SABINEWS MORNING NEWS UPDATE – MARCH 28, 2019
Makinde denies animosity towards Ajimobi
Oyo State governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde, said that his recent comments on the scale and manner of fresh contracts being hastily awarded by the state government at the twilight of the administration was borne out of concern for the financial health of the state rather than an attack on the person of Governor Abiola Ajimobi. In a statement issued on his behalf by Mr Dotun Oyelade, the governor-elect said he accorded Ajimobi due respect not only as governor but as his senior. He said further, “But governance being a serious business, Makinde cannot look on while direct instructions are given to local government councils to spend all money in their care including Stabilisation Accounts which are traditionally reserved for emergencies and natural disasters even when there are no cases of emergency anywhere in the state.”
Dokpesi accuses Buhari of being a parasite
The Chairman of Daar Communications, owners of the Raypower FM and African Independent Television, Chief Raymond Dopkesi, on Wednesday labelled President Muhammadu Buhari “a parasite of Nigeria.” Speaking to journalists in Abuja after he was released after being questioned by the Nigeria Immigration Service, Dokpesi also accused the Federal Government of intimidating People’s Democratic Party members. The Lagos businessman, who was detained by the Department of State Services upon his return from Dubai on Friday, said, “I do not suspect foul play. I can state categorically that this is the handiwork of the Buhari-led Federal Government. There is nothing I can do. I am in court already. I am a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is on my sweat that I go for treatment.
Dogara: N’Assembly to pass 2019 budget next week
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has given the assurance that the N8.83 trillion 2019 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 19 to the National Assembly will be passed by the Assembly once it reconvenes next week. Dogara, who spoke while declaring open the 2019 national budget hearing of the National Assembly on Wednesday, said both the Senate and House of Representatives will pass the Appropriation Bill “as soon as we reconvene”. The National Assembly, which suspended plenary on March 20 so as to allow its various committees to work on the 2019 budget proposals, will resume plenary on Tuesday, April 2.
9th Senate: Coalition warns against imposition of leadership
A coalition of civil society and youth groups under the aegis of Partners for Legislative Agenda for Nigeria, PLAN, has asked senators-elect not to allow external bodies influence their decision as they prepare to elect the new leadership of the 9th Senate. This was as it said the North Central geopolitical zone should be completely out of the race for the Senate Presidency. PLAN, at a press conference, Wednesday, in Abuja, by its chairman, Charles Ibiang, hailed the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, “for looking in the direction of the North-East.” It, however, warned against the imposition of any particular candidate on the upper legislative chamber.
No incentive to increase power generation, say Gencos
As households and businesses continue to lament the nation’s electricity woes, power generation companies in the country have said there is no incentive for them to increase output from their plants. The Gencos said their total generation capacity rose to 7,383.04 megawatts in 2018 from 4,214.32MW in 2013, when the power sector was privatised by the Federal Government. Total power generation, which plunged to 2,938.5MW last Wednesday, rose to 4,305.5MW as of 6am on Monday, according to data from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
FG, States, LGs Share N619.857bn for February
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared a total of N619.857 billion to the three tiers of government for the month of February as the monthly meeting of the Committee ended in Abuja Wednesday. This is coming as the FGN Bond Auction for March 2019 conducted by the Debt Management Office (DMO) Wednesday with N100 billion Bonds on offer, was oversubscribed as was the case in January and February 2019. A communique issued by FAAC indicated that from the total distributive revenue of N619.857 billion, the federal government received N257.681 billion, states–N169.925, and local government councils — N127.722 billion.
Prof Oduleye dies at 75
A former chairman of ASUU, Unilorin Chapter, Prof. Samson Olatunde Oduleye, is dead. He was aged 75. His death was announced in a statement signed by Poju Akinyanju on behalf of the Socialist Congress of Nigeria, Festus Iyayi Foundation and Unilorin 49+ Foundation. The statement noted that “Oduleye, an accomplished academic, spent a considerable part of his life and energy in the struggle for the development of the Nigerian University system and the Nigerian nation.”
Gov Okowa boosts super eagles with $60,000
Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State has again bountifully rewarded the Super Eagles following victories in their 2019 AFCON qualifying match against Seychelles and the prestigious friendly against seven-time African champions Egypt, as he presented a gift of $10,000 to Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr and another $50,000 to the team on Tuesday. Okowa similarly rewarded the team following their qualification for the 2019 AFCON with the 1-1 draw against South Africa in Johannesburg in November 2018, which they followed up with a friendly against Uganda in Asaba three days later.
Egypt coach happy despite defeat to Eagles
Egypt’s head coach Javier Aguirre is satisfied with his team’s performance despite their 1-0 defeat to the Super Eagles in Tuesday’s international friendly match in Asaba, Completesports.com reports. The defeat was his first as coach of the Egyptian team. FC Midtylland of Denmark forward Paul Onuachu scored the only goal of the game with a wonder strike just eight seconds into the game, to help the Eagles secure their first win against Egypt in 29 years.
Team Nigeria back from special Olympics with 63 Medals
Special Olympics Nigeria (SON) athletes returned victorious from the 2019 World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi with 63 medals. At a welcome reception held in their honour on Tuesday in Lagoa, the athletes and officials were celebrated for being resilient, tenacious and exhibiting good sportsmanship. At the World Summer Games, athletes from over 190 countries including Nigeria participated in Athletics, Badminton, Unified Basketball, Cycling, Unified Football, Swimming, Table Tennis and Unified Volleyball.
Bayern Munich signs Lucas Hernandez for $90 million
Dumped out of the Champions League by Liverpool, Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich has accelerated the task of revamping its squad by signing defender Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid for $90 million. The 23-year-old Hernandez, who was part of France’s World Cup winning team last year, will join Bayern on July 1. The $90 million fee is a record for Bayern, almost doubling the sum paid for Corentin Tolisso, who is also French.
Leigh Griffiths set for return to training with Celtic
Leigh Griffiths will this week begin a “phased return” to Celtic. The 28-year-old Hoops striker has been out since December with personal issues but will be working at the club’s Lennoxtown training complex, in conjunction with the club’s medical and sports science staff, with a view to returning to training with the first team in the future. Interim manager Neil Lennon told the club’s official website: “We are really pleased that Leigh will be looking to get things going again at Lennoxtown and be making a phased return to training.
Facebook, Instagram finally ban white nationalism and separatism
Facebook has announced that starting next week, it will begin removing white nationalism and white separatism content if it praises either ideology, is in favor of them, or otherwise represents them. The ban will apply to both the main Facebook platform and Instagram, with the company saying that these movements ‘have no place on our services.’ White nationalism and separatism are two political ideologies with a social movement element that seek the separation of white people from others and the establishment of a white national identity. Both fall under the banner of white supremacy despite attempts by some adherents to separation the two.
U.S. jury says Bayer must pay $80 million to man in Roundup cancer trial
A U.S. jury on Wednesday awarded $80 million to a man who claimed his use of Bayer AG’s glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup caused his cancer, in the latest legal setback for the company facing thousands of similar lawsuits. The jury in San Francisco federal court said the company was liable for plaintiff Edwin Hardeman’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It awarded $5 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in punitive damages to Hardeman after finding that Roundup was defectively designed, that Monsanto failed to warn of the herbicide’s cancer risk and that the company acted negligently.
Christchurch attack: Prince William to honour victims
The Duke of Cambridge is to visit New Zealand to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terror attack. Prince William will travel on behalf of the Queen in late April, at the request of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, Kensington Palace said. He will meet those affected by the attacks, which left 50 people dead. The palace said William would also “pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity” displayed by New Zealanders in recent weeks. The duke visited the country following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011. William and the Duchess of Cambridge also New Zealand in 2014, taking the then nine-month-old Prince George with them.
Ship reported hijacked near Libya by migrants rescued at sea
Migrants hijacked a cargo ship in Libyan waters and forced the crew to redirect the vessel north to Europe, according to Italian and Maltese authorities. As the vessel headed in a direction leading to the island nation of Malta and Italy’s shores, both countries vowed to keep the hijacked ship out of their territorial waters. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini identified the ship as the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1 and said the crew had earlier rescued migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.
