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https://www.channelstv.com/2021/07/22/catholic-bishops-criticise-buharis-govt-over-selective-justice-allocation-of-posts/ | Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province on Wednesday criticised the Buhari-led administration over nepotistic tendencies which they say have led the nation into unease.
The bishops, from the Ibadan Ecclesiastical province in a statement after their meeting at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute, Igoba in Akure, argued that the spike in insecurity across the country is occasioned by the government’s inabilities to serve on the principles of equity and fairness.
According to the communique signed by the province Chairman and Secretary, Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin and Rev. Akin Oyejola, respectively, the country is plagued by “inept, uncaring leadership which functions by selective allocation of posts, privileges, and resources and by selective application of justice”.
The clergymen lamented that the Buhari-led administration has cost Nigeria its soul, adding that this is the reason for the insecurity and economic woes experienced at this moment in the nation’s history.
Those Representing Nigerians Are Saboteurs
The Bishops also took a swipe at the National Assembly, stating that those representing Nigerians are saboteurs who have “perfected the art of sabotaging the progress” of the people they represent.
They urged Federal Lawmakers to prioritise the interest of Nigerians above those of their political and selfish ambitions.
In the passing weeks, there have been heated debates over electoral reforms, electronic transmission of electoral results, press freedom, and the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB), issues which the priests believe must only be tackled with the people’s best interest at heart.
READ ALSO: Police Rescue Two Abducted Bethel Baptist School Students
They lamented that often “the work of those who represent the people on the federal level in Nigeria does not seem to bring much satisfaction to the people for whose interest they were allegedly elected, with the national assembly at various occasions prioritizing party and privileges over people’s rights and interests, relief and progress continue to elude Nigerians”.
The clerics condemned the passage of the amended Electoral Act and the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and urged Nigerians to challenge the Senate and the House of Representatives’ decisions.
They appealed to Nigerians not to lose hope in the possibility of a peaceful, united, and prosperous country, urging the media and civil society groups to sustain the momentum on increased public awareness and education on the importance of political participation at all levels of governance.
In the priests’ opinion, it is indeed “time for Nigerians to no longer simply roll over and accept non-representative decisions of the assembly but to challenge them by all legitimate means”. | Catholic Bishops Criticise Buhari's Govt Over Selective Justice, Allocation Of Posts | business | Advertisement Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province on Wednesday criticised the Buhari-led administration over nepotistic tendencies which they say have led the nation into … Continue reading Catholic Bishops Criticise Buhari’s Govt Over Selective Justice, Allocation Of Posts |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/03/23/edo-gov-obidient-movement-dissociates-self-from-labour-party/ | Ahead of the September 2024 governorship election in Edo State, a non-political body under the aegis of the Edo Obidient Movement has distanced itself from the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate in the poll Olumide Akpata.
The Edo Obidient Movement insists that its involvement with LP during the 2023 general elections was strictly based on its support for the party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The movement emerged as one of the many support groups for Obi during the last general elections, owing to his credentials and antecedents in public office. But today, the group is singing a different tune.
While addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Saturday, the group’s spokesperson Ikhuenbor Figo insisted that LP has failed to impress as the alternative to the two main political parties in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: LP Accuses Ajaero Of Using Workers’ Fund To Sponsor Insurrection In Party
It passed a vote of no confidence on the Edo LP primary election process, alleging that the leaders – both at the national and state working committees, the local government area, and ward executives – are guilty in what it described as disgraceful and unpatriotic activities before, during and after the primary.
“We completely disassociate ourselves from the Labour Party and its candidate for the Edo 2024 governorship campaign, street rallies, and fitness walk,” he said.
The Obidient Movement also called on Obi to sanitize the leadership of the LP head of the 2027 presidential elections.
“While assuring his excellency Mister Peter Obi of our continuous support for him, we advise that he provides leadership in the Labour Party and do a thorough review of the party leadership and purge themselves of all contaminating symptoms ahead of the 2027 general election,” Figo said.
The group said it would unveil the political party and candidate the Obidient Movement would be backing for the Edo governorship election in the coming weeks. | Edo Gov: 'Obidient Movement' Dissociates Self From Labour Party | business | The Edo Obidient Movement insists that its involvement with LP during the 2023 general elections was strictly based on its support for Obi. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2016/12/11/rivers-rerun-army-denies-allegations-of-electoral-misconduct/ | The Nigerian Army has denied allegations of intimidation, snatching of ballot boxes and killings leveled against it during the Rivers state re-run elections which took place on Saturday.
The General Officer Commanding 6 division, Major General Kasimu Abdulkarim, said the alleged killing and mass arrest by soldiers in Tai and Gokana local government areas of the state were not only false but a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the army as well as wipe public sentiment.
The GOC who spoke in the early hours of Sunday, noted that although his soldiers provided perimeter defense to ward off armed hoodlums and miscreants, the Nigerian Army remained apolitical.
The Major General said there were three explosions in Bedlam in Abonema, five NYSC members were abducted and rescued while two police officers were killed, among which was a senior officer who was beheaded.
According to him, “Nigerian army troops were in no way involved in the escort of politicians as alleged.
“They acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the Nigerian police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others.
“Susceptibility of mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment.
“These areas were rift with armed men who engaged security personnel. In gokana, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defense for the electorates”
The GOC went further to explain that “at Emohua, Mr Oblewaremu abducted five NYSC members with election materials in a Siena bus. The corps members were later rescued and the suspect handed over to the police.
“Nigerian army as a respected institution with constitutional responsibilities to safeguard lives and property,” he stated. | Rivers Rerun: Army Denies Allegations Of Electoral Misconduct | business | The Nigerian Army has denied allegations of electoral misconduct leveled against it during the saturday Rivers re-run elections, |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/01/07/ad-hoc-electoral-officer-slumps-dies-duty-delta/ | The police in Delta State on Saturday confirmed the death of an ad hoc staff of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) deployed to Onicha-Ugbo, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.
Residents in Delta State on Saturday took to the polls to elect who will govern their affairs at the third tier of government. The local government election which initially started peacefully however turned violent following reported attack on the Ughelli office of the State’s Independent Electoral Commission where at least three persons were injured.
READ ALSO: Akwa Ibom Jailbreak Caused By Facility Lapses, Says Controller of Prisons
The state police public relations officer, Andree Aniamaka, confirmed to Channels Television that the ad-hoc staff slumped and died shortly after delivering the voting materials in a voting centre at Onicha-Ugbo area of the state.
The identity of the deceased staff is however still unknown.
Reports also have it that elections went on smoothly in Aniocha North Local government, with an impressive turn out of voters in areas covered, and largely peaceful.
The police spokesperson also confirmed that fire incident in Ughelli North, adding that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. | Ad hoc Electoral Official Slumps, Dies While On Duty In Delta | business | The police in Delta State on Saturday confirmed the death of an ad hoc staff of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC)... |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/04/10/buharis-eight-month-sickness-was-a-setback-says-adesina/ | President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-month sickness in 2017 was a setback to the current administration, Mr Femi Adesina has said.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity stated this on Monday during Channels Television’s Politics Today while highlighting the accomplishments and legacy of the Buhari government.
In 2017, the President was flown to the United Kingdom for treatment where he was for a cumulative period of eight months.
READ ALSO: We Can Only Fight On As United Nigerians, Says Obi
Asked on Monday whether the sickness was a setback, Adesina said, “It should be because when he fell sick in January 2017, he came back in March (and) went again in April and didn’t come back till August 19.”
“About all, eight months. That sickness took eight months of his time in the office. Of course, nobody would like that. But what we are glad about is that he came whole, sound and better than he went.”
During the interview, the presidential spokesman also faulted the criticism of his principal by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah.
“Those things don’t do credit to Father Kukah’s intellectual posture. He is somebody that we had always admired for his intellectual bent but his opinions have been coloured by politics.
“He talked about selling the presidential fleet. Was that ever promised? In 2015, there were promises made that even the candidate did not know about.” | Buhari’s Eight-Month Sickness Was A Setback, Says Adesina | business | The presidential spokesman also faulted the criticism of his principal by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/11/02/buhari-rarely-supervised-his-ministers-says-shittu/ | A former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, says ex-President Muhammadu Buhari “rarely supervised” members of his cabinet.
Shittu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, said the President Bola Tinubu administration should learn from the past government and do better in terms of the coordination and supervision of his ministers.
Tinubu, on Wednesday, while declaring open, a three-day Cabinet Retreat at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, challenged his 48 ministers to deliver on their responsibilities or get sacked.
Commenting on the President’s warning to his ministers, Shittu lauded Tinubu for putting his cabinet members on pressure to deliver. The ex-minister said the President should not hesitate to sack ineffective members of his cabinet.
Shittu, who was minister from November 2015 to May 2019, said sacking a minister is not a difficult task in as much as a replacement will be provided from the same state as the dismissed official.
Reminiscing about his time as minister during the first term of the Buhari administration, Shittu said, “Buhari did not give anybody any threat as such. As I said, Buhari is not Tinubu and Tinubu is not Buhari.
“What I do know of Buhari, with all due respect to him, is that he is a more reserved person. He’s one person who gives you job (with due respect to him) and he rarely ask how you are going about it. It’s unfortunate but I have to say this in national interest so that government coming after him will learn lessons. Once you are there, you are there.
“In Buhari’s government, if you don’t go and meet him, for the next four years, he probably would not ask of you.
“Every Wednesday, people bring their memos and they are debated and all of that but in terms of policy formulation and supervision, we rarely did have such things and I am happy that President Tinubu is trying to do things differently.
“In his statement today, that is a sign that he (Tinubu) wants to do things differently. What I think he needs to add to it is to create transparent, quantifiable milestones for each ministry.” | Buhari 'Rarely Supervised' His Ministers, Says Shittu | business | The ex-minister lauded Tinubu for putting his cabinet members on pressure to deliver. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/06/08/copyright-infringement-pirate-bay-hugs-anti-piracy-measures/ | The Recording Industry of America has asked the number one search engine in the world; Google to automatically disown all links with online piracy site; Pirate Bay.
RIAA requested that Google should do away with the site’s links and website search for it is a website that is infringing the copyright rights the world over and it will also reduce the traffic being generated to the website. And in return Pirate Bay tells RIAA ‘Thank You’ that is a welcome idea.
But, on the part of Pirate Bay it was a welcome idea as the site will benefit so much from the move if Google agree to it, according to Pirate Bay currently gets only 10% of its traffic from the search engine, that most users would just go direct instead. It admitted non-competition with Google but says they can’t index media search engines like them as they are the dominant player in the end.
This wouldn’t be the first time that the site benefitted from measures designed to block users from accessing it. After a British court ruled that ISPs including Virgin Media, O2, Sky and TalkTalk must block access to The Pirate Bay, the site saw an increase of over 12 million visitors. This was in part due to the site educating users as to how to circumvent these barriers.
So far, Google has removed 31,922 links to unlicensed content at the request of the RIAA. However, it has not blocked websites and seems reluctant to do so.
Pirate Bay has been the terror stirring policy makers and media companies in the face as they have attempted various measures to take it down but so far has not yielded favourable results on their part. | Copyright Infringement: Pirate Bay hugs anti-piracy measures | technology | The recording Industry of America has asked the number one search engine in the world; Google to automatically disown all links with online piracy site; Pirate Bay. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/01/23/kunle-oluomo-impeached-as-ogun-assembly-speaker/ | Kunle Oluomo has been impeached as the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly.
Eighteen of the 26 members of State Assembly voted for Oluomo’s impeachment at plenary session on Tuesday.
Oluomo was impeached for alleged embezzlement of funds, highhandedness and related offences.
The Assembly immediately elected a member, Oludaisi Elemide, as the new Speaker.
Giving his maiden speech after the impeachment, the new speaker asked for calm among member.
He said that the impeachment was not targeted against the governor of the state Dapo Abiodun as being speculated in some quarters.
He said that the development is within the constitutional rights of the members to elect those lead them in the House.
The House later adjourned plenary for two weeks, with the new speaker in possession of the maze, the symbol of authority of the House.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on September 6, 2022, arraigned Oluomo before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over an alleged N2.475bn money laundering.
Oluomo was arraigned alongside three others: Oladapo Samuel, Adeyemo Taiwo, and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) on 11 counts of conspiracy, forgery, stealing, and money laundering preferred against them by the EFCC.
The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) had told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences between 2019 and 2022.
He said that the incident took place in Ogun State.
Oyedepo told the court that they stole the sum of N2.475bn from the treasury of the Ogun State House of Assembly.
Oluomo was, however, granted bail while the trial continues. | Kunle Oluomo Impeached As Ogun Assembly Speaker | business | Oluomo was impeached for alleged embezzlement of funds, highhandedness and related offences. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/18/govt-cant-do-everything-private-sector-can-do-better-says-prof-ife/ | A professor of Economics and International Finance expert, Ken Ife, on Wednesday called for the active involvement of the private sector in driving Nigeria’s economic development, particularly in critical areas such as the power sector, telecommunication, health, and human resources.
He said this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily while speaking about the nation’s economic challenges and prospects.
According to him, the way forward is for the government to know its limits.
READ ALSO: Netflix Trims Staff To Weather Slowing Growth
“Why are we expecting the government to do what we know the private sectors can do better and that’s the investment in human resources, investment in health. It is the private sector that would drive the health because health means insurance; it is insurance that pays for health in America, you know that you go to the UK, it’s the same,” he said.
“But we are not energising, releasing the space for the private sector to come and when they are coming, they have to come with investment and investment is the key for any economic development because it is an investment that increases economic activities, economic activities create jobs, jobs give you disposable income, with the disposable income, you can pay for health, education and poverty reduction.
“That’s the cycle, but we just think that government can do everything. The government can’t, it hasn’t even got the resources to do it. The government’s budget is only 7% of the GDP; where is the remaining 93%? It is domiciled in the private sector. So, we need to shift this argument.”
Taking the energy sector as an example of how the private sector can help, he made a comparison between Nigeria and two developing countries.
“When you come to the capital of power, Nigeria is four times the population of South Africa and they have 10 times more power than us which means there is a factor of 40 times,” he said.
While South Africa generates 58,000 megawatts, Nigeria is still struggling with 5,000 megawatts, he said.
The difference in fortunes, he said, is starker when the nation is compared to Brazil.
“Look at Brazil, exactly the same population as Nigeria, and they have well over 258,000 megawatts. So, you can see how many hundreds of times they are higher than Nigeria,” he said.
Professor Ife, who has over 30 years of experience in energy policy, shared how the power sector’s fortunes can be turned around.
Although costly blunders had been previously made, for him, the solution is not far-fetched.
“We made some important mistakes in the past but we can take power to the mass market so that you can unleash the potential of the private sector to provide power for themselves and to also sell their excess into the national grid. But it is getting difficult to convince the government of this,” he said.
One area Professor Ife believes the country has got right is policymaking. But he lamented that the same cannot be said of policy implementation.
“We have very good policies. Now, when you come to implementation, it collapses. Because part of the challenge in implementation is we have our own priorities; the government has its own priorities.
“For example, make sure you pay salaries, make sure you pay pensions, make sure you service the loans and the loans are getting very heavy, you must invest in security and the recurrent expenditure takes priority,” the professor said.
According to him, the way forward is for the government to know its limits. | Govt Can’t Do Everything, Private Sector Can Do Better, Says Prof Ife | politics | A professor of Economics and International Finance expert, Ken Ife, on Wednesday called for the active involvement of the private sector in driving Nigeria’s economic development, particularly in critical areas such as the power sector, telecommunication, health, and human resources. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/06/23/senate-threatens-to-publish-names-of-mdas-who-failed-to-appear-before-committee/ | The Senate has threatened to publish the names of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies who failed to appear before its public accounts committee to defend queries issued by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan issued the threat on Wednesday after the Chairman of the public accounts committee submitted the annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the accounts of the federation for the year ended 31st December 2015.
According to the report, the agencies which did not respond to the committee are the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Fire Service, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria, Ministry of Police Affairs and Federal Ministry of Information.
Read Also: ‘They Are Taking Us For Granted,’ Lawmaker Fumes Over Refusal Of IGP, CBN Gov, NSA Others To Appear Before NASS
Some of the infractions in the report observed by the committee include withdrawal of funds from the executive from special fund accounts for purposes other than the objectives for which the funds were created, the prevalence of unwholesome financial practices by some principal revenue-generating agencies, deliberate delay in the submission of financial transcripts by the Accountant General of the Federation to the Auditor-General of the Federation and habitual late or non-submission of financial reports to the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation by MDA’s. | Senate Threatens To Publish Names Of MDAs Who Failed To Appear Before Committee | business | The Senate has threatened to publish the names of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies who failed to appear before its public accounts committee to defend queries issued by the Auditor-General of the Federation. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/11/16/obama-bribed-women-and-youth-to-win-romney/ | The candidate of the Republican Party in the just-concluded presidential election in the United States of America, Mitt Romney, said at a conference call with donors, on Thursday, that Barack Obama won the 2012 presidential campaign because of “gifts” given by the administration to black, Hispanic and young voters.
“The President’s campaign focused on giving targeted groups a big gift, so he made a big effort on small things. Those small things, by the way, add up to trillions of dollars.” Mr Romney said.
He said moves like the president’s healthcare reform legislation and a decision to suspend deportation of certain illegal immigrants who came to the country as children proved “highly motivational” on Election Day.
Mr Romney also said he had “gotten beat up pretty bad” on issues including his immigration stance and personal wealth.
“I am very sorry that we didn’t win,” Mr Romney told the donors. “I know that you expected me to win. We expected to win. It was very close, but close doesn’t count in this business.”
Republicans run from Romney
Asked about Mr Romney’s comments, the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal told reporters at a Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting: “I absolutely reject that notion, that description.”
“We need to stop being a dumb party, and that means more than stop making dumb comments,” added Jindal, the RGA’s incoming chairman.
The need to reorient and rebuild the party was a major topic of conversation at the governors’ meeting. Among the top concerns was the party’s failure to attract Hispanics, the fact that its voter turnout operation did not live up to expectations, its flatfooted response to Obama’s attacks on Romney and its misplaced optimism that Romney would win.
At one session, former Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour laid out the need to take an ungentle approach to fixing those problems: “We’ve got to give our political organization a very serious proctology exam. We need to look everywhere.”
Mr Jindal and other governors insisted that putting the party back on track does not mean betraying its traditional principles.
“In the face of the losses, we do have to make changes,” Mr Jindal said. “We need to modernize our party. We don’t need to moderate our party.”
Added Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, who survived a recall effort earlier this year: “It’s not that our beliefs are wrong. We’re not doing an effective enough job articulating those beliefs.”
He also was critical of Mr Romney’s comments. “We’re the party that helps people find a pathway to live the American dream,” Mr Walker said. “They want to have a chance to live the American dream. They want to have a job.”
White House rejects Romney
The White House on Friday rejected Mr Romney’s remarks that President Obama owed his re-election to “gifts” he showered on women, African American and Hispanic supporters.
Mr Obama’s Spokesman, Jay Carney told reporters that Romney’s “view of the American people and the election is at odds with the truth of what happened last week”.
Obama garnered 51 percent of the popular vote to Romney’s 48 percent, and won decisively in the state-by-state Electoral College, where he earned 332 votes to Romney’s 206.
Asked about these remarks by reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr Carney defended President Obama’s social measures as “good for all Americans” and “good for the economy.”
“The President pursued policies that have at their core a desire to help the middle class, strengthen the middle class, make the middle class more secure, because that’s what makes America more secure”. | Obama bribed women and youth to win - Romney | business | The candidate of the Republican Party in the just-concluded presidential election in the United States of America, Mitt Romney, said at a conference call with donors, on Thursday, that Barack Obama won the 2012 presidential campaign because of “gifts” given by the administration to black, Hispanic and young voters. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/12/15/world-bank-urges-nigeria-to-do-more-with-reforms/ | The World Bank in a report has urged Nigeria to make more progress on medium-term fiscal and monetary measures.
Since taking over the presidency in May, President Bola Tinubu has made attempts at eliminating a costly fuel subsidy and lifted restrictions on the naira currency.
Tinubu administration officials say the measures are essential to bringing in more foreign investment, but in the short term Nigerians are struggling with higher inflation, tripled fuel prices and a sharply weakened naira.
In its report on Nigeria’s development update, the World Bank said reforms had been “essential” but there was a need to “sustain and fully implement” them.
“Now is the time to truly turn the corner by ensuring coordinated fiscal and monetary policy actions in the short to medium term,” Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, said in a press release.
“Continued reform implementation can ensure that Nigeria benefits from the difficult adjustments underway.”
Chaudhuri, also said that included properly benefiting from the “fiscal space” of increased oil revenues after the end of the fuel subsidy.
Floating the naira, which was under a multi-tier exchange rate and currency restrictions, has also cleared one of the main concerns of foreign investors.
When presenting his budget to parliament at the end of November, Tinubu once again called on Nigerians to be patient and assured that the negative effects of his measures would be temporary.
But Nigeria had inflation of more than 27 per cent in October and petrol prices at the pump have tripled with a knock-on effect on transport, food and other costs.
Since May, the naira has lost around 41 per cent of its value against the dollar at the official exchange rate, adding to costs for imported goods and foreign debt payments.
Nigeria has seen its poverty rate increase from 40 per cent of the population in 2018 to 46 per cent in 2023, affecting around 104 million people, the bank said.
According to Tinubu’. the objective is to achieve an annual growth of 3.5% over the period 2023-2026 or “0.5 percentage points higher than in a scenario where the reforms had not been implemented”, the World Bank said. | World Bank Urges Nigeria To Do More With Reforms | politics | Chaudhuri, also said that included properly benefiting from the "fiscal space" of increased oil revenues after the end of the fuel subsidy. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2014/10/16/buhari-picks-apc-presidential-form/ | Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), has become the second presidential aspirant to pick the expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
General Buhari, who paid the required 27.5million Naira in Abuja, was handed the forms by the party’s National Chairman, Mr John Oyegun.
Mr Oyegun handed over the forms to the former military Head of State after former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, handed over a cheque of N27.5million on behalf of the presidential aspirant to the National Organising Secretary of the party, Senator Osita Izunaso.
The former Nigerian Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, had on Wednesday, declared his intention to contest in the presidential election of 2015.
He made the official declaration before a large gathering of APC members at the Eagle Square in Abuja, where he promised to restore Nigeria’s honour if elected as President in 2015.
The former Head of State has promised to tackle issues of insecurity, corruption, unemployment and power generation, among others, if elected. | Buhari Picks APC Presidential Form | business | Former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), has picked the expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/08/16/house-of-rep-member-adebayo-omolafe-is-dead/ | A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Adebayo Omolafe is dead.
Hon Omolafe was said to have slumped and died in the early hours of Monday.
Before his death, he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Akure North/Akure South Constituency in the House of Reps.
The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ondo State, Kennedy Peretei confirmed the lawmaker’s death in a statement, saying his departure was too much to bear especially when he wasn’t sick.
He described Hon. Omolafe, popularly known as ‘Expensive’, as a political star since he was elected as Executive Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area in 2004 under the platform of the PDP.
He also condoled with his wife, children and the entire family and prayed for the repose of his soul.
Read the PDP’s full Statement Below:
THE EXIT OF OMOLAFE ADEDAYO IS A COLLOSAL LOSS TO ONDO PDP.
Everyone will die one day or another. But some departures are too much to bear. The sudden and tragic demise of Hon. Omolafe Adedayo, popularly known as Expensive is difficult to accept, especially when he was not sick.
Expensive had been a constant political star since he was elected as Executive Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area in 2004 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was the State Co-ordinator of the Sure-P program under former President Goodluck Jonathan. His dream to represent Akure South/ Akure North Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives did not come to fruition since 2007. Now that he became elected in 2019, on the platform of PDP, the cold hand of death has extinguished this bright star in the middle of his tenure.
The Peoples Democratic Party, Ondo State Chapter is pained. We cannot find the exact words to convey the extent of our grief. The exit of Expensive is a collosal and irreparable loss to our party in Akure Federal Constituency and the entire PDP in the State.
Hon. Omolafe Adedayo is a household name in Akure. His footprints on the sands of time are indelible.
Our party commiserates with his wife, children, and indeed the extended family. May God in His infinite mercies grant him bliss in the world beyond.
Kennedy Ikantu Peretei
State Publicity Secretary, Ondo PDP
16th August, 2021. | House Of Rep Member Adebayo Omolafe Is Dead | business | A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Adebayo Omolafe is dead. Advertisement Hon Omolafe was said to have slumped and died in the … Continue reading House Of Rep Member Adebayo Omolafe Is Dead |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/10/05/i-persuaded-obasanjo-against-taking-over-lagos-from-tinubu-says-atiku/ | A former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, says President Bola Tinubu should be grateful to him, claiming he persuaded then-President Olusegun Obasanjo not to take over Lagos.
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s president from 1999 to 2007 under the then-ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Tinubu of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) was the Lagos State governor during that period.
While fielding questions from reporters during the event, Atiku denied claims that he betrayed Tinubu as speculated in some quarters.
“Those of you who are old enough will also remember that in 2003, the PDP took over all the South-Western states with the exception of Lagos. I stood between Obasanjo and himself and said, ‘No, you can’t take over Lagos. Leave it and he left it’,” he said. “There are other things that I would not want to go into. But I vehemently deny that I stabbed him in the back.”
[READ ALSO] Tinubu’s Certificate: We Don’t Have Time For Frivolous Issues – Foreign Affairs Minister
‘He Broke Away’
Recalling his relationship with Tinubu, Atiku said the former Lagos governor wanted to be his running mate in the 2007 election but he objected because they are of the same faith.
“Yes, it is true. In 2007, we came together to form AC. And in Lagos at the convention, I emerged as the winner and got the ticket. After I got the ticket, he sent about five or six party men – some of them are hear. I can even name them but I don’t want to embarrass them,” the PDP presidential candidate for the 2023 election said.
“They came to me and said to me that Bola wanted to be my running mate. I said: ‘Gentlemen, you are all old enough, and virtually all of you are Christians with the exception of only one person. What would be your reaction to having a Muslim-Muslim ticket? All of them said, ‘We totally object to it’. I said then, ‘Why did you not tell him: Mr Tinubu, the message you are giving to us, we don’t seem to agree with it? Why are you then coming to me?’
“And that was the end of the political relationship. He broke away, went, and supported Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. So, where is the ground for him to say I betrayed him?” | I Persuaded Obasanjo Not To Take Over Lagos From Tinubu, Says Atiku | business | "I stood between Obasanjo and himself and said, 'No, you can't take over Lagos. Leave it and he left it." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/07/14/protect-your-votes-even-if-they-cut-your-neck-fayose-tells-party-agents/ | The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has asked agents of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to ensure they protect their votes in the governorship election taking place in the state.
Governor Fayose said this on Saturday on his way to vote.
“Even if they are going to cut your neck, let them cut the neck. So long as the ballot boxes are there”, he told the party agents on the phone.
Receiving another phone call, he said, “I don’t want to hear stories. Vote and protect your votes.
“Don’t come back to Ado-Ekiti without protecting. Whosoever’s ballot boxes they are carting away should better remain in his community”.
Residents turned out in large numbers across the state to vote in a new candidate who will govern them for the next four years.
In many parts of Ado-Ekiti, the capital, hundreds of voters were seen at the polling units as early as 7:00 am.
Voters including the elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, youths among others were seen at the polls to exercise their rights to vote.
REALATED:
LIVE UPDATES: Ekiti Governorship Election – Fayemi, Olusola, 33 Others Battle To Succeed Fayose
Fayemi Votes, Reacts As Card Reader Rejects Wife’s PVC
While the overall atmosphere was peaceful, and the exercise hitch free in most Polling Units, there were issues of card readers malfunctioning in some units.
The candidate for the PDP, Professor Kolapo Olusola, was one of those affected.
The card reader failed to recognize his PVC, preventing him from voting immediately after he arrived at Polling Unit 007, Ofomofuru Hall, Ward 2, Okokuru in Ikere-Ekiti.
However, with the intervention of the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Anthonia Simbini, he was accredited and eventually able to vote.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Kayode Fayemi, cast his vote at about 10:15 am.
He arrived at the Polling Unit (Unit 9) ward 11 in Ogilolo, Isan- Ekiti, with his wife, Erelu Bisi who, however, experienced a delay in voting.
The card reader initially failed to recognise her PVC but after several attempts, she was able to vote. | Protect Your Votes Even If They Cut Your Neck, Fayose Tells Party Agents | business | The governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has asked agents of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to protect their votes in the governorship election taking place in the state at all cost. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/08/12/uber-chief-law-could-idle-operations-in-california/ | Being forced to classify drivers as employees could temporarily idle Uber operations in its home state of California, the ride-sharing firm’s chief said Wednesday.
The comments from Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi to MSNBC come after a court gave Uber and rival Lyft until the middle of next week to reclassify drivers as employees instead of contract workers in compliance with a new state law.
“If the court doesn’t reconsider, then in California, it’s hard to believe we’ll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,” Khosrowshahi said in the MSNBC interview.
“We’ll have to essentially shut down Uber until November when the voters decide.”
Uber and Lyft are backing a referendum in the state to overturn the law, while pledging to provide benefits for a social safety net that would keep gig workers independent
The order came Monday when a judge granted a restraining order in a lawsuit filed by California attorney general Xavier Becerra and three cities including San Francisco, where Lyft and Uber are based.
The suit calls on Lyft and Uber to comply with a state law that went into effect at the start of this year that requires “gig workers” such as smartphone-summoned ride service drivers to be classified as employees, eligible for unemployment, medical and other benefits.
Uber and Lyft expect to appeal the decision, which could buy them more time.
A backup plan for Uber would be to pause operations in California, eventually restarting with “a much smaller service, much higher prices” and probably focused in the center of cities or in suburbs,” according to Khosrowshahi.
The rideshare rivals have maintained that most of their drivers want to remain independent even if they also are looking for benefits.
-AFP | Uber Chief: Law Could Idle Operations In California | technology | Being forced to classify drivers as employees could temporarily idle Uber operations in its home state of California, the ride-sharing firm’s chief said Wednesday. … Continue reading Uber Chief: Law Could Idle Operations In California |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/01/20/apcs-chances-of-winning-2023-elections-are-high-say-gov-sule/ | Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has described the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s chances of winning next the 2023 election as high, commending politicians in his state for playing politics devoid of rancour.
The governor made the comment after a “thank you” visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in his office on Thursday.
He maintained he would never deny anyone the chance to make use of any venue as witnessed in other areas. According to him, ‘that era is over’.
Governor Sule further expressed appreciation to the President for his support towards the oil discovery in Nasarawa, affirming that exploration activities would begin in a few days.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had days ago announced the discovery of oil in Nasarawa State in continuation of its oil exploration activities in the country’s inland basins. | APC's Chances Of Winning 2023 Elections Are High, Say Gov. Sule | business | The governor made the comment after a "thank you" visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in his office on Thursday. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/08/11/musk-says-cage-fight-with-zuckerberg-will-be-in-italy/ | Elon Musk said Friday that his much-hyped cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg would take place in Italy, as authorities there confirmed talks about hosting a “great charity event.”
While any showdown between the two tech titans has yet to be officially confirmed, Musk said on his X social media platform — formerly known as Twitter — that arrangements were advancing.
“I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture,” Musk wrote, referring to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “They have agreed on an epic location.”
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed speaking to Musk about “how to organize a great charity event evoking history” but said any match “will not be held in Rome.”
READ ALSO: Striking Hollywood Writers Return To Bargaining Table With Studios
Musk apparently hopes the fight would take place in the ancient Colosseum, a UNESCO World Heritage site, posting about the idea in late June.
In a statement, Sangiuliano said any event with Musk would raise “a huge sum, many millions of euros, (that) will be donated to two important Italian pediatric hospitals.”
“It will also be an opportunity to promote our history and our archaeological, artistic and cultural heritage on a global scale,” he said.
Musk said “everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy” and that proceeds will “go to veterans.”
He said the cage match would be managed by foundations run by himself and Zuckerberg and not by UFC, the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts promoter.
UFC boss Dana White, still seeking participation in the event, told Mike Tyson’s podcast this week that he believed the fight would generate $1 billion in revenue.
The two tech tycoons, who have occasionally jousted from afar, became direct competitors after Zuckerberg’s Meta launched its Twitter-like Threads platform in early July.
In a slightly frivolous aside, Musk later Friday posted a phrase in Latin that translates as “it is delightful to play the fool occasionally.”
Musk did not mention a date for the proposed fight, but said he may need to undergo “minor surgery” to resolve a “problem with my right shoulder blade rubbing against my ribs.”
“Recovery will only take a few months,” he added.
The world’s richest person has a titanium plate holding two vertebrae together but said Friday it is currently “not an issue.”
Zuckerberg, a martial arts enthusiast who has taken part in jiujitsu competitions, did not immediately comment.
AFP | Musk Says Cage Fight With Zuckerberg Will Be In Italy | technology | Musk said "everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy" and that proceeds will "go to veterans." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2016/03/02/inec-postpones-anambra-central-senatorial-district-rerun-election/ | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has postponed, indefinitely, the Anambra Central Senatorial District rerun election earlier slated for March 5.
Announcing the new development to political parties and security agencies on Tuesday, at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Center, Awka, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Lawrence Azubuike, said the postponement is as a result of a directive from the National Headquarters of the Commission.
He added that the election has been put on hold due to a court order which made provision for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to be accommodated in the election.
Mr. Azubuike called on stakeholders to remain law abiding and bear with the commission as any new development will be communicated to them.
Representative of the PDP, Alex Obiogbolu, said that INEC had done the needful by not disenfranchising the party.
For the All Progressives Grand Alliance, whose candidate has been campaigning intensively for the March 5th Date, the news came as a shock but the state chairman, Mr Nobert Obi, maintained that the party was sure of victory any day the election is conducted. | INEC Postpones Anambra Central Senatorial District Rerun Election | business | The INEC has postponed, indefinitely, the Anambra Central Senatorial District rerun election earlier slated for March 5. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/10/18/breaking-kogi-deputy-governor-impeached/ | The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Simon Achuba, has been impeached.
Mr Achuba was impeached by members of the Kogi State House of Assembly on Friday in Lokoja, the state capital.
The Majority Leader of the House disclosed this to reporters at the premises of the Assembly complex.
Achuba’s impeachment followed the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against the former deputy governor.
The House, according to Abdullahi who represents Ajaokuta State Constituency, received, studied and deliberated on the report and a unanimous decision was arrived at to impeach Achuba.
He explained that a seven-man committee headed by John Bayeshea submitted the report to the Speaker of the House, Mr Mathew Kolawole, before the lawmakers took the decision.
READ ALSO: FG, Labour Reach Agreement On Implementation Of N30,000 Minimum Wage
Mr Achuba was sworn in as the deputy governor on February 9, months after he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He became the APC’s deputy governorship candidate in the election that brought Mr Yahaya Bello into office after a member of the House of Representatives, Mr James Faleke, rejected to be the governor’s running mate.
Years into the Bello’s administration, Achuba was reported to be engulfed in a disagreement with the governor, an issue which escalated with both sides trading blames.
In August 2019, Achuba raised an alarm of an alleged threat to his life and accused his principal of intolerance of contrary views.
He also criticised the administration for non-performance, claiming that was the reason for the rift between him and Governor Bello.
In a swift reaction to the allegations, the state government in a statement slammed the impeached deputy governor, saying he had no evidence for his claims.
The statement also said the government does not train assassins and cannot be involved in sending killers after anyone.
The issue got worsened days later as the State Assembly announced that it had commenced impeachment proceedings against Mr Achuba for criticising the governor.
Members of the assembly described the action of the embattled deputy governor as gross misconduct against Governor Bello and the people of Kogi State.
The Assembly had, thereafter, directed the Chief Judge in the state to set up a committee to proceed with the impeachment of Mr Achuba.
Displeased with the action of the lawmakers, Mr Achuba filed an application before the State High Court, Lokoja, to challenge the impeachment notice served on him.
Elsewhere, the leadership of the APC in Kogi suspended Mr Achuba from the party for alleged anti-party activities before, during and after the 2019 general elections.
The party also alleged that he took some actions which constituted an embarrassment to the APC family in the state. | Kogi Deputy Governor Impeached | business | Advertisement The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Simon Achuba, has been impeached. Mr Achuba was impeached by members of the Kogi State … Continue reading Kogi Deputy Governor Impeached |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/07/18/women-on-the-rise-seven-female-mds-leading-nigerian-banks/ | In what many observers have described as a paradigm shift, the Nigerian banking sector is currently seeing a surge in the number of women at its top echelon. Presently, eight women serve as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)/Managing Directors (MDs) of the country’s leading banks.
Last week, Miriam Olusanya became the latest in the list of women shattering the proverbial glass ceiling when she emerged as the first female MD/CEO of Guaranty Trust (GTB) since the institution’s establishment in 1990.
The development is a radical move in a sector aiming to meet up with the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP) specifically in gender diversity and inclusiveness at the top management levels. The policy, introduced in 2012, seeks 40 percent women representation at the upper tier of the banking industry.
With seven women landing the topmost job in 23 of the country’s leading banks – four of them appointed in 2021 – this represents a massive boost to the actualization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
READ ALSO: CBN Restricts Sugar Importation To Dangote, Flour Mills And BUA
Women On The Move
Meet the eight female MDs/CEOs making waves in Nigerian banks:
Miriam Olusanya (GTbank)
Her appointment earned her the accolade as the first female MD of the financial institution in its 31-year history. She succeeds Segun Agbaje.
Olusanya – who before her new position worked as an executive director at the bank – obtained her first degree in pharmacy from the University of Ibadan before she bagged a Master of Business Administration (MBA), from the University of Liverpool. She teamed up with GTbank as an executive trainee in 1998.
Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (Fidelity Bank)
Another first! Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe was named the leader of Fidelity Bank on the first day of this year. This is the only time a woman has risen to the MD/CEO post since the organization started operation in 1988.
Nneka is a graduate of the University of Nigeria (UNN) where she earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. Since joining the bank in 2015, she has attended several executive training in many globally acclaimed business schools.
The new MD also has a master of laws (LLM) degree from Kings College, London.
Tomi Somefun
Tomi Somefun began her journey as the MD/CEO of Unity Bank in August 2015 after a career stretching 26 years in the banking industry.
An alumnus of the Columbia Business School and several top-level schools outside the Nigerian shore, she is a member of many professional associations. Her experience spans corporate banking, retail, and commercial banking operations, etc.
A graduate of Education in English from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Somefun also holds an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration (D.BA) from the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria.
Yemi Edun (FCMB)
Yemisi Edun became the first female MD of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) after formerly serving as acting managing director of the bank.
She is a member/fellow of many institutes, holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Obafemi Awolowo University, a master’s degree in international accounting and finance from the University of Liverpool.
Yemisi started working in FMCB in 2000 as a Divisional Head of Internal Audit and Control.
Until her appointment as the CEO/MD of FSDH Merchant Bank, she has held other key positions in other companies.
Bukola Smith (FSDH Merchant Bank)
She has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Lagos and later bagged an MBA from the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester.
Smith has 28 years of experience in the industry and boasts an impressive profile and fellowship/membership of high-ranking institutes in the financial sector and was appointed as the MD of the bank in April 2021.
Ireti Samuel-Ogbu (Citibank)
With work experiences in South Africa and the UK among others, Ireti carved her name in the sands of history after becoming the first female MD/CEO of Citibank Nigeria in September 2020.
Her experience in the 36-year-old bank cuts across relationship management, sales, and corporate finance.
Halima Buba (SunTrust)
A champion of youth and women empowerment, Halima’s 20 years of experience in the banking industry saw her taking SunTrust’s top job in January 2020.
With a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in business management from the University of Maiduguri, she is equally a member of several institutes and holds an MBA from the Borno-based educational institution. She is also a board member of other renowned institutions.
Kafilat Araoye (Lotus Bank)
Having had a 25-year experience as a commercial banker, Kafilat leads Lotus Bank, a non-interest bank as the MD/CEO.
She has expertise in human resources, business development, payments, international and domestic operations among others. | Women On The Rise: Eight Female MDs Leading Nigerian Banks | politics | In what many observers have described as a paradigm shift, the Nigerian banking sector is currently seeing a surge in the number of women at its top echelon. Presently, seven women serve as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)/Managing Directors (MDs) of the country’s leading banks. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/09/20/launching-n5000-note-cant-work-with-the-cashless-policy-analyst/ | Mr. Zik Obi a capital market analyst and legal practitioner has described the cashless policy and the proposed N5000 note as ‘coming at a very wrong time’.
According to the him, it is very wrong to launch the two polices without any sensitization of any kind.
He urge the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the proposed introduction of N5000 note.
Mr. Zik decried the failure of the apex bank to work with the National Assembly on the N5000 note proposal and warned there’s a lot of problems economically which remain unsolved for CBN than to bother Nigerians with the introduction of new N500o note. | Launching N5000 note can't work with the cashless policy- Analyst | politics | Mr. Zik Obi a Capital Market analyst and legal practitioner said the cashless policy and the proposed N5000 note is coming at a very wrong time because there was no sensitization of any kind on these policies and he feels the proposed N5000 note should be suspended by the CBN. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/01/10/google-drops-key-patent-claims-against-microsoft/ | Google unit Motorola Mobility has asked a trade panel to drop two key patents from an infringement complaint that it filed against Microsoft, according to a filing at the International Trade Commission.
The ITC has been considering accusations by Motorola Mobility, which has since been purchased by Google, that Microsoft infringed on its patented technology to make its popular Xbox.
Google filed a motion with the ITC on Tuesday, asking that two patents be withdrawn from the case. One patent remains, according to the filing.
The withdrawal was required under an agreement that Google made with the Federal Trade Commission last week settling a pair of long-running antitrust investigations.
The FTC, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office assert that companies should not request sales bans when filing patent infringement lawsuits based on patents that are essential to a standard in most cases. Standard essential patents ensure that devices are interoperable.
Microsoft identified the two patents withdrawn from the ITC case as standard essential patents.
“We’re pleased that Google has finally withdrawn these claims for exclusion orders (sales bans) against Microsoft, and hope that it will now withdraw similar claims pending in other jurisdictions,” David Howard, Microsoft’s deputy general counsel, said in an emailed statement.
Google did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
Microsoft said that standard essential patents had been asserted in cases in Wisconsin and Washington district courts, both of which have been stayed. Sales bans, or injunctions, were requested in both cases, Microsoft said.
The ITC is a popular venue for patent lawsuits because it can bar the importation of infringing products and because it issues decisions relatively quickly.
The International Trade Commission case is No. 337-752. | Google drops key patent claims against Microsoft | technology | Google unit Motorola Mobility has asked a trade panel to drop two key patents from an infringement complaint that it filed against Microsoft, according to … Continue reading Google drops key patent claims against Microsoft |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/03/24/enugu-gov-elections-an-assault-on-our-democracy-frank-nweke/ | The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu, Frank Nweke, has described the March 18 governorship election in the state as an assault on democracy.
In a post on his verified Twitter handle on Friday, the ex-Minister of Information, said the election was characterised by “a multitude of infringements on our democratic process, an assault on our desires, and our hope for our great state.”
Recalling his promise to offer his congratulations and best wishes to whoever emerged in a fair and transparent manner during his campaigns, Nweke said the election was far from fair and certainly not transparent.
READ ALSO: Why I won’t Challenge Niger Gov Election Outcome In Court – PDP’s Kantigi
He accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of deploying violence, thuggery, intimidation, use of divisive sentiments, and the weaponization of poverty against the people in the course of the campaign and the elections to hold on to power against the will of the people.
The APGA candidate also accused the PDP and the Labour Party of vote buying “with as little as N500 or packets of noodles in some places.”
Enugu 2023 Gubernatorial Elections: An Assault on Our Democracy.
Ndi Enugu,
Good morning.I will begin this address by thanking you for the warm welcome into your homes, businesses, and digital spaces throughout the duration of the gubernatorial campaigns. Your investment of…
— Frank Nweke Jr (@FrankNwekeII) March 24, 2023
He alleged that the PDP also secured the assistance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) agents to rig the election, offering cash or issuing threats as the situation demanded.
Nweke condemned INEC for going ahead to declare the contested Nkanu East result without any explanation of how they came about with the numbers.
“The entire process, down to the declaration of its winner, is a complete farce and will lack legitimacy for as long as it stands,” he said.
“The results of Nkanu East local government area, which were contested, got reviewed and revised by the national office of INEC without any basis given for the change in numbers. If it was a case of over-voting, the expectation is that the result from the local government area should have been cancelled
“It does seem that the numbers were simply manufactured to fit a preprogrammed outcome and read out to the public, as can be inferred from the Returning Officer of INEC in the state, Prof Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe’s comments about acting under authority and reading out what he had been given.
“I am utterly disappointed with the manner in which the Independent National Electoral Commission handled the 2023 elections. I am also saddened by the actions of some members of our security agencies. Both of these institutions of state let the people down when they became compromised by a few desperate power mongers and looters.”
On Wednesday, INEC declared the candidate of the PDP, Peter Mbah as the winner of the Enugu State governorship elections.
Mbah polled 160,895 votes slightly above his closest rivals — Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP) who scored 157,552.
Nweke garnered 17,983 votes to come third, while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Uche Nnaji, was fourth, with 14,575 votes. | Enugu Gov Elections An Assault On Our Democracy – Frank Nweke | business | The APGA candidate also accused the PDP and the Labour Party of vote buying "with as little as N500 or packets of noodles in some places." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/03/08/osun-pdp-holds-governorship-primary-amid-litigations-allegations-of-bias/ | By Dare Idowu
The Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Osun State is set to elect its candidate for the July 16 Governorship election in the state.
About 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the delegates started making their way to the 10,000 capacity stadium in Osogbo, where the party is expecting more than two thousand delegates from across the state.
The security in and around the stadium is watertight with the heavy deployment of the police, DSS, Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun, and other security agencies.
READ ALSO: Niger Gov Presides Over APC-CECPC Meeting, Says He Is Acting Chairman
In the last couple of hours, some of the top contenders have pulled out of the race. Akin Ogunbiyi, Fatai Akinbade, Dele Adeleke, and Sanya Omirin have all withdrawn from participating in the primary.
This leaves Senator Ademola Adeleke and Dotun Babayemi in the race expected to be keenly contested.
Some of the party members have raised allegations of bias amid litigations which could have stalled the process, but the party says it will not be deterred from conducting the process that will ensure that a legitimate candidate emerges.
The Osun PDP primary is coming as the party renews its bid to retake Osun state after 12 years of losing the governorship seat to the APC.
In 2018 the PDP candidate polled 254,698 votes while the APC flagbearer polled 254,345. With a gap of 353, the exercise was declared inconclusive, the PDP eventually lost after a rerun election was conducted in some local governments. | Osun PDP Holds Governorship Primary Amid Litigations, Allegations Of Bias | business | By Dare Idowu Advertisement The Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Osun State is set to elect its candidate for the July 16 Governorship election … Continue reading Osun PDP Holds Governorship Primary Amid Litigations, Allegations Of Bias |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/01/27/facebook-profit-surges-percent-as-pandemic-fuels-use/ | Facebook profit surged in the final three months of last year as people enduring the holidays in a pandemic turned to the leading social network for work and pleasure, the company said Wednesday.
Facebook reported a profit of $11.2 billion on revenue of $28 billion, increases of 53 percent and 33 percent when compared to the same period the prior year.
“We had a strong end to the year as people and businesses continued to use our services during these challenging times,” said Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook said its core social network had some 2.8 billion users at the end of December while 3.3 billion people used at least one of its “family” of apps including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. | Facebook Profit Surges Percent As Pandemic Fuels Use | technology | Facebook profit surged in the final three months of last year as people enduring the holidays in a pandemic turned to the leading social … Continue reading Facebook Profit Surges Percent As Pandemic Fuels Use |
https://www.channelstv.com/2014/11/11/tafawa-balewa-says-he-remains-in-pdp-presidential-ticket-race/ | The son of Nigeria’s former Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, Abduljhalil Tafawa-Balewa has debunked news reports saying he has indicated his intention of not picking the presidential ticket of the party.
In an interview with Channels Television, Mr Tafawa-Balewa refuted the reports, saying he has not given up his ambition of becoming president and that he had already purchased the PDP presidential nomination form.
“I intend to run for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the PDP is supposed to be the largest party in Africa, a party that will teach others what to do in the country, Africa and other parts of the world.”
“We cannot be called a third world country and behave the same way all the time, I am glad that there are some people that want to change the system,” he added.
The PDP had asked aspirants for the presidential ticket to collect the nomination forms, against its earlier stand of having only President Goodluck Jonathan as a sole presidential aspirant.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan, on Tuesday, declared his intention to run for the second term in office on the platform of the PDP. | Tafawa-Balewa Says He Remains In PDP Presidential Ticket Race | business | The son of Nigeria’s former Prime Minister and member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Abduljhalil Tafawa-Balewa says contrary to news reports, he is still interested in the presidential ticket of |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/06/07/okorocha-inec-to-meet-over-court-order-on-certificate-of-return/ | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will meet as soon as possible over the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a Certificate of Return to the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said this in a statement issued on Friday.
No date was, however, given on when the meeting will hold.
Read Also: Court Orders INEC To Issue Certificate Of Return To Okorocha
While the Commission gave the assurance that it will continue to obey judgments of all courts of competent jurisdiction, it, however, noted that its overriding consideration is the safety of its ad-hoc staff, Electoral Officers and Collation/Returning Officers.
Read the full statement below.
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
ON THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FOR IMO WEST SENARTORIAL DISTRICT
The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by the Hon. Justice Okon Abang, directing the Commission to issue a Certificate of Return to Rochas Okorocha as the Senator-elect for Imo West Senatorial District.
The Commission is also aware of and has been served with the Order of a High Court of Imo State, presided over by Hon. Justice Njemanze, directing the Commission not to issue a Certificate of Return to any of the candidates that contested the Imo West Senatorial District election. The Order from the High Court of Imo State was issued on 23rd May 2019 and the suit has been further adjourned to 26thJune 2019.
The Commission is aware that the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja is the latest in time and determined the rights of the parties in relation to the subject matter of the Certificate of Return, in respect of the Imo West Senatorial Election.
The Commission is currently undertaking State level reviews of the 2019 general elections and all the National Commissioners are either in or heading to their States of Supervision to coordinate activities relating to the said review.
In view of the import and directives of the said judgement, the Commission will meet as soon as practicable to do the needful.
As a law-abiding institution, the Commission will continue to obey judgements of all courts of competent jurisdiction.
However, the Commissions overriding consideration is the safety of its ad-hoc staff, Electoral Officers and Collation/Returning Officers and is worried that if electoral impunity is allowed to flourish, any individual can harass, intimidate and put the Commissions officers under duress, procure a favourable declaration and be rewarded with a Certificate of Return.
Festus Okoye Esq.
National Commissioner & Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee
FRIDAY 7TH JUNE 2019. | Okorocha: INEC To Meet Over Court Order On Certificate Of Return | business | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will meet as soon as possible over the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a Certificate of Return to the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/03/12/minimum-wage-progressive-governors-forum-dg-faults-nlc-over-protest/ | The Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman has berated the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for protesting against the decentralization of minimum wage.
Lukman in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday said the campaign for the retention of the minimum wage in the exclusive legislative list under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, is being handled by the leadership of organised labour, especially Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) based on deliberate distortions of facts.
According to him, one of the claims is that moving minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list in the 1999 Nigerian constitution will contravene provisions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention, which Nigeria is a signatory.
Lukman, who was until his foray into politics, a high-ranking member of NLC, said the method being adopted by organised labour to press home its demand was outdated.
He enjoined the Nigeria Labour Congress to be objective in the fight against the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list adding that the process of minimum wage-fixing across the world varies in almost every ILO member country.
The campaign for the retention of the minimum wage in the exclusive legislative list under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, is being handled by the leadership of organised labour, especially Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) based on deliberate distortions of facts. One of the claims is that moving minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list in the 1999 Nigerian constitution will contravene the provision of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention, which Nigeria is a signatory.
If anything, the Convention allow for flexibility for each country to apply the guiding principles to its circumstances through consultative processes that take into consideration all the interests in the country’s labour market. The guiding principle is ‘to ensure that each Member ratifying the Convention is in possession of the information necessary for a decision upon the application of minimum wage-fixing machinery, the wages actually paid and the arrangements, if any, for the regulation of wages should be ascertained in respect of any trade or part of trade to which employers or workers therein request the application of the machinery and furnish information which shows prima facie that no arrangements exist for the effective regulation of wages and that wages are exceptionally low.’
Nowhere in the Convention is it provided that minimum wage-fixing is the exclusive responsibility of federal authorities. There is a requirement for a structure to manage the responsibility of fixing minimum wages. This is provided that ‘minimum wage-fixing machinery, whatever form it may take (for instance, trade boards for individual trades, general boards for groups of trades, compulsory arbitration tribunals), should operate by way of investigation into the relevant conditions in the trade or part of trade concerned and consultation with the interests primarily and principally affected, that is to say, the employers and workers in the trade or part of trade, whose views on all matters relating to the fixing of the minimum rates of wages should, in any case, be solicited and be given full and equal consideration.’
The structure should have representation from the government, labour and employers. Note that governments are expected to participate both as employers as well as sovereign authorities having the responsibility to promulgate laws, which should be respected, based on agreements reached. In fact, the role of governments as sovereign authorities, which also cover the obligation of enforcing the laws are more critical. It is expected that the government’s role as employer of labour should be secondary and in the event that the role of government is influenced more by its responsibility as an employer of labour will weaken the process of minimum wage fixing is provided in ILO Convention No. 30 of 1928.
Globally, in compliance with the provisions of the ILO Convention No. 30, two approaches are adopted by ILO member countries in fixing minimum wages. There is the Committee method and there is the notification method. The Committee method involves the government setting up a committee to undertake enquiries and make recommendations for fixing minimum wage. The notification method is based on the government publishing proposals in official gazettes to inform affected persons. Before publishing the proposal, the government is expected to make consultations. The difference between the two is largely theoretical. Often, the scope and orientation of collective bargaining structures in ILO member countries dictate the approach adopted.
Perhaps, it is also very important to highlight that all the experiences of ILO member countries across the world in handling challenges of minimum wage-fixing emphasises the presence of some preliminary technical functions to arrive at a consensus. Part of the technical work is largely around the process of estimating or computing specific economic variables of productivity, cost of living and affordability. Once those variables are established and agreed by all the different interests, it is then easy to fix the minimum threshold for wages, which then become the minimum wage.
Experiences of all ILO member countries will further confirm that fixing minimum wages is never the exclusive preserve of federal authorities. Since our model of democracy is the United State of America, it should perhaps be the first reference. In US, the minimum wage is set by US Labour Law and a range of state and local laws. As at January 2020, there were 29 states and D.C. with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. Almost 90% of US minimum wage workers are earning more than $7.25 per hour, which is the minimum wage at the federal level in the US.
The Federal, States and Counties make laws for minimum wage. The minimum wage for each level is negotiated. Different states are able to set their own minimum wages independent of the federal government. When the state and federal minimum wage differ the higher wage prevails. As at January 2018, there were 29 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. Washington, D.C, and New York City have the highest minimum wage at $15.00 per hour. By January 1, 2021, California has the highest state minimum wage at $14.00 per hour, which will be raised to $15 per hour starting January 1, 2022. The minimum wage in New Jersey is $12.00 an hour as of January 1, 2021, but will be raised by a dollar a year until 2024 when it will be $15. Massachusetts minimum wage is $13.50 per hour. A number of states have also in recent years enacted state preemption laws, which exclude local governments from setting their own minimum wage. As at 2017, state preemption laws for local minimum wages have been passed in 25 states.
Legislation has been passed recently in multiple states that significantly raises the minimum wage. California, Illinois, and Massachusetts are all set to raise their minimum wages to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2023, for California and Massachusetts and by 2025 for Illinois. Colorado raised its minimum wage from $9.30 per hour to $12 per hour by January 1, 2020. New York has also passed legislation to increase its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour over time, with certain Counties and larger companies set on faster schedules than others. Some smaller government entities, such as Counties and Cities, observe minimum wages that are higher than the state as a whole.
The National Minimum Wage in the United Kingdom is set depending on your age, and whether or not you are an apprentice. It has been in place since 2005, and several changes to the way it operates have been made over time. At present, the minimum wage applies to any worker aged 16 or over. However, there are some exceptions, such as people who are working in their employers home, or who are undertaking voluntary work. In these cases, the National Minimum Wage might not apply. For eligible workers aged 25 and over, the minimum wage is known as a National Living Wage. It is expressed as an hourly gross payment, and reviewed every April. For the period April 2017 to March 2018, the National Living Wage paid to employees aged 25 or over, is £7.50 per hour. The National Minimum Wage is set by the UK government. It is reviewed every year, and usually, most categories get an annual increase. However, as the system is quite complicated and based on a number of different age bands, there have been years when employees of certain ages don’t get their minimum pay increased.
Some other countries negotiate with trade unions and employers, and agree on what should be the minimum wages. This means that there could be different minimum wages depending on the sector. Belgium, Norway and Sweden work in this way. Other countries have a different way of managing minimum wages. Singapore has minimum wages set by the government, but only across some low income sectors. These minimum wages are applicable to Singapore nationals and permanent residents only – although employers are encouraged to extend them to other workers as a minimum, too. And yet other countries don’t have any minimum wage at all, preferring to leave employers and employees to negotiate on an individual basis.
Coming closer home, in South Africa and Ghana, minimum wage is determined through negotiations between unions, employers and government. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) in South Africa was increased to R21.69 per hour from March 1, 2021. The 93c increment was announced by Employment and Labour Minister, which is in line with the NMW legislation of January 1, 2019. It is illegal and an unfair labour practice for an employer to unilaterally alter hours of work or other conditions of employment in implementing the NMW. In Ghana, government-mandated minimum wage provides that no worker in Ghana should be paid less then the mandatory minimum rate. Employers in Ghana who fail to pay the Minimum Wage may be subject to punishment by the government of Ghana. Weekly rates per month are calculated 4.33 times the standard hours per week.
What all this means is that the process of minimum wage-fixing across the world varies in almost every ILO member country. As much as every federal authority plays an important role in facilitating the process of fixing the minimum wage, it is never their exclusive legislative jurisdiction. How, as a nation, Nigeria arrived at the constitutional provision of assigning minimum wage under the exclusive legislative list is completely not based on the guiding principles provided under ILO Convention 30 of 1928.
It is however necessary to recognise that there are legitimate fears expressed by organised labour in Nigeria on the potential that the process can be abused if our states are allowed to fix minimum wages through moving minimum wage to the concurrent legislative list. What is required to address such problem is to revive the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), which normally has representation from labour, employers and government. It used to serve as the tripartite body in Nigeria for the resolution of major labour challenges. As things are, NLAC is hardly existing.
If we have NLAC, why can’t we have members agree to all the variables determining minimum wage in the country – productivity, conditions of living and affordability, based on which the national minimum is reviewed on annual basis being the proposed benchmark for the country? The National Bureau of. Statistics (NBS), National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission and National Productivity Centre (NPC) can handle the task of providing information about the variables of productivity, cost of living and affordability. With objectively computed information, the process of achieving consensus that highlight the minimum threshold for wages can be handled very effectively. Agreement under NLAC can serve as the federal minimum wage. Once agreement is reached at the level of NLAC, a prototype minimum wage bill can be developed and sent to National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by the Vice President of the Federal Republic with Governors of the 36 states as members. Following consideration and adoption by NEC, states can then domesticate provisions of the agreement as contained in the prototype bill based on their peculiar circumstance.
This model was used around 2005 for instance to resolve the challenge of amending our pension law. When the contributory pension law was passed by the National Assembly and accented to by President Olusegun Obasanjo, both unions, employers and state governments were opposed to the new pension law. But through consultations at the level of NLAC, both labour and employers agreed to a prototype pension bill, modeled based on provisions of the new Pension Act, which was presented to the NEC. Eventually, NEC adopted the prototype pension bill, which was transmitted to all the 36 states. The rest is now history as all states have domesticated the pension act based on their peculiarities.
Part of what needs to be resolved is the issue of whether states are allowed to adopt minimum wages below the agreed federal minimum wage established by NLAC as adopted or approved by NEC? Or what minimum wage should apply to workers employed by private organisations whose operation cover many states? First, no state should be allowed to have minimum wage lower than the benchmark as provided in prototype bills adopted by NEC. Secondly, in the case of private employers operating in more than one state, the highest minimum wage should apply.
The current debate about whether states can make minimum wage laws is basically about correcting the distortion in terms of applying the principles of minimum wage fixing as provided in ILO Convention 30 of 1928. It is important we appeal to leadership of organised labour, especially NLC, to stop promoting false information.
The fourth distortion that needs to be corrected is that the proposal to transfer minimum wage to the concurrent legislative list is not to stop the payment of N30,000 minimum. Although many state governments and private employers are having difficulty implementing the N30,000 minimum wage, we should separate the problems associated with implementing agreements from the bigger challenge of correcting the wrong procedure used in fixing the minimum wage in the country. Problems of implementing agreements can be addressed with reference to invoking provisions of Nigerian arbitration laws, which is what ILO Convention 30 of 1928 recommends. As a nation, we have arbitration law. Why is the leadership of organised labour not taking advantage of provisions of our laws to enforce the implementation of minimum wage law?
For emphasis, the challenge before us as a nation is about developing the capacity of our democracy to resolve national problems. It will amount to undermining our democracy to seek to block consideration of proposals before the National Assembly demanding the transfer of minimum wage to the concurrent legislative list of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended. It is quite disappointing that labour leaders are organising protests and threatening to declare a national strike because the National Assembly is considering a democratic proposal. Organised labour and NLC leadership in particular need to be reminded that before the bill can become law, it will have to pass democratic stages that can accommodate labour’s demands.
Specifically, the House of Representatives Committee on Labour will have to organise a public hearing which will invite the submission of organised labour. Even if the bill is passed by the House of Representatives after public hearing, it will require the concurrence of the Senate, with another public hearing necessary. Assuming it is passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, being a matter requiring Constitutional Amendment, it will have to go to State Assemblies and will need endorsement by at least 24 States House of Assemblies. Assuming the bill passed through all these stages, it will have to be accented to by the President of the Federal Republic.
There is a wide scope of opening for engagement with the different layers of our democratic structures in the country to win the support of elected representatives to prevent the bill from coming into law. Instead of exploring how to engage democratic structures and prevent the bill from coming into law, the NLC leadership went to the over drive mode of protest and threats of a strike. Unfortunately, in all of these, it is doubtful if the NLC, its affiliates and all our organised labour bodies in the country are implementing the minimum wage of N30,000 for their employees. Ideally, he who comes to equity should come with clean hand. This is hardly the case. The boundary of accountability should cover organised labour.
Another related issue is that respect begets respect. Leaders of organised labour need to moderate how they easily and cheaply alleged that anyone who is critical or opposed to their position is doing the bidding of others. It appears that the only language they speak in campaigning for their demands is to slander people who disagree with them. We should relate to debate based on the capacity to explain our positions and win support without resort to blackmails. Blackmail and name calling will not resolve our challenges as a nation. NLC leadership and organised labour can allege whatever fancy their imagination, it will not resolve the challenge around issues bordering on implementation of the minimum wage in Nigeria unless we are able to have the courage to do the needful, which is about recognising the rights of all employers and the constituent units of our federation to negotiate and determine laws that affect them.
Finally, there are claims in the media that the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended provides for review of the minimum wage in the country every five years. Nowhere in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, such a provision is made. What came close to that was the proposal by the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila in 2017, then as Majority Leader proposed the amendment of the Minimum Wage Act to insert the clause that “The Minimum Wage shall be subject to periodic review every five years.” This proposal was never passed by the 8th National Assembly.
It is important that all these distortions are corrected. Our democracy must be insulated from distortions and falsehood. The struggles of Nigerian workers for a just and better Nigeria should not be oriented based on falsehood and distortions. The earlier NLC leadership retrace their steps and return to the path of truth and democratic engagement to win the support of Nigerians, including elected representatives, the better. Political bullying is antithetical to democracy and is counter productive to the struggles for a decent wage!
This position does not represent the view of any APC Governor or the Progressive Governors Forum. | Minimum Wage: Progressive Governors' Forum DG Faults NLC Over Protest | business | Advertisement The Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman has berated the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for protesting against the decentralization of … Continue reading Minimum Wage: Progressive Governors’ Forum DG Faults NLC Over Protest |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/02/16/inec-to-create-new-polling-units-ahead-of-anambra-ekiti-osun-elections/ | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is proposing to create new additional polling units across the country ahead of the governorship elections in Anambra this year and the Ekiti and Osun elections in 2022 as well as the 2023 general election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu who made the announcement during a meeting with the National leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) in Kaduna state, says that the creation of more polling units has become very important due to the increasing number of prospective eligible voters in the country.
Professor Yakubu while stressing the need to depoliticize the creation of polling units by political parties, warned that disenfranchising millions of eligible voters due to the absence of enough polling units is capable of damaging the credibility of elections in the country.
READ ALSO: PDP Leaders Meet With Goodluck Jonathan In Abuja
According to INEC, there are 119,973 polling units in the country established a quarter of a century ago in 1996 by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON), during the period, the voter population was projected at 50 million.
After three unsuccessful attempts to create new polling Units for elections, INEC is now adopting a new approach to the disturbing issue of polling units expansion especially now that the number of voters in its register has increased to over 84 million.
This time, the commission is holding consultations with election stakeholders, unlike the previous attempts that failed because the commission handled them administratively. | INEC To Create New Polling Units Ahead Of Anambra, Ekiti, Osun Elections | business | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is proposing to create new additional polling units across the country ahead of the governorship elections in Anambra … Continue reading INEC To Create New Polling Units Ahead Of Anambra, Ekiti, Osun Elections |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/12/03/tinubu-postponed-us-trip-he-was-never-denied-visa-orji-kalu/ | Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has debunked rumours making the round that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was denied a visa to the United States of America.
Describing the story as fake news in a Facebook post on Saturday, the former Abia State Governor said Tinubu postponed the travel himself and was never denied a visa.
He said as the election draws closer, the opposition will spread more fake news against their presidential candidate and urged the party’s supporters to always ignore and keep their eyes on the ball.
Orji Kalu claimed that the State Department of the US confirmed to him that Tinubu will be received in the third week of December.
He wrote, “As the election draws closer, the opposition will spread more fake news against our presidential candidate but we should always ignore and keep our eyes on the ball. The news that Tinubu was denied a visa to the USA is as fake as other fake news.
“Tinubu postponed the travel himself and was never denied a visa. The State Department of the US confirmed to me that Tinubu will be received in the third week of December. As the presidential candidate of our party with an outstanding personality, he will be warmly welcomed in the United States. OUK.”
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The APC Presidential Campaign Council had in a statement last week said that Tinubu will embark on foreign trips from December 4 to meet global leaders and pitch his Presidential aspiration.
In the statement posted on its Twitter handle, the campaign council disclosed that Tinubu and his delegation will be in London, USA, France, and key European Union member states to share his vision and plans and to also solicit the support of the Western powers for the democratic process that will usher in the new administration in Nigeria from May 29th, 2023.
It also stated that while in London, Tinubu will address the Chatham House, the United Kingdom’s elite Foreign and Policy Think-tank institution where he will speak on security, economy and foreign policy on Monday, December 5, 2022.
Tinubu to embark on foreign trip, speaks on security, economy at Chatham House pic.twitter.com/FtU0TD5GSt
— APC Presidential Campaign Council (@APCPresCC2022) November 28, 2022 | Tinubu Postponed US Trip, He Was Never Denied Visa – Orji Kalu | business | Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has debunked rumours making the round that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was denied … Continue reading Tinubu Postponed US Trip, He Was Never Denied Visa – Orji Kalu |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/01/10/world-bank-forecasts-2-5-growth-for-nigeria-in-2018/ | The World Bank predicts Nigeria’s Economic Growth reaching at least 2.5 percent in 2018, as the country benefits from improved commodity prices, investments and trade.
According to the global lender’s January 2018 Global Economic Prospect Report, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow by 2.8 percent in 2019 and 2020.
The World Bank also forecasts that global economic growth will go up to 3.1 percent in the year, while growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase further to 3.2 percent in 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2019. | World Bank Forecasts 2.5% Growth For Nigeria In 2018 | politics | The World Bank predicts Nigeria’s Economic Growth reaching at least 2.5 percent in 2018, as the country benefits from improved commodity |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/02/05/katsina-students-women-back-tinubus-presidential-bid/ | Youths and women including physically challenged persons in Katsina State on Sunday pledged to vote for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kashim Shettima.
Their reason is to ensure a safer, stronger, and better Nigeria and for Nigerians to remain in perfect peace and harmony.
According to the supporters led by the Coordinator of the Coalition of Katsina Groups for National Unity and Integration Comrade Hamza Umar, ruling Nigeria is not boxing or wrestling. It is about using the brain to bring positive changes, he maintained.
He argued that Tinubu played a significant role in the democratic process from 1999 to the 2015 general elections where he supported President Muhammadu Buhari. Comrade Hamza, therefore, said it’s high time for Katsina residents and northerners, in general, to support Tinubu to address Nigeria’s problems.
READ ALSO: APC Represents Darkness, Peter Obi Is The Light, Says Babachir Lawal
“We are engaging various like-minds groups cut across the three senatorial districts of Daura, Funtua, and Katsina,” he said.
“The northern part of the country spent eight years with the president and since we spent eight years with the president, it’s the right time for northerners to support the southerner, particularly Bola Ahmed Tinubu to become the next president of Nigeria.
“We really understand the situation of Nigeria at a point in time. It’s the right time for Katsina residents in particular and northerners in general to support Tinubu because of the problems we are encountering now to balance the equation.
“Tinubu is the real father of democracy in Nigeria. He is a true and real nationalist. He promised better education for children of the less privileged.
“He sacrificed his life, wealth, and other things for democracy. He is in addition, the strongest and right candidate among others in terms of capacity, manifesto, and everything. We believe Tinubu has the capacity
“Whether we like it or not, Tinubu has contributed immensely to making sure that Buhari became the president to ensure that the North completes its tenure.
“Whoever does good for you, you must reciprocate the gesture. We must to payback good with good. Women constitute 60 percent of the population and that’s why we engaged more women in this engagement to show hospitality to Tinubu.” | Katsina Students, Women Back Tinubu's Presidential Bid | business | "Tinubu is the real father of democracy in Nigeria. He is a true and real nationalist." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/08/06/kaduna-south-clamours-for-governors-seat-ahead-of-2015/ | Indigenes of southern region of Kaduna state north-west Nigeria, are clamouring for the next governor of the state to emerge from their region ahead of the general elections come 2015.
At a forum held in Kafanchan, participants argued that they have been marginalized politically and economically for a long time, adding that only a balanced rotation of power would address the issue.
On security matters, they resolve that the situation of a military barracks in the area will go a long way in curtailing security challenges in the area. They also want more youths from the zone to gain employment.
They claim they have contributed a lot to the success story of democracy in the state and the country at large, but say they are yet to feel government presence
But government officials present at the forum, Dr. Bakut Tswah Director of the Nigeria Institute for Conflict Resolution and also Aminu Yahaya, who represented the Kaduna state governor, said the security challenges are not peculiar to the area alone, as all hands must be on deck towards the security of lives and property in the zone.
They however advised aggrieved persons to always explore the dialogue option instead of revenge. | Kaduna South Clamours For Governor’s Seat Ahead Of 2015 | business | Indigenes of southern region of Kaduna state north-west Nigeria, are clamouring for the next governor of the state to emerge from their region ahead of … Continue reading Kaduna South Clamours For Governor’s Seat Ahead Of 2015 |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/10/09/police-in-show-of-force-ahead-ondo-election/ | Police officers have assured the people of Ondo State of readiness to ensure peaceful conduct during the governorship election.
Mr Leye Oyebade, who is the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) overseeing police operations during the election in Ondo, gave the assurance on Friday in Akure, the state capital during the police show of force.
According to him, the police have put necessary measures in place to ensure the exercise goes smoothly and ensure the security of the electorate.
See photos from the show of force event below… | Police In Show Of Force Ahead Ondo Election | business | Police officers have assured the people of Ondo State of readiness to ensure peaceful conduct during the governorship election. Advertisement Mr Leye Oyebade, who … Continue reading Police In Show Of Force Ahead Ondo Election |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/14/pound-falls-after-brexit-fuelled-highs/ | The pound retreated Thursday awaiting yet another Brexit vote after the UK currency struck multi-month highs versus the dollar and euro thanks to British MPs ruling out a no-deal departure from the European Union.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed in late morning deals, boosted by the pound’s retreat helping to lift share prices of multinationals.
“The pound has pulled away from its multi-month highs against the dollar and euro reached yesterday after the UK parliament voted against leaving the EU without a deal,” noted Dean Popplewell, analyst at Oanda trading group.
Attention now turns to Thursday’s vote by British MPs on whether to ask the EU to approve a Brexit delay.
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It comes amid plans by Prime Minister Theresa May to ask lawmakers again to back her twice-defeated divorce deal next week.
Following Wednesday’s no-deal vote, the pound surged to $1.3381, its highest level since June.
The euro was meanwhile pushed down to 84.73 pence — a level not seen since May 2017.
In Thursday trading, the pound fell back to $1.3232, while one euro was worth 85.45 pence.
Market focus was also on China, with Shanghai’s stock market closing down 1.2 percent after figures showed the country’s factory output grew slower than forecast in the first two months of the year.
Chinese retail sales and investment were broadly in line with expectations.
The tepid readings highlighted weakness in the world’s number two economy and reinforced the need for measures by the Chinese government to kickstart growth as the global economy stutters and the US trade war drags on.
The “data means the economy will take a longer time to bottom out as industrial production and consumption are still under pressure despite the rebound in investment”, Liu Peiqian, Asia strategist at Natwest Markets PLC, told Bloomberg News.
Traders will be keeping a close eye on closing remarks at the annual National People’s Congress on Friday for an idea about leaders’ plans.
Wall Street had closed higher Wednesday after data showed a pick-up in the US manufacturing sector, while a soft reading on wholesale inflation reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will not hike interest rates any time soon.
With few major catalysts for buying dealers are awaiting fresh developments in the China-US trade talks with President Donald Trump saying he saw a “very good chance” of a deal but added he was in “no rush”.
Key figures around 1130 GMT
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,188.75 points
Frankfurt – DAX 30: DOWN 0.1 percent at 11,559.66
Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 5,327.40
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.2 percent at 3,329.50
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3245 from $1.3339 at 2100 GMT
Euro/pound: UP at 85.40 pence from 85.00 pence
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1310 from $1.1334
Dollar/yen: UP at 111.62 yen from 111.17 yen
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 21,287.02 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.2 percent at 28,851.39 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 2,990.69 (close)
New York – DOW: UP 0.6 percent at 25,702.89 (close)
Oil – Brent Crude: UP two cents at $67.57 per barrel
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 16 cents at $58.10 per barrel.
AFP | Pound Falls After Brexit-Fuelled Highs | politics | The pound retreated Thursday awaiting yet another Brexit vote after the UK currency struck multi-month highs versus the dollar and euro thanks to British MPs ruling … Continue reading Pound Falls After Brexit-Fuelled Highs |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/11/10/twitter-will-do-lots-of-dumb-things-in-coming-months-elon-musk/ | New Twitter owner Elon Musk has warned that the microblogging platform “will do lots of dumb things in coming months”.
Musk said this on Wednesday after Twitter stopped a new verification tool hours after its introduction. The social media platform had unveiled its long-awaited Twitter Blue subscription service, which allows users to pay $8 per month for the blue tick verification, as well as a separate grey “official” badge for some high-profile accounts.
However, the new grey label was almost immediately scrapped, overshadowing the launch of Twitter Blue, which is currently only available on the mobile app on iPhones and in the United States.
“I just killed it,” Musk tweeted, referring to the new “official” badge hours after it was added to government accounts, big companies, and major media outlets.
“Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in the coming months. We will keep what works & change what doesn’t,” the world’s richest man added.
READ ALSO: Musk ‘Kills’ New Twitter Label Hours After Launch
The “official” badge was only going to be offered to “government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures”.
“A lot of folks have asked about how you’ll be able to distinguish between @TwitterBlue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we’re introducing the ‘Official’ label to select accounts when we launch,” Twitter’s Early-Stage Products Executive Esther Crawford said before the badge was launched.
“Not all previously verified accounts will get the ‘Official’ label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures.
“The new Twitter Blue does not include ID verification – it’s an opt-in, paid subscription that offers a blue checkmark and access to select features.
“We’ll continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types,” Crawford added. | Twitter Will Do Lots Of Dumb Things In Coming Months – Elon Musk | technology | New Twitter owner Elon Musk has warned that the microblogging platform “will do lots of dumb things in coming months”. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/04/07/just-in-im-not-leaving-labour-party-says-obi/ | The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has debunked rumours making the rounds that he is leaving the party, insisting that he stands for peaceful resolution of issues in the party.
He made the remarks on Sunday when he donated a borehole to Pantami Sheep Market in Gombe State, a market with thousands of business owners and households.
“I am for peace, I believe that we are one. We are one people and our concentration should be on peace and I believe we will resolve all issues,” Obi said when asked about the leadership crisis that has rocked the party.
Obi said he is visiting various states of the country to meet needs of people especially during the Ramadan fasting by Muslim faithful.
The Labour Party has been plagued with intra-party squabbles of late, with Julius Abure being in the eyes of the storm. Some members of the party have insisted that Abure’s tenure as LP chairman was over but a recent national convention of the party held in Anambra reportedly returned Abure re-elected, a development that has been rejected by many party members and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), with the labour union maintaining that Abure must go. | I'm Not Leaving Labour Party, Says Obi | business | He made the remarks on Sunday when he donated a borehole to Pantami Sheep Market in Gombe State, a market with thousands of business owners and households. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/03/23/which-internet-games-are-the-most-successful-among-african-players/ | When it comes to games of luck, African players have a diverse range of preferences, influenced by cultural backgrounds, gaming traditions, and personal tastes.
Across the continent, certain games of luck stand out as particularly popular and successful among African players. Let’s take a closer look at some of these games and the reasons behind their widespread appeal.
Gaming Machines: The All-Time Favorite
Gaming machines, also known as “pokies” or “fruit machines,” hold a special place in the hearts of many African games of luck enthusiasts. These games are beloved for their simplicity, vibrant graphics, and immersive gameplay experiences.
Whether it’s spinning the reels in search of jackpot prizes or enjoying themed adventures with elaborate bonus features, this offers a thrilling and accessible form of entertainment for players of all skill levels. Additionally, the wide variety of themes available in these games allows players to explore diverse cultural motifs and engage with familiar symbols and narratives from their own backgrounds.
Roulette: The Classic Game of Luck Staple
Roulette has long been a staple in land-based and online games of luck worldwide, and its popularity extends to African players as well. With its elegant simplicity and potential for big wins, roulette attracts players seeking the excitement of chance and the thrill of anticipation.
The game’s iconic spinning wheel and the sound of the ball bouncing across the numbered pockets create an atmosphere of suspense and anticipation that keeps players coming back for more. Additionally, the variety of betting options available in roulette allows players to tailor their strategies and play styles to suit their preferences, adding an element of strategy to the game’s inherent randomness.
Virtual Reality Game of Lucks: Immersive Experiences
One of the most innovative advancements in this gaming technology is the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology. VR games of luck offer African players an immersive and lifelike experience, transporting them to a virtual game of luck environment from the comfort of their homes. These games often feature realistic graphics, interactive gameplay, and the ability to socialise with other players in a virtual space.
Games like virtual reality gaming, blackjack, roulette, and draw games have gained popularity among African players seeking a more engaging and interactive gaming experience. With VR headsets becoming more accessible and affordable, the adoption of VR game of luck is expected to grow further, offering players a new dimension of entertainment and excitement in the world of online gaming.
Whether it be live baccarat casino games or VR draw game experiences, immersive games are one of the hottest new trends among African players.
Blackjack: The Game of Skill and Strategy
For African players who enjoy a challenge and prefer games of skill, blackjack is a perennial favourite. This classic card game combines elements of strategy, probability, and psychology, making it a favourite among players who enjoy a mental workout while they play.
The objective of blackjack is simple: beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. However, mastering the game requires understanding the rules, learning basic strategy, and making calculated decisions based on the cards in play. Blackjack’s low house edge and the potential for skilled players to gain an advantage through strategic play make it an attractive option for those looking to test their skills against the house.
Draw Game: The Ultimate Test of Skill and Bluffing
The Draw Game has a devoted following among African players who are drawn to the game’s combination of skill, strategy, and psychological warfare. Whether it’s Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or Stud Draw, the thrill of outsmarting opponents and raking in chips is irresistible to many players across the continent.
Draw Game’s popularity is further bolstered by the rise of online draw game platforms, which allow players to compete in tournaments and cash games from the comfort of their own homes. Additionally, the social aspect of draw games, with its camaraderie and friendly competition, makes it a popular choice for players looking to connect with others and enjoy a shared gaming experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, African players have diverse tastes when it comes to gaming, but certain games have emerged as clear favourites across the continent. Whether it’s the simplicity and excitement of gaming machines, the elegance of roulette, the strategic depth of blackjack, or the skillful play of draw games, each game offers its unique appeal to players seeking entertainment and excitement.
As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, these timeless classics will likely remain popular choices among African players, providing endless hours of fun and excitement for the game of luck enthusiasts across the continent. | Which Internet Games Are the Most Successful Among African Players? | technology | Across the continent, certain games of luck stand out as particularly popular and successful among African players. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/10/02/2023-north-wont-vote-along-ethnic-religious-lines-like-in-2015-cng/ | With the 2023 general elections barely four months away, the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG), has said the northern region will not vote along ethnic lines as it did in 2015.
Spokesman of the Coalition, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, stated this on Sunday in Kaduna State at a sensitization conference with the theme, “Politics of Sentiment, a Critical Factor Militating Development and Democracy in Nigeria”.
READ ALSO: 2023: I Have Not Withdrawn From Presidential Race – Tinubu Shares Workout Video
He said that those the northerners trusted with power have inadvertently isolated the region politically, economically, and socially as a result of which the once potent and progressive region is today begging not only for food but for a place in the nation’s future political arrangement. The CNG spokesman berated greedy politicians for misusing their offices at the expense of the Nigerian people.
“The CNG is today urging you to be less reliant on divisive political party propaganda and empty promises that have never and will never be kept,” he said.
“If the prize of voting along religious, ethnic or sectional sentiments is to become the most wretched, the most distressed, divided and most deprived, the north must therefore sincerely begin to ask itself if that price is worth paying.”
According to him, the northern region closed ranks for the first time and voted for leaders in 2015, with the hope that they would tackle security and fix the economy.
Regretting that the region made a mistake then, he lamented that the leaders trusted with power neglected the northern people. | 2023: North Won't Vote Along Ethnic, Religious Lines Like In 2015 – CNG | business | With the 2023 general elections barely four months away, the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG), has said the northern region will not vote along ethnic lines as it did in 2015. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/07/31/kwara-apc-rejects-dissolution-of-exco/ | The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the dissolution of its executive committee by the party’s national working committee (NWC).
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Buhari Sulyman, the party said the purported dissolution of its executives at the ward, local government and state levels were not only outrightly unlawful but also null and void.
“The duly elected party structure in Kwara State cannot be overthrown or dissolved by an unlawful declaration from Abuja,” Sulyman said.
The party’s reaction comes 24 hours after the national leadership under its Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole dissolved the State Executive Committee.
Explaining the reason for the development, Oshiomhole said the committee also reviewed the actions of some of the leaders of the party that emerged from the above congress who participated in an open rally calling on the Senate President to decamp to the PDP.
But the state chapter of the ruling party is not pleased with the explanation as it believes that “despite the distraction from Abuja, the Ishola Balogun Fulani – led State Executive Committee (SEC), the party leadership in the 16 local government and 193 wards of Kwara state shall continue to discharge constitutional functions.”
The party also accused its National Chairman of losing his respect by undue interference in its activities.
“Considering the inglorious role played by Comrade Adams Oshiomole, he has lost the respect of the leadership and members of APC in the 16 local government areas and 193 wards of Kwara State.
“He has destroyed his human rights credentials. It is crystal clear that the emerging dictator is always willing to trample on the rights of other party members whenever his personal interest is involved,” Sulyman added.
The party also passed a vote of confidence on the State Executive Council led by the Ishola Balogun Fulani, vowing to challenge the dissolution in court. | Kwara APC Rejects Dissolution Of Exco | business | The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the dissolution of its executive committee by the party's national working committee (NWC). |
https://www.channelstv.com/2015/01/13/channels-tv-hangout-jimi-agbaje/ | The Lagos State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jimi Agbaje, will tomorrow be answering questions from residents of the state in his first ever Google Plus Hangout hosted by Channels Television.
To be a part of the hangout, visit http://www.channelstv.com/hangout or via social media platforms using the #AskJimi.
The event will begin by 6PM Nigerian time. | Channels TV Hangout with Jimi Agbaje | business | Mr Jimi Agbaje, will tomorrow be answering questions from residents of the state in his first ever Google Plus Hangout hosted by Channels Television |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/09/24/kaduna-speaker-principal-officers-insist-impeachment-is-a-nullity/ | The worst is yet to come, over the crisis in Kaduna State House of Assembly after the Speaker of the House and his Deputy were impeached by a majority in the House, as the embittered officers who were impeached are disatisfied with the impeachment,describing it as a nullity at a press conference.
The Speaker Kaduna state House of Assembly, Mr Usman Gangara, from Giwa East constituency and his deputy, Dr. Dogara Mato from Lere constituency were, impeached earlier today by 19 out of 34 members of the assembly, alleged to be loyal to Vice-President Namadi Sambo and Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero.
The former speaker, Gangara and his deputy, Mato alongside six other principal officers of the House were all absent when the impeachment proceeding presided over by a member of the house, Mr. Philemon Usman was carried out.
They elected a new speaker, Shehu Usman Tahir representing Giwa West Constituency and Peter Adamu representing Kagarko Constituency elected Deputy Speaker, as 19 out of the 26 eligible voters from the 34-member House hat were present during the session endorsed the impeachment of the speaker and his deputy
The new Speaker, Shehu Tahir , shortly after his election told journalists that the desire to change the former principal officers of the House was to have robust law making in the state, which was lacking in the last leadership, as he denied the involvement of VP Sambo and Governor Yero in the removal of the former principal officers.
At a separate news conference, the embattled former speaker, Usman Gangara alongside 16 other members loyal to him described the purported impeachment as a nullity, saying that the House had already suspended sitting indefinitely before the action took place.
Some of the lawmakers argued that the other members did not constitute 2/3 majority as stipulated by the constitution to impeach the Speaker and other principal officers of the House.
They further accused Vice President Namadi Sambo and the State Governor, Muktar Ramalan Yero of being the brain behind the crisis rocking the state Assembly and influencing some of the members with monetary inducement.
The aggrieved members had last month issued the former Speaker and other principal officers of the House a 30-day ultimatum to resign, on grounds of incompetence and alleged gross misconduct. | Kaduna Speaker, Principal Officers Insist Impeachment Is A Nullity | business | The worst is yet to come, over the crisis in Kaduna State House of Assembly after the Speaker of the House and his Deputy were … Continue reading Kaduna Speaker, Principal Officers Insist Impeachment Is A Nullity |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/13/pdp-chairman-travels-to-europe-wednesday-hands-over-to-deputy/ | The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, will be away from Nigeria for two weeks, from Wednesday.
“While away, the Deputy Chairman (North), Amb. Iliya Damagun, will act in his place,” Ayu’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said in a statement.
He added that Ayu has communicated the handover to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Ayu’s trip overseas comes at a time when the opposition party is battling to end a crisis.
Ayu recently appealed to the acting Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, to help resolve the crisis in the party by reaching out to aggrieved members of the party.
The division in the PDP escalated after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from Adamawa State won the party’s presidential primary in May. An aspirant, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, at the venue of the primary stepped down for Atiku, an action that riled another aspirant, Governor Nyesom Wike of River State.
While Atiku scored 371 votes, Wike came second with 237 votes. The Rivers governor was reportedly miffed again when Atiku snubbed him to announce Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.
READ ALSO: PDP BoT Chair Jibrin Resigns, Wabara Takes Over
Wike also insisted that Ayu (from Benue State) step down for a southerner, arguing that northerners should not hold on to both positions.
In a move to resolve the lingering problems in the party, Walid Jibrin (from Nasarawa State), resigned as PDP BoT Chair last week and Wabara from Abia State replaced him in acting capacity.
Ayu had said members of the National Working Committee would visit Wike in Port Harcourt “for full reconciliation”. | PDP Chairman Travels To Europe Wednesday, Hands Over To Deputy | business | The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, will be away from Nigeria for two weeks, from Wednesday. Advertisement “While away, the … Continue reading PDP Chairman Travels To Europe Wednesday, Hands Over To Deputy |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/10/13/anambra-election-you-must-remain-apolitical-igp-tells-squadron-commanders/ | The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has asked Squadron Commanders to remain apolitical as the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State draws closer.
IGP Alkali gave the charge on Wednesday during his maiden meeting with Squadron Commanders at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
“You must remain apolitical while being ruthless with violent elements and ill-guided political thugs that may wish to test our common will to deliver a transparent and credible electoral outcome,” the police chief added.
He also called for cooperation with other security agencies and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I charge you to cultivate the spirit of teamwork and inter-agency cooperation, knowing that you will operate side-by-side with other sister security agencies and officials of INEC,” he noted.
READ ALSO: Anambra Deputy Governor Defects To APC
‘Securing Democratic Values’
The IGP also expressed confidence that the police operatives would excel in the assignment just as they have done well in previous operations. He directed them to deal with violent elements that may want to undermine the election.
He added: “As you are aware, the Anambra State Gubernatorial Election will be held on 6th of November, 2021. The election security action plan will, as usual, revolve around units of the Mobile Police Force.
“The import of this is that the task of securing our democratic values and guaranteeing a safe, secure and credible electoral process in Anambra State will rest squarely and majorly on some of you, the Squadron Commanders here seated and some of your units.
“Most of your operatives will be deployed to deter subversive elements that are planning to threaten the process, while others will be deployed to secure personnel and materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as other critical national infrastructure.”
The IGP appealed to them not to let the Force and indeed the entire nation down in what he described as a critical national assignment.
On training, the police chief re-emphasized that the repositioning of the Police Mobile Force is “one of my police leadership agenda”.
According to him, PMF under his leadership will in due course, be re-organized, adequately equipped, trained and re-oriented with the goal of re-situating it within its original concept. | Anambra Election: You Must Remain Apolitical, IGP Tells Squadron Commanders | business | Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has asked Squadron Commanders to remain apolitical. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/23/2023-osinbajo-meets-kaduna-delegates-ahead-of-presidential-primary/ | Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has visited Kaduna State in continuation of his presidential campaign ahead of the All Progressive Congress (APC) primary.
Osinbajo arrived in the state on Sunday night where he met with the APC Adhoc delegates behind closed doors at the Murtala Mohammed Square.
He was accompanied by Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the Director-General of his campaign organisation Senator Kabiru Gaya among other top government officials.
READ ALSO: Insecurity In South East Politically-Motivated But Not Imported, Says Umahi
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Professor Osinbajo expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his discussion with the Kaduna APC Delegates.
The Vice President added that the delegates were impressed by his presentation in the areas of security, economy, and healthcare service delivery if he is elected as the next president of the country in 2023. | 2023: Osinbajo Meets Kaduna Delegates Ahead Of Presidential Primary | business | Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has visited Kaduna State in continuation of his presidential campaign ahead of the All Progressive Congress (APC) primary. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2014/08/27/pdp-meets-ministers/ | President Goodluck Jonathan has held a special meeting with his cabinet members, the National Working Committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leadership of the National Assembly to make strategic decisions ahead of Nigeria’s 2015 general election.
The meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, began immediately after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The Vice President, chairman of the PDP and all the PDP executive, Senate President, Secretary to the Federal Government and all the Federal Ministers were all present at the meeting.
At the end of the meeting that lasted for over four hours, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metu, said it was important that the PDP should begin to strategize on how to publicize the achievements of the Goodluck Jonathan administration under the Transformation Agenda ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Mr Metu said that to gain the confidence of Nigerians, the PDP must ensure that the unity of the country and the ideals of the administration were upheld.
There were also indications that the meeting was held to also persuade the ministers, who have intentions to vie for elections in 2015, to resign so that the government can start looking for alternatives for them.
State governors that were at the meeting were; Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina, and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe. | Jonathan Meets With PDP Leaders, Ministers | business | A special meeting of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders was held at the presidential villa. The meeting began immediately after the council meeting and is also being presided over by president Goodluck Jonathan. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/04/27/we-saw-the-difference-when-you-were-acting-president-akarigbo-of-remoland-tells-osinbajo/ | Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi has extolled Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s leadership qualities, praising his impact when he was the acting president.
The Akarigbo of Remoland in Ogun State made the remark when the vice president visited the monarch in his palace on Tuesday.
“We are all living witnesses to when our son was in charge as Acting President. We saw the difference in our country, and that was just within a matter of weeks and months,” a statement from Osinbajo’s media aide Laolu Akande quoted him as saying.
“What would now happen if he becomes President for 4 years or 8 years? This country will undergo tremendous change.”
READ ALSO: My Presidential Agenda Is To Create Wealth For Nigerians – Okorocha
We joined the Vice President, @ProfOsinbajo, GCON today on his consultation visit to some of our paramount rulers in Ogun State at the palaces of the Akarigbo of Remoland, the Alake of Egbaland, and the Olu of Ilaro. pic.twitter.com/uzslGCp7VH
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 26, 2022
The monarch, who acknowledged divine supremacy in the choice of leaders, asked God to give the All Progressives Congress (APC) the wisdom and strength to work for the betterment of the country.
According to the Akarigbo, the VP, “by the grace of God, you will get there. Your light will continue to shine. It’s with such humility that I look at your life and I see the trajectory of what God has done… Mr Vice President, your journey is still long, but we will uphold you with prayers. Your days will be long, and you will continue to shine; the good Lord will continue to shine upon you, and at the end of the day, we will see that there is light at the end of the tunnel”.
Earlier, the former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State said he is prepared for the presidential post, citing his years of service in various capacities.
“With utmost humility, it is now evident that if there is anybody, any candidate, or aspirant, who on day one can hit the ground running, who on day one knows what to do, who will not spend another two years trying to decide what to do, that person is your son, Oluyemi Osinbajo. That is the objective truth,” he said. | We Saw The Difference When You Were Acting President, Akarigbo Of Remoland Tells Osinbajo | business | Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi has extolled Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's leadership qualities, praising his impact when he was the acting president. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/01/03/nigerian-high-commission-in-ghana-not-evicted-says-fg/ | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Nigeria’s High Commission in Accra, Ghana, has not been evicted.
This is according to a communique sent out by spokesman to the ministry, Mr Ferdinand Nwoye.
In his statement dated Friday the 3rd of January, 2020, Mr Nwoye noted that the clarification is pertinent following certain reports suggesting that the Commission in Accra had been violated by the host country.
READ ALSO: Enugu Airport To Be Reopened Before Easter – FG
He stated that the property under reference was in use by the Federal Ministry of Finance since 1957, on leasehold and was later bequeathed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Nwoye revealed that the lease is said to have expired recently, adding that the High Commission has been exploring the possibilities of renewing the lease agreement with the host authorities.
While explaining that the property is not housing either the residence of the High Commissioner or the Chancery or staff quarters, Mr Nwoye stressed that talks are ongoing the mission and appropriate authorities and assured Nigerians that the ministry is on top of the situation.
Below is the ministry’s full statement regarding the matter. | Nigerian High Commission In Ghana Not Evicted, Says FG | business | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Nigeria’s High Commission in Accra, Ghana, has not been evicted. Advertisement This is according to a … Continue reading Nigerian High Commission In Ghana Not Evicted, Says FG |
https://www.channelstv.com/2014/09/10/apc-party-rescue-mission-oyegun/ | The leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to see the party as one on a rescue mission, poised and positioned to rescue the nation.
At the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe’s house in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Chairman of the party, Mr John Oyegun, said the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government had failed Nigerians and that “the time for change has come”.
He claimed that the APC was the alternative party for a better Nigeria.
The event was dominated by political speeches by members of the opposition party and speaker after speaker took a swipe at the Federal Government and canvassed for a change which they say will work for a better Nigeria.
For the governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, the Peoples Democratic Party-led government had over time provided the recipe for insurgency, insecurity, ethnicity and hopelessness in the country and that if given another opportunity in 2015, it could finally derail the nation.
The APC says it is not bothered by the departure of some key members of the party as their exist had given room for the party to continue to grow as it looks to lead the country in the coming years. | APC, Party On A Rescue Mission – Oyegun | business | The leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to see the party as one on a rescue mission, poised and positioned to rescue the nation. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/04/04/access-bank-leads-financial-transparency-index/ | Access bank Plc tops a financial transparency index survey conducted by Source Capital Research in collaboration with Business Day Media Company Limited.
The financial transparency study was based on combined risk management and corporate governance disclosures in their financial reports for the year ended December 2010.
Fourteen listed banks were analysed by the research team at source capital.
According to the report, when a combination of the overall level of corporate governance and risk management disclosure by the banks was analysed and ranked, Access bank, Stanbic IBTC bank, First City Monument Bank, Ecobank bank PLC and Guaranty Trust Bank were among the top five.
Others include Diamond bank, Zenith bank, Fidelity bank, Skye bank and First bank of Nigeria.
While Access bank topped the index, the bank was found not to have disclosed information such as the compensation policy of the bank as regards its proprietary traders, the level of training its directors have on risk management, concentration risk, and trading portfolio value at risk. | Access bank leads financial transparency index | politics | Access bank Plc tops a financial transparency index survey conducted by Source Capital Research in collaboration with Business Day Media Company Limited. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/06/04/broadcasters-face-screen-test-in-covid-19-age/ | Sport has been forced behind closed doors for the foreseeable future but experts are divided over whether broadcasters will suffer or prosper in the new landscape.
Some believe television rights will either stagnate or decline in value, others think they will be driven up due to increased interest from tech companies such as Google and Amazon.
The sums in play are enormous. American broadcaster NBC’s current deal to cover the Olympics until 2032 is worth $7.75 billion.
The English Premier League’s most recent overseas TV rights package for 2019-22 rose a reported 35 percent in value to £4.2 billion ($5.25 billion) despite a fall in the value of the domestic rights.
European Broadcasting Union executive director of sport Stefan Kuerten is unconvinced that rights deals will continue to soar despite potentially millions being added to viewing figures.
The 61-year-old will on Friday step away after almost 20 years of negotiating global and European rights for events such as World Cups and Olympics on behalf of public service broadcasters.
“They (TV) will be in a strong position but will price go up because of it? There I have doubts,” he told AFP by phone from Switzerland.
He believes the virus will have an impact on the industry.
READ ALSO: Armenia Hospitals Overwhelmed As COVID-19 Cases Surge
“Broadcasters have learned now these kinds of pandemics exist and could ask for new exit and security clauses in contracts like a force majeure (unexpected event) or unforeseeable event.
“The virus has placed a safety belt on sports broadcasters as to whether they increase the payment in case something else happens.”
– Atmosphere –
Kuerten warns that viewers will tire of watching events without crowds, even if they can watch sport from the comfort of their armchairs.
“Without any fans in the stadium, TV is not sustainable for football or other sports,” he said. “When the crowd reacts, then emotions spill over into the screen.
“If one of these elements is missing then there are different sensations and viewers hesitate to have the same interest in the product as before.
“I have to say from my experience following matches (in the Bundesliga, taking place behind closed doors), something is missing.”
British advertising tycoon Martin Sorrell, who founded advertising giant WPP, is more bullish, though he admits the waters are choppy.
“There are not exactly positives to come out of this (coronavirus) but demand will see live sport at a premium and may see more distant viewers/fans tuning in and watching,” he said.
“The rights will continue to increase driven by the incursion of digital media players, platforms and hardware companies.”
– ‘The COVID pause’ –
Sorrell, who sits on the International Olympic Committee’s Communications Commission, says it is clear that “public thirst for live sport, for watching it, has increased”.
The 75-year-old Englishman, who left WPP in 2018 and set up digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital, says the public have adapted to the online world.
“COVID-19 has had influence, with huge amounts of people unable to go to the shops due to lockdown shopping online, communicating online,” he said.
“As media becomes increasingly more digital and less analogue, that moves it more online so potential audiences move online.”
Terrence Burns, who since leaving his marketing executive role at the IOC has played a key role in five victorious Olympic bid campaigns, believes sponsors and advertisers who partner with broadcasters will be more selective.
“I think the ‘COVID pause’ will lead to what I call the ‘great value realignment’ in sport,” he said.
“Obviously, brands (sponsors and advertisers) will come back to sport — it is the most emotive marketing strategy on the planet and most efficient.
“The question is what are they coming back to?
“Brands will be necessarily more demanding in terms of expenditure and value — they will be ‘pickier’ about what sports (competitions and events) they invest in.
“This means that smaller and or marginal sports may indeed suffer in the short term, but I also think this will force federations to find and create niches for the right brands.”
AFP | Broadcasters Face Screen Test In COVID-19 Age | technology | Sport has been forced behind closed doors for the foreseeable future but experts are divided over whether broadcasters will suffer or prosper in the … Continue reading Broadcasters Face Screen Test In COVID-19 Age |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/07/26/oba-palace-attack-apc-slams-pdp-alleges-plot-to-abduct-party-leaders/ | The incident at the palace of the Oba Of Benin in Edo State has continued to generate mixed reactions from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While the PDP accused the opposition party in the state of sponsoring the attack on its leaders who were at the palace to visit the traditional ruler, the APC insisted that the ruling party in Edo should be held responsible.
Mr Patrick Obahiagbon, who is the Vice Chairman of the Media and Communications Committee for the APC National Campaign Council in Edo, spoke on behalf of the party.
Addressing reporters on Sunday in Benin City, the state capital, he explained that some members of the APC were holding a peaceful protest on Saturday before the incident.
The campaign council spokesman also claimed that his party has uncovered a plot by the Edo State government to arrest and intimidate its leaders on the eve of the election scheduled for September 19.
He, therefore, asked the law enforcement agencies to investigate the attack on APC leaders and supporters in order to ensure a violent-free election in the state.
PDP Reacts
Elsewhere, Chairman of the PDP Campaign Council in Edo and National Vice Chairman (South-South), Dan Osi Orbih, blamed the APC for the incident.
He told reporters at the party’s campaign office in the state capital that the opposition party in the state was allegedly plotting to wipe out the PDP hierarchy, including its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who were among those who visited the Oba’s palace.
Orbih also claimed that the attack carried out on the PDP convoy could lead to a serious conflict involving states which had their governors in attendance.
“The APC organised attack at the palace is in our view, a political mutiny against constituted authority, capable of causing interstate conflict and war between Edo state and the affected states of the governors that were marked down for elimination.
“There have been several videos in cyberspace where these thugs have been instructed, directed, and motivated to intimidate and cause chaos and mayhem in the state,” the PDP chieftain alleged.
He insisted that the APC had no official engagement at the palace and also called on the security agencies to ensure those found culpable were made to face the law.
“I want to place it on record that there was no official APC event in the palace or anywhere in Benin that was so communicated in accordance with INEC guidelines.
“There was no official communication to the security agencies and the palace that APC was also going to have an event at the palace,” Orbih said. | Oba Palace Attack: APC Slams PDP, Alleges Plot To Abduct Party Leaders | business | Advertisement The incident at the palace of the Oba Of Benin in Edo State has continued to generate mixed reactions from the All Progressives … Continue reading Oba Palace Attack: APC Slams PDP, Alleges Plot To Abduct Party Leaders |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/01/02/obi-endorsement-we-dont-want-anyone-pulling-presidents-ears-pdp-apc-tackle-obasanjo/ | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have countered the views of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, following his endorsement of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the forthcoming election.
This comes hours after Obasanjo, on New Year’s Day, in a six-page open letter addressed to the Nigerian youth in particular, described Obi as his mentee, saying the former Anambra State governor has an edge in the February 25 election.
“One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost,” the former president wrote.
“In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. He has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”
However, a member of the Strategic Communications Directorate of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Anthony Ehilebo; and a spokesman for the Tinubu/Shettima PCC, Kehinde Bamgbetan criticised the endorsement on Monday when they appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“I have a very strong opposition to anybody who would seem to want to control the president of Nigeria either by a thread or a needle or by pulling his ears,” Ehilebo said. “We want an independent president. We want a president that can take decisions and own his time in government.
“It reminds us of what happened prior to 2015 when he also wrote a letter to instigate Nigerians to change Jonathan because he felt he was no longer in control of Jonathan.”
READ ALSO: Obasanjo Endorses Peter Obi For 2023 Presidency, Says LP Candidate Has An Edge
The PDP chieftain likened Obasanjo’s message to the 18-page letter he wrote in 2013 and addressed to then President Goodluck Jonathan, in which he told his successor to “forget about 2015.”
“We remember that he wrote these letters against then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and he’s now complaining seven and a half years later that we are going from frying pan to fire.
“I would suggest that somebody that put us in a frying pan will sit this one out and allow the Nigerians to make a choice, instead of foisting a subjective opinion on Nigerians,” he said.
In a similar vein, Bamgbetan argued that any “self-respecting” presidential candidate in Obi’s shoes would not be proud to continue campaigning after Obasanjo’s comments.
“For somebody to tell you that you are a needle who must have a thread, you are somebody who he will be pulling your ears, those are very deprecating (words) for somebody to put a president in place.
“Much of what he said on that occasion, if you look at it very well, they don’t even give Mr Peter Obi any modicum of respect. The manner in which he described Mr Peter Obi, if we were in his shoes, would not be something we would take to the bank. We don’t even think that was fair to the man,” he said.
Responding to the criticisms, the Chief Spokesperson, LP PCC, Yunusa Tanko stated that as a former president, Obasanjo is equipped to know and assess “virtually everybody” he has had dealings with.
“Even at a distance, he can easily measure you with your capacity and your strength and what you have done over the years. He looked at the track record of Obi in Anambra State in a micro situation.
“In terms of security, he scored. In terms of infrastructure, he scored high. In terms of accountability, he scored high. In terms of compassion to the people, he scored high – from his own assessment as a former leader which he used as a yardstick,” he said. | Endorsement: 'We Don't Want Anyone Pulling President's Ears,' PDP, APC Tackle Obasanjo | business | Atiku's aide referred to the former president as "someone that put us in a frying pan." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/08/21/i-do-not-feel-impact-of-returning-ministers-says-bode-george/ | The former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, says he didn’t feel the impact of the returning ministers.
George, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, asked the newly sworn-in members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to discharge their duties in the overall interest of Nigerians.
“Let me talk as a Nigerian. Those who were there before, to me personally, I didn’t see any impact in their performance.
“I am hoping that having been given a second chance, they must make a difference. Nigerians are at the precipice,” he said.
The PDP chieftain believes the citizens yearn for good and qualitative governance as President Buhari’s cabinet officially kicks off.
READ ALSO: Buhari Assigns Portfolios To Ministers (FULL LIST)
He noted that Nigerians “are hungry and therefore are angry. Let them go back and make sure that this nation has given them another opportunity to have achievements at the hearts of the people of Nigeria.”
When asked if he is impressed with the deployment of former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva as the Minister of State for Petroleum, George called for the availability of fuel across the nation.
He, however, asked Sylva to convince the people of the Niger-Delta region to allow peace reign so that petroleum products can easily be accessible.
“For the last four years, fuel was flowing right through this country and there we occasions they were going to increase the petroleum prices that set up a lot of crisis.
“Now that we know it is the President himself that is the Minister of Petroleum, I will only appeal that as an oil-producing country, we must perpetually have fuel, no back-stabbing or back play.
“Timipre himself is from the oil-producing region. I hope he will be able to convince the people there that there must be peace for the easy flow of the fuel,” he said.
George’s comment comes hours after the President inaugurated his long-awaited cabinet in Abuja and also assigned portfolios to the ministers. | I Do Not Feel Impact Of Returning Ministers, Says Bode George | business | The former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, says he didn’t feel the impact of the returning ministers. Advertisement … Continue reading I Do Not Feel Impact Of Returning Ministers, Says Bode George |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/02/28/2023-elections-11-major-developments-everyone-should-be-aware-of-today/ | Gradually, the nation seems to be coming to the closing chapter of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections, but it is quite not the end yet.
There are still a few more boxes that need to be ticked before we can say it is all over.
While we cannot say for certain at this moment who will win this election, however, here are 11 major developments that we have noted and believe everyone should be aware of at this moment.
1. Results of At Least 35 States, FCT Known
At the moment the results of at least 35 states and the FCT are known.
Ekiti was the first state to be officially announced, and afterwards, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the results for 25 other states including (Kwara, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Enugu, Lagos, Gombe, Jigawa, Adamawa, Katsina, Niger, Edo, Benue, Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Abia, Bauchi, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Kano and FCT).
States whose results we already know but have not been announced at the National Collation Centre in Abuja include (Ebonyi, Imo, Cross River, Delta, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba, Anambra, and Rivers).
The outcome of the polls in Borno State is the only one currently expected.
2. IReV Uploads Surpass 100 Thousand Polling Units
The functionality of the IReV and BVAS have been a huge talking point all through the elections, especially within the collation stage of the process.
Some party agents on Monday staged a walk-off at the International Conference Centre where the national collation is taking place. However, many others have stayed back and INEC has continued to see that the IReV begins to function as expected.
At this time of writing this, about 103,492 polling units’ results have been uploaded, out of the 176,846 polling units we have. This leaves us with 73,354 polling units more to go.
3. APC leads In Number of Votes, But PDP Has More States
With the figures obtained at this time, the All Progressives Congress (APC) currently leads in terms of the number of votes polled (6.5 million).
The PDP is currently in second place with 5.1 million votes while the Labour Party comes in a distant 3rd place with 3.1 million votes.
While the numbers are in favour of the APC, the PDP has won more states than any other party at this time, however, the winner of this election will not be determined by how many states one has won but by how many votes they polled.
4. PDP, LP, ADC Ask INEC Chairman To Step Aside
Aggrieved with the result collation process, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) have demanded a fresh election, saying the February 25 presidential election has been “irretrievably compromised”.
According to the parties, Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections were manipulated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at polling units by their failure to upload results electronically on the commission’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV).
5. Several Governors Lose Bid To Enter Senate
The election is a dynamic one and that has continued to reflect in the results of the National Assembly Polls.
A couple of serving governors who were hoping to move into the Senate saw their legislative dreams brought to a halt.
At least six outgoing governors failed in their attempts to make it to Nigeria’s Senate after their two-term tenure of eight years each.
6. INEC Official Fears For His Life
The elections took a little ugly shape in Rivers State where a collation officer for the presidential election (SCOPs), Prof Charles Adias adjourned the collation of results for February 25, 2023 election over an alleged threat to his life by unnamed party supporters.
Prof Adias who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otueke announced the adjournment on Tuesday morning while addressing journalists at the State Collation Centre in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The Commissioner of Police of the Presidential Election in Rivers, Aderemi Adeoye, appealed to the SCOPs to reveal the names of those threatening his life, Adias insisted that he won’t proceed until the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state addressed some of the issues of those threatening him raised
This includes the faulty Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
7. Statesmen Weigh In On The Matter
With tensions being on the high side, stakeholders have started to sue for calm, peace and order. One respected leader who has been calling for order and a following of due processes is former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The ex-military leader appealed to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu to save the country from impending danger by rectifying the errors in the recent elections.
Similarly, human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called into question the credibility of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, accusing security personnel, electoral staff, and state governors of undermining the process.
Falana said he has not been impressed by the very disappointing outing on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
8. Government Clapback
The government did not take the inferences of the statesmen kindly. In an almost instant clap back, the Federal Government urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo not to truncate the 2023 general elections with his “inciting, self-serving and provocative letter on the polls”.
The government said what the former President “cunningly” framed as an “appeal for caution and rectification” was nothing but a calculated attempt to undermine the electoral process and a willful incitement to violence.
9. INEC Official Killed, Two Burnt To Death
The 2023 presidential election has not been without bloodshed. While the violence has been pronounced as used to be in previous elections, some deaths were recorded within the course of the polls.
An official of INEC in Delta State was killed two days after the elections. The official was killed in the Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta.
Authorities said INEC staff were on their way back to Asaba to deliver the results of the local government when the unfortunate incident occurred.
In another development, two persons died on Sunday in an attack on the campaign office of a House of Representatives candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, who made the disclosure in a statement on Monday, noted that a group of suspected thugs set the office ablaze with two unidentified persons in a stationary vehicle inside the building burnt to death.
10. Collations Disrupted
There were several reports of collations disrupted by thugs. One major incident was experienced in Jos, and Delta, while Rivers State was not left out, however, men of the Police Force were able to stop the hoodlums trying to undermine the electoral process before things went out of hand.
11. Lawmakers Say Nigeria Will Be At Peace
Many results are coming in and tempers are rising, however, the lawmakers in the House of Representatives believe that Nigeria will remain at peace.
Speaker of the House upon resumption today, said the nation will defeat the cynicism of those waiting to see the worst predictions for the country become real.
“Nigeria will be at peace, we will work through the law and due process to resolve differences, settle disputes and ensure the peaceful transition of power,” Femi Gbajabiamila stated.
At this moment, the National Collation exercise is on a short pause and the electoral umpire says more results will be announced upon resumption within the next two hours.
It is still unclear which of the candidates will be able to satisfy the necessary requirement needed to become President of Nigeria. | 2023 Elections: 11 Major Developments Everyone Should Be Aware Of Today | business | Tinubu has more votes now in the election, however, Atiku has more states. Peter Obi has won in 11 states so far. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/11/03/we-look-forward-to-peaceful-transparent-election-in-anambra-us/ | The United States says it looks forward to a free and fair election in Anambra State, come November 6.
In a statement by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, the American government said it is anticipating a peaceful poll with results that accurately reflect the will of the Anambra residents.
READ ALSO: Troops Kill IPOB/ESN Gunmen In Anambra, Recover Rifles And Vehicles
“We will be paying close attention to actions of individuals who interfere with the democratic process or instigate violence against civilian populations before, during, or after the elections.
“We will not hesitate to consider consequences – including visa restrictions – for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or undermining the democratic process.
“Under U.S. immigration law, certain violations also may lead to restrictions on family members,” the statement partly read.
The US government also called on citizens, electoral officials, party members, and security personnel to do their part in ensuring a credible and secure electoral process. | We Look Forward To Peaceful, Transparent Election In Anambra – US | business | Advertisement The United States says it looks forward to a free and fair election in Anambra State, come November 6. In a statement … Continue reading We Look Forward To Peaceful, Transparent Election In Anambra – US |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/01/19/davos-free-trade-champions-fret-over-war-climate/ | After COVID and the war in Ukraine, free-trade boosters in Davos fretted over a new bout of turmoil in global supply chains due to rising geopolitical frictions.
The Israel-Hamas conflict, Yemeni rebels attacking ships in the Red Sea and tensions over Taiwan weighed on political and business elites at the five-day meeting of the World Economic Forum, which wrapped up Friday.
“There are geopolitical dynamics that are on our minds with respect to obviously the potential disruption of supply chains,” Francesco Ceccato, CEO of Barclays Europe, told AFP on the sidelines of the WEF.
“We thought we had normalised those after Covid. Clearly, that’s a little bit more precarious after … what is happening every day in the Red Sea,” he said.
Before Hamas’s attack on Israel in October, the World Trade Organization had forecast global trade growth of 3.3 per cent, an improvement from 0.8 per cent in 2023.
But WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told the forum this week that she was now “less optimistic” about world trade in 2024 due to “worsening geopolitical tensions”.
She added, however, that it would be “much better than what we saw in 2023. Unless a major war breaks out, then all bets are off.”
– Disruptions for ‘few months’ –
The Red Sea route carries about 12 per cent of global maritime trade, but the attacks have prompted many companies to take a massive and costly detour around the southern tip of Africa.
Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen say they are targetting Israel-linked ships in protest over the war in Gaza.
US and UK military forces have launched a series of strikes against rebel sites in Yemen.
The Huthis have “changed global trade and global shipping costs,” said Karen Harris, an economist at the consulting firm Bain & Co.
Vincent Clerc, the CEO of Danish shipping giant Maersk, said the conflict will probably disrupt supply chains “for a few months at least. Hopefully less, but it could be also longer because it’s so unpredictable”.
Automakers Tesla and Volvo were forced to temporarily suspend some production in Europe due to a shortage of parts.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, told the Davos conference that shipments of liquefied natural gas “will be affected” by the Red Sea tensions.
-Taiwan tensions
There are concerns along other major trade routes.
Taiwan’s presidential election last weekend renewed US-China tensions over the democratic island, which China considers a part of its territory that must be brought back under its control, by force if necessary.
Speaking in Davos, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recalled that a huge amount of commerce flows through the Taiwan Strait.
“If that were to be disrupted, it would affect the entire planet. And it’s about the last thing we need, especially coming back from Covid,” Blinken said.
Taiwan itself is a major producer of semiconductors, the microchips that are vital for a range of products from smartphones to cars.
“Any disruption in the flow of that product is going to be, again, a watch item or a concern,” Ceccato said.
– Green and tech trade spats –
Microchips are already at the heart of a trade spat between Washington and Beijing as the United States has tightened export curbs on the technology over national security concerns.
China is also squabbling with the European Union over the bloc’s probe into Chinese electric car subsidies.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang took the podium on Wednesday to slam “discriminatory” trade measures on green and tech trade.
Europe is also concerned about the huge subsidies for clean technologies in the United States under the Inflation Reduction Act.
But German Finance Minister Christian Lindner warned the EU against following in the Americans’ footsteps.
“We have to avoid a subsidy race,” Lindner told Friday’s panel.
Panama drought
On top of geopolitical tensions, climate change has also played tricks on global trade.
A drought and water shortages linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon reduced ship traffic through the Panama Canal.
“We have more sources of disruptions,” said Tobias Meyer, CEO of German logistics group DHL.
“It’s more likely that two, three, four of these events somehow accumulate. And that leads then in the system of transport to certain bottlenecks,” he said.
Harris said each disruption “simply reinforces the return on investment for near-shoring, re-shoring” — the act of bringing production home or closer instead of relying on factories across the world. | Davos Free-Trade Champions Fret Over War, Climate | politics | Before Hamas's attack on Israel in October, the World Trade Organization had forecast global trade growth of 3.3 per cent, an improvement from 0.8 per cent in 2023. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/04/19/politicians-sponsoring-thuggery-pose-threat-to-nigerias-democracy-says-igini/ | An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Mike Igini, has taken a swipe at politicians sponsoring thuggery in the country.
Igini, who is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Akwa Ibom State, stated this on Tuesday during an interview on Sunrise Daily.
He believes such persons pose a serious threat to the nation’s democracy and asked them to stop the practice of engaging thugs and renting crowds for campaigns.
“Beyond having people who rent crowds for some of these campaigns you see around, we also have an association of thugs in Nigeria,” said the INEC official during the Channels Television breakfast programme. “They are also engaged for inter-state thuggery services.
“In 2019, quite a number of them were brought from Edo State to Akwa Ibom State. You see one or two parties having campaigns simultaneously in different areas of a state at different times; the same set of people you will find there will go to the other area.
“In the same vein, you also have thugs across the country, this is the problem introduced by politicians, many of whom never raised a finger when the journey of Nigeria and the prospect of democracy was less certain, but today are beneficiaries and also the greatest threat to our democracy.”
[READ ALSO] 2023 Presidency: Campaign Group Raises Alarm Over Plot To Malign Osinbajo
According to the REC, sponsoring thuggery is just one aspect of security threats to electoral officials and the electorate during elections.
He stated that there were different dimensions to security challenges, and it was important to address them, especially as the country prepares for the 2023 general polls.
Security Neutrality
Igini decried what he termed as unfairness in a situation where some political players get security protection while others were left out when parties prepare to conduct primaries.
Such practice, according to him, should be discouraged and ruled out of the system as it adds to the security problems in the country.
“As we are going for the 2023 elections, particularly with just about five days left for political parties to conduct their primaries that will end by June, the call for all stakeholders with respect to the aspect of security, is that we call for absolute security neutrality,” the INEC official said.
“It will be unfair that aspirants – who are seeking the ticket of their respective political parties – that one candidate or group of candidates will be given security, direction, and control over others. That will poison the path to the 2023 elections.
“That is wrong, it should be ruled out. So, security is a very serious issue as we go for 2023 elections but beyond that are far more serious issues that we need to focus on.” | Politicians Sponsoring Thuggery Pose Threat To Nigeria’s Democracy - INEC REC | business | Advertisement An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Mike Igini, has taken a swipe at politicians sponsoring thuggery in the … Continue reading Politicians Sponsoring Thuggery Pose Threat To Nigeria’s Democracy – INEC REC |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/05/17/court-reinstates-senator-representing-abia-central/ | The Supreme Court today waived the Court of Appeal’s decision that ordered the removal of the Chairman Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Nkechi Nwogu, as the duly elected Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District.
Presiding Justice Francis Adebiyi while setting aside the lower court’s decision of December 13th, 2011, said the sole ground for removing Senator Nwogu from office was not on election irregularities and non-compliance but a question of whether Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area is part of the senatorial district.
The court held that “The 1st respondent, Hon. Emeka Atuma sought to explore victory by relying on an issue that is purely on delineation on Federal constituency. The lower court was wrong to have determined that Osisioma Ngwa was not part of the Abia Central Senatorial District”.
Osisioma Ngwa, according to the counsel to Senator Nwogu, Mr Lawan Rabbana, Osisioma Ngwa has always been part of Abia Central Senatorial District since the return to democratic rule in 1999 and wondered where Honourable Atuma obtained a purported letter which delineated Osisioma Ngwa out of the senatorial district in the 2011 general elections. | Court Reinstates Senator Representing Abia Central | business | The Supreme Court today waived the Court of Appeal’s decision that ordered the removal of the Chairman Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Nkechi Nwogu, as … Continue reading Court Reinstates Senator Representing Abia Central |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/06/27/ajimobi-had-unfinished-businesses-to-complete-says-aide/ | Bolaji Tunji, the media aide to the late Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abiola Ajimobi said his principal had unfinished businesses to complete.
Tunji, in his tribute message on Facebook, said Ajimobi planned to retire from politics after the expiration of his tenure as governor of Oyo State.
According to him, the ex-governor was persuaded to accept the new appointment as the APC chieftain.
“He never wanted anything else after the general election. He only wanted to take a long, due rest after serving for 8 years without break. But another position was thrust on him. He never solicited for us and he did not want. But they convinced him to accept.
“I know because, in his usual forthrightness, he narrated how it happened. He took the positions because he felt it would benefit his people. I have done my bit.
“There is nothing I set out to achieve that I did not, I cannot be governor again, but I cannot leave you, people, he would say,” Tunji wrote on Friday.
Narrating how Ajimobi fell ill, Tunji said he was called to Abuja to discuss party issues amid the APC crisis, stressing that his principal had signed all the letters of appointment for the peace and reconciliation committee of the APC before leaving Oyo for Abuja.
He said the late ex-governor took a private flight to Abuja and never returned the same.
The media aide said it remained a mystery how the deceased contracted COVID-19.
READ ALSO: Ajimobi’s Funeral To Hold Tomorrow In Ibadan – Family
Tunji said he always adhered to all protocols like wearing masks and washing of hands.
“I still can’t wrap my head around what happened. He was so healthy, he was neat, he took all the necessary precautions even while he sat with us in our open office, he was always with his face mask, and we always observed social distancing.
“We were always quick to give him hands sanitizer any time he touched something. We were conscious of his age and did all we could to ensure safety. We had three spots where you had to wash hands before entering the premises. How did it happen? None of us was sick. So where did this come from? I am still trying to find answers,” he said.
Tunji’s reaction comes a day after his principal died of COVID-19 complications at the age of 70. | Ajimobi Had Unfinished Businesses To Complete, Says Aide | business | Advertisement Bolaji Tunji, the media aide to the late Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abiola Ajimobi said his principal … Continue reading Ajimobi Had Unfinished Businesses To Complete, Says Aide |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/03/28/bad-losers-hamzat-knocks-jandor-grv-over-alleged-irregularities-in-lagos-gov-poll/ | The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has dismissed claims of widespread irregularities, violence and voter intimidation levelled by major opposition members in the recent governorship election held in the state.
This comes after criticism by several local and international election observers, including those of the US Mission, which gave firsthand accounts of attacks and ethnic profiling.
However, Hamzat downplayed the allegations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (aka Jandor); and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
“I’ve listened to all sorts of commentary about this election and I think it’s very unkind from Nigerians,” the deputy governor said during a live appearance Tuesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“Unfortunately, people tend to be bad losers. So, instead of re-examining what exactly happened: ‘How do I get better?’ The PDP candidate was saying, ‘We contested against INEC.’ No. The reality was, you lost all your party members.”
Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat says the Labour Party and PDP are bad losers. @SunriseDailyNow#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/zcDh963WcW
— Channels Television (@channelstv) March 28, 2023
Hamzat went on to name some Lagos PDP defectors whose departures had a negative effect on the party’s governorship campaign.
“Ade Dosunmu left your party, Wahab Owokoniran left your party. [Funsho] Doherty left your party – who is the chairman of the PCC for Atiku/Okowa and Jandor in Lagos?” he said.
“His own director, the campaign director for the PDP candidate resigned and left. So, you lost everybody around you. The question is, how did you manage your party? You didn’t do well.”
READ ALSO: ‘If He Has Broken The Law, He Must Pay For It,’ Hamzat Addresses MC Oluomo Video
The deputy governor added that the same thing was the case for the Labour Party.
“Sunbo Onitiri who contested for the Senate for Central left the party. The Chairman of the party before, [Kayode] Salako, left the party and said that the man is all sorts of things,” he said.
Hamzat argued that both opposition candidates were not looking at the real issue which he said is their ability to manage organisations. | Hamzat Knocks Jandor, GRV Over Alleged Irregularities In Lagos Gov Poll | business | The Lagos governorship election has been criticised by several observers, including those of the US Mission, which gave firsthand account of attacks and ethnic profiling. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/04/15/el-rufai-appoints-new-finance-commissioner-accountant-general/ | The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appointed Muhammad Saidu as the new Commissioner of Finance in the state.
The appointment was made public in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan.
According to Aruwan, the position has been vacant since the resignation of the former finance commissioner, Suleiman Kwari, which took effect in January 2019.
He explained that the role of Saidu would be to “restructure and reposition the Ministry of Finance within the shortest possible time for the challenges of the second term of the Nasir El-Rufai government.”
READ ALSO: Windstorm Hits Taraba NYSC Camp, Leaves 33 Members Hospitalised
Governor El-Rufai also appointed Mr Idris Nyam as the Accountant-General of the state.
The former Accountant-General, Umar Waziri, has now become the Managing Director of the Kaduna Investment and Finance Company.
Aruwan said Waziri would be assisted in the task by Mr Nyam who was the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, until his new appointment.
He disclosed that the most senior director in the ministry would act as Permanent Secretary until further notice.
Dr Salisu Suleiman, the Principal Private Secretary, was also directed to cover the duties of the Chief of Staff in the absence of Muhammad Saidu.
The statement noted that all the new appointments would be effective immediately. | El-Rufai Appoints New Finance Commissioner, Accountant-General | business | Advertisement The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appointed Muhammad Saidu as the new Commissioner of Finance in the state. The appointment was made … Continue reading El-Rufai Appoints New Finance Commissioner, Accountant-General |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/07/09/sri-lanka-slashes-key-interest-rates-to-aid-virus-hit-economy/ | Sri Lanka’s central bank on Thursday cut interest rates for the fifth time this year in a new bid to breathe life into the coronavirus-stricken economy.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka monetary board reduced its lending rate by 100 basis points to 5.5 percent. The deposit rate was cut by the same amount to 4.5 percent.
A bank statement said the board wanted to “aggressively enhance lending to productive sectors of the economy, which would reinforce support to COVID-19 hit businesses as well as to the broader economy”.
Sri Lanka’s economy has been slumbering since last year’s Easter Sunday suicide bombings by militant Islamists which badly hit tourism.
Sri Lanka’s economic growth slowed to 2.3 percent last year compared to 3.3 percent in 2018.
The government imposed a nationwide coronavirus lockdown on March 20 which lasted until last month and that has extended the damage to the tourism industry.
The International Monetary Fund in April predicted the economy would contract by 0.5 percent in 2020.
Faced with a serious foreign exchange crisis, the country has slapped an indefinite ban on non-essential imports, including vehicles.
The bank said this had helped stabilise the local currency which hit record lows in April prompting the government to ask public employees to donate their May salary to the state.
AFP | Sri Lanka Slashes Key Interest Rates To Aid Virus-Hit Economy | politics | Sri Lanka’s central bank on Thursday cut interest rates for the fifth time this year in a new bid to breathe life into the … Continue reading Sri Lanka Slashes Key Interest Rates To Aid Virus-Hit Economy |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/06/18/2018-budget-will-be-signed-on-wednesday-adesina-confirms/ | Mr Femi Adesina has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2018 budget on Wednesday, June 20.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity made the assertion on Monday in an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Speaking via Skype hours after reports emerged that the President would be signing the 2018 Appropriation Bill into law the next two days, Adesina noted that his boss would assent to the proposal by 12 noon.
He stated further that the Executive arm of government should not be blamed for the delayed passage of the budget by the National Assembly, stressing that it had been submitted to the lawmakers since last year.
“Naturally, every Nigerian should be worried and concerned,” the presidential aide said. “That budget was submitted on November 7, 2017, with the expectation that latest by December ending, it would have been passed.”
“But it wasn’t passed till May (2018) and that is quite worrisome for every right-thinking Nigerian.”
President Buhari received the appropriation bill from the National Assembly on May 25, 2018, more than six months after presenting a budget proposal of N8.612 trillion to the Legislature.
The lawmakers had accused the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of frustrating the passage by failing to submit the breakdowns of their budget proposals, forcing a presidential order to that effect.
They had also increased the proposal by N508 billion, bringing the total figure to N9.12 trillion as against the initial estimate of N8.6 trillion.
No FEC Meeting
Meanwhile, Adesina also confirmed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting would not hold this week.
According to him, the meeting was suspended because there won’t be enough time to prepare for it as a result of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The President’s spokesman said, “When the last FEC meeting ended on Wednesday last week, it was already pointed out that Friday (last week) and Monday (today) were going to be public holidays.”
“Those were days critical to the preparation of memos for FEC. So, the President already said let’s put FEC ahead by a week because there will be holidays on Friday and Monday,” he explained. | 2018 Budget Will Be Signed On Wednesday, Adesina Confirms | business | Mr Femi Adesina has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2018 budget on Wednesday, June 20... |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/04/15/scientists-unveil-first-3d-print-of-heart-with-human-tissue-vessels/ | Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels on Monday, calling it a first and a “major medical breakthrough” that advances possibilities for transplants.
The heart, about the size of a rabbit’s, marked “the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,” said Tel Aviv University’s Tal Dvir, who led the project.
READ ALSO: Malaysia Revived China Railway To Avoid $5 Bn Penalty – PM
“People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels,” he said.
But the scientists said many challenges remain before fully working 3D printed hearts will be available for transplant into patients.
Journalists were shown a 3D print of a heart about the size of a cherry at Tel Aviv University on Monday as the researchers announced their findings, published in the journal Advanced Science.
Researchers must now teach the printed hearts “to behave” like real ones. Then they plan to transplant them into animal models, said Dvir.
“Maybe, in 10 years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely,” he said.
But he said hospitals would likely start with simpler organs than hearts. | Scientists Unveil 'First' 3D Print Of Heart With Human Tissue, Vessels | technology | Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels on Monday, calling it a first and a “major … Continue reading Scientists Unveil ‘First’ 3D Print Of Heart With Human Tissue, Vessels |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/26/faac-shares-n656bn-april-2022-revenue-to-fg-states-and-lgcs/ | The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total sum of N636.602 Billion April 2022 Federation Account Revenue to the Federal Government, States and Local Government Councils.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a virtual meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for May 2022.
The N656.602 billion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N461.189 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N166.522 billion, the sum of N8.891 billion being Excess Bank Charges Recovered and augmentation of N20.000 billion.
READ ALSO: CBN Raises Interest Rate For First Time In Over Two Years To 13%
In April 2022, the total deductions for cost of collection was N29.609 billion and total deductions for transfers and refunds was N147.651 billion.
The balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) was $35.377 million.
The communiqué confirmed that from the total distributable revenue of N656.602 billion; the Federal Government received N257.611 billion, the State Governments received N201.256 billion and the Local Government Councils received N149.251 billion. The sum of N48.485 billion was shared to the relevant States as 13% derivation revenue.
A gross statutory revenue of N635.037 billion was received for the month of April 2022. This was lower than the N933.304 billion received in the previous month by N298.267 billion.
From the N461.189 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N217.412 billion, the State Governments received N110.275 billion and the Local Government Councils received N85.017 billion. The sum of N48.485 billion was shared to the relevant States as 13% derivation revenue.
In the month of April 2022, the gross revenue available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) was N178.825 billion. This was lower than the N219.504 billion available in the month of March 2022 by N40.679 billion.
From the N166.522 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N24.978 billion, the State Governments received N83.261billion and the Local Government Councils received N58.283 billion.
The Federal Government received N4.684 billion; the State Governments received N2.376 billion and the Local Government Councils received N1.831billion from the N8.891 billion Excess Bank Charges Recovered.
The N20.00 billion augmentation was shared as follows: the Federal Government received N10.536 billion, the State Governments received N5.344 billion and the Local Government Councils received N4.120 billion.
According to the Communiqué, in the month of April 2022, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Excise Duties increased marginally, while Oil and Gas Royalties, Import Duty, Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) all recorded significant decreases. | FAAC Shares N656bn April 2022 Revenue To FG, States And LGCs | politics | Advertisement The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total sum of N636.602 Billion April 2022 Federation Account Revenue to the Federal Government, … Continue reading FAAC Shares N656bn April 2022 Revenue To FG, States And LGCs |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/03/25/taking-iyorchia-ayu-to-court-necessary-to-sanitise-pdp-conrad-utaan/ | A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Conrad Utaan, says a new person outside of the traditionally known leaders of the party is need to lead the party back to the top of Nigerian politics.
Utaan, who recently declared interest in replacing Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the PDP, said the older leaders of the party have become docile and that only someone like him with a new energy could revive the party.
When asked on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday if the party needed someone without leadership experience at national level, the Benue-born politician said, “That is exactly what the party requires at this time; new energy, new thinking to take the party to a new level.
“There are leaders in this party; we have people like the former Vice President Namadi Sambo, the former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi – several leaders of this party who have become so docile because of the lack of cohesion, because of ego spinning in the party. We need somebody who is bold enough, courageous enough, young enough and with the energy.”
READ ALSO: Atiku Reaffirms Commitment To PDP
‘A Needed Intervention’
Utaan had dragged Ayu to a Makurdi court and got an interim injunction that restrained him from parading himself as the PDP National Chairman after his Igyorov Ward Exco suspended him.
The suit by Utaan eventually led to the suspension and removal of Ayu from office.
He, however, said that his decision to take Ayu to court was not because he wanted to replace him but was an intervention to save the party from collapsing.
“What we did in June 2023 was an intervention. I did not remove the former national chairman; his council ward removed him from office. They suspended him for not paying dues.
“And of course as you see in saner climes, when you lead a party to such colossal defeat, the most honourable thing would have been to step aside. What I did was an intervention to bring some kind of sanity, to bring some kind of stability.
“That relative stability is what PDP is enjoying now to be able to be talking about replacing the former chairman,” Utaan said.
Following Ayu’s removal by the court, Umar Damagum, has been leading the party as acting National Chairman. | Taking Iyorchia Ayu To Court Necessary To Sanitise PDP — Conrad Utaan | business | said the older leaders of the party have become docile and that only someone like him with a new energy could revive the party. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/09/10/nass-poll-tribunal-nullifies-nnpp-candidates-victory-in-kano/ | The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano State has nullified the electoral victory of Yusuf Umar Datti, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidate for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal House of Representatives.
Justice Ngozi Azinge, who presided over the case and delivered the verdict, cited Datti’s failure to resign from Bayero University, Kano, within 30 days before the election as the grounds for the decision.
Justice Azinge emphasised the importance of electoral guidelines, stating, “electoral rules and regulations are crucial in maintaining the integrity of our democratic process. Failure to adhere to these rules can have serious consequences”.
Following the ruling, Justice Azinge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set aside the certificate of return that had previously been issued to Datti and declared Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the election. Kwankwaso secured the second-highest number of votes during the election held on February 25, 2023.
In response to the tribunal’s decision, Kwankwaso expressed gratitude and commitment to serving the people, saying, “I appreciate the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the will of the people prevails. I am ready to fulfill my responsibilities as the elected representative for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam constituency.” | NASS Poll: Tribunal Nullifies NNPP Candidate's Victory In Kano | business | The judge cited Yusuf Umar Datti's failure to resign from Bayero University, Kano, within 30 days before the election as the grounds for the decision. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2014/12/04/lagos-apc-holds-governorship-primary-election/ | The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, south-west Nigeria, is holding a crucial primary election to choose the party’s candidate for the next governorship election.
The party’s delegates gathered on Thursday at the Onikan Stadium to vote for their preferred candidate in the primary election, with candidates contesting.
Twelve aspirants were cleared to contest for the party’s ticket to participate in the exercise.
Contesting for the party’s governorship ticket are; the Senate Minority Whip, Ganiyu Solomon, the Speaker of the House Of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, former Accountant-General of the State, Akinwunmi Ambode, former Attorney-General, Olasupo Shasore and former Commissioner for Health, Leke Pitan.
Others include commissioner for works and infrastructure Obafemi Hamzat, Tayo Ayinde, former Commissioner for Special Duties, Tola Kasali, Adetokunbo Wahab and three other aspirants.
The APC will hold its national convention in Lagos on December 10 and 11 and over 7,000 delegates are expected to attend.
The delegates are to converge on the Teslim Balogun stadium to elect the party’s presidential flag bearer who will face President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election. | Lagos APC Holds Governorship Primary Election | business | The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State in south-west Nigeria is holding a crucial primary election to chose the party's candidate for the next governorship election. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2017/09/09/buharism-merely-means-advance-selfish-ambitions-sam-omatseye/ | The Chairman, Editorial Board of the Nation Newspaper, Sam Omatseye, has criticised the use of the term Buharists or Buharism, saying it is “the use of the opacity of language to advance personal or selfish ambitions.”
He said this in reaction to comments by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai that there is a group of persons including governors called ‘Buharists’ who are pushing for the President to contest and return in 2019.
Omatseye stressed that for such terms to be appropriate, there has to be a clear philosophy or method of operation around the ideology that has a positive influence on the state of the nation, be it in the political or economic sphere.
He said, “We have not heard of anything called Buharism or Buharist in any clear, philosophical or methodological fashion. So for you to talk of Buharist or Buharism, there must be some sort of method to him that connotes some kind of positive energy or vibe on the political arena or on the economic arena. What we have now is virtually chaos, unless they want to say that chaos is now Buharism and that will not be selling their ideology.
“It is one thing for you to say that you want to fight corruption and it is another thing for people to believe that the whole of your heart is there and there is a method to your fighting corruption. When you say you are fighting corruption and your EFCC man and your AGF are not on the same boat, your EFCC man and your own party’s Senate leader are not on the same boat, when your security adviser, the chief of staff and your DSS are not on the same boat on the war on corruption, if you say that is Buharism, that is chaos.”
Reacting to comments by the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha al-Hassan, Omatseye said rather than Nigerians describing it as an act of betrayal, there should be an investigation as to why the situation is the way it is.
“When a person says that, and people have not investigated this very well, what did Buhari not do or what did Buhari do to the person that he gave a job or the opportunity to serve on a very high pedestal that makes the person say, ‘I will not continue with you’? The first thing is for people to shout betrayal and we do that in our politics all the time.
“The first thing we have to ask is what went wrong,” he stated.
Speaking further, he described what the Women Affairs Minister did as “a dress rehearsal for the interview that her mentor Atiku Abubakar granted the Hausa Service I think of the BBC where he actually laid it out that he was not in synch with Buhari anymore.
“I remember in the early days of the Buhari victory that he was with Buhari and he described Buhari as the father of the nation and I don’t know how things descended from that paternal height to this adversarial low – that is the question we should ask. I don’t know who erred or who didn’t err.
“The question is let us investigate, we cannot start throwing out the easy word and say it is betrayal. There is betrayal of principle and there is betrayal of persons and sometimes the betrayal of principle contradicts the betrayal of persons and when it comes to that, you have to make a choice – are you going to betray the principle or betray the person,” he said. | ‘Buharism’ Is Merely A Means To Advance Selfish Ambitions - Sam Omatseye | business | The Chairman, Editorial Board of the Nation Newspaper, Sam Omatseye, has expressed his views concerning the use of the term Buharists... |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/03/23/who-warns-of-fake-news-after-musk-pandemic-treaty-tweet/ | The World Health Organization on Thursday warned against “fake news” after Twitter boss Elon Musk tweeted that countries should not “cede authority to WHO” amid negotiations over a new pandemic treaty.
“The claim that the accord will cede power to WHO is quite simply false. It’s fake news. Countries will decide what the accord says,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.
Tedros did not mention Musk by name, but earlier Thursday, he tweeted a response at the Twitter chief, insisting “countries aren’t ceding sovereignty to WHO.”
“The Pandemic Accord won’t change that. The accord will help countries better guard against pandemics. It will help us to better protect people regardless of whether they live in countries that are rich or poor,” he tweeted.
The exchange came as negotiations proceed towards a global accord aimed at helping prevent and swiftly respond to future pandemics, with a final text expected to go to a vote among WHO member states in May 2024.
The deal could address the need for swift information exchange between countries when faced with a global health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic and could aim to prevent the rampant inequity seen in the access to vaccines during that crisis.
The agreement should also call for countries to boost national, regional and global preparedness and detection systems to spot pandemic risks.
Even before the discussions began though, the WHO was battling a barrage of disinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the negotiations and future agreement, including allegations that the organisation is scheming to take over health policies in sovereign nations.
With the agreement under discussion, “no country will cede any sovereignty to WHO,” Tedros insisted to journalists Thursday.
“Countries will decide what the accord says, and countries alone. And countries will implement the accord in line with their own national laws.
“If any politician, businessperson, or anyone at all is confused about what the pandemic accord is or isn’t, we would be more than happy to discuss it and explain it.” | WHO Warns Of 'Fake News' After Musk Pandemic Treaty Tweet | technology | Tedros did not mention Musk by name, but earlier he had also tweeted a response at the Twitter chief, insisting "countries aren't ceding sovereignty to WHO." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/07/12/alleged-unlawful-defection-pdp-urges-court-to-sack-zamfara-governor/ | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle from office over defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP, in a suit filed by two of its members in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Kaura Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammed, argued that Matawalle having abandoned the party through which he came to become governor, have lost his right to remain in office.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/489/2021, the plaintiffs argued that in view of an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, to the effect that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara State, has not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle and Gusau to retain their offices while defecting from the PDP to the APC and thereby transferring PDP’s victory to the APC.
READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Your People Will Respect You More For Joining APC, Buhari Tells Ayade And Matawalle
They asked the court to among other things, declare that Matawalle and Gusau must resign from their offices before their defection, to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election within three months to enable the PDP to replace them.
Meanwhile, following an ex-parte application the Plaintiffs moved through their lawyer, Mr Kanu Agabi, SAN, Justice Inyang Ekwo issued an order for the court processes to be served on Matawalle through substituted means.
Specifically, the court directed that the processes be served on the Defendants through the National Secretariat of APC in Abuja, even as it adjourned the matter till July 16 for mention.
In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the reported attempt by the police to undermine the statutory powers of the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau.
PDP’s position is predicated on the reported harassment of the Deputy Governor by the police, including an unlawful and vexatious obstruction of a planned rally by the Deputy Governor, despite the statutory powers vested in a situation where the governor has vacated his office, in line with the extant ruling of the Supreme Court.
“Instead of harassing the Deputy Governor Gusau, the police, as agents of the law, should be providing him all the protection and privileges, particularly as the formal process for his official declaration given the vacation of office by Matawalle has already commenced at the Federal High Court.
The Police should know that by virtue of section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the judgment of the Supreme Court in Falake v. INEC (2016), that the Zamfara governorship mandate belongs to the PDP and that Gusau, not Matawalle, is now the holder of that mandate, given Matawalle’s willful defection to the APC,” the party stated in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan.
The PDP said its mandate is in no way transferable to the APC and the police and all security agencies should be guided by this. The party further cautioned banks and other financial institutions “to be wary of unapproved financial transactions with the cronies of Governor Matawalle, particularly, given the alleged moves to sweep the coffers of the state ahead of Matawalle’s inevitable eviction by the court.”
The opposition party asked Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, to remain resolute and not be deterred in any way as the people of Zamfara State are solidly behind him in resisting imposters and deserters at this trying time.
People of Zamfara were also urged to remain united as the mandate, which they willingly gave to the PDP, will never be allowed to be stolen by traitors. | Defection: PDP Urges Court To Sack Zamfara Governor | business | Advertisement The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle … Continue reading Defection: PDP Urges Court To Sack Zamfara Governor |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/12/12/jega-promises-credible-2015-elections/ | Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega has reaffirmed the commitment of the commission to conduct credible elections in 2015.
Addressing resident electoral commissioners during its fourth quarterly meeting in Abuja, Professor Jega stressed the need for the commissioners to streamline preparations for the general elections, in order to avoid the lapses experienced in the Anambra elections.
“As we are all aware, we are moving into the last lap of our work and preparations, in the next one month or so, as we prepare for the 2015 general elections. May I use this opportunity therefore to urge all of us to continue to do our best as we prepare for that election.”
He advised the commissioners to provide the necessary leadership that will guarantee free, fair and credible elections, beginning with the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states in 2014.
“Of course there will be two other governorship elections, namely Ekiti and Osun states before the 2015 elections. The challenge for us is to ensure that we make these governorship elections as the test case in terms of remarkable improvements before the 2015 general elections.”
“Obviously all the lessons we’ve learnt from Anambra and all the efforts that we have been making to make 2015 a successful, peaceful and credible election; we have to also ensure that these are factored into our preparations for these two governorship elections.” | Jega Promises Credible 2015 Elections | business | Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega has reaffirmed the commitment of the commission to conduct credible elections in 2015. Addressing … Continue reading Jega Promises Credible 2015 Elections |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/06/22/apc-natl-chairman-worried-by-defection-of-partys-federal-lawmakers/ | The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu has expressed concern over the wave of defections of federal lawmakers in the party to opposition parties.
He said this on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with party members at the National Assembly.
Senator Adamu admitted that while the party is worried about the gale of defections, nothing can be done about it.
Read Also: President Buhari Sends Ministerial List To Senate For Screening
According to him, defections are normal during an election year as those who feel dissatisfied with the outcome of party primaries are free to test their popularity in other political parties.
Adamu’s comment came a day after two Senators from the party defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The senators are Ahmed Keita representing Katsina north and Senator Francis Alimikhena representing Edo North. | APC Nat'l Chairman Worried By Defection Of Party's Federal Lawmakers | business | The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu has expressed concern over the wave of defections of federal lawmakers in the party to opposition parties. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/28/just-in-ohakim-withdraws-from-apc-senatorial-primary-over-personal-reasons/ | A former governor of Imo State Ikedi Ohakim has pulled out of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election.
He made the announcement in a statement released on Saturday, citing “personal reasons” for his decision to back out of the Imo North APC senatorial poll.
“After due consultations with my family and close political associates, I wish to
inform the good people of Okigwe zone, Imo state that I have withdrawn from the senatorial primary election scheduled for Saturday, May 28, 2022,” he said in the statement. “The decision to withdraw is purely for personal reasons.”
The former governor, however, assured his people of his commitment to the good of the Okigwe zone.
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Ohakim said, “I will continue to do everything within my reach to ensure that the zone takes its pride of place both at the state and national level.
“May I also express my profound gratitude to all those, within and outside the zone, who believed in the project and gave me both moral and material support, and plead and hope that they will take this decision in love and in faith.”
The former Imo leader also wrote to the National Chairman of the APC Senator Abdullahi Adamu informing him of the development.
“I wish to assure the leadership of our great party at all levels of my commitment to the success of the party both now and in the future,” Ohakim said in the letter dated May 27th, 2022.
“May I also seize this opportunity to thank you for your encouragement and moral support while I was in the race. Please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.” | Ohakim Withdraws From APC Senatorial Primary Over 'Personal Reasons' | business | A former governor of Imo State Ikedi Ohakim has pulled out of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/07/04/eu-slaps-chinese-electric-cars-with-tariffs-of-up-to-38/ | The European Union on Thursday slapped extra provisional duties of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports because of “unfair” state subsidies, despite Beijing’s warnings the move would unleash a trade war.
A European Commission probe launched last year concluded that state subsidies for Chinese EV manufacturers were unfairly undercutting European rivals — which Brussels wants to shield as they make the transition from thermal to electric power.
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU slammed the tariffs, coming on top of current import duties of 10 percent, as “politically-motivated” and “protectionist”, while voicing hope the dispute could yet be resolved through dialogue.
Europeans themselves are split on the move, with Germany and its homegrown auto champions, who do significant trade with China, fearing it will do more harm than good if it leads to a clampdown on EU exports as Beijing has already threatened.
German auto giant Volkswagen slammed the move as “detrimental” while the head of BMW said the tariff battle “leads to a dead end”.
France and Italy have pushed for tariffs on Chinese EVs — whose market share in the EU has skyrocketed — but Sweden like Germany has expressed reservations, while Hungary is outright opposed.
The provisional tariffs will kick in from Friday, with definitive duties to take effect in November for a period of five years, pending a vote by the EU’s 27 member states.
“Our investigation… concluded that the battery electric vehicles produced in China benefit from unfair subsidisation, which is causing a threat of economic injury to the EU’s own electric car makers,” the EU’s trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said.
In response, the commission imposed provisional duties on major Chinese manufacturers including 17.4 percent for market major BYD, 19.9 percent for Geely and 37.6 percent for SAIC.
Other producers in China that cooperated with the EU will face a tariff of 20.8 percent, while those that did not cooperate would be subject to the maximum 37.6 percent duty.
US tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla — which manufactures in China — is the only electric automaker that has asked Brussels for its own duty rate, to be calculated based on evidence it has submitted.
‘Intensive’ talks with China
The move comes despite the opening of talks between Chinese and EU trade officials, but Brussels will continue “to engage intensively with China on a mutually acceptable solution”, trade chief Dombrovskis said.
China’s electric car maker Nio said it still hoped for a resolution with the EU, while fellow EV maker XPeng said it would “find ways to minimise the impact on consumers” without changing its international strategy.
EU officials have indicated that, should a negotiated solution emerge, they may not ultimately need to levy the tariffs.
But Dombrovskis cautioned that “any negotiated outcome to our investigation must clearly and fully address EU concerns and be in respect of WTO rules.”
Beijing has already signalled its readiness to retaliate by launching an anti-dumping probe last month into pork imports, threatening Spanish exports, and Chinese media suggest further probes could be in the works.
Chinese officials have also railed against EU investigations targeting state subsidies in the green tech sector, including wind turbines and solar panels.
Expected cut to imports
The United States has already hiked customs duties on Chinese electric cars to 100 percent, while Canada is considering similar action.
But Brussels faces a delicate balancing act as it seeks to defend Europe’s auto industry — the jewel in its industrial crown — while both avoiding a damaging showdown with China and meeting its targets for slashing carbon emissions.
The EU aims for Europeans to switch massively to electric vehicles as it plans to outlaw the sale of new fossil fuel-powered cars from 2035.
Chinese-made EVs’ market share in the EU climbed from around three percent to more than 20 percent in the past three years, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
Chinese brands account for around eight percent of that share, it said.
German displeasure
Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy, alongside Austrian institutes, predicted the provisional higher taxes would reduce vehicle imports from China by 42 percent. They added that electric car prices could rise by an average of 0.3 to 0.9 percent in the EU.
German auto manufacturers fear any retaliation could hurt their activities in China, and Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck visited Beijing last month on an 11th hour mission to avert a damaging trade war.
Duties were “generally not suitable for strengthening the competitiveness of the European automotive industry in the long term — we reject them”, Volkswagen said in a statement. The EU refused to comment on the criticism. | EU Slaps Chinese Electric Cars With Tariffs Of Up To 38% | technology | The European Union on Thursday slapped extra provisional duties of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports because of "unfair" state subsidies, despite Beijing's warnings the move would unleash a trade war. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/07/09/android-and-iphone-app-translates-spanish-italian-and-french-to-english-via-camera-lens/ | An app for Android and iPhone-WordLens-has been created to translate words on-the-fly with the help of camera lens.
WordLens uses your phone’s inbuilt camera to recognise text that is viewed through the lens, and then translating them to English.
So far the app works for French, Spanish and Italian (so actually, if a menu is all Greek to you, it won’t be much help).
WordLens uses text recognition to work out what the word or phrase is, and then automatic translation software translates it into the new language.
The translation is then pasted over the original location, practically in real time.
The app has been available on the iPhone with Spanish translation for about 18 months, but is now available on both major smartphone platforms with the new range of languages.
A promotional video for the app which shows it instantly translating a number of signs in both languages has already become an internet hit.
One visitor to technology website Mashable wrote: ‘This is probably the greatest augmented reality I’ve seen yet. To add layers and distinguish things is amazing. But photoshop translated words in well, that’s incredible.’
Not every phrase translated in the app is grammatically correct with mangled English such as ‘Recent attack of shark’ and ‘Tongue Bolivian with a sauce spicy of anchovies’ resulting from literal translation.
But the speed and accuracy of the app’s software is still good enough to make sense of simple road signs or restaurant menus.
Otavio Good, one of the developers behind the Word Lens, told TechCrunch: ‘It tries to find out what the letters are and then looks in the dictionary. Then it draws the words back on the screen in translation.’
He says that more languages are going to be introduced, and he is even considering a reader for the blind, which would read out loud the words the app sees on signs.
‘The translation isn’t perfect, but it gets the point across’ he said.
WordLens bears some similarities to Google’s own application called Google Goggles, which lets users take a picture of a phrase and then search the web using that word.
The app is available for around £3 in both app markets. | Android and iPhone app translates Spanish, Italian and French to English via camera lens | technology | An app for Android and iPhone-WordLens-has been created to translate words on-the-fly with the help of camera lens. WordLens uses your phone’s inbuilt camera to … Continue reading Android and iPhone app translates Spanish, Italian and French to English via camera lens |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/03/20/i-did-not-spend-n850000-on-food-arunma-oteh/ | Head of the Securities and Exchange Commission in Nigeria, Ms. Arunma Oteh has denied, among other things, spending N850,000 on meals or purchasing cars worth N42 million.
In a bid to salvage its bruised reputation of the SEC, the Commission released a press statement on Monday in which it denied several allegations of unlawful practices leveled against it by the House of Representative Committee on the Capital Market.
The Committee led by Honourable Herman Hembe launched an investigation into the SEC on Tuesday 13 March which opened up the flood gates of accusations and counter accusations.
Shocking revelations followed each probe session, including allegations that the SEC boss had lived in the lap of luxury even as the nation’s Capital Market took a tailspin for the worse. Arunma Oteh, appointed to head the SEC in January 2010, was accused of splurging with a N850,000 feeding budget, as well as lodging at the Hilton Hotel in Abuja for an eight-month period following her appointment – instead of the 28 days permitted by law – which cost the SEC N30 million.
Her credibility and competence under attack at the probe sessions, Ms. Oteh went on the defensive. The embattled SEC boss in turn questioned the credibility of Hon. Hembe whom she claims had demanded N39 million from her ahead of the committee’s investigation and another N5 million a week before the probe.
With both parties squaring off for another round of public hearings on Tuesday, the Commission, in press statement signed by Mr. Obi Adindu and posted on their website, is responding to the shocking accusations made during the probe public hearings.
During the first of the public hearings, the Hon. Hembe led committee alleged that the SEC boss had consumed a whooping N850,000 in meals daily.
The press release addressed this allegation first, promptly denying it. “No, Ms. Oteh has never consumed a meal worth N850,000 no has she ever submitted such a bill to the SEC,” the release stated. It further clarified that it had reviewed the bill, which the SEC boss was said to have racked up during her 8 month-long stay at the Hilton Hotel following her her assumption of duty, and found that “the highest charge for food was N83,400”.
According to the statement, Ms. Oteh had charged that amount two months into her stay at the Hilton, on 24 March 2010, because of “an official dinner hosted by the SEC with a group of international capital market experts who were visiting Nigeria to provide technical assistance to SEC Nigeria”.
The SEC claimed the hotel’s billing records would prove as much, but still fails to clarify how the N30 million hotel bill was amassed or why the DG SEC had spent seven more months than was lawful at the expensive lodgings. The statement said Ms. Oteh had left the hotel on her own accord even before the Commission had provided her with suitable accommodations as she had been “unhappy with the lack of privacy at a hotel accommodation and for security reasons.”
It further denied renting property for Oteh, contrary to allegations made during the hearings. The SEC leader “lives in a rented accommodation procured in her personal capacity on her own account,” the statement claimed, adding that after several failed attempts to procure suitable accommodation for Ms. Oteh, “the Commission offered rental allowance to Ms. Oteh in lieu of official accommodation”.
The question remains, how much is being disbursed as “rental allowance”? Allegations made during the public hearing implied that the Commission spent as much as N62 million in rent for the SEC boss’ plush Maitama residence.
The committee asked the management of the commission to explain a memo that was issued by the Technical adviser to the DG, Franca Chukwuogu to the Head of Administration.
In the Memo (CADEO) dated 26/01/2011, Ms Chukwuogu had demanded through the head of Administration that the commission pay the rent for a five bedroom bungalow as the official rent for the DG. Another Memo from the Head of Administration, Bello Ibrahim showed that the rent for the five bedroom apartment at Maitama district of Abuja cost the commission over N62 million.
The Committee asked the management of the commission to explain why it paid the rent of the DG despite the enactment of the monetisation policy by the Federal government.
The House of Reps Committee further investigated claims that the Commission purchased four cars for the SEC boss at N42 million.
“She uses the two pool cars assigned to her, one in Lagos and one in Abuja,” the statement said. “The two pool cars were purchased to replace two old cars that were subject to frequent breakdowns. The purchase of these cars followed due process and the provisions of the public procurement laws.”
Finally, the SEC boss denied compromising “her regulatory function by engaging Access Bank staff on secondment”.
“Laid down rules, procedures and processes have been strictly complied with by the SEC since January 2010 (including in the processing of any transaction involving Access Bank). The seconded Access Bank staff were: a project adviser and a communication assistant, and these two areas are not at the core of the SEC’s regulatory function.”
The Commission, in the press release statement, conceded that many Nigerians suffered losses as the equity market fell from a capitalization of N12.6 trillion at its peak in March 2006 to N3.99 trillion at its lowest in February 2009. It further insisted that it had taken serious steps toward identifying the causes of the market downturn in Nigeria and putting a stop to further decline.
“Since Ms. Oteh assumed office as SEC DG,” the statement reads, “she has led a reform program to restore market integrity and revive investors’ confidence”. The reforms implemented by the SEC boss included “charging over 260 individuals and entities before the Investment and Securities for market abuses that led to the downturn, and seeking orders of disgorgement and restitution of investors”.
The SEC claims reforms set in place by Oteh have resulted in boosting the equity market capitalization which now stands at N6.6 trillion.
Ms. Oteh has faulted the public hearings, describing it as a “Kangaroo court”. During the last session, the SEC boss expressed her disgust at the line of questioning at the public hearings. “I believe that if we want to carry out an investigation in the interest of Nigeria and not in your own interest, I should not be subjected to what you subjected me to because the SEC did not give you N5 million in cash,” Ms. Oteh said addressing Hon. Hembe during the last public hearing, which she called unfair.
Hon. Hembe says all the counter-accusations and allegations of bias made against the Committee would be taken into consideration and invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, present at the hearing, to fully investigate the Committee as well as himself. | I did not spend N850,000 on food - Arunma Oteh | politics | In a bid to salvage its bruised reputation of the SEC, the Commission released a press statement on Monday in which it denied several... |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/05/29/rewane-warns-against-continued-retention-of-current-interest-rates/ | Economist, Bismarck Rewane believes the most critical sectors to Nigerians are suffering and will continue to do so unless things change.
Rewane, who was one of the guests on Channels Television Programme, Channels Forum held on Tuesday called for a change in the interest rate which has remained static for about 22 months.
He said if the interest rate is changed, then the problem of increased unemployment can be resolved in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: The Change We Have In Nigeria Is From Bad To Worse – Sani
“If we look at the growth numbers that came out recently, 14% growth was in the oil sector, then we have insurance and some other areas where people are not employed.
“The sectors that employ people which are interest rate sectors are the ones that are actually slow and contracted; therefore I submit that if we don’t bring down interest rate (we have had 22 months of no change in interest rate) to stimulate and increase economic activity, then all of these things are going to…”
Rewane, who is also the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, stressed the importance of shifting focus from sectors that are growing but not creating jobs to the jobs-providing sectors.
“The underlined thing is that unemployment and underemployment has increased in all the three quarters that we have had positive growth. We have had higher unemployment. Therefore the sectors that are growing are not the ones that are employing.
“So we now have to shift emphasis and focus on areas where there is labour intensive activities, these people can create jobs.
“The unemployed man becomes a dysfunctional member of the society who disrupts, who kidnaps and that destroys everything,” he said.
The economists also noted that despite government’s noble intentions the impacts are not felt due to these impediments while Nigerians are eager to see results and impacts. | Rewane Warns Against Continued Retention Of Current Interest Rates | politics | Notable economist, Bismarck Rewane believes the most critical sectors to Nigerians are suffering and will continue to do so unless things change. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/06/26/jonathan-fires-oniwon-appoints-andrew-yakubu-as-new-nnpcs-gmd/ | President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday approved the sack of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austen Oniwon and the appointment of Andrew Yakubu as the new helmsman of the corporation.
The change of the NNPC management team was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati.
The president also approved the appointment of Victor Briggs as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
According to the statement, the decision to restructure the NNPC was in a bid to strengthen the on-going reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s Petroleum sector.
Part of the statement reads:
”in furtherance of efforts to achieve greater transparency and accountability in government, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the re-composition of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as follows:
• Engineer Andrew Yakubu Group Managing Director
• Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)
• Engineer Abiye Membere Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production)
• Dr. Peter S. Nmadu Group Executive Director (Corporate Services)
• Engineer Anthony Ogbuigwe Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals)
• Dr. Attahir B. Yusuf Group Executive Director (Commercial & Investments)
• Dr. David Ige Group Executive Director (Gas & Power)”
The new Group Managing Director, of NNPC, Mr Yakubu graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a degree in Chemical Engineering.
He joined the NNPC in 1980 and has held different positions in the corporation including Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company and Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production).
Mr Yakubu is an indigene of Kaduna State and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
The outgoing GMD, Mr Oniwon, along with other members of his team, who were fired including Michael Arokodare (outgoing Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts), Philip Chukwu (outgoing Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals), and Billy Agha (outgoing Group Executive Director (Engineering & Technology)) are all to proceed on retirement immediately.
President Jonathan commended the outgoing directors for their service to the nation and urged the new management team to be fully committed to rapidly implementing the critical interventions needed to positively transform Nigeria’s petroleum industry. | Jonathan fires Oniwon; appoints Andrew Yakubu as new NNPC's GMD | politics | A new management team for the Nigerian National Petroleum (NNPC) was on Tuesday approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, with Engineer Andrew Yakubu leading the new team. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/10/03/over-n10trn-spent-on-refineries-yet-there-are-not-working-says-oyedele/ | The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee Taiwo Oyedele says the country spends over N10 trillion on its refineries even though they don’t work.
He said this on Monday while featuring at the Platform, a symposium by The Covenant Nation, Lagos State.
“The National Assembly said we have spent over N10 trillion maintaining our refineries even when they have not produced anything,” he said.
“If Nigerian refineries process crude oil unless we deal with our inefficiency, one litre of petrol would be the most expensive in the world. You would have succeeded in replacing the subsidy at the pump with the subsidy for the refineries.”
According to him, Nigerians should demand for the sale of the country’s refineries.
“Nigerians would say if only our refineries were working, then we will be fine. Nothing can be farther from the truth than that,” the fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said.
“In fact, Nigerians should come together and say please make sure that our refineries do not work. We should sell them.”
READ ALSO: Nigeria Has Ingredient To Power The World, Says Bosun Tijani
‘Don’t Wish us Evil’
He also urged those leaving the country to wish Nigerians well but noted that he is not against migration.
“There is nothing wrong in leaving. Don’t get me wrong. But if you leave, don’t wish the rest of us bad,” he said on Monday.
“And while you are here and continue to be here, don’t wish us evil. If you have citizens who are actively working against their own country, there is no amount of prayers you will pray, that country will not succeed.”
“Even if you are planning to leave, just remember, there are 95 per cent of us who cannot go anywhere,” Oyedele maintained.
While noting the importance of patriotism, he said no foreigner can develop Nigeria.
“All the countries that were developed were developed by their people,” he added. | Over N10trn Spent On Refineries Yet They Don't Work, Says Oyedele | politics | “Nigerians would say if only our refineries were working, then we will be fine. Nothing can be farther from the truth than that." |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/04/23/politicians-funding-banditry-to-run-down-buharis-govt-says-uzodinma/ | Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has accused politicians of funding banditry to run down the present administration.
He made the allegation on Friday while briefing reporters shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The governor who condemned the recent attacks by armed bandits on communities, especially in the northern part of the country, challenged the security agencies to urgently reveal the names of their sponsors.
He also condemned the call for secession, stressing that criminals particularly in Imo were a combination of individuals within and outside the state.
“What people are doing is to sponsor crisis to the extent that those funding banditry are politicians and I challenge and call on the security agencies to make their names available to the press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused,” the governor said.
He told reporters that it was necessary for Nigerians to offer more support for the Federal Government to weed out sponsors of crisis and enemies of progress in the country.
Governor Uzodinma stated that since the inception of the present administration about six years ago, it has been fulfilling its promises of providing infrastructure, jobs, and social interventions, among others to the people.
He, however, said it was not out of place to criticise a government for not doing well, noting that he would be one of the first set of people to call it out.
“This country is blessed by God. From 2015 to date, I thought what the problem would be people saying there is no job creation, that people are not feeding, that salaries are not being paid, that infrastructure is going down, that social interventions are not approved by the government, but these things are available.
“A pass mark for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. A situation where you will leave the ethical way of playing politics to sponsor banditry to bring down a government, we should rise up and condemn it – all of us,” the governor said. | Politicians Funding Banditry To Run Down Buhari’s Govt, Says Uzodinma | business | Advertisement Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has accused politicians of funding banditry to run down the present administration. He made the allegation on … Continue reading Politicians Funding Banditry To Run Down Buhari’s Govt, Says Uzodinma |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/08/28/ngige-to-run-for-anambra-governorship-seat/ | Senator Nigige has indicated his interest to participate in the Anambra governorship race, after the senator submitted his nomination form in Abuja.
Running as an aspirant of the newly registered All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Anambra state governorship election, the senator hinted that he is not the anointed candidate to get the party’s ticket as the flag bearer as he does not have any undue advantage ahead of any other person wishing to contend for the ticket.
Referring to his being endorsed by governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha which he played down, He said party guidelines will be strictly adhered to in order to pick a flag bearer for the APC. | Ngige To Run For Anambra Governorship Seat | business | Senator Nigige has indicated his interest to participate in the Anambra governorship race, after the senator submitted his nomination form in Abuja. Running as an … Continue reading Ngige To Run For Anambra Governorship Seat |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/02/12/katsina-youths-hold-solidarity-march-pledge-to-deliver-two-million-votes-for-atiku/ | Young supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Katsina State on Saturday organised solidarity march to show their strong support for the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The aim was also to mobilise more support for Atiku to ensure his victory in the forthcoming February presidential poll scheduled to hold on 25th.
The rally which thousands of party loyalists partook of, started from Kofar Sauri and ended at the PDP Secretariat, Katsina, it was organised by the state chapter of PDP New Generation.
The convener of the rally and Special Assistant to Atiku on Youths and Strategy, Dr Ahmed Adamu pledged the young people’s commitment to deliver two million votes for Atiku Abubakar, adding that the youths are determined to vote out APC and bring back PDP.
READ ALSO: We Will Apologise To All Victims Of Police Brutality, Peter Obi Vows
Adamu was of the opinion that it’s obvious the hardship many Nigerians are facing has left them frustrated emotionally and psychologically.
“Now see the emerging scarcity of the fuel, New Naira Notes among others.
“The essence is to demonstrate the strong support that PDP is getting from the young people in Katsina State because we have less than a month to the General Elections.
“We have seen the failure of the current APC led administration, and people are saying enough is enough and they want PDP to come back because it was during the PDP tenure, that Nigeria had one of the best economy in the world, and they want reversal of that fortune.
“So young people want change and are determined to vote out APC and bring back PDP.
“Atiku is the most experienced candidate among all the candidates. He is mentally sound, physically fit and ready to get there and hit the ground running.
“I believe that no sensible, able Nigerian will vote for APC again. He is the only candidate that can unify the country, we have never seen this kind of deep division in the country as we have today.
“I am calling on all Nigerian youths to understand that, this is an opportunity for them, there is no election as important as this one because their future is at stake, we cannot afford another bad governance because it’s the young people that are affected.
“So let’s shun any ethnic or religious bigotry, look at Nigeria first. And that’s why Atiku Abubakar is unique because he is not representing the North or any religion or ethnicity but he is representing Nigeria,” Adamu stressed. | Katsina Youths Hold Solidarity March, Pledge To Deliver Two Million Votes For Atiku | business | The youths say they are determined to vote out APC and bring back PDP. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/06/26/prime-suspect-in-rivers-explosion-found-in-intensive-care/ | The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Adaeze Oreh, says the prime suspect in the explosion that rocked Port Harcourt, the state capital on Tuesday, has been found.
The commissioner said the suspect was found at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, formerly Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMH).
She said the doctors at the hospital alerted the state government last night, that a patient with an injury believed to be caused by a blast, was presented as a victim of a road traffic accident.
She said the suspect was brought to the state government facility in a semi-conscious state, but was quickly taken into the theatre for resuscitation.
Dr. Oreh said the suspect is now in stable condition.
The hospital premises have been fully secured, as the Rivers State Government is working with the police to resolve the matter.
The commissioner spoke to journalists at the hospital premises in Old GRA, near the Rivers State Government House, after responding to the call by the doctors last night.
Channels Television had reported that one person was killed in the explosion.
Our correspondent visited the site, and saw faded blood marks around and some small dents on the concrete kerb.
The area is a hub for Bureau de Change operators, and some of them said they heard explosions but were not willing to talk. However, an eyewitness who did not want to talk on camera, said the impact ripped open the chest of the victim. | Prime Suspect In Rivers Explosion Found, In Intensive Care | business | The suspect was found at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2013/09/03/analyst-argues-that-the-new-pdp-and-pdm-want-to-join-apc/ | A Legal Practitioner and Public Affairs Analyst, Sam Kargbo on Tuesday described the political crisis in the country as “normal” owing to the fact that the primaries, which will produce candidates for the 2015 general elections will be taking place next year.
He warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the cause of its own problem adding that, they are lucky to have just received the notice from the parallel members of the party.
He noted that “it is a requisition technique to tell you this is me as a form or as a group” noting that “they are more or less saying if you don’t attend to us, other people are out there waiting for us and they are also sending a notice to other parties, like the All Progressives Congress (APC) of course”.
He argued that the new PDP and the newly registered People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) are all aiming to join the APC, which he claims is the “next alternative to the PDP”. | Analyst Argues That The New PDP And PDM Want To Join APC | business | A Legal Practitioner and Public Affairs Analyst, Sam Kargbo on Tuesday described the political crisis in the country as “normal” owing to the fact that … Continue reading Analyst Argues That The New PDP And PDM Want To Join APC |
https://www.channelstv.com/2021/07/16/alleged-electoral-fraud-court-to-decide-on-legal-representation-on-july-19/ | The Akwa Ibom State High Court (4) sitting in the state capital, Uyo has adjourned a case of alleged electoral fraud instituted by the Independent National Commission (INEC) against Prof Ignatius Uduk.
The court says INEC is expected to respond to its decision to withdraw the letter introducing Clement Onwenwunor as the principal counsel representing the Commission.
Counsel to the accused, Abasiodiong Ekpenyong had opposed the replacement of Kpoobari Sigalo with Clement Onwenwunor, who had in a previous sitting presented a letter to the court introducing himself as the lead counsel for INEC.
Thereafter, the Presiding Judge, Justice Archibong Archibong, on Thursday adjourned the case to July 19, to enable INEC respond on point of law to its decision.
Ekpenyong argued that the document filed by the prosecution was not done as known to law and provided for, by the Akwa Ibom State criminal law.
He stated that the fiat was authorized by the Attorney General of the State instead of the Federal Government, saying INEC was a Federal agency.
He further argued that since the Attorney General of the State issued the fiat for the prosecution, he usurped the powers of the Attorney General of the Federation, and as such, there was no charge before the court, and asked that the case be dismissed.
In his response, Counsel to INEC, Clement Onwenwunor told the court to adopt the rejoinder filed on July 12, in respect to the objection, adding that counsel to the accused did not cite the law that was breeched.
He said that since the objection to his fiat was presented verbally, he also responded verbally, and that if the court considered the submissions of the accused, it should also consider his own.
He further stated that the objection to the effect that the fiat must be obtained from the Attorney General of the Federation was not correct, adding that the powers of the AG of the Federation according to the 1999 constitution as amended, can be exercised at any time.
He argued that he does not need a fiat from the AG of the Federation as the State can authorise a private practitioner.
After submissions from both Counsels, the court accepted the fiat sent in by INEC’s counsel but the counsel to the accused opposed the acceptance, on the premise that the name of the practitioner was not stated in the letter.
To this end, Counsel to INEC sought for the withdrawal of the letter for proper filing, and the court granted the request. | Alleged Electoral Fraud: Court To Decide On Legal Representation On July 19 | business | The Akwa Ibom State High Court (4) sitting in the state capital, Uyo has adjourned a case of alleged electoral fraud instituted by the Independent National Commission (INEC) against Prof Ignatius Uduk. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/03/15/nobody-will-rig-2019-elections-ekweremadu-tells-pdp-youths/ | The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has said that nobody will be able to rig the 2019 general elections.
The Deputy Senate President stated this when he received the National Zonal and State Youth Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at his office in Abuja.
He stated that National Assembly caucus of the PDP, would not be intimidated from holding the government accountable, just as it would continue to speak the truth in defence of democracy.
“Nobody should be deceived that they will rig election in 2019. The international community will also be watching; and like the late Sam Mbakwe said ‘if you are awake, the rat would never take your fish.’ So if we ‘shine’ our eyes, nobody will rig us out.
“I’m sure some of you are now conversant with the misrepresentation of my statement on the floor of the Senate last week where I cautioned against brigandage, impunity and thuggery and I said as leaders and politicians we must do the correct thing before we endanger our democracy. That is what I said.
“Never bother about their propaganda. We will continue to speak the truth. We will continue to defend our democracy and urge our leaders to always do the right thing.
“Sometimes, we may be misunderstood, but we will remain unrelenting. It was the great Nnamdi Azikiwe, who said that the best judge of human conduct is conscience. Keep saying the right thing. The person you are speaking to is hearing you; someday his conscience will prick him and he will do the right thing.
“We will not allow anybody to truncate this democracy because we believe that your own future is here now. Nobody will take his future in the past and come to continue your own future”.
The Deputy Senate President through his spokesman, Uche Anichukwu , warned the youth against any form of electoral violence, describing it as “an ill wind that blows no man any good”.
“The days of violence are gone. We have to put on our thinking cap. Do not match any person violence for violence; but match them ideas over violence. It is ideas that rule the world”, he added.
The Senator promised that the PDP would, upon return to power in 2019, work towards job creation, unemployment benefits to the youth, and reduction of age qualification for all political offices to 18 years.
He continued: “Who says that we cannot pay unemployment benefits to the youth if we manage our resources well? We can.
“The next PDP government will expand the political space for the youth by abolishing age limit so that franchise begins and ends with the number eighteen. Once you can vote, you should be voted for”.
Earlier in his address, the National Youth Leader of the PDP, Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye, said that the Nigerian youth had suffered so much under the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration and were ready to support the PDP to return to power.
The PDP youth also conferred an award on Ekweremadu for defending the nation’s democracy.
Also speaking, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda; and the Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, assured Nigerians that the PDP would bounce back in 2019 to rebuild the nation. | Nobody Will Rig 2019 Elections, Ekweremadu Tells PDP Youths | business | The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has said that nobody will be able to rig the 2019 general elections. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/06/22/just-in-turkey-nearly-doubles-interest-rate-in-policy-u-turn/ | The bank hiked the rate to 15 percent from 8.5 percent in its first meeting since Erdogan filled his government with investor-backed faces after winning tight May polls.
It added that this was only the start of a process aimed at bringing Turkey’s annual inflation rate of nearly 40 percent to single figures “as soon as possible”.
“Monetary tightening will be further strengthened as much as needed in a timely and gradual manner until a significant improvement in the inflation outlook is achieved,” the central bank said.
The bank further promised to “simplify and improve” policies that past Erdogan governments used to try and weather Turkey’s worst economic crisis since the 1990s.
Fitch Ratings said it expected the policy rate to reach 25 percent by the end of the year.
But the lira lost 2.5 percent of its value against the dollar due to investor disappointment that the bank had decided to pursue a more gradual rate-hiking course.
“Not enough. They needed to front load hike,” BlueBay Asset Management economist Timothy Ash remarked.
“Further hikes are needed at the coming meetings to tackle Turkey’s inflation problem,” Capital Economics emerging markets analyst Liam Peach added.
– Economic overhaul –
Other analysts said new central bank chief Hafize Gaye Erkan wanted to avoid suffering the fate of past governors whom Erdogan had fired for quickly raising rates.
Erdogan still defends his markets-defying idea that high interest rates contribute to — rather than cure — rising consumer prices that have been Turkey’s bane for the past five years.
The Turkish leader pushed the central bank to start slashing interest rates two years ago as part of a “new economic model” that focuses on job creation and economic growth.
The policy badly backfired.
The annual inflation rate reached 85 percent late last year and the central bank burned through most of its reserves trying to prop up the lira — down 90 percent against the dollar over 10 years — from even bigger falls.
Erdogan was forced into his first election runoff and then orchestrated one of his trademark policy reversals after extending his two-decade rule until 2028.
He appointed respected economist Mehmet Simsek as finance minister and former Goldman Sachs director Erkan as the head of the nominally independent central bank.
Turkish media said Simsek agreed to join the government only after winning assurances that he would be free to steady the ship as he saw fit.
– ‘Clash with Erdogan’ –
Simsek’s presence has already made an impact.
The lira has lost an additional 17 percent against the dollar since the May 28 election runoff — a sign that the central bank is slowly unwinding its costly currency defence.
Simsek and newly appointed vice president Cevdet Yilmaz jetted to petrodollar-rich Abu Dhabi on Thursday to drum up new investments and loans.
But investors who initially cheered Erdogan’s new appointments now worry about how long the Turkish leader’s patience with his new team will last.
Many point to the grim experience of Naci Agbal — a market-friendly central banker whom Erdogan fired four months into his attempts to raise rates in late 2020 and early 2021.
“The scale of the rate hike was lower than the average market expectation of an increase to between 17-20 percent,” Verisk Maplecroft risk consultancy analyst Hamish Kinnear said.
“This is a sign that the new governor is looking to tread carefully to avoid a clash with President Erdogan.”
One of Turkey’s most costly programmes involves a bank deposit protection scheme that Erdogan rolled out in late 2021.
It commits the government to cover any losses lira deposits incur from the currency’s depreciation against the dollar.
That means that a quick return to a free-floating exchange rate could put an even bigger burden on the strained budget.
Many expect Simsek to gradually phase out the scheme. | Turkey Nearly Doubles Interest Rate In Policy U-Turn | politics | The bank hiked its key rate to 15 percent from 8.5 percent in its first meeting since Erdogan filled his government with investor-backed faces. |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/03/17/all-actions-taken-by-gov-bello-in-my-absence-remain-valid-buni/ | National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker/Extraordinarily Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, has refuted claims that he has reversed some actions taken by Niger State Governor, Muhammed Bello.
Governor Bello assumed the National Chairman position last week while Buni, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, was out of the country for medical treatment.
There had been insinuations that Bello had permanently replaced Buni on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.
But the speculations have been put to rest after the President on Wednesday backed Buni’s continued role as the CECPC Chairman.
READ ALSO: Buni Names Umahi, Fani-Kayode, And Others In National Convention Sub-Committees
Buni, in a statement on Thursday, reiterated that he had duly transmitted power to Governor Bello who acted on his authority while he was away.
“Therefore all activities that were done in my absence remain valid and binding,” Buni said.
“All party stakeholders and members are hereby advised to disregard the previous statement discarding the activities of the Committee under the leadership of the Acting Chairman.”
Buni also called for “support and understanding to move the party forward to a successful Convention slated for March 26th, 2022.”
A delayed convention
What appeared to be a leadership tussle within the APC came as the party’s National Convention becomes imminent.
There had been speculations that Governor Buni was planning to postpone the convention for the umpteenth time.
The APC convention has been postponed more than once since Buni, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, was appointed caretaker Chairman.
On March 7, Governor Bello declared himself the acting National Chairman of the CECPC while Buni was away, raising tensions that the latter had been removed.
Amid heavy security at the APC seceteriat in Abuja, Bello swiftly swore in the party’s 36 State Chairmen, part of activities scheduled before the convention.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the APC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe was forced to deny reports that he had resigned from his position.
He also alleged that there were plans to remove him from his position.
‘Just a game’
Reacting to the unravelling situation, Kogi State and APC Senator Smart Adeyemi told Channels Television his colleagues in the National Assembly were not aware that President Muhammadu Buhari had sanctioned Buni’s sack.
“As far as we are concerned in the Senate, we are not aware that Mr President gave a marching order to the acting Chairman to vacate his office,” Mr Adeyemi said.
He added that the controversy was generated by people who have “one interest or the other to protect.”
“It is just a game,” he said. “Mai Mala Buni performed excellently well, he brought in seasoned people, Governors, former Generals, statesmen, he brought them back to the APC. So today the APC is more formidable. In fact we owe him some level of gratitude.
“Buni came when there was crisis in the APC, when the APC was almost collapsing. And he has succeeded to put the party together. And consolidated the party, and we are cruising to victory.”
‘Due process’
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma also noted that Buni could not have been removed without due process.
“APC is a very serious party,” he said, while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “Everything going on at the secretariat now are going on with the knowledge of Mai Mala Buni. And as soon as he comes back, he will also take over the realms of the party.”
To remove Buni, a meeting of the National Executive Committee must be convened, Uzodimma added.
“The right organ of the party to take and implement such decisions is the National Executive Committee. Have we summoned that committee? Because if we do, INEC will be invited to observe. And if they observe, whatever decision taken will be known to them.”
‘No to backstabbing’
Last Saturday, President Buhari had appeared to wade into the controversy for the first time, although he did not, at the time, state his position on Buni’s status in the party.
The President had called for order in the APC.
In a statement signed by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, the President, who is in the United Kingdom for medical treatment, warned APC leaders and members to desist from name calling and backstabbing and avoid the fate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“They failed in 16 years in power and a failure as opposition,” the President said, as quoted in the statement.
“Yes, we are entitled to our own share of dissent and intra-party discord. These are common in all parties, left and right all over the world.
“But parties splintered by competing egos destine themselves to the worst possible fate,” the President warned.
“As the country prepares for the long run up to the 2023 presidential election, we all expect a robust debate on the issues that matter and what is going in the APC should be a reflection of this, not the infighting we are seeing. There must be no more distractions ahead of the convention to choose new leaders.”
He said the APC must remain focused on developing the nation.
“We didn’t start on the note of arrogance of power, nor see government as a vehicle for self-aggrandizement, to be held at all costs, but a vehicle to bring development to all without discrimination-political, ethnic or regional to our dear country made this success possible,” the President said.
“Given all that is at a stake, we can expect contests into offices as we are now faced with to be heated although candidates and their promoters for party offices are not so much debating policy differences but differences of management, personality, character, and suitability for the most important leadership roles in our country and therefore the continent.” | All Actions Taken By Gov Bello In My Absence 'Remain Valid' - Buni | business | National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker/Extraordinarily Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, has refuted claims that he has reversed some actions … Continue reading All Actions Taken By Gov Bello In My Absence ‘Remain Valid’ – Buni |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/07/19/osun-election-state-governors-congratulate-adeleke-welcome-him-to-ngf/ | Governors of the 36 states of the Federation have congratulated the Governor-elect of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, on his recent victory at the poll.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, in a letter dated July 18, declared the support of the governors for the incoming member of the forum.
According to him, the NGF looks forward to working with Adeleke and is committed to providing him with outstanding services, in line with global best practices.
The governors wished the governor-elect God’s guidance, strength, direction, and wisdom to deliver on his mandate to the people of Osun State.
Read the full text of the letter below:
18th July 2022
Senator Ademola Adeleke,
Governor-elect, c\o Adeleke Estate, Ede,
Osun State. Dear Governor-elect,
Congratulations,
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) wishes to congratulate the Osun State Governor-elect, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on your victory at the just concluded election.
The NGF is a non-partisan platform of all 36 democratically elected State Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria irrespective of political affiliations.
At the Forum, all governors are served equally and respectfully. The NGF wishes you success as you take up the challenges that await you in your exalted office.
The Forum Secretariat assures Your Excellency of its full support as you embark on this new journey towards elevating your state to a higher level.
We look forward to working with you and assure you of our commitment to provide outstanding services in line with global best practices and hope that you will in turn trust the Forum’s machinery to at all times provide you professional technical and administrative support.
We wish you God’s guidance, strength, direction and the wisdom to deliver on your mandate to your people. Your Excellency, once again, congratulations and welcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Governor Kayode Fayemi Governor of Ekiti State,
&; Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum | Osun Election: State Governors Congratulate Adeleke, Welcome Him To NGF | business | Governors of the 36 states of the Federation have congratulated the Governor-elect of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, on his recent victory at the poll. … Continue reading Osun Election: State Governors Congratulate Adeleke, Welcome Him To NGF |
https://www.channelstv.com/2022/11/15/soludos-treatise-full-of-fallacies-personal-vendetta-obi-datti-campaign/ | The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation says a “belaboured treatise of an article” written by Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo on one of his predecessors, Peter Obi, is full of fallacies and personal vendetta.
Soludo had in a lengthy opinion piece on Monday tackled the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who governed Anambra between 2006 to 2014.
Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said Obi knows he cannot win the 2023 presidential election and is only playing a game.
READ ALSO: 2023: Peter Obi Knows That He Can’t And Won’t Win – Soludo
I Did My Little As Anambra Gov, Soludo Should Do More As A Professor – Peter Obi
However, on Tuesday, the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ndi Kato, said the Labour Party has bigger issue to focus on.
See the full statement issued by the LP’s spokesman below:
THE PEOPLE ARE OUR PRIORITY.
(Response to an article by Prof Chukwuma Soludo, by Ndi Kato, Spokesperson of The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation)
We read with amusement and dismay, a very lengthy and belaboured treatise of an article, written by Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, focused on our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi.
It seems obvious that Professor Soludo is itching for the limelight, in this election season, perhaps fired up by possible understanding or alliance with our struggling political opponents.
While we note the glaring fallacies, misrepresentations, personal insinuations and signs of personal vendetta in that long writeup, neither His Excellency Peter Obi, The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, nor the Labour Party, for that matter, has any interest in an extended engagement with Prof Soludo this critical time when there is a bigger fish to fry.
His Excellency Peter Obi has his work well cut out for him, this campaign season.
Primarily, he is accelerating his reach-out and influence to all Nigerians, rural and urban, in all areas, regions and states; and firmly engaging them, on his critical and visionary plans to take the country from consumption to production.
In doing this, Mr. Peter Obi is firmly placing the Youths, intensive Agricultural revolution, and revamping of critical areas of the economy as part of the focal points in the drive to turn around our fortunes and take back our country.
We, the Youths, spreading across partisan political lines, have found reason to place the highest level of trust and confidence in HE Peter Obi, and we are committed to continuing to a partnership with him, transparently, vigorously and creatively, to bring to fruition, the vital changes urgently required in this our country, of so much potential.
We strongly believe that A New Nigeria is possible… and together with Peter Obi, we are working to make this a reality.
This is our focus; this is our occupation.. and we shall not be distracted!
Ndi Kato
Spokesperson
Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation
Read Soludo’s full statement below:
14th November, 2022
History Beckons and I will not be Silent (Part 1)
Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR
My attention has been drawn to some of the tirades on social media following my frank response during an interview on Channels TV regarding the “investments” Mr. Peter Obi claimed to have made with Anambra state revenues. Sadly, several of the comments left the issue of the interview to probe or suggest motives, inferred from my response on “investment” that I am opposed to Peter Obi’s ambition and therefore committed a “crime” for which the punishment is internecine abuse and harassment even to my family. Some people even suggest that the gunmen who went to attack a checkpoint at my hometown on Saturday 12th November but were gunned down was part of the mob reaction. I used to think that for decent people, certain conducts are off-limits, and that in Anambra, politics is not warfare.
Of course, as a Christian, I know that telling the truth can be very costly, even suicidal. Our Lord and saviour was crucified simply for telling the truth the people did not want to hear. I promised that I won’t be the usual politician, and will not knowingly lie to the people. I am not an Angel but rather than knowingly repeat the same deceitful character that politicians are known for, I would leave public office. It is a vow I made to my God and to my family. Only God knows how many days I will be on this seat but whether I am on it or not I will always say it as it is— knowing fully the suicidal consequences of telling the truth in a political arena, especially in a country where lying and deceit by politicians have become culture and celebrated as being “smart”.
Ideally, I should just have laughed off the infantile exuberances as many friends advised (I am used to this, having been in the ‘Arena’ for a while). I always re-read the quote “The Man in the Arena…” by President Theodore Roosevelt (1910) to remind myself of the burden of public office. Several well meaning Nigerians and Ndigbo called to advise that I should just ignore them. A respected Igbo elder-statesman who called, advised that I should just ignore what he described as “Peter Obi and his social media mob”. According to him, “everyone knows that he is going nowhere, but they are looking for who to blame”. After some 20 minutes of discussion, he advised that I should personally author a response— just for the records.
Everyone knows that I don’t follow the winds nor one to succumb to bullies, nor shy away from a good fight especially when weighty matters of principles and future of the people are involved. One lesson I learnt from my former boss and mentor, President Obasanjo, is never to be on the fence. I learnt that one must always take a stand: for better or for worse. I do so with every sense of humility, and leave history to judge. Most people have commended me for “tactfully avoiding being drawn into the Peter Obi issue” until now. Since I am now being forced into the Arena on this matter, I have a duty and a right of reply, if only for the records, and to also give the social media mob something substantive to rant upon and rain their abuses for weeks. In this preliminary response, there are some things I will refrain from saying here because, in the end, February/March 2023 will come and go, and life will continue.
At the outset, let me state that this exhibition of desperation, intolerance and attempt to bully everyone who expresses the slightest of dissent is reprehensible. This is Hitler in the making. When the revered Arch Bishop Chukwuma stated that in Enugu State, they were not obedient, he was ferociously bullied on social media. Any dissent is tagged a saboteur or, in my case, it could be that I want to contest for president after office or that I am envious of Peter Obi. Soludo envious of Peter Obi? Totally laughable! But this is the same person I was asking to return to APGA in March 2022 and contest for president and yet envious or doesn’t want him to be president. This is madness! Seriously speaking, the obdurate attempt to muscle the republican Igbos to maintain the silence of the graveyard is antithetical to everything Igbo. It is not who we are. Insulting other ethnic groups and religions or denigrating others is certainly not the path to Aso Rock. If this is not checked, it may indeed endanger the future political and economic interests of the Igbos.
In his time, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the undisputed all time leader of the Igbos but he had his arch rivals and even independent candidates won landslide elections against his party, NCNC, in Igboland. Obafemi Awolowo had stiff opposition among the Yorubas while Ahmadu Bello had his share of opponents in the Northern region. Today, no one has accused Afenifere or other strong presidential candidates from the South West of being “anti Yoruba” because Tinubu is a frontrunner, nor has anyone accused Kwankwaso and several other Northern candidates of being “anti-North” for not supporting Atiku. As a full blooded republican Igboman and democrat, I reject this despotic intolerance.
Yes, I fully understand the anger of some urban and Diaspora youths and some Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the trajectory of the country or with the candidates of the major parties and wished other options. Not knowing much about others, some see Peter Obi as the contrast they wished for. I get the point. But this is a democracy: the minority will have their say, but the majority their way. Translating anger and social media agitation into political outcomes requires humongous work.
For full disclosure, let me state that Peter Obi and I are not just friends, we call ourselves “brothers”. But we have political differences: he left APGA for PDP after his tenure as Governor while I have remained in APGA since 2013. During the last two governorship elections in Anambra in 2017 and 2021, he led the PDP campaigns but APGA won landslide in both elections. By the way, in 2016, he visited and proposed that I defect to PDP and contest the 2017 election against the incumbent Willie Obiano, but I declined. After my victory in November 2021, he called to congratulate me as I did to him in 2010. That is the Anambra way: we fight fiercely during campaigns but share drinks at the next social events. After all, it was the great Zik of Africa who taught us that in politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies but only permanent interests.
We sat next to each other during the Emeka Anyaoku lecture at Nnamdi Azikiwe University on 8th March, 2022 and I made an offer for him to return to APGA and contest as its presidential candidate. Yes, I did. In my mind, it was time for Igbos to organize their region politically before stepping out to bargain power with other organized coalitions. On his part, he tried to convince me that he expected APC to unravel while PDP would be the “only one” standing. We debated and he proposed that we could meet later to discuss further. He attended my inauguration on March 17. A few weeks later, he requested and I obliged him to use the Anambra State government house facility to launch his presidential bid under PDP. I was surprised to read in the news later that he had defected to LP (a party with literally zero structure), thereby attempting to weaken the same PDP he saw as the saviour a few weeks earlier. He paid me a courtesy call as the presidential candidate of LP, and we had frank discussions.
During our meeting, I reminded him of my proposal to him to come and contest under APGA. More importantly, I told him (possibly to his surprise) that I did not make the proposal in the belief that he will win in 2023 but that it would give us the opportunity to get our people organized as a bargaining force, with him leading the effort since I was busy as Governor (my immediate predecessor, Willie Obiano had indicated to me that he was not disposed to contest an election). We noted that we were in opposing political parties and in response to my direct question as to how I might help him, he requested that I should just ensure a “level playing field” and let the people decide. In fidelity, my government has provided the atmosphere for him and his supporters to operate freely in Anambra without any molestation (compare with treatments to LP even in other South East states), and allowed his billboards which are, in many places, wrongly placed almost on the roads. As a person, I have several shortcomings but being petty is not one of them. We have shown him tremendous goodwill—which he did not extend to the same Labour Party when he was Governor (Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as LP governorship candidate in 2013 was denied the use of Ekwueme Square for his rallies).
Someone reminded me that a mob has no head and hence cannot reason. The same Peter Obi was one of those who told Ndigbo that APGA was the vehicle through which Igbos would organize to engage the rest of Nigeria politically. He was said to have sworn to Ojukwu and publicly that he would quit politics the day he leaves APGA. The rest is history. When he was the Vice-Presidential candidate under PDP in 2019, the emotive train then dubbed the ticket “the Igbo project”. As then chairman of planning and strategy committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I cautioned for a more pragmatic approach but the emotive blaze of the time held sway. We were vindicated afterwards.
By the way, APGA is Nigeria’s third largest political party today (after APC and PDP, it is the only other party with a state governor and third largest presence at the National Assembly). And some people have the temerity to suggest that APGA’s candidate should “step down” for Peter Obi as the “Igbo candidate”. I wonder when Igbos met to choose a candidate. They even argue that afterall APGA supported President Jonathan and did not field a candidate then. Well, the fact as I was told was that no candidate showed interest under APGA then. Besides, APGA’s unwritten rule then was to support the party at the centre — which, if we apply this time, should actually be APC. But we have our own candidate. Recall that all the political parties had their primaries during the same period. Once Peter Obi realized that he won’t get the presidential or vice-presidential ticket of PDP he ran to Labour Party (a political party known as a transit camp for aspirants who lost primaries in APC, PDP and APGA), and the chorus by a vociferous minority now is that LP has become the “Igbo project”, and the APGA candidate who emerged the same time as Peter Obi should “step down”. Ridiculous! Now I truly understand that a mob cannot reason.
When will Ndigbo understand and learn politics, especially of Nigeria? When Bola Ahmed Tinubu defied the political wind of the time and stood out as the “only man standing” in AD and later AC (before ACN) against a sitting president of Yoruba descent, no one accused him of being “anti-Yoruba”. Indeed, everyone recalls that both Tinubu and President Obasanjo disagreed politically, and probably still disagree—but none is being accused of being “anti- Yoruba”. Under Tinubu, the South West strategically organized under a different political party, the ACN and went into a formidable alliance that kicked out a sitting president (in Africa?), and that alliance is not broken yet. Igbos, in their frenzied Nzogbu nzogbu politics, have sadly found themselves in a political cul de sac. Tragic indeed! When will my people smell the morning coffee?
Let me now address the substance of my response during the interview, and I stand by what I said. On record, I doubt that any governor in Nigeria has paid as much tribute to his predecessors as I have done during campaigns and in office. I always said that ALL of them did well and to the best of their abilities. Yes, Peter Obi was governor for 8 years (2006 -2014) during a period of unprecedented oil boom and prosperity in Nigeria (Nigerian economy was growing at average of 6-8% per annum, and oil price was highest during this time). I have seen all kinds of funny comments and interpretations regarding what I said about the value of his “investments”. Some refer to SabMiller and bandy all kinds of figures as to how the investment of $12 million is now worth less than $3 million. Of course, there is room for legitimate debate about the logic or quality of the investments. For example, people might differ as to the propriety of using taxpayers money to promote a company in which one is a shareholder in the name of “investment”, or even whether so called “savings” are warranted when there were dozens of schools without roofs or classrooms, or local governments without access roads or hospitals without doctors/nurses. A Bishop recently publicly advised that I should please try to construct the “Ngige type of quality roads”, stating that the ones done by his successor (that is, Peter Obi) had washed off, while Ngige’s remained. I promised and we are delivering quality roads that Anambra has not seen before.
For sure, prudence in public resource management is desirable and we are opening new frontiers in that area. People will however differ as to whether saving money in the bank account is a KPI (key performance indicator) for a government where poverty is escalating except where its institutions for absorption are weak or where the government has no robust/big agenda for transformation. Governments exist to save lives, not to save money. We can debate and differ on this— (by the way, I know when/how it is appropriate to “save” as I built Nigeria’s foreign reserves from $10 billion I inherited to all time $63 billion, and even after paying $12 billion to pay-off Nigeria’s external debt and going through unprecedented global financial crisis, I still left behind about $45 billion— Go and verify!).
Funny, in the rabid frenzy to grab every straw, they cut a clip during our governorship debate where I was stating vital statistics and they claimed that I was “praising” Peter Obi then while committing a crime now by “criticising” him. Hahahaha! Well, it is true that I said during the debate that, according to National Bureau of Statistics, poverty in Anambra actually grew (from less than 25% in 2005) to about 53% under Peter Obi in 2010/2011 but fell under Willie Obiano to 14.78% in 2020. Yes, poverty more than doubled under Peter Obi and more than 50% of Ndi Anambra were in poverty under him. Go and verify! I am Governor, and sitting on privileged information which I will not want to use against a political opponent. But on matters of facts, I will always state same as is. As the saying goes, you can fool some of the people some of the time but never all the people all the time. Enough said for now!
Where do we go from here? I listened to my friend Gov El-Rufai on TV explaining why the northern governors decided that power should shift to the South. According to him, they asked themselves what would their founding fathers—Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa or Aminu Kano have done in the circumstance. Today, I ask my people, Ndigbo: do we ask what Azikiwe or M.I. Okpara or Akanu Ibiam would do in the present circumstance? I worry that Ndigbo as Nigeria’s foremost itinerant tribe and with the greatest stake in the Nigerian project does not yet have a strategy to engage Nigeria—politically! Every four years, we resurface with emotive Nzogbu Nzogbu political dance (“it is our turn dance” but without organization or strategy) and fizzle out afterwards while others work 24/7 strategizing and organizing.
Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know. The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama! That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.
As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. I told him during his courtesy call that my prayer is that himself or Prof Umeadi of APGA would win, why not? That is from my heart, but I also told him that my head and facts on the ground led me to know that it’s probability is next to zero (what I cannot say before you, I won’t say behind you). So I already told him my opinion. Indeed, there is no credible pathway for him near the first two positions, and if care is not taken, he won’t even near the third position. Analysts tell him you don’t need “structure” to win. Fantasy! Of course, LP won governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun on social media and via phantom polls, while getting barely 2,000 votes on ground. Creating a credible third force for presidential election in Nigeria requires a totally different strategy and extreme hard work.
Of course, Peter Obi will get some votes, and may probably win in Anambra state— as “home boy”. But Anambra is not Nigeria. If he likes, I can even campaign for him but that won’t change much. From internal state by state polling available to me, he was on course to get 25% in 5 states as at August this year. The latest polling shows that it is down to four states, and declining. Not even in Lagos state (supposed headquarters of urban youths) where Labour Party could not find candidates to contest for House of Reps or Senate. The polls also show that he is taking votes away mostly from PDP. Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP. It is what it is!
The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South East has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a 4-way race (it is a two-way race in the other 5 regions) thereby ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria. Afterwards, we would start complaining that we don’t get “what we deserve” or cry of marginalization. During the 2019 presidential election, the five South East States were united for PDP but contributed merely 1.6 million votes to PDP which was about the votes that Kano state gave to Buhari. The emotions might run to heavens but politics-power is about cold calculations, organization and building alliances for power. In a democracy, it is a game of numbers. So far, I don’t see any of these— and 2023 might again be a wasted opportunity for Ndigbo! What is our Plan B when Peter Obi loses in February 2023? Some people prefer that we should play the Ostrich while Peter Obi toys with the collective destiny of over 60 million Igbos. Yes, you pray that he wins, but what if he fails as he is certain to? The Bible says that my people perish for lack of knowledge. As the saying goes, only those who Plan can control the future. Ndigbo, wake up and smell the coffee!
What would Zik of Africa or M.I. Okpara do in this circumstance? Our founding fathers understood that in politics, you don’t get what you deserve but what you bargain/negotiate, and you negotiate with your organization and VOTES. Not social media militancy or bullying (where over 90% of actual voters are not on social media)! Our fathers built alliances with other major political parties in other regions (not with socio-cultural groups that don’t command any votes), and Ndigbo were in the reckoning in the first and second republics. After the elections, we will see how many votes any of the leaders of the socio-cultural groups will get for Peter Obi from their wards. Sometimes I even sense a conspiracy to nudge us on a path to nowhere thereby further pushing us into irrelevance, and I pray that I am wrong. Just my two cents!
It is not too late for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and progressive Igbo leaders to pre-emptively start charting a pragmatic future for Ndigbo in Nigeria after the elections. Armchair social media analysts can have the luxury of fantasizing with wild speculations. Right or wrong, they earn their pay and with no consequences. For us as leaders, the lives of tens of millions are at stake. We have a historic duty to act and being silent or politically correct is not an option. For starters, Ohanaeze should study the report of my committee (planning and strategy) in 2019. It may still be relevant today. Second, Ndigbo should seriously study the MoU signed at the Yar’Adua Centre in 2010. The leader of Igbo Political Association, Chief Simon Okeke and our members are still there. Thirdly and for me, Ndigbo should strategize and bargain especially with the TWO candidates likely to be president on at least four central issues:
A) Lasting peace and security in the South East, including the release and engagement with Nnamdi Kanu.
B)South East Economic transformation agenda and the FGN’s Marshall Plan for the South East as promised since the end of the Civil War (the post war ‘reconstruction’). We appreciate the Second Niger Bridge and recent contract for MTN to reconstruct the Onitsha-Enugu expressway. But the rail-lines to the five state capitals, speedy access to the sea, highways linking South East to the North and South South, addressing our existential threat as gully erosion capital of Africa, Free Trade and Export Processing Zones, etc.C) Restructuring Agenda for Nigeria that devolves powers/resources to the subnational entities and in which it would no longer matter where the President comes from.
D) Levelling the playing field for the unleashing of the private sector and the full participation of Ndigbo in the economic and governance space; etc.
To conclude, let me once again wish my brother Peter Obi good luck. He should have fun and enjoy the fleeting frenzy of the moment. But he must moderate the desperation as exhibited by his social media mob. There is a limit to propaganda. A mob action often reflects the character of its leader. No one has a monopoly of social media violence, and no one should play God. Life won’t end by February/March 2023.I hope that after February 2023, Peter Obi will return to APGA (the party that made him everything he is politically) as I offered him on 8th March, 2022 and begin the hard work, if he truly wants to be president of Nigeria. It won’t happen by desperately jumping from one party to another or by unleashing a social media mob on everyone who slightly disagrees with you. I decided to pen my views personally — again for the records. On this, I don’t mind being a one man minority. As history beckons, my conscience and sense of duty to my people dictate that I should never be silent. I will happily accept the judgment of history for standing by the truth! | Soludo’s Letter Full Of Fallacies, Personal Vendetta – Obi-Datti Campaign | business | The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation says a “belaboured treatise of an article” written by Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo on one of his predecessors, … Continue reading Soludo’s Letter Full Of Fallacies, Personal Vendetta – Obi-Datti Campaign |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/12/03/pdp-inaugurates-committee-to-reconcile-members-in-taraba/ | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has inaugurated a high-powered assessment committee to evaluate where the party stands and what is needed to retain power ahead of the 2023 general elections.
PDP Chairman in Taraba, Colonel Agbu Kefas, who inaugurated the committee on Thursday urged the members to seek the way forward for the party.
He explained that the inauguration followed a series of meetings on how to move the party forward and ensure its success in the coming elections.
“We believe that a house divided against itself cannot stand that is why at this stage, we have to check if any loophole exists and if any, we will do our best to fill it.
“The assessment committee which will tour the three senatorial districts of the state are expected to assess where the party stands at the moment, and what next is needed to achieve result ahead of the 2023 general elections and return the glory of the party,” Kefa said.
He called on members of the party to put away sentiments and work together for the interest of the PDP and Taraba.
The PDP chairman added, “As leaders, the destiny and the lives of our people and the generation yet unborn are placed in our hands; so we should do all our best in giving them the best leadership desired.”
Chairman of the committee and former Minister for Women and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan, assured the party that the committee would deliver by bringing every party member back to its fold.
She also commended the PDP chairman for the giant step taken, saying members were convinced with the level of unity displayed so far.
A member of the committee, Mary Manzo, told reporters after the inauguration that they would not disappoint the party.
According to her, the committee comprises a group of people that are committed to the affairs of the party and ready to get the work done.
“They are hardworking people and dedicated to the service and I believe that with them, PDP is a moving train that cannot be stopped in this state,” Manzo said.
The assessment committee has one week from Thursday to submit its report and make recommendations where necessary. | PDP Inaugurates Committee To Reconcile Members In Taraba | business | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has inaugurated a high-powered assessment committee to evaluate where the party stands and what is needed … Continue reading PDP Inaugurates Committee To Reconcile Members In Taraba |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/06/23/court-grants-accelerated-hearing-of-suit-seeking-to-bar-obaseki-from-pdp-primary/ | The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital has granted a request for an accelerated hearing of the suit seeking to bar Governor Godwin Obaseki from participating in the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
The order followed a suit filed by one of the governorship aspirants in the party, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who said he would not step down for the incumbent governor.
The primary election is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, to choose the PDP flag bearer for the governorship election in September.
In seeking the interim request to stop Governor Obaseki, Mr Ogbeide-Ihama argued that only those who purchased the forms during the stipulated time should be allowed to take part in the primary election.
Before adjourning the matter until Wednesday for hearing of the summon, Justice Emmanuel Obile ordered that the parties in the suit should be served through substituted means in two national dailies.
The defendants in the suit included PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, the party, and Governor Obaseki.
Also listed as defendants were five members of the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Following his defection to the party from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP had granted Governor Obaseki a waiver to contest for an elective office on its platform.
The governor was screened on Sunday by a five-man committee led by Kingsley Chinda with Boyele Debekeme as the secretary. | Court Grants Accelerated Hearing Of Suit Seeking To Bar Obaseki From PDP Primary | business | Advertisement The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital has granted a request for an accelerated hearing of the … Continue reading Court Grants Accelerated Hearing Of Suit Seeking To Bar Obaseki From PDP Primary |
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/12/09/youtube-bans-new-videos-claiming-us-election-fraud/ | YouTube on Wednesday banned new videos with bogus claims of election fraud, saying enough states have certified Joe Biden as the next US president to make it official.
Critics have long called for the Google-owned video sharing platform to stop hosting videos spreading misinformation aimed at undermining the results of the election.
A “safe harbor deadline” for the election passed on Tuesday, with enough states certifying election results to make former vice president Biden the winner.
“Given that, we will start removing any piece of content uploaded today (or anytime after) that misleads people by alleging that widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election,” YouTube said in a blog post.
The move is in keeping with YouTube practice during previous US elections, according to the widely used video-sharing platform.
Videos removed will include those with claims of software glitches or counting errors affecting the outcome of the vote.
“As always, news coverage and commentary on these issues can remain on our site if there’s sufficient education, documentary, scientific or artistic context,” YouTube said.
Only a small portion of YouTube viewing has been election-related content, with the bulk of that generated by authoritative news sources, according to the Google-owned platform.
The US Supreme Court dealt the latest blow Tuesday to Donald Trump’s effort to overturn his election loss when it denied his allies’ attempt to block the certification of votes in key state Pennsylvania.
The nation’s highest court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices out of nine, did not explain its decision, and none of the members expressed dissent.
More than a month since the November 3 election, Trump still refuses to concede to Democrat Biden — who has a seven million-vote lead — and continues to make baseless claims of fraud. | YouTube Bans New Videos Claiming US Election Fraud | technology | YouTube on Wednesday banned new videos with bogus claims of election fraud, saying enough states have certified Joe Biden as the next US president … Continue reading YouTube Bans New Videos Claiming US Election Fraud |
https://www.channelstv.com/2012/12/26/dlm-to-float-mutual-fund/ | An investment bank Dunn Loren Merrified (DLM) is set to float a mutual fund in the Nigerian capital market early next year.
This will help investors looking for alternative investment outlets to spread their risks and enjoy good returns to do so.
The Chief Executive Officer of DLM, Mr. Sonnie Babatunde Ayere, said the fund would be one of the best managed in the country.
DLM, which is behind most of the corporate bond issues in the Nigerian capital market, early this year emerged as the best debt house 2011 at the ninth Nigerian investment banking league awards in recognition of its contribution to domestic financial markets. | DLM To Float Mutual Fund | politics | An investment bank Dunn Loren Merrified (DLM) is set to float a mutual fund in the Nigerian capital market early next year. This will help … Continue reading DLM To Float Mutual Fund |
https://www.channelstv.com/2019/10/22/ekiti-govt-obeys-court-order-relocates-lg-headquarters/ | The Ekiti State government has made a proclamation relocating the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Council from Iye Ekiti to Eda-Oniyo Ekiti in the state.
The deputy governor of the state, Mr Bisi Egbeyemi, explained that decision was in obedience to the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 14, 2018, which ordered the relocation.
He said, “The government of Ekiti State hereby proclaims that the decision of the Supreme Court of the land on the relocation of the Headquarters of Ilejemeje is sacrosanct and inviolable, and is binding on the government and people of Ekiti state.”
Eda-Oniya in Ilejemeje Local Government Area was the constitutionally recognised headquarters of the council when the state was created in 1996.
The first military administrator in the state had, however, relocated it three months after take-off by radio announcement to Iye Ekiti, adducing the action to administrative convenience.
The lengthy litigation over finally ended last year when the Supreme Court held that Eda-Oniyo was the authentic headquarters of the council.
In his reaction, the traditional ruler of the new local government headquarters, Oba Julius Awolola, said he was pleased with the decision of the government.
He recalled the painful efforts made by the town to achieve the aim.
“We are grateful to God, the governor, and his team. I am very happy, I laboured for this a lot and I thank God I am alive to witness this,” Oba Awolola said. | Ekiti Govt Obeys Court Order, Relocates LG Headquarters | business | Advertisement The Ekiti State government has made a proclamation relocating the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Council from Iye Ekiti to Eda-Oniyo Ekiti in … Continue reading Ekiti Govt Obeys Court Order, Relocates LG Headquarters |
https://www.channelstv.com/2018/08/30/buhari-oshiomhole-others-attend-apc-nec-meeting/ | The National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is underway in Abuja with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole in attendance.
Others present are the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu and some state governors.
The meeting comes after the party held its caucus meeting on Tuesday.
The national chairman had told journalists that the party had resolved to abide by the resolutions from the NEC meeting. | Buhari, Oshiomhole, Others Attend APC NEC Meeting | business | The National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is underway in Abuja with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole in attendance. |