President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, in Abuja urged State Governors to “enforce very vigorously” free and compulsory basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.

This was contained in a statement to Us on Thursday by Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

The President also urged the Governors to pay special attention to security, health and agriculture in the next four years of this administration.

Inaugurating the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari reminded the Governors that providing free and compulsory education is a constitutional provision.

The statement added, ‘‘Section 18(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended places on all of us here an obligation to eradicate illiteracy and provide free and compulsory education.

‘‘Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act provides that every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.

“It is indeed a crime for any parent to keep his child out of school for this period. In my view, when a government fails to provide the schools, teachers and teaching materials necessary for basic education, it is actually aiding and abetting that crime.

‘‘This is, therefore, a call to action. I would like to see every Governor rise from this meeting and rally his local Government Chairmen towards ensuring that our schools offer the right opportunities and provide the needed materials and teachers for basic education, at the minimum.

‘‘If we are able to do this, the benefits will surely manifest themselves,’’ the President said in his 24-paragraph speech at the inaugural session of NEC.

The President told the Governors that successes in the four key areas of education, security, health and agriculture would go a long in lifting Nigerians out poverty, and securing the future for sustainable growth and development.




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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Uche Secondus, on Friday said leaders of the international community were expecting the declaration of Atiku Abubakar as president of Nigeria.

The party insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari did not win the 2019 general election.

Secondus spoke at the 86th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja.

He said: “The European Union election observation group, the American based National Democratic Institute, NDI, and International Republican Institute, IRI have confirmed the feeling of Nigerians that the election that produced President Muhammadu Buhari was marred by rampant irregularities and therefore fell below credibility standard.

“The report also lampooned the roles of security agencies during the election and noted that the performance of security operatives during the election fell far below the acceptable international best practice.

“From these reports, therefore, it’s now obvious even globally that the will of Nigerian voters freely expressed on 23 February 2019 when they came out in their numbers and voted for our candidate Atiku Abubakar was massively rigged and thwarted. This clearly is the verdict of the World who are also watching us as we proceed at the election tribunal.

“This government in all sincerity cannot take this country to their so-called next level. Maybe as witnessed in the last four years, they will take us to the next level of insecurity, hunger and hopelessness.

“The situation is precarious and it entails that all hands must be on deck to retrieve our stolen mandate and save this country. To do that, we must return to God to ask that the will of Nigerian people freely expressed on February 23, 2019, prevails.”



See more here https://thickmatch.com/atiku-vs-buhari-world-leaders-expecting-pdp/

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday, withdrew Festus Adedayo’s appointment.

Reports that Lawan took the decision, barely 48 hours after appointing Adedayo as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

This came after some supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked against the appointment.

On Thursday morning, a group known as APC stakeholders accused Lawan of rewarding President Muhammadu Buhari’s enemies.

Abu Andrew, spokesman of the group, had said the appointments were “glaring” reward to people who have insulted Buhari.

“No doubt, the appointments are glaring reward for people who have not only insulted the person of President Muhammadu Buhari but also severally maligned the integrity of the office he occupies,” Andrew fumed.

Buhari’s wife, Aisha, tweeted the video of the group’s protest on her verified account, which contained the caption “You cannot drive an agenda with people who don’t believe in that agenda…how will you achieve your purpose If you bring in people who fought against your agenda.”

Lawan swiftly moved to rescind Adedayo’s appointment hours later.

“The office of the President of the Senate has reviewed the appointment of Mr. Festus Adedayo as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate and decided to rescind its decision on the appointment, and wishes Mr. Adebayo the best in his future endeavours,” His Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Isa, said in a statement.


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The International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos, has released a compilation of the campaign promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of electioneering activities for the 2019 general elections.

Thirty (30) of such promises covering pledges on specific and general issues of Road/Rail infrastructure, Education, Agriculture, Poverty Eradication and Inclusion of Youths/Women in government as well as the fight against Corruption and Insecurity were documented and contained in a statement signed by the IPC Programme Manager, Sanmi Folabi.

The documentation was done by IPC’s Media Monitoring Team, while the promises were derived from quoted statements of the President in The Nation, The Punch, Daily Sun, Daily Trust, Vanguard, ThisDay, Leadership and Nigerian Tribune newspapers over a four-month period from November 2018 to February 2019.

According to the statement, the specific sources were page 6, The Nation newspaper of Monday November 19, 2018; page 2, The Punch Newspaper of Monday November 19, 2018; page 6, Daily Sun newspaper of Monday, November 19, 2018; front page, Daily Trust newspaper of Monday, November 19,2018; page 5 and 41, Vanguard newspaper of November 19, 2018; page 1 and 10, This Day of November 19, 2018; page 2, Nigerian Tribune of November 19, 2018; page 25, Leadership newspaper of December 5, 2018; front page, Thisday, January 17, 2019; page 12, Daily Sun Newspaper, Thursday, January 31, 2019; page 9, Nigerian Tribune of January 17, 2019; and front page, Vanguard Newspaper, February 09, 2019.

The promises are:

1. To engage one million N-power graduates and skill up 10 million Nigerians in partnership with the private sector.

2. To expand the school feeding programme from 9.3m to 15 million children, creating 300,000 extra jobs for food vendors and farmers.

3. To complete the Ibadan/Kano phase of the Lagos/Kano rail link.

4. To complete the Port Harcourt/Maiduguri line.

5. To complete the Itakpa/Warri link to Abuja, through Lokoja.

6. To complete the Second Niger Bridge and the East-West Road connecting Warri, Delta State, to Oron, Akwa Ibom State, through Kaiama and Port Harcourt in Bayelsa and Rivers State.

7. To establish a peoples Moni bank.

8. To institutionalize the giving of soft loans of up to 1million naira to small traders, artisans and commercial drivers.

9. To increase the beneficiaries of trader Moni, market Moni and farmer Moni from 2.3 million to 10million.
10. To create more room for inclusion in government by achieving 35% in female appointments.

11. To give more access to youths as aides of cabinet members and through opportunities for appointments in boards and agencies.

12. To introduce special mentoring programme in governance with young graduates working with ministers and other appointees.

13. To reinterpret the education curriculum through coding, robotics, animations and design thinking.

14. Retraining of all teachers in public primary and secondary schools to deliver digital literacy.

15. Remodeling and equipping of 10,000 schools per year.



16. To complete the 365 road projects under construction in all parts of the federation.

17. Provision of infrastructure and rebuilding the economy.

18. To sustaining the anti-insurgency war and curb insecurity.

19. To fight corruption and revamp the economy.

20. To develop 6 industrial Parks in each of the geopolitical zones.

21. To establish 109 Special Production and Processing Centres (SPPCs) across each senatorial district of Nigeria.

22. To develop the Special Economic zone to quickly concretize our made in Nigeria for export (MINE) plan.

23. To expand the social investment program so as to eradicate poverty.

24. To ensure completion of Manbilla Dam and Bridge.

25. To ensure the construction of the Makurdi Taraba Borno rail project.

26. To complete the bridges across the stretch of River Benue in Ibi local government area.

27. To continue to pursue agricultural policy by ensuring that fertilisers are made available at all the local government areas across the country, for easy access by farmers.

28. To resuscitate the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

29. To ensure the completion of the on-going Zungeru Hydro Power project.

30. To include persons of integrity in the cabinet.

Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said the exercise was in line with the tradition of IPC, which in 2011 documented 91 campaign promises of President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to him, it was also embarked upon pursuant to the implementation of Component 4b: Support to Media of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Project by IPC over a 52-month period.

Explaining the methodology further, the IPC Director said the campaign promises of all the presidential candidates that contested the 2019 elections were documented but only that of President Muhammadu Buhari was being released.

He, however, said both President Buhari’s campaign promises and those of the other candidates would later be uploaded on the IPC websites.

Explaining the rationale for the documentation of the campaign promises, Mr. Arogundade said the activity was in consonance and conformity with IPC’s mandate to advance democratic accountability.

“The essence is to ensure that it serves as a tool for journalists to monitor, track and ask questions about the diverse aspects of the implementation including using the Freedom of Information Act to such relevant questions,” Arogundade stressed.

“Having trained journalists across Nigeria on issue-focused reporting of elections, we believe they need information like this to follow-up after the elections,” he added.

According to him, the documented campaign promises will also be useful for civil society groups working on development and democratic governance issues as well as various electoral stakeholders.

“The documentation of the president’s electoral promises from the media reports, which is by no means exhaustive, is to serve as a major instrument to proactively engage the Buhari administration on its performance over the next four years and provide benchmarks in seeking democratic accountability, service delivery and the fulfilment of key campaign promises made by the president,” he said.





Read more here https://thickmatch.com/ipc-releases-documented-campaign-promises-president-muhammadu-buhari/

The Federal Government has debunked rumour making the rounds in the social media of purported case of Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

Debunking the story, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Abdullaziz Mashi Abdullahi, urged members of the public to disregard the rumour and discourage the circulation of any unverified information, which he said, could cause harm to innocent people and unnecessary panic among the citizens.

He also assured that since the reports of outbreak of EVD in the Democratic Republic of Congo, heightened surveillance had been on-going at the various points of entry by officials of the Port Health Services division of the Ministry to prevent importation into Nigeria.

To this effect, he said every sick passenger has been properly screened and ‘’I can say categorically that none of the patients screened has tested positive for Ebola or any deadly disease.’

The Permanent Secretary also noted that in line with WHO’s guidelines, a recent preliminary risk assessment conducted by the Nigeria Ebola Preparedness team, coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) indicated that the overall risk of importation of EVD to Nigeria from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda is low; but we are not resting on our oars in view of trading activities of Nigerians.

He assured that the Nigerian Government remained fully committed, while working closely with the WHO, State Ministries of Health, partners and all other stakeholders, to protect the health of all Nigerians.

“However, necessary protocols are being followed in line with International Health Regulations,” ’he said.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/fg-debunks-ebola-rumour-nigeria/

Dr Wuranti Vala, an official of the National Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, has said that Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba States are now producing quality rubber in commercial quantity.

Vala disclosed this on Wednesday during a visit by students of Government Secondary School Zuturung Kari, Zangon Kataf, to the rubber plantations and nurseries in Manchok, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

“It is now evident that high quality natural rubber is now being produced in Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba.

“This simply means more income will be generated for government and many unemployed youths in the areas will now have something to do to generate income for themselves,” he said.

The official said the growth of rubber trees in Manchok began eight years ago, and tapping and putting the raw material into proper use had already commenced.

He called on Nigerians, particularly residents of the three states to venture into rubber farming, adding that it has the huge economic potentials to take the country and individuals out of poverty.





See more here https://thickmatch.com/kaduna-adamawa-taraba-now-produces-quality-rubber-institute/

The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly may have crept into the new legislative arm of government as thugs allegedly attacked Mr Seidu Oshiomhole, younger brother of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in Benin.

The thugs attacked Oshiomhole on Tuesday alongside 14 other lawmakers-elect in the state.
The lawmakers were reportedly holding a meeting at an undisclosed location when they were attacked by thugs.

According to reports, the meeting was necessitated by the Monday midnight inauguration of nine members of the new parliament and subsequent election of Frank Okiye as speaker.

It would be recalled that nine out of the 24-man Assembly met to elect a speaker in what could be described as a recipe for crisis in the state.

The ongoing crisis in the state assembly may not be unconnected to the rift between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole



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good for them

The Save Lagos Group (SLG) has called on the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to stop playing God over rumoured plan to appoint the immediate past Governor of the State, Akinwunmi Ambode into the yet-to-be-constituted cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group said it was reacting to a purported statement by the former Lagos governor that he (Tinubu) would resign his membership of the APC if President Buhari nominates Ambode as ministerial nominee from the State.

In a statement by the SLG’s Convener, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman and made available to us on Tuesday, the group stated that “Tinubu has turned himself to Alpha and Omega of the State nay Nigeria politics, forgetting that only God gives and takes power and no human being can act like God.”

SLG maintained that “all the ideas of Tinubu in the political armament of the State and Nigeria was parochial and self serving.


“Ambode is more qualified than Tinubu because Ambode is educationally qualified to hold any position including Minister in the country,because he doesn’t have ‘Chicagogate’ on his educational qualification like Mr. Godfatherism.”



See more here https://thickmatch.com/ministerial-appointment-tinubu-attack-allegedly-standing-buharis-nomination-ambode/

Registration for the 2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon opened Monday, June 17, 2019, with intending participants paying a fee according to a statement signed by the organisation Director of Communications and Media Olukayode Thomas.

Upon the payment of the registration fee of N5, 000 for the 10km race and the full marathon, intending participants can register online at www. lagoscitymarathon com or collect registration forms at the Marathon Office, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos or any of the Access Bank branches nationwide.

Thomas said foreigners who intend to participate in the 2020 edition slated for February 8, 2020, will pay a registration fee of $US100 (One Hundred United States of America dollar only).

Thomas said the first four editions of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon was free but a fee is being introduced from 2020 so as to comply with the IAAF requirement which stipulates that all top label races must charge a participation fee.

He said 10 per cent of the registration fee paid will be donated to five charity organisations selected by members of the public and other stakeholders.

“Payment of registration fee will enable us to raise the standard of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon to the standard of other world-class marathons like the New York Marathon, Dubai, London, Chicago, and others.

“It will also attract many tourists to Lagos, thus boosting the State’s economy; especially in the areas of hospitality, transport, sales of arts and crafts and the positive stories they leave with will attract genuine investors to Lagos State in future,” Said Thomas.




See more here https://thickmatch.com/registration-2020-race-begins-n5000-payment/

A group of lawmakers have spoken up over accusation of vote buying against the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila

Omolori, who supervised the June 11 election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, is being accused of having condoned impunity among the lawmakers.

Making references to photographic images and video evidence being released to back up their claims, the group asserted that they are only embarking on a principled struggle, adding that while the members have no personal grudges against any person or political party, they will not condone any illegitimacy in the election of the person or persons who will lead the House of Representatives.

But, reacting, a House of Representatives member Khadijah Bukar Abba on Monday said that Gbajabiamila did not induce his colleagues financially to vote for him.
Abba, the acting spokesman of the House, spoke shortly after the inauguration of four adhoc committees by the Speaker on Monday.

Also Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who stood in for the ad Committee Chairman, said Gbajabiamila had no reason to induce any lawmaker as he worked hard enough to deserve the seat.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/9th-assembly-reps-members-speak-gbajabiamila-buying-votes-green-cards/

Governor Darius Ishaku has imposed curfew on Jalingo -the Taraba state capital, following the outbreak of fresh crisis in some communities in Kona and ATC areas near Jalingo.

Ishaku had earlier in a statement said there would be no curfew.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, the governor said:

“In view of fresh outbreak of crisis in some communities in Kona and ATC areas near Jalingo today, (yesterday), the Taraba State government has decided to impose a curfew on Jalingo and all the affected communities with immediate effect.

“The curfew is from 4pm to 6am daily. It remains in force until further notice.

“Security agencies in the state have been directed to enforce the curfew strictly to ensure strict compliance and quick return of peace to the affected communities.”



See more here https://thickmatch.com/breaking-ishaku-reverses-decision-imposes-curfew-jalingo/

Nigeria, on Monday night, lost 1-0 to hosts France in their last Group A game at the ongoing Women’s World Cup.

The Super Falcons held on for 75 minutes, before conceding a penalty that Wendie Renard converted at the second time of asking.

Before the game, it was almost certain that Thomas Dennerby’s ladies would finish third in the group, as Norway were going to face Korea Republic.

However, if they had gotten a point, the Falcons would have stood a bigger chance.

Nigeria’s chances, which are now slim, depend on results from other groups.

But there are only three spaces left, as China has already taken one of the slots reserved for the best third-placed teams.

For the African champions to qualify for the Round of 16, Scotland need to beat Argentina. Or at least hold the South Americans to a draw.

New Zealand must also hold Cameroon or if either side wins, it must not be by more than three goals.

Thailand, who have conceded 17 times already, should not lose by more than three goals to Chile.

The Falcons might even need Jamaica to pull off a shock win over Australia in Group C.

Group games will be concluded by Thursday, June 20.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/nigeria-vs-france-super-falcons-still-qualify-despite-1-0-defeat/

Lalasticlala mynd44

This Woman has been pregnant for the past 3yrs but got her deliverance at Karaka Community Hall Rumuowha Eneka Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She is from Abia State and her husband is from Akwa/Ibom State.


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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday floored his opponents at the Election Petition Tribunal.

Sanwo-Olu defeated the governorship candidates of Alliance for Democracy, AD, and Labour party, LP, Owolabi Salis and Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi, in the 2019 election at the tribunal.

Both Salis and Awamaridi had petitioned the tribunal over the election that led to the emergence of Sanwo-Olu as governor of Lagos State.

However, the tribunal threw out the petition against the governor for lack of substance.

A tweet by Sanwo-Olu’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, reads: “Breaking news: Lagos State Governor Mr. @jidesanwoolu floors AD and Labour Party’s Governorship candidates, Owolabi Salis and Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi at the Election Petition Tribunal. The Tribunal has thrown out their petitions for lack of substance.”



See more here https://thickmatch.com/breaking-lagos-guber-sanwo-olu-wins-election-petitions-tribunal/

The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission has described the claim by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, that he was not the accounting officer of the Kano Emirate Council as a misrepresentation of facts.

This is contained in a preliminary report of the Commission on the investigation being carried out in respect of the alleged misappropriation of over N3.4 billion by the Kano Emirate Council

The report was signed by the commission’s Chairman, Mr Muhuyi Magaji, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Thursday.

The report with reference number PCAC/GEN/6/VOL.I dated June 11, 2019 was addressed to the Secretary to the State Government.

Part of the report reads: “In furtherance to the Commission’s earlier communication No. PCAC/GEN/6/V.I dated 31st May, 2019 on the above subject matter and the unfolding events, the Commission deemed it necessary to make some clarifications as follows:-
“It is imperative to state categorically that, the Commission’s investigation is on alleged misappropriation and questionable expenditures but not on the funds left behind by the Late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero and we still maintain our stance.

“In the cause of investigation we undertook an analysis of the main Account belonging to Kano Emirate Council and domicile at First Bank with account No. 2005888452 starting from the era of the Late Emir to enable the Commission have an idea of how the money is being managed.”

According to the report, there were 783 activities bordering on withdrawals, transfers and placements from Jan. 2, 2013 to June 6, 2014 during the time of the late Emir.

“As from 2nd January 2013 to 13th April, 2017 the opening balance is N432,338,412.98. Total credit made in the account during this period was N6,784,146,335.73 while the total debit during the period under review is N7,209,035,163.09.” It said.

However, it added that, “The closing balance as at April, 2017 is N7,449,585.62.”

It further indicated that “on Feb.13, 2014 and Feb. 26, 2014 payments were made to Philko Ltd, the company said to have undertook the construction of Ado Bayero Royal City via Inter Bank transfers of the sum of N776,159,519.50.

“There were transfers of N388,079,759.75, N338,079,759.75 and N50,000,000.00 made on Feb. 13, 2014 and Feb. 26, 2014 respectively; making the total quoted figures for Philko Ltd.”
The report also alleged that during the period, fixed deposit placements were made to the tune of N581,884,729.54 (placement and rollovers) while net withdrawals on some engagements both cash and withdrawal stood at N1,056,533,728.31.

“In summary, the total withdrawal made from the Account under the Late Emir was N2,414,577,977.35, subtracting this amount from total debit on the account which is N7,209,035,163.09.

“It is evidently clear that the current Emir is responsible for the expenditures to the total sum of N4,794,457,185.74 from the Emirate Council Account domicile in First Bank Plc,” it said.

Similarly, it alleged that all the expenditures made by the Emirate Council were either based on the approval or instructions of Emir Sanusi.

It attached copy of a payment voucher in respect of one of the withdrawals to buttress its claim, which reads, “Being payment to the above named in respect of making special prayers for peace as directed by H.H. Emir of Kano respectively”.



Read more here https://thickmatch.com/kano-emirate-youll-account-n3-4-bn-anti-graft-agency-tells-emir-sanusi/