SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE – MARCH 26, 2019
What happened in 8th Senate regrettable – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has frowned at some actions and decisions of the 8th National Assembly, saying such activities remain regrettable. The president, who made his feeling known when he hosted state governors and senators-elect of the All Progressives Congress to a dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday night. President Buhari particularly cited the deliberate and persistent delay in passing the nation’s annual budget by the national assembly. He, therefore, challenged the in-coming 9th national assembly to do things differently from the outgoing 8th senate so as to enable his administration achieve its target of transforming the nation.
Senate Presidency: Lawan endorsement by Oshiomhole unconstitutional, says Ndume
A former Senate leader, Ali Ndume has described as unconstitutional, the endorsement of Senator Ahmad Lawan as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the position of Senate President of the Ninth National Assembly. Ndume, who addressed journalists in Abuja also said that the choice of Lawan was an unpopular decision, unilaterally carried out by the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole. He said, Both President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, gave me their consent when JZ approached them for their blessings over his ambition to contest the Senate presidency.”
Kano rerun: It’s unfortunate declaring Ganduje winner – PDP
The Kano State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described the declaration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as a winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as most unfortunate. This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the spokesman of Kano state PDP gubernatorial candidate Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, Malam Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa. According to the statement, Kano state had never undergone a horrific election where the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and Kano State Government deployed all mechanisms to orchestrate violence against the citizens, adding that the good people of Kano state had witnessed a broad daylight robbery of their mandate by the enemies of democracy.
2019 budget hits setback as Udoma, Ahmad, others shun Reps hearing
The 2019 budget, on Tuesday, encountered a major setback as heads of federal government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) shunned an invitation by the Joint House Committee on Appropriation, Finance, Aids, Debts and Management, among others. The affected heads of MDAs included Minister of National Planning, Udo Udoma; Minister of Finance, Aisha Ahmad; Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Barau, among others.
See your victory as act of God, CAN tells Lalong
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has congratulated the Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Simon Bako Lalong, on his re-election as the governor of the state, urging him to see his victory as an act of God, and should therefore use his position to glorify his God and to commit to serve the people of the state. In a press statement jointly endorsed by the State CAN Chairman, Dr. Soja Bewarang, and state secretary, Rev Fr. Polycarp Lubo, CAN also urged all aggrieved losers not to take the law in their hands but to seek redress legally. The association also admonished the losers to understand that it’s “God that gives power to whom He wills” , urging both winners and losers in the elections to join hands and make Plateau better.
Tribunal orders INEC to allow PDM, PDP to inspect materials in Nasarawa
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the candidates of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to inspect electoral materials used in the March 9 election. Musa Nagogo, Governorship Candidate of the PDM, is challenging the victory of Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the omission of his name and party logo in the election. Also, David Ombugadu, of the PDP is challenging the March 9 governorship election in the state. They also prayed the court for an order compelling INEC to allow them to inspect the register and other vital documents used in the conduct of the election unhindered.
Get touts off Abia roads, NURTW urges Ikpeazu
Secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Abia chapter, Mr. Lazarus Kalu, on Tuesday urged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to get touts off Abia roads in his second term, in fulfillment of his promise. Kalu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Aba. “We do not want these touts on the roads anymore; we have told the governor to look into this and curb the menace of these touts who disturb motorists on the roads. “Some will say they are collecting one emblem, levy, or one ticket levy or the other; but the union has no stake in all their actions,” he said.
CBN reduces monetary policy rate to 13.5%
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday reduced the Monetary Policy Rate from 14 per cent to 13.5 per cent. The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, announced the decision of the committee at the end of a two-day meeting held at the apex bank’s headquarters in Abuja. He explained that six out of the 11 members that attended the meeting agreed to reduce the current monetary policy stance. He said while the MPR was reduced to 13.5 per cent, the committee decided to retain the Cash Reserves Ratio at 22.5 per cent. Also retained are the Liquidity Ratio which was left at 30 per cent; and the Asymmetric Window which was left at +200 and -500 basis points around the MPR.
UN sends team to probe Mali massacre
The UN said on Tuesday it had sent a team of investigators to Mali’s restive Mopti region, where more than 150 people were massacred this weekend. The raid took place on Saturday in the village of Ogossagou, home to the Fulani herding community, near the town of Mopti in central Mali. The UN rights office said at least 153 people were killed and 73 injured in the attack. Local officials and security sources told AFP on Monday the death toll had climbed to 160. The attack marked a “significant” surge in “violence across communal lines and by so-called self-defence groups apparently attempting to root out violent extremist groups”, said UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.
Southgate condemns racism as UEFA charge Montenegro
Gareth Southgate has called for education to stamp out racism in football as European governing body UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Montenegro following abuse aimed at black England players during his side’s 5-1 Euro 2020 qualifier win in Podgorica. Raheem Sterling celebrated the fifth goal on Monday by cupping his ears towards the home fans as a sign of defiance, while Callum Hudson-Odoi said he and Danny Rose heard monkey noises aimed at them. “Sanctions are worthless if there is nothing alongside that to help educate people,” said England coach Southgate.
Spotify eyes more original podcasts with Parcast acquisition
Spotify promised more acquisitions after powering its way into the world of podcasts with its one-two buyouts of Gimlet and Anchor in February, which came on the back of its first-ever operating profit. Today it remained true to its word by announcing yet another deal, this time for podcast studio Parcast, a rising star of the industry that’s been making waves on the Apple Podcasts chart. Spotify is keeping quiet about the financial details of the transaction. Parcast has tapped into our collective fascination with true crime by churning out 18 shows that tread the fine line between fact and crackpot conspiracy theories. The New York Times described its output (including podcasts Female Criminals, Unexplained Mysteries and Unsolved Murders) as a mix of “historical fact, pop psychology and rampant speculation.” Parcast promised an additional 20 shows this year.
Facebook blocks more accounts over influence campaigns
Facebook said Tuesday it shut down more than 2,600 fake accounts linked to Iran, Russia, Macedonia and Kosovo and aiming to influence political sentiment in various parts of the world. It was the latest effort by the leading social network to shut down “inauthentic” accounts on Facebook and Instagram seeking to influence politics in the US and elsewhere. Facebook said the accounts blocked in the four countries were not necessarily centrally coordinated but “used similar tactics by creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing,” said Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy for the company.
