Just In: Bolt rejects Maltese football contract
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reports suggest the mariners are waiting for governing body football federation australia to decide whether it will contribute to a potential aus3 million us2.1 million offer to the 100m world record holder1 sprint superstar usain bolt has turned down a contract from maltese champions valletta and will remain in australia to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer his agent said thursday1 he scored two goals in a pre-season friendly last friday but is yet to be offered a deal with cashed-up valletta dangling a two-year trial-free contract to entice him away earlier this week1 but bolts agent ricky simms said he had opted against a move to the maltese premier league team which is backed by a group of investors from the sanban group in the united arab emirates1 there is a lot of interest in usain playing football he told espn1 we regularly receive similar approaches. i can confirm usain does not wish to pursue this opportunity in malta1 valletta chief executive ghasston slimen told the broadcaster we wish usain bolt all the best with his football career. the valletta fc offer is always on the table1 australias domestic a-league season starts this weekend with the mariners in action on sunday away to brisbane roar. with no contract bolt is not eligible for selection1 club chief executive shaun mielekamp said this week the jamaican will continue his indefinite training period until any further notice1 the eight-time olympic champion has been on trial with a-league club the central coast mariners since arriving down under in august1 sydneys daily telegraph on thursday reported bolt and mielekamp sat down for a coffee in the wake of the malta offer for clarity on his future1 it said the 32-year-old who regards australia as a second home might consider accepting less money if it means locking in a contract1 coach mike mulvey was reluctant thursday to talk about bolt saying he was not involved in contract negotiations1 im really not interested in it contract speculation to tell you the truth he told reporters1 hes been great among the guys and i was very happy for him last week with the two goals he scored but we move on1 mariners captain matt simon dismissed suggestions the chronicles of bolt were distracting the squad ahead of their a-league opener1 hes been here for a couple of months now so everywhere we go with usain everyones talking about him simon said1 weve just been down to business concentrating on the season and putting into practice what weve been doing at training for the last 12 weeks1 bolt who retired from athletics last year has previously tried out with clubs in germany south africa and norway to no avail1

Arsene Wenger returns to coaching
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arsene wenger has indicated he will be back in football management at the start of 2019 but he did not disclose where it will be2 i believe that ill start again on january 1 he told the german newspaper bild . i dont know yet where im headed. i am rested and i am ready to work again2 there are associations national teams it could be also in japan2 thanks to my 22 years at arsenal i have big experience on different levels. there are enquiries from all over the world2 the frenchman is yet to take up a new position since leaving arsenal at the end of last season2 wenger 68 spent 22 years in north london and there had been suggestions he would now look to retire2 wenger spent a year in japan with nagoya grampus eight before his move to arsenal2 he has also been linked with a move to psg working alongside boss thomas tuchel in a general manager capacity2

Mourinho in focus as English Premier League returns
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chelsea have not lost at home to united since october 2012 losing just two of the 16 meetings between the two since then1 when manchester united manager jose mourinho returns on saturday to stamford bridge to face former club chelsea much would not have changed about him regarding his recent comments1 mourinhos words spoken after united fans chanted his name in appreciation of the 3-2 victory may have reflected a weariness at the constant focus on his position at old trafford1 but the spotlight will unavoidably be on the portuguese again1 the manner of uniteds win with three goals in the final 20 minutes of all-out attacking football has raised the question of whether he will change1 the change is for him to embrace a more positive style of play1 nothing in mourinhos history suggests that is likely and the prospect of facing maurizio sarris in-form team at stamford bridge is a strong deterrent against a cavalier approach1 second-placed chelsea are unbeaten level on points with champions manchester city and challengers liverpool and with their belgian forward eden hazard in scintillating form they will start as clear favourites1 manchester united are already seven points behind the leading trio having lost to brighton and hove albion and west ham united on the road and tottenham hotspur at home1 surely mourinho will be keen to ensure they avoid defeat in west london1 he had said its not about me after his teams thrilling comeback win over newcastle united but this is unlikely to be heeded this time1 mourinho has suffered four defeats in six games against his former club since taking over at united1 but as he reminded the media in his recent demand for more respect mourinho won three premier league titles in his two spells as chelsea manager1 the former porto and real madrid boss has never been afraid to play defensively when visiting top rivals1 so for all the hope that he might try to replicate the gung-ho second half display against newcastle united it would be no surprise if he were to revert to type on saturday1 manchester city will expect to pick up three points at home to a burnley side that will feature former city goalkeeper joe hart1 city have not lost at home to the clarets since 1963 and have lost once in their last 19 meetings in all competitions1 liverpool manager juergen klopp will also be expecting maximum points when he faces off with close friend david wagner as the reds travel to huddersfield town on saturday1 huddersfield are 18th in the table have yet to win during this campaign and have managed to score only four goals1 fifth-placed tottenham hotspur visit london rivals west ham on saturday while in-form arsenal host leicester on monday looking for a 10th successive victory in all competitions1 sundays game features everton at home to crystal palace1

NAF wings 91st combat pilot
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by doris esa2 he said the cas noted that these new platforms would improve nafs ability to more effectively respond to national security imperatives1 this brings to 91 the number of winged pilots in three years1 air commodore ibikunle daramola naf director of public relations and information made this known in a statement on wednesday in abuja1 he said that usman recently completed his basic fighter introduction course bfic in the u.s1 he added that the chief of the air staffs quest to re-professionalise the nigerian air force naf through capacity building initiatives have received a further boost with the winging of another young naf combat pilot flying officer salihu usman1 this is besides the 67 naf officers who are currently undergoing flying training in various flying institutions both within and outside the country1 it is therefore expected that by this time next year the total number of new pilots would reach an unprecedented 158 in just 4 years1 more remarkably among the 67 student pilots is the first female naf student fighter pilot who is currently undergoing specialised undergraduate pilot training supt in the usa1 the chief of the air staff cas air marshal sadique abubakar has winged another combat pilot flying officer salihu usman in abuja1 he said that the newly winged pilot was admitted into the nda in august 2010 as a member of 62nd regular combatant course where he obtained a degree in electrical and electronics engineering1 as the best air force cadet in his course he was nominated for iot course at the royal air force college cranwell uk after which he was commissioned into the naf as a pilot officer1 thereafter flying officer usman was nominated for the supt where he earned the u.s. air force silver wing1 upon successful completion of the supt course with outstanding performance the usaf found him worthy of recommendation for the basic fighter introduction course bfic1 he has a total of 265 flying hours on the cessna 172 t-6a and t-38c aircraft types daramola said1 he said that abubakar had expressed delight to receive the pilot back from the u.s. and congratulated him for his outstanding performances during the supt and bfic1 the cas noted that the young pilot was returning to the country at a time when the naf with the kind support of the federal government was about to receive additional combat platforms in the shape of the a-29 super tucano and jf-17 thunder multi-role fighter1 another female student pilot is undergoing helicopter training in south africa to become the first female helicopter pilot in the naf daramola said1

Niger Delta groups condemn smear campaign on Kachikwu
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by nathan nwakamma3 he urged the federal government to scrutinise those making allegations merely to attract attention and sanction them if investigation showed that such allegations were false1 the leaders who spoke to the news agency of nigeria nan in yenagoa said that unwarranted attacks to tarnish the image of kachikwu were unacceptable1 a niger delta activist prince tonye jemenimiema said that frivolous allegations of operating a foreign account while holding a public office was laughable and mischievous1 he said that kachikwu had a fruitful career in the international oil sector spanning several decades and worked in many countries before he rose to become a vice president at exxonmobil before his appointment1 jemenimiema who is also president niger delta youth for practical development noted that the attempt by certain interest groups to discredit kachikwu who is performing creditably in the oil and gas sector was regrettable1 the youth leader said it was an irony that kachikwu who midwifed reforms in the downstream sector of the oil industry and brokered peace in niger delta that stabilised oil production could be targeted by critics1 he said that the region would not condone further attacks on the minister whose laudable polices had translated to transparency in the oil sector adding that those affected by kachikwus reforms were behind the attacks1 it is interesting that the cabal is out again masquerading in another disguise with bogus allegations to demonise the gentle god fearing and upright personality in the face of the public1 this is a man who brought transparency and orderliness to the system. one may ask what is the reputation of the faceless group behind these spurious allegations and campaign of calumny1 what have they contributed towards the advancement of the country1 a coalition of leaders from nine states of the niger delta on wednesday criticised ongoing smear campaign targeted at dr ibe kachikwu minister of state for petroleum resources1 we are very worried and concerned over the safety of our brother who knows if such evil collaborators may resort to going after his life1 we know kachikwu is innocent and must not bow to any pressure to bend him jemenimiema said1 also pastor tiedor olayinka president niger delta youths coalition for peace and progress berated those who felt envious and intimidated by kachikwus verifiable records1 those affected by the reforms carried out under kachikwu are the ones operating behind the scene to cause kachikwus downfall1 the steady attacks on kachikwus hard earned reputation is one too many. they say when you want to kill a dog you hang him a bad name. who is desperate to take kachikwus office1 who is offended by his giant strides as reforming the sector and bringing sanity to the once ailing industry1 it is evident that result achieved by the current administration is traceable to kachikwu1 if it is not degree classification it is now baseless and unfounded allegations asking a man who rose up to the rank of vice president of a multinational oil firm why he is operating foreign account1 these have to stop olayinka said1 he urged the public to be wary of groups whose stock in trade was to spread malicious false allegations against public office holders to blackmail them to succumb to their demands for gratification1 we trust that the frivolous litigation will fall like a pack of cards and the judiciary will not sacrifice the innocent for the wicked1

Israel shuts Gaza crossings after rocket attack
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israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes in gaza on wednesday morning after rockets were launched from the besieged palestinian enclave with one hitting a home in southern israel1 israeli defence minister avigdor lieberman on wednesday ordered shutdown of the crossings between gaza and israel after gaza militants fired rockets at israel a statement released by the defence ministry said1 lieberman also imposed further restrictions on the allowed fishing zone in gaza1 the moves were retribution to rockets fired from gaza at southern israel earlier on wednesday1 one rocket hit a residential home in the southern city of beersheba causing damage. two people were injured as they ran to seek cover. another rocket fell in the sea across central israel shores.1 in response israel launched a wide-scale air attack targeting hamas sites according to the military1 at least one palestinian was killed by the strikes and three others were injured local media reported1 the escalation came after weeks of tensions. gazans have been holding demonstrations near the fence separating gaza from israel since march 30 to protest blockade imposed by israel and egypt1 the protest includes occasional launching of helium-filled balloons to set fires in southern israels arid farmlands1 according to the statement lieberman instructed the military to shut down the erez crossing the only pedestrian passage between the besieged palestinian enclave and israel and the kerem shalom crossing a passage for goods1 at this time idf israel defence forces fighter jets started attacking terror targets in the gaza strip a military spokesperson said in a statement just before 7 a.m. l 0400 a.m. gmt1 at least three people were injured in the strikes on gaza according to local media. a police spokesman said a rocket fired by militants from gaza struck a residential home in the city of beer sheva in southern israel.1 a spokesman for magen david adom medical emergency service said a mother and her three children whose home was struck were being treated for shock1 he said that two other people were injured during a panic to seek cover when the projectile triggered sirens across the city1 later another rocket fell short in the sea across the shore of central israel causing no damage or injuries according to the police1 the municipality of beer sheva said that in the wake of the strike all of the citys schools and kindergartens would remain closed wednesday1 the rocket attack was one of the first in months and came amidst renewed tensions between israel and hamas1 the fire came less than a day after lieberman said his country should deliver a serious blow to gaza strips hamas1

BRISIN Recruitment: FG opens new portal
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by lucy nwachukwu4 the federal government recently opened the portal for the recruitment of 5000 unemployed nigerians in the fct in the pilot phase to drive the implementation of the scheme1 dr anthony uwa the head of brisin implementation told the news agency of nigeria nan on tuesday in abuja that it had become necessary following the difficulty applicants encountered using the previous portal1 uwa said the difficulties were as a result of some technical issues which would soon be resolved1 he said applicants who had started the application process should not be alarmed as they would be able to complete the exercise using the new portal1 he urged applicants that rather than using the website www.brisin.gov.ng initially advertised they should use1 the federal government has redirected applicants on a new basic registry and information system in nigeria brisin employment portal to be used for the recruitment application1 the reason is that brisin is building the first comprehensive data base to include both employed and unemployed with job identifications and verifications1 for this reason www.brisin.gov.ng cannot be used for the recruitment as there has been a little technical break which is being rectified and will be back soon1 the www.brisin.gov.ng will continue its role on information to public on the importance and benefit of brisin to nigeria and its citizens1 we apologiae for the inconveniences this delay could havecaused applicants uwa said1 nan reports thatbrisin is an integrated system for the collection storage and distribution of information to support the management of the economy1 please be informed that the brisin recruitment registration which before now has been on www.brisin.gov.ng is beingre-channelled to which is the brisin employment data base portal1

2019: Okowa presents N367bn Budget proposal
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by ifeanyi nwoko15 delta state governor dr. ifeanyi okowa on wednesday presented a budget proposal of n367 095083451 to the state house of assembly for the 2019 fiscal year1 the budget projected n209 999054198 57.21 for capital expenditure while n157 096029253 42.79 per cent was earmarked for recurrent expenditure1 the 2019 proposal had an increment of n59 billion from the 2018 budget which was n308888558898 three hundred and eight billion eight hundred and eighty-eight million five hundred and fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight naira1 presenting the budget to the delta state house of assembly presided by speaker hon. sheriff oborevwori okowa disclosed that the projected 2019 budget titled budget of sustainable growth would enable his administration consolidate on the successes and achievements1 itemsing some of the achievements okowa said despite the fluctuating fortunes of the economy in the last three-and-half years i humbly note that our state has continued to forge ahead1 workers are paid regularly thousands of previously unemployed youths are gainfully employed and many of our people now enjoy better facilities in terms of roads water education and health1 agriculture has received a strong boost with many cluster farms springing up in different parts of the state and even more importantly our people remain committed to peace and harmonious living he said1 we shall build on this stable growth to position delta state as a dynamic economy for the future indeed a stronger delta beckons1 the news agency of nigeria nan report that road construction and education are to gulp 29 per cent of the budget with roads getting n79.6 billion while the education sector would gulp the sum of n26.8 billion1

Sokoto lawmaker dumps APC after losing primary
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by muhammad nasir bello1 a member of sokoto state house of assembly alhaji muhammad bashir who lost in the bid to secure the all progressive congress apc ticket for the house of representatives has dumped the party1 bashir said on the floor of the assembly on wednesday in sokoto that he has now shifted loyalty to the peoples democratic party pdp1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that bashir was beaten in the primary for yaboshagari federal constituency by alhaji abubakar yabo1 i wish to formally announce my defection from the apc to pdp as provided by section 1091g of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of nigeria he said1 reacting on the development alhaji sani yakubu apc-gudu said the member had been hobnobbing with the pdp for long addingso this defection has not come to us as a surprise1 yakubu disclosed that even after bashir lost the ticket for the federal constituency the apc still returned his state assembly ticket for him to contest1 we wish him well in his new political party and want to assure apc members in his constituency that his departure will translate into huge success for our party he said1

Ezeife throws weight behind Obi as Atikus running mate
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by ericjames ochigbo6 ezeife whose 80th birthday will come up on nov. 21 urged the youths to go about spreading love and wishing people well in order to live long1 in an interview with the news agency of nigeria nan in abuja ezeife described the reaction of those aggrieved over obis selection as shameful1 it will be recalled that some politicians including governors of the south eastern region of the country challenged the selection saying that they were not consulted before obi was selected1 ezeife said that all nigerians igbos and non-igbos were very happy because obi also a former governor of anambra was the kind of politician the country needed1 according to him peter is economical and does not waste money he knows management and he is a thorough business man1 a very few people thought they would have been picked to be atikus running mate.\1 to the extent that they called a meeting in enugu and at the end they were not ashamed to announce that they did not come out with any decision ezeife said1 the former governor said that some igbo elders were in his residence in abuja and they were all complaining and condemning the actions of those politicians1 a former governor of anambra chief chukwuemeka ezeife on wednesday said the choice of peter obi as the running mate of the peoples democratic party pdp 2019 presidential flag bearer atiku abubakar was a welcome development1 i see a ray of light in our society. this atikus nomination and the atmosphere at the pdp convention in port harcourt showed it clearly1 people had expected that after the convention there would be implosion but the way it went and the matured speech of the winner changed the game he said1 going into 2019 general elections ezeife urged all nigerians to work together for the progress of the country1 the former governor said that there were too many divisions along economic ethnic and religious lines and it was not helpful to the nation adding that god had given nigeria a great destiny1 he described nigerians as successful people filled with the motivation for achievements and the determination to succeed1 according to him an ordinary nigerian wants his children to surpass his achievements and the moment we stop pulling ourselves down nigeria will rise1 he said that the minority tribes should raise their voices as they were now equal to every other tribe and would have great impact in the 2019 general elections1 while congratulating obi atiku and all nigerians the elder statesman said that no improvement could be made in the choice of a vice president made by atiku1

Court of Appeal to be built in Uyo: Senator Enang
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the said amendment provides 2. section 121 of the principal act is altered by substituting for subsection 3 a new subsection 3 any amount standing to the credit of the house of assembly of the state and judiciary1 presidential aide senator ita enang says plans have been concluded for the establishment of a court of appeal in uyo akwa ibom state1 according to the statement enang senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matterssenate revealed this at a lecture in uyo1 enang in a lecture titled strengthening the judiciary for effective justice delivery through financial autonomy 2018 2019 legal year said the judiciary in nigeria must be strengthened to ensure effective dispensation of justice to all and sundry1 let me say by way of a loud rumour that by gods grace this state will soon have court of appeal uyo judicial division approved gazetted and commencing sittings1 we have answered all questions that gets this set on the table enang said1 enang who said he played a prominent role in the establishment of the federal high court and national industrial court in the state expressed belief that the proposed court of appeal would bring justice closer to the people of akwa ibom state1 according to him for the judiciary to function effectively there is need for the full implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and referenced the presidential assent on the financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature1 by assent granted by president muhammadu buhari on june 7 2018 to the constitution 4th alteration no.4 2018 constitutional effect was again given to the judiciary and legislative arms of government financial status1 enang made this known in a statement by his media assistant mr essien inyang on monday in abuja1 in the consolidated revenue fund of the state shall be paid directly to the said bodies respectively in the case of judiciary such amount shall be paid directly to the heads of the courts concerned1 this act may be cited as the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria 1999 fourth alteration no. 4 act 20171 earlier amendment and implementation include judiciary pronouncements related to the judiciary only but the latest buhari amendment encompasses the legislative houses1 enang said the continued dependence of the judiciary on the executive arms for its budgeting and funds release is directly responsible for the present state of underfunding of the judiciary poor and inadequate judicial infrastructure and low morale among judicial personnel1 he added that this has led to alleged corruption in the judiciary delays-in administration of justice and judicial services delivery and general low quality and poor out-put by the judiciary1 enang frowned at instances where state governors opposed judicial and legislative autonomy1 he said i have laid out the above in detail to enable the audience appreciate how well the judiciary in this state as well as other states would have done as the federal judiciary has done if it were allowed financial autonomy by the state governors1 he called for synergy between the judiciary and the legislative arms adding that the presidency has been working and will soon unveil the modalities for implementation of the autonomy for judiciary and legislature as one sure step at restructuring1

Duke, Duchess of Sussex expecting 1st baby
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the british royal family has announced that meghan markle the duchess of sussex is pregnant with her first baby for husband the duke of sussex prince harry1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the news was disclosed on the palaces official twitter handle- @kensingtonroyal on monday1 it reads their royal highnesses the duke and duchess of sussex are very pleased to announce that the duchess of sussex is expecting a baby in the spring of 20191 the announcement comes five months after meghan wed prince harry in a glittery ceremony at windsor castle1 prince harry 33 queen elizabeths grandson and fifth-in-line to the british throne got married on 19th of may to meghan markle 36 a u.s. actress best known for her role in the u.s. tv legal drama suits. nan1

Army rolls out Cyber Warfare Command, launches app
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the above statement accurately demonstrates the real threat of information warfare and the need to combat it with information knowledge1 the chief of army staff lt.-gen tukur buratai has inaugurated the nigerian army cyber warfare command a new corps to protect its datanetwork against cyber attack and curb terrorism1 buratai said the cyber operations centre at the army headquarters in abuja would also boost the armys online presence in the fight against fake news targeted at it with counter narratives and cyber operations1 he added that cyber warfare is the fifth domain of warfare after land sea air and space.therefore this project would not have come at a better time than now1 buratai therefore stressed the need for the army to embark on data protection and information warfare to curb online radicalisation as well as other terrorist activities perpetrated on the internet1 according to him the intrinsic features of cyberspace can be easily exploited for information warfare by actors with malicious intent to plant and disseminate fake news and instruct paid users to spread online manipulated content1 this is done to degrade debates with diverging truths deceive distract and misinform public opinion1 this can eventually disorient and corroborate a sense of doubt among the public or shape the opinion of a specific target audience on a certain issue1 hostile actors in cyberspace are also willing and capable of leveraging the variety of tools allowed by computer network operations and computational propaganda to influence public opinion to a degree that old-fashioned psychology operations could only dream of1 he also launched an app that nigerian citizens can download to pass information to the military authorities1 the army chief charged personnel of the new corps which he said was first in africa to equip themselves with digital forensics capabilities to be able to handle cases of identity theft and generate immediate incidence response1 he added that furthermore i encourage you to routinely survey the dark webdarknet and carry out analysis that may help the nigerian army to be proactive in the cyber realm1 buratai noted that in recent times the military had been inundated with several complaints regarding claims bothering on the unprofessional conducts of some of its personnel in the field1 consequently he said the army took it upon itself to create an avenue for the public to submit complaints and information directly to the appropriate authority without third party interference1 he said the avenue is an application that will allow users to relay information anonymously to the nigerian army1 it enables citizens to give timely information to the army thereby facilitating quick response1 additionally crimes against the constitution perpetrated by serving personnel can be directly reported to the army while keeping the person involved abreast with actions taken as regards a submitted complain1 the link to the application will be publicly available on the nigerian army facebook page while the application can be assessed through our website and on apps freely available on various app stores1 the chief of army staff added that users could submit a report as well as attach uploads that would aid the authority in carrying out necessary actions1

Osundare to Fayemi: Restore Ekiti values
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we placed values on hard work knowledge acquisition and our parents sold their farms and clothes to send their children to school. they knew the rights from the wrongs at that time1 literary giant prof niyi osundare on monday tasked governor kayode fayemi to use his second coming to fight poverty and moral decadence in the state and restore long held values of ekiti people1 osundare spoke in ado ekiti on monday while delivering an inauguration lecture entitled reclaiming our land restoring our ekiti of our dream in honour of the governor elect who will be sworn in tuesday to succeed fayose whose four-year tenure expired midnight monday1 he bemoaned how fayose by his conduct and utterances made the globe to brand ekiti people who had hitherto been known to be highly knowledgeable as people who have no values1 he urged fayemi to clean the augean stable by instituting policies that would combat poverty and all forms of social ills that had crept into ekiti through the actions of compromising politicians1 ekiti are people that place priority on knowledge wisdom. they know the values of these virtues. they were regarded as extremely stubborn people because they wont compromise their integrity for anything1 there were times when education was a pride and we had the brightest academics like the late professor sam aluko professor adegoke olubunmo chief afe babalola prof. ojo ugbole and many others1 osundare described former governor ayodele fayose as a demagogue who pounced on the moral degradation in the state to promote stomach infrastructure as a fundamental policy of state1 but there came a demagogue who ran authoritarian government in ekiti in a manner that had never been experienced by any state in nigeria1 he stopped at market places to buy roasted corn and ate in public places just to deceive the people when majority of our graduates were not provided with jobs and farm products were wasting away and our value system collapsed calamitously1 education that was regarded as our best industry was not well funded and our graduates that had earlier been regarded as the best in nigeria for decades became practically half-baked and unemployable. book and elitist thinking were his enemies1 the culture of stomach infrastructure was introduced and ekiti became a laughing stock . how populism manifests itself and the politician banked on the vulnerability in the system to mislead our youths1 with fayemi coming on board he needs to tackle poverty and reenact value reorientation in ekiti. he must come with policies and programme of actions that will prohibit miracle centres where students passed without reading and make ekiti vegetation centre of knowledge1 his fayemi nose and ears must be closed to the grounds he must be close to the people and eradicate ignorance and poverty that make our people to believe in stomach infrastructure1 this is yourfayemi second chance and significant opportunity to rewrite your name in gold and make significant impacts on the lives of ekiti people for real restoration of our value system osundare stated1

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen dies
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appreciate the support ive received1 paul allen a co-founder of microsoft has died at 65 from complications of non-hodgkins lymphoma a cancer that starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes which are part of the bodys immune system1 my brother was a remarkable individual on every level. while most knew paul allen as a technologist and philanthropist for us he was a much loved brother and uncle and an exceptional friend1 pauls family and friends were blessed to experience his wit warmth his generosity and deep concern. for all the demands on his schedule there was always time for family and friends. at this time of loss and grief for us and so many others we are profoundly grateful for the care and concern he demonstrated every day1 allen was also owner of the nfls seattle seahawks and nbas portland trail blazers1 he announced on october 1st that the cancer he had defeated in 2009 had returned1 ive begun treatment1 his family made the obituary announcement in a statement on monday through his sister jody allen1 born in seattle allen attended washington state university for two years before dropping out to co-found microsoft in 1975 with bill gates a friend of his from high school1 allen who left microsoft in 1983 set up investment firm vulcan inc in 1986 to manage his multibillion-dollar portfolio1 paul allens contributions to our company our industry and to our community are indispensable microsoft chief executive officer satya nadella said in a statement1 as co-founder of microsoft in his own quiet and persistent way he created magical products experiences and institutions and in doing so he changed the world1 allen who ranked 44th on forbes magazines 2018 list of billionaires with a 20.5 billion fortune was a major benefactor in seattle funding everything from libraries and universities to brain research1 his investments include ownership stakes in several professional sports teams including the nbas portland trail blazers nfls seattle seahawks and seattle sounders fc of major league soccer1

Kano govt discredits video on Ganduje, threatens court action
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kano state government has discredited the trending video portraying governor abdullahi umar ganduje collecting some dollars as bribe from a contractor1 commissioner of information youths and culture malam muhammad garba described the video as a cloned work distorted and disjointed and calculated to discredit ganduje1 garba said the unidentified source is a serial blackmailer and extorter adding that government will seek redress in court1 the office of the attorney general and commissioner for justice is challenging the implausible and eccentric posting of the cloned video that went viral in a court of law considering the gravity of the caricature which indicates the extent to which mischievous elements can go to discredit public figures by wielding non-existent scandals against them1 a mere observation of the cloned video clearly shows that the video is doctored and disjointed with no material facts or evidence to prove the allegations other than a callous attempt to tarnish the hard earned image of the office and the person of the governor1 the governor of kano state wishes to once again emphatically debunk the allegation of receiving gratification of 5million or any amount whatsoever from any person or body1 it is important to draw the attention of the general public to the fact that the alleger is a serial blackmailer and extorter. we are also aware that the hidden motive is to reduce the popularity of the governor and consequently affect the anticipated quantum of apc votes from kano in the 2019 general elections1 while the state government is taking the legal action we wish to assure the good people of kano that his excellency will remain focus and continue with laudable programmes that will add value to the lives of the people of kano state. we also call on the general public especially members of the apc to remain calm and always be law abiding1

Army arrests informant, kills bandits
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the camps were discovered to have been littered with emptied alcoholic bottles used syringes and some narcotic substances1 the nigerian army has arrested an informant and killed some armed bandits in some troubled areas in kaduna state1 the 1 division deputy director army public relations col. muhammad dole said in kaduna on sunday that the troops acted under operation whirl punch continue to clear bandits kidnappers recover arms and destroy their camps1 he also disclosed that in another successful operation a combined effort between the troops and local vigilante group raided an identified camp in kidandan general area1 as a result one bandit was neutralised others escaped with gun shots injuries and one ak 47 rifle with 25 rounds of 7.62mm special was recovered1 dole said acting on reliable information on activities of kidnappers at unguwar maigwari troops swung into action raided an identified kidnappers camps along doka rijana road1 the 1 division nigerian army kaduna on sunday killed armed bandit in kidandan and arrested an informant at doka-rijana road both in birnin gawri and kachia local government area in kaduna state1 during the raid one informant was arrested and three dane guns were recovered. he said1 the spokesman said on oct. 9 troops launched raid operation in kamuku forest where bandits used to harbour and plan their nefarious activities1 several bandits were killed and the camps destroyed1 he however said the troops under operation whirl punch will continue to raid all suspected camps and maintain aggressive patrols in order to ensure safety of lives and properties of the innocent citizens1 the level of cooperation and support from the locals is highly appreciated and they are urged to sustain it so as to be able to eliminate the criminals in our midst. dole said. nan1

Obasanjo splits ACF
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the views expressed by anthony sani were his personal views as an individual. for the avoidance of doubt all acf official statements on any matter come through and from the national publicity secretary only1 the arewa consultative forum acf a socio-political organisation of the north has split over former president olusegun obasanjos declaration and endorsement of former vice president atiku abubakar pdps presidential candidate for 2019 election1 the northern organisation has suddenly realised that it was not in the character of the forum to attack the views of former nigerian leaders1 it is not in the character of the forum to attack the views of former nigerian leaders1 it is not in the character of acf to attack the views or opinion of the former president and elder statesmen of chief obasanjos status on national issues in such uncomplimentary manner1 chief obasanjo as an elder statesman is entitled to his opinion on all issues including democracy as he had previously endorsed presidential candidates1 the reaction to sanis remarks was made by the national publicity secretary mr. muhammad ibrahim biu on sunday said1 biu said that the purported interview granted by sani was his personal views1 it is not in the character of acf to attack the views or opinion of the former president and elder statesmen of chief obasanjos status on national issues in such uncomplimentary manner chief obasanjo as an elder statesman is entitled to his opinion on all issues including democracy as he had previously endorsed presidential candidates1 acf therefore dissociates itself from the contents of that interview granted by mr anthony sani as it was not the position of acf1 acf reacted to its general secretary mr. anthony sanis description of obasanjo as suffering from a dearth of vision conviction and consistency required of a statesman reports1 according to the sani attacked obasanjos endorsement of former vice president and presidential candidate of the peoples democratic party pdp alhaji atiku abubakar1 he said obasanjo is suffering from a dearth of vision and conviction required of a statesman1 sani an elder statesman however noted that with the level of obasanjos inconsistency he may change his mind again and withdraw his support for atiku before 20191 sani said obasanjo as a statesman is expected to be an embodiment of national ideals and moral values for the nation1 he said that the way obasanjo has conducted himself by tearing his pdps card and saying he would no more play partisan politics and forming a movement which he said is third force only for him to convert it to a political party of adc culminating in the endorsement of former vice president atiku reeks of inconsistency which comes with a dearth of vision and conviction required of a statesman1 it is democracy in action which at once confirms the saying that the only thing that is permanent in politics is interest no permanent friends or enemies1 if you consider what the former president has written about his former vice president abubakar atiku to the extent of saying god would not forgive him if he endorsed atiku for president then you can hardly avoid the conclusion that common decency is yet to take root in our democracy especially when regard is paid to the place of the former president in the order of things in nigeria1 president obasanjo is a statesman who is expected to be an embodiment of national ideals and moral values for the nation. but the way he has conducted himself by tearing his pdp card and saying he would no more play partisan politics and forming a movement which he said is third force only for him to convert it to a political party of adc culminating in the endorsement of former vp atiku reeks of inconsistency that comes with dearth of vision and conviction required of statesmen1 that may explain why most nigerians may be curt and dismissive of the former president out of fear that he is just like a reed who can change his mind before the day of elections in 2019 quoted sani as saying1 source and1

No travel ban list: Presidency
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the order is not politics and there is no political gain behind its activation1 the presidency has denied issuing a list of nigerians affected by a travel ban as it also clarified that the executive order no. 6 is not a political weapon against opposition but part of revolutionary efforts to rid nigeria of corruption1 i want to confirm to you that we have not issued any list and we are not doing so the presidential aide said1 these cases are well known and to say this or that name is on it will open the door to further accusations including trial by media1 the immgration service and other security agencies have the mandate of the president to carry out enforcement and they will do so giving due respects to individual rights in line with the constitutionhe said1 the presidential aide was reacting to a trail of criticisms over the implementation of the eo6 by the federal government1 shehu dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that the activation of the eo 6 was targeted at some individuals or politicians in the country1 eo 6 is not only revolutionary to the efforts to rid nigeria of corruption but a manifestation of systemic changes that are required to make necessary adjustments as we carry on with the war against corruption1 the very essence of the order is to make for speedy trials and conclusion of graft cases1 malam garba shehu the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity issued the clarification today after a national newspaper published a list containing 50 names of people cutting across the two main political parties and the military establishment1 these high profile cases we are talking about have been ongoing for between seven to 10 years with no end in sight. these cases were mostly originated by administrations other than this one1 what is clear is that the access to these resources by the suspects has enabled them to be in a composition to sometime compromise investigation prosecution and trial1 he further explained that in most of the cases the courts were held in a helpless position by legal acrobatics paid for from corrupt enrichment by the suspects1 he therefore expressed the hope that the new measures put in place would compel everyone involved to make for a speedy conclusion of these cases1 if it is your money you have it back. if it belongs to the public it goes back to the treasury he said1 shehu added that the question of the constitutionality of the restriction order had been answered by the fact that a court of the land has given government a clean sheet1 the executive order is legal and constitutional and therefore implementable1 one of the cardinal objectives of the government under our constitution is to fight corruption. fighting corruption is a responsibility and obligation upon the government he further maintained1

Kachikwu, Baru advocate gas economy for Nigeria
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by edith ike-eboh6 he said that a review of the 2008 gas policy was on going to tackle all issues concerning the gas sector1 they both made the assertion on monday at the nigerian gas association 11th international conference and exhibition holding in abuja1 presenting a keynote address baru said nigeria was more of a gas than an oil nation1 he spoke on the topic gas as catalyst for sustainable national growth1 with the huge deposit of gas in the country it is germane that we leverage on the potential to grow our economy1 gas has significant impact on the gross domestic product gdp as it impacts on agriculture power and other sectors which influences economic growth he said1 he noted that in the last eight years government had invested in about 500 km of gas pipeline infrastructure adding that there was the need for more to be done1 in the last eight years we have completed and commissioned over 500 km gas pipelines which are now delivering gas to our power plants and industries1 some of the completed pipelines include the oben-geregu 196km escarvos-warri-oben 110km emuren-itoki 50km itoki-olurunshogo 31km imo river -alaoji 24km and ukanafun-calabar pipelines 128km1 he said that the corporation under the current administration had invested in gas pipeline projects and also signed mous on gas development1 baru said the nnpc is completing the construction of the 48 inches by 130km obiafu-obrikom-oben 0b3 east-west interconnection pipelines which would deliver 2bscdf of gas1 dr maikanti baru group managing director nigerian national petroleum corporate nnpc and minister of state for petroleum resources dr ibe kachikwu said the huge gas deposit in the country was a veritable tool for economic diversification1 in addition we are completing the expansion of the existing escravos to lagos pipeline elps to double the installed capacity of elps from 1.1bscfd to 2.2bscfd1 this will be commissioned by the end of this year he added1 commenting on gas production he said that the current average gas production in the country was in the region of 8.5bscfd out of which about 43 per cent or 3.7bscfd was exported1 he added that 3.2 per cent or 2.7bscfd was utilised for gas re-injection or gas lift 18 per cent or 1.5 bscfdwas for domestic and industrial use1 according to him the balance of 7 per cent or 0.6bscfd is flared daily1 this he said was unfortunate adding that efforts were on to stop the gas flaring1 baru further noted that pipeline vandalism funding among others remained a major challenge in the effort to develop the sector1 in his remarks kachikwu reiterated the need to create enabling environment for gas to lead in the economic diversification in the country1 he said that nigeria had all it takes to broaden its economy through gas given its huge deposit of natural gas1 the minister commended entrepreneurs striving to develop the sector andassured of improved policy and legal framework for the growth of the sector1 we expect to complete and commission this pipeline early 20191