₦airaland Forum

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday faulted the purchase of Presidential Nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari by a group.

PDP said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should sanction Buhari over violation of the constitution which states that no group should donate more than one million naira to an aspirant.

The party said the use of a “shadowy group as a front to purchase the N45 million All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari is a worn-out stunt, smacking of fraud and worsening the already battered image of the President.”


The party said President Buhari can no longer play the “pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.”
In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said, “Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015.
“Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians.”

PDP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to note that the “purchase of the N45 million form by the group directly violates section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act which provides that “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (#1,000,000) to any candidate.
“Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.
“Finally, it is unfortunate that President Buhari and his handlers, in their desperation to hang on to power, even when they have been rejected, have reduced themselves to objects of public ridicule with their many bloopers ahead of the 2019 general elections,” the statement added.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/why-inec-should-punish-buhari-pdp.html

The Imo state governorship top contender, Sir Okey Ezeh today visited the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abuja and obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms of the party for the 2019 Imo gubernatorial race.

The consummate technocrat was accompanied by some senior functionaries of the Imo Rebirth Movement as well as other illustrious citizens of Imo State.

Speaking to newsmen briefly after obtaining the forms, Ezeh thanked the entire members of the National Working Committee of the party as well as the party's leadership in Imo State for their tireless efforts in repositioning APGA and infusing the party with internal democracy which has made it the most attractive political party in Nigeria.

His words, "Today, we begin this historic movement. It's our journey to greatness. It's our drive to usher in the rebirth of Imo state – to make it a prosperous land for our people. The dreams of our forebears have given way to cynicism, even despair. For long, we have settled for the less. We have tolerated the misrule of those who abort our collective vision and abbreviate our dreams.

"Jobs have been lost; our schools have failed; businesses have shuttered; our lands yield no more; our industries are neglected; infrastructure has decayed; and there is a sapping of confidence amongst our people, a nagging fear that we are fated to our woes.

"But the time has come to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin to make the future we seek. No matter what we think of the past, we must never be prisoners to it. Together, we can make Imo great again," he assured.

Ezeh added that APGA is like the proverbial phoenix, and said when people think APGA is dead that is when the party shows its greatest strength.

According to him, "APGA is now the beautiful bride. Our party will grow from strength to strength. My abiding faithfulness to our great party has been peerless and will forever remain so. I have never known nor tested nor lusted after nor aspired to be anything in any other political party. APGA is my only political identity. Whatever it will take us to win this race, to redeem our people and to reinvent our land, you can always count on me."

He continued, "The Imo Marshal Plan (I-MAP), which is the economic roadmap I have drawn with a team of development experts for Imo’s social regeneration and economic rebirth, will address insecurity and curb crime by first intervening and eliminating those factors that hamper security and breed crime. It is a soft security initiative that doesn't view crime as a simple identity, a discreet element, rather a reality that stems from certain negative social conditions.

"When there is no unemployment and extreme poverty, the idea of theft would likely not arise. It is obviously cheaper to train people and engage them than to buy guns and build prisons. When people find a pathway out of poverty, they are not likely to resort to crime. To this end, the I-MAP intends to engage the private sector in the revitalization of all neglected industries in the state and in the establishment of new ones.

"Our agricultural policy will make Imo self-sufficient in food production, generate employment and wealth, and earn the state foreign exchange. The policy will create and expand job opportunities by intervening and facilitating job and wealth creation through the entire agricultural value chain.

"Production of the local raw materials for the industrial sector shall be pursued with the vigor and urgency that it requires. Seed multiplication farms - livestock and fish breeding centers - will be established under Public Private Partnership (PPP) to facilitate access to high-yielding and disease-resistant inputs. Urban agriculture shall be an integral part of this policy to train service providers and utilize fallow land in urban areas.

"The major area for rural development would be to improve village-level infrastructure - in terms of roads, potable water, education, health, supply chain, electricity and ICT and linkage to agro markets. Improvement of the livelihoods of the host communities through access to micro-credit scheme and other Local Economic Development (LED) programs shall be effectuated. Setting up of processing facilities, tractors, in-farm housing units in each of the three senatorial districts shall be realized. Creation of special unit for packaging for export in order to earn foreign exchange shall be achieved.

"Imo shall have an integrated Rural Development Program designed to be complemented by auxiliary small-scale businesses with high job creation capacity. We shall provide agricultural extension services to farmers in the state. Imo shall set up by law an Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency that would serve as a link between the farmers and the market place to ensure regular flow of income through ready patronage and stabilization of commodity prices," Ezeh vowed.

The accomplished banker further promised that his stewardship will be defined by competence and credibility, and enjoined the party faithful in Imo state to nominate him as the party's flag bearer so as to bring an end to the mass misery in the state.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/imo-election-okey-ezeh-obtains-apga.html

The federal government has offered for subscription two-year savings bond at 11.36 per cent and three-year savings bond at 12.36 per cent, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has said.

According to the offer circular obtained from the DMO website on Tuesday, the two-year bond will be due in September 2020 while the three-year bond will be due in September 2021.

It, however, did not state how much was offered, but added that the maximum subscription was N50 million at N1,000 per unit, subject to minimum subscription of N5,000 and in multiples of N1,000.


The website said that the bond was fully backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government, with quarterly coupon payments to bondholders.

The savings bond issuance is expected to help finance the nation’s budget deficit.

It is to also part of the federal government’s programme targeted at the lower income earners to encourage savings and also earn more income (interest), compared to their savings accounts with banks.

The circular also said that the offer would close on Friday.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/federal-govt-offers-two-savings-bonds.html

Robbers collecting all valuables from us on a holdup in a busy road with huge pedestrians, hawkers watching, roadside stalls and shop owners watching, none came to our rescue.

None tried alerting the police men some meters away.


All other vehicles on the holdup wind up their windows and locked their car doors.



They all watched as we were stripped of everything we had on us in our car around 5:30pm (it was still broad daylight) yesterday at Upper Iweka Onitsha.



I have always read several accounts by commuters and vehicle owners who had similar robbery experience on Facebook. They always gave out some security tips like 'lock up your windows while in a holdup'. I forgot all that because my car was filled up with my family members. I didn't want to use the AC because of the mentality that AC consumes fuel.



Then, this horrible young man walked up to our car, placed his hand on the car window and said ' nna choro boys ihe' meaning young man look for something for the boys. He was referring to my brother who was driving.



My brother told him there was was nothing. Immediately he said that, the thief brought up a knife wrapped in a red cloth and was very careful so that onlookers won't know what was happening. He repeated if you don't want me to massacre you all here bring out all you have.



My sister was about saying don't give him anything, another young man with a knife came to my window side and said if you make noise I will kill you here. So I brought out my purse and gave him some money. He threatened me with his knife and said bring that whole purse. I then remembered I had my ATMS, voter's card, national ID, driver's license and office ID in the purse, plus the bundle of cash I withdrew that evening for the journey. Something in me refused to hand over the purse.



By this time, he was threatening to stab me with his knife. I brought out the entire money and gave to him. The other thief was also collecting from my brother and Inlaw. I managed to hide my phone, while the first thief was threatening my brother.



They collected everything to their satisfaction and left, crossed the road to the other arm of the highway while looking back at us.



Meanwhile, there were other fierce looking young men with big planks and sticks on the holdup pretending to be helping with the traffic. I think they are of the same gang. They were only watching out for the other two Robbers. I am glad that they left us unscathed. I don't know what would have happened if we were wounded.



Do you know we drove to the police check point and informed them? They only asked where it happened, we pointed to the bridge. They said we should park and go with them to point at the boys if we could recognize them.



My brother advised we move away and we did. How can we go and point to Robbers who have already moved? Is there wisdom in that question from the police?



After they left, one bus driver drove to our side and said, 'don't you know that you wind up your glasses whenever you are on a holdup in Onitsha?' I learnt several lessons from this encounter with the men of the underworld at Onitsha. Upper Iweka is a very dangerous place in South Eastern Nigeria, all sorts of evil happen there but I never knew it could happen in a broad daylight.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/upper-iweka-most-dangerous-place-in.html

ExxonMobil said a blockade by former employees threatens crude production at oil facilities in Nigeria, adding that “disruptions to these operations have the potential to significantly impact revenues.”

The company made the announcement in a statement after a six-week blockade by former workers at the oil facilities.


Mobil Producing Nigeria, the ExxonMobil subsidiary that released the statement, produces over 550,000 barrels per day of crude oil, condensates and natural gas liquids, according to the company website.
Nigeria’s average production in the second quarter of 2018 was 1.8 million barrels per day, according to the country’s statistics office.

The blockades were described in ExxonMobil’s statement as the “playing of loud music, defacing of company facilities and intimidation of personnel.”
L

The “continued denial of access to lproduction facilities could impact the company’s ability to safely continue production operations,” ExxonMobil said.

The protest which began on 17 July was over the sacking of 860 Nigerian workers most of whom had worked with the company for over 22 years without regards for the rule of law.

Mr Rasak Obe, the Chairman of ExxonMobil Branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said the union was shocked by the mass sack of security personnel who had faithfully served the company for many years.

He said the management should immediately reinstate the employees of the security department and pay all entitlements due to them.

The union leader also urged the management to immediately reinstate the 16 employees purportedly sacked in Dec. 2016 in a similar fashion.

He demanded the immediate release and repatriation of over 20 expatriate personnel in the security department who had been engaged and kept in defiance of extant Nigerian laws and security directives.

According to him, this was an unfortunate situation which the Supreme Court of Nigeria had corrected with its April 20, 2018 judgment.

“This underscored the scale of error in company’s assessment of the reality after the Supreme Court judgment.

“There are tens more who by the judgment are active employees of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited.

“To say the least, this wholesale sack unambiguously conveys management’s disdain for the highest court of the country and mocks its ruling on the subject”.

Obe said the company was quick to indiscriminately sack Nigerians and replace them with expatriates, taking jobs Nigerians have successfully performed over the decades.

He said expatriate security personnel, many of whom were ex-service men, were currently engaged in the security department against the directives of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and the Nigerian Defence Ministry.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/nigeria-set-to-lose-550000-barrels-of.html

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday, gave details of how MTN Nigeria Limited and four banks perpetrated the $8.13 billion illegal transactions, using false information and deliberate disregard for the rules.



The details, which were contained in a CBN’s letter to the organisations involved in the saga, became necessary following denial of culpability in the illegality that has been described as a crime against the country.



The apex bank said the first error was when the Certificate of Capital Importation (CCIs) at the time of investment by MTN Nigeria showed $59.436 million as shareholders’ loan and $343.153 million as equity, but turned to $399.594 million as shareholders’ loan and $2.996 million as equity investment as at December 2007.





This position was, however, contrary to the CCIs issued by Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Citi Bank and Diamond Bank, which constituted a rendition of false returns to the CBN.



According to the statement signed by the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, when Standard Chartered Bank Limited subsequently applied on behalf of MTN Nigeria for the conversion of the shareholder’s loan to preference shares, it did not wait for any board resolution or submit documentary evidence of the resolution to CBN before it hurriedly issued new CCIs in support of the illegal conversion of the shareholders’ loan to preference shares.



On December 10, 2009, Standard Chartered Bank Limited admitted its decision as error in a letter to the apex bank, in which it described the act as an “unintended omission.”



It was disclosed that the bank also issued three CCIs outside the regulatory 24 hours, without the approval of the CBN; failed to issue a procedural letter of indemnity to the CBN against double remittance; and aided the illegal repatriation of $3.448 billion, which it has now been ordered to refund to the CBN with immediate effect.



Stanbic IBTC Bank also reported 35 CCIs valued $313.683 million inappropriately as “other purchases” in a document to CBN in February 2008, instead of “capital importation”.



The bank also issued eight CCIs of $58.359 million in respect of foreign exchange sourced locally, as shareholders’ loan, violating the rule which stipulates that CCIs should only be issued on capital imported.



Like Standard Chartered Bank, it also issued eight CCIs for capital inflows in form of machinery outside the 24 hours regulatory requirement of receipt of shipping documents, as well as that of letter of indemnity to the CBN against double remittance in respect of 20 CCIs transferred.



In all, Stanbic IBTC Bank caused $2.632 billion to be repatriated on the basis of the illegally issued CCIs, hence it was ordered to refund the amount to CBN with immediate effect.



But a source at Stanbic Bank told The Guardian that sequel to the order by the CBN to pay a fine and refund the illegally repatriated funds, engagements with the regulator to restate the bank’s sides of the matter have begun.



According to the source, the bank said that the engagement had become necessary as they still claim that the apex bank vetted and approved the transactions in question.



For Diamond Bank, it remitted $348.914 million as dividend to MTN Nigeria offshore corporate shareholders without any documentary evidence of the audited account of the company to justify the basis of the payment of the dividend declared and paid.

This action is a violation of the provision of Memorandum 24(4)(b) of the Foreign Exchange Manual.



It also issued three CCIs outside the regulatory 24 hours, without the approval of the CBN, and illegally remitted $352.222 million on behalf of Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic IBTC.



Citibank Nigeria Limited followed the bandwagon, as four of the CCIs it issued, which evidenced the inflow of capital imported as cash, were outside the period of 24 hours allowed by regulation upon the receipt of inflow.



The bank also failed to comply with extant regulations on the issuance of letter of indemnity to the CBN in addition to forwarding the transaction history of the CCIs to the apex bank. CBN said the bank purchased $535 million on the basis of photocopies of a document bearing the name of Standard Chartered Bank as the applicant bank and the referenced CCIs.



In all, about $1.766 billion was repatriated by the bank on the basis of the illegally issued CCIs, which should be refunded to the coffers of the CBN with immediate effect.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/how-mtn-four-banks-perpetrated-813.html

The Nasarawa State Government has employed 2,140 additional teachers to boost secondary education in the state.

Addressing the new teachers on Monday in Lafia, Gov. Umaru Al-Makura said their employment was to demonstrate the resolve of his administration to promoting education in the state.

According to him, the employed teachers are core professionals some of whom are possessing Bachelor’s degree in Education and others having National Certificate in Education (NCE), to teach in senior and junior secondary schools, respectively.

“This is a revolution in education in Nasarawa State as this is the first time in the history of the state for a large number of graduate and NCE holders vast in their fields to be so employed to teach in our schools.

“The implication is that our schools and colleges would now be better manned and the deficiencies in the quality of teachers and their number have been addressed.”

The governor said that his administration’s commitment to education was inclusive and all-embracing, noting that the State Government had recently established three special schools for physically-challenged children.


Al-Makura said that his administration had within the past three years employed over 5,000 youths under the government’s youth empowerment scheme as sanitary inspectors, traffic controllers and forest guards.

He said that the newly-employed teachers would be given their employment and posting letters next week to enable them to commence work at the resumption of schools.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Aliyu Tijjani, expressed gratitude to Al-Makura for giving the ministry permission to employ more teachers to fill vacancies occasioned by deaths, retirements and transfer of services.

Tijjani directed principals and area inspectorates in the state to scale up supervision toward ensuring that the teachers performed optimally.

Mr. Tanko Mahmoud, who spoke on behalf of the teachers, thanked the governor for the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of education in the state.

He said that some of them graduated many years ago without jobs, pledging that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/nasarawa-government-employs-2140.html

Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central Zone, has told The Akelicious that his recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, during last Salah was not aimed at achieving upper hand against Governor Nasir El-Rufai, but to assure the President of his loyalty and support. He said most governors are afraid of direct primaries because they have lost touch with the people.


The National Assembly is yet to resume after purported plans to impeach Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. How do you see this?

First and foremost, the crisis in the National Assembly was fomented because of the leadership style of former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun. He was unable to unite the party, forge a common front and address some issues that faced the party at the early stages before they degenerated to an unbearable level.

If the former party leadership had addressed the crises in the states, especially in Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Kogi and Rivers, among others, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It is the crises in the states that became the crises in the National Assembly. And the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cashed in on the crises to woo APC chieftains, especially legislators to their side.

But this is common in politics. People take advantage, just like parties, which was what they did. The current situation in the National Assembly and the nation is one where there exists a mutual distrust between APC caucus in the National Assembly and leadership of the National Assembly. Unfortunately, APC frittered away opportunities in the last three years, simply because some people assumed they were more important than others.


In a party, it is expected that every card-carrying member should be treated with dignity and given a sense of belonging. But suddenly, they created a new formula for measuring commitment to the party, based on whether you are pro or anti-Buhari. But how can you say some senators are pro or anti-Buhari, when every Senator elected on the party’s platform is supposed to support the President? Does criticising the President mean you are anti-President? Does going to bow before the President every time make you pro-President?


We are a party, and we came to power as a result of objection and protest against the inherent criminality of misrule that characterised the country in the past. So, we are supposed to set a standard for equity, transparency and adherence to democratic values and principles. But, we failed in that direction in the sense that we became enemies of ourselves. We were hostile to one another, and trying to pull one another down.

The postponement of the resumption of the National Assembly is as a result of anticipation of crisis, of the problems that may arise as a result of the present situation. There is fear on the part of those who thought there are attempts to overthrow the National Assembly leadership illegally and install a new one. Also, there is an insistence by the ruling party that, as the majority, we are supposed to produce the leadership. And all APC members have keyed into that.

But, proper reasoning is prevailing now; that what should be done is follow democratic procedure. It should not be about cordoning off the National Assembly, with the military going there to take over. I’m so glad that Adams Oshiomhole’s coming has saved the APC. Before his coming, APC was on a death row. He brought back life into the party. And because of his intervention, I can say many of us decided to stay back.

You were able to secure a reprieve to contest Senatorial seat in 2019…

Well, my visit to Buhari was to pay homage and to fully assure him of our commitment and determination to support and stand by him at this trying period. All along, when many of us rained abuses and criticisms, many people thought we were anti-Buhari. But because I criticised Buhari does not mean I was anti-Buhari. My criticising Buhari’s policies at times, is to express my opinion as a man with an activist background, as well as give him a sense of direction. I am convinced that his leadership is progressive. We have a lot in common. I am a socialist through ideological leaning, and many of his programmes and policies are in that direction.

For instance, I am opposed to the sale of refineries and the Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG). I am for the role of state in socio-economy and political transformation of the economy. I am for policies and programmes that will better the lives of the masses. I am a revolutionary, one that is committed to liberating our people from economic woes. However, while it is natural for one to express his/her opinion on issues, it shouldn’t get to the point of humiliating the President. Buhari is someone I have known not just personally, but also through my parents for a very long time. But that does not mean I shouldn’t say so, when things are going wrong.

He is also a critic. He had been criticising previous governments. He expressed his views on issues during previous governments. So, he has never told me not to speak out my mind. I believe there are only a few of us that will always stand by him, even when he is out of power. Because he is in power today, many people are rallying round him, which is natural. But you ask yourself: Where are those who rallied round Ibrahim Babangida? They are nowhere to be found today. Where are those that rallied round Abacha, Abdulsalami, Obasanjo, Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan? They have all been abandoned.

When you are in position of power, you are bound to attract so-called loyalists and sycophants, who will sing your praises and beat pleasant drums. But it is all about their personal interests and how to secure their seats in the corridors of power. Personally, I can handle my political business myself. I have never had a godfather throughout my life struggles. Activists don’t have godfathers. Rather, we are driven by our conscience, conviction and the fact that we are able to plant ourselves in the hearts of the masses. Again, we are not desperate about power or privileges. We also don’t see politics as a career. Those who consider politics a career can’t survive outside it. Activists only see politics as an opportunity to serve the masses, to make impact and uplift society.

Many saw your stance against el Rufai as a principled one to wrest the party from dictatorial tendencies. Now, it appears you want to sacrifice all that for a ticket?

My view about him is the one I express whenever things go wrong. We both criticise each other. And when he doesn’t like what I do, he speaks out and vice versa. If I can speak out against the President, who is el Rufai? I have been speaking out, even before he became a governor. By age, he is older than me, but by politics I am older than him. He was nowhere in the 90s, when I was struggling for the emancipation of our nation from military dictatorship.

Personally, I don’t see my ticket coming from El-Rufai. Rather, I see it coming from the people that elected me into office. And I want to bring to attention the fact that he has said it clearly that in 2015, I was never his candidate, but I emerged as a Senator. So, if I could emerge a Senator without being his candidate, I will continue to do so for as long as my people continue voting for me.

What you need to understand is that he also wants to be reelected. So, we are both going to shop in the same market. If this party wants to genuinely become democratic and progressive, then it must give people chance to aspire for any position. If el Rufai has any plan or makes attempt to impose a candidate on my position, he should remember that power is temporary. He can’t be there forever.

We have seen dictators and tyrants in the history of this country, but where are they now?

I criticise him not because I don’t like him. And I believe that those who are singing his praises do not truly like him. When he is wrong, I certainly have to criticise him. We differ in ideological viewpoints. He is from the political establishment. He is from the reactionary conservative right, while I am from the left side of the political divide. So, we differ in all perspectives. I have suffered a lot of persecution in the last few years from violent attacks on my office and an attempt to frame me up with murder by him. And there is also manipulation of the party to suspend me. All other things done against me through the party were done either directly or indirectly by him. I am very confident that I am going to win the election. I also want you to know that el-Rufai and I have been in court for the past six months. He sued me in Kaduna High Court for N2bn and I have also sued him for N5bn.

What he should also understand is that there will come a time he will walk the streets of Kaduna or Nigeria without anybody recognising he was once a governor. This life is temporary, just like power.

Three of you in the Senate had issues with the governor. One is a PDP member and the other who was in APC has left the party, but you are here seemingly concerned about your ticket for 2019. Is that all the fight is worth? What you need to understand is that, when some people decided to leave APC, they said they were going back home. But for me Comrade Shehu Sani, PDP is not a home. I have never been a PDP member, though the revolt was justified. I was very involved in the revolt against the APC. We needed to do that because of the inherent injustice in the party and the persecution of members. But I stayed back, because there was a new leadership, which has promised to address some of the fundamental problems in the party. And the new leadership is diametrically different from the one before it.

I was actually getting ready to get out of the party. But suddenly, there were interventions by Balarabe Musa, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu and most importantly, Oshiomhole, with whom I had a lot of discussions. Other ideological comrades like Femi Falana also discussed at length with me. All those who left the APC were PDP members in the past. I don’t want to leave a familiar terrain for an unfamiliar one.

And if they said they were going home, it means they have their roots in that home, and I may be stranded in the middle of the desert, in the middle of the sea or end up being a stranger in the other party. More so, if I wanted to defect, it would have been to PRP, as that was my home. That was the party my parents belonged. I stayed back in APC because I believe I need to create a differentiating platform between my relationship with Buhari and the problems we had.

One thing I told those that defected was that our enemies should not dictate. I refused to allow my crisis with el Rufai determine, where I go or don’t go. Because it is not just where you are leaving, but where you are going. As far as I am concerned, el Rufai can return to PDP, because he has a home there, just like many of his cabinet members, since they have houses there. But, I don’t have a house there. I am not even a tenant in PDP.

It seems the internal arrangement in your party has been reduced to man-know-man. You were able to have a meeting with Buhari to get a ticket. What of those that are not so privileged?

You will be surprised to know that he was willing to see all those who defected. But many had already made up their mind not to see him or return to APC. So, there is nothing so special about that. I didn’t know Buhari after becoming a Senator. As a Senator representing the part of Kaduna State, where Buhari has lived for over four decades, I believe that I am his Senator. Buhari has two senators— one from Katsina State and the other from Kaduna State, because he spent more of his lifetime in Kaduna than in Katsina.


Would you have left the party, if you were not able to secure your ticket for 2019?

If I had wanted, I could have left the party. But if a party treats you with dignity and recognises your value as a person and keeps its promises, you have to believe in the party. That is what I have done. Securing a ticket was not the reason I decided to stay in APC, because I am already a Senator. And the process that can return me is in my people’s hands. What I said was that we need to have such a process that we will not put us in more trouble.

There were several attempts to undermine the party and made it a dictatorial platform. There was an attempt to extend the tenure of party executives, which Buhari resisted. And now it had worked. The fraudulent congresses organised in most of the states, where names of party executives were written in hotels and given party endorsement. That was another issue.

The communication gap between the party and elected officials, whether Senators, representatives members or others, is also another issue.There was the humiliation of party members in the last three years, which has also contributed a lot to the problem. Can you imagine that APC stakeholders met three times, after we submitted our grievances against the injustices, persecution and violent attacks against our persons? And APC was unable to issue a statement to console us or condemn the terrible acts on us. Those were the issues on ground. As long as APC remains just, credible and transparent, I will continue to be a party member. I’m not saying I will be a member of the party forever, but if it keeps to its promises and principles, I will remain a member.

What if el Rufai is adamant during your party primary?

He has been opposing since 2015. I have heard him saying in many of his fora that he is not in support of me. If he is adamant, well that is his opinion and he is entitled to it. But if he engages in anything that will break the law of the party, undermines the credibility of the process and impose a candidate or manipulates the whole process, then he has gone against the principles and spirit of the party, which is an entirely different scenario.

People like him came out of the PDP to APC, citing injustice, persecution and lack of internal democracy, as their reason. So, if such a person starts doing it here now, and is allowed to do it, it means there is no change from where he is coming from and where he is now. His being opposed to me is a different thing. But, he shouldn’t prevent people from voting for me. I believe many governors are afraid of direct primaries simply because they have lost touch with the people and they don’t have the required number to win elections.

In Kaduna central, I can tell you that I don’t need to campaign for anything, if the process is transparent during the primaries. If there are direct primaries, I am very confident that the result will be positive for me. There are two things. He doesn’t want me and he wants to replace me. But that is his opinion and not that of the people. The question you should ask him is: Should Shehu Sani be his problem, when he has a formidable opposition in the PDP that is united and ready to take power from him? I don’t think he should waste his energy fighting Shehu Sani, while he has serious opposition, poised to take over his office. Kaduna APC is still in crisis.
You can see how our billboards are being damaged and thugs being used against us. You can see the hostility and inhospitable atmosphere created against us. But all that will not push me to take a reactionary path of leaving a progressive line. I believe whatever they are doing is temporary. So, with him or without him, it is God that gives power. But we have a bigger problem than Shehu Sani in Kaduna. He is fighting a war with traditional rulers, he has problems with teachers, workers, women, traders, religious leaders, house owners and those people who were undermined and treated badly.

Full report at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/most-apc-governors-have-lost-touch-with.html

“Indirect primary is a maternity room for corruption. So, I stand with direct primaries.” This is the latest submission of Senator Shehu Sani, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District.The view also represents the position of many members of the ruling party in the National Assembly, whose chances of returning to the National Assembly in 2019 is threatened by not-too-good relationship with their state governors or godfathers.

In a statement issued Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the APC said the resolution of the NEC on the mode of primary election had been subject to “inferences and misleading interpretations.”The statement said: “As an update to the earlier released statement, we wish to make the following clarifications on NEC’s resolutions on the mode of primary elections: Primary elections into all elective offices shall be by direct primaries. NEC resolved to adopt direct primaries for the nomination of the presidential candidate and all other primaries.”

It further explained that though the party’s Constitution provides for indirect election and consensus option, however, “the use of indirect primaries is conditional and dependent on logistic impediments; peculiarities and the needs that make a given state unable to use direct primaries.”


According to the party, the request for indirect primaries must be signed by majority of the SEC and critical stakeholders in attendance at the meeting, where such a resolution is reached.The party’s position tallies with that of Senator Sanni, who represents Kaduna Central, and has been having a running battle with Governor Nasir el-Rufai. Sani is also of the firm belief that why most APC governors are in favour of indirect primaries is because they have alienated the people for so long, hence they lost touch with them .
“I believe many governors are afraid of direct primaries simply because they have lost touch with the people and they don’t have the required number to win elections.“In Kaduna Central, I can tell you that I don’t need to campaign for anything, if the process is transparent during the primaries. If there are direct primaries, I am very confident that the result will be positive for me. There are two things. He doesn’t want me and he wants to replace me. But that is his opinion and not that of the people. The question you should ask him is: Should Shehu Sani be his problem, when he has a formidable opposition in the PDP that is united and ready to take power from him? I don’t think he should waste his energy fighting Shehu Sani, while he has serious opposition, poised to take over his office. Kaduna APC is still in crisis,” the senator said.
Direct primaries involves the participation of all party men in the selection of the party’s candidates, while indirect primaries involves the use of delegates (often party leaders at the local level and political appointees), as well as, elected officials to elect party flag bearers.
Shortly after the last APC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, some senators threatened to leave the ruling party should it fail to adopt direct primaries for the forthcoming election. In fact, some of the lawmakers warned that the party would experience mass defection if it fails to adopt the direct primaries.
The aggrieved senators, who alleged that some governors were piling pressure on the national leadership of the party to adopt indirect primaries in picking the party’s flag bearers, further cautioned that their insistence would ensure that the party loses its majority status at the Senate. For them, the only way to reclaim the leadership of the Senate is an assurance of direct primaries by the party.
Similarly, some powerful forces and godfathers in the APC, who desire to Latch onto political structures in their states and zones are locked in a tug of war with state governors, who are relying on the numerical strength of their aides and commissioners to win in the indirect primaries.Direct primaries would definitely make it difficult for such governors to easily manipulate things since all card-carrying members of the party are required to vote, as the number would be somehow unwieldy to reach out to.

So, it is in the best interest of governors to insist on the indirect primaries, which has been giving them serious political advantage over co-contestants, who have no opportunity to produce automatic delegates.For many members of the National Assembly who have run into troubled waters with their state governors, direct primaries would protect them because in their thinking, the governors would have too much in their hands trying to manipulate the direct primaries.
Having tested this option in Osun State, some powers that be, who have the wherewithal to reach out to party members much more than state governors are at work, and have forced their way through and got the party to endorse direct primaries.It is, however, not yet over, as larger numbers of APC governors, particularly those from the North are still pushing hard to get the National Working Committee (NWC) to reverse itself again.
The new position by the party to adopt direct primaries in all elections contradicts what was announced last Thursday, in Abuja, by the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, and his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, shortly after the NEC meeting in Abuja.The governors had said the presidential primary would be direct, while the
primaries of all other positions could be conducted either through direct or indirect methods.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/09/primaries-apc-governors-lawmakers.html

In line with its tradition of deepening the savings culture by rewarding and encouraging its loyal customers, UBA has launched a new savings promo, UBA Wise Savers Promo.

The promo which is scheduled to run till September 30, 2019, will give 80 people a whooping N1.5 million each across all participating regions.

The objective is intended to assist in growing the Bank’s savings deposit. Participation is open to both existing and new customers.

To qualify for the Wise Savers Promo, new and existing customers of the bank are advised to make a N10,000 monthly deposit into their UBA savings account for 3 consecutive months before each draw date, or make a one-time deposit of at least N30,000 saved for 90 days before each draw date.
Subsequently, 20 lucky customers will each win N1.5 million in the promo every quarter. Draws will take place every quarter until 80 customers win the N120 million up for grabs.
Speaking during the official launch of the Wise Savers Promo, Head Retail Liabilities, Tomiwa Sotiloye, explained that the Promo is consistent with the bank’s novel initiatives in proritising customers, adding that “we believe it is time we reward our customers who have been very loyal over the years.
Without them, we could not have made the giant strides attained all these years and in recent times.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/uba-offers-customers-n120-million-in.html

Guinness Nigeria Plc has reported a growth of 249 per cent in profit after tax (PAT) for the year ended June 30, 2018. The audited results showed revenue of N125.9 billion, up by 14 per cent from N125.92 billion in 2017. Net financing expenses fell 54 per cent to N3.443 billion, from N7.527 billion following a rights issue of last year.

Profit before tax stood at N9.943 billion, up from N2.662 billion, while PAT soared by 249 per cent from N1.923 billion to N6.718 billion in 2018. Based on the improved performance, the board has recommended a dividend of 184 kobo per share, compared with 64 kobo paid the previous year.



Commenting on the results, Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Baker Magunda, said: “Over the year ending 30 June 2018, despite continued challenges in the operating environment, Guinness Nigeria delivered a strong performance. Revenue increased by 14 per cent as both beer and mainstream spirits’ net sales grew double-digit. In beer, Guinness, our largest brand, saw strong growth as it benefitted from increased marketing activations around football. Mainstream spirits also delivered double-digit growth driven by innovation launches and new formats.”

“During the year, gross margin was down four per cent to 34 per cent largely driven by inflationary pressure on our raw material costs. However, this was more than offset by reduced distribution and administration costs and resulted in operating margin improving 130bps. Marketing spend increased 18 per cent, ahead of revenue growth, as we continue to invest behind our brands.”

“Improved operating performance combined with lower finance charges have helped us deliver an overall PAT increase of 249 per cent during year. The execution of our strategy is working as we delivered both top line growth and margin expansion while also increasing investment behind our brands. Looking forward, we will continue to focus on the three strategic pillars of productivity, expansion of our portfolio, as well as the execution of the commercial footprint initiatives to drive the business forward. Whilst we remain optimistic about the execution of our strategy, we note that the operating and competitive environment is likely to continue to be challenging in the 2019 financial year.”

Also speaking, Chairman of the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Babatunde Savage said: “Guinness Nigeria has confidence in the Nigerian economy and will remain a major player in the country by continually investing, developing capacity and growing a portfolio that most suit the consumers’ needs for celebration and relaxation. Our aim is to continue to add value to Nigeria not only through continued investments in local manufacturing and backward integration, but also through various Sustainable Development projects, enabling job opportunities and economic inclusion.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/guinness-nigeria-grows-profit-by-249-to.html

Fresh facts have emerged on why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN imposed heavy sanctions totaling N5.87 billion on Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic-IBTC, Citibank, and Diamond Bank for helping MTN to repatriate $8,134,312,397.63 illegally.


Standard Chartered was fined N2.4 billion, Stanbic IBTC Bank, N1.8 billion; Citibank, N1.2 billion, and Diamond Bank, N250 million.

The CBN also asked the banks and MTN to refund $8,134,312,397.63 for what it described as “flagrant violation of extant laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Foreign Exchange Manual, 2006”.


Announcing the decision in Abuja, CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, said in a statement that the actions of the apex bank became necessary following allegations of remittance of foreign exchange with irregular Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) issued on behalf of some offshore investors of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and subsequent investigations carried out by the apex bank in March 2018.

The CBN has, therefore, asked the managements of the banks and MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to immediately refund the sum of $8,134,312,397.63 illegally repatriated by the company to the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The CBN spokesman further disclosed that the decision of the bank followed thorough investigations by it into the allegations of remittances by the four banks of forex with irregular certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) issued on behalf of some offshore investors of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited.


He said the investigations revealed that the sum of $3,448,119,321.72 was repatriated by Standard Chartered Bank on the basis of the illegally issued CCIs. Similarly, he said the sums of $2,632,005,623.78, $1,766,263,212.75 and $348,914,501.30 were repatriated by Stanbic IBTC Nigeria, Citibank Nigeria and Diamond Bank Plc, respectively, during the period 2007 and 2015.

The CBN investigation further revealed that on account of illegal conversion of MTN shareholders’ loan to preference shares (interest free loan) of $399,594,146.00, the sum of $8,134,312,397.63 was illegally repatriated by the company.

He warned that failure by the management of banks and companies to abide by the existing guidelines would be appropriately sanctioned, which sanctions may include denial of access to the Nigerian foreign exchange market.

In a letter by the CBN to MTN, the apex bank said its investigations revealed among others that the shareholders of MTN invested the sum of $402,590,261.03 in the company from 2001 to 2006 and that the investment was carried out through the inflow of foreign currency cash transfers and equipment importation, which was evidenced by the CCIs issued by Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank and Diamond Bank.

The bank added that “the CCIs issued at the time of the investment by the above banks to your organisation in respect of the $402,590,261.03 showed that $59,436,923.44 was invested as shareholders’ loan and $343,153,339.56 as equity.

“However, a review of your organisation’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2007 revealed that $399,594,146.00 was recorded/invested as shareholders’ loan and $2,996,117.00 as equity investment, in accordance with the shareholder’s agreement but contrary to the CCIs issued by the banks.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/full-details-why-cbn-imposed-n587bn.html

Lagos has retained its position as the state with the highest foreign debt in Nigeria, with a portfolio of 1.45 billion dollars as at June 30.

A document obtained from the Debt Management Office (DMO), on Wednesday in Abuja, titled: ‘States, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Federal Governments’ External Debt Stock as at June 30, 2018,’ also detailed other states’ external debts.

The document also stated that the external debt stock of the entire nation stood at 22 billion dollars with the Federal Government incurring 17.8 billion dollars, while the states and the FCT owed 4.28 billion dollars.

This means that the Federal Government accounts for 81 per cent of the country’s external debt, while the states and the FCT account for 19 per cent.

As at Dec. 31, 2017, Lagos State also had the highest foreign debt portfolio 1.47 billion dollars, but the figure reduced to 1.45 billion dollars by June 30.

Following Lagos in a distant second is Edo, which incurred 279 million dollars.

Others are Kaduna, 232.9 million dollars; Cross River, 193.7 million dollars; Bauchi, 134.9 million dollars and Enugu, 127.9 million dollars.

According to the DMO, other top debtors are Anambra owing 107.4 million dollars; Oyo, 106.34 million dollars; Ogun, 105.3 million dollars; Osun, 101.5 million dollars and Abia with 100.2 million dollars.

Following closely are Ekiti with 97.9 million dollars; Ondo with 81.4 million dollars; Rivers, 79.5 million dollars; Ebonyi, 67.9 million dollars; Kano, 65 million dollars; Katsina, 64.7 million dollar and Delta, 63.8 million dollars.

The statement also revealed that Imo incurred 61.2 million dollars; Nassarawa, 61.4 million dollars; Adamawa, 57.8 million dollars; Niger, 55.7 million dollars; and Bayelsa with 57.2 million dollars.

Others are Akwa Ibom with 48.3 million dollars; Kebbi, 46.7 million dollars; Kwara, 49.8 million dollars and Sokoto with 40.2 million dollars.

States with the lowest debt portfolio include Taraba, with 22.1 million dollars; Borno, 22.2 million dollars; Yobe, with 28.4 million dollars and Plateau with 29.6 million dollars.

Others are Kogi, with 32.37 million dollars; Jigawa, 32.80 million dollars; FCT, 32.83 million dollars; Zamfara, 34.2 million dollars; Benue, 34.7 million dollars and Gombe, 38.5 million dollars.

The Director-General of DMO, Ms Patience Oniha, said that as at June 30, the nation’s public debt stock increased marginally by 3.01 per cent from that of Dec. 2017.

“One of the beneficial outcomes is the rebalancing of the debt stock, the ratio of domestic debt to external debt inching towards the target of 60:40 and the target of 75:25 between long term domestic debt and short term domestic debt.

According to the figures for June 30 released by the DMO, the ratio between domestic and external debt stood at 70 to 30 compared to 73 to 27 in Dec. 2017.

Oniha said the ratio of 60 to 40 was important to ensure that the nation was not 100 per cent indebted externally, and that it was also easier to raise money domestically.

Oniha also said the Federal Government had been borrowing from the external debt market to refinance maturing local debts because of the lower interest rates obtainable from foreign sources.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/lagos-owes-145b-foreign-debt.html

Hopes for a bulls’ run dimmed yesterday, following renewed profit-taking by investors at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), as the bears took centre stage again on equity transactions, reversing the Tuesday’s positive sentiment, as market capitalisation depreciated by N57billion.

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, the All Share Index (NSE-ASI) shed 157.27 absolute points, representing a decline of 0.44 per cent to close at 35,358.94 points. Also, the market capitalisation declined by N57billion to close at N12.909trillion.The downturn was buoyed by profit-taking in the shares of Flourmills Nigerian, Lafarge Africa, Unilever Nigeria, Dangote Cement, and FBN Holdings.

Analysts at Afrinvest Limited, noted that, “despite the decline in the broader index, we expect the market to rebound in today’s trading session as investors hunt for bargain opportunities. “Our view is further supported by technical analysis, as the current 14-Day RSI (Relative Strength Index) of the market is 39.0 points, which is closer to the oversold region.”

Market breadth closed negative, with 18 gainers versus 27 losers. Portland Paints and Products Nigeria recorded the highest price gain of 9.96 per cent, to close at N2.98 per share. Regency Alliance Insurance followed with a gain of 9.52 per cent to close at 23kobo, while Skye Bank rose by 7.69 per cent to close at 56kobo per cent.

PZ Cussons Nigeria appreciated by 7.14 per cent to close at N15, while Diamond Bank rose 6.92 per cent to close at N1.39 per share.On the other hand, Livestock led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent, to close at 54kobo per share. Standard Alliance Insurance trailed with a decline of 9.52 per cent to close at 38kobo, while Lasaco Assurance shed 9.09 per cent to close at 30kobo per share.

First Aluminium fell 8.33 per cent to close at 33kobo, and FBN Holdings shed 7.22 per cent to close at N9 per share.The total volume traded appreciated marginally by 1.58 per cent to 345.06 million shares worth N2.27billion, traded in 3,261 deals. Transactions in the shares of NEM Insurance topped the activity chart with 180.1 million shares valued at N540.13million. United Bank for Africa (UBA) followed with 27.2 million shares worth N221.46million, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) traded 21.75 million shares valued at N27.36million.Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) traded 19.15 million shares valued at N383.05million, while FCMB Groups transacted 11.63 million shares worth N21.97million.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/profit-taking-drags-stock-market.html

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has inaugurated a 63-member committee to handle the September 22 Osun State governorship election.

The Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje, was named the chairman of the committee, which has 13 other governors as members.

The committee also has eight serving ministers and many senators and other politicians as members.

The APC chairman, during the event, said the committee is filled with people of experience who have been involved in other similar assignments.

“Many of you present here have been very much involved in helping to provide leadership in most of the campaigns that we have had in recent times after the last general elections.

“The most recent one is that of Ekiti State where your excellencies did very well and some of the governors who were much involved in that exercise are not here but some of you here were very much involved in it,” he said.

The chairman said all (electioneering) must be done in accordance with the law to ensure free and fair election.

“So, we have a body of experience to go about and the whole idea is to sustain the values and the ideals of our Party, which is based on transparent elections on the basis of one man, one vote and joining forces with the party leadership in the state, to work hard, to mobilise people of Osun State to vote wisely for the APC candidate in the next governorship election. The importance of an election doesn’t require much elaboration,” he said.

Expressing confidence the party will win the election, Mr Oshiomhole said Nigerians had reposed trust and confidence in the party.

Mr Ganduje appreciated the party for having the confidence in him and the committee members and assured that they will work hard to ensure victory.

“There is no doubt that winning Osun Sate is very vital to the party, the government because it’s a state we shall retain. It has been our state in APC for the last eight years and by the will of God, we will maintain this state in order to have 100 per cent states of the South-western part of this country.

“As progressives, we will ensure clean, free and fair election because that is the motive of the APC,” he said inter alia.


Full list of members of the committee

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje – Chairman

Abdulazeez Abubakar Yari – Deputy Chairman

Otunba Niyi Adebayo – Deputy National Chairman (S)

Akinwunmi Dapo Ambode – Governor Lagos

Ibikunle Amosun – Governor Ogun

Abiola Ajimobi – Governor Oyo

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola – Governor Osun

Arakunrin Olwarotimi Akeredolu SAN – Governor Ondo

Owelle Rochas Okorocha – Governor Imo

Godwin Obaseki – Governor Edo

Yahaya Bello – Governor Kogi

Simon Bako Lalong – Governor Plateau

Kashim Shettima – Governor Borno

Mohammed Umar Jibrilla – Governor Adamawa

Mohammed Badaru Abubakar – Governor Jigawa

Emma Ibediro – National Organizing Secretary

Bankole Oluwajana – National Vice Chairman(S/W)

Tajudeen Bello – National Financial Secretary

Babatunde John Kwame Ogala – National Legal Adviser

Salamatu Baiwa – National Women Leader

Sadiq Abubakar – National Youth Leader

Kemi Nelson – Zonal Women Leader (S/W)

Femi Egbedeyi – Zonal Youth Leader (S/W)

Abdulrahman Dambazau – Minister of Interior

Manir Dan-Ali – Minister of Defence

Adebayo Shittu – Minister of Communications

Ibe Kachikwu – Minister of State, Petroleum

Babatunde Fashola SAN – Minister of Power, Works & Housing

Rotimi Amaechi – Minister of Transport

Alhaji Lai Mohammed – Minister of Information

Isaac Adewole – Minister of Health

Sola Adeyeye

Babajide C. Omoworare

Tayo Alasaodura

Buhari Abdulfatai

Rilwan AdesojiAkanbi

Andy Uba

Godswill Akpabio

Ajayi Borrofice

Aliyu Wammako

Abu Ibrahim

Olugbenga Ashafa

Adeyinka Ajayi

Olufemi Fakeye

Ayo Hulayat Omidiran

Mojeed Olujimi Alabi

Akintayo Gafaru Amere

Ajibola Israel Famurewa

Aliyu Magaji

Timi Sylva

Segun Oni

Domingo Obende

Tokunbo Afikuyomi

Musiliu Obanikoro

Uche Ekwunife

Ayo Afolabi

Adejoke Adefulire

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Chief Pius Akinyelure

Bola Ilori


Full list at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/osun-guber-apc-names-14-governors-8.html

If you are on the road to social media fame or just like the idea of having a blue verification badge next to your Instagram name, then the route to this goal has become a little bit easier.

In the past, the blue tick that signifies a verified account was reserved for celebrities, notable public figures, big businesses and accounts with a lot of followers.

But the latest Instagram feature now allows users to apply for the verified badge. Instagram noted that it will “review verification requests to confirm the authenticity, uniqueness, completeness and notability of each account.”

In a message posted on Tuesday announcing the increased access to verification, Instagram co-founder and chief technology officer Mike Krieger described the blue badge as “an important way for you to know that the account you are interacting with is the authentic presence of a notable public figure, celebrity, global brand or entity.” He added that verified accounts are usually ones that “reach large audiences.” To have a chance of getting a blue badge, you must also comply with Instagram’s terms of service and community guidelines.

How to apply

If you have a decent-sized following and fancy your chances, here’s how to apply:

On your profile page, tap the menu icon, select “Settings” at the bottom, and then choose “Request Verification”.

Provide your account username, your full name and a legal form of identification. Instagram promises not to share this information publicly.

After reviewing your request, IG will get back to you shortly with whether or not you’ve been approved.

Kreiger doesn’t say how long the process is likely to take. But he points out that the platform “will never request payment for verification or reach out to ask you to confirm your verification.”

Other changes

This is not the only change that Instagram is making, however. There are new “About” pages which feature more detailed information about an account, including how long it’s been on the service, its country location, any username changes, and any ads that the account run. You can view the About page by tapping on the profile and then on the menu icon, and finally on “About this Account.” It is only available for high-profile accounts.

These changes are part of efforts to reassure followers that the account they’re following is genuine, and follows similar moves made recently by its parent company, Facebook.

More at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/see-how-to-apply-for-verification-badge.html

Not less than 1,331 Nigerians died in the road crashes in the second quarter of 2018, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The figure was contained in the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) “Road Transport Data (Q2 2018)’’ report released on Tuesday in Abuja.

The report said 1,257 of the 1,331 Nigerians that died, representing 94 per cent of the figure, were adults while the remaining 74 Nigerians, representing six per cent of the figure, were children.

“Also, 1,047 male Nigerians, representing 79 per cent, got killed in road crashes in the second quarter while 284 female Nigerians, representing 21 per cent got killed.

According to the report, a total of 8,437 Nigerians also got injured in road crashes within the period.


It said of the number, 7,946 Nigerians got injured, representing 94 per cent of the figure all adults while the remaining 491 Nigerians, representing six per cent of the figure were children.

It said: “6,415 male Nigerians, representing 76 per cent, got injured in road crashes in the second quarter while 2,022 female Nigerians, representing 24 per cent got injured.”

The report also said 2,608 road crashes occurred through speed violation in the second quarter of 2018, accounting for 50.65 per cent.

The report said tyre burst and dangerous driving followed closely, accounting for 8.59 per cent and 8.40 per cent of the total road crashes recorded.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/nbs-1331-nigerians-die-in-road-crashes.html

The first batch of 259 Muslim pilgrims from Sokoto State, on Monday arrived Nigeria from Saudi Arabia after a successful 2018 Hajj.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the pilgrims, from Gada Local Government Area, were transported from the holy city of Mecca and Medina by Air Planers Airline to the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal commended them for being law-abiding while in the holy land.

Tambuwal, speaking through Mani Maishinku, congratulated the pilgrims for a successful Hajj exercise.

The governor also urged them to always put to practice their experiences at the holy land in their future endeavours.


“I urge you to always utilise the lessons learnt during the Hajj exercise in all your future practice, as such will bring more successes in your affairs.

“Moreover, you should all continue to pray for our state and the country in order to usher in a brighter future for our children,” he said.

Speaking, some of the pilgrims commended the state government and the pilgrim’s welfare board for their dedication to the success of the exercise.

They expressed satisfaction with all the arrangements made since their departure from Sokoto to Saudi Arabia and back.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/first-batch-of-259-hajj-pilgrims-arrive.html

The University of Ilorin has begun screening for its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in the 2018/2019 academic session, with 39, 711 candidates taking part in the exercise.

The institution’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, announced this on Monday in a statement in Ilorin.

He said the exercise would involve 29, 562 at the Ilorin Centre while 10, 149 would appear at the Lagos Centre.

Akogun said that the screening will hold simultaneously at Ilorin and Lagos centres between Monday and Thursday, adding that candidates who might have some issues during the main exercise would have another chance on Friday.

He said: “A further breakdown of the figure shows that 32, 272 candidates are seeking admission through the Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), while the remaining 7, 439 candidates are seeking admission through the Direct Entry (DE) window,” he said.


According to Akogun, about 86, 401 candidates made the University of Ilorin their first choice institution in the last Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB)-moderated UTME.

He stressed that the institution has emerged as the most preferred University for the fifth consecutive year.

He added that statistics released by JAMB during the 2018 JAMB Admission Policy Meeting showed other nine most preferred universities as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) -74,635; the University of Benin (UNIBEN) – 70,322; and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – 66,486.

Others included University of Lagos (UNILAG) – 62,436; Bayero University Kano (BUK) – 56,261; Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) – 48,646; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) – 48,554; the University of Ibadan (UI) – 47,544; and the University of Jos (UNIJOS) – 46,082.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/unilorin-begins-screening-of-39711.html

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta and oil major, Shell on Monday denied allegations of coercing the leadership of Aghoro 1 community in Bayelsa to sign a disputed report on oil spillage.

A disagreement in the areas impacted by an oil leak on the Trans Ramos Pipeline within Shell’s oilfield at Aghoro communities in Bayelsa has stalled the release of a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) report of the oil spill.

Community leaders, who participated in the JIV to determine the cause of the spill reportedly refused to sign the report.

The refusal was attributed to wide disparity between the impacted areas claimed by Shell and the community.
Mr Victor Akamu, Chairman of the Community Development Committee of Aghoro 1, had alleged that Shell connived with the JTF to force and intimidation, to compel the community to sign the report.
Akamu told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Yenagoa that JTF summoned the community’s leadership to Yenagoa on Aug. 23 to force them to sign the JIV report but that the leaders refused to sign.
He said the team from Aghoro were labelled pipeline vandals and were profiled into the database of the JTF.
“We were taken to a room where detailed profiles of all of us were taken, including our finger prints, biometric details and our photographs.
“We were temporarily held down for almost three hours profiling before we were eventually told to go.
“I wanted to ask if it is part of JTF’s job to force a community to sign a JIV report.
“Shell should stop using JTF to intimidate our community. For the past 20 years, there is no history of pipeline vandalism.
“This leak was due to a ruptured pipeline, due to corrosion yet they call us vandals, it is unacceptable,” Akamu said.
However, reacting to the allegation of intimidation, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, Media Relations Manager of Shell, denied use of force to compel the company’s host communities to sign the JIV report.
“Yes, there are issues with the JIV report. The representative of Aghoro 1 community did not agree with a portion of the JIV report but we have not used force.
“SPDC does not coerce parties to sign JIV reports,” Odugbesan said.
Similarly, the Commander of the JTF, Rear Adm. Apochi Suleiman, dismissed the allegations of intimidation made by Aghoro community.
He said that the military waded into the crisis to encourage both parties to adopt dialogue to resolve their differences to avert breach of peace.
“We conduct our duties in compliance with our rules of engagement. We invited the parties to mediate and encourage them to dialogue and use the established channels of resolving conflicts.
“I told them to resolve their differences on the negotiating table so that the operation is not disrupted. Our mandate is to safeguard oil facilities and we do not want the disagreement to degenerate further.
“We got reports that some persons were disrupting ongoing repairs of the ruptured pipelines and that was why some people were profiled.
“I was emphatic that we cannot tolerate anyone taking the law into his hands,” Suleiman said.
NAN investigations showed that the leak, which occurred on May 17 this year, discharged about 1,114 barrels of crude oil into the environment and polluted the Ramos River and farmlands.
The draft JIV report said the 1,114 barrels of crude impacted a total land area of 113.3 hectares in Aghoro 1 but the community claimed that the impacted area was 1825 hectares.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/jtf-shell-deny-coercing-bayelsa.html

After series of failed appeals, communities impacted by the business activities of Wilmar PZ, a multinational company involved in agro palm cultivation in Cross River State have taken Wilmar to the State House of Assembly for alleged pollution and land grabbing.

The affected communities which include Mbarakom, Ekong Anaku, Ibogo, Umai, Betem, Uwet, Attan Odot Akamkpa Urban and Ayuk Aba communities among others, led by the Chairman Forest Watch, Mrs. Nkoyo Effiom, said “the continuous land grab by the firm is likely to generate tension and pitch the government against several thousands of farmers from Wilmar impacted communities across Akamkpa, Biase, Odukpani and Akpabuyo local government areas”, if there was no urgent intervention.

The host communities said their visit was to present their plights and predicaments before the legislators, made up of the chairman and members of the Cross River State House Committee on Commerce, Industries and PPP. Effiom noted that eight years ago, Wilmar PZ, commenced its operation in Cross River State with its acquisition of existing estates in the state, namely Calaro Oil Palm Estate, Ibiea Palm Plantation, Kwa Falls Oil Palm Estate and the Obasanjo Farms.

She said agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) meant to serve as beam and structural framework upon which development would not only strive but would be sustained were entered into with Wilmar accordingly even without due consultation with critical stakeholders but “eight years has passed.

“The yearning of the community people to have their communities transformed into satellite Towns with basic infrastructures has remained a distant dream, as Wilmar PZ has failed to keep to the MoU’s among several promises made.

“The drainage channels introduced as embankment by Wilmar PZ has not only caused lot of devastation to crops but has further disrupted and contaminated the streams in the area. Subsistence farmers in these communities have been displaced and denied access and ownership to the land and cultural heritage without compensation. Their rich biodiversity has been altered and the environment degraded particularly with the use of pesticides and chemicals fertilizers”.

The communities made a 4 point demand saying. “Wilmar PZ be made to enter fresh consultation with the community people on how to implement the mandatory CSR law of the state, and that they should be made to halt further expansion into individual, families and communities lands as well as conduct a FPIC-(Free, Prior Informed Consent) before expansion commence. That the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Wilmar PZ be reviewed and the existing MoU and other laws should be enforced and Wilmar made to comply accordingly.

The Village Head of Mbarakom community, His Royal Highness, Ntufam Itansina Itansina who was among the teeming number of persons that visited the legislators, remarked that what is more appalling is the fact that the company has deliberately hidden the copy of the MoU it entered into with government in their exclusion and “the MoU they have is not made known to us”.

In his response, the House Committee Chairman, Mr. Fred Osim, representing Ikom I state constituency thanked the communities and their representatives for the peaceful approach they have followed and pleaded with the leaders to continually keep the situation under check by getting the youths to remain peaceful and promised that the house will look into the matter.

When contacted on the matter, the Commissioner for Griculture in the State Professor Anthony Eneji said he was not aware of any crisis between Wilmar and its host communities over land and farm matters but promised to look into it.

In a reaction, the Sustainability Manager of Wilmar, Mr. Asen Ako said, “We would like to place on record that both Calaro Estate and Ibiae estates are long existing plantations set up by the State Government in 1954 and 1963 respectively. Biase Plantations Limited (BPL) through a state government privatization process purchased Ibiae Estate (5,594.012 ha) with survey plan No. RIU/CR/113/11 and Calaro Estate (5,549.801 ha) with survey plan No. ASC/CR/EBA/11/254.




“We would also like to place on record that there has been no additional land acquisition from chiefs or any individual to increase the size of Calaro Estate beyond what was handed by the state government. Thus, it is completely impossible that anyone at Akamkpa or surrounding communities of Calaro Estate to claim that we have used chiefs to grab individual and family land to add to what the state handed to us. The statement that BPL used chiefs to grab individual and family land is therefore not valid”.

He said, Wilmar, has “a robust CSR package for communities around its operation and this package is geared towards education, capacity building, health, employment, and economic development.

“In our support to education around our catchment area. To date, we have committed N253,785,027 (Onun Secondary school Mbarakom– 100 per cent completed); N116,574,542 (Camp 2 Primary School – 50per cent completed); N104,627,161.70 (Ibiae Primary School – 90 per cent completed); N226,160,500 (Aningeje Secondary School – 75per cent completed)”.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/cross-river-communities-protest-allege.html

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has described Governor Seriake Dickson as the best Governor in Nigeria.
He also hailed the tireless efforts of Governor Dickson at ensuring that the PDP remains cohesive and stable not only in his state but also at the national level.

A press statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Francis Ottah Agbo noted that Secondus gave the commendation when he led members of the PDP National Working Committee and the Board of Trustees to Toru-Orua in Bayelsa State to commiserate with Governor Dickson and his Family over the demise of his 72 year old mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson popularly called Mama Gogo. Secondus said Governor Dickson has over the years helped to build a strong PDP into a global brand and had continued to support the party. As Chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, the PDP Chief said the Governor helped to restore peace and unity to the party at all levels.
Condoling with Governor Dickson on behalf of the National Working Committee over the passage of his mother, Prince Secondus, described the death of Mrs. Dickson as shocking.
The PDP National Chairman who said Mama Go-go was the Governor’s back bone assured that PDP will both physically and spiritually participate in giving Mrs. Dickson a befitting burial.


His words: “Mrs. Dickson was a powerful praying mother, no wonder you are so successful in your political career. She was on her knees praying and blessing you every day. She was a great and unassuming community leader whose services to mankind has endeared her to many.

Responding, Governor Seriake Dickson expressed appreciation to members of the PDP National Working Committee for identifying with him and the Dickson family in their moment of grief, noting that his mother was also a staunch member of the PDP.
Governor Dickson used the occasion to inform them of his intention to immortalize his mother’s legacies of love and compassion by instituting the Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson Memorial Cancer Screening Centre.
According to the Governor, the project is a private initiative aimed at stemming the rising cases of cancer, which has been silently destroying lives.
“This is part of my own crusade to kick out cancer. At the appropriate time, I will reach out to people of goodwill to support the initiative and possibly save the next life.”
These are the times we are confronted by our mortality and limitations. My family and I take solace in your visit and we feel honoured. It’s a tough period for us. The loss of a mother is not what one should wish anybody. She lived a life of love, care and compassion.”
National Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, prayed God to grant the Dickson’s family and the community the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Members of the South-South Zonal Executive of the PDP led by its Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, the Bayelsa State Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen as well as the state leadership of the Civil Service also offered their condolences to the Governor.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/seriake-dickson-is-best-nigerian-gov.html

Irate youths on Friday set ablaze the Osun Police Area Command Office in Iwo in protest against the alleged killing of a resident by policemen suspected to be members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

An eyewitness said the victim, Nafiu Ayodele, who was a student of Osun Polytechnic, Iree, was allegedly hit by a stray-bullet on Thursday at Oluponna, Iwo.

The eyewitness, who pleaded for anonymity, said the angry youths from Ile-Ogbo stormed the command on Friday morning, dislodged the policemen from their offices and set the premises on fire.


According to the eyewitness, who lives close to the scene, the youths arrived at the Area Commander’s Office around 7 a.m. and engaged the police officers in a gun battle.
“The youth dislodged the police officers, pulled down the fence of the station and set the offices ablaze.
“The irate youths brought out generators and other office equipment from the building and set them ablaze before finally setting the premises ablaze, ” he said.
According to the eyewitness, the policemen were able to escape with the aid of their Armoured Personnel Carrier which came to the scene.
The Police Commissioner in the state, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, confirmed the incident, adding that the command was on top of the situation.
Adeoye said he had directed the appropriate team to commence investigation into the incident.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/irate-youths-burn-police-area-command.html

President Muhammadu Buhari’s gesture to settle the medical bills of a blind member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, yesterday, stoked a political fire-fight after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar taunted him for sacrificing the country’s medical capacity through repeated medical tourism.

Atiku, in a riposte to Buhari’s gesture, had tackled him for putting electoral considerations in a humanitarian deed. The former vice-president’s assertions were immediately tackled by President Buhari’s camp which flayed Atiku for going to London in 2007 to seek relief for what it called a simple leg injury. The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA on its part, blamed federal officials for not doing much over the years to stem the flow of medical tourism, saying the problem was worsening, with scarce Nigerian funds being used to develop the health institutions of other countries. The face-off between the two camps followed Buhari’s promise to take care of the cost of medical treatment of a 28-year-old serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Okenala Ahmed, who is visually-impaired. While commending Buhari for his gesture in a tweet yesterday, Atiku, nevertheless, criticized the President for spending much on his medical vacations, saying the amount spent would have covered the cost of setting up the kind of facility to handle Ahmed’s condition. “I commend @NGRPresident @MBuhari for paying medical bills of a blind corps member five months to the 2019 election, but I remind him that if he had invested the public funds he spends on his London medicals on public healthcare, he wouldn’t need to do this,” Atiku wrote in his official twitter handle yesterday. His assertion, however, got an immediate response from Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmed, who in his tweet said: “Just remember sir, on March 11, 2007, Nigeria’s VP, a leading contender in April 2007’s presidential election, Alhaji Atiku, Abuja, interrupted his campaign to go to London to treat a ‘not very serious injury’ on his knee.” The APC was also dismissive of the former vice-president’s claims, saying Atiku with his foreign content should not be speaking on the issue. APC National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in a reaction, told Vanguard: “It is not people like Atiku that are not local content who should be speaking on matters like this. ‘’We know how he went to London when he fell from a treadmill,” he said yesterday.

Full details at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/nysc-member-triggers-spat-between.html

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, wants politicians in Osun State and across the country to play politics without bitterness.He made the call at his palace in Ile-Ife, when the Chief Imam of Ifeland, Abdul Hammed, led other Muslim faithful to visit him during the Eid el-Kabir celebration.

The monarch implored them to shun the vices of religious differences, and apply the spirit of brotherhood in playing politics.He said political engagement should not be regarded as a do-or-die affair, if political players have genuine intention to serve the people.

The Ooni stressed that the political space would be rancor-free, if the players adopt such spirit of harmony in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

He said: “The spirit of brotherhood being displayed by the Muslim faithful on the day was very laudable. At the Eid praying ground during the Eid-el Kabir festival, I saw politicians of opposing parties sitting side by side with one another, relating as if they were brothers from the same womb.”

He implored politicians to apply same spirit of brotherhood when they get to the field of politics, adding that it would help in witnessing violence-free elections always.
Oba Ogunwunsi also advised politicians and party supporters to refrain from promoting violence during elections.While stressing that there was no gain in violence, he said nobody’s blood should be shed on account of elections since voting is not a fight.
The monarch appealed to youths to be conscious of their future and never allow to be used for violence.According to him, allowing politicians to use them to wreak havoc during election does not equate the greater future that lies ahead of them.
The monarch urged them to be law-abiding, peaceful and responsible citizens to attain a creditable future.This, he, said was needed rather than sacrificing their future on the altar of violence and the stipends that go with it.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/ooni-canvasses-politics-without.html

A 27-year-old fashion designer, Olamide Oyelami, has been arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on three counts bordering on cultism and unlawful possession of firearm.

Akelicious gathered that Oyelami was arrested during a police patrol on July 22, 2018.

It was gathered that a locally-made pistol loaded with one live cartridge was found in his possession and he further confessed to being a member of a cult, Alora.

In his statement to the police, the Oyo State indigene said he went to a birthday party with his friend, adding that the pistol was kept in his care by another friend.

He said, “I live with a childhood friend, Olaitan Olatunji. Olatunji and I went to a birthday party. When it was around 9pm, we left the party. On getting to De-Chandi Hotel near the general hospital on Ota Road, the police patrol team attached to the Elere division accosted me and when they searched me, they recovered one locally-made pistol loaded with one live cartridge.

“The pistol that was found in my possession was given to me by one Leke Obatolu, who resides in the Oniwaya area of Agege. Obatolu gave me the gun at the birthday party. He asked me to keep it for him. Olatunji, Obatolu and I are members of Alora. I joined Alora early last year and Obatolu was the one that initiated me into the cult.”

The police prosecutor, Abiola Adewale, told the court that the offences contravened sections 411, 41 and 51 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The charges read, “That you, Olamide Oyelami, and others now at large, on July 22, 2018, around 11.30pm on Ota Road, Ile-Epo, Agege, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit; belonging to an unlawful society.

“That you, Olamide Oyelami, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did manage a confraternity, popularly known as Alora, knowing that the society is unlawful.

“That you, Olamide Oyelami, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully have in your possession one locally-made single-barrelled pistol with one live cartridge without a licence issued to you by the Inspector-General of Police or any other appropriate authority.”


The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The presiding magistrate, W. A. salami, admitted him to bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum.

He said, “The sureties should be gainfully employed with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.”

He adjourned the case till September 27, 2018.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/fashion-designer-arraigned-for-cultism.html

Passenger traffic on domestic routes in the country dropped by over 30 per cent in the first half of 2018, compared with same period last year, findings by Akelicious has shown.

The airlines attributed the development to slowdown in economic activities, as well as low purchasing power.


Records on passenger movement made available to Akelicious by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also confirmed the low passenger traffic in 2018 compared with the previous year.

For example, in the first six months of 2017, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), the busiest airport in the country, recorded 2,644,034 passengers on domestic flights.

But in the same period in 2018, the airport recorded 1,803,317 passengers.

Also, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, FAAN recorded 1,907,682 in the first six months of 2017, higher that the 1,702,020 the agency report in same period in 2018.

In fact, the airports that operate only domestic service recorded low passenger movement in the first half of 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017.

The Executive Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mr. Nogie Meggison, who also confirmed this, said despite the fact that Nigeria overcame economic recession in 2017, income level of households was yet to improve because of the fragile economic growth.

According to Meggison, air travel is one of the barometers to gauge the health of a nation, saying whenever a country is doing well, it will reflect on the number of people that travel by air.

“As I always say, Nigerian aviation is not a stand-alone. It is part of the bigger economy of Nigeria and contributing to the GDP. It is obvious that aviation is the quickest barometer to check any economy.

“And if you check the Nigerian travelling populace, 70 to 80 per cent of those travelling are business people, as compared to the outside world where only 40 per cent are business people, 30 per cent tourists and the other 30 per cent are students and others.

“In Nigeria if you check the flights going to Abuja, 80 to 85 per cent are on business purpose and once these people don’t have business to do, it is obvious that there won’t be any movement because if you are not going to do business, no travelling. So it is a clear quick indication and barometer for the economy.

“So, if the economy is not performing as expected and businessmen are not moving, the airlines will not find the passengers.

“Once the economy begins to jump, business starts to move; then you see movement in our airports. Where 80 to 85 per cent of the passengers are doing business, most of them are not seeing any business to do now. I guess what is happening in Abuja right now is more politics than business. So it is the politicians that are moving,” he said.

Meggison stressed the need for Nigeria to take advantage of its demography to grow its aviation sector.

“We can make Nigeria the hub and to make us the hub, we need to improve on our infrastructure. As we improve on our infrastructure, other people will transit through Nigeria. And when this is done, we will jump-start the aviation sector,” he said.

The spokesman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Sam Adurogboye, told Akelicious that the low passenger traffic was a reflection of the prevailing economic situation, noting that the aviation industry cannot be insulated from the rest of the economic mix.

“Air travel and the aviation sector respond to the prevailing economic situation; just like it affects other sectors. In air travel, there is low season and there is also high season. Even on international flights, there are times seats are fully booked and there are also times of flying empty seats. But safety remains our number priority. We don’t toy with it.

“Nigeria is not an exception of the low passenger traffic. To have improved load factors depends on some other variables such as flying modern equipment, good customer care, competitive fare regime, laudable safety and security records. If an airline now chooses to toy with safety, it will have the regulator to contend with. If it escapes the eagle-eyed regulator, one day, accident will catch up with him. God forbid,” Adurogboye said.

Akelicious also learnt that the total number of operating aircraft in the domestic routes has shrunk to about 36 from about 58 last year.

It was gathered that some airplanes have gone on checks overseas; some are not airworthy – Aircraft on Ground (AOG) in the industry.

Investigation also revealed that some airlines that operated in 2017 have temporarily stopped flight service.

The insufficient supply of aircraft has also exacerbated flight delays as one aircraft is scheduled to operate many flights in a day.

Akelicious also learnt that the available aircraft record high load factor as there is high demand of limited equipment and airlines are making good business.

However, the spokesman of Air Peace, Chris Iwarah, told Akelicious that the airline has not experienced significant drop in passenger traffic.

“We record average of 100-120 passengers in our Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt flights, but during mid day load factor can come down to 70 passengers, but overall, it is average of 100-120 passengers. But I must say that more and more people prefer to fly Air Peace because they trust that whatever it is, they must fly beacuse we have enough aircraft, so you may not use Air Peace to judge the trend of the market,” he said.

Also confirming that high demand due to less number of aircraft in operation, Head of Communications of Arik Air, Adebanji Ola, acknowledged that the airline’s flights have been recording high load factor.

“We have been recording high load factor more than we have witnessed in the last five to six years. Maybe because there is less number of aircraft in operation, but for us, it has been so good so far,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/airlines-domestic-passengers-drop-by-30.html

Has your smartphone suddenly slowed down, warmed up and the battery drained down for no apparent reason? If so, it may have been hijacked to mine cryptocurrencies.

This new type of cyberattack is called “cryptojacking” by security experts.

It “consists of entrapping an internet server, a personal computer or a smartphone to install malware to mine cryptocurrencies,” said Gerome Billois, an expert at the IT service management company Wavestone.


Mining is basically the process of helping verify and process transactions in a given virtual currency. In exchange miners are now and then rewarded with some of the currency themselves.

Legitimate mining operations link thousands of processors together to increase the computing power available to earn cryptocurrencies.

Mining bitcoin, ethereum, monero and other cryptocurrencies may be very profitable, but it does require considerable investments and generates huge electricity bills.

But hackers have found a cheaper option: surreptitiously exploiting the processors in smartphones.

To lure victims, hackers turn to the digital world’s equivalent of the Trojan horse subterfuge of Greek mythology: inside an innocuous-looking app or programme hides a malicious one.

The popularity of games makes them attractive for hackers.

“Recently, we have discovered that a version of the popular game Bug Smasher, installed from Google Play between one and five million times, has been secretly mining the cryptocurrency monero on users’ devices,” said researchers at IT security firm ESET.

The phenomenon is apparently growing.

“More and more mobile applications hiding Trojan horses associated to a cryptocurrency mining programme have appeared on the platforms in the last 12 months,” said David Emm, a security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, a leading supplier of computer security and anti-virus software.

“On mobiles the processing power available to criminals is less,” but “there is a lot more of these devices, and therefore taking in total, they offer a greater potential,” he added.

Google cleans house
But for smartphone owners, the mining is at best a nuisance, slowing down the operation of the phone and making it warm to the touch as the processor struggles to unlock cryptocurrency and accomplish other task.

At worst, it can damage the phone.

“On Android devices, the computational load can even lead to ‘bloating’ of the battery and thus to physical damage to, or destruction of, the device,” said ESET.

However, “users are generally unaware” they have been cryptojacked, said Emm.

Cryptojacking affects mostly smartphones running Google’s Android operating system.

Apple exercises more control over apps that can be installed on its phones, so hackers have targetted iPhones less.

But Google recently cleaned up its app store, Google Play, telling developers that it will no longer accept apps that mine cryptocurrencies on its platform.

‘Cat and mouse game’
“It is difficult to know which applications to block,” said Pascal Le Digol, the country manager in France for US IT security firm WatchGuard, given that “there are new ones every day.”

Moreover, as the miners try to “be as discreet as possible” the apps do not stand out immediately, he added.

There are steps to take to protect one’s phone.

Besides installing an antivirus programme, it is important “to update your Android phone” to the latest version of the operating system available to it, said online fraud expert Laurent Petroque at F5 Networks.

He also noted that “people who decide to download apps from non-official sources are at more risk of inadvertantly downloading a malicious app”.

Defending against cyberattacks of all kinds is “a game of cat and mouse”, said Le Digol at WatchGuard.

“You need to constantly adapt to the evolution of threats.”

In this case he said “the mouse made a large leap”, said Le Digol, adding cryptojacking could evolve to other forms in the future to include all types of connected objects.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/hackers-target-smartphones-to-mine.html

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the immediate recommencement of the Continuous Nationwide Membership Registration exercise in all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“The decision follows calls from members of the public interested in joining our great Party to support the Change Agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration,” Mr. Yekini Nabena, spokesperson for the party said in a statement


He added that the exercise will include both fresh registrations and revalidation of existing membership for the purposes of issuance of the Party’s permanent membership cards.

“We hereby urge our teeming supporters and members to take advantage of the exercise,” Nabena concluded.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/apc-begins-nationwide-membership.html

Telecommunications firm, MTN said it has committed N180 billion to network expansion in Nigeria for 2018.

This is even as it claimed that for a similar projects in 2016 and 2017, it spent N192 billion and N225 billion respectively.

Speaking at a post–event interview in Lagos, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Financial Officer, Kunle Awobodu, said the telecommunications firm will spend N180 billion this year on expansion and network roll outs.


Awobodu explained that this became necessary because of the need to expand into the hinterland and bridge the access gap the country currently facing.

The MTN CFO explained that majority of the funds would go into data service expansion, “though voice contributes 2/3 of our revenue, but the issue is that, lately, people are not making calls like before. They now rely more on the likes of WhatsApp.

As we transition from callcentric to datacentric, you need to improve your infrastructure.

Though, the firm’s financial report showed that we had 17 per cent increase in revenue, the fact is that the increase came from call and few from data.

So, as a company that is futuristic, we have to prepare for the future.

If big part of our revenue will come from data, we have to prepare for it by investing in data infrastructure.”

On planned 5G transition, Awobodu said: “What people do not understand about the 3G, 4G is about having a smartphone.

We can’t start talking about 5G when our 3G, 4G phone penetration is still very low in Nigeria. We can say may be in Lagos, we have a better penetration but not the same in rest of Nigeria.

“We are still at the early stage of 4G, so it may be too early for for us to start talking about 5G.


MTN has tested 5G in South Africa, we are going to conduct a test here sometime but for us to push up this, we have to make sure that the smartphones are in the market and that they are in the right preference.

The smartphones we have do not even support 4G, not to talk of 5G. But we shall get to that level,” he stated.

As at last year, adoption of smartphone hovered around 30 per cent and 35 per cent in Nigeria.

On slow 4G connections in the country, Awobodu said the issue bothered on availability of spectrum frequency, “the more frequency you have the better services you can give.

It also helps us in terms of the coverage you can give the people. If you have a good frequency, data and coverage will be better.

We already have LTE service, what we are doing is expanding it in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt.

I think we are now in nine cities but we have cities that are still not on 4G that we want to expand into while we are doing this capital expenditure expansion.

For us, we have to first invest in the equipment itself to generate cash that is how it is structured.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/operator-commits-n180-billion-to.html

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed, yesterday, that the whistle-blower policy of the current administration has raked in N13.8 billion into the coffers of the Federal Government from tax evaders.

He also said other dividends of the policy include N7.8 billion, $378 million and £27,800 recoveries from public officials. Mohammed, who described 2019 as the year of decision for Nigeria at a press briefing on State of the Nation in his country home at Oro, Kwara State, expressed confidence that the vast majority of the electorate would chose the path of development by re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office. He said: “The fight against corruption has been unrelenting, without fear or favour. The administration has driven corruption under the table; Nigerians no longer celebrate the corrupt. “Looters no longer sleep at night, as the long arm of the law closes in on them. The government’s whistle-blower policy has yielded massive dividends, including N13.8 billion from tax evaders, N7.8 billion, $378 million and £27,800 in recoveries from public officials targeted by whistle-blowers. This administration has embarked on institutional reforms to curb corruption. Mohammed said the fear of the impending victory of President Buhari, as reflected in the outcome of the elections in Ekiti State, and lately Bauchi and Katsina states, explained why the oppositions had been running from pillar to post, desperate to thwart the victory of the APC in 2019. According to him, their efforts will be in vain. The minister also said thought of fighting corruption during the second term of the present administration had also sent fears down the spines of his political enemies, assuring that the fight against corruption would continue, even as the present administration was keen about consolidating on its achievements. Speaking on the forthcoming elections in 2019, the minister said: “I want to appeal to the good people of Nigeria to be vigilant and not yield the space to naysayers. The gains of the past three years plus must be preserved. “Nigeria must continue on its present trajectory to sustainable growth and development. Never again must we go back to Egypt. “2019 is the year of decision for Nigeria. It is the year that the critical decision will be made as to whether Nigeria will continue along the path of development, in all ramifications (social, economic, political, etc), that this administration has embarked upon since 2015 or the country will retrogress and backslide to the throes of massive and primitive looting and lack of development.’’

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/fg-rakes-n138bn-through-whistle-blower.html

Total has invested $10 billion in order to boost investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Mr. Ahmadu-Kida Musa, Deputy Managing Director, Deepwater District, Total E&P Nigeria Ltd said at the just concluded conference of the National Association of Energy Correspondents, NAEC, in Lagos that, “TOTAL upstream branch plays a significant economic and social role in Nigeria, operating nearly 15% of the country’s production. Nigeria, as one of our core areas of activities, is also crucial to the TOTAL GROUP, accounting for 12% of its equity production. In the last five years, TOTAL has invested approximately $10 billion in the country. “Despite the challenging operating environment, TOTAL is committed to investing in the country. We, therefore, believe that when Nigeria prospers, TOTAL also prospers.”

Mr. Musa who stressed the importance of the nation’s Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, said that dialogue could be used to tackle outstanding issues. He said, “As you already know, the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) was passed by the National Assembly last month and is currently awaiting assent by President Muhammadu Buhari. The PIGB is the first in a series of four proposed bills that constitute the legal framework for the Petroleum sector reform of the Federal Government. “The three other bills that are currently undergoing various legislative processes at the National Assembly include, the Petroleum Industry Administration Bill (PIAB), Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill (PIFB) and Petroleum Host Community Bill (PHCB). “As it is usually the case with new legislation, especially one as fundamental as this, there are bound to be some initial concerns. But we believe that these concerns can be easily addressed through dialogue and legislative public hearings. Our thoughts and concerns on the PIGB and the rest of the proposed bills have been articulated by our umbrella organisation, the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry.” He stated, “The Management of TOTAL in Nigeria and the Energy Industry as a whole appreciates your role in keeping our country’s Energy sector transparent and accountable. We appreciate your association’s commitment and the energy you bring to reporting and analysing the issues that are critical to the success of the energy sector. “It is a well-known fact that that the relationship between the media and the corporate world is sometimes characterised by a mutual lack of trust. We know also that this shouldn’t be the case as we strongly believe that we are all partners and joint stakeholders in our quest for a better Nigeria. “We also believe that it is important to step back from time to time, sit down at conferences like this, and have these conversations that foster understanding and appreciation of the wide range of issues that the sector is contending with. “As a major oil and gas company in Nigeria, TOTAL is proud to be one of the sponsors of this important event. The TOTAL GROUP has been present in Africa for more than 90 years and has been involved in exploration activities in Nigeria for 56 years. “We have a broad and diversified portfolio in Nigeria, with activities spanning onshore, conventional offshore, deep water and LNG. Indeed, TOTAL is the only integrated International Oil Company with presence throughout the entire value chain of the industry in Nigeria – Downstream, Upstream and Midstream sectors. TOTAL has developed a strong partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other partners.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/nigeria-total-invests-10bn-in-5-years.html