The World Bank Group is excited with the growth of Nigeria and expressed satisfaction with the performance of the economy.

The commendation was contained in a statement by the bank on Monday, after the conclusion of a visit to Nigeria by 10 Executive Directors of the bank from May 9 to 12.

According to the statement, the visit was to enable the banks management team get a better understanding of Nigerias development priorities with a special focus on the energy sector.

The Executive Directors held discussions with the Vice President of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance and Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Edo, Lagos, Taraba and Yobe, other senior government officials.

The Directors discussed the security challenges in the Northeast and Middle belt regions and how to achieve development in these challenging environments.

Our visit to Nigeria was to get a better understanding of the country, assess the World Banks interventions on the ground, and support opportunities that will keep the country on a path of sustained development, said

We commend Nigerias implementation of its new Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) and the Power Sector Recovery Plan (PSRP), both of which are important for regional integration.

It will also ensure trade and capital flows, which will ultimately lead to greater growth, says World Bank.

According to the statement, the Executive Directors also met with beneficiaries of the World Bank Group supported projects in agriculture, education, health, youth employment, community development, soil erosion and public financial management.

Similarly, they met with representatives of the private sector, civil society organisations, diplomatic missions and development partners.

The group also visited the newly commissioned Edo Power Plant in Benin City, which was a key project in the governments power sector reform agenda and is supported by three arms of the World Bank Group,

The three arms are; the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the World Bank.

In Lagos, the delegation visited microfinance clients, mostly women, to gain an understanding of how the funds they had received impacted their livelihoods.

They also had an interactive meeting with private sector executives, which highlighted the need to sustain business reforms and provide affordable and reliable power to improve the living standards of all Nigerians.

The Executive Directors observed that Nigeria continues to implement institutional policy reforms for restoring macroeconomic resilience and growth across sectors with support from the World Bank Group.

They reiterated the World Bank Groups commitment to supporting Nigerias growth in a way that is inclusive, job enhancing, and reduces poverty and inequality.

Critical to this inclusive growth objective is reforming the power sector, boosting critical investments in human development, and mobilising finance for development by creating a conducive environment for private sector participation, the bank said.

The bank also emphasised the importance of Nigeria to the sub-region and therefore the countrys central role in its regional strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa.

It will be recalled that Nigeria has been one of IFCs fastest growing portfolios and represents IFCs fifth largest global country exposure, with a committed volume of 1.6 billion dollars.

Also, Nigeria is MIGAs fifth largest country exposure in Sub-Saharan Africa, with current exposure of 334 million dollars.

The Nigeria Country Partnership Strategy extending to 2019 has an investment of 8.8 billion dollars through the International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). (NAN)

Source: NAN

Nigerias Foreign Ministry on Monday said that the Immigration attach, Mr Habibu Almu, who was assassinated in Khartoum, Sudan, May 10, was murdered by a female Sudanese of Nigerian origin.

She was identified as Miss Inas Khalid Maikano. On her Facebook page, where she last made a posting in April 2016, she wrote her name as Enas Maikano. She said she attended Prime College in Kano and now lives in Khartoum Sudan.

The Ministrys Spokesperson, Dr Tope Elia-Fatile in a statement in Abuja alleged that the suspect, a student at the Sudanese-Canadian College in Khartoum, murdered Almu in his official quarters on Thursday.

He said that the suspect had been arrested and detained by the security agency in Sudan.

Consequently, after several arrests and investigations by the host authorities, it was established that the deceased was stabbed to death.

The suspect who isa student of Sudanese-Canadian College in Khartoum is a Sudanese of Nigerian origin.

It was discovered during investigations, authorities discovered that the suspect had stolen some of the deceased personal belongings including cash, he said.

According to him, the suspected allegedly confessed committing the crime and is being held in custody.

Our Mission in Khartoum will continue to monitor and follow up the case to ensure that justice is done on this matter.

In the meantime, the process of conveying the remains of the late Almu to Nigeria for proper burial is being finalised, he said

Source: NAN

Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, winner of the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti state has apologised to the people for all the errors of omission or commission he made during his first term as governor, between 2010 and 2014.

He made the plea in his speech after being declared winner of the hotly contested primary election, which featured 33 contestants, with one of them withdrawing on Thursday.

Fayemi got 941 delegate votes, out of the 2,313 valid votes cast.

His nearest competitor was also a former governor, Segun Oni, who got 481 votes.

Governor Tanko Al-Makura, who chaired the election committee announced the result after 11pm today in Ado-Ekiti and thanked all the delegates and contestants for their show of maturity, patience and perseverance.

He reserved special praise for the security agents, who were able to maintain peace, unlike last week’s show that ended riotously.

He congratulated Dr Fayemi for winning the party’s primary election and charged him to work together with the other aspirants to enable him achieve his desired goals and objectives in the forthcoming July,14, gubernatorial election.

Fayemi, who was followed to the podium by all the other aspirants, said he was delighted to emerge as the winner of the party’s primary election.

The APC flag bearer said his victory was not his alone, but belonged to all the contestants.

He announced the formation of a Candidate Advisory Committee, with all the contestants as members and said he would be ready to work with all of them to achieve victory for the APC.

” I am delighted to have won the party’s primary election, and am also happy because the delegates voted for me. It shows they believe so much in my abilities to change the lives of the Ekiti people for the better compared to what they are currently experiencing.

” All other aspirants ‎are my friends and colleagues, am going to work with them to ensure that our great party emerges as the winner in the forthcoming gubernatorial election,” he said.

Read Fayemi’s Full Speech:

This is the day the Lord has made, and we rejoice and are glad in it.Today, the people have spoken and their voice has been heard resoundingly.

· What we have witnessed today, is one of the essential elements in the electoral cycle in any democracy – the exercise of the collective will over the aspirations of many – the emergence of the candidate of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 14, 2018 gubernatorial election in Ekiti state, out of many eminently qualified aspirants.

· Indeed, it has been a hard fought contest, and I am extremely humbled that our delegates have counted me worthy of the honour of bearing the banner of our great party. This victory is not mine alone, it belongs to all Ekiti people who desire a greater tomorrow.

· The free, fair and transparent process we have witnessed today is a testament to our great party’s democratic credentials that guarantees a level playing field for everyone aspiring to high office. This is a feat we must all be proud of.

· But the battle has only just begun – the contest to Reclaim Our Land and Restore Our Values. The fight to ensure our great party comes out victorious in the July 14, 2018 general election.

· Your Excellences, Distinguished Party Leaders, Honourable Delegates, Members of the press, Observers, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen. Without a doubt, Ekiti is in critical need of rescue. It is imperative that we urgently commence the task of purging ourselves of the bad reputation we have earned in recent years and restore good governance to the state.

· In my valedictory address in 2014, I said that future administrations would be judged by the standards we set during our time in office. It should be clear to any observer that over the past four years, Ekiti has retreated from the progressive values that we espoused in office and our grand ideals of human development.

· We have seen a cynical approach to politics that exploits the penury of the poor and the vulnerability of the marginalised. We have seen the entrenchment of the disdain for elders, traditional institutions, and all forms of constituted authorities.

· Instead of continuing the quest for freedom from ignorance, disease and want, what we have seen is a paradigm that deepens captivity to these ills. In short, the last four years has called into question all that we stand for as a people. The timeless values of honour, dignity, nobility and civility encapsulated in the Omoluabi ethos have been eroded.

· We must resume the march to break the yoke of ignorance that keeps our people down; liberate them from ill-health and other limitations that restrain them from achieving their potentials; and break the stranglehold of poverty which keeps people from living full creative lives.

· In practical and policy terms, what this means is that the APC administration to be sworn in on October 15, 2018, by the grace of God, must resume good governance that was cut short four years ago, and once again prioritise social investments in education, healthcare and other social protection programmes that reduce the cost of living, while raising the quality of life.

· In all electoral contests, tempers often rise and nerves are frayed. I therefore humbly appeal to all my supporters, and to my co-contestants and their supporters, to let go of past differences as we forge ahead to a new dawn.

· I furthermore very respectfully request the support of my brothers and sisters – co-contestants in this primary election. I plead that we put our differences aside and work together as one strong and indivisible party for success in the upcoming general election.

· I would be counting on all my co-contestants to share their wealth of experience, ideas and knowledge in furtherance of our collective desire to make Ekiti great again.

· As I have said ever so often, all those who contested the primary election today are eminently qualified to be Governor. I salute your courage and congratulate you all for enriching the process. However, together we are greater and stronger than the sum of our individual parts, and no individual, myself inclusive, is bigger than our great party.

· As I conclude, I must seize this opportunity to express my gratitude to members of the National Working Committee of our great party, and all those that have contributed to the free, fair and transparent conduct of this exercise.

· I also thank our party’s national leaders, especially those from the southwest that have worked behind the scenes to ensure this process is as free of rancour and strife as possible. We count on them following through with their promise to reunite and strengthen the cohesion of all stakeholders in our great party in Ekiti state in the coming days.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you, once again.
Alale Ekiti a gbe a o.
H.E Dr. Kayode Fayemi,

Source: NAN

Mohamed Salah is now all alone with the English Premier League goal record, netting his 32nd in a season in the first half of the match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

The Liverpool forward has set a new record for Premier League goals in a 38-game season, beating the 31 goal record held jointly by Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer.

Alan Shearer made his goal haul at Blackburn in 1995-96, while Ronaldo recorded his during one of the years with Manchester United. And Luis Suarez was also a Liverpool player.

For Salah, it has been a remarkable year at Anfield, winning everything that ought to be won: he is the Premier League Player of the year, the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year and Liverpools Player of the Year. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Overall, Salah had scored 44 goals this season, with 10 of them in the UEFA Champions League. He is expected to be a star to watch as Liverpool meet holders Real Madrid in the finals in Kiev on 26 May.

Source: NAN

Dominic Thiem lost to Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Masters final on Sunday and then said the German is now the best player in the world beneath Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Zverev has long been marked out as a future star of the mens game and his 6-4, 6-4 victory over Thiem suggests the German can be a major threat at the French Open later this month.

Thiem had ousted Nadal in the quarter-finals on Friday and he too will be among the small group capable of preventing the Spaniard from claiming an 11th Roland Garros crown.

But the Austrian was outplayed, and over-powered, by Zverev, who collects his third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, the most prestigious tier of knock-out tournament beneath the four Grand Slams.

Zverev is now one of five active players to have won three, the others being Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Those four are all aged 30 or older, while Zverev is 21, with Djokovic and Murray both attempting recovery missions after injury.

I would say probably now, besides Roger and Rafa, hes the best, Thiem said. You just need to look at his results.

Ranked third in the world, Zverev is yet to transfer his talent and success in Masters events to Grand Slams, however, where his best result remains reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.

On this evidence, that breakthrough is surely close, with the crowd on Manolo Santana court treated to an impressive display of aggressive baseline hitting. Thiems 21 errors to Zverevs 12 were also key.

Rafa is the favourite, no matter where he plays, on a clay court, Zverev said. Hes going to be the favourite in Rome, hes going to be the favourite in Paris. Hes still the guy to beat.

The players in Madrid this week have remarked on the quickness of the courts and that has suited Zverev, whose demon serve was almost untouchable in the opening set.

After conceding an early break for 2-0, Thiems only sniff came at 5-4 when he opened up 0-30 on the Zverev serve. But his opponent did not waver, letting out a roar of relief after clinching the frame.

Another break in the first game of the second meant Thiem was again playing catch-up and Zverev could have moved 3-0 clear had Thiem not saved two more break points.

Instead, Thiem stayed in touch to make Zverev serve out. A sumptuous half-volley opened up two match points and Zverev took the first when a final Thiem forehand floated long.

Its a great feeling, Zverev said. Hopefully this will not be my last, hopefully I can continue to improve, and win a few more.

Source: NAN

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose on Sunday told his predecessor and current Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr.Kayode Fayemi not to celebrate yet, describing Fayemis victory, at the rescheduled governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress held on Saturday, pyrrhic.

Fayose thanked the APC delegates that picked Fayemi for doing him great favour, saying they had made his task and pain of defeating an APC candidate much easier with the choice of Fayemi as their candidate for the July 14 gubernatorial poll.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said the former Ekiti state governors victory has only positioned him to suffer a worse and more debilitating defeat than the one he dealt him in 2014.

In 2014 when he was the sitting governor and I was not in power, I trounced him mercilessly. I gave him 16 0, defeating him in all the 16 local governments, including in his home town, Isan Ekiti, he did not win a single local government

Now, I have been in power for more than three years and have served the people of Ekiti well. My legacy projects are there to speak for me, and for my party the PDP, as well as for our candidate in the July 14 governorship election, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka

I promise that Fayemi will suffer the worst defeat of his political career. after the July 14 election, he will not only suffer embarrassing defeat, he will go into political oblivion afterwards

He has nothing to celebrate because of the electoral disaster awaiting him. The manner of his so-called victory also leaves much to be desired as it has turned many of their party leaders and followers against him

To those who may not know, Fayemis victory has made the condition of APC worse in Ekiti. The party leaders and members know that Fayemi has no use for any of them beyond the July 14 election, Fayose said.

He appealed to those he claimed were trampled by Fayemi, especially those of them who were members of PDP, to return home.

PDP is your natural habitat. This is the time for you to escape from the APCs sinking boat and return home to a rousing welcome. We also invite other politicians not satisfied with the parlous state of affairs of our nation to join hands with PDP to rescue our nation

APC is falling apart everywhere, the party, which was dead before in Ekiti, has now been buried with Fayemis victory.

Fayemi is the final nail on APCs coffin in Ekiti. He may deceive them in Abuja but he is a paper weight at home. His arrogance alienates Ekiti people and any serious politician from him. He will meet his political waterloo on July 14, Fayose boasted.

As if second guessing the reaction of Fayose to his candidacy, Fayemi too last night issued a quit notice to Fayose and his candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, saying that APC is about to purge the state of the bad reputation it has earned under Fayoses stewardship.

We have seen a cynical approach to politics that exploits the penury of the poor and the vulnerability of the marginalised. We have seen the entrenchment of the disdain for elders, traditional institutions, and all forms of constituted authorities.

Instead of continuing the quest for freedom from ignorance, disease and want, what we have seen is a paradigm that deepens captivity to these ills. In short, the last four years has called into question all that we stand for as a people. The timeless values of honour, dignity, nobility and civility encapsulated in the Omoluabi ethos have been eroded.

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won Kaduna North local government, Governor Nasir El-Rufais council with a landslide.

Mr Saleh Shuaibu, APC chairmanship candidate, is the beneficiary of the resounding vote of confidence the voters passed in the governor.

Announcing the results of the polls, the local government election returning officer, Umar Hayatu said the APC has won with total of 168,572 votes, more than 10 times the votes won by his closest opponent.

Shuaibu beat Muhammad Sabo Babayaro of the Peoples Democratic Party who got 12,467 votes, while the PRP 4,956 votes.

So far, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won only the Chairmanship and Councillorship election in Zangon Kataf Local Government area, with its chairmanship candidate, `Elias Maza getting 55,643 votes, against the APC candidate, John Hassan who got 31.514 votes.

The All Progressives Congress, however, has won Soba, Zaria, Lere, Ikara, Makarfi, Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kagarko, Kudan, Igabi and Kajuru local councils.

The results in other councils are still being awaited.

Kudan is the local council of Senator Sule Hunkuyi, who is at loggerheads with Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Makarfi is the council of former PDP chairman and governor, Ahmad Makarfi.

Governor El-Rufais candidates also won handily in Senator Shehu Sanis constituency of Kajuru LG.

In Zaria, APC polled 42859 votes, while PDP got 16033. In Soba, APC got 40903, while PDP scored 13835.

The council elections were conducted using electronic voting machines in the area.

This is the first time a state has adopted the use of electronic machines to conduct elections in Nigeria

Source: NAN

Final results for some of the local councils in the election held in Kaduna state yesterday showed the ruling All Progressives Congress, cruising to victory.

According to results announced by returning officers, the APC won in Soba, Zaria, Lere, Ikara, Makarfi,Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kagarko, Kudan, Igabi and Kajuru.

The APC also won in Sabon Gari.The returning officer of the local government, Dr Micah Victor announced Mohammed Ibrahim Usman of the APC as winner with 20, 576 votes against PDPs Suleiman Ibrahim Gambo who got 9,580 votes.

Similarly, Prof. Ahmed Babajo Kofa , returning officer for Igabi local government announced that, Jabir Khamis of the APC was returned as elected chairman of the local government with 47,630, against Abubakar Abubakar of the PDP Who got 2,449 votes.

The results in other councils are still being awaited.

Kudan is the local council of Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, who is at loggerheads with Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Makarfi is the council of former PDP chairman and governor, Ahmad Makarfi. Governor El-Rufais candidates also won handily in Senator Shehu Sanis constituency of Kajuru LG.

ZARIA LG CHAIRMANSHIP:

APC 42859

PDP16033

Soba LG chairmanship

APC-40903

PDP-13835

Kudan LG Chairmanship:

APC : 76,131

PDP: 3,394

GIWA LG (KADUNA CENTRAL)

APC 57,005

PDP 2,636

KAGARKO LG CHAIRMANSHIP:

APC= 63,262

PDP= 14,658

In El-Rufais polling unit, the PDP gave the APC some scares. But the APC still won the Unguwar Sarki ward with overwhelming majority.

Councillor 68 APC, 45 pdp

Unguwar Sarki ward result:

APC 14863

PDP 706

*Updated with the result of Sabon Gari LGA

Source: NAN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Chairmanship and Councillorship election in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Returning Officer for the election, Mr Danjuma Baye-Luka, announced the results on Sunday morning in Zonkwa.

He said that Mr Elias Maza of the PDP scored 55,643 votes to defeat APCs John Hassan who polled 31,514 votes.

The All Progressives Congress, however, won Soba, Zaria, Lere, Ikara, Makarfi,Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kagarko, Kudan, Igabi and Kajuru local councils.

The results in other councils are still being awaited. (Also Read:

Kudan is the local council of Senator Sule Hunkuyi, who is at loggerheads with Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Makarfi is the council of former PDP chairman and governor, Ahmad Makarfi.

Governor El-Rufais candidates also won handily in Senator Shehu Sanis constituency of Kajuru LG.

In Zaria, APC polled 42859 votes, while PDP got 16033. In Soba, APC got 40903, while PDP scored 13835.

The council elections were conducted using electronic voting machines in the area.

This is the first time a state has adopted the use of electronic machines to conduct elections in Nigeria. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Sudan security operatives are reported to have arrested a woman suspected of killing a Nigerian Immigration Attach at the Nigerian embassy in Khartoum.

Mr. Habibu Almu, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, was found stabbed to death at his home in the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum on Thursday last week.

In a very short statement, the official news agency SUNA said the Sudanese police arrested the offender, a foreign woman who committed the crime.

It further said she confessed to the murder of the diplomat and that she also stole his possessions.

The Sudanese authorities didnt disclose the circumstances of the crime or the nationality of the killer.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had, in a statement, explained that a team of policemen moved to the residence of the late Passport Officer and arrested a number of suspected persons as part of investigations into the murder.

It pointed out that it was closely following up all the legal procedures in the incident with the concerned authorities.

The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, confirmed on Sunday that the Sudanese government had communicated the arrest of the principal suspect to his ministry.

The Federal Government had condemned the murder of the diplomat and pledged to would work with Khartoum to arrest the culprit.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tope Adeleye Elias-Fatile, had confirmed the report of the assassination in a WhatsApp message on Thursday in Abuja.

The Ministry has received the sad news of the untimely death of the Immigration Attache in our Mission in Khartoum, Sudan.

Nigeria looks to bring to book those behind the murder of immigration attach Habibu Almu.

The Guardian Nigeria (@GuardianNigeria)

Source: NAN