The President of the Senate Dr, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu have raised the alarm over an alleged plot to implicate them and some of their colleagues in the PDP in the National Assembly invasion saga.

This is contained in a statement co-signed byYusuph Olaniyonu,Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to President of the Senate and Uche Anichukwu,Special Adviser on Media to Deputy Senate President.

According to the statement, they alleged that the Federal Government plans to implicate them inlast Tuesdays Invasion of the premises of the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The Federal Government had sacked the DG of DSS Lawal Daura over the invasion, a move which the National Assembly leadership had earlier commended.

The presiding officers of the Senate however alleged that after receiving the interim report submitted by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Idris Ibrahim, the Presidency has today constituted a closet panel to review the report and submit a final recommendation.

The mandate of this closet panel, the two legislators stated, is to turn facts on the head and blame the invasion of the National Assembly on the two leaders of the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, who will then be presented as having worked in tandem with the sacked Director General of the DSS, Mallam Lawal Daura to stage the parliamentary security breach.

We have been reliably informed that instead of the Presidency to set up a public inquiry or judicial commission to probe last Tuesdays early morning Invasion of the National Assembly as being demanded by the general public, they have commenced a process of manipulation and fabrication.

The Presidency has set up a closet panel, which would work to a predetermined conclusion in which they will now claim that the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President worked in collusion with ex-DG of DSS, Lawal Daura to stage the invasion.

They want to shield the fact that the previous night before the invasion and up till the early hours of Tuesday, there was a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators and that the plan was for them to be moved in a coaster bus into the National Assembly complex later that morning for them to purportedly remove us and select a new Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

Their plot only failed because the media, particularly social media, Nigerians and international community responded very swiftly as some legislators who came into the complex were refused entry by gun-wielding, hooded security operatives.

Now, they want to turn the facts on its head and blame us for their botched plot against democracy. We are hereby alerting all Nigerians and members of the international community that the present Nigerian government will stop at nothing to destroy, suppress and incapacitate the opposition. This is their new tactic and plot as we approach the period of the 2019 polls.

We hereby reiterate our earlier position that the coup against democracy as represented by last weeks invasion must be probed through an independent judicial commission of inquiry which will produce a comprehensive report. We reject any manipulated and fabricated investigation, Saraki and Ekweremadu stated.

The presiding officers added that they have also uncovered a sinister plot in which the government plans to use the anti-graft and security agencies to incarcerate them and some members of their families from next week, all in a bid to break their will and effect their removal.

Source: NAN

Pioneer Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has cautioned Nigerians against stealing so as not to hand over a failed nation to their children.

Ribadu gave the advice at the presentation of First Year Report of Corruption Anonymous (CORA) project by African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that there were many challenges facing the country and that though the resources to address them were available, corruption was stalling the processing of addressing them.

We need to stop this corruption and get to use the resources we have maximally to address the problems in our nation, if not we will continue to be in problems.

This will continue for years and our children will inherit failure; the only way to stop it is if we stop stealing and taking public money.

What is corruption? It is simply stealing, and stealing from our common wealth, taking what ordinarily belongs to all of us that ought to be used for all of us.

Money that should be used to make our police workable and functioning is being stolen.

Police that will work and not steal from the people or a military that will be able to do its work to stop insurgency in a short period of time, he said.

Ribadu added that Nigeria was not emulating other countries, asking why is the military in other parts of the world succeeding? Why are we not?

Why should we allow our own insurgency to linger for 10 years?

Why is Algeria, Mali stopping it in one year, why not Nigeria? I am telling you its all because of corruption.

He said that corruption was the cancer that destroyed and rendered institutions ineffective and useless because it would not make Nigeria have the equipment to get results like other countries.

He urged Nigerians to collectively join hands regardless of their level, put away politics of selfish interest and address the issue of corruption for the good of the nation.

On his part, Deputy Director, MacArthur Foundation, Mr Dayo Olaide, said that the foundation had committed itself to helping Nigeria to fight corruption.

Olaide said that there was need to strengthen Nigerians to embrace the anti-corruption fight because it could only be won with synergy between citizens and government.

He also stressed the need for corrupt Nigerians in Diaspora to be brought under the whistle-blowing policy, adding that the law should not exempt anyone.

Olaide urged the government to have the willingness to strengthen the protection of Nigerians under the policy.

He also called on the National Assembly to pass the numerous anti-corruption bills before it to strengthen the fight against corruption.

Mr Chido Onumah, Coordinator, AFRICMIL, said that the organisation launched CORA to engage civil society organisations and Nigerians in tackling corruption.

Onumah said that the project was aimed at creating awareness about whistle-blowing and making Nigerians to see the need to adopt whistle-blowing as a tool for reducing corruption in the country.

Source: NAN

Dr. Elishama Ideh, a Presidential aspirant under the platform of the Alliance for a New Nigeria (ANN), has pulled out of the party, alleging that the party has been hijacked.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, Dr. Ideh said that she would not be participating in the Partys Convention scheduled for Saturday August 11.

According to her, the principled upon which she joined the party has been eroded and replaced with a new order completely different and with corrupt tendencies of the past.

She stressed that she remains resolute in her determination to birth a new Nigeria but added that she would do that under a new platform which she would disclose at a later date.

As things stand at the moment, the party structure has been hijacked by a certain character, Interestingly, up till now, this character has not as much as declared his interest in running.

It is evident that theres no level playing field for aspirants on the platform of the party and we are being sidelined in the agreed processes.

To this end, I will not be participating in the partys CONVENTION scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, August 11, 2018.

I am not desperate to be in a particular political party, I have principles and values that have regulated my life up until now and they are that have invested me with the passion and zeal for a new Nigeria.

For me, I am here to cause a total shift from the old and stinking thinking politics that has held us in servitude to backwardness and poverty. Never must new wine be put in an old wine skin. It certainly will burst, Ideh said.

She however insisted that she was not backing away from her aspiration to be the President of Nigeria.

Let it be clear that I stand on the right side of history and that this ship of destiny is still very much on course to bring Nigeria into a new day of prosperity and progress.

My desire is to serve my Fatherland with integrity, compassion and purpose and to entrench the principles of SHARED VISION, SHARED VALUE and SHARED RESPONSIBILITY in our nation.

This easily is the pathway for our nation to emerge out of the present quagmire into the true freedom of productive nations.

And this, I am totally committed to as annunciated in my 7 point agenda required to eradicate Extreme Poverty that cover the following fundamental areas:

Security, law and order: Human capital development: Great, affordable and accessible healthcare: Good governance: Industrialisation and Infrastructure: Women and youth inclusion and sports and tourism, she said.

She added that she would announce a new party on a later date.

Source: NAN

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is to visit Zamfara on Tuesday to inaugurate some projects, Alhaji Lawal Liman, the Chairman, state governments 7th anniversary committee, has said.

Liman made this known on Friday while inspecting some of the projects to be inaugurated in Talata-Mafara and Bakura local government areas as part of activities to celebrate the 7th anniversary of Gov. Abdulaziz Yaris administration.

Liman, who is also the state Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), said that the projects to be inaugurated included Government Girls College, Talata-Mafara, Talata-Mafara Bypass road and Abubakar Tinau Special Primary School, Mafara.

Others are the Semi-Urban Water Project in Gamji town and the renovated General Hospital, Bakura.

According to him, over 100 completed projects have been listed to be inaugurated between and November to celebrate the anniversary.

Liman said that President Muhammadu Buhari was also expected to visit the state in September to inaugurate some projects.

He urged the benefitting communities to assist government in maintaining the projects.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that committee also inspected the 61-km Kaura/Namoda-Birnin/Magaji-Dauran Road and the Birnin-Magaji General Hospital still under construction.

Source: NAN

Many feared dead as gunmen launched fresh attack on villages in Katsina-Ala Local Government area in Benue state, on Friday.

Unconfirmed reports put the number of people killed at more than 11.

The attacks, said to have started in the morning, occurred in Tse-Ujoh- Tiev inside Katsina-Ala local government area.

Governor Samuel Ortom described the attack as unacceptable urging security agencies to step up their game.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, assured the people of Katsina-Ala that steps had been taken to prevent further attacks in the area, adding that three persons had been arrested in connection with the attack.

The statement further said, Governor Ortom reassured the people of the state that his administration will not allow armed militia to continue to terrorise communities.

He encouraged anyone with information that can lead to the apprehension of the gang to contact the police, Department of State Services or the military, the statement said.

The State Command spokesman, DSP Moses Yamu, confirmed that nine people were killed.

We got information that some militia suspected to be of Shitile, attacked Tse Ujoh village of Ikyurav-Tiev council ward where nine people were killed, Yamu said.

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) took off the gloves and knocked Senator Bukola Saraki, with bare knuckle on Thursday, declaring him unfit to be President of the Senate.

The party said this in a blistering statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena, its acting National Publicity Secretary in Abuja.

It was the first reaction from the party, since Saraki addressed a press conference Wednesday posturing himself as a defender of democracy, against the backdrop of a reckless blockade of the National Assembly by the sacked director-general of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura.

Saraki heaped the blame on the executive, a claim debunked promptly by the sacking of Daura and condemnation of the action, by acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

The APC was obviously not impressed by Saraki’s grandstanding and declared that he should be put where he belonged.

“The Senate must do everything possible to put Saraki where he rightly belongs; the back seat.

“He is definitely not a fit and proper person to preside over the country’s upper and revered legislative house,”the statement said.

It noted that in every democratic country, the position of the Senate President was one of the highest political offices one could attain.

Such position the statement said, was reserved for the best of the best, experienced and exemplary politicians who by their character and conduct in public offices, the younger generation look up to as role models.

It added that in terms of exemplary personage, the reverse was the case in respect to Saraki.

According to the statement, Saraki has been “a dismal failure” and has been involved in one controversy or the other since he became the President of the Senate.

This, it noted included; budget padding, legislative rascality, and sabotage of matters of national interest, among other criminalities too numerous to mention.

“Having suffered under the 16-year misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Saraki will go down in our country’s history as the worst Senate President Nigeria has had the misfortune to have.

“Since his usurpation of the coveted seat, achieved through a wicked conspiracy with members of the opposition PDP, it has been from one controversy to another.

“The code of conduct trial for false declaration of assets; conspiracy with his deputy to fraudulently alter the rules of the Senate and links to the deadly armed robbers who wasted many lives in the Offa robbery attack.

“It is alleged that some of the robbery suspects were his political thugs used to rig elections; a common adage says: “show me your friends and I will tell you who you are,”it said.

The statement stressed that Saraki was definitely not a good example for political leadership in the country.

It further stressed that all over the world, the leadership of the legislature was provided by the political party with majority members.

It added that in spite of this, Saraki would in the absence of many members of his former party, the APC, connive and conspire with members of the opposition PDP to emerge Senate President.

The statement noted that in the process, Saraki traded off the Deputy Senate President position to the opposition PDP.

It said that even with Saraki’s defection to the opposition PDP, and with APC in the majority in the Senate, he still had the impudence to present himself as the President of the Senate.

The statement maintained that political ambition should be made of nobler stuff.

“One is of course not surprised as Saraki’s greed, selfishness, treachery, disregard for protocol and constituted authority is well-reported.

“In terms of treachery, Dr Saraki’s public humiliation of his late father and sister comes readily to mind; a traitor will always be a traitor, however the time and place,”the statement said.

The party added that a man who betrayed his father, sister (many times), and the APC administration by sabotaging the executive and defecting to the PDP had no character, principles, values and integrity.

The statement added that Saraki was only interested in his personal interest.

“The question is not if he will defect again from PDP if Bukola Saraki’s interest is not served, but WHEN he will do so. Such mean men are not interested in the Nigeria of our dreams,”the statement said.

The Full Statement

In every democratic country, the position of the Senate President is one of the highest political offices one can attain. It is a position reserved for the best of the best, experienced and exemplary politicians who by their character and conduct in public offices, the younger generation look up to as role models.

In terms of exemplary personage, the reverse is the case in respect of the current Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who has been a dismal failure and has been involved in one controversy or the other – budget padding, filibustering, legislative rascality, sabotage of matters of national interest, among other criminalities too numerous to mention.

Having suffered under the 16-year misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Saraki will go down in our country’s history as the worst Senate President Nigeria has had the misfortune to have. Since his usurpation of the coveted seat, achieved through a wicked conspiracy with members of the opposition PDP, it has been from one controversy to another – the Code of Conduct trial for false declaration of assets; conspiracy with his deputy to fraudulently alter the rules of the Senate and links to the deadly armed robbers who wasted many lives in the Offa robbery attack. It is alleged that some of the robbery suspects were his political thugs used to rig elections; a common adage says: “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are”.

Dr. Saraki is definitely not our good example for political leadership.

All over the world, the leadership of the legislature is provided by the political party with majority members. But Dr. Saraki would in the absence of many members of his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), connive and conspire with members of the opposition PDP to emerge Senate President, and in the process tradeoff the Deputy Senate President position to the opposition PDP – a political betrayal and treachery even the devil would be envious of.

Even at this time he has defected to the opposition PDP, and with APC still in the majority in the Senate, Dr. Saraki still has the impudence to present himself as the Senate President. Political ambition should be made of nobler stuff.

One is of course not surprised as Dr. Saraki’s greed, selfishness, treachery, disregard for protocol and constituted authority is well-reported. In terms of treachery, Dr. Saraki’s public humiliation of his late father and sister comes readily to mind.

A traitor will always be a traitor, however the time and place. The Senate must do everything possible to put Dr. Saraki where he rightly belongs – the back seat. He is definitely not a fit and proper person to preside over the country’s upper and revered legislative house.

A man who betrayed his father, sister (many times), his party PDP in 2014, the APC in 2015 by conspiring with opposition PDP senators to emerge Senate President, APC administration by sabotaging the executive and defecting to the PDP in 2018 has no character, principles, values and integrity. His only interest is Bukola Saraki, Bukola Saraki and Bukola Saraki. The question is not IF he will defect again from PDP if Bukola Saraki’s interest is not served, but WHEN he will do so. Such mean men are not interested in the Nigeria of our dreams.

SIGNED:

Mr. Yekini Nabena

Ag. National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress (APC)

Gareth Bale has served notice that he is ready to shine without Cristiano Ronaldo, factoring in both goals as Real Madrid wrapped up their US tour with a 2-1 win over Roma on Tuesday.

Bale and Marco Asensio scored for Real Madrid who put on a strong performance especially in the first half of the International Champions Cup friendly at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Real Madrid is hoping Bale is ready to fully evolve into the player they signed for a world record fee in 2013.

The 33-year-old Ronaldo ended a nine-year spell at Real Madrid by recently signing with Italian champions Juventus.

Were scoring goals and were winning matches, so were doing well, Bale said. We have to keep improving and were really looking forward to starting the new season.

Asensio, with his third goal of the preseason, opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest. Bale delivered a brilliant pass to the foot of Asensio and he found the back of the net.

Real Madrid struck again in the 15th minute as Bale would score this time, taking an equally superb pass from Dani Carvajal. Bale walked in and beat goalkeeper Robin Olsen to make it 2-0.

Real Madrid wasnt nearly as dominant in the second half as most of their starting squad was subbed off.

Kevin Strootman made it interesting by scoring in the 83rd minute for Roma.

Strootman was left wide open off a throw-in and headed pass and all he had to do was hammer it past the startled Real Madrid goalkeeper.

Source: NAN

Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, who became the oldest player in World Cup history in Russia, has announced his retirement from international soccer at aged 45.

El-Hadary earned the last of his 159 caps for the national team in a 2-1 group stage defeat by Saudi Arabia as Egypt crashed out of the tournament with three losses.

The veteran overtook Colombias Faryd Mondragon, who played the last five minutes of a group game in Brazil four years ago, at the age of 43 years and three days.

After 22 years, four months and 12 days, I saw it as the best moment to hang up my gloves, El-Hadary said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Im proud to have played with the national team in 159 internationals, participating in unprecedented achievements.

I hope I have succeeded in my mission over the past years.

I extend my thanks and gratitude to my family, who have borne the difficulties of my life and supported me in all my steps.

Source: NAN

Chelsea are splashing a world record 80 million euro or $92m on Athletic Bilbaos goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after they agreed terms with Real Madrid for the transfer of Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

No fee was revealed for the transfer of the Courtois, who had just one more year to run on his Chelsea contract, although Spanish media claimed that the deal is worth around 35 million euros.

Chelsea added in a statement that subject to the completion of the Courtois deal, Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic would join the Blues from Real on a season-long loan.

The English giants have been forced into finding a replacement for Courtois, 26, after he failed to report for pre-season training on Monday.

Courtois joined Chelsea from Genk in 2011, but spent three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid before returning to London where he won two Premier League titles in four seasons.

And with his two children still resident in the Spanish capital, Courtoiss agent claimed earlier this week family commitments were a motivating factor in forcing a move to the European champions.

He has made it clear to the club that the best option for him is to move to Madrid, Christophe Henrotay told the Sun newspaper.

For him this is a big decision because he wants to be near his family, and there is an offer in place for Chelsea to accept.

Just weeks after Liverpool broke the record transfer fee for a goalkeeper in a deal worth up to 72.5 million euros for Brazilian international Alisson Becker, the inexperienced Arrizabalaga, 23, is now set to inherit the title of the worlds most expensive goalkeeper.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bilbao confirmed that Arrizabalaga had paid his buyout clause at the leagues headquarters in Madrid to free him from his contract with Athletic.

Arrizabalaga has played 53 times in La Liga for Bilbao over the last two seasons, and made his international debut in a 5-0 friendly win over Costa Rica in November 2017.

He was also in the Spain squad for the World Cup in Russia as back-up to David De Gea, but has yet to make his competitive debut for Spain.

But for a late change of course due to the wishes of former Real boss Zinedine Zidane, Arrizabalaga could have joined Madrid himself in January when his buyout clause was just 20 million euros.

However, after that move collapsed, he signed a new seven-year deal with the Basque side that dramatically increased his release clause and has cost Chelsea dear.

Source: NAN

Australian teenager and midfielder Daniel Arzani hasjoined England champions Manchester City from sister club Melbourne City.He is expected to be sent out on loan.

The 19 year-old Iranian born player was hailed as one of the countrys brightest young stars by a Manchester City director after he signed for the Premier League champions on Thursday.

He was the youngest ever member of an Australia squad for a World Cup finals and played in all three of their group matches in Russia.

Arzani who put down his talent to playing street football in his birthplace of Khorramabad follows compatriot Aaron Mooy, in treading the same path to City.

Mooy is now at Huddersfield Town where he played a pivotal role in their promotion to the Premier League in 2017.

In a short period of time, Daniel has developed into one of Australias brightest young stars and has demonstrated the drive and raw talent required for success at the highest level, Brian Marwood, the managing director of global football for City Group, told the club website.

This pathway was first forged by Aaron Mooy just two years ago, and we are all delighted to see another Australian-grown talent make this move.

Arzani who was also the youngest player at the World Cup finals joined Melbourne City in 2016, the following 2017-18 A-League campaign became his breakthrough season, where his exciting attacking play saw him win a host of admirers, culminating in him being named the leagues Young Footballer of the Year award.

However, an immediate spell with City will not be the avenue they explore preferring Arzani who was six when his parents emigrated to Australia accrue experience elsewhere.

Manchester City are now exploring a development pathway for Arzani, and a further announcement regarding a loan to progress his career will be made in the coming days, said the club in a statement.

Source: NAN