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The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ), has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop handling the xenophobic attacks on innocent Nigerians in South Africa with kid gloves.

Mr Adeyemi Obadimu, the NGIJ spokesperson in a statement on Wednesday, stressed the need for the Federal government to put a permanent stop on the incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians by imposing stiff sanctions on South African businesses in Nigeria.

He noted that these attacks have been going on for this long because South Africans have always got away with it.

“In the past 24 hours, Nigeria and Nigerians have been regaled with horrific videos and images coming out of South-Africa of xenophobic attacks on innocent Africans, especially Nigerians.

“These incessant barbaric attacks are not new and, if nothing drastic is done will still be repeated in the foreseeable future.

“It is even more worrisome and appalling that in a statement credited to the South African Deputy Minister of Police, the authorities had seemingly justified the attacks by questioning the rationale for the preponderance of foreign nationals in their cities.

“This statement indicts the Government of South Africa and lends credence to the general belief that the Government, and it’s agencies, are in support of these barbaric attacks”.

NGIJ therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria and read him the riot act.

“The federal government should in a stern and succinct tone let the South African High Commissioner be aware that the country will recall her High Commissioner from SA if concrete action(s) to protect Nigerians and their businesses are not taken within 24hours.

“Also, considering the fact that Nigeria is a huge market for a large number of South African companies and businesses.

“It will make some sense to immediately engage South Africa in a trade war by reviewing our import policies and imposing at least 30 per cent tariffs on all South African goods, and at the same time place new duties on target list of South African products.

“If these are done with immediate dispatch, the Federal government would have succeeded in proving to the whole world that it is capable of protecting her own where ever they may be found,” the statement concluded.

NAN reports that President Buhari on Tuesday has sent a special envoy to President Cyril Ramaphosa, to register his displeasure over the killings.

Buhari was deeply concerned about the “reported attacks on Nigerian citizens and property in South Africa since Aug. 29.”

Buhari has “instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria and get a brief on the situation; express Nigeria’s displeasure over the treatment of her citizens; and assurance of the safety of their lives and property.” Credit:NAN

https://www.news9naija.com.ng/2019/09/05/xenophobia-ngij-want-sa-businesses-sanctioned/

News9naija
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The election petition tribunal in Calabar, Cross River State, has dismissed the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Cross River State Central Senatorial District elections, Victor Ndoma-Egba.



Ndoma-Egba is challenging the victory of Sandy Onor, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Vincent Agbata said the petitioner’s argument that he was unlawfully excluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the February 23 election was not valid because INEC acted within the law in obeying the order of a Federal High Court in delisting the petitioner as a candidate of APC.

He noted that APC, which was in crisis at the time, had several pre-election litigation, one of which gave rise to the exclusion of their candidates, which the tribunal averred as a lawful act since there was no superior order of the court to the lower court which ordered the exclusion.

The tribunal also viewed the petition as a pre-election matter, because the exclusion happened before the election.

Ndoma-Egba vowed to appeal the decision.

https://www.news9naija.com.ng/2019/09/05/tribunal-dismisses-ndoma-egbas-petition/

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To commemorate his first 100 days in office, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde will inaugurate six model schools executed under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) intervention projects across the three senatorial districts of the state.



Also, the governor has promised speedy completion of all ongoing UBEC-FG/SUBEB projects in the state before the year ends, assuring that pupils across the state would begin to enjoy a better lease in their basic educational pursuits.

Making the disclosures, Oyo SUBEB Chairman, Dr Nureni Adeniran, said the move was part of the government’s efforts to provide quality education to indigent pupils in the state.

“The board has ensured that the contractors complete at least six of the ongoing projects, which are ready for commissioning by His Excellency,” he said.

The model schools, equipped with modern facilities are located in Ibadan, Oyo and Oke-Ogun region of the state.

The facilities in the schools include classrooms, sickbays, science laboratories, computer rooms, libraries and halls.

Adeniran attributed the fast pace of completion of the previously abandoned school projects within 100 days of Makinde’s administration to the governor’s commitment to the development of education in the state.

“I can assure you that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration would ensure that education is not only made free for pupils across this state, but would make the schools worth attending for the pupils. Our pro-activeness brought about this finished works. We ensured these projects are completed by the contractors on site”, he said.



The schools to be inaugurated include, Elekuro Junior High School, Elekuro (Ona-Ara Local Government), St. Mathias Primary school, Orogun, (Akinyele Local Government Area), Community Primary School, Idi-osan (Ibadan North West Local Government Area), Baptist Primary school, Isokun (Oyo-East Local Government Area), Muslim Community Junior High School, Igbeti (Olorunsogo Local Government Area) and Ofiki Grammar School Ofiki, (Atisbo Local Government Area).

https://www.news9naija.com.ng/2019/09/04/makinde-to-open-six-model-schools/

news9naija
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Submission of entries for the 2019 Maltina Teacher of the Year (MTOY) award has closed with a record number of 1,310 entries from the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).



This is a 104 percentage increase over last year’s entries of 641. This year’s entries are also the highest ever recorded by the initiative since inception in 2015.

Speaking on the development, the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Sade Morgan, said this year’s entries showed a substantial improvement in the level of participation by teachers, which is a confirmation of the growing interest and acceptance of the initiative as a platform for rewarding the efforts and commitments of teachers.

Of the lot, she said the project assessors pruned the number down to 548.

“All the valid entries will now be subjected to evaluation and assessment by our esteemed panel of judges, who will determine the applicants to emerge as state champions based on the set criteria,” Mrs Morgan said.

She said the top 10 among the selected state champions would go through a rigorous screening round that would feature interviews.

“Once the state champions have been determined, the 10 best entries from the pool of the state champions will be selected and invited for another round of assessment where the Jury will further subject them to rigorous scrutiny against established set criteria in order to determine who truly should be named the Maltina Teacher of the Year,” she said.

This year’s winners would be unveiled at a grand event scheduled for Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.



The winner of the 2019 Maltina Teacher of the Year will get a cash prize worth N6.5 million and capacity training abroad.

https://www.news9naija.com.ng/2019/09/04/1310-teachers-enter-for-maltina-award/

News9naija
www.news9naija.com.ng

The Governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Sokoto has dismissed the petition of Mr Abdussamad Dasuki challenging the incumbent member, Alhaji Bala Kokani.

Kokani of All Progressive Congress (APC) defeated Dasuki of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2019 election for Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency in Sokoto state.

Dasuki through his Counsel Dr Garba Tetengi, SAN, led six witnesses to prove alleged electoral malpractice, voters’ intimidation, violence and non compliance with electoral laws.

Counsel to Kokani Mr Solomon Alimasunya, and that of APC, Mr Nuhu Adamu led one witness and denied all the allegations on behalf of Respondents.

Delivering judgement on Wednesday in Sokoto, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Yusuf Muhammad-Ubale said the petitioner had failed to prove his case as to warrant judgement in his favour.

Muhammad-Ubale said the witnesses presented by the petitioner could not relate the happenings and admitted exhibits during their testimonies.

He said persons that physically witnessed the actions ought to be led in evidence as well as actors, when possible, however, in the instant case petitioner led witnesses with “hearsay”.

Justice Muhammad-Ubale said argument on educational qualification of Kakani was withdrawn and accordingly dismissed as well as objection raised by the petitioner on certain documents.

The judge dismissed the petition, and did not award cost to any of the parties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dasuki approached the tribunal to challenge the return of Kokani on the grounds that the election was marred with irregularities.

Speaking to newsmen after judgement, Kokani thanked Allah for victory and urged his supporters to remain calm and support APC government policies.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has upheld the election of Alhaji Ibrahim Al-Mustapha, member representing Wurno/Raba Federal Constituency in Sokoto state.

Al-Mustapha a first timer who contested under the umbrella of All Progressives Congress defeated Alhaji Kabiru Marafa-Achida of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Marada-Achida, who represented the constituency for third terms, lost his fourth term bid to Al-Mustapha.

The Tribunal Chairman, Muhammad-Ubale said the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt and in accordance with the law.

Credit: NAN

https://www.news9naija.com.ng/2019/09/04/dasuki-loses-case-at-sokoto-tribunal/