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Trade union activist and labour leader, Issa Aremu has called on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to resume his duties at the National Assembly and stop campaigning for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Aremu called on Saraki to emulate the legacy of his late father, Olusola, by ensuring the passage of the new National Minimum Wage Bill.
Aremu, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin, recalled that the late Saraki, as the Senate leader, presided over the Senate committee that midwife the emergence of the first national minimum wage in 1981 under President Shehu Shagari.
The labour leader, who described the late Saraki as “a wonderful symbol of democracy’’ who showed concern for the plight of workers, urged the Senate President to also write his name in gold by reconvening the Senate to pass the new Bill.
“The Senate President, Bukola Saraki should be on duty regarding this all important Bill. I remind him to emulate his father.
“Today he is going up and down as Campaign Director-General of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, but he should remember that he has not resigned as the Senate President.
“He should resume his work to pass the Bill to concur with the House of Representatives
“He must declare his position on the N27,000 and N30,000 recommendations.
“He must act fast like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara did, so that we can make it a reality and the President will sign the Bill into law,’’ he said.
Aremu, the former Secretary-General of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, commended the House of Representatives for promptly passing the National Minimum Wage Bill.
He also hailed the lower chamber for endorsing N30,000 minimum wage across board – Federal and State governments, ensuring that the minimum wage could not be polarised.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in January transmitted the Bill to the National Assembly for passage into law.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Nigerians to blame successive governments since 1999 and the National Assembly responsible for the postponement of Saturday’s presidential election.
That will mean blaming 16 years of PDP administration and less than four years of APC for the election fiasco.
“Given the increasing tendency to postpone elections and the cumulative failures and corruption over the years, SERAP would, after the elections, pursue appropriate legal action against the government in power and the National Assembly leadership for the catalogue of breaches of constitutional and international obligations, and seek effective remedies for the citizens,”SERAP said.
SERAP
In a statement signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “The postponement of Nigeria’s elections since 2007 shows a systemic failure of leadership at the highest level of government, and suggests that our electoral process is deliberately skewed in favour of politicians’ interests, who continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that have characterised the process since 1999, and against those of the citizens.”
Poll postponement: It will not affect our victory in Ogun-PDP
“Calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rather than addressing the root causes of persistent postponement of elections is a blatant attempt by politicians to scapegoat the electoral commission.”
“While the INEC leadership ought to proactively push for reform of the electoral system, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly that have the legal responsibility but have remained largely impervious to revolutionary change of the electoral system, should be held to account for this fundamental breach of public trust.”
“Foisting outdated electoral system on Nigerians, and spending huge public funds to sustain it, seems in uneasy tension with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which Nigeria is a state party.”
“Rather than prioritising genuine and comprehensive reforms of the electoral system that would upgrade and modernize our voting processes, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly would seem to prefer the status quo, presumably to undermine citizens’ right to participation and to continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that the current system and processes breed.”
“It is clear that the current electoral process is vulnerable to corruption but politicians would seem to have little incentive to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernise it. It is unlikely that either the federal government or the National Assembly would take the steps necessary to sort out our electoral system, and improve transparency, accountability and integrity of the electoral process.”
“We urge Nigerians to take more active role in the fight against corruption, including by putting pressure on the authorities at the federal and state levels and the National Assembly to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernize our electoral system and processes. Otherwise, citizens’ right to participate in the governance system will remain a ‘hollow right’.”
“Given that the right to vote is considered a part of an individual’s fundamental right to political participation, persistent postponement of elections in the country raises serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of Nigeria’s fledgling democracy.”
“Persistent failure to upgrade and modernize the electoral system has effectively relegated the right of participation to paper tiger status, undermining the ability of citizens to genuinely participate in the fight against corruption and to hold their leaders to account. Yet, a transparent, accountable and modernized electoral process is a prerequisite to the effective exercise of citizenship in a democratic society.”
“No right is more precious in a democratic country than that of having a voice in the election of those who represent us. That voice is not lost when the electoral process is skewed in favour of politicians’ interests and against the Nigerian voters. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined by the collective failure to upgrade and modernize the country’s electoral processes.”
“It is time to push for revolutionary changes in how Nigeria conducts its elections. The changes should effectively deploy modern technology, which has been successfully used in the business and other sectors in the country. Such changes may include the introduction of a national system of Internet voting, to innovative ideas on how to adapt the election systems to facilitate participation by different sectors of the population, to conform with twenty-first century elections.”
“The postponement is the by-product of a systemic and collective failure by successive governments and National Assembly leadership to provide Nigerians with reliable, efficient and secured electoral system, which has continued to undermine public confidence in elections as well as the public’s right to vote and participate in their own government.”
“SERAP would also deploy the Freedom of Information Act to seek information on details of spending by INEC since 1999, as part of our initiatives to improve transparency and accountability of governmental operations and promote respect for citizens’ right to participate in the processes of government and governance in the country.”
“SERAP notes that postponement of general elections has become a recurring feature of the country’s electoral process. For example, the 2007 general elections witnessed late arrival of election materials from South Africa in April of that year, contributing to denying millions of voters their right to political participation.”
“SERAP also notes that the 2011 general election suffered the same organizational lapses, with the elections postponed for two days after it had commenced. In 2015, the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan postponed the election for six weeks on the pretext that it needed time to reclaim the local governments reportedly taken over by the Boko Haram terrorist group.”
“The INEC on the morning of the elections shifted presidential and National Assembly elections to 23rd February, 2019. The Governorship, State House of Assembly and the FCT Area Council Elections are to hold on 9th March, 2019.”

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has condemned the shifting of Saturday’s elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Speaking with DAILY POST, the National President of AYCF, Yerima Shettima said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had a sinister motive for the shift of the elections.
Shettima stressed that Buhari’s government and INEC succeeded in undermining Nigerians by the postponement.
He, however, vowed that despite the shift, Nigerians were determined to vote out the current government.
Shettima urged Nigerians to remain calm and file out enmasse on Saturday.
He said: “The government of the day has actually proven that in connivance with INEC that they want to undermine Nigerians and want to provoke Nigerians.
“However, they can be rest assured that Nigerians are determined and it’s obvious and clear to Buhari and his people that they are going to lose, so whatever their plans are, they will continue to fail.
“Nigerians are determined and life can’t continue like this. This is a clear indication that they have been defeated already and we have no problem with that, but they should know that Nigerians are watching and posterity will either put them on the path of positive or negative.
“The way it is now, they are going on the path of negative but we are very determined and would prepare for the next, mobilise and ensure that this does not continue.
“This had never happened; that election was called off few hours to its commencement, it has never happened. They are taking Nigeria for granted but we would ensure that come Saturday 23 February, we will come out en masse and ensure that this challenging attitude does not continue.
“There is a motive behind the shifting of elections, however, we are resolute and committed to ensuring that we mobilise people and tell them that those in government don’t mean well for this country.
“We are, however, appealing to Nigerians to remain calm; let them clean their PVCs and be ready for Saturday. This can’t continue; we are not in Banana Republic where you take the country for a ride.”

Senator Abdullahi Adamu representing Nasarawa West in the National Assembly, has said the explanations offered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections are cogent, but untimely.
NAN reports that Adamu, a former two-term governor of Nasarawa State and APC senatorial candidate, stated this while reacting to the reasons tendered by INEC for shifting the elections, on Sunday in Keffi.
According to him, INEC ordinarily should have been aware before 12 midnight on Friday that the elections are having some challenges.
“From the day INEC conducted the last general elections, they know constitutionally the day they are going to conduct next elections.
“I am saddened by the postponement of elections because up till midnight of Friday I was under the impression that the election will hold on Saturday.
“Mine is more than an ordinary interest because I am a candidate in the election and i know the trauma of campaign and trauma of expectations that accompanied candidate in an elections like this,” he said.
The former governor noted that the INEC chairman assured the nation of the polls up to the hour before the announcement for the postponement was made, advising the commission to respect time because time is of essence in anything.
The lawmaker also urged INEC to take lessons and put appropriate measures to avoid a recurrence of what happened, saying “We hope that the assurance given by INEC Chairman will be realised.
“We can be seen not to be growing with this institution and we must be seen to make difference and learn lessons from one episode to the next.
“When or if we don’t it is a sign of failure and we hope we don’t see another postponement of elections,” Adamu said.
He appealed to all candidates who are contesting and stakeholders to bear the lapses, forge ahead and support the electoral umpire.
“The reality is that the explanation that we are receiving from INEC are convincing enough, yet it did not come on time. The timing of the explanation is untimely because time is of essence in anything that we do,” said the APC senatorial flag bearer.

Taking to his social media page, Fayose wrote:
"Two days ago, I told Nigerians that the Presidency cabal were considering postponement of the elections because they knew that they can't win. Now I'm vindicated. With this, they have only succeeded in making their situation worse. Nigerians will defeat this tyranny ultimately."
According to INEC, the elections were rescheduled because of logistic issues as the body claimed it was facing difficulty distributing sensitive electoral materials to some states of the federation.
The chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, read a five-paragraph statement at 2:50 am on Saturday attributing the decision to logistic reasons but refused to entertain any question.
Two days ago, I told Nigerians that the Presidency cabal were considering postponement of the elections because they knew that they can't win. Now I'm vindicated. With this, they have only succeeded in making their situation worse. Nigerians will defeat this tyranny ultimately.

By Vincent Ujumadu
Awka— FEW hours to the commencement of the 2019 polls, Anambra State has recorded some violence in three local government areas as the various political parties get set to test their popularity in tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly polls.
A member of House of Representatives, Mr. Gabriel Onyenweife, who defected from All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after failing to secure a ticket of APGA, had one of the houses in his compound set ablaze, while 30 motorcycles he assembled for empowerment were razed.
11 trapped in Anambra building collapse
Onyenweife is currently the deputy director of APC campaign council and the attack on his house is causing tension in his Ayamelum local government area.
Also, the campaign vehicle of the member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal constituency, Mr. Chirs Azubogu, was burnt by unknown persons. Nnewi is regarded as one of the areas likely to pose security challenges during the polls.
Only on Thursday, the divisional police station at Ajali in Orumba North local government area of the state was gutted by fire.
Many policemen were beaten up before the station was set ablaze, while some vehicles parked at the station were burnt.
Some detainees at the station were allegedly released by people suspected to be members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who moved into station immediately the fire started.

An aerial view taken on February 12, 2019 shows the historic centre of Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria, with the harbour in the background. – Nigerians are scheduled to cast their ballots on February 16, 2019 in presidential and legislative elections. The presidential contest will see incumbent Muhammadu Buhari seek to win a second four-year term against former vice president Atiku Abubakar. (Photo by Florian PLAUCHEUR / AFP)
Nigeria made final preparations Friday on the eve of presidential elections, with candidates pitting continuity against reform in a battle between incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and his main rival Atiku Abubakar.
Buhari, the 76-year-old leader of Africa’s most populous nation was elected in 2015 on a wave of hope he could defeat Boko Haram Islamists, tackle rampant corruption and boost the economy.
But he faces a stiff challenge from former vice-president Abubakar, 72, amid fears about widening insecurity, claims of creeping authoritarianism, and economic incompetence.
A total of 73 candidates are on the ballot for Saturday — the sixth election in 20 years since Nigeria returned to democracy after decades of military rule.
Buhari, from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are considered the main contenders.
Campaigning ended Thursday with final rallies in Buhari’s home state of Katsina, in the northwest, and Abubakar’s native Adamawa, in the northeast.
A record 84,004,084 people are registered to vote.
Also up for grabs are 360 seats in the lower House of Representatives and 109 in the Senate.
Nearly 120,000 polling units are set to open at 0700 GMT and close at 1600 GMT.
No date has been given for the results, but an announcement is expected from early next week.
Either/or
Electors face a choice between two elderly candidates who have both been part of the political elite for decades and do not mirror the country’s increasingly young demographic.
Just over half the registered voters are aged 18-35.
Chief among the criticisms against Buhari is security, with signs of a resurgence of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s remote northeast and new conflicts elsewhere.
His anti-corruption campaign has been described as one-sided against political opponents.
Economic growth picked up last year after a recession in 2016 but remains sluggish. The cost of living is high in a country where most of the 190 million people live in poverty despite billions earned from oil.
Abubakar, 72, bills himself as a dynamic, modern, pro-business leader. But the former vice-president faces allegations about links to corruption.
Buhari said in a televised address Thursday that reelection would give him the chance to fulfil his initial promises and complete vital infrastructure projects.
“It is a choice between going back or keeping the momentum of change,” he said
For his part, Abubakar pitched himself as “the ticket to development and advancement” and cautioned voters against four more years of “misdirection and maladministration”.
“There is no best candidate among them,” said Aliyu Jibrilla, a 70-year-old retired teacher in the Adamawa state capital, Yola, adding: “intellectually… they’re not up to it”.
“It’s about time these old people go,” added Modibbo Sadiq, a 23-year-old university graduate.
Security and fraud
Security is a constant threat in Nigeria, after previous outbreaks of deadly election-linked violence.
As a precaution, all vehicles have been ordered off the roads from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Saturday.
Nigeria’s police chief Mohammed Adamu said the restrictions were designed to prevent “hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from hijacking and disrupting the electoral process”.
With a reinforced police and military presence on the streets Friday, the interior ministry announced that land borders will shut for 48 hours from midday.
Candidates have pledged to conduct peaceful elections and to accept the results, but there have been clashes in the southern state of Rivers.
APC candidates have been prevented from running in the parliamentary and governorship elections in Rivers because of a dispute over their selection.
Vote-rigging has marred previous Nigerian elections, and this year concerns have been raised both the APC and PDP may have sought to buy votes.
Red flags also went up after voter cards were distributed late, or not at all, and three fires in 12 days Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices.
Ahmad Ado Hasan, 21, a tailor and first-time voter in the northern city of Kano, said: “As a citizen, you should vote your choice, not sell your vote.
“God has already destined the winner, we are only to confirm through our votes. So, vote buying is not the answer.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it has replaced the burnt card readers and other sensitive materials that were destroyed in a fire at its office in Anambra state.
INEC had said that over four thousand card readers were destroyed in the fire.
In a statement on Twitter on Thursday, the commission said its office in Anambra state replaced
card readers for 14 LGAs, adding that they have been configured and delivered.
The electoral umpire said it is working hard on the remaining 7 LGAs – Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Idemili North, Idemili South, Aguata, Awka North and Oyi.
A spokesman for the commission, Festus Okoye had disclosed on Tuesday that immediate measures to ameliorate the situation in Anambra including the mopping up of some spare card readers from other states were already in progress.
He added that with the steps taken so far, the commission remains confident that elections in the state will proceed as scheduled.

As Nigerians look forward to the 2019 general elections, Vice President Pastor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has called on Christians to remain steadfast nothing that “their prayers will make the difference for Nigeria.”
The Vice President stated this Thursday in Jos at a one-day special prayer forum for a peaceful 2019 elections in Plateau and Nigeria in general. It was organized by the Plateau State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
According to him, “The devil cannot interfere in the plans and purposes of God in our lives or in the life of our nation, it is impossible. There is no way the gates of hell can ever prevail against the church because the church represents God’s plans and purposes on earth”.
Prof. Osinbajo added that the role of the church in the development of any society is for Christians to support their members in leadership positions through prayers and fasting.
“The role of the church in order to bring about the plans and purposes of God to pass in our nation is to fast and pray for those that are in government. God’s plans and purposes for this nation rest on the shoulders of the Children of God,” the Vice President noted.
Continuing, he stated that “it is your prayers that will make the difference for our nation. I want to say to you again that please continue to pray and to fast for those of us who are in government because we are there as the seeds that God has planted in this nation; we are the salt, we may not be plenty but salt does not have to be a lot to make a difference.”
The Vice President, who admonished Christians to look inward for solutions to the problems of the nation, said: “If we look elsewhere we will make a very big mistake.”
“We are the ones that can individually solve the problems of Nigeria and we must not look elsewhere. If we do the right thing, we will get the right result and if we do what is not right we will not get the right result,” the Vice President declared.
On his part, Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau State said the Vice President’s visit in the state, for prayers, a few days to the elections, was a sign of a peaceful outcome.
He thanked God for sparing the life of the Vice President from the helicopter crash in Kogi State recently.
Rev Fr Polycarp Lubo, Plateau CAN Secretary said that the desire of the body was to have peaceful, free, fair and credible.
He appreciated Osinbajo for honouring the invitation and prayed God to be with him during and after the elections.
The programme featured special prayers for the political leadership in Nigeria and for peaceful elections. There were also praise and worship sessions, amongst others at the well-attended prayer forum.

Despite fire outbreaks at three offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that has claimed thousands of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) and other election equipment, the Nigeria electoral body said it has no plans to postpone the elections.
“In relation to these particular elections, we had some challenges yesterday (Tuesday), but we were able to recover, and as I speak, we are moving all the Smart Card Readers required for the conduct of elections in Anambra State and we are not going to postpone the election in any part of Nigeria on grounds of some of these challenges,” INEC chairman Mahmoud Yakubu said.
Yakubu, who was represented by one of INEC’s national commissioners, Festus Okoye, spoke at the unveiling of a central election monitoring hub for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
INEC offices in three states of the country- Plateau, Abia and recently Anambra, were engulfed by fire outbreaks, all within ten days to Nigeria’s 2019 general elections.
He noted that fire outbreaks that gutted election materials in three of its offices across the federation constituted a setback to its earlier arrangements for smooth conduct of the 2019 polls but will not stop elections from commencing.
However, he insisted that the setback was not such that could significantly affect the election process, saying the commission had since made alternative plans to replace over 4, 695 Card Readers that were destroyed on Tuesday at INEC’s warehouse in Anambra State.
Yakubu assured Nigerians that “INEC will be open and transparent throughout the entire election process.”
“We are going to be upfront with information relating to our processes and our procedures. Where ever we have challenges, we are going, to be honest with the Nigerian people relating to our challenges,” Yakubu said.
The general election begins with presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 16.
INEC’s readiness to conduct the elections has been in doubts following the destruction of election materials- ballot boxes, generators filled with fuel, cubicles, newly printed electronic and manual voters register, unclaimed PVCs and other valuable materials were affected in the incident.
Confirming the first fire outbreak in Plateau State, INEC head of voter education and publicity in the state, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said “The office is completely burnt to ashes with all the valuables in it destroyed”
INEC did not state the amount of PVCs and other election materials in the office at Qua’anpan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
In Abia State, the electoral body also confirmed that 319 Permanent Voter Cards were burnt at its office in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.
INEC’s head of voter education and publicity Godfrey Achibie, who confirmed the incident, dismissed reports in some section of the media that over 15,000 PVCs were destroyed by the fire incident.
In Anambra State, the state electoral officer Nkwachukwu Orji said smart card readers and other sensitive materials were in the burnt containers, which according to him had been in use by INEC since 2011.

The Inspector General of Police has announced the restriction of vehicular movement from 6 am to 6 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2019, as part of the measures to ensure hitch-free Presidential and National Assembly elections.
In a statement by the Police spokesperson, the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, noted that “the restriction will assist the security agencies in effectively policing the electoral process, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from hijacking and disrupting the electoral process.
”Mr Adamu gave the assurance of adequate security to ensure a safe and conducive environment for a peaceful and credible election and asked Nigerians to come out en-masse on Saturday to exercise their franchise without any fear.
He regretted the inconveniences the restriction would cause the citizens but warned that the Force would deal decisively with any individuals or groups that attempt to foment trouble with the aim of jeopardizing the elections.
While urging Nigerians to shun vote buying and vote selling, hate speeches, snatching of ballot boxes and other acts capable of truncating the people’s will, Mr Adamu vowed that the Force would bring to bear the full weight of the law on anyone found culpable.

Manchester United revealed on Thursday that sacking Jose Mourinho cost the club nearly £20 million, with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward hailing the impact of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The sum of £19.6 million ($25 million) which is listed under “exceptional items” in the club’s second-quarter results, includes pay-outs for the members of Mourinho’s staff who left with him after he was sacked in December.
The fortunes of the Premier League club have been transformed since Solskjaer took the helm as interim boss.
United are now in the top four after being 11 points adrift of the Champions League places when Mourinho left.
Solskjaer won 10 and drew one of his opening 11 games but the remarkable run came to an end on Tuesday, when United were beaten 2-0 at home in the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking on a conference call with investors, Woodward hailed the “fantastic start” under the Norwegian, who set a club record by winning his first eight matches in charge.

But he refused to be drawn on the process of appointing a new permanent boss.
“We communicated around December-time about what we were doing putting Ole in place as a caretaker and the next communication with regard to this will be when we have something to announce regarding the manager,” he said. “We’re not going to give updates part-way through.”
And he was also coy on the club’s reported move for a director of football.
“A lot has obviously been written about this…. With regard to the overall structure, we are looking at that and looking at ways that we can make it stronger and that is something we do on a continual basis,” he said.
In their earnings report, the club announced record revenues of £208.6 million for the quarter, which translate into earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £104.3 million and an operating profit of £44 million.
As well as replacing the Mourinho regime with Solskjaer and assistant manager Mike Phelan, the club have recently agreed new contracts with Anthony Martial, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Scott McTominay.
The club’s wage bill for the quarter, which ended on December 31, was £77.9 million, an increase of 11.8 percent on the corresponding period a year ago.
Real Madrid last month knocked Manchester United off the top of Deloitte’s Football Money League after two years at the top for the Premier League club.
United’s share price, which hit $17.28 in New York in December, is now heading back towards $20.

Chelsea star, Eden Hazard has explained why he preferred the Blues manager, Maurizio Sarri, over former Blues and Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho’s style of football.
According to Hazard, Sarri’s style of football is more like his philosophy compared to Mourinho’s style.
Asked to compare his previous manager, Mourinho to Sarri, Hazard told Chelsea’s official website: “From when I started with Claude Puel at Lille, to now with Maurizio Sarri. They all see football in different ways which is why I’m the player I am.
“They have all given me important advice. Jose Mourinho was special, but the way Sarri and [Rudi] Garcia like to play is more like my philosophy of football, but they’ve all given me a lot.”
Hazard has scored 15 goals and assisted 10 times so far this season under Sarri.
The 28-year-old failed to score in Chelsea’s 6-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend in the Premier League encounter.
The Belgium international will hope to lead Chelsea to victory when they tackle Malmo in tonight’s Europa League round of 32 first leg tie.

Ahead of the February 16 Presidential election, four fake soldiers escorting an unnamed politician have been arrested in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Parading the suspects, who were fully dressed in Military fatigue, during a Peace Parley for candidates, the Commander 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, Brigadier General H. I Bature, disclosed that fake soldiers have infiltrated the state to cause chaos during the general elections.
He stated that desperate politicians have equipped hoodlums with Army Uniforms and weapons to perpetrate violence in the state, warning that all those involved in the ignoble act will be fished out and dealt with.
According to him, “two of these fake soldiers were arrested escorting a politician. You will marvel at the kind of ammunition that was in their possession. But no matter how much they disguise, we have a way of finding out the fake soldiers.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Dasuki and Galadanchi, urged the politicians to play by the rules and jettison all forms of violence.
According to him, the State has witnessed relative peace when compared to other states in the Federation, as a result of the
“cooperation and support of the people of the state”.
He said, “you will agree with me that this hard-earned peace and tranquillity we enjoy and experience in Imo State should be guarded jealously, thus, we have no other option than to ensure this endures before, during and after the elections”

‘It is clear Buhari wants to perpetuate himself in power’
14 hours ago Politics
The ruling All Progressives Congress Wednesday got the approval of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto to field its candidates in Zamfara state.
The court dismissed an appeal against the judgment of a Zamfara State High Court asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise candidates of the APC for various offices in Zamfara State.
A three-member panel of judges unanimously dismissed the appeal following its withdrawal by the appellant, Aminu Jaji.
The party will now participate in all elections in the state.
INEC has early insisted it would not recognise the Zamfara candidates who were produced after the stipulated time for the primaries.
The electoral body also maintained its position following conflicting judgments on the matter by a high court of Zamfara and federal high court on the same day.
Details later

…Warns of consequences if polls are rigged
By Dirisu Yakubu
ABUJA- Ahead of the Presidential election slated for Saturday February 16, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has devised five strategies aimed at preventing what it called the manipulation of the electoral process.
Members of the PDP
This was made known to journalists Wednesday in Abuja by former Aviation Minister and spokesperson/chairman, Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Osita Chidoka.
According to Chidoka, the PDP has in place, “A state-of-the-art Parrell Voting Tabulation, PVT system, a national network of fully equipped Situation Rooms and Call Centres, a nation-wide hotline for the public to report malpractice as well as the launch of a hashtag, #DefendYourVote, among others.
On the rationale for deploying the PVT, Chidoka explained that the device “is a scientifically proven, best practice technique, to hold election authorities accountable, particularly when there is a lack of trust and the result are highly contested.”
He added that the PVT would ensure that PDP partisans “accept the results of the election, and that the country remains peaceful and respectful of its differences,” adding that some civil society organisations would also have their PVTs in place.
We sympathize with Jimi Agbaje over his frustration – Sanwo-Olu
The PDP chieftain further explained: “Our methodology accounts for several different scenarios to ensure continued collation of the results in the event of any disruptions with collation process.
“Hard copies of the signed voter tally provided to all party agents by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC officers, will be transported to the central command center should future disputes need to be reconciled.”
And unlike in the past, Chidoka said the party would deploy a huge number of well trained and educated agents to each of the 176, 000 polling units nationwide.
He spoke further on other strategies aimed at ensuring that the polls mirror the will of the electorate.
“PDP has established a reporting system for the PVT through the wards to the district headquarters, to the states and to the national tally centre,” he added
A nation-wide hotline for the public to report infractions has been launched by the party even as the ex-Minister explained that the PDP “is providing multiple-line inbound call centre linked to a single hotline number: 097000551 for voters to report any incidence of violence or electoral malpractice.”
The #DefendYourVote campaign, another strategy unveiled by the party according to Chidoka is targeted at Nigeria’s largest voter block (18-25 years-old), adding that “a set of 12 easy-to-follow guidelines has been communicated to voters.”
While warning against the a recap of what he called the “Osun playbook, Chidoka said the PDP has adopted international best practices, including “establishing a robust elections results management system,” coupled with its “wide array of intelligence collectors and patriotic public servants who are resolute in defending the constitution and the integrity of our electoral process.”
He also noted that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, may want to re-enact what happened in Osun in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kano and Rivers states, stressing however that PDP was equal to the task.
For those nursing the intent to rig the polls, Chidoka has a word for them：“There will be consequences,” he warned.
Meanwhile, party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan has expressed optimism that the election on Saturday is PDP’s to lose.
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Briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday, the publicity scribe said：“By all manifest indices from the six geo-political zones, 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the peoples candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is already coasting to victory and not even the machinations by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress ,APC, can change this reality.
“Given that INEC is under siege by the Presidency and now relies on the resilient spirit of Nigerians to ensure a free, fair and credible election, the PDP is resolute to lead in the fronts in the pursuit of the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians to take the destiny of our nation in their hands.
“The PDP acknowledges the fact that for Nigerians, this election is not about politics but about building our nation; it is not between the PDP and APC but between Nigerian citizens and President Buhari, whose incompetent, vengeful, violent-prone, divisive and inherently corrupt administration has brought so much poverty, anguish and pain to our dear country.
“For Nigerians, this election is a choice between democracy and dictatorship; between justice and injustice, between prosperity and poverty; unity and polarity; peace and bloodletting; freedom and enslavement; progress and stagnation; creation of jobs and job losses, respect for territorial integrity and invasion; a choice between an in-charge President and a President by proxy.”
According to him, the party is upbeat of uts chances having succeeded in mobilising 40 millions of its members nationwide to vote its candidate on Saturday.

By Emma Una
CALABAR –MR Eyo Ekpo, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in Cross River State has declared the recent adoption of President Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by the National Executive Council, NEC of his party, as undemocratic and against the Constitution and therefore, said that the exercise is null and void.
Donald Duke
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Ekpo who spoke in Calabar on Tuesday said that the party’s presidential candidate is Mr. Donald Duke who won the primaries of the party in October 2018. He said, the executive members of the SDP and all the party’s candidates in the state would continue to work with Mr. Duke towards winning the presidential election on Saturday.
According to him, “We will continue to support Donald Duke for the Presidency because the decision of the NEC of the party doesn’t have popular support of the people. Duke remains the candidate of the party recognized by INEC”.
The lawyer and former Attorney General of the state, who is confident of victory in the March 2 gubernatorial election, claimed because of Governor Ayade’s poor performance, that even the north where he comes from would not vote him. He said the governor noticed this during his state tour that people were more concerned about good governance and not where the Governor comes from.
He added that the two major political parties, the PDP and APC have failed in delivering good governance in the state, saying that SDP was the better alternative which would reposition the state in the part of greatness.
He said, “We started our state-wide tour last week from the north. Why we started from the north is simple; because the Governor is from the north. From what we saw, I can tell you that Cross River North is the most deprived part of the state under Ayade.”
“Last year during the burial of Late John Odey, the Governor promised that the 147Km Mfon-Obudu road would be commissioned before December but from what we saw, it doesn’t look like anything would happen even if Ayade is given another four years.”
He added that “the people of the north and the entire state are waiting for respite from the SDP because the two major political parties have failed us.”
On the recent budget presented to the state house of assembly by Governor Ayade, he said that the document was without content as such shouldn’t be recognized as a budget.
“What Ayade recently presented cannot be called a budget. It’s a complete scam. No paper was even laid before the assembly for debate. What would they be debating on? He went to the assembly to give a chat and not to present a budget”.
Continuing he said that the “development has further shown what Cross Riverians have been facing in the past four years; insult from the Governor. This is why there should have been loud voice everywhere demanding the impeachment of the Governor.”
Ekpo also berated the candidate of the APC, Sen. John Owan Enoh, for allegedly failing in his legislative duties in 20 years.
“We have a man who has been in the legislature for 20 years and now want to be Governor. Now where are the bills to his name? Where are the institutions, the projects he has attracted to the State? It’s not enough to go the national assembly, get money and come back home to give a few people or buy sewing machines or fairly used cars for people.”

By Nwafor Sunday
What can be described as political superciliousness is being witnessed by Nigerians since the commencement of 2019 campaign by various political parties in the country.
Festus Keyamo, SAN, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar
Ever since the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, allowed political parties to campaign, no singular political party sees itself lower than the other. Over eighty-five registered political parties in this coming election have an imperious attitude.
However, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, believes he is better than every other contestant in the coming election. And so are other contestants.
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In view of this, some contestants have accused and leveled accusations against each other, with some mocking and denigrating the integrity of others.
Reports have it that Atiku purportedly accused President Muhammadu Buhari of calling for violence when he (Buhari), campaigned in Zamfara state.
Reacting to the above accusation, perhaps to show that the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate is better off, the Director, Strategic Communications, APC Presidential Campaign Council, FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb (UK), lambasted Atiku’s Campaign team, noting that they are known in their favourite pastime of peddling falsehood, scaremongering and misinformation.
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He cleared the air and noted that what the President meant was actually a joke deliberately taken out of context.
Keyamo said that Buhari never called for violence in Zafaram state and warned Atiku never “to use his palpable desperation to return to power to set this nation ablaze by outright falsehood”.
Read the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE BY APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL:
PRESIDENT BUHARI NEVER CALLED FOR VIOLENCE IN ZAMFARA STATE
Typical of the PDP and Atiku’s Campaign team, they have continued in their favourite pastime of peddling falsehood, scaremongering and misinformation.
This time, the candidate of the main opposition himself, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, sensing a comprehensive defeat this Saturday and out of frustration, threw caution to the wind in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, February 11, 2019, when he alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari called for violence when he campaigned in Zamfara State.
Nothing can be farther from the truth. The Hausa word the President used in Zamfara, which has been taken out of context, is “fitna”. Incidentally all our Hausa language scholars have said the word means different things: it means distress, trial, affliction or temptation. It can also be used to describe rebellion or uprising.
In this case, President Buhari was actually weighing in on the joke told very often of recent in the North that due to the rice boom, farmers have embarked on pilgrimage and the marrying of more wives. So, what the President meant was actually a joke deliberately taken out of context: he simply told the crowd to ensure they eat very well because of the rice boom before they can contemplate giving in to those temptations.
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Even in some private meetings with our campaign team, the President has always commented on this joke. Sadly, out of desperation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has decided to peddle falsehood.
We urge Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to realize that it is God Almighty that gives power and takes power. He should not use his palpable desperation to return to power (in order to sell Nigeria to his “friends” and to make them rich) to set this nation ablaze by outright falsehood.

Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Kwara State for next month election, Issa Aremu, has thrown his weight behind the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, even as over one million members of the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Tailors, NUT, and faith-based organisations queued behind him and Buhari for the forthcoming general election.
Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), incumbent President Mohammadu Buhari speaks to supporters during a presidential election’s campaign rally in Kano, on January 31, 2019. – Buhari has flag off campaign in Kano, the commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria to seek re-election at the forthcoming February polls.
Similarly, a coalition of sports men and women in the state has pledged to ensure Aremu’s victory at the polls after receiving his campaign team in their respective arenas during an intensive keep fit sports campaign tours at the state stadium complex, Ilorin.
Aremu declared his support for Buhari while addressing members of NUT in the state at the association’s secretariat, Olorunshogo, Ilorin.
The LP governorship hopeful, who was received by NUT members across the 16 local government areas of the state, thanked members of NUT for the honour and for believing in the philosophy of LP.
Aremu who is the General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, urged the tailors in the state to vote for President Buhari who he said through “labour market friendly policies such as the new minimum wage, bail out for wage-defaulting governors epitomize LP manifesto on good governance.”
Speaking, President of NUT, Kwara State chapter, Alhaji Abdulazeez Ojo, endorsed the candidacy of Aremu who he said was running on the platform of the party that had the interest of workers and artisans at heart.
Ojo said NUT is an association with highest number of membership in the state, disclosing that those that duly registered with the secretariat of the association alone are more than 1.3 million.
Earlier, a group of sports men and women in the state had pledged to cast their block votes for Aremu, describing him as a unique and considerate leader who took time to interface with electorate.
Among the team that received Aremu included football teams, lawn tennis club, squash club, boxing club, dancing club, aerobic fitness club among others.

The Appeal Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday dismissed the case filed by former governor Segun Oni against Governor Kayode Fayemi contesting his eligibility to have been fielded as the All Progressives Congress candidate in the July 14, 2018 governorship election in the state.
The three -man appeal panel, presided over by Justice Adamu Juaro, in a unanimous verdict, said Fayemi not resigning as the then Minister of Mines and Steel Development to contest the May 12, 2018 governorship primary , where he emerged as candidate, was not enough to disqualify him.
Other Justices of the appeal panel are: Justices Emmanuel Agim and Abubakar Lamido.
The Appeal court in a judgement delivered by Justice Agim, held that Fayemi’s indictment by Justice Silas Oyewole-led judicial panel of inquiry set up by former governor Ayodele Fayose to try the governor for alleged embezzlement does not suffice to bar him from participating in the election.
The Justices said only a conviction by a competent court of law can bar any aspirant from participating in a primary or general election and not a mere indictment by a panel .
The federal high court, had in a judgement delivered by Justice Uche Agomoh last year, dismissed the case for lack of merit, after which the former governor appealed the case.
Oni’s lawyer, Chief Tony Adeniyi, urged the court to determine whether the lower court didn’t commit infraction to have ruled that Fayemi, by virtue of being a Minister was not obligated to resign in line with Article 2 of the 2014 guidelines of the APC , which provided that every intending aspirant must resign 30 days to the primary.
Oni also told the court that Fayemi as a public servant must comply with this provision and he again contended that the governor having been indicted by a judicial panel of inquiry was not eligible to participate in the party’s primary.
But Fayemi, through his lawyer, Raheem Balogun, countered the position canvassed by Oni, saying Fayemi was not a public servant and was not obliged to comply with article 2 of the guideline.
He also added that the panel of inquiry that indicted Fayemi was not a court of competent jurisdiction and lacks the power to bar any aspirant from contesting an election.
In its judgement, the court, however, agreed that a Minister is a public servant as claimed by the appellant, saying the position is an office in the public service of the federation.
The appeal court said: ” We have considered the positions of all the parties regarding who is a public servant. Section 277 of the 1999 constitution explained who is a public servant and a Minister being an office in the service, is a public servant.
” But the 1st respondent(Fayemi) was not an employee since he was hired and confirmed by the Senate to perform a specific task in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. It is not every public servant that is an employee in the civil service”.
On the issue of 2018 primary, the Court said : ” the 30 days recommended by law for any public servant to resign is not applicable in this case, because the 1st respondent is not an employee of government and he can be removed anytime by his principal”.
In the case of his indictment by a judicial panel, the court added: “Indictment is not a conviction. Only a competent court of law can bar anyone from participating in an election.
“The judicial panel that indicted him is not a court of competent jurisdiction. It is just a fact finding body.
” And the appellant did not show any sign of prosecution of the 1st respondent and his conviction for the offence alleged to have been committed to deserve being barred”, he said.
In the primary election, Fayemi polled a total of 941 votes to defeat Oni, who garnered 481
Fayemi’s lawyer, Balogun, commended the jurists for their industries and zeal , saying they had once again reestablished the fact that Fayemi did not err in law by contesting the primary.
Oni’s lawyer, represented by Olusesan Akinola, said they would study the judgement and from there determine the next line of action.