The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Stop blaming me for Soludo, Obaze’s disqualification- Obi

    Governor Peter Obi has expressed disappointment  on the decision  of the screening committee of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which disqualified former Central Bank of Nigeria’s boss, Prof Charles Soludo , former UN staff and his SSG , Osaeloka Obaze among others.

    Obi lamented that Obaze who he brought back from his plum job in United Nation was screened out on mere technicalities but he could not do anything as he pledged to abide by the decision of the party screening committee.
    He cautioned rumour mongers to stop creating issues where none existed.
    He said speculation’s  about Soludo’s disqualification came  from the presidency noting that he  had earlier been accused of bringing  Soludo into APGA to give him the governorship  ticket.

     

  • Ahmed Musa scores in CSKA win

    Ahmed Musa scores in CSKA win

    Nigeria international, Ahmed Musa on Sunday  scored the winner for CSKA Moscow to beat visiting Kuban Krasnodar and take them to the top of the Russian league.
    CSKA Moscow lead the table with 11 points from five matches pending the outcome of other games later on Sunday.
    Former JUTH FC and Kano Pillars star Ahmed Musa told MTNFootball.com he is delighted with his match winner.
    “I am excited with the goal, it was an important one for us as we won the game. I will keep doing my best for my club to see that we win our games. I am just doing my job to the best of my ability. It was not an easy match,” he said.
    Ahmed Musa returned to Russia to join his team on Friday night after helping Nigeria to beat South Africa in a friendly on Wednesday.
    He grabbed the match winner in the 11th minute for his third goal in five games this season.
     Last season, Ahmed Musa’s CSKA won the league and cup double. 
     

  • Pastor’s wife, children die in Niger auto crash

    No fewer than eight passengers were burnt to death on Saturday night in an auto crash along Bida-Minna road involving a trailer and a Toyota Hiace bus belonging to Niger State Transport Company (NSTA).

    Four of the accident victims are members of the family of the Pastor of the Potter Porch Church Minna. They were his wife, Mrs. Hellen Samuel, her three children, Saviour, Insight and Purity.

    The accident occured at about 8 pm on Saturday at Kakanpegi village, about 55 kilometres to Minna, Niger state capital.

    Eye witness Alhaji Hamisu Ndajiwo told The Nation that the NSTA bus in the cause of avoiding a bad portion of the Bida – Minna road ran into a trailer, crashed into a nearby push before the vehicles went in flames having all but one passenger burnt to death.

    Another eyewitness, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini, a staff of Niger State Emergency Management Agency said the inferno that ensued after crash rendered the villagers and other motorist helpless in rescuing the victims.

    According to him, “I was at the scene of the accident few moment it happened. Oh my God we saw people burning before our very eyes and we cannot do anything about it.

    “Only one passenger, a boy young boy who was badly injured escaped the inferno and he was crying and asking us to help to save his mother from the burning vehicle but we were helpless as the blaze was too much, for anyone brave it,” Hussaini recalled.

    He further said that the number of the victims would have been high but for some passengers that dropped at Bida. The NSTA bus left Lagos for Minna on Saturday morning.

    Confirming the casuality figure the Special Adviser to the Niger state Governor on Emergency and Disaster Management , Mohammed Shaba said that eight bodies have been recovered from the scene of the accident, even though the bus was believed to have carried 18 passengers from Lagos.

    Shaba also said that the bodies of the victims have been deposited at the General Hospital Minna.

    The NISEMA boss said that investigation has shown that the NSTA bus ran into the trailer whose head lamps were off and not as a result of bad road.

    “We have established that the NSTA bus ran into the trailer because the trailer had none of its head lamps on. The accident was not as a result of bad road but the failure of the driver of the trailer, who is currently on the run to put on its vehicle’s head lamps,” Shaba told our Correspondent on phone on Sunday.

    He further said that only seven bodies of the victims are now in mortuary as the driver of the NSTA was buried yesterday morning in accordance with Islamic rites.

    Shaba also said that state government would pick the medical bill of the only survivor, adding that the government would shoulder the funeral rites of all the victims and pay compensation to the families of the victims.

    Though Sunday service held at the Potter Porch Church Minna but church members were in grief mood over the loss of their pastor’s wife and kids as the widower, Pastor Ibrahim Samuel maintained sober mood  while the service lasted.

    He eventually broke the news to his congregation at the end of the service

  • APGA ‘will not reverse’ disqualification of Soludo, others

    APGA ‘will not reverse’ disqualification of Soludo, others

    The Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra, Chief Mike Kwentor, said it would not overrule the disqualification of six aspirants vying for the party’s governorship ticket in the state.

    Kwentor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Saturday that the action of the screening committee was in line with the party’s constitution.

    He said that it was better for the party to go into the election with a candidate without blemish than with one whose victory could be voided.

    According to him, the constitution says you must be eligible to vote before you can be voted for and for you to be eligible to vote, you must have voter’s card.

    “So, I think that the Screening Committee disqualified those they disqualified based on cogent reasons.

    “I am sure that even those disqualified know that the reason for which they were disqualified was cogent, otherwise, they will appeal because the party made provision for appeal,” he said.

    The Alhaji Tayo Sowunmi-led committee screened the 14 gubernatorial aspirants on Friday and disqualified six aspirants.

    Those disqualified are: Prof. Charles Soludu, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, Chief Chinedu Idigo, Chief Tony Nnacheta and Mr. Emma Nweke.

    They were disqualified for non-possession of voter’s card, tax clearance, lack of evidence of sound financial muscle, and unresolved issue with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

     

     

  • Egypt cabinet to hold crisis meeting

    Egypt’s cabinet is set to discuss the crisis in the country, where hundreds have died in clashes in recent days.

    The interim prime minister has put forward a proposal to legally dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood, BBC reports.

    Its members are key supporters of Mohammed Morsi, whose ousting as president sparked Egypt’s stand-off.

    The interim government is continuing to crack down on protests by the Brotherhood, but more demonstrations are planned around Cairo on Sunday.

    Overnight, television pictures showed protesters on the streets of Egypt’s second largest city, Alexandria, and in Helwan and Minya to the south of Cairo, in defiance of an overnight curfew.

    On Saturday Egypt’s security forces cleared the al-Fath mosque in Cairo after a long stand-off with Muslim Brotherhood supporters barricaded inside.

    The confrontation at the mosque continued for most of Saturday – with exchanges of gunfire between protesters and security forces, who were cheered on by crowds outside.

    The Brotherhood has called for daily demonstrations since a crackdown on its protest camps in Cairo on Wednesday left hundreds of people dead. Further clashes on Friday killed at least another 173 people across the country.

     

     

  • NUJ mourns veteran journalist, Soniran Sowemimo

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, has  commiserated  with the family of Chief Soniran Oluwole Sowemimo, a veteran journalist who died last  Friday at the age of 71.

    In a statement by the state Chairman, Mr Wole Shokunbi, NUJ said the “demise of Chief Sowemimo, fondly called SOS by professional colleagues and admirers, came as a shock because we had looked forward to August 19 to join the journalism icon in yet another memorable birthday celebration. But who can query the work of almighty God?

    “We, however, take solace in the fact that Sowemimo lived a fruitful life and bequeathed a worthy legacy to the younger generations.

    “A veteran journalist, prolific teacher, consummate administrator and notable socialite, the late Sowemimo served as Chief Press Secretary to five former governors of Ogun State between 1982 and 1989. He was also a three-time commissioner in the state; he served as Commissioner for Social Development, Youth and Sports and Commissioner for Information and Culture under different administrations.

    “Our SOS was also a renowned unionist; he served as the state NUJ Chairman between 1979 and 1981 and was the Chairman, League of Veteran Journalists, Ogun State Chapter from 1995 till his death.

    “Indeed, Sowemimo, an Egba High Chief, left his footprints in the sands of time. He contributed immensely to knowledge acquisition through his unforgettable legacy to the journalism profession with the book, ‘Issues in the History of Nigerian Mass Media: Perspective of a Veteran Journalist,’ which was launched last year.”

    The statement also revealed that  Sowemimo who served in various capacities, demonstrated true, visionary leadership and discharged his duties with passion and professional excellence as well as  a mentor and motivator who used his wealth of experience to advance the course of journalism in Ogun State and even beyond.

  • Okupe blasts five northern governors

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has said  that the events in Rivers state and the tour of the country by some northern governors was part of the plot to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 general election.

    Speaking on a Liberty Radio programme, Guest of the Week monitored in Kaduna, Okupe said the claim that  the tour of the governors  is  motivated by the crisis in Rivers state is a national joke.
    He wondered  why the governors  failed to do same when the Boko Haram insurgents were busy bombing innocent Nigerians.
    He said however that President Jonathan has not told him that he intends to contest the 2015 elections, pointing out that the heat being generated in the polity was as a result of the fear that Jonathan will contest the 2015 elections.

    “If Jonathan wants to contest and you are not happy about it, go to the poll and defeat him….Nigerians must wake up. What is four years in the life of a country that is it worth burning a country? Is it worth destroying our democracy?”

    Okupe who was apparently reacting to the statements credited to former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai on the same programme, said “you heard about five governors who said they were motivated to go round the whole country because of Rivers crisis. Is that not a national joke? It is like watching African Magic.
    “What is the crisis in Rivers? Who is Amaechi and what is the issue that the whole country is being disturbed because of something that happened at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
    “What is Nigerian governors forum to the destiny of this country? What has it got to do with us? The Rivers crisis is something that people just latch unto to fane the embers of this anti Jonathan emotion and to continue to promote hatred against Good Luck Jonathan.
    “And of course, Amaechi is a willing tool, very rich and is very useful to the opposition. What you are seeing is an over dramatisation of the preparations for 2015 period.
    “These governors that were so motivated, so passionately concern about the ultimate destiny of Nigeria, were not motivated when the Boko Haram crises were raging in the north to go round the north and plead on how to solve the problem.
    “They were not concern enough for the thousands of people that were being bomb, killed in their mosques and churches in their domains under their eyes. I feel like crying, people are opening their doors to hypocrites.
    “Let them leave the Rivers state police commissioner alone. I don’t know how people got my number. I have text messages from ordinary people who are not politicians, people whose families have suffered grave injustice in the hands of Amaechi in Rivers state, I am telling you this, God Almighty is my witness, I will show you these text messages so that you can confirm it.
    “Amaechi used police and power to harassed, intimidate and punish people unjustly. Mbu has refused to be a tool in the hands of Amaechi and has refused to bend to his unjustified high handedness. However, because he is supported by the opposition, he now presents Mbu as a villain. It is not true. He is a professional man, he is a man of dignity who has remained steadfast……
    “Poeple must find the truth. The Holy book said you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Nigerians are becoming too gullible, they swallow anything hook line and sinker. I am glad that Chief Obasanjo as an elder states man is trying to mediate, he has mediated in many international conflicts and has recorded successes, but in his own country people cannot listen because the stakes are higher than Obasanjo’s intervention. People are looking for power in 2015.
    “So am not surprised that there is no result. How will these five governors be at a meeting and they will not rally round Obasanjo and solve the problem. The elites in this country are only after their own interest”.

     

  • Obadare buried amidst tributes

    As the remains of the evangelist and founder of World Soul Winning Evangelistic Ministry, Prophet Timothy Oluwole Obadare were  interred on Saturday, the Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has enjoined Nigerians to emulate his virtues.

    The governor, who led the state top government functionaries to the WOSEM International Conference Centre, Ileki, Ilesa, Osun State, where the spiritual icon was buried, said late Obadare led an examplary life worhty of emulation.

    He said that his life and times have several lessons for people to draw from, noting that those who want to reach the pinnacle of their careers must demonstrate the kind of dedication, tenacity and focus the late preacher demonstrated in managing his ministry and winning souls for Christ.

    The WOSEM Shiloh, where the multi million naira mausoleum for the late Obadare, was filled with clergy men, Christians across all denominations from within and outside Nigeria.

    Aregbesola explained why his administration decided to spend N35 million on the burial of the WOSEM founder.

    The governor, who said  that the late Prophet  lived life that touch others positively in spite of his sight disability, noted that the state would enjoy  economic benefits his from mausoleum because of its tourist potentials.

    He said: “Prophet Obadare is an epitome of wisdom in evangelistic world and his legacies will remain indelible on the sound of time. The lesson his departure thought us is that any position you are, dedication and faithfulness are necessary for success to be guaranteed.

    “His life thought us that whatever obstacle that comes one’s way should not debar but must strengthened one’s resolve to be successful. What God endow us to do, we must do it with our best ability.”

    Prayers were offered by clergymen for the family of the late clergyman, his ministry and Osun State.

    An endowment for the establishment of a television station where all his teachings will be aired was launched by Bishop Sam Thompson.

  • Six die in Ogun multiple crash

    … 21 injured

    Six unidentified people have been confirmed dead, while 21 others were critically injured in a multiple accident that occurred on the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway on Friday.

    The Itori Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Fatai Bakare, who confirmed the incident on Saturday, told journalists that the accident occurred at Osunpori Village, near Wasinmi in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    He said the accident, involving three vehicles occurred at about 11. 45pm.

    Bakare said that an Iveco truck with registration number Lagos GGE 200 XC, a Mazda pick-up van (XA 626 AAW) and a Nissan pick-up van marked Lagos XZ 19 EKY were involved in the accident.

    The unit commander disclosed that 27 persons, comprising 20 males and seven females were involved in the crash.

    “One of the driver lost control of his vehicle and he rammed into the other and there was a serious situation afterwards.

    “Those who died so far include two males and four females, while 21 others, made up of 18 men and three women sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the FRSC commander as saying on the crash.

    Bakare said the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital in Ifo, near Abeokuta.

    He said that those injured in the crash were also being taken care of at the same hospital.

     

     

  • Abducted Thais regain freedom

    The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the release of four Thai nationals, abducted on August 9 at Buguma in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mrs. Angela Agabe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that the Thai nationals were freed in the early hours of Saturday.

    ‘’I can confirm to you that the four Thai nationals regained their freedom at 2.00am on Saturday.

    ‘’Detectives from the command put pressure on the abductors and they released the victims in a mangrove early today.

    ‘’No ransom was paid for the release of the Thai nationals and they are in stable condition,’’ she said.

    The Rivers Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Emmanuel Chinda, also told NAN that the Thai citizens were already in Port Harcourt for medical attention.

    He said the four men were working for the Rivers State Government-owned Buguma Fish Farm, a project he said, was put in place to help the government earn more revenue and create employment for the people.