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  • Vibetone drops debut single ‘PAMI’

    Young prodigy and Afrofusion artiste, Adeniji Samuel Adedolapo, also known as Vibetone has released his debut single titled ‘Pa Mi’ meaning Mesmerise me in his indigenous Yoruba language.

    ‘Pa Mi’ produced by DXL da beat is a feel good and danceable song which expresses the intoxicating love from his love interest, received by the singer. The guitar strings is deftly struck by by Fiokee. It is a potential hit song released today and would be played on many radio stations.

    Vibetones says the song is one of the many coming out from his repertoire as he storms the music world.

    “My song is influenced by the old generation Nigerian classics highlife and majorly Afropop. Music to me is an escape route from life daily struggles. My way of forgetting my problems and I want my listeners to to get same feelings when they listen to my songs,” says the talented Nigerian singer who is based in New Jersey, United States.

    READ ALSO: Guchi drops debut single, ‘No Be Jazz’

    Born 28 years ago, Vibetone grew up in Lagos, from a family of nine in Ojodu suburb of Lagos listening to the music of great Nigerian stars who helped shaped his musical influence.

    He went to Mayflower Secondary School at Ikenne, Ogun State.

    Vibetone began music professionally in 2017. The likes of Meologo, Sir Dauda, Burna Boy, 1da Banton are the Artistes that inspire him.

    The young artiste who believes in the impact of education already has a bachelors degree from University of ilorin, and MBA from Saint Joseph’s university in Philadelphia USA.

    Pa mi is a song everyone would love to listen and dance to the vibe.

  • Nigeria/South Africa bi-national meeting to hold Sept. 26 – Foreign ministry

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the Senior Official meeting of the 9th session of the Nigeria-South Africa bi-national commission will hold from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27 in Pretoria, South Africa.

    Mr Ferdinard Nwonye, spokesperson for the Ministry made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

    “The preparatory meeting would focus on consolidation of the subsisting signed Agreements/MoUs, explore the possibility of strengthening relations in the area of Defence and Security, Political, Economic and Energy sector.

    “Other areas of common interest include negotiations on pending agreements on matters of mutual cooperation, focal amongst which would be, Diplomatic Consultation and Early Warning System against Xenophobia, etc.

    “The Nigeria-South Africa Joint Commission was established in 1999 to promote relations between both countries and it was upgraded to Bi-National Commission (BNC) in 2001.

    “To showcase the strategic nature of the relationship between the two very important countries and the Commission is about to be further upgraded to the Summit level on Oct. 3,” Nwonye said.

    According  to Nwonye, Amb. Mustapha Sulaiman, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry will lead the Nigerian Delegation and will serve as Co-Chair at the Senior Officials/ Experts Meeting.

    Read Also: Cost of South Africa xenophobic attacks

    He said that following the meeting of experts, the Ministerial Meeting of the Bi-National Commission scheduled to hold on Oct. 2 would be co-chaired by Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

    He said that Onyeama would co-chair the meeting alongside  and his South African counterpart Dr. Nalendi Pandor.

    President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to pay a State Visit to South Africa on Oct. 3 on the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

    NAN

  • Edo emerges 2nd in World Bank Performance Awards

    Edo State has emerged second best-performing state in the Nigeria Portfolio Performance Awards organised by the World Bank Nigeria Country Office for state governments and federal institutions.

    In a commendation letter, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Rachid Benmessaoud congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki for the state’s performance as it clinched the award for the Best State Coordination Mechanism (Second Position), among state’s reviewed for the awards.

    Benmessaoud noted that Edo State is also one of the five states with the Best Portfolio Briefs prepared for Timely Engagement between the Country Office and the new administration.

    READ ALSO: Osun bags World Bank Nigeria Portfolio Performance Award

    He added, “This is to appreciate your support and state’s participation in the just concluded Nigeria portfolio performance Awards ceremony hosted by the World Bank Country Office in Abuja, and to congratulate you on your state’s commendable performance which led to winning the award for the Best State Coordination Mechanism (Second Position) and also, one of the five states with the Best State Portfolios Briefs Prepared for Timely Engagement with the New Administration.”

    He said, “The event recognized the performance of projects implementation teams across the states and federal institutions. Furthermore, state delegates were afforded the opportunity to network and share knowledge with their colleagues from other states. Through this event, we also believe Edo State will significantly improve the overall momentum in the implementation of projects in the state.”

    The World Bank plays an active role in the development programmes in the state through the Edo State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) Project; Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP); FADAMA projects, Edo-Azura Power Project and many others.

  • INEC urges UNDP to resuscitate support to democratic empowerment

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has beckoned on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to resuscitate the implementation of its Support to Democratic Empowerment (SDE) Phase 1, in Nigeria.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the call when he received the UNDP new Resident Representative to Nigeria, who paid a courtesy visit to the commission on Wednesday in Abuja.

    SDE is aimed at enlighten and mobilize stakeholders including the women groups, youths, traditional and religious leaders to participate massively in the general elections.

    The programme is also to conduct civic and voter education, as part of the media campaign, in order to sensitize and create awareness among the citizens for effective participation in the general elections.

    Yakubu said that the programme should have commended in 2018 but was suspended due to the challenges of time and funding.

    “There is one pending issue that we need to resuscitate immediately, which is implementation of the Support to Democratic Empowerment (SDE) Phase 1.

    “The implementation should have commenced in May 2018 through to December 2019.

    “The plan was not fully implemented for a number of reasons, but essentially the pressure on time on the commission because of general elections as well as the issue of funding.

    “I am glad to note that the plan is being revised by our technical teams. I look forward to the work of the two teams.

    “I wish to once again reassure you that we will jointly implement the recommendations in the current electoral circle and beyond,’’ Yakubu said.

    Yakubu described the UN and UNDP in particular as long term partners in support of elections, good governance and democracy in Nigeria.

    He said that INEC valued their partnership and it would continue to work with UNDP in promoting democracy and good governance.

    Yakubu recalled that in 2017 the UN Secretary General sent a Need Assessment Mission to Nigeria, as well as the Special Representative for West African and the Shahel, Mohammed Chambas who also visited before and after the last general elections.

    “We profoundly appreciate the support of the union and its agencies in promoting peaceful elections and good governance in Nigeria. We have worked closely with the UNDP in many areas since 2011.

    “These include technically and advisory support for voter registration in 2011; the formulation and validation of the commission gender policy; the formulation, validation and revalidation of the commission’s communication policy; down to support to voter education and publicity.

    “Induction and retraining for new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Uyo in 2017: the printing of two volumes election project plan in 2018; and many other activities to build capacity of the commission both technical and human.

    Read Also: INEC trains security personnel for Kogi Gov race

    “I want to reassure you of our continue willingness to collaborate, cooperate and work in partnership with you. We will extend the support to you that we have extended to all your predecessors.’’

    Speaking earlier, the UNDP Resident Representative, assured the country of the organization’s continue support and engagement with INEC in deepening credible elections and democracy in Nigeria.

    He said that the UNDP recognised INEC as a critical institution for deepening democracy.

    He said, “For UNDP globally, electoral commissions have been a key part for the work that we do, in deepening democracy and delivering the voices of those who have voted in a way that is credible and transparent.

    “So, the work that you do, commissioners and chairperson, is critical for democratization to take its root in this country and across the continent.

    “For me coming here is one of the key aspects of my duties.

    “I want to thank you and your team for the work you have done in the past, but also to congratulate you for delivering 2019 general elections.

    “Also listening and learning from the experiences that you had in the last circle and also listening to what we can do together as we move forward,’’ Yahaya said.

    On his agenda in Nigeria, Yahaya said that the UNDP would supports Nigeria’s plans, including making INEC stronger.

    “We are a leading development agency in the UN system, specifically the work on governance, reduction of poverty. For today engagement we are focus on how to engage INEC to make it stronger than it is.’’

     

  • Mobile money agent rapes colleague to death

    A mobile money agent, Eniola Adenuga, on Wednesday gave insight into why and how he raped his female co – worker; Faith Jude, to death in their office around Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    Adenuga said the girl just joined the company and he quickly picked interest in her.

    He lamented that despite having made countless advances to her with promises of treating her fine, she refused to accept his offer for a romantic relationship.

    He added that as the affection for her kept building up, he contemplated seeking to have his way by force and an opportunity provided itself on a particular rainy evening when the victim came to the office to collect the day’s proceed for their master.

    A subdued Adenuga, who spoke with reporters at the Ogun State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, while being paraded by the Police, said he grabbed the girl, wrestled her to the ground and raped her after gagging the mouth.

    He however noted that he had scarcely concluded the raping act when the girl died of suffocation.

    The suspect pleaded for mercy, saying he never meant to kill Faith Jude.

    He said:”I raped her in the shop and she died in the process. She was also having her menstruation at that period. I kept her corpse in the store.

    “In early hours of the third day of the incident, I placed her corpse in front of the shop and went to report at Lafenwa police station that I found a corpse in front of our shop.

    “I had to confess during investigation that I actually covered her mouth with her underwear while I raped her to death.”

    READ ALSO: Suspected hoodlums rape 16-yr-old girl to death

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Mr Edward Ajogun, said the suspect had on September 19 reported at the Lafenwa Police division that he came to his office and found the lifeless body of Jude in front of the office covered with a canopy.

    Ajogun said upon his report, detectives from Lafenwa division went to the scene, carried out forensic examination of the place, took picture of the corpse and it was discovered that there were marks of violence on the deceased body, suggesting she was murdered .

    Ajogun said: “Based on the recovery, the complainant was professionally interrogated and it was discovered that he was the person that actually killed the victim.

    “He confessed to the crime and stated that the decease , a co-worker came to the shop to collect money for their boss.

    “He took advantage of the heavy downpour on the day to grab the deceased, gagged her mouth with a piece of cloth while he raped her.

    “Having had his way with the girl, he discovered that she had given up the ghost due to suffocation.”

    According to the Deputy Police Commissioner, the case is being investigated by the Homicide section of the command’s Criminal Investigation Department.

  • NUT hails Obaseki on basic education reforms, teachers’ welfare

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has hailed Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on reforms in the basic education sub-sector and his administration’s commitment to teachers’ welfare in the state.

    The NUT said Governor Obaseki’s deftness and diplomacy in dealing with issues of teachers’ welfare in the state should be emulated by other governors in the country.

    The commendation was contained in a letter addressed to Governor Obaseki and signed by NUT’s National Deputy Secretary, Rev. M.M. Braimoh, on behalf of the Union’s Secretary General, Dr. Mike Ike Ene.

    Recall that the Governor Obaseki-led administration has trained over 8700 teachers and equipped them with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices for improved learning outcomes. This has positively impacted over 150,000 school children in the state under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme.

    The National Executive of NUT, in the letter, said its communication with the state chapter of the union showed that the governor has maintained a harmonious relationship with them, ensuring that issues do not degenerate into strike actions.

    Read Also: Obaseki reassures on kidnapping, other crimes

    According to them, “It is the tradition of the NUT and its national leadership to receive Monthly Reports from each of her 38 State Wings in order to be abreast of issues and events affecting our members.

    “On 20th August 2019, we received a communique issued by the NUT Edo State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) after its meeting of 19th August 2019 on a number of issues. While we were busy strategising on the way forward, we received another communique from NUT Edo State Wing dated 2nd September 2019 with cheering news of how Your Excellency has addressed all issues to the satisfaction of the entire teachers of Edo State within a short period of time.”

    “Sequel to these, it behooves on us to commend Your Excellency for your various roles in improving Basic Education and Teachers’ Welfare in Edo State. These are achieved without any Strike Action,” the NUT added.

    The union urged other governors in the country to emulate Governor Obaseki’s feats, noting, “On behalf of the National President, National Executive Council (NEC) members and the entire teachers of Nigeria, we wish to most heartily congratulate and appreciate Your Excellency for this feat. It is our belief that some of your brother governors will take after you.”

     

     

  • Lyon to Dickson: face governance, PDP crisis

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon, has asked Governor Seriake Dickson to leave the APC alone and focus on dealing the post-primary election crisis rocking his party.

    Lyon in a statement on Wednesday by his Media Adviser, Chief Gift Ebiki, wondered why Dickson was crying more than the bereaved on issues that had nothing to do with him.

    The APC candidate said Dickson was dissipating his energy and wasting his time following the governor’s claims in a live media chat that the APC lacked a validly-elected and qualified candidate for the November 16 governorship poll in the state.

    “As a sitting governor, Dickson should concentrate more on governance rather than turning himself to a mischief-maker and a busybody”, he said.

    READ ALSO: PDP crisis: kinsmen warn politicians to steer clear of Bayelsa commissioner

    He added: “The statement credited to Dickson is unbecoming of a governor and the highest mischief and derogatory of a sitting governor.

    “The APC indeed has a validly-elected candidate and he is Chief David Lyon. Governor Dickson is not in a position to discuss APC matters, he should concern himself with the crisis which is tearing his Party PDP.

    “It is only INEC that can talk of parties’ candidates being validly nominated or not and indeed Chief David Lyon is the Candidate of the APC.

    “This clearly shows that Governor Dickson hand is behind some failed APC aspirants’ desire to cause confussion in APC but they have failed woefully because bayelsains are more informed than they imagined”.

  • Sep 2019 FG bond auction oversubscribed

    The Debt Management Office (DMO) has disclosed that its monthly auction of FGN Bonds for September 2019 has been oversubscribed.

    A statement by the DMO in Abuja on Wednesday said three Instruments (5-year, 10-year and 30-year bonds) with a total face value of N150.00 billion, were offered to investors at the Auction.

    According to the DMI, the “total subscriptions received from competitive bids for the instruments was N160.90 billion. In addition, there were also non-competitive bids of N46.60 billion, taking the total subscription received (competitive and non-competitive) to the sum of N207.50 billion.”

    READ ALSO: FGN bonds suffer low patronage

    The DMO noted that investors “sentiments remained strong for the longer-dated bonds.” Specifically, the DMO said it received subscriptions from “competitive bids for the 10-year and 30-year bonds were N82.91 and N63.66 billion, compared with the amount offered of N50.00 billion and N55.00 billion, for the two instruments, respectively.”

    Allotments were made to successful bidders at 14.3900% for the 5-year, 14.4300% for the 10-year and 14.6400% for the 30-year bonds.

    In addition, the amount allotted to competitive bidders for the three (3) instruments was N100.00 billion, while the sum of N46.60 billion was allotted to non-competitive bidders. Overall, the total amount allotted at the Auction was N146.60 billion.

  • Scores killed as suspected kidnappers shoot passenger bus in Kogi

    Suspected kidnappers have opened fire on an Abuja- bound passenger bus around Kotin-Karfe, Kogi State, killing an unspecified number of the occupants while others escaped with bullet wounds.

    The suspected kidnappers, on Tuesday, laid seige on Abuja bound vehicles, killing all the occupants of the Sharon bus, said to be coming from Port-Harcourt.

    Occupants of another car, a Toyota Camry, coming from Ibadan to Abuja, that made for escape after running into the scene sustained various degrees of injuries.

    A survivor, who narrated his ordeals, told our correspondent that the incidental occurred at about 5.58 pm.

    Speaking under the condition of anonymity, the victim said that he, along with four others in the Toyota Camry, were headed to Abuja from Ibadan, when they suddenly they sighted some masked men in military gears about two kilometers ahead.

    He said that the attackers wore military camouflage with black mask and were stopping vehicles.

    According to him, some of the occupants of the vehicles that they stopped were being marched into the bush.

    He said that the Sharon bus coming from Port-Harcourt, on sighting them, tried to escape but got shot at, deflating its tires, adding that the vehicle somersaulted, killing all the occupants.

    According to him: “It was at this point we noticed that they may be kidnappers. Our driver then engaged reverse gear and they started firing at our car.

    READ ALSO: 40-yr-old transporter killed during police shootout with suspected kidnappers

    “The driver was hit on the shoulder with the bullet coming out at the other side, and it hit the man at the back seat on the head.”

    He said that they drove to the Gegu police station from where arrangement was made for their evacuation to the Koton-Karfe General Hospital from where they were taken to the Federal Medical Center Lokoja.

    He said the driver was transferred to the National Hospital Abuja while an occupant of the back seat that sustained bullet wounds on the head was referred to the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, to remove bullets lodged in his head.

    According to the Police Extract diary obtained by our correspondent, the incident was reported on Wednesday by one of the victims.

    Kogi Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Hakeem Busari, confirmed the incident.

    He said that he got a report that a car stopped by kidnappers dressed in camouflage was shot at, which made it to summersault, killing all the occupants, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) from Edo State.

    He said that investigation into the incident has been opened.

  • Kogi gov poll: PDP will struggle to get 25 percent votes – Adeyemi

    The Director-General of the Governorship Campaign Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Sen. Smart Adeyemi has declared the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) will struggle to secure 25 per cent votes in the November poll.

    He said PDP has no candidate yet since its governorship primaries is still being disputed in court.

    He also said more than 15,000 defectors from PDP and other parties will be received by the APC in Kogi State in the next few days.

    Adeyemi, who gave insights into the preparation for the poll, said even if PDP’s candidate, Engr. Musa Wada survives the court hurdles against him, he cannot defeat the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC.

    Adeyemi said: “PDP cannot defeat APC in the forthcoming governorship poll in Kogi State. The main opposition party in the state will strive to secure 25 per cent of the votes.

    “In any case, PDP has no candidate because about 35 leaders of PDP are in court to seek the nullification of the results of their party’s governorship primaries. Even ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris who should be the backbone of the party’s campaign has rejected any offer from the party.

    “PDP is in disarray in Kogi State, it is too weak to win the governorship poll. But we are interested in PDP resolving its dispute to enable Governor Yahaya Bello to win in a free and fair poll.

    Read Also; Kogi NPC Chairman resigns

    “APC wants a candidate to compete with at the poll. We are fully on ground, it will be difficult for PDP to defeat APC candidate, Governor Yahaya Bello.

    Adeyemi said although more than 15,000 defectors from PDP and other parties will defect to APC in the next few days, the party will not make any commitment to anybody.

    “As the election is fast approaching, APC is receiving more defectors on daily basis. We are not going to make personal commitment to any defector. We will not promise anyone slots of being a commissioner or Special Adviser or other personal gains.

    “We will accept people to join our party on the basis of vision, needs and aspirations of the masses. We want those who are committed to the ideals of the APC.”

    Meanwhile, the APC has appointed three Deputy Directors-General for its campaign committee.

    They are Hon. Haruna Isa(Kogi West District); Hon. Abubakar S. Adagu Danguruma(Kogi Central District); and Hon. Idoko Musa Haruna(Kogi East District).

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Kogi governorship poll for November 16.

    Although 22 candidates are jostling for the governorship seat the battle appears to be between APC candidate and his opponent in PDP.