SABINEWS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 28, 2016
Senate okays removal of CCB/CCT from Presidency
In a tensed atmosphere on Thursday, the Senate passed a bill amending the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which transfers the controlling powers of the bureau and the tribunal from the President to the National Assembly.
As part of the amendment, the CCT shall be made up of the chairman and four other members, with three of the five forming the quorum at every sitting. The lawmakers, however, allowed the President to maintain his power of appointment into the CCB. Read more
Oyo pupils set classrooms ablaze over mass failure
There was breach of the peace at the Isale-Oyo Community High School, Oyo town, after some pupils of the college reportedly set ablaze some classrooms over mass failure in their examination.
It was learnt that the aggrieved pupils stormed the school premises on Thursday morning charting solidarity songs. Read more
IITA moves to tackle constraints to massive cassava production
The International Institutes of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, said on Friday that it was working to tackle constraints militating against massive production of cassava in Africa.
The IITA Deputy Director-General, Partnership, Dr. Kenton Dashiell, told newsmen in Ibadan that it had conducted a workshop on Wednesday with key stakeholders to identify vital elements needed to modernise cassava production in Africa. Read more
Fayose asks Ooni, others to defend Tinubu, Falae
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has appealed to all the monarchs in Yoruba land to promote unity and defend political leaders against external aggressors.
He also urged the Federal Government to review its policies because of massive hunger in the land. Read more
Ondo election: AD suspends three principal officers over Oke
The Alliance for Democracy has suspended three principal officers of the party for their alleged involvement in the governorship candidacy saga in Ondo State.
A communique signed by AD National Chairman, Mr. Joseph Avazi, issued in Abuja on Friday, said the three officials were suspended by the party’s National Executive Council at its meeting on October 26. Read more
NIMASA assures stakeholders of safety standards in maritime industry
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has assured stakeholders of the agency’s resolve to ensure safety standards in the maritime industry.
Peterside, who was represented by the Head of Shipping Development Department, Mr. Akin Akinyosoye, gave the assurance at the 10th Oil Trading and Logistics Expo held in Lagos. Read more
Akure protest: Police assures residents of safety
The Ondo State Police Command has assured the residents of Akure of their safety from the violent protest which erupted in the state in early hours of Friday.
The protest followed the Independent National Electoral Commission replacement of the name of Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP governorship candidate for the November 26 election. Read more
Ondo 2016 Governorship Election: INEC Releases list of Candidates
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has released the list of candidates for the Ondo state 2016 Governorship election. The list comprises of names 28 governorship candidates and their running mates. Here is the complete list. Read more
Terminal operators must comply with concession agreement, says NPA MD
The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Usman, on Thursday, said that all terminal operators must comply with the terms of port concession agreements and must pay directly to NPA. Read more
Protest in Ondo over Jegede’s name removal as PDP candidate
Following the declaration of Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Ondo governorship election, the residents of the state trooped out in large numbers on the streets of major towns in the state to protest against the development.
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday removed the name of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede from the list of the candidates of the political parties that would participate in the November 26 governorship election and replaced it with Ibrahim’s name as the candidate of the PDP. Read more
$2.1bn arms cash: Ex-leaders, top monarchs, clerics among beneficiaries
There were indications on Thursday that former Nigerian leaders, traditional and religious leaders from across the country were listed as beneficiaries of the $2.1bn arms funds in the final report of the Presidential panel which probed military contracts from 2007 to 2015.
It was gathered that the report, which had been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, recommended the retrieval of undisclosed sums of money from some indicted persons, while in some cases, it recommended their prosecution. Read more
Vietnamese man caught stuffing dead tiger into freezer
A man in northern Vietnam was arrested by police after he was caught red-handed stuffing a dead tiger into a freezer, local media reported on Friday.
Le Van Duc, 26, was found stuffing a 37 kg tiger carcass into a freezer on Thursday.
Skin from a different tiger was also found inside the freezer. Read more
US election: The candidate who would be better for Africa
According to the IMF’s 2016 World Economic Outlook, global economic growth will be driven by emerging markets in Africa and Asia. Ivory Coast ranked No 2 in its list of top 10 emerging markets. The African Growth and Opportunity Act of 2000 grants duty-free status to sub-Saharan African countries for most products imported into America.
This trade preference policy is a bid to open up African markets to American goods and services and to develop and fortify the African business landscape through increased trade and investment. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative charged with implementing and overseeing AGOA, a 2013 programme initiative was announced by President Barack Obama during his 2013 visit to Africa, which would “seek to increase internal and regional trade within Africa and expand economic ties between Africa, the United States and other global markets.” Read more
Govt to raise $25.46bn from World Bank, IDB, AfDB
The Federal Government will seek to borrow $25.46bn from multilateral and bilateral development agencies, including the World Bank and the Islamic Development, between now and 2018.
Other agencies the Federal Government will resort to for funds to complement the dwindling resources from oil and gas are the African Development Bank, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency and the China Export Import Bank. Read more
Messi and I are good friends – Ronaldo
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has told Coach magazine he does not have a “big rivalry” with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and instead there is a “big mutual respect” between the pair.
Ronaldo, 31, and Messi, 29, are considered two of the best players in the world and have consistently starred in La Liga in recent years, competing for rival clubs Real and Barca. Read more
EPL: Guardiola seeks to end record winless run
Manchester City’s form under Pep Guardiola is beginning to show similarities to their final season under his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini, with a fast start followed by an autumn stumble.
Last season, City won their opening five matches under Pellegrini, then fell away so badly that they only just secured England’s fourth and final Champions League qualification place. Read more
EPL: Tony Pulis extends West Brom stay
West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis ended speculation about his future on Friday as he signed a one-year contract extension with the Premier League club.
Albion are under new Chinese ownership and it had been suggested Pulis might part ways with the Baggies after expressing his displeasure at the lack of quality signings in the last transfer window. Read more
Guardiola plots Man City upturn at West Brom
Pep Guardiola takes Manchester City to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League this weekend still trying to figure out how to lift the club out of their autumn downturn.
Scintillating over the season’s early weeks, which saw them win their first 10 games, they have now gone six matches without victory, culminating in Wednesday’s 1-0 League Cup defeat at Manchester United. While they remain top of the league table on goal difference, City’s swashbuckling form has petered out and left-back Gael Clichy hopes their luck changes soon. Read more
Even Messi couldn’t save S-League, says Pennant
English footballer Jermaine Pennant fired a parting shot as he left his Singapore club, saying even Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi couldn’t lift the moribund S-League.
The former Arsenal and Liverpool winger, 33, made the comment as he departs Tampines Rovers after just nine months in the nine-team Singapore league. Read more
Mourinho and United focus on Burnley boost
Jose Mourinho’s mood was a little brighter on Wednesday after an EFL Cup victory over Manchester City, but there is still much work to be done in order to get his season back on track.
The Manchester United manager issued a public apology to the club’s supporters after an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Chelsea last Sunday, which left his team seventh in the Premier League. Read more
