The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost the polling unit at the Sokoto State Government House occupied by Governor Aminu Tambuwal to All Progressives Congress (APC) in presidential election.

While President Muhammadu Buhari polled 185 votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar got 119 votes.

It has also turned out to the false, reports that APC leader Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu lost his polling unit.

Tinubu delivered his ward (Polling unit 047, Alausa) where APC polled 122 and PDP 53 in the presidential election.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna also won his polling unit 024 Unguwan Sarki. Buhari scored 369, while Atiku of PDP got 44 votes. In the Senate election, APC won 317 and PDP 73. Shehu Sani of PRP got 35. In the House of Representatives election, APC got 323, PDP 77 and PRP 19.

Alhai Lai Mohammed, information and culture minister also won his polling unit as APC polled 182 and PDP 44.

Former Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu also delivered his polling unit to President Buhari.

APC got 154 votes while PDP got 15 votes.

The new member of APC, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, disgraced his former party PDP in his polling unit.

APC polled 168 votes in the presidential election, while PDP got 83 votes.

Alhai Buba Galadima from Yobe who has been named attack dog of PDP lost his ward with ignominy.

The PDP polled two votes while APC went home with 750 votes.

Also Senator Shehu Sani, who has been having a running battle with El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state also suffered defeat in his polling unit.

The former APC senator who is contesting on het platform of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) lost his polling unit to APC.

He scored 59 votes, APC 75 and PDP 8 votes.

Source: NAN

Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party senatorial candidate in Kogi West appears to be coasting to victory in results declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He won the highest votes in Mopamuro Local Government Area.

Melaye is seeking reelection for the second term into the red chamber of the National Assembly, with his toughest rival, Mr Smart Adeyemi of the APC.

Mr Ibrahim Ismaila, the INEC Collation Officer of Mopamuro LGA, announced the interim results at the collation centre in INEC LG office in Mopa at about 3: 20 a.m on Sunday.

According to Ismaila, the PDP senatorial candidate, Melaye won 5112 votes, while his closest rival Smart Adeyemi of APC got 3658 votes, ADC 784 and SDP 26 votes out of the 9717 valid votes cast.

There were 336 rejected votes, making total votes cast to be 10055.

In the House of Representatives, the PDP also beat APC with 3703 votes.

The APC got 3157 votes and ADC 2 609 votes.

A total of 10042 votes were cast while 9704 votes were valid while 338 votes were rejected.

In the presidential election, the PDP scored 5336 votes to the APCs 3646.

He added that out of 10055 votes cast in the election, 336 were rejected while 9507 were accepted as valid.

NAN reports that the collation of final results would be done at Yagba Federal Constituency Headquarters in Isanlu in Yagba East LGA.

However, the result in the ward for Yagba Federal House of Representatives showed the APC candidate beating the PDP rival, by polling 465 votes. PDP got 326 votes while ADC came second with 455 votes. Of the 1418 votes cast in the election, 138 were rejected, while 1280 were accepted as valid.

NAN reports that the collation of results at local government level is still ongoing at INEC office in Mopamuro LGA

Source: NAN

Vice president Yemi Osinbajo lost his polling unit in Victoria Garden City to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP.

In the result announced minutes 00.20 am on Sunday, the PDP won in the two voting points of the Polling Unit 033.

For the presidential election, the PDP polled 425 votes while the APC had 229.

The PDP had 414 votes in the senatorial election, while the APC had 261.

For the House of Representatives election, the PDP had 268 while the APC came third with 190 votes.

Musician-turned politician, Olubankole Wellington, Banky W came second at the unit with 212 votes.

Elections started in the polling unit at 10:30 a.m. and the last voter cast his vote at exactly 7 p.m.

Source: NAN

Mr Barnabas Bantex, Kaduna State Deputy Governor contesting for Kaduna South Senatorial seat under the All Progressive Congress (APC), has lost his ward Manchok, to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Announcing the result around on Sunday in Manchok, INEC Collation Officer, Mr Yusuf Emmanuel, said that the incumbent, Sen. Danjuma Laah, polled 2,301 votes to defeat Bantex who got 2,113 votes.

NAN reports this is even as Bantex won his Polling Unit with 227 votes over Laah who got only 15 votes.

In the Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP also won with 2,991 votes, while President Muhammadu Buhari APC got 1,443.

The PDP also won the House of Representatives seat with 2,056 votes over APC who got 1,641 votes, UPN 243 votes, PRP 191 votes and SDP 50 votes. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Eneche says any politician responsible for the death of any Nigerian in a bid to win elections shall face the wrath of God.

Enenche made the pronouncement during Sunday Service at the churchs auditorium in Abuja.

The pastor, who was angry with the reports of killings in some parts of the country during Saturdays Presidential and National Assembly elections, said that bloodshed should not be part of elections.

According to him, whoever is responsible for the shedding of the blood of an innocent Nigerian shall not escape bloodshed.

It is not by force to lead people because leadership ends when no one is following you and if people dont like you, let them be.

Any of you that sponsors killing in the name of delivering your constituency shall not escape being killed by others.

Jehovah shall deal with all of you who are responsible for the killing that took place all over the country during the elections, he said.

Enenche warned youths against allowing themselves to be used as political thugs for the selfish gains of their sponsors

He also cautioned security agencies and electoral officers against subverting the will of the people.

According to him, the will of God shall prevail in the country throughout the elections.

Source: NAN

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso failed to hold his local council of Madobi in Kano for Atiku Abubakar, candidate of his Peoples Democratic Party as it fell to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Muhammadu Buhari.

Kwankwaso, who was also a former governor only succeeded in winning his polling unit, where Atiku scored 278 votes and Buhari 215.

But overall, the APC won the council with 26,110 votes almost double the 13,113 votes for Atiku.

The INEC collation officer for the presidential election in the local government, Sani Umar, said the local government has 84,067 registered voters with 40,764 accredited voters.

The collation officer for the National Assembly elections, Mansur Bindaw, also announced the Senate result, in which the APC scored 22,731 while the PDP got 15,913.

Source: NAN

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, Mr Nsima Ekere has lost his Local Government Area, Ikot Abasi, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturdays Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Results showed that PDPs presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar polled 8,343, while President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC got 5,710 votes.

PDP scored 8552 in the senatorial contest, while APC polled 6,066.

For the House of Representatives, it was PDP 8,539, while APC garnered 6,119 votes.

Source:

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun announcing the results of Saturdays Presidential and National Assembly elections in polling units in Birnin Kebbi metropolis.

The Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, scored 385 and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 102 votes at GRA Gulma ward 007,

In the Senatorial election, Sen. Adamu Aleiro of APC got 293 while Abubakar Shehu of PDP got 202.

Also in the House of Representatives, Muhammadu Bello of APC has 363 while Abba Haliru of PDP got 130.

The Presiding officer Kazeem Abiola, announced that the invalid votes were 28 for president, 23 for senate and 22 for house of representatives.

In another polling unit 06 in Birnin Kebbi, President Buhari scored 420 while Atiku Abubakar scored 102.

In the senate, APC got 314 while PDP got 208.

Also in the house of representatives, APC has 385 while PDP has 136.

The Presiding Officer, Abubakar Aliyu, who announced the results, said the invalid votes recorded for presidential election were 41, the senate 39 while the house of representatives recorded 384.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other polling units are still collating their results in Birnin Kebbi.

Source: NAN

By Francis Onyeukwu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the presidential election in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra, where Mr Peter Obi, the partys vice presidential candidate hails from.

PDP polled 30,655 out of the vote cast while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got 1,922 and the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 1,055.

Prof. Christopher Ihueze, INEC Collation Officer for the Presidential Election in Anaocha, announced the result on Sunday at Neni, the headquarters of the local government.

Ihueze said the exercise was generally peaceful in the area as there was no report of violence.

Mr Chris Chikwelu, PDP agent for Anaocha told NAN that the party was impressed with the turnout of voters in the area.

We are happy that our people came in large numbers to vote for our son and Atiku Abubakar.

We are very hopeful and prayerful that result of Anaocha will be a reflection of the results in other parts of the country, he said

NAN, however, reports that agent of APGA and APC declined to react when they were approached.

Source: NAN

On the basis on what I heard some four years ago or thereabout, if there is one market that ought to have gone into oblivion due to people’s complaints, it would have been the forex market. But down the line, while other kinds of side businesses – MMM and other pyramid schemes get a mention here – have failed woefully, forex trading like ‘a cat with nine lives’ keeps gaining prominence. Those who had once predicted its doom are now coming back to give it a try again.

The Reason
In case you are wondering why forex trading will not just go down the drain; the reason is simple: No matter the kind of economy – whether traditional, mixed or you name it – a country operates, there will always be some forms of foreign exchange being carried out at every point in time. The beauty of it however is that, unlike the former times, forex trading is now open to everyone. It is no longer the market for made for the rich alone.

Notwithstanding, you will need to look out for the right platform and/or expertise to help you form a solid foundation upon which you can build a formidable business. Forex trading has not been a bad or unprofitable business in the first instance – it has turned average income-earners into millionaires. However, the difference between those who have hit the ‘forex goldmine’ and those that keep seeing it as a ‘landmine’ is down to unhealthy mentality and/or disposition towards market operations and investment decisions. Well, it suffices to say that ‘discipline is key’ in forex trading.

3 Habits that can lead to failure in forex trading
Forex trading can be really lucrative for anyone who does it with commitment and discipline. Nonetheless, there are certain pitfalls that could ensnare and stifle the progress made by a newbie [and even a regular trader who fails to tread with caution]. These pitfalls are often catalysed by habits picked up by traders in the course of doing business. Three (3) of these habits and/or mindsets are hereby discussed:

• Slothful habit: The lure of making some good cash has often made people jump into forex trading without taking time out to study the terrain they are venturing into. The truth is that forex trading does require some learning, and it’s best for anyone who wishes to succeed at it to equip himself/herself with some basic knowledge before making any attempt to trade. Even right before you start trading on Demo, you ought to have had grasp of some common terminologies associated with forex trading. Though it may not be possible to learn it all at once, there is no doubting the fact that whatever knowledge you garnered will ensure that you appreciate the market better and also make steady profits when you eventually go into trading proper. Additionally, as you move on in the business, you could find it valuable to subscribe to one or two channel(s) from you can learn from expert traders.

• Get-rich-quick Mentality: There is an avenue of making great profits in the forex market but it is important to understand that it is no ‘pyramid scheme’ or money-doubling enterprise. This (get-rich-quick) mindset has, most times, caused individuals – who are either ill-advised or overly adventurous – to trade more (currency) than necessary; they put in so much money without setting a baseline thus setting the tone for a ‘disastrous’ business ordeal. It is therefore necessary to bear at the back of your mind that as profit-making is highly possible in forex trading so is the tendency of recording losses a reality. With this kind of mindset, a prospective trader will be able to trade with caution; taking calculated/informed risk.

• Rollercoaster Mindset: That you have invested a certain amount of fund into forex or even made 2 – 3 straight gains, does not mean you should relax and take a backseat. Forex trading is not wholly auto-pilot, and should not be operated as such. There is a need to devote time to it as you would for any other business you are serious about. Monitoring and keep up with trends will not only help you stay informed but also ensure that you make decisions that would ultimately see reaping good ‘harvest’ on a consistent basis. On the long run, this act will aid in building a sustainable forex business.

You may have not come to embrace the fact that ‘speed means business’ in this age that we are in but making a quick dash into the bank should help you realize the significance of the phrase. Time and again, you would have seen how people come into the banking hall wishing things were done at a faster pace. And sometimes, the crowd becomes so overwhelming that one’s time [for other relevant activities] is eventually encroached upon.

It is in keeping the number of customers in the banking hall within manageable size that a host of banks have now adopted different digital avenues through which customers can do certain transactions without having to go into the banking hall. Talking about digital innovations however, some banks appear to be above the rest in developing and optimizing technological advances that are very effective for their business operations.

Leading the pack in this respect is United Bank for Africa (UBA). This financial institution was adjudged [by EuroMoney Awards] to be the best digitally advanced bank in Africa in 2018, and in the same year, it was recognized by International Financial Magazine as the most innovative digital bank. These feats showed the huge investment that the bank has directed towards digital innovations. Besides being one of the first financial institutions to adopt the Finacle 10x digital platform, the bank is also the foremost to optimize social media platforms for financial services. With an app such as ‘Leo’, the bank’s customers are able to carry out transactions [like fund transfer, airtime purchase, checking of balance and opening of new accounts] through the social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.

But UBA is not alone in the digital upsurge; others like FirstBank, DiamondBank, Wema Bank and so on are also coming up well. Furthermore, a research showing Fidelity Bank’s drive in digital innovation reveals that it is not one (financial institution) that can be swept aside when discussing technological upgradability in the banking sector in Nigeria. Fidelity’s Flashkey is just one of the ways through which the bank is showing off its digital creativity, and the app has surely change how we do fund transfer.

These digital innovations are surely gaining more popularity among customers, and they will be very handy in ensuring that the country operates a cashless economy. However, despite their advantages, there remains a considerable number of the populace that is yet to fully embrace the use of these digital financial innovations. For some persons, it is down to the fact that they do not know how to use them [or lack of knowledge about their existence] while some have decided against using them (digital innovations) because they do not trust the system. Hence, it is incumbent on every financial institution that has adopted any form of digitalization to effectively sensitize its customers on the existence and use of such. On the other hand, it is expedient that some of these financial institutions promptly address issues that may be associated with insecurity and/or operational failure of their technological processes.

Notwithstanding, the Nigerian banking sector is on a digital ascendance and should banks such as UBA, FirstBank and Fidelity continue in their stride – and those lagging behind taking a cue from them – we may be in for an entirely new face of banking in our part of the world in the nearest future.

Middlesbrough FC called him A Rolls-Royce of a midfielder, Fans and even children sing his praises: Nigerias midfielder John Mikel Obi is receiving a rain of tributes from the English Championship Club, which he joined in January.

The Nigerian international even got more accolades after Boro beat Blackburn Rovers away 1-0 on Sunday, He was widely commended for the feat.

Boro are now 5th on the table, with 54 points, with ambition to return to the Premier League in summer.

Having John Obi Mikel is a cheat code in the Championship no midfielder can touch him, said Ryan a Boro fan.

In a season of terrible transfer windows, John Obi Mikel looks like an insanely good bit of business. What a player, noted another fan, Neil Grainger.

Another fan named as Ian Smith tweeted: Rightly or wrongly, Pulis(the coach) gets some stick for us being unable to bring players in, but by that rule he deserves some high praise for convincing Mikel to come to The Boro.

What an absolute class player he is, almost embarrassingly better than those around him today..

To the untrained eye, Mikel Jon Obi (cheers lads @boro) looks like a lazy bastard who doesnt break sweat. After a while you realise hes just a million miles better than everyone else and doesnt need to, wrote Barry Cellnet.

No wonder, the kids and the fans are singing about Mikel, now called the African Zidane, forgetting that the original Zinedine Zidane, though French, has Algerian-African blood in his veins.

Watch the Mikel song, Weve got Mikel:

Mikel Obi is highly loved at Middlesbrough.

Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone)

And the kids version:

Middlesbrough tagged Mikel Obi a Rolls-Royce of a Midfielder. Hes put up phenomenal performances since he joined the club.

The fans came up with a chant for him. Here are two kids singing it.

Video: .

Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone)

Mikel who is 31 years old, started playing in Europe in 2004 with the Norwegian Club Lyn. From there, he became a coveted player by both Manchester United and Chelsea, but ended up with Chelsea where he spent 11 years, from 2006. He left to join the Chinese club, Tianjin TEDA between 2017-2018. He returned to England to play for Middlesbrough in January, invited by coach Tony Pulis.

Source: NAN

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has debunked a statement by Doyin Okupe, crediting Senate President Bukola Saraki with his appointment in 2015.

The Ministers Office described Okupes statement as a bold-face lie. Okupe is the Special Adviser (Media) to the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

The entire statement by Dr. Okupe is nothing but fiction writing, for which he deserves a hall of infamy award (in the fiction writing segment). Not one of the claims he made in his statement is true, said Segun Adeyemi, special media adviser to the minister.

For the record, Alhaji Lai Mohammed owes his appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to President Muhammadu Buhari and no one else. It is therefore laughable that anyone will seek to take credit for that appointment.

We challenge Dr. Okupe, who concocted the story in question, to make available to Nigerians any evidence he may have to support his assertion that the President sought the permission of Dr. Saraki to appoint Alhaji Mohammed as Minister.

We understand that Dr. Okupes cheap attempt at mud-throwing is nothing but a proxy fight, rooted deeply in the politics of Kwara State.

We are aware that Dr. Okupes boss is feeling the heat emanating from the O To Ge (enough is enough) movement in Kwara, and that even the strongest of men will become disoriented and disillusioned at losing the support of a people who once venerated them to high heavens. But that is a self-inflicted wound for which Okupes boss, an acclaimed slave master, has no one but himself to blame.

Alhaji Mohammed is very proud to lead the O To Ge movement that is set to finally bring down the Berlin Wall of political hegemony in Kwara State and send Dr. Okupes boss into political oblivion. That will also free Dr. Okupe himself from merely being his masters voice, so he can fully devote his time to his new-found pastime fiction writing.

Source: NAN

By Oluwatope Lawanson

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates Court on Monday remanded a 60-year-old teacher, Benjamin Omole, who allegedly defiled his 11-year-old pupil in a school toilet.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olufunke Sule-Amzat, ordered that the defendant should be kept in the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos State, pending the advice of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant, a resident of Oke-Ona Close in Ifako Ijaiye area of Lagos, is standing trial for child defilement, but he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Mr Benson Emuerhi, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Jan. 16, at the premises of Atunda-Olu School for Special Needs, situated on Adam Orisha Street, Surulere, Lagos.

He defiled the 11-year-old girl (name withheld) by having carnal knowledge of her, he said.

The prosecutor told the court that the case was reported at the Gender Section of Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, by one Mrs Mercy Ogunranti, a social worker attached to Social Development Centre.

According to Emuerhi, the child refused to eat food given to her by her mother on the fateful day.

She said that she wanted to buy Indomie noodles.

After much questioning, the victim said that the defendant gave her N100,00 after taking her to the schools toilet.

The defendant took the victim to the schools toilet, fondled with her breasts and had sexual intercourse with her, he submitted.

He noted that child defilement contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and attracts up to life imprisonment.

The case was adjourned until April 4 for mention.

Source: NAN

At least 49 out of the 55 African Union (AU) member states have signed a Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

The AfCFTA is designed to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments and acceleration of the establishment of the Customs Union.

It is also expected to expand intra-African trade through better harmonisation and coordination of trade liberalisation, facilitate instruments across the regional economic communities and across Africa, enhance industrial competitiveness and utilise opportunities for scale production, continental market access and better resource reallocation.

It was presented for signature, along with the Kigali Declaration and the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the free movement of persons in Kigali on March 17-21, last year.

During this time, an action plan on boosting intra-Africa trade (BIAT), with seven priority action clusters: trade policy, trade facilitation, productive capacity, trade related infrastructure, trade finance, trade information and factor market integration, was also approved.

Yet, only 12 countries have ratified it-Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Niger, Chad, Guinea, eSwatini, Uganda, Ivory Coast (Cte dIvoire) and most recently, South Africa, Mauritania and Republic of Congo and an additional six countries have received parliamentary approval for ratification namely Sierra Leone, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Togo and Djibouti.

All ratifications (approved and deposited) now stand at 18. We have given this background to show the progress of ratification and according to AfCFTA agreement, 22 of the signatory states are needed for it to come into force.

Once into force, it will be the largest in the world in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

It is also estimated to boost intra-African trade by 52.3 per cent by eliminating import duties and doubling trade if non-tariff barriers are also reduced.

If all AU member states ratify AfCFTA, they will certainly broaden their national economic horizons and strengthen their regional groupings.
We may say that, a new venture is studied first before it is implemented to avoid untoward eventualities and perhaps that is why only 12 AU member states have so far ratified it.

Lets give those countries that have not ratified AfCFTA more time to study and ratify it only when they are ready to do so.

We shouldnt rush to sign and ratify AfCFTA, but lets first engage in soul-searching and only ratify it after we are sure of its benefits for both the African continent and national economies.

Source

https://allafrica.com/stories/201902180133.html

Source: NAN

By Funmilayo Okunade

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates Court on Monday ordered the remand of a herdsman, Umaru Abubakar, over alleged murder of a farmer.

Abubakar, 35, whose address was not provided, is being tried on a charge of murder.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Johnson Okunade, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Feb. 13 in Aiyegbaju-Ekiti.

Okunade alleged that the accused murdered one Elijah Ogor, a farmer.

He said that the deceased had warned the accused several times to stop rearing cows on his farm but that Abubakar did not yield until the faithful day when he killed the deceased.

Okunade told the court that Ogor had called his brothers over threats by Abubakar that he would kill him but that before the arrival of the deceased brothers, Abubakar had killed Ogor and escaped.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand Abubakar in prison, pending an advice from the office of Ekiti State Director of Public Prosecutions.

The plea of the defendant was not taken by the court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, ordered that Abubakar should be remanded in police custody and adjourned the case until Feb. 27 for mention.

Source: NAN

Botswana and Zambia have signed the agreement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) meant to create one African market.

The country signed the agreement at the just-ended Africa Union Summit.

Zambia also signed the AfCFTA at the same event.

Botswana and Zambia were among the countries that had not signed the AfCFTA following its establishment on 21 March 2018 in Rwanda, Kigali.

The delay was largely attributed to negotiation on some of the protocols of the AfCFTA, as the countries wanted to consult stakeholders before appending.

Briefing journalists upon his return from the just-ended AU Summit, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi said he signed the agreement in the presence of African Union Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki, and outgoing AU chairperson, Paul Kagame.

He said the agreement would give Batswana the opportunity to benefit from inter-regional trade within the African continent, and greatly contribute to the growth and diversification of our countrys economy.

We have received the documents so that we can rectify the agreement, he said.

Masisi said Botswana recognises the importance of the agreement as one that will liberalise trade of both goods and services for all African countries.

The AfCFTA aims to create a market of 1.2 billion people and a gross domestic product of US$2.5 trillion, across all AU member states.

The Continental Free Trade Agreement would provide Botswana access to the African market estimated at 1.6 billion people in 55 countries.

This means a wider and increased market access for Botswana exports; among which are live animals, beef, salt, vaccines for veterinary medicine, minerals and leather products.

Reports indicate that the AfCFTA envisages the liberalisation of both trade in goods and services in the first phase of negotiations, and will extend to investment, competition policy and intellectual property in the second phase.

The decision to establish the AfCFTA was taken during the eighteenth Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2012 when the Heads of State and Government decided to establish a Pan-Africa Continental Free Trade Area by 2017.

According to Zambia News and Information Services, Zambian President Edgar Lungu said the country would now work towards ratifying the AfCFTA.

Zambia is already in wide free trade areas through the 16-member SADC and the 21-member Comesa trading blocs. But in a statement issued by the first press secretary at the Zambian mission in Addis Ababa after the signing, Inutu Mwanza said.

The AfCFTA will help resolve the challenges of multiple and overlapping memberships and expedite the regional and continental integration processes.

It will also help to enhance competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level through exploiting opportunities for scale production, continental market access and better reallocation of resources.

Source: NAN

Zimbabwe has shelved its plans to join the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

The country declined to sign the agreement because it was to find space to stabilise local industries which are struggling to produce enough quality goods to compete outside.

Industry and commerce ministrys director of international trade, Beatrice Mutetwa said while addressing parliamentarians that more time, like 15 years, would be required out of the ACFTA because the country`s local industry is not producing enough to be able to compete with other countries.

Mutetwa said Zimbabwe was in a peculiar position and needed to work towards achieving an even landscape.

Member countries are requested to open up 90 percent of their markets but Zimbabwe had only offered up 85 percent as considerations are still being made on how the key sectors like tourism and mining will be protected.

Source: NAN

Wake and burial held on Saturday with mourners, including his father, Horacio, paying their final respects to Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala in his native home of Progreso in Argentina.

The 28-year-old died when the plane he was in with pilot David Ibbotson crashed in the English Channel en route from Nantes to Cardiff on 21 January.

The wake was held at the club Sala played for as a youth in his hometown of Progreso before the funeral started later on Saturday.

Among those who attended was Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock.

I would like to find a responsible personsomeone who says to me: this happened; but, well, it seems this was just an accident, said Salas aunt Mirta Taffarel.

Sala was killed when a single-engine light aircraft, flown by pilot Mr Ibbotson, crashed near Alderney just two days after he became Cardiff Citys record transfer.

His body, which was recovered from the wreckage following a privately-funded search last week, was repatriated to Argentina on Friday.

It was then driven from Buenos Aires to the Sante Fe province, where Sala grew up.

Outside the wake, fans draped a banner reading Emi, nunca caminaras solo or Emi, Youll Never Walk Alone.

Its as if he was a member of my family, said a sobbing Lucia Torres, who lives nearby.

Its something I cant understand nor accept because it hurts so much. The town has been in darkness since 21 January.

He represented a lot for us, said Daniel Ribero, president of Salas boyhood club San Martin de Progreso.

Were a small village and Emi was a celebrity, the only player to turn professional.

Ahead of the service, the club posted a message on social media saying: We are waiting for you like the first day you left but this time to stay with us forever. Eternally in our hearts.

The wake got under way at the sports hall in San Martin de Progreso at 07:00 local time (10:00 GMT), and the funeral started at 14:00 (17:00 GMT).

As well as Cardiffs delegation of Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo, Salas former club FC Nantes has been represented by defender Nicolas Pallois and its general secretary.

Warnock said: Hes my player. He signed for me I think he was going to be very instrumental in what we were looking to do and I feel its the only good thing you can do.

Family puts it in perspective. Family is so important, everything here today has shown how important it isit seems like the whole village has got together.

Mr Choo added: We feel very sad and the whole club feels very sad.

Today I think its good for the family to have some closure.

Salas mother Mercedes and sister Romina, who travelled to Europe after his disappearance, have returned to Progreso.

Meanwhile, a campaign to raise funds to find the body of Mr Ibbotson has reached 240,000.

The family of the 59-year-old, who is feared dead, are hoping to raise 300,000.

Sala was born in Santa Fe, Argentina but it was in France that he forged his reputation.

Among the top five goalscorers in Ligue 1 this season, Sala netted 12 times at better than a goal every two games.

That prompted Cardiff to pay Nantes a club record 15m for a man who spent his entire professional career in the French leagues.

Sala was born on 31 October 1990 in the small rural community of Cululu in the Santa Fe province, about 340 miles north west of Buenos Aires.

After progressing through the youth set-up at Argentine side Club Proyecto Crecer, he moved to France to sign for Bordeaux.

But, after making his debut as a 21-year-old, he struggled for game time and a series of loan moves followed.

He spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons at US Orleans and Niort respectively, scoring 37 goals in 74 matches.

When he took that goalscoring form into a loan spell with Caen in 2015, Nantes had seen enough and bought the 6ft 3in striker for a reported one million euros.

Three and a half years and 42 goals later came Premier League interest.

West Ham, Everton, Leicester, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Southampton were all linked with Sala, but it was Cardiff who got their man eclipsing the 11m they paid for Gary Medel to sign him.

When his signing was announced, Sala said: It gives me great pleasure and I cant wait to start training, meet my new team-mates and get down to work.

In a later tweet, he wrote: I know the challenge is big, but together we will make it.

Source: NAN

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Nigerians to blame successive governments since 1999 and the National Assembly responsible for the postponement of Saturdays presidential election.

That will mean blaming 16 years of PDP administration and less than four years of APC for the election fiasco.

Given the increasing tendency to postpone elections and the cumulative failures and corruption over the years, SERAP would, after the elections, pursue appropriate legal action against the government in power and the National Assembly leadership for the catalogue of breaches of constitutional and international obligations, and seek effective remedies for the citizens,SERAP said.

In a statement signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: The postponement of Nigerias elections since 2007 shows a systemic failure of leadership at the highest level of government, and suggests that our electoral process is deliberately skewed in favour of politicians interests, who continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that have characterised the process since 1999, and against those of the citizens.

Calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rather than addressing the root causes of persistent postponement of elections is a blatant attempt by politicians to scapegoat the electoral commission.

While the INEC leadership ought to proactively push for reform of the electoral system, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly that have the legal responsibility but have remained largely impervious to revolutionary change of the electoral system, should be held to account for this fundamental breach of public trust.

Foisting outdated electoral system on Nigerians, and spending huge public funds to sustain it, seems in uneasy tension with constitutional provisions and Nigerias international obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which Nigeria is a state party.

Rather than prioritising genuine and comprehensive reforms of the electoral system that would upgrade and modernize our voting processes, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly would seem to prefer the status quo, presumably to undermine citizens right to participation and to continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that the current system and processes breed.

It is clear that the current electoral process is vulnerable to corruption but politicians would seem to have little incentive to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernise it. It is unlikely that either the federal government or the National Assembly would take the steps necessary to sort out our electoral system, and improve transparency, accountability and integrity of the electoral process.

We urge Nigerians to take more active role in the fight against corruption, including by putting pressure on the authorities at the federal and state levels and the National Assembly to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernize our electoral system and processes. Otherwise, citizens right to participate in the governance system will remain a hollow right.

Given that the right to vote is considered a part of an individuals fundamental right to political participation, persistent postponement of elections in the country raises serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of Nigerias fledgling democracy.

Persistent failure to upgrade and modernize the electoral system has effectively relegated the right of participation to paper tiger status, undermining the ability of citizens to genuinely participate in the fight against corruption and to hold their leaders to account. Yet, a transparent, accountable and modernized electoral process is a prerequisite to the effective exercise of citizenship in a democratic society.

No right is more precious in a democratic country than that of having a voice in the election of those who represent us. That voice is not lost when the electoral process is skewed in favour of politicians interests and against the Nigerian voters. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined by the collective failure to upgrade and modernize the countrys electoral processes.

It is time to push for revolutionary changes in how Nigeria conducts its elections. The changes should effectively deploy modern technology, which has been successfully used in the business and other sectors in the country. Such changes may include the introduction of a national system of Internet voting, to innovative ideas on how to adapt the election systems to facilitate participation by different sectors of the population, to conform with twenty-first century elections.

The postponement is the by-product of a systemic and collective failure by successive governments and National Assembly leadership to provide Nigerians with reliable, efficient and secured electoral system, which has continued to undermine public confidence in elections as well as the publics right to vote and participate in their own government.

SERAP would also deploy the Freedom of Information Act to seek information on details of spending by INEC since 1999, as part of our initiatives to improve transparency and accountability of governmental operations and promote respect for citizens right to participate in the processes of government and governance in the country.

SERAP notes that postponement of general elections has become a recurring feature of the countrys electoral process. For example, the 2007 general elections witnessed late arrival of election materials from South Africa in April of that year, contributing to denying millions of voters their right to political participation.

SERAP also notes that the 2011 general election suffered the same organizational lapses, with the elections postponed for two days after it had commenced. In 2015, the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan postponed the election for six weeks on the pretext that it needed time to reclaim the local governments reportedly taken over by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The INEC on the morning of the elections shifted presidential and National Assembly elections to 23rd February, 2019. The Governorship, State House of Assembly and the FCT Area Council Elections are to hold on 9th March, 2019.

Source: NAN