President Trump Sends His Chief Of Staff Out Of His Office For Coughing

June 17, 2019

President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has sent his chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, out of his Oval Office for interrupting an interview with his coughing.

President Trump was caught by video camera saying: “I don’t like that, you know, I don’t like that. If you’re going to cough, please leave the room. You just can’t, you just can’t cough. Boy oh boy.”

ABC News was recording an interview with President Trump in the famous circular room at the White House when the chief of staff began to cough.

The interview was about the President’s release of his financial documents.

Asked if he would share his financial statements, Trump said: “at some point’ he’d like to have people look at them.”

Trump described the document as ‘fantastic.’

PDP Presidential Running Mate, Peter Obi, Insists INEC Must Produce Server

Editorial staff

June 17, 2019

Peter Obi, the running mate to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 23 presidential election, has insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must produce the serve it used for the election.

Peter Obi, who spoke Ogbaru local government of Anambra State where he led the PDP family in the state to a special Thanksgiving victory service, said that all hopes were not lost in their bid to reclaim “the mandate Nigerians gave to us the PDP.”

The Presidential running mate reassured that as the court case is still on, PDP would not give up, saying: “INEC must provide the server they used, because they know what they used for the election. They used the server for the election and they must provide it.”

The victory thanksgiving service which held at Central School Atani, Ogbaru, was in honour of Senator Stella Odua, representing Anambra North senatorial district; Hon. Chukwuka Onyema, representing Ogbaru Federal constituency; Hon. Noble Igwe, representing Ogbaru 1 and Hon. Somto Udeze, representing Ogbaru 11, both of Anambra State House of Assembly.

Peter Obi, who was two-term governor of Anambra State, expressed the need for all to be faithful to God as without God it would have been impossible for PDP to achieve anything in the election.

“The election has come and gone and now is the reality. We have to thank God Almighty for without Him, we would not have succeeded in the election.”

He advised the newly-elected lawmakers to consider the interest of the masses first and use public money for public good.

“You are nearer to the people. There is no road in Ogbaru and so many areas need to be revived again. There is a lot of work to be done in Ogbaru constituency.

“So many people are hungry, so many things are happening to Nigeria. Let those who are in power today please use public money for public good. Our children are not working because there are no jobs. People are not working while some are working and suffering. We have to know that it is time to work as we are nearer to the people.”

I Will Surprise Opposition In Committee Appointments – Reps Speaker, Gbajabiamila

Editorial staff

June 17, 2019

The new speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has said that he would surprise opposition members of the House when he makes appointment of chairmen of committees of the House in a few weeks time.

Gbajabiamila, who spoke to news men shortly after an audience with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, June 17, said: “the committees (members) will be unfolded in the next few weeks and you will see how we intend to carry them (members of the opposition) along. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag but you can be assured they would be carried along.”

The Speaker said that his leadership would do things differently from what it used to be, adding: “we are going to build on whatever the achievements are of the eighth Assembly, and it’s going to be a reformed House.

“Like I have said, the reform will be fished out in piece meal so as not to shock the system. But they will be reforms that will be for the benefit of the country. We expect the cooperation of all facets of government, including the executive and you – the journalists and including our constituents.”

Elumelu Suggests 2 Special Ways To Lift 100 Million Nigerians From Poverty

Greenbarge Reporters

June 17, 2019

Renowned African business entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu has said that there are many ways 100 million citizens of the country can be lifted from poverty.

Elumelu, who spoke at the graduation ceremony of Bayero University Kano (BUK), where he was conferred with Honorary Doctorate of Business Degree, said: “there are a variety of ways to lift 100 million citizens from poverty, but two of them stand out. We can increase the number of jobs in the economy or we can create more opportunities for our young entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into small businesses that employ labour.

“By promoting entrepreneurship, creating favourable policies and building infrastructure to help these entrepreneurs, we enable them to create jobs, and become employers of labour.

“Our young people need jobs that governments and big corporate bodies alone cannot provide.” The business entrepreneur, who is the Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, as well as Chairman of UBA Group and Heirs Holdings, asked everyone to join hands to lift Nigeria’s youth from poverty to prosperity.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello said that Tony Elumelu’s conferment was in honour of his immense contribution to human capital development across Africa and especially in Northern Nigeria.

Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Africa’s leading philanthropy empowering entrepreneurship which he founded in 2010, he has empowered 7520 entrepreneurs across Africa; almost 1000 of the entrepreneurs are from Northern Nigeria.

In addition to the current beneficiaries, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently partnered with Tony Elumelu Foundation to empower an additional 1,000 African entrepreneurs from the seven countries in Africa’s Sahel and Lake Chad regions, including the Northern Nigerian region.

By the end of 2019, total beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation will be 8,520.

During the conferment, the Dean, School of Postgraduate studies, Bayero University, Professor Umar Pate commended Elumelu’s commitment to lifting young Africans out of poverty.

In a citation, he spoke of Elumelu as “an illustrious son of Africa that has excelled at home and abroad, an economist that has empowered countless people through job creation and philanthropy, and a symbol of the African spirit of hope.”

Other awardees were Senator Bello Hayatu-Gwarzo, LLD, Dr. Folake Solanke, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, LLD and Prof. Abdulkadir Dangambo.

Police Introduce CCTV In Cities, Return Highway Patrol

Greenbarge Reporters

June 17, 2019

The Nigeria Police Force have concluded arrangement to introduce Close Circuit Television (CCTV) and other cutting-edge technologies for surveillance in major cities of the country.

The Force, in an attempt to strengthen the security system of the country, have also concluded plan to re-organise and re-launch the Safer Highway and Safer City Models of Policing that will entail the acquisition of new fleet of vehicles.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who dropped the hints today, June 17 when he addressed top officers at the Police Headquarters in Abuja, said that the current attempts at adopting and implementing the concept of Community Policing also represents part of enduring strategies aimed at changing the policing narratives of the country.

“This will ensure the effective integration of the citizens to our internal security framework, guarantee the concept of policing by public consent and build partnership required to address peculiar communal threats.”

The police boss charged the top ranking officers to redouble their efforts in ensuring the safety and protection of lives and property in their areas of jurisdiction.

He asked them to provide the requisite leadership to officers and men under their supervision to desist from acts that widen the gap between the Police and the community “as it is only when we present a common front that we can defeat the criminals that constitute our common enemies.

Mohammed Adamu assured Nigerians of the commitment of his men and officers to sustain the war against crimes by taking the battle to the door steps of criminal elements in furtherance to their mission to guarantee the safety and security of our communities.

“We only request one thing which is the continued goodwill, understanding, and support of all citizens across socio-economic background.”

Atiku To Mischief Makers: There’s God O

Greenbarge Reporters

June 16, 2019

Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has vehemently protested a statement circulating in the social media Linkin him to threat to mobilise Nigerians on a nation wide protest if the Presidential election Tribunal does not favour him.

In a statement by his spokesman, Atiku attributed such statement to mischief makers, aimed at discrediting what he called his spotless democratic credential.

In the statement circulating in a section of the media, Atiku was said to be planning to lead a street protest in the event that the election petition tribunal rules against him and his party on the issue of a server for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“I wish to emphatically state that such a statement did not emanate from me. It is the work of mischief makers who want to mar his spotless pro-democratic record and lay the ground work for their threatened actions against him on false charges of being a threat to national security.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar believes in the Rule of Law and in the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his almost four decades in politics, he has never taken action or spoken words against democracy and will not start now.

“Atiku Abubakar and his team have confidence in God and thus call on those bent on mischief to have the fear of God and retrace their steps. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. The culture of fear being created now cannot rein in our democracy. Nigeria and Nigerians have a consistent history of outlasting tyranny and will continue to do so by the grace of God.”

European Union Says 2019 Elections Were ‘Competitive’ For All Parties

Editorial staff

June 16, 2019

Foriegn Election observers at AH Unit at Omisore polling centre in Ile Ife.

European Union (EU) has said that the 2019 general elections in Nigeria were competitive with all political parties participating freely.

It said in an executive summary of its report, made public today, June 15: “positively, the elections were competitive, parties were overall able to campaign and civil society enhanced accountability.”

This was contained on page three in its Executive Summary, even as it acknowledged that INEC made a number of improvements, including making electoral participation more accessible through simplified voting procedures.

According to the report, INEC made efforts to strengthen electoral integrity by issuing regulations making smart card readers mandatory.

On page four, the EU noted that the elections were competitive with a large number of candidates for all seats although competition was primarily between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

According to the report ‘‘parties and candidates were overall able to campaign, with freedoms of assembly, expression and movement broadly respected.”

On Page five, the report noted that the EU EOM media monitoring over 46 days showed federal government-owned Radio’s commitment to balanced election coverage.

It said that positively in almost all observations party agents received copies of the results forms, adding that the National Collation Centre for the presidential election was open to party agents and observers, and was continuously televised

On page 37, the report said the national collation Centre for the presidential results was open to party agents, observers and the media with each state’s results projected on a large screen. ‘‘There was continuous live television coverage and the media published the results as announced by INEC, thereby increasing access to results information.’’

Page 41 under section RESULTS AND STAKEHOLDER REACTION, EU SAID: ‘‘YIAGA Africa announced that the results were consistent with its parallel vote tabulation that INDEPENDENTLY projected the results based on a sample of 1,515 polling units. The two leading parties won 96.8% of the valid votes between them.’’

The EU said that INEC has already received a number of recommendations that formed a part of its report.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has hailed the EU report and promised to analyse it fully and act on the recommendations.

In a statement by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency said that the EU observers were invited to the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and welcomed by the government of President Buhari.

The statement said that such act was a clear indication of the administration’s good intentions, commitment to a pure democratic process, and desire to improve for the next elections.

The Presidency assured that the Commission is in safe hands and happy that they are currently engaged in root and branch reviews of the 2019 general elections and will input lessons learned into its recommendations for electoral and constitutional reforms.

“We believe that the commission conducted a good election and will continue to improve on its processes and procedures.

“While it is regretted that the elections in a few parts of the country witnessed some violence, among other shortcomings highlighted by the EU, we note however that none of these hitches affected the overall outcome of the elections.”

We Don’t Know Anything About INEC Servers – EU Election Observers

Editorial staff

June 16, 2019

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria has said that it doesn’t know anything about servers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that were allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.

Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja today, June 15 on the EU election observation mission report, the deputy chief observer for the EU Mission, Hannah Roberts said the Mission relied on results that were released by INEC.

Responding to questions from journalists, Roberts said the EU Mission in Nigeria is unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election.

“The EU had to rely on INEC’s explanation in result transmission,” she said while answering the question on INEC server.

Maria Arena had said earlier that EU Chief Observer had presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms.

She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria.

She added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.

Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria.

“The mission concluded that the systemic failings seen in the elections, and the relatively low levels of voter participation, show the need for fundamental electoral reform.”

The EU report prioritized seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria, “Strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.”

Another recommendation was that, “Electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time.”

US, Iran Row Scares Saudi Arabia, Calls For Oil Supply Protection

Editorial staff

June 15, 2019

Diplomatic row between the United States and Iran over attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route has raised fears of broader confrontation in the region with Saudi Arabia calling for oil supply protection.

Thursday’s tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels. Washington, already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, has blamed Tehran.

Iran has denied any role in the strikes on the tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said: “there must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat” to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence after the attacks in the Gulf area, the Saudi Energy Ministry reported on Twitter.

The U.S. military released a video Thursday, saying it showed Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

“Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat,” U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

The United States has tightened sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and global powers last year. Washington’s stated aim is to drive Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy, to zero.

Tehran has said that if its oil exports were halted, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the oil
consumed globally passes.

Oil prices have climbed 3.4% since Thursday’s attacks. Ship insurers said insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10%.

“The kingdom is committed to ensuring stability of global oil markets,” the Saudi energy minister said in Japan at a meeting of energy ministers from the G-20 group of nations.

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said ministers agreed on the need to “work together to deal with the recent incidents from energy security point of view.”

President Trump, who pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal under which world powers agreed to ease international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear work, said any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

He also said that he was open to holding talks with Iran, although Tehran said it had no plans to negotiate with the United States unless it reversed a decision on the nuclear deal.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in a war. But this has done little to assuage concerns that the arch foes could stumble into conflict.

A U.S. official told Reuters a surface-to-air missile was fired from Iranian territory on Thursday morning at a U.S. drone that was near Front Altair following the attack on the tanker. The missile did not hit the drone, the official said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the United States was “planning various contingencies” when asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, but he added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

“We also need to broaden our support for this international situation,” he told reporters.

As well as blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, Washington has also said Tehran was behind May 14 drone strikes on two Saudi oil-pumping stations. Tehran has denied all those charges.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks. On Saturday, Iran summoned the British ambassador to complain about its “unacceptable stance,” the ISNA news agency reported.

Other nations have urged caution. Germany said the video was not enough to prove Iran’s role, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility. China and the European Union called for restraint.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renewed Iran’s threat to continue scaling back compliance with the nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact showed “positive signals.”

He did not specify what Iran wanted in his comments to a meeting of Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal have said they wanted to save the accord, but many of their companies have canceled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States

Source: Reuters.

Femi Adesina: An Effective Link In The Chain, By Chioma Ikejiani

Editorial staff

June 14, 2019

When President Muhammadu Buhari accepted the mantle of leadership of Nigeria in 2015, it was with a mindset focused on transforming Nigeria and uniting all her people for positive national building action. Prior to that, Nigeria was broken and there was need for a renewed effort at national cohesion and consensus building. In pushing to achieve purpose, President Muhammadu Buhari looked towards the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), a professional association of Nigerian editors, to pick their president, Femi Adesina, an erudite newspaper man, who rose from the ranks to become one of the biggest names in Nigeria’s media space, to lead the charge in creating a narrative that would relaunch nigeria into a glorious era.

Adesina’s ascendancy to an office vacated by his friend, Reuben Abati, was of huge significance. He had before him a nation reeking from the effects of broken nationalism to help rebuild. In discharging the functions of that office, Adesina has brought to bear his deep experience in managing information and driving change through positive narrative. In doing this, Adesina comes across as a viable link in the chain that has kept the narrative about the Buhari presidency coming positive. With his deep contacts within the media circles, Adesina, a quiet and deeply reflective fellow, was able to pull the media along towards helping President Buhari to change Nigeria for the better.

At the heart of changing the narrative on Nigeria and driving a new understanding for nation building, the media has come across as being very critical. The role of the media has remained constant. This is such that even when the opposition drives a narrative that goes to denigrate the purpose and vision of government, Adesina has been found to be in the middle managing the situation and helping the media gain better understanding of issues and trends affecting the Buhari presidency.

Though many see Adesina as a personal friend of the President, the friendship has however been one driven by professionalism and deep respect for the opposition view. This was exemplified openly when Adesina held the reigns at The Sun Newspapers. While he deployed his skills in marketing Buhari to the voting public, he also refused to use his powers to foreclose divergent views about the candidate. By allowing that, Adesina helped to create a very healthy rivalry and understanding at The Sun, which in essence, enhanced the professionalism of the newspaper and its writers. Somehow, the newspaper has been the utmost beneficiary of that singular leadership charge by Adesina.

That understanding has been with Adesina since he assumed office as official spokesman of the president. Though he is within official ranks where he could throw his weight around in forcing media owners and operators to come down hard on writers and reporters who share opposing views, or who had deployed their skills to drawing negative, and often dangerous and nationally injurious narratives, Adesina has rather remined truly professional in the discharge of his office. rather, he opened up his office to become a rallying point for all Nigerians who seek genuine information, and education, on the real issues involved in President Buhari’s administration. He is neither combative nor combustive and is in perfect control of his emotions.

Deeply detribalized, Adesina epitomizes loyalty and honesty. Not known to fight for anything, Adesina rather allows the true love of God to radiate through him touching all who genuinely search for meaning. I have been to his office on several occasions and can confirm that he knows no tribe nor religion when he is called upon. This is a quality that has earned him the respect of so many people who have interacted with him. That is why I believe that President Buhari was deeply insightful when he pointed at Adesina as his spokesman.

As President Buhari works his team for the challenges of the ‘Next Level’, he ought to retain Adesina and empower him more to deliver on the task he began in 2015. The implication of this is that Adesina is ably suited to understand the nuances of the Buhari administration and is intellectually gifted to interpret and translate same to understandable nuggets for the public. This is what Buhari now needs as he seeks to take more Nigerians out of poverty by the run of his tenure. Having worked with Buhari since 2015, Adesina has more than a perfect understanding of the president and is in a better position to translate even his body language for Nigerians.

This, I suppose, is what defines Adesina as a super media and communication guru in the Buhari administration. The Next Level, for him, will be to deploy advantages he has had working as a media practitioner in the past three decades, to strengthen the Buhari persona, re-emphasizing the human side of the president. Adesina, an incorruptible media guru that is not given to foul means, remains a veritable link that had glued the media and the presidency, creating a better appreciation of the value and import of Buhari’s policies.

Ikejiani is the publisher of Amoi and a promoter of the diversification policies of government.

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