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  • Obasanjo, Jonathan, Saraki, others honour Atiku at turbaning as Waziri Adamawa

    A CROWD of dignitaries watched yesterday as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  was decorated as the Waziri Adamawa in Yola.

    Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara were some of the dignitaries.

    Obasanjo was the chairman of the ceremony, which took place at the palace of Lamido Adamawa Alhaji Muhammadu Musdafa.

    The title was conferred on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate last year.

    Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Rabiu Kwankwaso, many other senators and several PDP leaders, led by the party’s National Chairman Uche Secondus, attended the event.

    With the turbaning, Atiku is formally the 7th Waziri Adamawa, following a line of succession that began in 1872 when the first Waziri, Alim Alkasum, was turbaned.

    Obasanjo, who said Atiku deserved the honour, added that the Waziri Adamawa would carry his new office with dignity and respect.

    “Atiku will make you proud,” Obasanjo told the Lamido Adamawa.

    Referring to Atiku, Obasanjo said: “I do know that by every standard, you are a cultural and cultured person. I do know too that when we were in Abuja dealing with national and international affairs, you didn’t joke with cultural issues at home. So, you more than deserve this elevation.”

    In his goodwill message, President Muhammadu Buhari wished Atiku a successful event.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello, who represented the President, said Buhari appreciated Atiku’s invitation, which the PDP presidential candidate personally signed.

    “He mandated me to convey his good wishes for you to have a very successful coronation as Waziri Adamawa,” Bello said.

    Lamido Adamawa Muhammadu Musdafa eulogised Atiku, saying he was conferring on him the second most important position in the Adamawa Emirate Council due to his contributions to the growth of the emirate, Adamawa State and the country.

    The paramount ruler cited establishment of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Adama Plast, Faro water and juice, Gotel Communication and other companies as some of Atiku’s landmark achievements.

    Atiku thanked God and those who assisted him from a humble background to great heights.

    He said: “I give my gratitude to the Almighty Allah for the opportunity and honour he has bestowed on me from the humblest background to the very venerable position of Waziri Adamawa. Allah has been so kind and generous to me as only He can be. I also thank my beloved country for the education and opportunities it has given me to rise above my circumstances.”

    The PDP presidential candidate said he was grateful to the late Lamido Adamawa, Aliyu Musdafa, for making him Turaki Adamawa some 35 years ago and to his son, the present Lamido Adamawa, for the elevation to Waziri Adamawa.

    He said he accepted the noble traditional title, which is next only to the Lamido Adamawa stool, with gratitude and that he would serve the office dutifully.

  • Ekwueme, Uncle Ben, others for CDM’s concert

    Music Director of Project Fame West Africa, Ben Ogbeiwi, known as Uncle Ben; David Aina, Music tutor at Lagos State University (LASU); and Jude Nwankwo, Music lecturer at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) are among the numerous stars billed to perform at the Christmas carol/25th anniversary concert of Chorale De La Magnifique Nigeria (CDM) on Friday, December 7, 2018 in Abuja.

    The concert themed ‘Christmas @ 25’ is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the choir formed in 1993 by Ike Eseka and his fellow choristers with the choir’s repertoire, including sacred songs, spirituals, motets, jazz, folk, highlife and African indigenous songs.

    According to Eseka, a lawyer and Coordinator and Music Director (CMD) of CDM, the presidential candidate of National Interest Party (NIP), Eunice Atuejide, who was once a CDM member, will grace the event.

    Also, musicologist and the director of Laz Ekwueme Chorale (LEC), HRH (Prof.) Lazarus Ekwueme, will be honoured at the event alongside Muyiwa Majekodunmi, the founder of Jazzville (now Praiseville); and Chuka Eseka, investment banker and chief executive of Vetiva Capital Management, Mr. Walter & Dame Winifred Akpani (Managing Director, Providus Bank and Managing Director, Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company respectively) for mentoring and supporting CDM since its formative years.

    Ben Ogbeiwi, David Aina, and Jude Nwankwo, will be on the Radio House stage of the National Press Centre (NPC), Abuja, to spice up the CDM concert that starts by 6pm. The trio, who used to be active members of CDM, also sing and play the organ. While Ogbeiwi is a seasoned musician and multi-instrumentalist, Aina is a composer and one of the best organists in Nigeria. And Nwankwo is a composer, choir trainer and founder of J-Clef Chorale based in Enugu State. He is the inaugural recipient of the Morehouse College Glee Club Subsaharan Africa Commissioning Project.

    Ogbeiwi, Dominic Malagu, Michael D’Almeida, Magdalene Akonnor and Patience Okeafor are the co-founders of CDM in Lagos. The choir now operates in Abuja, Lagos and Asaba, with plans for a branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    CDM is the major feeder choir to the LEC and other famous choirs. It contributed the largest number of choristers to the All Africa Games (AAG) organised by COJA in 2003 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) same year.

  • Magu, UK crime agency parley over extradition of Diezani, others

    FOLLOWING moves to extradite a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu has met with the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the United Kingdom.

    The meeting also discussed the efforts of the commission in the recovering of all ill-gotten assets domiciled in foreign jurisdiction by Nigerian’s Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

    A statement by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade, said the session focused on the extradition of some PEPs.

    The statement said: “Outside the recovery of assets, the EFCC boss in the course of the high power meeting with officials of the NCA also presented the commission’s position on ways to fast-track the extradition of all PEPs who have found safe heavens in foreign jurisdiction.

    “The NCA is a national law enforcement agency in the United Kingdom. It was established in 2013 as a non-ministerial government department, replacing the Serious Organized Crime Agency, SOCA, and absorbing the formerly separate Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre as one of its commands.

    “The EFCC chairman had explained why the anti-graft agency is bent on extraditing all PEPs.

    “For instance, speaking on the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke, whose process of extradition from the United Kingdom has commenced, Magu explained that “Having waited for three years, the Nigerian government believes that it is time to initiate the extradition process”.

    “Outside Diezani, there are several other PEPs who have fled into exile since 2015 when the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board in May 2015.

    “It would be recalled that in 2017, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of N7.6 billion alleged loot recovered by the EFCC from the Diezani.

    “The order of final forfeiture to the Federal Government was granted by Justice Abdulazeez Anka.”

    Meanwhile, Magu has again urged the public to support the whistle-blowing policy of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said the security of the informant is guaranteed.

    A separate statement by the EFCC said Magu gave the assurance in a message to at a Town Hall meeting organized on Whistle Blowing and Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria, at City Green Hotel, Yola Road, Jimeta, Adamawa State

    The EFCC chair was represented by Friday Ebelo, Head of Operations, EFCC Gombe Office.

    He said the Federal Government policy in 2016 based on the Whistle-blower Act.

    The statement said:  “The whistle-blower can report to the authorities through a secure online portal, which would also conceal the identity of the blower through the ministry of finance or through law enforcement agencies like EFCC,” he said.

    “The policy states that if you whistle-blow in good faith, you will be protected; if you feel that you have been treated badly because of your report, you can file a formal complaint. If you report false or misleading information, it will be referred to the enforcement agents for investigation and possible prosecution,” he added.

    He further said that corruption, as we all agreed, is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of every system in Nigeria.

    “It is a crime with such a despicable viral effect and disastrous tendency like terrorism, and is capable of obstructing good governance,” he said.

    He listed EFCC achievements so far on whistle blowing. He said: “On the 10th of February, 2017, $9.2million cash was recovered from a home belonging to the former Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Andrew Yakubu in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna”.

    He added:  “In that same period, EFCC recovered N450million from an abandoned shop in the Nigerian Air Force Complex in Victoria Island, Lagos.

    “In 2017, the EFCC via information from a whistle-blower helped the government to recover $43.5million, GBP27, 800 and N23. 2million at No 16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagoa, Nigeria. It will interest you to know that the Federal Ministry of Finance paid the Ikoyi whistle blower the sum of N421million.

    “This has no doubt reduced the craze for stealing government’s resources and stocking them in unthinkable locations

  • Ogun police boss, spokesman, others bag awards

    The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Police Command, Mr Ahmed Iliyasu, and the Public Relations Officer(PPRO) of the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi have been honoured by Africa Security Watch, for initiating and sustaining crime busting innovations in the state.

    The award ceremony was held at Labranda Koral Beach Hotel in Banjul,    Republic of The Gambia.

    At the event, Iliyasu was honoured as the best police commissioner in West Africa, while Oyeyemi was awarded the best PPRO in the sub-continent.

    Also honoured,among others, was the Chairman of Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Ogun State, Alhaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, as the best security support organisation in West Africa.

    The Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris was represented by the Commissioner of Police in charge of Anambra State, Mr Umar Garba.

    Other dignitaries at the event included former Ghanaian Chief of Defence Staff, General Joseph Nunoo Mensah(rtd); Gambia’s Inspector General of Police, the Executive Governor of Abia State  Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Deputy Governor of Anambra State.

  • Hoodlums rob Guardian Editor, others

    Hoodlums yesterday in broad daylight attacked motorists on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, dispossessing them of their valuables.

    Among those attacked was the Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Mr Debo Adesina.

    He was robbed of his phone, cash, wrist watch, wallet containing bank cards, documents in an attache case and other valuables Adesina was injured by the hoodlums who went from car to car smashing the windows around 5:30pm.

  • Kogi, Kwara, Benue drag MTN, Dangote, others to tax tribunal

    The governments of Kogi, Kwara and Benue states have sued MTN, Dangote Flour Mills Plc and others to the tax appeal tribunal for Northcentral Zone over tax evasion.

    Also sued before the tax court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, include Fidelity Bank Plc and Obajana Agro Sack Limited.

    While Dangote Flour Mills  was sued by Kwara State government, MTN was sued by Benue State government. Fidelity Bank Plc and Obajana Agrosacks Limited were sued respectively by Kogi State government for defaulting in tax payments which runs to hundreds of millions of naira.

    Mrs. Goodness Echekam was also dragged before the tax court by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

    Chairman of the tax appeal tribunal Hon. Richard Bala who disclosed this at the inaugural sitting of the court yesterday in Jos said: “The Tribunal within its jurisdiction shall assess the collection and accounting of revenue accruable to the government of the federation.” He urged parties involved to cooperate for the success of the tribunal.

    He said: “The Tribunal has commenced sitting in Jos, Plateau State and we are to oversee tax cases from five states including Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and Jos, Plateau as host for the zone.

    “The Tax Appeal Tribunal is imbued with powers to adjudicate over disputes arising from “Companies Income Tax Act, CAP. 60 LFN 1990, Personal Income Tax Act No. 104, 1993; Petroleum Profit Tax Act CAP. 354 LFN 1990; Value Added Tax Act No.102,1993 and Capital Gains Tax Act CAP. 42 LFN 1990 as well as any other Laws that may be made from time to time by the National Assembly.”

    Speaking during the inaugural ceremony, Plateau State government represented by the Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service Board, Mr. Arlat Dashe said the tribunal is going to relieve the Board of all the pains it has been passing through in getting her income tax from Federal Government agencies such as Customs among others.

    He maintained that the state government is going to take full advantage of the tax tribunal.

    The Tax Controller FIRS Jos, Plateau State, Mr. Joel Emmanuel said the tribunal has been long awaited to address the lingering challenges encountered in the collections of tax which is always with less cost compared to going to the normal court.

  • Ogun 2019: We’ll reconcile with Amosun, others, says Dapo Abiodun

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, on Friday, met with party leaders from across the state, assuring that aggrieved members, including Governor Ibikunle Amosun, would be appeased.

    Abiodun said the party primaries have come and gone, but added that the important things today are reconciliation of all members because of the crisis arising from the primaries and forge a “common front” as team to deal with the electoral contest ahead.

    The oil magnate who spoke with reporters at the residence of former governor, Segun Osoba, in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, the state capital, shortly after the political meeting there, described Amosun as his “long time friend.”

    Abiodun noted that the fact that there was a disagreement between them over the primaries, does not negate both still being members of APC.

    He added that the disagreement is a “party family issue” that would be resolved, assuring that the Ogun State APC would enter 2019 electoral contest “strong and united.”

    He disclosed that his running mate would come from Ogun West Senatorial district, and pledged to improve the welfare of civil servants, particularly teachers in the state.

    He also pledged to embark on aggressive agricultural drive to enhance food supply and create jobs for the state’s teeming youth.

    Abiodun promised to improve the state’s current Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by harnessing all her potentials if elected into power in 2019.

  • Group distributes food to widows, others

    A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Humanity Development Initiative (HDI), will distribute foodstuffs to widows and the destitute in Lagos State on December 1, its President, Dr Uloma Ojei, said yesterday .

    In this country, especially in Lagos, there are people who can barely feed themselves like widows and the destitute. This is why we are distributing foodstuffs. They should come to our office at 9, Isaac Okomu Street, Gafari Balogun, Ogudu, Lagos, between 9am and 3pm on December 1 and they will be given foodstuffs.

    “These foodstuffs will last for a month and they are free to come back in January to collect again.

    “Any philanthropist who wants to assist us can contact us at our office because we cannot do it alone,” Ojei said.

  • Amosun, Abiodun, others for monarch’s 20th coronation anniversary

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun and African Democratic Congress (ADC) flag bearer Gboyega Isiaka will join other dignitaries on November 18 to celebrate the Onimoro I, Ololo of Ijofin Kingdom, Oba Maruf Ayinla Awode, as he marks 20 years on the throne of his forefathers.

    The event is expected to display the kingdom’s rich cultural heritage, where the sons and daughters will be honoured with chieftaincy titles. Those to be honoured with chieftaincy titles are: Otunba Titus Babajide, as Baala of Ijofin; Mrs Eunice Abosede Babajide, as Yeye Otun Baala; Mrs Esther Ibironke Babajide, as Otun Yeye Baala of Ijofin Kingdom.

    Others are: Alhaja Aishata Koosha, as Erelu; Abiodun Aromavo, as Aro; Afodewu Kolawole, as Mayegun; Chief Boki Oteni Gbetomafa, as the Olu Ode of Ijofin and Chief Tudonu Noah (aka Destiny), as the Apagunpote of Ijofin Kingdom.

  • KSA, Falz, Ara, others for AIM Festival 2018

    Preparations for this year’s edition of Africa International Music (AIM) Festival has gathered momentum with the mega musical concert attracting the attention of some leading African musical artistes across the continent and The Diaspora. According to the organisers of the event, which made its first entry last year, the event this year has gained a box office status and promises to be exciting and colourful with A – listed artistes on the bill.

    Headlining the roll call of artistes at the event, which is a three day non – stop musical performances of all genres, with a touch of African authentic and originality, slated to hold between December 7 and 9 at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, is Nigeria and Africa legendary Juju music maestro, King Sunny Ade, who has graciously agreed to performance at the resort’s world stage named after him.

    AIM Festival is conceived by the Founder of Motherland Beckons, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, as a vehicle to expose the creativity of budding African musical acts and the creative industry, to serve as a veritable platform for the exportation of the best of African’s creative geniuses to the world by bringing together various talents to interact and produce the best of their innate creative ferment under an atmosphere that is of international standard and mood reflecting their cultural background.

    Other listed artistes from Nigeria include Adekunle Gold, Falz, Pasuma, Dede Mabiaku, Atunda Entertainment leading acts – Anu the lady ekwe,Olo omidan bata, Ara (Thunder)  – Paul play Dairo, Kola Ogunkoya (Gbedu master), Afe Ayodele, Wole Oni, Kemit, Yemi juju and Fire. Artistes from the remaining 54 African countries will be featured.

    Beside the musical performances, the platform, which is an opened one for others in the creative industry, will be a celebrated tourism affair as it is expected to feature a wide selection of leisure experiences ranging from food, fashion, comedy and DJ to beach picnic, kayaking, carnival, keggite gyration, beach soccer, camping, sport fishing, horseback riding as well as bonding exercises.

    The three days event is also going to be a celebrated media event with over 15 broadcast stations from across the world steaming live images and other social media platforms while the public will be aided to attend the event with provisions of free buses at different locations in the city as well as ferry services available.