the budget.

In Rivers State, efforts to get the amount released so far to the education sector through the State Ministry of Education and the Rivers State Post-Primary Schools Board were futile.

When LEADERSHIP visited the ministry and the board offices, the officials said that only the commissioner for education and the permanent secretary could give such details.

Several calls and text messages sent to the commissioner, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, got no response at the time this report was filed.

The N126.302billion voted for education was shared for personnel costs, construction, rehabilitation and procurement of office furniture for secondary schools in the 57 local government areas and local council development areas.

In the budget, N2billion was earmarked for mandatory capacity building programmes for teachers in public (primary and secondary) schools; procurement and installation of ICT facilities in secondary schools; construction/rehabilitation of primary schools in the councils, and construction/rehabilitation of infrastructure all the state tertiary institutions.

In Ekiti State, the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, voted N511.375million for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. There are no details on the amount disbursed to the sector during the year.

The education sector got the lion share of N79.246 billion in Ogun State. When contacted of the funding level, the commissioner for education, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, said that she was in a meeting and could not respond immediately.

She requested for a text message to enable her respond to the matter, but at the time of filing this report, she was yet to respond to the inquiry.

Of the N179.2billion budgeted by the Osun State government, N20.05 billion was allocated to the education sector. There were also no details on the releases by the state government.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/29/northern-states-allocate-more-funds-to-education-in-2018/

Worried about the increasing rate of electronic fraud, especially through the use of smartphone devices, the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF), which oversees the interests and concerns of consumers of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and services, has called on telecoms operators to take responsibility of all online thefts perpetrated against telecoms subscribers, and make urgent efforts to nip it in the bud.

Members of ICAF who spoke at the group’s fourth quarter forum in Lagos recently, said since most telecoms subscribers now link their registered SIM cards to their bank accounts, and some of them get swindled and money withdrawn from their bank accounts without their consent and without them knowing until they start receiving debit alerts for transactions they did not initiate, telecoms service providers should be held responsible, alongside the originating bank.

Most of the participants at the forum, narrated their ordeals, how they have been defrauded through their SIM cards that are linked to their bank accounts, and called of telecoms operators and the banks to protect their hard-earned monies.

President, Nigeria Internet Governance Forum, Mrs. Mary Uduma, urged the operators to do more, especially in the area of service quality and protection of consumer rights.

The Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, who represented the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management at NCC, Mr. Sunday Dare, said: “We believe that through adequate education, information sharing and the provision of an array of channels for redress, we can safeguard all telecom consumers and promote the climate where consumer experience will grow and flourish seamlessly.

Dare said over the years, the telecoms industry has focused efforts on improving customer service.
“To achieve this objective, NCC has rolled out several customer-centric initiatives such as Setting Quality of Service (QoS), Key Performance Indicators (KPls) for all consumer interactions and particularly for the resolution of consumer complaints and escalations; Imposing obligations to eliminate unsolicited SMS with “2442/DND” platform as a reference point; and frontally tackling issues of call masking, “forced” VAS and data subscriptions, among others,” Dare said.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently revealed that commercial banks in the country lost a total of N12.06 billion to fraud and forgeries in the first six months of 2018.

The CBN disclosed this in its ‘Draft 2018 Half Year Economic Report’ that was posted on its website.
According to the report, there were 20,768 reported cases of fraud and forgery (attempted and successful), valued at N19.77 billion in the review period, compared with 16,762 cases, involving N5.52 billion and US$ 0.12 million in the corresponding period of 2017.

“The actual loss by banks to fraud and forgery, however, amounted to N12.06 billion, compared with the N0.78 billion and US$0.03 million, suffered in the first half of 2017.

“The reported fraud and forgery incidences were perpetrated by both bank staff and non-bank culprits. The cases involved armed robbery attacks, fraudulent ATM withdrawals, draft defalcation, illegal funds transfer, pilfering of cash, stealing, suppression and conversion of customers’ deposits,” it added.

According to a Director, Consumer Protection, CBN, Mr S.K. Salam-Alade, the high incidence of fraud is usually as a result of weak security infrastructure in financial institutions and insufficient internal controls.
Furthermore, he had attributed the development to the naivety of the average bank customer.

And, apart from the huge financial loss to consumers, financial institutions and the economy, online fraud also damages the financial system’s reputation, increases the risk of participating in its offerings.

This, “threatens the attainment of the financial inclusion target of 20 per cent inclusion by 2020,” the CBN Director said. To combat the problem, he advised financial institutions to invest in the latest security technology solutions and effective communication of anti-fraud measures.

Also, the Head, Financial Inclusion Secretariat, at CBN, Mrs Temitope Akin-Fadeyi, had urged media practitioners to collaborate with financial regulators in the country to educate depositors on financial literacy and inclusion. Akin-Fadeyi, had noted that educating depositors remains a collective responsibility of all.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/29/group-urges-telcos-to-tackle-fraud/

The Governors of Imo and Ogun States, Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun, were absent at the inauguration of the Gboyega Oyetola as the Governor of Osun State on Tuesday.

Governors from other states governed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, were either present at the event or sent in their representatives.

However, the two governors, who are unhappy with the outcome of the primary elections in their respective states, failed to show up for the occasion monitored by DAILY POST.

Okorocha and Amosun have been publicly criticising the leadership of the APC following the refusal of the party to submit names of their preferred governorship candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the flag bearers of their respective states.

There had been a war of words between the two governors and the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The inauguration ceremony was however well attended by bigwigs of the APC including: President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary-General of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Rotimi Akeredulu of Ondo State; the Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Yahaya Belo of Kogi State (represented); Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode; Ekiti State Governor, John Fayemi; among others.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/27/apc-crisis-govs-okorocha-amosun-missing-as-party-leaders-governors-storm-osun-for-oyetolas-inauguration/

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday accused the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, of “diverting funds meant for the military equipment and welfare of soldiers fighting insurgency in the northeast.”

PDP claimed that Dan-Ali was diverting the funds “to produce partisan materials for the All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election campaign.”

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party claimed the Defence Minister was diverting part of the military funds to produce APC’s campaign materials including an “electronic momento book, on which he ascribed credit to himself and the APC, while our soldiers suffer neglect in the war front.”

The party said the “placing of APC logo alongside that of the Ministry of Defence on the momento confirms our position that the Buhari Presidency has compromised our defence architecture for Mr. President’s re-election project.”

The statement reads, “Our party considers it insensitive and a gross impunity for the Minister of Defence to be engaging in patronising soverniers for President Buhari at a time when our soldiers are being killed in their numbers.

“It is also instructive to note that President Muhammadu Buhari, as Mr. Integrity, has not reprimanded the minister, ostensibly, given that the diversion of public funds for his re-election campaign is now a policy of the APC and the Buhari Presidency.

“Nigerians can now see how the Buhari Presidency and the APC have turned the Ministry of Defence into their Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) to fund their re-election, at the detriment of our citizens who are being daily attacked by insurgents and marauders in various parts of our country.

“There is a fixation in the Buhari Presidency on winning the 2019 elections at all cost even at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.

“With these revelations, the APC has proven to be a soulless mob, which has no interest in the good of our nation, but desperate to hang onto power by all means.

“We therefore call for an open investigation into the handling of military funds to unravel those benefitting from the racket especially given allegation that some persons close to the President are being used as conduits to fritter public funds for President Buhari’s re-election and their wasteful lifestyles.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/27/2019-defence-minister-dan-ali-diverting-military-funds-for-buhari-campaign-pdp-claims/

European Union leaders of the 27 states staying on together after Britain leaves the bloc, yesterday, endorsed their Brexit deal with London, chairman Donald Tusk has said.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Britons voted in a June 23, 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, which forced former Prime Minister David Cameron to resign. Since then, Britain and the EU have been trying to reach a suitable divorce deal.

“EU27 has endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future EU-UK relations,” Tusk said after less than an hour of the leaders’ summit.

Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite also said after the session: “Brexit deal endorsed, but exit process far from over.”

The 27 leaders adopted an official statement in which they also committed “to take the necessary steps to ensure that the agreement can enter into force on March 30, 2019, so as to provide for an orderly withdrawal.”

The statement also promised “as close as possible a partnership with the United Kingdom” after Britain leaves on March 29, 2019, and thanked Michel Barnier, the bloc’s Brexit negotiator.

They urged the UK parliament to back the deal as well. But the deal faces furious opposition in the parliament and may not go through.

“This is the deal,” European Union chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters, saying he believed May would get it through parliament and ruled out big new concessions.

“Now it is time for everybody to take responsibility — everybody,” said Michel Barnier, the Frenchman who has ground out the withdrawal treaty over the past 18 months.

Juncker called it “a sad day”, saying Brexit was a “tragedy” and tough on both sides.

“I believe that the British government will succeed in securing the backing of the British parliament,” Juncker said, declining to comment on what might happen if May fails.

“I would vote in favour of this deal because this is the best deal possible for Britain,” he added. “This is the deal. It is the best deal possible and the European Union will not change its fundamental position when it comes to this issue.”

Barnier described the 600-page treaty setting terms for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union on March 29 as a good base to negotiate a future relationship, a 26-page outline of which the leaders will also agree with May.

But he insisted: “We will remain allies, partners and friends.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said the Brexit vote showed Europe needed reform, adding that Paris would hold Britain to tight EU regulations, notably on the environment, in return for giving it easy trade access.

The departure of a nation long skeptical of deeper EU integration was, Macron said, neither a moment for celebration nor mourning, but Britons’ free choice.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country is one of Britain’s closest trading partners, praised May’s handling of the difficult negotiations and said he was confident that she could see the deal through parliament in the coming weeks.

He, however, had a warning for those in May’s Conservative party as well as the Labour opposition who argue that a better deal can still be done before Britain leaves in four months if lawmakers deny her minority government support on Brexit.

“This is the maximum we can all do,” Rutte said, shaking his head when asked if the EU might make more concessions.

Rutte explained that EU “hates” Brexit.

”Nobody’s winning — we are all losing,” Rutte saidnoting that the deal was an acceptable compromise for all towards reaching a solution.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/26/european-union-leaders-endorse-brexit-deal/

Former presidential candidate of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro, on Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, raised an alarm that the huge amount of money paid to Boko Haram terrorists by the Federal Government as ransoms for the release of Chibok and Dapchi school girls has given the terrorists upper hand over the Nigerian Army.

Agoro, who made this revelation while reacting to the reported killing of about 100 Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram fighters during the Metele attack, insisted that the menacing dangers confronting Nigeria are more than the 2019 general elections.

According to him, Nigerian leaders and the political class should urgently address the scourge facing the country, rather than talking about the 2019 general elections.

Agoro added that the Boko Haram issue in particular has become a recurring decimal whenever general elections are approaching.

He noted further that since the Federal Government reportedly paid whooping sums of money to free some Chibok and Dapchi school girls, the initial successes recorded by the Nigerian Army in the war against insurgency in the North-East have suffered setback.

Agoro said that it is logical to think that the ransoms reportedly paid to Boko Haram has given the terrorist group the much needed money to purchase more sophisticated weapons to kill Nigerian soldiers.

He also called on President Muhammodu Buhari to talk to the nation on the renewed aggression by Boko Haram insurgents, saying that urgent actions are needed from the President.

Agoro said, “It is sad that Boko Haram mutilated over 100 Nigerian soldiers in the Metele attacks. Not only was the situation gory, sad and embarrassing, it borders on the nerves of the nation that the President, a retired General was reluctant to reaction and talk to the nation on the attacks.

“It must be remembered that President Buhari moved the military command to Borno state three years ago, an action that led to Nigeria securing victory against Boko Haram by opening up the Sambisa forest.

“It is therefore logical to think that the ransoms reportedly paid to Boko Haram has renewed the strength of the terrorist group “.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/25/fgs-ransom-to-boko-haram-giving-terrorists-upper-hand-over-nigerian-army-olapade-agoro-explodes/

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on politicians to stop using religion and ethnicity as a pretext to perpetrate evil.

According to the royal father, Nigerians should vote for people due to their good track records, and not their faith, adding that it is the only sure way the country can move forward.

Speaking at a programme organised by the International Centre for Interfaith Peace and Harmony (ICIPH) for Muslims/Christians Leaders, tagged: “Working towards a credible, free, fair and peaceful elections in Nigeria in 2019,” the Sultan, who is the co-chairman of the organisation alongside Rev Benebe Fubara Fubara- Manuel, said politicians must stop manipulating their followers with religion and ethnicity.

Sultan said if Nigeria must move forward, the people must not consider faith as the basis for deciding who to vote for in the 2019 general elections.

“Politicians must stop hiding under religion and ethnicity. Nigerians must vote for track records and not faith,” he said.

According to him, there is no fight between Christianity and Islam; therefore, adherents must not reflect such in their choices during the 2019 general elections.

Represented by the Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Sultan Abubakar said religious leaders must join hands in preaching against violence before, during and after the elections in order to enhance peaceful coexistence.

Sultan who warned that the 2019 general elections should not be a basis for fighting between adherents of Islam and Christianity, calling on religious leaders in the country to preach peace.

The traditional ruler noted that there might be occasional misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians, but adherents of Christianity and Islam should not fight because of their faiths.

“We must speak the truth. Everything is not okay in Nigeria. Let’s stop hiding under religion and ethnicity. Christianity and Islam are not fighting.

“But maybe there is disagreement between Muslims and Christians, we must try and fish out extremist in our midst. Though, you cannot completely fish out the bad eggs from the society but we must continue to do our part in order to ensure a peaceful country,” Sultan said.

According to the religious leader, “No society is made up of 100 percent saints. We have our problems and challenges. But we should collectively try and overcome them. As leaders, we must try and work for peace. No problem in this world defies solution unless we are not honest. If not, we will overcome the problems.”

The monarch urged religious leaders to tell their followers that despite the challenges, both adherents belong to one God Almighty but choose to worship Him in different ways.

On the killing of innocent people in the name of religion, the Sultan said such people are misguided.

“Some people have wrong notion about Jihad. You cannot kill people pretending to be fighting for God. You are simply deceiving yourself. Jihad does not entail that. God did not create you to fight for Him,” he said.

The Sultan further advised politicians to abide by the rules of the game by carrying out issues-based campaigns.

On his part, the president, Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), and co-chairman of the group, Most Rev Fubara Fabura-Manuel, called for prayers as the country approaches the 2019 general elections.

“Let us keep praying for peaceful coexistence, unity, free, fair and credible elections in our country,” Fubara said, noting that people have suffered in one form of crisis or the other and are now living in hardship that seems to have no end.

“Let us pray for the grace to see every human being as a child of God, regardless of race, language or culture. Let us pray to the Lord for the strength to teach our children how to resolve differences non-violently and respectfully, and the courage to model it in our own behaviour,” Fubara said.

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/stop-hiding-under-religion-ethnicity.html

Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, yesterday refuted the claims by former President Goodluck Jonathan that he (Shettima) sabotaged government’s efforts to rescue the Chibok schoolgirls from Boko Haram captivity.

Stating that Jonathan was economical with the truth, the governor described the former president’s allegation as a clever attempt to sweep incontrovertible facts surrounding the April 14, 2014 Chibok abduction under the carpet.

Shettima spoke in reaction to allegations contained in the book, “My Transition Hours,” authored by Jonathan, which was launched on Tuesday in Abuja. Chapter four of the book is entitled ‘The Chibok Schoolgirls Affair.’

Hitting back at him, the governor said that Jonathan deliberately omitted in chapter four of his new book an investigative report submitted to him in June 2014 by the presidential facts-finding committee he had constituted in May, 2014, which was mandated to gather evidence-based facts and circumstances of the abduction.

LEADERSHIP reports that the former president had indicated that the schoolgirls’ abduction was the product of a conspiracy by the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in connivance with the Borno State government.

Jonathan also accused the Borno State government and the administration of the then US President Barack Obama of undermining efforts to rescue the Chibok girls in 2014.

But Governor Shettima, in a statement released by his special adviser on communications and strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, yesterday, said the truth was that Jonathan never believed there was an abduction until rescue efforts were late, describing the book as containing erroneous information.

He noted: “The former president’s elementary book of tales fell short of the courage required of him to publish findings by his own panel in chapter four of his book.

“The whole of Tuesday night, I took the pains of reading His Excellency, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book, “My Transition Hours”, from the first to the 177th page. I took particular interest in chapter four (the Chibok Sschool Girls Affair) which has 42 paragraphs written on pages 27 to 36.

“I was amused that, despite ‎admitting in paragraph 15 that he had (in May 2014) constituted a Presidential Fact-Finding Committee under Brigadier General Ibrahim Sabo and many others “to investigate” the Chibok abduction, former President Jonathan refused to mention any part or whole of the findings by that panel which had submitted a highly investigative report to him on Friday, June 20, 2014 after the panel held investigative meetings with the then chiefs of Defence Staff, Army Staff, Air Staff, the DG, DSS and IGP, met all security heads in Borno, visited Chibok, met with parents of abducted schoolgirls, met surviving students, interrogated officials of the school and the supervising ministry of education, interrogated officials of WAEC and analysed all correspondences.

“What has become very clear is that the former president decided to sit on facts in his custody while he published, in an elementary standard, a book of fiction designed to pass guilty verdict to anyone but himself, with respect to the open failures of his administration to rescue our daughters and in tackling the Boko Haram challenges”.

The governor declared that by refusing to publish any part of his own panel’s findings on the Chibok abduction, Jonathan’s book was nothing short of a “presidential tale by midday”.

Shettima recalled that “on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, President Jonathan had inaugurated multi-agency/stakeholder fact-finding panel under the chairmanship of Brig. General Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), a one-time director of military intelligence and also appointed a secretary from the Niger Delta.

“President Jonathan single-handedly selected all members of that committee, which included his trusted allies amongst serving and retired security officers from the Army, DSS and Police; representatives of the UN and ECOWAS, representatives of the Chibok community, local and international civil rights organisations, representatives of the National Council on Women Societies, the Nigeria Union of Journalists amongst other persons he trusted.

“For almost two months, the probe panel undertook forensic assessment of all documents on the entire issues, held investigative meetings with parents of the schoolgirls during a visit to Chibok. The panel held separate one-on-one investigative meetings with myself, the then Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff, met the then Director General of the DSS and the Inspector General of Police, all of whom were appointees of President Jonathan.

“The panel interrogated officials of Borno Government including the commissioner of education and the school principal. The panel also held investigative meetings with heads of all security agencies in Borno State including security formations in charge of Chibok. At the end, the panel submitted its report directly to President Jonathan on Friday, the 20th of June, 2014 in Abuja.

“President Jonathan has refused to make public the findings submitted to him. I was expecting the findings in his book but he has deliberately swept that report under the carpet. However, I remember that on June 24, 2014, the ThisDay Newspaper claimed to have obtained a copy of the panel’s report and published, as its lead, that painstaking findings by the presidential panel had indicted the military under Jonathan’s watch and completely absolved the Borno State government of any blame regarding the Chibok abduction.

“The newspaper went further to say that the panel actually commended the efforts of the Borno State government in its commitment to the fight against Boko Haram as testified by heads of security establishments.”

‎Governor Shettima also said it was clear to him, after reading the former president’s book, that he still lives with poor understanding of issues under his presidency.

The governor described as laughable Jonathan’s claim on page 31 that Boko Haram wanted a Muslim president rather than him, a Christian, pointing out that the insurgents actually began their deadliest attacks in Borno under the regime of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, a Muslim from northern Nigeria.

According to him, the terrorists are only interested in perpetrating evil against everyone irrespective of creed.

“Boko Haram fighters do not care about the religion of their targeted victims; they attack mosques and churches. They are lunatics who regard anyone who doesn’t share their ideology as an infidel. So, I wonder how the former president didn’t take time to understand the biggest challenge under his presidency,” Shettima said.

The governor advised former President Jonathan to write a second book on account of his presidency which should contain the facts as have been presented to him regarding the Chibok abduction rather than the fiction he made public on Tuesday.

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/shettima-replies-jonathan-dares-him-to.html

The Senate Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru has explained that the several bills which were not assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari was the President’s prerogative.

Speaking with DAILY POST in Abuja on Wednesday, the lawmaker explained that Buhari was not turning down his assent on some bills out of malice, but from the perspective he looked at those bills.

He stressed that each arm of government has its statutory roles, saying it was not compulsory for Buhari to assent to bills passed by the legislature.

“Bills not assented by President Buhari was not embarrassing as you suggest, but it’s his prerogative to do that or not.

“Each arm of government has its constitutional roles and it depends on his perspective of the law we made here. But, I don’t want to speak further on those bills he returned to us,” Umar said.

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki Wednesday announced that President Buhari has declined assent to the Institute of Biochemists and Molecular Biology bill passed into law recently.

In a letter addressed to the Senate which was read on Wednesday by the Senate President, Buhari cited the role of accrediting courses by the Institute as clashing with the responsibility that has been invested in the National Universities Commission, NUC.

Buhari’s letter also complained of the administrative structure of the proposed Institute.

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/buharis-veto-of-bills-from-national.html

The Super Eagles play the Cranes of Uganda in an international friendly encounter on Tuesday, November 20 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

The game comes up three days after Nigeria clinched a ticket to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, by drawing 1-1 with South Africa in Johannesburg.

Uganda have also qualified for the tournament, after beating Cape Verde 1-0 at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Kampala.

The Cranes defeated the Super Eagles 1-0 the last time both teams met in a friendly match on March 25, 2015.

Kick off is 4.30pm.

Tuesday, November 20

4.30pm: Nigeria vs Uganda

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/nigeria-vs-uganda-livescore-from-super.html

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has noted that without peace and unity, the country cannot make significant progress.

According to the ex-president, Nigeria can only progress when all of its citizens have a sense of belonging, unity and security.

Obasanjo spoke yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, at a meeting with the executive members of the Delta state Traditional Council led by its chairman, Obi Efizomor II, Obi Of Owa.

According to him, “I am an incurable optimist about this country, Nigeria is not a perfect country but it can be made to make progress, move at a pace that will be advantageous to all of us, no matter our tribe, position gender and race.

“We can have a country that is at peace with itself, where unity is enthroned, a country where every one will be their brothers’ keeper, where performance will be obvious in the governance and running of the affairs of our people, a country where everyone will have a sense of belonging.”

The former military head of state commended the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, for bringing peace, unity, development and cooperation among the people of Delta.

Obasanjo called on the traditional council to continue to be pillar of support to the Governor in his developmental strides.

He also reminded the traditional rulers that they were bastion of peace, unity and development in their various domains.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-what-nigeria-must-do-to-progress.html

Two female twins abducted by gunmen in Dauran village of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been released.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed their release to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau,

said that the victims were being debriefed by the command in Gusau.
NAN reports that the two girls who came home from the state capital, Gusau, to distribute their wedding cards and make other wedding plans, were abducted by the gunmen along with four others, including their pregnant elder sister, Rukayya (still in captivity).

It was on realisation of the concern and media reports centered on the twins that their abductors demanded for an initial ransom of N150 million from the relatives of the orphans whose father died recently shortly after his retirement from the state’s civil service.

After several pleas by the relatives and threats of fire power by the state government and security operatives in the state, the ransom was reduced to N15 million which led to their brother – in-law giving out his bank account number for good samaritans to donate.

A close associate of the family, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the money was raised and taken to the bandits on Saturday at a location they gave, about 20 kilometres from Dumburum village.

The location is one of the notorious areas of operations of the bandits in the same Zurmi local government area.

“The gunmen, numbering over 100, each one carrying an AK 47 rifle, surrounded those who brought the money, the person who seemed to be their leader threw sand on the two bags with the money, jumped and chanted some words, then asked his boys to take the money away.

“Then came a bus in high speed which brought the two girls and the four people who brought the money were told to go with the girls without turning back, ” he said.

Meanwhile, the remaining victims including the pregnant woman, were yet to be rescued.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/abducted-zamfara-twin-sisters-regain.html

Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr has advised South Africa on how to defeat Libya following his side’s 1-1 draw with the Bafana Bafana in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifying fixture at the BFN Stadium in Johannesburg.

An own goal from South Africa defender, Buhle Mkhwanazi, and a strike from striker, Lebo Mothiba, ensured that Rohr’s men got a point against the hosts.

Commenting on South Africa’s final group game with Libya, Rohr said for South Africa to beat Libya they have to tackle the North Africans as they did against the Eagles.

Rohr told SuperSport: ”It will be a big battle, in Sfax we played a very good Libyan team. They saw already here that it is not easy to beat them.”

The German tactician, however, believes Stuart Baxter’s side will qualify for next year’s African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

”But I think that if South Africa played as they did today, with Percy Tau who is a wonderful player,they are going to beat them and even a draw will be enough.

”I think they will be with us at the next AFCON in Cameroon.”

Nigeria will face Seychelles in their final Group E game in March 2019, while Libya, who must win to qualify for the 2019 AFCON, will host South Africa in Sfax, Tunisia in their final game.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/afcon-2019-rohr-advises-south-africa-on.html

One of the aides to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, identified as Yusuf Adabenege has been assassinated by unknown gunmen.

Mr Adabenege was murdered in cold blood on Friday at about 6:30pm around Oro Obehira-Ege road in Okene Local Government Area of the State.

The deceased is also the custodian of Aneku Okuku Cementi of Obehira and the leader of Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) Initiative.

Following his death, security agencies have been placed at all strategic points in the local government.

According to available information, the deceased was ambushed at the front of Living Faith Church, Okuha Anatahu Okene Obehira road by the yet to be identified gunmen.

He was said to have been killed through a hand grenade which hit him on the head.

The gunmen also fired at his vehicle which resulted in the immediate death of his driver, who was later identified as Musa.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has urged the people of Ebira land to maintain law and order as perpetrators of the heinous crime will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/gov-bellos-aide-assassinated-in-kogi.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has denied statement credited to him making the rounds that many Nigerians are suffering from mental illness.

The report had it that president Muhammadu Buhari in his address in the Paris Peace Forum, said 40 million Nigerians were mad.

But, reacting, Femi Adesina the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity denied the statement saying ‘evil minds’ created the fake news.

He urged Nigerians to beware of those spreading fake news, adding that they would go to any length to gain political advantage even if it’s with the mental health of Nigerians.

Adesina on his verified Twitter page wrote: “Evil minds claim President Buhari says 40 million Nigerians are mad. Fake news.

“They now play with the mental health of people to gain political advantage. Beware of them.”

http://www.ebiscoo.com/49/buhari-speaks-on-saying-%E2%80%9840m-nigerians-are-mad%E2%80%99#113

Banky W is grateful for the woman he chose as his wife and he’s letting the world know this. The singer-turned actor – turned aspiring politician took to Adesua’s Instagram comment to leave a heartwarming note.

His comment was in reaction to Adesua’s speech just before Banky declared his intention to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives.

See his comment below

Popular pop singer, and actor, Olubankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, recently declared his intention to contest for the Lagos State Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in House of Representatives on the platform of the Modern Democratic Party.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/ive-done-some-wrong-in-my-life-but.html

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has revealed why Skye Bank Plc died.

NDIC said its risk assessment and forensic investigation reports revealed that the erstwhile management of the defunct bank contributed to its failure by engaging in insider abuse, poor corporate governance and banking malpractices.

A statement by Mr. Mohammed Kudu Ibrahim, Head, NDIC Communication and Public Affairs, yesterday, said the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the corporation, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the corporation’s 2018 Sensitization seminar for Federal High Court Judges in Abuja.

The statement also quoted the MD to have said that “the reports identified various malpractices such as fraudulent, false accounting, manipulation of accounting records to present false profits and ratios, unlawful loan and credit facilities, non-disclosure of directors’ interests and lending beyond the single obligor limit.”

The statement also added that the NDIC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were monitoring the investigations of law enforcement agencies instituted against the directors and management of the failed Skye Bank Plc to determine their culpability in the failure of the bank.

The NDIC boss noted that the corporation’s implementation of the bridge bank resolution option that established Polaris Bank Ltd that assumed the assets and liabilities of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, resulted in depositors’ unhindered access to their funds, the continuity of the operations of about 300 branches and the preservation of over 6,000 jobs.

Speaking further, the MD/CE also informed participants that the corporation has commenced the payment of insured deposits to depositors of the 153 Microfinance and six Primary Mortgage Banks whose licenses were recently revoked by the CBN.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/why-skye-bank-died-ndic.html

The Akwa Ibom state government has frowned at the probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)int o the financial dealings of the state government ,noting that if there was a need for that, it would have been the duty of the State House of Assembly and the State Auditor-General.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh who stated this on Monday in a press statement while reacting to a publication in a national tabloid about the agency’s probe of the account of the state said, “It is ludicrous that the agency has allowed itself to be used as a tool of lopsided political mudslinging and witch-hunting by the opposition in the state against the state government.

The statement further said, “The attention of the Akwa Ibom State Government has been drawn to a publication in the Nation Newspaper of November 11, 2018, alleging an Economic Financial & Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe of Akwa Ibom Government over the withdrawal of N6.5bn from the state coffers.

“We wish to state emphatically as follows; that this is a malicious allegation and a desperate face-saving effort by the EFCC to justify the several illegalities it has allowed itself to be used by the opposition to perpetrate against the Akwa Ibom State Government which have attracted widespread condemnation within and outside the country,

“The constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria authorize only the state House of Assembly and the state Auditor-General to pry into the financial dealings of a state government and the current administration has made Akwa Ibom State one of the few states; if not the only state that publishes its annual audited financial statements.

“This underscores the state government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and integrity in governance. Copies of the state’s annual audited financial statements are available in the public domain.

“The Akwa Ibom State Government will do all within its lawful limits to protect the integrity of governance in the state.

“Recall that the Akwa Ibom State Government had served notices of contempt to the EFCC and would not be dragged into a public discourse on a matter that is patently subjudice. This matter is before the Federal High Court, Uyo.”

http://www.ebiscoo.com/12/akwa-ibom-government-condemns-efcc%E2%80%99s-probe-of-state-finance

Uche Nwosu, the Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has said those accusing his principal and members of his family of plotting to continue their control of the state beyond 2019 were not being objective in their position.

He said this on Sunday when he featured on Channels TV’s political programme, Sunday Politics, in Abuja.

Nwosu, who is Okorocha’s son-in-law, said besides his own governorship aspiration and the governor’s quest for a senatorial seat in next year’s general election, no other member of the Okorocha dynasty was running for political office.

He argued that his relationship with the Governor did not rule him out of aspiring for any political office in the land.

Nwosu pointed out that the Governor showed a culture of not interfering in his work when he served in the government as commissioner for lands and chief of staff.

He said: “The issue of Rochas Okorocha trying to control Imo state with his family does not arise. People should get down to Imo state. People should leave sentiments alone

“My name is Ugwumba Uche Nwosu. I am from Nkwerre local government. Rochas is from Ideato local government. By virtue of God’s grace, I was able to get married to the governor’s daughter. Does that stop me as a man from running for governor of Imo state?

“I was commissioner of lands and now chief of staff. Did Rochas Okorocha stop me from doing my work? The urban renewal you see in Imo state today is out of my initiative.

“Who else from Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s family is a candidate of the House of Assembly, House of Representative of the Senate?” Nwosu queried.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/uche-nwosu-speaks-on-gov-okorocha.html

Arsene Wenger believes Thierry Henry can succeed, if he is given time at Monaco, despite a poor start to his managerial career.

The former Arsenal and France legend took over with Monaco in a 10-game winless streak across all competitions, that saw Leonardo Jardim lose his job.

But Henry has not been able to muster any sort of turnaround, with the new boss winless in his first five games at the club.

Monaco host reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, with PSG perfect in the league this season.

But despite the poor start to his time at Monaco, Henry’s former manager at Arsenal, Wenger, believes the ex-striker has all the tools he needs to succeed if given the time.

“He has the right understanding, he has the right knowledge,” Wenger told beIN SPORTS.

“But, there’s always two aspects when you come in as a new manager.

“The first impact is physiologically positive and then you can work.

“So at the moment the bad luck for him is that the first impact has not worked so he will have to be given time.

“That is the most important thing. He will get it right if he’s given time.”

Monaco are mired in 19th place in Ligue 1, with their only win coming back in August against Nantes.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/wenger-predicts-what-will-happen-to.html

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused prayer by Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the All Progressives Congress, APC to dismiss a suit seeking the governor’s removal from office.

The suit was filed by Olusegun Abraham, who was the first runner-up in the party’s governorship primary in the state in 2016.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, while delivering his verdict on Friday, dismissed the separate objection filed by Akeredolu and his party.

Justice Dimgba, rather than dismissing the suit as prayed by the Governor and the ruling party, ordered that the matter be properly commenced via a writ of summons.

Justice Dimgba ordered parties to file their pleadings and all necessary processes in the suit on or before November 30.

He adjourned till December 6 and 7 for the hearing.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/ondo-election-governor-akeredolu-apc.html

The Middlebelt Youths Forum, on Tuesday challenged the Nigerian Army to deploy the same energy, tactics and resources that was used during the search and rescue operation that led to the recovery of missing General Idris Alkali to fish out the kidnappers and killers of the paramount ruler of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Agwom Adara, Maiwada Raphael Galadima.

The forum equally challenged the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung to take the position of late Chief Solomon Lar, to end the incessant attacks by herdsmen in the region.

The challenged was given through the National President of the Forum, Comrade Pius Attah, in Jos the Plateau State Capital.

Attah said, “We are appealing to the Nigerian Army, just like the way they conducted search for the missing Army General (Idris Alkali), we urged them to conduct same search for the kidnappers of the paramount ruler, Agwom Adara in Kaduna state.

“The Middlebelt demand the search for the killer of that paramount ruler; he is our traditional General and civilian General in the Middle Belt, this must not be swept under the carpet.”

He also noted that the region has suffered attacks that claimed scores of lives; and lack of unity among the elders to come up with a strong position to defend helpless people in the region has been worrisome.

According to him, Dalung who was nurtured and brought up by late Chief Solomon Lar has the capacity to rally round elders in the Middle Belt for unity.

“The MiddleBelt Youth Forum, in a quest for a peaceful atmosphere to attract local and foreign investors to invest for the development of the region, we have decided to persuade the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung to champion the course of peace and unity in the Middle Belt.

“We employ him to use his relationship and experienced he acquired over the years; while working with our great leader and emancipator of the Middle Belt, Late Chief Lar to serve as a bridge of unity between the old and the youth to end killer herdsmen attacks that has claimed the lives of many citizens.

“While late Chief Solomon Lar was working for the unity of Middle Belt and Nigeria, Solomon Dalung is working today in that direction and we feel he should take the place of late Lar in the region,” he stressed.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/maiwada-galadima-middlebelt-youths-urge.html