₦airaland Forum

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and others yesterday called for criminalisation of fake news.

They spoke in Abuja yesterday at the BBC Conference, on Nigeria 2019: Countering Fake News.

Osinbajo painted a picture of the destructive power of fake news, which he said has the capacity to cause personal harm and lead to violence. Besides, he said fake news can also cause damage to credibility and integrity of public information.

He added that the capacity of fake news to cause great harm is not in doubt as it has the ability to mislead without realising it.

Osinbajo, who narrated his personal experience in the hands of fake news peddlers, said a line must be drawn so as not to infringe on the rights of the people.

He said: “I have also been a victim. Fake news may also cause you marital peace. About three weeks ago I got a call from my wife in the office and she said, Yemi what are you doing with strippers. There is this story on a very famous blog that said, ‘Osinbajo caught with strippers.’ And there was also a photograph of me standing in between the perfectly clothed ladies and under the photograph, the same ladies now not wearing much. It turned out that I have taken photograph with the ladies at an entertainment event when they were perfectly clothed.

“The capacity of fake news to cause great arm is not in doubt at all. It has been the realisation that it may even mislead. I think it was Wilson Churchill that said a lie gets half way round the world before the truth has a chance to get his pants on. But why fake news is now news, is obviously because of the greater dimension of content of harm that it can do and then the scope.

“A lot of these are as a result of the advancement in technology, especially in the past few decades or so. But I think as for the damage done to the credibility and integrity of public information, the capacity of fake news to cause alarm, fear and even violence has been demonstrated again and again.”

He warned that greater damage would be done if nothing was done about it.

“One of the great worries for us should be what harm it has done to public information. I think that a time may come if nothing is done, when nothing will be believed or nothing will be believable because as technology improves in its capacity to manipulate and disseminate, after a while there will be perfect videos raising artificial intelligence and all of the other tools of digital technology,” he added.

He went on: “A perfect video of people speaking or somebody making a speech that he never made at events that never happened. It will become more and more difficult to differentiate between what is truth and what is not.

“I think if we discredit public information, it is a massive danger for society itself aside from the capacity of it to cause physical arm. Ones it destroys the believability of public information, then the means of communicating with each other have been soiled forever.”

While raising concern of human rights in an attempt to address fake news, Osinbajo said it would be impossible to regulate social media without infringing on fundamental rights.

He said: “Today there are three issues we have to look at. The first is to which extent can we hold local media owners to account. A lot of the disinformation obviously is from social media. It is easier to sue the traditional media because they are bound by local laws and it is much easier to hold them to account. But social media is under multi-jurisdictional regulation if there is any threat. But I think there is opportunity here for more jurisdictional collaboration. There should be some kind of agreement between countries that should help us regulate social media much more effectively.

“The second concern is how to deal with the consequence without infringing on the Freedom of Information and also the freedom of the press. Everybody is a press now, so freedom of the press means my freedom to own a blog, my freedom to determinate information, but the the question is how do we regulate now without infringing on these fundamental freedoms.

“Really it will be impossible to regulate social media without infringing on fundamental rights. There is no way we are going to leave that in the hands of government or in the hands of the legislature without refining some activity on the part of government of the legislature. How do you create that balance?”

Commending the organiser for coming up with the conference, Osinbajo said: “This conversation is overdue and I hope that we are able to provide some direction for the way we should handle this problem on fake news.”

Prof. Soynka and other panelists unanimously agreed that fake news be criminalised as a way of curbing the menace.

Other panelists include: BBC World Service Group Director Jamie Angus, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) President Funke Egbemode and Bella Naija founder Uchechukwu Pedro.

Soyinka said fake news has the capacity to cause the Third World War, adding that it might come from Nigeria. The Nobel laurel, therefore, asserted that fake news be treated as a crime.

He said: “People do not understand what is like to have things attributed to you which you know nothing about. Apart from the fact that I have been killed on social media several times, this last year I had telephone calls asking me ‘where are you?’ and I said ‘I am in hall’. And I said ‘I know why you are calling because you thought I was dead’. Emerging waking up one day and finding a statement attributed to you and in a kind of language which you never used. For example during former President Goodluck Jonathan, there were statements that I said that why did Jonathan marry an illiterate. I never made comments like that whatsoever. Those who share fake news are sick.

“And I made a statement that if people are not careful World War 3 may be quickly started by fake news and that fake news probably will be generated by a Nigerian. We have a system where fake news can multiply in a second. Many of the fake news carriers use it for business. I have someone whom we have tracked down in Poland, using a fake Facebook page of my name and my picture. And I give him a deadline to pull down the page. He lives in the Unites States of America but lives in Poland. He is a member of an organisation called some AIESEC which actually encourages young business men and women.

“The first thing is to accept the fact that fake news is real and people should stop rushing to the fake sites. Individuals who have no voice before have been empowered suddenly. Every individual is now a journalist, editor, promoter and most of all a publisher. There is competition to be the first to comment. So the ‘419’ individuals sleep in cafes doing all sorts of things. Fake news should be treated as a crime. When you pin down one of such criminals, it should be a case of INTERPOL because they move all over the place. They should be advertised as criminals and get the police to arrest them.

“I had complained about this to a former inspector general of police that this has to do with personal security, community security. I had expected him to reply but there was no response. Not even acknowledgment. This should be a collective responsibility. Above all we should treat it like a crime.”

The representative of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner, argued that fake news constituted a danger to the forthcoming general elections.

Okoye, who also pointed out that the country has an army of angry people with different agenda, urged the security operatives to be watchful so as to arrest any threat.

The INEC commissioner also challenged Nigerians on the need to be able to draw the line on what they want to believe.

The commission, Okoye said, will be undertaking regular briefing as the elections draw near as part of the measures to curb fake news.

Okoye said: “It is important that we should pay attention to fake news, it is an issue in the forthcoming 2019 general election.

“Fake news is misinformation; it has no basis in fact and no basis in reality. But it is generated for a particular purpose. The issues of fake news is of utmost importance in an election period where the stakes are high and where the gladiators wants to win and some of them want to win by all means. So, there are people who just sit down, mix fiction in other to generate a certain reaction. And when they generate such reaction, you can never tell how it will go. In a country like Nigeria, sometime people receive information saying forwarded as received without you looking at the dynamics of what they are forwarding. So for me if you forward as received that means you believe in what they are forwarding or you can attest to what you are forwarding. It is a very serious issue and we are also paying close attention to fake news.

“The truth of the matter is that during an election period people want to guild their thoughts. As the chairman of the information on voter education committee of INEC, we have had to battle with a situation where it was reported that we have established polling unites in Chad, Niger and other neighboring countries for purposes of having the Internally Displaced persons to vote.

“Nobody wanted to believe us when we said that there is nothing like that. One of the things that generate fake news is our inability to put out information in the public. When we put out information and you give it a different narrative then it is not our fault. I believe that if governments, agencies are proactive in putting out information on public space. In Nigeria you keep on hearing that there is no smoke without fire. That give people the opportunity to believe something even if they know that the chances of that news to be real in not possible. ”

Egbemode warned INEC to be ready for fake news, saying politicians would use fake news to gain advantage. He stressed that fake news is dangerous, posited that some people are paid to spread it.

She said: “Fake news is sophisticated. And some people wants to use that to set the country on fire. They want to see the effect. They know that there are some people who believe in sensation and they just take a full advantage of that. In the newsroom, we also know that fake news infringes on professionalism, it compromises integrity. Names that is built, brand that is build over decades.

“So we make sure that as an editors we cross check. If you cannot prove it then it cannot even be called a news item. That is what we do and that is what we have been doing. This is the season for more fake news. It is because of the advent and strength of the social media that we are having fake news and there are a lot of people who are paid to spread fake news. These people who post or Carry fake news are not journalists. The fake news issue did not originate from the newsroom. We know what we will lose if we peddle the smallest news item that is fake. We will lose ground, credibility. INEC should be ready for more fake news as the election approaches. There is news and there is gossip. When you want what is real you know where to go to. And when you want gossip and sensationalism you know where to go. When you want to listen to a sermon you do not go to a bar.”

Pedro noted that ” A lot of the fake news website mimic real news website, so they have they have similar template, it even contains lot of real information alongside the fake information. Fake news go viral than the real news. Many of these people that are posting fake news employs different methods by putting prominent figures to make it real. This is a political period we should be careful and vigilant. The traditional media is not creating fake news. Newspapers do not do that. The people who are posting fake news are not those who will benefit from it. When we have no official news people are going to take the unofficial one.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/osinbajo-soyinka-bbc-others-move-fake-news/

A 10-year-old boy, Umar Sannafi, on Tuesday night died in a well at Kurna Asabe (Gogurawa) in the Fagge Local Government Area of Kano state.

The Spokesman of Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Wednesday that the incident occurred at about 08:25 pm.

“We received a distress call on Tuesday night at about 08:25 pm from one Mustapha Lawal that a boy had fallen into a well.

”On receiving the information, we quickly sent our team and a vehicle to the scene at about 08:40 pm.

“There is no water in the well and the cause of the incident is still under investigation to know what happened.

“Sannafi was found dead and his corpse was later handed over to the Ward Head of Gogurawa Quarters, Alhaji Yakubu Isa,’’ the spokesman said.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nwest/304944-10-year-old-boy-dies-in-well-in-kano.html

Yo comparing yahoo boy with the brilliant

update now

It took Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez time to adjust to the loss of their third musketeer Neymar.

But they have since forged on as a fearsome double act more prolific than the combined efforts of most other teams in La Liga.

With Messi the top-scorer in Spain’s top flight with 14 goals and Suarez joint-second on 11, only Sevilla, Levante and next opponents Celta Vigo have managed to score more than the deadly South American duo.

Messi has come into his own in his last two outings, putting on an exhibition of free kick taking against Espanyol and ripping Levante apart in last week’s 5-0 thrashing, with a hat-trick and two assists.

Suarez, who endured a long goal drought last season since after the departure of Neymar, has rediscovered the sharpness which led to him scoring a remarkable 40 league goals in the 2015/16 campaign.

He broke the deadlock against Levante by volleying in a Messi cross and also struck against Espanyol, two of seven goals he has scored in his last six league outings, including a hat-trick against Real Madrid.

“Luis and Leo are the best strike partnership in the world right now,” said Barca’s Gerard Pique last week.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates with Luis Suarez after scoring their fourth goal. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo

“Luis has goals in his veins and we’ve already said everything about Leo. We have a lot of firepower up front,” said Pique.

The strikers’ combined 25 goals, more than half of Barca’s haul this season, have helped lift the Catalans three points clear of Sevilla and Atletico Madrid at the top of the standings and five ahead of Real Madrid.

Ernesto Valverde’s side will expect to preserve that gap after Saturday’s game with Celta, typically tough opponents at their Balaidos stadium but, who usually bring the best out of Barca, and particularly Messi and Suarez, at the Nou Camp.

It was against Celta when Messi audaciously passed to Suarez to score from a penalty in a 6-1 thumping in 2016 in which the Uruguayan scored a hat-trick, while Messi struck twice in 5-0 thrashings of the Galicians in the league and Copa del Rey in the last two years.

Even when Celta managed to hold Barca to a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp last December, Messi and Suarez both scored.

Celta sacked manager Antonio Mohamed earlier this season and have shown signs of improvement under Miguel Cardoso, rising to ninth in the standings.

Second-placed Sevilla visit Leganes on Sunday, while Atletico Madrid, rocked by reports that Bayern Munich have paid the release clause of their World Cup winning defender Lucas Hernandez, host Espanyol on Saturday.

Real Madrid could lose ground as they are playing Al Ain in the final of FIFA’s Club World Cup on Saturday.


http://thenationonlineng.net/suarez-messi-rekindling-magic-favoured-victims-celta-await/

A twitter user posted a picture of a young Hausa lady getting married to a 60 year old man.

shared with caption:
"When is Nigeria gonna ABOLISH this barbaric culture of Child Marriage?"

ALESA, a community near Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was yesterday the scene of horror sparked by a strange family tragedy.

A resident, Achibong Patrick, strangled his four children, who were asleep.

Achibong, 35, killed his children after chasing his hairdresser wife away from their two-room apartment.

The Nation learnt that after killing the children, aged one, three, five and eight, he set his home on fire and hanged himself.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 1am.

A source said Achibong’s wife, who was running away, shouted that her husband, a native of Ogoja in Cross River State, was after her and their children, but before neighbours could intervene, the evil deed had been done.

A neighbour, who spoke in confidence, said Achibong was notorious for beating up his wife.

He said the woman had attempted to seek divorce, which the man got wind of, leading to the sad incident.

The source said when the wife later returned home, she saw the bodies of members of her family and the burnt flat.

She was taken to an unknown destination by sympathisers.

The police have evacuated the bodies and deposited them in a mortuary.

Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident on the phone.

When asked if anybody had been arrested, he said: “Who are you going to arrest? The man chased away his wife before killing their four children. He did not stop at killing the children; he set his house ablaze before hanging himself.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/dad-hangs-self-killing-four-children/

For allegedly diverting clothes worth about N5.2m and selling them N100,000, a transporter Gabriel Onyeka has been arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) Lagos.

Onyeka was apprehended after the buyer he took the bags of clothes to at Ebute-Ero market alerted the police.

It was gathered that the unnamed buyer had suspected the seller after he offered 12 bags filled with clothes for sale at N500,000.

According to the police, the said buyer offered to pay N100,000 and Onyeka agreed, fuelling suspicion in the mind of the buyer who notified security operatives.

It was gathered that in the course of investigation, detectives found out that the clothes belonged to one Alhaji Dabuzu in Kano State who handed them to Onyeka for delivery to a customer in Aba, Abia State.

Investigations showed that the real owner had gone to New Park in Kano State to waybill the goods but instead of taking them to the intended buyer, the suspect diverted them to Lagos with intent to sell them and keep the money.

According to the police, Onyeka admitted to have stolen the goods, adding that he was desperate to raise money to travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The FSARS operatives also arrested a suspected gang of armed robbers alleged to have terrorised lodgers, residents around Igando and Ikotun.

The gang allegedly led by one Emmanuel Olasunkanmi alias Federal was arrested in a hotel last month by a team led by Festus Olaniyi, a Superintendent of Police (SP).

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) incharge of FSARS Lagos Ibrahim Kaoje, others arrested alongside Olasunkanmi were Ahmed Agunbiade alias Omo Jo Ibo, Dotun Ogunsanya, Nurudeen Agbeyewo, Segun Okinade and Usman Akinde.

Kaoje said 15 stolen motorcycles, household items and three cut-to-size pistols were recovered from the gang.

The suspects were said to have told the police they bought the guns at N30,000 each.

http://thenationonlineng.net/transporter-held-diverting-clothes-worth-n5-2m-2/

simpleKUSH:
Kemi wasn't wrong after all.... that girl is ugly, very very ugly, if she were my child, i will throw her into a burning furnace

see this one

Liverpool in trouble on other news

abi no be this arsenal wey man u dey use defenders dey beat

oja ti burst

ile mooo, omo oloole

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared its intention to begin on a nationwide strike from Wednesday, 12th of December, 2018.

In a phone interview with our Correspondent, the National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse said it has become the strike has become imminent because the Federal Government had failed to meet with the demands of Polytechnics Lecturers.

The union has given a 21 day ultimatum on the 2nd of October, 2018.

Dutse said the proposed strike this December would be total and indefinite. The decision was made at the 93rd National Executive Council Meeting at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos last week.

“Government has failed to implement and fulfill agreements it has reached with the union and contained in the memorandum of Understanding signed,” Dutse stated.

“The issue of Funding of the Institutions has always been a major concern. The Government over the years have always been breaking their promises. There are other reasons bothering on the roles of the State Government and the National Assembly.

“The Institutions are not funded. The states are even worse because state governments just establish schools without actually funding those schools, so we don’t have infrastructure in place to aid learning. The Strike we embarked upon was to make sure there was a review on the act on the establishment of Polytechnics in countries” he added

The President also accused some state governments of owing salaries of their workers up to 14 months, just as institutions victimize union leaders who speak out against injustice.

“We hoped that the strike would make the Government look into improving the condition of service and the payment of additional allowances government owed Polytechnics Lecturers” he added

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been on strike for three weeks over the poor funding of the Federal Universities in the country.

http://thenationonlineng.net/polytechnic-lecturers-to-go-on-strike-from-december-12/

A young man from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa, has finally graduated as a doctor after six long years of study. Olwethu Vilakazi took to Twitter recently to share the exciting news of his achievement, Legit.ng gathered. He shared a photo of his stethoscope and badge showing his title.

He accompanied it with the caption:

"Degree complete. Y'all can address me as Dr. O.N Vilakazi."


https://www.legit.ng/1206504-y-address-dr-on-vilakazi-young-man-brags-graduating.html

A story of a Nigerian lady who is looking for help to further her education is now trending. The lady identified as Showunmi Adejoke revealed her desire to go to the university. The young lady had shared a tweet, asking for help to further her education.

She had revealed that she would like to study political science. According to her, she has always enjoyed studying. She revealed that even though she graduated secondary school in 2015, she has not been able to go to the university.

She wrote: "Hi, my name is Showunmi Adejoke. I graduated secondary School since year 2015 I'll love to study.......Political Science. But there's no means for me to further my education, kindly RT my helper might be on your TL."

www.legit.ng/1207466-lady-seeks-university-reveals-graduated-secondary-school-2015.html

Youths in Gboko have declared war on those wearing afro hair styles and low-waist jeans, who, they suspect belong to cult groups. They drag them to the market square.

The development, which has created panic in the town, followed the killing by mob action of nine suspected cult group members about a week ago in Lessel, headquarters of Ushongo Local Government Area.

One of the suspected cult group members allegedly shot and killed a commercial motorcyclist (Okada rider).

As early as 9am, some of the youths in Gboko, armed with scissors, stormed the market and went after those with afro hair style and low waist jeans.

Victims of the action were mostly youths aged between 10 and 20, some of them with the ‘Mike Tyson’ hair style – the one worn by former boxing champion.

The youths have vowed to stop cult activities in Gboko, the ancestral home of the Tiv.

Gboko Local Government Area Chairman Mrs. Berky Orpin condemned the action. She called for calm, saying security agencies and elders had intervened to avert a breakdown of law and order.

http://thenationonlineng.net/anti-cult-war-sparks-panic-benue-town/

There were indications yesterday that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, could quit as the South-South campaign coordinator for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Sources close to the governor told The Nation yesterday that he was not happy because Atiku’s campaign committee was not carrying him along in its activities.

The governor was said to have complained that some of the people appointed to work with him were appointed without his knowledge.

An aide of the governor told our reporter yesterday that he was planning to communicate his decision to the presidential candidate.

The National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, had announced the appointment of Wike as the South-South coordinator of Atiku’s campaign a few days after the latter emerged the presidential candidate of the party at its national convention in Port Harcourt on October 6.

His appointment was announced simultaneously as that of Senate President Bukola Saraki as the Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation while Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, was named as zonal coordinator for the Northwest.

Others who were also named as zonal coordinators include Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo (Northeast), Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom (Northcentral) and Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi (Southeast).

The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, was named as the coordinator for the Southwest.


http://thenationonlineng.net/wike-may-quit-atikus-south-south-campaign-coordinator/

The Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday, November 29, closed his defence at the Ekiti state governorship election petition tribunal, which sits at the premises of the high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Apo, Abuja. The tribunal, led by Justice Suleiman Belgore, has however adjourned sitting until January 9, 2019, for the adoption of final written addresses of parties in the petition filed by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kolapo Olusola, Premium Times.

Olusola is challenging the outcome of the July 14 governorship election which saw Fayemi emerge as the winner of the election. Read more:

www.legit.ng/1206820-ekiti-election-fayemi-closes-defence-tribunal-adjourns-january.html

A coalition of Christian leaders have excluded the presidential candidate of the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari and that of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, from a consultation meeting with presidential candidates. The leaders under the name, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), said Atiku and Buhari were excluded because the parties they belong to, the PDP and the APC, which had turned the country into the poverty capital of the world.

Bosun Emmanuel, the secretary of the group in a statement said the presidential candidates that will be invited for the meeting are those who have not been running for the office before as well others who do not belong to the PDP and the APC. The group advised Nigerians to support new presidential candidates as viable options for the 2019 general elections. “This meeting is as a result of the calls from concerned Nigerians that the NCEF should engage the new presidential candidates. By this notice, the NCEF is inviting new presidential candidates to a consultation meeting," the NCEF said.

“By new presidential candidates, the NCEF refers to candidates who have not been running for the office before as well as those not on the platform of the PDP and the APC. The concern of the NCEF is that both parties mismanaged the economy and the society in the past 20 years."

“Jointly, they devalued the Naira by over 1,600 per cent, while increasing the cost of fuel by 625 per cent. They permitted insecurity in the country and escalated religious and ethnic tensions all over the nation. The two parties looted the treasury empty and impoverished Nigerians.”

www.legit.ng/1206446-buhari-atiku-excluded-consultation-meeting-by-christian-leaders.html

At a packed stadium, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday announced the resolution of the progressives to support continuity of good governance.

“There is no going back in the resolve to return President Muhammadu Buhari for another term in office,” the former Lagos State governor said.

It was at the inauguration of Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola and Benedict Olugboyega Alabi as Osun State governor and deputy governor.

The colourful ceremony, attended by many dignitaries and ordinary folks, took place at the Osogbo Township Stadium in the state capital.

Tinubu said Nigerians could not afford to go back to the “scavengers, who personalised governance because of their greed”.

To the APC stalwart, there should be enough of greed and self-serving government that “has held back our progress as a nation”.

He stressed that there was nothing to show for the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in power.

He said the PDP only laid the foundation for “greed” and “selfishness”.

His words: “Nigeria must never be allowed to go back to the corruption, greed and selfishness that have held back our progress. No shaking and no going back to the old foxes, old scavengers and old greed of this country. Look back at their years in government and find out if they laid any good foundation. They didn’t, except the personalisation theory of greed.”

Tinubu, who was elated by the inauguration of the new government in Osun State, congratulated the former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for handing over power to a progressive administration.

He said: “I congratulate you, Aregbesola, for handing over power to a progressive. Now you have joined me in the club of former governors. You have really done very well. You have run progressive and welfarist programmes. I commend you for your performance in the two terms you have spent as governor.

“You have done very well. Since eight years, which is like yesterday. You earned a progressive mandate and did it for four years and renewed it for another four years. It was a welfarist and progressive programmes now handed over to another progressive governor. Thank you for walking the path and doing a good job.”

Tinubu, who congratulated Oyetola and Alabi, assured them that the administration would be supported by progressives in all parts of Nigeria.

According to him, Oyetola’s emergence as governor is a continuation and testament of APC’s progressive ideology of governance started four years ago by President Buhari.

He urged the new governor to follow the path that will engender progressive development, put smiles on people’s faces and take the country to higher heights.

The former governor said: “We want you to maintain the same path of progress. We are strongly behind you. Ride on, no going back. There is no any other party here in the Southwest.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, said the inauguration marked a peaceful transition from one administration to another.

President, who commended the former governor for steering the ship of the state successfully for eight years and handing over power to an APC administration, thanked the people of Osun for conducting themselves peacefully during and after the governorship elections.

Buhari advised politicians in the 2019 general elections to make their campaigns focus on programmes and agenda capable of emancipating the people from hardship.

He called on Oyetola to centre his administration around the welfare of the people of the state, especially women and youths, to make life meaningful to them.

He said: “Public office is a trust. You must rule with a human face and the fear of God. You must ensure that all the ongoing projects are completed.”

He assured the new governor of all the necessary support that would help him succeed.

Buhari also called on Nigerians to vote for the APC in the 2019 general elections.

He urged them to conduct themselves peacefully – in a manner devoid of bitterness and violence, shunning hate speech and violence during the campaigns.

He praised the Aregbesola for bringing “immense developments” to the state in the last eight years.

He assured that the APC-led administration would continue to deliver the democracy dividends to the people.

Among the dignitaries at the event were Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Gen. Alani Aknirinade, Aregbesola’s wife, Sherifat and his former deputy Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori.

There were Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).

Former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo were there.

Others were the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, former Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Dokun Abolarin, former House of Representatives Speaker Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Osun state speaker of the State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, former state speaker, Adejare Bello, APC women leader, Chief Mrs Kemi Nelson, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, Senator Solomon Adeola , former Lagos deputy governor, Femi Pedro, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator Sola Adeyeye.

http://thenationonlineng.net/2019-poll-buhari-must-continue-tinubu/

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced that its officials have arrested two officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for their alleged involvement in the shipment of 1, 250 rounds of live ammunition. The spokesperson of the NDLEA, Jonah Achema, in a statement on Tuesday, November 27, said the live ammunition was intercepted by the agency’s FCT command during a motorized patrol at the Gwagwalada end of Abuja-Lokoja expressway.

According to the statement, the consignment was sent through a transport company from Lagos to be collected by the policemen. “The two policemen, Jacob Jalwap, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to police command headquarters, Jos, Plateau state and Nandul Seizing, a corporal attached to Angua Rogo, Jos, were arrested in Jos in a follow-up investigation of the live ammunition accompanied with a way bill containing the phone number and name of Nandul Seizing,” Achema said in the statement.

https://www.legit.ng/1206353-ndlea-arrests-2-police-officers-escorting-1250-rounds-live-ammunition.html

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, yesterday said there is no room for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State.

He said the opposition should not expect votes from Lagos and other states because there is no vacancy at the Government House in Ikeja, the state capital, and Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The monarch spoke yesterday on the importance of next year’s polls when the state All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, visited him and his senior chiefs at his Iduganran palace in Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, who stormed the palace at 10 a.m, was accompanied by his Campaign Manager Tayo Ayinde, National Communication Commission (NCC) Director Sunday Dare, House of Representatives member Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, former Special Adviser on Rural Development Mr Sesan Olanrewaju, APC Women Leader Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, former Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman Abiodun Mafe and veteran journalist Bayo Osiyemi.

The APC candidate was officially introduced to Oba Akiolu and his chiefs by a chieftain and former Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki.

After the monarch offered his words of advice to him and the campaign team, a chief, Opemilua Ajose, offered Sanwo-Olu traditional prayers.

At the palace were former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Gubernatorial Advisory Council (GAC) member Alhaji Mutiu Aare; former Sports Commissioner Segun Dawodu, Nosiru Musa; Sesan Daini; House of Assembly member Sola Giwa and House of Representatives candidate and son of the royal father, Prince Kayode Akiolu.

Ajose prayed that God, who ensured the success of former Governors Lateef Jakande and Bola Tinubu, will also ensure Sanwo-Olu’s success as governor.

Reflecting on the primary that produced the candidate, he said: “Let the aggrieved know that they have benefitted from Tinubu’s leadership. It is now the turn of Sanwo-Olu.”


Oba Akiolu invoked the spirits of his illustrious predecessors, including Oba Ado, Akinsemoyin, Ologunkutere, Idewu Ojulari, Kosoko Morohunfolu, Akintoye, Dosunmu, Oyekan, Falolu, Esugbay, and Adeniji Adele as he prayed for the APC flag bearer.

The monarch predicted success for him at the poll, saying the PDP will not rule Lagos State.

He said: “The PDP will not rule Lagos because of what they have done to us. I saw Olusegun Obasanjo in Ota and I spoke my mind. They will not even win at the centre… APC government will continue in Lagos and Abuja.”

Turning to Obanikoro, the monarch applauded his return to the progressives fold.

He recalled telling the senator’s mother to advise him to retrace his steps from the PDP.

Oba Akiolu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), said having spent 32 years in the police, he was not afraid to speak the truth to power.

The monarch described Sanwo-Olu as a good man, adding that he was close to the palace as a politician and public office.

He also recalled that Agunsoye performed well as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Oba Akiolu said Sanwo-Olu is surrounded by sycophants who are interested in politics of gains instead of contribution.

He advised the candidate to avoid any quarrel with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, stressing that the candidate should not repay good with evil.

He said: “Anybody who will sabotage you will perish. (Facing the gathering) I have spoken with Sanwo-Olu and I will still speak to him. You can’t be Oba of Lagos and be a hypocrite. I should not hear any quarrel between you and Ambode. Many people are following you. Many are looking for what to eat.

“Ambode was not sensitive. Sanwo-Olu, you will triumph. They said I was collecting N50 million monthly from Ambode. There is nothing like that. They are gossips. Don’t repay good with evil. Politicians don’t fight. They only disagree. They don’t have shame.

“The elders of Lagos are behind you, Jide Sanwo-Olu. Be truthful. If you look at your back, you will see God. You will see me; you will see my chiefs; you will see Ambode.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/akiolu-sanwo-olu-beware-sycophants/

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on Monday said that his re-election is almost a done deal, despite the risks he has taken on his path to make Kaduna great again.

The said though, getting re-elected as the governor of the state is not paramount in his agenda, but doing the right thing.

El-Rufai who stated this while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the 2018 National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) conference holding in Kaduna, said his administration in the past three and half years undertook far reaching reforms in the education, economic and health sectors with outstanding results.

He said his immediate and utmost priority is to put the state on the right track and sound footing, while his achievements and reforms in all sectors will naturally take care of his re-election to consolidate on the achieved successes.

According to him, “being re-elected is not important. What is important is doing the right thing and posterity will judge us. From all indications, from everything I have seen because we call regularly, we are very scientific, we don’t guess in the dark.

“Inspite of all the risks we have taken and all the people we are supposed to have upset, the election on the second of March, 2019 as far as Kaduna State is concern is almost a done deal,” he said.

In the economic sector, he disclosed that his administration has created lots of jobs and empowered the women folks with soft loan with plans to do more going forward.

He also informed that plans are under way to recruit no fewer than 3000 health workers to further boost the health sector.

On the ease of doing business, the governor said, before he took over the mantle of leadership, Kaduna state occupied the twentieth position in ranking on ease of doing business in 2014, “but as at 2018, Kaduna State occupies the first position in the ease of doing business”.

In the area of security and Judiciary, he disclosed that his administration has so far hired 75 lawyers to boost the state judiciary sector, just as a said, his administration has removed the tenure system for directors and permanent Secretaries to open doors for young people.

The 3-day NACOFES conference organized by the Federal Account Allocation Committee in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance is expected to among other paper presentations look into alternative sources of revenue generation outside oil.

Mr. Ben Akabueze, Director General Budget office of the federation, Mr. Shettima Umar Abba Gana. Ag. Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Tue Mab Lee, Senior Economist, World Bank Group, Mr. Asishana Okauru Esq. Director General Nigerian Governors Forum and Mr. Tunde Abdulkareem FAAC Post Mortem Consultant all gave goodwill messages at the opening ceremony.

http://thenationonlineng.net/2019-my-re-election-almost-a-done-deal-el-rufai/

ANY attempt by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to return to power by proxy will be resisted, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole said yesterday.

He dismissed as “empty” the former leader’s boast that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will unseat the APC-led administration from Aso Rock.

Oshiomhole spoke in Kano where he led other APC stalwarts to receive hundreds of members of the PDP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, who defected into the ruling party at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

”Obasanjo’s dream to rule Nigeria by proxy will not succeed,” Oshiomhole told the crowd of supporters.

He said: “It is a wonderful day that all the progressives have come together to reinforce power to sustain our democracy. Never again should this country be governed by opportunists.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s constituency is the army of the poor. We are building a country where those who work will be able to eat, not those who use telephones to make billions without working for it.

“We are waiting for the message and shall respond appropriately to their message. This country must move forward. It does not belong to those who have a history of taking so much out of the system even as they cannot show what they have put into the system.

“We have to fix all the problems; we did not come in to fix them overnight. What they did not do in 16 years cannot possibly be fixed in three and half years. But I believe we have shown the most important quality that we need in a leader – to have a man of honour, a man of integrity, a man that you can trust; and that is President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Whether in America, they appreciate him, in Britain, they appreciate him, and other Africa Heads of State appreciate him. And, of course, we the ordinary people appreciate him. But those who make money without work, they don’t like him. As far as they are concerned, he will not stay one day long.”

Oshiomhole replied to criticism by the PDP of the electoral process. He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to our opponents in PDP that they seem to be crying before the election takes place. When they win, everything is perfect; any time they lose, nothing is right. I see them writing a letter to the United Nations (UN) and I’m asking who is going to carry the letter.

“Nigerians will not forget that it was PDP under President Olusegun Obasanjo who introduced what he called do-or-die politics. They remember when he said the election of 2007 was a do-or-die for him.

“Fortunately, we did not die; fortunately, he is still alive. He would be alive to see a country that grows from strength to strength, that is detained by the bitterness of the past.

“But his (Obasanjo) dream to rule by proxy will never succeed. Nigerians can never go back. We must move on. In another mandate for President Buhari, we will witness sustainable growth, development and happiness for the good of the average Nigerian.”

The party chief praised Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his steadfastness in sustaining the manifesto of the APC, saying: “Thank you so much, Your Excellency. You have made a statement. Politics is not about social media where one man can recruit 2000 young men to just be posting fake stories.

“Politics is on the ground and it is played by real people. When you promised to deliver five million votes I know you will do so because people of Kano State belongs to President Buhari; and President Muhammadu Buhari belongs to the people of Kano State.

“It will interest you to know that during the primary election, President Buhari had 14.6 million Nigerian APC members voting for him freely to nominate him. Compare this to what my dear friend (Goodluck Jonathan) did in PDP in 2014 when they collected signatories to ask a sitting President to re-contest.

”I think we have changed the game, and the game can never be the same again. Nigeria can now grow from strength to strength. I want to ask you (Ganduje) to have faith. We shall be victorious at the end.”

Presenting the defectors to Oshiomhole, Ganduje said: “Today, APC is the greatest party in Nigeria, and in Africa. APC is the only party in Kano State. We have the highest number of party members; our intention is to provide the highest number of votes for APC in Nigeria.

“If you can recall, we promised President Muhammadu Buhari that we will give him over five million votes. Mr. Chairman, we assure you that APC is united in Kano. Kano is the home of progressives.

“The late Malam Aminu Kano was a progressive, the late Sabo Barkin Zuwo was a progressive, and the late Abubakar Rimi was a progressive. Now, what do you expect in Kano – if not a progressive government, a progressive administration, a progressive voting. That is why we are ready to give President Buhari over five million votes.”

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, two-time governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau said: “Today is a moment to reckon with history. On behalf of all my supporters, well-wishers far and near who have joined us to move into APC, it is a great pleasure for us to be part of APC.

http://thenationonlineng.net/oshiomhole-obasanjo-planning-rule-proxy/

am not an arsenal supporter, but i think its gibbs

The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) says the South West has more to gain by re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

Fashola, who was in Lagos yesterday for the inauguration of 5000 foot soldiers for the campaign of Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the Southwest already had high stakes/appointments in the current administration.

He said the promise of the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) slot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not enough for the South West to lose the positions it is currently occupying.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Chief Gbenga Daniel, the Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, said the position of the SGF would be given to the Southwest, if Atiku emerged as president in 2019.

“As a Southwest indigene, I will vote for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket Westerner, because my people stand to gain more from it,” Fashola said.

He said that the re-election of Buhari would guarantee that power would come to the South West in 2023.

“ The Southwest is presently occupying the position of the vice president. We have three sitting ministers and many different federal appointments from the present administration which we cannot afford to lose.,” he said.

The Minister explained that although the APC promised change In 2014, the party did not promise to do it in four years.

“The APC has done more in three years than 16 years of PDP administration, yet they say president Buhari is too slow.

“President Buhari is taking Nigeria to the next level. We are going to the Next Level.

“The 2019 presidential election is a choice between going back and moving forward to the next level and also a choice of whom Nigerians can trust with their money,” he said.

He noted that the APC-Buhari led administration has done more in three years with less money than the PDP with all the monies that accrued to the nation in 16 years.

“Buhari has inaugurated a structural infrastructure fund for road construction. N15 billion has been released for the continued construction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

“There is need for the progress to continue. Dubai was built with oil-money, Nigeria can be built with it too. The past administration squandered oil revenue.

“Federal Government is constructing at least one road in every state in Nigeria. We are also constructing houses in 34 States in Nigeria.

“We have collected 690 containers for the construction of 90 transmission stations and through our policy of mini grids, our markets now have uninterrupted power supply.

“In the last 3 years we have constructed 40 kilometres of roads per year. In 2015, the total number of roads completed nationwide was 80 kilometres. In 2016 after we took over, we completed , 274 kilometres of road, 478 kilometres in 2017 and 474 kilometers in 2018.

“Electric generation has moved from 4000 Megawatts that we met to 7000MW. That’s an increase of 3000MW, an average of 1000MW a year. We have started an IPP in 9 universities in Nigeria. We have accelerated the distribution of meters by outsourcing it to distributors,” he added.

At the event are Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, (Lagos East), former Deputy Governor of Lagos State Mrs Adejoke Adefulire and Mr Obafemi Hamzat, running mate to Lagos APC governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu among others.

http://thenationonlineng.net/fashola-southwest-will-re-elect-buhari/

Former heads of States, Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalam Abubakar and former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, are currently attending the book launch of former President, Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.

The book launch is taking place at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja.

Also present at the book launch are former President of Ghana, John Mahama, President of AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina and some governors elected under PDP.

President Muhammadu Buhari is represented at the event by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Also present at the book launch are Federal and state legislatures elected under PDP.

The book: “My transition Hours” gives an account of what happened in the build up to 2014 elections.

http://thenationonlineng.net/atiku-gowon-abdulsalam-attend-jonathans-book-launch-abuja/

The Police in Ekiti State have said that four persons were killed during a violent robbery attack on a bank in Ijero-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

A source told the our reporter that the robbers invaded the town at about 6 p.m. after workers had closed.

They were said to have first driven to the Police station in the town where they killed two policemen on duty, before heading straight to a first generation bank in an ambulance containing a casket loaded with guns.

Others killed, according to the source, were a security guard at the bank who was shot around the ATM stand and an aged man who was passing by at the time of the attack.

The robbers were said to have entered Ijero-Ekiti through Aramoko-Ekiti road.

They were said to have announced their arrival with gunshots which sent residents scampering for safety.

The bandits reportedly blew the bank’s security door with dynamite to gain access into the banking hall and made away with unspecified amount of money in the raid, which lasted for about an hour.

The heavy shooting by the robbers paralysed transportation, economic and social activities in the town.

Read Also: Police arrest suspected traffic robbers
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Caleb Ikechuckwu, said that he had visited the town to gather information, adding that the robbers arrived the town at about 5.30 p.m.

“There were, indeed, casualties. The robbers arrived the town a few minutes after 5.30 p.m. They succeeded by using dynamite to gain access into the banking hall.

“There was, however, no casualty on the side of the bank, but there was one or two on the side of Police,” he said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/robbers-attack-ekiti-bank-ambulance-kill-four/

The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) has lost in its bid to stop its trial by an Igbosere High Court, Lagos

This is because the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has dismissed the appeal filed by the church and it’s engineers for lacking in merit.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Deputy Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Mr Kayode Oyekanmi.

The statement said the appellate court affirmed the decision of the lower court judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo delivered on March 9, 2018.

Justice Lawal-Akapo, of a Lagos State High Court had on March 9, 2018 dismissed the no case submission filed by the defendant’s/appellants.

The trial Judge, held in his ruling that the state had established a prima facie case against the defendants/appellants to warrant them being called upon to put up a defence.

But dissatisfied with the ruling of the lower court, the defendants appellants, Messrs Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun charged alongside their companies, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited , approached the appellate court urging the appellate court to upturn the ruling.

Having considered the arguments of the appellants and the submission of the DPP, Ms. Titi Shitta-Bey, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

http://thenationonlineng.net/collapsed-building-synagogue-loses-appeal-stop-trial/

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) over the proposed N30,000 minimum wage logjam.

It was not immediately clear what the Aso Villa, Abuja meeting decided. The governors did not brief the media.

A source, however, said the governors stuck to their line of argument that should they be made to pay the least paid worker N30,000, their states should earn more from the Federal purse.

“They presented a document to the President, saying only Lagos can pay N30,000 and asking that the revenue allocation formula be adjusted for them to pay,” the source added, pleading not to be named.

The President was said to have collected the document and promised to study it. He is believed to be planning to compare it with what the tripartite committee proposed and get back to the governors.

The Ama Pepple Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage on November 6, submitted its report to the President and recommended N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

The President expressed his commitment to ensuring the implementation of a new national minimum wage and pledged to transmit an Executive bill (on National Minimum Wage) to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

He was delighted that the committee had successfully completed its assignment.

However, the governors expressed reservation over the proposed N30,000 new minimum wage, saying the state governments were not in a stable financial position to pay. Many are unable to pay N18,000 — the current minimum wage.

The Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari, at the end of an emergency meeting of the governors in Abuja, on November 15, said paying N30, 000 was impracticable.

NAN reports that representatives of the Governors’ Forum, who met with the President over the issue, included Governors of Zamfara, Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, was also in attendance.

Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kwara State chapter Kolawole Olumoh, urged governors to cut down their expenses on political appointees and others.

Olumoh said this would enable the governors save funds to pay the N30, 000 minimum wage.

According to him, some governors appointed many political office holders with jumbo pay that do not justify their functions, at the expense of the core civil servants.

He noted that complaints by the governors over inadequate revenue would not arise, if they cut their expenses on political appointees.

Olumoh said most governors appointed special assistants or advisers who were not relevant to governance.

“It is surprising that the governors could renege on their initial agreement at the tripartite meeting where it was agreed that they would pay the N30, 000 minimum wage or,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to put in place measures that would give workers value, for the new minimum wage to avoid inflation in the prices of goods and food stuff.

The TUC chairman hoped that President Buhari would soon sign the White Paper report on the new minimum wage for passage to the National Assembly.

According to him, this will hasten its full implementation.

He, however, urged workers to continue to exercise patience, assuring them that everything would be done to ensure their interest is properly taken care of.

http://thenationonlineng.net/buhari-study-governors-position-n30000-wage/

A 39-year-old man, Samuel Egbe, who allegedly stole wine and spray starch from a supermarket, on Monday appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.

Egbe, who lives on Aminu Street, Ketu, Lagos, is facing a count charge of stealing, but he pleaded not guilty.

According to the Prosecutor, Insp. Lucky Ihiehie, the accused stole two bottles of wine and two bottles of spray starch from a supermarket belonging to one Mr Tochukwu Okafor.

Ihiehie said that the accused committed the theft on Nov. 7, at 10.30p.m at No. 455, Ikorodu Road, Ketu, adding that the items worth N17, 900.

“The accused came to the supermarket, pretended to window shop but stole a bottle of black label wine worth N7,000 on Nov. 3

“Two days after, the accused came again, pretending to buy something in the supermarket and stole a bottle of Jack Daniels wine worth N7,500.

“Since that day, he was being monitored until Nov. 7 when he came again and stole two spray starch valued at N3, 400, and was apprehended,” he submitted.

Stealing contravenes Sections 287 and of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The offence is punishable with seven years’ jail term.

The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje granted bail to the accused in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case until Dec. 19, for mention

http://thenationonlineng.net/man-charged-stealing-starch/