Indians Celebrate New British PM, Sunak, Coming 75 Years After Its Independence

October 26, 2022

Indians have rolled out drums to celebrate the new British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak of Indian origin, who they say is ascending to British leadership after 75 years of gaining Independence from the same Britain.

The ascension of Sunak, they said, also coincided with Diwali, the biggest Hindu festival.

Social media was abuzz with congratulatory messages with some people regarding Sunak’s Conservative Party leadership victory as a payback for the former colonizers.

According to some Indian social media users, Sunak’s ascent to the top post British position was particularly significant as it coincided with India’s 75 years of freedom from British rule.

Leading national TV news channel, New Delhi Television, also congratulated Mr Sunak, running the words: “Indian son rises over the empire”.

India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, congratulated Sunak on Twitter, saying that he is looking forward to working closely together on global issues.

Celebrating Sunak’s victory, another Indian twitter user wrote: “If Netflix hasn’t yet, they should start a mini-series on how a couple of Indians plotted to take revenge on the British by ruling them — the Brits found out and chased them to Africa. They never gave up and finally succeeded three generations later with Rishi Sunak.”

Twitter user Amol Kumar said: “Rishi Sunak is the new UK PM on Diwali 2022. Britain gets the very first Indian-origin Prime Minister.”

“Who would have thought when India celebrates 75 years of independence from the British, the British will get a Prime Minister of Indian origin, a first-ever Hindu PM,” renowned South Indian actor Chiranjeevi Konidela tweeted.

The 42-year-old Sunak is Britain’s youngest prime minister in more than 200 years. He was chosen by a governing Conservative Party desperate to fix its own infractures and guide the country through political and economic turbulence.

Security Alerts: US, UK Are Being Mischievous – Nigerian Intelligence Community

Editorial staff

October 26, 2022

Intelligence operatives in Nigeria have described the recent security alerts issued by some foreign embassies in Nigeria, especially from the United States and United Kingdom as mischievous and counter-productive to the efforts of the security operatives in the country.

In the new Travel Advisory, the US government listed 14 states in Nigeria that they warned their citizens not to travel to due to what it calls: “crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and maritime crime.”
A top member of the intelligence Community, who asked not to be named, said that the alerts issued by the United Kingdom and United States Embassies were intended to rubbish milestone achievements which the intelligence community and other security agencies are making to keep the country safe, irrespective of emergent security challenges that are not peculiar to Nigeria.
“Already, the security agencies have performed exceeding well in recent times , in terms of interception of calls, arrest of terrorists commanders and elimination of their fighters.
“It is unfortunate that while we share security advisories with the embassies on the need for security consciousness, just as we occasionally announce in public statements, these foreign missions use the same to compromise our security efforts.
“What they did is deliberate, considering that we have been transparent and responsible in providing regular security advisory, especially as we are approaching an election year.
“They are aware that our recently upgraded military platforms and sophisticated digital technology tools have been assisting security agencies in curbing terrorism and violent crimes across the country
“There are certain successes recorded that cannot be publicly disclosed to avoid jeopardizing or compromising national security. Since security matters are highly-strategic and confidential, we don’t go about explaining our vendors who supplied them or the processes and strategies to anyone or the media.”
Another intelligence operative, working with the Nigerian Armed Forces, lamented how the foreign missions are comprising national security and trying to project themselves as a shadow government.
In a furious tone, the senior officer said: “Are they the ones to inform Nigerians about any kind of security threat in our land, when no other nation could do that in their countries? What have they achieved with the media frenzy that followed?
“They should know that it is not all intelligence operations that our security agencies must divulge. But that does not mean our security agencies are not on top of every security situation.”
In its latest travel advisory, the US government warned its citizens to avoid traveling to 14 states due to insecurity. The states are: Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Gombe in North-East; Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara in Northwest; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers states in South-South.
It was observed that no state was mentioned in North-Central, South-West and South-East.
This was even as the Federal Government has expressed strong disapproval with the unverified security alert.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at a ministerial panel of the ongoing UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Week, chided Nigerian media outlets and social media personalities for spreading the security alerts without verifying their authenticity.
Lai Mohammed was a panelist at the UNESCO session with the topic, “National Media and Information Literacy Frameworks, Sustaining Beyond Disinformation’’ moderated by Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO.
In his presentation, Lai Mohammed said the warning issued by the embassies are not the true position of the security situation in the country, and could create unnecessary tension and panic.
He also condemned the media outfits which fed on the unverified security alert to attract traffic to their site without considering the effects on the country.
He reiterated his position that the country “is safer today than at any time in recent times,” with the efforts and sacrifices of the military and other security agencies.
The minister said the security forces had been proactive and as far as insecurity is concerned, the worst is over for Nigeria.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians not to panic but to be alert at all times.
“We do not discountenance the fact that terrorists, bandits and their kind would always want to do whatever it takes to disrupt our nation’s peace, security and stability.
“Well, I can assure all that our military and other security agencies have continued to do everything possible to secure and protect Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria.
“Terrorists have been hard hit and put on the run. Bandits have been decimated and scattered,’’ he said.
source: PRNigeria.

Abia Court Orders Federal Govt To Return Kanu To Kenya And Pay Him N500 Million

Editorial staff

October 26, 2022

A Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State has ordered the Federal Government to return Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to Kenya before his rendition on June 19, 2021. The court also awarded Kanu N500 million in general damages.

Delivering judgment, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, referred to the Court of Appeal’s judgment of October13 in Abuja and granted all the eight reliefs sought by Kanu, which bothered on extraordinary rendition.

Kanu had prayed to the court to redress his infamous unlawful expulsion or extraordinary rendition from Kenya by the Federal Government.

The suit, which was filed in March this year, has the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federal and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and President Muhammadu Buhari as respondents.

The court, today, October 26, held that the expulsion or extraordinary rendition of Kanu is a clear violation of his fundamental rights under Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, as well as Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution.

It held that the manner of arrest, torture, continued detention and denial of the right to a fair hearing amounted to a brazen violation of Kanu’s rights.

In a one-and-half-hour judgment, Anyadike held that the burden was on the respondents to justify their actions, which they failed to do so.

Source: NAN.

Atiku Lied Against Me; It Is Unbecoming Of Presidential Candidate To Lie – Gov Ortom

Editorial staff

October 26, 2022

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has accused the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) to which he belongs, Atiku Abubakar, of lying against him and demanded publicly apologize over his comment that he (the governor) is profiling Fulani herdsmen.

Governor Ortom said that the comment about him profiling Fulani herdsmen by the PDP presidential candidate was a disgrace to him and the people of his state. He denied the allegation saying that he didn’t profile any Fulani herdsmen, but that the Fulanis stole cows from his farm.

The governor, who was addressing youths that protested in his honour said that though Atiku had apologized to him personally over his comment about Fulani, but that he (Atiku) had refused to apologize publicly.

Atiku had earlier accused Ortom of profiling Fulanis at the interactive forum organized by the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna.

The governor reminded Atiku that only the Fulanis cannot make him president in the 2023 general election.

“I vehemently condemn the statement against me by Atiku. When it got to me, I chatted with him through a WhatsApp message and he apologized but declined to make a public apology.

“You cannot undress an elder like me in public and come back to dress me in the room. Let it be on record that at no point did I tell him that Benue people were stealing my cows. He lied against me and I take exception to this and demand an apology. It is unbecoming of a presidential candidate to tell lies.

“I never profiled Fulanis and did not say all of them are bad. They are my friends, they can even go into my bedroom. I have never sent any Fulani man away.

“But I’m against the Fulani terrorist coming from Niger, Chad, Senegal, Mali. He must do a retraction. If he does not, on the day of the election we will vote according to the election.

“We cannot vote for a president who will continue the carnage against our people. He wants to use me as a scapegoat. Atiku is unfair to the people. You think Fulani will make you President, you lie. You have committed sacrilege against the Benue people.

“I want to assure all ethnic groups and even foreigners of their safety in the land. I want to assure Benue people that under my watch such people will be apprehended.

“Our baby is PDP you do not throw away the baby and the bath water. Benue State is PDP and PDP is Benue and I remain obedient servant,” Ortom remarked.

CBN Redesigns N200, N500, N1,000 Notes, To Start Operation In December

Editorial staff

October 26, 2022

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is redesigning the N200, N500, and N1,000 notes, which have been scheduled to be put to use from December 15 this year.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed this today, October 26, at a special media briefing in Abuja, hinted that the action was taken in order to take control of the currency in circulation.

According to Emefiele, the apex bank has secured the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to roll out new notes to replace the existing currency in circulation.

“In line with the provisions of Sections 2(b), Section 18(a) and Section 19, Sub section(a) and (b) (2007), the management of the CBN has sought and obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to redesign, produce, release and circulate new series of banknotes at N200, N500 and N1,00 levels.

“In line with this approval, we have finalised arrangements for the new currency to begin circulation from December 15, 2022 after its launch by President Buhari. The new and existing currencies shall remain legal tender and circulate together until January 31, 2023 when the existing currencies shall cease to be a legal tender.”

The CBN Governor is also concerned about how Nigerian currency is being stored currently, saying that the bulk of the nation’s currency notes had been outside bank vaults and that the CBN would not allow the situation to continue.

“To be more specific, as of the end of September 2022, available data at the CBN indicates that N2.7 trillion out of the N3.3 trillion currency in circulation was outside the vault of commercial banks across the country and supposedly held by members of the public.

“Evidently, currency in circulation has more than doubled since 2015, rising from N1.46 trillion in December 2015 to N3.2 trillion as of September 2022. I must say that this is a worrisome trend that must not be continued to be allowed.”

According to Emefiele, the initiative by the CBN will help address some of the nation’s security threats, especially kidnapping and terrorism.

He noted that terrorists and kidnappers have been capitalizing on the large excess of money to carry out their nefarious activities.

Why I’m Lucky To Be Vice President To Buhari, Osinbajo Confesses

Greenbarge Reporters

October 25, 2022

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has confessed many reasons why he considers himself lucky to be number two man to President Muhammadu Buhari in the governance of Nigeria.

He described the relationship between him and President Buhari as ideal and exemplary, saying that he has been “more fortunate than others in my relationship with my principal, Mr. President.”

Vice President Osinbajo spoke today, October 25, at the launch of the book titled: “Deputising and Governance in Nigeria” by the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

According to the Vice President, President Buhari “genuinely believes in the role of the Vice President. When he was leaving on medical leave, the second time, there were a few things that were outstanding to send to him, and he said: “I don’t want you to send me anything. It is your job now; just make sure you do a good job.
“As former President Jonathan said, of his relationship with late Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the President does not expect me to call him when he is away. He expects that I know what to do and should do it.
“Indeed, once when I called him, he said: “Professor, I am on leave, you are supposed to do your job. Do whatever you want to do, when I come back, we will discuss it.

“And that is the way we have always related. I think that is ideal, and I recommend it to principals everywhere.”
Professor Osinbajo said that in the Constitutional Democracy, the effectiveness of the number two, the Vice President, depends a great deal on the trust reposed in him by the President, adding: “that is a function of loyalty.”

The Vice President stressed that the importance of dedication, loyalty and service in political office on governance is very important.
Osinbajo noted the analogy of the spare trye widely used to describe the role of the deputy to the President, saying that a better description would be that of the relationship between a captain of a flight and his deputy.
“Imagine a commercial flight with people, including yourself on a plane, there is the captain, and then there is his deputy. The captain flies the plane, but no human being can be completely focused for several hours.

“So, sometimes he gets up and goes to the bathroom, while the flight is on, his deputy had better be a good pilot otherwise lives are at risk.
“Can you imagine a situation where the captain leaves the cockpit briefly and you hear an announcement from the cockpit, “ladies and gentlemen, I am the deputy to the captain, the captain is in the restroom, and I am only a spare tyre and I am not sure what to do now?” If you are on that plane you will ask God for forgiveness, for expecting that a deputy or vice plays no role.”
The Vice President said: “the deputy or vice must be up to the task every day. He must be the most hardworking in the government, bringing his own skills and talents in representing the principal as efficiently and effectively as possible every single day.”
according to him, unlike deputy governors, Vice Presidents have a few more well-defined constitutional roles.
“The Vice President is the chair of NEC, the monthly meeting of 36 governors, the Chair of the National Planning Commission, the Chair of the National Council on Privatization, the Chair of several boards and also deputy of several other official bodies.”
Professor Osinbajo observed that the book is “full of wisdom and wit from a practical politician and erudite social scientist, Governor Umar Ganduje.
“Governor Ganduje is worth studying not because he has always succeeded politically, but because he failed many times, yet he always knew how to lose and not get lost.”
Professor Osinbajo observed that Governor Ganduje has first-hand knowledge and experience to write on such an important subject of ‘Deputising and Governance in Nigeria’, having served as deputy before becoming governor himself.
“More importantly, on the subject of deputizing, no one has his experience. He has been deputy governor twice.

“Governor Ganduje is one of the few who from being deputy governor, became governor and he is perhaps the only governor who has now put forward his deputy to succeed him.”
He noted that it is rare for a politician to write a book that is not about himself or herself and their great achievements.
“This book is not about Ganduje and his achievements, it is more a textbook on governance and politics. And we have heard this most eloquently from Prof. Jega, the book reviewer today, it contains important nuggets on those two subjects.
“In my very early interactions with him, and there have been many, I found that Umar Ganduje is probably one of the wittiest, most cerebral and most humorous politicians that you could ever found. I always find his views incredibly witty and perceptive. I thought it would be interesting to have his thoughts in writing somewhere. If you are looking for a deep, witty, unforgettable analysis of a subject, you have your man.”

Atiku Donates N50 Million To Victims Of Flood In Bayelsa, Wants Disaster Relief Fund

Greenbarge Reporters

October 25, 2022

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has donated the sum of N50 million to the victims of flood disaster in Bayelsa State.

This was even as he called on the federal government to launch what he called “an independent Flood Disaster Relief Fund” that will provide succour to the victims of the floods.
Atiku spoke today, October 25, when he paid personal a visit to Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, to sympathize with the state government and victims of the flood disaster across the state.

The opposition Presidential candidate also advocated for charity towards assisting the victims, explained that such relief fund should come in the form of a national emergency relief fund, similar in scope to what was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He appealed his personal friends and associates in the corporate world and in private capacities “to join in this cause.
“I also wish to call on governments at all levels to immediately activate measures to forestall the food shortages and further increment in the already high cost of food that are bound to arise from the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmlands.

“There is no doubt that a large number of the victims are farmers. I also wish to make a plea for the establishment of a temporary fund for farmers to ameliorate their losses and give them capital for next year’s planting season.
“Part of the plans to lessen the burden on Nigerians is for the federal government to consider increased releases of grains from our Strategic Food Reserves and reviewing our import policies to allow for the interim importation of food to make up for shortfalls in food production.”
Atiku said that to forestall the recurrences of such devastating levels of flooding, the government must build the critical infrastructure required to contain excess water along the banks of the Rivers Niger and Benue.
he noted that the change in climate is a pointer to every human community to be circumspect in leadership recruitments, adding that Climate change is a convergence between politics and nature. Atiku argued that leadership and policies must also change to deal with the dramatic changes we are witnessing around us.
“If we get our politics wrong by electing leaders who choose to play politics with climate change, and refuse to make necessary investments in smart solutions, we will be living in the relics of times past, unmindful of our attendant vulnerabilities.
“It is worrisome that the current APC administration has failed to show leadership and empathy in the management of the disaster.
“Climate change is real and its effects are both local and global.
“If elected as President in the presidential elections next year, I shall commit to completing the Dasin-Hausa Dam in Adamawa State to manage the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
“I shall also commit to working with state governments like Bayelsa to build the required flood management infrastructure such as levees and dykes in key locations in the Niger and Benue Basins.
“The dredging of the rivers and estuaries through which inland waters empties into the sea will help in stemming flooding in the Niger Delta areas.
“My government, if given the opportunity, will retool our disaster awareness apparatus, such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), to better forecast disasters and give the warning signals required to activate our national emergency response protocols.
“This retooling will also include the reform of the Nigerian Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure that it anticipates and responds to disasters such as this, more efficiently than it did, in the current situation.
“My government will ensure that we are never again this badly prepared or lacking in the infrastructure and response protocols to forestall devastation of this nature from natural disasters such as this.”

100 Medical Doctors abandoned Nasarawa For Saudi Arabia In A Year – NMA Complains

Editorial staff

October 25, 2022

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Nasarawa State chapter has complained that over 100 medical doctors working at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Federal Medical Center (FMC), Keffi and the state Hospital Management Board (HMB), have left the state to take appointment in Saudi Arabia.

The NMA chairman in the state, Dr. Peter Attah, who made the complain at a news briefing today, October 25 in Lafia, to mark 2022 Physicians’ Week, said also that out of about 550 licensed doctors working in the state, no fewer than 350 are working with FMC while about 200 work at DASH, HMB and some other government institutions such as Federal University of Lafia. Others include the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA), and Nasarawa Sate University, Keffi.

“Over 100 doctors that were working in DASH, FMC Keffi, and HMB have left the state to Saudi Arabia as a result of brain drain in the state in the last one year.”

He, however, said that in July the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital replaced about 30 doctors and that within one month and in the middle of last month, more than10 doctors also resigned and left the state.

Dr. Attah said that in the last quarter of 2020, Nasarawa state government through the hospital management board, employed 30 doctors and out of which less than five doctors are currently on the ground.

He disclosed that Dalhatu Specialist Hospital lost five doctors less than one month to FMC Keffi, due to the volume of work and shortage of manpower.

He said that generally in the country, it is one doctor to 10,000 patients, but in Nasarawa State, the situation is worse with one doctor to 20,000 citizens.

NCC Offers 2 More Slots On 3.5GHz Band For 5G Services

Editorial staff

October 25, 2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has put up another two slots of spectrum in the 3.5GHz Spectrum band for auction before end of 2022, to boost deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) services in Nigeria.

The process, which was made public on 21st October 2022 with the publication of the Draft Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction on the Commission’s website, invited stakeholders to study the Memorandum for purposes of making submissions ahead of a review of the IM on 16th November 2022.

The final IM is slated for publication on 18th December 2022, while applications will be received by the Commission from 21st November 2022. The closing date for the submission of application, the deadline for payment of mandatory Intention-To-Bid Deposit (IBD), and the Pre-Qualification Stage is set for 5th December 2022.

Qualified bidders would be notified on 5th December 2022 while notification and publication of the Mock Auction and Auction date will occur on the same day. The Mock Action is billed for 16th December 2022 just as the Auction proper takes place three days later, on 19th December 2022.

The process is anticipated to enter its grant stage on 21st December 2022 with the publication of provisional bid winners and the notification of provisional award of licence.

The year 2023 will open with the payment for Spectrum Licence and Operational Licence, where applicable, on 20th January 2023 and on the 23rd of January 2023, the auction process will be concluded with the publication of the result.

Meanwhile, according to the Information Memorandum, pursuant to the issuance of the IM, the Commission reserves the right to make available additional information through the publication of further documentation. Therefore, interested parties are advised to stay abreast with developments in the licensing process by checking regularly for updates on the Commission’s website.

ASUU Goes To Court, Challenges Minister Ngige Over CONUA, NAMDA Registration

Editorial staff

October 25, 2022

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dragged the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige before the National Industrial Court challenging the registration of Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).

Senator Ngige was listed as the first defendant while CONUA and NAMDA were listed as the third and fourth defendants, according to the court documents filed today, October 25.

The suit sought a declaration that “the 1st Defendant is not competent to register the 3rd and 4th defendants [respectively] to co-exist alongside and carry out the same functions with the claimant in the universities in Nigeria” citing Sections 40 [2] of the Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria 1999 as amended and Sections 3 [2] and 5 [4] of the Trade Unions Act.

ASUU, prayed the industrial court to declare the certificate of registration issued to CONUA and NAMDA illegal.

“That the certificate of registration issued by the 2nd Defendant to the 3rd and 4th Defendants on or about the 4th day of October 2022 to function as trade unions in the universities in Nigeria is illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever,” parts of the suit read as filed by Femi Falana, ASUU’s lawyer.

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