President Muhammadu Buhari has given a reason why he is yet to return to Nigeria from his vacation in the united Kingdom, even as he thanked Nigerians for the concern they have shown in his well being
“During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than originally planned.”
The President, in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, showed appreciation to Nigerians for their prayers in Mosques and Churches for his health and well-being.
“The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern. President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry.” [myad]
A group, known as Eganyi Youth Development Association (EYIDA) has called on the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Dr. Ado Ibrahim to quickly wade into the chieftaincy tussle that had engulfed the stool of Adogu of Eganyi in Ajaokuta local government area of the state since May 3, 2015 when the occupant, Alhaji Muhammad Otaru Achuga died. In a statement by the coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Isa, the group said that if the governor and Dr. Ado Ibrahim who is also chairman of Ebira Traditional Council, do not step in to quickly resolve the tussle, it could degenerate into serious crisis. The group, which identified the chairman of Jaokuta Area Traditional Council, the Ohi of Eganyi, Alhaji Musa Isah Achuga as the brain behind the brewing crisis, said that while members of the Eganyi kingmakers have unanimously chosen a candidate to succeed the passed-away Adogu, based on historical fact and accepted traditional norms, the Ohi of Eganyi has remained adamant. “It is a historically accepted fact that the stool of Adogu is rotated amongst the three clans: Ezi-Ogu, Ezi-Esugu and Ezi-Eheda- and based on this, it has been established beyond doubt that it is the turn of Ezi-Esugu. “Based on this incontrovertible historical fact, representatives of the three clans met and agreed that it is the turn of Ezi-Esugu as a result of which Ezi-Esugu presented Chief Dr. Abubakar O. Sadiq. But because the Ohi of Eganyi, who belongs to another clan and has no role to play in who the Esugu clan presents as the next Adogu, he (Ohi of Eganyi) has been causing unnecessary tension.” The group recalled that because of Ohi’s meddling into the Adogu of Eganyi stool and his threat to peace and unity of the area, the Kogi police command had recently invited him to Lokoja, the state capital to write an undertaking that he would not cause unnecessary crisis in the Eganyi kingdom. “We are therefore appealing to the governor and the Ohinoyi of Ebira land to move quickly and give us our Adogu in the person of Chief Dr. Abubakar O. Sadiq, having been chosen by the kingmakers and having fulfilled all legal and traditional requirements. “We warn however that any attempt to foist any other person on us, through imposition, would not only rouse trouble but would result in legal tussle, which is strange to our land since it came into being around 17th century.” [myad]
A 45-year-old commercial driver, Lawrence Adedapo, who was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by an Ado Ekiti High Court for raping an 80-year-old woman, Madam Grace Asaolu, said that the woman had been his girl friend and that they had been dating.
Adedapo, in his self defence before he was convicted today, Monday, by Justice Dele Omotoso, described the old woman as his “mother as well as his concubine” whom he has been dating as far back as his bachelor years. He accused Mrs. Asaolu of framing him up.
The man said that the old woman had earlier approached him for a sum of money to travel to her village but that on the said date, she walked into his room and demanded for the money.
He claimed that the old woman started caressing his body which eventually led to a sexual intercourse between them after he had giving her N1, 000.
However, the judge convicted the lover man, based on evidence before the court which showed that he forcefully had a carnal knowledge of the old woman and was guilty as charged.
He was charged to court after assaulting the octogenarian sexually on 7th November, 2013 at Oke Erimope Street, Ogbese, Ise-Ekiti .
Adedapo did not call any witness but pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, who led the prosecution, gave evidence that the convict confessed to have been dating the woman before the incident and that she consented to the sexual intercourse.
The blood-stained clothes of the victim which was recovered from the scene of the incident was tendered by Ajayi. [myad]
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has made it clear that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who has been confirmed by the Court of Appeal as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is “my chairman.”
This came today, Monday, against the backdrop of the party’s key stakeholders, including governors, the Board of Trustees members, National Assembly Caucus and former ministers that passed a vote of confidence in the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.
Jonathan’s acknowledgement of Modu Sheriff as chairman also came amid protests by the Makarfi led Caretaker Committee and other critical organs of the party against the Appeal Court’s ruling that affirmed Sheriff’s position as chairman.
Receiving Modu Sheriff and members of his team at his Maitama, Abuja, residence today, Monday, Dr. Jonathan kept addressing Sheriff as “my chairman,” even as he said that there are no factions in the party.
Speaking after a closed door meeting with Sheriff and his team, Jonathan said: “we are not factionalized. We are one. There are bound to be differences in politics. We cannot run away from that.
“It is the way we resolve these differences is what makes us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party.”
Also speaking after the meeting, Sheriff said that his mission was to unite the party and place it on sound footing to provide credible opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.
Modu Sheriff said that there can be only one national chairman and that “we are putting everything together to ensure that the party is united.
“We are not fighting and this is no time to join issues with people. We want everybody to come back to the party. Very soon I will get back to you when I finish my consultations. I won’t tell you anything before I finish consultations.”
Also, the Cross River State PDP has also given its support to Senator Modu Sherriff as the national chairman of the party.
A statement by the chairman of the party, Ntufam Edim Inok countered an earlier statement by the state publicity secretary of the party which declared support for the Ahmed Markarfi faction.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Cross River State Chapter supports Senator Ali Modu Sherriff led executive.
“This is in line with the Appeal Court’s judgment delivered in Port Harcourt in favour of Senator Sherriff as national chairman of PDP.
“This statement also refutes the earlier report credited to the state publicity secretary of the party. As law abiding citizens, we are committed to the rule of law and also respect court decisions at all stages.
“The Cross River State executive of the party calls all to join hands in moving the party forward while urging all to continue to support the PDP.” [myad]
Nigeria’s Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo in a handshake with the new President of the Gambia, Adama Barrow during his swearing-in ceremony at Independence Stadium in Banjul on 18th February. Photo by Novo Isioro. [myad]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered to provide direct additional funding to banks to ease the difficulties encountered by Nigerians in obtaining funds for Foreign Exchange transactions. The move, which takes immediate effect, is also aimed by the apex bank to meet the needs of Nigerians for personal and business travel, medical needs, and school fees. In a statement today, Monday, by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, the CBN said that it expects such retail transactions to be settled at a rate not exceeding 20 percent above the inter-bank market rate. On travelling allowance, the apex bank said: “having cleared the historic backlog of matured letters of credit at the inception of the current flexible exchange rate system, the CBN would immediately begin to provide foreign exchange to all commercial banks to meet the needs of both personal travel allowances (PTA) and business travel allowances (BTA) for onward sale to customers. “All banks would receive amounts commensurate with their demand per week, which would be sold to customers who meet usual basic documentary requirements.” On school and Medical Fees, the statement said: “the CBN would meet the needs of parents, guardians and sponsors who are seeking to make payments of school and educational fees for their children and wards. Such payments must be made by commercial banks directly to the institution specified by the customer. The CBN would ensure that this process is as smooth as possible and that as many customers as possible get the foreign exchange they genuinely demand. This would also apply to customers seeking to make payments, or purchase foreign exchange, for medical bills and paid directly to hospitals. The supply of FX to retail end-users (PTA, BTA, School fees, medical bills, etc) would be sustained by the CBN.” As regard Forward Sales Tenor, the apex bank said that in order to further increase the availability of foreign exchange to all end-users, it has decided to significantly reduce the tenor of its forward sales from the current maximum cycle of 180 days, to no more than 60 days from the date of transaction. On FX Sales at Major Airports, it said that in order to further ease the burden of travellers and ensure that transactions are settled at much more competitive exchange rates, it had directed all banks to open FX retail outlets at major airports as soon as logistics permit. Regarding Increase Efficiency of FX Market, the CBN said: “in order to maintain confidence in the FX market, the CBN will immediately take the following steps: a. Begin implementing its articulated program to clear all the unfilled orders in the interbank FX market; b. Given our plan to meet all unfilled orders, and while provision of FX to the manufacturing sector would remain the CBN’s strong priority, we will no longer impose allocation/utilization rules on commercial banks; c. Implement an effective intervention programme to support the inter-bank market to ensure adequate liquidity necessary to deliver an efficient FX market; d. Advise FMDQ to activate its FX Order-Book systems as soon as possible and also accelerate the on-boarding of FX clients on the FX Relationship Systems to ensure total transparency of the FX market.” The statement said that given the CBN’s objective to continuously and vigorously pursue a transparent, liquid, and efficient FX Market, it would neither tolerate unscrupulous actions nor hesitate to bring serious sanctions on offenders, be they banks or their staff. “The Bank therefore encourages market participants to assist in ensuring that these new measures engender the preservation of our external reserves, stability of our financial system, and growth of our economy to the benefit of all Nigerians.” [myad]
Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have resolved to unite, strong, resolute, steadfast and solid under the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi against the background of the ruling by a court of appeal, recognizing Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the party. The stakeholders said their decision to stand by Makarfi was taken in view of the fact that the court of appeal is not the final court on the matter. “All members, leaders and organs of the party, including but not limited to the Board of Trustees, the Governor’s forum, the National Assembly Caucus, PDP former Ministers forum, National Vice Chairmen, State Chapters represented by the Conference of State Party Chairmen, Leadership of State Assembly Caucuses and teeming members nationwide, stand resolute that authority to lead the PDP, and indeed any party, solely and exclusively derives from the consent of members at plenary. This decision was taken today, Monday by stakeholders and leaders of the party, ranging from the Board of Trustees, Governor’s forum, National Assembly Members, former PDP Ministers forum, National Vice Chairmen, State Chapters represented by the Conference of State Party Chairmen, Leadership of State Assembly Caucuses and other major stakeholders at a meeting they held in Abuja. The meeting was held to examine and review the state of the party following the judgment of the court of appeal. In a communiqué which emanated from the meeting, the stakeholders said that while they hold the judiciary in the highest regard, the decision of the appeal court was greeted with consternation not only amongst leaders and members of the party in Nigeria but also true lovers of democracy in Nigeria and the world over. They said: “PDP members freely and clearly expressed themselves on the 21st May 2016 at the Port Harcourt National Convention and we stand by the decision given that the National Convention is the highest decision-making organ of the party. “That we fully endorse the prompt and proactive decision of the National Caretaker Committee to lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the decision of the Court of Appeal as well as filing an application for INJUCTION PENDING APPEAL all of which was done in the morning of Monday 20th February 2017. Our abiding faith in the capacity of the judiciary to protect Nigeria’s democracy and political aspirations of the Nigerian people, particularly at the level of the Supreme Court, proven repeatedly over time, is aided by the profound, fearless, irrepressible, comprehensive and insightful minority decision of T. N. Orji-Abadua, J. C. A. in CA/PH/349/2016 SHERRIF & ORS. VS. PDP & ORS., whom we salute for doing the judiciary proud in spite of the predatory interferences of anti-democratic forces and State actors. “That having duly filed both an appeal to the Supreme Court and an application for Injunction Pending Appeal in the morning of Monday the 20th February 2017, we pass a resounding and unqualified vote of confidence in the leadership of the Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and pledge our unalloyed support to it as it pilots the affairs of the party in this critical transitional period of the party’s life. To this end, we are not at all deceived by the supposed olive branch being offered by Sen. Ali Modu Sherrif, knowing that the only thing that can come from traitors of his ilk is nothing but a poisoned chalice and a Greek gift. “The meeting reiterates that the party’s Constitution stipulates the process of democratically electing officers of the party and therefore emphatically rejects any imposition such as those being illegally paraded as officers of the party by Sen. Ali Modu Sherrif. “That stakeholders and leaders of the party are enjoined to return to their Geopolitical Zones, States, LGA’s and Wards to convene meetings of the party and disseminate the foregoing to members. True Party men are urged to remain calm, steadfast, loyal even in the face of wanton provocation of sealing off the venue of a peaceful assembly of stakeholders. We remain committed to the ideals of the party which stands us out as democrats. “That in view of the mismanagement of our economy by the APC-led Federal Government, the decline in investor confidence and massive capital flight leading to the Nigerian currency being the worst performing on the African continent; the dehumanization of Nigerians, the abridgement of fundamental human rights, persecution of political opponents, and the return to the dark days of mindless dictatorship and the reign of fear, all leading to a state of helplessness and hopelessness; the PDP reaffirms its commitment to return Nigeria in 2019 to the path of Economic growth and respect for fundamental human rights as guaranteed by our constitution. A PDP-led Federal Government will remove hunger in the land and restore confidence in the Nigerian economy. “The meeting agreed to appeal to all Nigerians to fully support the Peoples Democratic Party, a genuinely Democratic Party that is people oriented and a great defender of equity, justice and fairness to all in its commitment to eradicating poverty, hunger and under-development from our country.” [myad]
A housewife, Mrs. Omolara Adeyemi, is seeking for divorce from her husband, Moradeyo so that she would try another man as the husband cannot impregnate her after 11 years in marriage.
Mrs. Adeyemi told Idi Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan today, Monday her husband had continually refused to make enough effort to get her pregnant since they got married in 2006 and that he even refused to take doctor’s advice that he should treat his low sperm count.
“Instead, he flirts around. He can spend weeks outside, abandoning me in the guise that he is engaged.
“I pray the court to separate us so that I can try my luck elsewhere in a bid to get pregnant and have a child. I cannot allow another man to sleep with me as long as I am still married to him.”
Moradeyo, however, denied the allegations and told the court that he was not ready for divorce.
He pleaded with the court to allow him and his wife to go home and resolve the matter amicably.
The Court President, Chief Mukaila Balogun, advised the couple to involve their family members in the resolution.
He adjourned the case to February 27 for report of settlement.
A 23 year-old Nafisatu Yunusa, a mother of three, lives in Marafa, a village of over 600 people in Bauchi State, northern Nigeria, is excited about change. In Marafa village, dry winter season is hard. Red dust clouds the sky, vegetation turns brown, and there’s no rain for months.
Like other rural communities in the region, for a long time, many people in the village of Marafa did not have access to running water or toilets. Without them, open defecation was the norm. Most households had lost at least one family member to preventable diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
Fields and villages were contaminated with feces, which was not only unsightly and malodorous, but was also extremely unsanitary.
Said Nafisatu: “back then, our children were always suffering from diarrhea, typhoid fever, cholera. It was the biggest challenge we had, it was everywhere.”
But the establishment of a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committee, or WASHCOM, in her village, has transformed Nafisatu’s life.
The WASHCOMS have been set up in communities in the area under UNICEF’s SHAWN (Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria) programme, which is funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).
Nafisatu works as a treasurer for the WASHCOM and is one of the nine Mafara WASHCOM members who have been trained to teach healthy sanitation practices to others in the community. “Now when a child goes to use the toilet he or she comes and washes hands – with soap, if it is available, or ash and that has contributed a lot to stopping the spread of diseases.”
As a result, Marafa has become one of 351 communities that are now certified as “open defecation free” in the Local Government Area of Dass, in Bauchi state. Every household in the community has a latrine and nearby hand washing facilities.
And the SHAWN programme has rewarded the community with a borehole and hand pump, so that water is now easier to access, even in the dry season.
The improved sanitation and easy access to water, says Nafisatu, has not only saved lives, but it also helped ease a common strain on marriages in Marafa. Among the good hygiene practices they have been trained to teach, WASHCOM hygiene promotion team members have shared their knowledge with women community members about menstrual hygiene management.
Nafisatu recalls that women in the village used to stuff dirty menstrual padding under their beds, which often made the bedrooms smell unpleasant.
According to Nafisatu, their husbands would burn spirals of mosquito coils, hoping the acrid smoke would cover the smell. But sometimes, even that wasn’t enough, and Nafisatu said that several husbands even refused to sleep with their wives.
Now that there is water in the village, and with women having learned about better menstrual hygiene practices, that problem has vanished.
Nafisatu said: “the change has been so overwhelming, relationships are much improved!” [myad]
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has warned politicians eying his seat to stay clear as there is no vacancy in the government house.
Governor Ortom, who spoke in Agbeede, Konshisha Local Government of the state, at a thanksgiving mass in honour of his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase said: “I am very optimistic of securing a second tenure as governor in 2019.”
He said that he was sure of his people’s support “any time, any day,” because he had not failed in his responsibility so far.
“Those nursing the ambition of vying for the governorship position should jettison the idea; I will beat them silly.”
He advised such people to save their resources and not waste time contesting an election they would not win.
“My victory will be devoid of manipulation; I will win genuinely.”
The governor said that his administration is committed to ridding the state of criminals, but called for support as he could not do it alone.
“Everyone must support us; security is everybody’s business and there is a role for everyone to play toward a better society.”
In his sermon, Rev. Father Stephen Suega advised those in authority to always ask God for guidance and direction before embarking on any programme.
Speaking at the occasion, Senator Joseph Akaagerger commended the governor for paying special attention to security in Benue.
“Everyone has seen that crime has reduced in the state. We cannot thank you enough for that,” he said.
In his remarks, Akase thanked the governor for efforts toward creating a better Benue.
“Your developmental strides have reduced hardship. Hopes for a better Benue have been restored.” [myad]
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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered to provide direct additional funding to banks to ease the difficulties encountered by Nigerians in obtaining funds for Foreign Exchange transactions.
Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have resolved to unite, strong, resolute, steadfast and solid under the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi against the background of the ruling by a court of appeal, recognizing Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the party.
