SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE JANUARY 1, 2019
2019 BUDGET: BUHARI TO SPEND N1biliion ON TRAVELS, N98millon ON FOOD
The Federal Government budgeted N1,001,318,171 for President Muhammadu Buhari’s local and international travels in the proposed 2019 budget.
The budget proposes N250,021,595 for the President’s local trips and N751,296,576 for him to travel internationally.
Meanwhile, N83,974,710 was budgeted for Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s local travel, while N217,060,883 was proposed for his international trips.
Under foodstuff/catering materials supplies, N98,306,492 was budgeted for the President and N50,888,218 for the Vice-President.
BUHARI WILL LEAD NIGERIA BEYOND 2019 – PROPHET OWOLABI
A renowned cleric, Prophet Christopher Owolabi, on Tuesday, predicted that the tenure of the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari would extend beyond 2019. Owolabi, General Overseer Christ Apostolic Church Ori-Oke, Irapada, Omu-Aran, made the prediction during the Church’s crossover night service tagged: “Seeking for Nigeria’s Democratic Sustenance Beyond 2019” in Omu-Aran, Kwara.
AISHA BUHARI TO LEAD APC WOMEN, YOUTH PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TEAM
Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has been appointed the Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress Women and Youths Presidential Campaign team for the 2019 election.
The wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, is also appointed as the Co-chairman of the campaign team.
This is contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Information, Office of the Wife of the President, Mr Suleiman Haruna.
PETER OBI IS NOT A SAINT – OBASANJO
Obi who is often regarded as a saintly politician, was rebuffed by Obasanjo who noted that mortals cannot be saint except if the person is dead and lives in heaven. Obasanjo’s criticism of Buhari undignified-Sen. Adamu This was the declaration from the former President during the 2018 Ukpor Day. Elucidating his point, Obasanjo averred that saints live in heaven and as such, saintly attributes could not be granted to mortals.
I DROPPED OUT OF OAU, OGUN APC GOV CANDIDATE ADMITS
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has said the contention over his academic credentials is an attempt at mudslinging, adding that he never claimed to have graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife).
A suit filed earlier this month at a High Court in Abuja sought Abiodun’s disqualification from the governorship race for allegedly giving “false information” in the academic qualification he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
NEW YEAR: LALONG PARDONS 4 PRISONERS IN PLATEAU
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has granted pardon to four prisoners serving various jail terms in the state
The Governor made this known in a New Year message to the people of the state.
In a statement in Jos on Tuesday which was signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mark Longyen ,the Governor gave the names of those granted pardon to include Abdullahi Musa, Rev. Samson Bisat and Chikwu Anadi, who got absolute pardon while Emmanuel Ochiba’s life imprisonment was reduced to 21 years jail term.
HOSTS UNKNOWN, BUT NATIONS CUP WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE IN AFRICA
An Africa Cup of Nations with new dates and an expanded 24-team line-up will take center stage this year in the continent, but the hosts have still to be decided.
CAF will announce next Wednesday whether Egypt or South Africa stage the June 15-July 13 tournament after Cameroon were dropped over preparation delays and security concerns.
The date switch from January/February should end club-versus-country rows after a growing number of African stars were reluctant to leave their European teams in mid-season.
9-YEAR-OLD GIRL WALKS AGAIN, 12 MONTHS AFTER ACCIDENT
Sango-Ota(Ogun) – The Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says a nine-year old girl, Ajadi Islamiya, incapacitated in a fatal accident in 2017, now walks again, a year after the incident. Islamiya, whose mother died in the crash on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Dec. 31, 2017, walked exactly a year on the crash anniversary .
US EMBASSY IN NIGERIA SUSPENDS OPERATIONS INDEFINITELY DUE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
The United States embassy in Abuja and its consulate in Lagos have suspended operations indefinitely due to its government shutdown.
President Donald Trump had forced a partial government shutdown over his inability to get the Democrats in the legislature to fund the erection of a $5 billion US-Mexico border wall, a campaign promise. The shutdown began on December 22, 2018.
In a statement released by the embassy in Nigeria on Monday, December 31, it announced that the centers will remain closed until the shutdown is resolved.
“Due to the current U.S. government shutdown, the American Centers located in the Embassy, Abuja and Consulate General, Lagos are unfortunately closed. They will re-open once the U.S. government shutdown is resolved,” the statement read.
