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Says ‘I won’t return as chairman even if court quashed NWC’s dissolution’

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
IMMEDIATE past National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has distanced himself from the suit filed by Mr Hillard Eta asking the court to quash the dissolution of the National Working Committee, NWC, and make Eta acting national chairman.

Eta, a National Vice-Chairman, South-South, in the Oshiomhole-led NWC dissolved June 25, 2019 by National Executive Committee as part of measures to tame the widening crises in the APC, filed the suit penultimate week against the National Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.

In a 435-word statement he personally signed, yesterday, Oshiomhole picked holes in reports associating him with the suit.

Noting that some members of the NWC did not share his position on letting the NWC dissolution stand, he said he has put his chairmanship of APC behind and would not return to the seat if the dissolution of the NWC was quashed by the courts.

His words: ‘’In reporting the legal action taken by a member of the dissolved National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, some attributions have been made to the effect that the plaintiff is an ‘ally of Oshiomhole’ or an ‘associate of Oshiomhole.’ The court documents are clear on who is the plaintiff.

‘’For the avoidance of doubt, the 21-member NWC under my leadership largely worked cohesively and harmoniously. The only exceptions were those of the three members used by forces desperate to take control of the party. They contrived a crisis and abused the judicial process to undermine the constitution and integrity of the party.

‘’The majority of 18 members worked as a team and not as allies or loyalists of any body. When the National Executive Committee, NEC, in its wisdom dissolved the NWC, I immediately announced publicly that I accepted the decision, regardless of its illegality or otherwise, as it affected my position as national chairman.

‘’I was the only one at the press conference where I made the announcement for personal reasons. The reason, of course, was that some of my colleagues in the dissolved NWC obviously didn’t share my position not to contest the dissolution in court. I can only accept responsibility for my own decision.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/apc-crisis-oshiomhole-distances-self-from-etas-suit/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The management of Arik Air said it has leased a Boeing 737-700 aircraft from Eznis Airways to boost its operations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Eznis Airways is a scheduled and charter airline based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air, Roy Ilegbodu, said in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday that the leased aircraft arrived in Nigeria on November 21.

Mr Ilegbodu said the aircraft, which would be deployed into service from Dec. 2, would enable Arik Air return to some routes which were suspended at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is expected that the aircraft will boost Arik Air’s fleet in readiness for the yuletide season.

“We are pleased to announce the additional airplane to boost our operations and ensure we provide seamless and efficient service to our customers in this season,” Mr Ilegbodu said .

(Credits- NAN)

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/12/01/arik-air-leases-aircraft-to-mongolian-airline/

The National Sports Festival (NSF) earlier slated for Benin from December 3 to 13, has been rescheduled to hold at the same venue from January 3 to 17, 2021, an official has said.

The festival tagged Edo 2020, was initially slated for March, but had to be postponed to December due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

John Joshua-Akanji, Special Adviser on Media to Minister of Youth and Development, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the decision was taken after a meeting.

“The decision was arrived at after a virtual meeting between the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare,” he said.

Mr Joshua-Akanji, however, said that it was also agreed at the meeting that all COVID-19 protocols would be observed during the festival.

Mr Dare had earlier maintained that the festival was not postponed indefinitely.

“The NSF has not been postponed indefinitely. We are just trying to decide a date that would be convenient for athletes and for the conditions put in place to be met,” he said.

The minister said that he would make a final push to get the “final and definite date for the festival.”

NAN reports that some states, including the FCT have been in closed camping in preparation for the festival. (Credits- NAN)

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/28/nigeria-postpones-national-sports-festival/

Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has denied rumors that it has agreed to call off its 8 Month strike.

Recent reports had revealed that the striking lecturers decided to call off the strike after the Federal government pledged the sum of N30 billion as revitalization fund and N40 billion for earned allowances. The Federal government had also agreed to settle salary arrears of striking lecturers on or before the 31st of December 2020, even though lecturers had not worked for 8 Months since the industrial action begun.

However, in an apparent U-turn, ASUU’s President, Prof. denied knowledge of an existing agreement with the Federal government. He said:

” I am not aware. All I know is that we had a meeting and we are going to report to our members. But I don’t know about suspension of the strike.”

His words seem to have dashed the hopes of many Nigerian Students earnestly looking forward to going back to the Classroom.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/29/ASUU-denies-agreeing-to-call-off-strike/

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal Office on November 26, 2020, arraigned Prince Lasberry Okafor Anyanwu before Justice E.F Njemanze of the Imo State High Court for alleged fraud.

Anyanwu, a former commissioner for Transport and chairman, Imo State Transport Company in Rochas Okorocha’s administration is being prosecuted on four-count charges, bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office, stealing and misappropriation of public funds to tune of N180 million.

Count three of the charge read, “That you, Prince Lasberry Okafor Anyanwu a.k.a Lasberry Okafor sometime between the 6th day of November, 2017 and 10th day of November, 2017 at Owerri, Imo State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed as the chairman, Committee on Review of Imo Transport Company, used your office to confer a corrupt advantage upon yourself, when you caused the transfer of the sum of N100 million (One Hundred Million Naira) only property of Imo Transport Company in its Imo Microfinance Bank account with Polaris Bank to a different Polaris Bank account with No: 40906668828 belonging to Oma Oil & Industries Ltd, a company in which you are a shareholder/director/chairman/chief executive and signatory to its bank account, contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, following which prosecution counsel, Victor Okereke asked for a trial date and for the court to remand him in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service, pending trial. Defence counsel, J.C. Ezem, however, filed an application for Anyanwu’s bail.

Justice Njemanze admitted him to bail in the sum of N20 million, with two sureties, who must be resident in Owerri; swear affidavit of means and deposit two passports each. He adjourned the matter till January 21 and 28, 2021, and February 4 and 11 February, 2021.

Trouble started for the defendant following a petition in which it was alleged that he used his position as Imo State commissioner for Transport to transfer the ownership of the state’s transport company to his private company, Oma Oil/ Industries Ltd. Investigation by the EFCC showed that the defendant through an opaque concession agreement with the state government, transferred the administrative duties of the state’s transport company to his Oma Oil/Industries Ltd such that finances accruing to the state transport company were channeled to his company.

More:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/27/efcc-arraigns-ex-imo-commissioner-for-n180m-alleged-fraud/

https://twitter.com/officialEFCC/status/1332242070967349249?s=20

The Federal High Court, Abuja, will, on Friday, deliver its ruling on the application for bail filed by Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District in the senate.

The judge, Okon Abang, after taking arguments from the counsel representing the parties in the case, also ordered the lawyers to make available copies of the authorities cited to back their submissions before the close of work.

The court had, on Wednesday, fixed Thursday for the hearing of the bail plea of Mr Ndume, who is being remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre over his inability to produce Abdulrasheed Maina, whom he stood surety for.

Mr Abang had, on Monday, ordered the remand of Mr Ndume in prison pending when he is able to pay N500 million bail bond to the Federation Account or produce Mr Maina, who was said to have jumped bail, in court.

Mr Ndume, through his lawyer, Marcel Oru, had, on Tuesday, filed an appeal against his remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for his bail before Mr Abang.

The judge had, on November 18, revoked Mr Maina’s bail, issued a warrant of arrest on him and ordered that his trial should proceed in his absence.

Arguing the bail application, Mr Oru urged the court to grant Mr Ndume bail pending the determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal against the forfeiture of the bail bond.

The lawyer said the court had jurisdiction to hear the application since the court record and other files relating to the matter were yet to be transmitted to the Appeal Court.

He said he decided to approach the trial court because it would be faster to dispense with the bail application than to wait at the Appeal Court where it could take about six months to determine.

He added that to wait for a period of six months would amount to the applicant inadvertently serving the punishment prescribed by law for an offence he had not been convicted for.

Mr Oru pleaded with the court to have sympathy with Mr Ndume, who had spent four days in custody over the “condemnable and despicable conduct of Maina.”

Condemning the conduct of Mr Maina further, the lawyer said with the ruling, “only God knows from the lesson learned whether a Nigerian with a good heart will ever stand surety for anyone anymore.”

The counsel further urged the court to consider his application within the peculiar circumstances in which Mr Ndume was sent to prison and exercise discretion to grant the application.

He argued that throughout the proceedings of Mr Maina, Mr Ndume had attended court despite his busy schedule as a senator.

Mr Oru, who said Mr Ndume had signed the court register kept by the registrar of court as directed, said within the period, he had been of good conduct. He said he also raised serious issues of law in his application. According to the lawyer, the only order the court could have issued is to order the forfeiture of landed property as deposed to in the applicant’s affidavit in respect of the property whose title deed is in custody of the court.

He also contended that Mr Ndume was sent to prison without trial as he ought to have been given opportunities to call witnesses, give evidence and if found guilty, make plea for mercy.

The lawyer also urged the court to consider the fact that Mr Ndume is a serving member of the Senate and Chairperson, Senate Committee on Army.

He said the lawmaker was overseeing the activities of the army which is fighting terrorism and internal security challenges in 30 out of 36 states of the federation.

“Ndume also is member of three other critical committees of Senate on Health; Establishment and Public Service, and Special Duties,” he submitted.

In his response, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, opposed the bail application.

He urged the court to hold that the applicant did not contradict the counter affidavit opposing his bail application.

More:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/27/court-to-rule-on-ndumes-plea-for-bail-on-friday/

Argentine Football Legend, Diego Maradona has died, age 60.

The news was first broken by the Argentinian football association on the 25th of November. Maradona, who captained Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning team, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, always paired alongside the Brazilian champion Pele.

Maradona was earlier admitted to hospital for psychological complications this Month.

At the time of his death, the multiple award winning footballer had various movies and documentaries centered around his legendary career.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/25/football-legend-maradona-dies/

Lagos (NewsWatch24 TV)- US President, Donald Trump has issued a new rule that may require tourists and business travelers from a dozen African Nation, to pay up to $15,000 in Visa bonds.

In a U.S. Department of State document obtained by Newswatch24 TV, the US government said it would test the feasibility of the 6-month immigration pilot program, by collecting such bonds and this rule would discourage foreign Nationals from overstaying visas. The U.S. State Department also revealed that the rule would take effect from Dec. 24 2020 through June 24 2021.

It also revealed that in selection of affected Countries, it adopted the DHS published data on overstays by nationals of the country admitted to the United States for business or pleasure (B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant status) via air and sea ports of entry.

Countries affected by the Pilot Program are: Afghanistan, Angola, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Djibouti, Eritrea, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

You can view the full U.S. DOS document here:

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/24/new-trump-order-will-require-african-tourists-to-pay-15000-in-visa-bonds/

The United States Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria has reacted to the new Trump rule targeting business and Tourist travelers from Africa, with a $15,000 Visa bond. In a Statement published on its website and obtained by Newswatch24 TV, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria said:

”Among other efforts to address the issue of overstayed Visas, the State Department is considering additional steps, including piloting a limited visa bonds program to test, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds as means to ensure the timely departure from the United States of certain travelers.

It further said, ”The U.S. Government is committed to combating visa overstays and making sure travelers to the United States respect American laws. However, Nigeria is not included in this six months pilot program.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/24/nigeria-not-included-in-visa-bond-pilot-us-embassy/

Nigerian rap icon, Eedris Abdulkareem says it’s a miracle to live and survive in Nigeria.

The Nigeria ‘Jaga jaga’ crooner poured out his heart via a social media post, over the spate of insecurity and hardship in Nigeria.l

”Nigerians living in Nigeria should be showered with some accolades as they have really tried by staying in the country despite all that happens.

”It’s a miracle to live here, the rap veteran said.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/23/its-a-miracle-to-live-in-nigeria-eedris-abdulkareem-cries-out/

Nigeria’s naira tumbled against the British pound sterling at the parallel market at 620 to 1 on Thursday.

With data obtained from ngnrates, the naira fell by 2.1 per cent against the pound from 607 on Wednesday. The Nigerian currency was however, stable against the dollar at the parallel market as it traded at 478/$1 on Thursday and 480/$1 on Friday morning.

Data obtained by Newswatch24TV showed the Naira has been on a steady decline against the dollar, since the 11th of November.

Although the Nation’s Apex Bank has kept the official exchange rate at N379/$1 since August, when the naira was devalued for the second time this year from 360 per dollar; the Naira has continued on a downward slope against the US dollar Pound and Euro in the parallel market.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/20/naira-crashes-to-620-against-pound-478-against-dollar-at-black-market/

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The President expressed his excitement in a statement released on Wednesday (18/11) describing the defector’s move as bold and principle driven.

In a statement signed by the presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, the President said:

“I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion,” the aide quoted Mr Buhari.

“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country,” Mr Buhari added.

He noted that “with men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.”

“Let me once again; commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many. I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and convictions” President Buhari added.

https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/18/i-am-proud-of-you-buhari-hails-umahi-on-defection/

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s democratic party has called out the Minister for works and housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola, over alleged misappropriation of funds in the Ministry of Power, to the tune of N4.6 Billion.

In a statement signed by the party’s National publicity secretary, Kola Olongbondiyan and obtained by Newswatch24TV, the party accused Mr. Fashola and the ruling party (APC) of forming a ”holier than thou attitude”, despite directly overseeing serious cases of corruption in various MDAs.

The statement further alleged, the sum of N4.6 billion was stolen through fraudulent payments in 654 tranches, without any explanatory details to 21 private accounts belonging to some faceless individuals and certain directors in the then Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, under the erstwhile leadership of Mr. Tunde Fashola.

View full Statement below:

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/18/come-clean-pdp-taunts-fashola-over-alleged-n4-6-billion-fraud-in-ministry/

While economic realities in Nigeria might be harsh, with public sector corruption severely denting the country’s image, Nigerians have proved their metal in different fields and profession, excelling mostly outside the boundaries of Nigeria. Let’s look at four Nigerian space scientists breaking boundaries globally.

Maggie Aderin-Pocock

Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock MBE (née Aderin; born 9 March 1968) is a British Nigerian space scientist and science educator. She is an honorary research associate of University College London’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since February 2014, she has co-presented the long-running astronomy television programme The Sky at Night with Chris Lintott. In 2020 she was awarded the Institute of Physics William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize for her public engagement in physics.

Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin Aderin was born in London on 9 March 1968 to Nigerian parents, Caroline Philips and Justus Adebayo Aderin, and was raised in Camden, London. Her middle name Ebunoluwa stems from the Yoruba words, “Ebun” meaning “gift” and Oluwa meaning “God”, which is also a variant form of the word “Oluwabunmi” or “Olubunmi”, meaning “gift of God” in Yoruba.

Maggie studied at Imperial College London, graduated with a BSc in physics in 1990, and completed her PhD in mechanical engineering under the supervision of Hugh Spikes in 1994.

Aderin-Pocock has worked on many projects in private industry, academia, and in government. From 1996 to 1999 she worked at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, a branch of the UK Ministry of Defence. Initially, she worked as a systems scientist on aircraft missile warning systems, and from 1997 to 1999 she was a project manager developing hand-held instruments to detect landmines.

She was the lead scientist at Astrium, where she managed observation instruments on a satellite, measuring wind speeds to help the investigation of climate change. She is working on and managing the observation instruments for the Aeolus satellite, which will measure wind speeds to help the investigation of climate change.

Aderin-Pocock is committed to inspiring new generations of astronauts, engineers, and scientists.


Rabia Salihu Sa’id

Rabia Salihu Sa’id is a Nigerian physicist and professor of atmospheric and space-weather physics at the Bayero University Kano. She conducts research in atmospheric and space weather physics, particle physics, and electronics. Sa’id is an advocate and mentor for young women in science with the Visiola Foundation and Peace Corps. She is also co-founder of Nigeria’s Association of Women Physicists and a facilitator for the British Council’s Active Citizens’ Programme.

Sa’id began her university education at the age of 29 and ran a nursery school to pay for her education. She holds a Bachelor of Science, Masters of Science and Ph.D degrees in Physics from Bayero University Kano. In 2002, on the International Fellowships Program (IFP) of the Ford Foundation, she studied for an M.Sc degree in Environment and Development from the University of Reading, United Kingdom.

In 2015 she was a recipient of one of the five Elsevier Foundation Awards for Women Scientists in the Developing World. Presented in partnership with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the awards that year were for the physics and mathematics fields, with Sa’id’s award in the field of atmospheric physics.

In August 2015, Sa’id was featured in the BBC’s annual 100 Women series, highlighting her efforts to promote science education in Nigeria.

Hakeem Oluseyi

As a child, Hakeem Oluseyi moved between rough neighborhoods in the American South, until finally settling in a poor community in rural Mississippi at the age of 13.

Hakeem’s interest in physics continued into high school, where he created a computer program that did relativity calculations. When his program won first prize in physics at the state science fair, judges told him to become a physicist. Since Hakeem didn’t really know what physicists did, he dismissed the idea and chose to enlist in the Navy. But not long after, Hakeem decided to major in physics at Tougaloo College, a small historically black college in Mississippi.

Hakeem did research for the first time at a summer program at the University of Georgia. He was pleasantly surprised by the freedom and responsibility he was given and found that he fit well into the research community, even though he was one of only a few African Americans.

After finishing up with school, Hakeem worked at one of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies and did research on manufacturing computer chips. This work earned him 8 U.S. patents and 4 E.U. patents. Hakeem’s inventions can be found in the computer chips you use every day.

Hakeem, however, longed for the big ideas of astronomy and astrophysics, and returned to astrophysics research. He worked with the 2011 Nobel Prize winning Supernova Cosmology Project, developing detectors for a planned space-based telescope that will investigate the nature of the dark energy that is accelerating the universe’s expansion.

Today, he is a member of the team developing the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), which is America’s top priority observatory. He has worked on developing the LSST’s camera and is developing programs for analyzing the data it will collect.

In addition to astrophysics, Hakeem also has a passion for communicating science to the public.
He is a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, and a frequent contributor to the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. He has given multiple TED talks and is regularly invited to speak at science forums all around the world. For his science outreach work, he was selected as a 2012 TED Global Fellow.

In 2002, through an organization called Cosmos Education, Hakeem began visiting sub-Saharan African schools to inspire young students with science demonstrations.

Babatunde Akinsanmi

Akinsanmi led a research team which discovered (for the first time) that rings exist around exoplanets in our Solar system.

An international team of researchers, led by Babatunde Akinsanmi (PhD student at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto) found statistical evidence that indicates that the exoplanet HIP 41378 f is similar to Uranus with a ring system around it, inclined by about 25 degrees, and extending from 1.05 to 2.59 times the diameter of the planet.

“These ‘cotton candy’ planets are a rare class of exoplanets, with densities much lower than that of the giant planets in the Solar System. It is difficult to explain these very low densities and that is why we decided to investigate what was happening ”. “What we found was that the presence of rings around this planet can explain the observed low density. The rings make the planet’s diameter look much larger when it passes in front of the star (during transit), Babatunde Akinsanmi explained.

Babatunde Akinsanmi obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the Federal University of Technology Akure in 2010. He was awarded the M.Sc. in Astronomy by the University of Porto in 2017 and started his PhD in Astronomy at the same university in collaboration with the Institute of Astronomy in Porto (IA).

His main research interest is in the field of exoplanets involving the search and characterisation of exoplanets using the transit and radial velocity methods. He specifically works on detecting novel exoplanetary features such as rings, tidal deformation and rotation-induced oblateness in exoplanets.

Babatunde Akinsanmi is a scientific officer at the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)..

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/13/meet-4-nigerian-space-scientists-breaking-boundaries/

SocialJustice:
Bleep Nigeria. Nigeria will hardly recover from Buhari's rule.

True, but the questing is when?

Nigeria’s Central Bank filed allegations of terrorism at a federal high court in Abuja on Thursday, freezing the accounts of #EndSARS protest organizers.

The Apex bank convinced one Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court that 20 bank accounts belonging to protest organizers were linked to terrorism.

Court fillings first sighted by the Punch and obtained by Newswatch24tv revealed that the Apex bank accused peaceful protest organizers of violating section 13(1 & 2) of the terrorism prevention act of 2013 (as amended).

Excerpt from the CBN’s charge, which is led by disgraced former Attorney General (Michael Aondoakaa), read:

“The nature of the transactions undertaken through the defendants’ accounts are of suspected terrorism financing in contravention of Section 13(1)(a)and(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Act, 2013 and Regulation 31(2)(a)and (3)(b) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism Regulations, 2013,” Punch cited excerpts of the bank charges.

Although there are no clear links between the original #EndSARS organizers and any International terror network. It is unclear how the Nation’s Apex bank arrived at its conjecture.

The ex-parte order blocking the bank accounts was granted for an initial 90 days, but those affected have already filed separate charges to revoke it. It is also important to note that the CBN can renew the ex-parte order even after the initial 90 days elapses.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/11/endsars-cbn-accuses-protest-organizers-of-terrorism/

Despite the mainstream media projected Biden-Harris victory, US Attorney General William Barr has reportedly authorized attorneys across the country to “pursue substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the 2020 election is certified, according to a memo released Monday.


“While most allegations of purported election misconduct are of such a scale that they would not impact the outcome of an election and, thus, investigation can appropriately be deferred, that is not always the case,” Barr wrote. “Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”

The memo is coming following widespread allegations of voter fraud perpetuated by Democrats across the United States. Appearing unyielding to the media projected Biden victory, the Trump campaign and the RNC chair (Rona McDaniel) have provided evidences to support allegations of voter fraud.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/10/unsettling-democrats-us-attorney-general-begins-investigation-into-widespread-voter-fraud/

While vote counting is still underway in the controversial 2020 US presidential elections, political leaders from the developed World have been throwing their weight behind Biden and Harris, the current projected winner(s). A dozen of developed Nations and democracies have maintained neutrality while a few have sent out congratulatory messages. They include the UK, France, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Israel and South Korea.

1. With projections from mainstream media favoring Biden/Harris, the UK Prime Minister 'Boris Johnson' was among the first political leaders from the developed World who congratulated Biden/Harris.

"Congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as President of the United States and to Kamala Harris on her historic achievement," Johnson said in an official statement.

"The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security." He concluded.

2. French President Emmanuel Macron made a statement via Twitter but appeared to be taking a cautionary stand.

"The Americans have chosen their President. We have a lot to do to overcome today's challenges. Let's work together!" he said on Twitter.

3. "Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris," Canada's Trudeau also sent his congratulatory note via Twitter. "Our two countries are close friends, partners and allies. We share a relationship that's unique on the world stage. I'm really looking forward to working together and building on that with you both." He concluded.

4. Australia's Scot Morrison also sent a message. "American leadership is indispensable to meeting these challenges and upholding the rules, norms and standards of our international community." the PM said on tweet.

5. The Irish Prime Minister was among the first leaders from the developed World who sent a congratulatory message. I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA @JoeBiden Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow! He wrote on Twitter.

6. PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) also posted his congratulations on Twitter.

Netanyahu said he and Biden have had a "long & warm" personal relationship for almost 40 years and sees him as "a great friend of Israel" and looks forward to working together.

7. South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted that he looked forward to working with Biden and Harris.

"Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid," Moon said on Twitter.

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/08/1st-world-leaders-who-have-congratulated-biden-harris/

Ethiopian fighter jets bombed targets in the restive northern province of Tigray, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Friday, in the latest escalation of a three-day old conflict that is driving the populous African nation toward a potentially destabilizing civil war.

“Our country has entered into a war it didn’t anticipate,” Gen. Birhanu Jula, the deputy chief of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, said on state television Thursday afternoon. “This war is shameful, it is senseless.”

In early clashes, there were “injured soldiers on both sides,” he added.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced military operations in Tigray, accusing the region’s ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front of arming irregular militias and orchestrating an attack on a major federal army base in the region.

Western officials reported clashes between federal and local security forces in Tigray on Wednesday that left dozens of casualties. But details have been sparse because internet and phone services to the area were cut off.

Speaking on Tigrayan television on Thursday, the regional president, Debretsion Gebremichael, said: “The Tigrayans have full potential to destroy enemies far and near, those who step on peace and declare war on the Tigray People.”

Tensions have been growing since September when Tigray defied Mr. Abiy’s authority and held regional elections even as votes in the rest of Ethiopia were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The confrontation escalated in October when Ethiopian lawmakers diverted federal funding from the Tigrayan authorities as a means of punishment.

Now that the dispute has turned to fighting, Mr. Abiy risks a difficult campaign.

Tigray has a large paramilitary force and a well-drilled local militia, with up to 250,000 armed men, according to the International Crisis Group.

The region is also home to Ethiopia’s largest army base and, by some estimates, half the troops in Ethiopia’s Army, along with much of its artillery and other heavy weaponry.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front toppled a Marxist dictator in 1991 and went on to effectively rule Ethiopia for near three decades. But its influence declined steeply after Mr. Abiy came to power in 2018.

Tigrayan officials complained of being marginalized and unjustly accused of corruption and human rights abuses, and many were enraged by Mr. Abiy’s description of their period of rule as “27 years of darkness.”

Mr. Abiy, for his part, views Tigrayan leaders as inveterate troublemakers still smarting from their loss of influence.

As the confrontation between the two sides escalated this year, public sentiment for secession from Ethiopia grew inside Tigray. But in turning to military action now, Mr. Abiy has set off an unpredictable conflict that risks spilling over into the rest of Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country. (Credits- Nytimes, CBS)

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/07/ethiopia-heads-to-war/

Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, on Friday night said he had already started preparing for work as president of the United States.

In a speech from Wilmington, Delaware, Mr Biden reiterated that he would win the election, even with counting of votes still ongoing.

“We don’t have a final declaration of victory yet, but the numbers tell us it’s clear. We are going to win this race,” he stated.

The former vice president said he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, were already meeting with experts as they prepare for the White House.

As of the time of the speech, Mr Biden’s lead over President Donald Trump was growing in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Mr Trump was initially ahead.

He said Americans had given him a “mandate for action” on the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, climate change, and systemic racism.

According to Reuters, Mr Biden’s address was originally planned as a victory speech, but he changed his approach in the absence of a formal declaration of a winner.

“We’re beating Donald Trump by over four million votes, and that’s a margin that is still growing as well.

“One of the things I’m especially proud of is how well we’ve done well across America,” he said.

Acknowledging the frustration of many Americans over the slow voting counting process, Mr Biden sued for patience.

“I know watching these vote tallies on TV moves very slow, and as slow as it goes, it can be numbing.

“But never forget, the tallies aren’t just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercised their fundamental right to have their voice heard,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, Mr Biden was ahead with 264 electoral college votes against Trump’s 214, according to the Associated Press tally.

Defiant

But President Trump has remained defiant, warning Mr Biden in a tweet not to “wrongfully claim” victory.

“Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!” he said.

The president said he had “such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by”.

Mr Biden has overtaken the president in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Trump was initially ahead.

“Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward!” he added.

Vote counting was still ongoing in five battleground states as of 8.30 p.m. (2.30 a.m. Nigerian time).

For Mr Biden and Democrats, victory is not a matter of if but when, with the former vice president saying on Thursday he had no doubt he would be the next president.

Mr Trump’s campaign organisation dismissed the projection, saying it was based on results in four states where the president was still in the race.

Matt Morgan, counsel to the campaign, said Mr Biden’s “false projection” as the winner was based on results in four states where the president is still in the race.

“Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where President Trump will ultimately prevail,” Mr Morgan said. (Credits: NAN)


https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/07/despite-ongoing-vote-counting-biden-already-preparing-for-white-house/

About 400 people rallied outside the French embassy in the Indonesian capital to denounce France’s handling of cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, deemed offensive by Muslims.

The protesters outside waved posters calling French President Emmanuel Macron “an enemy of Muslims.”

A banner read “we condemn the insult against Prophet Mohammed,’’ referring to caricatures of Mohammed republished by the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo in early September.

Following a series of Islamist attacks on France since 2015 that have left about 250 dead, Mr Macron recently set out an action plan to combat Islamist activism.

But his focus on Islam was seen by some Muslims as heavy-handed, while others took offence at some of his comments on the issue.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Saturday condemned the recent deadly attacks blamed on Islamists.

This includes the beheading of a Paris teacher who showed the Mohammed cartoons in a lesson on freedom of expression and the stabbings by a suspected Islamist that killed three people in a church in Nice.

Mr Widodo, who leads the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, also criticised Mr Macron for his remarks on Islam and French officials’ defence of the right to publish the offending cartoons.

“The comments were insulting to Muslims and have offended Muslims around the world, which could divide the global religious community at a time when the world needs to unite to face the Covid-19 pandemic.’’

Mr Widodo said freedom of expression should not be used to tarnish religion and that that linking religion and terrorism is a big mistake.

“Terrorism is terrorism. A terrorist is a terrorist. Terrorism has nothing to do with any religion,’’ he said.

(dpa/NAN/PT)

https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/02/charlie-hebdo-protests-continue-at-french-embassy-in-jakarta/

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for peace in Saturday’s presidential election in Ivory Coast amid reports of deadly pre-election protests in the country.

Mr Guterres gave the advice in a statement signed by his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, in New York on Friday.

“On the eve of the presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire, the Secretary-General calls on all Ivorians to ensure that the polls are conducted in a peaceful manner.

“He urges all political and opinion leaders and their supporters to refrain from inciting violence, spreading misinformation and using hate speech,” Mr Dujarric said.

The statement noted that violence had killed about 30 people since August 2020 when the incumbent President Alassane Ouattara announced his candidacy for a third term.

The opposition says the move is a violation of the country’s constitution, which they argue permits only two terms of five years each, according to reports.

The two main opposition candidates, former President Henri Bedie and former Prime Minister Affi N’Guessan, have called for an election boycott and urged their supporters to disrupt the polls.

Mr Ouattara, 78, who has been in power since 2011, argues that amendments of the constitution in 2016 empower him to run again.

The UN Chief “strongly” advised the country’s political leaders and their parties to resolve their disputes through dialogue.

He reiterated the commitment of the UN to supporting the country’s efforts to “consolidate democratic gains and national cohesion.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the West African nation has yet to fully recover from the post-election violence that affected no fewer than 3,000 people in 2010 and 2011.

(NAN)

Source:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/01/un-calls-for-peaceful-presidential-polls-in-ivory-coast/

The Federal Government says it has no intention of shutting down social media, but it will regulate the platforms.

It said its plan is to regulate social media to be responsible and refrain from being purveyor of “fake news and hate speech”.

“We must regulate the social media in a manner that it does not become a purveyor of fake news and hate speech,” the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday in Lagos when he inspected the headquarters of The Nation newspaper and TV Continental (TVC) that were attacked in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the minister was accompanied on the inspection by heads of parastatal agencies in his ministry.

Speaking at the premises of The Nation, the minister said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has high regards for freedom of the press.

The government’s earlier announcements to regulate social media was met with criticisms.

Mr Mohammed said his recent call for the regulation of the excesses of the social media should not be misconstrued for a total ban.

“We did not at any time say that we will shut down the social media,” he said.

“Social media has come to stay and it will be an antithesis to democracy to shut it down because it is the fastest way of disseminating information.

“However, we must regulate the social media in a manner that it does not become a purveyor of fake news and hate speech.

“We will not fold our arms to allow purveyors of fake news and hate speech to use the social media to destabilise the country,” he said.

He said some of the owners of social media platforms, including Facebook and Whatshap, were making attempts to regulate their use because of the danger of fake news.

The minister said the government foresaw the danger of fake news and hate speech as far back as 2017.

“We saw as far back as 2017 that the next epidemic that will hit Nigeria and the entire world is fake news and misinformation.

“Based on that, we dedicated an entire National Council on Information meeting in Jos to the issue.

“After this, we launched a national campaign on fake news on July 11, 2018, where we stressed that the next war will be fought without a shot being fired but with the use fake news.

“We did not stop there. We went on a tour of all media houses seeking their support against fake news,” he said... (NAN)

Read more:
https://newswatch24tv.com/2020/11/01/government-must-regulate-social-media-lai-mohammed-insists/

Dr D.K. Olukoya is the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. He holds a first class Honours degree in Microbiology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a Ph.D in Molecular Genetics from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. As a researcher, he has over seventy scientific publications to his credit.

He was born in Akure, Ondo State to a police officer and his wife, a trader on the 15th of July.

Daniel Kolawole Olukoya is happily married to his wife, Pastor Folashade Olukoya and blessed with a son, Elijah Toluwani.

sammyj:
Let them release our money!!

Are you from Niger Delta?? If no, then it is not your money

What is he picking your call for. Send a text message please, the Governor has a State to run!

zakas:
That's how u know someone that's after your body, not your heart.

Wetin i wan use your heart do??

sarrki:

The generation before us and ours failed to put this country in comity of nation

We can undo our wrongs for generations yet unborn

...to put this country in comity of nation(s)

Do you understand the meaning of that phrase at all?

Why BMC no dey employ smart people?!

Barondenigeria:
All these rumour mongers everywhere

It is facts, only a matter of time if the government don't put things in order