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The Election Petitions Tribunal set up for the 2018 governorship election in Osun State has declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the election.
The three-member panel said during its ruling in Abuja Friday afternoon that the rerun election that held on September 27, 2018, was illegal.
The tribunal, therefore, deducted the votes scored by the APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola at the rerun after declaring the rerun illegal.
The tribunal said Mr Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on September 22 and the rerun that INEC devised to reach a final conclusion a week later was illegal.
“The declaration of Oyetola is null and void,” the tribunal ruled in a majority decision with one member dissenting.
“The petitioner (Mr Adeleke) having fulfilled the constitutional requirements and scored the majority lawful vote is declared winner and returned as governor.
“The rerun in the seven cancelled units are hereby declared null and void and of no electoral effect.”

The tribunal ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued to Mr Oyetola and ordered that a new certificate of return be issued to Mr Adeleke.
History

PREMIUM TIMES reported how in the first ballot in the Osun governorship election, the PDP candidate won majority votes of 254,698 votes while Mr Oyetola of the APC came a close second with 254,345 votes.
Mr Adeleke’s margin of lead, 354 votes, was lower than the cancelled votes which were 3,498. Whence the re-run in seven polling units.
At the end of the supplementary election, the PDP’s initial victory had been upturned and Mr Oyetola was declared the winner of the poll. At the end of the tally of votes, the APC candidate scored a total of 255,505 votes while the PDP candidate scored a total of 255,023 votes.
However, with the cancellation of the rerun election by the tribunal, the initial result was recognised thus leading the tribunal to declare Mr Adeleke the winner.
What Next
Going by precedence, however, Mr Oyetola and the APC are expected to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal. Mr Adeleke may also appeal parts of the judgement he is not comfortable with.
While the appeals go on, Mr Oyetola will continue in office as Osun governor.

He is expected to remain in office, irrespective of the ruling of the appeal court, until the Supreme Court decides on the matter.
source: www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/321637-breaking-tribunal-declares-pdps-adeleke-winner-of-osun-governorship-election.html

Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday commissioned the 1.1 kilometer Gidan Zakkah – Kofar Waika road in Kano metropolis, constructed by his administration valued at about N 270 million.
Ganduje explained that the project was conceived following the noticeable hardship faced by commuters within the densely populated area, particularly during the rainy season.
“This project is one of the road projects we constructed in Kano city to ensure easy flow of traffic and to generally reduce flooding, since some of the old roads do not have culverts. As you can see this road has concrete gutters and will soon be fitted with street lights.
“As we can see, change is visible within this area as the quality of homes and indeed the environment is looking modern while people can now use their vehicles’ conveniently.
“Even those walking on foot will be happier as pavements have been constructed,” he stated.
Ganduje expressed the commitment of his administration to ensure speedy completion of more roads especially in the state capital to consolidate its urban renewal programme.
“Because of our population and the arrival of people to do business, our city is growing and gradually becoming a mega city. This means that we must invest in critical infrastructure like roads to facilitate movement of goods and services,” he stressed.
The governor called on the people in the Goron Dutse – Kofar Waika axis of Kano city to make good use of the road and to support the government to enable it accomplish its vision.
Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Engr. Aminu Aliyu Wudil explained street lights would be installed at designated points along the road while the Kofar Waika Gate would be reconstructed at the end of the road, to preserve the state’s history and culture.
He disclosed that the second phase of the road, which would cover Kofar Waika to Dawakin Tofa would commence before long.
source: thenationonlineng.net/ganduje-commissions-n270m-road-project/

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Engineers (Registration etc) Amendment Act, 2019.
The principal Act establishes the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria – COREN’ with power vested.
According to the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang, the new amendment has broadened the powers of COREN with far-reaching powers of prosecution of infractions, regulating industrial training of Engineers, capacity building of local content in Nigeria engineering industry.
Specifically, he said, the new law grants COREN powers of: “prosecuting any person or firm that contravenes the provisions of this Act in a court of competent jurisdiction; .regulating industrial training schemes in engineering practitioners and students;
(I)..ensuring capacity building and monitoring local content development in the Nigerian engineering industry through – mandatory attachment of Nigerians to expatriate engineers on major projects to understudy them from inception
“(ii) ensuring that all foreign engineering firms establish their design offices in Nigeria. (iii) granting of compulsory attestation to all expatriate quota for engineering practitioners, including turnkey project, that there are no qualified and competent Nigerians for the job in question at the time of application and that granting of the expatriate quota shall be contingent on training of such number of persons as may be required for the execution of the job, and;
“(iv) ensuring that, before being allowed to practice in Nigeria, such foreign engineering practitioners granted work permit, register with the council and obtain such licenses as may be required from time to time; (h) investigating engineering failures.’’
He said that the new Act further admits into the Council (COREN) the following: “Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering
Nigerian Society of Engineering Technicians, and
Nigerian Association of Engineering Craftsmen, and
One person each appointed to represent the –
Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria,
Federation of Construction Industry in Nigeria
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and
Armed Forces in rotation.’’
The Council, he said, is now entitled to maintain a fund into which shall be paid money appropriated by the National Assembly, subventions, fees, charges for services rendered or publications made, donations, engineering development levy, among others.
“On NYSC, the Amendment states:
(14) (i)‘’The Directorate of the National Youth Service Corps shall ensure posting of graduate engineers and technologists to places of relevant professional engineering experience.
(ii) Pursuant to the provision of subsection (i), the Directorate of National Youth Service Corps shall communicate the location of graduate engineers and engineering technologists to the Council.’’
The Act broaden engineering ‘’practitioners to include a registered Engineer, Engineering technologist, Engineering technician and Engineering craftsman. It emphasis more on engineering practitioners as against ‘engineer .’
“The Act has been remitted in accordance with standard legal procedures.” Enang stated
source: thenationonlineng.net/buhari-signs-engineers-amendment-act-into-law/

The Lagos State chapter of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) has urged private school owners to endeavour to build their school structures themselves, rather than depend on a leased or developers’ building to operate.
The association’s President of the association, Mr Wasiu Adumadeyin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos that this was to ensure that the school building conformed with specified standard and that the quality of material used were of recommended quality.
Adumadeyin spoke against the backdrop of the collapsed three-storey building housing a school at Ita-Faji area of Lagos Island which killed 20 people.
NAN reports that the building collapsed on March 13 at about 10 a.m. when classes were ongoing and among those killed were school children, while 48 others were injured and some still receiving treatment in some public hospitals in Lagos.
“NAPPS is more saddened because of the life of the young ones that we lost, and we sympathise with the family of the deceased and pray for the quick recovery of those injured.
“What is worth doing at all is worth doing well, so our advice to our members is to build their school building themselves.
“Considering the use in which the building will be put into, with emphasis on the safety of the children who are vulnerable,” he said.
Adumadeyin noted that if it was impossible for the proprietors to build schools themselves due to land and financial constraints, they must involve an architect who could confirm the state of the building and renovate it in accordance with recommended standard.
“I agree that some private schools are not doing it right, though they are few, their actions tarnish the image of the good schools.
“Most public schools in Lagos State have good structures although the quality of teaching and learning standard may be questionable.
“As school owners, we should think about safety first because students should not be accommodated in a risky environment for whatever reasons,” he said.
Adumadeyin revealed that the association had also visited the scene of the collapsed building in spite of the fact that the owner was not their member and had supported some of the injured at general hospital, Marina with cash.
He said NAPPS had also concluded plans to partner with the Lagos State Government to ensure such incidents never reccurred, especially in schools. (NAN)
source: thenationonlineng.net/building-collapse-napps-urges-proprietors-to-build-schools-themselves/

No fewer than 100 women including widows from Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, Friday, stormed the state police command, threatening to go nude over harassment by thugs and policemen in their area.
Besides, they demanded immediate release of two of their husbands arrested by the police Friday morning in the community.
The names of those arrested by the police on the orders of some land grabbers in the area were given as Raymond Egwu, a Catholic catechist and Vincent Nwafor.
The women alleged they were tear-gassed by men of the state Criminal investigation Department CID, which allegedly made some of them pass out.
But a senior police officer, who did not want his name mentioned, denied the allegation, adding that the women had fruitful discussion with the OC -CID.
The senior officer assured the women that their husbands would be released immediately.
However, addressing reporters at the CID gate in Amawbia, the leader of the protesting women, Dorothy Onyebarachi, said they no longer sleep with their two eyes closed on daily basis without one form of harassment from the police or thugs in the community.
Also, the Secretary of the women group, Priscilla Okoli, told reporters that the women had decided to go nude round Awka and its environs, if such treatments were not stopped by government and the police in Ndiukwuenu.
She said the people had forcefully taken their lands were they farm and feed their families, adding they come to the community to shoot sporadically every night to scare them and their families.
Okoli said the Catechist of St John’s Catholic Church Ozzuh was one of the persons arrested with no just cause, adding that the two persons terrorizing the community were doing it in connivance with the police.
source: thenationonlineng.net/women-threaten-to-go-naked-over-harassment-in-anambra/

A suspected member of Eiye confraternity, Leviticus Okon, who was arrested while on his way to kill a rival cult member, has said that the ongoing cult war between Eiye and Aye confraternity in the state is a generational war.
Leviticus was paraded alongside 81 suspected cultists arrested in connection with the ongoing cult war.
Police described Leviticus as a dangerous killer cultist.
Leviticus told newsmen only one of his victims died while the other escaped with bullet wound.
He was arrested along Second East Circular road while he and other cultists were on their way to kill a rival cult member
His words, “the first person I shot did not die. The other one died. We were on our way to kill another person when we were arrested.
“The one we killed is a bus conductor. He is a member of Aye. The fight is generational fight. The fight does not end.”
Meanwhile, in Uromi, the police arrested one Micheal Ebhodaghe and Henry Ighalo for selling arms and cartridges to cultists in the locality.
An army deserter, Private Mbawa Lucky was paraded for belonging to one of the cult groups.
The Edo Police Commissioner, Mr. Muhammed Dan Mallam, said the suspects would soon be charged to court .
source: thenationonlineng.net/edo-culspam blocked by adminillings-our-fight-is-generational-says-cultist/

A Deputy Inspector-General of Police on electoral duty in Plateau, Taiwo Lakanu, has said that there would be total restriction of movement in the state during the supplementary election scheduled to hold on Saturday, March 23.
Lakunu, who is in the state to supervise the supplementary election, made this known during a lecture for Police personnel ahead of the election in some parts of the state.
While commending the Police for the success achieved in the last election, the DIG said that no stone would be left unturned toward ensuring adequate peace and security throughout the exercise.
He said that adequate preparations had been made to take care of flashpoints, adding that no form of thuggery would be tolerated.
“We are not going to allow ballot boxes to be snatched; we will not allow card readers to be snatched. We are ready to deal with every electoral misdeed,” he said.
Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede, had commended the men of the force for being outstanding during the last election, and called on them to do more during the supplementary polls.
source: thenationonlineng.net/total-restriction-of-movement-in-plateau-over-supplementary-polls/

A 20-year-old man, Banji Adeosun, who allegedly stole recharge cards worth N60,000, on Friday appeared in a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The police charged Adeosun, whose address was not stated, with two counts of stealing and breach of peace.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Ade Adeosun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Feb. 18, at around 2 p.m. at Ajara Topa in Badagry, Lagos.
Adeosun said that the accused stole recharge cards worth N60,000 which belonged to the complaint, Miss Christiana Williams.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Lazarus Hotepo, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum.
Hotepo adjourned the case until April 16, for further hearing.
source: thenationonlineng.net/man-20-arraigned-for-stealing-recharge-cards-worth-n60000/

Ondo State Government in collaboration with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to persons affected by 2018 flood, windstorm and ocean surge in the state.
Some of the materials shared are fishing nets, water pumping machine, building materials, sewing machines, grinding machines, foodstuffs, soap and beverages, among others.
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for leading a responsive government that showed concern about the plight of the people.
Ajayi appreciated NEMA for always available to help bring relief to those affected by one disaster or the other.
According to him, fishing nets are for the people in Ilaje and Ese-Odo because fishing is their major occupation, while sewing machines and grinding machines are for the people in Akure and other local governments.
NEMA Director, Mustapha Maihaja, commiserated with the government of Ondo State over the 2018 flood, windstorm and ocean surge in Ilaje, which affected over seven local governments in the state.
Maihaja, represented by Head of Operations in charge of Ondo, Osun and Ekiti, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, said that incidents of disasters in the country were not only devastating, but a clog in the wheel of progress and economic development of communities.
He said “I want to assure you of NEMA’s willingness to sustain the collaboration with Ondo State Government to explore long-term and more sustainable solutions to both natural and human-induced disasters.
A beneficiary, Mrs Olamide Oluwaniyi, thanked the state government for the gesture, saying it would bring happiness to their homes.
source: thenationonlineng.net/flood-ondo-nema-distribute-relief-materials-to-victims/

Suspected herdsmen have allegedly killed the secretary of Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The incident occurred on Wednesday near Olo town in Ezeagu Local Government.
The deceased, identified as Nnamdi Ogueche, was said to have gone for a peace talk between the communities and the herdsmen who have been terrorising parts of Uzo-Uwani Local Government.
It was gathered that the council secretary was in company of three others in a vehicle and were returning from the peace meeting when the suspected herdsmen attacked their vehicle.
There was a stampede. The occupants of the vehicle jumped out and ran.
The assailants were, however, said to have pursued the council secretary and shot him dead.
The fate of others was unknown last night.
Contacted for comments, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government, Mr. Fidelis Ani, confirmed the killing of the council secretary.
Police Commissioner Sulaiman Balarabe, who confirmed the incident at a news briefing yesterday, said the deceased was ambushed.
He said three suspects have been arrested.
source: thenationonlineng.net/suspected-herdsmen-kill-council-secretary/

Fire yesterday gutted a mechanic village, a mosque and a bungalow in Surulere, Lagos. It was caused by a gas explosion.
The explosion, which occurred at Babs Animashaun Street, near Censors Market, Surulere, started around 12pm.
Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Residents and passers-by scampered for safety.
Some residents’ efforts to put out the fire were unsuccessful.
They were relieved by the arrival of the Federal Fire Service officials from Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju fire stations.
The Nation learnt that firefighters responded to the emergency calls around 1pm.
No fewer than four vehicles and three motorcycles were among the burnt items by the time the fire was put out.
An eyewitness said the fire started from a local gas refuelling shop near Mechanic Village in the area.
Another eyewitness, Ohis, wrote on his twitter handle: @Ogwogho_Ohis: “This is at Surulere around Babs Animashaun area. It was a gas explosion which started right inside a house. Cars have been burnt because there is a mechanic shop very close to building. Calls has been made to the fire service 112, this is an emergency situation.”
Lagos State Fire Service Acting Director Rasaki Musibau advised the residents to be safety conscious and empowered themselves with basic firefighting devices.
This, Musibau said, is to prevent loss of lives and property
The Nation learnt that a two-storey building at 15, Adebiyi Street, Magodo Phase I was razed.
Fire fighters from Alausa station responded around 12:29pm and were later supported by their colleagues from Ikeja fire station.
source: thenationonlineng.net/four-vehicles-three-bikes-burnt-in-gas-explosion/

A Magistrates’ Court in Jos on Friday sentenced Umar Shaibu, 18, to three months in prison for stealing a phone.
Magistrate Comfort Pam convicted Shaibu, after he pleaded guilty to the offence of conspiracy and theft.
Pam, however, gave him an option to pay a fine of N3000 for conspiracy or two months in prison and N5000 or three months in prison for theft.
She held that the sentence would serve as deterrent to other who would want to indulge in such act.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Feb. 10 at the `C’ Division Police station by one Jibril Abdullhamid of No 15 Dilimi Street.
He said that while the convict stole the phone from the complainant while he was bargaining to buy sugarcane.
Gokwat said the offence was punishable under sections 59(2) and 272 of the Plateau State penal code law.
source: thenationonlineng.net/court-sentences-teenager-to-3-months-in-prison-for-stealing-phone/

The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, has said female entrepreneurs with focus to build shopping empires will be considered for credit facilities in the bank.
Akinwuntan spoke during the unveiling of a new initiative tagged: “Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative” which recently held in Lagos.
Some of the benefits include access to credit facilities with little or no collateral, network opportunities across Africa, financial advisory services, wealth management resources and loyalty schemes.
The initiative was designed to provide women with the necessary support to help them excel in their endeavours, promote and grow their businesses and generally position them for increased participation in the economy of the nation.
It was also part of activities of the commercial bank to mark this year’s International Women’s Day and also recognise women as special and unique customers who require tailor-made service offerings.
He said: “Increasingly, we are seeing the change in the attitudes of women, and their economic viability as individuals and leaders in their fields. Their banking and financial services as a whole therefore present vast opportunities, if properly understood and managed.”
According to Akinwuntan, the launch is a charge to the society in line with the theme of the International Women’s Day 2019, to challenge the status quo and strive for a balance by empowering females in their immediate environments and subsequently, on a macro level.
In his words: “Our female customers will become our flagship ambassadors and we have created this platform for them in line with the sustainability requirements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These women will be provided with free health checks, training and empowerment sessions and other support tools from Ecobank. The Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative aims at empowering women by helping them build capacity to grow their businesses.”
The Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Mrs. Carol Oyedeji, stated that Ecobank was proud to join the rest of the world to commemorate the Day with the special theme #BalanceforBetter.
She remarked: “This year’s theme leaves no one in doubt as to the dire need to raise more awareness that gender balance is not a women’s issue but a human issue that must be tackled for us to have a better society and that it should not be mistaken for a battle between the s*xes.”
She called on corporate bodies to ensure women attain their full potential in all areas of society, including the workplace, which she said is vital to the communities and economies to thrive. “A balanced world is a better world. We must help forge a more gender-balanced world by celebrating and recognising women’s achievements, raising awareness against bias and taking action for equality,” she added.
source: thenationonlineng.net/ecobank-to-focus-on-women-entrepreneurs/

The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) has introduced N1million empowerment scheme for children of its members who graduate with first class.
The union’s President, Quadri Olaleye, who revealed this at a luncheon in Lagos in honour of the media for their support for the union’s activities, explained that award of N1million to brilliant youths was aimed at promoting academic excellence.
He said: “We decided to initiate a scholarship award on yearly basis but exclusive to children of our members. It is a merit award of one million Naira for students that graduate with a First Class degree.
“Just last week Friday, we were at Nestle Nigeria Plc. to celebrate one of our children that got a first class in Electrical Electronics from Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). The bank draft of N1 million was delivered to him in the presence of the management representatives.
“If we cannot assist the world at large, at least let us do something within our circle. We want to make ourselves more relevant, our members have high expectations from us, and we cannot afford to disappoint them.”
According to him, the decline of student performance in universities spurred the association to come up with a merit award initiative.
Olaleye said the admittance of directors and senior managers as members of the union made FOBTOB a unique amongst the comity of industrial trade unions in Nigeria.
“In the past, our managers thought the union was for senior staff only, but as we speak, we have more managers in our midst. Between 2016 till date, one of our priorities is to continue to increase membership. We make sure every year our target is minimum of five companies joining our fold,” he added.
He also restated the commitment of the leadership of the union to continue to be prudent and exhibit high professionalism in the operations of the union.
Olaleye said things have changed since the inception of the current administration different from what it used to be.
“Before now, we used to have different offices within a building, but now we have an open office which is part of our journey towards excellence. It makes us work faster, respond to issues faster and it also builds our inter relationship.
“We are a union and we want to be different in the comity of unions even with the way we do things. The reason is because we belong to the private sector and the way we do things in our sector, especially in the food and beverages, we want people to recognise us as totally different from others.”
He explained that while the union is desirous of expansion of its membership base, managing directors and human resources directors would not be admitted into the union.
He said: “By our constitution and agreement, the only people that are exempted from being our member is the Managing Director and the human resources directors, all other directors are our members. In a union that a Director belongs to, you will see that its makes the union different from the common one, which is guiding us in our journey towards excellence.
“When the present executive came on board, there were no funds to carryout activities, we were asking our employers to donate for us but now things have changed.”
source: thenationonlineng.net/fobtob-institutes-empowerment-scheme-for-members-children/

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been fined $22,600 dollars by UEFA for appearing to make an obscene gesture while celebrating his side’s Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid.
The Portugal international was guilty of “improper conduct,’’ the control, ethics and disciplinary body of the European football organisation ruled on Thursday.
Ronaldo had gestured to his crotch following the final whistle after his hat-trick earned Juventus a 3-0 win over Atletico on March 12, which sent the Italians into the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.
The gesture appeared to be a response to Atletico Coach Diego Simeone, who had celebrated in similar fashion during his team’s 2-0 win in the home leg.
Simeone was subsequently also fined 20,000 euros by UEFA.
source: thenationonlineng.net/ronaldo-fined-22000-by-uefa-for-celebration-gesture/

Nigeria’s duo of Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun will be facing the biggest battle of their career this season as they lead their Portuguese club – Sporting into the second leg semifinal of the ETTU Cup against star-studded French side – GV Hennebont.
However, it was the end of the road for Edem Offiong and Jamiu Azeez yesterday at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Spanish Open after the duo lost their second and third matches to miss out from progressing to the knockout stage of the singles event of the championship.
In the ETTU Cup semifinal, Quadri and Abiodun will be aiming to emulate Germany’s Saarbrücken, who turned the tide against K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo in their away second leg on Wednesday to edge out the Polish side from beating them to the final spot.
Just like Sporting, Saarbrücken lost their first leg at home to the Polish side but they changed the fortune for the home team with a convincing win to berth in the final where they will be awaiting the winner between Sporting and Hennebont.
Already, the French team has an edge over Sporting after beating Quadri and teammates 3-2 in Lisbon on March 7 while today in front of their home fans, the French side led by Englishman, Liam Pitchford will be aiming for total dominance to beat the Portuguese side to the final slot.
The first leg was single-handedly delivered to the French side by the informed Englishman – Pitchford who had to defeat Quadri and Diogo Carvalho to claim two wins while the deciding match involving Carvalho and Belgian Cedric Nuytinck turned out to be the undoing for Quadri and his team as the Portuguese international squandered a 2-0 lead to surrender the win to the Belgian at 2-3 to give the visiting French side a 3-2 first leg win.
Today, it promises to be exciting as both sides are aiming for a place in the final after missing out from the ETTU Champions League and hoping to use the ETTU to pacify their fans.
source: thenationonlineng.net/ettu-cup-quadri-abiodun-in-battle-for-final-spot/

The doubt over Nigeria’s participation at the 2019 African Wrestling Championships holding in Tunisia has been laid to rest as the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali has confirmed that the country would be represented at the continental showpiece.
Prior to yesterday’s confirmation from Igali, there were strong indications that the country would not represented at the African tournament following the unfriendly gesture from the Ministry of Sports.
But this doubt has been quenched by the efforts of the federation to ensure that a strong team hoist the country’s flag at the tournament which kicks off on April 26 in Hammamet.
According to Igali, it is certain that Nigeria will compete at the continental championship as efforts are on to purchase flight tickets for the athletes. He however, said that from the initial N320,000 budgeted for the ticket of each of the athlete, the fare has jerked up to N.5m following the late purchase of the tickets.
Following this development, the NWF boss said that the list would be prune to accommodate the number of athletes that the funds available can catered for at the tournament.
Also, the names of the wrestlers that will make the trip would be unveiled today by the federation as the team is expected to depart next week to Tunisia for the championship.
NationSport learnt that Nigeria’s participation becomes necessary as the tournament serves as qualifiers for any team hoping to be part of the 2019 World Championship in Bulgaria comes July.
Also the ranking points accumulated at the championship would give the wrestlers chance to improve their world rating as the top six ranked wrestlers in each weight category qualify automatically for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
For now Odunayo Adekuoroye remains the only Nigerian wrestler in top six in any weight category in the world as the Ondo State-born athlete is ranked fourth in the women’s 57kg.
source: thenationonlineng.net/2019-african-wrestling-championships-hope-rises-as-nwf-confirmed-participation/

Public consciousness is growing. The electorate is waxing stronger in their capacity for wise choices during elections. Many observers contend that future polls may get better since blind voting may continue to give way.
The recent general elections were an eye opener. The presidential election lacked a predictive value in some states. While voters endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari in some states, they turned their back on the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
The candidates were on the weighing scale on poll day. Many of them lost at their polling booths, units,wards and local governments.
A veteran journalist, Bayo Onanuga, pointed out that the power of social media was over-exergerated during the electioneering. Those who dominated the social media campaigns got fewer votes.
Also, the endorsement of candidates by ethnic organisations paled into futility. Many big wigs fell as they were rejected by local voters during the parliamentary and governorship elections.
The poll revealed that President Buhari’s strength lay in the power and influence of local voters from his native North.
For the first time in Nigeria’s electioneering history, 73 individuals vied for the country’s presidency. For the first time also, Nigerians had to vote not with their thumbs but with any finger; to prevent “ink spilling into the box meant for another party”, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the end of the day, just one winner was expected – even if the contest went into a run-off.
On Wednesday, February 27, Chairman of INEC, Prof Yakubu Mahmood, declared President and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, winner of the election, having fulfilled the legal requirement of winning not only the highest number of votes (15,191,847), but also at least 25 per cent of the votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states. Indeed, he scaled this hurdle in 34 states. The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007, Atiku Abubakar, came second with 11,262,978 votes.
Atiku has vowed to legally challenge the results because of alleged irregularities; even as local and international observers have affirmed the overall credibility of the elections despite pockets of violence in a few states and, in the words of the European Union Elections Observation Mission (EU EOM), some “operational shortcomings”.
Without any iota of doubt, this is his right. There is, however, a growing consensus that he should rather concede defeat, for the common good.
What Nigeria needs now is an intensification of its economic diversification, scaling of its infrastructural drive and fortification of its territories against insurgency.
Even as several Western media may have concluded that President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election is as a result of his honesty, integrity, there are evidences that Nigerians believe that there is need for at least four more years for the administration to finish the projects being undertaken across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. As experience has shown, a new government often means abandonment of projects. To the credit of the Buhari Administration, it has been completing many projects abandoned for many years by previous successive governments. And, even so, with much less resources.
Prior to the elections, while urging Nigerians to make a “sensible choice” of retaining President Buhari, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, had said: “Fundamentals of the economy are heading in the right direction. What we need to do is to consolidate on that.”
Indeed, according to the latest report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), issued a few days to the presidential election, before it was postponed for a week, many of the economic indices showed positive performances. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at about 2.38 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018. The growth in real terms (year-on-year) rose from about 1.81 per cent in the previous quarter of the year. Good performance, though, economists warned that more needed to be done to stem unemployment. One good reason why there must be consolidation.
In sectors such as agriculture, which recorded annual GDP growth of about 14.27 per cent, higher than 11.29 per cent recorded in 2017.
The sector contributed about 23.08 per cent to nominal GDP in Q4 of 2018, as against 21.93 per cent in the corresponding period in 2017.
Nigeria’s drive to be self-sufficient in the production of rice is being relentlessly pursued. Indeed, according to the Africa Rice Center, Africa’s foremost research organisation on rice, with its production of 4 million tonnes a year, Nigeria now ranks the highest producer of rice in Africa.
Manufacturing recorded 10.11 per cent in the last quarter of 2018, as against 8.53 in the corresponding period in 2017 and third quarter performance of 2018.
Manufacturing PMI, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which had, for many months, recorded expansions rose, to an all-time high of 61.10 in December 2018, although it fell to 57.1 in February 2019.
In his 2019 State of the Union address President of the United States of America, Mr Donald Trump admonished opposing parties to rejection “the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution” and embrace “the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good.”
For all contestants to various elective offices in Nigeria’s political season, this should be the mantra.
The last words should go to President Muhammadu Buhari: “The new Administration will intensify its efforts in Security, Restructuring the Economy and Fighting Corruption. We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end. We will strive to strengthen our unity and in-clusiveness so that no section or group will feel left behind or left out.”
source: thenationonlineng.net/lessons-of-2019-elections/

Legal battles raged yesterday over supplementary elections in Bauchi and Adamawa states.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the March 9 polls inconclusive in six states.
All three stakeholders in the elections – INEC, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – were trading arguments in court over Bauchi and Adamawa, two of the states expected to undergo tomorrow’s makeup polls.
In other states – Sokoto, Benue, Kano and Plateau – the APC and the PDP were flexing muscles as the electoral umpire said it was ready for the elections.
The Federal Government has ordered the closure of land borders around the affected states.
Interior Minister Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau directed land borders in Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi, Sokoto, Plateau and Kano states to be closed from noon today. The borders are to reopen by noon on Sunday.
Gen Dambazau, in a statement issued in Abuja by the Comptroller-General (CG), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, said the measure was taken to restrict movements across the states on Election Day.
But the extension of an order by the High Court in Yola, barring the INEC from conducting the makeup poll, yesterday ruled out the possibility of conducting the election in Adamawa State.
Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri fixed March 26 for ruling on a motion challenging the jurisdiction of his court to entertain the case restraining INEC from conducting tomorrow’s supplementary governorship poll in Adamawa.
Before the adjournment, the Judge had extended an interim injunction the court granted on March 14 restraining INEC from conducting the election pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, which will also be ruled upon on March 26.
The Adamawa chapter of the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) and its governorship candidate, Rev. Eric Theman, had sued the electoral umpire over the absence of its logo on the ballot paper of the inconclusive election.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, INEC counsel Mr Tanimu Inuwa (SAN) challenged the court’s jurisdiction, citing Section 285 (2) of the constitution and the electoral Act.
Inuwa also argued that MRDD did not have a governorship candidate as Rev. Eric Theman was not validly nominated, adding that Form CF002 was the prescribed form for nomination, which was not filled by MRDD.
“Mere submission of a letter does not transform to nomination,’’ Inuwa argued.
He, therefore, urged the court strike out the case as the plaintiffs have “no locus standi’’ to file it, adding that there was need to avoid a constitutional crisis as the governorship election must take place not later than 30 days to the expiration of the incumbent governor’s tenure.
Responding on point of law, counsel to the plaintiffs – MRDD and Theman, Mr. Yemi Pitan, argued that the court had jurisdiction on the matter, citing Section 251 of the constitution and Section 315 of the Electoral Act.
Pitan urged the court to grant his clients’ prayers and among others, suspend the inconclusive governorship election in Adamawa to enable INEC do the needful by including the MRDD logo on the ballot paper.
Adjourning the case for ruling on March 26, Justice Waziri assured all that it would be handled within the necessary period that would not give room for any constitutional problem.
In Bauchi State, the PDP threatened to boycott the election as INEC said it would comply with an ex parte order not to collate results in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, but conduct supplementary election in other areas not covered by the court order. The makeup poll will hold in 15 local government areas where 22,759 votes were cancelled, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ibrahim Abdullahi, confirmed yesterday at a news conference at the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu Conference Hall, INEC Headquarters in Bauchi.
The APC said its members are ready for the exercise.
According to the REC, the election will hold in 36 Polling Units (PUs) covering 29 Registration Areas (Wards) in the 15 affected local government areas.
He said the election will not hold in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area until after the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The REC appealed to members of the public, especially, the people of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, to be calm and wait for the outcome of the court ruling.
The Bauchi State chapter of the PDP, however, described the supplementary election as a sham, threatening not to participate in the exercise.
Its Chairman Hamza Koshe Akuyam told reporters after the INEC news conference: “The supplementary election is a sham, INEC wants to conduct rerun because 22, 759 people were disenfranchised in 15 local government area, meanwhile 139, 240 were disenfranchised in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.”
“I don’t know what INEC is up to; maybe they are reading somebody’s script. We are not going to participate in this election.
“Our legal team will look at this matter. Though it is not just about going to court, but for INEC to do the right thing.”
The PDP chair said that the party will go to court and seek a redress.
But the APC said its members were set for the supplementary election.
Chairman Ubah Nana, said the “party is readily prepared for the rerun”.
He went on: “Fifteen will be having rerun this Saturday and we are participating. Though the proper thing to be done was for the rerun to be held in the 15 council areas and Tafawa Balewa, but, unfortunately, that is not the case.
All the same, we are fully prepared. I don’t know why some people seem not to be fully prepared. I don’t know why they are afraid. Let the game be played according to the rules.”
The Tafawa Balewa Local Government is excluded from tomorrow’s rerun in INEC’s compliance with a court order restraining it from resuming the collation and announcement of results in the area.
SOKOTO
All was set yesterday for the supplementary election scheduled for 136 PUs across 22 local government areas.
Incumbent Governor and PDP candidate Aminu Tambuwal was at the Kebbe Local Government Area, believed to be a stronghold of the APC, with at least 35 PUs where the election will hold.
Tambuwal’s visit was preceded by a similar visit by Wamakko, the APC candidate, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, his running mate, Faroyk Malami Yabo.
Though the trio attended a wedding (fatiha) , they took advantage of the event to reaffirm their dominance and to solicit for support.
The INEC and and security agencies, particularly the police, promised a hitch-free exercise.
A stakeholders’ Town Hall meeting for the peaceful conduct of the election was also staged by the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee (NPC).
Shortly after the traditional opening prayers, IRI State Coordinator, Hajiya Aisha, noted that the success of the 2015 Peace Accord led to the reactivation of the NPC ahead of this year’s general elections.
“It’s a wake-up call the affected states to reinforce the message of peace and to implore residents to participate in the re-run elections by exercising their rights to vote.
“These events were organised in anticipation of the 2019. Although relatively peaceful, these elections exposed some fault lines in Nigerian states as there were numerous reports of voter disenfranchisement, voter inducement, electoral violence, over a militarisation of the elections, among others.
“In recognition of these incidences, and in acknowledgement of the potential for the escalation of violence in state gubernatorial and state house of Assembly Elections, the NPC developed a regional peace initiative you deliver the message of peace to flashpoint states.
“This initiative included a visit to five states (Anambra, Imo, Kano, Adamawa and Gombe) ahead of the state elections to organise a high-level dialogue on the need to uphold peace during and after the elections.
Key stakeholders, including INEC, security agencies, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups, youth and women’s groups, as well as the general public attended the peace parley.”
Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah said there should be no basis for disruption “as we are not having people from Niger, from Chad and from Cameroon or another country contesting elections”.
The cleric said: “We are indigenes of Sokoto, who are struggling to find somebody who is going to be the governor. It is not people from another country.”
BENUE
Leader of the APC in Benue State Senator George Akume said the results of the previous elections did not reflect the strength of the party in the state, describing tomorrow’s supplementary poll as a great opportunity for the party to show its strength.
In a statement in Abuja, Akume, who was the first two-time governor of Benue, emphasized that his party was convinced that a rigorous scrutiny at the election tribunals would soon set aside some of the victories ascribed to other parties in the state.
The Benue North West senator appealed to APC supporters to come out en masse and vote for the party.
The statement reads: “We remain the party to beat in Benue and the results as announced by INEC for the National/Presidential and Governor/ State Assembly elections do not reflect the reality on the ground in Benue State.”
According to him, the judiciary, as the last hope of the common man, would address what he described as “the glaring cases of injustices” against the APC.
He said: “President Buhari, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed , has assured all voters to come out freely and vote; our supporters should therefore take advantage of this assurance from our president and come out to exercise their civic responsibilities.”
Governor Samuel Ortom, who is the PDP candidate, will be slugging it out with APC challenger Emmanuel JIme.
Ortom polled 410,576 votes to beat Jime to the second position with 329,022 votes on the first ballot on March 9.
The governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Kwaghngu Abraham, said the supplementary election would permanently put an end to distractions.
The APC deputy governorship candidate, Sam Ode, told The Nation, said tomorrow “is a day of liberation for Benue people”.
Lalong, Useni trade words
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong yesterday said tomorrow’s governorship rerun election in the state would be a ‘mere formality’.
A statement by his Information Commissioner, Yakubu Dati, said the main election reflected the wishes of the electorate.
The APC incumbent led his closest opposition rival, Jeremiah Useni, of the PDP by over 40,000 votes, according to the results announced.
Useni told reporters that he was sure of victory in the rerun. His APC counterpart, Lalong, described the claim as ‘self –delusion’.
Dati said: “No doubt the PDP tried by scoring a handful of votes in the elections by a margin thought to be impossible considering the manner it mismanaged the state in the past years, but to claim that it can defeat and APC administration that has cleared the mess it visited on the people of Plateau State is the worst form of self –delusion.”
In Useni’s words, “The results released by INEC showed that PDP maintained very good scores across all the LGAs.
“This is in spite of the widespread thumb-printing, vote-buying and outright intimidation by some Security men who had absolutely no business with the election.
“In one instance, I personally went out to Tudun Wada Collation Centre and freed voters who were made to lie down on the ground by some security men.
“Civil servants and our traditional rulers were threatened to either deliver to APC or lose their jobs or be dethroned.”
INEC ready for Kano
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it was set for the supplementary governorship election in Kano State.
Addressing reporters at the Kano INEC headquarters, the Resident Electrical Commissioner (REC) in charge of the state, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu Arabi, said the election would take place in 75 registration areas, involving 207 polling units and 279 voting points.
According to him, 128, 324 eligible voters would participate in the election. He added that INEC would deploy 207 card readers for the election, adding that enough man power have also been mobilised, with three RECs from Zamfara, Kebbi and Ogun states to assist so as to have a successful election.
PDP alleges plot by
military to hijack
supplementary polls
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday raised the alarm over an alleged clandestine plot by the military and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hijack the supplementary elections in six states.
At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the alleged plot was hatched at a meeting the Presidency held with security agencies and officials of INEC.
Describing the alleged plot as obnoxious, the PDP said its candidates were already leading and coasting to inevitable victory in all the states where the supplementary elections are billed to hold, vowing that nothing can alter this reality.
The PDP alleged that part of the plot was a directive by a top military chief to the INEC chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu not to declare the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as winner of the March 9 election.
The PDP said: “Our party is informed of how a top Army officer, at the meeting, directed the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, not to ever declare Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as winner of the Rivers governorship election, even when it is clear to all that he won the election.
”We also have details how a top military officer, who is from Bauchi state, at the meeting, directed INEC Chairman not to declare our victorious Bauchi state governorship candidate, Sen. Bala Mohammed, as the winner of the Bauchi state governorship election.
“The PDP is also privy to how a Director of one of our security agencies, who was at the meeting, undertook to use his agency to deliver Kano state to the APC.”
source: thenationonlineng.net/legal-battles-muscle-flexing-as-apc-pdp-get-set-for-polls/

The United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) says over 3.6 million people lack access to potable water, sanitation and hygiene services in Nigeria.
UNICEF’s Representative in the country, Mr Mohamed Fall, made this known on Friday in a statement to commemorate World Water Day scheduled for March 22 with the 2019 theme: “Living no one behind”.
Fall identified 1.1 million as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of violence and conflict, noting that many of them are out-of-reach in remote areas still impacted by conflict.
“About 800,000 people are in hard-to-reach areas and 79 per cent of these are children and women.
“In Nigeria, conflict has created huge challenges for people living in the Northeast of the country, where violence has affected their ability to access water and sanitation, leading to diseases such as cholera.
“In the North-east 5,365 people were affected by cholera, with 61 dying in 2017, while 12,643 people were affected in 2018 and 175 died of the disease,” Fall said.
UNICEF Executive Director, Ms Henrietta Fore noted that children below the age of 15 in countries affected by protracted conflict on the average, are three times more likely to die from diarrhoea due to lack of access to WASH facilities than as a result of direct violence.
Fore, who quoted UNICEF’s latest report titled: “Water Under Fire”, said the odds were already stacked against children living through prolonged conflicts.
“The odds are already stacked against children living through prolonged conflicts with many unable to reach a safe water source.
“The reality is that there are more children who die from lack of access to safe water than by bullets,” she said.
Fore said that UNICEF has intensified efforts to scale-up life-saving responses, especially in IDP camps to ensure quality and sustainability of WASH services and facilities.
She further noted that the agency was also working to minimise the risk of WASH-related diseases and provide preventive measures against cholera and other water-borne diseases.
According to her, without safe and effective WASH services, children are at risk of malnutrition and preventable diseases including diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera and polio.
“Girls are particularly affected: They are vulnerable to s*xual violence as they collect water or venture out to use latrines. They deal with affronts to their dignity as they bathe and manage menstrual hygiene.
“And they miss classes during menstruation if their schools have no suitable water and sanitation facilities.
“These threats are exacerbated during conflict when deliberate and indiscriminate attacks destroy infrastructure, injure personnel and cut off the power that keeps water, sanitation and hygiene systems running.
“Armed conflict also limits access to essential repair equipment and consumables such as fuel or chlorine – which can be depleted, rationed, diverted or blocked from delivery. Far too often, essential services are deliberately denied,” she noted.
“Deliberate attacks on water and sanitation are attacks on vulnerable children. Water is a basic right. It is a necessity for life,” she added.
source: thenationonlineng.net/unicef-over-3-6-m-nigerians-in-need-of-hygiene-services/

The prosecution in the trial of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen yesterday closed its case after calling three witnesses.
Onnoghen is being tried before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged violation of the code of conduct for public officers by not declaring correctly his assets.
The prosecution, led by Aliyu Umar (SAN), called two witnesses – a retired director of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Awal Usman Yakasai and Team Lead, Priority Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, Ifeoma Okabue.
Okabue, who testified as the third prosecution witness, gave details of the five domiciliary accounts held by Onnoghen in her bank, including the balances in the accounts between December 2018 and January 2019.
Yakasai, who was the second prosecution witness, confirmed receiving Onnoghen’s asset declaration forms for 2014 and 2015, which reflected, among others, that he has five houses.
Umar, at the conclusion of Okabue’s testimony, told the tribunal that, although the prosecution had indicated its intention to call six witnesses, it was comfortable with the testimony of the three witnesses called so far and would close its case.
Led in evidence by Umar, Okabue said she started managing Onnghen’s accounts in 2015.
The witness confirmed from a bundle of documents, including account opening documents and statements of account, marked ‘Exhibit 5’, which was handed to him by an official of the tribunal, on Umar’s request, that the defendant has five accounts.
She said the first account, with No: 5001062686, was opened in April 2010, the second: 0001062667 was opened in June 2009; the third: 0001062650 was opened in June 2009; the fourth: 5001062679 was opened in March 2010 and the fifth: 5001062693 was opened in February 2011.
Still reading from the documents, the witness raid the first account had an opening balance of €30,178.58 in January 2018 and a balance of €10,187.18 as at December 2018.
The second account, 0001062667, the witness said, the balance by January 2018 was N34,280,904.61. It had N2,656,019.21 as at December 2018.
The third account: 0001062650, Okabue said, had, by January 2018, a balance of $80,824.25. The balance was $56,878 by January 2019.
Okabue said the fourth account 5001062679, had a balance of £39,456.08 in January 2018. This went down to £13,730.70 by December.
The witness said the fifth account:50010626 had an opening balance of N6,411,312.77k by January 2018, which increased to N12,852,580.52 by December.
In explaining the nature of the accounts, the witness said: “The Euro account is savings account. There are two naira accounts – one is a current account and the other is a savings account. The pound sterling account is savings account, while the US dollars account is a current account.
“I took over the management of the accounts in 2015. The accounts are currently active.”
The witness confirmed meeting the defendant, in her capacity as the bank’s Relationship Manager in charge of High Networth Customers, sometime in 2015.
When asked how to know if an account was dormant, Okabue said: “An account would be dormant due to inactivity for up to one year. Whether an account is dormant or not can be ascertained from the statement of account.
“When an account goes dormant, it is my responsibility, as the Relationship Manager, to inform the customer of the dormant status of the account and encourage the customer to reactivate the account or the bank sends a notification to the customer.”
When asked if such communication ever took place in relation to the status of the defendant’s accounts, the witness said she could not recall her bank or her informing the defendant that any of his accounts was dormant or should re-activate.
Under cross-examination by the lead defence lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Okabue said the bank invested some of the funds in the defendant’s accounts on his behalf and paid the yield from such investments back into the accounts.
She added that the defendant got a facility (loan) of 500,000 US dollars from the bank in January 2019, the security for the loans were his investments in Federal Government’s bonds and other investments, such as shares and others
Okabue said the domiciliary accounts in Pound sterling, Euro and US Dollars were operated here in Nigeria, not overseas, by the bank.
She said the bank advised the defendant to invest in other profit yielding investments, and that interests on theses investments were regularly credited to these accounts.
The witness said there was no evidence in the account statements that showed the defendant made a transfer for the purchase of pleasure/luxury vehicles.
Yakasai, who testified earlier, told the tribunal how he received the completed forms from Onnoghen and how the forms were inspected in his presence.
The witness, who said he is now a farmer, told the tribunal that, as at December 2016, he was a director in CCB, in charge of Federal Political Office Department.
“My schedule of duties includes taking charge of the general administration of the department, responsible for operational activities of the department, that include issuing and receiving completed copies of assets declaration forms (CCB1) from federal political office holders as well as staff of the Federal Judiciary.
“That was the main schedule of my duties as at that time.I was posted to that department in November 2013 up to February 2017. I retired in April 2018.”
The witness said he met the defendant once when he (the defendant) came to submit his declaration form in my office.
Yakasai added: “He (Onnoghen) came to submit his forms on December 14, 2016. On that day, in my office in Asokoro, I was attending a meeting at the conference hall when a staff of mine called me and informed that the defendant was in my office to submit his forms.
“I left the meeting and came to attend to the defendant, who was accompanied by one other person. I collected the forms from him.
“We went through the form, from one page to another, with them, up to the last page, which was page 6.
“After that, I put down my name in page 8 as the receiving officer. And appended my signature to confirm that I was the person who received it.”
“Thereafter, I handed the form to the schedule officer.And directed him to register the form in our register and process the acknowledgment slip to be handed back to him. I then went back to my meeting.
“I received two forms from the defendant. After signing, the slips were detached from the forms and were handed over to the person, who the defendant came to my office with. The forms were retained in the Chairman’s office, as is the procedure,” the witness said.
Yakasai said apart from receiving the forms and directing his junior officer to conclude the process, he did not do any other thing in relation to the form.
The witness confirmed the forms, marked as Exhibits 2 and 3, when they were shown to him.
Under cross-examination, he said he did not know the group that wrote the petition that informed Onnghen’s investigation and subsequent prosecution.
The witness, who confirmed that information in the petition by the group was similar to those in the form submitted by Onnoghen, said he did not know how the group got its information.
He also told the tribunal that it was the CCB Chairman who could only authorise access to completed assets declaration forms kept with the bureau.
At the conclusion of the the prosecution witness’ testimony, Umar announced the closure of the prosecution’s case, following which Awomolo said the defence planned to make a no-case submission in line with the provision of Section 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Umar adjourned the matter till March 29 for adoption of parties’ addresses in respect of the defence’s no-case submission.
Before the proceedings, the tribunal Chairman noted that the last proceedings on March 18 was misrepresented in some media reports.
He urged the media to ensure appropriate reportage of proceedings and to avoid distortion and misrepresentation.
Umar threatened to come down hard on any media house and journalist who misrepresents proceedings at the tribunal. He threatened to ensure that such a journalist was incarcerated for as long as he remains in service.
He said: “Henceforth, any journalist, who publish distorted and concocted information contrary to what happens here, I will not…
“They will languish there in prison until I retire, about 28 years from now. I have made my point clear to the journalists. They should take hint.”
Umar also told lawyers in the case to, henceforth refer to each member of the tribunal as “my Lord”, as is the case in the regular courts.
source: thenationonlineng.net/prosecution-closes-case-in-onnoghens-trial-after-three-witnesses-2/

CRITICS of TraderMoni – a social investment programme of the Federal Government – got a reply yesterday to their claim that the scheme was introduced to buy votes during the general elections.
They were told that more than 30,000 traders have received loans after the polls on March 9.
The Presidency explained that the TraderMoni scheme and other GEEP micro-credit products (MarketMoni and FarmerMoni), as components of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programme, are still in operation.
The explanation came through a statement by Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President (Office of the Vice President) said the loans were never conceived for the purpose of election.
According to a progress report on the GEEP micro-credit products ( TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni), he disclosed that over 30,000 beneficiaries per state have been captured under the programme.
He said: “So far, a target of 30,000 minimum beneficiaries per state has been achieved in majority of the 36 states and FCT since after the national and state polls.
“What the implementing agency has been doing since the last phase of disbursements is generating the balance of program funding while ramping up on the states with shortages.
“Consequently, disbursements have continued to happen in the states; for instance, we have had over 28,000 disbursements across 10 states since after the elections. Our priority is ramping up these numbers in the balance of states before we move to Phase II of the programme after detailed reviews and structural enhancements for larger scale. Under the Next Level agenda, Trader Moni loans will target ten million petty traders, a significant ramp up from the initial target of two million beneficiaries.”
On the role of the Ministry for Industry, Trade and Investment in the implementation of the scheme, he said: “It is actively involved in the project.”
Akande said: “That ministry is, in fact the oversighting Ministry of Bank of Industry, which is the deploying agency. The office of the Minister executes the GEEP program via the Bank of Industry.
“The governance structure of GEEP includes the office of the Vice President (National Social Investment Office), The Ministry of Trade and Investment, and the Bank of Industry.”
Speaking on measures adopted to enhance repayments, the presidential media aide said GEEP has pioneered innovative solutions to drive repayment compliance.
He said: “Working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), we successfully piloted the concept of the BVN as digital collateral; and we saw repayment go up significantly on the MarketMoni and FarmerMoniloans.
“For TraderMoni , beneficiaries can pay back at any commercial bank in the country just like a NEPA or WAEC bill; all they need to provide the bank teller with is their phone number. We also developed and successfully piloted scratch cards as a repayment option for beneficiaries who stay kilometres away from the nearest banks in their community. The cards are loaded the same way Telco recharge cards are loaded, thus requiring no new learning curve.
“This improved repayment received compliance to the extent that in January, the Bank of Industry began second level disbursements – disbursements of N15,000 – to beneficiaries in Lagos, Borno, Ogun and Oyo states for trader who had successfully paid back their first N10,000 loans.”
According to him, “GEEP’s vision (in the long term) remains to empower the over 30 million MSMEs in Nigeria with interest-free, collateral-free loans.”
source: thenationonlineng.net/tradermoni-loans-not-for-election-says-presidency/

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau says he is confident of securing a second tenure ahead of the supplementary election to determine who governs the north-central state in the next four years.
INEC is to hold supplementary elections in some local governments of the state after it declared the exercise inconclusive because the margin of lead was less than the cancelled votes.
The election is slated for Saturday, March 23, alongside other states where the exercise was declared inconclusive.
Lalong told newsmen on Thursday in Jos that the c oast was very clear for him because he needed “just 2,000 votes, out of 49,000, to secure victory”.
“We have 49,000 registered voters in the places that the election will be conducted and I am already ahead with more than 44,000 votes .
“I don’t see anything stopping my victory,” he said
source: thenationonlineng.net/plateau-lalong-confident-of-victory-in-supplementary-polls/

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in the FCT has received three petitions from aggrieved candidates who were not satisfied with the conduct of the Feb. 23 National Assembly election in the territory.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the petitioners, are candidates from National Conscience party (NCP), Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the All Progressives Congress, are challenging the results of two senatorial and one House of Representatives seats as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).
NAN reports that out of the three petitions, one was filed by the NCP candidate, Mr Fisayo Makanjuola against Sen. Philip Aduda, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and INEC as respondents.
The second petition was filed by a candidate of the PDM, Ekechi Chinyere against INEC, Sen. Aduda and the PDP.
Mr Amanda Pam and APC filed a petition against Hon. Micah Giba, PDP, INEC and REC.
NAN reports that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, constituted the FCT National Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The constitution was pursuant to paragraph 133(3) a and b of the Electoral Act as amended.
The tribunal is located at the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja
source: thenationonlineng.net/national-assembly-election-tribunal-gets-three-petitions-in-fct/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State, says it will on March 27 present Certificates of Return to the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said on Thursday that the lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly would also be given Certificates of Return the same day.
“The presentation of certificate of return to elected candidates is in conformity with Section 75 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
“The presentation ceremony will take place at INEC Lagos Office, 6, Birrel Avenue, Sabo-Yaba, at 11:00 am for the Governor-elect and his Deputy.
“Meanwhile, that of the elected members of Lagos State House of Assembly will come up at 2:00pm,” Olumekun said in a statement.
According to him, all invited guests are requested to be seated by 10:30am and 1:30pm respectively for the two ceremonies.
The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanwo-Olu, of APC, polled 739,445 votes to defeat Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 206,141 votes, and other contestants in the March 9 governorship election.
INEC declared Sanwo-Olu winner of the poll on March 10.
The commission will on Saturday hold a supplementary election in the Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency I where the state assembly election was declared inconclusive.
Candidates of APC won in all the other 39 constituencies where state assembly elections are already concluded by the electoral umpire.
source: thenationonlineng.net/sanwo-olu-hamzat-others-to-receive-certificates-of-return-march-27/

Ex-director general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Col Peter Obasa (retired) Thursday attributed President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the recently concluded election to his reliance on God and his belief in his mission.
The retired army officer added that “no doubts, he has won God’s favour. He battled through the turbulent period of the early years of his presidency, a period during which most Nigerians wrote him off.”
Col Obasa made a passionate appeal to President Buhari to pay his gratuity and pension, 35 years after he was compulsorily retired by the military.
The 81-year old retired military spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
The former NYSC boss, who served between 1979 and 1984, said that he had received no letter of dismissal from the Army to have informed nonpayment of his entitlement.
“I make my appeal to Mr. President, in the name of Almighty God, in the names of all that are holy, in the names of all that are good, true, and are just, to give me justice of the type that will attract the approval of God”, he said.
The octogenarian, who presented a book, titled, House of Exile, during the press conference, chronicled his experiences in 1984, his prison accounts, the nation’s democracy, and judiciary.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette, No 56 of November 6, 1986, under Ministry of Defence, Nigerian Army officers, voluntary/compulsory and dismissal page 1340 declares that I was compulsorily retired from the army. Under that condition, I should be entitled to my gratuity and pension. The Army has denied me both.
“They claim that I was dismissed. If that was the case, a letter to that effect would have been served on me, and the army would have withdrawn my officer’s sword, ceremonial dress, mess jacket and service suit. I received no letter, and am still in possession of the items mentioned above.
“Like President Buhari, I am favoured by God. I fought through the tumultuous and terrifying period of my trial and more than seven years in incarceration, and I am here by the special grace of God to ask for true justice. The world wrote me off, some claiming that I would not exit the jail house. How wrong they are. God Almighty fights for the innocent”, he said.
Retired Colonel Obasa described his trial by the Supreme Military Council (SMC), headed by General Muhammadu Buhari, as illegalities of 1984, saying that the SMC promulgated decrees that had retroactive effect.
He said: “The laws were backdated by three years. This is immoral and illegal. The God of creation made laws which he handed over to Moses. Those laws became effective from the time they were read to the Israelites.
“The SMC took over the roles of the executive, legislative and judiciary, the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge. This is illegal. The Nigerian Bar Association condemned this and prohibited its members from appearing before the tribunals to defend accused persons.
“The process of trial was gravely flawed. Trials were in secret. The public was denied access to the tribunals and it was only when judgements were passed that the world became informed of the verdict.
“All statements from suspects were extracted under duress. This is illegal
“Accused persons were compelled long before trial began to sign away the contents of their accounts under duress by the same characters that came to testify at the tribunal that the accused willingly signed away everything. This is illegal.
“Falsified documents (as exhibits) were brought into the tribunal by the Special Investigation Panel. This too is illegal.
“Accused people were incarcerated in solitary confinement, denied access to their family and prevented from reaching anything that would enhance their defence. This is illegal.
“They made it impossible for accused persons to explain clearly how they came about what they had. Everything went under the label of “kickback”. This is illegal.
“False witnesses were press-ganged to testify against accused persons. This is illegal.
“From the beginning to the end in my case, the truth was undermined and justice was perverted. This too is illegal”.
source: thenationonlineng.net/buharis-trust-in-god-gave-him-victory-says-ex-nysc-dg/

Amen

Amen

Managers and teachers at Aileru Primary School, a public basic school in Warri, Delta state, have raised the alarm over the invasion of the institution by urchins, influencing the behaviours of the pupils.
Raising the alarm when The Nation visited the depreciated school on Thursday, the Head Teacher of the institution, Mrs. Patience Mene, said she and the teachers carry out their daily duties in panic because of the environment the school is now surrounding by.
Mrs. Mene, who said she had worked in the school in the 90s as a teacher, said the once bubbling institution with hundreds of pupils back then is now reduced to a school with less than 165 pupils, with blocks of classes under locks for lack of patronage.
According to her, the school’s facilities have come effectively under the control of hoodlums, who take it over, hanging around it even during school hours, moving around, smoking Indian Head and taking other illicit substances to the full glare of both teachers and students.
She explained further that most of the classrooms, especially those still in use, have been vandalised by these illegal occupants as most of the fittings like ceiling boards, fans and other had been stolen, leaving most of them bare and ugly-looking.
She, however, noted that the pupils, in their innocence, sometimes copy some of the habits they see with the hoodlums, like practising how to smoke, adding “sometimes we will just be in the class and some wrapped substances will just be falling on our heads, sometimes faeces will be falling from the ceilings.
“We are not safe in this school. When we come in the morning, we see them (hoodlums) around smoking Indian Hemp. It is not a very good thing because the children of ours copy from them. When they are even in the class, they imitate how the hoodlums smoke.
“We try to tell them that they should not copy from them that it can make them go mad. It is not a good thing so they should stop it. They should always emulate good things”, she said.
She explained that the problem of the school facility started from lack of a protective wall around it, which both made it to be accessible to the criminal elements, as well as make the entire place open to flooding.
“There is no gate. The school is not fenced. We also have problem of signboard. There is no signboard. We need signboard to be fixed at strategic positions so that people will know that there is a school here. People don’t know that there is a school here because it is a hidden place”, she explained.
Mene, who explained that the school which used to host close to 1000 pupils during her time as a teacher there in the 1990s, now has about 160 total population of pupils, adding that the population had been depleted especially because of the effect of flooding on it.
She, however, appealed to the Delta state government to assist the school by making its environment conducive for teaching and learning.
Also speaking on the state of things in the school, the Assistant Head Teacher of the school, Lady Caroline Ezeachi, corroborated the Head Teacher, begging for assistance from the state government.
When The Nation went round the school compound, it was observed that the hoodlums did not only vandalize and steal fittings from the facility, they also defecate in the classrooms.
It was also observed that one of the classroom blocks’ roofing had been blown off with residents around the school dumping refuse indiscriminately there.
source: thenationonlineng.net/hoodlums-invade-public-primary-school-in-delta/

The Police in Bayelsa have launched a manhunt for the killers of two National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in the state.
Suspected cultists on Wednesday night attacked the residence of corps members along School Road in Yenagoa, killing two and injuring another critically.
In a statement on Thursday the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Asinim Butswat, reiterated the commitment of Police to fighting crime and all forms of criminality in the state.
He said “on March 20, 2019, at about 2200hours, armed robbers numbering about seven, attacked the residence of one Jerry Yeseme Moses, Proprietor of a school at Swalli, Yenagoa.
“The armed robbers instantly shot and killed one corps member, Oluwatobi Popoola, male, 30 years; they also shot one George Onokpoma, male and Anthony Dada.
“The victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, where George Onokpoma was confirmed dead, while Anthony Dada is responding to treatment.
“The command has launched a manhunt for the unknown gunmen, and investigation is ongoing.’’
Butswat also disclosed that two masked gunmen operating on a motorcycle kidnapped an eight-year-old girl in their home in Yenagoa, at about 8.10 p.m. on Monday.
He, however, said that the girl, Dora, daughter of one 40-year-old Amara Diekedie, had been safely rescued.
He said that when the command’s control room was alerted, it responded swiftly, pursuing the kidnappers and gunned down one of them.
“The victim was rescued safely and two locally-fabricated AK47 rifle were recovered, while a suspect was arrested,” the spokesman said..
source: thenationonlineng.net/police-launch-manhunt-for-killers-of-nysc-members-in-bayelsa/

Angry mob on Thursday lynched a suspected ritualist at Akenfa a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
He was reportedly caught red-handed while trying to cut the body of a young lady he was accused of killing by the mob.
It was gathered that the young lady identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, was hit and killed by the suspect.
The community has come under attack by ritualists who kill women and harvest their vital body parts.
Sources said the suspect threatened to attack the mob with an axe when he was caught but that he was later overpowered and burnt to death.
It was gathered that the man pretended to be mad during the day but turned to a killer at night.
One of the sources who spoke in confidence said: “That’s the guy that has been killing women at Akenfa. They caught him once when he was trying to kill another woman, I think that was last month, they beat him up but did not hand him over to the police.
“He was still saying he will kill. This morning he killed one Epie girl, they caught him when he was trying to butcher her with an axe. This is the third women he has killed so far”.
Confirming the incident, the Bayelsa Police Spokesman, Asinim Butswat, said both the suspected ritualist and murdered woman were known to be mentally sick.
A human rights activist and gender advocate, Princess Elizabeth Egbe, lamented the spate of ritual killings in the community.
She said: ” There has been a lot of killings at Akenfa recently, mainly women. They always remove parts of the body, breast, brain, v*rg*na, eyes and pants and bra.
“As a Human Rights Activist/Gender Advocate, I strongly condemn these killings and call on the perpetrators to desist from this barbaric, inhuman, ungodly act and violence against women.
“We, therefore, call on government at all levels to beef up security to stop further reoccurrence of these cases that have become a menace in our society.
“This is serious violence against women and I call on all women to lend their voices to condemn these crimes because it’s crime against all women” .
source: thenationonlineng.net/suspected-ritualist-lynched-in-bayelsa/

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated and destroyed assorted contaminated food products in Sokoto State in February.
A statement issued by Prof. Moji Adeyeye, the Director-General of the agency on Thursday in Abuja, said the contaminated foods and beverages were discovered in some markets in Sokoto following surveillance.
“During the month of February, 1374 cartons of expired Cherie Instant Noodle worth 1.7 million were forfeited to the office; they were dubiously supplied to the marketer in Sokoto Old Market.
“In same month, 64 crates of assorted expired soft drinks worth N70, 400 were also confiscated from a sales outlet.
“Upon surveillance to some yogurt depots in Sokoto, 90 bottles of registered yogurt without label worth N27, 000 were confiscated and out-rightly destroyed,” she said.
Adeyeye assured that NAFDAC would continue to take proactive steps to ensure that Nigerians do not consume foods and drugs that were injurious to their health.
source: thenationonlineng.net/nafdac-confiscates-expired-food-products-in-sokoto/

Ekit State Government has formally handed over the new Ado- Iyin road construction project to China Civil Engineering Corporation Nigeria Ltd to commence work on the road, which was originally awarded in 1978 but was abandoned.
While handing the project over to the contractor Governor Kayode Fayemi said he is incurably committed to fulfilling all his electioneering promises in all sectors, especially in the area of infrastructure which is a catalyst for development.
The brief ceremony signified the commencement of work on the road project billed for completion within 24 months.
Fayemi, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, said the 7.25km road project is the first phase of the construction work which will stop at the State’s boundry with Osun State.
He noted the dualisation project will be completed within 24 months.
He said the first phase of the project is the construction of the road from Ado to Iyin, the second phase from Iyin to Aramoko while the third phase would be from Aramoko to Itawure.
The governor expressed worry the old Ado – Iyin road had become a death trap for motorists because of its unsafe, winding and undulating alignments which had caused series of fatal accidents.
He stressed that his government cannot fold arms and watch citizens’ lives and properties lost to the road.
“As a government, we understand and appreciate the importance of good road network to our economic development. Good road network will not only ease the stress of commuters but will also enhance the marketability of our farm produce which is the mainstay of most of our people.
“Ekiti people should take it that our government would fulfill all our promises to the people, and infrastructure development is just a part of it.
“All we need is that the people should cooperate with us. We will try our best to serve our people.
“The workers will continue to receive their salaries as and when due. The governor knows the people’s problem. Some weeks ago, some vehicles fell inside Akonasan ditch.
“When this road is completed, it will bring an end to such unfortunate incidents,” he said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Road/Transport and Infrastructure Hon. Sunday Adunmo, said proper illumination will be accommodated in the N8.9billion road so that commuters can travel any time without fears of the unknown.
Adunmo disclosed that the Fayemi-led government will soon commence construction of some ring roads to reduce traffic in the State capital. He listed such roads to include Iworoko-Eyio-Igede road and Ago Aduloju (Ado Ekiti) – Afao road among others.
The Southwest Regional Manager of company handling the project Sewell Zhao, said the company has commenced the recruitment of workers for the project; stating that the company will accommodate local content by employing at least 500 Ekiti people for the construction work.
Zhao assured that the company will deliver quality job as the company has brought new equipment that will make the projected to be delivered in time for immediate usage.
source: thenationonlineng.net/fayemi-hands-over-abandoned-ado-iyin-road-to-contractor/

Justice Adedayo Akintoye will on April 11 rule whether or not to conduct a trial-within-trial on the confessional statement made by a female lawyer, Udeme Otike-Odibi, standing trial for the murder of her lawyer-husband, Symphorosa Odibi.
Justice Adedayo fixed the date after taking submissions from counsel in the matter.
At resumed proceeding on Thursday, Otike-Odibi’s counsel, Mr Oluseye Banjoko, prayed the court not to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of two confessional statements allegedly made by her during police investigations.
He urged the court to reject the alleged confessional statements pointing out that the provision of the law was not followed.
He told the court that the statements were not obtained in accordance with the provisions of Section 93 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, 2015.
Banjoko argued that the constitution provided that the statement of any person arrested must be made in the presence of a lawyer or videoed to ensure transparency.
He said the request by the defence was to avoid a waste of time in conducting a trial-within-trial to determine admissibility of statements.
The Prosecutor, Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey (DPP), represented by Babatunde Sunmonu, submitted that the constitution provided that the substantive law to be adhered to in determining the admissibility of any piece of evidence would be the Evidence Act.
Sunmomu said that the ACJL on which the defence counsel was leaning on was a procedural law which could not supercede the evidence act.
To B*ttress his submission, Sunmonu cited two Court of Appeal cases which included Chijioke Emmanuel versus Federal Republic of Nigeria decided April 2018 saying that the appellate court in the matter held that the provisions of the evidence act should be followed in proving the admissibility of any piece of evidence.
He said the Court of Appeal went further to state that Section 93 of ACJL was only relevant to the weight to be attached to the admissibility of any evidence after a trial-within-trial had been conducted.
He therefore urged the court to proceed with the trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the statements allegedly made by Otike-Odibi.
Responding on points of law, Banjoko said that the cases which the prosecution cited during their argument did not comply with the provisions of Section 14 of the Evidence Act which stated that “evidence obtained in contravention of a law is inadmissible”.
Banjoko, urged the court to consider his arguments.
The prosecution also replied the defence on points of law and argued that it is not how evidence was obtained that determines its admissibility.
“So far allegations of torture, incitement, or inducement were not mentioned, whether there was video recording or presence of a lawyer during statement taking, such will not render the statement in-admissible”.
After listening to the submissions of counsel, Justice Akintoye adjourned the matter till April 11 for ruling.
Udeme Otike-Odibi was arraigned on June 13, 2018, on a two-count charge of murder of her husband, Symphorosa, and misconduct with regard to his corpse.
According to the prosecutor, Udeme stabbed Symphorosa, also a lawyer, to death and mutilated his corpse by cutting off his genitals, on May 3, 2018.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant committed the offences at their residence on Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki, Lagos State.
She said that the offences contravened Sections 165 (b) and 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Udeme, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
source: thenationonlineng.net/murder-of-husband-lawyer-asks-court-to-reject-her-confessional-statement/

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr , says Nigeria’ s national team is not favourites to lift the AFCON 2019 tournament which kicks off on June 21 in Egypt.
Rohr made the disclosure at a pre -match news conference in Asaba ahead of the Nigeria/Seychelles AFCON qualifier on Friday billed for Stephen Keshi Stadium , Asaba.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Rohr was responding to a comment credited to Moroccan national team coach, Herve Renard, who tipped Nigeria and Senegal as favourites to lift AFCON 2019.
Rohr said though the Super Eagles have improved since their outing at the last World Cup in Russia, a lot of work still needs to be done .
“ We have to work, we have young players in the team, most of them new in the team.
“ It is not easy to go to a major tournament and win, most especially when we don ’t have a player playing in the champions league .
“ However, we have a big chance to go far at AFCON in Egypt, because since the last World Cup , I see the team has improved .
“ So, I am very optimistic that we will do very well and challenge for the cup, but the main favourites are Egypt and Morocco.
“ Morroco are currently number one in Africa going by the latest FIFA ranking. Also , Egypt will be playing at home , with a large home crowd behind them.
On his expectations from the Sychelles game , the German -French soccer tactician said he expects the Super Eagles to defeat the Pirates of Seychelles.
He said the game against Seychelles is a very important game for the Super Eagles, most especially as they want to top the group.
“ We want to have the highest goalscorer in the AFCON qualifier, we also want to top the group.
“ So, the match against Seychelles is very important to us ,” Rohr said .
source: punchng.com/super-eagles-not-favourites-to-win-afcon-2019-rohr/

The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe , has called on countries on the continent to improve their fiscal policies, as well as expand their tax base, so they have resources to fund their development projects.
Songwe made this call at the 38 meeting of the Committee of Experts of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance , Planning and Economic Development, which opened in Marrakesh , Morocco, on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the Communications Section of ECA revealed that Songwe made the call during her opening remarks to the meeting .
Songwe said the ability to increase revenue collection was key to the continent’ s capacity to finance its development , in particular Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and Africa’ s Agenda 2063.
“ The potential of Africa is, and has always been, promising. With a growing working -age population; abundant arable land and a multitude of other resources , the continent has all the pre- requisites for rapid economic transformation in the next decade,” she said .
“ However, ensuring the availability of adequate public resources and quality investments to drive structural change requires responsive policies that promote fiscal sustainability, optimize returns from economic activity, and enable economies to fully participate in an increasingly interconnected and globalised world.”
She said the meeting of experts will discuss possible solutions.
“ We are looking for how we can finance better , faster and more equitably our growth and how we can ensure that our young populations can participate in this growth that we are talking about. We can do that by ensuring that we have good fiscal policy. We would want to be like Morocco at 25 per cent so we can actually power growth. ”
Speaking on tax collection , Songwe said , “ Africa could boost revenues by per cent of GDP by addressing its capacity tax constraints . In addition, by better aligning tax rates and revenues with business cycles, countries can boost government revenue by five per cent.”
“ With just over a decade remaining to achieve the sustainable development goals , it is imperative that the scope and mechanisms of domestic resource mobilization be revolutionized to bridge the financing gap , promote macroeconomic stability and limit external borrowing ,” she said .
Ms. Songwe also spoke on the importance of digitalization and the digital economy in driving growth as well as optimizing fiscal performance on the continent. She added that the continent would need to re - skill its youth to ensure the digital age is used to Africa’ s full advantage .
For his part, the outgoing chair of the bureau of the committee of experts , Elsadig Bakheit Ilfaki Adballa of Sudan, also urged the continent to embrace the digital age to expand its revenue base, create employment for the youth and deal with most of its challenges.
“ With the advent of the digital age, Africa can use the new technologies to push for sustainable development on the continent, ” he said .
source: punchng.com/improve-fiscal-policies-expand-tax-base-economic-commission-for-africa-es-urges-nations/

France ’s Constitutional Council on Thursday approved the use of bone age tests by authorities trying to certify whether young migrants should qualify for child protection services , a practice that has been assailed by rights groups.
The Constitutional Council, which decides on the validity of laws, nonetheless recognised that such testing was not completely accurate, and said results could not be the sole factor in determining a minor’ s age.
“ The person being tested gets the benefit of any doubt,” the court ruled .
The case involved a Guinean migrant , identified as Adama S . , who arrived in France in 2016 and claimed to be 15, which entitled him to the care of child social services .
Adama refused to submit to the X- ray tests, which are used to help determine an unaccompanied minor’ s age and require consent under French law.
The tests, originally developed to determine a child ’s skeletal maturity, are widely considered to be less accurate with older children .
The next year, a juvenile court in Ain, southwest France , ruled that Adama was an adult and removed him from the welfare services.
The number of unaccompanied migrants arriving in France claiming to be minors rose to some 17, 000 in 2018 from 6 ,000 in 2015, according to the Interior Ministry .
In the absence of legal documents , there are few alternatives to the bone tests for accurately assessing a person ’s age .
But critics say the practice can be used to deny entry to young migrants who should benefit from France ’s protection under international law .
“ We’ re extremely disappointed, ” said Clementine Bret of the Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World ) aid group, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
“ We would have liked to see France honour itself by following the examples of Spanish and English courts, ” which have outlawed such testing, Bret said .
source: punchng.com/french-court-okays-bone-tests-to-determine-age-of-young-migrants/

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday said it was delaying its ruling on a challenge filed by South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya against the IAAF until next month .
A decision in the controversial case had been due next week , but the world’s top sports court said it would not issue a verdict “until the end of April” because both sides had filed additional material since the hearing in February .
Semenya is challenging proposals by the International Association of Athletics Federations that aim to restrict female athletes ’ testosterone levels.
The IAAF is seeking to force so -called “ hyperandrogenic” athletes or those with “ differences of s*xual development” (DSD) to seek treatment to lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount if they wish to continue competing as women.
The athletics governing body has argued the moves are necessary to create a “level playing field” for other female athletes .
A wide coalition has rallied behind Semenya’ s cause , including the government in her native South Africa and rights activists worldwide.
Some scientific experts have argued that barring Semenya from competition due to naturally high testosterone levels would be like excluding basketball players because they are too tall.
source: punchng.com/cas-delays-semenya-verdict-until-april/

The Babajide Olusola Sanwo -Olu Campaign Organisation has been disbanded following the victory of its principal, Mr. Babajide Sanwo- Olu, who won the March 9 governorship election in Lagos State .
In a statement signed by Mr. Tayo Ayinde , the Director General of the group , the formal demobilization of the campaign team, comprising volunteers and staff,
becomes necessary to enable individuals to go about their personal lives, private businesses and employment , after several months of campaigning for Sanwo- Olu.
“ Now that the campaign is over , and election has been concluded , we are currently in the transition phase, for which a team will be constituted in due time. BOSCO remains grateful to all campaign staff and volunteers for their work and efforts towards the electoral victory of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo -Olu and the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State . ”
Ayinde added, “ Victory at the election could not have been possible without your sacrifices, commitment and diligence. We are extremely grateful to you for your time and expertise donated to the campaign . The Governor -elect , Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo -Olu extends his gratitude for your labour of love and gives assurance of good governance, which is your motivation for joining his campaign ” .
source: punchng.com/sanwo-olu-campaign-team-disbanded-dg/

Arsenal star Denis Suarez , and his hijab- clad girlfriend , Nadia Aviles, earned social media opprobrium when he posted a photograph of the two of them at Kuwait’s Grand Mosque on recently .
He had captioned the Instagram post : “ I will be always behind you !”
Many respondents condemned Suarez , a Spanish national , for taking a selfie at the Muslim holy site.
The football star is photographed standing a step behind his girlfriend , Nadia, who posed in a beige scarf covering her head and shoulders .
See the reactions:
shaheen_ alameen : It’s OK to be always behind her but not in the mosque because in the mosque you will be in front of the God (Allah ) .
khan 2904_@LEWIS _ goold_ : SHAME on you. . they are In a mosque show some godam respect .
the_ car _life _ 95: This is a mosque not a place to take selfies, this is a place where we worship Allah , u r disrespecting this holy place .
muhjav _ : Are you muslim ??❤️❤️ @denissuarezfernandez .
mohammedsoub 28: he even doesnt know what to do in the mosque.
It’ s not all about condemnation, though , as some fans express their love for the footballer :
iam . ashr47 : Im proud of you…Dennis Suarez and Granit Xhaka is my idol .
Waopeyemi : I love u bro.
sam_ benz8 : @denissuarezfernandez Cute couple ❤️ ❤️ hope u will sign permanent deal in Emirate ?
source: punchng.com/backlash-greets-arsenal-star-suarezs-selfie-with-girlfriend-in-mosque/

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State described as fake news allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate , Senator Jeremiah Useni that he diverted N20 billion meant for Internally Displaced Persons in the state .
Useni had alleged at a news conference on Wednesday that Lalong diverted the money for personal use.
But Lalong who reacted while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Jos said Useni ’s allegations were totally false.
“ For Useni who is a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make an allegation that money was given to the state means they did not care to fight for the IDPs . Everything we are doing as regards IDPs is at our own level .
“ In other states, it is members of the National Assembly that are struggling for IDPs.
“ I have not seen efforts from some of them in the state struggling for the IDPs instead they are beginning to take advantage of the people remaining in IDP camps,” he said .
He said his administration has done its best to return the IDPs back to their ancestral homes and that the opposition is not happy they are relocating.
Lalong said Useni would have known as a senator if N20 billion was given to the state by the Federal Government .
“ We have not received money for the IDPs in the state.
“ It was only yesterday that I heard that there would be an intervention for states that were involved in conflict and I have told the people already.
“ This kind of allegations should not come from such high quarters.
“ If he has any proof let him bring it out for the people of the state to see ,” he added .
source: punchng.com/we-have-not-received-money-for-the-idps-lalong-tells-useni/

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, says the Federal Government will no longer fund the excesses of sports federation in its bid to re -position sports.
Dalung made the assertion at the 25 th anniversary and the 7 th convocation of the Nigeria Institute of Sports, National Stadium , Surulere, Lagos.
He said that it was imperative for the ministry to channel the funding of the various sports in the country directly to those that were concerned which included the athletes and the coaches.
“ In order to refocus sports in Nigeria , government will no more invest in the excesses of the federations. Our investment will now be going directly to the welfare of the athletes and coaches .
“ In sports development, the welfare of the athletes is sacrosanct, so the administration will now focus more on the welfare of the players, athletes and coaches .
“ What I am saying is part of the democratisation of the sports federations which includes the federations drafting their constitution , endorsed by their congresses and also registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“ The aspect of the rule that says once the federations are registered, government can no longer fund them is not true. There is nowhere in the world that sports is not funded by the government .
“ In developed countries like the U. K., U. S ., they still give grants to develop sports; what we are saying is that , for them to enjoy the support of the private sector, they need to be incorporated, ” he said .
Dalung said that if the sports federations were registered, it would give the private sector confidence to invest in sports which would complement the efforts of government .
“ Once a federation is incorporated , it will enjoy the private sector support because their books will be open to the public for scrutiny and this will give confidence to the investors.
“ Government will continue to provide grants to the sports federation to run their programmes because if government will not provide funds , who runs the grassroots development aspect of sports.
“ If government refuses funding, that means that we would have to reduce sports to the elites, which should not happen, we will continue to be partners in progress.
“ Another contentious issue is about the position of the Secretary General of the federation which should be appointed by the government . The federation cannot withhold the position from the government ,” he said .
Dalung said that the current state of the national stadium was appalling , adding that the federal government would do all within its power to resuscitate the abandoned sports infrastructure in the country.
source: punchng.com/fg-to-invest-more-on-welfare-of-athletes-and-coaches-dalung/

Following the election results, the Oyo State chapter of the Providence People’s Congress (PPC) has submitted its petitions to the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, asking for the cancellation of results of the elections in 8 federal constituencies over the missing of its logo in the ballot papers.
Mr. Taiwo Oduola, the state Chairman of the party, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital.The PPC chairman said that the party decided to file the petition before the tribunal because of the exclusion of PPC’s logo on the ballot papers used for the elections held on Saturday February 23 in the eight constituencies.
The affected constituencies, according to him were Akinyele/Lagelu, Ibadan North, Ibadan South West/Ibadan North West, Saki West/Saki East/ATISBO, Oluyole, Surulere/Ogo Oluwa, Iseyin/Itesiwaju/ Iwajowa/ Kajola and Ido/Ibarapa East.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already declared and presented certificates of return to the winners of the elections in the aforementioned areas.
The winners of the elections declared by INEC were Akintola Oluokun George, Akinyele/Lagelu (APC), Musliudeen Olaide Akinremi, Ibadan North (APC), Stanley Olajide, Ibadan South West/North West (PDP), Olatubosun Olajide Boladale, Saki East/Saki West/Atisbo (APC), Tolulope Akande-Sadipe Oluyole, (APC), Odebunmi Olusegun, Ogo Oluwa/Surulere (APC). Others were Shina Abiola Peller, Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/ Iwajowa (APC) and Yemi Taiwo Ido/Ibarapa East (PDP).
But, the PPC said that it dragged INEC, winners of the elections, their political parties and the returning officers in the constituencies to the tribunal because of failure’s INEC to include the party’s logo on the ballot papers.
source: news-af.op-mobile.opera.com/news/detail/091cb10ce875d57ce5892cae96ddbbff_ng?country=ng&language=en&share=1

One person was shot dead and many injured in Lagos on Wednesday as commercial drivers and policemen attached to the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit clashed in the Mile 12 area.
When our correspondents visited the area, it was observed that about 10 vehicles were vandalised with broken pieces of glass scattered all over the area .
PUNCH Metro
gathered that the clash , which began around 10 am, was as a result of the resistance by some drivers to arrest by the task force personnel.
An eyewitness , Ms Bejide Lawal, said the people who were involved in the incident were drivers, noting that the police wanted to arrest them but they resisted .
Lawal explained that when the police were unable to arrest the drivers as they began pelting the personnel with missiles, the police started firing live bullets and tear gas canisters at the crowd .
She stated that the police were eventually able to arrest some of the drivers.
Lawal said , “The police fought with the drivers this morning. They wanted to arrest the drivers but the drivers prevented the police personnel. But as the police insisted on arresting them , the drivers began to hurl stones at them.
“ It was then that the police personnel started firing shots in the air and at the crowd. They also fired tear gas canisters at the people . Apart from this , they arrested some drivers. ”
One of the drivers, identified simply as Mutiu, whose bus was vandalised , said the attack was a reprisal by the task force personnel.
Mutiu noted that on Tuesday , the task force personnel were prevented from making arrests by soldiers around the area.
He alleged that the soldiers failed to intervene when the officers returned on Wednesday.
He stated, “ On Tuesday , when the task force officers came to Mile 12 to arrest buses on the service lane, the soldiers on duty prevented them, because it was an illegal operation .
source: punchng.com/one-killed-10-buses-vandalised-as-drivers-policemen-clash-in-lagos/

A 25- year- old man, Ajibade Olumuyiwa, has reportedly killed his wife’s suspected lover , Olakiitan Balogun, after catching him on their matrimonial bed with his wife.
Olumuyiwa was said to have caught his wife, Titilayo, and her alleged lover around 12 . 30am on Sunday, and reportedly hit his head against the wall.
The incident occurred at the Doland Estate, Ajuwon, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State .
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, made the disclosure in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday.
Oyeyemi said the suspect was arrested by men of the state police command for allegedly killing his wife’s suspected secret lover .
He said Olumuyiwa allegedly killed Balogun for having an amorous relationship with his wife.
According to Oyeyemi, the suspect was arrested around 1 .45 am on Sunday following a distress call by a resident of the estate to the Divisional Police Officer , Ajuwon Division , CSP Afolabi Kazeem .
The PPRO stated , “A distress call was received that a man had murdered his wife’s concubine inside his house. On receipt of the distress call, the DPO, CSP Afolabi Kazeem, led his detectives to the scene , where the suspect was promptly arrested.
“ On interrogation , the suspect explained that he came into his house around 12 .30 am on the fateful day and met the deceased right inside the room with his wife.
“ This infuriated him and he started beating the man and hit his head against the wall, leading to the death of the victim. ”
Oyeyemi explained that the estranged wife denied having any amorous relationship with the deceased.
During interrogation, Titilayo reportedly explained that the suspect had abandoned her in the house for eight months.
She further accused her husband of giving an instruction to their gateman to be monitoring her and supply him with information if he saw her with any other man.
source: punchng.com/man-kills-wifes-suspected-lover-in-ogun/

Some people going for early morning prayers in a mosque around the Halleluyah Estate in the Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, on Wednesday, were attacked by some security guards working in the area.
Sources in the area told our correspondent that the incident happened around 5 . 30am.
An eyewitness , Taiwo Olawoore , who was also going to the mosque at the time of the incident, said the residents heard several gunshots, which made people run in different directions to escape being shot .
When contacted , the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Folasade Odoro , said a suspect, Abdulazeez Abdulahi, aged 27 years , was in custody in connection with the incident .
“ We got a distress call from the area and we promptly responded . We made an arrest and the person arrested is being interrogated ,” Odoro said .
She explained that the man, who was arrested with a dane gun , was a guard hired by the community to provide security at night
Odoro added that the security guard was obviously drunk and shot into the air and not at the residents going for prayers.
She gave an assurance that the matter would be thoroughly investigated to prevent a reoccurrence .
source: punchng.com/drunk-guards-attack-worshippers-going-to-mosque/

A group has rejected the proposal by Ondo State Government to create local council development authorities , saying the governor should conduct a local government election instead of creating LCDAs.
The state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu on Tuesday announced the creation of the LCDAs across the state, saying it would bring the government closer to the grass roots . He also set up a committee on the creation .
However , the group, Sunshine Liberation Front , in a statement issued on Wednesday, alleged that the governor planned to create the LCDAs in order to benefit members of the All Progresssives Congress in the state .
According to the statement by the coordinator of the group, Mr Akindele Akinwale , the SLF said the governor should fund the existing local governments properly rather than establishing LCDAs .
The statement read in part, “ The proposal, viewed by all political watchers as politics taken too far, is coming few months after Akeredolu and his government failed to conduct the council polls slated for December 1 , 2018 for which a total of N2 bn was earmarked in the 2018 budget .
“ Would the governor now abandon the election that the prospective candidates had parted with huge funds in mobilising their supporters and getting nomination forms?
“ This is a plot by the governor and his advisers to curry more political favour, score cheap points and share our limited funds amidst his party faithful at the expense of suffering Ondo Sstate indigenes.
“ Is it not incredible and mischievous that the state governor , who has continued to abandon and starve local councils of funds and denying them of autonomy for several years , now remembers to create LCDAs out of them ? Would these LCDAs not be given same treatment by the current government and the subsequent ones?
“ The SLF will not look away while our political system , which should benefit the ordinary people , be rendered powerless to compensate a few, who worked and will be ready to work for their own political goals .”
source: punchng.com/group-condemns-akeredolus-plan-to-create-lcdas-in-ondo/

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje , on Wednesday said there was no truth in reports suggesting that he dumped the party after the just- concluded elections .
Speculations were rife on Wednesday that Agbaje might have dumped the PDP and had yet to make known his next political move .
But his spokesperson , Modupe Ogunbayo, in a statement made available to journalists said Agbaje was still a card-carrying member of the PDP .
He said the PDP candidate was committed to the party which he believes is the best party that will address the yearnings of Nigerians .
The statement read, “In the past 24 hours, Mr Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the recently - concluded 2019 election in Lagos State , has received uncountable calls and messages from numerous friends, teeming political associates within PDP and countless members of his supporters , that he has resigned from the PDP .
“ Mr Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje is still a card- carrying member of the PDP . He remains committed to the broad-based party , which he remains absolutely certain, has the best antidote to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians .
“ The falsehood is another chunk from the ongoing propaganda and disinformation machinery of his foes . Mr Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje urges all to treat the rumour with the disdain it wisely deserves. ”
source: punchng.com/im-still-a-pdp-member-says-agbaje/

Suspected herdsmen on Tuesday killed 10 people in Tser Uoreleegeb in Ubabai council ward of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to some people in the community , the gunmen shot indiscriminately after invading the village.
A source , who spoke on condition of anonymity, said , “ The people were sleeping in front of their house when the gunmen arrived.
“ They shot at them and immediately ran away . So , no one can say who killed them . ”
But the Chairman of Guma LGA , Richard Shaor, who confirmed the incident , believed the attack was carried out by herdsmen.
He said , “ On Monday someone was killed by herdsmen before the incident at Tser Uoreleegeb.
“ The same herdsmen went to this community on Tuesday night and killed 10 people who were sleeping outside.
“ Their remains have been buried because the villagers insisted that the corpses should be brought to the village for burial.”
Spokesperson for the police in the state , Catherine Anene , said , “The Divisional Police Officer in Guma has confirmed the incident . He said he saw five corpses at the burial ground .”
The Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke , Maj Gen Adeyemi Yekini, said , “Investigations into the attack in Guma is ongoing .”
source: punchng.com/suspected-herdsmen-kill-10-in-benue/

ON A DAY LIKE THIS:
Joseph spent the night in the prison, but by morning he became the Prime Minister.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Naaman woke up usually with his leprous, but before the day closed he had been healed and transformed.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: David was innocently on the field tending his father's sheep before he was sent for and anointed as a KING.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Mordecai slept at the palace gate as usual as a gateman but before the day closed he was brought inside the palace and honoured.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Bartimaeus woke up as usual a blind man but before the day closed he was able to regain his sight.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Daniel slept in the lion's den but by the time, it was morning he was brought out and promoted to the post of a Prime Minister.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: A woman from Shunem woke up overwhelmed by debts and threats but by the close of the day she had paid them all and had become rich.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Lazarus slept overnight in the grave but by evening, he had arisen and came back to life.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: The woman with the issue of blood woke up with her illness but at the close of that day, she was totally healed of it.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Jabez cried unto the Lord and his coast was enlarged.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS: Elisha prophesied that 'by this time tomorrow famine will be over and there would be plenty of food' and it came to pass just as he had said.
I don't know where you were yesterday and what you are undergoing now but it's evident in the Bible that our God is perfect and this is a new day, a new dawn.
Since "sorrow endureth only for a night and joy cometh in the morning", your joy cometh this morning ON A DAY LIKE THIS.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS "you will find favour and good repute in the sight of God and men" (Proverbs 3:4)
ON A DAY LIKE THIS The Mercy of God shall locate you for greatness signs and wonders.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS all your prayers,shall be answered and all your hearts desires granted.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS your celebration cometh,you shall experience complete restoration, sing a new song,and dance a new dance in JESUS name AMEN.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO A DAY LIKE THIS.
WELCOME TO THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE.

Akpos and Mary were both
patients in a mental hospital.
One day while they were
walking past the hospital
swimming pool, Mary
suddenly jumped into the
deap end. She sank to the
bottom and stayed there.
Akpos promptly jumped in to
save Her, he swam to the
B*ttom and pulled Mary out.
When the medical doctor
became aware of Akpos's act,
he immediately ordered his
discharged as he now
considered him to be mentally
stable.
When he went to tell Akpos the
news, he said: Akpos, i hav a
gud news and bad news, the
gud news is you are being
discharged, because, since u
were able to jump in to a
swimming pool and save the
life of another patient, i think
u hav regain ur senses. and
the bad news is that, akpors,
the patient u saved hung
herself wit his bathrobe belt
in the bathroo, i am sorry she
is dead. Akpos replied, ,, she did
nt hang herself, i put her
there to dry!

Italian police on Wednesday rescued some 50 children taken hostage by their school bus driver , who doused the vehicle in petrol and set it alight, the authorities said .
“ It is a miracle, it could have been carnage . The police were outstanding, blocking the bus and getting the children off , ” said Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco.
Greco added that he could not rule out a terrorist connection in the incident.
The 51 students in year two of secondary school were coming back from a sports outing accompanied by three adults when the driver abruptly changed route , announcing he was taking them all hostage.
“ No one is getting out of here alive ,” he said , according to several of the students .
Armed with two canisters filled with petrol and a cigarette lighter , he menaced the children , took their telephones and tied them up with electric cable .
One of the children managed, however, to get a call through to their parents who in turn phoned the police.
They blocked the bus in the street and broke open the back windows to get the children out before the vehicle went up in flames .
“ I want to put an end to it, I want to stop the deaths in the Mediterranean ,” several reports cited the driver as saying .
His motives were not immediately clear and the reference to the Mediterranean could be to the thousands of migrants who have crossed from North Africa to Italy, many of them losing their lives on the dangerous journey.
Reports said he was 47 years old, of Senegalese origin and had been a school bus driver since 2002.
About a dozen children and two of the adults were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation while the driver also needed treatment for burns to his hands.
The interior ministry said in a statement that the driver had been previously caught driving while drunk and had s*xually assaulted a minor. It gave no dates for the alleged offences.
source: punchng.com/italy-police-rescue-51-children-as-driver-sets-school-bus-on-fire/

Italian professional football club, Associazione Sportiva Roma , commonly referred to as AS Roma , has launched Nigerian pidgin English Twitter account purposely to serve its Nigerian fans .
The news , published on official AS Roma website , was announced on Wednesday ( today ).
The Italian club side also superimposed its logo on the Super Eagles World Cup branded T - Shirt as part of the deal.
Breaking the news , AS Roma states:
AS Roma is delighted to announce the launch today of a new official Pidgin English Twitter account for fans in Nigeria and neighbouring countries in Africa.
In launching the @ ASRomaPidgin account, Roma have become the first major European football club to create an official social media profile specifically to communicate directly with followers in Nigeria.
The new account – which is being run out of Lagos and can be followed at @ASRomaPidgin – was set up after fans in Nigeria contacted the club to request an account to cater specifically for Naija Twitter.
Roma ’s popularity amongst Nigerian football fans has been growing ever since the club featured Lagos radio personality Mark Otabor ’ s epic commentary of Roma ’s comeback against Barcelona on the club’ s English Twitter account and then ‘adopted ’ Nigeria’ s Super Eagles at the World Cup .
The club’s digital team then began working with the Nigerian FA ahead of the World Cup in Russia and helped the team on the ground with social strategy and the graphics that were seen on Twitter and Instagram throughout the tournament .
“ After Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup and we chose to support the Super Eagles, followers in Nigeria have been asking for a Pidgin English Roma account ,” revealed Paul Rogers , Head of Strategy at AS Roma .
“ The club’s president Jim Pallotta watched Mark Otabor ’s commentary after the Barcelona game and then personally wrote to Mark to thank him and from that moment we’ ve enjoyed a really fun relationship with our followers in Nigeria, who seem to enjoy our English Twitter account ’s sense of humour . The launch of this new account means that we can now directly engage with these fans on a daily basis in a style that suits them ,” Rogers added .
The launch of the new Pidgin English accounts means AS Roma now communicates in 13 different languages on social media – with official accounts also in Italian , English, Arabic, Indonesian , Spanish, French , Portuguese , Bosnian, Turkish, Dutch, Farsi and Chinese .
source: punchng.com/as-roma-launch-nigerian-pidgin-english-twitter-account/

The N 2. 2 bn fraud trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose progressed on Wednesday with the prosecution fielding four additional witnesses .
Among the four witnesses were three Lebanese – Goshen Joseph ; Joseph Mechleb and Maroun Mechleb – who are working in Nigeria as building and construction engineers .
Mechleb, who was fielded as PW 10, is the Chief Executive Officer of a construction firm, Samchase Nigeria Limited, which is based in Akure, the Ondo State capital .
While being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Mr Rotimi Jacobs ( SAN ), Mechleb told the court that he had done various jobs for both the Federal Government and some states, including Ekiti State.
He said he did jobs for Ekiti State in 2006, 2014, 2015 and 2016 when Fayose was governor of the state.
Mechleb told the court that the jobs he did for Ekiti State were facilitated by Abiodun Agbele – an aide to Fayose .
He said there was an agreement that he would “ appreciate” Agbele for every contract he facilitated for Samchase Nigeria Limited .
Mechleb said though the “ appreciation ” was not specified, it was usually about 10 per cent of the contract sum .
The Lebanese , who told the court that he could neither write nor read English language, said the scope of the contracts was usually communicated verbally, saying, “ We agreed that when he got jobs for me, I will appreciate him .
“ We did not specify but it’ s around 10 per cent. ”
Mechleb told the court that he once lied to the EFCC about owning a property on Agbele ’s instructions.
He said he falsely claimed ownership of the property in order to help Agbele , whom he described as a friend .
The Lebanese had been asked by Jacobs if he knew of a company, JJ Technical Services Limited , to which he replied that the firm belongs to his younger brother and brother -in- law , Maroun Mechleb and Joseph Mechleb, respectively .
source: punchng.com/fayoses-trial-i-lied-to-efcc-to-help-a-friend-says-lebanese-contractor/

Paul Pogba said on Wednesday he is “happy” at Manchester United but that Real Madrid, “is a dream club.”
Pogba’s brother turned down by German third-tier club for being ‘too heavy ‘
Playing for Real, “is a dream for every kid, for every football player,” the midfielder told a press conference at France’s training base.
“It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. I’ve always said Real Madrid is a dream club for every player,” the 26-year-old said.
The Spanish outfit recently re-appointed another World Cup winning French midfielder in Zinedine Zidane as head coach taking over from Santiago Solari.
United have also changed bosses this season, bringing in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to replace the sacked Jose Mourinho.
“At the moment, I’m happy in Manchester. I play. There’s a new coach,” he said.
Pogba, who was interviewed on British television earlier in the day, was asked again about his difficult relationship with Mourinho, and again attempted a sidestep.
“What was wrong? Bah, We did not win,” he said.
“That’s why they changed coaches. It’s not necessary to go into details.
“If the results had been more positive, the coach would have stayed,” he added with a smile.
source: www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/pogba-says-real-madrid-is-a-dream-club/

..says those who seek power for selfishly will not end well
By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was setting a dangerous and evil precedence in the political history of Nigeria under the watch of Professor Mammod Yakubu.
An electoral official looks at documents at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on March 10, 2019. – Nigeria’s election authorities announced the suspension of activities in volatile opposition-held Rivers State on March 10 citing violence and threats to its staff, as tensions rise in the wake of closely-watched regional elections. Counting is continuing across the country after the March 9 elections for governors in 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states, all state assemblies and administrative councils in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Results are expected in the coming days. (Photo AFP)
According to Dogara, one of such ways INEC has debased the institution is by declaring elections inconclusive.
The speaker who made the remarks while addressing the National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja onWednesday, also warned against craving for power at all costs, stressing that there had always been grave consequences.
A statement from his office signed by Turaki Hassan, quoted Dogara as stating that the PDP won five out of six states where supplementary elections would hold, expressing optimism for victory.
He said: “It will be very, very unfortunate that INEC, which is led by a first class professor of history will set this dangerous and unacceptable precedence in our political history.
“What has happened is pure evil. Our consolation as faithful members of this society is that evil does not last forever and no evil doer has ever escaped punishment…it is a law of nature, that whatever you sow is what you will reap.
“For those who believe in power for the sake of power and not because they want to empower people, not because they want to better the lives of our people, there are also lessons they can learn from history.
“History is replete with examples of all those who pursued power for the sake of power. Whether it is Hitler, I don’t want to name more, one example is enough. Their lives have always ended up in some tragedy, that is the fate of anyone that seeks power for the sake of power. We have seen that displayed in Nigeria and I wish we can take heed from the lessons of history.”
source: www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/2019-polls-inec-setting-dangerous-precedence-under-yakubu-dogara/

In a record breaking achievement, Universal School of Aviation, popularly known as USA becomes the first approved aviation school in Nigeria to have an approved satellite campus in the history of aviation training in the country.
The satellite campus is located in the heart of Nigeria, Abuja.
The MD/CEO of USA, Mr. Onifade Adekunle Eedris said: ”This is a great achievement among other milestones that has been achieved by the school. ”We have used the school as a platform to create awareness in the existence of numerous opportunities that the aviation industry has to offer the Nigerian youths.”
According to him, going to Abuja would give the northern part of the country access to benefit from what the southern part of the country has been enjoying through the school’s campus in Lagos.
The Director said: ”The variation in the school approval by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that led to the Abuja campus also came along with newly approved courses for the school. The courses include; Dangerous Goods Regulations, Helicopter Landing Officers Course, Radio Telephony, Crew Resource Management and Weight and Balance (Load Control).”
Meanwhile, he pointed out that earlier in the year, the Universal School of Aviation was awarded as West Africa’s Most Impactful Aviation School, adding, ”the school has also been nominated for several awards within and outside the country slated to hold later in the year.
“This new campus among other achievements is dedicated to God and all staffs of USA
source: www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/universal-school-of-aviation-gets-ncaa-approval-to-operates-abuja-satellite-campus/

When sultry actress and entrepreneur, Nuella Njubigbo got married to producer and actor, Tchidi Chikere after the latter broke up with his ex wife, Sophia, many believed that her marriage would not even last a year. But five years down the line, the reverse has been the case as Nuella’s marriage is still waxing stronger.
In a chat with NollyNow, the light-skinned actress revealed that marriage and motherhood has taught her things she never knew before. “Marriage has made me a better person; more responsible and focused person. I don’t just things again because I want to do them. Any decision I’m taking now I will ensure it benefits those around me. Marriage also has made me to be more hard working. If I am not married perhaps, I wouldn’t have been able to think of establishing my clothing line. I would have been jumping from one movie set to another. But now, I m thinking about the future of my children,” the actress said.
Nuella, who has been missing in the big screen in recent times because of her ‘NuellAfrik’, a collection of top notch clothes, handbags, and accessories, all made in African prints which she launched about three years ago, said she’s returning to her first love-acting. Asked to recount how she handled the scandal that trailed her marriage, Nuella said “nobody would have taken it easily. But when you know yourself, and when you know who you are, no matter what people would say about you, it wouldn’t get at you.”
“You will feel bad, especially when you know that somethings that are said about you were not true,”she added. Recall that the beautiful actress who revealed that she will be celebrating her fifth marriage anniversary any time from now, was accused of her husband, Tichidi from his ex wife, Sophia.
source: www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/what-marriage-has-taught-me-nuella-njubigbo/

Buba Galadima, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation,has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) sponsored and paid some highly placed Nigerians to beg Atiku Abubakar not to go to court this came as he also said that the APC used the military to rig the 2019 presidential election.
‘If it is an allegation, go and ask a host of places in Benue, Plateau, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara.
‘Let them go to court, I’ll substantiate it. You know it is a fact that one month to the election, the military had declared what you called Python Dance across the 36 states of the federation.
‘That is preparatory to their engagement during the election and they used it effectively to intimidate voters, to harass voters to kill voters and write results for the APC. Is that an allegation? Did you not see what happened in
‘Records available to us show that our candidates had won this election and that is why we had gone to court,” he said.
‘APC have insisted, sponsored even demonstrated and sponsored some highly placed Nigerians paid them handsomely to appeal to Atiku not to go to court. What is their business? Didn’t their candidate in 2003, 2007 and 2011 go to court to challenge results? Did he ever congratulate those that were declared to have won those elections?’ Galadima said.
source: www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/apc-paid-some-highly-placed-nigerians-to-beg-atiku-not-to-go-to-court-galadima/

The former presidential Aide to the former president
Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has weighed into the rift between BlackFace and 2Face Idibia.
Naija News recalls that BlackFace and 2Face Idibia had been in the news in recent times. The most recent was when BlackFace accused the music legend of being g*y in his new Diss track.
In the diss track, Blackface accused 2face of being g*y and made other allegations against the music legend.
BlackFace had in recent times accused the music icon of stealing his songs and making money off him.
While reacting to the rift between the duo, Reno Omokri reached out to 2Face, asking him to keep being better than his haters.
In his words, Omokri wrote; “Dear @Official2baba,
“Keep being better than haters. Let them be bitter than you, never better. Be so sweet that haters have no choice but to take a bite out of you. Instead of complaining about their bites, see it as evidence of your sweetness and give God glory.”
Recall that Naija News had reported that BlackFace has reacted to expose the real reason behind his recent attack 2Face.
In a recent post, BlackFace said it was normal to make an accusation against people, stressing that he could go as far as shading the mother of the music.
source: www.naijanews.com/2019/03/20/reno-omokri-messages-2face-over-g*y-allegations/