Unknown gunmen in the early hours of today, Monday kidnapped the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae in his farm at Akure, the Ondo State capital. Already, his captors have made contact with his family, demanding N100 million ransom.
Police source said the gunmen were in possession of dangerous weapons, including charms and high calibre rifles. But a source said his kidnappers may be herdsmen who have always caused havoc in that area. A family source, who earlier reported the news to the Police in a terse message, said family members were shocked by the incident. “Baba has been kidnapped” the family member said in a message. Falae is a high chief and one of the kingmakers in Akure. [myad]
The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has declared that he will appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal tomorrow, Tuesday 22 to demonstrate his respect for the rule of law, in spite of his personal reservation on the process of his trial and the purpose it may be intended to serve. Saraki, on his Facebook Wall today, assured Nigerians of his absolute belief in the judicial process and is therefore confident that the course of justice would be served at the end of this matter. The Senate President had earlier said that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, even as he believes that he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon. He made it clear that he is a law abiding citizen, explaining again that his absence from tribunal last week was based on legal advice he received from his counsel, that it was not necessary for him to appear before the tribunal at this stage since the jurisdiction of the tribunal and the process of initiating the matter were being challenged before the federal High Court Abuja. According to him, despite the adjournment for the determination of the motion on notice and the substantive suit before the Federal High Court to 30th of September and the appeal pending before the Court of Appeal adjourned to the 29th of September 2015, he has decided, as a law abiding citizen, to appear before the Tribunal in the interim. Earlier today, the Court of Appeal has stopped the Police from implementing the warrant of arrest issued against Senator Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The Tribunal had on Friday issued the order for Saraki’s arrest for failing to honour its invitation. The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, had directed the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to effect the arrest of Saraki and produce him before the Tribunal on Monday (today). As at Sunday, the police said it was yet to receive official communication from the Tribunal for Saraki’s arrest. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari will host an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government tomorrow, Tuesday, in Abuja. According to a statement by the Senior a Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, the main item on the agenda of the summit is the current political situation in Burkina Faso.
The transitional government of Burkina Faso was last Thursday dissolved after an overthrow led by the country’s Regiment of Presidential Security one month ahead of general elections. Presidential guard officers loyal to former President Blaise Compaore, who ruled for 27 years, had stormed a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Ouagadougou, the country’s capital, on Wednesday and arrested interim President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida.
Gilbert Diendere, who was chief of staff to Campaore, was named the country’s new leader by the presidential guard.
The coup came weeks before an October 11 vote meant to mark a return to democracy after demonstrators toppled President Blaise Compaore last year as he attempted to extend his 27-year rule.
The uprising became a beacon for democratic aspirations in Africa at a time when veteran rulers from Rwanda to Congo Republic are seeking to scrap term limits.
Under the proposal announced by Sall, who is the current chairman of the West African block ECOWAS, the date of the polls could be pushed back to as late as November 22. [myad]
The National Productivity Merit Award conferred on Engineer Saleh Dunoma, the Managing Director of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) last week, showed that the on-going airport reforms which he spearheaded are being appreciated and acknowledged at various levels of the society. As a matter of fact, those who are directly affected by the positive reforms are passengers who are now happy with the efforts of the Managing Director, as they see the airports as being now more secured, safe and passenger –friendly. The recent increase recorded in the number of Air-travelers has been attributed to the improved status of the airports. The Aminu Kano international airport for example, had recently undergone massive rehabilitation to make it passenger-friendly. There are indications that the nation’s aviation sector is now being properly repositioned to play its crucial role of securing a huge revenue of more than N959 billion annually as envisaged by the government. This is according to aviation sources. The ongoing inspection visits to the nation’s airports by Engr. Saleh Dunoma, along with the Permanent Secretary in the aviation Ministry, Ms. Binta Bello and other top officials in the aviation sector is very reassuring and commendable, as many of such sectors are also out re-strategizing for better results. There is no doubt that the efforts of FAAN and other stakeholders in the aviation sector will go a long way in bringing in more revenue to government and comfort to millions of passengers across the country. Engr. Dunoma is believed to have, on assumption of duty took drastic steps to improve facilities at the Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Portharcourt airports like other airports which now have new terminals and other facilities. In keeping with his promise when he was appointed in 2011, Engr. Dunoma had among others, improved the security network and safety at the airports and has also improved the facilities available for passengers in such a way that the airports, especially the international terminals can boast of the same type of facilities like those in the foreign countries. He also gave priority attention to the renovation of run –ways, aviation tools, terminals and provision of modern facilities to the airports. Engr. Dunoma has displayed a high sense of dynamism that has enabled him to adapt to the ever changing situation in the aviation sector. Engr. Dunoma’s ability to achieve a lot is due to the fact as FAANs former Director of Project, he has virtually worked with many FAAN Managing Directors before he rose to the MD’s position himself apart from being one of the oldest FAAN employees around since he was reported to have joined the authority. So far among the airports remodeled under the supervision of Engr. Dunoma, include the domestic terminal of the Abuja International Airport, Kaduna airport terminal, the terminals at Benin and Calabar, International terminal at the Nnamdi Azikwe, Murtala international airport, general aviation terminal, Magret Ekpo airport, Yola airport, Maiduguri airport, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Owerri airports. They have all been reasonably upgraded. Work is still being carried out on more other airports to make them more beautiful and passenger friendly. This is in accordance with the 5-point objectives of Engr. Dunoma. Apart from the Permanent Secretary in the aviation ministry, Ms. Binta Bello, the current FAAN Managing Director has been seen physically inspecting facilities at the airports on many occasions to ensure that things are done according to how his team has planned them, and as directed by his superiors.
President Muhammad Buhari has praised the performance of Team Nigeria at the All Africa Games which just concluded in Congo Brazzaville, urging the Nigerian athletes, who came second on the overall medals table to make Nigeria proud by constantly improving on their performance. In a statement in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President said he had never been in doubt about their zeal and determination to make Nigeria great. The statement expressed the President’s deep joy that several of the the teams did Nigeria proud and singled out for special commendation, the basketball team, D’Tigers Basketball Team which earned the nation a Gold medal for the first time in 50 years, and by which feat, the country got an automatic ticket to the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. President Buhari said that the performance of Team Nigeria to the Congo games has yet again brought the massive potentials of Nigerian sports men and women to excel in their chosen areas against all odds. He implored the country’s athletes to do all they can to ensure that Nigeria regains its number one position in Africa and the world at large. The statement noted that a presidential delegation had attended the closing ceremony and conveyed the President’s congratulations to Team Nigeria and its officials. He promised the team of a fitting ceremony. President Buhari assured Nigeria’s sports men and women that his administration would accord priority to sports, in addition to boosting the morale of the players and enhancing training for future challenges. He reminded the sports men and women not to rest on their oars because the challenges grow bigger and more complex each day. [myad]
The Presidency has cautioned against linking President Muhammadu Buhari to the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki. A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu said that insinuations in some quarters that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) are acting upon external instigation are uninformed. Garba Shehu said that there is no place in law that the Bureau and the tribunal should take instructions from any quarters, saying that as an independent institution equal to any superior court of record, the tribunal is set up by the constitution to determine the issue of default, false declaration or forgery in assets declaration. “This therefore is purely a judicial process and has nothing to do with the presidency. “If anyone has an axe to grind with what they are doing, they should do it in a judicial manner by challenging those actions in a proper court of law. “Let them hire a good team of lawyers to prove their innocence.” The Presidency stressed that the government has no desire to persecute anybody even as it vowed to respect the rule of law, which is why the President is staying out of this matter. “He has said times without number that the war against corruption has no sacred cows. “Even if the President wants to help, there is no way he can do anything. Is he going to ask the judge to stop the trial? “It is purely a judicial process, the type of which are routinely dealt with by the CCB and the CCT. There are many cases like this that are going on. “The President has sworn to an oath to protect the constitution and will not violate that oath.” [myad]
Republican presidential candidate, Ben Carson has advocated no vote to install a Muslim as President because according to him, Islam is antithetical to the Constitution.
Carson, a devout Christian, made it clear that he doesn’t believe that a Muslim should be elected president, adding that a president’s faith should matter to voters if it runs counter to the values and principles of America.
Responding to a question during an interview broadcast today on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he described the Islamic faith as inconsistent with the Constitution.
“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” Carson said. “I absolutely would not agree with that.”
He did not specify in what way Islam ran counter to constitutional principles.
Carson’s comments drew strong criticism from the country’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“To me this really means he is not qualified to be President of the United States,” said the group’s spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper. “You cannot hold these kinds of views and at the same time say you will represent all Americans, of all faiths and backgrounds.”
Hooper said the Constitution expressly forbids religious tests for those seeking public office and called for the repudiation of “these un-American comments.”
In a separate appearance on NBC, one of Carson’s rivals for the GOP nomination, Ohio Governor John Kasich, was asked whether he would have a problem with a Muslim in the White House. “The answer is, at the end of the day, you’ve got to go through the rigors, and people will look at everything. But, for me, the most important thing about being president is you have leadership skills, you know what you’re doing and you can help fix this country and raise this country. Those are the qualifications that matter to me.”
Carson’s comments came amid lingering fallout over Republican Donald Trump’s refusal last week to take issue with a man during a campaign event who wrongly called President Barack Obama a Muslim and said Muslims are “a problem in this country.”
Also speaking on NBC today, Trump said that a Muslim in the White House is “something that could happen… Some people have said it already happened, frankly.”
In multiple interviews Sunday, Trump tried to draw a distinction between all American Muslims and extremist Muslims in the U.S. and elsewhere.
“I have friends that are Muslims they’re great people, amazing people,” Trump said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“You have extremists Muslims that are in a class by themselves,” Trump added. “It’s a problem in this country it’s a problem throughout this world….You do have a problem with radical Muslims.”
GOP candidates have since been split over whether to criticize Trump, who has been a vocal skeptic of Obama’s birthplace and faith. Obama is Christian.
In the NBC interview, Carson said he believes that Obama was born in the U.S. and is Christian, saying he has “no reason to doubt” what the president says.
Carson also made a distinction when it came to electing Muslims to Congress, calling it a “different story” from the presidency that “depends on who that Muslim is and what their policies are, just as it depends on what anybody else says.”
Congress has two Muslim members, Democratic Reps. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Andre Carson of Indiana.
“If there’s somebody who’s of any faith, but they say things, and their life has been consistent with things that will elevate this nation and make it possible for everybody to succeed, and bring peace and harmony, then I’m with them,” Carson said. [myad]
A Fulani herdsman, Alhaji Inuwa Ibrahim is crying for justice over the unprovoked killing of his 35 year old son, Abdulrahman, who is a father of 5 children, by unidentified hoodlums in Agejeju in Dakina local government area of Kogi state. Alhaji Inuwa, who spoke to newsmen today in Lokoja, capital of Kogi state, said that after spending three nights in Dakina police station where he went to report the killing of his son, and after paying over N50,000 to police officers, all he was told by the police was “don’t be offended by the death of your son.” According to the aggrieved father, the Area Commander of the police in Ayangba collected N25,000 in addition to another N30,000 he spent to allegedly bribe the Dakina Divisional Police Officer as well as to refuel the police vehicles and other expenditures, saying: “all of such efforts ended in nothing.” Narrating the story, Alhaji Inuwa said that on that faithful day, August 8, he went out on his motorcycle with his late son in Itakwe village of Dekina local government area of Kogi state where they had lived for close to 10 years. He said that on their way back to their house, the son took permission to stay behind to observe the late evening prayer before returning home. Inuwa said that he was surprised to hear that some people from another village called Agejeju, about 15 killometre apart, went to where his son was, picked him up after shooting him in his two legs and drove him to their village. He said that the unidentified people, who have been having some misunderstanding with Fulani people in their village, simply brought his son down from the vehicle and shot him to death, along with four others, including one Mallam Saidu with whom his son was taken away. Alhaji Inuwa said that what pained him was that since he has been living in Itakwe with his late son, they had never gone to Agejeju where he was eventually taken to and killed. He also said that he and his family have been living peacefully with neighbours for all the years they stayed in the village, adding that even before they were allowed to settle in the village, they were screened by the local chiefs and security agents and certified to be humble, friendly and peace-loving. Inuwa said that when report reached him that his son had been brutally killed, he rushed to Dakina police station to lodge a report, but that the police did not attend to him until after he had spent three consecutive days and nights. “And when they turned their attention to me, they asked me to fuel their vehicles, pay for all sort of things before they would move to the site of the crime. “Even when they were going, they asked me to remain behind. When they returned, they merely told me that ‘those people’ said that they did not take my son. They asked me not to feel offended and that I should go. “Even when I reported the case to the Area Commander in Ayangba, it did not help the matter; that was after I had been made to part with N25,000 for the Area Commander.” Our correspondent made several efforts to get the version of the police in Dakina and Ayangba but the Divisional Police Officer and the Area Commander snubbed him. However, senior police officers in Dakina, who preferred to be anonymous, confirmed that Alhaji Inuwa lodged complaint about the killing of his son, but that when the police went to the village concerned, no one was ready to point out to the police those who killed the man. “We can’t just arrest anybody on sight since no police was there when the crime was not committed.” [myad]
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has appointed Professor Akeem Olawale Lasisi as Acting Chief Medical Director for the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo. A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the appointment takes effect immediately. A 1990 graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Prof Lasisi, after his mandatory national youth service at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Guma, Benue State between 1991 and 1992, worked at the General Hospital, Ilesa between 1992 and 1993. He started residency training in Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University College Hospital, Ibadan in December 1993 and became a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons in Medical College of Nigeria in May 2002. He joined the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ibadan as a Lecturer in December 2000 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in July 2004 and Professor in October 2010. He has received several travel and research grants including the Faculty of Clinical Science travel grant 2003 and 2005, MacArthur Travel Grant 2006, National Institute of Health Travel grant 2013 and the University of Ibadan MacArthur Foundation Multidisciplinary Team Research Grant in 2008 for the Immunological study of prenatal risk factors of ear infection in first year of life. He is married to Dr. Mrs. Jemilat Lasisi, a fellow of the same College and Lecturer in Physiology/Oral Pathology in the University of Ibadan with 4 children. [myad]
Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar has described Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, wife of the late political sage Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, who died yesterday in Ikene, Ogun state as a mother, a birth day mate, a generous adviser and matriarchal legend.
“I am deeply saddened and immensely touched to lose a mother, birthday mate, generous adviser and matriarchal legend, but glad that I had the privilege to drink from her fountain of abundant wisdom and knowledge.”
Atiku, who holds the traditional title of Turaki Adamawa, said he shares November 25th birthday with the deceased matriarch of the Awolowo family who was already looking forward to celebrating her centenary birthday.
In a statement by his media office in Abuja today, Atiku eulogized and paid glowing tribute to the departed YeyeObaAdimula of Yorubaland and ageless national icon.
“Mama HID (Awolowo) was mother to all and an epitome of honesty, integrity and dignity. She was a rare gem, a symbol of fineness and firmness, a woman of substantial depth on all matters, a devout and dedicated Christian, a successful business tycoon, a faithful and committed wife, and indeed a case-study for current generation of women leaders and those yet unborn.”
The former Vice President, who is also the Aare Adimula of the Source described the grandmother of Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), as “an embodiment of primordial and contemporary history, symbol of traditional norms and virtues, a fashionista of repute and stickler to discipline and transparency; whose indelible imprints on the sands of time would be hard to erase.”
Atiku commiserates with Nigerians, the Yorubas, the people of Osun state and Ikenne and, in particular, members of the nuclear and extended Awolowo dynasty, on the demise of a great woman leader.
This is even as Atiku has asked wives of Nigerian leaders and aspiring female politicians to imbibe and emulate the legacies of endurance, patience, honesty, integrity and dignity that Mama Awolowo, “jewel of inestimable value,” bequeathed to the nation, and the world at large, in the course of her century-old sojourn on earth. [myad]
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