The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who was defeated in the last weekende Presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, may have been thrown into political dustbin as the Sokoto PDP denied him the automatic ticket to contest as governor in the 2019 election.
Chairman of the party in the State, Ibrahim Milogoma, today, Tuesday, said that there was no truth in the rumour making the round that the name of the party’s candidate in the 2019 election, Mannir Dan-Iya, has been substituted with that of the incumbent governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
Speaking to newsmen in Sokoto, Milogoma said the rumour was unfounded even as he reiterated that Dan-Iiya remains the party’s 2019 governorship candidate.
The chairman said that the party would formally announce any change, if any, but that substitution had processes which must be complied with based on electoral guidelines.
Milogoma explained that the event held on October 7 at the party headquarters in the state was for the governor to express his appreciation for the support he enjoyed at the PDP presidential primary election held in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
According to Milogoma, party members are still united even as he called on the loyalists to work toward ensuring maximum success of all party candidates in coming elections.
Speculations had earlier rented the air to te effect that the party had conducted fresh primary and produced Tambuwal as governorship candidate on October 7.
There are indications that the Federal Government and the labour leaders in the country have agreed on N30,000 as the new minimum wage which the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba said will soon be announced.
Though Wabba did not give any specific figure as he spoke to news men today, but said that a tripartite committee set up to look into the matter has reconvened and deliberated on a new minimum wage figure that was acceptable to all employers of labour in the country.
“I want to assure workers that all has been concluded and will be passed for signing within the week.
“I also want to appreciate the Organised Private Sector, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) for their resolve to pay the new minimum wage when it is signed into law.”
Wabba said that the presidency would soon make it public after deliberation by the National Economic Council meeting.
The organized labour had demanded N65,500 as new minimum wage for workers, while the private employers and some state governors were proposing N25,000. The existing minimu wage which some state governments and private sectors have not been able to pay as and when due is N18,000.
Syndicated fraudster, ellegedly led by one Mohammed Sanni Zubair, have swindled a retired Army General Geoffrey Ejiga of the sum of N180 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the alleged leader of the syndicate before Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja yesterday, Monday on a four-count charge of fraud.
According to the EFCC, Sanni Zubair, described as a serial fraudster, was arrested after the children of General Geoffrey sent a petition to it, alleging that a syndicate of fraudsters took advantage of their father’s old age to defraud him of over N180 million.
A check on Zubair’s profile showed that he had previously been arrested by the operatives of the EFCC sometime in 2016 for a fraud-related offence, which he confessed to, saying that he acted under the instruction of one Johnson Abiodun, whose real name was Nuhu Kasim.
In the course of investigation, Kasim was arrested in Kano, and it was discovered that the information given by the defendant against him, was completely false.
One of the counts against Sanni Zubair reads: “That you, Mohammed Sanni Zubair on or about October 2016, in Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did make a statement to Naziru Aminu Shehu, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in the course of the exercise of the duties of his office, contained in your written statement dated 28th October, 2016, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 39 (2) (a) and (b) of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the counts against him as a result of which the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.
But, counsel to the defendant, Joe Agi, SAN, informed the court of the defendant’s application for bail, which he said was filed and served on the prosecution shortly before the court started sitting.
Justice Ojukwu adjourned the case to October 26, 30 and 31 for hearing on motion for bail and trial.
The court also ordered that the defendant should continue with the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission.
Delta State government has said it has decided to host this year’s All Nigeria Editors’ Conference, organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), because it believes that the Nigerian media is a critical stakeholder in the nation’s effort to advance the cause of democracy.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, said that the State government under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa being a model for and promoter of democratic ideals, is impressed with the theme of the conference which is: Credible Elections, Sustainable Democracy and the Nigerian Media.
“The Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, being an apostle of credible election as an enabler for sustainable democracy was particularly excited at the theme because it reflects vividly his firm belief that the sustainability of any democracy is dependent on the credibility of the electoral process.
“Recall that between last December and now, Okowa has chaired two national conventions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the first being the convention which produced Prince Uche Secondus, the current Chairman of the party and last weekend’s convention which produced former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential flag-bearer of the party. Both processes were largely acknowledged as free, fair and credible.”
According to the commissioner, the event will provide editors a rare opportunity to see, first-hand, the development strides of the governor across all sectors in all the senatorial districts of the state.
The conference will hold from tomorrow Wednesday, October 10 to 14th in Asaba.
The Chairman, Planning Committee of the conference, Ken Ugbechie, said the theme was chosen to reflect the prevailing political reality in the country. The keynote would be delivered by the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
The President of the Guild, Mrs Funke Egbemode, explained the choice of the theme, stressing that it was informed by an urgent and compelling responsibility of the Guild to plot a roadmap to 2019 as a watchdog with a duty to provide unbiased, fair and objective coverage of the elections especially in the face of a monetized electoral system.
“We believe that the media also has a role to play in ensuring sustainability of the country’s democracy in view of the key role it plays in information dissemination and moulding of public opinion. It is, therefore, imperative that the media is properly positioned not only to understand the issues involved in organising a credible election, but to advance a true democratic culture in the manner it reports issues of politics and governance”, the statement said.
Other speakers include governors, senior media executives, security experts, representative of Google, media specialists in digital journalism, etcetera.
The All Nigerian Editors Conference is the largest gathering of Nigerian Editors (apart from the Biennial Convention), and it was initiated in 2004 at Ada, in Osun State. Since then, it has been held in different parts of the country. It brings together not less than 400 editors and other media professionals from all over the country and beyond to focus on a designated national issue that affects the future and wellbeing of the country.
President Buhari receives in audience His Royal Highness Obo
Ugep Kingdom in Cross River State has pledged its support for President Muhammadu Buhari in what it called ‘his quest to rescue Nigeria.’
The delegation of the Kingdom led by His Royal Highness, Obol Ofem Ubana, Obol Lopon of Ugep who is a retired Army officer, on a courtesy visit to the President at the Aso Rock, Abuja, said now is the time to rally round Buhari to correct all the socio-economic anomalies bedeviling the country.
The royal father however requested the President to intervene and resolve inter-ethnic conflicts affecting several communities in the Kingdom, including Nko, Nyima, Oyadama, Edibe, Usumtong, Adadama and Ekureku.
The traditional ruler thanked Buhari for appointing Yakuur sons into exalted positions in government, including Chief of Naval Staff, Minister of Niger Delta and Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution.
On restiveness in the region, the Obol Lopon said: ‘‘we are increasingly losing our youths to inter-tribal wars which if nothing is done will leave our communities without youths in the near future.
”As Obolo Lopon of Ugep, I am ready to partner with relevant government agencies saddled with the responsibility and management of communal conflict resolutions.”
Responding, President Buhari assured the delegation that under his watch, no part of Nigeria will be ignored.
”I am very pleased that you [the traditional ruler] have shared some professional background as a former military officer.
”My experience of being in the military afforded me the opportunity to work with all Nigerians and this is a lifetime experience.”
President Donald Trump meets with outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President of the United States of America, Donald Trump has confessed that he hates to lose Nikki Haley’s resignation as US ambassador to the United Nations, even asfter accepting her resignation.
“We’re all happy for you in one way, but we hate to lose – hopefully you’ll be coming back at some point but in a different capacity. You can have your pick.”
In the White House’s Oval Office today, Tuesday, Trump called the ambassador a “very special” person “who gets it,” adding that she told him six months ago that she might want to take some time off.
Trump acknowledged that together with the retiring Ambassador, they “had solved a lot of problems.
Trump said that she could have her “pick” of posts if she ever decided to come back to the administration, adding that he was considering many candidates for Haley’s job and that a successor would be named in two to three weeks.
‘I don’t agree with the president on everything.’
Haley was appointed to the UN post in November 2016.
Before she was named by Trump to her UN post, Haley was governor of South Carolina, the first woman to hold the post. She was re-elected in 2014.
A rookie to international politics, Haley was an unusual pick for to be UN envoy.
Last month Haley wrote an op-ed article in The Washington Post discussing her policy disagreements but also her pride in working for Trump. It came in response to an anonymous essay in The New York Times by a senior administration official that alleged there to be a secret “resistance” effort from the right in Trump’s administration and that there were internal discussions of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office.The daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley clashed with then-candidate Trump during the 2016 campaign, denouncing “the siren call of the angriest voices” who disrespected America’s immigrants. Trump tweeted that “The people of South Carolina are embarrassed by Nikki Haley.”
“I proudly serve in this administration, and I enthusiastically support most of its decisions and the direction it is taking the country,” Haley wrote. “But I don’t agree with the president on everything.”
Haley is the latest in a long line of high-profile departures from the administration, such as former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was fired in March, and Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, who left in August 2017.
Her resignation was also a closely guarded secret. Congressional Republicans involved in foreign policy matters and some key US allies did not get advance word from Haley or the White House.
During her time as the UN ambassador, Haley was often outspoken on several issues in which the US seemed to be at odds with many other countries.
Just after taking her post in 2017, Haley said the Trump administration was going to push for an overhaul of the world body and bluntly warned those who oppose Washington’s policies that she is “taking names”.
“Our goal with the administration is to show value at the UN and the way that we’ll show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure that our allies have our back as well,” Haley said at the time. “For those that don’t have our back, we’re taking names, we will make points to respond to that accordingly.”
She issued a similar warning during a General Assembly vote in December 2017 on a resolution against Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy to the city.
In the letter, obtained by Haaretz at the time, Haley wrote that Trump “will be watching [the] vote carefully” and “requested I report back on those who voted against us.”
Recently, Haley suggested the right of return for Palestinian refugees could be removed from any eventual peace settlement with Israel. She also accused the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) of exaggerating the number of Palestinian refugees it currently provides aid to and services for. Last month, the US said it was stopping its funding UNRWA.
Haley, 46, said she had no immediate plans, and denied she would be running for president in 2020.
President Buhari in a group photo with Sheikh Qaribullah Nasir Kabara, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and other members of the delegation as he receives in audience Sheikh Qaribullah Nasir Kabara in State House on 9th Oct 2018
President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that his government will continue to relentless fight terrorists who he said have no religion, until they give up their evil ways.
“Those who indoctrinate children and plant explosives on them to harm innocent people do not belong to any religion but terrorists who should be identified and fought until they give up their evil ways.”
The President, who received in audience today, Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the leadership of Qadiriyya Islamic Movement in Africa, called on religious leaders in the country to assist government to overcome forces of destruction by enlightening their followers to guard against religious extremism and terrorism.
He insisted that Muslim leaders have a duty to promote the principles and tenets of Islam as a religion of peace and justice.
The President commended the Qadiriyya movement for promoting education, interfaith dialogue and good moral conduct in the society, even as he expressed support for the proposed Islamic Centre in Abuja by the movement.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the Qadiriyya in Africa, Sheikh Qaribullah Kabara had congratulated the President on his emergence as his party’s candidate for the 2019 election.
He commended the President on the achievements of his administration since coming into office, stressing the diversification of the economy, increased power supply and food sufficiency.
The Presidency has listed out things that members of the National Assembly should do as they resume plenary tomorrow after over two months recess.
In an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, reminded the lawmakers of the request by President Muhammadu Buhari on the Supplementary Budget to provide for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other sources of funding which was still before them.
According to him, since almost all the political parties have completed all their exercises, we are appealing to them to please consider this budget expeditiously and pass it so that the nation’s electoral process can move forward.
Senator Enang advised them to consider the Electoral Amendment Bill that would ensure the proper mode and method of conducting the 2019 elections.
”Because funding the elections without setting the proper law that is acceptable to all to guide the election will not be good,” he said.
He added that President Buhari had laid before the lawmakers the request for borrowing to fund the 2018 Budget from the various windows before they went on vacation.
”I also prayed them that before they proceeded on vacation, they had passed the 2018 Budget. And in the 2018 Budget, there was provision for borrowing.
”And the provision for borrowing can only be effected when the National Assembly approves it.
”We are therefore praying them to please consider this expeditiously because Nigerians are crying and shouting: shouting because the budget is not being implemented yet, because the budget passed without passing the sources of funding the budget, without approving that the loan be taken,” he said.
According to him, even if the monies were on the table, President Muhammad Buhari will not touch them unless and until they bring together the approval by the National Assembly for that borrowing to be gotten.
Enang also charged them on other issues relating to fighting corruption, economy, including approving appointments made by the executive.
”So we are appealing to the Senate in particular to let these be on their drawing board and on their fast lane.”
”Let them please appreciate that they are senators and honourable members of the National Assembly and the constitution entrusts the duty on then and they should please exercise this duty with the greatest show of patriotism.”
Governor Ayo Fayose has said that he is considering his membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after his favourite aspirant, Aminu Tambuwal had lost in the party’s presidential primary in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital at the weekend.
In a statement today, Tuesday, Governor Fayose said that he supported his Rivers counterpart, Nyesom Wike, to ensure the emergence of Tambuwal but that since Tambuwal, who is currently the Sokoto State Governor, lost the election to Atiku Abubakar, who polled 1,532 votes as against Tambuwal’s 693 votes, he is reconsidering his membership of the PDP.
“We have no regret aligning with Governor Wike to support Governor Tambuwal for the presidential ticket. We have no apologies either.
“We kept the party alive and strong when most men became ladies. We never compromised. If any group feels it can do it alone, we will see how far they can go
“I may renounce my membership of the party, if the need arises
“In the main time, myself and others will continue with our consultations while watching the turn of events.
“We cannot but appreciate leaders that have intervened so far, but this release became necessary to avoid fresh crisis or misrepresentation.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reminded political parties that the commencement of campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections remain 18th November, while campaigns for Governorship and State Assemblies are expected to commence on 1st December.
The Commission’s Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yukubu spoke today, Tuesday in Abuja, at the commencement of the Commonwealth Election Professionals (CEP) training workshop for the Commonwealth Africa Region.
In an apparent reference to the last day for the conduct of party primaries which was 7th October, Professor Yakubu advised political parties and their candidates to stick to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General Elections and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
“Let me remind political parties and candidates that the end of primaries does not mean the immediate commencement of campaigns.
“Section 99 (1) prohibits campaigns by political parties earlier than 90 days before polling day. Therefore, going by the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities issued by the Commission, campaign for Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on 18th November 2018, while Governorship and State Assembly elections begin on 1st December 2018. I call upon political parties and candidates to strictly adhere to these dates.
“With the conclusion of primaries by political parties yesterday (7th October) the next activity is the commencement of the process of nomination of candidates to the Commission. May I seize this opportunity to remind political parties that the dates for the submission of list of candidates (Form CF002) and their personal particulars (Forms CF001) for Presidential and National Assembly elections is 10th to 18th October 2018, while Governorship and State Assembly elections is 22nd October to 2nd November 2018.
“The Commission will receive the submission from political parties at Aso Hall of the International Conference Centre, Abuja, from 9.00am to 4.00pm daily. Although, we have communicated these dates to all political parties, let me reiterate that there will be no extension of time. Similarly, in making submissions to the Commission, the covering letters as well as the list of candidates must be duly signed by the National Chairmen and National Secretaries of political parties in line with the Commission’s Guidelines.”
Election professionals from 19 Commonwealth African are attending the 5-day workshop being organized by the Commonwealth in partnership with INEC to deliberate and share experiences aimed at deepening electoral integrity and democracies in their respective countries.
Declaring the workshop open, Prof. Yakubu, who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), noted that the workshop’s theme – Strengthening Electoral Democracy in the Commonwealth African Region – was significant, coming in the middle of activities for the 2019 General Elections.
“The theme of this workshop is topical and relevant, more so that participants are drawn mainly from middle-level officials who actually conduct elections in the field.
“This is significant because today, all the countries of the Commonwealth Africa Region are democracies conducting periodic elections. However, we need to further consolidate on the process so that elections are not merely periodic but also peaceful and credible.
Bringing election managers together to share experience and build capacities is a critical step to the consolidation of electoral democracy.”
He said the choice of Nigeria as host by the Commonwealth was in recognition of the progressive improvements in the electoral process in the country. He implored the participants to be open to new ideas and critical in the course of their interactions.
“Over the next five days, participants will be taken through five inter-related sub-themes, ranging from the promotion of sustainable electoral democracy, strategic planning, gender and
elections, electoral technology to elections and new media. I invite you to be open to new ideas and be critical during the discussions and interactions that follow.
“It is through such approach that you can come up with possible solutions to the challenges that we contend with in the Herculean task of managing elections in our region. I wish to remind you that as you progress in your career to become future leaders of Election Management Bodies in your respective jurisdictions, the common goal of advancing democracy through the delivery of credible elections across the Commonwealth Africa region depends on you.”
Welcoming the participants, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the Workshop and National Commissioner, Barrister Festus Okoye, also observed that the workshop was coming at an opportune period “when INEC is more or less at the middle of organizing a
general election. It is also coming at a period when it will be possible for us to share experience on what is going on in other Commonwealth countries in relation to elections.
“By sharing experiences, looking at the challenges facing the Electoral Commissions in Commonwealth Africa, we will be in a position to strengthen electoral democracy and advance
our various countries. I believe that if election professionals do their work well, if election professionals are knowledgeable, and if election professionals are truly professional, elections in most commonwealth African countries will continue to get better.”
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The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who was defeated in the last weekende Presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, may have been thrown into political dustbin as the Sokoto PDP denied him the automatic ticket to contest as governor in the 2019 election.
There are indications that the Federal Government and the labour leaders in the country have agreed on N30,000 as the new minimum wage which the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba said will soon be announced.
