@ogundeji can supply both the soya beans, Cassava and maize in good time. I reside in Oke-Ogun Oyo State. I am a Student and my father is a farmer and also have access to farmers with large enough warehouses to meet your needs and more at a very good price too.

Contact me on 07066778226.

Party leaders from the Southeast and Southwest are worried over the tenure framework in the document tagged Peoples Policy of the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The policy is for launch on Monday less than 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari launched his, Next Level.

The policy plan of the 72-year-old Abubakar extended beyond four years, an indication that he is planning for a second term in office.

This has caused anxiety in the party because the policy plan extended to six years instead of four.

Instead of planning for a single term of four years, Atikus targets have a six-year timeline, fueling speculations that he might be hoping for two terms in office, the Nation reports.

According to a PDP governor, who spoke in confidence with The Nation, the policy is causing some disquiet because it does not give a ray of hope that power will shift from the North to the South in 2023 if Atiku is elected as the nations president in 2019.

Some of us were expecting a timeline of 2019 to 2023 but the policy plan is mostly made up of a six-year plan.

The people of the South-East, South-West and South-South want a commitment from Atiku on whether or not he will spend one term in office in order to complete the slot of the North.

We are suspecting that those who drafted the policy have a hidden agenda of two terms in office for Atiku.

I think our candidate is planning for the future for the country. It may not be a matter of second term ambition, a member of the National Working Committee of the party said.

Atiku has not really been categorical on whether or not he will spend one term in office. So, those raising dust on 2025 policy plan are getting agitated to know where he stands.

Source: NAN

By Joshua Oladipo

A Federal High Court in Osun has remanded an Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Lecturer, Prof. Richard Akindele, in Ilesa prison custody, for allegedly demanding sex for mark from his student.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Maureen Onyetenu ordered the remand on Monday pending the filing of his formal bail application.

Mr Kehinde Adedoye, the Independent Corrupt Practise and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Prosecutor, had told the court that the defendanthad on Sept. 16, 2017 unlawfully demanded sexual benefits for marks from Monica Osagie.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant is facing a four-count charge.

The defendant corruptly asked for sexual benefits from Ms Monica Osagie on account of favour to be afterwards shown to her in the discharge of his official duties as a lecturer, to wit: altering her academic grades from fail to pass in the course, MBA 632 Research Method, he said.

The offences, he said, contravened Sections 8 (1) (A) (2) and 18 (d) of the corrupt practices and other related offenses Act 2000 and punishable under same sections.

NAN reports that the defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The Defense Counsel, Mr Fola Omotoso, thereafter, prayed the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.

The ICPC counsel, however, opposed the bail application, noting that the defendant had refused to appear before the commission since he was granted administrative bail.

Onyetenu, therefore, ordered the defense counsel to file a formal bail application before the next date of adjournment.

The trial judge adjourned the matter till Nov. 27 for definite hearing and ordered the remand of the defendant.

NAN reports that the defendant is a lecturer in the Department of Management and Accounting of the university.

Source: NAN

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with representatives of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) over the disagreement between the organised labour and state governors on the proposed N30,000 minimum wage.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Amal Pepple Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage, had on Nov. 6, submitted its report to President Buhari where it recommended N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

While receiving the report, the president expressed his commitment to ensuring the implementation of a new national minimum wage and pledged to transmit an Executive bill (on National Minimum Wage) to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

He expressed delight that the committee had successfully completed its assignment in a peaceful and non-controversial manner.

President Buhari said that the Federal Government would soon transmit an Executive bill (on National Minimum Wage) to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

However, the 36 state governors had since expressed reservations over the proposed N30,000 new minimum wage by the Amal Pepple committee, saying the state governments were not in a stable financial position to pay the new minimum wage.

The Chairman of the Governors forum and Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, had on Nov. 15, told newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting of the governors in Abuja that payment of N30, 000 wage was impracticable.

NAN reports that representatives of the Governors forum, who met with the president over the issue, included Governors of Zamfara, Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu, while the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige was also in attendance.

Source: NAN

By Florence Onuegbu

Digital Satellite Television (DStv) service subscribers in Nigeria are grumbling over the continued payment for services not rendered by MultiChoice, the major distance-to-home service provider in Nigeria.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, DStv subscribers pleaded with the Federal Government to enact a law to compel MultiChoice to introduce pay-as-you-view billing system.

The subscribers said that there was need for such billing system, as it would ensure value for subscription.

Many of the subscribers complained of paying for what they did not get services for, saying that after several complaints, MultiChoice did not listen.

Mr Uzochukwu Nwafor, a businessman said that MultiChoice was not considerate on how it was handling the issue of pay-as-you-view.

There is need to put a regulation in place to help subscribers enjoy the money they paid to view the programmes.

With that (pay-as-you-view billing), we can save some money. I see subscribing to DStv programmes as a waste of money; it does not happen abroad or even in South Africa, he said.

Mr Silvanus Nwankwo, a civil servant, said that the National Assembly (NASS) was supposed to look into the operations of MultiChoice.

Many companies come to Nigeria and rip us off because our policies are not being implemented.

Again, DStv does not have serious competitors and that is why the company is behaving as it pleases.

The Pay-As-You-Go billing that telecommunications operators offer is supposed to be applicable to DStv, he said.

Nwankwo, however, said that the National Assembly should focus on the number of Nigerians that subscribed to the companys service and insist on reducing prices of its bouquets.

A Hip Hop Artiste, Ishmael Lawal, popularly known as King Songo complained about the decoder of MultiChoice.

Lawal said that after subscription, he hardly watched the programmes because the signal was poor.

He also said: The company cuts off subscriptions two days before expiration, without warning.

Again, they keep repeating programmes, when one had paid to get new and trending programmes.

A source at the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), who pleaded anonymity, said that the council had already taken MultiChoice to court over the issue.

The source said that CPC received complaints from consumers against MultiChoice, among which was the refusal of the company to offer pay-as-you-view billing on both DStv and GOtv.

The complaints included failure to receive signal after subscription paid; subscription disconnection prior to end of billing cycle with no credit applied for paid time lost; and lack of clarity in terms and conditions.

Other complaints were: non-activation of free to air channels except when a consumer complains; and confusing toll-free customer care telephone channels.

Other complaints were: arbitrary charges; confusing billing; blocking some channels already subscribed; poor picture or signal quality with excessive and uncompensated downtime during both inclement and clear weather conditions; and lack of responsiveness.

Martin Maputo, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing, MultiChoice, said that for two months, the company would reduce prices of its bouquets.

Maputo said that MultiChoice wanted subscribers to enjoy the 2018 Christmas with their families, while enjoying music, food, movies, among others.

According to him, this years Festive Together theme is: It is a Good Time to Gather and There is no Place Like Home.

We want families to be together and watch different programmes on our DStv Sports, Wrestling, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Cross River Festivals, The Experience a Church Programme with a lot of artistes playing.

Others are Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival, Childrens programmes and cartoons, Miss Africa Pageant and others.

We want to use all these again to help raise funds for the less-privileged people, because they have no one to help them, Maputo said.

Maputo said that the new prices for some bouquets are HD premium normal from N11,900 to N9,900; GOtv from N6,900 to N3,200, Explora from N52,000 to N29,900 while the Premium is N38,000.

Source: NAN

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has launched his policy plan for Nigeria and promised to attract investments and support 50 million Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises, if elected as president in 2019.

At the launch in Yola, , Abubakar said the purpose was to double the size of Nigeria Gross Domestic Products (GDP) to 900 billion dollars by 2025.

He said the investments would create a minimum of 2. 5 million jobs annually and lift at least 50 million people from poverty in the first two years.

Abubakar said he would help create jobs by innovating flagship programmes such as the national open apprenticeship programme through the capacity of master-craftsmen and women to train one-million new apprentices every year would be enhanced.

Our national innovation fund and SME venture capital fund initiatives will provide stable and sustainable long-term support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Abubakar said that his plan to restructure Nigeria would lead to a vast increase in the internally generated revenue, both for the federal government and the states.

The former Vice President said that would be done via the matching grants that we would be provided to state governments that increase their own revenue.

Let me be clear, no state will receive less funding than they get today in fact all will receive more and the harder a state works the more they will get, adding they were not just his plan, but that of Nigerians.

Abubakar also pledged to offer an inclusive leadership, saying Atiku Abubakar is 100 per cent for 100 per cent of Nigerians, 100 per cent of the time.

The PDP presidential candidate said that he was not out to make promises without plan as being witnessed in the past, adding that it is one thing to promise and another thing to deliver.

I am not one for making grandiose promises. Rather than promises, I believe in policies. A promise is an indication to do a future action. A policy is a plan to achieve future goals.

I believe in setting goals and coming up with realistic plans and policies to achieving those goals.

To me, leadership is having the discipline to commit to ones goals until they are a reality.

He said he succeeded in running his private enterprises which now employ 50,000 Nigerians because I believe in policies and I have the discipline to stay with them until they become reality.

It is my desire to run for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, not because I have a bag full of promises, but because I am prepared to lead.

Abubakar said that over the last 18 months, he had worked with the best experts Nigeria has to offer to come up with policies and plans that when implemented would get Nigeria going in the right direction again.

He recalled that when he was Vice President from 1999 to 2007, I chaired the national economic council that gave Nigeria her highest and most consistent GDP growth of over 6 per cent per annum.

Abubakar said that despite the fact that crude oil prices at that time were much lower than they were today, under the dynamic leadership of President Obasanjo, Nigeria paid off its entire foreign debt.

We also introduced the GSM revolution that saw Nigeria go from 100,000 phone- lines to over 100 million today.

We were able to achieve these, and much more, because we had a plan called the national economic empowerment and development strategy.

Abubakar added that above all, it was a plan that would help create jobs, saying without jobs, Nigerians could not afford to feed their families and their children live in poverty.

Without jobs, there is crime, drug use and insecurity. Without jobs, where is the hope for a better life and a better future?

Today we will begin the process of sharing our policies that form my plan to create jobs, restructure the polity, and get Nigeria working again.

Abubakar who said that he started out as an orphan selling firewood on the streets of Jada in Adamawa, added that If Nigeria worked for me, I owe it as my duty to make sure that Nigeria also works for you, your family and your friends.

It is time to get Nigeria working again, and these are the plans and policies I have for achieving that.

I appeal to you to join me on this journey towards a better life for all Nigerians.

Source: NAN

Mr. Albert Muchanga, the Trade Commissioner of African Union (AU) has said the continent was set to initiate integrated market starting from January.

No fewer than 50 African countries have signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

They signed the agreement during the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government which was held on March 2018, in Kigali Rwanda.

A year after the signing, the African Union is becoming fervent that signatories with the remaining 10 African countries to ratify the agreement, he pointed out.

Only 12 of the 22 countries have so far ratified the agreement, Commissioner Muchanga told ENA, and hastened to say but we are confident that we should be able to reach the 22.

So, we are confident that by February 2019 we are going to have the 22 ratifications and now we are also undertaking preparatory activities, he pointed out.

Negotiations in schedules of tariff concessions and trade in goods, schedules of specific commitment in trade and establishment of the digit payment proceedings are still taking place, he added.

When the agreement comes into force one month later, we will be able to start trading under the new regime, so that is very good progress and we are encouraged, Muchanga said.

Africa is trying to create an integrated market, he said, and noted we need each and every African Union member state to sign and ratify the agreement so that we have an integrated market.

The integrated market will attract large investment from the rest of the world, create employment opportunities, and minimize migration, he elaborated.

Asked about its significance to economic transformation, Commissioner Muchanga said colonization had fragmented African economy and stressed:

And with small market it was very difficult to industrialize, now we are creating a larger market space and with that now we are really to bring in large economy, which is more viable to industrialize, he noted.

To ensure intra-Africa trade, he emphasized that countries need to start harmonizing policies and regulations in line with the agreement.

When we develop the internal market, I think the message that comes out clear is that Africa is better forward instead of remaining with small and fragmented markets, he pointed out.

According to studies some countries may lose revenues in the short-term as a result of liberalization, however, all countries will benefit in the long-term, he articulated.

He urged the AU member states to spearhead the negotiations instead of the commission.

Source:

Source: NAN

Commercial activities were grounded in some parts of Lagos metropolis on Monday as trucks blocked highways.

The areas affected are Iganmu, Costain Roundabout, Ijora, Funsho Williams Avenue and other areas on the Lagos Mainland.

The situation forced commercial vehicle operators to increase fares by a record hundred per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it was bedlam, especially at Iganmu on Monday as articulated vehicles and other motorists drove against traffic, causing logjam on various roads.

Lagos, Nigerias economic hub has been in traffic chaos in recent years, caused by lawlessness on highways and an apparent inability of traffic managers to enforce rules to check lawlessness.

Analysts have blamed the situation on what they describe as poor governance in a mega city dotted by poor roads and bubbling with human activities.

Speaking to NAN on the gridlock, some commuters lamented the inability of the Lagos State Government to find a lasting solution to the problem.

Commercial motorist Olakunle Ajayi, described his driving from Costain to Orile as a nightmare because of motorists driving against traffic.

Im sick and tired of Lagos. Do we still have government in this state?, he asked as hoodlums, known popularly as area boys extorted money from to allow him passage.

I dont like driving against traffic because sometimes it can be fatal but with no other road to my destination, lm forced to do one-way, Ajayi said.

Another motorist, lsmaila Ahmadu, who plies the Ojuelegba to ljora highway, said that the gridlock had ruined the business of many commercial motorists because their daily trips had been reduced.

My tricycle is on hire purchase. I have to pay off to own it but with this gridlock, l dont know what to do.

I am tired of this hardship.

A trader, Mrs Angela Abumeri, said that she endured a long wait at Fadeyi Bus Stop in her bid to get a bus going to Orile.

I woke up around 4 a.m. to buy fruits from Ketu. Going home is now difficult because transporters are breaking the journey to collect double fare, Abumeri said.

A truck driver, who simply gave his name as Danjuma told NAN that truck drivers resorted to blocking the roads because traffic managers were forcing them out of Lagos bridges.

Traffic managers have gone tough on us. They chased us from parking on the bridges and since we have no alternative, we have to park on the middle of the roads.

Reacting to the development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Chris Olakpe, restated that LASTMA was on top of the situation.

He said that the agency had been working hard to tackle the gridlock. (NAN)

Source: NAN

One of the shocking things he said was that he left the All Progressives Congress, for his old party, the Peoples Democratic Party, because President Muhammadu Buhari did not reward him financially.

Here are the highlights of the audio, that has drawn flaks for the politician from Kwara State :

All that you have complained about tonight is on point, I can not find anything you have said that is not on point, you complained about empowerment

Let us agree that the last three and a half years, things have not been easy at all, I agree and accept things have not been easy at all, particularly in the area of empowerment

Before 2015 I have always tried to empower the youth and get you involved in appointments, but this time around as a result of what I call human factor, things have not been the same, I believe it is the will of God

When you all are complaining and you give example of Gegele and co and you compare it to what is happening now, I am sure you are asking yourself, what is happening? how come all of you struggling with me are not rewarded, it is unacceptable

What is the point of putting everything into the emergence of a government and we could not benefit anything from the government, you are asking yourself, what have you benefited

If you have not benefited personally in the last 3 and a half years, how do you go to market us, wont people ask you what you have benefited for yourself?

It got to a stage that people will be making fun of you and asking you what you have benefited, but what is happening from Abuja, use me as an example, in 2015 I carried @OfficialAPCNg on my head around Nigeria.

Out of 36 states in Nigeria I funded @MBuhari campaign in 30 States, some states I paid 200 Million Naira, some 300 Million, some 400 Million, the only states I did not fund are South West States

Hardly any state in Nigeria that I did not campaign for @MBuhari, up to the time of the election in 2015, out of 36 states I paid for the election of 30 states

Out of 36 states in Nigeria I funded @MBuhari campaign in 30 States, some states I paid 200 Million Naira, some 300 Million, some 400 Million, the only states I did not fund are South West States

Many times I will be calling my banks to send money to fund elections across Nigeria for @MBuhari my thinking was that when we get elected, the next thing is that we will get majority of our people appointments

In fact I had already promised some of you here that you will either be MD of Federal agencies, either road maintenance, NIPDA (inaudible) even Nigerian Ports Authority, SUBEB and so on and so forth

I know if I put someone amongst you from Kwara even in the smallest Federal agencies, the contract you will sign out, 1Million, 2 Million, but for the first time that I have been in politics even speaker cant appoint a cleaner

I as President of @NGRSenate I could not even appoint a cleaner not to talk of Board appointment, if you look at Executive positions I have nothing even after spending Billions for three and a half years, I am as angry as you are.

I know if I put someone amongst you from Kwara even in the smallest Federal agencies, the contract you will sign out, 1Million, 2 Million, but for the first time that I have been in politics even speaker cant appoint a cleaner

I am fighting @MBuhari because of you, if it because of me I wont fight, it is not easy to fight the federal government, the sufferings you are all going trough is because they did not fulfil our agenda

In 2018 I told you all I wont be going with @OfficialAPCNg but in the last one or 2 months that I left I have been doing a lot for you people, my politics is for all of you, I am just here to empower you all, dont mind the one who just bought form for 33M

It was not my plan not to appoint you, when when David Mark was @NGRSenate President, every confirmation he made for the @NGRPresident came with something, if they really love us now you will be empowered

In the past we they have a cut for Senate President and Speaker but not anymore, so we are no longer going with APC as soon as we joined PDP they called me National Leader when I lost election @atiku came to me immediately

Now we have seen the sign that if @atiku becomes @NGRPresident things will come to us, he told me I am the only one that can run his campaign, I know it is not easy for you all, but let me assure you things will be better

God see my aniyan (Arabic word meaning the mind) now in PDP they have brought us closer, how many people in Kwara did APC bring together in Kwara, now we will soon have power, today in APC they want us to go to @AsiwajuTinubu in Lagos

If I am the only one in PDP I will fight alone, my Father made Kwara and took Kwara to the top 10 in Nigeria and I also took Kwara to between number 1 to 3 in Nigerian politics and they now want us to bow to Lagos.

In the coming election we will put Youth into power in Kwara, let us take @Atunwa_1 as he his, he will take care of you all, all those who contested against him are loyal but Atunwa will.. inaudible (applause)

When I was Governor I gave a lot of young people contract, they buy land etc and then empower others, I want to return you to the days of when I was Governor when you were all enjoying, @atiku will open things when we win election

You know as a leader I see things that followers dont see, when we followed @MBuhari we felt after spending money, we saw that he failed to reward us, so we said this Baba is not coming back, no money, no patronage all over Nigeria

Even with all the problem we have with @MBuhari the little cut I get I always send to Kwara but I can tell you that we had to design a method to make the little we have, they did not involve us in sharing

The only agenda APC have for Kwara is to fight Bukolasaraki , they favour Osun State with empowerment, for the remaining time of @MBuhari we will still get some things, we gave them list for FIIRS for 3 years they did not employ our list

Thank you for listening to me

Someone declares that Bukola Saraki gave the young listeners 3 Million Naira

*Applause

*Listen to the audio in Yoruba.

EXCLUSIVE: AUDIO in Yoruba: Why I decided to oppose on
Have a good day.

Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi)

Source: NAN

Freshly elected House of Representatives member, Mr Raheem Tunji Olawuyi has said that his victory at Saturdays Ekiti/Isin/Oke-Ero and Irepodun federal constituency bye-election in Kwara as a victory for the people of the state.

Olawuyi said that the success was a sign of more victories to come for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections in Kwara.

He said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday at Omu-Aran, Kwara, while reacting to the outcome of the poll.

NAN reports that Olawuyi polled 21,236 to emerge winner, while his closest rival, Mr Saheed Alatise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 18,095.

This is a happy moment for me because we have been doing this for a long time.

When your time has come, no one can stop you but at the same time, I give glory to God, because it is the best time Allah has created for me.

My party believed in me to put me forward for the assignment and I thank God I have delivered, he said.

Olawuyi, who described his party as the best in Africa, said he was never scared of the opposition because he is a grassroots politician that is loved by his people.

He said because of the fact that his people love him and follow him with passion, he will always defeat his opponents in a free and fair election.

Olawuyi said the state governments statement that the election was between the PDP and the security agencies was laughable because it was what they were used to.

He said he is now sure of an APC victory in the state in the 2019 general elections because of the spirit the electorate have demonstrated.

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Alhaji Abubakar Kusada of the All Progressives Congress(APC) as winner of the bye-election into the House of Representatives .

The election was conducted in the Kankiya/Kusada/Ingawa Federal constituency in Katsina state on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kusada was the speaker of Katsina state House of Assembly before his election today.
Prof Adedayo Hamza, the returning officer who announced the result on Saturday in Kankiya said Kusada scored 48,518 votes to emerge winner.

Alhaji Abdussamad Yusuf of PDP came second with 20,193 votes, while Nasiru Kankiya of the Peoples Redemption Party scored 1,810 votes as second runner-up.

Abdullahi Umar of the Yes Electorate Solidarity (YES) got 221 votes.

According to Hamza, the total number of registered voters in the constituency is 193,904, while the number of accredited voters was 74,242.

The number of valid votes cast was 70,742 and rejected votes 2,331.The total number of votes cast was 73,073.

Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner, advised political parties to intensify voter education and management of polling units.

He commended the political parties, security agencies, mediamen and other stakeholders for the peaceful conduct of the bye election .

Source: NAN

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress appears to be cruising to victory in the bye election to fill the vacant Kwara House of Representatives seat for Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Isin Federal Constituency.

Collated results from polling booths and wards indicate that the APC candidate, Raheem Olawuyi is ahead of his PDP counterpart, Jimoh Alatise.

In Oro Ward 1, the collated result showed that the APC polled 685 votes, while PDP got 481. In Ajase Ward 1, APC got 1,350
and PDP 1145. The PDP candidate also lost his polling unit to his APC rival 80-120 votes.

Results from polling booths also indicated a similar trend.

The by-election was called by the Independent National Electoral Commission following the death of Ms Funke Adedoyin, who was representing the constituency.

Turnout for the election was impressive, according to a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria.

The conduct was peaceful, hitch-free and orderly in all the voting centres visited.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, voted at PU 006, Ile Onikoyi Ward II, Oro at about 9.45 a.m.

He expressed satisfaction at the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

The minister said this in Oro, Kwara while addressing journalists after casting his ballot.

Mohammed added that the election in Oro and other polling units in the local government was generally peaceful.

He commended INEC for organising a peaceful and hitch-free by-election in the four local government areas of the constituency.

The minister also commended the conduct of the security personnel in maintaining peace and orderliness during the accreditation and voting.

Mohammed, however, added that it was early to start receiving situation reports from the polling booths across the four local governments.

He expressed confidence that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), would emerge victorious at the end.

I am confident that my party, APC will win the election, I cant say otherwise. APC will be victorious, the minister added.

At Ijomu Oro, NAN reports that accreditation and voting started promptly by 8 a.m. with voters in the five polling units in the town on queue for accreditation and voting.

A chieftain of the APC in the town, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, commended INEC for the prompt commencement of accreditation and voting.

Adedoyin, a journalist, said the initial low turnout of voter was because they saw the by-election as a minor one, adding that they later turned out in large numbers.

He also expressed optimism that APC would win the by-election.

At Isanlu-Isin in Isin local government, all the 14 voting units were filled with voters eager to be accredited.

A chieftain of APC in the town, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, said he was satisfied with the conduct and turnout of voters.

He said the people turned out in their hundreds to cast their votes because they desired a change in governance in the state.

The people, without being coerced, came out to vote because of their yearning to effect a change of government in Kwara, Oyedepo said.

Source: NAN

A teenagerwas mauled by awhile spearfishing off the northern coast of Australia on Sunday, authorities said.

The 17-year-old boy was bitten on his arm and leg about 18 miles offshore from Nhulunbuy, a town in the Northern Territory, according to police in the region.

The teenager was treated by paramedics at the scene and then airlifted to Royal Darwin hospitalhaving suffered deep lacerations, a Careflight spokesmanthe Guardian.

I believe the people on the boat [did] an amazing job to stem the bleeding and to give him first aid treatment prior to the arrival of paramedics, Craig Garraway of St. John AmbulanceThe ABC.

The Australian network also reports that officials believe the boy was attacked by a reef shark.

Garraway said that he couldnt recall a shark attack in the Northern Territory before.

This latest incident comes on the heels of another shark attack in which a man was bitten on the beach Saturday south of Wollongong in Australia.

That man, who is 24 years old, was learning how to surf at the time.

He had wounds to his hand and calf and was later taken to St. George hospital.

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

Hajiya Titi Atiku Abubakar, wife of the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar has said that her husband is a man of integrity, stressing that she married him for his honesty and patriotism.

Mrs Abubakar disclosed while receiving a campaign group, Women for Atiku, that no one knew Atiku better than she does, having been married to him for 47 years.

She stressed that contrary to unverified and vague allegation of corruption by political detractors, Atiku was actually a man whose integrity, honesty and sincerity earned him her love.

I usually got confuse Whenever i read the false allegations of corruption being spread by mischief makers against my husband in the media.

Most times i ask myself if they were referring to my husband whom I have been married to for 47 years or a different person.

Their descriptions only befits the opposite of Atiku Abubakar, because he is not corrupt as alleged, Titi Said.

She further stressed that sice she married Atiku 47 years ago, she had never found him wanting in honesty, sincerity, integrity and patriotism to his fatherland.

She narrated how they were brought together by Divine Destiny.

I was on my way back to Nigeria from Benin Republic wher I went to visit my aunt at the idioroko boarder and was accosted by ofifcers of the Customs Service.

They had demanded that I pay duty for a pair of brocade material which was a gift from my aunt, an argument ensued between us and i told them to have the brocade material for a keep because i couldnt comprehend why i should pay duty for a pair of brocade.

Suddenly an officer by name Atiku Abubakar who heard our argument summoned the officers to come along with me to his office.

He was the head of the command at the time. After listening to both sides, Atiku demanded for the duty charge, dipped his hand into his pocket and paid the duty and handed me the receipt smiling and saying that I will pay him back.

As the head of the command he could have simply commanded them to let me go if he chose to, but his patriotism to fatherland would never allow him do so, and that singular act swept me off my feet and i eventually fell in love, she said.

The National Coordinator of Women for Atiku Mrs Blessing Egbara thanked Mrs Titi Abubakar for the warm reception accorded to her group.

She pledged that the group would continue to mobilise women across every ward to vote for Atiku Abubakar in 2019.

Egbara said that the National leadership and the 36 state coordinators of the group visited to inform her that with the commencement of the campaign, the group is set to penetrate the nook and crannies of Nigeria to mobilise the desired support toward 2019 Atiku victory.

Egbara said that the group would embark on voters mobilisation and education adding that the group would also mobilise all registered voters to collect their Permanent Voters Cards PVCs.

Source: NAN

By Yunus Yusuf

Oil marketers on Sunday appealed to Federal Government to effect quick payment of its outstanding N800 billion subsidy debts.

The marketers, underthe aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), made the appeal in a joint interactive session with journalists in Lagos.

They urged government agencies saddled with the settlement of the payment to expedite action to save marketers from closing shop as interest on loans mounted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) had in its Oct. 31 resolution directed the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office (DMO) to meet with oil marketers and other stakeholders on grey areas and report back within one week.

Mr Clement Isong, Executive Secretary of MOMAN,said that the unpaid debts had negatively impacted their working capital leading to their inability to pay their banks and service providers.

He urged government agencies concerned to address the bureaucratic bottlenecks causing the delay in the payment process, adding that the delay had resulted in degrading oil and gas downstream subsector and hampered marketers business operation.

NAN reports that MOMAN is a downstream oil and gas group made up of six major marketers including Mobil, Conoil, OVH Energy, Forte Oil, MRS Oil and Total Nigeria Plc.

The MOMAN scribe re-assured government of their readiness to ensure availability of petroleum products across the country during and after the yuletide period, adding that marketers were fully ready to work with government on effective products distribution.

According to him, the major challenge the Nigerian downstream petroleum sector is facing is the non-payment of the long outstanding fuel subsidy to oil marketers.

We appreciate the efforts of the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council in approving payment, but the non-payment creates a significantly negative impact on the operational efficiency of the downstream sector of the oil industry.

`Thereby placing a severe strain on its efforts to continually invest in infrastructure and raise industry standards.

We hope that the debts will be paid in full to the oil marketers as soon as possible, he said.

Isong disclosed that the debt owed MOMAN members alone stood at over N130.7 billion as at August 2018.

He said that once reconciliation had been done and a particular figure was agreed as debt, he could not understand why settlements had not been made.

Similarly, Executive Secretary, Deport and Petroleum Products Marketers of Nigeria, Olufemi Adewole, said that the processes highlighted for payment by the government were inimical to the operations of their businesses.

Adewole said: The processes they have highlighted is killing our businesses. Immediately the banks read in the media that the National Assembly had approved, they went to court, got injunction and seized our assets.

Adewole said that 60 per cent of marketers have been forced out of business as banks have taken over their depots, assets and properties, due to their inability to pay back monies borrowed to import fuel.

He said many marketers were forced out of business, while others are struggling to survive due to governments inability to settle the subsidy arrears, saying the development is threatening investment in the downstream subsector.

The DAPPMAN scribe stressed that while the Federal Government had earmarked money to clear the debts, the marketers were yet to be paid.

The debt has had very adverse effects on our operations. I am aware of two depots that have been forcibly taken over by banks, because they got injunctions from the courts.

They did so the moment they heard that the National Assembly approved payment of the debt to marketers. Unfortunately, as at today the money was yet to get into our accounts, he said.

Adewole pointed out that the other challenge was that many of the marketers had laid off more than 90 per cent of their staff because of financial constraints.

He however said that government had promised that part of the money would come as promissory note and cash, saying the information gathered was that the government may pay only in promissory note.

It means you have to go back and discount this promissory note in the bank. This means we are losing because the money has been delayed and this adds to the interest to be charged on our accounts.

NAN also recalled the Debt Management Office (DMO) on Oct. 31, says it has commenced the accelerated implementation of settlement of government arrears through promissory notes to oil marketers.

The DMO made this known in a statement issued in Abuja when it met with the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum Sector to discuss the issue of the outstanding payments to oil marketers.

According to the statement, the implementation is in line with the process approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

It also quoted Sen. Kabiru Marafa, Chairman, Oil and Gas Senate Committee, as calling the meeting to ascertain the status of the implementation of the approvals given by the National Assembly for the settlement of arrears to oil marketers.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Finance, DMO, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and representatives of oil marketers.

The obligations due to the oil marketers represent interest accruals and foreign exchange differentials, it said.

Source: NAN

The Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, commended security personnel for their high level professionalism, civility, politeness, firmness and unbiased conducts during the by-elections conducted on Saturday.

The by-election into House of Representatives were conducted in Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi.

In a statement issued by the Spokesman of the Police, Mr. Jimoh Moshood on Sunday in Abuja, Idris is also elated with the performance of police personnel and that of other security and safety agencies.

He also appreciated the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the good people of the states.

Idris particularly commended the Commissioners of Police in the states and those who presided over security in Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State, Kankiya/Kusada/Ingawa Federal Constituency of Katsina State and Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.

The Inspector General of Police deeply appreciates the high level commitment of the Police Personnel and that of other Security and Safety Agencies in ensuring adequate security, secured and conducive environment for free and fair Bye-Elections in the affected Federal Constituencies in Kwara, Katsina and Bauchi States.

The Force equally appreciates the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the good people of Kwara, Katsina and Bauchi States, the Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Staff, Local and Foreign Election Monitors/Observers, Situation Room Election Observers/CSOs, other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Media and other critical stakeholders for a good working relationship with the security personnel deployed for the election.

The good disposition and spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by most of the political parties in the elections which doused fear and tensions during the elections is gratifying and highly commendable.

As a lead security agency in election security in a democracy, the IGP once again commends the police for their sacrifice, collective patriotism and commitment in ensuring that the elections were conducted in an atmosphere of peace devoid of any breach of public peace and security throughout the period of the elections.

The impressive performance of the Police personnel to ensure law and order, and a successful election is a clear testimony of the capability of the Nigeria Police Force in its renewed commitment to continue to adhere to International Best Practices in the conduct of elections in the country now and the upcoming 2019 General Election.

The Nigeria Police Force, he said would continue to sustain the elections security successes recorded in gubernatorial elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, and the just concluded by-elections.

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says incumbent Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 elections.

Tambuwal finished second behind Atiku Abubakar, who emerged the party presidential candidate at its Convention held in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State on Oct. 6.

Festus Okoye, INECs National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, who confirmed the substitution said Tambuwal now replaces the name of Manir DanIya, earlier submitted as the party flag bearer.

It was believed that DanIya, who was Tambuwals Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, had only held the PDP governorship ticket for Tambuwal in case he (Tambuwal) lost the partys presidential ticket.

DanIya had emerged as PDP consensus candidate.

Okoye also noted that DanIya, by the substitution, automatically becomes the deputy governorship candidate of the party for Sokoto State.

Source: NAN

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

The Federal Government is considering setting up an education bond to finance infrastructure in public universities, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Buhari made the idea known at University of Ibadan on Saturday on the occasion of the institutions 2018 Convocation and 70th Foundation Day Ceremony.

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Office of the Vice President, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Buhari, who is Visitor to the University, was represented by the Vice President. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Buhari restated that education could not be left to Government alone as none of the worlds leading universities depended wholly or even substantially on government funding.

He said that universities all over the world had evolved innovative means of financing and investment to meet their funding needs and become financially sustainable.

Buhari added that one of the solutions that must be explored was the alumni network, noting the University of Ibadans vast alumni network, by virtue of its age, had a lot to offer.

Amongst other options we are working on the details of an education infrastructure bond for public universities, to involve raising money from the capital market to give a push to infrastructure in our universities.

Our on-going talks with the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) are a fallout of the chequered history of negotiations concluded in 2013 with government.

There is no question that ASUU has a point. However, we must seek to resolve it amicably and with minimum disruption to the academic calendar.

According to him, given the radical changes that technology has brought to bear in both the challenges and opportunities in education, the N-Power employment scheme of the Buhari administration provides a technology platform to train teachers.

Buhari noted that the N-Power programme a technology driven employment and skills training programme, had employed 500,000 young men and women who were hired using a technology platform developed by young Nigerians.

We have had the collaboration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Oracle Academy, Microsoft, Cisco Academy and IBM.

How do we train teachers quickly and efficiently, aside from traditional teacher training institutes which must be refitted to deal with new technology-driven pedagogy? We must use technology platforms to train.

We have had a few eye openers in this regard when we launched our N-Power programme.

We trained them and provided materials for continuous training using our open platform and each of them was provided with an electronic tablet which contains a lot of training and teaching materials for the large number who teach in schools in every local government in Nigeria, he said.

Buhari said that in the next few years, both teacher training and teaching would be largely driven by technology; with university education, especially scientific research, made easy by virtual reality and Artificial intelligence tools.

The president said that the current gaps in educational attainment in the country had made it clear that Nigeria had to change both the substance of education its children received and the methods by which they are taught.

According to him, the early stage investment in primary and secondary school education is key to becoming a knowledge-driven economy.

He said that Federal Governments policy was to develop and introduce STEAM education Science Education, Engineering, Arts and Math curriculum in primary and secondary schools.

Buhari said that the curriculum covered training in skills in cross disciplinary, critical and creative thinking, problem solving and digital technologies, coding, digital arts, design thinking, and robotics.

Other notable Nigerians who spoke on the occasion were Governor of Oyo State, Mr Abiola Ajimobi; Gen.- Yakubu Gowon; the Chancellor of the University and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III as well as the Pro-Chancellor, Joshua Waklek.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari should be allowed to complete the good work he started and would be too risky and dangerous for power to return to the Peoples Democratic Power (PDP) in 2019.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said at an event organised by Buhari Media Organisation in commencement of campaigns for the Feb. 16, 2019 Presidential Election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Jan. 9 released the timetable and schedules of activities for the 2019 general elections.

According to him, the PDP has not shown remorse for what they had done and had not admitted their mistakes and has not taken steps to address those mistakes.

They want to compound matters for Nigeria. It is too dangerous and risky for power to return to PDP, Garba said.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari would win clean and square on the basis of the record that the administration had achieved.

In 2015, we ran on the basis of promises, majorly insecurity, anti-corruption and repositioning of the economy on all of these three counts, he has achieved 90 per cent.

The time has come that we are going to unfold to the nation, all achievements and Nigerians will not make the mistake of taking us back to where we were in 2015.

This election is going to be a tough one but Buhari is going to win.

Dont mind the noise, dont mind all the propaganda. Buhari will come back. He has done it before, he is doing it now. He is going to do it for the country again, he said.

The spokesman added that the president was rebuilding the country saying this was not a time to change a president.

He must be allowed to complete the good work he had started.

Whatever they say, he has minimally 12 to 14 million votes coming from masses in elections. This is not going to change in 2019.

This election will be a work-over for him, he said.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi said 2019 would be about truth and falsehood, reality and illusions.

For me, these two choices are not difficult to choose from. Obviously, we know where we are coming from.

We are coming from a period in time which people just did anything they wanted to.

Today, we are having a different government under our President who is definitely taking things the way they should be.

We had a very serious infrastructural deficit and because of that our productivity is extremely low.

The most sensible thing for anybody to do and which this government is doing creditably is to focus on infrastructure, Abdullahi said.

On her part, the National Coordinator for Women for Buhari and Osinbajo, Fatima Adams said women must support the president for continuity.

Women must mobilise for President Buhari for the future of our children, she added.

Earlier, Chairman, Buhari Media Organisation, Mr Niyi Akinsiju said Buhari had built a new foundation for governance with the change mantra. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reduced the 14-year jail term of former Plateau governor Joshua Dariye.

He will now spend 10 years, according to the judgement delivered on Friday.

The Appeal Court also reduced the 14 year jail term of former governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba state to 12 years.

Both governors got the reprieve on account of being first time offenders.

Justice Banjoko had on May 30, 2018 found Nyame, a former Taraba State governor guilty and sentenced him to 14 years for criminal breach of trust, two for criminal misappropriation, seven for gratification, and five for obtaining by dishonesty to run concurrently.

The trial judge on June 12, 2018 also found Dariye, a former Plateau State governor guilty of 15 out of the 23-count amended charge brought against him by the EFCC bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds, and sentenced him to 14 years in prison for criminal breach of trust and two years for misappropriation of public funds, to run concurrently.

The two former governors, who are currently serving their jail terms at Kuje Prison, had approached the Court of Appeal seeking to have their convictions and sentencing set aside.

The three-man panel comprising of Justices Abdul Aboki, Stephen Adah and Atinuke Komolafe-Wilson, which sat on the Dariye appeal, gave its verdict on November 16, 2018.

Reading the lead judgement on behalf of the panel, Adah, stressed that it was a unanimous decision. The Panel upheld the conviction of Dariye based on counts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 13, 17, 21 and 22.

Adah, however, stressed that the lower court ought to have given consideration to the fact that Dariye was a first-time offender, and also set aside his conviction based on count 12, while quashing his conviction based on count 23.

In view of being a first-time offender, their lordship reduced his sentencing of 14 years for criminal breach of trust to 10 years on each count, reduced his two years sentence to one for misappropriation of funds, all to run concurrently.

The forfeiture order of the lower court is also upheld, Justice Adah added.

Meanwhile, Nyame was not so lucky as the Panel that sat on his appeal, comprising of Justices Aboki and Emmanuel Agim, not only upheld his conviction, but also fined him N495 million.

Reducing the sentencing of the lower court in conformity with Section 315 of the Penal Code and Section 416 of the ACJA 2015, Justice Agim who read the judgement, commuted Nyames jail term to 12 years and fined him N100 million each on counts one, two and six; N50 million on count eight; N20 million on counts 10, 12, and 14; N10 million on counts 16, 18, 20, 27, 29, 30, 31, and 32; and N5 million on count 36, totalling N495 million.

Nyame also had his sentence reduced from 14 years to 12 for criminal breach of trust, from seven years to five years for gratification and five years to four, for obtaining by dishonesty.

Source: NAN