The Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri in Imo is the best polytechnic in Nigeria, according to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Masaudu Kazaure made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, at the end of the Second Regular Meeting of the NBTE Governing Board. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

Kazaure explained that the polytechnic emerged the best after scoring 85.08 per cent in the assessment of 112 federal, state and private polytechnics in the country, in the pilot ranking of Nigerian polytechnics.

He said that the exercise covered 2015/2016 and 206/2017 academic sessions.

He said that the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun came second with 73.08 per cent, while Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State came third with 72.31 per cent.

Other polytechnics in the top 10 included The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State, ranked fourth with 67.69 per cent; Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger, fifth, 65.38 per cent; and Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo, sixth, with 63.85 point.

Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Enugu State, seventh, with 62.31 per cent. Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Ondo State and Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State were ranked eighth with 60.77 per cent.

Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra was ranked 11th with 60.00 per cent and Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi, occupied the 12th position with 59.23 per cent.

The NBTE boss also said that when disaggregated by ownership, the Federal Polytechnic Nekede also emerged the best Federal Polytechnic in the country followed by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and Kaduna Polytechnic.

The Polytechnic Ibadan, IMT and Rufus Giwa polytechnics were the highest ranked among state polytechnics, while Lagos City Polytechnic is the highest ranked private polytechnic and the 16th in the country.

Dorben Polytechnic and Heritage Polytechnic were the second and third best private polytechnic in the country.

Kazaure explained that the polytechnics were ranked based on total number of programmes with full accreditation in the last two years and percentage of programmes with full accreditation.

Other criteria include proportion of academic staff showing the right mix, that is, chief lecturer and principal lecturer down to assistant lecturer; and ability of institution to introduce programme in new and emerging fields.

They were equally assessed based on capacity building of staff both within and outside Nigeria, teaching quality, including staff /student ratio and ratio of full-time to part-time staff.

Other areas are availability of current Campus Master Plan, Strategic Plan, and Academic Brief; percentage of academic staff with relevant higher qualification and professional registration; and 70:30
technology-non-technology enrolment ratio.

Another consideration was the incorporation of entrepreneurship education into the institutes curriculum and fully established Entrepreneurship Development Centre, he said.

He said other issues discussed by the board borders on quality assurance, accreditation, resource inspection visits and proliferation of illegal technical and health institutions in the country.

He said that 191 out of the 239 programmes in 41 polytechnics visited for accreditation between June and September 2018 were granted full accreditation while 48 got interim accreditation.

He also said that 117 programmes were scrutinised for resource inspection within the same period and 94 programmes were granted interim accreditation to commence operation, while 23 were denied.

Four proposed private polytechnics were also visited for approval and licensing within the period under review and only one was recommended while three were asked to remedy some identified deficiencies.

The governing board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria to reduce the burden of duplication of quality assurance visitation and accreditation activities.

The board also agreed to hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to put an end to proliferation of illegal technical institutions and unapproved private health institutions operating in the county.

The board particularly commended the effort of the Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Paul Dogo for expressing concern to the board on illegal health institutions operating in the state, he said.

Kazaure added that the board equally frowned at the conversion of colleges of agriculture to polytechnics by some state governments and agreed to take necessary actions to put a stop to the development. (NAN)
FDY/

Source: NAN

Some houses and vehicles were burnt in Epe, Lagos East, on Thursday as political violence erupted following the killing of a supporter of one of the aspirants contesting to represent the All Progressives Congress in the House of Representatives election next year.

The person killed was identified as Idris Alooma, said to be 30 years old.

He was shot by hoodlums who attacked a polling unit in Ward 4, after voting had taken place and party members were awaiting the declaration of the result.

Four persons were cleared to contest for the APC ticket to the House of Representatives. They are Wale Raji, the incumbent, Lanre Odubote, a former Rep member, Remi Adebowale and Segun Olulade, a member of the House of Assembly.

Voting had ended at Ward 4, when the gunmen arrived at about 4.15 pm and shot Alooma, a witness Mr Akeem Lawal said.

He said the hoodlums stormed the polling unit after learning that their candidate had lost.

Lawal complained that the security in Epe was loose because there were no police officers at the polling unit when the attack occurred.

A NAN reporter who monitored the election reports that, some aggrieved youth set houses and vehicles ablaze across Epe community, after the killing of Alooma.

The Divisional Police Officer in Epe, CSP Adeyeri Sunday told NAN that one of the suspects, who attacked Alooma, had been arrested, adding that his team would do everything humanly possible to arrest other suspects and bring them to book.

The direct primaries to elect the candidates for both the House of Representatives and the Senate were held at the 19 wards in the Epe Federal Constituency.

Senator Gbenga Bariyu Ashafa, cleared to run unopposed for the Lagos East senate seat by the APC National Working Committee, had an opponent in Bayo Osinowo, a four-time member of the state of House of Assembly.

Voting started at about 3:45 p.m. in many of the wards in Ibonwon, Ikosi-Ejirin, Epe Recreation centre and Ogunmodede among others.

Results are being awaited.

Source: NAN

A witness, Izuchukwu Ezeuko, on Thursday told an Igbosere High Court in Lagos how he dropped $1 million dollar ransom for the alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The ransom was to save Mr. James Uduji, then held hostage by Evans.

Ezeuko, a manager in Udujis firm, made the revelation while giving evidence at the ongoing trial of Evans.

The manager, who was the fifth witness in the trial, said he agreed to travel from Lagos to the South East to drop the ransom in order to save his boss life.

Evans is facing two separate charges bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

In the second charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

At the resumed trial of the case on Thursday, Ezeuko narrated how he paid one million dollar ransom in two tranches of 800, 000 and 200,000 dollars to the kidnappers of his employer.

The witness said that on Sept. 7, 2015, his employer came to the factory at Agbara as usual.

According to him, at 5.00 p.m. he got a call that his employer who had left the factory for home was kidnapped.

However, after some weeks of the alleged kidnap, on Oct. 10, 2015, he got a call from a private number, who said he should speak with his boss.

My boss then spoke to me and said if I want him alive, I should go to the East to deliver money to the alleged kidnappers.

I went to Festac Town and met Mr Edwin Uduji, the victims brother, who arranged the first 800, 000 dollars for me to travel with.

On October 11, I drove to the East with the victims elder sister, and in the East, a voice gave us instructions on how to drop the money, Ezeuko said.

He said they were made to drive round Anambra from Awka to Ozubulu, also to Ekwuluobia and the environs until they were asked to stop at Oba.

It was at Oba that the voice asked the victims sister to come down from the vehicle with the money.

The voice directed her to an uncompleted building where she dropped the money. It was dark so we did not see the person who picked the money, Ezeuko told the court.

He said two weeks after the 800, 000 dollar ransom was dropped and the kidnappers released his boss.

However, towards the end of October, his boss asked him to take another 200, 000 dollars to the kidnappers because the kidnappers were still threatening his life.

Ezeuko said he took the money down to East and was asked to drop it on the Onitsha expressway by the voice that gave him instructions.

However, during cross-examination, counsel to Evans, Mr Olarewaju Ajanaku, asked Ezeuko if he informed the police that such ransom was to be paid or gave the call logs of the person he interacted with the to the police.

The witness said he did not inform the police about the ransom before paying and did not give the call logs to the police.

However, another witness, Sgt. Kingsley Harold, gave evidence concerning the first charge, in which Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba, over the kidnap of Mr Donatus.

Harold said after Evans was arrested, he was asked to make a statement at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office in Ikeja but Evans said he was not too good in writing.

He said Evans, however, asked him to write the statement for him, adding that the statement was recorded in an open office in the presence of senior police officers and other people who came to the office for other cases.

He said the statement was recorded in a conducive environment between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm, adding that the defendant was cautioned before making the statement.

However, the defendant s counsel opposed the admissibility of such statement and a trial-within-trial was conducted to ascertain the admissibility of such evidence.

After listening to the arguments, Justice Akintoye adjourned until Oct. 8 for continuation of trial.

Source: NAN

Two years after Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, her insurance company, AIG is suing her former bodyguard and his security firm in the United States for $6.1 million.

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in Delaware by AIG, which accuses Pascal Duvier and the company he worked for, ProtectSecurity, of breach of contract.

Celebrity website TMZ, which first reported the suit, says Duvier left the luxury residence, where Kardashian had been staying during Paris Fashion Week in October 2016, and followed two of her sisters to a nearby club.

As a result, Kardashian was left without security. The lawsuit also accuses Duvier of failing to plug a number of breaches at the property that allowed the masked gunmen to enter, TMZ reported.

Five men tied her up, gagged her and locked her in a bathroom, before making off with jewels worth $10.6 million, including a diamond ring gifted by rapper husband Kanye West, which she had flaunted on Instagram.

AIG is seeking the $6.1 million that it paid Kardashian after the robbery, holding the bodyguard and firm negligent, TMZ said.

Duvier no longer works for the mother of three.

French justice charged 11 suspects in connection with what was the largest robbery of an individual in France for 20 years. Only one piece, a diamond-encrusted cross, has been recovered.

The suspected ringleader, Aomar Ait Khedache, told investigators he had struggled to find a buyer for Kardashians 18.88-carat ring, complaining it was too recognizable and that he had given it to an unidentified third party.

Source: NAN

German second seed Alexander Zverev suffered an early exit at the China Open as he went down 7-6(4) 2-6 6-4 to Tunisias Malek Jaziri on Thursday.

The world number five appeared to have righted the ship after losing the opener in a tiebreak but paid the price for failing to convert his opportunities.

Jaziri, 34, executed an audacious tweener to win a point at 2-5 down in the second set and although Zverev still levelled he went onto claim his third victory over a top five opponent this season.

Up next for the world number 61 is a first Tour meeting with Nikoloz Basilashvili. The Georgian, ranked 34 in the world, overcame Spains Fernando Verdasco 7-6(3) 6-4.

Italys Fabio Fognini thumped Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-3 and will take on world number 45 Marton Fucsovics for the first time.

Hungarian Fucsovics beat surprise French Open semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato of Italy 6-4 6-2.

Its going to be a tough match because he (Fucsovics) is great, he played really well today, Fognini, currently ranked 11th in the race for the ATP World Tour Finals, said.

Top seed Juan Martin del Potro, who has already clinched his place in next months season-ending tournament in London, will meet Serbias Filip Krajinovic on Friday.

Briton Kyle Edmund takes on Dusan Lajovic in another last-eight clash.

Source: NAN

Former rap mogul Marion Suge Knight was sentenced in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday to 28 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of a man he ran over with his pickup truck outside a hamburger stand in 2015.

The sentence appeared to forestall any chance of a future recording business comeback for Knight, 53, known as much for repeated run-ins with the law as for his career as a hip-hop executive promoting the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur during the 1990s.

He admitted then to using a deadly and dangerous weapon on Jan. 29, 2015, when he ran down two men with his pickup truck in an altercation outside Tams Burgers that spilled over from a quarrel on the nearby set of a TV commercial for the film Straight Outta Compton.

Carter later died of his injuries. The second man, Cle Bone Sloan, was left with a badly mangled left foot and head injuries. Knight, who was out on bail in a robbery case at the time, fled the scene but was later arrested.

Knight had previously contended that he accidentally struck the two men with his vehicle while trying to flee what he thought was an ambush attempt.

Had Knight been convicted of murder and attempted murder as originally charged, he faced a life sentence with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.

As part of his agreement with prosecutors to plead no contest the legal equivalent of guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, all other charges in the case were dropped. Two separate criminal cases in which he was charged with robbery and making criminal threats were also dismissed.

Judge Ronald Coen said Knight had earned the equivalent of 4.2 years credit for time served in pretrial detention. He also is eligible to shave another 15 percent, or 4.2 years, off his term for good behaviour while in prison, meaning he could end up serving nearly 20 years before release.

Seated beside his lawyer and wearing an orange jail uniform and horned-rimmed glasses, the burly, bald ex-college football player showed no visible emotion as sentence was pronounced. He did not address the court.

Knight previously served more than half of a nine-year term for violating the probation he received in 1995 for an assault on two aspiring rappers at a Hollywood recording studio.

The probation violation stemmed from a scuffle involving Knight at a Las Vegas hotel in September 1996, hours before Shakur was shot to death while riding in a car with Knight on the Las Vegas Strip. Knight was slightly wounded in the attack.

Knight was later named by police as a suspect in the shooting death of rival rap artist Christopher Wallace, known as Notorious B.I.G., but was never charged. Both rap murders remain unsolved.

In 2002, the year after his release from prison, a federal racketeering probe of Knight and his record label was closed with the company pleading guilty to misdemeanour tax charges. The onetime college football star and gangsta rap pioneer eventually lost control of his label in bankruptcy proceedings.

Source: NAN

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as winner of Tuesday’s governorship primary.

This was contrary to the position of the Clement Ebri-led National Working Committee appointed electoral panel, which had earlier nullified the election that produced Sanwo-Olu as winner.

Ebri had said that the primary would be rescheduled as the state chapter has no power to conduct the party governorship primary election on its own.

However, the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, announced Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the primary.

Watch the declaration here:

Breaking News

The State Party Cbairman, Hon Tunde Balogun announced at the State Party Secretariat ACME just now the results as follows.

Akinwunmi Ambode 72901

Babajide Sanwo Olu
970851

Babajide Sanwo Olu emerged as the party Candidate. pic.twitter.com/1oIyoudwwe

— APC Lagos State (@apc_lagos) October 2, 2018

Announcing the results to newsmen in Ikeja, Balogun said that Sanwo-Olu polled 970, 851 votes to defeat Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who polled 72, 901 votes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the announcement was in contrast of the pronouncement of the electoral panel which had declared that election did not hold in Lagos.

NAN reports that both parties had on Monday, at a meeting, disagreed on the pattern of primary to adopt without reaching a consensus.

Balogun thanked party members for coming out en masse to participate in the primary, saying that their participation reflected their belief in democracy.

“I am aware that conflicting information has been circulating on our primary election, but I must tell you that the election was held and it was free and fair.

“It would be very painful to disenfranchise the over 1.5 million members who voted across the 245 wards in the state.

“At the end of the exercise, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu polled 970, 851 votes and Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode scored 72, 901 votes.With this, Mr Babajide is declared winner.

“I thank party members for participating in the election and their dedication to democracy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National leadership of APC said it had postponed the governorship primary in Lagos State indefinitely to douse tension generated within the party in the state.

The African Students Education Support Initiative (ASESI), an NGO, has congratulated Nigeria for remaining a strong and united country at 58 years.

ASESIs Executive Director, Chinonso Obasi, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said, however, that the leaders of the country had not done much for education and called for a state of emergency in the sector.

Obasi said that it was regrettable that a country blessed with rich natural and human resources was still lagging behind in basic education which was fundamental to everyones life.

The neglected citizens who have no access to quality education, affordable medical care services shall someday express their grievances to the society to register the level of disappointment.

The hopes of young Nigerians are in danger as their future is already doomed by those who occupy public offices who ought to lay formidable foundation like basic education for a Nigerian child.

It is only in Nigeria you will find public office holders spend tax payers money on sending their children overseas to acquire quality education while educational institutions in their constituencies are neglected.

The medical facilities in Nigeria are not standard as the elites and public office holders derive joy traveling abroad for ordinary medical treatment, he said.

According to him, Nigerias Independence Day calls for sober reflection.

He said that ASESI had plans to sponsor and support internally displaced children in Nigeria to acquire quality education as that was a better way of saving and protecting their future.

Source: NAN

Another fuel tanker explosion has been reported in Lagos Badagry Expressway on Tuesday morning.

Casualty has not been ascertained, but unconfirmed reports say four tankers were involved in the accident and many commercial buses were up in flames.

Many Nigerians have taken to twitter to report the incident which is said to have occurred at 5.32 am at Barracks bus stop in Ojo.

According to Jose @yemmytimmydar, A big bang of tanker explosion at Barracks now 5:32am

GIDITRAFFIC Verified account @Gidi_Traffic which retweeted@olaabdulakeem: Tanker explosion at Barracks Bustop along Lagos Badagry Exp way this early morning 2/10/2018. No loss of life had been confirmed though.

: Tanker explosion at Barracks Bustop along Lagos Badagry Exp way this early morning 2/10/2018. No loss of life had been confirmed though.

GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic)

Details on the latest accident later, but the last fatal oil tanker explosion occured on June 29 in Lagos and was reported to have killed many people and destroyed 54 cars when the tanker fell on Otedola Bridge along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

It took the effort of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Lagos State Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the police and other agencies to put out the fire and restore calm on the road.

General Manager, LASEMA, Adeshina Tiamiyu, said: The accident happened around 5.25pm and involved a tanker loaded with petrol. The tanker fell and spilt its content, causing fire which burnt 54 vehicles. The vehicles, which were of different models, were trapped behind the truck.

Some motorists, who turned to run away, crashed into other vehicles. Some jumped out and others fell into the gutter in the course of running away. We found dead bodies on the ground and in the gutter. Some of the people who died in the gutter had probably been caught by the fire and jumped into the gutter to put it out.

Nine dead bodies have been recovered and four were injured. Two were seriously injured, while two sustained minor injuries. The injured have been taken to a hospital, while the bodies have been taken by SEHMU to the mainland hospital mortuary. We are currently making efforts to remove the burnt vehicles from the road.

Source: NAN

The APC National Working Committee (NWC) panel on Tuesday cancelled the exercise that took place earlier in the day in the Lagos governorship primary election, saying the preparatory process for the election had just been concluded.

The Chairman of the panel, Chief Clement Ebri, spoke at a news conference in Alausa, Ikeja.

The preparatory process had just been concluded for the primaries. The primary is to begin anytime soon.

There was no election. Election materials are being sorted. The stage is set and election begins anytime from now. We have guidelines and we will stick to the guidelines.

Because of the political tension in the state, we decided to be very careful, very methodical. As party men, peace is more important to us than victory.

We want a kind of victory that will be celebrated by both parties.

We want an election that will be credible and in line with the guidelines, the extant rules and the laws of the country.

And that is what we have done. We are ready to go to the field and execute this. So that at the end of the day, we will not be accused of partisanship. Lagos is very important to us and it is a flagship of the APC, Ebri said.

He said that the panel was ready to give the most credible primary to the state and would contact the national headquarters for information on the preparatory process.

It takes a lot of work for the main show to take place.

We are ready to give the state the most credible election.

We will contact the national headquarters on the timing for the release of materials. It is not our fault that this exercise took this long.

Ebri said the panel was waiting for the party chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, to provide certain information that would enable them post people to the wards.

We have two aspirants and we need to be fair to both parties. The information we demanded for came in about an hour ago. And we had to struggle this period to balance the equation.

Now that we are ready, we will contact the national headquarters on the situation and the right time will be announced, Ebri said.

He said that five persons from the local organising committee and four for each ward would be posted .

They will all go out to ensure the primary is conducted. We all understand the terrain in the state especially as it concerns the traffic situation. So, the materials are available now and ready for deployment.

The national secretariat advised us to use ballot papers and we came into Lagos with thousands of them. But during the stakeholders meeting, it became obvious that the state chapter of the party was not ready for such primary.

They claimed that there was time to educate the members and others. And based on the submission made at the stakeholders meeting on Monday, some changes were made, he said.

Ebri said the panel was advised to conduct the open ballot in a manner that would be objective to all parties.

And that is one of the adjustment we made to accommodate views of the stakeholders. For us, the stage is set and the primary should commence any moment from now, he said.

Earlier,the chairman Lagos APC, Balogun said the election held and it was free fair and credible.

When asked if the panel supervised the election, he said he would not be able to answer that.

According to Balogun, he only saw observers and could not tell.

We are awaiting the panel to declare the result, he said.

Source: NAN

A Texas woman, claiming that she was raped, beaten and sex trafficked at the age of 15 by a pimp who posed as a Facebook friend, has filed suit against the social network, alleging its executives knew minors were being lured into the sex trade on their platform.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in court papers filed in Harris County District Court in Houston on Monday, also named as defendants the now-shuttered classified ads website Backpage.com and its founders.

Attorneys for Backpage.com and the former employees named in the lawsuit as defendants also did not return calls for comment.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was friended on Facebook in 2012 by a user who appeared to know several of her real-life friends. The man messaged her through Facebook, according to the lawsuit, which was seen by Reuters.

Source: NAN

Denmark will ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2030, the government has announced

Diesel and petrol cars in Denmark must be the past. The future is green, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said,

In just 12 years, we will prohibit the sale of new diesel and petrol cars. And in 17 years, every new car in Denmark must be an electric car or other forms of zero-emissions car, Rasmussen added.

The plan to ban internal combustion vehicles still needs parliamentary approval and will go up for a vote next week.

If passed, Denmark will be one of several countries that have committed to eliminating gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 25 years.

However, Denmark has been slow to adopt electric cars. Out of 2.5 million private cars on Danish roads,are electric vehicles.

Other countries that have set such a goal include Norway, which has a goal of 2025, as well as France, Netherlands and Ireland, which aim to ban those vehicles by 2030.

Israel plans to ban imports of gas-powered vehicles by 2030 and India has said it plans to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2030 if its economically feasible,.

Several major cities also hope to have a ban, including Athens, Madrid and Mexico City.

Source: NAN

President Donald Trump made an undiplomatic remark about close ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying he warned Saudi Arabias King Salman he would not last in power for two weeks without the backing of the U.S. military.

We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say theyre rich. And I love the King, King Salman. But I said King were protecting you you might not be there for two weeks without us you have to pay for your military, Trump said to cheers at a rally in Southaven, Mississippi.

Despite the harsh words, the Trump administration has had a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which it views as a bulwark against Irans ambitions in the region.

Trump made Saudi Arabia his first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year.

Trump called King Salman on Saturday and they discussed efforts being made to maintain supplies to ensure oil market stability and global economic growth, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.

Saudi Arabia is the worlds top oil exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC, which has been criticized by Trump for high oil prices.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Trump said OPEC members were as usual ripping off the rest of the world.

We defend many of these nations for nothing, and then they take advantage of us by giving us high oil prices. Not good. We want them to stop raising prices, we want them to start lowering prices, Trump said.

He has also pressed other U.S. allies, such as Japan, South Korea and Germany, to take more of the financial burden of their defense.

Source: NAN

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed fears that Tuesdays governorship primary in Lagos State, which produced Babajide Sanwo-Olu as candidate, was controversial.

He said the party leadership was in control of the shadow election.

Speaking at the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the former Edo State Governor said: I told the President that the primaries held as planned and everything is being done to ensure there is no violence because democracy doesnt flourish with violence.

Nigerians must begin to learn how to differ in opinion and in choice without fighting; this is something people have to acquire over time.

For me, Im excited that if we can do it in Lagos, it can be done anywhere.

Everything that is being done is done under the control, supervision and direction of the NWC.

In Lagos, the Clement Ebri Election Committee said the exercise did not receive its blessing because the conditions prescribed were not followed.

Party Chairman Tunde Balogun rejected the Committees verdict, saying the election was free and fair.

Leaders of the party, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, commissioners, aspirant Babajide Sanwo-Olu and party members who turned out in large numbers, participated in the election.

But Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who was in his hometown Epe for the primary, remained indoors.

Reporters who accompanied him to Epe were asked to leave for Lagos shortly before 11a.m.

Ebri said at about 4.30 pm when he addressed the media was just ready for the primary.

He said he had contacted the APC national secretariat for further directives.

We are ready to give the state the most credible election. It is not our fault that this exercise took this long. In some states, primary has been moved to Thursday.

We were waiting for the (Lagos State) party chairman to provide certain information that will enable us post people to the wards. We have two aspirants and we needed to be fair to both parties. The information we demanded for came in about an hour ago. And we had to struggle this period to balance the equation, Ebri said, adding:

We have five persons from the local organising committee and four for each ward. They will all go out to ensure the primary is conducted. We all understand the terrain in the state, especially as it concerns the traffic situation. So, the materials are available now and ready for deployment.

The national secretariat advised us to use ballot papers and we came into Lagos with thousands of them. But during the stakeholders meeting, it became obvious that the state chapter of the party wasnt ready for such primary. They claimed that there was no time to educate the members and others. And based on the submission made at the stakeholders meeting, some changes were made.

And we were advised to conduct the open ballot in a manner that would be objective to all parties. And that is one of the adjustments we made to accommodate views of the stakeholders.

We had a session with representatives of both aspirants here at about 8 am. And we asked that they should bring names of their representatives that would be used for the exercise. But the names didnt arrive early from both parties.

Ebri went on: Because of the political tension in the state, we decided to be very careful, very methodical and very meticulous in doing it. As party men, peace is very important to us than victory; we want victory that will be celebrated by both parties; we want victory that will be credible; a victory that will be in line with the guidelines and extant rules and laws in this country. We are ready to go to the field and execute this in clinical fashion.

Lagos is a flagship of APC and must continue to remain so for years to come and so in conducting anything that has to do with Lagos, we have to do it with a lot of circumspection and objectivity and it should be a showpiece for the rest of the country.

Displaying the result sheets, the Panel Chairman said it was in impeccable condition and not one single sheet is missing and it is not possible for this committee to do any other thing than it has been instructed to do.

We have guidelines and we will stick to those guidelines to be sure that we are fair to both parties.

Balogun insisted that the primary was devoid of violence and, therefore, credible.

He said the agents of the two parties were present at the wards where the election took place and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and election observers witnessed the exercise.

The election took place simultaneously in all the 245 wards. Some of our members were visible in the local governments. For example our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was at Ikeja, his own ward.

He took part in the election and we saw the results. The results have been signed by the agents of the two aspirants. Those results were credible because the INEC too were there and they all signed. We were all witnesses to the conduct of the election. There were no violence, no chaos; it was free, fair and transparent.

Asked whether any member of the NWC panel members was there, he said: What I know is that I did not go round the wards. The venue I went to, I saw some observers apart from the agents and INEC. They were publicly conducted, constitutionally done and I think we will leave the rest for the people and the press . That is why we have to wait for the committee charged with the responsibility to announce the results. We are not to announce the results.

Some women from Shomolu/Bariga who protested at the Ikeja hotel where the panel members addressed the media, complained that they were not allowed to vote in their wards because they are known supporters of Governor Ambode.

Reported by

Source: NAN

Australia is seeking to join China, UK and Europe in the race to increase business footprints in Africa.

The countrys new position is aided by a new look foreign policy that emphasises partnerships with mutual benefits.

Australia recently held an Africa Week in Perth, where it announced that it will push for mining, trade, education and cultural exchanges and technological advancement programmes in the coming years.

With the USA, UK, China and India all making huge financial offers for projects, Australia is touting joint ventures.

To begin with, it intends to share its technology with African countries that have mineral resources.

The mining sector, it is argued, holds the key for important technological developments; for instance renewable energy, battery storage and communication technologies all rely on a robust mining sector to provide the raw materials.

We are hoping to create greater economic and social opportunities for African countries, and the people living in them.

These opportunities can be made easier and more accessible through the increased access to technology that the world is creating, said Western Australias mineral minister Bill Johnson.

Source:

Source: NAN

By Abiodun Esan/Ilorin

A member of the House of Representatives, Razak Atunwa on Monday emerged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, in Kwara.

Atunwa, representing Ilorin West and Asa Local governments in the lower chamber, defeated his sole opponent, Sen Shaaba Lafiaji, representing Kwara North Senatorial District.

The Governorship candidate, who was also a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, polled a total of 1, 555 votes to defeat Lafiaji who scored 578 votes at the primary that took place in Ilorin on Monday.

A total of 2, 170 delegates took part in the election conducted by national officers from PDP headquarters in Abuja and monitored by INEC officials while 37 ballot papers were voided.

The primary, which lasted till 9.45pm was witnessed by the state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Alhaji Kau Baraje and other chieftains of the party in Kwara.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the eight aspirants announced their withdrawal after accreditation of delegates at the Banquet hall before the commencement of voting.

Aspirants that withdrew their participation include Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, Prof Suleiman Abubakar; former minister for National Planning and Alhaji Mohammed Ajia.

Others are Kwara Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, Hon Haman Patigi, Alhaji Ladi Hassan, Hon Zakari Mohammed and Alhaji Saka Isau.

Speaking after the announcement of the result, the flag bearer, Atunwa commended the sportsmanship of Sen Lafiaji in accepting defeat.

He also commended the leader of the party, Sen Bukola Saraki for his exemplary leadership quality.

Atunwa promised that the PDP family would continue to make life more meaningful and abundant for the people of the state.

The governorship candidate said he would implement all the election promises as well as PDP manifesto if elected.

He described his victory as victory for all Kwarans and also commended the magnanimity of the eight aspirants that withdrew from the race.

According to him, the aspirants withdrew not out of cowardice, but because of the love they have for the party and Kwara.

Atunwa promised to unveil his programmes and manifesto for the state very soon.

Source: NAN

The common sense Senator Ben Murray Bruce, was the butt of snide remarks on Twitter Monday after he announced his withdrawal from the race to seek a second term as the senator representing Bayelsa east in the 2019 election.

According to Cable, Bruce made this known in a letter he wrote to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, the eve of the senatorial primary election of PDP in the state.

Bruce attributed his withdrawal from the race to the need to allow someone else from the constituency fly the banner of the PDP in 2019.

I thank God and the good people of Brass, Bayelsa East Senatorial District who offered me the golden opportunity four years ago to represent them and the state in the Senate, Nigerias highest lawmaking chamber, the letter read.

It is without doubt that I have tried to discharge my duties as a legislator and representative of my people creditably to the best of my ability so far.

My voice has been very loud on the issues that matter to our people and our country at all time. My support to our party, my people and state government is unquestionable. I am humbled that the national leadership of my party supported by the State chapter in appreciation of my efforts offered to support my reelection to the senate to continue my service.

I have also intensified consultations in the last couple of week in the course of which I have come to realize an existing local rotational arrangement of over 20 years beginning with the late Great Chief Melford Okilo, by which arrangement the Senatorial seat rotates per local government area among the three councils for four years in the Senatorial District.

Even with the support of my party at the National and state levels with the full backing of my state government and leadership, as a man of honour interested in the well-being of my people, I hereby announce my withdrawal from the Senatorial race.

I do not want whatever reason to appear to have used my privileged position and influence to do anything other than the well-being and the stability and the good of the people. I am in all of these for the people, not for myself.

Bruce expressed gratitude to all those who have contributed to his career as a lawmaker.

He also thanked his constituents for giving him the opportunity to serve.

Once again, I thank the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebelo Jonathan, the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, my colleagues in the Senate and Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson for their support and encouragement, he said.

I also thank the leadership of my Senatorial District and state, for being there for me.

I thank specially the people of my constituency for their trust and confidence in me to serve and represent them in the Senate. By trusting me with this mandate, I have come to know them and our people even better, an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life.

I am indeed grateful to my darling wife, my children, and other members of my family for their support and prayers. I appreciate the efforts of my hardworking campaign staff for their support and dedication.

Again, I thank the leadership of the party for their continuing support. I also assured the party of my availability and readiness to serve at any capacity when the opportunity comes.

His withdrawal provoked some taunts on Twitter. Here are some:

.@benmurraybruce abandoned his ambition to represent the Bayelsa East Senatorial District following WIDESPREAD REJECTION of his candidacy by the stakeholders of the district.🤣🤣🤣🤣

Them no see Ben Bruce HARD-WORK and COMMON SENSE FOR @Twitter ?🤣🤣🤣https://t.co/a06WUfnDrQ https://t.co/WTxDKp4ATk

— Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) October 1, 2018

Ben Bruce can now return to Silverbird and concentrate all his energy on repaying the N11billion debt his company owes to AMCON and the Nigerian people

— Daddy D.O🇳🇬 (@DOlusegun) October 1, 2018

My name is Ben Bruised and I just want to make commonsense 😩 https://t.co/eWSBYsbuMZ

— SoulJah (@jeffphilips1) October 1, 2018

Ben Bruce down
Suleiman Hunkuyi down

How many more to go? #NonReturningSenators

— Adebayo Bankole Akintunde (@AdeBanqie) October 1, 2018

Ben Bruce down
Suleiman Hunkuyi down

How many more to go? #NonReturningSenators

— Adebayo Bankole Akintunde (@AdeBanqie) October 1, 2018

And here is the Tweet that really explained why the Common sense senator, did not waste time going into the primary:

@benmurraybruce is trending on here as he has withdrawn from the Bayelsa East Senatorial race. To my greatest surprise people have been condemning him. Most of ya’ll are upset when a politician refuses to resign his post when being probed.

— Tabai Biboye (@tabaibiboye) October 1, 2018

Source: NAN

Engr. Abdullahi Sule, former Managing Director of Dangote Sugar Refinery company has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Nasarawa state for the 2019 general elections.

His main rival will be 40 year-old Emmanuel David Ombugadu, a member of the House of Representatives, who is the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Fifty-nine year-old Sules victory was announced in Lafia by Ismail Ahmed, chairman of APC electoral committee represented by the secretary, Abdullahi Candido, after the keenly contested primary by 11 aspirants.

Ahmed said that Sule polled 926 votes to defeat the Deputy Governor, Silas Agara and nine other aspirants who participated in the exercise.

Aliyu Wadada, a former lawmaker representing Karu/Keffi/ Kokona federal constituency at the National Assembly, placed second having polled a total of 517, while the deputy governor emerged third with 356 votes.

Other aspirants include: Halilu Envuluanza, a former Executive Secretary of the National Judicial Council, who polled 246 votes; Arc. Jafaru Ibrahim, member representing Nasarawa/Toto federal constituency garnered 105 votes while Alhaji Zakari Idde former APC National Vice chairman scored 88 votes.

Dr. Dauda Kigbu, Arc. Shehu Tukur, Mohammed Maikaya, James Angbazo and Hassan Liman (SAN) polled Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven and Four votes respectively.

He said that 2,341 delegates were expected to participate in the primary election, out of which 2,337 were accredited. All the accredited voted.

He explained that 19 votes were voided for either double thumb printing or thumb printing on margin between boxes of two aspirants.

Meanwhile, Governor Umaru Al-Makura has commended the peaceful, transparent and fair conduct of the election describing it as the hallmark of the partys change mantra.

Al-Makura appreciated the maturity of all the aspirants and their supporters. He urged them to close ranks with the candidate of the party to win the general election and consolidate on the gains recorded so far in the state.

Sule was born on 26 December 1959 in Gudi Station, Akwanga-west development area of Nasarawa state.

According to a bio posted on Facebook, his father is the current traditional ruler (Hakimi) of the village.

He began his education at the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School, Gudi station in 1968. In 1974, he gained admission into Zang Secondary Commercial School, and later Government College, Bukuru. After his secondary education, he went to Plateau State Polytechnic, Birni-Ladi.

In 1980, he left Nigeria on a scholarship to study in the United States, enrolling at Indiana State University , Terre Haute, Indiana. At the end of his four-year scholarship, he had both the B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in mechanical technology and industrial technology.

He returned to Nigeria in 1980 and served as a youth corps member with Plateau Utilities Board. He later joined the Jos Steel Rolling Mill in 1985 as a production Engineer.

After four years at the mill, he returned to the United States in 1989, where he worked for several companies before again returning to Nigeria in 2000.

This time, he co-founded Sadiq Petroleum Nigeria Limited in Lagos and was made the pioneer managing Director/ CEO.

Sadiq Petroleum Company that same year participated in the privatisation of African Petroleum plc and won the bid. He became the CEO of AP in 2001 and worked, along with colleagues to turn the company round into profitability.

He first joined politics in 2006 and apart from his political and social engagements in Nasarawa, his last post was as the acting Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery in Lagos.

Source: NAN

By Angela Atabo

A Civil Society Organisation, Stand Up Speak Out initiative (SUSO) on Tuesday called on Nigerians to speak out against acts of criminality by people defrauding the nation.

The Convener and president of the group Mr Doyle Edeni made the call at the launch of the Stand Up Speak out Initiative in Abuja.

Edeni said that the biggest problem confronting Nigeria and her people was her perception as a nation with no values and direction due bad people who are in the minority

According to him, more than 80 per cent of Nigerians are good people but the less than 20 per cent that are bad are caving a wrong name for the nation.

We are launching a citizen project to call on Nigerians to rise up to their responsibilities as citizens and speak out against those who are determined to pull our nation down.

SUSO condemns crime and criminality in all its forms whether perpetrated by fellow citizens or foreigners.

Our organisation shall work to disavow those citizens who act in concert with thier foreign collaborators to undermine the interest of the country and its people.

Jobs with basic skill sets should be the exclusive preservation of Nigerians as practised by all civilized nations around the world.

Edeni said that Nigerians were always discriminated against abroad and decried the situation where Nigerians discriminate against themselves even in Nigeria.

He said that SUSO had decided to take it up and say enough is enough adding that it was time to stand up and speak out and rise to be counted in the fight against criminality.

Edeni said that Nigeria would not be reformed overnight but the current challenges presented a good opportunity for a fresh start.

Also speaking, Ms Ibiera Dateme, Secretary, Board of Trustee, SUSO said that the main objective of the citizens project was to re-orientate Nigerians on the values of the nation.

She said that it was time to reawaken national consciousness of the citizens by giving voices to Nigerians with integrity.

Dateme said these Nigerians would be torch lighted to show other Nigerians that there were still good and hardworking people in Nigeria who do excel even without connection as believed by people.

Source: NAN

The African Students Education Support Initiative (ASESI), an NGO, has congratulated Nigeria for remaining a strong and united country at 58 years.

ASESIs Executive Director, Chinonso Obasi, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said, however, that the leaders of the country had not done much for education and called for a state of emergency in the sector.

Obasi said that it was regrettable that a country blessed with rich natural and human resources was still lagging behind in basic education which was fundamental to everyones life.

The neglected citizens who have no access to quality education, affordable medical care services shall someday express their grievances to the society to register the level of disappointment.

The hopes of young Nigerians are in danger as their future is already doomed by those who occupy public offices who ought to lay formidable foundation like basic education for a Nigerian child.

It is only in Nigeria you will find public office holders spend tax payers money on sending their children overseas to acquire quality education while educational institutions in their constituencies are neglected.

The medical facilities in Nigeria are not standard as the elites and public office holders derive joy traveling abroad for ordinary medical treatment, he said.

According to him, Nigerias Independence Day calls for sober reflection.

He said that ASESI had plans to sponsor and support internally displaced children in Nigeria to acquire quality education as that was a better way of saving and protecting their future.

Source: NAN