₦airaland Forum

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, has said that Nigerians have no credible alternative to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in next year’s presidential poll.

Olujimi, who is the PDP senatorial candidate for Ekiti South, stated this on Wednesday.

Represented by her campaign director, Sanya Adesua, the lawmaker insisted the citizens have no reason to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari, who is All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, on the basis of poor performance.

Olujimi, who said Nigerians should vote in 2019 based on antecedent and what candidates were capable of delivering, said: “President Buhari does not have anything to campaign with as his achievements in the last four years. Maybe that is why he has been finding it difficult to address the citizens.

“The situation in the country at present requires a leader with vision to put things right. That is where the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, comes in.

“For now, we have a president who cannot address Nigerians. We have a president with identity crisis. Evaluate the Buhari-led government for the past four years – look at the condition of roads across the country, look at electricity supply, consider water situation and the growing insecurity – you discover there is no reason to vote for Buhari.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/05/2019-senate-minority-leader-reveals-why-atiku-will-defeat-buhari/

A strong-willed 26-year-old HIV positive woman identified as Doreen Moraa Morachaa has shared her inspiring story since living with the virus.



The woman took to her Facebook page to boldly declare her status and tell people how she is coping with the virus.



Morachaa from Kenya revealed that she was born HIV positive to discordant parents (the father is negative but the mother is positive and are still living together).



She further revealed that three of her siblings do not have the virus, she and her little brother who has since died were born positive.





Moracha revealed that doctors had told her parents that she had only four years to live when she was first diagnosed at eight years.



But 18 years later, Moracha who celebrated her birthday on August 8 said: she is ”still here going strong dealing with self-stigma, societal stigma, discrimination and rejection but still standing strong.”



Read her post: “Most people fear HIV because they know it is a death sentence. Well, I’m here to prove you wrong. I’ve been living positively for 26 years so if it was a death sentence shouldn’t I be dead already?,”.



“People say I make HIV look easy but it is easy I am not ready to give a small virus power over my life I accepted my status and every day I declare that I am greater than HIV.”



See her post below:

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/05/26-year-old-hiv-positive-woman-shares-inspiring-story-photos/

The lawmaker representing Kaduna Central at the upper legislative chamber, Senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to the protest by staff of the National Assembly over unpaid salaries.

DAILY POST reported yesterday that staff of National Assembly blocked the entrance to the legislative chambers and stopped lawmakers from accessing their offices.

The staff were protesting the failure of the National Assembly leadership to pay their salaries.

Senator Sani said the protesters were right to demand their legitimate rights, adding that the leadership of NASS had already swung into action.

He tweeted, “Today the staff of the NASS denied us entry into the chambers in protest for their entitlements.

“I ran into the protesters chanting solidarity songs. They have the right to protest and their demands are legitimate.

“The leadership of NASS is in talks to resolve the issues squarely.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/05/unpaid-salaries-shehu-sani-reacts-to-workers-protest-at-national-assembly/

International detective, Sam Nwanti, has jettisoned his presidential candidature on the platform of the Labour Party to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He made this known during the weekend in a terse statement issued to journalists via email by his publicist, Emeh ThankGod.

Nwanti revealed that the decision to step down his ambition was based on the need to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption as well as efforts to get the country working again.

The statement quoted him as saying “I withdraw from contesting for the presidential race on the platform of Labour party and back to All Progressives Congress APC.

“I am back to APC to support President Buhari for his second term bid because he needs our support to get things aright once again.

“I will help All Progressives Congress and the Buhari-led administration fight corruption and as the only detective who is contesting in 2019, it may split the support of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

The American-based detective from Mbieri, in the Mbaitoli Council Area of Imo State, however, maintained that he will immediately commence preparations for the 2023 race for the highest office in the land.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/02/2019-labour-party-presidential-candidate-joins-apc-gives-reasons/

Prof ABC Nwosu is a former minister of Health and a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT). In this interview with CHIBUZO UKAIBE, he speaks about the state of the nation, his party’s presidential candidate and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the general elections next year



The parties primaries have held and the candidates have emerged, for the benefit of hindsight what is your impression of the processes and the polity?

I think the primaries were major in the light of what is happening in the country. However my main concern in this country is not just the poverty or the minimum wage or second or the third or fourth Niger bridge. My main concern in this country is that we are descending rapidly into the same period of tyranny that some of us struggled to free ourselves from. I was part of all politicians’ summit in Eko Holiday Inn.

I am aware that some of our colleagues got jailed- members of G-34 especially Abubakar Rimi and Sule Lamido in the process of fighting the tyranny of Gen Abacha. In those days, our freedom and rights were curtailed because there was no democracy. It was God that saved us from that tyranny. But I am frightened at the speed with which we are descending with our eyes wide open. Three examples will suffice. Court grants bail, gives court orders and they are not obeyed, it is not done in a democracy.

Two, the Unity Fountain was a beehive of civil protests in the recent past especially the Bring Back Our Chibok Girls who were sitting out there on a daily basis. They were not molested by security agencies. One of the female presidential aspirants today was very active then. She has tried it recently and her on the ground. You should now see that there is a basic difference. Go there now, it is occupied by police dogs, armoured cars and a lot of policemen.

The third one is that it is now dangerous to get on the street to protest. You saw even how high ranking members of the PDP were tear-gassed because they tried to express their dissatisfaction with the handling of the Osun State governorship election which, by the way, was a disgrace. But during the PDP administration, the opposition could occupy Nigeria. I want to tell Nigerians that that is the major danger that we face. The major danger that we face is not food on our table, it’s not electric power supply; it is the fact that you don’t have your God-given human rights and freedoms are being curtailed by human beings who you have put in charge.

If you don’t realise this, you are making a major mistake. Now on the primaries, everybody saw that APC had no presidential primaries. In many local governments, it was by acclamation, raising of hands which translated into millions of votes. How did they count them- the raising of hands? PDP tried to do that-affirmation for Jonathan and we saw where it left us. The concern now is whether you like it or not, that affirmation will be made to be the real thing because the APC will want to force it down our throats whether we like it or not and since we have lost your basic freedoms, it will go. Compare that with the PDP, there was fire on the mountain before Port Harcourt was accepted as venue for the convention. Everybody thought that PDP will shatter into numerous pieces after the primaries. But PDP cloned the 1998 primaries, a very transparent election where late Chief Alex Ekwueme conceded.

In 2018, it was as transparent as ever. Governor Wike was there with his colleagues laughing but still voting for who his mind told him to vote for and when the candidate emerged, all of the aspirants in unison went to embrace the candidate, Atiku Abubakar even before the result was declared. This is the difference between the PDP and the APC. The PDP brought democracy out of Abacha’s regime to Nigeria, maintained it for 16 years and even before the results were announced , peacefully handed it over to the opposition.

That is what people with democratic credentials do. Some people can argue that authoritarian regimes also provide roads and railways and other infrastructure. But the difference is always that rule of law and respect for human rights and dignity remain the principal attributes of a civilised democratic government and Nigeria under the APC government is matching , descending rapidly into what professor Snider of Yell university calls “the road to un-freedom.”

While some will perceive your views as partisan, it is believed that the difference between PDP and APC is that of six and half a dozen because apart from few individuals, the people that form the bulk of APC were former PDP members?

I am a member of the PDP Board of Trustees so everything I will say is partisan, you can see it that way. But I am also Prof ABC Nwosu with a soul, not just a body and spirit. I have a soul that cares about Nigeria. I took school certificate just a year after president Buhari in 1962. I am not a young man; I went to school when our anthem was “God Save Our Queen” , I mean senior secondary school. I went to the University of Ibadan but fled to the University of Nigeria because of the crisis. The set before me graduated in 1967 by 9pm because of Biafra. Instead of graduating in 1968, I had to wait till 1971 to graduate and in between that, I was a commissioned officer and fought as an officer in the Biafran army. No excuses, I wasn’t conscripted; many of my mates were not conscripted at all, we volunteered. At the end of the war, we dropped our weapons. We were not demobilised; we dropped our weapons, went back to the University of Nigeria, I became a Commonwealth scholar, came back to teach in Nigeria, became a professor in Nigeria, served as commissioner and minister in Nigeria.

To me Biafra was dead once it became clear to me that I was safe in Nigeria. My first son is married to a Yoruba woman and daughter is married to a Benin man. I love being a Nigerian but what am I seeing now? I am now questioning whether really I am wanted in Nigeria by the actions of the APC government. That is dangerous. It hasn’t happened before. These are problems that are being exacerbated by the nonsensical 97, 5 per cent policy. For a person who has made up his mind that anywhere he finds himself in Nigeria he will give his best and you are labelling him 97, per cent, 5per cent. You are excluding him from the security. How do you think the people there will feel, both the elite and the commoners? Any minister from the South-east who says he is happy in the APC government is deceiving himself and deceiving the government.

He knows he’s not, they are our brethren, we see them. But when you have been out in the storm for too long and rain has beaten you for too long and you can’t endure the rain any further, they put you in a shelter, you tend to tolerate the things which the majority of your people will not tolerate. I won’t go beyond that. So I am also likely to be partisan because I am PDP; I am also likely to be truthful and tell how I feel because I am Prof ABC Nwosu with this background because I have a soul and because I desire to be a Nigerian.

What’s your take on the division of the Igbo leaders on who to support in the 2019 presidential election. While some favour Buhari/Osinbajo ticket, others prefer Atiku/Obi candidacy?

There’s no division. The Igbo People met in Enugu, the Enugu State capital. You can check, every Igbo man who is an Igbo man was there. It’s the right of anybody to support whoever he wants. Let the other groups go and summon a meeting in the same Enugu, the venue is available; let them summon it in Onitsha or Umuahia. We have a saying, when somebody does not like you, in Igbo, you don’t like that person back. You even show that person that it is one-one, it’s draw. Igbos are known for daring people to do their worse, that the land is owned by both your father and his father. I came back from Nnewi, my town to Enugu to board an aircraft recently.

The minister for work said the Enugu-Onitsha road is done. But I didn’t drive on a federal road because of it’s state. We had to sneak in through a good road to Awka built by governor Obi and others. We joined the one built by the Sullivan Chime and Governor Ugwuanyi to Enugu. Everybody from the eastern part knows that is the road, everybody knows that you can’t go from Aba to Port Harcourt and yet the minister of works is telling us these roads are going on. Why hasn’t it pricked your conscience that nobody from the South-east extraction is in your security council and yet python is dancing everyday in the east. So when you dislike somebody, why should the person like you? So there is no division in the South-east. Anywhere you like, you can get people to pay courtesy call and declare. My challenge to them is to call Igbos. The meeting at Enugu was not Ohaneze. But in attendance were traditional rulers, Igbo elders, including, retired chief of Army staff, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, Commodore Alison Madueke, chief of naval staff and Gen Ike Nwachukwu. Prof Anya O. Anya was there, the communique was read by Olisa Agbakoba and keynote address was given by Goddy Uwazuruike. All Igbo leaders of note were there. So how could there be division in Igboland?

What about APC South-east leaders?

Nobody stopped them from attending the Igbo meeting. I have told you that in any society everybody does not think alike. But I have challenged them to call a meeting and go into the field. I am not saying they can’t. We are all contending for the Igbo heart and soul. If they think that the Igbo people will follow them to APC because the party is the road to salvation let it be.

But there was opposition against the candidacy of Peter Obi as the vice presidential candidate, where did it come from?

Have you heard anything about it again? Have you not seen the vice presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi with the people who had raised that? It’s normal in a family. When something is coming and you may think it may come to you or go to another person, then it goes to somebody. If you are dissatisfied and it becomes clear to you that this cannot go on, you stop. The Igbo have since moved far away from that. Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo was not nationally known before he assumed his current position? Wasn’t everybody expecting Fashola to be the vice president? Has the west not moved away from it a long time? When Atiku emerged Vice President, wasn’t it Abubakar Rimi that was expecting to be? It is the prerogative of the candidate to choose whom he wants to work with.

Were Ndigbo consulted in any form on the choice of Obi?

Were the Northerners consulted in any form before Atiku was chosen by Obasanjo? You forget I was Obasanjo’s first political adviser. I was there right from the beginning. Were the Yorubas consulted when it was Osinbajo? How many governors consult the entire state before they choose their deputies? People raise all kinds of questions I don’t know where they are coming from except that the people are just unhappy that the PDP has decided you can’t have exclusion politics and have brought the South-east that people don’t want to play at the centre to come and play at the centre. All these questions are neither here nor there. It is the prerogative of the candidate, once he has emerged to choose who he can work with based on his programmes and the direction he wants to take the country. In this case, Atiku himself said to Ndigbo, that he took a look at the candidates available and chose Peter Obi. That’s what he said to us at a private meeting in Enugu.

You earlier painted a picture that APC seems poised to force their candidate down the throat of Nigerians. Are you saying that 2019 will not be free and fair ?

Even a goat in Nigeria knows it will not be free and fair ; we have been shouting it will not be free and fair. Edo showed it will not be free and fair, the most glaringly unfair was Osun where INEC completely announced results and went back and said there were cancelled votes. Cancelled by who? By you INEC. Was it PDP that cancelled the votes? Then you go back negotiate and do the abracadabra. It cannot be fair. Meanwhile, you flood the place with Army and Police. Who does that? Contrast it with PDP. PDP had an election that was judged not to be free and fair in 2007 and we saw what the President that came in, Late President Umaru Musa Yar Adua, God bless him, did. I believe he is the best President Nigeria didn’t have for too long. He is only the President who declared his asset fully. Yar Adua admitted that “the election that brought me was flawed”. What did he do? He set up a committee headed by the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Uwais and the electoral reforms immediately began. The PDP dominated National Assembly transformed it into Electoral Act. It is that Electoral Act that made it possible for the opposition to come into power. That is what you do. So it will not be free and fair

What should Nigerians do?

It is not a PDP problem. PDP cannot save Nigerians from tyranny, Nigerians will save themselves from tyranny and there are three things Nigerians can demand. All these PVCs that have been collected, who owns them? Are you sure that they are actually owned by individuals? Why can’t we demand that these things be audited. That is you select randomly from the PVCs in any state. You get them and say these PVCs can we see the faces?

But who will do this?

I don’t know, let me finish before asking me who will do it, it is not PDP. Nigerians like to see a problem when it’s faced, you want to push somebody to die so that you will live a better life. That is the difference between you and South Africans and other nations. When other nations are confronted with a problem they see it as a national problem. They don’t see it as somebody’s problem, it’s like who will bail the cat? Look at the Senator Dino Melaye recall. Didn’t it teach you a lesson? If we didn’t have that proviso that you have to verify Senator Melaye was gone, they had more than enough signature to recall him. When they audited, how many did they get? Less than 10 per cent. Disgraceful! You may find the same with this PV

In 2015, I was the one who was shouting that about the fraud that took place. Yobe State had less than 1.01million registered voters. They collected over 800, 000 PVCs and there was Boko Haram insurgency there. Enugu on the other hand had 1.5 million registered voters but over 700,000 PVCs collected and there was no Boko Haram insurgency in Enugu. I kept saying he is a professor like me and professors are known for logic. How could a place with less number of registered voters in an insurgency area collect more than a place with more registered voters and no insurgency? I needed a rational explanation. I didn’t get it. So it looked to me like you knew certain catchment areas where you didn’t want people to vote.

The second one go and look at INEC report of 2015, the 774 local governments of Nigeria, there were results entered. How come that Boko Haram was in charge of some local governments. Was it Boko Haram that conducted the elections? I have the figures from INEC. For example in Borno, there were 10 members of House of Reps, nine were male, one was female, all APC. The APC won 100 per cent. Yet it was that same Borno that was the centre of Boko Haram. How come you were able to conduct the elections, delineate constituencies or is there any place in Nigeria that was not registered? The same thing is about to happen again.

Restructuring is one of the key reasons the South-east endorsed Atiku. But what kind of commitment did the South-east extract from him that he will follow through with it. This question comes in light of series of previous failed promises by candidates who emerge president?

You never know an individual completely. But Atiku has taken various steps in the past that shows that his commitment to restructuring is not because of this election. Atiku sent a memo to us during the national conference in 2014. He had started making speeches about restructuring even before then. He even wrote a book on it. He can change his mind but he believes in it. Many of us have talked to him and he believes in it.

What kind of restructuring are you talking about?

I have heard all kinds of nonsense about restructuring. The main thing in restructuring is devolution of power, resources and responsibilities from the centre to the federating units that is what it is all about. I have heard the Vice President talk of geographical restructuring, I don’t know where that is coming from. That is trying to confuse issues. It means absolutely nothing. The talk about state police is embedded in the devolution of powers, resources and responsibilities. State police is power, resources and responsiblity. There is no need to isolate it from the discussion of restructuring.

Campaign narratives from those opposed to PDP’S return is that it means a return of corruption and looters. What’s your response to this?

That is propaganda. A fake anti-corruption campaign is the best deceit to retain power. Let me put how PDP institutionalised the process of fighting corruption in this country. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo hired me on May 29, 1999. He didn’t leave the Eagle Square before my name was announced. I was announced alongside the former CBN governor, Joseph Sanusi, the then Police Inspector General, Musiliu Smith and the then NNPC Group Managing Director, Giaus Obaseki. I, Prof ABC Nwosu, who never studied political science became Obasanjo’s political adviser and he hadn’t met me before. In the evening after inauguration, as people were congratulating him as he passed by I also greeted him and introduced myself. He turned and looked at me and said are you Prof ABC Nwosu and I said yes.

He took me to the small room. On his right hand pocket as God is my witness, Obasanjo had the draft NDDC bill. I don’t know why he took it to his inauguration. On his left pocket, he had the draft ICPC bill. He asked me to study the Hong Kong Model. Eventually when we submitted our report. The incorruptible Justice from Kwara State, Justice Akanbi, chaired the ICPC. Two years into his administration, ICPC was not working as he wanted it. So he formed EFCC. The current chairman, Magu was in the original team headed by Nuhu Ribadu. Are these not the same institutions? What value has APC added to these institutions? But you are accusing the person who set up the institution that you are using to fight corruption that he was a corrupt man. However, Obasanjo looked at the situation after he had been advised in his first term and realised that the leakages were in government contracts. He now set up the due process office.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/02/my-concerns-ahead-of-2019-elections-prof-abc-nwosu/

A meeting of National Chairmen of political parties in Nigeria under the platform Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) held in Abuja on Friday.

Over 70 party leaders who met at the INEC Electoral Institute threatened to boycott the 2019 election if President Muhammadu Buhari failed to sign the Electoral Act into law.

Imo Ugochinyere, IPAC National Publicity Secretary, in a statement noted that IPAC reviewed issues concerning the 2019 general elections as well as the IPAC leadership.

The gathering resolved that: “In view of the fact that Nigerians want free, fair and credible elections in 2019 which the new Electoral Bill before the President Buhari promises, we as major stakeholders in the electoral process call on President to sign the Bill into law.

“Should he refuse, then we will NOT be part of the electoral process in 2019 that doesn’t promise credibility and fairness.

“The delay/refusal to sign the bill will throw the country into the worst bloody electoral conquest and put INEC in a tight situation that will make free and credible election impossible in 2019.”

However, IPAC appreciated the efforts of the INEC Chairman towards having a credible poll and resolved to work closely with Yakubu Mahmood-led INEC towards ensuring free and fair polls in 2019.

IPAC also expressed concerns over the tensed political atmosphere in the country and the issues concerning how to secure Police neutrality come 2019 and resolved to seek audience with the IG of Police.

The statement added: “A vote of confidence was passed on the Chairman of IPAC, Peter Ameh and the executive.

“A total of 7 Committees were set up including ADR, Strategy, women, youth & people with disabilities, Government liaison, media including Appointment of Director General, Operation chief and Chief of Staff.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/01/political-parties-threaten-to-boycott-2019-election/

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to parents and students to be patient over its decision to reposition and save the country’s university system from total collapse.

ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

DAILY POST recalls that the university lecturers had, embarked on strike, demanding for the implementation of the 2009 agreement it entered into with the Federal Government.

Ogunyemi said that the strike was not to short-change neither the students nor the parents and other key stakeholders but to save the country’s university system from collapse.

He said, “We want to call on our students and parents to show understanding with our struggle as we are in this together.

“The whole essence of this struggle is to ensure that our students get worthy and deserving certificates that they will be proud of anywhere they may find themselves in the world.

“The struggle is to ensure too that we save Nigerian universities from going the way our public primary and secondary schools have gone.

“Today, most parents are sending their children and wards to private primary and secondary schools around the country because of the perceived or alleged falling standards.

“We do not want our universities to go same way because a lot of our parents may not be able to afford the private university fees.

The National President also stated that there was an urgent need for both the Federal and State Governments to reconsider their approach towards the development of universities in the country, to avoid an outright collapse in the near future.

“The sad thing now is that the World Bank is giving funds to some private universities to thrive over public universities.

“Unless Nigerians rise to the occasion and join ASUU in putting pressure on both the Federal and State Governments to pay adequate attention to our universities, secondary and primary schools, we may be facing a total collapse of our educational sector.

However, he said that university students might be staying longer at home as no concrete resolution had been reached with the Federal Government so far.

‘’The representatives of the union met with the Federal Government on Monday, Nov. 26 but that the meeting ended in a deadlock.

“We met on Monday in order to reach an agreement on the key issues we are agitating for but nothing tangible came out of the meeting.

“Rather than come out with firm commitment on what to do about these demands, they were appealing to us to go back to the classrooms while they tackle the issues; and to us they have missed the point.

“We were told that the negotiation will continue on Friday, Nov. 30 but up till now, as we speak, I have not received any notice of meeting to that effect,’’ he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/29/strike-ASUU-tells-parents-students-what-to-do-as-strike-continues/

Nigerian actress, Chika Ike who is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist was spotted in a new photo as she posed with her G-wagon and showed off her Lovely outfit.

see below;

Source: http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/29/so-fantastic-curvy-actress-chika-ike-poses-with-her-g-wagon-in-new-photos/

cc lalasticlala
Mynd44
Dominique

Nigeria has scaled past Cameroon to become the first African team to qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

The first semifinal game of the 2018 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) played at the Accra Sports Stadium, which saw the Indomitable Lionesses dominating the proceedings, ended 0-0 at regulation time.

After an extra 30 minutes without a goal, the defending champions showcased their playing prowess in a 4-2 penalty shootout against their West African neighbours.

Captain Onome Ebi, Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade and Ngozi Ebere all converted the opportunities for the Super Falcons with goalie Tochukwu Oluehi saving a penalty.

Nigeria will take on the winner in the second semi final match between South Africa and Mali, to determine the tournament’s champion.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/27/2018-awcon-nigeria-beats-cameroon-qualifies-for-2019-world-cup/

An emergency is any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries to the public such as Floods, earthquakes, civil disturbances, terrorism, war among others. In view of the frequency of these events and the widespread nature of their effect, emergency management has developed into a professional discipline. People who work in the emergency agencies of developed countries, from bottom up, are seasoned professionals who know and appreciate the demand of disaster management.

Reading through the House of Representatives Committee’s report on the investigation of NEMA, one was left to wonder whether the legislators are Nigerians or aliens and whether they truly believe in the indictments they so generously handed out to the NEMA Director General, Mustapha Maihaja and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

First, let us examine the terms of reference of the committee and the findings and weigh them against the evidence and principles of disaster management. The committee said it had the following issues to probe:

(i) The release of N5,865,671,389.26 and N3,153,000,000.00 as emergency intervention of Food Security to support the population affected by insurgency in the North-East in June 2017 and other releases for the North-East intervention;

(ii) The 6,779 metric tons of rice donated by Chinese government to the internally displaced persons in the North-East;

(iii) Payment of about N800 Million Demurrage on the donated Rice by the Chinese government;

(iiii) Over N10 billion being statutory 20 per cent Ecological Funds released between January 2017 to February 2018 to NEMA;

(v) The Federal Government of Nigeria Flood Intervention in the sum of N1,600,000,000.00 to 16 States in July 2017; and

(vi) The over N1.6 billion released to NEMA for Evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Libya in 2017.

The committee gave its findings on each one of these but the one that has been hyped more is the alleged refusal of NEMA to distribute the 6,779 metric tons of rice donated by the Chinese Government, and the issue of payment of N800 million demurrage, which the members said was unnecessary if the rice had been cleared as and when due. The committee found:

– That more than one year after the goods were donated, there is no evidence that the six States of the North East, who are the beneficiaries have received the items.

– The Federal Government paid about N800 million as demurrage to APM terminal and Maersk Line for the consignment due to delay arising from inability and negligence on the part of NEMA, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and National Planning to secure the items as at when due.

I’m aware that NEMA has debunked the allegation that it did not distribute the rice to the affected states. But let us for the sake of argument accept that NEMA had not distributed the rice as at the time the committee was doing its investigations. Does it then mean that the rice had been sold by NEMA, or that it never meant to distribute them? The committee itself did not say NEMA or any other government agency sold the rice. It only said it saw no evidence from all the invoices presented to it, because I presume, none of the invoices indicated Chinese rice!

Now, it’s important to know that there are four stages in emergency management-mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Any emergency agency has to be painstaking at each of the four stages to achieve success. The committee did not tell us in its report at what stage the rice was delivered at the Nigeria port. But let us again assume that since it was just a gift to Nigeria, it was delivered not as an immediate response to a disaster. This assumption is reasonable since the rice was meant for states ravaged by insurgency.

That could mean that distributing the rice to the states mentioned was not such an emergency that required the consignment to be swiftly cleared and distributed to save lives. This could be the case if you consider the fact that there were others who made generous donations of rice and other foodstuffs to those states including our own Aliko Dangote.

So, the issue is not that NEMA allowed citizens to die by failing to supply them the necessary foodstuff. The quarrel of the committee is that the rice shipped from China was not distributed to those they were meant for. Again, on this score, one can say that efficient disaster management is a planned series of activities; not some ad hoc crisis management as the committee will have us believe. If NEMA already had an appropriate response of its own in place before the China rice was delivered, it makes sense that it doesn’t have to immediately distribute them. If NEMA is a serious agency, one expects it to have its own response plan in place and not wait for donors, except where there are no other alternatives.

The committee did not claim that the refusal to distribute the Chinese rice led to deaths or serious issues of starvation in the affected states, thus confirming NEMA’s claim that it, indeed, distributed rice to those states. Moreover, since it was not an emergency, there was nothing wrong in NEMA keeping the Chinese rice in a warehouse while planning for further deliveries.

While the alleged payment of N800million demurrage was regrettable, the House committee should not have made it look as if NEMA delayed clearing of the rice so it could pay demurrage. Not only does it not make sense, but it shows a deliberate refusal of the legislators to acknowledge issues with our Ports’ administration. Moreover, as the committee also acknowledged in its report, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Nigeria and China shows that the clearing of the rice was supposed to be a multi-agency task and not that of NEMA alone. Yet, the committee recommended the sack of NEMA Director General because of this? And why has the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, picked on NEMA alone with such venom? So much was Dogara in a hurry to indict the DG that his media aide issued a press statement about the discovery of the Chinese rice in NEMA warehouse, accompanying it with photographs. Shortly after, his media aide issued another statement alleging that NEMA was moving the rice from its warehouse to an undisclosed location. In the three years he has been speaker, this is the first time Dogara has shown strong interest in any House report. Does it have anything to do with 2019?

The briskness and alacrity with which some PDP stalwarts, including its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar have latched onto the so-called indictment gave it away as a game plan focused on 2019. In a statement released by his campaign organization, Atiku sought to parry allegations that he attempted to smuggle campaign cash into the country by alleging that it was a ploy by the APC “to distract attention from the recent indictment of Vice-President Osinbajo by the House of Representatives for grand corruption…,” referring of course to the committee report.

Disaster management is not a tea party as any serious legislator would know. In a country as big as Nigeria the challenges are even more. That is why NEMA recently declared a resolve to engage state governments through intensive advocacy and sensitization on the need for states to key into disaster risk management as a multi-stakeholder activity. Instead of calling for anybody’s sack for some expected laxity in government, the lawmakers should have thought of enactments that could improve disaster management in the country.

– Ms Iwuala wrote from Owerri.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/27/nema-lawmakers-and-the-chinese-rice/

Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr believes Kelechi Iheanacho is suffering from ‘lack of self-confidence’.

The forward who started his senior international career brightly, scoring seven goals in 11 appearances has failed to find the net for the three-time African champions since November 2017.

During the last international break, Iheanacho missed a gilt-edged chance to give the Super Eagles a lead against South Africa in a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers tie.

His performance for his Premier League club has also not been impressive having failed to score in his last eight games across all competitions.

However, the German tactician has backed the former Manchester City prodigy to rediscover his confidence for Leicester and make an impact for the Super Eagles in Cameroon.

“We have all seen how Iheanacho has been playing for the national team. He is a good player and his fighting spirit is exceptional,” Rohr told media.

“But of late, his form has dropped. So also has his self-confidence, which is very low. And when you lack self-confidence you cannot score goals.

“He missed what would have been our first goal in South Africa. But I believe it is a temporary set-back .

“Iheanacho has a chance to regain his confidence with his club and play a big role for us in Cameroon.”

Iheanacho was a 70th-minute substitute in Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion, helping Leicester secure a 1-1 draw after winning a late penalty that was converted by strike partner Jamie Vardy.

The Eagles gaffer said he is hoping Victor Moses reverse his decision in August to quit the national team.

The 27-year-old decided to call time on his international career in order to be able to focus fully on his Chelsea career and his young family as well as to allow the next generation of Super Eagle stars the opportunity to step up and to flourish.

Rohr hurriedly went in search of his replacement and handed a call-up to Bordeaux winger Samuel Kalu and also tested Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze in a recent friendly against Uganda.

‘’He told me, I was surprised after the World Cup that he wanted to stop. I tried to convince him that it was not the moment for him to stop, I didn’t succeed,’’ Rohr said at a media parley organized by Sports Editors.

‘’Even his agent told me now he has to focus on the club and I hope he will have the opportunity to play again in his club or in another one.

‘’The transfer window will open in January, so perhaps he can change club and find a club where he’ll play and he can change again his mind.

‘’He’s only 27 years old, he’s too young to stop his international career.’’

In 2013, Moses was a key player as Nigeria won their third Africa Cup of Nations title, scoring twice, and was named to the Team of the Tournament.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/26/iheanacho-lacks-self-confidence-rohr/

Chelsea star, Eden Hazard, has admitted that he held talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a move, but will only return to France to play for Lille.

“I had contacts with PSG, but it did not tempt me. I have always said that if I came back to Ligue 1 it would be to Lille,” he told Canal Football.

Hazard also spoke about PSG’s current form and their Champions League clash against Liverpool in mid-week.

“In terms of the level of Ligue 1, PSG walk it each weekend. When they play in the Champions’ League, they think maybe that it will be easy. But I think that they struggle. I don’t like to judge Ligue 1 but it is true that, when I see PSG, yes it seems too easy.

“Liverpool are a great team, with three top attackers in Salah, Firmino and Mané. But PSG can beat anyone. On a good day, PSG can beat everybody,” the Belgian added.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/25/hazard-confirms-he-has-spoken-with-psg-about-transfer/

The Nigeria Football Association, FIFA, Everton and Middlesbrough have all celebrated former Super Eagles forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni on the occasion of his 36th birthday, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.

Yakubu made 57 appearances for the Super Eagles and scored 21 goals. He is the third highest scorer in the history of the Super Eagles.

He represented Nigeria at four African Cup of Nations finals, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2000 Summer Olympics.

The Yak as he is fondly called was part of the Super Eagles side that won bronze at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

Yakubu is well remembered by Nigeria fans for missing an open goal in the country’s 2-2 draw against South Korea at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

“It’s Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s birthday. The bulky striker scored 21 goals in 57 appearances for the @NGSuperEagles and remains third all-time highest goal scorer for the team. Have a good one ‘The Yak,” reads a tweet on NFF twitter handle.

FIFA also felicitates with Yakubu and some of his birthday mates on their special day.

“#HBD to @ChrisSmalling (29), @Fellaini (31), @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 (33), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (36), Torsten Frings (42), Alemao (57) & Radomir Antic (70),” FIFA tweeted.

Two of his former club, Everton and Blackburn also sent their wishes to the forward.

“Happy birthday, Yakubu! #EFC ,” reads the tweet on the Everton Twitter handle.

“It’s also Yakubu’s birthday today!,” Blackburn Rovers tweeted.

The forward also had stint with clubs in Isreal and Turkey in a remarkable career that started at defunct Nigeria Professional Football League club, Julius Berger.

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/nff-fifa-everton-hails-yakubu-at-37.html

Soldiers are among the 74 Turkish sentenced to life in prison for their role in an attempted coup.

The state-owned Anadolu news agency reported that no fewer than 240 people, most of them unarmed civilians, were killed on the night of July 15, 2016.

On that night, a group of rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes in a botched attempt to overthrow President Tayyip Erdogan.

The court sentenced the 74 defendants to aggregated life sentences for “attempting to disrupt the constitutional order”, Anadolu said.

Aggravated life sentences are subject to a harsher regime in prison, and are not eligible for parole or general amnesty.

It was not immediately clear how many soldiers were among the group sentenced.

Turkey blames U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for the abortive putsch.

The president has carried out a widespread crackdown on his suspected supporters, detaining some 160,000 people, including academics, soldiers and civil servants.

Of those, 77,000 have been formally charged and kept in jail during trial, according to the interior minister.

Rights groups and Turkey’s Western allies have voiced concern about the scope of the purges, saying Erdogan had used the coup as a pretext to quash dissent.

The government, however, said the measures were necessary due to the gravity of the threats it was facing. (NAN)

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/soldiers-others-get-life-sentence.html

The Kaduna State Police Command on Wednesday arrested 22 suspects involved in armed robbery and kidnapping.

The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, made the disclosure at a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Kaduna, NAN reports.

Ahmad said that seven of the suspects were nabbed in connection to alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery.

According to him, four of the suspects were also arrested for criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, while two suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy and impersonation.

He said five suspects were also arrested in connection with cheating, criminal conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property.

Ahmad said “one suspect was arrested for criminal intimidation by anonymous Communication and three suspects for criminal conspiracy, burglaryand theft

“Recoveries made included two locally made Revolver Barrel Pistols, one locally made pistol, three 9MM live ammunition, 14 sets of plasma television and one laptop computer, three phones (Nokia, 1 Samsung and 1 Vivo Android), a tricycle (Keke Napep), one cutlass and assorted charms from the suspects.

The CP expressed delight over the command’s recent breakthrough in combating crime and criminality in the state.

He said that the suspects currently undergoing investigation would be prosecuted as soon as Police investigations were completed.

The CP also reassured members of the public of the Command’s willingness to fight all forms of crime and criminality in the state.

He explained that his command enjoyed kind support and understanding from members of the public through prompt and relevant information that assisted in exposing unscrupulous elements among them.

“The Kaduna State Police Command will not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group that directly or indirectly does any act that can bring about disharmony in the state or any part thereof,” he added.

Ahmad further appealed to the people of the state to continue to live in peace with one another and avoid using social media platforms to spread fake news or speeches capable of inciting violence or breaching the peace.

http://www.mcebiscoo.com/2018/11/police-arrest-22-suspects-terrorising.html

Super Eagles stand-in captain, Ahmed Musa, says he has forgiven Gambian referee, Bakary Gassama, after his errors cost the Super Eagles two goals, during the 1-1 draw with South Africa last Saturday.

Gassama and his assistants chalked off two Nigeria goals for offside, but replays showed otherwise.

In the first half of the encounter played at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, Musa thought he had assisted a Kelechi Iheanacho goal, but saw it flagged for offside.

Musa again, with few minutes left in the tie, ran onto Alex Iwobi’s incisive pass to score what would have been the winner, but it was ruled out.

After the game, he took to the social media to question the calls, also poking at CAF.

The referee, however, apologised to Musa and Nigeria for the mistakes and the forward has waved off the incidents, stressing that their qualification for AFCON 2019, has made up for the wrong decisions.

“I will say that it was good that he realized his mistakes and apologized for his action and it is past tense for me.

“The major thing is that we have qualified for Afcon for the first time since 2013 and we are delighted about that. I don’t see any big deal about that because our emphasis was on playing at the Africa Cup of Nations and now that we have qualified, we are relieved.

“I am not worried that I was not able to score because we didn’t lose and we have got our heart desires with the ticket to Cameroon. We know that it is time now for serious preparations and that is what we are after now,” Musa told reporters in Asaba, ahead of the Super Eagles’ friendly match against Uganda.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/ahmed-musa-reacts-as-referee-gassama.html

Hundreds of Christian women in Yelwa area of Bauchi metropolis have staged a protest, during which they blocked the police division in the area.

The protesting women told DAILY POST that their action was to demand the unconditional release of Christians arrested by the police after a religious crisis that erupted in the area last night.

Leader of the aggrieved women, Ladi Joshua, who spoke to journalists, accused the police of carrying out indiscriminate arrest of innocent Christian youths from their houses, instead of hunting the Muslim youths who allegedly attacked people.

“We are here to protest and demand the unconditional release of our Christian youths who were arrested by the police even when the Muslim youths have not been confronted despite terrorising our people,” she said.

The women, with leaves tied on their waist, blamed the police for not hunting the attackers, wondering why Christian youths should be made to pay for offences they did not commit.

“Honestly, police in Nigeria now seems to connive with criminals to implement the script of their masters just to divert public attention from Muslim attack on Christian community,” the women leader lamented.

DAILY POST reports that Yelwa police barrack is currently filled to capacity as residents fled to the barrack for safety. Others were seen moving out their luggage from the area for fear of being attacked.

The Yelwa axis, which is dominated by Christians, has witnessed series of religious crisis before now, even as the government has been making efforts to curtail acts of violence.

The Bauchi state Police commissioner, Sunusi Leman, had confirmed that three people were killed with others injured during the midnight crisis.

As at the time of filing this report, residents are still in panic mood over the development.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/bauchi-women-block-police-station-over.html

Constitutional lawyer, Tunji Abayomi has dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC for Action Alliance, AA.

Abayomi, who was an APC stalwart in Ondo state, revealed that the decision was to enable him fulfill his ambition of representing his senatorial district at the National Assembly at the 2019 polls.

In a letter addressed to Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and titled “They Just Injured Our Collective Rights And Now I Must Find A Way Out”, he informed the governor that the alleged role of the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole and the party’s National Working Committee, NWC during the primaries informed his decision to quit the APC in order to actualize his dream on the AA platform.

It would be recalled that Abayomi, who has been having a running battle with Oshiomhole over the emergence of the current Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice as the senatorial district’s candidate at the 2019 polls, had accused the National Chairman of working against the wish of the people by giving “automatic tickets” to Boroffice and two other serving senators from the state.

According to the former APC senatorial aspirant, the term “automatic ticket” is unknown to the party’s constitution which Oshiomhole used to “block” his chance.

The letter he wrote to Gov. Akeredolu which was obtained by DAILY POST reads, “In a democracy, eligible members of our party are expected to vote or agree through consensus who the candidate over them should be in any election. It is NEVER the leaders who at any rate are expected to be chosen by the people that impose Candidates in democracy.

“This is why the Constitution of APC defines Candidates as “Any person who has been nominated at a primary or party election to contest at a General Election”. Nomination for elections is always the prerogative of the electors or the people. It is NEVER that of the leaders.

“The APC Constitution in section 20 provides two (2) types of Primary elections for the Nomination of candidates for the Senate that is “Through direct or indirect Primary election to be conducted at the appropriate level.”

“I regret to inform you that the present leadership of APC at the National level has decided to take away your right to nominate Candidates as well as my right to be nominated by its unlawful “Automatic ticket” for all present Senators from Ondo State.

“The National Leadership has appointed its candidate but NOW our people in the North Senatorial Zone must have a chance to choose their candidate against Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s appointed Candidates. We are Ondo State people, our character is to fight for our rights and insist on these rights.

“You may wish to note that on the 3rd and 4th of October, after following all Party processes including all payments, and expenses at various Party levels, I wrote to the National Chairman of APC and APC NEC as the Constitution of APC requires to allow fair play but got no reply.

“In keeping with long standing determination to fight for my right and your right, I will run for Senate in Ondo North Senatorial Zone on the platform of Action Alliance since the National Leadership of APC under Adams Oshiomhole has unconstitutionally blocked my chance by forcing its candidates on us all.”

Abayomi however assured the Governor to return to his camp after winning the Ondo North Senatorial seat under the platform of AA at next year’s elections.

“My decision to detour this time has been difficult. Since 2003 I have been with you. Inspite of the many challenges we faced together I have not retreated. I have not equivocated. I have not moved an inch because there was always a chance at redemption. Today the chance is unconstitutionally totally blocked. In my interest and in your interest I must keep the chance open. After the next Senatorial election which I hope to win, I will return to you,” he said.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-tunji-abayomi-dumps-apc-for-aa.html

Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State governor, Uche Nwosu, has dismissed the reported endorsement of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi, by Igbo leaders at an Enugu summit recently.

He described the endorsement as “a designed plan to deceive the people that the Igbos rest their support with the PDP”.

Nwosu, who maintained that the support for President Buhari by the Igbos was still intact, noted that the endorsement by the few Igbo leaders at the Enugu Summit did not reflect the position of Ndigbo and will not affect the chances of President Muhammadu Buhari in the South East.

According to him, the South East has nothing tangible to show for its support for the PDP during its 16 years in power to warrant the endorsement of its Presidential candidate or any other.

Nwosu, in statement on Friday, reassured that despite the post primary crisis rocking the party (APC) in the zone, President Buhari would still get a landslide victory.

According to Nwosu, “We are not losing sleep over the recent endorsement of Atiku by some Igbo leaders, the action will not change the reality on ground.

“The South East will deliver Buhari in 2019 because it is our best option. We cannot be distracted with the PDP’s Greek gift of Vice President, our focus as a people should be Igbo Presidency in 2023.

“One important question we should be asking ourselves as Ndigbo is what did we benefit from the PDP for the 16 years it was in power to warrant the endorsement of its candidate, as against what we have recorded within the three years that President Buhari is in power”.

He continued that, “Most of the political decisions of some of our leaders are self serving and not in the overall interest of the Igbo but this time we are committed to pursuing the best political option for the Igbo, which is supporting President Buhari’s second term”.

Nwosu also added that, “The fact that majority of our party members are not happy with the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole over the manner he handled the party primaries across the zone does not affect our support for President Buhari.

“In fact it is beyond personal considerations, it is about the interest of Ndigbo and we will deliver President Buhari in 2019. The support for President Buhari is borne out his unequalled integrity and uprightness, which is what the country needs most now,” he concluded.

http://www.ebiscoo.com/58/igbos-didn%E2%80%99t-endorse-atiku-we-are-still-behind-buhari-%E2%80%93-uche-nwosu#124

As the harmattan season gradually sets in, a group under the aegis of Plateau Youth G17 Peace and Progressive Forum has raised the alarm that more than 20,000 of the Internally Displaced Persons in Plateau State might be in “horrible” humanitarian conditions due to negligence of the government.

The group through its leader, Dachung Bagos, raised the alarm while addressing journalists in Jos.

According to him, since the attacks in some communities in June, 2018, which claimed the lives of over 200 persons and the displacement of over 38, 000 people, mainly women and children, the Federal Government is yet to deliver any humanitarian aid to the IDPs.

Bagos said, that despite promising to mobilize the National Emergency Management Agency to rescue the displaced persons, no effort has been made by the Federal Government.

“Consequently, most of the over 20,000 IDPs currently living in seven IDP camps across the state suffer lack of food, shelter and clothing”, he lamented.

“As it is now, most of the IDPs have no accommodation and have to squat in makeshift rooms or uncompleted buildings with no social amenities.

“Worrisome also is the fact that we are approaching the cold harmattan season with the festivities and holidays around the corner. It is most disheartening for one to imagine these innocent citizens, who have lost everything being continually forgotten to the point of celebrating Christmas in the cold because of the criminal neglect by government”, he decried.

He, however, lauded the United States of America’s government for supporting some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the state with “millions of Naira through Plateau Peace Building Agency to aid in the reintegration of displaced persons.

“We wish to call on the Plateau Peace Building Agency to urgently swing into action and ensure the transparent utilization of the said donor funds in accordance with the well-intentioned mandate of the US government”, Bagos stressed.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/plateau-attacks-over-20000-idps-sleep.html

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday broke silence on the bribe-taking videos of Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said the security agencies were vetting the video and that action would be taken on the matter soon.

The President’s response on the Ganduje videos followed a remark by a Kano student in France, who lauded the achievements of the governor, especially on scholarship, and advised the federal government to emulate the governor.

But the president reportedly asked the student if he had watched the governor’s videos receiving bribe in dollars.

“That aside, haven’t you watched the videos of the governor stuffing dollars under his gown?” the president asked rhetorically.

“We gave the videos to security agencies for vetting. And we will surely take action on the matter if he is found guilty.”.

The Paris town hall meeting, held at Shangrilla Hotel, was attended by Nigerian Students studying in various institutions in France, Nigerian community in France, APC members in France, among others.

The president was accompanied by Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, Ambassador of Nigeria to France Modupe Irele, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/bribery-buhari-breaks-silence-on.html

The Ekiti State government has threatened to proscribe the state chapters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), if the two bodies got involved in violence henceforth.

The Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, who gave the warning on Monday at the signing of peace accord by the leadership of the two drivers’ unions, said nobody would be allowed to disrupt the peace of the state.

According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Media, Odunayo Ogunmola, the two unions expressed satisfaction with the term of the peace deal brokered by the state government.

The NURTW Chairman, Mr. Oso Farotimi and his RTEAN counterpart, Chief Rotimi Olanbiwonnu led other officials of the unions to sign the peace agreement.

The peace accord was sequel to a meeting held by the Deputy Governor with the representatives of the two unions on 6th November to find a lasting solution to violent clashes among NURTW and RTEAN members.

The Deputy Governor advised members of the two unions to see themselves as brothers and not as enemies in the pursuit of their daily bread.

Egbeyemi said the full weight of the law will be visited on any union member who unleashes mayhem in the name of inter-union rivalry, saying the peace of the state remains paramount to the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

The Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr. Lanre Ogunjobi and Special Assistant (Political) to the Deputy Governor, signed as witnesses to the peace agreement.
The union members who signed the agreement under a convivial atmosphere pledged their commitment to the implementation of the terms
in the interest of peace of the state.

The terms of agreement stipulate that each union should collect their dues from their respective members.

It was also agreed that money realized from patrol on Ikare route and all other routes shall be jointly shared by both unions.

It was also resolved that each union should maintain their parks, that is, where they are now stationed without trespassing to another park.

The two unions in accepting the terms of the agreement pledged to abide with all the conditions stated above.

The two unions pledged in the agreement that any union that causes disturbances/riots in Ekiti State shall be banned.

They also resolved with government representatives that any union that violates any of the conditions shall be sanctioned.

http://www.ebiscoo.com/3/ekiti-nurtw-rtean-sign-peace-accord-as-state-govt-threatens-prescription#65

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday in Paris, France, called for stringent actions against perpetrators of illicit financial flows.

He warned that continuous impunity will encourage more pilfering of countries’ resources to the detriment of poor and vulnerable populace.

Speaking at the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum, held on the sidelines of the Centenary of Armistice Day, President Buhari said Nigeria had strengthened its laws and institutions to fight corruption, fast-track recovery of stolen assets and punish offenders, urging more commitment from governments and international institutions.

The President delivered his statement on “Illicit Financial Flows (Iffs) and Corruption: The Challenge of Global Governance’’ during the event, attended by about 70 world leaders and governments.

“We must crack down on safe havens for corrupt assets. I also advocate sanctions by professional bodies against transactional middlemen (lawyers, bankers, brokers, public officials, etc.) who facilitate Illicit Financial Flows.

“I would like to reiterate that the Government of Nigeria remains open and is ever willing to continue to identify and share experiences and strategies to give life to the ideas that will lead to winning the fight against corruption,’’ the President said.

He noted that illicit financial flows pose a risk to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as many countries grapple with the challenge of gathering resources to improve their Human Development Index, while a few privileged individuals continue to explore the weaknesses in financial systems.

“Our experience in Nigeria is that financial crimes, such as corruption and fraudulent activities, generate enormous unlawful profits which often prove so lucrative that the threat of a jail term is not sufficient to deter perpetrators.

“A more powerful deterrent is to ensure that profits and assets generated from illicit financial flows and corruption are recovered and returned to countries of origin.

“This is not to under-estimate the value of strong institutions. It only indicates that asset recovery represents significant deterrence compared to the traditional focus on obtaining conviction by the law enforcement agencies of the countries of origin,’’ Buhari said.

The president explained that tremendous progress had been achieved through the enactment of global instruments, noting that some fundamental technical issues remain unresolved.

“These revolve around the formulation of policy and regulatory frameworks that cut across different jurisdictions. We must not lose sight of the role played by secret companies, banks and law firms, all too often based in developed economies and their related offshore centres.

“Recent studies reveal that flaws in the global financial system enable corrupt individuals to hide details of their financial dealings under the noses of governments and law enforcement agencies. This underscores the need to urgently address the issue of Mutual Legal Assistance, as well as continental legal frameworks, in the context of safe havens for illicit transfers,’’ he said.

He disclosed that the Whistle-Blowing policy had facilitated recovery of billions of naira from corrupt persons, which had been redirected to the development of critical infrastructure and programmes that will benefit all Nigerians and realisation of the SDGs.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/corruption-what-buhari-said-in-france.html

The aspiration of Senator Magnus Abe to become the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has been dashed.

This is after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, published the list of governorship candidates for the 2019 election in the state on Friday.

The aspirant produced by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi faction of party, Tonye Dele Cole was recognized as the party’s flagbearer by INEC, in the list pasted at its office in Port Harcourt.

A Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Victor Giadom was also published as Cole’s running mate.

Both Cole and Giadom are products of an indirect primary election.

Also shortlisted are Governor Nyesom Wike and Dr (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry as governorship candidate and running mate for the PDP.

Other shortlisted governorship candidates from other political parties in the State are: Elem Chinweike for Hope Democratic Party, HDP, Joseph Princewill for MPN, Tamunopriala Jumbo for PDC, Ngoye Benebo for UPN, and Kukang Barine for APM.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-election-magnus-abes-name-missing.html

I Don Die OOOOOOO

An All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain in Bauchi State, Alhamdu Shagaya, who is an aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has claimed that his principal worked to ensure the victory of Governor Mohammad Abubakar in the 2015 election.

He also stated that President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Abubakar and other candidates of the party will lose 2019 election over the alleged non-conduct of primaries by the APC.

Shagaya, in an interview with DAILY POST in Bauchi on Friday, accused the Bauchi governor of betrayal, stressing that, “I’m confident to open up that Dogara, Aminu Tukur and late Senator Ali Wakili apart from us were very instrumental to the emergence of Governor Abubakar as Bauchi State Governor in the 2015 election.

“However, I have with me documents showing the accord made to us if he wins the governorship.”

The state assembly aspirant maintained that APC primary election was a fraud due to irregularities, and advised the party to embrace internal democracy or risk being voted out of power in 2019.

“If the party deliberately failed to entertain complaints brought to it by aggrieved aspirants it will definitely spell doom for the APC. It is a reflection of how PDP lost to it in 2015,” he warned.

Shagaya blamed the APC national chairman and APC governors responsible for all the party’s woes, lamenting that APC aspirants were duped and denied the chance to contest in 2019 as candidates.

He warned that President Buhari will not survive the 2019 election, stressing that the APC is being plagued by the lack of justice.

The Speaker’s aide stated that the President does not care about the plight of APC supporters, stressing that this has culminated in the current crisis rocking the party nationwide.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-apc-chieftain-says-buhari-may-lose_9.html

Regina Daniels appears to be having the best times of her life as she continues to glow in different lovely clothes.

The 18-year old beautiful actress and student of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State has as usual shared some breathtaking pictures online.

In most of the pictures, she wears befitting make-ups and colourful hairs which blended with her skin colour. She shared the pictures on her Instagram page which has over 2 million fans and the reviews have been encouraging.

Regina Daniels' flawless light skin has continued to endear her to the hearts of her fans across the world. She is a native of Asaba in Delta State.

See more images:

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/so-cute-teenage-actress-regina-daniels.html

The Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has said free, fair and credible 2019 general elections will boost the respect Nigeria enjoys among the comity of nations, and attract foreign direct investment.

He made this disclosure on Tuesday when the recently inaugurated executive committee of the Delta State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) led by Apostle Sylvanus Okorote, paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

According to the Governor, “the Church should pray for our country Nigeria and the state; the Church should make its position known that we can have free and fair elections in Nigeria, because if we have credible elections, the comity of nations will have respect for us in the country and there will be direct foreign investment and the resource base of the country will develop.

“We need to do a lot more to ensure that our elections are free, fair and credible; I hope that the INEC and security agencies will play their part, but it falls on every Nigerian to ensure that we have free and fair elections and stand up and speak the truth; 2019 elections is a critical moment in the history of this country.”

Governor Okowa, who used the occasion to reel out efforts of his administration in constructing the Warri/Sapele road, especially the Enerhen junction; trans Warri/Ode-Itsekiri road and the Ughelli/Asaba road, stated that the continuous partnership between the church and government can only lead to positive results.

He said, “the partnership between the church, traditional insitutions and government must be strengthened for the state to develop and grow; the church should pray for our country Nigeria and the state.”

Okowa thanked members of CAN for their prayers and assured that “as we enter the Yuletide season, security have been beefed up while there are efforts to upgrade the Asaba Airport to international standards.”

In his remarks, Apostle Okorete had thanked Governor Okowa for his development strides across the state, stating that the visit was to introduce the executives of CAN, Delta State to the Governor.

His words, “We appreciate you for the development projects going on in different parts of the state; we appreciate the security apparatus you have put in place to reduce kidnapping and crime in the state; your (Governor Okowa) peaceful disposition has also quelled communal violence in the state.”

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-what-credible-elections-will-do.html

The presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and some other Nigerians on Monday criticised Oby Ezekwesili, the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), for meeting with Ibrahim Babangida, one of Nigeria’s former military rulers.

Mrs Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, had been a critic of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and previous governments in the country for being corrupt.

Just last week, the co-convener of #BringbackOurGirls Group, the body campaigning against the kidnap of 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April 2014 lambasted Mr Buhari and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar for “wasting time on WAEC certificate when Nigeria is facing a fiscal emergency.”

On Monday, Mrs Ezekwesili tweeted that she met with Mr Babangida to discuss how Nigeria must be taken out of the clutches of the old order in 2019.

“I had a very candid conversation with former head of state, Ibrahim Babangida in Minna after my speech on Human Capital Development at El Amin School yesterday. I made it clear that Nigeria must be taken out of the clutches of the Old Order. This is our mission,” her tweet read.

Reacting to this, Mr Sowore in his tweet maintained that her meeting with the former military ruler should not have held.

“PHOTOSPEAK: Our dear Oby Ezekwesili wants to stop corruption and mis-governance in Nigeria but then holds a secret session with The Godfather Of corruption and bad governance, IBB. Nigerians, Oby creatively coined BUTIKU. I love it! But this single visit is “OBYTIKU”. Go figure!” he tweeted.

Other Nigerians also criticised Mrs Ezekwesili while reacting to the picture showing her and Mr Babangida.

A Twitter user @maradesh said “You can’t rewrite history. The grandfather of corruption in Nigeria is IBB. Gulf windfall was enough to solve most of our problems.”

Enefola .V. Levi said: “Eyaaaaaah! Obi is the Mama of all scams, this single act has destroyed whatever credibility is left of her unpopular ambition.”

“Many Nigerian youth have no access to history, hence this informed their cluelessness on past government. And it’s obvious they need help. God will not forgive those that removes history from our school curriculum,” @az_zeez1 tweeted.

“You think politics is a friendly match? She was supposed to stand on the path of light and fight against the system of corrupt leaders not engaging with IBB who one of the devils holding the country back,” @DammyPayne said.

Mr Babangida was a key player in most of the military coups in Nigeria. In 1993, he annulled the presidential election that most Nigerians tagged the fairest election in the history of Nigeria democracy where it was unofficially announced that Moshood Abiola won the general election.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/2019-nigerians-react-to-ezekwesilis.html

Key Players - Raphael Augusto, Gregory Nelson
GAME PREVIEW

FC Pune City and Chennaiyin FC have not been able to win a single game this season and the pair are languishing at the bottom of the table.

Monday’s fixture at the Balewadi Sports complex can be the one that changes fortunes for one of these teams and provide a psychological edge for the upcoming battles.

FC Pune City have been in terrible form and head coach Miguel Angel Portugal was given the sack after three games.

Pradyum Reddy has been the caretaker ever since and the team has shown promise higher up the pitch in the past two games.

After an impressive attacking performance against FC Goa, Reddy will be looking at Emiliano Alfaro and Marcelinho to provide the edge against a struggling Chennai defence. However, against Kerala Blasters, they lacked a cutting edge and could score only one goal.

The defending champions have lost five of their six games and drawn one against a pallid Delhi side.

John Gregory’s tactical changes including Inigo Calderon at central defence and winger Francesco Fernando at right-back hasn’t particularly worked out as the defence continues to look fragile.

However, Chennaiyin have circulated possession well and created chances but the frontline has fired blanks.

Chennaiyin’s defence needs to stand tall and deny the Stallions, should them have any hopes of climbing up the table. Also, it’s high time Jeje Lalpekhlua lives up to his reputation.

Expect wholesale changes from John Gregory's team for this fixture.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/isl-2018-19-fc-pune-city-vs-chennaiyin.html

Nigeria’s next election is by the corner and the country has already become a battle ground for our old, greedy and selfish politicians, who have nothing good to offer but rather keep recycling themselves for their own selfish interest. Despite signing the ‘Not Too Young To Run Act’ they refused to allow the youths run by selling the nomination and expression of interest forms at exorbitant rates. Where on earth will the youths get millions just to secure tickets without involving the so-called godfathers who are also not willing to let go? The most disgusting thing is that most youths are busy jubilating and celebrating the old politicians because of peanuts given to them from the money they embezzled from our treasury in exchange for their votes. As Prof. Wole Soyinka once said, “It is only in Nigeria where thieves will be regrouping to loot again and the youths whose future will be stolen will be celebrating it…”

What about the irregularities in the conduct of some party primary elections? We all witnessed how those corrupt politicians sold their conscience in exchange for ‘’Ghana must go’’, playing the politics of materialistic tendencies and aggrandizement. They pick their party representatives in horrible and terrible ways. This is a common phenomenon that has eaten deep into our system and it’s not only in Nigeria but in Africa as a whole.

We have so many young and credible youths who when given the opportunity will do better than these old hands but that can only be a mirage in Nigeria. However, an alliance of other political parties with a young, vibrant and credible candidate will break the jinx because as it seems now we only have three political parties in Nigeria, they are All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the other.

In 2015, during the presidential election, we were meant to believe that APC will bring change to this country and because we were tired of the past administration, we voted for APC. Where is the change today? A government that cannot increase its workers’ minimum wage until they embark on strike? There is so much poverty in the land. People are dying for lack of food. Most children can no longer attend school. We hear about killings and abduction of innocent citizens every day. People cannot walk freely on the roads without the fear of being kidnapped or shot. Crime is on the increase. Yet the government keeps telling us they are fighting corruption. How can you fight corruption when you are corrupt? You can’t give out what you don’t have.

Conclusively, it is imperative that we wake up from our slumber, get our voters card and vote out this old, recycled, greedy and corrupt politicians. Let’s say no to these lawmakers who have become law breakers. Let’s say no to insecurity, no to inadequate healthcare facilities, no to delay in salaries and pensions, no to recycled leaders, no to indiscriminate killings, no to detention of innocent citizens without trial, no to political godfatherism, no to political thuggery, no to nepotism and no to whatever that has held us down as a people. Saying nothing and doing nothing in the face of oppression is to die in nothingness. The time has come for us to lead our country to its glory and that time is now.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/question-of-today-who-will-save-nigeria.html

Dotun Okupe, a former aide to immediate past president Goodluck Jonathan, has reacted to the defection of Chief Tim Aliabe from the All Progressives Congress, APC, alongside his supporters to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

DAILY POST reports that Alaibe, who was the former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and former Special Adviser to the President on Presidential Amnesty Programme, said he left APC along with 10,000 supporters because the ruling party doesn’t keep to promises.

He was quoted as saying: “You can see that APC house is in chaos.

“We are coming back to PDP to support you so you can continue to invest in other areas including what you have already done in the health sector like the diagnostic centre.”

Okupe, reacting to the former NDDC boss’ defection alongside others , hinted that a political ‘Tsunami’ is in the making as PDP is back with full force.

The former presidential spokesman wrote: “Patriots return to join PDP liberation army.. Atiku,Saraki,Dogara, Kwankwaso, NASS members.

“. Govs Tambuwal,Ortom; Dep govs Niger and kano. Now Hon Chibudom, Ita Giwa, Tim Alaibe! Definitely a Tsunami is in the making.
Game over.

“PDP; the people’s power we are back. bigger and blazing.”

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/doyin-okupe-hints-on-political-tsunami.html