The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Pan-African Commissioner congratulates Tinubu

    Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

    Commissioner for Youth Political Participation, Pan-African Youth Union, Amb. Oladele Nihi, has congratulated All Progressives Congress(APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over the doctorate degree conferred on him by  Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti.
    He stated the award was truly deserving for a change gladiator of Tinubu’s stature.
    The Youth Commissioner also commended  founder of the institution Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) for recognising the good works and contributions of Tinubu to nation building.
     particularly education and his immense contributions to humanity and various selfless services that surpass that of anybody else in Nigeria.
    “His Excellency, Dr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a national figure worth celebrating at all times. His contributions to nation building is tremendously and immeasurably great.

    Read Also: Photos: Bola Ahmed Tinubu at 67th birthday novelty match

    “Therefore having a prestigious institution such as the great Afe Babalola University recognize his good works  is a plus to the Change Gladiator of this country,” Nihi said.
    He also encouraged the political leader not to relent on his good works and selfless service to Nigeria.

    The ceremony, which took place at the 7th convocation ceremony of the institution, hosted the nation’s dynamic leaders from all walks of life.

  • Tension in Zaria as council proposes ban of alcohol sales, consumption

    AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

    There was tension in Sabon Gari Local Government, Zaria on Thursday at the public hearing on the proposed bill to ban sales and consumption of alcohol and other related substances by Sabon Gari local government area of Kaduna state.

    In a letter dated 21st October, 2019, invited Hotel and Beer Parlour Proprietors Association otherwise known as Liquor Association for the public hearing.

    Making their observation and submission at the hearing through their lawyer, Mr. Daniel Peters noted that LG in Nigeria have the power to license, regulate and control sales of liquor, they do not have power to prohibit the sales of liquor as well as do not have legislative power to prohibit consumption of beer.

    According section 5 and 6 of the said Bill clearly prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol and this is outside the legislative powers of Local Governments “clearly stated in the fourth schedule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and therefore ultra vires and not within the legislative competence of LGs.”

    He also noted that, section 7 of the proposed Bill which talked about prostitution had been legislated by the Kaduna State Assembly in section 169 of the Kaduna State Penal code which is applicable and enforceable in Sabon Gari LG based on its constitutional powers.

    However, the hoteliers recommended that “the proposed Bill should in fact be on licensing, regulation and control of the sale of liquor as clearly stated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and not to prohibit sale and and consumption of alcohol in Sabon Gari should be guided by its legislative powers conferred by the Constitution and not arrogate unto itself extra powers outside the provision s of the law.

    Read Also: Labourers bag 5 months’ imprisonment each for stealing from beer parlour

    “That in exercising its constitutional powers of control in this regards, sale of alcohol can be exempted in open.

    “That all persons who sell alcohol within the Local Government must belong to liquor Association within the Local Government for easy identification, regulation and control.

    “That the Local Government should only give license for sell of alcohol or liquor to persons approved by Liquor Association within the Local Government so as to ensure easy/proper regulation and control.”

    Also, pushing for the suspension of the Bill at the hearing, local liquor seller also known as ‘Brukutu’, Richard Sankai saying that the sale of the drink assist widows among others to take care of their family.

    Meanwhile, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Zaria said no religion advocates or preach for the sale and consumption of liquor.

  • Ondo signs $1.1B hospital project with German firm

    Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

    The Ondo State government has signed a $1.1 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Germany-based firm, Medicus International, for the construction of a world-class medical complex in Akure.

    The project, which will span 48 months for completion, will be jointly sponsored by both the Ondo State government; while the state government will contribute a hundred hectare landed facility, the German company will provide the whole of the $1.1 billion.

    The MoU, which signed in Abuja on Thursday by the Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG), Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Medicus International, Frank Spriewald, was witnessed by the state government, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    Speaking after the signing ceremony, Governor Akeredolu said he was more than convinced that Medicus International had good intention to develop the medical infrastructure in Ondo state.

    “I am more than convinced that Medicus has good intention. And as I told them when they came, I said coincidentally, about few weeks ago I was in Germany myself and I saw their structure. When I was in Berlin I was talking to another medical Organisation to bring their facility to Ondo State. I was negotiating with them not knowing that someone else is already waiting for this

    “No doubt, we are interested in this. We have made efforts. We are already working on how to secure a land very close the airport. It is an interesting thing.

    “We are prepared to cooperate and we know that this sort of thing is to be done with a joint venture. The interest of Ondo State is there. We are putting land. The joint venture itself will come up.”

    Arakunrin Akeredolu also announced that the state government has set up a team led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, to midwife and work with the Medicus International.

    Earlier, the facilitator for Medicus International, Chief Oludare Bello said the time for the execution of the project is thirty-six months and development will be completed in forty – eight months.

    According to him, the hospital will deal with all facets of health car, adding that the nearness to the airport became imperative because the hospital will have its own helicopter that will transverse other parts of the state for medical purposes.

    Chief Bello explained that there will be other facilities in the hospital with conference Center, Cinema, teaching hospital and nursing schools.

    “The hospital is a city on its own. The design is premised on the fact that there will be green in the whole hospital. That’s meant to make the patients see the ambience of the hospital when they lean over the window to have a view

    Read Also: Akeredolu urges police synergy to free abducted Judge

    “It will be one of its kinds in Nigeria. Over 50% of the doctors are already trained in Germany. The doctors that will be employed here will also be trained in Germany,” he said.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, said Medicus International is charged with the responsibility of looking for fund for project, adding that the State government is only investing 100 hectares of land and with other routine approvals.

    He said the MoU was coming after series of engagements to have a memorandum signed between the state government and the Medicus International.

    “Medicus International is going to be charged with the responsibility of looking for funds to execute the project, they are not asking the state government for any money and the project is estimated to cost about $1.1 billion. All Medicus is asking from us is 100 hectares of land, which we have promised to them in good time.

    “They are also asking us for a routine approvals, which we normally give as government, which we’ve also pledged to ensure to facilitate for them. This project will start running from the 36th month and will be fully completed by the 48th month,” he explained.

  • Police arrest man for raping his two daughters

    By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

    The police in Akwa Ibom have arrested one Joseph Sunday for allegedly raping two of his daughters aged nine and thirteen years respectively.

    The accused, a native of Obot Ideng, in Ibesikpo local government area, according to reports, started having carnal of his daughters over three years ago after he divorced his wife and other of the girls. The mother of the girls is said to be living in Rivers state.

    Investigations revealed that Mr. Sunday believed to be in his late forties, always had canal knowledge of his two daughters at same time in his home in Ibesikpo.

    It was also revealed that the suspect had threatened his daughters with traditional injunction (mbiam), if they make attempts to divulge the incidence to anyone.

    But the illicit affair was blown open when he caught his thirteen year old daughter with another man who identified himself as the daughter’s boyfriend and he moved to caution his daughter.

    Infuriated by the daughter’s action, he beat up the girl who later decided to expose her father’s immorality action.

    Meanwhile, the nine year old who is also a victim confessed that she was already in love with her father and had enjoyed the act.

    However, the suspect has confessed to the crime and said he wanted to test if his manhood was still functioning well.

    “My wife left me some years ago because of some family issues and relocated to Rivers State. I have been the only one taking care of my daughters. I just want to test if my manhood is still functional using my daughters,” he said.

    Similarly, two men suspected to be in their seventies have allegedly raped a fourteen year old girl in the state.

    The first suspect said the fourteen year old was his wife whom he met in the market and married.

    He said the girl moved in with him and when he went out, his friend in same age bracket came in and have sex with the girl.

    Both friends feasted on the victim until heated argument ensued between them which made a neighbor to over hear the nature of their argument and decided to report the matter to the police station, and they were arrested.

    According to the neighbor who pleaded anonymity, “I was shocked to overhear two old men arguing over sex about a fourteen year old girl. The one that the girl stayed with accused his friend of always sneaking in to sleep with the girl any time he went out. I was worried with that and I decided to report them to the police. But the issue is that some boys who said they are from the area are threatening to deal with me if I don’t withdraw the case from police.”

    Read Also: ‘I rape minors to ease tension’

    However, the prime suspect had denied raping the girl but insisted that the girl is his wife, “I did not rape the girl. She is my wife. I saw her in a village market, I talked to her and she agreed to follow me to my house and be my wife. But it was my friend who always come to have sex with her each time I went out.”

    The victim it was gathered is already pregnant without knowing the particular man responsible for the pregnancy.

    Meanwhile police said they were making efforts to trace the family of the girl adding that the victim has been taken to a home run by the pet project of the wife of the governor, Martha Udom Emmanuel called Family Enhancement and Youths Reorientation Project, FEYReP.

    The Police Spokesperson in the state, SP Odiko MacDon told our correspondent that all the cases would be charged to court.

    The PPRO who ascribed the case to the level of moral decadence in the society called for attitudinal reorientation and urged people to report perpetrators of such dastardly acts to police.

    “Moral Bankruptcy is what is causing all these acts. As a people we need to take morality in society very serious.

    “For us in Akwa Ibom State, we take fight against rape, defilement and Gender base violence serious. Some of the suspects are in our custody, some charged to court, some under investigation while some have been convicted by the court.”

  • APC urges FG to withhold Bayelsa N7bn VAT refund

    By Agency Reporter

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Federal Government not to release N7 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to Bayelsa Government.

    A statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena in Abuja on Thursday, said that this would prevent vote-buying before and during Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

    He said that if the money was withheld, it would prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-government from diverting the money for the election of its governorship candidate.

    “Therefore, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, should delay approval of a N7 billion VAT refund to the Bayelsa Government until after the Nov. 16 governorship election.

    Read Also: Bayelsa: Diri woos Jonathan’s supporters

    “Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has committed to a commercial bank to give him the N7 billion with an agreement that the ministry will in turn pay the money to them,” he said.

    He said that if the money was released to the outgoing government in the state, it would not serve the purpose it was meant to achieve.

    Nabena alleged that Dickson has been trying to raise money through diversion of state funds to fund the election of the governorship candidate of PDP.(NAN)

  • Facebook reaffirms commitment to combat hate speech- official

    By Agency Reporter

    Facebook says it has intensified efforts to combat the use of hate speech on its platform.

    Ms Fadzai Madzingira, Content Policy Associate Manager, Facebook sub-Sahara Africa, made this known at a Facebook Content Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Madzingira said that in its effort to fight the use of hate speech on the platform, Facebook had over 15 thousand experts who review contents in more than 50 languages on a daily basis.

    She said that hate speech created an environment of intimidation, exclusion and in some cases may promote real-world violence, hence it would not be allowed on the platform.

    “We define hate speech as a direct attack on people based on what we call protected characteristics, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sex and serious disability among others.

    Read Also: Facebook removes accounts from Nigeria, Egypt, others

    “Talking on attacks we define it as violent or dehumanising speech, statement of inferiority and calls for exclusion or segregation, “Madzingira said.

    She said that attacks were separated into three tiers, noting that the first tier consisted of content targeted at dehumanising a person or a group of people on the basis of their immigration status.

    According to Madzingira, the second tier was targeted on a person or group of people based on their physical deficiencies, intellectual capacity and mental health among others.

    “The third tier focuses on calls for segregation, explicit exclusion of the right of a person or group of people to participate in politics, economic entitlement and opportunity to gain access to spaces and social services,” she said.

  • Bayelsa PDP stakeholders urge CCB to prosecute Diri

    By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Bayelsa State have called on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to show seriousness in the case of non-declaration of assets brought against the governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 16 election, Senator Douye Diri.

    The stakeholders under the auspices of the PDP Integrity Group (PDPIG) appealed to the CCB to refer the matter to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for trial.

    The state Coordinator, CCT, Tony Ile, said the PDP members and the entire Bayelsa were watching and waiting to see how the bureau would handle the matter.

    Ile, however, said they were no longer comfortable with the silence of the bureau and advised the bureau not to give an impression justifying allegations that it had been compromised on the matter.

    Ile, in a statement in Yenagoa said: “It has come to our notice that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has remained silent or may have compromised its objectives and constitutional responsibilities in the petition written and sent to it by a group called Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability on the alleged non- declaration of assets by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sen. Douye Diri, when he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Principal Executive Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State.

    “As at the last time we monitored this sordid event which was published in many national media, we were duly informed that the Bureau had invited not only the petitioners but the accused to the Bureau’s office in Abuja during which the accused failed to honour the said invitation.

    “It is quite disturbing to us as a group, that both the petitioners and the Bureau have maintained a grave silence on this grave issue of public importance. The question we are asking is; why has the Bureau failed to refer the said accused person to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution as it is in other similar cases?

    Read Also: Bayelsa 2019: Why Senator Diri Douye should get PDP ticket, by group

    “We are aware of the constitutional responsibility of citizens who are holding any public office to declare their assets as stipulated in the 1999 constitution. Since it is agreed that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, it is therefore that a necessary task for the CCB to ensure that someone who seeks a public office as high as governorship of a state does so without blemish.

    “The continued silence and inaction of the the CCB seem like a calculated attempt to sweep this most important issue under the carpet by the Bureau. This will amount to a great disservice not only to Bayelsa State but to the nation in general.

    “We pray the Bureau to, as a matter of public importance and urgency, expedite action by quickly informing the general public on the status of the said allegation or better still, refer the accused to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution.

    “We are also calling on the petitioners to speak out on the nature of their petition because their continued silence might be construed to mean that it has been settled although we do not believe that can happen. Failure to address these issues by the Bureau will further confirm the speculations making round it has been compromised and it has abandoned its constitutional responsibility. We need action now”.

  • Ohanaeze consoles IPOB leader, Kanu over mother’s death

    By Chris Oji, Enugu

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo has sent a message of condolence to the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on the death of his mother.

    The condolence message was signed by the President General of the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

    It reads: “On this occasion of the sad loss of your dear mother, HRH Mrs Ugoeze Sally Nmeme Kanu, Ohanaeze Ndigbo sends you and your family our deepest condolences.

    Read Also: Igbo traders to Buhari: review policy on export

    “The loss of your mother in a foreign land and circumstances where your entire family is involved in self -determination struggle for our people must be traumatising and destabilizing.

    “We urge you to take heart and find solace in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ which gives all believers in Him the hope that in the end all true believers shall all unite in everlasting communion in His Kingdom. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

    A similar message was sent to Charles Oputa aka Charley Boy by Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the death of his mother.

  • Trump says building border wall in Colorado to stop illegal migration

    By Agency Reporter

     

    U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was building a wall in Colorado, thus confusing the governor of the state and public since Colorado is located hundreds of miles away from Mexico.

    Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border was one of Trump’s key promises throughout his presidential campaign.

    The president believes that the wall will stop illegal migration, as well as human and drug trafficking.

    “We’re building a wall on the border of New Mexico, and we’re building a wall in Colorado.

    “We’re building a beautiful wall — a big one that really works, that you can’t get over, you can’t under,” Trump said at the 9th annual Shale Insight Conference in Pittsburgh.

    Read Also: Donald Trump and the post-American world order!

    Colorado Governor Jared Polis called this situation “awkward,” as Colorado is not one of the four U.S. states that border Mexico.

    “Well this is awkward … Colorado doesn’t border Mexico. Good thing Colorado now offers free full day kindergarten so our kids can learn basic geography,” Polis said on Twitter.

    Trump later said on Twitter that he had made the comment about the wall in Colorado “kiddingly.”

    The president has been struggling to find financing for the wall since Congress has refused to allocate billions of dollars from the budget at his request.

    In order to bypass Congress and secure the necessary funding, in February, Trump declared a state of national emergency on the U.S. southern border. (Sputnik/NAN)

  • FIFA Ranking: Nigeria drops by one spot, now world 35th

    By Agency Reporter

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped by one spot in the FIFA World ranking for the month of October to now place as world 35th country.

    In the ranking table from the world football governing body, FIFA on Thursday, Nigeria garnered 1,481 points as against 1482 recorded in September.

    However, in spite of the drop, Nigeria still occupy the third spot in Africa behind Senegal and Tunisia who are placed 20th and 29th with 1,546 and 1,495 points, respectively.

    On the global scene, although, 184 recent international matches have left their mark on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, those at the very top remain unaffected by the movement around them.

    Read Also: Super Eagles hold Brazil in Singapore

    Belgium (1st, unchanged) still leads the way from France (2nd, unchanged) and Brazil (3rd, unchanged), although top-ten rivals Uruguay (5th, up 1), Croatia (7th, up 1), Argentina (9th, up 1) have at least edged closer to the summit.

    But the most significant rises are to be found further down the Ranking, where the in-form quartet of Ukraine (22nd, up 3), Japan (28th, up 3), Turkey (32nd, up 4) and Russia (37th, up 5) are among the more notable climbers.

    Jumps of 10 or more places have also been made by a clutch of teams outside the top 50, namely Nicaragua (137th, up 11), South Sudan (162nd, up 11), Barbados (160th, up 10) and São Tomé and Príncipe (180th, up 10).

    And there is fresh celebrate, too, for Kosovo (114th, up 5), who can again reflect with pride on their best Ranking position to date. (NAN)