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Tag: fake

  • Osinbajo dismisses resignation report as fake

    VICE PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo yesterday denied the report that he has resigned his position as President Muhammadu Buhari’s deputy.

    The report of Prof Osinbajo’s purported resignation was a trending social media fake news alert on Wednesday.

    Prof. Osinbajo, the report claimed, resigned because he was allegedly sidelined from the security meeting President Muhammadu Buhari held with Service Chiefs and head of security agencies and three governors from the North on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja.

    But in a statement by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, the vice president described the purported resignation as fake news and deliberate propaganda.

    Akande said: “Contrary to the fake news in circulation yesterday, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has not resigned his position in the Buhari administration.”

    He said Osinbajo in a meeting with young Christian leaders in Lagos on Wednesday night, personally debunked the purported resignation being circulated on some social media platforms.

    Akande quoted the vice president as saying: “They are deliberate propaganda. Today (Wednesday), they’ve been spreading some information around that I’ve resigned.

    “They said I didn’t attend a security meeting yesterday. I was too busy in my office. The same security people were meeting with me that same evening. Must I attend every meeting? Can’t the President hold a meeting with the security chiefs without me?

    “They said I was so angry that they didn’t bring me to that meeting; that I was excluded; then, I resigned! I have not resigned.”

    He said in continuation of the Next Level engagements, the vice president was in Lagos to hold a meeting with the Hausa community in Ikeja.

    The statement reads: “He (vice president) then proceeded to Yola, in Adamawa State, where he met a group of Christian leaders

    “On his return to Lagos yesterday night, the vice president held an interactive session with Young Christian Leaders at Muson Center, Onikan, where he spoke on the fake news.

    “Prof. Osinbajo continues the Next Level engagements and is expected in Kwara and Abia states later today (yesterday).”

    At the interactive session and engagement with the upcoming Christian leaders, Osinbajo described as absurd, the lies, propaganda and accusations against the President.

    The interactive session was tagged: “Unveiling the truth”. It was attended by some Christian leaders in attendance.

    Participants used the occasion to ask plenty of questions bothering on insecurity, economy, blaming of past administrations, social welfare for the unemployed, corruption, and timing ofTraderMoni.

    Other questions bothered on Next Level slogan, farmer/herders crisis, lopsided federal appointments, Islamisation, Buhari’s commitment to addressing critical issues in the country among others.

    Osinbajo said  Buhari was committed to addressing the problems facing the country such as security, economy and fixing critical infrastructure and fair treatment of all sections.

    He said Buhari has tackled the farmer/herders’ crises and has no intention at all to Islamise the country.

    Osinbajo said: “President Muhammadu is possibly one of the most committed people I have ever met. He is committed to seeing that resources of this country are used for this country.

    “In general terms, we find that there is fairness in the distribution of appointments. Many of the accusations against Buhari are not true.

    “Sometimes, people listen to propaganda and if we look at the facts, things are totally different. On Islamisation, first of all, it is untrue, it is propaganda. Anybody who complains that President Buhari is propagating Islamic agenda, how is that possible?

    “A lot of these are just propaganda. Never listen to these. Many of these are absurd, they are deliberate propaganda. They come from the same source. Don’t believe them. Let’s be fair.”

    The vice president, who urged Nigerians not to fear or doubt the good intention of the President, advised Nigerians to stop spreading rumours about things that never happened.

    Osinbajo noted that the major cause of farmer/herder crisis remains pasture and water which the government has made concerted efforts to address.

    On accusations of lopsided federal appointments, Osinbajo explained that the Southeast with five states has five ministers more than some regions with higher number of states.

    On TraderMoni, he said the National Assembly does not need to approve money for it as it is a programme of the Bank of Industry meant to lift many Nigerians out of poverty.

    On the timing of implementation of the Social Investment Programme (SIP), Osinbajo said it kicked off after the budgetary allocation was passed by the National Assembly in 2016.

    According to him, the party never promised N5, 000 monthly stipends for the unemployed but for the vulnerable in the society.

    He said the NSIP has engaged so many youths in its N-Power programme and that government has the plan to increase the number to 1.5 million young Nigerians in the Next Level out of 1.7 million people churned out of tertiary institutions every year.

    On criminality, the vice president said that the way forward is local policing and intelligence as well as immediate arrest and prosecution of criminals in the country.

    On security, he said that the country has made significant progress and moved forward from what the situation was before the 2015 general elections.

    The vice president said the All Progressives Congress (APC) Next Level slogan centres on job creation, power, provision of credit facilities for entrepreneurs, agriculture, infrastructure and others.

    The vice president urged Christian leaders not to lose their sleep over any Islamic agenda and Islamisation, saying many Christians are in the cabinet of President Buhari.

    He said the media should desist from spreading rumours, decrying fake news about Buhari being another person from Sudan.

    Addressing the accusation that the present administration often blames previous administrations, Osinbajo said the country cannot move forward without considering the past.

    According to him, corruption remains the bane of national growth and development. He said most of the woes confronting Nigerians were caused by wastefulness of past governments.

    The highlights of the interaction were the high praise, led by choir and the power-packed prayer for the country and the general election, led by Bishop Wale Oke.

    The participants prayed for God’s mercies on the country.

  • Leah Sharibu not dead, says FG

    Abducted Dapchi schoolgirl Leah Sharibu is not dead.

    Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed described as ‘absolute fake news’ reports that the girl was dead.

    “It’s absolutely fake news. There is nothing like that,” the minister yesterday told reporters at a news conference in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    He described the rumour of Leah’s death, which surfaced just a few days to the presidential election, as another ploy by the opposition to bring down the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and to exploit primordial sentiments ahead of the polls.

    The minister spoke on a day the Leah Sharibu family renewed its appeal to the Federal Government and the international community not to give up on the abducted schoolgirl.

    Mohammed said: “I think it’s part of the opposition’s strategies to throw everything at the administration and at the President. I think every day they are realising the hopelessness of their position.

    “Every day they are amazed by the support Mr. President is receiving from every part of the country and they have decided that they are going to spread falsehood, inflame passion and make this election a Muslim-Christian affair or North-South affair, but people are not listening to them.”

    On today’s presidential campaign rally in Ilorin, Mohammed said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has put everything in place to make the President’s visit a huge success.

    “The party has been meeting in the last couple of days to ensure that the President’s visit is very successful. We have watched the rallies in many parts of the country and we want to assure Mr. President that our rally in terms of numbers, quality of people, entertainment and colour will rank among the best,” the Minister said.

    He said the crowd that will come out to receive the President will be organic as the party will not engage in crowd renting.

    The minister appealed to security agencies to create a level playing field for all the contestants in the election to allow the people to freely exercise their franchise, saying that those involved in legitimate activities have nothing to fear.

    He also described the protest in some circles over the redeployment of police commissioners across the country as the handiwork of the opposition, which according to him, has been working to discredit the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    At a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the mother of the 15 year-old girl, Rebecca, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari, the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (UK) to do everything in their powers to rescue her.

    She urged the President and the government ministerial delegation to keep the promise they made when they visited her family in October last year.

    Speaking through an interpreter, she said: “I have become before you and the federal government to plead that you don’t forget Leah. The president spoke with me on phone and encouraged me not to worry, and with the assurance that my daughter will be released.  Three minister’s also visited me and gave me assurance but till today, I haven’t heard anything, hence my coming before you to plead.

    “The government should keep its promises made by the President and the ministers who visited us in Dapchi in October.

    “There is a Hausa proverb which says, ‘Whenever you make a promise, the best thing to do is to keep that promise. Leah was 14 when she was abducted, she has clocked 15 in Boko Haram custody.”

    The founder of Para-Mallam Foundation, Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, described Sharibu as a heroine of faith, stressing that she represented what Nigerians should be.

    Praying for her release, the cleric wondered why the abduction of Sharibu, the Chibok girls and other hostages was not a campaign issue, noting that it was concerning that none of the presidential candidates talked about their plan to rescue Nigerians in Boko Haram custody.

    He said: “We will love to hear from all the presidential candidates what exactly they are planning to do to bring Leah to freedom if for any reason she is not released before the 19th of February. We want to hear her name and story becoming a campaign issue.

    “The silence from all the presidential candidates about Leah and others in captivity is not encouraging, so we are using this appeal and thus campaign season to hear what the presidential candidates have to say about Leah’s freedom. It’s important for all Nigerians and the global community.”

    An American teenager, Becca Lubbert, who flew into the country to identify with Sharibu’s plight, described the Dapchi schoolgirl as an incredible example of standing for one’s faith.

    She asked the government to protect schools and rescue those in Boko Haram captivity.

  • Between fake and the genuine Afenifere

    Sir: For a long time to come, one will continue to see and hear varieties of Afenifere, the political grassroots version of Awolowo’s thought. One is not really surprised that there are different versions and interpretations of Afenifere today. Considering the complexity of the Yoruba nation, this is not surprising. What is surprising is that a few people located in one single state who are mainly beneficiaries of treasury lootings and political manipulation of yesteryears have the effrontery to perpetually insult our sensibilities by their audacious claim to genuineness   and orthodoxy.

    In these days of political turmoil, and fake news, Nigerians are exposed to all kinds of lies, contentions and postulates. That is why a few Yoruba people, some ageing beyond perception, while others vituperative, outspoken and unbridled could attempt to manoeuvre public opinion in their favour.

    Awolowo and his compatriots notably D.S. Adegbenro, Alfred Rewane, A.M.A. Akinloye, the Babalolas of EfonAlaaye and OyeEkiti, Akomolafe of Ido-Ekiti, Ayo Fasanmi of IlejemejeEkiti and many more others would feel amused by the antics of these few self-serving political turn-coats. The only language which their splinter group understands and which they repeat like parrot almost daily is ‘restructuring’ which if fully examined comes through as rigid ‘regionalism’, a concept which would malevolently turn Nigeria into a loose confederation. Of course, this splinter group knows its method very well. The group is in perfect harmony with the looters of yesteryears, indeed they are beneficiaries and partners with them. They do not have a pinch of conscience and they do not pretend any.

    On the other side of the coin, we have a larger group, silent, studious and in good conscience and partnership with all that is good for Yorubaland and Nigeria. They are certainly not chummy with politicians with deep pockets but they know and appreciate what is good for the Yoruba nation and the federation. They may not command the attention or even respect of newspaper columnists or television newscasters or the so-called political commentators. But they have what the other side lacks-the people, their conscience and the spirit of Oduduwa. They don’t engage in brazen lies, they are not engaged in distributing and acquiring looted funds and they remain humble and devoted to their cause throughout their life time.

    Even Awolowo and Akintola in the hey days of their intra-party struggle did not charge each other with treasury looting or collaborators with swindlers; the only difference between the two statesmen lay in national alignment. While Awolowo thought a horizontal political arrangement involving the East and West of the Niger plus what Awolowo christened Middle Belt was appropriate for a national government and cohesion, Akintola thought a better political and administrative arrangement would be vertical alignment involving much of the North and the South especially the Southwest. Even the Coker Commission of Enquiry instituted by the Majekodunmi emergency administration of the West did not find the Awolowo group stealing public money; the worst sin they could lay at Awolowo’s door was nepotism which involved putting selected men and women in critical positions against what they considered to be national interest.

    I am happy for one thing, the Yoruba are not a volatile people, they observe widely, think deep, and take appropriate action. They know where their interest lies, they know which of the two political parties and their leaders can meet the fundamental objectives and economic well-being of the Yoruba nation. This time, as usual, they will not miss their track. Let’s watch and see. Meanwhile let the four or five-member-Afenifere group go. They represent nobody but themselves.

     

    • Asiwaju Deji Fasuan MON; JP

    Ado-Ekiti.

  • Public warned over fake ‘My Transition Hours’ version

    FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide yesterday warned the public over circulation of fake online versions of his book, ‘My Transition Hours’.

    A statement issued yesterday by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, reads: “We have just been informed that a fake document contrived by mischief makers, and being passed on as the e-version of the just launched ‘My Transition Hours’, a book by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is now circulating online.”

    The public was advised to ignore such publication as the chapters and contents were not the same as the book publicly presented two days ago in Abuja by the former President.

    Read also: EFCC seals properties linked to Fayose

    “We note that the e-copy of ‘My Transition Hours’ is not being marketed, as such, the fake online version could only have been created by those out to deceive the unsuspecting public,” it stated.

  • ‘Fake members imported to Enugu for Eze’

    Allegation of importation of fake delegates has dogged the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in Enugu State.

    Some aggrieved aspirants and party members alleged the delegates were shipped in from a neigbouring states to work in favour of Senator Ayogu Eze.

    It was learnt over 1,000 of them have already been briefed to wear coded insignia for direct pass at the primary venue.

    It was further gathered the delegates have taken choice hotel accommodations in the state with huge feeding allowances for their comfort.

    One of the ‘delegates,’ Mrs. Ivoke from Ishiagu in Ebonyi State said they were being fed four times daily with five thousand naira daily upkeep allowance plus an undisclosed lump of cash.

    A party chieftain, who addressed the ‘delegates before delivering their allowance yesterday afternoon was heard telling them to  guard jealously the insignia which would be handed them together with their ‘main allowance’ shortly before they move to the venue of the primary exercise for proper identification.

    “This money is your usual daily stipend. You will be given the main money together with a special insignia for proper identification as well as directive on who to vote for, which I believe that most of you are already aware of,” he said.

    An eyewitness and guest in one of the hotels where the Pseudo delegates were camped, Hon. Smart Asogwa, described the development as a product of vote-buying techniques of some determined elements within the APC to favour Eze.

    Asogwa, a former ardent APC faithful, who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told newsmen it was unfortunate some politicians would stretch their desperation to the extent of importing party faithful from neighbouring cities to achieve selfish political ends.

    According to him: “I am here and I heard most their discussions. Their man project is to edge out PDP in this (Enugu) State and their major targets are the governor (Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi) and (the Deputy President of the Senate) Professor Ike Ekweremadu.

    “Both leaders are their greatest nightmare but APC will fail just the same way God has exposed their plans.

    “But it would be unfortunate for Enugu APC to hand the party’s sole ticket to a new entrant, simply on their erroneous calculation that he has all it takes to edge out a performing Governor like Ugwuanyi.

    “They have goofed because they should have first gone to Enugu North Senatorial Zone to find out his electoral value before anointing him,” he said.

  • ‘Fake’ wine producer held

    A man, who allegedly manufactures exotic alcoholic beverages and liquors, has been arrested by the police in Lagos.

    Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal yesterday paraded Benjamin Ojukwu, 53, who was arrested by operatives from the Area D Command in Mushin.

    According to Edgal, Ojukwu’s arrest would reduce death occasioned by adulterated beverages.

    The suspect, he said, was apprehended at 56 Market Road, Ojuwoye, Mushin on March 30.

    Edgal said: “A valid search warrant was executed in his shop and the following items were recovered. They include various brands of wines and hot drinks suspected to be adulterated. Empty wine bottles and labelled bottle corks of different types of drinks.”

    But the suspect denied adulteration of those exotic drinks, insisting that he usually bought them from the market.

    Ojukwu, who said he was a trained wine manufacturer, blamed the Federal Government and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control  (NAFDAC) for his travails.

    He said: “I am a trained wine manufacturer. I trained in Taiwan. When I got back to Nigeria, I used the money I made from Taiwan to set up a wine factory in Nnewi. I got NAFDAC registration number and my company’s name is Benaz International Agency and the name of my wine is Lion Abel Gin.

    “My trouble started after four years of operating the company with my 11 workers, when an electrical spark from a pole razed my factory. Everything was burnt and I was left with nothing.

    “My first wife left me and I had to return to Lagos. I could not start my wine business so I went into manufacturing other brands. I did it to survive. I know what I did is wrong but I do not produce fake drinks. I will blame government for not supporting upcoming entrepreneurs like me.

    “In Taiwan, after we were trained, their government gave them money to start up but in Nigeria, entrepreneurs do not have support. I’m telling you this because I tried to access money from banks but it was not possible. My business can employ a lot of people but government did not take us serious.”

  • ‘Fake’ Eko DisCo man charged with ‘forgery’

    A man was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly forging an Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) Plc identity card and using it to receive payment for electricity bills.

    Adebayo Ojo, 50, was arraigned before Mrs F. F. George on a three-count charge of forgery and possession of fake identity cards.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Francisca Job said Ojo presented himself as an EKEDC worker at Berkley Street, Lagos Island, and unlawfully reconnected and tampered with electricity installations.

    The incident occurred at about 1pm on March 2, at 16, Berkley Street.

    Job said: “The defendant forged EKEDC staff identity card with number No. 14068 and presented it to customers to collect electricity bills.

    “Some documents such as a ledger containing EKEDC customers’ details, checklist, metre reading and EKEDC safety belt were unlawfully in the defendant’s possession.”

    According to her, the offences contravened Sections 329, 363(1) and 380 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate George granted him N200,000 bail with two sureties  in the like sum.

    The case continues on March 28.

  • VAIDS: Fed Govt warns against fake tax officials

    VAIDS: Fed Govt warns against fake tax officials

    The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the activities of fake tax officials, who want to swindle unsuspecting public over the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).

    Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun yesterday advised tax payers to demand for written notice when they receive phone calls from tax officials.

    She gave this advice in response to the activities of some fake tax officials alleging to be officials of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).

    A statement issued yesterday  by Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the minister Oluyinka Akintunde said: “My attention has been drawn to reports of some unidentified tax officials requesting for bank details and address of tax payers.

    “If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Tax Office, do not panic. Ask them to send you a written notice. Do not provide any details like your address or bank details,” she urged.

    The statement added that Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and Mrs. Adeosun honoured a consistent tax-payer, Elder Lema Jibrin.

    It said: “Jibrin was honoured during the VAIDS sensitisation programme in Kaduna last Thursday.

    The governor noted that Jibrin had consistently paid tax to the government for 40 years.

     

  • Court remands two ‘fake’ lawyers in Kirikiri

    An Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court has remanded two men in Kirikiri Medium Prisons for allegedly impersonating lawyers.

    Augustine Aboh, 45, and Sunny Oduu Mathew, 47, were arraigned before Magistrate O.O. Olatunji  for alleged impersonation.

    They were arrested at the instance of the Ikorodu Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on some court premises.

    Aboh is facing a three-count charge of impersonation, Mathew, a two-count charge of impersonation.

    A member of NBA  Human Rights and Pro Bono Committee, Prince Adetayo Ladega, is leading the prosecuting team.

    Aboh was alleged to have paraded himself as a  lawyer  before Senior Magistrate A. Makanju-Oshodi at the Ikorodu High Court premises in Ita-Elewa at about 10am on February 22.

    The defendant was also alleged to have induced  Achor Ifeanyi and unlawfully collected N5,000 by representing himself as a lawyer, knowing it to be false.

    He was in addition alleged to have, on the same day and time, forged a letterhead  bearing NBA logo.

    Mathew also  allegedly paraded  himself as a lawyer at Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court premises, Ita-Elewa around 10am on February 22..

    He was alleged to have, on the same day and time, forged a seal with NBA serial No. 83561, knowing  that the seal does not belong to him.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Olatunji granted Aboh N200,000 bail and Mathew N100,000 bail  with two sureties each in the like sum.

    The magistrate ordered that one of their respective  sureties must be a Level 15 officer in Lagos State Government employ, who    must bring  a letter from the Head of Service (HoS). The sureties must have three years tax clearance and must live  the court’s jurisdiction.

    Mathew’s trial starts on  March 28 and Aboh’s,  March 29.

  • SON to crack down on fake products producers

    SON to crack down on fake products producers

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has promised hard times for   manufacturers and importers of fake and substandard products.

    The agency hoped to tackle the menace with the introduction of Product

    Authentication Mark (PAM) on all products manufactured in the country and those due for importation.

    SON’s Director General, Mr. Osita Aboloma, spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at a training workshop on: The Fundamentals of International Standards Organisation (ISO) 9001-2015 for stakeholders in the Southwest.

    Aboloma, who was represented by Southwest’s Regional Coordinator of the agency, Mrs. Oyenike Owoyele, said no efforts would be spared at sanitising Nigerian markets.

    The SON chief warned that anyone caught would be made to regret his or her action through seizures, destruction or outright closure and blacklisting of the erring manufacturing company.

    SON’s Head of Ekiti State Office, Mr. Ayeni Feyisayo, reiterated the commitment of the agency to rid the Nigerian markets of undesirable products.