SABINEWS MORNING NEWS UPDATE FOR JUNE 18, 2017
Jonathan: No Single Individual, Group Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems
Former President Goodluck Jonathan weekend took another look at the myriad problems besetting Nigeria and concluded that no single individual or group could have the answered to the problems.
But former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, and his Imo State counterpart, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, noted that the problems with Nigeria was not that of leadership but the structures that produce leadership in the country. Read more
Federal Government to appeal Saraki’s acquittal
Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, said on Saturday that the Federal Government had finalised its decision to appeal last Wednesday’s ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal discharging and acquitting the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of charges of false asset declaration.
Obono-Obla, who vowed that no one would be allowed to get away with any act of corruption, said in a telephone interview with our correspondent that the government would file a notice of appeal against Saraki’s acquittal by Wednesday. Read more
Osun 2018: Senatorial re-run as test case
The July 2, 2017 senatorial bye-election for Osun west senatorial district is manifesting the indicators to the November 2018 governorship poll in the state. Before death claimed the Senator representing Osun west in the Senate, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, two months ago, it was expected that three persons would slug it out for the governorship poll. They include the late Senator Adeleke, Hon. Yussuf Lasun and presumptive preferred candidate of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola. Read more
Oyegun, INEC, Others to Appear in Court over Kaduna APC Crisis
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of Police and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, to appear before him over the leadership crisis rocking the party in the state.
Others expected to appear before the court include Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Inuwa Abdukadir, Senator Lawal Shuaibu and the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission. Read more
Delta’ll Soon Regain Her Number One Oil Producing State Status, Okowa Vows
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State weekend promised that the State would reclaim her number one position as major oil producer in the country next year.
He however said this can only be possible if the youths continue to maintain the existing peace resulting from last year visit by the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN. Read more
Rivers APC Denies Intra-party Rift
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied any rift within the party, which is in opposition in the state.
The state Chairman of the APC, Dr. Davies Ikanya, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday said contrary to media reports, there was no crisis in the party. Read more
1,200 school children get awards for good values
Held in Lagos, the event, an intra-school programme was aimed at entrenching good values and healthy living among young people in schools across the country.
Two pupils each were selected from over 600 schools in Lagos and were rewarded for good values and exemplary character they imbibed from the Ribena Bridges To Goodness School Project. With this, they became worthy ambassadors of Ribena Good Values and Character Programme. Read more
NIGERIA MUST DIVIDE – DR DAMIAN OGBONNA, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PPP
Dr Damian Uzoma Ogbonna, an ideologue and National Chairman of the PPP speaks to Sunday Sun on divisiveness in Nigeria, saying the nation must divide to realize its full potentials. He also speaks on the odyssey of the nation, zoning which he says finished Nigeria, the 2015 elections which produced the All Progressives Congress, APC as the ruling party, and which he affirms was a mistake that would be corrected in 2019, corruption in the country, among other vital topical issues. Read more
South African Envoy Calls on Private Sector to Support IDPS
South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Louis-Mnguni has called on the private sector to join in alleviating the plight of internally displaced children. He made the clarion call while commending the First Lady, Aisha Buhari for her exemplary leadership in handling the issue of the vulnerable, particularly the Internally Displaced Persons from the Northeast of Nigeria, at a recent event held in Abuja to commemorate the 2017 Day of the African Child. Read more
Bakassi Groups Trade Accusations over Diversion of Relief Materials
Two opposing groups among the internally displaced people of the Bakassi; the Bakassi Stakeholders Forum (BSF) , and the Coalition of Bakassi Indigenes (CBI), are at daggers-drawn over the alleged diversion of relief materials meant for the internally displaced people from Bakassi peninsula Read more
Anambra 2017: Andy Uba shows strength in APC, Ngige considers contest
The politics of 2019 as it pertains to Southeast geopolitical zone have started casting some dense shadows on Anambra State. In fact, much of what is playing out within the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), United Progressive Party (UPP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), could be traced to strategic considerations for 2019.
Conversely, if it were in police circles, what happened in Uga, Aguata local government council of Anambra State, penultimate Friday, could be described as a show of force. Read more
FG denies spending N6b on maize importation
Despite obvious indicators that N6b was spent on importing maize in April and May 2017, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has denied such expenditure, stressing that the Federal Government has increased maize production.
The denial comes barely two weeks after Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, raised alarm over imminent shortage of maize, following infestation of armyworm disease ravaging maize farms across the country. Read more
Benue Recruits 4150 Cooks for School Feeding Programme
A total of 4,150 cooks have been recruited in Benue state for the Home Grown School Feeding programme of the Buhari administration. State Focal Person, Benue State Investment Programme and the Senior Special Assistant to Benue State Governor Engr. Utaan Terhide, disclosed this on Tuesday during a news conference in Makurdi. He maintained that the schools feeding program would take off in the week ahead. Utaan stated that the Social Investment Program office in Benue adopted the use of Community Based Targeting approach for the recruitment of the food vendors out of the 16,000 applications received by the Home Grown School Feeding office, adding that due to logistics constraints, many applicants could not be accommodated in the program. Read more
APC behind Niger PDP Chairman’s Travails, Says PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party PDP has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress in Niger State is behind the travails of its Chairman Alhaji Tanko Beji. Tanko Beji had been with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for 9 days and had not been officially charged to court.
The state Secretary of the party alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Santali told a news conference in Minna o. Saturday that with Tanko Beji had been under incarceration for 9 days because of his criticism of the APC government before and during the 2017 Democracy Day celebration. Read more
‘FG’s Proposed University of ICT Enugu Campus Ready’
Ahead of the take-off of the Federal Government proposed ICT University of Nigeria, members of its implementation committee have expressed satisfaction with the state of facilities at the Digital Bridge Institute Enugu, designated as one of the campuses of the university.
The proposed ICT University will be a multi-campus institution of the present Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as located in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Asaba and Yola. Read more
UN Pays Tribute to Osotimehin
Glowing tributes, fond memories and outpouring of emotion echoed through the night as the whole United Nations family gathered weekend in New York, US at a valedictory session for Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin.
Osotimehin, who was UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), passed away suddenly during the evening of June 4 in his home in West Harrison, New York. Read more
Buhari’s anti-corruption panel lambasts Presidency, judiciary
Two prominent members of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption in Abuja on Saturday picked holes in government’s handling of the anti-corruption war.
Speaking in Abuja at a programme organised by the National Association of Seadogs (the Pyrates Confraternity), the Chairman of the panel, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), and member, Professor Femi Odekunle, attributed recent setbacks suffered by the administration in the prosecution of corruption cases to the fraudulent activities of compromised elements in the judiciary and legislature, and a lack of diligence on the part of some senior government officials. Read more
Senators are paid peanuts – Tejuoso
Olanrewaju Tejuoso, the senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, in this interview tells LEKE BAIYEWU about his lawmaking experience
What has been your experience as a lawmaker in the National Assembly?
It will be two years by June and it has been an interesting experience. As you must know, this is a peculiar Senate because of the way the leadership was created. All the politics of the creation of the leadership was a big distraction for us, the newcomers. We came baptised with serious politicking, which was a distraction from what they (constituents) really voted us for. Read more
I didn’t defect from APGA, says Obiano
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has said he has no plans to leave the All Progressive Grand Alliance.
Obiano’s denial followed a media report that he had concluded arrangements to quit the party because of the crisis currently rocking the APGA. Read more
Ganduje, Kwankwaso, others for Goodwill Ambassador’s Award
The Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador Awards is billed to hold on Thursday, July 6, at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
With Green White Green as a theme, this year’s event, which is the 5th edition, would honour people who have positively impacted on lives. Read more
To stop fuel importation, govt should privatise refineries — Orjiako
Investment in the oil industry has been hampered by regulatory uncertainty over the past few years. What do you think about the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill that was recently passed by the Senate?
I think passing the bill is a good thing; it is removing quite some uncertainty. I think one of the things that we would like to see once the PIGB is being executed is that all the bureaucracy and the difficulties in doing oil and gas business are reduced so that we can see more businesses and activities in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. Read more
Navy Chief, IGP Petitioned over Invasion, Closure of Maritime Academy
The management of Merchant Seaman Academy in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has petitioned the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, over the closure of the school by operatives of the Nigerian Navy.
The petition, which underscored a lingering face-off between the Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi, and the academy, was signed on behalf of the academy’s proprietor, Mr. Adams Pius, by his lawyer, Barrister Jiti Ogunye of Jiti Ogunye law Chambers, Lagos. It was also copied the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris. Pius demanded immediate re-opening of the school. Read more
Army Confirms Arrest of Suspected Terrorist, Intercepts Four Traffickers
The Nigerian Army saturday confirmed the arrest of a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Aliyu Ahmed, alias “Aliko”. The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement that “Aliko” was arrested on Friday by troops of 33 Brigade following a tip off in Yuga village in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where he has been in hiding.
The army also said it intercepted four child traffickers and 19 under aged children in Yobe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Read more
Capital Budget Implementation Raises Concerns on Inflation
As disbursements for the capital projects would begin in earnest following the signing of the 2017 budget into law by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, concerns have been raised on the impact of increased liquidity in the economy on declining inflationary trend. The ability of the Central Bank of Nigeria to manage excess liquidity arising from capital budget implementation has, however, been acknowledged. Read more
Abia PDP Guber Aspirant Alleges Threat to Life
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Aspirant in Abia State in the 2015 General Election, Sir Friday Nwanozie Nwosu has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over alleged threat to his life.
In a terse three- paragraph petition made available to the media, Nwosu alleged that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the former Governor of Abia, Theodore Orji, now a Senator, son of the former Governor, and current Member of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Orji, one Ekpe Ekpe, alias Trigger and others have perfected plans to assassinate him. Read more
Tension in Ondo oil producing communities
OIL producing communities in Ondo State is kicking over the state government’s decision to dissolve oil related committees in Ilaje local government area of the state. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had, last week, dissolved the oil bearing communities’ committees in the state. Tension is building up in the communities over the government action. Read more
Suspects die in army cells — Panel
The Nigerian Army has admitted that some military detention facilities in the country are overcrowded and some detainees have died in the cells.
The army’s Special Board of Inquiry inaugurated to investigate allegations of human rights’ violations by soldiers and officers, made this submission in a report obtained by our correspondent. Read more
Kenneth Omeruo Counting On Chelsea Dazzler Moses, Mikel To Destroy Cameroon
Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo wants to compete in his second World Cup next year, and is hoping that the Super Eagles will beat African champions Cameroon in August and September.
Despite being favourites, the Super Eagles lost at home to South Africa in an AFCON qualifier last weekend, but Omeruo is confident that the national team will see off the Indomitable Lions, with several stars like Victor Moses and Obi Mikel expected to return Read more
Taye Taiwo: Echjejile Needs Strong Competition For Eagles Left-Back Spot
Former Super Eagles defender Taye Taiwo has called on the technical crew of the Nigerian national team to scout for more defenders especially at the full-back positions, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.
The Super Eagles lost 2-0 to South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on June 10 with regular left-back Elderson Echjejile receiving a lot of flak for an indifferent performance. Read more
Amuneke: Iheanacho Must Leave Man City To Keep Super Eagles Place
Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles coach Emmanuel Amuneke has warned that Kelechi Iheanacho risks losing his national team place if the Super Eagles forward remains inactive at Manchester City, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.
Iheanacho struggled to get game time at Manchester City last season with manager Pep Guadiola preferring Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus to the Nigerian international. Read more
Aluko Urges England U20 Stars to Play for Nigeria
Fulham FC striker Sone Aluko has urged Dominic Solanke, Fikayo Tomori, Sheyi Ojo, Ovie Ejaria, Josh Onomah and Ademola Lookman to switch their international allegiance from England to Nigeria. The six players, who are of Nigerian descent, recently helped England Under-20 clinch the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup with Solanke winning the competition’s Player of the Tournament accolade Read more
TRANSFER RUMOUR: REAL MADRID PLACE €150 MILLION PRICE TAG ON CRISTIANO RONALDO
Real Madrid have reportedly slapped a €150 million price tag on Cristiano Ronaldo who looks set to leave the club in the summer.
Spanish publication Don Balon have reported that Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo over his price tag. The Portuguese veteran’s release clause stands at a staggering €1 billion, but Los Blancos will instead hold out for a transfer fee of €150 million. Read more
Chelsea told top 24-year-old striker will cost world-record fee – report
Chelsea will have to cough up a world-record transfer fee to sign Romelu Lukaku from Everton this summer, according to reports in the British media.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Everton want £100m to sell Belgium international Lukaku back to Chelsea in the summer transfer window. Read more
Ricardo Alvarez’s £9m non-transfer sums up why Sunderland are loaded and skint at the same time
“I read somewhere that Real Madrid received £80m for winning the Champions League and Sunderland have received £93m (for finishing bottom of last season’s Premier League),” Joel Asoro noted in a recent interview with Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. “It’s crazy. Why do they not have the money?”
It defies logic, but it is true. Read more
Arsenal transfer news and rumours: ‘Man United preparing to beat Gunners to Alexandre Lacazette’
Manchester United have held talks with Alexandre Lacazette’s representatives and could pinch the Lyon striker from under Arsenal’s nose.
According to L’Equipe, United are keeping in touch with the France ace, in case their move for Alvaro Morata doesn’t get the go ahead from Real Madrid.
Arsenal held fresh talks with Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyon president, earlier this week over Lacazette. Read more
Bodies of missing U.S. sailors found after destroyer collision, Navy says
Bodies of missing sailors have been found in the flooded berthing compartments of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald, one day after it collided with a merchant ship off the Japanese coast, the U.S. Navy said in a statement on Saturday.
The bodies are currently being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified, the Navy said. Read more
Three Killed in Bombing at Bogota Mall, Nine Injured
A bomb rocked one of the busiest shopping centers in Colombia’s capital Saturday, killing three people, including a 23-year-old French woman, and injuring nine others.
Witnesses told of being evacuated from movie theaters and stores after the blast in a second-floor women’s restroom at the upscale Centro Andino in the heart of Bogota’s tourist district. Ambulances and firetrucks rushed to the scene and the injured were taken to a hospital, where two later died. Read more
A place called ‘hope’: the tiny island on the frontline of US-China tensions
On the horizon, the azure sea water stops and the white, concrete structures of the Chinese military base rise up.
“Sometimes we get nervous because we are only civilians. If they invade the island, they can harm us. They can do whatever they want,” says Romeo Malaguit, a fisherman and father of two, who lives on the nearby Philippine-claimed island Thitu. Read more
Letters: violence and terrorism has never been justified in Islam
I admire the courage of Sara Khan and her organisation, Inspire, for challenging the narrative of co-religionist hate preachers who, in a society dedicated to free speech, are still free to instil hate in the minds of young Muslims and radicalise them into becoming terrorists, as Anjem Choudary did (“Stop fretting over religious sensitivities. We must push hard against Islamists”, Comment).
She is absolutely right to condemn the political correctness and religious sensitivities to the Muslim community that suppress debate and inhibit a solution. With 23,000 potential jihadis at large, Muslim leaders must hammer home the message that, no matter what the grievance, violence and terrorism are never justified in Islam.
Stan Labovitch
Windsor Read more
Paris accords: Angela Merkel says Pope Francis encouraged her to preserve climate change agreement
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Pope Francis encouraged her to work to preserve the historic Paris climate accord despite the US withdrawal from it and shared her goal to “bring down walls” between countries, not build them.
Ms Merkel and Francis met for about 40 minutes Saturday in the Apostolic Palace, focusing on the Group of 20 summit that Germany is hosting in Hamburg on 7 and 8 July. Read more
