By Ikenna Uwadileke

An ICT expert, Mr Adefolajuwon Amoo, has accused Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) of intellectual property infringement by adopting a foreign technology What3Words as the national system for codification of physical addresses in Nigeria.

Amoo, Chief Executive Officer, Arbel Energy and Logistics, made the allegation in Abuja.

He said NIPOSTs intention to use a foreign technology to increase the number of homes it could deliver to and improve delivery services in preparation for the take-off of Nigerias e-commerce violated Presidential Executive Order No. 5.

Item 6 contained in the Executive Order provides that Ministries, Departments and Agencies shall adopt local technologies to replace foreign ones, where they met set standards.

He, however, said that NIPOSTs adoption of the UK technology, What3Words, not only violated the order in promoting indigenous innovations to replace foreign ones but infringed on intellectual property right.

He said that NIPOST poached and disenfranchised his indigenous app, GridCodes, needed for effective codification of addresses in Nigeria.

Amoo urged the Federal Government to cancel the moves by NIPOST as it infringed on his patent right.

He said, this app has the potential to offer the needed service free of charge.

I began to offer GridCodes to the Federal Government for adoption as the national system for codification of physical addresses in Nigeria, also for free.

I made this offer through a letter to Mr Bisi Adegbuyi, the Director-General of NIPOST, and the letter was received on Jan. 18, 2018.

However, rather than contact me, I found out to my consternation that NIPOST had on July 31, 2018 released an app that both poached and attempted to disenfranchise my own product.

Not only did NIPOST unethically hack my technology, it is also misleading the Federal Government into promoting foreign technology called What3Words, he said.

Amoo emphasised that GridCodes would benefit governance, security and commerce in Nigeria.

According to him, it will make Nigeria future-ready for technologies such as integration of drones into the business of parcel delivery.

He said that NIPOST in concert with the UK technology had asked Nigerians to pay N1,000 annually each for their addresses to be accessible to business and government.

This is unfair, unethical and exploitative of Nigerians. The GridCodes are 100 per cent free and do exactly what the UK technology does.

To charge every Nigerian money for what is free is unbecoming use of the enablement of a privileged government office.

The playing field for national development has never been more level than it is today.

The future is information technology, digitisation and artificial intelligence. We have the skills and the knowledge to end NIPOST app that will bring unknown people to our doorsteps every day.

An app that makes us pay 180 billion naira annually when it is free; a NIPOST app that will lock 75 per cent of Nigerians out of a digital transformation because they are too poor, Amoo said.

In his reaction, the NIPOST Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Franklin Alao denied the allegation, saying that it was false.

This is the first time I am hearing of this and I can assure you that this allegation is false, Alao said.

Source: NAN

Ernesto Valverdes gamble of resting Lionel Messi in the first half backfired on Saturday as Barcelona made it three games without a victory after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Athletic Bilbao.

Messi came on in the 55th minute at the Camp Nou and it was the Argentinians shot that was turned in by another substitute, Munir El Haddadi, with six minutes left to play.

By then, however, Oscar De Marcos had given Bilbao a deserved first-half lead and despite a late rally, Messi and Barca could not find a winner.

After drawing at home to Girona and being beaten by Leganes, Barca will head to Wembley to face Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday on the back of three games without a win.

The last time Bilbao took a point at the Camp Nou, Valverde was sitting in the away teams dug-out, in 2004, during his first spell as Bilbao coach.

Now in charge at Barca, Valverde will have questions to answer for this result, having made the bold decision to rest Messi, presumably with Spurs in mind, along with Sergio Busquets.

Barca surrender top spot in La Liga if Real Madrid beat Atletico in the city derby later on Saturday. Bilbao move up to 14th.

Lack of rotation was chief among the criticisms levelled at Valverde after they crashed out of the Champions League quarter-finals last season, with Luis Suarez admitting he regrets playing 90 minutes against Leganes, three days before the collapse against Roma.

Valverde has certainly acted. Of the preferred 11 that started a 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven two weeks ago, eight have started at least one of the three games since on the bench. The trouble is that seven of those have been required to come on as substitutes, which suggests Barcas squad is not deep enough to accommodate the shuffling Valverde has in mind.

Bilbao took the lead in the 41st minute and could have scored earlier. Inaki Williams attempted lob had Marc-Andre ter Stegen beaten but drifted wide. Ter Stegen had to push Raul Garcias effort over and was then rounded by Williams but the angle proved too tight.

Barca were not without opening themselves, as Suarez was twice denied by Unai Simon but Bilbao looked the more likely to score.

Ousmane Dembele conceded possession and Markel Susaetas cross was perfectly weighted to evade the scrambling Sergi Roberto at the back post, where De Marcos slid the ball home.

Valverde waited until 10 minutes after half-time before introducing Messi and Busquets. Sergi and Arturo Vidal made way, the latter with a glare and shake of the head.

Messi got to work. His bending free-kick looked destined for the corner, only for De Marcos to head off the line and another shot hit the post.

Munir replaced Dembele and this last substitution paid off. Messi shot twice, the first scrambled away by Simon but the second fizzed across the face of goal for Munir to divert in.

Barca wanted a winner and they had six minutes to find one. There was to be no late drama, however, as Bilbao claimed a well-deserved point.

Source: NAN

I want to state that aside my wife, President Muhammadu Buhari is my friend and my only boss, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi, has said.

He said that President Buhari should be respected by Nigerians because of his status as the president.

He said he is not ashamed to be President Buharis friend despite belonging to the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP).

Buhari as the President, is the symbol of the country just as the governors are mini-presidents in their respective states.

The fact is that as a human being, he might not be doing everything correctly, but the citizens owe him prayers and understanding to lead the country aright.

I have said repeatedly that I dont have to insult him to show that I am a PDP member and it is not my duty as a governor to insult the president.

This does not mean that I do not identify with the ideals of the PDP, but it must be stated that those who say they are supporting Buhari in Ebonyi are only deceiving the people, he said.

Umahi vowed to name a prime project, one of the best worlds glass tunnel, after his friend, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor said the one and half kilometres glass tunnel it is constructing after Buhari.

Umahi said on Friday night in Abakaliki during the quarterly media chat/ dinner as part of celebrations to mark the nations 58th anniversary and 22nd year of the states creation, noting that their relationship was beyond politics.

The governor noted that the opposition in the state was only interested in his job and not genuinely supporting the president, vowing not to allow them to take the position from him.

The northern senatorial zone of the state produced a governor who served for eight years; the central zone did the same and the southern zone where I hail from should be allowed to complete its eight-year tenure.

This is the tripod on which the states equity rests and even though a sitting governor wanted to truncate it, God brought a David in my person to ensure it was maintained and it will be maintained till the end, he said.

Umahi urged Nigerians to realise that power comes from God and to check the brazen quest for political offices which has brought several problems to the country.

Politicking has recklessly taken the centre stage in the nations affairs and if such is not checked for the next four years, it would be difficult for the country to handle its consequences.

The common man in the country just needs food on his table as politics has become a means of profiteering even from those who have nothing to offer to the people, he said.

The governor, who took time to enumerate his administrations strides in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, education, heath, human empowerment, among others, noted that his decision to modernise the state capital was irreversible.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that media practitioners from within and outside the state, took turns to ask several questions bordering on the state s existence and made general comments, at the occasion. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Chukwuemeka Opara

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has vowed to name a prime project, one of the best worlds glass tunnel, after his friend, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor said the one and half kilometres glass tunnel is still under construction.

He told those who cared to listen that he is not ashamed to be President Buharis despite belonging to the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP).

Umahi said on Friday night in Abakaliki during the quarterly media chat/ dinner as part of celebrations to mark the nations 58th anniversary and 22nd year of the states creation, noting that their relationship was beyond politics.

I want to state that aside my wife, Buhari remains my only boss and should be respected by Nigerians because of his status as the president.

Buhari as the president, is the symbol of the country just as the governors are mini-presidents in their respective states.

The fact is that as a human being, he might not be doing everything correctly, but the citizens owe him prayers and understanding to lead the country aright.

I have said repeatedly that I dont have to insult him to show that I am a PDP member and it is not my duty as a governor to insult the president.

This does not mean that I do not identify with the ideals of the PDP, but it must be stated that those who say they are supporting Buhari in Ebonyi are only deceiving the people, he said.

The governor noted that the opposition in the state was only interested in his job and not genuinely supporting the president, vowing not to allow them to take the position from him.

The northern senatorial zone of the state produced a governor who served for eight years; the central zone did the same and the southern zone where I hail from should be allowed to complete its eight-year tenure.

This is the tripod on which the states equity rests and even though a sitting governor wanted to truncate it, God brought a David in my person to ensure it was maintained and it will be maintained till the end, he said.

Umahi urged Nigerians to realise that power comes from God and to check the brazen quest for political offices which has brought several problems to the country.

Politicking has recklessly taken the centre stage in the nations affairs and if such is not checked for the next four years, it would be difficult for the country to handle its consequences.

The common man in the country just needs food on his table as politics has become a means of profiteering even from those who have nothing to offer to the people, he said.

The governor, who took time to enumerate his administrations strides in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, education, heath, human empowerment, among others, noted that his decision to modernise the state capital was irreversible.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that media practitioners from within and outside the state, took turns to ask several questions bordering on the state s existence and made general comments, at the occasion. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, also known as Mama Taraba, has resigned from President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet and from the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Alhassan hinged her resignation on her disqualification in the screening for the 2019 Taraba state governorship contest by the APC National Working Committee.

She said she was axed without any viable or genuine reason.

If I am not good enough to contest elections in the APC, then I feel I am not also qualified to remain a minister in the APC government, she stated.

She thanked the president, her ward executives and other members of the party for the opportunity given her to serve.

Aisha Alhassan was the governorship candidate of the APC in the 2015 election in Taraba State.

She was the only one disqualified by the NWC out of 12 aspirants slated to run in the primaries scheduled for tomorrow.

Today, the 29th of September 2018, I wish to transmit to the President my decision to resign as the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and withdraw my membership of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Sen. Jummai Alhassan (@SenAishaAlhassn)

Read her letter to President Buhari and also her letter to the APC. We must warn that her letter to the president starts with a typo: resignition instead of resignation:

Aisha Alhassan may however have incurred the wrath of the party when she declared in a BBC Hausa Service report last year September that she would support former vice-president Atiku Abubakar for the presidency, instead of President Buhari.

Abubakar is now a presidential aspirant, among a dozen other aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party.

She said her choice of Abubakar was predicated on the fact that the former Vice President is her godfather.

Atiku is my godfather even before I joined politics. And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019.

Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister, but Baba just like you know, I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest.

On the possibility of losing her job for rooting for Abubakar in 2019, Alhassan said, If because of what I said, I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah, that my time has elapsed that is why.

Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked.

However, Buhari declined to sack her for the statement and she also reportedly went to beg the president to retain her job.

:

H.E. Sani Abubakar Danladi . Cleared

2.Sen. Joel Danlami Ikenya Cleared

3.Garba Umar-UTC Cleared

4.Prof. Mohammed Sanni Yahaya Cleared

5.Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama Cleared

6..Aliyu Omar, MON Cleared

7.Chief Ezekiel Afunkuyo Cleared

8.Chief David Sabo Kente Cleared

9.Mohammed Tumba Ibrahim Cleared

10.Barr. Kabiru Umaru, Esq. Cleared

11.Aliyu Omar, MON Cleared

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki is currently leading former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in an online poll on twitter ahead of the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The poll posted on the twitter handle @PDP_RIVERS called on Nigerians to vote for the candidate whom they want to win the primary election and be the flag bearer of the PDP in the 2019 Presidential Election.

The poll read thus: It is settled, that the @OfficialPDPNig primarieswill hold in Rivers State On Saturday 6th October 2018. Who do you think should be the best candidate to defeat President Buhari of the APC in the 2019 presidential election.

The poll listed only four aspirants: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, Sokoto state Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Kano Governor and former APC Presidential aspirant Rabiu Kwankwaso.

It is settled, that the primaries will hold in Rivers State On Saturday 6th October 2018.

Who do you think should be the best candidate to defeat President Buhari of the failed APC in the 2019 presidential election.

PDP_RIVERS_STATE (@PDP_RIVERS)

As at the time of this report, a total of 1788 people had voted and Bukola Saraki was in the lead with 41 per cent of the votes, followed by Atiku Abubakar with 30 per cent of the votes, then Rabiu Kwankwaso with 21 per cent votes while Aminu Tambuwal trailed with 8 per cent of the votes.

The poll however did not just end at voting as many of those who supposedly voted went on to argue their points in the comments session of the tweet.

While some berated Saraki others supported him and while some didnt give Atiku any chance, others insisted that he is the only one that can effectively challenge Buhari in 2019.

Some sought to know why only four aspirants were listed, pointing out the all four of the aspirants betrayed PDP in 2015 when they defected to the APC to support Buhari against then President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, some of those who made comments used the opportunity to support President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that none of the aforementioned can defeat him.

Below are some of the comments:

Saraki will shut out Buhari in the North Central, South West, South East

Daniel Sturridges brilliant long-range strike a minute from full-time at Stamford Bridge in London preserved Liverpools unbeaten league run.

Chelsea were leading 1-0 before Sturridge struck. Eden Hazard had given the hosts the lead on 25th-minute, after he curled the ball to the far left of the keeper.

Liverpool pressed for an equaliser, almost vainly. Kepa Arrizabalaga saved well from Sadio Mane, before David Luiz had to clear a Roberto Firmino header off the line.

The equaliser came in the final minute of normal time from Sturridge, just three minutes after coming on, as the former Chelsea forward curled a fantastic 30-yard strike into the top corner.

Arrizabalaga found the shot uncatchable.

With the result, the Londoners have ended Liverpools perfect start to the Premier League season.

Liverpool had won all six of their previous league matches this term but they lost to Chelsea in the League Cup in midweek.

The draw left Liverpool in second place, with champions Manchester City, who beat Brighton 2-0 earlier on Saturday, top on goal difference.

Source: NAN

The Jos pond, where the car of missing Major General Idris Alkali was found on Saturday, contained other shocking secrets: four other cars were also found inside it.

This pond contains a lot of hidden secrets. There are four more cars that we have discovered to be inside for now. We are determined to unveil all the secrets in it, said Major General Augustine Agundu, Commander Special Task Force.

Alkalis car registered as MUN-670-AA Kwara State, was pulled out of the pond at about 7 p.m, with the combined effort of NEMA, the Fire Service and local divers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alkali, former Chief of Administration Nigerian Army was declared missing since Sept. 3.

Agundu told journalists that the search started on Sept. 22 at the site after receiving intelligence reports about the location of the vehicle.

Agundu explained that the missing general was caught up in a fracas at Dura-Du on Aug. 2, when irate youths blocked roads and attacked travellers following an attack in the community on Sept. 2 where 13 persons were killed.

We started this search on Sept. 22 when we were ordered by the Chief of Army staff to find the missing general.

We recall that on Sept. 2, the Du District was attacked by armed bandits where 13 were killed and others sustained injuries.

The general who just left service after 35 years was travelling to Bauchi and he drove himself having left service. Unfortunately he ran into the irate youths who blocked the road.

We got information about his movement and swung into action to find him. We got intelligence report and convinced ourselves that this pond was where he was dumped.

There are about 32 abandoned mining sites in this community but to single this one out, you must know a lot of intelligence gathering was done.

On the first day of operations, some organised women resisted our operations claiming the pond was their source of drinking water and ancestral water but they were all lies.

The GOC, 53rd Army Division, Maj. Gen. Benson Akinroluyo while confirming the discovery said that the car belonged to the missing general. He said Alkalis body has not been found.

Akinroluyo said that the search for the body will continue immediately and advised members of the community to go about their lawful duties. He stressed that the army will not intimidate them on the findings.

The vehicle is indeed that of missing Major General Alkali. We have not seen the body but the plate number on the car is his own.

The Army T-Shirt found has his name tag on it. So I can confidently confirm all these we have found here belongs to him.

The army is a professional body which carries out its operation according to best practices and human rights. We will not arrest anyone not involved.

Our intelligence pinpointed where his vehicle was pushed to. So you will know that we have credible intelligence on who and who is involved and we will get them arrested, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari departed New York for Nigeria on Saturday afternoon after his participation at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which officially opened on Sept. 18.

Buhari, in the company of his wife, Aisha, was seen off by a large entourage, including the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency Ahmed Abubakar, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Babagana Kingibe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, and Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari arrived in New York on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 for the gathering of the world leaders.

The theme for this years Session was: Making the United Nations relevant to all People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.

The highpoint of Buharis participation was his address on Tuesday to the General Assembly on the opening day of the General Debate.

The president, in his presentation of Nigerias National Statement, sought global cooperation on security, anti-corruption, irregular migration, climate change, and UN reforms, among others.

Buhari and his wife, Aisha, also attended a reception hosted by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his spouse for Heads of State and Government and their spouses.

The president and his delegation attended the high-level Mandela Peace Meeting on Global Peace in honour of the centenary birth of late South African President Nelson Mandela.

The Nigerian delegation also participated in a high-level meeting on the Fight against Tuberculosis organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as Nigeria currently ranks seventh amongst the high TB-burden countries globally, and second in Africa, where Mrs Buhari also delivered a statement.

The Nigerian delegation attended a high-level meeting on financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and World Economic Forums Sustainable Development Impact Summit.

Others are the Second Annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum, high-level Meeting on Action for Peace-Keeping; Commemoration and Promotion of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, high-level meeting on the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa, and Pathway to Localising a Global Agenda.

During the course of his stay in New York, Buhari had bilateral meetings with many African and world leaders including Bill Gates with a view to promoting national and African interests.

President Buhari also had interactive sessions with a selected group of Nigerian professionals based in the United States and Canada.

Others in the presidents entourage were Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Health minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Industry, Trade and Investment counterpart minister, Okechukwu Enelamah, Budget and National Planning, minister, Udoma Udoma and Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin.

Nigerias ambassador to the U.S., retired Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service Mohammad Babandede, and Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Ibrahim Magu and a host of other chief executive officers and aides were also on the presidential entourage.

Source: NAN

A menacing Boko Haram fighter, with the nickname SpiderMan, has been killed by Nigerian troops.

The man who always mounted a gun truck, wearing the spidermans mask met his Waterloo 26 September.

He, along with his ragtag squad was killed in the encounter with Nigerian troops.

Spiderman was among the Boko Haram fighters who attacked Garshigar community of Mobar Local Government Area in Borno on Wednesday.

Texas Chukwu, Army Director of Public Relations, said the insurgents, who were in nine gun trucks, were repelled by troops of 145 Battalion deployed for Operation Lafiya Dole following superior power of the vigilant troops.

He added that preliminary battle damage assessment reveals that the overwhelming superior power of the troops devastated the insurgents, inflicting human and equipment casualty on the insurgents which forced them to withdraw in disarray.

The director said that the gallant troops regrouped after the fierce encounter and dominated the general area of Garshigar and its environs with fighting patrols.

The good people of Mobar Local Government are urged to remain calm and be assured of troops commitment to provide adequate security in the general area, he added.

Source: NAN

The Akinwunmi Ambode Mandate Support Group (AMSG) on Saturday said Ambode is capable of winning the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State rescheduled for Monday.

The Director-General of AMSG, Mr Hakeem Sulaimon, at a news conference in Ikeja on Saturday, said Ambode was not worried about purported endorsement of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu ahead of the primary by some groups.

Sulaimon said that the governor had huge supporters across the state.

He said supporters of Ambode held meetings across all 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areasnon Friday and the support for the governor was overwhelming.

There is huge affirmation and support for Ambode across the state, as stakeholders expressed readiness to work for his emergence as the governorship candidate of the APC and the governor of Lagos for a second term,.

Sulaimon said while AMSG was not against endorsement for Sanwo-Olu as it was part of democracy, some of the endorsement information being given out were incorrect.

He said that the Chairman of Conference 57, Mrs Omolola Essien, was at its meeting on Friday to say that chairmen of the 57 councils in Lagos state would support Ambodes second term aspiration.

We also had 200 ward chairmen coming here to endorse Ambode. What constitutes the structure of the party is the ward chairmen, LGA chairmen and councillors.

237 councillors were here at our meeting and they have endorsed Ambode.

They said they have realised that it was Ambode that they should support, he said.

Sulaimon added that the Ndigbos and other Igbo support groups in the party were garnering support for Ambode.

The Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Community Development Committees (CDCs), have also thrown their weight behind the governor.

The CDAs and CDCs are the biggest grassroots groups, we have 3,900 CDAs in Lagos state and they have openly endorsed Ambode.

Their representatives were at our meeting to again affirm their support for Ambode.

We are supposed to have a direct primary and this means that all wards will participate, he said.

Sulaimon said Ambode had asked his supporters to remain calm and peaceful.

He said the will of the people would prevail at the end of the day when Ambode emerges the flagbearer of the APC for next years governorship election in Lagos.

Source: NAN

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Saturday that car-maker Tesla and Chief Executive Elon Musk have agreed to pay $20 million each under a settlement that will also see the billionaire step down as chairman after a tumultuous two months for the company.

But Musk, who is synonymous with the Tesla brand, will remain as chief executive under the settlement over tweets he posted on Aug. 7 about taking the company private, the SEC said.

Musk is now required to step down as chairman of Tesla within 45 days, and he is not permitted to be re-elected to the post for three years. Tesla is required to appoint two new independent directors to its board.

Saturdays settlement saw the SEC pull back from its demand that Musk be barred from running Tesla, a sanction that many investors said would be disastrous for the loss-making electric carmaker.

The SEC charged Tesla with failing to have required disclosure controls and procedures for Musks tweets. The SEC said the company had no way to determine if his tweets contained information that must be disclosed in corporate filings, or if they contained complete and accurate information.

Neither Musk nor Tesla admitted or denied the SECs findings as part of the settlement. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Musk could not immediately be reached for comment.

Source: NAN

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Saturday inaugurated the Governorship Primaries Committee for the Primary Election scheduled for Sunday, September 30, 2018. Lagos and Imo primaries will take place on 1 October.

Also inaugurated on Saturday were members of the National Convention Committee, headed by Oyo Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

The National Convention is scheduled for 6th October, 2018.

Source: NAN

By Prudence Arobani

The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has been conferred with Distinguished Global Award for Excellence in Women Empowerment and Gender Development by Global Empowerment Movement Corporation, U.S.

Buhari was also conferred with the Honorary Citizen of Georgia Award from the State of Georgia.

She received the awards at the Nigeria House in New York for her efforts at fighting gender-based victimisation, human trafficking and for uplifting the women in Nigeria.

Founder and President of the organisation, Dr Blessing Itua, said the organisation particularly commended Mrs Buhari for advancing the causes of women and children in Nigeria through her pet project: Future Assured.

Mrs Aisha Buhari, through her various programmes on women, young girls and children support, has assisted, integrated and provided hope to numerous victims of some of the societal ills in Nigeria, including human trafficking.

Mrs Buhari, through her pet project, Future Assured, campaigns for women and girl-child education, empowerment and commitment to improving the lives of the people she serves.

She has also been a strong advocate against victimisation, inhumanity, including the rape of minors.

Within this context, she has complimented governments various initiatives by teaming up with relevant stakeholders in Nigeria and beyond to address some feminine challenges in the country, Itua said.

Receiving the awards, the wife of the president thanked the organisation for considering her worthy of recognition for the award on fighting gender-based victimisation and uplifting womenfolk in Nigeria through the Future Assured programme.

My driving force has been that of commitment and passion in this regard. Women have been at the receiving end of conflict, instances of abuse and victimisation all over the globe.

I make it my responsibility to do the very best I can to give hope to those affected and to discourage other cases from happening in Nigeria.

As you are all aware, my Future Assured initiative executes a number of programmes to uplift the status of women through health advocacy and support economic and educational empowerment, protection against abuse and encouraging political involvement among the women.

Our hope is that women will become more aware of the opportunities open to them to live better lives while being confident of the societys protection, Buhari said.

She dedicated the award to all struggling women and hope that the award will ginger more action in the area of protection against gender bias and victimisation and uplifting the lives of women all over the world.

Buhari said that the First Lady of The Gambia had adopted the Future Assured to be replicated in her country.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, testified about the work the Future Assured had been doing, especially in the north east, and congratulated the wife of the president for the recognition.

Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, while commenting on the menace of human trafficking, said Nigerians are people who admit to our problems and we are starting to address them.

Nigeria has what it takes to do what is right and to take its rightful place among the comity of nations.

In the U.S., great things are happening though Nigerians; Nigerians are doing great works here. There are things they are not happy about just like those at home in Nigeria.

But we are doing everything possible to address them. This will involve international cooperation, the envoy said.

He commended the wife of the president for coming to the Nigeria House, adding this is Nigeria House and we are very happy to do what is right here.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion was attended by the First Ladies of The Gambia, Niger, wives of governors, heads of agencies and associates of the wife of the president, among others.

Source: NAN

By Prudence Arobani

President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians in the diaspora that his administration has done well in the areas of security, economy and anti-corruption.

Buhari, who stated this during an interactive session with a select group of Nigerian professionals based in the United States and Canada, said his administration had delivered within the available resources.

The president explained that Boko Haram had been decimated, adding that it was most important for the country to be secured but regretted that the terrorist group was still targeting soft spots using girls for suicide bombings.

Buhari declared that Boko Haram is not about religion but a pure terrorist group, adding that is why we are dealing with them.

On corruption, he regretted that Nigeria made so much money from 1999 to 2014 when the price of crude oil per barrel was above 100 dollars while Nigeria produced around 1.2 million barrels per day.

Calculate 2.2 million barrels times 100 dollars times 16 years; but everything went down the drain, emphasising that if Nigeria does not tame corruption, corruption will tame Nigeria.

The president also said that he was not slow as some people had assumed, saying he was trying to follow the law, especially as democracy is different from military rule.

He recalled that he put people in Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos when he was a military head of state and then ensured they remained in custody until they were able to prove themselves innocent.

Buhari, however, said his administration was making progress but had to go by the law assuring that if I win the next election and I survive the next four years, I will do better.

He also recounted his bitter experience in politics saying that he suffered electoral corruption from 2013 when he started contesting for the presidency and had at each point, pursued the case up to the Supreme Court but lost.

Im always conscious of the ordinary people because they are the ones that always vote for me. A lot of big men have no time to go and queue on the line for hours.

There were even pregnant women who were on the line for hours and they delivered. They are my constituencies; they always vote for me, Buhari said.

The president explained that he had warned the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies to ensure that every vote counts by allowing Nigerians to vote whoever they want without harassment.

Buhari said he recognised that Nigerians in the diaspora were talented people and called on them to come to the support of the country, particularly, in education.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the diasporas appealed to the president to get them more involved in issues about the country considering that they are major stakeholders.

Earlier, the Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Mr Benaoyagha Okoyen, commended the willingness of the diasporas to support the efforts of the governments economic growth and diversification plans.

The purpose of this gathering is to allow Nigerians in diaspora interact with Mr President by offering useful suggestions for government to continually strengthen the existing bond of affection, identity and sense of responsibility for the Diaspora community, to actively participate in development efforts of Nigeria at home.

I feel delighted to state the obvious that among Nigerians in the United States, we have some of the most celebrated and outstanding in various fields of human endeavours.

I wish to report to Mr President of the desire and passion of these Nigerians to contribute and maintain an effective working partnership with government to integrate their valuable contributions into the domestic growth mechanisms.

More importantly, as human capital is a vital resource for the development of any country, I wish to call on Nigerians in United States America to utilise the opportunities to invest at home and be good ambassadors of change in Nigeria.

Source: NAN

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has appointed respective state governors to serve as Returning Officers for the Presidential Direct Primaries.

The primaries would be holding across the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday, Sept. 28.

Mr Yekini Nabena, the partys acting National Publicity Secretary made this known in a statement on Thursday night in Abuja.

He, however, said that in states where the party has no governors, Senators and Ministers in such states would serve as Returning Officers for the exercise.

He added that National and State House of Assembly members were to coordinate their various constituencies during the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC Presidential primaries is to pass affirmative vote on President Muhammadu Buhari who is the partys sole aspirant for the 2019 presidential election.

The party is expected to hold a Presidential Convention on Oct. 6 to ratify the president as its candidate ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

Source: NAN

Tennis great Serena Williams was left out of the China Open tennis draw on Friday as reports said shes called time on her season following her meltdown at the US Open.

Williams name, along with that of her sister Venus, did not appear on a list of 64 players ahead of the tournaments start on Saturday in Beijing.

It comes less than three weeks after the tempestuous US Open final, where Williams accused the umpire of sexism in an angry rant during her 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Japans Naomi Osaka.

In extraordinary scenes, Williams went into a tailspin after a warning for receiving coaching from the sidelines, smashing her racquet and being docked a point and then a game.

She later said that she wanted to move on from the incident, but maintained that women players could not get away with even half of what a guy can do.

Right now we are not, as its proven, in that same position, she told Australias Channel Ten.

But thats neither here nor there. Im just trying most of all to recover from that and move on.

Reports from the United States said Williams season is now over, making it the fourth year in a row she has curtailed her playing commitments although in 2017 she took time off to have a baby.

In 2016 she called it quits after the US Open citing a shoulder injury, and in 2015 she took a break after narrowly failing to win all four majors in the same year, following a shattering defeat in New York to Italys Roberta Vinci.

Source: NAN

The Presidency on Thursday in Abuja summoned the leadership of the organised labour to an emergency meeting with a view to ending the ongoing nationwide strike.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, presided over the closed door meeting with organised labour led by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba.

The NLC had on Wednesday directed all its members and affiliate unions to commence a nationwide strike on Thursday following alleged failure, of the Federal Government to reconvene the meeting of the tripartite national minimum wage committee to enable it to conclude its assignment.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige had on Wednesday in Abuja also met with the organised labour and the meeting ended in a deadlock.

The minister, however, told newsmen that the tripartite committee on national minimum wage would resume negotiations on Oct. 4.

We are resuming precisely on Thursday, Oct. 4, and the meeting can spill over to Oct, 5. All the processes have been put in place and labour leaders know.

They are now expected to communicate such to their organs. So we dont have any need for a strike.

However, while fielding questions from State House correspondents after the closed door meeting, the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, said the presidency wanted to know reasons for the industrial action.

We want to know what led to this strike, there is no position of government.

All what we want to understand is why they have to go to strike and they told me it is the process of arriving to a figure that got stalled, he said.

On his part, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated that they shared information with the Chief of Staff on the issues that led to the commencement of the industrial action by the organised labour.

He revealed that the leadership of the organised labour would soon meet and deliberate on the issues discussed at the meeting with a view to call off the strike, and resume negotiation on the National Minimum Wage which was stalled.

The Chief of Staff tried to give us detail of government position which we will have to go and convey to our members and then we can revert back to him.

This is how far we have gone but clearly I think we have tried to share details of the information that pertain to the issue of the National Minimum Wage and how the ongoing negotiation was stalled and also the best way to get out of it.

The government has given us their words which we will also go and communicate to our members and revert back to our members.

The strike as you are aware is called by a larger organ until we get their mandate before we can make any pronouncement on the strike.

All the discussion we have had, we will communicate to our members and therefore it is the outcome of our meeting with our members that we will also communicate to government, he said.

Source: NAN

The APC Campaign Council for the Osun governorship election has advised the PDP to stop issuing threats and take full advantage of the democratic process if it has any grouse with Thursdays supplementary election result.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, the Chairman of the Councils Media Committee, Alhaji Lai Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the supplementary election .

Mohammed who is also the Minister of Information and Culture said with the results, the people had emphatically pitched their tent with the ruling party.

When the PDP led in the main election, which was declared inconclusive, we did not threaten fire and brimstone, neither did we drag the international community into it.

We simply went along with the prescribed process. We urge the PDP to emulate this, he said.

The chairman congratulated the Governor-elect, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the outgoing Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the entire APC family for the well deserved but hard-earned victory.

He, also, commended INEC and the security agencies for a largely peaceful and orderly election, as attested to by local and international observers

He called on INEC and the security agencies to ensure that the PDP thugs, fake observers and vote buyers who were arrested during the rerun were all brought to justice expeditiously.

The chairman noted that the biggest winner in the whole election saga is democracy.

He gave the credit to the people of Osun as well as the ruling APC, which did not hesitate to submit to the democratic process despite the high stakes.

As we said in an earlier statement, the PDP, in its time, would not have given any room for a rerun as it would have hijacked the main election, with its brigandage, rigging and total disdain for the democratic process.

But as a party of change, we believe strongly in the democratic process.

We believe in the ability of the relevant institutions to carry out their assigned responsibilities and we believe in the ability of the people to do what is right.

In the end, the good people of Osun did what is right by ensuring the shellacking of the PDP, he said

The chairman stressed that the Osun electorates had done the right thing in voting the APC, considering the impressive performance of the partys led government in the state in the last eight years.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Governor-elect of Osun State, Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, for winning the keenly contested election.

President Buhari extended warm felicitations to the state and national campaign teams that worked assiduously to guarantee the victory at the polls, while commending the outgoing Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for eight years of steadfastness and service to his people.

Thank you Osun State for supporting our good governance agenda by re-electing the APC. I assure you that we will continue to work for the progress and prosperity of the state and the nation, he said.

The President urged the Governor-elect to always remember that the electorate expects unreserved commitment to delivering results that directly impact their lives and families.

President Buhari affirmed that the successful election in the State further strengthens the democratic culture in the country, extolling INEC for, once again, making the country proud.

President Buhari commended the maturity, loyalty and courage of all contestants in putting in their best to be elected to serve the state and urged them to seek redress in court, where they disagree with the outcome.

Source: NAN