All the big guns of the All Progressives Congress,(APC) including President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, all the governors were present as the national convention of the party opened in Abuja.

The event at the Eagle Square, which was well attended by party supporters and delegates defied expectations of fake news peddlers that the party would implode.

Rather, the party by bringing everyone together demonstrated its unity.

Former Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun expressed delight over the unity by members and leaders, in spite of the fake news industry.

And President Buhari also urged members with grievances to keep faith with the party.

The convention affirmed the election of former governor Adams Oshiomhole as chairman. The election of 19 other officers of the party was also affirmed.

President Muhammadu Buhari commended members and leadership of the party for adopting consensus as a first option in the election of the partys national officials.

The President said the process had led to a lot of healing and cohesion across the states and the zones, and even where elections were inevitable.

He, therefore, enjoined members to bury all their differences, keep faith with the party and accept the outcome of the convention.

He said: I have been assured that the process adopted will result in clear and undisputed results.

Again I am appealing to all contestants to keep faith with the party.

I, therefore, appeal to all to put our great party ahead of personal considerations and to accept the outcome of the exercise in good faith.

You are all important to our partys progress and all must come together to ensure success in the forthcoming polls so as to enable us to continue the good work we have been doing for our fellow Nigerians. .

The President also assured all members of the party that despite a few lingering issues with the recently concluded congresses in some states, the party would emerge stronger after the convention.

According to him, the unresolved cases of the congresses are the price the party has to pay for success, as everyone wants to be associated with a winning team.

He, therefore, implored all those with grievances to keep faith with the party until we put things right.

I want to assure everyone here that despite a few lingering issues with the congresses in some states, our great party will emerge stronger after this convention.

The unresolved cases we have is the price we have to pay for success, as everyone wants to be associated with a winning team.

I am imploring all those with grievances to keep faith with the party until we put things right, he said.

The President, who led delegates from Katsina state to cast his vote at the convention, thanked the outgoing National Executives of the party, for their tireless efforts in securing victory for the party at the last elections and managing the success thereafter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 22 positions including that of the National Chairman of the party as of the time of filing this report emerged unopposed.

Source: NAN

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa survived a blast at a ruling ZANU-PF party rally Saturday in Bulawayo, his spokesman said, adding that he had been taken to safety after the incident.

But one of two Vice Presidents, Kembo Mohadi was injured, according to The Zimbabwe Herald.

Mohadi suffered leg injuries in the bomb blast.

The Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was also injured, Herald said.

There were two other senior Government officials that were also affected, who have been admitted to the hospital. But the newspaper did not give their names.

According to the Herald, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is also reported to be safe.

Presidential spokesman Mr George Charamba said: President Mnangagwa has not been injured and is at Bulawayo State House. Investigations are underway and more details will be given to the public. There have been multiple attempts on the Presidents life over the past five years.

The Sunday Mail said several security personnel attached to VIPs were also injured

Images broadcast on Zimbabwean TV showed scenes of chaos and medics fighting to save those wounded by the blast at the White City stadium in the countrys second city Bulawayo.

The president was evacuated successfully. He is at state house in Bulawayo, said Mnangagwas spokesman George Charamba.

We suspect its an explosion, certainly it was close to the VVIP stage.

Mnangagwa had been in the city to campaign for votes ahead of nationwide elections due on July 30.

They are the first polls since veteran leader Robert Mugabe was ousted following a brief military takeover in November last year, after 37 years in power.

It will be a key test for Mnangagwa, who succeeded the long-serving autocrat Mugabe seven months ago, and remains untested at the ballot box.

He has pledged to hold free and fair elections as he seeks to mend international relations.

Source: NAN

The conduct of the convention of All Progressives Congress (APC) with 6,800 delegates is as a sign of victory in the 2019 elections, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, has said.

The delegates to the party convention in Abuja are from the 36 states and FCT to elect new officers into the APCs National Working Committee (NWC) whose tenure would expire on June 25.

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other big guns were at the Eagles Square, venue of the convention.

Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole was affirmed by the delegates as the Chairman of the party alongside some others, a situation Ajimobi sees as a sign of victory.

That Oshiomhole is coming as the partys chairman is a sign that APC will win 2019 election, he said.

On his part, a chieftain of the party and ex-governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva, said: We are expecting a very great and successful convention.

Another party chieftain from Abia, Mr Emeka Nwogu, said his expectation was high and it would be met.

We are going to have a very beautiful convention; orderly, peaceful and a free and fair election, he said.

He said though some party officers would vie for election unopposed, he said there would be election in some positions that were being contested.

Nwogu, who was a former minister of Labour and Employment, assured that the convention would make the party to come out stronger and formidable.

This is a convention before election and we are going to be successful with this convention, he said.

He advised the winners and the losers in the election to accept the outcome in good faith for the unity of the party.

We are going to have election in 2019 and the party is going to do better than we did in 2015, he said.

Musicians and traditional dancers took turns to entertain the crowd as presiding officers watched over ballot boxes for the election of the remaining seats.

A medical booth was stationed at strategic positions to handle any emergency medical situation.

Source: NAN

The Presidency says the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention holding at the Eagle Square, Abuja, would serve as a quit notice to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, gave the assurance to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing convention arena.

Enang, who said he expected a peaceful poll at the convention, said the successful completion of the occasion would also indicate a quit notice to the Ekiti States incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose.

NAN reports that the governorship election in the state, which is scheduled to hold on July 14, has the immediate-past Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, as the APC gubernatorial candidate.

It is a signal to PDP and Ayo Peter Fayose that we have served him quit notice and that he will quit.

With the strength of APC in the Federal Government at the federal level and the strength of APC in Ekiti State, we will win Ekiti and we will sack PDP from the seat, Enang said.

He said he expected a fruitful and rancour-free convention.

He urged the winners and losers in the ongoing convention to display a spirit of sportsmanship.

My words for the winners today, be magnanimous in victory, and for the losers, be also accommodating. Let all those who lose also play into the party, let those who win accommodate those who may not win today, he said.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the convention would go well and come out successful.

You can see that everybody is happy to be here. We are lucky that we have Muhammadu Buhari as our president; everybody loves him.

No matter the differences or disagreement in the generality of membership, the presidents position as a beloved leader and mentor is sacrosanct. And I think that will contribute largely to the final successful outcome of this convention, he said.

Source: NAN

Luka Modric, captain of the Croatian football team has revealed the tactics used to beat two-time world champions, Argentina, saying they simply caged their most dangerous player, Lionel Messi.

“We cut off Messi, stopped him receiving the ball, he’s their most dangerous player,” said Modric who scored a stunning second goal from outside the box.

Modric who was voted Budweiser Man of the match further said about the 3-0 victory: “In the end our victory looks easy but it wasn’t that easy. I think the win was fully deserved, but it wasn’t easy. That first goal, in the second half, followed a mistake. It was a shot in the arm for us – we played a perfect game and you need a perfect game to beat such a great team”.

Croatia Coach Zlatko Dalic in an interview after the match praised his team for the feat at Nizhny Novgorod.

“From day one I’ve trusted my team. I didn’t believe we would be through after the second game, but I believed we would be through eventually. Argentina weren’t confused, we were excellent”, he said.

“We’ve emerged from the group after two games. We’ve beaten Argentina with the best player in the world – Messi – and we played a fantastic match, everything was top notch. However, we have to be calm, humble, dignified, put in a good shift in a disciplined and responsible manner and as a team. I want my 22nd player in the squad to be as good as my first. Hunger and desire for victory: this is the only way we can achieve something. No one is happier than I am but I have to be calm, composed and keep my feet on the ground.”

For Argentina coach, Jorge Sampaoli, it was game tactics that went wrong. He did not heap the blame either on keeper Caballero whose error caused the first goal or underfire Leo Messi. He apologised to the fans and claimed responsibility.

“I think because of the reality of the Argentinian squad, it clouds Leo Messi’s brilliance. Leo is limited because the team doesn’t gel ideally with him as it should. As coaches we need to realise these things and try to deal with them and I’m the one that needs to accept it,” Sampaoli said.

“I don’t know about shame, but I definitely feel pain. It’s been a long time as a coach since I’ve been through this experience and it’s much more painful when I’m wearing the jersey of my country. [In the last match] we have to fight, give it our all, and we really have no other alternative. There’s pain because we weren’t at the level that the Argentinian people expect of us.

“I beg for the fans’ forgiveness. Especially for those that make the great efforts to travel and see Argentina. I am responsible for this result. I believe I did the best job I could and I quite simply did not find a way to give them what they wanted.”

The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has assured the Russian Government that Nigeria is conducive for investors especially in the oil, gas, agriculture, mining and power sectors of the economy.

Saraki stated this during a meeting with the leadership of the Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in Moscow, led by its Chairperson, Ms. Valentina Matviyenko.

Russia could take a more active part in economic and business projects in Nigeria. Your State must necessarily play its role on the African continent, Saraki said. Together we could consider new opportunities for mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

He called for increased access for Nigerians willing to visit and do business in Russia, improved trade relations and military support to aid Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and irregular migration.

He said that there is greater need for parliamentary cooperation and collaboration between the two parliaments in order to entrench better legislative practices, cross fertilize ideas and improve relations between both countries.

He said while Nigeria appreciates the assistance the Russian Government has rendered to Nigeria in the supply of military hardware to fight Boko Haram, more support is needed to fully restore security and normalcy in affected areas.

He said that the National Assembly is eager to work with the Russian Parliament to strengthen Nigeria-Russia relations and by extension the African continent.

Russia and Nigeria need to strengthen cooperation for the prosperity of our peoples, Saraki said.

On her part, Chairperson of the Federation Council, Ms. Valentina Matviyenko, said the Russian Parliament will continue to build on the good relations between Nigeria and Russia while collaborating closely with the National Assembly.

She thanked the President of the Senate and his delegation for the visit Senate and said that Russia values the existing good diplomatic relations between both countries.

Source: NAN

The coast is virtually clear for former governor Adams Oshiomholes bid for the chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress.

The last of his rivals, Chief Clement Ebri, also a former Governor of Cross River, announced his withdrawal from the race, leaving Oshiomhole now unopposed.

Ebris decision to withdraw from the race was made known on Thursday in his letter titled: Withdrawal from National Championship race, in Abuja.

Ebris decision came ahead of the partys National Convention slated for Saturday and followed two other chairmanship aspirants withdrawal from the race.

He stated in the letter that his decision to withdraw from the race came after due consultations with friends, family and associates in the interest of the party.

He added that the decision was also taken in his belief that all stakeholders must tow in the same rancour free direction as the 2019 general election approaches.

Ebri noted that what happened in the leadership of the APC was directly responsible as to whether it could deliver on its promises to Nigerians to provide them with better lives.

He said that such was the core conviction that drove him into declaring his candidacy for the partys National chairmanship position in the first place.

He also stated that the fundamental task of the APC was to win elections, adding that it behoved on the party to offer its elected officials a means for organising government.

This, Ebri said, became the primary link between the people and government.

He also urged his supporters to transfer their support for his aspiration to former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the APC.

We should all render him every support and encouragement he needs as he and his team proceed to rebuild our party into a formidable, unified and inclusive organisation where every voice counts, he said.

Source: NAN

The Police Command in Kaduna on Friday said it had arrested nine suspected members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) known as the Shiite over violent attack on police officers in the state.

The states Commissioner of Police, Mr Austin Iwar, disclosed this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Muhktar Aliyu in Kaduna,

Aliyu also confirmed the killing of a police officer during the attack.

He said the command had deployed men from its intelligence unit to trail the leaders and coordinators of the attack.

The command wishes to inform the general public that again, on the June 21, 2018, at about 10:00 hours, the violent members of the proscribed IMN popularly refer to as Shiite, armed with guns, knives and Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) violently attacked every police officer on sight, during which they brutally killed a police officer and injured several others, Aliyu said.

He described the action as confrontational and a calculated attempt to force the police into conflict with the group to disrupt the peace in the state.

In the cause of containing the incident, a number of suspects were arrested and will soon be charged to court.

The police will not leave any stone unturned in making sure that those who are bent on perpetrating evil through violence are brought to book.

Members of the public are enjoined to work with the police and other security agencies by providing timely information on any emerging threat to our collective peaceful existence.

They are also to caution their relations and wards to desist from supporting or joining the violent group as the command has resolved to apply the full weight of the law in dealing with persons disturbing the peace in the state, Aliyu said.

Source: NAN

Five activists putting on a play about the horror of human trafficking were allegedly abducted and gang-raped at gunpoint in Indias eastern state of Jharkhand this week, police said on Friday.

The women, who work with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) supported by local Christian missionaries, were staging street plays against human trafficking in Khunti, a predominantly tribal district on Tuesday, when they were attacked.

As the play was in progress, a group of six armed men came on bikes and beat up the men accompanying them.

They then took the women away at gunpoint to the forests nearby where they were sexually assaulted, a local police officer said requesting anonymity.

The victims, aged between 19 and 35, were later released.

They filed a police complaint on Wednesday, while police arrested one of the suspects on Thursday and detained several more for questioning.

Medical tests to confirm the sexual assault were being conducted.

Police said the attackers were supporters of Pathalgadi, a tribal system that considers the village council the sole authority governing the village and which does not recognise the states authority.

The heinous crime was committed apparently by supporters of this movement, who wanted to send a message to NGOs and government agencies to stay clear of their villages, the police officer said.

Media reports said the rapists made a video and used it to threaten the women with exposure if they complained.

Attacks on women, particularly sexual violence, have been a focus in India since the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi in 2012 triggered mass protests. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

Mr. Jones Abiri, the man said to have been arrested by the Department of State Services , DSS, is not a journalist and does not belong to any chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journlists, Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity clarified Thursday night.

Shehu said Abiri was arrested for pipeline vandalism and crude theft, including militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The presidential spokesman was reacting to a statement at the World Congress of International Press Institute in Abuja that a journalist, known as Jones Abiri was arrested in the course of his work.

On the issue of the arrest and continued detention of Mr Jones Abiri, who allegedly parades himself as a journalist, by the Department of State Services (DSS), it is instructive to note that the accused is a guest of the security agency because of his alleged involvement in militant and criminal activities.

Admittedly, the issue of Abiri had been brought to the attention of the Presidency by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

As a true believer in the rule of law and the integral role of the media in a democracy, the Presidency did interface with the security agency involved in the matter and our findings confirmed that the suspect is in custody because of alleged involvement in pipeline vandalism and theft.

Abiri is not a registered journalist with any of the media professional bodies in the country.

Shehu further stated that there was no evidence to show that Abiri belonged to any chapel or membership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) or payment of the unions check-off dues.

Abiris stock-in-trade and notoriety in the liberalised Nigeria media industry include fronting as a spokesman for militants engaged in economic sabotage in the Niger Delta region, he added.

According to the presidential aide, President Buhari is resolutely committed to the freedom of the press and his administration will ensure that media personnel in the country discharge their duties without let or hindrance.

He, therefore, frowned at those individuals or groups insinuating that President Buhari was in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media.

It is therefore very uncharitable for anyone or group to suggest otherwise or infer that the President is in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media.

The presidential spokesman maintained that the Buhari administration would continue to promote the freedom and safety of journalists.

He reassured that the administration would also do nothing untoward to damage the credibility it had demonstrated in promoting press freedom since coming into power in May 2015.

Source: NAN