A faction of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), has adopted Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the election, three weeks after another group headed by Senator Abubakar Mahdi adopted President Muhammadu Buhari

Mahdi led a delegation comprising chairmen and leaders of PDM from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja who conscientiously had resolved on the Jan.1 to support Buharis candidature in the forthcoming presidential election.

But in a twist, another group said to be chaired by Chief Dapo Sarumi, a former minister and a Lagos based politician said today the group was backing Atiku. The endorsement communique was released by the Sarumi group at an event at the Shehu YarAdua Centre in Abuja.

The communique was signed by Sarumi, who was a former Minister of Information, and six others, Dubem Onyia (South East), Chief Bode Ajewole (South West), Chief Ejiofor Onyia (South South), Dr Bala Tafida (North Central), Alhaji Kabir Bawa (North East) and Fatima Abba (North West).

PDM, which started as Peoples Front, was founded by late former Chief of General Staff (Supreme Headquarters), Gen. Shehu YarAdua.

It is registered as a political party by Independent National Electoral Commission, with Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim as chairman and Dr. Joseph Akinwunmi as secretary.

It appears that both Mahdi and Sarumi are operating the movement in a parallel mode, even distinct from the party headed by Ibrahim.

The Sarumi group said it was gratifying to note that one of its founding members emerged a candidate of one of the biggest political parties participating in the forthcoming election.

It is noteworthy to point out that even though membership in this political family cuts across all the major political parties in the country, it has always been our prayers that one of our own be given the opportunity to showcase our outstanding leadership qualities irrespective of the political parties that throws up such a candidate for as long as he/she is a member of the political family.

To this end, and with the 2019 Presidential election exactly a week away, it has become incumbent on us, as founding members of the Yar Adua political family, PDM, to lend our voice to the conversations around the epochal electoral contest.

We are conscious of our position as proud members of the oldest political organisation in contemporary Nigeria and it is noteworthy to say that this particular election cycle presents itself as a test to the virility of democratic governance in our country.

The group also called on key participants in the electoral process to play by the rules, adding that everything possible must be done to make the forthcoming elections peaceful and credible.

The tension that has been generated by the 2019 elections is getting to a disturbing proportion and we call on all actors in the electoral process to ensure that peace ensues before, during and after the elections.

We call on the security operatives to be impartial and to focus on their main mandate of preserving and protecting the lives and property of every Nigerian and foreigners alike.

Politicians should refrain from making insidious statements and anyone caught going against this should be duly prosecuted.

It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with the provisions of the relevant laws in the conduct of the elections.

PDM National Chairman, Bode Ajewole said that though members of PDM belong to various political parties, they resolved to rally behind Atikus quest for the highest elective office given his contribution to the growth of democracy in the country.

Sarumi called on Nigerians not to vote in ex-military as President of Nigeria again.

Convener of the meeting, Chief Ejiofor Onyia said the family chose to come together having drifted apart for years.

Onyia said that in the event Atiku is elected, the bridge dreamt about by the late YarAdua would have been completed

Source: NAN

Chief Olu Falae, a former federal government secretary and presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy in 1999, said he has quit politics.

His not-too-surprising announcement came hours after the National Executive Committee of the party he founded, Social Democratic Party endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for next weeks election.

Falae, who had expressed preference for Atiku Abubakar, said he has stepped down as National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

He also announced at a news conference in Akure he will no longer be actively involved in politics, citing health challenge as a major reason for his action.

Falae also cited irresolvable differences in the Social Democratic Party for his action.

The SDP is facing crisis over who should be the presidential candidate, between former minister, Professor Jerry Gana and former governor of Cross River Donald Duke.

Falae was 80 years old on 21 September 2018. He was the secretary to the military government headed by Ibrahim Babangida between 1986 and 1990, at a time government introduced the ill-advised Structural Adjustment Programme, responsible for laying the foundation for the increased poverty in Nigeria.

Source: NAN

Delta State Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa on Friday ordered the sack of an aide, Mr Friday Eluro who was caught on video assaulting a woman.

The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu said the Governor frowned at the assault on a woman especially by an appointee of government who should uphold the law.

Governor Okowa having watched the video of the assault on a certain woman has directed that the appointment of Mr Friday Eluro as Security Aide be terminated forthwith to serve as deterrent to others.

In the last three and half years, our administration have worked so hard to entrench the enduring peace in our state and we will not sit back and fold our hands to watch appointees of government or any other person no matter how highly placed in the society to take laws into their hands, he said.

He warned appointees of government to be of good behaviour and always remember that they are ambassadors of government and are supposed to be role models in the society.

Beyond sacking of the Aide, the Governor has also directed full investigation into the incident with a view to serving the interest of justice.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari promising to prosecute looters declared Friday that only God would punish the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for looting Nigeria dry during its 16 years in power.

reported that Buhari said this at a meeting with local and international support groups at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said ill-gotten properties of the guilty would be confiscated and sold and the money realised would be put into the treasury for public use.

Buhari said that upon his assumption of office, he approached the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who told him there was no money in the federal treasury.

He noted that there was no infrastructure or any developmental achievements to justify the draining of the substantial earnings from crude oil.

He said: I have said this for the umpteenth time and I have challenged them to prove me wrong. In those 16 years of the PDP rule, Nigeria was getting 2.1 million times 100 (2.1 million barrels by $100 per barrel) every day, every week, but when we came on board, the price fell to between $37 and $38 and hung around $40-$50.

I went to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and asked him for money and he said there was no money.

The last time road rehabilitation took place, he said, was under General Sani Abacha, when he served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, stressing that the roads were rehabilitated up to the east.

Speaking on his integrity, Buhari said: If I didnt stick to my principle of accountability, I would have been in trouble by now and I have no regrets.

Everybody wants to be comfortable, but the most important thing is to live within your means and bear the consequence.

On why he visited the neighbouring countries shortly after he was sworn in, he said: If you dont establish good relations with your neighbours, you will spend more on security.

The leader of the delegation, Dr. Mahmud Mohammed, said the groups supported him because of his integrity and commitment.

He said for the first time in the history of campaigns, they were campaigning with meagre funds generated from well-wishers because the president specifically directed that no money from the public funds should be spent on his campaign.

He said: From tomorrow, we will not sleep. We still start house to house, shop to shop and market to market campaign to ensure your victory.

President Buhari also received leaders of Igbo World Union and faction of Ohaneze Ndigbo at the Villa on Friday.

He said his administration has successfully created a level playing field for all Nigerians and will continue to ensure equitable provision of developmental projects across the country.

Buhari, who noted that the nations diversity was its biggest asset, said as citizens, it is our collective responsibility to harness and apply this diversity positively for the purposes of nation building.

He explained that his administration has been executing critical infrastructural projects across the country such as the Second Niger Bridge and social investment programmes to support the less-privileged in the society.

As you all know, the key issues that affect our country today are insecurity, corruption and an economy that solely relies on a single revenue source.

These issues impact all Nigerians regardless of tribe or religion. The perpetrators and victims of corruption and terrorism are from all tribes and religions. Poverty and unemployment also cuts across all tribes and religions.

We also did not discriminate in our response. We restored security in most of the conflict impacted areas.

Please, be rest assured that my commitment to creating a peaceful, inclusive and corruption-free Nigeria for all Nigerians remains as strong as ever, he added.

Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Uche Okuku had apologised to President Buhari for the purported endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for the 2019 elections by the socio-cultural group.

The President General of Ohaneze, Chief John Nwodo, whose tenure was believed to have expired, had last week joined three other socio-cultural groups to announce Atikus endorsement at a news conference in Abuja.

However, Okuku, while apologising to the President, said that Nwodo only expressed his personal views and not that of Ohaneze Ndigbo, saying that nine-man panel had been instituted to investigate the issue.

He said: Our visit is to declare our stand.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other groups that expressed support for the President during the visit include World Igbo Congress, World Igbo Union and Ndigbo Delegate covering the 19 Northern States.

Source: NAN

Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun, on Friday at the Presidential Villa Banquet Hall shared with President Muhammadu Buhari memories of his train ride in 1958 from Abeokuta to Osogbo.

Osoba was the book reviewer at the presentation of `Nigeria on Firmer Ground, Towards Lasting Peace and Progress which is a compendium of Buhari achievements in the last four years.

The veteran journalist, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that rail transportation in Nigeria was left in comatose until Buhari revived the sector.

The former governor said that he believed that God brought Buhari to restore the years that corruption had destroyed in Nigeria.

It is my strong belief that God gave us Buhari, a man of towering integrity to restore the years that locust of corruption has eaten deep into our fabrics. May we never go back to those years.

On Thursday, the Alake of Egba Land took the rail from Lagos to Abeokuta; for me 61 years ago I took a train ride from Abeokuta to Osogbo.

Mr President I am going to present you a picture on me in a train 61 years ago, 1958.

The train went dead but you came and revived it; we in Yoruba land are always with you because your philosophy is same with our political father, Awolowo whose philosophy is welfarism and egalitarianism; we will massively support you in Ogun State and Yoruba Land in general.

Osoba also recalled that in June 12, 1984, Buhari appointed him the Manager Director of Daily Times and Tony Momoh, the General Manager of Daily Times.

He said that throughout the tenure of Buhari, he never invited him or Momoh, neither did he interfere in how Daily Times operated.

Quoting Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President, Osoba said that funds that were meant to support our soldiers were diverted by previous administration.

Contractors, godfathers and politicians helped themselves to millions and as a result many of those on the front-line and those they were supposed to protect were killed.

These were all the problems inherited by this administration by those who are seeking to return to power.

Still quoting Kyari, he said that in the boom years, from 2000 to 2015, almost nothing was saved and almost nothing was invested.

So, when the oil price crashed in 2016, we had no spare capacity to boost production and check the shock, he quoted Kyari as saying.

Osoba said that those that termed TraderMonithe micro-credit scheme for petty traders as vote-buying were fools.

According to him, the government had said before its implementation across the country the fund was approved by the National Assembly.

Earlier, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said that the compendium was to remind every Nigerian of the Federal Governments commitment to good governance.

On his part, Adams Oshiomhole, APCs National Chairman, said that the difference between Buharis administration and the previous ones was that he kept to his promises.

He said one major problem that hampered the delivery of democratic dividends was corruption.

When government makes a policy statement, it is sustained; that is the differencepolicy consistency and coherence, he said.

The book was unveiled by a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, who advised Nigerians to get themselves copies of the compendium or read it online and get informed.

He implored Nigerians to give Buhari another term to complete his good works.

Source: NAN

By Angela Atabo

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) has advocated laws to empower women to run for political offices.

The Deputy Representative of UN women, Mr Lansana Wonneh made the call at a stakeholders Consultative Meeting on Women Participation in Elections Support Bill, 2018 on Friday in Abuja.

Wonneh said that there was the need for Nigeria to deliberately formulate laws to enhance women participation in politics in line with global best practice.

He said that womens inclusion in politics was about their human rights, yet most parliamentarians dont understand or agree why the Women Participation in Elections Support Bill, 2018 should be signed into law.

Some arguments are structurally redundant, at this time and age, I do not expect that people in parliament will think like that, we have seen ministers and prime ministers around the world that do well so why cant we learn from that.

In Africa, Nigeria is leading in almost everything but it is appalling to see that she is one of the countries with the lowest participation of women in parliament.

A small country, South Sudan is leading this country in the areas of progressive development by the clear commitment to include women in governance, countries like Rwanda, Ghana among others are doing better than Nigeria in inclusive governance.

We need to do everything to ensure that gender equality is adhered to, particularly in decision-making because it is fundamental for economic reasons.

According to Wonneh, the best places that resources are distributed are in decision-making because the parliamentarians decide on budget, what is allocated and where.

He said if there are no women seated on decision tables, if women were not given opportunities to play roles, it then means that they would have nothing to take away.

According to him, it is predominantly because of that reason that poverty has become the face of women in Nigeria since resources are hardly accrued for the right purposes.

Mrs Onyinye Ndubuisi, Lead Governance Department, UNDP said the organisation decided to support the passage of the bill because of low participation of women in politics in Nigeria.

Ndubuisi said that though Nigeria was a signatory to many international treaties that support women in politics like the 35 per cent affirmative action, there were no local laws to support i

She said that women were disenfranchised and their mandates were taken from them so the Women Participation in Elections Support Bill when passed would guarantee them space in politics

Ndubuisi said it was disheartening to hear lawmakers argue during the second reading of the bill that women participation in politics had no correlation with economic development.

She said that the UNDP was supporting the commission in ensuring the passage of the bill because such project was laudable and involved the whole country.

Prof .Joy Ezeilo, former Special Rapporteur on Rights of Women said the bill sought to prescribe women quota for elections into the senate ,House of Representatives, State Houses of Assembly among others.

Ezeilo said that the bill would support and enhance women participation and representation in certain elective office, adding that it would mandate political parties to have one third of candidates as women.

She said there was the need for Nigeria to deliberately work toward the inclusion of women in governance because it would give the nation relevance internationally.

Source: NAN

By Douglas Okoro

A civil society organisation, Development and Integrity Goals (DIG) Foundation, has embarked on a road walk inAbakaliki, the Ebonyi capital to sensitise the electorate on the need to eschew violence during the general election.

Over 40 participants took part in the walk, which commenced at 7 a.m. on Friday from Onwe Road section of the capital city and terminated at the Ebonyi State Police Command Headquarters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the walk was organised in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and 2Baba Foundation.

The participants stopped at major motor parks and mass transit loading bays in Abakaliki and distributed election fliers.

The group appealed to the electorate to vote and not fight; stressing that voting is a civic responsibility and must be exercised with utmost responsibility.

The group also urged the electorate who has not obtained their voter cards to do so, before the end of set deadline.

Mr Oliver Aja, Executive Director of DIG, briefed the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ebonyi, Prof Godswill Obioma, when the group walked to the state headquarters, of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Aja said that the essence of the peaceful road walk, was to raise awareness on dangers of election violence and need for all to maintain peace during the elections.

He further urged the commission to live up to its mandate of conducting free, fair and credible elections.

He commended the commission for its effective partnership with the foundation and stressed the commitment of the group to complement INECs enlightenment programmes.

He said: Charge your staff and ad-hoc staff to be professional and neutral, in the discharge of their responsibilities before, during and after the election day.

Display openness and transparency in all your activities and in its relationship with all the stakeholders.

Discipline any staff found to have betrayed public trust, during the Feb. 16 and March 2 general elections.

Exhibit high patriotism by ensuring the sanctity of the ballot box and be sincere in handling election results at all levels by declaring rightful winners, he said.

Obioma, represented by Mr Cornelius Ali, of the Publicity Unit of the commission, reiterated commitment to peaceful, credible, fair and free elections.

He assured that all votes validly cast, would count while maintaining that the commission would adhere strictly to the mandate of conducting credible elections.

At the police headquarters, the group solicited the cooperation of the police for adequate security throughout the election periods.

Source: NAN

By Douglas Okoro

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a gender based Civil Society Organisations, Initiative for Social Change in Africa (ISCA) have advocated for enhanced participation of women in politics in Ebonyi.

They made the call at a town hall meeting organised by the INEC in collaboration with ISCA for women groups including market women, Muslim women group, women-based CSOs and the National Council for Women Societies among others.

Mrs Esther Idam, gender desk officer in INEC, said the meeting was to sensitise women to effectively participate in the political process including voting in the elections.

Inclusive elections is central to democracy; this meeting is part of the commissions action points towards ensuring a more inclusive electoral process in Nigeria where all eligible voters are given equal opportunities without unfair barriers to choose their leaders.

Idam noted that women have particular needs which included the need to make informed electoral decisions, adding that these needs should be deliberately achieved.

She added that INEC was committed to promoting gender equality in the political space in line with its assigned mandate as the administrator of the electoral process.

Prof. Eugene Nweke, ISCA executive Director, said women must be encouraged to participate fully in the general elections through training, sensitisation and reorientation.

He said that the meeting would address some fundamental challenges inhibiting women participation in politics and in the electoral process.

This interactive town hall is designed to address issues and challenges facing women in an election and priorities that need to be addressed.

The meeting will allay the fears of the women, address their challenges and ensure that they participate actively giving the peculiarities of women who are vulnerable and marginalised in political and electoral process in Nigeria, Nweke said.

He said that the organisation had carried out grassroots door-to-door awareness campaigns to sensitize the women and youths on the importance of participation in the elections.

He appealed to the women not to sell their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) or exchange them for any price.

Source: NAN

By Bolaji Buhari

The Teslim Balogun Stadium Lagos, on Saturday bubbled with a lot of activities as residents and the All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful thronged the venue for the 2019 Presidential campaign rally.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the atmosphere was charged with excitement as thousands of people holding brooms sang and chanted APC slogans, while awaiting the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari.

While supporters in APC attires and dresses were waiting as at 11:54a.m., musicians like King Wasiu Ayinde and some other upcoming acts delighted them with various musical renditions.

Nollywood personalities like Jide Kosoko, Funke Daramola and `Remi Surutu were also around, adding spice to the gathering.

Market women, youths holding brooms and APC flags danced endlessly to rave songs being dished out by the DJ.

Members of various interest groups and special groups, including people with disabilities, were in their hundreds chanting Sai Buhari, Sai Buhari, dancing to music.

Some of the prominent personalities present so far included Sen. Olamilekan Adeola (Lagos-West), a key member of the Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr Festus Keyamo, South West APC Woman Leader, Mrs Kemi Nelson, and APC Chairman in Lagos, Alhaji Tunde Balogun.

Mr Tunde Braimoh (Kosofe) and Mr Bisi Yusuf (Alimosho 1) were among some of the state lawmakers present.

The president was still being awaited as at 12:05 p.m.

Source: NAN

Former chief of army staff and Afenifere leader, General Alani Akinrinade has described as an insult to our collective intelligence former president Olusegun Obasanjos endorsement of Atiku Abubakar as his choice in next weeks election.

Akinrinade who took out a page in the Punch newspaper on Thursday to advertise his condemnation of Obasanjos political choice, advised Nigerians not to trust Obasanjos sense of judgment.

Some of us who knew him in the military and were privileged to see him operate during the civil war know if there is one thing Obasanjo is not blessed with, it is a good sense of judgment.

What do you say to a man who once gave a damaging testimonial against an employee now coming back to tell you to follow the same employee as the CEO of your organisation?What do you say to a man who once said: with what I know of Atiku, if I support him to be president of Nigeria, God will not forgive me?

Source: NAN

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Thursday that it was deeply pained by the death of some of its supporters at its Next Level campaign rallyin Taraba for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari .

Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC National Publicity Secretary, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident was caused by a stampede at the partys Next Level campaign rally for President Muhammadu Buhari at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the Taraba capital.

Our party is deeply pained by this painful loss. We pray for the dearly departed and express our deep condolences to their family members, loved ones and the good people of Taraba, he said.

Issa-Onilu also prayed for the speedy and full recovery of the partys supporters, who sustained injuries during the incident, which he said was caused by overcrowding.

The APC spokesman added that the party would ensure that improved crowd control measures were put in place to as much as possible prevent a re-occurrence of such a sad incident.(NAN)

Source: NAN

Former Oyo State Governor Chief Rashidi Ladoja, on trial for the past 12 years for an alleged N4.7billion fraud will know his fate today.

Justice Muhammed Idris of Federal High Court in Lagos will deliver judgment on the matter. Ladoja is facing trial along with former commissioner for finance, Waheed Akanbi.

The Nation reported that the parties have been served with hearing notices.

Lead prosecuting counsel Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN) confirmed that his law firm got the judgment notice.

Justice Idris had reserved judgment in the criminal case on 21 Januaryafter counsel representing parties adopted their final addresses before the court.

Ladoja was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with converting N4.7billion from the States treasury to his personal use.

He was re-arraigned along with Akanbi on an 11 count charge of money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds. Both pleaded not guilty to the charge, and were granted bail.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that evidences in the trial closed on Nov. 17, 2018 after Ladoja had given his evidence before the court.

The court then adjourned for adoption of final addresses.

The prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi urged the court to hold that the prosecution had been able to establish its case against the accused based on evidences adduced.

He argued that the crux of the prosecutions case centred on money received as proceeds of crime.

According to him, offences of this nature do not give room for acknowledgment of monies taken from government coffers.

He added that the court was enjoined to look at circumstantial evidences in arriving at its decision.

Olabisi urged the court to discountenance evidences adduced by defence witnesses, and hold that the prosecution had been able to establish its case against the accused.

On his part, defense counsel, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika urged the court to discharge and acquit the accused on the grounds that the prosecution had a weak case incapable of securing any conviction.

If there is no foundation, the super structure cannot stand, he said.

Olumide-Fusika argued that no prosecution witness was able to link the accused with the alleged offences, adding that the prosecution was only concerned with securing conviction at all cost.

Besides, the defence counsel argued that the statement used by the prosecutor in his written address that the second defendant in the very least, did conspire to commit the offence was incapable of establishing his guilt.

He urged the court to be sensitive to evidences adduced as PW2 who testified as having engaged in the sale of the Oyo State shares was never charged.

In all, he urged the court to discharge and acquit the accused as there was no shred of evidences against them, adding that the evidences by prosecution witnesses, even supports the innocence of the accused.

After listening to the submissions of counsel, Justice Idris commended them for seeing the trial to conclusion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that after the close of prosecutions case, the accused had opted to file a no case submission before the court, contending that the prosecution failed to establish a case against them.

But in its ruling, the court dismissed the no case submission, and held that based on a preponderance of evidences as put forward by prosecution, there was no doubt that the accused had some explanations to make.

NAN reported that in the charge, the accused were alleged to have conspired to siphon and launder N4.7 billion from the coffers of Oyo State government.

The EFCC also accused them of converting N1.9 billion belonging to the state for their personal use through the account of a company known as Heritage Apartments Ltd.

The anti-graft agency claimed that the accused retained the money sometime in 2007, in spite of their knowledge that it was proceeds from a criminal activity.

Ladoja was accused of removing 600,000 pounds from the state coffers in 2007, which he sent to his daughter, Bimpe in London.

In addition, the ex-governor was accused of converting N42 million belonging to the state for his personal use and subsequently used same to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser.

The EFCC added that Ladoja converted N728 million and N77 million at different times in 2007 for his personal use and transferred same to Bistrum Investments for the purchase of a property in Ibadan.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 14, 16, 17 (a) and 18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, according to the EFCC.

Source: NAN

A body recovered by British investigators from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel has been identified as that of footballer Emiliano Sala, police said on Thursday.

The Argentine strikers body was first spotted by rescuers with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on Sunday close to where the plane went missing near the British island of Guernsey.

It was recovered on Wednesday and brought to the Isle of Portland in southern England on board the Geo Ocean III offshore supply ship on Thursday for formal identification by coroners, who investigate violent deaths in Britain.

The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala, police in Dorset, the county where the body was taken, said on Twitter.

The families of Mr Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated. Our thoughts remain with them all, police said.

Britains Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which recovered the body, said that bad weather in the busy shipping thoroughfare meant it was unable to recover the plane and as a result was closing down the operation.

The light aircraft was carrying the 28-year-old footballer to his new Premier League team Cardiff City when it disappeared near Guernsey on January 21, along with 59-year-old Ibbotson.

Salas disappearance prompted an outpouring of grief across the footballing world, including at his former club Nantes in France where the plane was flying from.

After search operations were suspended in the days after the plane went missing, a shipwreck hunter hired by Salas family, with funds donated by football stars such as Lionel Messi, found the wreckage on Sunday.

The AAIB then co-ordinated the recovery and the rescued body was taken to Portland Harbour earlier on Thursday and was seen being stretchered into a silver van.

In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage, the AAIB said Wednesday.

The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible.

But it added: The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close.

It said that extensive video footage captured by a remotely operated vehicle is expected to provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation, adding that it intends to publish an interim report on the accident later this month.

Sala had been flying in to join up with his new club Cardiff City in what was the most expensive signing in the Welsh clubs history.

Nantes have consulted lawyers to explore legal options to ensure Cardiff pays the transfer fee for Sala, a source close to the French club revealed on Wednesday.

According to the source, the first instalment of the 17-million-euro ($19.3 million) deal for the Argentine striker has yet to be paid, despite the transfer being finalised before the accident.

According to BBC Wales, Nantes have given Cardiff a 10-day ultimatum over the first payment of between five and six million euros.

A source at Cardiff told British media that the Welsh club will honour the contract but only once they have clarified all the facts. Cardiff are said to be surprised with the timing of the demand so soon after the tragedy.

The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, vanished from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Guernsey, with pilot Ibbotson the only other person aboard.

After the official rescue team gave up their search, saying there was little chance of finding anyone alive, Salas family raised more than 370,000 euros ($422,000) in an online campaign to pay for a private hunt.

Had that not happened, I dont think anybody would have searched for the plane, shipwreck hunter David Mearns, whose private company found the plane, told AFP.

The discovery of two seat cushions on the French coast last week revealed that the plane had broken apart, Mearns added.

Earlier this week the footballers father, Horacio Sala, acknowledged that there was no prospect of finding his son alive.

Theres no longer any hope, he told Fox Sports.
*AFP

Source: NAN

The sum of $5 billion is required to recover the area of Lake Chad Basin that is affected by Boko Haram crisis to restore its economic and socio-cultural value and make it to once again provide livelihood for the communities.

Mr Suleiman Adamu, the Chairman, Council of Ministers of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), unveiled the projected financial requirement at the 64th Ordinary Session of the Council on Thursday, in Ndjamena.

He said that the amount would cover the first phase of the areas recovery project, which was part of LCBCs Regional Stabilisation Strategy.

The Commission, he said, should take advantage of new funding opportunities as demonstrated by most of our partners for effective and inclusive implementation of the stabilisation strategy to recover the Basins areas.

According to him, mobilising such a budget requires a huge effort in terms of advocacy, monitoring and responsiveness.

Adamu, who is Nigerias Minister of Water Resources, said that with the leadership and determination of Heads of State and Government in the region, solutions were gradually being put in place to rejuvenate the basin.

He aim, he said was to ensure our Basin will once again become this vast and highly productive ecosystem, providing livelihoods for riverside communities and representing a food export pole for the entire Basin.

He noted that the Councils meeting came at a time when terrorists in the Lake Chad region had renewed their onslaught aimed at undermining the territorial integrity of our states and security of our peoples.

Adamu, however, said that the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) of LCBC and the national armed forces of member-countries were working hard to completely eradicate the insurgents.

He added that while security, military and humanitarian dimensions had a major role to play in bringing about peace, security and stability, they were still insufficient on their own.

It is, therefore, more necessary than ever to implement the Regional Stabilisation Strategy for the resilience and recovery of the areas of the Lake Chad Basin affected by the Boko Haram.

In addition to the socio-economic development dimensions, this must also include the educational and religious components, with their major role in spreading the culture of peace, tolerance and moderation.

Our fight against extremism must also have as its essential purpose, to provide young people and women with an open education rooted in the authentic values and standards of our society, he said.

Adamu stated that treading the recovery path would lead to entrepreneurship and job creation which would protect the people from the temptations of extremism.

The chairman also charged the Council to focus on implementing the objectives of sustainable development as defined at the International Conference on Saving Lake Chad held in Abuja in February, 2018.

He said in addition to the promise of a better life for our populations, the revitalisation of Lake Chad and the restoration of these resources are the guarantees of greater peace, security, progress and development in the region.

He recalled that at the conference in Abuja, the African Union approved the Inter-Basin Water Transfer Project as a Pan-African project aimed at restoring Lake Chad for sustainable development.

He said that the project, which would also restore security and peace in the region, was a win-win partnership for the Congo Basin and Lake Chad.

Adamu disclosed that the partners had committed themselves to achieving objective of the synergy, saying it would produce hydroelectric power, build roads and river infrastructure and promote irrigation for the sustainable development.

He said that the development would extend to economic integration, peace and security in Central and West Africa and in the Sahel in particular. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Traditional rulers from Akoko North East and Akoko South West council areas of Ondo state have hailed the Npower, school feeding and other poverty alleviation initiatives of the Federal Government.

The monarchs made the commendation on Thursday when the Npower enrolees campaign team for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari visited select towns and palaces in Akoko.

The campaign was organised by Mrs Olubunmi Ademosu, the Special Adviser to the Ondo state Governor on Public and Inter-Governmental Relations.

The Traditional Ruler of Ikare-Akoko, Oba Akadri Momoh, said that people must continue to pray for government, adding that a government must be commended when it had done well.

Momoh said he believed that Nigerians would vote for Buhari, considering the many economic opportunities and jobs created through the various intervention programmes of his administration.

He said: We will always support the government in what it is doing. We shall also be praying for them in all their endeavours.

Oba Samuel Adedoyin, the Owale of Ikare Land, said that the rate of unemployment in Nigeria could have been minimal, if past governments had initiated similar interventions.

Adedoyin said that as a royal father, he was apolitical, but must not see a good thing and not commend it.

He said: It is not about how much the money is, but how to manage small resources that you have.

At least the Npower enrollees are all working. We thank the federal and state governments.

We implore our youths not to misuse the opportunity given to them, he said.

Olubaka of Oka Kingdom, Oba Yusuf Adeleye, also thanked the president for all the social interventions of his administration.

Adeleye said the people of the community had seen the economic effects of the interventions, including the Npower, Trader Moni and school feeding programmes, in the community.

The monarch also thanked Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the rehabilitation of the Oka Road which, he said, was in a terrible state of dilapidation.

He said: I thank the governor for the construction of Oka Road. It is a Federal Government road but the governor said it is his people that use the road.

We now know that we have a government. Before the governor came, our roads were in poor state but he tackled them within his first year in office.

Several of our schools have been repaired through SUBEB. He is doing what the people expect and we are happy with him.

The cordial relationship between the state and federal government is bringing progress to the state.

Adeleye expressed joy that the state was benefitting from the governors wealth of experience, having served the nation in various capacities.

All the state governments social services are good and I am happy for that.
We are the government because without the cooperation of traditional rulers, no meaningful progress would be made in the communities, he said.

At the palace of Olubaka, Ademosun, who also doubles as the focal person for the Npower in the state, said that no fewer than 1, 000 beneficiaries of the programme came from Akoko South West alone.

She appealed to the monarh to mobilise his subjects toward the realisation of the presidents re-election bid to ensure that the enrollees did not return to the street.

She expressed the confidence that the beneficiaries would also work to ensure that Buhari was re-elected because of their jobs. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Countdown to the presidential election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) , has insisted that it would conduct free, fair and credible polls.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance at an interactive meeting with the members of the Administrative Board of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that the meeting was part of the nationwide consultation with stakeholders on the Commissions readiness for the general elections,

Yakubu said that the Commission was determined to improve on the gains recorded in the 2015 general elections, just as he affirmed that only the votes cast by citizens would determine the eventual winners at the polls.

Responding to questions, he debunked some media reports making the rounds about the alleged centralisation of the recruitment of Collation and Returning Officers for the elections.

He said there was no basis for the allegation in the first place, since Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) had never handled the recruitment of such officers.

He said that INEC took a decision in 2011 not to recruit Collation and Returning Officers from among its staff, but from senior lecturers and professorial cadre, in order to protect the sanctity of the electoral process.

This is what the Commission has done consistently. The Chairman of the Commission handles this responsibility. He liaises with Vice-Chancellors under specific criteria.

The Vice-Chancellors submit names directly to the INEC Chairman, the submitted names are further vetted, before we finally engage and post them to the states.

It is after we have finished with the process of engagement that we liaise with the RECs, who then assign the Collation and Returning Officers to local government areas and constituencies where they are going to work.

There was a reason why the Commission took that decision. There was a time in the past when, particularly in the recruitment of Collation Officers and most especially the Returning Officers, some people pandered to the wishes of politicians.

The Commission then decided to centralise it and involve not only the universities, but also the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU).

He explained that since 2015, INEC had conducted elections into 195 constituencies and not on one occasion did the headquarters ask the RECs to recruit Collation or Returning Officers.

According to him, this is what the Commission has been doing since 2011. I was surprised when I read the report.

On another allegation that the National Register of Voters contains names of under-age or ineligible persons, Yakubu said that while the current Register was, indeed, not perfect, it is the largest and most current database of Nigerians with photographs and full biometrics.

The INEC Chairman observed that each of the registered political parties got a copy of the Voters Register since 2011 and none of them had ever complained of the prevalence of under-age voters in the Register.

He also argued that the responsibility of cleaning the Voters Register was not that of INECs alone.

He said while the law requires the Commission to paste the Register at each polling unit nationwide before the general election for claims and objections, Nigerians and political parties also owe it a duty to draw the Commissions attention to the names of ineligible persons for rectification.

On the National Collation Centre, Yakubu explained there is difference between the actual collation of the 2019 general elections results and the ad hoc committee established to put the Collation Centre in place.

He likened the Centre to an ordinary Event Centre that would house the Situation Room among others, for which the constituted ad hoc committee had been saddled with the responsibility to putting all the structures and amenities it needed to function effectively in place.

Since the perception is that we might be up to something, which is why (according to the narratives), the Commission is unwilling to open up the place, we have decided to open up the situation room. We will give visitation rights.

The Chairman of INEC is the Chief Returning Officer for the Presidential Election and I am not going to share that responsibility with anyone, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Sen. Ayogu Eze, the embattled governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has vowed to reclaim his position after an Abuja Federal High Court nullified his primary election.

Eze made the vow in a statement issued by his campaign organisation Chief Spokesperson, Mr Okey Ezirigwe in Enugu on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Sen. Eze as the governorship candidate of the APC.

In a judgment delivered Tuesday morning by Justice I. Ekwo of the Federal High Court 5, the court asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize George Ogara as the candidate.

He berated the committee sent by the APC National Working Committee to conduct primary election in Enugu.

Ezirigwe said that the movement towards President Buharis re-election and the decisive victory in the Governorship elections in Enugu State remained `unwaveringly on course.

Our train is on the move. There is no stopping this great Rescue race to victory

Our lawyers have briefed us about a strange judgment by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which tends to void the primaries conducted by the party in Enugu State.

We want our teeming party supporters to disregard this reckless adventure from the bench, an adventure they knew would be discharged in due course.

Our lawyers have assured us that all necessary legal steps are being taken to discharge this obvious miscarriage of justice within the next couple of days.

Our party faithful and supporters from across the parties should remain calm and resolute while our lawyers are dealing with this minor distraction and irritation.

We are however, humbled by the overwhelming outpouring of solidarity from our large supporters and ever growing support base, not only from every corner of our dear Enugu but from beyond.

We appreciate their calling our attention to a curious Abuja court order which, as the saying goes, is really of no issue at all, he said.

The spokesperson assured all and sundry that Ayogu Eze remained the Governorship candidate of APC in Enugu State.

He said that they were going on with their campaign in full assurance that Eze, would emerge as the Governor of Enugu State in March 2.

Ezirigwe said that the celebration by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leadership over this judgment had further indicated that Eze was a big scare to the rattled PDP.

He called on the teeming supporters to ignore the court decision purchased by a desperate political party for their sponsored agent to cause distraction and continue with the already laid down campaign programmes.

Ezirigwe used the opportunity to congratulate their great party on the victory secured at the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt in respect to the Rivers State Governorship and other candidates.

Source: NAN

Venezuelan military officers blocked a bridge on the border with Colombia ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido stepped up his challenge to President Nicolas Maduros authority.

The opposition-dominated National Assembly had earlier warned the armed forces, which make up much of Maduros power base, not to cross a red line by blocking aid.

Guaido, who proclaimed himself acting president on January 23 sparking an international crisis claims that up to 300,000 people face death if the aid is not delivered.

You know theres a red line, you know well theres a limit, you know that medicines, food and medical supplies are that limit, lawmaker Miguel Pizarro said in a message to the military.

Maduro, though, said humanitarian aid would be the forerunner of a US-led invasion, insisting that no one will enter, not one invading soldier.

Venezuelan military officers used a tanker truck and huge shipping container to block access to the Tienditas bridge, which links Cucuta, Colombia to Urena, Venezuela.

Franklyn Duarte, an opposition lawmaker from the border state of Tachira, told AFP that troops from the armed forces were blocking the crossing.

The aid delivery was being coordinated by Guaido, who has declared himself interim president of the oil-rich country and now enjoys the backing of some 40 countries as Venezuelas legitimate leader.

Maduro, 56, has repeatedly accused the United States of fomenting a coup.

The US, which has not ruled out a military intervention in crisis-wracked Venezuela, was the first to recognise him as acting president, followed by a dozen Latin American countries.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump reaffirmed US support for Guaido, saying we stand with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom.

Britain, France, Germany and Spain were among 20 EU nations to side with Guaido this week after Maduro ignored their demands that he announce new presidential elections by February 3.

Source: NAN

Japanese car giant Toyota slashed its full-year net profit forecast Wednesday after saying its nine-month figure had tumbled nearly 30 percent as it was hit by investment losses.

The firms senior managing officer Masayoshi Shirayanagi also told reporters there was no way to avoid a negative impact in the event of a no-deal Brexit days after fellow Japanese carmarker Nissan announced a cut in production in Britain.

The maker of the Camry sedan and Prius hybrid now expects annual net profit of 1.87 trillion yen ($17 billion) instead of the 2.3 trillion yen it projected three months ago.

The new forecast represents a 25-percent plunge from the previous year.

Shares in the carmaker fell one percent on the news, reversing gains earlier in the day, as the results were worse than even the most pessimistic analyst had feared.

Net profits for the nine months to December came to 1.42 trillion yen, down 29.3 percent from the same period the previous year.

Toyotas bottom line was hit by losses of more than 350 billion yen on its investment portfolio, as the stock market fell in the final months of last year.

The appraisal loss appeared to be a major factor that squeezed Toyotas profit, said Satoru Takada, an analyst at TIW, a Tokyo-based research and consulting firm.

Operating profit rose 9.5 percent to 1.94 trillion yen on sales of 22.5 trillion yen, an increase of 3.1 percent.

Toyota left its forecasts of operating profit and sales unchanged for the full year to March 31.

It projected operating profit at 2.4 trillion yen and sales at a record 29.5 billion yen for the current fiscal year.

Regarding Britains exit from the EU, Shirayanagi said: We cannot avoid the (negative) impact no matter how much we prepare beforehand if Britain leaves the EU with no deal.

He said the firm will monitor the situation, hoping that it will not happen, adding it was not at the moment considering production changes.

On Sunday, Nissan announced it was cancelling plans to build its X-Trail SUV at its plant in northeast England despite Brexit assurances from the government.

Source: NAN

The United States has embarked on a mission to convince European allies not to buy Huawei 5G mobile network equipment, a U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday.

After meetings with the European Commission and the Belgian government in Brussels, U.S. officials are set to take a message to other European capitals that the worlds biggest telecommunications gear maker poses a security risk, said the official, who declined to be named.

We are saying you need to be very, very cautious and we are urging folks not to rush ahead and sign contracts with untrusted suppliers from countries like China, the official said.

The United States fears China could use the equipment for espionage a concern that Huawei Technologies Co. says is unfounded. The push to sideline Huawei in Europe, one of its biggest markets, is likely to deepen trade frictions between Washington and Beijing.

Washington is using multiple tracks, the U.S. official said, including talks at the U.S.-led NATO alliance in Brussels and at international conferences in Barcelona and Munich: Europe is definitely where we see this as the top priority.

Huawei gear is widely used in Europe but the push is aimed at equipment for the new fifth generation mobile technology, which promises to link up everything from vehicles to factories at far greater speeds.

Meanwhile, the German cabinet will hold a secret session on Wednesday to discuss safeguard measures regarding the possible participation of Chinas Huawei Technologies in building Germanys 5G network, the daily Handelsblatt said, citing government sources.

Wednesdays meeting will focus on whether a security catalogue, prepared by the Federal Network Agency and the cyber defense agency (BSI), along with certification rules and a no-spy agreement with China, will be enough to ensure future 5G mobile networks are safe, the paper said.

The session, to be held after the regular cabinet meeting, and attended by the German foreign, interior, economy, finance, and transport ministers, will discuss measures proposed last week by Deutsche Telekom to safeguard national security, the paper said.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany needed guarantees that Huawei would not hand over data to the Chinese state before the telecoms equipment supplier can participate in building its 5G network.

Source: NAN