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Tag: Popular Nigeria News

  • Obaseki warns against disruption of activities at Benin Central Mosque

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has warned against disruption of prayers and other religious activities at the Benin Central Mosque, insisting that persons or groups found disturbing the area will be dealt with accordingly.

    The governor gave the warning during a meeting with Muslim leaders in the state led by Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto and the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness (HRH) Alhaji Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State.

    Obaseki noted that he was aware of the leadership tussle at the Benin Central Mosque involving Alhaji Edosomwan and Alhaji Enabulele, adding that he refused to interfere, with the hope that both parties will resolve their differences internally.

    “As a government, we saw the development, challenges, and crisis as an internal matter that needed to be settled by members of the faith. The death of Alhaji Edosomwan should have naturally resolved the matter but I was disappointed that the crisis continued. I am glad that the issue has been addressed,” he said.

    The governor continued, “I will inform the Director of State Security (DSS) to make adequate security arrangement at the Benin Central Mosque to stop the disruption of prayers and other activities.”

    Assuring the Muslim community of his administration’s support, he urged them to go about the practice of their faith peacefully, adding, “Let me warn at this point that anybody or party that disrupts activities at the Benin Central Mosque henceforth will be dealt with according to the law.”

    Governor Obaseki also commended the Otaru of Auchi and other Muslim leaders in the state on how the leadership tussle was handled and the subsequent turbanning of Alhaji Fatai Enabulele, as Chief Imam of Benin Central Mosque.

    “You have done what the faith asked you to do by turbanning Imam Fatai Enabulele as the Chief Imam of Benin Central Mosque, so be it. The government has no choice but to recognise him as the Chief Imam,” he noted.

    Obaseki expressed confidence in the leadership of the Otaru of Auchi and Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto, adding that he will continue to consult them for advice relating to affairs of Muslims in the state.

    The Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Momoh Ikelebe III, explained what was responsible for the leadership tussle at the Benin Central Mosque, noting that the tussle has been laid to rest with the death of Alhaji Edosomwan.

    He condemned the disruption of activities at the Benin Central Mosque, noting that a true Muslim should not subscribe to thuggery.

  • Buhari’s trust in God gave him victory, says ex-NYSC DG

    Ex-director general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Col Peter Obasa (retired) Thursday attributed President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the recently concluded election to his reliance on God and his belief in his mission.

    The retired army officer added that “no doubts, he has won God’s favour. He battled through the turbulent period of the early years of his presidency, a period during which most Nigerians wrote him off.”

    Col Obasa made a passionate appeal to President Buhari to pay his gratuity and pension, 35 years after he was compulsorily retired by the military.

    The 81-year old retired military spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

    The former NYSC boss, who served between 1979 and 1984, said that he had received no letter of dismissal from the Army to have informed nonpayment of his entitlement.

    “I make my appeal to Mr. President, in the name of Almighty God, in the names of all that are holy, in the names of all that are good, true, and are just, to give me justice of the type that will attract the approval of God”, he said.

    The octogenarian, who presented a book, titled, House of Exile, during the press conference, chronicled his experiences in 1984, his prison accounts, the nation’s democracy, and judiciary.

    “The Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette, No 56 of November 6, 1986, under Ministry of Defence, Nigerian Army officers, voluntary/compulsory and dismissal page 1340 declares that I was compulsorily retired from the army. Under that condition, I should be entitled to my gratuity and pension. The Army has denied me both.

    “They claim that I was dismissed. If that was the case, a letter to that effect would have been served on me, and the army would have withdrawn my officer’s sword, ceremonial dress, mess jacket and service suit. I received no letter, and am still in possession of the items mentioned above.

    “Like President Buhari, I am favoured by God. I fought through the tumultuous and terrifying period of my trial and more than seven years in incarceration, and I am here by the special grace of God to ask for true justice. The world wrote me off, some claiming that I would not exit the jail house. How wrong they are. God Almighty fights for the innocent”, he said.

    Retired Colonel Obasa described his trial by the Supreme Military Council (SMC), headed by General Muhammadu Buhari, as illegalities of 1984, saying that the SMC promulgated decrees that had retroactive effect.

    He said: “The laws were backdated by three years. This is immoral and illegal. The God of creation made laws which he handed over to Moses. Those laws became effective from the time they were read to the Israelites.

    “The SMC took over the roles of the executive, legislative and judiciary, the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge. This is illegal. The Nigerian Bar Association condemned this and prohibited its members from appearing before the tribunals to defend accused persons.

    “The process of trial was gravely flawed. Trials were in secret. The public was denied access to the tribunals and it was only when judgements were passed that the world became informed of the verdict.

    “All statements from suspects were extracted under duress. This is illegal

    “Accused persons were compelled long before trial began to sign away the contents of their accounts under duress by the same characters that came to testify at the tribunal that the accused willingly signed away everything. This is illegal.

    “Falsified documents (as exhibits) were brought into the tribunal by the Special Investigation Panel. This too is illegal.

    “Accused people were incarcerated in solitary confinement, denied access to their family and prevented from reaching anything that would enhance their defence. This is illegal.

    “They made it impossible for accused persons to explain clearly how they came about what they had. Everything went under the label of “kickback”. This is illegal.

    “False witnesses were press-ganged to testify against accused persons. This is illegal.

    “From the beginning to the end in my case, the truth was undermined and justice was perverted. This too is illegal”.

  • Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, others to receive Certificates of Return March 27

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State, says it will on March 27 present Certificates of Return to the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

    Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said on Thursday that the lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly would also be given Certificates of Return the same day.

    “The presentation of certificate of return to elected candidates is in conformity with Section 75 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    “The presentation ceremony will take place at INEC Lagos Office, 6, Birrel Avenue, Sabo-Yaba, at 11:00 am for the Governor-elect and his Deputy.

    “Meanwhile, that of the elected members of Lagos State House of Assembly will come up at 2:00pm,” Olumekun said in a statement.

    According to him, all invited guests are requested to be seated by 10:30am and 1:30pm respectively for the two ceremonies.

    The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanwo-Olu, of APC, polled 739,445 votes to defeat Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 206,141 votes, and other contestants in the March 9 governorship election.

    INEC declared Sanwo-Olu winner of the poll on March 10.

    The commission will on Saturday hold a supplementary election in the Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency I where the state assembly election was declared inconclusive.

    Candidates of APC won in all the other 39 constituencies where state assembly elections are already concluded by the electoral umpire.

  • I’m still in PDP, says Agbaje

    The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) 2019 governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje has urged the public to disregard his purported dumping of the party.

    In a statement by his spokesperson, Modupe Ogunbayo, she said Agbaje remains a member of the PDP.

    According to her, “In the past 24 hours, Mr. Olujimi Agbaje, the governorship candidate of the PDP) in the recently-concluded 2019 election in Lagos state, has received uncountable calls and messages from numerous friends, teeming political associates within PDP and countless members of his supporters, that he has resigned from the PDP.

    Read Also: Lagos PDP: what next for Agbaje?

    ” Agbaje is still a card-carrying member of the PDP. He remains committed to the broad-based party, which he remains absolutely certain, has the best antidote to the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian peoples.

    “It is another chunk from the ongoing propaganda and disinformation machinery of his foes. Agbaje urges all to treat the rumour with the disdain it wisely deserves,” she said.

  • PDP rejects order stopping final collation of Bauchi election result

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected a court order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from resuming collation of result of Bauchi state governorship election.

    The party stated this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Tuesday in Abuja.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday barred INEC from resuming collation and announcement of the election result.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order following an ex parte application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi state.

    Ologbondiyan described the order as part of the plot by the APC and “some compromised elements” in INEC to escalate crisis and derail the country’s electoral process.

    “The power to collate, suspend collation and or to reverse such decision based on obvious circumstances as the case in Bauchi is clearly within the domain of INEC.

    “Until collation is completed and results declared, no one can question the constitutional powers of the electoral body- INEC, in that regard,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan cautioned that if what it described as desperate underhand measure to halt electoral processes is not checked, the country’s hard-earned democracy would fail.

    “Our party should not be pushed into a situation in which we will have no option than to allow our members to seek similar exparte orders to halt statutory processes at various levels.

    “It is clear that collation of result is part of the electoral process and that INEC cannot act on a purported exparte order to jettison its independence and halt the collation of results, which is a key component of its statutory electoral duty.

    “Section 87 (10) of the Electoral Act is unambiguous in its prescription that “nothing in this section shall empower the courts to stop the holding of primaries or general election or the processes thereof under this Act pending the determination of a suit,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan urged INEC to be properly guided by the law in that regard.

    “Nigerians have elected the PDP in Bauchi state and nothing can change this reality,” he said.

  • Davido, others set to perform at Dreamland Festival in U.S.

    Popular Nigerian artist David Adeleke, popularly known as ( Davido ), will be performing at the Dreamland Festival alongside with some renowned artists.

    The event will be holding at the Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. on April 6.

    The organisers made this known on the festival’s official Instagram page @dreamville, where they listed the instragram handle of the artists.

    “DREAMVILLE FEST 2019 Full Line Up Is Here, See you Soon! • APRIL 6TH RALEIGH, NC TIX DREAMVILLEFEST.COM.

    “@realcoleworld @sza @bigsean @21savage @6lack @nelly @teyanataylor @bas @jidsv @davidoofficial @rapsody @cozz @sabapivot @earthgang @arilennox @omen @lute_west9 @kingmez

    According to report, the event was supposed to hold on September 15, 2018, but was rescheduled due to Hurricane Florence.

    A lineup of other artistes slated to perform at the festival are: J. Cole, SZA, Big Sean, 21 Savage, 6LACK, Nelly, Teyana Taylor, J.I.D. Rapsody, Cozz, Saba, Earthgang, Ari Lennox, Omen, Lute and Mez.

    The 26-year-old award winning artist has made great influence in the entertainment industry.

    Recently, He had set a record of being the first Nigerian artist to reach one million, two million, five million and nine million followers on Instagram.

    His 2017 hit song, ”Fall” became the first Nigerian music video to hit 100 million views on YouTube.

  • Senate may pass 2019 budget in April

    The Senate Tuesday resumed the consideration of the general principles of the 2019 Appropriation Bill with more knocks on the budget.

    The upper chamber slated the passage of the N8.83 trillion budget estimates for next month.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, after the conclusion of the debate of the general principles of the fiscal document, gave the Appropriation Committee where the budget proposal was referred to, two weeks to turn in its report for consideration and passage.

    The upper chamber resolved to ignore heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, who may fail to appear before the sub-committees to defend their budget proposals.

    Sub-committees were mandated to adopt the proposals as submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly at the event that any MDA failed to appear before them.

    The lawmakers resolved, like it was the case in the past, not to run after heads of MDAs who may refuse to appear before the sub-committees to defend their budget proposals and estimates.

    Saraki gave the Appropriation Committee the deadline of April 2, 2019 to submit its report for the consideration of the Senate.

    Read Also: Minimum wage: NLC wants quick implementation, commends Senate

    He said, “The relevant committees should swing into action and ensure that they conclude work on this budget within two weeks. The Committee on Appropriations should submit its report on the 2nd of April so that we can pass the budget.

    “Let me also add that the various committees should not run or force any head of agency to appear. If they don’t appear before the given time, adopt what was submitted by the President and submit your report. That is what you should do.”

    In his contribution to the debate of the general principles of the budget, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (Abia South) said that the 2019 budget christened “budget consolidation” is actually “a budget of consolidation of poverty.”

    Abaribe who noted that the budget projections did not support the entire template of the budget estimates insisted that fiscal document cannot be implemented.

    The Federal Government, he said, should as a matter of urgent, prepare and send entire new budget by September, for the National Assembly work on.

    Abaribe said: “People who draft budgets for the President give it different names. They write it with their hands in cheek. It means we are paying more debt than spending on projects. When they say budget of consolidation, they are consolidating poverty. This budget will not be implementable.

    “You can see that where we are is just consolidation of poverty. Let them leave this budget. Time is far spent. Let them bring a new budget by September. This budget is a waste of time. I don’t know the essence of this budget they have brought here. Let’s move on to something more important.”

    Senator Suleiman Adokwe, on his own noted that poor allocation and releases to fund capital projects is a major challenge the Executive must tackle for economic growth.

    Adokwe said, “My major problem with the budget is that not much has been voted for capital projects. Year in, year out, we have the same poor allocation to capital projects. Agencies continue to waste money on recurrent expenditure. Even the release of funds for capital projects, has fallen below our expectations.

    “There should be 100 percent release of funds for capital projects. There should also be monitoring of capital projects to ensure that monies released are not misappropriated.”

    Senator Ben Murray Bruce canvassed the scrapping of moribund agencies.

    The Bayelsa State Senator noted that some of the agencies were established in the 1960s and had outlived their relevance.

    He said: “This budget is not different from the one they presented three years ago. There are agencies that were set up in the 1960s. They should be scrapped. We have two percent of Nigerians who are civil servants consuming about 45 percent of our annual budget. We spend trillions on fuel subsidy, but isn’t in our budget. I don’t know what kind of voodoo accounting is this.

    “We need to remove the fuel subsidy. We need to take it out. It is a terrible thing. I am not sure the Labour or Nigerians will complain. They will support the move and ensure that we spend the money on other sectors. This is the right thing to do.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari, when picking his ministers should select smart people and not those current ones who can’t think outside the box. There are brilliant people here who can do better. I don’t know why we select people who are not smart.”

    Senator Matthew Urhoghide, asked the Federal Government to take steps to explore more alternative sources of income to fund its annual budgets.

    He said: “Budgeting has become an annual ritual. We have not been able to put a balanced budget on the table. A serious country must ensure that it has a serious source of income to grow its economy. Even MDAs that are supposed to generate revenues don’t do that anymore.

    “When we keep talking about budgets every year, it becomes an exercise in futility. We need to sit down and talk about how to ensure that the lives of our people are better. Once this budget is referred to the committees, I know that heads of MDAs will not appear as at when due and in the end, they will blame us.“

  • Ricky Tarfa’s ill health stalls trial

    The trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, for alleged perversion of the course of justice before an Igbosere High Court was on Tuesday stalled due to his ill health.

    Tarfa is standing trial on a 26-count charge bordering on offering monetary gratification to two judges of the Federal High Court, Justices Hyeladzira Nganjiwa and Mohammed Yunusa before Justify Adedayo Akintoye.

    During resumed proceeding on Tuesday, Tarfa’s counsel, Mr Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), told the court that the defendant was in the court’s premises but could not enter the courtroom due to the severity of his illness.

    Owonikoko told the court that they had filed a medical recommendation notifying the court for medical leave to be given to the defendant for a period of three months to enable him recuperate.

    He said that the defendant was in a vehicle inside the court premises.

    At this stage, the prosecuting counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Usman Buhari and the court’s registrar all went out to the vehicle to see the defendant.

    When they came back, the EFCC prosecutor, Buhari who stood in for Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that they saw the defendant in the vehicle.

    Read Also: Alleged bribery: Court approves Rickey Tarfa’s medical trip

    He also said that the medical report was served on them.

    Buhari said he had no objection for the request of the defendant for time to recuperate.

    The trial judge, Justice Akintoye, advised that the defendant must not travel outside the country without court’s knowledge.

    She adjourned the case until May 8 and 9 for continuation of trial.

    It would be recalled that on the last adjourned date, March 11, the case did not go on because the judge went for official duty.

    Tarfa’s trial was also stalled on January 21due to his absence in court.

    Tarfa’s counsel, Owonikoko (SAN), had told the court that his client traveled outside the country for medical treatment.

    He said the condition of his client was so bad that he had made to travel for surgical operations.

    The EFCC counsel confirmed to the court that he received the medical report and a letter from the defendant requesting for vacation of trial date to further date.

    He, however, said that the defendant should have come to court to apply for leave to travel before embarking on such a trip.

    EFCC had in the charge claimed that between June 27, 2012 and January 8, 2016, Tarfa paid a total of N5.3 million in several tranches into Justice Nganjiwa’s account.

    He was also accused of paying into Justice Yunusa’s account, a total of N800,000 in three tranches between Feb. 9 and November 30, 2015.

    The SAN was equally accused of age falsification.

    Upon his arraignment on March 9, 2016 and subsequent re-arraignment on November 16, 2016, Tarfa pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on self-recognizance.

    The EFCC had since closed its case.

    Tarfa, also opened his defence after the court dismissed the no-case submission he filed.

    Tarfa’s first witness, Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR)of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Mr Bello Okandeji, was yet to finish his cross-examination.

  • Senior INEC staff kidnapped in Jigawa

    A senior staff of the Independent National Electorate Commission (INEC) in Jigawa state has been kidnapped in the state.

    He was reportedly kidnapped last Friday.

    The kidnapped staff identified as Mr. Mahadi Hassan, is a Pension Desk Officer of the Commission in Jigawa State INEC office.

    It was gathered Hassan was picked by gunmen along Gwiwa road Gwiwa local government area in the state.

    The INEC Head of Department voter education and Publicity Mr John Kaiwa confirmed the incident.

    He lamented Hassan has been missing since Friday.

    Read Also: Bauchi: INEC halts announcement of result

    He added that the kidnappers were yet to contact the commission or the victim’s family on any amount of ransom.

    When contacted, Jigawa Commissioner of Police Bala Zama Senchi‎ said the command was yet to receive any report related to the kidnap of INEC staff in the state.

    “As I am speaking to you, we have not received any report in relation to the kidnap of any INEC staff. I just heard it for the first time from you,” he said.

    The commissioner promised to contact all people related to the matter and get back with updates.

  • Bauchi: INEC halts announcement of result

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), says it has complied with a court order restraining it from resuming with the collation and announcement of result for Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, LGA.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja had barred the Commission (INEC) from collation of result of the governorship election of March 9 in Bauchi State, in an order given by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor of the state, Mohammed Abubakar.

    Read Also: INEC halts collation of results for Tafawa-Balewa

    While briefing newsmen on the latest development at the headquarters of INEC office, the State Commissioner, Ibrahim Abdullahi said “The INEC has received receipt of a court order restraining it from proceeding with the collation and announcement of result in respect of Tafawa Balewa Governorship constituency”

    He however added that the order which was granted by the court does not include the Tafawa Balewa State constituency hence arrangement will be made to continue with the State constituency collation and subsequently announce the result.