SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE – MARCH 27, 2019
I don’t owe any bank, Okorocha insists
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has restated that his administration has never borrowed money from any bank within or outside the country. He gave the financial institutions seven days ultimatum to openly counter the claim if it is not true. Okorocha also disclosed that his administration does not owe workers, adding that workers’ salaries have been paid up to February 2019. The outgoing governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, challenged any bank with contrary claim to “openly indicate and give details of such transaction for the public to know”.
Kalu wants Deputy Senate President Zoned to Southeast
A former Abia governor, Dr Orji Uzo Kalu, has indicated interest to contest for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the soon to be constituted 9th National Assembly. Kalu also wants the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position to the South-East in the interest of equity and justice. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abia North Senator-elect made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. He noted that he was aware that the APC, which had the majority in the Senate, had zoned the senate president position to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West.
Ugwuanyi, deputy, others receive Certificate of Return
Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Wednesday received his Certificate of Return as Governor- Elect in the March 9th Governorship Election held in the state. The governor, alongside his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo and other elected members of the state Assembly received their certificates of return at the headquaters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu. The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Dr. Emeka Ononammadu, noted that it was gratifying that the electoral process ended in peace with all promises of fairness, openness and neutrality kept. “It was a tortuous journey that did not come at zero cost but it is also a journey that the entire nation is poised to learn from Enugu,” he stated.
Amnesty urges FG to investigate alleged cases of political thuggery in Kano supplementary election
Amnesty International has urged the Federal Government to investigate alleged cases of political thuggery and violence on journalists and electorate during the supplementary election conducted in Kano State. Isa Sanusi, the Amnesty International Spokesperson, made the call in an interview with BBC Hausa service, monitored by Newsmen in Damaturu, Yobe. “Amnesty International condemns the human rights violation during supplementary election exercise conducted in Kano especially on journalists and electorate. “We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari to lunch an investigation into the issue.
Lawyer writes Baru, condemns NNPC’s recruitment criteria
An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, has written a letter to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, condemning what he described as “discriminatory recruitment process.” Olajengbesi, in the letter dated March 26, vowed to approach the court to ensure protection of the fundamental rights of Nigerians who are qualified to apply but are barred from participating because of age criteria. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the criteria for Graduate Trainee, among others, require applicants to have graduated from an accredited university/polytechnic/monotechnic not earlier than 2014.
Catholic priest abductors yet to demand ransom – Church
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna has said that the abductors of the Parish Priest of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Ankwa Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Rev. Fr. John Shekwolo, have yet to make contact with the church for ransom, 24 hours after the incident. The Chancellor of the Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Daniel Kyom, told Northern City News on the telephone on Tuesday that the abductors had not made contact with the church. The Kaduna State Police Command had on Monday confirmed the abduction of the priest by gunmen. The spokesman for the command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said it had since dispatched its operatives to the village to comb the area with a view to rescuing the priest and arrest the kidnappers.
Gunmen abduct former Jalingo NBA Chairman
Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday abducted the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Jalingo branch, Mr Joel Ubandoma. Ubandoma was picked in his house in Mayo-Dassa area of Jalingo at about 1:00am on Wednesday, a family source told newsmen in Jalingo. Confirming the development, the Publicity Secretary of NBA in the branch, Mr Boniface Iorkumbur, said the association received the news of the abduction with shock and prayed for his quick release. “We woke up this morning with the devastating news of the abduction of our learned colleague, Ubandoma Esq, the immediate past Chairman of our branch.
Quagliarella becomes oldest Italian scorer in 6-0 Liechtenstein rout
Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday. Italy top Group J with six points after beating Finland 2-0 in Udine on Saturday with goals from Nicolo Barella and Moise Kean.
Bosnia threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Greece and both are behind Italy on four points followed by Finland on three.
Semenya camp lashes out at Coe for opening ‘old wounds’
Caster Semenya accused IAAF president Sebastian Coe of opening “old wounds” in an Australian newspaper interview, where he said the two-time Olympic 800-metre champion and other female athletes with high levels of naturally occurring testosterone were a threat to “the sanctity of fair competition.” In a statement released Wednesday in response, Semenya’s lawyers said Coe’s comments and the Daily Telegraph’s “distorted” reporting — the newspaper referred to the South Africa runner as “muscle-packed” and “unbeatable” — reminded her of how she was scrutinized and judged at her first world championships in 2009, when she was 18.
1 Palestinian killed as West Bank protesters clash with Israeli troops
About 150 Palestinian students threw firebombs and rocks at Israeli soldiers who responded with tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday after an Israeli raid on their university. Also on Wednesday, a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli troops during clashes with stone-throwers in Dheisha refugee camp near the West Bank town of Bethlehem, an ambulance service official said. He identified the victim as a volunteer wearing a paramedic uniform. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
Mike Pence plays marriage counselor as Trump ponders another breakup
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has been publicly at odds with Donald Trump over a number of issues, including Trump’s claims that his phone in Trump Tower was “tapped” by the Obama administration during the 2016 election. According to NBC News, these frustrations were so acute that Coats was on the verge of leaving the administration in December—but was talked off the ledge by Vice President Mike Pence. Indeed, per NBC, Pence has essentially played marriage counselor for the president and his intelligence chief, soothing each when they become upset with the other. “Hold the line,” Pence has told Coats, according to an unnamed administration official. “Keep doing the work [you’re] doing.”
Suspected New Zealand attacker donated to Austrian far-right group, officials say
The suspected gunman behind the mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand donated to a far-right Austrian group, the country’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday. Martin Sellner, head of the Identitarian Movement, received 1,500 euros ($1,690) in early 2018 from a donor with the same name as the man charged with murder following the Christchurch attack, said Hansjoerg Bacher, spokesman for prosecutors in the city of Graz. “We can now confirm that there was financial support and so a link between the New Zealand attacker and the Identitarian Movement in Austria,” Kurz said.
India conducts first successful test of anti-satellite weapon
India says it has successfully tested a new anti-satellite missile, marking another major development in its budding space program. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday in a nationally televised address that scientists had destroyed a satellite orbiting about 300 kilometers above Earth’s atmosphere in a mission that lasted only three minutes. The prime minister said the country has now “registered its name as a space power” alongside the United States, China and Russia, the only other nations to achieve such a feat.
Apple, Qualcomm trade blows in patent fight
Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. each notched victories from a U.S. trade body in their yearslong feud over patent licensing, hardening the divide between them ahead of a federal trial slated to begin next month. Apple netted the more significant victory Tuesday, with a ruling by members of the U.S. International Trade Commission that the iPhone maker didn’t violate a patent held by its former chip supplier. That ruling effectively overturned an ITC administrative judge’s finding in September that Apple had violated a Qualcomm patent related to power efficiency in mobile phones.
