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  • Sweet Sensation manager, three others face theft charge

    A restaurant manager and three others have appeared at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N29,000 from an eatery,  Sweet Sensation,.

    Gbenga Amale, 42, Ojo Kayo, 38, Kemi Adekile, 27 and Ojo Alajo, 28, were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy and theft. They pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rachael Williams alleged that the defendants stole and converted the cash to their use.

    She said the defendants committed the offence on April 27 at Sweet Sensation, 3, Opebi Road, Ikeja.

    Williams said the eatery’s chief security officer apprehended Amale and found N20,000 on him.

    She alleged that N3,500 was recovered from Kayode, Kemi, N4,000 and Ojo, N1,500.

    Williams said the defendants could not give a satisfactory account of how they got the money when arrested.

    Magistrate O.O. Akingbesote granted the defendants  N50,000 bail  with two sureties each in the like sum.

    The sureties, she said,  must be employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case continues on May 23.

  • Fayemi immortalises Afenifere leader, three others

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has named four newly established secondary schools in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, after four prominent citizens.

    The four secondary schools, which are billed to open for academic work by September, were established to cater for the dire need of the growing population of students in Ado-Ekiti.

    A statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, said the four schools are to be named after four illustrious sons of the state, including Afenifere leader and Second Republic Senator, Pa Ayo Fasanmi.

    Others are: Chief Deji Fasuan, a former Permanent Secretary and Chairman, Committee for the creation of Ekiti State; Prof. Banji Akintoye, renowned historian and Second Republic Senator; and David Oke, a linguistic Professor and a member of the Senate during the Second Republic.

    The state government said the new schools would provide alternatives to secondary school students, who trek long distance on daily basis to attend school.

    The secondary schools are being established in critical areas of the capital city. One of the schools, Banji Akintoye Comprehensive High School, is sited on Emirin Junction, Federal Poly Road, Ado-Ekiti. The Ayo Fasanmi Comprehensive High School is situated on EKSU/Iworoko Road in the capital city.

    Also, the Deji Fasuan Comprehensive High School is sited on Old Iyin Road, beside Police Children’s School and the David Oke Comprehensive High School is located on Ikere Road, Ado-Ekiti.

    Fayemi said his administration would keep placing high premium on education’s growth and do everything possible to restore the state’s lost glory.

    He added that his administration would also keep celebrating positive contributions of citizens – both old and young – to the state’s socio-economic and political growth.

    The governor, who has also given approval for the establishment of two additional secondary schools next year, has also commenced arrangement for the upgrading of three technical colleges in partnership with the World Bank.

    Fayemi urged parents to take advantage of his administration’s free and qualitative education programmes by ensuring that their children attend schools regularly.

  • Nigeria, three others nominated for OPEC+ committee

    Nigeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been nominated  as members of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC coalition, including Russia.

    The JMMC monitors and ensures compliance of members with production cut directives. The JMMC met in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan, for its 13th meeting. The Committee reviewed the monthly report prepared by its Joint Technical Committee (JTC) and recent developments in the global oil market as well as immediate prospects for the remainder of 2019.

    The JMMC reiterated the critical role that the “Declaration of Cooperation” has played in supporting oil market stability since December 2016 and took note of the expressed commitment of all participating countries to ensure that such stability continues on a sustainable basis, as overall conformity reached almost 90 per cent for the month of February 2019, which is up from 83 per cent in the month of January.

    The Committee recognised the current, critical uncertainties surrounding the global oil market throughout 2019, and stressed on the shared responsibility of all participating countries to restore market stability and prevent the recurrence of any market imbalance.

    All participating countries at the meeting, individually and collectively, assured the Committee that they will exceed their voluntary production adjustments over the coming months.

    The JMMC also urged all participating countries, including those not present at the meeting, to achieve full and timely conformity with their voluntary production adjustments under the decisions of the 175th Meeting of the OPEC Conference on December 6, 2018, and the 5th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on December 7, 2018.

    In consideration that market fundamentals are unlikely to materially change in the next two months, the JMMC adopted a recommendation to forego the full Ministerial Meeting in April and instead schedule a JMMC meeting in May ahead of the OPEC meeting on June 25, during which a decision will be taken on the production target for the second half of 2019.

    The Committee also endorsed the adjustments of the baselines of three countries, Brunei, Daressalam, Ecuador and Malaysia.

    The JMMC thanked Azerbaijan President, Ilham Aliyev, for his hospitality and the support he has given to the “Declaration of Cooperation”. The Committee emphasised the unique role that Baku has played in the history of the oil industry and expressed its gratitude to all involved from Azerbaijan, particularly Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, for the excellent arrangements for the meeting.

    The JTC will continue its monthly meetings and the next meeting of the JMMC is scheduled to take place in May, in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

  • Polls inconclusive in Kano, Benue, Sokoto, three others

    •Adamawa, Plateau, Bauchi also affected

    VOTERS in six states are to wait a little longer to know who will be their governor as from May 29 when the tenure of incumbent governors expires.

    Reason: elections in the six states have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the cancellation of votes in some polling units (PUs).

    The states are: Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau and Bauchi.

    The development came yesterday as the electoral umpire announced governorship election results in more states, including Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Cross River, Delta, Imo and Kaduna.

    INEC’s decision to declare the polls inconclusive in the affected states was taken because the number of cancelled votes was more than the margin between the two leading candidates in the affected states.

    The commission will organise supplementary polls in the affected PUs to determine the winners of Saturday’s governorship elections in 29 states. Seven states have their governorship elections staggered.

    INEC will today review the suspension of the electoral process in Rivers State. It suspended the process on Sunday for 48 hours following widespread disruptions in the Southsouth state.

    KADUNA

    With 1.045,427 votes as against his PDP challenger Isa Mohammed Ashiru’s 814,168, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has retained his seat for the APC. He was declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Kaduna State.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Yahuza Bello, said El-Rufai pollled 1.045,427 to beat Isa Mohammed Ashiru of the PDP, who got 814,168, and other candidates.

    Bello said: “Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of the All Progressives Congress, having scored the highest number of votes and met all the requirements of the law, is hereby returned elected.”

    The results of the 23 local government areas show that El-Rufai won in 14 local government areas of Makarfi, Soba, Kudan, Ikara, Kauru, Kubau, Kaduna North, Giwa, Birnin Gwari, Sabongari, Lere, Kaduna South, Zaria and Igabi.

    Ashiru won in nine local government areas of Jaba, Kachia, Kaura, Kajuru, Zango Kataf, Sanga, Chikun, Kagarko and Jema’a.

    El-Rufai got 56 per cent of the total votes scored. Ashiru scored 44 per cent.

    ZAMFARA

    In Zamfara, APC’s candidate Mukhtar Shehu Idris was declared governor-elect after polling 534,541 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Dr. Bello Muhammad who got 189, 452 votes.

    The governor-elect told reporters in his Gusau country home that he will continue with the party’s policy and programmes.

    Idris said the incumbent Governor Abdul Aziz Yari has sacrificed a lot for the development of the stare and the well-being of its citizens.

    He said: “I assure you that my administration will work right from day one towards meeting your yearnings for a more developed prosperous Zamfara state.”

    SOKOTO

    In Sokoto, where INEC declared the election inconclusive, Governor Aminu Tambuwal and candidate of the PDP urged the commission to declare him winner of the poll in the spirit of fairness and justice.

    According to him, the decision by the Returning Officer of INEC, Professor Fatima Mukhtar, to declare the exercise inconclusive was unconstitutional.

    Citing Section 179(2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic stated that the provision clearly explains how to conduct governorship polls.

    He said: “Our party, the PDP has returned the highest number of votes and have won 2/3 of the local governments in the state and, therefore, the decision of INEC is not founded in law. We wonder why INEC is coming with this technical reason to declare the exercise inconclusive.”

    Addressing a news conference in Government House, Sokoto, the governor said the decision would be put to test in the court, adding: “We have not been given substantial reasons for such decision.

    “INEC should note that it has an image and integrity to protect as an agency and for its officials. It should not put its integrity to public questioning.

    “Up till now, we have not been told why the cancellations of the exercise in 136 polling units across 22 local government areas. We know there are adverse factors that should be considered to warrant such decisions and not in all cases rerun should be conducted.”

    Urging INEC to revisit its decision, Tambuwal added: “There is the need for INEC to revisit its decision. A little more has to be done by the umpire. Prof Mahmood Yakubu and his staff should know that they have the duty of holding to public trust given them by Nigerians.

     

    “I believe we have won the elections in Sokoto State. We got the majority votes which confirm Sokoto people’s readiness and support for the party and its candidate.”

    On whether he would participate in a rerun, the governor said: “Our court action will not stop us from participating. We want to make sure the right thing is done based on constitutional provisions.”

    Thanking security agencies for their support to the election process and INEC for its ability to do and to be seen doing the right thing in defence of the democratic process, the governor insisted that “INEC and security agencies should do their best during the rerun.”

    ADAMAWA

    The PDP candidate, Umaru Fintiri, said the electoral commission has only postponed his victory by declaring the election inconclusive.

    Fintiri said he was sure of winning the supplementary poll whenever it is conducted.

    The PDP flagbearer was leading incumbent Governor Jibrila Bindow by end of the collation early yesterday.

    INEC pronounced the election inconclusive because the margin of lead between the two leading candidates was smaller than the number of cancelled votes.

    Fintiri polled 367,471 votes to take the lead. He was being trailed by the incumbent, who is the APC candidate. Bindow got 334,995 votes.

    Explaining how he arrived at declaring the election inconclusive, the state returning officer, Prof Andrew Haruna, had said the 32,467 margin between Fintiri and Bindow was lower than the 40,948 votes cancelled in 44 polling units.

    Prof Andrew said election would be held in the affected units to address the vote cancellation anomaly.

    Fintiri, who chatted with reporters in Yola, asserted that he would eventually be announced as winner.

    He said: “I’m very hopeful of victory. Adamawa is my constituency and I have been voted across the length and breadth of the state. If INEC, for reason of its own cancellation of results, has opted for supplementary election, we are ready for it.”

    The local government areas where elections were cancelled in some units are: Madagali (three polling units), Michika (five polling units), Mubi North (three polling units), Hong (four polling units), Song (four polling units), Toungo (three), Demsa (four polling units), Numan (six polling units), Lamurde (three polling units) and Guyuk (three polling units).

    Fintiri said despite the turn of events regarding the election, he regarded its conduct as having been generally credible.

    “I am satisfied with the electoral process. It was credible and transparently so in most places,” he said.

    DELTA

    Incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was yesterday declared winner of the governorship election in Delta State.

    Returning Officer Prof Seth Accra-Jaja said Okowa, of the PDP, polled 925,271 to defeat his closest rival, Great Ogboru of the APC, who scored 215,938 votes.

    According to Accra-Jaja, 1,188,784 of the 2,831,205 registered voters were accredited for the election.

    He said that 24,147 votes were voided and 1,154,188 valid, bringing the total valid votes to 1,178,335.

    The ruling PDP won in 23 local government areas spread across the three senatorial districts. The APC won in two local government areas of Ughelli North and Ethiope East.

    But the APC rejected the results. It alleged that the election was marred by massive rigging and non- compliance with the electoral law.

    The APC state agent, Prof Festus Arunaye said: “I reject the votes as announced because right from the ward level to the local government collation centre, there was gross mayhem and violence that resulted in deaths. The elections were conducted in gross violation of the electoral laws.”

    Read also: Ihedioha declared Imo governor-elect

    He said his party will seek legal redress to claim the mandate given to it by the people.

    PDP State Chairman Kingsley Esiso was happy over his party’s victory, describing it as a “victory for Deltans”.

    NASARAWA

    The governorship candidate of the APC in Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule,was declared winner by the Returning Officer, Prof Bala Abdullahi

    Sule polled 327,229 votes to defeat his closest rivals, Emmanuel Ombugadu of the PDP who scored 184,281 votes and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Labaran Maku, who came third with 132,281 votes.

    According to the returning officer, the APC candidate won in 11 of the 13 local government areas. Maku and Doma Aliyu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won one local government each.

    The 11  local government areas won by the APC candidate are: Awe, Keana, Obi, Lafia, Wamba, Akwanga, Kokona, Keffi, Karu, Toto and Nasarawa.

    Maku won in Nasarawa Eggon and Doma won in Doma.

    CROSS RIVER

    Incumbent Cross River State Governor Prof Ben Ayade retained his seat for the PDP.

    Ayade, who won in all the 18 local government areas, polled 381,484 to beat the APC to the second position with 131,161 and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the third with 4, 818 votes.

    Announcing the results early yesterday, the returning officer and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Warri, Delta State, Prof Akii Ibhadode, said the PDP candidate, having scored the highest number of votes and fulfilled the requirements of the law, was returned elected.

    KANO

    INEC suspended indefinitely the collation of results from the Nassarawa Local Government Area, following the destruction of electoral materials by thugs.

    Results of 43 local council areas had already been declared with incumbent Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and APC candidate winning in 29. His challenger, Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the PDP, held sway in 14 local government areas.

    The PDP candidate was leading with 6,608 votes.

    The results of Nassarawa Local Government were delayed following the cancellation of some polling units in Gama ward.

    Speaking to reporters at the INEC collation centre, about 4am, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Riskuwa Shehu Arabu, said the suspension of the collation followed  “disturbing” reports of electoral violence.

    He said: “We have received disturbing reports of disruption of results collation of Nassarawa Local Government polls by some people which led to the destruction of some of the result sheets.”

    Riskuwa noted that INEC could not continue with the collation and final declaration of the result due to the commotion that disrupted the compilation of the results.

    He said INEC had resolved to refer to its primary and secondary data from the polling units and wards that will confirm those that will be acceptable within the Electoral Act.

    YOBE

    Mai Mala Buni of the APC was declared governor-elected governor of Yobe State.

    Buni, a former National Secretary of the APC, was dlared as winner of the March 9 governorship poll in the Northeast states after polling 444, 013 votes to beat Umar Iliya Damagum of the PDP, who polled 95, 703.

    Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Abubakar Musa Kundiri, who announced the results, said the election was generally peaceful.

    There was wild jubilation across the state as supporters of the APC took to the streets to celebrate the victory.

    BORNO

    Prof Babagana Umara Zullum of the APC won the governorship in Borno.

    Declaring him governor-elect, the INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof Alhassan Muhammad Gani, who is also the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, said Prof Zullum scored 1,175,440 votes across the 27 local government areas to trounce his closest rival Mohammed Alkali Imam of the PDP, who got 66,115 votes.

    Prof Mani also announced that 32 political parties registered and participated in the governorship election, noting that the election was peaceful.

    IMO

    Former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha was yesterday declared governor-elect in Imo State.

    The PDP candidate polled 273, 404 to defeat the Action Congress (AA) candidate Uche Nwosu, who scored 190,364 and Ifeanyi Ararume of APGA, who got 114, 676 votes.

  • N33.3b fraud: Dasuki, three others re-arraigned on 32-count amended charges

    THE Federal Government has re-arraigned the former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and three others on a fresh 32-count charge before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

    Dasuki was first arraigned in November, 2015 alongside ex-Director of Finance and Administration, Office of National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu; former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two firms – Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital.

    They were arraigned by the EFCC on a 19-count charges, bordering on breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of about N13.5 billion.

    EFCC counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on May 2 informed the court that the EFCC had amended the charges from 19 to 32, and Salisu was excluded in the amended charge.

    The 32-count charges against them bordered on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and dishonest release and receiving of various sums of money to the tune of N33. 3 billion.

    When the charges were read to the defendants yesterday, they pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

    Mr. Oluwaleke Atolegbe, holding brief for Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), prayed the court for a date to begin trial.

    He said: “My lord may I humbly apply that these amended charges be read to the defendants.

    “I, therefore, apply to the court to take the amended charge dated and filed on May 11, 2018 as a substituent charge before this honourable court. The earlier charge dated April 30, 2018, should be discountenance while we stick to the new one.”

    Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf said the ACJA 2015 allows the amendments to be made.

    Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, representing  Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), prayed the court to allow Dasuki to continue with his existing bail.

    Mr. Solomon Umoh and other counsel in the matter aligned with Adedipe.

    Atolagbe did not oppose to the prayer made by the defence counsel.

    “We are not oppose to the first and second defendants’ bail as granted earlier. But there is no need to grant the third and fourth defendants (Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited),” Atolagbe said.

    The judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, after listening to their prayers, ordered that all the defendants should continue to enjoy their existing bail.

    He adjourned the case until July 2 and July 5 for commencement of trial.

  • Glo, Airtel, three others bid to take over 9mobile

    Glo, Airtel, three others bid to take over 9mobile

    Five firms are bidding to acquire troubled telecom firm 9Mobile (formerly Etisalat), The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.

    It was learnt that the five were picked as qualified among the 16 that Expressed Interestto Barclays bank, the financial advisers on the bid.

    NCC Executive Vice Chairman Prof. Umar Danbatta said yesterday the five successful bidders had been “allowed access to the data room of 9mobile in order for them to assess the financial situation of the company and subsequently make bids for the takeover under a regulated manner.”

    He added: “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC are supervising what is going on through the Interim Board that was jointly appointed by both of them. We are going to look into the financial standings of the potential bidders as well as their technical capacity.

    “In the final analysis we would like to see 9mobile taken over by a bidder who has the financial as well as technical capacity to fulfill all the requirements of the telecos to provide quality services to the country.”

    Although Danbata did not give the names of the five firms, sources listed them as Airtel, Globacom, Smile, Helvis and Telelogy Holdings are the companies.

    Danbatta, who spoke after declaring open the 82nd Edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, also announced that Value Added Service sector of the telecommunication industry is worth over N30 billion.

    The EVC thumbed up the exponential growth of Value Added Service sector, saying while it had provided job opportunities for Nigerians within the past few years, the sector had also helped to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians through its products and services.

    “This VAS service providers normally leverage the networks to services on issues that are for the wel being of Nigerians, such as information on employment, information on which market to patronise in order to get the best deals when you went to buy goods.

    The NCC boss also said the patronage of the various platforms opened by the NCC to check unsolicited messages/calls from service providers and protect the interests of consumers had grown beyond expectations as over 10 million Nigerians have activated the platforms.

  • Woman, three others in court for ‘N55.6m fraud’

    Chief Magistrate Isokari Andrew-Jaja of Rivers State Magistrates’ Court yesterday granted bail at N400,000 to four suspects, who allegedly defrauded Amazing Benjamin Okechukwu of N55.6 million.

    They are Rita Ogbe, 32, Precious Fine, 21, Victor Nwani and Gideon Uchenna.

    They allegedly obtained N55, 660,000.00 from Okechukwu, an oil merchant, on the pretext of supplying him with 30,000 metric tons of diesel.

    The alleged crime was reportedly carried out between July 21 and August 25 at Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government.

    The suspects were charged with five-count on unlawful conversion, fraud and impersonation.

    They were represented by a lawyer.

    Police prosecutor T. Igo told the court that the suspects allegedly committed the offence on July 21.

    According to him, their offence contravenes sections 8 (a) and 8 (a) (c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act Cap. A6 Laws of the Federation, Nigeria 2006; sections 390 (8) (d) and 473 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume II Laws of Rivers State Nigeria 1999 and Section 7 (4) (b) (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act Cap 38 Laws of the Federation 1999.

    Andrew-Jaja granted them bail at N400,000 each, saying the surety must present two colour passport photographs and must be resident in Port Harcourt.

    He said the surety must be a director in a reputable company in Port Harcourt, who must attach a photocopy of certificate of incorporation and receipt of tax clearance between 2014 and 2016.

    The chief magistrate adjourned the case till October 23 pending advice from Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

  • Woman, three others remanded for alleged kidnap, robbery

    A woman and three other suspects have been remanded in Aba Prisons by a Magistrate’s Court sitting at Mgboko in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The accused were brought before the Mgboko Magistrate’s Court for alleged kidnap, impersonation and burglary.

    It was learnt that one of the accused, Mrs. Grace Ahuruonye Ugorji, escaped arrest when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ohuru Isimiri, Titus Anayo Ugwoke, and his team dislodged some kidnappers from a hideout in the area.

    She was re-arrested, following police surveillance on her movements.

    The police at the Ohuru Isimiri Division arraigned Mrs. Ugorji and the other suspects for alleged kidnap, impersonation and burglary after police had concluded investigation on their alleged involvement.

    The police said they arrested a man for allegedly impersonating an army officer.

    The suspect was said to have ridden a tricycle and worn a military camouflage when he was arrested.

    The police said when he was quizzed, the suspect could not account for his camouflage.

    The other suspects were allegedly arrested after breaking into a shop at Ohuru Ismiri.

    The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges read tom them.

    The magistrate directed the police to remand them in prison custody until the next adjourned date.

  • Cripple, three others remanded in prison for rape

    A cripple and three others have been remanded in prison custody by an Oredo Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City.

    The suspects allegedly gang-raped a 22-year-old girl.

    The accused persons, Saturday Enabulele (28), Moses Okoeki (18), Osasumwen Enina (17) and Junior Odubu (20) were also alleged to have on April 13, 2013 at 9 Akugbe Street, Siluko Road, Benin City, beat up the girl, tore her pant, shirt and skirt, dipped their fingers into her private part and filmed her with a camera phone.

    The prosecution further alleged that apart from filming the victim’s nudity and showing same to people, the accused persons and others now at large collected the girl’s Nokia mobile phone and a wallet containing the sum of N10,000.

    They pleaded not guilty to the 12 count charge brought against them.

    The trial Chief Magistrate Peter Edo Asemota remanded them in prison custody in view of the prevalent rate of the offence within the court’s jurisdiction.

    Hearing was adjourned till May 7, 2013.