The Ambassador of Rwanda to Nigeria, Mr. Stanislaus Kamanzi, has urged governments to maintain principles that ensure the security of their citizens are not compromised.

Kamanzi made the statement at a press briefing held by the Rwanda Embassy announcing its lecture programme in collaboration with the University of Abuja, to commemorate 25 years of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide against the Tutsis, in Nigeria. The lecture takes place on April 7, the UN Day for Reflection on Rwanda Genocide, at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada.

Every government, the high commissioner noted, has the responsibility and capacity of ensuring the safety of its citizens are not compromised, whether on matters of governance or peace and security to prevent genocidal occurrence.

Rwanda, he said, has had to embark on a renaissance in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in order to achieve its status as an inclusive nation, concerned about the safety and security of all its citizens.

“Commemorating the genocide in Rwanda, shouldn’t be the responsibility of Rwandans only but the responsibility of everyone, as it is a crime against Rwandans and humanity,” urged Kamanzi.

Governments and the international community, he urged should commemorate the UN approved day with a view “to draw lessons from it, in a manner that engenders better understanding that dictates action in similar circumstances.”

Speaking of the University’s collaboration with the government of Rwanda in commemoration of the genocide, the Head of Department, History & International Relations, Dr. Philip Afaha, said the lecture is aimed at not only condemning genocide, but as a people with one voice take action against its reoccurrence.

Afaha stressed that in view of observation of peoples’ cleansing arising from conflicts in Africa and around the world, Genocide must be seen not as a Rwandan but global issue.

“Nigeria can learn from Rwanda, a country that has got things right 25 years after the genocide. The commemoration is pertinent to address issues of genocide.”

Afaha further stressed the need for the extension of the UN Security Council to include African nations to ensure that issues of threats to security in African countries are speedily addressed.

Tagging the UN’s response to security threats in the developing world as elitist, Afaha, said the world organ, do not address security issues in Africa with the same speed it addresses such matters in developed world.

“It took the death of over a million people, in over 100 days before the international community intervened,” said Afaha.

He urged African countries to join voices with Nigeria, and other nations seeking the expansion of the UN Security Council to include African and developing nations, to ensure issues of security in the developing world are quickly addressed.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/08/maintain-principles-that-ensure-citizens-security-is-not-compromised-amb-kamazi/

The Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasaki Musibau and six others were abducted by unknown gunmen on Saturday night at about 8p.m., on Iwoye Bridge, along the Itoikin-Epe Road, Ikorodu.

Among those kidnapped is the Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area.

The incident, it was gathered, occurred while the fire chief and others were returning to Lagos from Epe.

The Nation learnt that the kidnappers had blocked the Itoikin Bridge, ambushing occupants of Sienna, Corolla and a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

A resident, who simply gave his name as Segun who called to notify The Nation about the incident around 3pm, said the fire service chief and other people were ordered to alight from their vehicles and were whisked away.

He said the incident occurred in the evening.

“They (the kidnappers) didn’t take anything from the vehicles. The Fire Service Acting Director’s vehicle was there with his phone.

“We saw three vehicles at the spot. We were told that the kidnappers were just stopping vehicles on the road at Ejirin and after occupants of the three vehicles were taken, they hurriedly left the scene,” he said.

He doubted if the kidnappers knew Musibau before abducting him.

“They could have ransacked his vehicle and take his phones away if they knew he is the State Fire Service Acting Director,” he said.

Another resident said the abducted Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area drove his boss vehicle.

“The kidnapper may have thought it was the council’s Vice-Chairman, unknowing to them that the person driving the vehicle is the chairman’s aide.

“I think the man took his boss vehicle to a party. He was returning to Ejirin before he was abducted,” he said.

According to him, the kidnappers left two children of some of the women abducted at the scene of the incident.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/08/how-lagos-state-fire-director-pa-5-others-were-kidnapped-in-ikorodu/

Arsenal coach, Unai Emery believes Alex Iwobi has improved since he took over the managerial reins of the North London club.

The Nigeria international has started 18 games for the Gunners in the Premier League this term and the Spanish tactician has been impressed by his overall contribution after naming him among the players that have taken their game to the next level.

‘’I want to create a team spirit and create one we feel together when winning and feel together when losing. We need to be one strong group with this mentality,’’ Emery told COPA90, according to Football London.

“Maybe Kolasinac, he is improving. Iwobi, Bernd Leno also is taking little by little more confidence and is stronger in the goal.

‘’Each player can help us improve 10, 15 or 20 per cent.”

However, former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh believes Arsenal forward will be very key to Nigeria’s success at the 2019 Africa Cup Of Nations in Egypt should he play to his full potential.

Iwobi has scored five goals and provided two assists in 28 appearances for Nigeria since he made his international debut under Oliseh.

“With Iwobi playing the way he is, we would not be lacking, creatively, at the AFCON if he maintains his form,” Oliseh said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/06/iwobi-has-improved-greatly-emery/

The Executive Directors of the World Bank on Friday unanimously selected David Malpass as President of the World Bank Group for a five-year term, beginning on Tuesday, April 9.

The World Bank in a press release published on its website, said the appointment followed a transparent nomination process where any national of the Bank’s membership could be proposed by any Executive Director or Governor.

“The Board looks forward to working with Malpass on the implementation of the Forward Look and the Capital Package Agreement as articulated in the Sustainable Financing for Sustainable Development Paper,” the bank said.

The World Bank President is Chair of the Boards of Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

The President is also ex-officio Chair of the Boards of Directors of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the Administrative Council of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Malpass previously served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs for the U.S.

As Under Secretary, Malpass represented the United States in international settings, including the G-7 and G-20 Deputy Finance Ministerial, World Bank-IMF Spring and Annual Meetings of the World Bank.

He also played a role in several major World Bank Group reforms and initiatives.

He was also instrumental in advancing the Debt Transparency Initiative, adopted by the World Bank and IMF, to increase public disclosure of debt and thereby reducing the frequency and severity of debt crises.

Prior to becoming Under Secretary, Malpass was an international economist and founder of a macroeconomics research firm based in New York City.

Earlier in his career, Malpass served as the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Developing Nations and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Economic Affairs.
In these roles, he focused on an array of economic, budget, and foreign policy issues, such as the U.S involvement in multilateral institutions, including the World Bank.

Malpass had served on the boards of the Council of the Americas, Economic Club of New York, and the National Committee on U.S–China Relations.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Colorado College and his MBA from the University of Denver.

He undertook advanced graduate work in international economics at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/just-in-world-bank-appoints-david-malpass-13th-president/

It’s no news that popular Nigerian cross dresser,Bobrisky is a fan of extreme photo filters.

However,despite banning photos with fans over claims they purposely distort his photos to make him look bad,he was pictured on set of a new movie in Enugu.

The photos shared look way different than the versions he shared on his Instagram page.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/bobrisky-caught-without-filter-in-enugu/

Former Governor of Kano state, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South) on Thursday declared his intention to contest the position of deputy senate president in the ninth senate.

Gaya, who is chairman, Senate Committee on Works said that he was vying for the position being the most ranking senator from the North West geopolitical zone.

He explained that the North West zone ought to produce the deputy senate president since the zone gave the highest votes to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections.

He also said that there were strong indications that the APC leadership is considering zoning the Speaker, House of Representatives to the South West, deputy speaker to North Central, while it had already zoned the position of the Senate president to the North East.

He said: “If the six zones are accommodated in the sharing formula for the National Assembly leadership positions, four of them contributed tremendously to the election of Mr. President.”

“The South West, which has now got the position of the Speaker, North East which has not got the position of Senate president, North Central has the position of Deputy Speaker.”

“Considering the zoning arrangement, it is clear that the North West has been left behind and I am a ranking senator from the North West. That means the deputy senate president position should go to North West.”

The Senator, therefore, called on Nigerians to rise above ethnic consideration and ensure that the most qualified persons are elected into positions instead of employing sentiments to determine appointments.

He argued that there was nothing wrong with the northern part of the country to produce the President and Deputy President of the Senate, neither will it be out of order for President Buhari to come from the same zone with the DSP.

“As a former governor, I have the capacity and capability to run the office of the DSP. Politics is leadership. Those who work hard should be rewarded,” he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/9th-senate-senator-gaya-eyes-ekweremadus-position/

President Muhammadu Buhari has joined all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in felicitating with party Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on his 67th birthday.

He congratulated him for providing purposeful, courageous and tenacious leadership.

According to a statement issued by 12.09a.m on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President affirmed that Comrade Oshiomhole, after many years of serving as a labour leader, brought a new dynamism into the collective effort to make democracy and development more inclusive in the country, recognising his vibrant relationship with Nigerian workers and ordinary people.

As the Chairman of APC, the President believed the strides recorded in the last elections across the country clearly testify to Oshiomhole’s visionary and vibrant leadership.

He commended his effort at building a strong and unified party that is focused on strengthening internal democracy and developing the country.

While rejoicing with family members, friends and political associates of the APC Chairman on the milestone, President Buhari described him as a man of conviction, who stands resolutely by whatever he believes in.

The President prayed that the Almighty God will grant the party chairman longer life, good health and wisdom in serving the country and its citizens.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/apc-buhari-lauds-oshiomhole-for-building-strong-unified-party/

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Oye, has said that the zoning system as introduced by former Governor Peter Obi during his tenure for governorship election in the state will be adhered to in the next governorship election in 2013.

He said that equity demands that the next governor of Anambra State in 2022 will come from Anambra South Senatorial District.

Oye stated this on Thursday in an interview in his country home in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He said: “Is that in doubt? The zoning arrangement was started by Peter Obi as an APGA governor then.

“Obi insisted that the governor the next that would succeed him should come from the north district, and now that north has done five years, we have just three years to go, and it is very likely it will go to the south.”

Oye said that when the governorship seat has gone round all zones, then it can start again from where it started.

“Everything about the future is in the hands of God, but as a political party, I would like it to go to the south district for equity sake,” he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/2022-apga-zones-governorship-to-anambra-south/

The federal government has condemned the execution of a Nigerian national, Kudirat Afolabi, widow and mother of two, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for drug related offences.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mustapha Sulaiman, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja

”While Nigeria respects the sovereignty of states, and abhors the violation of domestic laws of any country, the Government, however, does not condone such inhumane treatment being meted on a Nigerian national.

”It also frowns at the Saudi authorities for not informing the Nigerian missions in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the deceased Nigerian, only to invite the mission to take the last will of the deceased prior to her execution on April 1.

”The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, wishes to assure Nigerians that it has engaged the Saudi authorities through their Ambassador in Nigeria over issues related to Nigerians,” he said.

He said this was to ensure that the normal diplomatic practice of informing missions of the arrests of nationals is adhered to, and that fair hearing is given to other Nigerians undergoing judicial processes in Saudi Arabia.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/04/nigerian-govt-condemns-execution-of-nigerian-in-saudi/

Immediate past Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has reacted to Nyesom Wike’s re-election for a second term as Governor of Rivers State.

Fayose in a post on his Twitter page described Wike’s victory as a historic one.

Mocking the opposition, Fayose said Wike’s victory showed that Nigerians were capable of defeating ‘tyranny’ threatening democracy.

The former governor wrote: “I congratulate my friend and brother, Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and the entire people of Rivers state for this sweet and historic victory over those forces of evil who for their own selfish reasons turned the state to a killing field.

“That the people of Rivers State stood by Governor Wike and the PDP even in the face of death is a sign that Nigerians are capable of defeating tyranny and this will just be the beginning of more victories over the forces threatening the survival of democracy in our country.”

ORIENTAL TIMES reports that Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was on Wednesday declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC .

The State Returning Officer, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Professor Teddy Addia, declared that Governor Wike polled 886,264 votes to defeat his closest rival Biokpomabo Awara of the AAC who polled one hundred and seventy three thousand, eight hundred and nine votes.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/04/fayose-congratulates-wike-describes-victory-as-sweet-and-historic/

Clifford Iroanya, erstwhile ally of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has warned against any further attempt to denigrate his image.

According to DailyPost, the warning is a fallout of a confession by one of Kanu’s coordinators, Candy Stallworth, in the United States of America (USA), before Honorable Judge J. Scott Duncan of the Circuit Court.

She was said to have told the court that Mr. Kanu fed him with fake information which she used against Dr. Clifford Iroanya.

In 2017, Ms. Candy Stallworth had reportedly made several accusations against Dr. Iroanya, which included belonging to a terrorist group within and outside Nigeria.

Consequently, Dr. Iroanya, who said he was inundated with calls from all over the world from concerned friends and family members after reading the widely-circulated publications, instituted a lawsuit against Ms. Stallworth through his Attorney, Hunter R. Higdon, Esq. of James L. Chase & Associates, PLC (Attorneys and Counselors at Law) based in Pensacola-Florida.)

It was further gathered that after failing to prove the allegations against Dr. Iloanya, Ms. Stallworth entered into a plea bargain in lieu of going into full court trial.

In her plea bargain, Ms. Candy Stallworth affirmed the following “That all the allegations she made against Dr. Iroanya were false.

“That she made those allegations based on false information she received from Nwannekaenyi Kenny Okwu-Kanu,” and five others.

Reacting to the judgement, which emanated from the plea bargain, Iroanya said “the lessons learnt here are that individuals should be more circumspect and measured in their utterances and writings.

“Also, those who receive information from their organizational leaders and associates must verify and critically analyze that information before making use of them because it could cause an embarrassing backlash as is the case of Ms. Candy Stallworth.

“Lastly, those who go to social media to freely pour venoms and acidic words and making threats on others must desist because the consequences may be too damning on them.

“For Ms. Candy Stallworth, she has learnt her lessons and will never make such mistakes again in her life and if she does, then she will live with the consequences.

“For the six indicted accomplices named in the judgment and their cohorts who are still defaming Dr. Iroanya and other innocent people, they are hereby urged to stop now or they will regret their actions sooner than later.

“Let these indicted accomplices and their cohorts take a little bit of their time to go through Section-373 to Section-375 of CAP. C38 L.F.N. 2004 (The extant Criminal Code Act/Law in Nigeria) for which culpability is independent of location, time, and media/platform upon which the defamatory actions were made.”

“They must understand that Dr. Iroanya will not hesitate to invoke and deploy this Law to send them to jail, should they continue with their defamatory activities,” Iroanya concluded.

Meanwhile, efforts to get reactions from IPOB’s spokesman, Comrade Emma Powerful was not successful as of the time of this report.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/03/biafra-nnamdi-kanus-former-ally-iroanya-threatens-actions-against-ipob-leader-others/

Former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo has come under fire over comments credited to him saying that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, is still better than President Muhammadu Buhari despite his electoral loss.

The purported comments credited to Obasanjo has been condemned and waved aside by the Buhari Media Organisation which on Tuesday described the statement as “a crude joke.”

The organisation, in a statement by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju; and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, in Abuja, also added that Obasanjo’s comments are “ridiculous and contemptible.”

The statement by the organisation reads in part; “We note that while President Muhammadu Buhari has used his four years in office to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria’s sustainable growth, Obasanjo as Nigeria’s President for eight years created instability by removing senate presidents and state governors at will.

“It should be restated that throughout Buhari’s four years in office, we have not witnessed a state of emergency in any state, and neither has the administration masterminded the unceremonious removal of the Senate President or any state governor.

“We also recall that Obasanjo’s era was characterised by unbridled corruption at the National Assembly.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/03/obasanjos-comments-on-buhari-ridiculous-and-contemptible-pro-buhari-group-fires/

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its academy in Karu, Abuja will soon be certified as the first anti-corruption degree-awarding institution in Nigeria.

The commission’s spokesman, Mr Tony Orilade made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

Orilade quoted the Secretary to the Commission, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, as saying that the acting chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, had inaugurated a committee to fast-track the process for the certification.

Olukoyede said that the academy would soon begin to run Certificate, Diploma and Degree courses in Anti-corruption Investigation Studies.

He added that the training on cyber-crime investigation was designed to help increase the capacity of the investigators.

Mr. David Tukura, Commandant of the academy said that it had the capacity to conduct all necessary anti-corruption trainings aimed at meeting the human capacity needs of the commission.

“Training facility is not just about the space or land mass occupied, but the quality of available trainers available,” he said.

Tukura assured that the commission remained committed to ensuring that the Nigerian economic system was insulated against the criminal tendencies of cybercriminals.

“That is why we catch and get the criminals punished,” he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/02/efcc-academy-to-begin-degree-programme-in-anti-corruption/

[WATCH VIDEO] Lady Pushed Out Of Moving Bus After Rejecting To Have Sex With 3 Boys In Lagos>>>http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/02/lady-pushed-out-of-moving-bus-after-rejecting-to-have-sex-with-3-boys-in-lagos/

Public offices are held in trust for the people. Therefore occupiers of public offices are the golden fish that have no hiding place. It is thus instructive that they should justify their appointments by demonstrating competence, accountability, discipline and leadership. These virtues approximate the essence of every successful public office holder.

It is in the context of the parameters supra that economic analysts and public affairs commentators have, in recent times, been giving appraisals of the person of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and his era at the head of the apex bank’s command-room since stepping in the saddle on June 3, 2014.

One such analysis that was agreeable to me and reflected my views was published on the back page of Leadership newspaper of Thursday, February 21, 2019 titled: “Deconstructing Emefiele, CBN’s Command-Room Guru” wherein the writer noted how the American media raised the profile of astute economist and former chair of the US Federal Reserve Board from 1987 to 2006, Alan Greenspan, to a point that several observers likened him to a “rock star” whereas he was ordinarily subdued in his public appearances.

The interesting contrast with Emefiele is that the media in Nigeria had not extended a similar favour to CBN’s Emefiele. But, that seems to have changed in the last two months. Emefiele has understandably been enjoying a rave review of his first tenure as CBN governor in the media. Such reviews of his era and achievements could either recommend him for tenure renewal or for posterity’s positive judgment.

Emefiele has unarguably brought over three decades of both theoretical and practical experience from top-flight academic and hands-on banking arenas to the complex, fluid turf of central banking. In Buhari’s change administration, Emefiele has been able to call on these governance skills to successfully drive CBN’s command room. He can, in the next level, keep fidelity to the major regulatory objectives of the CBN, to wit: maintaining the external reserves, promoting monetary stability and a sound financial environment, and acting as a banker of last resort.

At a bankers’s dinner in Lagos, last year, he reportedly alluded to a number of recent developments that had markedly impacted emerging market economies, including Nigeria. One such development was the rising global interest rate due to sustained monetary policy tightening stance in the United States and other advanced economies.

According to him, “This has consequently heightened fragilities, imbalances and vulnerabilities in emerging markets. The Fed fund rate was raised steadily to 2.25 percent in September 2018 with a forward guidance for one more hike before the end of 2018 and three more in 2019. Similarly, the Bank of England raised its policy rate in August 2018 for the first time since 2008. Some emerging market economies, including India, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey have also raised interest rates in response to that shock.

“Consequently, Nigeria witnessed significant outflows of capital from emerging markets, which led to immense pressures on exchange rates, FX reserves, and sharp losses in the capital markets. Even Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey and Russia have depreciated their currencies significantly due to this shock. There have also been uneven fluctuations in the international prices of commodities including crude oil, gold, cocoa, etc.

“In fact, a critical dimension shaping this tumult is that the global economy has experienced profound geopolitical and trade tensions. These include strains between US and China, US and Iran, Russia and Western Powers and more. These have unquestionably impacted the dynamics of global trade. Also, these were exacerbated by rising tendencies and incidences of protectionism, nationalism and anti-globalization – especially in the western hemisphere.”

Consequently, Nigeria’s macro-economy experienced significant impulses over the last few years, which triggered the country’s GDP collapse into a recession with inflation spiraling to nearly 19 percent. The Naira-Dollar exchange rate hit peaks never seen before. Both unemployment and poverty also deteriorated. These adverse outcomes also revealed the country’s most worrying structural fault lines, to wit: the persisting sole dependence on oil and the inordinate size of the nation’s imports.

CBN had to deploy seven carefully planned measures to manage the negative tensions of being an evolving player in the global village square, including, among others, fine-tuning the extant monetary policy, rejigging the external reserve management, stabilising the exchange rate management, introducing the Naira-Renminbi Currency swap, given the growing importance of the Chinese currency in global markets, and interventions in the development financing sector.

Without a doubt, CBN’s policies and initiatives are yielding positive results toward full correction of the underlying imbalances within the Nigerian economy. The Ease-of-Doing-Business profile of the country is improving, courtesy of the CBN interventions. The establishment of the Credit Bureau and the National Collateral Registry, which improved access to credit in the domestic economy, had made significant contributions.

Besides, the introduction of the transparent I&E FX Window, which increased investor’s confidence and eased market sentiments, also boosted Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business indicator. Emefiele’s CBN has also effectively managed the external reserves. Over the last few years, it has established and maintained the decisive withdrawal of subsidy for the importation of 41 non-essential commodities.

Following the strict implementation of the policy, imports (fob) fell steadily from US$15.7b in December 2014 to US$11.1b in June 2016 and US$7.2 b in June 2018. As it is, many entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this policy to venture into the domestic production of the restricted items with remarkable successes and great impact on employment even though The Guardian in its editorial of March 26, 2019 held a different view that the CBN had put Nigeria out of work by stopping fifth instant importers from accessing forex for textile products. But it did not elucidate further the ramifications of its argument.

Over all, the CBN on Emefiele’s watch has given traction to key macroeconomic indicators and this has brought about the cyclical recovery of the economy since the 2016 recession, and short-term prospects. For instance, after five quarters of uninterrupted GDP contraction – beginning from 2016-Q1- the economy exited recession during the second quarter of 2017. This recovery has been sustained for five consecutive quarters. While the pace of GDP growth slowed from 1.95 percent in the first quarter of 2018 to 1.50 percent the second quarter, short-term outlook remained good.

According to reports, the Nigerian economy likewise witnessed 18 straight months of disinflation to 11.1 percent in July 2018, following a period of rising inflationary pressure that peaked at 18.7 percent in January 2017. Minor upticks, due to rising food prices, however, raised it to 11.3 percent in September 2018. The exchange rate has remained largely stable at the FX markets with evident convergence continuing across all segments. At the BDC segment, there was significant appreciation of the Naira from over NGN525/US$ in February 2017, to about NGN359/US$ currently.

Another significant achievement by the CBN, according to consensus by analysts, is the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), aimed at stimulating productive activities and development in the agricultural sector through the provision of farm input both in cash and kind to small holder farmers in order to improve farm yields; and, designed to stabilise supply of input to agro-processors with a view to addressing the nation’s balance of payments on food import and export.

The CBN claims a total number of 862, 239 hectares across 16 different commodities had so far benefitted from the ABP, which had generated about 2.5 million jobs across the country. Subsequent to the success of the programme with regard to cultivation of rice and maize, the Monetary Policy Committee recommended that the programme be applied to other areas such as palm oil, tomatoes, and fisheries, among others.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/02/cbn-emefieles-one-good-turn-deserves-another/

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said its Special Forces (SF) team successfully repelled attacks by bandits who attempted to invade Hayin Mahe and Hayin Kanawa Villages in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said that the attack by the bandits was carried out on Sunday.

According to him, the prompt response of the SF team followed intelligence reports of the activities of the bandits in the area.

He said that the bandits, who operated from Sububu and Kagara Forests, had attacked the villages and kidnapped some of its inhabitants.

Daramola said the timely response of the SF team resulted in a gun duel with the bandits who eventually fled into the forest.

” The gallant NAF SF personnel pursued the bandits into the forest, overpowering them and neutralising five bandits, while many others escaped with various gunshot wounds,” he said.

The NAF spokesman also said three AK-47 rifles with magazines were recovered in the process.

He said that some villagers kidnapped by the fleeing bandits, included two women and a child, who were later rescued and handed over to the District Head of Mada Town.

” In a follow-up operation, the NAF SF team returned to the communities to prevent reprisal attacks by the criminals as well as reassure the populace of their safety.

” The team, supported by a NAF Alpha Jet and attack helicopters, tracked the fleeing armed bandits to their hideouts within Sububu Forest.

” The Alpha Jet successfully attacked the armed bandits’ camps while the helicopters scanned the environs for fleeing elements,’’ Daramola said.

The NAF spokesman reassured citizens of the affected areas of the Federal Government’s commitment to the protection of their lives and properties.

He said the NAF, working in close coordination with sister services and other security agencies, would sustain its operations to neutralise the bandits and curtail their criminal activities in the area. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/01/special-forces-overpower-bandits-rescue-victims/

On February 3, Khadijah Adamu, a 24-year-old pharmacist in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, told her Twitter followers about a harrowing case of physical abuse, detailing claims of how an ex-boyfriend almost killed her.

"It was a burden that I was carrying around for two years," Adamu told Al Jazeera. "Talking to people didn't work, praying didn't work, nothing worked, and to make matters worse my abuser refused to leave me alone."

Fakhriyyah Hashim, an entrepreneur and development worker in the Nigerian capital Abuja, noticed Adamu's tweet and replied with empathy, adding the hashtag #ArewaMeToo.

Arewa is the general term used to refer to northern Nigeria, which has a majority Muslim population and a conservative society where issues surrounding sex and sexuality are rarely discussed in public.

Soon, young women and men from the north started sharing experiences of rape and abuse on Twitter, using the hashtag.

Some tweets even named the alleged abusers.

Drawing on the success of the global #MeToo movement, which started in late 2017, the project's founders hope to break down cultural, economic, social and institutional barriers, which stand in the way of addressing sexual abuse and harassment.

"We don't talk about sex because we have this perception that we are a morally upright society," says Hashim, who leads the #ArewaMeToo movement.

"We want to be angry, but we don't want to show it. We don't want to come up with objective resolutions on how to approach a lot of these problems."

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/01/sexual-abuse-victims-go-public-at-arewametoo/

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Ghana Immigration Service have begun reconciliatory talks over the recent deportation of four Ghanaian nationals by Nigerian authority.

Concise News reports that NIS Public Relations Officer, Sunday James, made this known in a press statement on Saturday.

He said the Comptroller-General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, had hosted the Comptroller-General of Ghana Immigration Service, Kwame Takyi, accompanied by the Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Rashid Bawa.

“The meeting, which held behind closed doors, appeared to be a conciliatory meeting following the deportation of four Ghanaian nationals from Nigeria to Ghana,” the statement read.

“Babandede, when contacted, confirmed the meeting saying details of a further meeting was being worked out by the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Ghana.

“There is no cause for alarm as both countries will resolve issues between both countries diplomatically.”

Minister of interior Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) had authorised the deportation order of the four Ghanaian nationals over alleged violation of provisions of the Immigration Act and Regulations.

“This is in line with the powers vested on the Minister of Interior in Section 45(1) and (2) of the Immigration Act 2015,″ James said.

The visit comes a week after Nigeria deported four Ghanaians to Accra.

A month earlier, Nigeria had protested mass deportation of at least 723 of its citizens between 2018 and February 2019. The Nigerians were accused of illegal stay, cyber-crime, prostitution and other social vices.

Eighty-one Nigerians were deported on alleged cyber-crime and illegal stay in January, while 115 have so far been deported in February on the allegation of overstay and prostitution.

NAN reports that Nigerian ambassador to Ghana, Michael Abikoye, strongly protested the action to the Ghanaian government in Accra.

Nigeria’s objection to the removal of its citizens from Ghana and failure to publicly state the offences of the four deported Ghanaians had fueled speculation that the March 22 decision might have been done in retaliation.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/03/31/deportation-nigeria-ghana-agencies-in-reconciliatory-talks/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State has unveiled its 2019 general election campaign itinerary with proposed visit to the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Owhorhu 1, for prayer and royal blessing for the success at the 2019 polls.

In a statement signed by Chief Henry Sakpra, chairman, PDP Campaign Committee and Raymond Edijala, Director of Media and Publicity for the campaign in Udu LGA, released to newsmen on Sunday afternoon, the party plan was to take the campaign to all the wards in Udu beginning with Wards One, two, Three and Four after the visit to the palace on Wednesday.

The campaign train, according to the statement, would move to wards six, five and nine on Thursday January 17 and later wards eight, seven and ten on Friday January 18 ahead of the Delta State campaign train will move to Udu on Tuesday January 22, 2019.


The statement called on all PDP faithful to follow the programme as the party was leaving no stone unturned in the task of delivering all her candidates in the forth-coming polls.

According to the statement, the second phase of the campaign would be visit to all towns and villages in Udu Local Government Area so that all sections of Udu would come to terms with the need to vote PDP in the coming elections.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/14/pdp-begins-campaign-udu-visit-monarch/

Support Groups of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State on Saturday trooped to the streets canvassing votes for the party’s candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

The groups were at Agboyi Road, Ajelogo Road, Oluwakemi, Kazeem Oriola, Elebiju, Demunrin, Mile 12 and Ajegunle Bus Stop on Ikorodu Road canvassing for votes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the groups are: Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO), Joint Action for Good Governance, Buhari/Osinbajo Support Group, Team Pepper Support Group and Big Daddy Support Group, among others which participated in the walk.

Chant of “Four plus Four (4+4) Sure”; “Big Daddy”; “Buhari/Osinbajo”; “Pepper for Senate” among others rented the air as party supporters walked, sang and danced from Agboyi-Ketu LCDA secretariat to streets in the area.

Party supporters wore customised vests and caps with various inscriptions such as “Next Level”, “Big Daddy”, ” Pepper for Senate”, ” Buhari Youth Organisation, Agboyi-Ketu Walk for All APC candidates, among others.

Speaking to NAN during the walk, Mr Tunde Braimoh, representing Kosofe Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, said that APC remained the best party for people-oriented polices and schemes.

Braimoh, who is seeking re-election into the House said: “We walk to acquaint ourselves with the people and intimate them with our progressivism. Our government has been doing a lot for the people.

“This is campaign period; we need to intimate the people with our programmes and objectives and what they stand to gain by voting APC candidates across all levels in the forthcoming elections.

“This is the pro-people and masses government that must be sustained.

“My message to the people is to continue to support APC. We cannot take one step forward and take several steps backward. Corruption, impunity, and anti-people and anti-progressivism is gone in Nigeria.”

He said that the various programmes of President Buhari had qualified him for re-election ranging from security, infrastructure, social investment and others.

“By the time these (many of Buhari’s programmes) crystallise, people will see that APC is the government of the people.

“I plead with the good people of this constituency to vote again for the APC government because the party has the best for the people.

“They should be patient with the government. The President is laying a good foundation, when they crystallize, people will see that this government means well for the masses.

“President Buhari is building a very solid foundation, we should encourage PMB to do more and consolidate on his achievements,” Braimoh added.

Also speaking to NAN, Mr Dele Oshinowo, the Chairman, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, said that the walk was to showcase APC candidates in the state and seek people’s support for them, saying the APC loved the people.

Oshinowo, who expressed satisfaction with the massive turnout for the walk, said that the turnout was an indication that APC would coast to victory at the polls.

“This monthly fitness walk is to sensitise the people on the need to vote APC, to tell them what APC has done and what the party will still give the people,” he said.

Mr Dipo Adebowale, one of the Coordinators of Buhari/Osinbajo in South West, said that the walk and the turnout had revealed that people loved President Buhari and wanted him to remain President beyond 2019.

In his words, Mr Abdulwaheed Odunuga, the Lagos State Coordinator of BYO said: “We tag the walk as “a walk for the next level” to sensitise the people on our candidate-Buhari and other APC candidates.

“We are telling the people about what President Buhari has done and will do if voted for.

“We want the people to elect credible candidates. We are appealing to Nigerians to elect President Buhari to take the nation to the next level. We have credible candidates in APC,” Odunuga said.

He said that the country was on the verge of collapse when Buhari took over, saying that indications had shown that the President had finished laying foundation for Nigeria to move forward.

He urged the people to shun violence, selling of votes and hooliganism, adding that “people should collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable them to cast their votes.” (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/13/support-groups-campaign-for-buhari-in-lagos/

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced a planned power outage in some parts of Lagos and Ogun States on Jan. 13 and Jan. 15, between 8:00am and 5:00pm.

Ms Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager, Public Affairs Unit, TCN, in a statement said the outage was due to an annual preventive maintenance scheduled to take place at the Ikeja-West 330/132Kv Transmission Sub-Region in Lagos.

According to Mbah, there will be interruption of electricity supply to consumers receiving supply within its Lagos network specifically in parts of Alimosho, Ejigbo and Agbara, in Lagos and Ogun States respectively.

“The interruption will be on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019 between 8:00am and 5:00pm, and Tuesday, Jan. 15 between 8:00am and 5:00pm.

“The planned outage will enable TCN engineers from Ikeja-West Transmission Sub-Region carry out annual preventive maintenance work on some equipment for improved electricity supply to consumers.

“TCN sincerely regrets inconveniences that would be caused by the interruption and promises to continue upgrading and maintaining its equipment to serve Nigerians better,” she said. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/12/tcn-announces-planned-power-outage-lagos-ogun/

This is a season of political anomy; one that has not only proved to a hot to handle for the top policy-makers of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), but also put it in a quandary of some monstrous proportion. The source of all that, which is now much of an embarrassment to a party that is trying to rebrand itself, is what some political analysts now call ‘The Dino Show’. And, for the avoidance of doubt, it has less to do with the word dinosaur, just in case you are likely to get the pronunciation the word embarrassingly wrong, like an untrained, inexperienced or lazy broadcaster of today’s computer or Internet age! In effect, ‘The Dino Show’ is not a dinosaur and vice versa!

For nearly one year, it appears the PDP – the main opposite party –has been disgracefully silent over an allegation by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that are of its most honourable and venerable members, Senator Dino Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District and his thugs were behind the gun shot which wounded a police operative – Sergeant Danjuma Saliu of 37 Police Mobile Force, who was on duty at a stop-and-search point on Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State, on July 19, 2018.

Since that incident, the police case against Melaye – some writers have alleged that ‘the senator was guilty by association’ – has been in a very stubborn competition with such other front-page news stories as President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign, and fake news, whose authors are, presumably, agents of the PDP. What is decidedly true about the Melaye saga is that the most honourable, Kogi West senator deserves a sustained, uproarious applause for giving the police so much task as to how best to bring him to book, and for drawing unmerited public attention to himself. Most news editors – in print, broadcast and social media – would attest to the fact that Melaye is at anything, a lead-story material; and it matters less whether the same honourable lawmaker, who’s the owner of the copyright of ‘The Dino Show’ is the self-seeking type: an unrepentant character whose irrationality and dishonourable conduct, in his own saga with police has, so far, stubbornly refused an objective explanation.

That may well defend the PDP’s disgraceful silence on the case. To the PDP – a party that has lost its voice and relevance in Nigerian politics, because of its close-to-two-decades-of-maladministration-and-looting-of-the-Nigerian-treasury profile, one that has no rival in the country’s political history – Melaye’s case is a pointer to that of sinking ship. At a time, so close to the 2019 general elections, the Melaye saga is an irreparable dent to the PDP. As one writes, it’s quite palpable that Melaye, himself, might be feeling deserted. And why not! He has crafted a very good play – ‘The Dino Show’ with very conclusive evidence of the unrepentantly, bushy-haired, famous play-wright’s, Noble Prize-winning contribution to it, especially that aspect that has to do with the police, so that it would attract public attention! Yes, it has, but sadly though, it appears the theatre has, six months on, been empty: nobody appears interested in a play that is unnecessarily – if sickeningly – designed to promote the political agenda of an individual and his party.

Nobody, it’s true, wants to be hired as a crowd that would be bused to the venue of the play. Nobody, besides, wants to be associated with a play that is widely perceived as an unprovoked hostility against the police. Nobody, further, had expected that Melaye, as a most honourable politician of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, would give the police an impression that he’s fraternising – somewhat dishonourably – with characters that the police consider to be unrepentantly lawless. It appears the PDP propaganda system has failed Melaye in winning public sympathy and choking crowd to ‘The Dino Show’. And the attendant disgraceful silence by the PDP in the case has to do with the fact it has realised that the show was an avoidable tragedy that, rather curiously, has been staged in a nude theatre.

But there, the police was applauded for playing well its role of apprehending Melaye after besieging his Abuja residence in a test of strength. The saddest aspect of the Melaye ripe-fruit saga, some critics have argued, is that the most honourable senator should not have craved cheap publicity by refusing virtually every peaceful move by the police to hear from him on the allegation of hurting policeman Saliu – even if by association. The critics’ position goes like this: Melaye is a law-maker – a very honourable law-maker; a senator, better still. As a respected, honourable senator, who is a servant of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and who’s one of the highest paid law-makers in the world, he should have honoured the invitation from the police sent to him through the Clerk of the National Assembly that he should report at the Kogi State headquarters of its command to answer some questions about the harm done to policeman, Saliu.

A lawmaker of Melaye’s caliber ought to have known how well to deal with agent of the law, like the police – especially when the case against him had to do with a mere allegation of malfeasance. In the run-up to the denouement of ‘The Dino Show’, the same critics have posited, Melaye should have been properly briefed by the PDP or his lawyers that he should honour the police invitation and promptly, too.

The truth is that the police couldn’t have detained Melaye as some have feared. At the Kogi State headquarters of the NPF command, Melaye would have argued that yes, it’s likely that the offending or careless shot fired at policeman Saliu was from somewhere close to his convoy, but he knew not who committed such an offence; that, indeed, as a law-abiding lawmaker, who had sworn to be peaceful and respectful of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), he couldn’t have been a party to a crime against a policeman, who’s paid to enforce the law. Melaye’s comportment – his responsible appearance and friendliness towards the police – it could be imagined, in retrospect, would have been so disarming to compel the police in Kogi State to tell him, ‘You can go for now, but be informed that we may invite you, in future, to answer some questions on this case of a gun shot at policeman Saliu.

And, if, within the distance, a caring and profoundly contrite Melaye offers to take responsibility for the alleged crime, by donating a huge amount of money to the police to take care of wounded Saliu, or even visit the victim at the hospital, that would have made the self-destructive act that is ‘The Dino Show’ unnecessary. If Melaye had gone to town with his kind gesture towards Saliu, the better. If he had hired some reporters to publicise his honouring the invitation from the police and how he comported himself while being bombarded with questions – perhaps, for well over three hours – on the Saliu case, how he answered the questions directly and the generous sum of money he donated to Saliu, all that would have brightened Melaye’s image. Not the irritating and self-destructive case that is the opaque play titled ‘The Dino Show’.

Melaye – and by association, the PDP – would seem to have miscalculated by the drama. His lies along that line have not been proved right by the police. Nigeria’s may not be as advanced a democracy as that of the United State of America, for instance, where presidents like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were once questioned by very strong and incorruptible democratic institutions, the truth, nonetheless, is that by ‘The Dino Show, the leading character in it – Melaye, himself – appears to have played unnecessarily, for too long, to the gallery.

Up to the plays denouement, critics say he was “too garrulous, noisy and indefensibly sentimental” such that, he has drew a bad press to himself and his party; that truly ‘The Dino Show’ is a failed electoral strategy. It has had the honourable effect of sealing the lips of the PDP to a point of disgraceful silence that it could not protest against the police for arresting him. The PDP’s silence – its eminently loud silence – when Melaye ought to have acted honourably – fuels the impression that it’s a party famous for lawlessness The PDP may have succeeded in looting the Nigeria treasury with matchless impunity, but it’s far less certain that it would get safely away with the blemish and pong spurned by ‘The Dino Show’.

•Nduka Uzuakpundu, seasoned journalist and political analyst, writes from Lagos
https://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/67757-PDPS-disgraceful-silence-over-Melayes-saga-By-Nduka-Uzuakpundu

But reacting to Saraki’s public outcry, in a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) categorically emphasised that all the allegations in the statement of the Senate President are incorrect, misleading and false and should be disregarded and discountenanced by the general public.

According to Moshood, all the police personnel attached to the person of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, his office and family are intact and all the statutory security protection on his person are also accorded him all the time and there was no complaint from him before now to the Police on this.

“The Nigeria Police Force is hereby assuring all Nigerians that (it) has no any undisguised hostility to the Senate President or his supporters in Kwara State or to jeopardise or undermine his personal security and that of his immediate and larger family. The Force will continue to be apolitical and will ensure adequate security throughout the country for all political parties, their members and supporters before, during and after the 2019 General Election,” he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/12/see-no-one-life-police/

A pro-democracy group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC), has slammed Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, for subtly supporting President Muhammadu Buhari and attacking former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Convener of CDNDC, Dare Ariyo-Atoye, the group asked Nigerians to be wary of the Nobel laureate, alleging that Soyinka has “sacrificed his hard-earned reputation and honour” to sustain a despot in power.

Recall that Soyinka had attacked an unnamed former President at a symposium on fake news organised by BBC News in Abuja.

Soyinka had said at the symposium: “We have got to develop a very healthy scepticism. If someone in a position of power for eight years has lectured a nation for eight years and after that continued year after year to continue to direct the minds of a whole nation in one direction only saying ‘this is Lucifer from hell’ for eight years in office and several more years out of office saying this is Lucifer and then one day he changed his left hand and says behold your redeemer, which of the two is fake news?”

Though the Nobel laureate did not expressly mention the name of the ex-President he was referring to, discerning Nigerians were quick to figure out that only Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo has successfully served as President for eight years since 1999 till date.

Atoye said: “If the Professor had been referring to a certain person for eight years as a ‘partner-in-crime’ and in 2015, he claimed he made the gravest mistake of supporting a dictator, then for Soyinka’s continuous support of that same despotic regime, there is a reason for Nigerians to express some doubt over what he stood for decades ago.”

CDNDC quoted Soyinka to have said in 2007: “The grounds on which General (Muhammadu) Buhari is being promoted as the alternative choice are not only shaky, but pitifully naive.

“History matters. Records are not kept simply to assist the weakness of memory, but to operate as guides to the future. Of course, we know that human beings change.

“What the claims of personality change or transformation impose on us is a rigorous inspection of the evidence, not wishful speculation or behind-the-scenes assurances.

“Public offence, crimes against a polity, must be answered in the public space, not in caucuses of bargaining.

“In Buhari, we have been offered no evidence of the sheerest prospect of change. On the contrary, all evidence suggests that this is one individual who remains convinced that this is one ex-ruler that the nation cannot call to order.”

CDNDC said there was no reason to justify the support the Nobel laureate had been allegedly rendering to Buhari since 2015.

It said: “Every Nigerian should find time to read The Crimes of Buhari by Wole Soyinka, published in 2007; and make a simple judgment whether the Professor was right in sacrificing his democratic credentials and reputation to support and sustain Buhari in power.

“Deji Adeyanju has been illegally detained in Kano prison by the Buhari-Osinbajo despotic regime for about a month now; Sambo Dasuki is a political prisoner held against court orders; Sheikh (Ibrahim) El-Zakzaky is a prisoner of conscience.

“The vampiric shrine of Buhari’s government is soaked with the blood of innocent Nigerians; human rights and press freedom abuses are rife, while the entire country is sliding into hopelessness.

“If Professor Wole Soyinka cannot support or offer us any knowledge on how to get out of this mess, we are of the opinion that he should not distract us or those who are trying to help the country to get out of the 2015 quagmire he helped drive us into.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/11/2019-group-berates-soyinka-supporting-buhari/

The Muslims of Ebonyi State have demanded for N2.5 billion compensation from the State Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, for alleged ill treatment by his administration and past governments of the state, even while seeking security for the Muslim communities across the state.

The demand is contained in a statement endorsed by a religious minority management specialist and coordinator general of Igbo Muslim Forum, Alhaji Suleiman Agha Afikpo, and public relations officer, Mallam Abdulqadir Nnachi.

The statement noted that “the unabated maltreatment and frustration of Muslims of Ebonyi State have been the trend of the past administrative governments of Ebonyi State until 2015 when Umahi took over to open hell on them.” It said that Umahi “has openly declared himself as the governor of the Christians, though he plays to the gallery at the federal level.”

According to the Forum, “The Islamic Center Afikpo was heavily attacked and damaged during the then Governor Sam Egwu’s regime and nothing was done despite all watery and lips promises by the governor. The Azan saga that put the Ebonyi Muslim community in disarray was during the regime of then Governor Martin Elechi.”

The Forum said that Umahi’s regime has been the worst for Muslims of the state. It charged the Nigerian Muslim leadership to take note of the discrimination and anti-Muslim policies by the governor.

The statement issued on Wednesday in Afikpo alleged that about 2,500 pastors called Dave Umahi’s 2019 Mandate Pastors are on the payroll of the state, in addition to building a multibillion naira ecumenical centre in the state as well as giving the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) a N500 million cash donation to share from the Ebonyi State treasury. It identified other numerous gifts aimed at establishing pastors and bishops of other communities outside Ebonyi State such as about 1,000 bags of rice and yams of equivalent number in addition to N10 million to Father Ejike Mbaka. “The Ebonyi State chapters of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Jama’tu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Ebonyi Muslim Council, the Ebonyi chapter of FOMWAN, amongst other, have never benefitted anything from the governor,” the statement said.

It recalled the N120m collected by the governor via request ref: GOV/EBS/SG/1.65/IX/17 dated 30th May, 2018 to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly (ESHA) in the name of Support to Muslims on Ramadan fast and how bank account numbers of Muslim widows were collected for no reason. “The area where Muslims predominately live in Abakaliki, the Murtala Muhammad Layout, has been denied electricity for over one year. It is very worrisome for what purpose the accounts of Muslim widows in the state were collected by the Umahi’s government,” the Forum alleged.

“These are Ebonyi State taxpayers’ money of which 27% of the tax income, going by the recent demographic survey of the Igbo Muslim Forum using the PEW Forum’s (2009) household representative survey system, comes from the Muslims,” it said. The statement added that no a single Muslim organisation (including the Ebonyi State Muslim council) or an Imam “benefited in the spending jamborees of the governor of Ebonyi State rated one of the poorest states in the country.”

The statement wondered why the governor would not be accused his opposition groups of lavishing $120 million loan he acquired from AFDB and IDB in the name of the state “when he is the richest governor in unproductive expenditures that should have added to the achievements he has made. “

According to the statement, “Is the governor adamant of the existence of large number of Muslims in Ebonyi state? Does he act with the belief that the Muslims have no voice or force to demand their rights as bonafide citizens? Instead of carrying the Muslims of the state along, they are further intimidated with unknown source of rumour that the Muslims of Ebonyi State are buying Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in favour of All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The discriminatory conducts of the governor against Muslims of Ebonyi are becoming points of discussion amongst the Muslims. They have resolved to officially write and demand for a state sponsored Grand Mosque for the Muslims, to be given N500 million as given to the CAN, Imams in the state to be listed in the Dave Umahi 2019 mandate, and to be given commissioner slots and other appointments after election come 2019. Members also agreed to use their votes as a block to determine the next governor for the state. However, community sensitisation is underway.”

The statement related an ordeal narrated by the Chief Imam of Afikpo Central Mosque and the Chairman of Ebonyi State League of Imams, Sheikh Hassan Eleje, on how a pastor among the Mandate Pastors called on December 16 and interrogated him on his political affiliation. The statement said the Imam was accused of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Umahi’s second tenure bid and that a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain from Afikpo, one Honourable Opia, has been delegated by the governor to visit him (the Imam). He was also advised to be ready for invitations from the State Security Services (SSS). “The Imam said it is one of their tactics to cage and make Muslims voiceless in the state,” the statement said.

It added: “Ebonyi State has benefited immensely from Islam. The case of Afikpo Islamic Centre is one institution when any scholarly discourse relating to Islam in Nigeria is mentioned must come to fore. It is one of the focal destinations for tourism in Ebonyi State. It will be reductionist for Ebonyi State to deny the overly positive contributions Islam has brought to the state and the opportunities it stands to remit further, an impact they owe moral obligation. It’s high time the state governments of Ebonyi acknowledge these prospects and opportunities and make adequate compensations. Taken into account is the immortalisation of the founder’s name, Sheikh Ibrahim Okpani Nwagui.”

The statement said that Governor Umahi “must understand that Ebonyi State is under the Nigeria federation, which stipulates freedom of religion in her constitution. Nigeria recognises three prevalent religions namely; Islam, Christianity and African Traditional Religion (ATR). Under the federal law, states cannot adopt any official religion. Contrary to foregoing is what is in the offing presently in Ebonyi State where the Governor incessantly deny the Muslim minority rights through intimidation and consequently restricts them from political participations and economic empowerment.”

It further said: “From inception as Governor, he removed the government subsidy on Muslim Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and uses the very few seats he approves to make friends with politicians of Muslim majority states. Some of the board members testified they never visited the Holy Land once. Is it same with the state Christian Pilgrims to Jerusalem? While there was no single state sponsored pilgrim from the Muslims of the state this year, including the board Chairman who led the self sponsored state contingent, the Christians were fully sponsored. There is the need to support Muslim politicians in Ebonyi State. We deserve appointment from the Buhari-led federal government of Nigeria”, they opined.

“In reality, there is no society in the present globalised world that is strictly mono-ethnic or religious homogenous in nature. The earlier a society embraces itself of this reality and makes amendments, the better for that society, albeit, diplomacy and not discriminations, is the best answer to religious, ethnic or cultural discrepancy in a society. Denial of religious or any other group in a state is simply sitting on a time bomb. The greatness of modern countries of the world like USA, Malaysia, et cetera are the multiple ethnicities, religions and tribal affiliations that made up those countries.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/11/ebonyi-muslims-demand-n2-5-billion-umahi-alleged-ill-treatment/

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) has been shot dead by suspected armed bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

Confirming the incident to newsmen in his office, the Kaduna state commissioner of Police, Abdurahman Ahmad , says the bandits who have been terrorizing the road for some time now intercepted the deceased’s vehicle on Wednesday, and shot at him and another passenger before scampering into the thick forest.

The police boss also blamed the lingering insecurity on the Kaduna-Abuja highway on internal conspiracy by some unpatriotic security operatives and some locals whom he accused of divulging intelligence information to the criminals about security operations in the area.

He however vowed that the command in collaboration with other security agencies will leave no stone unturned in fishing out the conspirators and bring them to justice.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/10/suspected-armed-bandits-kill-frsc-official-along-kaduna-abuja-highway/

Happy New Year, Fellow Nigerians!

Electoral seasons are replete with dramatic revelations, allegations, and rumours. Such news appears more novel, attracts more attention and thus spreads faster and wider. For the Nigeria’s 2019 elections, none seems to have trended more than the rumour that the current occupant of Aso Rock is one Jubril Aminu al-Sudani from Sudan, a body double of the real Nigerian president, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who allegedly died sometime in 2017 and was secretly buried in Saudi Arabia. But the Jubril rumour is shaping to be a child’s play compared to the audacious allegation that the real Buhari diverted “N1.032 trillion” meant for arms and shared among his relatives. The impact of these types of charges depends on several contingencies, but politicians who ignore them do so at their own peril.

The Jubril al-Sudani bunkum, for example, was able to gain global currency due to the actions or inactions of the presidency and Buhari’s handlers. The most contentious question that greeted my recent visit to the United States of America, after suspending my presidential campaign, centered on the Jubril tale. My take has been simple: The rumour is trumpish – foolish and fiendish. I would add that Nigeria boasts of a bold cocktail of characters who would damn the consequences and alert the world on such a matter of national significance. To think of it, President Buhari has a herd of powerful political adversaries within his cabinet, his party; and the opposition ranks, including Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, who meet with the president regularly, and many others capable of discerning the truth from error. Besides, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s glaring sense of humbleness must not be mistaken for cluelessness or cowardice. An unforced vacuum at Aso Rock would have been a Christmas in June for Osinbajo who, of recent, openly implied a dream for the Commander-in-Chief job, come 2023.

Unfortunately, however, despite the common logic above, many still harbour the thought that the occupant of Nigeria’s seat of power is a mere body double of Buhari. These include many elites at home and abroad. The fact that a legendary pastor like David Oyedepo could use his megaphone pulpit to echo the idiotic idea is profoundly instructive. Needless to mention that Buhari himself was confronted with the hearsay in faraway Poland. Even more, few hours before publishing this piece, I received a call from an influential politician from my area, who is set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), probing: “My brother, this thing we are hearing; tell me the truth, is Buhari dead or alive?” But don’t blame them at all. As the saying goes, every rumour has a basis in fact – no smoke without fire. The case of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua is still fresh in the memory. The point is that the Buhari presidency gave rise to the Jubril rumour. The primitive ploy to shroud his sickness in secrecy paved way to all manner of conspiracy theories which are bound to trail his name to the election booths.

The opposition is doubling with more daunting allegations. The most mind-blowing is that President Buhari plans to fund his reelection through N1.032 trillion diverted from arms money to his relatives and hoarded into Keystone Bank, Etisalat Nigeria, and Pakistani Islamic Bank. To better situate the magnitude, this claim was made by no other than Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president and the current presidential candidate of the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And the amount of money being bandied has no historical antecedent. It is an equivalent of 1/8th of the Nigeria’s 2019 budget and, of course, dwarfs the $2bn arms fraud of Dasukigate associated with the 2015 polls. Even as the whole story may seem somehow, the Buhari campaign communication team is at it again, peddling pedestrian responses that make the opposition look like a genius.

Be that as it may, Nigerians have grown tired of watching the politicians spewing biased rhetoric, parading fallacy as facts. Yet, unlike the Jubril a-Sudani tale, the N1.032 trillion corruption charge against Buhari is a win-win. It borders on the apparent opacity of campaign finance in Nigeria. This ought to provoke a serious debate – an opportunity for the electorate to know who is fooling who on the fight against corruption between Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

On the APC side, it must be reminded that President Buhari’s strong suit remains the myth of his legendary anti-corruption pedigree. But the opposition is fighting back, now casting Buhari as nothing but a corrupt ombudsman, determined to use illegal money to fund his re-election. They amplify the claim by deploying a barrage of corruption charges against the President, including the fire and its smoke. They point to the oddity that the ruling party has become a safe haven for a corrupt club of decampees from the opposition. The most alarming, and rightly so, is the case of Godswill Akpabio, who stands indicted by Buhari’s government for looting N108 billions of public money but is today a coordinator of the same Buhari’s presidential campaign. But the billow of the smoke so far is the N1.032 trillion bomshell currently spreading like wildfire with no end in sight. Unlike the Jubril saga, President Buhari should not attempt to dismiss the N1.032 trillion corruption charge with a mere wave of a hand. The terse denial credited to both Key Stone Bank and Etisalat through one investor group is a jive talk. It is incumbent upon the President, therefore, to demonstrate to Nigerians, without further delay, that there is neither smoke nor fire. It calls for his team to employ a combination of the relevant authorities and bonafide independent body to set the record straight. Failure to do so only goes to further rubbish his storied integrity.

On the PDP side of the debate, a major obstacle standing between Atiku Abubakar and the Nigerian presidency is the perception that the man is virally corrupt. But Abubakar is attempting to prove that, contrary to the storyline in the annals, he does not live in a glass house and thus can throw stones. On party level, the PDP has a level of basis in fact to charge that the “Buhari Presidential Campaign Council is a looters list and a catalogue of ‘who is who’ in corruption”, but Atiku should not forget to explain to Nigerians why he continues to harbour in his own campaign the likes of Ayo Fayose and his national party chairman, Uche Secondus, who also has cases with the anti-corruption agency. On personal level, Mr. Abubakar must produce counter and compelling evidence to the following: the open confessions of his former boss and current promoter, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who swore before God and man that Atiku is the most corrupt Nigerian alive; the infamous Siemens bribery scandal as lodged by the government of the United States; and, more centrally, how he suddenly became stupendously wealthy upon retirement from the Nigerian Customs, supported by yearly income tax returns. Most relatively, Mr. Abubakar must not renege on his open promise to “spare no thoughts in furnishing the public with details” – I mean factual details of the alleged Buhari’s corrupt activities, especially with respect to the N1.032 trillion allegations. The daily dose of hearsays is wearing thin. Anything less than an authentic evidence is an automatic roundabout to the lesser evil principle. But Atiku knows not to go there. Buhari will easily be seen as the lesser, at least, for what remains in the archives of his Spartan anti-corruption profile.

Wild allegations and sophistic counter allegations have become the order of the day because the politicians embrace the maxim that a repeated lie, after a while, begins to wear the toga of the truth. But Nigerians deserve the hard truth. The hard truth is that corruption is once again trending as the most dominant issue in the current presidential race, and illegal campaign money is the root cause of corruption in Nigeria. It is also true that the APC government deserves credit for sanitizing the system to the extent that tainted money does not appear to be flowing like in past elections, but there is much more to be done to ensure a semblance of transparency in campaign finance. As a change President Buhari should lead by example. He should abide, at base, by the section of the Electoral Act that focuses on campaign money; and then influence the relevant authorities to compel the opposition to follow suit. To paraphrase Albert Einstein, positive change does not endure by making the same old mistakes over and over again.

•SKC Ogbonnia, a former 2019 APC presidential aspirant, is the author of Effective Leadership Formula

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/09/buhari-jubril-al-sudani-atiku-trillion-naira-allegations-skc-ogbonnia/

Biodun Olujimi on Tuesday continued their hostility, by inaugurating parallel campaign councils for the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the Ex-Governor, in his capacity as the South West Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP’s) campaign inaugurated the council members in Ado Ekiti, in line with list of names reportedly approved by the national secretariat of the party.

However, Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, at a different location, in Ado Ekiti inaugurated a parallel council, accusing Fayose of greed and manipulation of the list for pecuniary reasons.

In a petition to Uche Secondus, the party chairman, she accused Fayose of hijacking the council and injecting his cronies in all strategic positions with a view to sidelining other members of the party from participating in mobilising for the PDP presidential candidate during the election.

This, she said, was contrary to the list agreed by party stakeholders and therefore, urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to disband and reconstitute the council in the interest of all in the forthcoming elections.

Olujimi asked Secondus to compel Fayose to adhere strictly to the resolution reached by stakeholders on the composition of the council at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado-Ekiti on December 28, 2018 to forestall crisis in the party ahead of the polls.

NAN reports that while the Olujimi inauguration took place at the Ajilosun area of the state capital and was attended by members of the party loyal to her, Fayose’s inauguration on the other hand, took place at his former campaign office in Adebayo area of the state capital, now renamed ” Atiku/Obi campaign office”.

The former governor while inaugurating his version of the campaign council, described Olujimi’s effort a nullity.

He warned that he might use his position, to mobilise the people to vote out those he described as ‘traitors’ in the coming election.

Olujimi is seeking re-election to the Senate in the election slated for March.

“They need me more than I need them, because in my own case, I have got nothing to lose as I am not contesting any elective position. We will ask our people to vote against these betrayers “, he said.

According to the former governor, the campaign council was carefully selected in agreement with the National Secretariat of the party, to represent all shades of opinion in the state PDP, wondering what the complaint about greed was all about.

In his remarks the Chairman of the campaign council for Fayose’s camp and former Deputy Governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola also distanced himself from the Olujimi campaign group.

Olusola said that the Olujimi Council was illegitimate.

“There is no alternative campaign council except this one. Any other campaign council where my name appears outside the one inaugurated by our leader, the governor, is illegal”.

The state PDP chairman, Mr Gboyega Oguntuase said the Fayose -led Council is the only legitimate body recognised by Abuja.

“This is the only legitimate gathering where authority resides. Any other gathering is illegal and illegitimate but we shall not be provoked”, Oguntuase said.

NAN reports that Olujimi, at the inauguration of her campaign council said that injustice breeds impunity adding that if the party stakeholders met and selected people, no individual, including Fayose, has the right to void same.

She said though she was not a party to the selection of the campaign council, she has the right to continue with the assignment.

” Those appointed have started work, they have even written letters to the state government for the release of the Stadium

” They were supposed to have been inaugurated on January 3rd. Suddenly everything changed and Fayose tinkered with the list

“Why we are here is that we are saying that we cannot shift the goal post in the middle of the game. We are standing by the original list”, she said.

NAN reports that he two inaugurations were well attended by chieftains of the party from the Senate, state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and former Local Government chairmen. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/09/2019-fayose-olujimi-fight-atiku-float-parallel-campaign-councils/

The Federal Government has fixed January 23, 2019, to transmit the new Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly with a view to fast-tracking the implementation of a new wage structure for Nigerian workers.

The w, confirmed this to journalists on Tuesday after a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and its allies in Abuja.

He assured the labour leaders that the government will be presenting the recommendations of the tripartite committee to the States Security Council in the coming weeks.

According to him, the whole process that precedes the transmission of the bill to the National Assembly will be completed before January 23.

On his part, the President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, stressed the importance of keeping to the timeline to avoid further disagreements between labour and the government.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/09/minimum-wage-hope-rises-fg-fixes-date-transmission-bill-national-assembly/

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reached possible agreement on Monday toward resolving the ongoing lecturers’ strike.

Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, said this after a reconciliatory meeting with ASUU in Abuja.

Ngige said the meeting was fruitful as an agreement had been reached between the Federal Government and the striking university lecturers.

According to him, the Federal Government has released N15.4 billion for the payment of the salary shortfalls, which was one of the major demands of the union.

“On the issue of salaries in tertiary institutions, especially in universities, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant- General provided evidence that as at December 31, 2018 the Federal Government had remitted N15.4 billon.

“Also on the issue of Earned Allowances in the universities system, they also showed us evidence that Mr President has approved the N20 billion to be used to offset the outstanding arrears of the 2009 and 2012, audit verified earnings, in the university system.

“This money is being worked on, and will be released to ASUU as soon as the process is completed.

“ASUU has fulfilled its own side of the bargain in terms of NUPECO, which is the Pension Fund Administration company that ASUU has floated to take care of pension for people in the university system.

“The Pension regulator, the PENCOM, has asked certain positions to be fulfilled and they gave ASUU a temporary license, which has expired.

“ASUU has submitted all the documents and fulfilled all conditions needed to get their license,” he said.

Ngige noted that the meeting had resolved to mandate the Ministry of Education to get in touch with PENCOM to make sure that the permanent licence is issued to ASUU as soon as possible.

The minister also said on the issue of university revitalisation, the President Goodluck Administration entered into an agreement with the ASUU for revitalisation of 20 universities annually for the next 6 years.

“This is starting from 2009, this Government will look for resources for the funding.

“We have also offered ASUU some token to show good faith and that amount is known to them. Issue of visitation panel is also taken care of.

“These were major issues discussed and ASUU is supposed to take back the resolution of these meetings to their members, while we expect that they will get back to us by Thursday, ” he said.

Also, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President, said the National Executive Committee of the union will review its decisions based on the new commitment by the Federal Government.

He said the strike could only be called off or not after the NEC meeting. He did not say when the meeting will hold.

The lecturers have been on strike since November 4 to demand improved funding of universities and implementation of previous agreements with the government. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/08/fg-ASUU-reach-agreement-strike-set-end-n15-4bn-released-salary-shortfalls/

Lagos and Kano states have the highest number of registered voters, going by the register which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented to political parties yesterday.

INEC has cleared 84,004,084 would-be voters for the forthcoming elections, after carrying out Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) on those who registered during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

Of the over 84 million voters, Lagos State has 6, 570,291 million. Kano has 5, 457,747 million would be voters.

In 2015, Lagos and Kano states recorded 5.8 million and 5.0 million (representing 11.30 per cent and 8.51 per cent).

In the register presented by INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, Northwest has the highest number of registered would-be voters with over 20.2 million. It is trailed by the Southwest with 16.3 million.

The Southeast has the least with slightly over 10 million voters. Northeast has 11.3 million; Northcentral (13.4 million) and Southsouth (12.9 million).

Male registrants are 44, 405,439 million and female 39, 598,645 million.

Prof. Yakubu said INEC had kept strictly to its timetable and programme of activities.

He reassured the party leaders that there was no change in the number of polling units and voting points used for the 2015 general elections and the 2016 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/08/2019-lagos-kano-top-list-voters/

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Amy Adams, Glenn Close and Crazy Rich Asians star Michelle Yeoh walked the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday (Jan 6) ahead of the annual Hollywood awards show, where pop singer Lady Gaga looks set to make a splash with her first movie role in A Star Is Born.

Veteran comedian Carol Burnett, Boy Erased nominee Lucas Hedges, and Jane the Virgin actress Gina Rodriguez were also among early arrivals for the ceremony in Beverly Hills that kicks off the annual countdown to the Oscars in February.

Gaga, fresh off an acclaimed series of new concerts in Las Vegas, is the front-runner for a best drama actress Golden Globe.

She also looks certain to take home the award for best original song, for her hit single Shallow, while A Star Is Born is a strong contender for the top prize of best drama film, awards watchers say.

The third remake of A Star Is Born goes into Sunday's ceremony with five nominations, including two for Bradley Cooper as actor and director. But there is stiff competition from box-office hits Black Panther, and Bohemian Rhapsody, which stars Rami Malek in an acclaimed performance as late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.

Despite being musicals, both Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born are competing in the more prestigious drama race.

Political comedy Vice got the most Golden Globe nominations - six - but the film's scathing portrait of former US vice-president Dick Cheney has proved divisive among both audiences and film critics.

"Vice director Adam McKay really take chances with that movie. Sometimes he goes too far, and some people love it and some people are having a hard time with that," said Tim Gray, awards editor at Hollywood publication Variety.

Christian Bale, for his performance as Cheney, is favoured to beat Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns) and Viggo Mortensen (Green Book) as best comedy actor on Sunday.

A strong line-up of comedies and musicals, including Crazy Rich Asians and bawdy historical movie The Favourite starring British front-runner Olivia Colman, are likely to set the tone for a lighthearted ceremony.

Comedian Andy Samberg and Killing Eve actress Sandra Oh, who is also nominated, will host for the first time.

Unlike some previous years, a hefty number of popular films were nominated for Golden Globes rather than art house fare.

The Globes also gives out awards for television, where movie stars like Julia Roberts (Homecoming), Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method), and Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal) are nominated alongside favourites like Candice Bergen for Murphy Brown and Debra Messing for Will & Grace.

The television races are harder to predict. Four of the five best comedy series nominees are first-time contenders, and all five drama series in the race have never been Golden Globe nominated before.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/08/stars-arrive-golden-globes-expected-crown-lady-gaga/