NTA, FRCN, others to be restructured – Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that government-owned media organizations will be restructured and reinvented in order to position them to compete favourably with other broadcasters. Speaking while receiving the National Executive Committee of the Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) on a courtesy visit in Abuja on Monday, the minister said government media organizations have to be retooled to provide compelling contents that will make them attractive to viewers and advertisers.

“As long as we do not improve on the quality of NTA, and other public media, we cannot compete with others. We need to restructure, we need to reinvent NTA, FRCN and all our other publicly-owned media because that is the only way we can compete favourably with other broadcasting outfits ” Alhaji Mohammed said. Lai Mohammed, He reiterated that under his watch, no public media organization would deny access to the political opposition but emphasized that the media, especially the broadcast outfits, should always adhere strictly to the provisions of the Broadcasting Code in the performance of their duties. The Minister assured that the Federal Government is committed to the diversification of the economy through an organized and coordinated approach to mainstream culture, tourism and agriculture into the economy. “Agriculture is one area

Orientation Course: On-line registration won’t be extended – NYSC

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned that online registration for the 2016 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Course, for prospective corps members, will not be extended after the Feb. 28 deadline. Mrs Bose Aderibigbe, the Director of Press Unit of the NYSC, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. *NYSC members Aderibigbe said that the Stream I of the Batch `A’ orientation course would hold between March 30 and April 18 in various camps across the country. She added that the Stream II of the same batch would start from April 27 to May 16 in designated states. NAN recalls that the online registration started on Feb. 8. The director explained that after registering on the NYSC portal, the corps members would get their call-up numbers. “Prospective corps members shall wait until they get a Short Message Service (SMS) or an e-mail, informing them to go and print their call-up letters.

Buhari and the Solution to the Currency Quagmire, By Femi Pedro

Our nation is currently submerged in a currency crisis. The value of our national currency is tumbling against the dollar on a daily basis, and our foreign exchange reserves continue to dwindle as a result of the continuous fall in the price of crude oil. In recent months, there has been a rigorous debate as to whether the devaluation of our currency is the answer to these problems, and what specific measures need to be put in place to stabilize our currency and prevent further damage to our fragile economy. As the debate rages on, the damage to the naira, the economy, and the psyche of our people has intensified. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) appears to have lost significant control of the situation, and speculators, currency traffickers and perpetrators of arbitrage have seized the initiative in the parallel market.

It is fair to say that under President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, the Nigerian Financial Sector has endured its reasonable share of activity and critical scrutiny. Three major incidents have stood out, and these incidents are intertwined in terms of the collective impact they have all had on the sustained call to devalue the Naira. First, in the past year alone (dating back to the previous administration), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reeled out a series

Village head arrested for allegedly defiling, infecting a13-year-old girl with HIV

The Kano State Hisbah Board said it has arrested a Village Head in Danbatta Local Government Area of the state (names withheld) for allegedly defiling a 13-year- old girl. The Director General of the board, Dr Abba Sufi, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday, also said the Village Head was suspected to have infected his victim with HIV virus. 

He said the suspect was arrested on Monday following complaint from parents of the girl. Sufi said the case had since been forwarded to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II who ordered for his immediate suspension from office. 

“The girl was to be given out in marriage to her suitor, but three days to the wedding ceremony, the girl was tested and found to be HIV positive.” “When interrogated, she said the suspect was the person, who infected her as he had been sleeping with her, “ he said. He said that the suspect had also been tested and found to be a carrier of the deadly virus. Sufi said the suspect would soon be charged to court .

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/village-head-arrested-allegedly-defiling-infecting-a13-year-old-girl-hiv/

Four feared dead as army, militants clash in Bori

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME 

PORT HARCOURT – About four persons were feared dead Tuesday in Bori, headquaters of Gokhana local government area as soldiers allegedly engaged loyalists of an ex militant leader, Mr Solomon Ndigbara, aka Osama Bin Ladin in a shoot out. Some students of the state owned Kenule Beeson Sarowiwa Polytechnic, Bori who spoke to the Vanguard on phone said they were trapped in their rooms at press time as they could not find vehicles at the motor park in Bori to convey them to their various destinations. The students who did not want their names in print said they went for lectures but were told it was a lecture free day” No lectures. We were told the school said it was lecture free day from yesterday till further notice. 

We are sure they dont want to announce closure for now, they are studying the situation”, they said. Vanguard gathered that motor parks, the market and major stores in the area were shut down because of the tension already in the town. Community sources who also spoke to the Vanguard said they saw five corpses on Taabaa street, stressing that people were living in fear. According to the community sources, the supporters of the ex militant leader were chased to Bori by soldiers Tuesday morning and there was alleged exchange of fire.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/four-feared-dead-in-army-militant-clash-in-bori/

Six meetings, no goal, can Messi undo Cech’s magic?

Petr Čech

Petr Čech has yet to concede against Lionel Messi in six meetings; will the Arsenal goalkeeper get the better of Barcelona’s most celebrated marksman once more? Not many goalkeepers have taken on Lionel Messi over the past 11 years and come out on top, but, as Arsenal prepare to face Barcelona in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, they have one of the few who has in Petr Čech. In six previous meetings between the pair, all when Čech was at Chelsea, Messi has never beaten the Czech goalkeeper. He has missed penalties, hit the frame of the goal and never quite got over the line – even though Barcelona prevailed in two of the three knockout ties both players featured in. Cech “It’s great,” said Čech, whose previous encounters all came in a Chelsea shirt. “Not many can say they’ve played … against Messi and he hasn’t found a way to get past. But if he scores and we progress then it’s not really important. If he scores a hat-trick and we go through then I won’t mind.”

 24/04/2012: Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea Trailing 2-0 and down to ten men, the visitors hit back with a remarkable rearguard action to reach the final, Fernando Torres sealing it late on. Messi twice hit the woodwork, once from a penalty and then a shot Čech turned onto the upright. The keeper had earlier denied him in a one-on-one. 

18/04/2012: Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona Barcelona had also rattled the woodwork twice in a tense semi-final first leg, through Alexis Sánchez and Pedro Rodríguez, as Didier Drogba struck the only goal. Messi was largely kept quiet by Gary Cahill and friends, with Chelsea limiting him to three shots – only one needed Čech’s intervention. 

06/05/2009: Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona Messi was not at his best in the face of constant attention, but he played a huge role in the 93rd-minute goal that sent ten-man Barcelona into the final against Manchester United, squaring for Andrés Iniesta. 

28/04/2009: Barcelona 0-0 Chelsea Čech dropped an early cross but thereafter he was imperious as a determined defensive effort from Chelsea earned a goalless draw in Catalonia. He was the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet against Barcelona in 22 matches. 

07/03/2006: Barcelona 1-1 Chelsea Much of the pre-match talk had focused on Chelsea’s plans to contain Messi, but the teenager’s night ended prematurely when he pulled up clutching his thigh midway through the first half. A Ronaldinho goal confirmed Barcelona’s place in the last eight. 

22/02/2006: Chelsea 1-2 Barcelona The first of four scoreless meetings with José Mourinho’s side in six months for Messi (Čech would miss two group games in October with a head injury). Messi, then just 18, hit the bar but a John Terry own goal cancelled out Thiago Motta’s early slip-up before Samuel Eto’o had the last word. Culled from uefa.com

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/six-meetings-no-goal-can-messi-undo-cechs-magic/

Militants threaten blow-up of more oil installations

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

WARRI—NIGER Delta Avengers, the militant group which claimed responsibility for blowing up the Forcados Terminal Pipeline in Delta State, recently, has served notice of attacks on more oil installations in the region until the Federal Government addresses its grievances. 

The group vowed: “Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Forcados terminal is our latest casualty. There are many more to follow in the days and weeks ahead.” The group, in a statement obtained in Warri, said that it was prepared to reduce Nigeria’s daily oil production and supply to zero barrel if its agitation was ignored. “The same factor that brought about the Niger Delta arms struggle is fast resurfacing as the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is poised to exterminate Niger Delta people for being benevolent enough to allow the nation’s mono-economy thrive on our oil. “We are being oppressed, pushed to the wall on various fronts, which is why we have picked up the challenge to be the outlaws this government will have to contend with till daily production of oil is reduced to zero in the Niger Delta, so government can use the oil from the North to run Nigeria’s mono-economy. “We believe that Nigeria can practice true federalism where our resources will be controlled by us and used for our own good. The reverse is the case today, where the goose that lays the golden egg is killed along with the egg,” they said. 

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/militants-threaten-blow-up-of-more-oil-installations/

We are down but not out – PDP ministers

By Ben Agande, 

Abuja. The PDP Ministers Forum yesterday said though the People’s Democratic Party is presently down because it lost the 2015 elections, the party would bounce back again to reclaim its place of pride in the nation’s political landscape. In a remark at the opening session of the Forum’s maiden meeting in Abuja, the chairman of the forum and former Minister for Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki said despite deliberate attempt to change the narrative on the tremendous achievements of the PDP government in the last 16 years, members of the forum are determined to defend and protect the achievements of the PDP government. The meeting which started at about 12pm had in attendance PDP ministers from 1999 till 2015.

WAEC says it is perfecting migration into CBT examination mode

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Tuesday said it was perfecting plans to migrate into the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode for its examinations. The Registrar of council, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, the council is considering all variables available to ensure that the entire process is not messed up. He, however, noted that the council was not in a hurry to migrate because the council basically conducts achievement tests and not selection tests. “We have looked at the issue of CBT and found that this is not a selection test, where one can deal with paper and pencil.

“With that, you can easily migrate to CBT

I will not resign as PDP chair- Modu Sheriff

 …BEGS AGGRIEVED MEMBERS TO SHEATH THEIR SWORDS

 BEN AGANDE,

Modu Sheriff 

 ABUJA. Former governor of Borno state, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif on Monday said he would not succumb to the widespread calls by some members of the party that he should resign his position while pleading with aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party over his emergence as the national chairman of the party to shield their swords and work with him towards repositioning the party for a greater height. Alimodu-Sheriff Sheriff who made the statement after he formally took over as the chairman of the party, promised that he would work with all relevant organs of the party to ensure that the party conduct a credible congress and convention that would be a pride to all Nigerians. However, he said he would not succumb to the widespread calls by some members of the party that he should resign his position, noting that doing so would not be in the interest of the party, especially members of the National Executive Committee who drafted him to reposition the party. He was reacting to the call by the PDP Rescue Group which on sunday afternoon called on him to resign his position as his emergence was not acceptable to the generality of the people. According to

Death of female student: LASU clarifies issues

The Lagos State University (LASU) on Monday said the organisers of the party at which a 200 level female student died earlier in the month did not inform the university authorities of the event.

The university said this in its official bulletin. It identified the late student as Miss Omolara Gbadeyan of the Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Faculty of Management Science. According to the bulletin, Gbadeyan attended a party hosted by the History and International Studies Students Association on Feb. 11 at an Event Centre at Igando, Igando/Ikotun Local Government Development Area. It said that the organisers of the party did not inform the university authority or seek its approval for the event.

My 63-year-old wife starves me of sex, divorce-seeking Septuagenarian tells court

A septuagenarian, Mr Tajudeen Giwa, has asked an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to dissolve his marriage of over 40 years because his wife ignores him and denies him sex. The petitioner is also alleging that his 63-year-old wife, Karimut, has become a threat to his life and usually incites their seven children against him. “Karimut does not care for me again; she denies me my matrimonial right to sleep with her. “She gangs up with our children against me, to the extent that they threaten my life on her behalf. “I am fed up with the marriage and I no longer love her,” the petitioner, who resides at No. 1, Idiorogbo Village, Itokin Road, Ikorodu told the court

600,000 children in Jigawa are malnourished–UNICEF

The United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) on Monday stated that no fewer than 600,000 out of 1.1 million children below the age of five in Jigawa are malnourished. The organization Chief Nutritionist in Nigeria, Mr Arjan de-WAGT, made the disclosure when he led other partners on `Improving Nutrition in Northern Nigeria’’ on a courtesy visit to Gov. Muhammad Badaru in Dutse. 

He said that 165,000 children between the ages of five to 59 months were severely malnourished. He warned that if not catered for, an estimated 32,000 of the number were likely to die this year. “In our latest statistics, Jigawa has the highest number of malnourished

Unemployment, the ravaging disease facing Nigeria’s economy- Lawmakers

By Ikenna Asomba

FEDERAL lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, decried the alarming rate of unemployment in the country, noting that it is a ravaging disease facing the nation’s economy.

Speaking in Lagos, at the opening ceremony of a six-month programme tagged: ‘Empowerment and Wealth Creation Scheme‘, organised by the lawmaker representing the Kosofe Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, in collaboration with the Nationwide Apprenticeship Scheme for Technicians, Artisans, Entrepreneurs and Agro-preneurs (NASTAEA), for 200 youths of Kosofe Federal Constituency, the legislators lamented the rising youth and graduate unemployment in the country, stating that it was gradually becoming an everyday normality and must be arrested. Agunsoye-Ashafa-Gbajabiamila Those who raised this concern were Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye,

Ambode receives FC Barcelona of Spain

Lagos House, Ikeja. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right) and the Board member of FC Barcelona , Pau Vilanova i Vila Abadal, 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Board member, FC Barcelona of Spain, Pau Vilanova i Vila Abadal and Director, FC Barcelona Academy, Oscar Grau. 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), flanked by Board member, FC Barcelona of Spain, Pau Vilanova i Vila Abadal (left) and Commissioner for Sports, Pharm. 

(Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf (right), during a courtesy visit to the Governor, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday, February 22, 2016. (L-R) Behind are General Manger, Gaton Construction Company, Carlos Gaton; Director, FC Barcelona of Spain, Oscar Grau; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/in-photos-ambode-receives-fc-barcelona-of-spain/

Alleged N225, 000 bribe: SERAP drags NJC, NBA to UN

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent a petition to Ms. Monica Pinto UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers requesting her to urgently prevail on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to suspend the judge involved in the alleged receipt of N225, 000 bribe. The group also asked Ms Pinto to prevail on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to ask the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to suspend the lawyer involved in the alleged payment of N225, 000 bribe in Nigeria, pending the completion of any investigation as well as final determination of any trial on the matter The petition dated February 19, 2016 and signed by the Executive Director of SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni, read in part: “SERAP is concerned that despite these serious allegations of bribery and corruption the National Judicial Council has failed and/or refused to suspend the judge involved pending any investigation and/or trial of the judge.
Similarly, the Nigerian Bar Association has failed and/or refused to ask the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to suspend the senior lawyer involved pending the final determination of the case against him.” “SERAP is concerned that the allegations of bribery and corruption such as the alleged payment and receipt of N225, 000 threaten the very essence of the independence of the judiciary and the actors in the legal profession.” “Such allegations also severely undermine the rule of law, the public’s confidence in the judiciary, raise the cost for judicial services because litigation is driven by corruption instead of by the legal process, discourage people from resorting to the formal justice system, and ultimately victimise the most disadvantaged sectors of the population who do not have the means to play by the informal rules set by a corrupt system.” “The allegations also undermine fair competition and economic growth, as there is a clear correlation between the level of economic activity in a country and an effective judiciary combating corruption.” “SERAP believes that the NJC and the NBA are in the best position to tackle judicial corruption and corruption within the legal profession, and to ensure the application of appropriate disciplinary measures in cases of bribery and corruption such as the alleged N225, 000 bribe highlighted above.” “Indeed, both the NJC and the NBA have clear responsibilities to counter and combat all manifestations of judicial corruption and corruption within the legal profession. Therefore, the continuing failure by the NJC to suspend the judge involved, and the NBA to ask the LPDC to suspend the lawyer involved will continue to allow judicial corruption to grow, undermine the efforts of all other institutions of governance, and can lead to impunity.” “SERAP notes that article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognizes the principle of equality of all persons before courts and tribunals and the guarantee of a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law. However, the enjoyment of the right to a fair, effective and efficient administration of justice is impossible if the judiciary and the legal profession cannot act with integrity.”

SERAP therefore urged Ms. Pinto to prevail on both the NJC and the NBA to:
1. Exercise their mandates to deal fairly with any suspicion or evidence of acts of corruption;
2. Take measures to strengthen the integrity of the bench and the bar, and to prevent opportunities for corruption among members of the judiciary;
3. Fully and effectively enforce the codes of conduct to promote and ensure correct, honourable and proper performance of judges and lawyers;
4. Promptly and adequately investigate any allegations of corruption in the judiciary and the legal profession, and to ensure that any sanction or investigative process against judges and lawyers does not undermine the credibility of judiciary and the legal profession or offend the right to a fair trial;
5. Place the independence of judges and lawyers at the centre of their policies aimed at preventing and combating corruption and strengthening the rule of law and human rights;
6. Contribute to strengthening safeguards for the independence of the judicial system and safeguards against judicial corruption in order to ensure the accountability of judges and lawyers;
7. Encourage judges and lawyers to discharge their functions with integrity and impartiality and preserve the dignity of their profession;
8. Recognize that the requirement of independence and impartiality of the judicial and legal professions does not exist for the benefit of the members of the profession themselves, but rather for the users of the justice system, as part of their inalienable right to a fair trial

It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Rickey Tarfa, a senior Nigerian lawyer, for allegedly making phone contacts with Justice Mohammed Yunusa in a case before the judge. The EFCC alleged that Mr. Tarfa’s law firm, Rickey Tarfa & Co. paid N225, 000 into Justice Yunusa’s bank account.

Omokore opens up on oil swap deals

*$2.1bn arms probe: I don’t open President’s parcels—Jonathan’s ex-ADC By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor 

ABUJA— The Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited, Mr. Jide Omokore, has reportedly been cooperating with operatives, who are probing him over multi-billion oil swap deals between his firm and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Ibrahim Magu Omokore, an active player in the oil sector during the previous administration, was taken in by EFCC last week to assist them in unraveling how his firm won oil swap deals running into billions of dollars, and whether such money had been remitted to the coffers of the government.

A source confided in Vanguard last night: “We are trying to extract from him the quantity of oil his company was awarded under the oil swap deal and how much he has so far remitted to the government. “So far, he has been cooperating with our operatives but we have not extracted the exact figure of what the deals were worth; we are certainly making progress.” Asked if he would be charged to court over the deals, the source said the investigation had not progressed to where charges could be pressed yet. Omokore’s company was among those accused of lifting crude oil, worth billions of dollars, but only remitting a fraction of its worth to the government.

ACF, Ohanaeze condemn killing of unarmed MASSOB, IPOB members

*As IPOB accuses FG of plan to suffocate Kanu

By Emeka Mamah, Francis Igata & Chimaobi Nwaiwu
ENUGU—The Arewa Consultative Forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have condemned the killing of unarmed Biafran agitators by security agents and asked the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu,Okechukwu Isiguzoro and other detained MASSOB agitators.

ACF National Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Coommasie made this known in Enugu yesterday while clarifying some of the issues discussed at a joint closed-door meeting of both ACF and Ohanaeze.Detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu in court

Corruption cuts across tribe, religion in Nigeria – VP Osinbajo

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA—Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said corrupt people pervades the social, economic, political and religious spheres of the country. He alleged that the people appeared to be united in corruption and would protect the identity of one another.Osinbajo Speaking at the annual dinner of Apostles in the Market Place, which had its theme as Change Agents in Nation-Building, the Vice President,

Russian supermarket under fire for selling ‘monkey Obama’ chopping board

An upscale Russian store chain apologised on Thursday for selling chopping boards with an image of US President Barack Obama as a monkey, after the US embassy reacted furiously. The product features a family of monkeys, with an image of Obama’s face superimposed onto that of the smallest primate. The store chain on Thursday announced it had pulled the item from its shelves, saying it had not been aware of Obama’s image.

Monarchs ranking: Why Oba of Benin is number one, by Odia Ofeimun

I am a Republican, not a Royalist. But, in a country in which we have all conceded the coexistence of Republican and Royalist values, it should be considered quite unseemly to watch one set of the interacting values being rough-handled, muddied or treated with improper decorum without feeling a need to intervene on behalf of rectitude.

I have been so challenged since the eruption of the controversy ignited by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, who allowed himself to do a ranking of Yoruba Obas that placed the Oba of Benin as third in the hierarchy.*Oba of Benin

In one sense, as Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin, immediately retorted, it is wrong to rank the Oba of Benin among Yoruba Obas because the Oba of Benin is not a Yoruba and therefore cannot be placed on a list of Yoruba Obas. I call it ‘in a sense’ because the Esogban’s position may be disputed on the grounds, as will soon be clear, that there is too much sibling hood between Yoruba

Buhari in diplomatic shuttle to stabilise oil price

By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Michael Eboh & Ediri Ejoh, with Agency Report 

ABUJA — President Muhammadu Buhari jets out to Saudi Arabia and Qatar today to engage officials of both countries in further talks to ensure stability of oil prices. Nigeria, yesterday, agreed to freeze the country’s crude oil production at 2.2 million barrels per day this month, same as the level recorded in January, in a bid to address the declining price of crude oil in the international market. The government’s move is a reaction to Saudi Arabia and Russia which have agreed to freeze oil output at near-record levels, the first coordinated move by the world’s two largest producers to counter a slump that has pummelled economies, markets and companies.

Buhari Speaking after a meeting with Qatar’s Energy Minister, Mohammed Al Sada and Qatar Petroleum Chief Executive Officer Saad Sharida Al Kaabi in Doha, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, said the decision was in support of the decision of Saudi Arabia and Russia to freeze oil production. He, however, disclosed that Nigeria was looking for ways to increase crude oil production, not for the purpose of export but for local consumption. “Nigeria will continue to look at the possibility of increasing production, not to sell it, because we have local consumption that is essential for us. “Right now, we are not even exporting the quantity that OPEC has given us. Demand from domestic refineries is at least 500,000 barrels of oil a day,” he explained. Kachikwu also gave far-reaching recommendations on how Iran and Iraq could regain some of their lost market share due to sanctions and war.

Angry reactions trail postponement of Imo re-run polls

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—Angry reactions have continued to trail last weekend’s sudden rescheduling of the re-run elections for Okigwe senatorial seat

and some state constituency seats in Imo State. Gov. Rochas Okorocha Addressing a news conference in Owerri, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State, accused the state government, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies in the state of complicity in the aborted re-run election earlier scheduled to hold last Saturday. “The postponement of the scheduled polls was the handiwork of the state government, whose top officials recruited miscreants and street urchins and stormed INEC premises midday with dangerous weapons
and blocked the entrance gate with a heavy duty truck”, the State PDP Chairman, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, fumed. Continuing, Anyaehie said: “It beats our imagination and the minds of all right thinking individuals, how such an ugly incident could successively be accomplished in the presence of fully armed security personnel, including soldiers, and yet nobody was arrested.” The Imo PDP boss, who also took exception to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s broadcast, which was aired on the airways of Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, a day to the aborted re-run election, during which he urged the electorate to vote for All Progressives Congress, APC, candidates, dismissed this as a brazen abuse of office. Speaking also,

Fayose to Buhari: Devalue Naira now, forex policy short-changing Nigerians

Governor Fayose

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has called for the devaluation of the nation’s currency, the Naira, saying, “With the gap between the official rate of N199 and open market rate of over N400 to one dollar, Naira has already been devalued. Therefore, President Muhammadu Buhari must stop deceiving himself and short-changing Nigerians, especially States and Local Councils in the country with his Forex Policy.”Fayose

Governor Fayose, who said there was no time in the history of Nigeria that the gap between dollar official rate and open market rate was more than N200, pointed out that it made no economic sense for the Federal Government to be calculating the country’s revenue on the basis of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official rate of N199 to a dollar while States and Local Councils that are sharing the revenue with the Federal Government run their businesses at the open market rate of over N400 to one dollar, thereby causing business to be folding up by the day and prices of goods skyrocketing everyday.

Assault on Journalist: Court hears suit against Customs Monday

By Abdulwahab Abdulah Justice A.

 Anka of the Federal High Court, Lagos will Monday, commence hearing in the fundamental rights suit filed by the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) against the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and eight others over alleged assault on one of its members, Otunba Yomi Olomofe. Olomofe-Ali The NUJ had filed the suit against NCS, over the brutal assault of

Olomofe, at Seme border post of the NCS last year, asking for N500 million as special and exemplary damages for the violation of the applicant’s rights. The body had specifically prayed the court for the enforcement of the journalist fundamental rights to life, dignity of the human person and freedom of expression and the press and to declare that the brutalised journalist’s right was indeed violated by the defendants. The matter had earlier came up for mention before Justice A. Anka, though none of the defendants was in court nor represented, however, the counsel representing the plaintiff, Adelayo Banjo of Jiti Ogunye chambers informed the court that the defendants are yet to be served on the processes of the case

Sun Award: Vice President extols Tinubu, others

Lagos – The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has extolled the National Leader of the All Progressives Party (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and other prominent Nigerians honoured by the Sun Newspapers. Osinbajo congratulated 19 awardees who excelled in their various fields of endeavour on Saturday night in Lagos. “I am here to celebrate with everyone the many successes of those who tonight are being given a Sun Award. “I must commend the publisher, Dr Orji Kalu, and the entire members of Sun Newspapers for this incredible idea of recognising some in our mix who have done great things. “And who have continued to do a great thing and honour them in this way,’’ Osinbajo said

My successor’ll be from God – Mimiko

By Dayo Johnson

 Akure—GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State spoke for the first time on his successor when he stepped down from office February next year. Mimiko He had refused to speak on who would succeed him. Those interested in his cabinet have been holding secret meetings.

Mimiko told the people of the state that; “God will choose the man after His heart to lead on February 24, 2017, about a year today. He was speaking at the 84th edition of the monthly praise thanksgiving programme tagged “Divine Agenda”, held at the International Events Centre in Akure. The governor added that the people of the state should “not be carried away with the propaganda, stay with the real stuff and the good Lord will help all of you. “I also pray specially that after our tenure, a man after the heart of God will take over in the state. A man that will have the heart for the people.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/my-successorll-be-from-god-mimiko/

Edo infrastructure attracts foreign investors —Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem 

BENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that the state government’s investment in road and other infrastructure in different parts of the state have started yielding the right dividends as different companies, including a Chinese firm which employed 500 staff,

have located their factories in the state. Oshiomhole Speaking during an inspection of a ceramics factory which employs 500 direct staff at Utesi community in Benin City, Governor Oshiomhole said that the surest way for government to address the issue of unemployment in the country was to provide basic infrastructure which will in turn attract foreign investment. 

According to the governor, the location of an industry in a community attracts development to such community.

Man, 20, rapes 14-yr-old orphan

An Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, remanded one Abdulsalam Olayinka, 20, in prison for allegedly raping a 14-year-old orphan on Valentine’s Day. Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias ordered that the accused be remanded in Kirikiri Prison and adjourned the case till February 24 for ruling on the bail application. The accused, a trader, who lives at 2, Amodu St., Agege, Lagos, is standing trial for rape. The prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the offence was committed on February 14 at 5, Olanrawaju St., Agege. Aigbokhan told the court that the accused went to his friend’s house, but that the friend was not around; that he met the girl in the house and raped her. Aigbokhan said: “The victim, who is an orphan, screamed but no one in the house came to her rescue, except her aged grandmother.” The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/man-20-rapes-14-yr-old-orphan/

N-Delta crisis: Solution lies in dialogue not troops deployment —IYC

By Samuel Oyadongha 

Yenagoa—The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, yesterday faulted the Federal Government’s decision to deploy more troops in the Niger Delta to protect oil installations, saying that the move would not stop oil theft, kidnapping and pipeline vandalism. Army Spokesman of IYC, Eric Omare, in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said that the solution to the problem lies in the constructive engagement of the people of the region.

He said: “From our experience of attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, sending more troops to the region will not solve the problem. It is common knowledge that incidents of oil theft, kidnapping and attacks on oil pipelines have been on the increase despite the presence of military men around oil installations and communities in the Niger Delta region. “The IYC has always maintained that in some cases, security agents, contractors and even multi-national oil company workers are involved in these illegalities going on in the Niger Delta region. “The Federal Government cannot claim ignorance of this fact

Synagogue: New application stalls trustees,

By Abdulwahab Abdulah 

lagos—Attempt by the Lagos State government to arraign Trustees of Synagogue Church of all Nation, SCOAN, and two engineers charged over the collapsed guest house that killed 116 persons in the church was stalled yesterday following a new application by one of the companies.

 

TB Joshua-Synagogue Church The new application by HardRock Construction and Engineering Company, E.L Akpofure (SAN) was seeking to quash. The Trustees of Synagogue Church of all Nation, Engineer Akinbola Fatiregun and his company, HardRock Construction and Engineering Company, Engineer Oladele Ogundeji and his company Jadny Trust Ltd are facing 110 criminal counts of involuntary manslaughter. It could be recalled that Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo had on

Gaidam signs N89.9bn 2016 budget into law

By Ndahi Marama

MAIDUGUri—Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State yesterday signed the 2016 budget of N89,932,740,000.00, into law, even as he swore in newly appointed Caretaker Committee Chairmen of all the 17 councils of the state.

Yobe State Governor, Gaidam The assent on budget followed the passage of proposal he submitted to the House of Assembly on 31st December 2015. The twin events of the signing budget into law and swearing-in of the caretaker chairmen took place at the WAWA Hall, Government House, Damaturu, Speaking at the signing ceremony, Gaidam said, even though the country was facing economic challenges, with improvement in the security situation in the state, he was optimistic that the appropriation Bill would be sourced/financed through adequate utilization of the Internally Generated Revenue, apparatus in the state. He noted that the 2016 appropriation and finance bills provided for a total

Police deploys 5,000 officers for Benue senatorial re-run

By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—Benue State Police Command, yesterday said it had mobilized and deployed no fewer than 5,000 police men to the Benue South zone, ahead of tomorrow ‘s senatorial rerun election between Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party and Daniel Onjeh, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.Policemen

Relocate your headquarters to Delta, Ndokwa youths tell oil firm

By Ochuko Akuopha

OLEH—PROTESTERS, yesterday, barricaded the entrance to the office of Sterling Energy Exploration Company, SEEPCO, at Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, demanding the relocation of the company’s operational headquarters from Lagos to Delta State.

They also kicked against the company’s use of vessels to haul crude oil from Ndokwa and its alleged unwillingness to comply with the provisions of the Local Content Act.

Gathered under the aegis of Pages Group International, PGI, the placard carrying protesters, comprising mainly of youths of Ndokwa nation, condemned the alleged refusal of the company to comply with the directive of the Federal Government to multinational oil companies to relocate their headquarters to their states of operations.

I’ll support you till death, Ogbemudia tells Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—FOR transforming the face of governance in Edo State and for the developmental projects across the state, a former governor of the defunct Mid-West region and Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, has pledged to support Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the rest of his life, saying, “I will continue to work with you until my grave.”

Dr. Ogbemudia, during a visit by Governor Oshiomhole in his residence, in Benin City, said: “I have withdrawn my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, so, I am at home as a non-partisan politician. But every human being is a political animal, and I cannot say I have left politics.”

Alleged laundering of $600,000: EFCC picks up Diezani’s hubby, Alison-Madueke

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

 ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, invited Alison Amaechina Madueke, husband of embattled former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. Madueke, a retired Admiral of the Nigerian Navy and former Chief of Naval Staff, was picked up in Abuja yesterday morning by EFCC operatives over alleged money laundering to the tune of $600,000 through his personal accounts. 

Admiral Alison Madueke (Rtd) Admiral Alison Madueke (Rtd) An EFCC source close to the interrogation confirmed to Vanguard last night that Madueke was summoned in connection with some funds, which were traced from some suspicious transactions into his account but did not give details of the transactions. 

The source did not also say whether the transactions had anything to do with his wife, Diezani