President Buhari Mourns Emir Of Lafiya For 44 Years

January 10, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the death of Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isah Mustapha Agwai today, Thursday, in Abuja after a protracted illness.

In a condolence message by the senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President said that in the course of his remarkable 44 years on the throne, Alhaji Agwai was devoted to championing inter-religious harmony, tolerance, peace building and conflict prevention as well as promoting the role of education in nation building.

The President expressed sympathy to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, the Lafia Emirate Council, the people of Lafia and Nasarawa State on the death of the Emir who he described as a highly respected monarch.

He also commiserated with the Nasarawa State Council of Emirs and Chiefs as well as the state branch of Jama’tul Nasril Islam (JNI), which he chaired.

The Emir, who was chairman Nasarawa State Traditional Council of Chiefs, died at the aged 84. The deceased, who was born on March 14, 1934, ascended the throne in 1974.

It was gathered that the late emir had been sick for over four months before he was flown abroad for medical attention.

He was later brought back to Nigeria and later died in Abuja at a private hospital.

2019: Result Of Each Polling Unit To Be Pasted At The Unit – INEC

Editorial staff

January 10, 2019

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the result of each polling unit shall be pasted at the unit and for everyone to see.

The Commission, in its verified Twitter handle, @inecnigeria, also gave the following seven steps during the vote:

Step 1:

Upon arrival at the polling unit, joins the queue and present yourself to the INEC official (APO111) at the polling unit who will determine whether you are at the correct polling unit and check if the photograph on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) matches your face. If satisfied, he/she will direct you to the next INEC official (APO1).

Step 2:
The official (APO1) will request for your PVC to confirm that your card is genuine and your details, using the smart card reader. He/she will ask you to place your finger on the card reader to confirm that the PVC belongs to you by ascertaining, the card reader will contains the name, photograph and finger prints of all those registered in their polling unit.

Step 3:
You will then meet the next official (APO11) who will request for your PVC to confirm that your name and details are in the voters register. Your name will be ticked and your PVC returned to you. He/ she will then apply indelible ink to the cuticle of your appropriate finger for that election to show you have been accredited to vote. (If your name is not found on the register, you will not be allowed to vote).

Step 4:
The presiding officer (PO) stamps, signs and endorses the date at the back of the Ballot Paper. The PO will roll the ballot paper inwardly with the printed side inwards and give to you. He /she will then direct you to the voting cubicle where you vote in secret.

Step 5:
You will stain your appropriate finger for the election with the ink provided then use your stained finger to mark the space or box provided on the ballot paper for your preferred candidate/party. Roll the marked ballot paper (in the manner the PO gave to
you).

Step 6:
Then leave the voting cubicle and drop the ballot paper in the ballot box in full view of people at the polling unit.

Step 7:
You will then leave the polling unit or wait if you so choose in an orderly and peaceful manner to work the process up to declaration of result.

N.B. The result of each polling unit shall be pasted at the unit and for everyone to see. Punch

Source: Punch.

Stop Peddling Fake News, Buhari Advises Media

Editorial staff

January 10, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised media organizations in Nigeria to stop peddling fake news and concentrate on reporting factual and reliable news to their readers and listeners.

The President, who spoke today, Thursday when he received in audience at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Executive Director of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), World Service, Jamie Angus, advised further that truth should form the basis of all news reports.

He acknowledged that BBC is known for devoting time and resources to research into its stories before going public with them, adding: “the BBC has earned a reputation for being an impartial news medium that is relied upon by the people for correct information about events and happenings.”

He commended the medium for the sacrifices in conveying news and information to the vast communities in Hausa across the Sahel region, and its recent commencement of broadcasts, from Nigeria, of news and programming in Igbo, Yoruba and Pidgin.

This was even as the BBC team told the President that they had arrived Nigeria for the coverage of the forthcoming elections, including state gubernatorial debates.

The team also spoke about the elaborate deployment of correspondents in the states for elections as well the just concluded conference sponsored by the broadcasting organisation to tackle the growing menace of fake new.

For Once, Nigeria Has President That Is Not A Thief – Oshiomhole

Editorial staff

January 10, 2019

National chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has said for once in a long time, Nigeria has been blessed since 2015, with a President that is not associated with stealing of public funds.

“For once, in a long time, we have a president that nobody can call him a thief.”

Oshiomhole, who spoke to news men today, Thursday at the Presidential Villa, said that the campaing for the re-election of President Muhamadu Buhari would have been very easy, but for the majority of illiterates who incidentally were the victims of the past management of the nation’s resources.

He acknowledged that that the whole country is President Constituency to which he has to visit with appropriate message reminding people always.

“You know in the country today, given the challenges of survival tend to forget where we are coming from, they just look at where we are. There is a saying that except you know and remember where you are coming from, you cannot appreciate where you are. Even in the life of a man, those who look at those in their front will never thank God enough but when you look at your back and see those behind, then you will appreciate that you have made a lot of progress.

“So you need to constantly remind Nigerians of what happened in the last 16 years and what has changed over the past three and half years, and what will change even more over the next four years if given the mandate to continue and consolidate.

“You know that the business of construction is even much more challenging than when you are building a complete new house. So when you are saddled with the responsibility of repositioning an economy that has been so battered even in the face of surplus funds the government was borrowing money.

“If you look at budget of five, 10 years ago, you will find that almost the entire earnings of the government went into the current expenditure which is why this government with lower revenue is spending more on infrastructure. So we think that we have enough message, the issue is how to communicate it knowing that the level of literacy varies from area to area.

“And in this business of one man one vote whether you are a professor of economics or a stark illiterate, the vote is the same. So the challenges in terms of messages is how we make sure that Mr. President’s constituency which is those who were economically and socially deprived: the masses of our people, the one you call talakas that we assist them to recognize where we coming from.”

Buhari’s Minister Of State For Foreign Affairs Resigns

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, has resigned from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

She announced her resignation at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today, Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister, at the FEC meeting, signified her desire to leave the cabinet, in line with existing regulations, to run for a federal legislative seat in her native Yobe State.

President Buhari, who had since accepted her resignation, wished her success in her electoral contest.

Fake News Can Cause Third World War, Says Wole Soyinka: Wants It Criminalized

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

File photo: Wole Soyinka
| PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has said that fake news has the capacity to cause the Third World War and insisted that it should be regarded and treated as a crime.

He said that the way things are going, Nigeria may turn out as the centre of the spread of such fake news across the world.

Professor Soyinka, who spoke among other panelists at a symposium on fake news, organized in Abuja today, Wednesday by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) News said: “people do not understand what is like to have things attributed to you which you know nothing about.

These last years, I had telephone calls asking me where are you and I said I am in a hall. And I said I know why you are calling because you thought I was dead. Imagine waking up one day and finding a statement attributed to you and in a kind of language which you never used. For example, during former President Good luck Jonathan, there were statements that I said why did Jonathan marry an illiterate woman. I never made comments like that whatsoever.

“And I made a statement that if people are not careful world war three may quickly be started by fake news and that fake news probably will be generated by a Nigerian. We have a system where fake news can multiply in a second. Many of the fake news carriers use it for Business. I have someone whom we have tracked down in Poland, using a fake Facebook page of my name and my picture. And I give him a deadline to pull down the page. He lives in the United States of America but lives in Poland. He is a member of an organization called some AIESEC which actually encourages young businessmen and women.

“The first thing is to accept the fact that fake news is real and people should stop rushing to the fake sites. Individuals who have no voice before have been empowered suddenly. Every individual is now a journalist, editor promoter and most of all a publisher. There is competition to be the first to comment. So the ‘419’ individuals sleep in cafes doing all sorts of things. Fake news should be treated as a crime. When you pin down one of such criminals it should be a case of INTERPOL because they move all over the place. They should be advertised as criminals and get the police to arrest them.

“I had complained about this to a former inspector general of police that this has to do with personal security, community security. I had expected him to reply but there was no response. Not even acknowledgement.

“This should be a collective responsibility. Above all, we should treat it like a crime.”

PDP Will Regret My Decamping, National Deputy Chairman Boasts

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

President Buhari and Senator Babayo Gamawa

The Deputy National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Babayo Gamawa, who just decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), boasted that his former party will regret losing him.

“I know my rights and I know what the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides on a fair hearing. They did wrong. Though I have no regret, they will regret their action.”

Senator Gamawa, who was explaining one of the reasons he dumped the PDP was because he was not granted ‘fair hearings’ prior to his suspension.

“Just an allegation without a fair hearing, they said they have suspended me from office. I want to call on them to check the secretariat. In politics, they should know what is happening on daily basis at the secretariat.”

Senator Gamawa stressed that he was never at home in the opposition party and that he believed in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“My conscience has been telling me that place is not the best for me. I believe in President Muhammadu Buhari. I believe in what he has been doing for this country right from his military era.”

The Senator was on Monday this week, suspended by the PDP over allegations of negligence of duty and anti-party activities.

PDP’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Gamawa was suspended by the National Working Committee.

The PDP NWC held an extraordinary session on January 5, where it reviewed the petition against the deputy national chairman.

“The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution,” Ologbondiyan said.

Don’t Touch Government Money For My Campaign, Buhari Warns Ministers

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has again warned his minister not to touch money meant for the execution of projects for the benefit of Nigerians for campaign for a second term in office. This, he said, is a way to eliminate corruption in campaign financing in the country.

The President, who today, Wednesday, at the close of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, directed cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in next month’s general elections.

“As political parties spread their ideologies and views to every nook and corner of the country, the issue of cash payment to voters and its corrupting influence in electioneering has once again become a topical issue.

“Try and use text and multi-media messages to seek votes for the party and government. There is no money from the treasury for use in the campaigns. I will not authorize that.”

President Buhari declared that the APC-led administration has a clear development agenda best suited to take Nigeria forward and sustain economic development.

“This message needs to be taken to all Nigerians but we cannot use money from the treasury to share out to prospective voters.

“Nigerians want change and we alone can deliver that change. Our people can no longer be swayed by money politics.”

Atiku Accuses Buhari Of Unpatriotic Behaviour

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has accused President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of unpatriotic act by not attending the funeral of the five airforce officers who died in a helicopter crash while prosecuting the war on terror.

In a statement he personally signed today, Wednesday, Atiku said that President Buhari’s refusal to attend the funerals of these heroes “is part of a pattern of unpatriotic behaviour demonstrated by President Buhari.

“At a time when the morale of our soldiers should be lifted up as they face the difficult task of defeating the terrorists who are threatening our national security, I find it most regrettable that President Muhammadu Buhari, despite being in Abuja, chose not to attend the funeral.”

The PDP Presidential flag bearer recalled that last month, he had cause to advise the President to find time to attend the funerals of the hero soldiers of the 157 Taskforce Battalion in Metele, Borno State, who paid the supreme price for Nigeria in large numbers.

“Sadly, due to reasons best known to him, President Buhari chose not to attend their funeral, neither was he represented by the Vice President nor any federal delegation. This was despite the fact that the President had time to host Nollywood actors and actresses the previous day. Imagine celebrating just before such a solemn event!

“The most recent funeral held in Abuja, the President was in Abuja on the day of the funeral. The previous day, he had inaugurated his re-election campaign council.

“My question for Mr. President is this: is securing your second term, more important to you than securing Nigeria?

“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to learn from even younger leaders, like French President Emmanuel Macron, who on March 28, 2018, attended the funeral of a single French policeman, Lt Col Arnaud Beltrame, killed by terrorists in Southern France.

“That single event boosted the morale of the French security forces, because it showed a commitment to their wellbeing and honour for their memory by the head of state. Very sadly, President Buhari missed another opportunity to demonstrate such commitment to our armed forces.

“Let me end this by commending our military for their sacrificial efforts to secure all of us. You have my full support and solidarity. When we make the solemn vow that the “labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain”, we mean your colleagues, who paid the ultimate price to secure Nigeria.

“May their souls rest in peace. May God bless the Nigerian Armed Forces and May God bless Nigeria.”

Buhari Vows To Implement Minimum Wage, Review Salaries Of Other Workers

Editorial staff

January 9, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that his government is committed to the implementation of new minimum wage even as it is determined to negotiate salary review for all the workers who are already earning above the new minimum wage.

“We anticipate that after the new minimum wage has been passed into law we will be going into negotiations for salary review for all the workers who are already earning above the new minimum wage. It is therefore important that we are properly prepared to meet these demands.

The President, who spoke today at the inauguration of Presidential Technical Committee on the implementation of the proposed minimum wage stressed that he is committed to a review of the Minimum Wage.

He however said that all the stakeholders must look at ways of implementing what he called “these consequential wage adjustments” in a manner that does not have adverse effects on the national development plans, as laid out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

“The ERGP sets appropriate targets for levels of Capital Expenditure, Public Debt, Inflation, Employment, etc. It is absolutely important that the implementation of a new minimum wage does not adversely affect these targets, and thereby erode the envisaged gains for the workers.”

President Buhari said that it is against this background that he set up a Technical Committee to advise Government on how best to fund, in a sustained manner, the additional costs that will arise from the implementation of the consequential increases in salaries and allowances for workers currently earning above the new minimum wage.

“The Technical Committee being inaugurated today will be chaired by an Economist and Financial Expert, Mr. Bismarck Rewane. Other members of the Committee are experienced economists and administrators from the private sector working together with all the relevant officials in the Government.”

The President gave the terms of reference of the Committee as developing, and advising government on how to successfully bring about a smooth implementation of impending wage increases, identifying new revenue sources, as well as areas of existing expenditure from where some savings could be made in order to fund the wage increases without adversely impacting the nation’s development goals as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

It is also includes proposing a work plan and modalities for the implementation of the salary increases and any other suggestions that will assist in the implementation of the new and future wage increases.

He said that given the urgency of this exercise, the Committee is expected to complete its deliberations and submit its report and recommendations within one month from today, Wednesday, January 9.

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