₦airaland Forum

Amnesty International (AI) yesterday said the failures of Nigerian Government fuels escalating the conflict between farmers and herders as death toll nears 4,000.

A statement yesterday quoted AI’s country director, Osai Ojigho, saying that at least 3,641 people were killed between 2016 and 2018, most of them this year.

Amnesty also said the failure of security forces allows some attacks to last for days.

It also demanded that authorities’ failure to investigate attacks fuels further bloodshed.

Amnesty International made the revelations in a new report released today titled “Harvest of Death: Three Years of Bloody Clashes Between Farmers and Herders.”

Ojigho said, “Our research shows that these attacks were well planned and coordinated, with the use of weapons like machine guns and AK-47 rifles.

He said, “Yet, little has been done by the authorities in terms of prevention, arrests and prosecutions, even when information about the suspected perpetrators was available.”

He said Amnesty International started documenting clashes between farmers and herders from January 2016.

He added that between August 2017 and September 2018, its researchers conducted 10 field trips to 56 villages in five states.

He said the report is based on 262 interviews with victims, eyewitnesses, community leaders, medical practitioners, religious leaders and government officials, including members of the security forces.

He said researchers also analysed 230 documents, including medical records and reports by the security forces.

He added that villagers in all the areas visited by Amnesty International described losing everything as their homes were burned and their food supplies carted away by attackers.

AI said since 2016, both sides in the conflict have increasingly sought to destroy each other’s livelihood with herders setting fire to farms and farmers engaging in cattle rustling.

Ojigho noted that “The root cause of this conflict has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity; it is largely about land and access to grazing.”

“But in some places, because of the failures of the security forces, competition over resources is used as a pretext to kill and maim along ethnic or religious lines.

“The conflict has also been dangerously politicized by some state government officials who have inflamed tensions by embarking on a blame-game along political party lines,” said Osai Ojigho.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fgs-failures-fuel-farmers-herders-conflict-amnesty-international.html

Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe- Abdullahi, Speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, says President Muhammadu Buhari is a special gift and a great asset to Nigeria, considering his feats in the country.

The speaker said this on Monday in Lafia, while congratulating the president on his 76th birthday celebration.

Balarabe-Abdullahi described the leadership qualities of the president as remarkable and purposeful, calling for the people’s support and prayers to enable him to deliver the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians.

“President Buhari is a man of integrity and unquestionable character.

“He is a leader with a strong determination to change the future of the country; hence the need for prayers and support from all the citizens to enable him to succeed beyond 2019,’’ he said.

Balarabe-Abdullahi noted that the past three and half years of the Buhari-administration had been very eventful and progressive.

“Nigerians have seen what the government of President Buhari has done since its inception, especially in the areas of security, anti-corruption, agriculture and youth empowerment, among others,’’ he said.

The speaker congratulated Buhari on his birthday and prayed to God to grant him more wisdom and long life, while protecting him to move the nation to greater heights.

He urged all Nigerians to be law-abiding, while respecting the constituted authorities and living in peace, regardless of extraneous factors such as political affiliations. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-is-a-special-gift-to-nigeria-says-speaker.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said President Muhammadu Buhari does not deserve a second term of office judging from his “woeful performance” for the past three and a half years.

The party in a statement Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said the Buhari-led government has wrecked the nation’s economy and thrown the majority of Nigerians off-balance, insisting the President must not be voted for a second term.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after a full appraisal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that more hardship awaits Nigerians in the coming year, submits that, the declaration is shocking and coveys the height of Mr. President’s insensitivity to the sufferings of Nigerians.

“After a full appraisal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that more hardship awaits Nigerians in the coming year, submits that the declaration is shocking and coveys the height of Mr. President’s insensitivity to the sufferings of Nigerians.

“It is most painful that having suffered so much in the past three and half years, all that President Buhari can promise Nigerians is more suffering, at the time they are looking forward to a better life.

“In this season, when leaders, the world over, are delivering messages of hope to their people, our own President is promising us more suffering and hardship.

“Our party therefore calls on the Nigerian people to look forward to the coming year with great hope and expectations for better days ahead, as they rally behind our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with his practical solutions to our nation’s problems as well was a ready roadmap for our collective aspiration that guarantees economic recovery and wealth creation immediately he is elected into office in 2019 as the next President of our country,”the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/you-dont-deserve-a-second-term-pdp-tells-buhari.html

The Gubernatorial Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Ogun state, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, yesterday vowed to represent the best interest of the entire State without favouring one senatorial district over the other.

He said there is uneven spread distribution of developmental projects in the State by the current administration which “has seen the Central Senatorial district becoming the largest beneficiary at the detriment of other divisions.”

Isiaka made the pledge while addressing a mammoth crowd at Ijebu Imushin, at an event to round off his campaign tour of Ijebu East local government.

According to the two-time governorship candidate, “Concentrating 70 percent of the state’s resources in one part of the State at the extreme expense of other parts is morally wrong”.

“We would ensure all parts of Ogun State are evenly developed. We would not run an irresponsible, one-sided government. I have the fear of God and it is God that makes one Governor”.

The ADC flagbarer however promised to be a listening governor if elected in 2019, adding that his bid to govern the State is premised on his capacity, experience, vision for Ogun and not necessarily because of his communal ties to Ogun West.

“I assure you we would remain level headed. I have been voted for twice. My information is in public glare. I am not someone who will get corrupt by power. I remain an ‘Omoluabi’ to the core and I will rule with a sincere heart,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-2019-i-wont-run-irresponsible-one-sided-govt-isiaka.html

sai Atiku 2019

The United States has debunked claim by former President Goodluck Jonathan that the country interfered in the 2015 presidential election.

Jonathan, in his book ‘My Transition Hours’, claimed that former U.S President Barrack Obama sent his Secretary of State, John Kerry, to Nigeria to protest the postponement of the election by six weeks.

He wrote: “I can recall that President Obama sent his Secretary of State to Nigeria, a sovereign nation, to protest the rescheduling of the election. John Kerry arrived in Nigeria on Sunday January 25, 2015 and said ‘it’s imperative that these elections happen on time as scheduled’.

“How can the US Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government?

“On March 23, 2015, President Obama himself took the unusual step of releasing a video message directly to Nigerians all but telling them how to vote. In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the ‘next chapter’ by their votes. Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government. The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them.”

But in a live chat on Facebook on Tuesday, the Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate General in Lagos, Mr. Russell Brooks, said Jonathan’s claims mischaracterised what President Obama did in Nigeria.

He said “It was mischaracterised in the book about what President Obama or his administration did in Nigeria. The mischaracterisation here refers to not comprehending why we felt it was important for Nigeria to have a peaceful, free and fair election in 2015.

“And thereby, people may not understand why we placed so much importance of having a peaceful, free and fair and transparent election in 2019.

“In the past, Nigeria’s elections had been beset by violence; there have been questions about the fairness of those elections. And we certainly believe that Nigeria can do better. In 2015, Nigeria did do better.

“There may have been some difficulties as they often times occur in elections whether here in Nigeria or in the United States. But Nigeria did do better and we believe Nigeria will continue to make progress.”

“We are helping them to make that progress through our support to INEC, civil societies here in Nigeria and through our assistance to the press in enabling them toward playing a positive role in the coverage of the election.

“All these show how important we believe it is for Nigeria to have an election process that can be credible and stand against any election anywhere in the world.”

He stressed that the U.S has no favourable candidate for the 2019 election, saying that the country’s interest is for the process to be free and transparent.

“We don’t favour candidates. Our candidate is the process. The process should be free and fair. The process should be transparent,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/jonathans-claims-mischaracterised-obama-us.html

With the main gladiators of the 2018 elections clearly President Muhammadu Buhari (APC) and ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar (PDP), the political games have already commenced. However, going by the landscape recently, religious angles are being introduced, to varying degrees. Daily Trust Saturday sheds some light on the trend.

Many prominent religious leaders have taken positions by their outright alignments to political candidates, not necessarily at the national level, but in many states. In the past couple of months, mosques and churches have turned into campaign grounds were politicians besiege in search of “blessing”, and clerics openly giving directives to faithful to cast their votes for certain candidates. Some clerics have even gone to the extent of invoking the wrath of God on followers who fail to heed to their directive.

Just on Thursday, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) banned Catholic priests and faithful of consecrated life from engaging in partisan politics, including becoming a member of any political party. The Secretary General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, who gave the order in Abuja on behalf of the Catholic Bishops, frowned at the public altercation between Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka and a former Anambra State governor and the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi.

The incident occurred on Dec. 2 at Fr. Mbaka’s adoration ground in Enugu, on the issue of patronage in respect of the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

Mbaka had predicted failure for the Atiku/Obi joint ticket. In a viral video, he rebuked Peter Obi for not executing a project for his church, warning him of the consequences. Nigerians who reacted to the viral video were quick to share divergent opinions concerning Mbaka’s statement. Some commended Obi for standing his ground and not making fake promises at the altar of God despite pressure from the priest.

That was what prompted the Thursday reprimand by the Catholic Bishops. According to Rev. Fr. Madu, the Bishops condemn, “the shameful scenario on an adoration ground,” saying the incident does not have the support of the Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

“As has always been our stand, the Catholic church in Nigeria as clearly stated in their August 7, 2018 directives, remains apolitical and does not support or subscribe to any political party. Our concern is for a peaceful election process seen to be free, fair, credible and just, and a democratic governance that guarantees peace, justice, equity, among others,” he said.

In the run up to the 2015 general elections, the fiery Fr. Mbaka had blazed the trail by endorsing then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari of APC, a Muslim, and even canvassed support for him against the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian. In a scorching New Year’s Eve service, Mbaka had told Jonathan to “resign or be voted out over Nigeria’s alarming insecurity and corruption.” Earlier, the same Mbaka had lauded Jonathan for “doing well.” He also lambasted those blaming the president for not rescuing more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in April 2014 by Boko Haram militants.

Aside Mbaka, popular Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said he had no regrets playing a role to reconcile former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and his former deputy Atiku.

Despite what other clerics said, Gumi acknowledged his right to endorse any candidate for the 2019 elections, while describing Obasanjo as “a leader worthy of emulation.”

“First of all, the negative reactions that greeted our visit to the Presidential Library, Abeokuta, came mostly from social media that is infested with agents of government where an individual can employ numerous identities based on ethnicity, region, religion, etc. It is a natural instinct in us to make peace as humans,” he said.

Daily Trust Saturday recalls that some religious and political heavyweights in the country had all met with Obasanjo on the “altar” of reconciliation. These included the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, Catholic Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Recall further that these men had at one time or another spoken of their reservations about the APC leadership at the centre, hence their claim that they were only playing conciliatory role was not convincing to many, including those sympathetic to the APC.

On his part, Bishop Oyedepo denied endorsing Atiku. “I was only invited to make peace. I have never belonged to any political party and will never belong to one. Our goal is to secure the glorious destiny of our nation by paying whatever price it requires,” he was quoted as saying. Like Oyedepo, Bishop Kukah “worked to reconcile, not endorse.”

“My focus all along had been with Obasanjo as I had never brought Atiku into what I was doing. Quite fortuitously, a chance meeting changed the tide in favour of reconciliation,” he said.

Analysts believe that in developed, western democracies, elections provide a platform for engaging on meaningful, issues-based arguments, in clear variance to what obtains in developing democracies such Nigeria’s, where elections most times stimulate ethnic and religious fervour. According to them, most political parties and politicians lack ideologies to campaign on, hence their desperation in “conscripting” religious leaders as campaign tools.

A lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano, Dr Sa’id Ahmad Dukawa opined that the issue of merging religion with politics is not healthy for democracy in Nigeria, or anywhere else. “The trend is meant to promote hatred among adherents of the two major religions of Islam and Christianity, which can disturb peace and in the end affects the unity among followers of the religions. And of course without unity, no country could develop. It is also meant to divert the attention of the electorates from issues-based politics, which in reality is the best practice anywhere in the world, to attend to problems of the people irrespective of their religion or ethnic background,” he said.

Dukawa therefore charged religious leaders to focus on interrogating politicians and identifying who among them is serious, so that they could tell their followers to vote for such candidate. “Our religious leaders should understand that all the prophets sent by God, the Almighty from Adam to Muhammad (SAW) lived in multi-cultural societies and they brought goodies to their subjects including those that follow them and those that have not. After all, the Nigerian Constitution is clear about the issue of Muslim/Christian ticket. So, by preaching against followers of other religion, you have violated the teachings of your religion, and constitution.”

Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, a renowned Islamic scholar in Kano and Commander General of Kano Hisbah, said religious leaders need to consider certain things in handling this kind of situation. “They need to hide their choice in respect of candidates and political party. Religious leaders should not show their followers which political party they like, or which among the candidates is their choice. This can cause division not only between Muslims and Christians, but even among his followers because they too have their choices,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-2019-elections-are-becoming-religious.html

A former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, yesterday said he would not honour the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission asking him to report to its Kano office on December 5 for allegedly misappropriating N6.3 billion when he was governor.

In a statement yesterday by his media consultant, Clinton Garuba, Jang said he had written to the commission urging it to pick another date in January, 2019.

He said he took the decision to turn down the invitation because he was under trial in Jos having been charged to court by the same commission.

He said: “And the matter is expected to commence definite hearing around the date of the invitation. To be sure, it is baffling how the EFCC expects the serving senator to be in two places at the same time since he does not possess any psychic abilities.”

Jang clarified that the invitation was unconnected with a report alleging that the commission had traced a mansion worth N500 million to him.

He said: “The property located at No. 8 and 9 Gobarau Road, Unguwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna state does not belong to Senator Jang, and this is not the first time the commission would investigate its ownership.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/alleged-n6-3bn-i-wont-honour-efccs-invitation-jang.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed three youths and a woman as his aides.

The former Vice President would also kick off his campaign in Sokoto today.

Mr Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to the former Vice President, disclosed this in a statement to journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

The new appointees are: Dr Ahmed Adamu, Special Assistant (Youth and Strategy); Aliyu Bin Abbas, Special Assistant (Youth Support Groups); Phrank Shuaibu, Special Assistant (Public Communications); and Mrs Funmi Lamuye, Special Assistant (South-West).

Adamu, 33, is an academic, petroleum economist and leadership and development expert, who hails from Katsina State, and a pioneer of Global President of Commonwealth Youth Council.

He was an international expert at the United Nation’s Global Forum on Youth. He was also ranked among the top 100 most influential young Nigerians by Advance Media Africa.

Abbas, 34, an indigene of Borno State, is Director-General of the Atiku Cares Foundation (ACF).

ACF is a philanthropic platform of the former Vice President for humanitarian interventions to vulnerable persons and communities.

“ACF has under the leadership of Abbas, made great impact in bringing succour to the most vulnerable around the country, especially in the Northeast zone,’’ he said.

Ibe said Shuaibu, 43, a publicist and public communications consultant hailed from Kogi.

He also said Lamuye, a lawyer and philanthropist, was the founder of Prince Alade Lamuye Foundation (PALF), a vehicle she had used to impact on the lives of the widows in her state, Osun.

“She was until recently a member of the National Assembly Service Commission,’’ Ibe said. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/atiku-appoints-3-youths-woman-as-aides-kicks-off-campaign.html

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in the National Assembly has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike due “poor conditions of service and management’s lackadaisical attitude to its demands”.

Rising from ‎an emergency congress, the association gave the National Assembly management two weeks to address the issues raised or it would embark on the indefinite strike on December 14.

The association also resolved to picket the premises of the federal legislature from tomorrow to Thursday on issues bordering on Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS).

They also said both Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, in line with their statutory mandate, should take urgent steps to nominate members of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).

They said all pending staff promotions and conversion letters should be released with arrears due fully paid, while the 2018 promotion eligibility list be released and promotion exams conducted on or before December 31 this year.

But the director of information in the National Assembly, Mr Jerry Agada, told Daily Trust on telephone that the management has been on the issue of CONLESS, adding that it is the release of the 2018 budget that was affecting the payment.

He said the management has also made commitments in the area of arrears payment for promotions and conducting new ones, noting that the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, had variously engaged the association on the issues.

The director noted that as long as they were not averse to the issues raised by the union, it was important that members of the association understood the various actions the management was taking to address the issues raised amicably.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n-assembly-workers-threaten-strike-over-conditions-of-service.html

Sources close to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, have dispelled claims in some quarters that the former Vice President was set to jet out of the country to the United States of America (USA).

Daily Trust learnt that Atiku had travelled to the UK last Thursday, but returned to the country to kick off his presidential campaign on Sunday in Sokoto.

A top source in the Atiku Media Office, who pleaded not to be mentioned said, “His Excellency embarked on a private visit to the UK, shortly after the inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja. He has since returned. I think that addresses the issue.”

When asked for more details, he said, “I just left him at his residence. He moved immediately to the Airport from the venue of the inauguration on Thursday, and then came back today (yesterday).”

Another chieftain of the PDP from the North also told our correspondent in confidence that Atiku would go to the US in the course of the campaigns, but said, “now is time to kick off the campaigns in Nigeria; so, he is around to do that tomorrow (today).”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/atiku-not-travelling-to-us-set-for-campaigns-today-sources.html

One of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Sen Kabiru Marafa has vowed to remain in the party and support the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as fight injustice in the party.

Marafa’s position is coming few hours to the December 1 deadline for the substitution of governorship candidates set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Daily Trust recalls that INEC had said that it would not recognize any candidate from the Zamfara APC as the party failed to conduct its primary elections in the state.

There have been reports that some APC governorship aspirants in some states, including Zamfara, were planning to dump the party to realise their ambitions on the platforms of other political parties.

But in a statement Friday night, Marafa, who represents Zamfara Central Senatorial District and chairs the Senate petroleum (downstream) committee, said he would continue to be a loyal member of the APC and work hard for the party’s victory during the 2019 polls.

“I will remain in the APC to support and lead President Buhari’s 2019 re-election campaign in Zamfara State and to ensure that Governor Yari fail woefully in his attempts to perpetrate injustice and impose his moles as candidates of the party in the state.

“The facts are clear that, Gov. Yari has failed woefully and has lost the popular support of the people, he can’t win any election in Zamfara today, he therefore choose to hide under the Federal might to perpetrate criminality using his 8,500 recruited ‘vigilante’ to rig the elections in his favour and his co-travellers.
We say No to that. I am going to remain in the APC to ensure that he and his cohorts are effectively retired.

“We have come this far together with all the people of Zamfara state, they have expressed there desire for change, they have given us their maximum support, and they have rejected Yari and all his chosen candidates. They have sacrificed their lives and health, some were killed while many others were injured during the botched and make-believe primaries in the state, all courtesy of Gov Yari.”

“Having failed in his cruel attempt to impose his candidates through dubious means, he now wants to use the instrumentality of the Courts to legalise his illegalities. We will block him and let him know that Courts aren’t places for dumping of charade.

“Yari organised and conducted illegal, make-believe primaries in absolute violation of a subsisting court order and the directive of our party’s National Working Committee (NWC). He thereafter ran to court to give his illegalities a legal backing, forgetting that our courts are not rubber stamp. Courts are homes of equity and if you are going to the courts, you must go with clean hands,” he said.

While thanking the people of the state for their maximum support and cooperation to him, Marafa said his decision to remain in the APC, despite all pressures, was in appreciation of their tremendous support and in their best interest.

He challenged Gov Yari to go to another party with all his anointed candidates and contest if the governor believes he is popular.

He also commended the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for respecting the court order, supporting the people’s choice of direct primaries and ignoring pressures from all quarters.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-ill-remain-in-apc-to-fight-injustice-support-buharis-re-election-marafa.html

Atiku!

A chieftain of the PDP and former Member of the House of Representatives, Greg Egu, has described as unfounded and baseless, a report that there is anxiety in the South East over the six-year action plan of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Egu said the plan would in no way truncate 2023 Igbo presidential aspiration.


Egu, in a statement in Owerri, said the Igbo were not worried about Atiku’s plan but were concerned with enthroning a leadership that would restore their pride of place in Nigeria.

Reacting to fears that Atiku’s plan amounted to tenure elongation, Egu said, “Nothing can be more fallacious than this. In the first place, the issue of whether Atiku Abubakar will stay beyond 2023 is not the immediate concern of the people of the zone.

“Their focus at the moment is the emergence of Atiku as the next President of Nigeria come May 29, in fulfilment of their quest for a leadership that will fully restore their pride of place in Nigeria’s corporate landscape,” he said.

“Of course, the zone has its expectations, fears and aspirations, but these are not subject to jaundiced speculations. The support of the South East and its people for Atiku is total and unconditional; and they have absolute confidence that he will do nothing to hurt them politically” he added.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/no-anxiety-in-s-east-over-atikus-6-year-plan-ex-rep.html

The President of Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) and son of a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Olujonwo, has said since politics is not a war or a battle, he has every right to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari as against his father’s choice of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

Olujonwo said this yesterday in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists on the activities of his group during a press conference held at the national secretariat of the APC.

“I believe I’m here as an individual, youth and someone who believes that this government is for the youths and future generations.

“This government is leading us towards economic diversification as this nation is blessed with vast resources. I believe in this government as an individual and I’m supporting Mr. President. I can’t speak on behalf of my father,” he said.

“When you get to a certain stage and point in your life, you can choose your path. My father remains my father despite different political ideologies,” he said.

Olujonwo further said, “We need to progress mentally. Politics is meant to unite us. We can agree to disagree. That is the kind of politics we are trying to promote. Politics is to unite, not to divide us.”

The young Obasanjo lauded the successes recorded by the Buhari-administration in agriculture and road construction.

The BYO president expressed optimism that President Buhari would still win in 2019 despite propaganda against him on the social media.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-im-supporting-buhari-obasanjos-son-3.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a live, one-on-one debate with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on critical sectors of national life.

The PDP in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said Buhari is at liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient to him for the debate before a neutral panel.

The party claimed that Buhari has been afraid of Atiku when it comes to debating on critical areas of national life.

“President Buhari must face Atiku Abubakar in person, as Nigerians are not ready to accept any representation, whosoever, from him. If, as a Commander-In-Chief, Mr President cannot face a political debate, how then can he vigorously engage international competitors?

“Nigerians can now see why our nation has been under peril in the last three and half years. President Buhari should be ready to face his failures and avail Nigerians of his sectoral performance scorecards, as well as, present his future blueprint, if any, to enable the electorate weigh him alongside our presidential candidate.

“Mr. President should explain why he has been insensitive to the killing of citizens and soldiers by marauders and insurgents, particularly, given allegations that he has been distracting the armed forces by dragging them to participate in his re-election campaign,” the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-challenges-buhari-to-a-debate-with-atiku.html

Say They Will No Longer Accept Empty Promises
Committees Walk A Tightrope

Uphill task before APC reconciliation committees

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had, on Wednesday, November 21, inaugurated the National Peace and Reconciliation Committee for each of the six geo-political zones in the country, majorly due to cases arising from primary elections.

The NWC had announced the formation of the committees, with each headed by a governor, to find a way out of the stalemate, so that they could go into the 2019 elections as one strong family.

“Do everything to ensure peace within the rank and file of the party,” Oshiomhole charged the committees during their inauguration.

Oshiomhole, who said the committees were free to consult them on new issues that might arise in the course of their assignments, added that the terms of reference given to them were amenable.

However, reliable sources told Daily Trust on Sunday that the committees might not be able to alter the decisions the party had already taken on the volatile states, particularly Ogun, Imo and Zamfara, despite the ongoing protests.

What the aggrieved members want

The demands of the aggrieved members of the party vary.

Amosun’s camp insist on Adekunle

In Ogun State, the grieving loyalists of Governor Ibikunle Amosun have insisted on the declaration of the governor’s anointed candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, as the party’s governorship flag-bearer as condition for peace to reign in the party.

They are equally demanding the ceding of 26 House of Assembly tickets to Amosun’s loyalists, who had been “denied” candidates form (CF001) by the national leadership of the APC.

The ruling party in the state was polarised following the submission of Dapo Abiodun’s name as the governorship candidate against the governor’s pick.

Amosun had won the senatorial ticket for Ogun Central, alongside his chief of staff, Tolu Odebiyi, who got the Ogun West ticket. Another ally of Amosun, Lekan Mustapha, also got Ogun East senatorial ticket. But this is yet to pacify the aggrieved party leaders and members.

A presidential reconciliatory team had met with Amosun’s group in Abeokuta, barely three days before the APC inaugurated its own peace committee.

The three-man team, led by Princess Sandra Oladele and state executives of the APC, was locked in a closed door meeting at party’s secretariat in Abeokuta.

All the 26 candidates vying for State House of Assembly from the governor’s camp, who had been denied tickets, were present at the meeting.

The state chairman, Derin Adebiyi, represented by the APC chairman, Ogun Central, Yomi Ademefun, presented the party’s demands for peace, including declaration of Amosun’s anointed candidate, Akinlade as the party’s governorship candidate.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, a member of the panel, Adewale Adenaike, promised to forward their demands to the party for the reconciliation of the aggrieved parties concerned, asking party members to work together in the interest of peace.

Adenaike said the crisis would be resolved before December 1, but sources said replacement of the name of the current governorship candidate might be difficult because of powerful forces behind him.

“We should not deceive ourselves; this fresh committee can’t alter the decisions taken in Ogun and other states. The forces behind Dapo Abiodun are bigger than those being fingered. It is not about Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole or even Chief Olusegun Osoba,” one of the sources said.

Visit to Zamfara will have no value

In Zamfara State, Governor Abdulaziz Yari said the visit of the APC reconciliation committee would be of no value if its main focus is to look into the controversy surrounding the state’s party primaries.

Governor Yari, who spoke through his special adviser on communication, media and public enlightenment, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, said the effort of the committee would not make any difference since they had already filed a suit in a court before the constitution of the peace and reconciliation team.

He said that until the court delivered its verdict on the case, any reconciliation on the state’s party primaries would be an exercise in futility.

“However, if the committee is coming to talk to all aggrieved members to unite and forge ahead so that the forthcoming election would be won, it would be a welcome idea,” he added.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-reconciliation-aggrieved-members-demand-tickets-appointments-refund.html

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned Nigerians purchasing forms to benefit from his alleged financial grants to stop doing so in order not to be victims of fraudsters.

In a statement on Saturday by his Presidential Campaign Organisation, Atiku said he has not authorised any financial grants nor called for purchase of forms as qualification for applicants to benefit from the alleged grants.

“Our attention has been brought to a scheme whereby innocent hardworking Nigerians are being asked to buy a form for a sum of N500 in order for them to be beneficiaries of a financial grant allegedly being sponsored by Atiku Abubakar.

“We want to put it on record that neither the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar nor the campaign gave any approval to this scheme or any other one like it.

“We are aware that a great number of Nigerians are passing through rough patches as millions of people have slipped into the poverty conveyor belt as a result of the bad socio-economic policies of the current administration since 2015.

“Jobs are being lost in quantum scale, businesses are folding up, foreign investors are afraid to bring in new capital for investments and the cost of living has ballooned to skyrocket proportion.

“The immediate consequence of all these is that Nigerians have been laid prostrate for fleecing, out of the desperate bid to burrow their way out of financial incapacitation,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dont-purchase-forms-for-fake-financial-grants-atiku-warns.html

hmmm

On November 3, representatives of 45 political parties in Lagos were said to have gathered to endorse the candidacy of the governorship flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Indeed, for a party and a gubernatorial candidate that had just survived a very turbulent primary election that stopped incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode from getting a return ticket, the urgency of a breathing space became expedient and observers say Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement a few days to start campaigns for 2019 provided just that.

At the endorsement briefing, the parties said to demonstrate the genuineness of their commitment, they decided to form what is to be known as Coalition of Progressives Political Parties in Lagos State (CP3). They were unequivocal in their determination to work against Jimi Agbaje of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“Based on the antecedents of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, right from his days in the private sector, in the three ministries he served in Lagos State up to his last days in the LSDPC as the Managing Director, we strongly believe he will actualise the good work that is ongoing in the state of excellence. Without mincing words, we the 45 political parties, under the umbrella of Coalition of Progressives Political Parties in Lagos State (CP3), hereby endorse the candidature of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the next governor of Lagos State,” the Chairman of CP3, Fatukasi, Aderemi, said.

Some of the parties include; Accord Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), KOWA Party (KP), Action People’s Party (APP), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), Coalition for Change (C4C), Better Nigeria Progressives Party (BNPP), United Patriot (UP), Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Young Democratic Party (YDP) and Yes Electorate Solidarity (YES).

Others are; Youth Party (YP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Peoples Redemption Party, (PRP), Peoples Progressives Party (PPP), Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Providence People’s Congress (PPC), Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA), Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Nigeria People’s Congress (NPC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Independent Democracts (ID), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), among others.

Sanwo-Olu applauded the parties, assuring them of his readiness to justify the confidence reposed in him. He promised to work with all and sundry if he emerges governor.

He also appealed to the parties’ representatives to work with his party.

The endorsement portends better prospect, though is known that no other party in the state has equal structures as the ruling party, a structure that has been nurtured in the last two decades by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu has consistently deployed to his advantage, the machinery that has always won elections. This manifested in 1999 and 2003 when he stood for election as governor under AD. He did re-enact the success in 2007 when his appointee, Babatunde Fashola, SAN won under Action Congress (AC) in 2007 and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. He did deploy that same political machinery for the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode under the APC in 2015.

“For a party that has an anchor man, Jagaban Tinubu, piloting its affairs in the state, it may be easy to assume that the endorsement from opposition parties, especially those that are not so popular, is insignificant. But in politics, every single vote counts,” Raji Cardoso, a rights activist and social affairs commentator, said.

He added, “If you recollect that when the main opposition party fielded a popular candidate in the last election, it became a close contest. As a matter of fact, the last election exposed to all and sundry that the sophistication of Lagos State voters was higher. When you now combine that with the grievances that greeted the emergence of Sanwo-Olu even within the Lagos APC, then you will agree that the endorsement holds greater promises for the APC and its candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.”

Other political pundits were quick to point to the usefulness of these parties in mobilization of grassroots voters. The argument is that with the reality of not having a statewide strength, some of them have areas and communities where their leaders are believed to be popular and can be influential to convince followers to vote for Sanwo-Olu.

“When you add one plus one, they will form a whole that may be strong enough to make thedifference,” Cardoso said.

But the PDP, the main opposition party in the state, has mocked Sanwo-Olu’s adoption by the other opposition parties, calling the gathering “a mere propaganda and demonstration of desperation.” The party in a statement by his Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the insisted that there was no “concrete proof that the purported parties that endorsed Sanwo-Olu are up to 45.”

“Even if APC ‘buys’ political parties beyond the registered ones in the country, its candidate would still not make any impact. The hurried and controversial emergence of the APC candidate was an indelible political albatross. Indeed, the emergence is tainted with desperation to have someone as governor who will rather fund the APC leaders. Lagosians will not forget that this is the Lagos APC’s reason for dropping Ambode,” the statement said.

The PDP argued that the mere fact that some parties endorsed Sanwo-Olu’s candidacy does not translate to victory for him at the polls. That argument holds some validity. In fact, ahead of the 2015 general elections, eight parties had hosted a similar endorsement meeting for the candidate of the PDP, Jimi Agbaje, on the eve of election, yet he lost to Ambode during the election proper.

The parties, the United Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alliance for Democracy (AD), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Accord, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), Democratic People’s Party (DPP), National Conscience Party and Citizens Popular Party (CPP), had at a press conference pledged their loyalty to Agbaje’s candidacy but it turned out that their adoption was not enough to save him from defeat.

But reacting to PDP’s mockery of the adoption, the Lagos State APC through its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, told Daily Trust on Saturday that the PDP was actually “jolted by the tremendous support” shown to its candidate.

“Every election year Lagos PDP puts its old and tattered hat into the ring to contest for the governorship and since 1999 the party has been failing miserably without measure to make a difference. This is another election year and as usual, the rudderless, confused, motionless and completely dead party is coming back to do what it knows how to do very well-contest and fail again.

“Now, what it took to re-awake the sleeping and moribund Lagos PDP once again is the event that took place at Airport Hotel on Saturday, November 3, 2018 where 45 political parties gathered to throw their weight behind the candidate of the APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the 2018 elections. The event shook and jolted the dead Lagos PDP that has been dreaming to rule Lagos since 1999 into action and now they suddenly remembered that Sanwo-Olu is no match to their inexperienced and local champion, Jimi Agbaje, who is with no record of experience in the public sector,” Igbokwe said.

Notwithstanding Igbokwe’s attempt to downplay the PDP’s mockery of Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement, there indeed have emerged fault lines in the endorsement. First, it was the Lagos State chapter of the KOWA party that first denied ever being part of the coalition that endorsed Sanwo-Olu’s candidacy. This was to be followed by Accord party a day After, also denying ever being part of the coalition.

That rejection became louder on Thursday when a coalition of 12 political parties distanced themselves from being part of those that pledged allegiance to elect Sanwo-Olu. The list include: Allied Peoples Movement (APM), ACCORD, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Coalition for Change (C4C), Change Advocacy Party (CAP) and Nigerian People’s Party (NPC).

Others were; Democratic Alternative (DA), Rebuild Nigeria Party (RBNP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Action Alliance (AA), Alliance For Democracy (AD) and Democratic People’s Congress (DPC). The crack, observers said, is a pointer that for APC, it is not yet uhuru in the 2019 gubernatorial election.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cracks-in-sanwo-olus-endorsement-by-opposition-parties.html

From his recent encounter with the DSS, to his attention-grabbing trip to the United States, APC National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole spoke frankly and in-depth to Daily Trust Saturday about a number of issues. Herewith, are excerpts:

Daily Trust: We will start with the inauguration of the APC’s reconciliation committee. How did it go, and what can you share with us about what happened there?

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole: It’s a routine after every election, even when we do isolated governorship elections. It becomes common that when people go to contest, one way or the other, one person emerges and the rest start protesting and making allegations, some founded, some unfounded. It has become part of our tradition in All Progressives Congress (APC) that after primaries, we try to talk to those who are involved in the process, not only to accept defeat, but to work wholeheartedly to ensure that the party prevails.

DT: Talking about the committee, what would you say is the fate of the anointed or preferred governorship candidates of Yari, Amosun and Okorocha?

Oshiomhole: Well, the process didn’t produce them, and that’s it. We have procedures and this is well laid out and it wasn’t invented by me or the National Working Committee (NWC). These are rules clearly laid out and provided for in our party constitution. Some are also guided by the amended Electoral Act. So, once those processes have been meticulously followed, they produce an outcome. It’s a game of process, not one of power. At this point I wouldn’t want to say who prefers what, but I know that the candidate that has emerged did not seem to coincide with the ones who are perceived to be favoured in those respective states you referred to.

DT: So, we will go back a bit. Online and social media was awash that you ‘ran away’ to the United States to avoid signing candidate replacement documents. Can you tell us what really happened during that period?

Oshiomhole: We have procedures for replacement of candidates provided for in the Electoral Act, which allows a candidate, if he withdraws, to be substituted by the party. And few people have on their own, for various reasons, written to us that they were withdrawing. I don’t need to run away from pressure. I think that the minimum requirement for leadership, or the quality of leadership has to be judged substantially by the extent to which one can resist pressure or act under negative circumstances. I believe that, in accepting this privilege to be chairman of the APC, being the party in government, there will be pressure. What is important is that no one should be able to pressurise one to do what is clearly wrong. Whether wrong with regards to our constitution or in relation to the provision of the Electoral Act or in good conscience.

So, I don’t need to run away to avoid doing what is wrong. I had to visit a family member who was sick. A purely domestic issue. I attended to it, and I came back. It’s just that we live in a country where people like to make allegations even when they don’t make any sense at all. Things that sound quite pedestrian, you find people who are otherwise reasonable seemingly giving them hearing. I think it was just the invention of the media, and those who have exhausted all the power points and choose to resort to blackmail. But It doesn’t change the truth.

DT: Apart from the whole US trip debacle, there was the other controversy, about your encounter with the DSS. What really happened?

Oshiomhole: I’m the chairman of the governing party, and issues that have to do with the security agencies, particularly the security service, which the DSS represents, I have a duty as the chairman of the governing party not to add to the challenges that such an institution confronts in moments like this. But the only point I want to make, is that the chairmanship of a party is not at the pleasure of the security services, or the DSS. It is inconceivable that the DG of the DSS will for example invite the chairman of a political party, even one of the fringe parties who cannot yet boast of a counsellor, not to talk of a main opposition party like the PDP.

It’s inconceivable that the director of the DSS will feel competent to invite the chairman of a political party to resign. And the fact that I am the chairman of a governing party, perhaps makes it all the more so. I believe that various agencies have their mandates and that they are clearly stated in the statutes that established them and they are expected to be guided by that. So all this talk about DSS asking me to resign, I am not accountable to DSS but to my party.

I read a lot of silly statements. People made allegations, and some went on social media, while some print media recklessly printed them. But somehow I found it strange that people talked about money allegedly changing hands. They have never listed one person that said I gave X to Mr. Y. Nothing can be more reckless than that. Sometimes they are attributed to an alleged DSS report. But that’s not shocking, given the level of mischief that I have seen and the fact that at inception PDP was very worried about the prospect of my becoming the national chairman, and the damage that I am capable of inflicting on them.

Even my worst critic would agree that there is no village I will not go to in Nigeria that people wouldn’t recognise me and smile from their hearts. Not everybody that has been publicly exposed as long as I have been commands that level of love and affection. Because politics is about influence, and the electorate will vote, one way or the other that vote can be influenced by people they trust.

The only thing that I probably found strange is to find a situation in which you have some voices, however discredited they are, singing the same tune with the opposition. Now that tells you there must be something I am doing right. Because nobody insists on rules or transparency without being fought. Just like people are fighting the president today. Some say what right has he to talk about anti-corruption. Some would even tell you “na anti-corruption we wan chop?” So, are you going to, because of those misguided or uninformed comments, abandon what you rightly believe, or stand firm on what you believe?

I’m satisfied that we have made positive changes in the way in which internal democracy is managed in our party. We have for the first time conducted direct primaries for our presidential candidates, for which about 14.6 million APC members voted for him, and we can rightly say therefore that he already has 14.6 million voters, because those who voted for him are likely to be able to persuade their spouses to also vote for them and probably one or two of their friends and children. So we have a possibility of multiplying that number by three or four. Now, people could decide to downplay the import of that. For me, those are the proud innovations we have brought about which some elements in our party didn’t quite agree with.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/oshiomhole-real-reason-why-i-went-to-the-u-s.html

The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II, has said that he compelled all traditional title holders in Kano to undergo drug test in order to lead by example.

Sanusi stated this at a 1-day sensitization workshop against drug abuse organised by Daily Trust newspaper in Kano State yesterday.

Represented by Turakin Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi Lamido Sanusi, the emir said “I started with myself and then directed all district heads, village heads and ward heads to also undergo same test.”

Emir Sanusi said the Kano emirate council had made drug test mandatory before title is conferred, adding “anybody that is found to be drug addict that person has automatically disqualified himself. This is the tradition in Kano emirate council. I introduced this so that I can lead by example.”

Sanusi called on parents to always keep eyes on their children as, according to him, charity always begins at home.

He also urged government to map out strategies to curtail the menace of drug abuse in the society.

“The menace of drug abuse is another Boko Haram. It is a serious challenge not only to those in the corridors of power, but to every right thinking person,” Sanusi and cautioned youth to desist from any act capable of leading them into drug abuse.

The emir said the emirate council would continue to contribute its quota towards curtailing the menace of drug abuse in Kano State and beyond.

He said the council would remain resolute in supporting any organisation in fighting the menace of drug abuse anywhere in the country.

The Emir commended Kano State government and the management of Daily Trust for organising the workshop, describing it as timely.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-i-compelled-traditional-rulers-to-undergo-drug-test-emir-sanusi.html

Chai

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians are no longer interested in “fake promises and false performance claims”.

The PDP in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the attempt by the Buhari presidency to “lure the South-East geo-political zone into supporting his second term fell like a pack of cards” as the people had resolved not to follow any leader who could not deliver on promises.

The party said President Buhari and the APC had been jittery since the South East and other geo-political zones had expressed their acceptance of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

“In this desperation, Mr President fails to understand that the people of the South East, just like other Nigerians, are too sophisticated to fall for gimmicks, false promises and ethnic politics, and as such cannot be swayed from their resolve to rally with Atiku Abubakar to rescue our nation from the shackles of misrule,” the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/you-cant-sway-s-east-with-false-promises-pdp-tells-buhari-2.html

Rt. Reverend Markus Madugu Dogo, the Anglican Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese in this interview speaks on how religious leaders are manipulated by politicians. Excerpts:

Daily Trust: How can religious leaders or scholars help maintain peace in society?


Rt. Reverend Markus Madugu Dogo: Religious scholars or leaders have a vital role in keeping peace and order in the society. Now, most of the major problems we have in Nigeria that have to do with religious terrorism, conflict or fanaticism are because of lack of good scholarship. Many of us in Nigeria are either Muslims or Christians but we lack full knowledge of our religions, and what happens at the end of the day is dissemination of wrong information that end up in crisis.

DT: There is strong allegation that religious leaders in Nigeria are manipulated by some politicians, how true is this?

Dogo: It is very true. For me, here as a religious leader in Kafanchan, everybody knows, and God judges me that anything that has nothing to do with peace I’m not participating. Part of my responsibility as a religious leader is that the Bible demands that I should respect every constituted authority and I am. Two, I also have the task of always saying the truth. The worst thing is how many scholars can stand up and tell the leadership the truth? If a politician comes here and says he wants to greet the bishop and brings one million naira to me and I collect, how can I have the courage of telling him the truth? Religious leaders are manipulated because they are looking for materials things. As for me, I have never done any program in Kafanchan and asked any politician for financial assistance for my church or personal activities.

DT: Kaduna State and especially the southern part have witnessed security challenges, what do you think are the major causes?

Dogo: Let me go back to 2011 when I was posted to Kafanchan after the post-election violence. One of the things that government kept saying was that they would bring the culprits to book and punish them, that didn’t happen. When the APC governor came, he swore in so many places that he was going to deal with the perpetrators, since 2011 to date nobody has been arrested.

About herdsmen and farmers clashes, you cannot take away the hands of our politicians from it. I want to see a situation where anybody who does wrong is punished. Why are you sparing evil doers? When somebody is not punished he will continue doing bad things. Let’s assume you get drunk and drive a car in the US, if you hit somebody you cannot say, sorry it’s a mistake and go, even if the person you hit has forgiven you the law will still hold you. Now, if you talk about the factors that contribute to farmers, herders crisis, it is part of it. If there is a fight between farmers and herdsmen, go and punish those who are wrong, they won’t do it again. If somebody in authority refuses to punish the evildoer, what is his feeling? Is it because of his relationship or because of his religion? Now people talk about discrimination. This is the major factor. Let evildoer be punished! We have community leaders, let’s start from there. These farmers and herders live together. If somebody does a wrong thing bring him to the leaders and resolve the dispute there. If the person understands his mistake and asks for forgiveness you can forgive him and if the person offended needs compensation, let the offender compensate him. But a situation whereby that is not done, no room for discussion and reconciliation enhances crisis.

DT: What would be your advice to youths as we are approach electioneering time?

Dogo: Everybody knows that youths have the greater percentage of the Nigerian population. The future of Nigeria is in our hands, and whatever a man sows he will reap. Now my advice to the youths is that if the person you voted for is doing the right thing then vote for him again and if you are not happy or satisfied with him then vote him out. Nobody is a God in Nigeria. I’m also advising the youths not to take the law into their hands in whatever circumstance. I told the people in my church that since everybody has his own party and I am not against that let everybody go and vote for his choice but if you make a wrong choice it will affect you and your generation.

DT: What would be your advice to those using religion to justify crime?

Dogo: They are illiterates; they don’t know what the teachings of religion are. How can you use religion to justify criminality, for God’s sake? Now, for instance, if somebody does wrong, which religion asks you to go and hide that person and continue supporting him?

Honestly, this shows how fanatical we are! It happens in Christianity, it happens in Islam and people are wrongly indoctrinated. If anybody is doing that he is disserving humanity and God. Whatever you do, you will one day stand before God and will be answerable to Him. If you wrongly motivate people and tell them to go and fight just because of religion you are wasting your time. The worst of it now is that if you look at the political parties we have, they are trying to divide the parties according to religious line. Politicians make religion their constituent.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/those-using-religion-to-justify-crime-are-illiterates-bishop-dogo.html

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has concluded plans to undertake Basic Business Refresher Course for the 185, 000 unemployed persons wishing to access the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Agri-Business Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) loans.

The Directorate made the disclosure through its Director General, Dr Nasiru Mohammed Argungu during the opening ceremony of Orientation Exercise of Newly Recruited 300 trainees in Jos yesterday.

Dr Argungu said the course would be carried out nationwide.

The DG also disclosed that his Directorate would engage 50 persons per state under the Environmental Beautification Scheme (EBTS).

He said, “We are also in the next few days would start training of 50 persons per state under the Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS),”

“The Directorate has also concluded plans to immediately empower 11, 000 micro businesses with N10, 000 each under Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES).” He said.

The DG reiterated if the nation used skills acquisition as tool for employability and poverty reduction, then not only wealth would be created but it would be sure part to sustainable growth and development of the nation.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nde-targets-185000-unemployed-persons-for-training.html

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) said there could be high cases of flight disruptions through cancellation and delay of flights at some airports across the country as the harmattan season sets in.

A statement from NiMet yesterday said during the harmattan season, sunny and hazy conditions are expected over the Northern states and central cities down to the inland cities of the southern parts, with thick dust haze conditions which can impair horizontal visibility to less than 1000m (1km).

NiMet also advised road users to be careful and avoid over speeding especially during early morning period when horizontal visibility is impaired by fog, mist or dust haze.

These weather conditions can increase traffic congestion or even cause accidents, it added.

The statement indicated that day time temperatures are anticipated to increase across the country accompanied by decrease night time temperatures resulting in cold nights.

It added that “dryness is anticipated due to expected reduction in humidity and cloud cover. Surface winds are also expected to be stronger especially over the northern parts. Bush burning should be avoided as the dryness and strong wind can increase fire incidences and cause severe crop damage at harvesting period.”

NiMet noted that dust haze also contributes to deterioration of air quality and “can trigger asthma and bronchitis attacks as well as cause cold, cough, catarrh, and even meningitis.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/flights-to-be-disrupted-as-harmattan-sets-in-nimet-2.html

The Federal Government, yesterday, announced that it has priced its $2.86bn Eurobonds offerings with over-subscription from global investors.

The Eurobond was offered in triple series notes under the Federal Government’s global medium term note programme.

The offering has attracted significant interest from leading global institutional investors with a peak combined order book of over $9.5bn, which reflects an over-subscription of more than three times, in a statement from Paul Ella Abechi, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance (Media & Communications), said yesterday.

He explained that the “notes comprise a $1.18bn 7-year series, $1.00bn 12-year series and a $750 million 30-year series.

“The offering is expected to close on or about November 21, 2018, subject to the satisfaction of various customary closing conditions.”

The notes represent Nigeria’s sixth Eurobond issuance, following issuances in 2011, 2013, two in 2017 and one in early 2018 and its first triple-tranche offering.

Commenting following the successful pricing, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said, “The proceeds of this issuance will provide critical financing for projects in transportation, power, agriculture, housing, healthcare and education, as well as the capital elements of our social investment programmes. Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth plan is delivering results.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-raises-another-2-86bn-in-eurobonds-2.html

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dismissed the threat by state governors to reduce their workforce if compelled to pay N30,000 as national minimum wage, saying it represented the position of a few anti-worker governors.

NLC president Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said in a statement yesterday that many worker-friendly governors are ready to pay even higher than the negotiated N30,000.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had said in a communiqué on Wednesday that states would go bankrupt if forced to pay the proposed N30,000 minimum wage, unless the revenue sharing formula is reviewed or workers downsized.

Wabba said NGF’s threat to sack workers is not new in the struggle for a new minimum wage in Nigeria, adding that the one by the NGF, led by Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, cannot be used to intimidate labour.

He said the consequences of retrenching workers are too grievous for any political office holder truly elected by the people to contemplate.

He said, “We propose that since a few political office holders are bent on enslaving Nigerian workers with peanuts mislabeled as salaries, we urge such elected public officials to subject their humungous salaries and allowances, reputed to be among the highest in the world, pro rata with the minimum wage they want to force down the throats of Nigerian workers. We, therefore, urge each State Governor to go to their respective states and inform workers and their families their individual position on the new national minimum wage of N30,000.”

The NLC president directed workers to vote out any politician or political party that refuses to pay the new national minimum wage of N30,000.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of some people, especially in the governors’ forum, who pursue selfish and personal reasons, to present him as an anti-worker president and by extension orchestrate anti-Buhari sentiments in the populace.

“We also call on him to speedily present to the National Assembly the bill on the National Minimum Wage for appropriate amendment and implementation. Because the New National Minimum Wage of N30,000 was a product of intense and robust negotiations at the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Negotiation Committee that lasted for one year,” Wabba said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/minimum-wage-many-govs-ready-to-pay-more-than-n30000-nlc.html

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it would investigate the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole over corruption allegations if the petition against him has merit.

The spokesperson of the ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said this yesterday when she addressed some protesting members of the APC under the aegis of Coalition for New Nigeria (CNN).

She said, “First of all, we will verify whether, indeed, he has a petition against him, and from there, we will look at what they are complaining about. Then, the next step is to investigate the petition and see whether there is anything worthy of investigating in the matter.”

Okoduwa however said “We receive petitions virtually every hour. So, the petitions are queuing up and had to be addressed in the sequences they come.”

She added that, “So, if a petition comes right now, you don’t expect it to be investigated before all others before it.”

Scores of protesters yesterday stormed the headquarters of the ICPC asking for the prosecution of the Oshiomhole.

The placard-carrying protesters said the protest was staged to arrest the danger faced by the governing APC occasioned by the integrity challenged national chairman, Oshiomhole.

The CNN Convener, Barr. Stanley Onu, who addressed journalists, advised Oshiomhole to resign owing to the allegations against him which led to his invitation by the operatives of the Department of Security Service (DSS).

“In the event Mr. Oshiomhole chooses to tread the path of the little honour left of him, we urge President Buhari to ask him to leave before he leads the APC down the path of ignominy in 2019,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/icpc-to-investigate-oshiomhole-over-corruption-allegation-2.html