₦airaland Forum

The deputy speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abdulmumini Bala Fanti, three other state lawmakers and two senatorial aspirants have dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Redemption Party ( PRP).

The state lawmakers that defected to the PRP were Ibrahim Bello Katagum, and Auwal Hassan Shira.


Two ex-lawmakers, Abdulmumini Ningi and Dayyabu Chiroma, had also defected.

Their defection followed the fallout ‎of the party’s primaries which saw over 20 members losing their tickets to re-contest.

Two senatorial aspirants who contested for Bauchi ‎South and Bauchi Central senatorial tickets on the APC platform, Barrister Lawan Ibrahim and Bappah Aliyu Misau had also joined the PRP to contest for the ticket.

Bauchi State PRP chairman, Alhaji Shehu Barau Ningi, confirmed that the APC defectors joined the party after they were denied tickets in their former party.

One of the defectors, Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, also confirmed his defection and that of others to the PRP on telephone.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-deputy-speaker-others-dump-apc-for-prp.html

The Kaduna State All Progressives Congress, APC, has named Mr. Ben Kure as the director general of the 1,342 -member campaign directorate for the re-election of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The 14 directorates are to work under a Campaign Council, headed by the governor and includes all the campaign directors and several special members.

A statement from the commission also named Dr. Muhammad Sani Bello as director of organization while Alhaji Umar Gana is in charge of Contact and Mobilisation and will be assisted by Sadiq Mamman Lagos and Comrade Cecilia Musa.

Shuaibu Lili is to serve as Director of Strategic Communications, while General Mohammed Sani Saleh leads the Security Directorate.

Samuel Aruwan, who was campaign spokesman in 2015, retains the role as Director, Media and Publicity while the Youth Directorate will be led by Aminu Anti, with Sabo Douglas and Joy Akut as Secretary and Assistant Secretary, respectively.

Hajiya Zainab Shehu leads the Women’s Directorate. The Support Groups for the Campaign will be coordinated by Ali Batureand Lawal Samaila Abdullahi (Yakawada). Mohammed Jamal is head of the Social Media Directorate. Alhaji Idris Othman is in charge of Fund Raising. Suleiman GarbaGora is the Director of Stakeholders while Prof. Kabir Mato leads Election Planning and Monitoring.

The statement indicated that the Campaign Council would be chaired by by Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the party’s candidate for the governorship election, with his running mate Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe as deputy chairman.

The vice-chairmen are the party’s three senatorial candidates: Deputy Governor Barnabas Yusuf Bala(South), Uba Sani (Central) and Suleiman Abdu Kwari (North).

The Campaign Council and Directorates will be inaugurated on Tuesday.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kaduna-apc-appoints-1342-into-campaign-council-for-el-rufais-re-election.html

The lord is good

The Diocese of Zaria Anglican Church Bishop, Reverend Abiodun Ogunyemi said it is wrong for any church to endorse a politician for any political office.

He said churches must be fair to every body and must not vote base on religious or tribal line but based on good policies and programmes of a candidate that will promote the well being of the citizens.

The Bishop made the comment at an Convention 2018 organized by the Ecclesiastical Province of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) tagged the ‘The battle is of the Lord’ held in Kaduna.

“All whether Christian or Muslim need light, water, good education, as such you don’t need to enɗose a particular candidate as a church, it is wrong” he said.

He called on Nigeria politicians to stop deceiving the masses and that whenever they get to power they should do what is right and be God fearing and not to steal or kill their citizens.

On issue of hate speech, the clergy said that Nigerian politicians always called the truth hate speech because they don’t want to hear the truth.

“You do not provide electricity, water, among other social amenities and you want us to keep quiet? We must talk “, he said.

Also speaking, Reverend Zakkah Nyam, Bishop of Kano Diocese anɗ Rev. Iɗris Aɗo Zubairu in their separate speeches called on Nigeria to imbibe the spirit of peace, brotherliness in the cause of living together as one nation.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-its-wrong-for-any-church-to-endorse-a-politician-bishop-abiodun.html

shameless people

Against the backdrop of alleged activities of new armed group in Tangaza and Gudu local government areas of Sokoto State, the police have confirmed they are herders, not known to be violent but strongly suspected to be armed.

Also, local authorities and residents have spoken on the prevailing situation in their areas.

Briefing journalists on the situation, Commissioner for Police, Murtala Mani said the initial apprehension had been diffused as the inhabitants of the areas were going about their lawful routines without any molestation.

According to him, the police received news of the presence of herdsmen suspected to be Malians and armed known as “Lakurawa” sighted around Marake Forest in Gudu Local Government Area and Wassaniya, Tunigara, Moliava, Jina-Jincti villages in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The commissioner added that from intelligence, the herdsmen were annual visitors to the nearby forests bordering the two local government area with their cattle, but that the number of the cattle increased exponentially this year, to about 3000 from the usual figures of about 500 to 700.

He explained that the herdsmen usually stay in the forest in Niger Republic whenever they embark on such annual migration but occasionally enter the villages of Gudu and Tangaza local governments to procure food and other essentials and retire back to the forest in Niger Republic.

The apprehension of the villagers, Mani said, stemmed largely from the activities of armed bandits in Zamfara, and that they needed to be proactive.

The Sole Administrator of Tangaza Local Government Area, Alhaji Muhammadu Yari Tangaza, disclosed that all that the media was dishing out to people are nothing but tissue of lies.

A resident in Tangaza confirmed to Daily Trust on Sunday that some members of the group were initially invited to rescue a kidnap victim who was originally from Niger Republic.

He added: “The locals were initially happy with their coming because of the way they sacked bandits in their communities but their refusal to consult their leaders and hand over recovered cattle as well as the way they were forcing people to give out animals as Zakkat which they used to take to their countries made us suspicious and decided to report the matter to constituted authorities.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-group-not-violent-police.html

As the Independent National Electoral Commission’s window for the substitution of candidates closed yesterday, Governor Abdulazeez Yari and his political associates chose to remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Daily Trust on Sunday gathered.

Sources said the governor would remain in the party while vigorously pursuing his case in the court.

The All Progressive Congress in the state had earlier filed a suit at the state High Court, urging it to compel APC and INEC to accept the results of the parties primaries conducted on 7th of October, 2018.

However, last Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Muktar Yusha’u, declined jurisdiction to continue with the case.

Justice Yusha’u said the circumstances surrounding the case would not allow the court to deliver “apparent justice”, therefore he returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the state, to reassign.

In the suit, with number ZMS/GS/52/2018, Sanusi Liman Dan Alhaji and 37 others vs APC and 143, the plaintiffs asked the court to compel the All Progressive Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission accept the results of the party’s primaries conducted on the 7th of October 2018.

The APC primary elections in the state were mired in controversy, a situation which caused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to state that the party in the state cannot field candidates in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/yari-associates-still-in-apc-despite-closure-of-inecs-substitution-window.html

Nigerians, and the rest of the world, were outraged following the siege by Boko Haram on a military formation in Metele, in the Northern part of Borno State. But has the tragic aftermath in a way triggered a change in the narrative, perhaps signalling a positive turn in the tide of the battle?

On Nov. 18, Boko Haram terrorists attacked the 157 Task Force Battalion in Borno State where they killed many soldiers. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, who spoke through Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said 23 personnel were killed in action and 31 others wounded. “During the attack, the troops were forced to withdraw and several casualties were recorded,” he said.

But other accounts put the casualty figure at more than 100, including the unit’s commander, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, as well as his second-in-command, and three other officers, and many soldiers.

“The attack in Metele, and many others before it, are enough for the Nigerian military authorities to change the terminologies they use in describing Boko Haram,” said a retired army Major, Salihu Bakari. He added that Nigeria must consolidate the gains recorded between 2015 and late 2017, by not allowing a resurgence to persist.

Bakari said: “We are in a war situation, and Nigeria must confront the terrorists full-on. It is no longer an internal insurrection; we have been in this mess for nearly ten years, almost three times the period we took fighting the Civil War.” He noted that Buratai’s statement which acknowledged the terrorists deployment of drones in their operations calls for a completely new approach to the fight against Boko Haram.

Responding to the Metele attack, President Muhammadu Buhari said no responsible Commander-in-Chief would fold his hands and allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its citizens. “Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat. In the coming days, I am engaging the military and intelligence chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking,” he said.

Rights bodies, NGOs, and even international monitors have condemned the Metele attacks, and are pushing for a renewed effort in defeating Boko Haram.

Boko Haram’s new M.O

Many experts, officers, and soldiers told Daily Trust Saturday that there is no doubt Nigeria had achieved a lot between 2015, and late 2017 in the fight against Boko Haram. But some of them also believe that military authorities were slow in realising the terrorists have actually changed their modus operandi, which has seen their fighters become fiercer, and more bloodthirsty.

While Nigerian troops, with initial support from Chad, Cameroon and Niger through the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and other underground arrangements succeeded in chasing the terrorists from towns and cities, the insurgents switched to new tactics.

The Abu Mus’ab Albarnawi faction now concentrates operations along Lake Chad in Northern Borno by establishing many cells on islands from where they organize, strategize and launch attacks. On the other hand, the Abubakar Shekau faction is now concentrating on parts of central and northern Borno.

There were expectations that Boko Haram, as a group, would implode after Mus’ab Albarnawi, the son of late Mohammed Yusuf, broke away from Shekau with active support of late Mamman Nur, who has strong connections with ISIS. But instead, it seems after few months of rivalry, the two factions have gone separate ways, and adopted potent methods of survival, membership recruitment, and attack.

According to a military source, for Nigeria to succeed in the war with Boko Haram, it must be far ahead in terms of changing tactics. “There is no doubt the insurgents are using asymmetrical tactics, which is extremely difficult to contain. Secondly, the two factions now understand that it is needless to think of conquering large territories that you cannot permanently control; the administrative stress of controlling such places is not worth it; so they concentrate their strength in fewer places,” he said. He said Nigeria must deploy all resources to achieve this, including renewing ties with Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

“I like the courage shown by President Muhammadu Buhari; the Ndjamena meeting of African leaders which held on Thursday was timely. It is good that Buhari went back for the roundtable because the setback we noticed recently was because the three other countries had backed out and left us with our problem. Let’s face it, Boko Haram is mostly our problem,” the source said.

Leaders of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon had during their meeting Thursday called for increased international backing in the face of the recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram.

A serving soldier in the North East who does not want his name mentioned, said President Buhari should also adopt the strategy used by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan shortly after the extension of the 2015 general election by six weeks. “There is nothing wrong in bringing back the mercenaries who came with their men and fighting equipment. They substantially neutralized the Boko Haram within six weeks,” he said.

“I know we, the Army and Air Force, can win the fight because we have the manpower, but the truth is that we don’t have the equipment,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-metele-attack-re-ignited-war-on-boko-haram.html

RIP

The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has said the party will not accept any result of the 2019 general elections that is “fake.”

Prince Secondus also, for the third time, demanded the resignation of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, saying they had demonstrated that they could not be neutral in the electioneering process.

Speaking at the opening session of the 83rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP yesterday in Abuja, Secondus said there would be crisis in the land if the elections were rigged by the ruling APC in connivance with INEC officials.

Secondus said the PDP had the best presidential candidate for the elections and would resist any attempt to be rigged out.

“We want to give this warning because we want peace in our nation. We are not going to make noise; but if anyone or the APC rigs the elections, there will be crisis in the country and we will not accept the result of the rigged elections.

“The APC has the federal might, but we have God and the people on our side. We have the best candidate in the country and he is ready to debate with Buhari.

“The consequences of rigging the 2019 general elections will be terrible; so well-meaning Nigerians and the international community should prevail on INEC to conduct free, fair and transparent elections,” Secondus said.

He advised all party leaders to return to their various constituencies and campaign vigorously for the PDP to win, saying the party had a campaign structure to ensure that power was devolved to the grassroots where the voters would cast their votes.

Secondus said the President Buhari-led administration lacked the wherewithal to manage the affairs of the nation, adding that the PDP was upping its game to reclaim power through democratic means.

The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi, Governors Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) Ahmed Abdulfattah (Kwara), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former governors of Benue and Niger, Gabriel Suswam and Babangida Aliyu respectively, were among many party leaders at the meeting.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-wont-accept-fake-results-in-2019-secondus.html

The Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has promised to lift eighty million Nigerians out of extreme poverty if voted into power in next year’s general elections.

Ezekwesili said this in Ilorin yesterday, the Kwara State capital at the launching of the ACPN manifesto and unveiling of the Vice Presidential candidate of the Party, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Galadima.

She noted that eighty seven million Nigerians are considered to be extremely poor, blaming bad governance for the rapid increase in poverty level.

According to her, if given the mandate, her government will create businesses conducive environment for private sector to thrive and ensure that every Nigerian have equality of opportunity to create different businesses of their choice to create wealth.

The Former Nigerian Minister also promised to give hope to the hopeless and downtrodden people in the country, by improving the standard of living of every Nigerian and increase the country’s knowledge capital.

Ezekwesili maintained that with the current deplorable situation in the country, Nigerians need competent, capacity and character in anybody that will lead the country next year.

The Presidential candidate of ACPN also assured to grow and increase the country’s knowledge capital, literacy rate of Nigerians and focus attention on human security, lamenting the high rate of killings in the country especially by the bokk haram terrorist group.

While speaking on corruption, Ezekwesili vowed to genuinely fight corruption to its lowest ebb without using anybody as sacred cow.

She explained that her love for Kwara state made her to pick her running mate from the state, describing the vice Presidential candidate of the party as a grassroots politician who will teach her how to consummate politics.

She added that the party will also ensure longevity of Nigerians by prolonging the life expectancy from 52years through improved standard of living and also focus more on human security.

After his unveiling, the vice Presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Galadima, said the party is committed to the onerous task of the nation building, promising to work with her to traverse length and breadth of the country towards ensuring that the party emerged victorious in the polls.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/acpn-promises-to-lift-80m-nigerians-out-of-poverty-if-elected.html

The Federal Government yesterday said the failure of manufacturers to conform to global standards in production and packaging explained why some Nigerian products were rejected in the international market.

This emerged yesterday during a non-oil export dialogue convened by the Policy Development Facility Phase 2 funded by UK Aids.
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Agencies of the Federal Government including the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), stressed the need for potential manufacturers to seek adequate knowledge on the standard and specifications required at the international market.

The session brought together manufacturers, entrepreneurs, farmers and representatives of Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture across the country to explore ways of improving market access to Nigerian products being exported abroad.
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The Coordinating Director of NAQS, Dr. Vincent Iseghe, noted that most countries spend more time inspecting Nigerian products imported because of the belief that the manufacturers didn’t conform to specifications.

Noting that Nigeria is on the high priority area of countries not conforming, he charged manufacturers to self-regulate and do the right thing.

“You should do what is right. It is good for you to have better access to the market. All we will do as regulatory agencies is to complement,” he said.

The representative of SON, Mrs. Mosun Salman, said product manufacturers would have easy access to the market if they comply with international standards.

“There is no way you will have problem in selling your products abroad if you conform to international standard,” she said, adding that SON had strengthened its facilities to provide qualitative services to Nigerians exporting products abroad.

Mrs. Mide Onabanjo, Technical Assistant to the DG of NAFDAC, tasked manufacturers to comply with global standards right from production level to ensure that products meet the specifications required in the global market.

A policy and development analyst, Dr. Olu Alaba, in his keynote address explained that conforming to standard is key to market access, adding that the World Trade Organization (WTO) encourages the harmonization of standards worldwide.

“Therefore, the standard in Nigeria must be comparable to the standard anywhere in the world. The principles must be the same. Conformity is key, you can’t compromise that.

“Our level of conformity in Nigeria has improved greatly but there is so much to be done and this requires collaboration between the public and reputable private institutions,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-nigerian-products-are-rejected-abroad-fg.html

Gunmen who kidnapped the Vice Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Mohammed Rizoma, have killed him after they collected N3 million ransom.

A close relative of the vice chairman confirmed the death to our reporter on telephone on Saturday.

He said the vice chairman died from beating in the hands of the kidnapers when he attempted to escape from a forest last Tuesday night.

The relative said the vice chairman and his driver, Hussaini Peter, and his son, Mohammed Yakubu, had been held captive since Monday until when the N3 million they demanded was paid to them on Thursday.

He said the kidnapers threatened to kill the driver and the son if they revealed the death of the vice chairman.

He added that it was when the kidnapers released the driver and the son that the family members got to know of the death.

The source said the remains of the vice chairman were yet to be seen, but that a combined team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and members of the vigilante from Izom in Niger State had been combing a forest between Numbwa and Izom villages since Thursday to recover the corpse.

“In fact, I was among the team that volunteered to join the SARS team and some vigilante members to search for the body of the vice chairman, but up till now, his corpse is yet to be found,” he said.

The Niger State police spokesperson, DSP Mohammed Abubakar Dan-Inna, could not be reached on his mobile phone.

The vice chairman, his son Mohammed Yakubu, and his driver, Hussaini Peter, were abducted by gunmen on Monday night on the Lambata-Izom Road near Suleja in Niger State.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abaji-vice-chair-killed-after-n3m-ransom.html

ok

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has said his emergence is hope for a new Nigeria.

Atiku, who spoke on Saturday in Yola, Adamawa state, on the occasion of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) Founders’ Day, said the current situation in the country must be changed in 2019 for good.

Atiku, a former Vice President and Founder of the AUN, said the students of the university should have dreams and ambitions, and must remain focused like him in order to realise their destinies.

Similarly, the Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed in governance and must be thrown out of power in 2019.

Bruce said the security situation in the country where many Nigerians were being killed on a daily basis was worrisome, calling on Nigerians to change the political leadership of the country by returning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power.

“We are a nation divided; we are a nation now living with hunger; we are scared of walking around because of insecurity. When we see a Policeman, herdsman, militant, petty thief, area boy, the first thing we do is to hands up and say don’t shoot.

“So in 2019, tell everybody we need change, hold the umbrella and say, vote for Atiku Abubakar, vote for Atiku Abubakar, vote for Atiku Abubakar,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-emergence-hope-for-a-new-nigeria-atiku.html

Reverend Chris Okotie, pastor of the Household of God Church and presidential candidate of Fresh Party for the 2019 elections, argues, in this interview, that all the other presidential candidates need to step down for him so he can set up an Interim National Government. This, Okotie says, is the only way to take Nigeria out the woods

Daily Trust: In recent times, you have been speaking on what you believe is the need for Nigeria to have an Interim National Government (ING). What exactly is the proposition all about?

Reverend Chris Okotie: What I am saying is that the current arrangement in the political hemisphere is not workable because the political class has refused to recognise the seriousness of the existential adversary that confronts us at this time. We are at a juncture in our national evolution where we must come to a halt temporarily and have an ad hoc measure, which is the Interim National Government, to deal with the fundamental issues that beset our nation, and to restructure and change the Constitution. No extant government can do these things. That’s what I’m saying.

DT: Doesn’t your idea render the Fresh Party’s presidential ticket, which you have been given, useless?

Okotie: Yes, I already have the Fresh Party’s presidential ticket, and that means we shall be participating in the presidential election slated for February 2019. But what I am saying is that all other parties should not field candidates against me in the 2019 presidential election so that it would be easy for me to set up the Interim National Government. If they don’t field candidates, it means I have won and what I’d do immediately is set up an ING instead of the normal or ordinary government that is put in place, where we have the legislature, judiciary and all of that that is not workable. An interim government will not need a legislature and it is at this time that we can redesign the political landscape.

DT: Would you be executing this idea on the platform of the Fresh Party?

Okotie: I have to run for election on the platform of a political party. After the election has been held, the creation of the Interim National Government is another step.

DT: How do you think this would work out during the election?

Okotie: Since it would be based on consensus, it would be based on the reality of the time. By the time the 2019 election holds, I am sure we shall be coming to a point to realise that the only way forward is to have a paradigm shift, and that has to be the ING.

DT: But many have argued that the ING idea is not recognized by the Nigerian Constitution. How do you hope to navigate the legal challenge?

Okotie: That is totally irrelevant. The Constitution was created by men. It can be suspended and we can put an ad hoc mechanism in place to legalise the machinery of an interim government. It can be done. It is not impossible.

DT: In the proposed ING, you offer yourself as the person to lead the arrangement. How acceptable do you think your offer would be to other political stakeholders?

Okotie: That would be predicated on the reality of that day. When this whole sequence had played itself out, it would become obvious that there was no other way forward. There is no partisan political equilibrium that can salvage Nigeria at this juncture of our national evolution because the problems that confront us are gargantuan.

DT: So how prepared are you to deal with these gargantuan problems?

Okotie: I am very prepared. If you notice, all these years, I have not engaged in any political participation at any level because my political philosophy is quite different. The ideology that I believe in is diametrically opposed to that of the status quo. And that is why I have not been part of APC, PDP or any other national party.

DT: You are a pastor, so how do you hope to drive your message to non-Christians?

Okotie: We will drive the message when there is a national platform in place, which is the ING. Yes, we must rise above the issues of religion and ethnicity. I have assumed an altitude where these cleavages diminish to mere superficial laceration in the terrain of national integration. But it can only be advocated on a national platform that is recognizable.

DT: If your idea works out, what would be your area of focus when you lead the ING?

Okotie: First and foremost, we must redesign our Constitution. That is clear. This Federalism that we run is what I call terminological inexactitude. It is a lie. It’s a deceit. This is not federalism; it’s more like a unitary government. When you look at its centrifigure, you will discover that there is disequilibrium. We need to address the problem of ethnicity and how that plays out in our polity, and then work on reconciliation. There is a need to restructure our nation.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-why-other-candidates-must-step-down-for-me-rev-chris-okotie.html

congratulations

The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to ensure the strict observance of all public holidays according to the provision of the law.

Disclosing this in a statement in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. (rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau stated that the laws establishing public holidays are contained in the Public Holidays Act of 1979, which states that, “The days mentioned in the Schedule to this Act shall be kept as public holidays throughout Nigeria.”

The minister urged all Nigerians irrespective of their Organisations, Institutions or affiliations to ensure they obey and observe all holidays declared by Government, adding that according to the Act, “no person shall be compellable to do any act on a day appointed by or under the provisions of this Act to be kept as a public holiday which he would not be compellable to do on a Sunday”.

He added that Government would not hesitate to sanction any Organization, Institution or affiliation that denies Nigerians the right to observe their holidays as provided in the Act by an “appropriate authority”.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-sanction-companies-that-fail-to-observe-public-holidays.html

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, and the convener of the Imo APC Restoration Coalition, Dr Theodore Ekechi, have described Governor Rochas Okorocha as a bad loser, whose penchant for disregard to court orders is legendary.

The duo, who spoke against the backdrop of the nullification of the October 6 primaries that produced Okorocha as the winner to contest the Imo West senatorial seat and Uche Nwosu as the APC governorship candidate, said they had been vindicated.

An Owerri High court had on Wednesday nullified the congress purportedly conducted on October 6, 2018 by the Ibrahim Agbabiaka-led committee from which the duo had emerged.

However, Madumere had gone to court to seek for an injunction restraining the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from organizing, monitoring or supervising any other governorship primaries of the party in the state.

The presiding judge, Hon. Justice K. A. Ojiako, had granted the prayers sought by Madumere that the October 1, 2018 Imo governorship APC primary election be declared the only relevant and valid primary election in which Senator Hope Uzodinma emerged the winner.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/madumere-okorocha-is-a-bad-loser.html

The chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum and governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi yesterday said their Tuesday’s meeting with President Muhammad Buhari at Aso Villa was not to campaign for his re-election.

He said they met with the president to seek 50 percent release of the contract sum to the firm for the actualization of the Second Niger Bridge.

He told journalists yesterday that “So, southeast would not say because they are predominantly PDP, they should shy away from development from the federal government to them, to me, that is stupidity, we are not campaigning for anybody, but we want to say that the problem of south east is beyond partisan politics.

“Any party that wants to take southeast must be very serious with southeast and southeast will take that party very serious.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-didnt-meet-buhari-to-campaign-for-him-s-east-govs.html

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday met President Muhammadu Buhari, demanding the setting up of judicial panels of enquiry to probe the killing of Major General Idris Alkali (rtd) and the Agwom Adara, Maiwada Galadima.

Alkali was killed by a militia in Plateau State on his way to Bauchi State, while the body of the traditional ruler, Galadima, was found days after he was kidnapped in Kaduna State.

The association which was led to the State House Villa, Abuja by its president, Reverend (Dr.) Samson Ayokunle, urged the president to ensure that security agencies are non-partisan as the 2019 elections draw nearer and restore peace to troubled spots in the northern part of the country, especially in Garshish District of Plateau State.

It also called on the president to ensure that Nigeria does not return to recession, urgently resolve the issue of minimum wage and task the security agencies to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu and other girls still in captivity.

The CAN leadership lauded the president for his efforts against corruption, the initiatives to stem the tide of unemployment, the various efforts aimed at revamping the economy, the fight against Boko Haram terrorists and the implementation of the Bank Verification Number and Treasury Single Account.

Responding, Buhari said his vision and objectives for Nigeria were very clear and he was on course to achieving them.

He said he was doing his best to fulfill his electoral promises of securing the country, fighting corruption and resuscitating the economy.

Quoted in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, he said fighting corruption takes longer time, especially with the need to adhere to the rule of law.

Responding to the request of CAN for an overhaul of the intelligence gathering system , Buhari said the burden of intelligence gathering involves everyone, especially district heads, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and especially religious leaders that are very close to the grassroots.

He added that bandits who are operating in various communities live among the people and enjoined leaders of thought in various communities to avail security agencies of information about the criminals.

President Buhari also told the visitors that he had assurances from INEC that the 2019 elections would be free and fair as he had been victim of fraudulent elections and beneficiary of free and fair election in the past.

On farmers and herders clashes, Buhari told the visitors that government was working towards finding a lasting solution to it.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/can-demands-probe-of-alkali-agwam-adaras-killing.html

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lacks moral ground to call for his resignation after alleged corrupt activities that trailed the party’s primaries.

Com. Oshiomhole, who reacted yesterday in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, threatened to sue Saraki if he failed to provide evidence of inducement.

Ebegbulem described the attack by Saraki as “unwarranted, pathetic and irresponsible resort to petty politics.”

He said Saraki who “is a usurper and pretender to the position of senate president” had no moral ground to call for the resignation of the national chairman.

“It is sad that Saraki, who just woke up from slumber occasioned by his crushing defeat at the Port Harcourt presidential primary election of his party, could degenerate to such a low level.

“It is equally sad, but not unexpected, that Saraki, who is politically drowning, would make such libelous comments against the national chairman of the APC. And I challenge Saraki to mention one name of an aspirant that gave money to the national chairman or we file a legal action against him.

“Whereas, the basis on which he made those comments was tenuous and unjustifiable, it is on record that Saraki has been in the eye of investigations by the EFCC and the ICPC for sundry cases of corruption.

“That is the same man that has taken it upon himself to question Com. Oshiomhole’s credibility.

“We challenge him to mention one person who has claimed that he gave money to Oshiomhole to influence him and the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in the just-concluded primary elections.

“We are aware that part of the strategies discussed in Dubai, where the PDP leaders recently visited and held their meeting, was to continue to dish out lies against top APC leaders with a view to distract the leadership of the APC ahead the 2019 general election. But they have failed because the National Chairman and APC leaders are focused and will never be distracted.

“However, It is time these irresponsible lies stopped; otherwise, anybody who continues to make unsubstantiated allegations against the person and character of the National Chairman should be ready to provide proofs in a court of law. It cannot be just a political game to smear the character of Comrade Oshiomole by people whose track record is unenviable,” he said.

But in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President described the threat by Oshiomhole to sue him over his statement that he ought to quit politics on moral grounds over the allegations against him as an empty boast.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/you-lack-moral-ground-to-ask-me-to-leave-oshiomhole-tells-saraki.html

Borno State Governor Kassim Shettima says Boko Haram insurgents caused a lot of havoc on the state “such that we harvested a total of 54,911 widows and 52,311 orphans.”

He said the statistics were extracted from the recovery and peace building assessment conducted by the World Bank in partnership with the European Union and the Nigerian Presidency.

Shettima spoke in Maiduguri Tuesday while receiving a prominent Islamic scholar with vast followers on the social media, Sheik Mufti Ismail Menk.

“They destroyed 30% of the total strock of houses in Borno, 956,453 units of houses. I really don’t want to bore you with the statistics, but they destroyed 5600 classrooms, 512 primary schools, and 38 high schools and tertiary institutions of learning.

Shettima expressed his administration’s efforts, strides, and some future plans for the betterment of the populace, saying “We are building mega schools, across the length and breadth of the State, about 40 of them to take care of over 50,000 orphans whose parents were killed by Boko Haram. All our classrooms are going to be equipped with digital technology aids.

“In all our schools, we are going to feed them one meal per day. It pains because as leaders, our kids are going to posh schools, while the masses are growing up denied access to western education.”

Sheik Menk said even before the tour, he was amazed by the structures he saw on his way to the Government House from the airport.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/b-haram-54911-widowed-52311-orphaned-in-borno-shettima.html

The ruling APC has described the leading opposition PDP as a “prodigal party” that has failed to learn any lessons.

The APC accused PDP of allegedly deploying fake news strategies ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement yesterday, said the ruling party was not surprised at PDP’s typical theatrics in an attempt to evade scrutiny for its 16 years of mis-governance.

Issa-Onilu voiced the APC’s support to the ongoing global media attention and efforts to check the proliferation of fake news, particularly as the country girds up for campaigns ahead of the 2019 elections.

He said the consequences of fake news were often dire as they inflamed perceived divisions in communities, fuelled hate speech, led to violence and distorted democratic processes, among others.

“Disturbingly, the country’s main opposition, the PDP and its discredited agents, have continued to deploy the loathsome strategy of fake news, misinformation and distortion of facts as focal campaign strategies for the 2019 elections.

“While the APC is not surprised at the PDP’s typical theatrics in an attempt to evade scrutiny for its 16 years of mis-governance, it is instructive to the electorate that no lessons have been learnt by the prodigal party,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-a-prodigal-party-apc-2.html

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President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said terrorism, armed banditry and organized crimes have continued to pose security challenges in Africa because of proliferation of arms aided by free borders in the continent.

The president spoke at the 73rd session of the executive committee and 41st conference of Speakers of National Parliaments of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) in Abuja.


He said the abuse of the ease of movement of persons across borders put in place to encourage African unity contributed to acts of terrorism by groups including All Shaabab, ISIS and Boko Haram.

“Here in Nigeria, we have done a lot to reverse the terror trend and halt the advancement of Boko Haram. We have in collaboration with our neighbours strengthened our armed forces to effectively confront terror groups and have also initiated programmes to address widespread poverty, which has been identified as a significant factor fueling unrest and boosting terror recruitments,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-terrorism-armed-banditry-thrive-in-africa-buhari.html

The Presidency has expressed concern over reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari has reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30,000 as the new National Minimum Wage as recommended by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee.

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, in a statement said the reports were contrary to what transpired on Tuesday when the committee presented its report to the president.

He said throughout the report-submission ceremony, the president never mentioned any figure.

“What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.

“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.

“As for those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat. But then, it is not surprising, as they have nothing else to sell to Nigerians, if they don’t ride on the name of the President. Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-faults-report-on-new-national-minimum-wage.html