Presidential aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party, such as Attahiru Bafarawa, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Senate President Bukola Saraki, appear to be competing for the endorsement of retired leaders of Nigeria, hopping from Minna to Abeokuta, where coincidentally the ex-leaders have their homes on the hilltop.

Only one PDP presidential aspirant has made a distinctive difference: adding former President Goodluck Jonathan to his endorsement itinerary. The others have made Minna and Abeokuta hilltop palaces, their favourite destinations.

Senate President Saraki, who is still coy about his presidential ambition, was the second among the latter group to join the endorsement train to the hilltops, when he visited former military president General Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday 8 August.

Former governor of Sokoto, Bafarawa had beaten him to the front seat, when he visited Obasanjo on Sunday 5 August. As he confessed, he had learnt from Obasanjo leadership school in the past, a lesson that made him to save about N11.5 billion in his state, which he bequeathed to his successor. He came to learn more as he hoped to clinch the PDP presidential ticket to square up to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in next years February election.

Obasanjo, who considers himself probably the best leader Nigeria ever had, even gave his guest some extra leadership lessons. He charged Bafarawa to strengthen the leadership qualities he identified in him, including humility, diligence, selflessness and lack of discrimination

Saraki followed on Wednesday 8 August to the Minna Hilltop home of Gen. Babangida.

In a tweet about his mission, Saraki said he Dropped in to pay my respects to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. Always happy to be with a father and leader.

On Monday, Saraki surfaced in Abeokuta to meet former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has floated his own party and has turned himself into a rallying force for anti-Muhammadu Buhari politicians. Cornered by media men on the purpose of the visit, he dropped a not too-honest excuse. He said he came to see the grand Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, which was formally opened last year.

You know I missed the official opening of the library and that is why I have decided to come and see the place and honestly it is beautiful. We are very proud of what he has done here, he said.

A day after Saraki left Abeokuta, Gombe governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo also came knocking at Obasanjos hilltop home, along with a retinue of aides. The two-term governor and former accountant-general of the Nigerian federation is the latest declarant for the highest position in the land.

He is expected to jet to Minna Hilltop soon, following the trail of other aspirants.

In Minna on Monday night, General Ibrahim Babangida also hosted another presidential aspirant, Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State. Bafarawa visited Obasanjo last week, with the former leader urging him to improve on his leadership weaknesses.

Yusuf Abubakar, Director Media and Publicity for the Bafarawa Campaign Oragnisation(BCO) said the Minna trip was in continuation of Bafarawas political consultations on his presidential aspiration.

Abubakar said that Babangida and Bafarawa, met behind closed doors at the hosts hilltop residence and their discussion was fruitful.

The media aide said that Bafarawa was accompanied on the visit by the Director General of BCO, Sen. Paul Wampana, Mrs Becky Igwe, Alhaji Sani Kabiru, Dr Amanze Obi and Dr Iliya Stephen, among others.

Atiku Abubakar, another presidential aspirant who paid a second visit to Babangida on 2 July and had used all available fora to earn Obasanjos blessings got his hope dashed when Obasanjo openly opposed his ambition.

Obasanjosaid Atiku should never count on his support.

In an interview with Premium Times, Obasanjo swore he will never support Atiku and the doctor of theology also invoked God to buttress his position:

How can I be on the same side with Atiku? Obasanjo asked. To do what?

If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support, he added.

I know Atiku very well. And I have mentioned my position with Atiku. My position has not changed, he said.

On a personal note, he added, If my children are getting married, he has sent representatives. If his children are getting married, I have sent representatives. That is social. That is not political.

But on political ground, my position has not changed. If I support Atiku for a political office other than the one I supported him in the past when I did not know him, maybe, but not now that I know him, God will not forgive me.

Since 4 August came out openly to disrupt Atikus campaign, campaign activities and footworks have slowed down a bit.

Source: NAN

An Indiana man Joseph Oberhansley accused of raping, killing and eating parts of his ex-girlfriend’s dead body is now mentally competent to stand trial, and is ready to tell the court all he knows about the incident, a state psychiatrist says.

Fox News reports that the 35-year-old Oberhansley, of Jeffersonville, U.S., has been committed at the Logansport State Hospital since October 2017, when a judge ruled that he wasn’t competent to stand trial for the 2014 killing of girlfriend Tammy Jo Blanton.

Prosecutors alleged that Oberhansley broke into the Jeffersonville home of Blanton in September 2014, and that he raped her, fatally stabbed her and ate parts of her body.

“This matter has been going on for four years now, and it’s high time that the victim’s family saw justice done,” Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Jeremy Mull told the Courier Journal after the hearing.

The letter from the psychiatrist filed with Clark County Circuit Court noted that Oberhansley’s competency has been restored since he was committed there last October to undergo competency restoration.

In some of his early court appearances after his arrest, Obserhansley had outbursts in court and said his name was Zeus, WAVE3 reported.

Oberhansley’s attorneys requested in court Thursday to have a month to talk with him and form an opinion on his competency.

During the hearing, Oberhansley spoke up, telling the judge he needed to fire his attorneys, according to the Courier Journal.

“They’re trying to control my thoughts,” he said in court; they’re trying to control my mind.”

Judge Vicki Carmichael told him he needed to work with his attorneys, and scheduled another hearing on Sept. 21 to discuss the matter.

Prosecutors have previously said they will seek the death penalty for Blanton’s killing.

Before his arrest in 2015, Oberhansley was free on parole for a previous killing when he was a teenager, according to WAVE3.

The Nigerian Army said calm has been restored at Maiduguri Airport seized for two hours on Sunday by riotous troops, that it described as ‘unscrupulous”.

In a statement today, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command said the protest by the few unscrupulous troops happened while the command was conducting a redeployment of soldiers at the Maiduguri Airport, following a directive to review troops’ deployment in Maiduguri metropolis, to reinvigorate the security architecture of the city.

“The redeployment became expedient after a recent assessment of the security situation by the Theatre Command. Regrettably however, a few of the troops who had misunderstood the development and erroneously assumed it was going to negatively affect their rotation from the theatre of operation became agitated and reacted by firing into the air.

“Calm has however been restored, as the Theatre Commander, Major General Abba Dikko has promptly taken charge of the situation after addressing and admonishing the troops~”, Nwachukwu said.

“The Theatre Command undoubtedly considers this ugly incident quite regrettable and appropriate measures are being taken to forestall a recurrence”, he added.

NAN reports that the aggrieved soldiers claimed they had overstayed and were resisting redeployment to Marte, one of the towns liberated by the military several years ago from the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

The protesters are part of the special force deployed to provide air defence and enhance security at the airport.

The troops barricaded some section of the airport and fired shots in the air, causing pandemonium, as hundreds of pilgrims waiting to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, scampered for safety..

One of the protesting soldiers who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the planned deployment was against the directives by the Army Headquarters.

“The army special forces deployed to the airport were not trained to engage in ground battle rather trained to provide air defence.

“Our task is to provide air defence. Alas, special forces trained to fight ground battle are stationed in Maiduguri and we are deployed to go and die in Marte”.

Another soldier lamented that the troops have overstayed in the Northeast fighting Boko Haram, despite the rotation order by the military authorities.

He said many of them have spent over three years in the battle field.

“Some troops of Operation Lafiya Dole were deployed and worked for over three years in the theatre and not rotated as against the directives by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

“The command is directed to redeploy soldiers back to their bases after spending stipulated time in the theatre of operation.

“We have spent over three years in the northeast and we should be transferred out of the northeast and not within”.

The wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari has dedicated her award ofDoctor of Humanity by the Sun Moon University, South Korea, to Nigerian women and children.

Buhari, in a tweet on Monday, said:I dedicate this honour to all Nigerian women and children.

She also commended thelove and support shown to her pet project, the Future Assured Initiative.

With gratitude to God for an honour done to me by the Governing Council of Sun Moon University, South Korea for being decorated today with a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (Honoris Causa).

My gratitude goes to the President of the University, Dr. Sun-Jo Hwang and the entire members of the governing council of the University for this honour.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the university in July 2018 delegated some members of the university to Nigeria to inform Buhari of their intention to honour her.

Buhari was given the award in recognition of her humanitarian services to less privileged in Nigeria, especially tocthe IDPs.

Source: NAN

Methodist Church Nigeria has resolved to moblilse political support for good, upright and young aspiring candidates that would make Nigeria better.

The Prelate of the Church, His Eminence, Samuel Uche, said the church will mobilise support for young Nigerians aspiring to political leadership in 2019.

Uche made the disclosure on Monday at the end of the churchs 46th Conference and 11th Biennial Conference at Wesley Cathedral Methodist Church, Aba, Abia.

According to Uche, the church has a Political Evolution Monitoring Group to support the progressive political developments in Nigeria.

Also a Communique signed by Uche and the Conference Secretary, Rev. Michael Akinwade, revealed that church announced its support for the young in politics.

It commended the Federal Government for signing into law the Not too Young to Run Bill to enable young people be involved in leadership.

It called for an enabling environment to make the law effective.

The church said financial autonomy for local governments would enhance grassroots development.

We therefore appeal to those at the local governments not to divert funds accruing to them to white elephant projects.

On maintaining a vibrant polity, Methodist Church Nigeria urges every citizen above 18 years old to process Permanent Voters Card which is the main tool for determining who governs us.

We equally urge citizens to come out and vote, not sell their votes but vote according to their conscience.

Stakeholders in the electoral process should ensure that rigging elections is resisted, the church stated.

It said that no political party would be allowed to misbehave in 2019 and that anyone which misbehaved would face the consequences.

The church said that politics with bitterness which had become rampant in Nigeria was overheating the polity and urged politicians to play by the rules.

It urged governments to pay sustainable wages to workers, pointing out that owing them had often led to the untimely death of many.

The church called on the government to handle the welfare of workers with care to discourage financial corruption in private and public sectors of national life.

It further called on the government to do everything possible to ensure the release of Miss Leah Sharibu who was abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in February.

It further called for the creation of state police under the command of governors as well as an overhaul of Nigerias security apparatus to check incessant loss of lives.

On the issue of ranches, the church said that to ensure peace and equity, cattle farmers should create ranches in their home states.

It stated that cattle colonies or grazing fields should not be used as a means of colonisation, religious proselytising and forcible acquisition of the ancestral lands of others.

It restated the need for peace and unity in Nigeria.

Source: NAN

The House of Representatives has kicked off investigation into the alleged malpractices in Nigerian Ports Authority and National Inland Waterways.

The investigative hearing began on Monday in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways.

The probe followed several motions calling for an investigation into malpractices in the maritime sector.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, while speaking at the hearing, noted that the allegations raised were very weighty, with potential to seriously affect the economy.

He emphasised the importance of an effective maritime sector to the Federal Governments diversification drive, saying that the Nigerian maritime industry still seemed to be struggling in spite of efforts aimed at repositioning it.

Dogara also commended the Executive Arm and particularly the managements in the Maritime Industry for their efforts to reposition the Nigerian Maritime Industry for improved service delivery and enhanced contribution to economic growth.

According to him, I must say that the maritime industry in Nigeria is yet to attain the desired and expected status of becoming the hub for international freight and trade in West Africa.

In this regard, it has been observed that over the years, the Nigerian maritime industry has failed to attract the required local and foreign investment inflow that is proportionate to its contribution to both the Nigerian and West African economy, despite its great potential and enormous investment opportunities.

He described as unacceptable, a situation whereby ports in other West African nations would deliver better and more efficient services than Nigerian ports.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics in March, Nigerias Ports dropped down the global ratings basically due to bad infrastructure.

Interestingly, major competitors in the West African region, such as the Port of Lome in Togo, Port of Dakar in Senegal, and the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic, all deliver better efficient services than the Nigerian Ports.

This is really not acceptable.

Some of the problems that have been identified as the reasons the Nigerian Ports are performing so poorly, he said, include bad infrastructure, high cost of doing business and low draught at a lot of our major waterways.

It is our hope that the Legislative exercise being carried out through this committee will proffer lasting solutions to these problems, he said.

He also stressed the need to dredge other ports in order to increase traffic and in turn, boost economic productivity.

It has also been pointed out by stakeholders that dredging our port channels will increase traffic to our ports and invariably increase economic productivity.

For instance, if we have cargoes going up north to places such as Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri, such cargoes would not need to go through Lagos, which is already so congested.

But for this to happen, the channels of other ports need to be dredged.

Reports have it that the Lagos water channel is about 14.5 meters deep, while the Port Harcourt and Calabar channels are less than 10 meters deep, which limits their capacity to receive big cargo ships.

This explains why there is so much congestion at the Lagos Port. If we must make the expected progress in our maritime sector, all available resources must be accountably and prudently managed to meet the various demands for improved infrastructure, he said.

The speaker further highlighted other factors militating against the development of the maritime sector.

The factors, he said, include alleged arbitrary increases in charges by terminal operators, inefficient collection and accounting procedures, and contract repetitions and payment of huge commissions to service providers compared to remittances to the Federation Account, among others.

According to him, if these allegations are anything to go by, we can understand why the sector has recorded persistent decline in performance and economic growth over the years.

The speaker pointed out that these are serious allegations which need to be looked into.

The investigative hearing was necessitated by seven maritime related motions on issues relating to Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage at the Nigeria Ports, extra budgetary spending and other financial improprieties by terminal operators and service providers engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Others are abandonment of dredging projects by companies so contracted, even after allegedly receiving payments and alleged illegal disposal of lands and properties belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria.

Source: NAN

The report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in March reveals that Nigerias Ports dropped in global ratings basically due to bad infrastructure.

Interestingly, major competitors in the West African region, such as the Port of Lome in Togo, Port of Dakar in Senegal, and the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic, all deliver better efficient services than the Nigerian Ports.

This is really not acceptable,the Speaker of House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, said on Monday to kick off a probe of Nigerian Port Authority and Nigerian Inland Waterways.

Some of the problems that have been identified as the reasons the Nigerian Ports are performing so poorly, he said, include bad infrastructure, high cost of doing business and low draught at a lot of our major waterways.

It is our hope that the Legislative exercise being carried out through this committee will proffer lasting solutions to these problems, he said.

He also stressed the need to dredge other ports in order to increase traffic and in turn, boost economic productivity.

It has also been pointed out by stakeholders that dredging our port channels will increase traffic to our ports and invariably increase economic productivity.

For instance, if we have cargoes going up north to places such as Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri, such cargoes would not need to go through Lagos, which is already so congested.

But for this to happen, the channels of other ports need to be dredged.

Reports have it that the Lagos water channel is about 14.5 meters deep, while the Port Harcourt and Calabar channels are less than 10 meters deep, which limits their capacity to receive big cargo ships.

This explains why there is so much congestion at the Lagos Port. If we must make the expected progress in our maritime sector, all available resources must be accountably and prudently managed to meet the various demands for improved infrastructure, he said.

The speaker further highlighted other factors militating against the development of the maritime sector.

The factors, he said, include alleged arbitrary increases in charges by terminal operators, inefficient collection and accounting procedures, and contract repetitions and payment of huge commissions to service providers compared to remittances to the Federation Account, among others.

According to him, if these allegations are anything to go by, we can understand why the sector has recorded persistent decline in performance and economic growth over the years.

The speaker pointed out that these are serious allegations which need to be looked into.

The investigative hearing was necessitated by seven maritime related motions on issues relating to Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage at the Nigeria Ports, extra budgetary spending and other financial improprieties by terminal operators and service providers engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Others are abandonment of dredging projects by companies so contracted, even after allegedly receiving payments and alleged illegal disposal of lands and properties belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria.

The House of Representatives on Monday kicked off investigation into the alleged malpractices in Nigerian Ports Authority and National Inland Waterways.

The investigative hearing began on Monday in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways.

The probe followed several motions calling for an investigation into malpractices in the maritime sector.

Dogara, while speaking at the hearing, noted that the allegations raised were very weighty, with potential to seriously affect the economy.

He emphasised the importance of an effective maritime sector to the Federal Governments diversification drive, saying that the Nigerian maritime industry still seemed to be struggling in spite of efforts aimed at repositioning it.

Dogara also commended the Executive Arm and particularly the managements in the Maritime Industry for their efforts to reposition the Nigerian Maritime Industry for improved service delivery and enhanced contribution to economic growth.

According to him, I must say that the maritime industry in Nigeria is yet to attain the desired and expected status of becoming the hub for international freight and trade in West Africa.

In this regard, it has been observed that over the years, the Nigerian maritime industry has failed to attract the required local and foreign investment inflow that is proportionate to its contribution to both the Nigerian and West African economy, despite its great potential and enormous investment opportunities.

He described as unacceptable, a situation whereby ports in other West African nations would deliver better and more efficient services than Nigerian ports.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics in March, Nigerias Ports dropped down the global ratings basically due to bad infrastructure.

Interestingly, major competitors in the West African region, such as the Port of Lome in Togo, Port of Dakar in Senegal, and the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic, all deliver better efficient services than the Nigerian Ports.

This is really not acceptable.

Some of the problems that have been identified as the reasons the Nigerian Ports are performing so poorly, he said, include bad infrastructure, high cost of doing business and low draught at a lot of our major waterways.

It is our hope that the Legislative exercise being carried out through this committee will proffer lasting solutions to these problems, he said.

He also stressed the need to dredge other ports in order to increase traffic and in turn, boost economic productivity.

It has also been pointed out by stakeholders that dredging our port channels will increase traffic to our ports and invariably increase economic productivity.

For instance, if we have cargoes going up north to places such as Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri, such cargoes would not need to go through Lagos, which is already so congested.

But for this to happen, the channels of other ports need to be dredged.

Reports have it that the Lagos water channel is about 14.5 meters deep, while the Port Harcourt and Calabar channels are less than 10 meters deep, which limits their capacity to receive big cargo ships.

This explains why there is so much congestion at the Lagos Port. If we must make the expected progress in our maritime sector, all available resources must be accountably and prudently managed to meet the various demands for improved infrastructure, he said.

The speaker further highlighted other factors militating against the development of the maritime sector.

The factors, he said, include alleged arbitrary increases in charges by terminal operators, inefficient collection and accounting procedures, and contract repetitions and payment of huge commissions to service providers compared to remittances to the Federation Account, among others.

According to him, if these allegations are anything to go by, we can understand why the sector has recorded persistent decline in performance and economic growth over the years.

The speaker pointed out that these are serious allegations which need to be looked into.

The investigative hearing was necessitated by seven maritime related motions on issues relating to Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage at the Nigeria Ports, extra budgetary spending and other financial improprieties by terminal operators and service providers engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Others are abandonment of dredging projects by companies so contracted, even after allegedly receiving payments and alleged illegal disposal of lands and properties belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria.

Source: NAN

At least 40 people were killed by paramilitary forces in eastern Ethiopia over the weekend, a senior regional official said on Monday, in the latest spate of violence driven by ethnic divisions.

Unrest first broke out along the border of the countrys Somali and Oromiya provinces in September, displacing nearly a million people, though the violence had subsided by April.

On Monday, the Oromiya regional administrations spokesman Negeri Lencho said heavily armed members of a paramilitary force from the Somali region had carried out cross-border attacks in Oromiyas East Hararghe district.

We still do not know why Liyu forces raided the areas on Saturday and Sunday, he said, referring to the paramilitary soldiers.

But we know that all the victims were ethnic Oromos. At least 40 were killed in the attacks.

A week earlier, mobs looted properties owned by ethnic minorities in the Somali regions capital Jijiga.

The central government said the unrest had been stoked by regional officials, who had fallen out with central authorities trying to address rights abuses in the region.

The spokesman said the officials had said the government was illegally forcing them to resign, and that Liyu forces had taken part in the attacks under their orders.

The forces are seen as loyal to the regions leader Abdi Omer, who has since resigned.

Authorities in the Somali region were not immediately available for comment.

Ethnic violence has spread in the diverse country of 100 million people, where anti-government protests broke out in the Oromiya region over land rights in 2015.

Hundreds were killed by security forces over a two-year period.

The violence is the biggest domestic challenge facing reformist Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who took office in April.

In a separate incident, a stampede among thousands, who attended a visit by a prominent political activist in the town of Shashemene killed three people on Sunday, officials from the Oromiya regional government said.

The event was held to mark the return to Ethiopia of Jawar Mohammed, an activist, who had been in exile in the U.S. but played a key role in mobilising Oromo youths through social media.

Amid the chaos, another person was beaten to death by a mob after rumours circulated he had carried a bomb, residents said.

Police did not take action while all that took place, the witness told Reuters. It is an example of the lawlessness that is taking root in the country.

Source: NAN

All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused opposition of lame excuses and warned that any Nigerian who violates the law, no matter how highly placed, would be brought to justice.

The APC Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He was reacting to the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) recent allegation that the APC-led Federal Government planned to arrest Saraki and his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu.

We had thought that by now the PDP would be tired of its lame opposition strategy of false alarms, baseless and frivolous accusations.

It maintained that the Buhari administration had repeatedly demonstrated its strict adherence to the rule of law.

The party, therefore, said the alleged plan to arrest or harass the mentioned leaders as claimed by the PDP was hogwash and baseless, adding a clear conscience fears no accusation.

He wondered why PDP leaders were afraid of arrest if their conscience was clear.

He gave an assurance that all law-abiding citizens or residents of the country had nothing to fear about arrest.

However, nobody no matter how highly placed, will escape the full wrath of the law. if he or she runs fowl of our laws.

If the Senate President and the tree-climbing Senator are facing criminal charges in our law courts and his Deputy have explanations to make to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for acquisition of numerous properties in Nigeria and abroad through questionable sources, the Buhari-led APC administration has nothing to do with them.

The laws of the country are only being applied and they should answer for their alleged acts of infamy, Nabena said.

Source: NAN

Whether by brazenly injecting sex in the public sphere, adopting gay subculture for mainstream audiences or becoming the top-selling female musician of all time, Madonna has asserted an incalculable influence.

The pop superstar is turning 60 on August 16 and is again breaking barriers — this time as a mature woman who is still brash, carnal and unapologetic.

Giving new meaning to the term sexagenarian, Madonna openly dates men three decades younger, maintains a svelte figure that would be the envy of most people half her age and on her latest tour put on a characteristically provocative show that simulated most conceivable sex acts.

Madonna is hardly the first female entertainer to stay active while growing older, with singers as diverse as Aretha Franklin, Cher, Dolly Parton and Stevie Nicks on stage in their 70s.

But Madonna — who entered pop culture at the same time as MTV — has embodied the cult of youth like few other artists and, while others reinvented themselves or staged nostalgic comebacks, the Material Girl has never gone more than four years without an album since her blockbuster self-titled debut in 1983.

The title of a single off her latest album, “Rebel Heart,” summed up her unwavering attitude: “Bitch, I’m Madonna.”

Freya Jarman, a music scholar at the University of Liverpool who co-edited a book on Madonna, said the pop star has already left her legacy, with younger artists such as Lady Gaga so evidently influenced by her.

But she emphasized that Madonna was now demonstrating a new kind of relevance.

“As an aging, female popular musician who is still so much in the public eye, she is absolutely relevant,” Jarman said.

“Madonna stands out in a way that she always has done, in that she has always been interested in creating a stir which someone like Cher, for my money, does not, really.”

Many stars “seem to fade in and out of focus, while Madonna doesn’t seem to fade out,” Jarman added.

Madonna, as throughout her career, has faced harsh commentary as she grows older.

An ex-girlfriend of one of her former lovers, Brazilian model Jesus Luz, branded her a “ridiculous old bag,” while numerous social media users heaped scorn when Madonna locked lips on stage at the Coachella festival with the much-younger Drake.

And tabloids have fixated on Madonna’s hands, one part of the body that can uncharitably betray age.

In a 2016 speech as she accepted an award from music magazine Billboard, Madonna said that society allowed women to be “pretty and cute and sexy” but not to share their opinions — or sexual fantasies.

“Be what men want you to be. But more importantly, be what women feel comfortable with you being around other men,” she said, describing unwritten rules of the music business.

“And finally, do not age. Because to age is a sin. You will be criticized, you will be vilified, and you will definitely not be played on the radio,” said Madonna, likely referring to BBC Radio 1 declining to play one of her recent singles as it pursued a younger audience.

Madonna has persisted in her political outspokenness, delivering a fiery speech to last year’s Women’s March a day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, vowing that women would not accept “this new age of tyranny.”

Madonna has also challenged conceptions of motherhood, adopting four children from Malawi in addition to her biological son and daughter.

Madonna, who last year moved to Lisbon where one of her sons is attending a youth football academy, is marking her 60th birthday by encouraging fans to donate to her charity for children in Malawi.

Even as a mother, Madonna has pursued her relationships. The attention stands in contrast to the comparative societal yawn over older men who date much younger women, with still active stars Mick Jagger and Billy Joel both recently becoming fathers again.

“As a feminist, I would say good for Madonna. If that’s your sexual taste and she can pull it off, she is doing a fantasy that most women either don’t want or can’t do,” said Pepper Schwartz, a sociologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who studies aging and sexuality.

Older women have also enjoyed growing prominence in Hollywood, but their love interests — especially as depicted in films — are rarely younger men.

Among leading mature actresses, Diane Keaton in “Something’s Gotta Give” and Meryl Streep in “Hope Springs” both played in roles of rekindling romance with senior men.

Schwartz said Madonna had a more difficult task as an older woman as sexual outrage is so integral to her persona.

But she said that Madonna, along with aging Hollywood stars, was offering a new model for women of their baby boom generation.

“The baby boom, which has always been at the edge of trying to give new definition to sex and gender, is trying to say — you know, we’re not ready to be written off just because we’re older now.”

A Nigerian, Abdullah Usmani, who had not walked for the last 10 years due to a severe knee problem complicated by an incurable genetic blood disorder, has been given a new lease of life by doctors at Aakash Healthcare in Delhi.

The doctors successfully performed on the 41 year-old Nigerian, a knee replacement surgery — a rare for a patient battling multiple haemolytic and genetic complications, newkerala.com reported today.

After a full-fledged post-recovery rehabilitation programme for a fluidic knee-movement and wound recovery, Usmani finally took the walk of freedom from pain, suffering and mental trauma that often accompany such illnesses.

According to a hospital statement, Usmani had spent a major part of his life bedridden due to sickle cell anaemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes knee arthritis and deformed bone development.

Also suffering from other growth disorder complications, including multiple joint complications, hand-foot syndrome, Usmani’s congenital problem led him to undergo a spleen removal surgery in 2002, which led to worsening of his knee arthritis.

A team of doctors at the hospital then gave him a high-end oxinium implant that helped him walk again after 10 years, the statement said.

“After studying his case in detail, we concluded that Usmani’s knee consisted of a severely inflamed tissue and required an intraoperative culture extraction. Following this, a total-knee replacement was undertaken using the implant.”

The Buhari administration has launched a new initiative under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), called the Trader Moni, which will empower two million petty traders between now and the end of the year.

The scheme which was launched last week in Lagos would grant loans to a minimum of 30,000 beneficiaries in each State of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The aim is to further enlarge the financial inclusion agenda for all Nigerians regardless of social class and economic status.

All together the two million mark is expected to be attained on or before the end of this year, with petty traders in Lagos, Kano and Abia States set to be the first round of beneficiaries to draw the collateral free loans.

In addition to the 30,000 loans per state, states with larger populations like Lagos and Kano are expected to get more than 30,000 loans. Across the country, especially in the pilot states about 500,000 potential beneficiaries have so far been enumerated.

In order to identify the beneficiaries, no fewer than 4000 enumeration agents have been engaged by the Bank of Industry which is deploying the new scheme.

Trader Moni is designed to help petty traders expand their trade through the provision of collateral free loans of N10,000. The loans are repayable within a period of six months.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can get access to a higher facility ranging from N15,000 to N50,000 when they repay N10,000 within the stipulated time period.

The goal of the Buhari Administration is to use the Trader Moni to take financial inclusion down to the grassroots, the bottom of the ladder, considering the contribution of petty traders to economic development. The Federal Government is also aware of the fact that many of the petty traders don’t have what the commercial banks require to grant loans.

This administration is keen to ensure that such traders at that level are able to build their businesses and grow, government said.

Trader Moni was launched last Tuesday in five markets in Lagos State with tens of thousands beneficiaries already.

The Lagos markets already reached are Mushin, Ikotun, Agege, Ketu, and Abule Egba markets.

The scheme will soon be taken to other states in the country, with Abia and Kano states next in line.

Beneficiaries are already heaping praise on the Buhari administration for this initiative that will improve their businesses.

A trader in one of the Lagos markets, Anna Enwerem thanked President Buhari for the initiatives. “I sell clothes. This N10,000 would do a lot for me and my children. I like this programme so much. I will pay the loan before six months’ time. Before I didn’t believe it, but now that I have received my money I believe.”

Similarly, Chief Mrs Mufiat Adewumi, a market women leader in Lagos said it will help ordinary Nigerians who cannot have access to commercial banks’ credit facilities because they don’t have collateral.

“We are happy about the Trader Moni because this is what we have been expecting for long, that the Government should assist the masses, especially the traders. We thank the Federal Government so much.”

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the successful conduct of the Bauchi South Senatorial bye-election.

The council, which monitored the Aug. 11 election, conveyed its observations in a communique signed by Comrade Obinna Nwaka, NYCN’s Acting Director, Directorate of Political and Democratic Matters.

The communique was made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

Nwaka said that NYCN, under the new leadership of Bello Shagari, was accredited by the INEC to observe the bye-election.

He congratulated the Senator elect, Lawal Gumau and also implored the All Progressives Congress(APC)’s candidate him to deliver the promises made to his constituency.

“We commend the INEC for its courage to ensure that the election process was concluded and declaration of winner was announced as expected by the electorates and political parties.

“We commend the assigned security agencies for their civil approach, commitment to peaceful election and ensuring a secured environment for electorates to cast their votes despite the tension before the election.

“We commend the youths in Bauchi State for their peaceful coexistence, political participation and proper conducts during the election.

“We commend Comrade Umar Lauya, the Bauchi State Chairman of NYCN and his few executive for their participation as observers for the Bauchi South Senatorial Bye-Election 2018.

“We finally commend the Returning Officer for taking his time to enlighten and sensitise both the stakeholders present and the Local Government Areas(LGAs) Returning Officers before the commencement of the collation.’’

Nwaka, however, raised concerns over failure of card readers in some polling units in few LGAs which prompted the ad hoc staff to use the manual method of accreditation.

He said that the council observed disobedient of electoral laws following the movement of vehicles and business operation in the major roads during voting.

The director said that the council also observed that there was poor voter education and inadequate sensitisation of the electorate on how to cast their votes properly.

Raging fire at the popular Baga Fish Market in Maiduguri on Sunday destroyed dozens of shops, fish stock and other property, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Malam Muhammad Labo, a trader in the Market, told NAN that the fire, started at about 10.30 p.m., suggesting that it was caused by electrical fault.

“We locked our shops and went home; later, we received the shocking news that the market was on fire.

“Most of the shops at the main fish market were burnt to ashes; we are still trying to put out the fire.”

Labo, however, said that the quick intervention of the fire service personnel helped contain the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.

Mr Ambursa Pindar, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Borno State Fire Service, confirmed the incident and said that four fire-fighting trucks were deployed to the market.

Pindar said that the service responded promptly to fire calls at the market and appealed for calm, adding that the fire was under control.

He further said that the service would investigate the cause of the fire.

Source: NAN

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again alleged plots to arrest the leadership of the Senate to pave way for their impeachment.

The alleged plot to arrest the principal officers of the senate has remained a recurring fear in PDP circle.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and concerned members of the public have asked Senate President Bukola Saraki to resign as senate president because he had defected from the party with majority members in the senate.

But he had defiantly kicked against the pressure with the excuse that he was in control of the senate.

Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, said in a statement on Sunday that the , “the fresh plot is to detain the two presiding officers is part of renewed design to keep them out of circulation ahead of Senate resumption’’.

He said the plot was designed to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu.

The plot according to him, is to create an impression that the two failed to show up for proceedings in the Senate.

He alleged that the arrest was planned to come ahead of the reconvening of the National Assembly and to purportedly hold the Senate leaders back from the sitting and, thereafter, impeach them in their absence.

Ologbodiyan accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the alleged plot to arrest and detention the officers.

He added that part of the plot was to purportedly use security forces and some government agencies to clamp down on the family members of the Senate leaders.

The PDP spokesperson, however, called on Nigerians and the international community to prevail on the ruling party to shelve such plan.

“In all, the PDP cautions the APC and power mongers to know that Nigerians have seen through their intentions and will continue to firmly resist them by standing for democracy and the unity of our nation at all times,” he said.

The opposition party made the claims two days after Saraki and Ekweremadu accused the Federal Government of planning to implicate them in the recent blockade of the National Assembly by security operatives.

A suspected kidnapper who took tramadol is still sleeping six days after he was taken to the police custody.

His identity is yet to be confirmed by the Ondo State Police Command.

The suspect was arrested by men of the command on Sunday as he and three other members of his gang attempted to kidnap a pharmaceutical shop owner in Owo town.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph said the suspect had yet to wake up.

He said, “As of today (Friday), the suspect had yet to wake up. Maybe he took too much of the drug, that is why he is still sleeping. We have tried all we could to make him regain his consciousness to no avail.

“However, we are still watching him to find out if he is pretending. We are with him and he would face the music no matter how long he is unconscious.”

According to the police, the three-man gang stormed the shop with guns with the intention to kidnap the owner, but the victim raised the alarm and escaped through the back door.

The police explained that the suspect tried to escape on a motorcycle but stumbled while he was trying to ride it.

The other members of the gang were said to have taken to their heels.

The police stated that a 400mg tablet of Tramadol was recovered from the pocket of the sleeping suspect which raised the suspicion that he must have taken the drug before he went for the operation.

Source: PM News

Speaker Yakubu Dogara may still be physically a member of the All Progressives Congress, his spirit is already in the Peoples Democratic Party as the party’s candidate, Ladan Salihu won Dogara’s Bogoro local government in the Bauchi South senatorial bye-election on Saturday.

Salihu, a former broadcaster, got 6,646 votes as against the 3,992 votes scored by the APC candidate, Lawal Yahaya Gumau, according to the official result declared this morning in Bauchi. Total valid votes cast in the local council was 15,872.

Collation of the bye-election result that the APC’s Gumau is expected to win massively has just begun, slowed down by the heavy rain that fell Saturday evening.

Apart from Salihu and Gumau, six other candidates took part in the election, including a former governor of the state, Isa Yuguda, who ran on the platform of Green Party of Nigeria.

Others are Haruna Ayuba (African Democratic Congress ), Aminu Tukur (Action Peoples party), Usman Hassan (Kowa Party), the only woman in the race Maryam Bargel (Social Democratic Party), Husseini Umar (New Nigeria Peoples Party) and Usman Chaledi (People for Democratic Change).

Activities at the collation centre in Bauchi resumed today, with results from Dass, Toro and Kirfi local councils also announced.

In Dass local government, the APC candidate won 7,432 votes, while PDP got 4028. Yuguda of GNP got 2,117, and the SDP 1,009.

In the Toro Local Government APC got 30,658, while PDP came a distant second with 8420 votes. GPN and NNPP trailed with 5,624 and 8075 votes.

APC also led in Kirfi local government with 11,051 votes. PDP got 3336 votes, out of a total 17043 valid votes cast.

The results for Bauchi, Tafawa-Balewa and Alkaleri are now being awaited.

Before the announcement of the collated results, the Bauchi Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Abdullahi called on participants to be magnanimous in victory and gallant in defeat.

Professor Ahmed Fadam of the Department of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa University, Bauchi, is the chief returning officer for the election.

The bye-election arose following the death of Senator Ali Wakili in March.

A 12-year-old boy has been found alive in the wreckage of a plane crash which killed eight people in Indonesia.

Photos from the scene show the boy conscious and looking at the camera.

He was found with the wreckage on a mountainside near the border with Papua New Guinea on Sunday morning.

The Swiss-made Pilatus aircraft he had been travelling in lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday afternoon, shortly before it was due to land at Oksibil airport.

The plane, owned by private charter Dimonim Air, had been travelling from Tanah Merah, about 40 minutes flight south, to Oksibil in the province of Papua when it went down.

It was carrying nine people, including two crew members.

According to news agency AFP, nearby villagers heard a loud roar followed by an explosion.

An investigation into the cause of the crash will be carried out, officials said.

The Straitstimes.com reported that Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but has a poor aviation safety record and has suffered several fatal crashes in recent years.

Papua is a particularly difficult area to reach.

Five people died after a small plane crashed near Wamena in Papua province in July last year.

In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board.

Source: NAN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is engaged in nothing but senseless noise-making, in its failed attempt to distract President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) said today.

And quickly reminded the PDP of the miasma of corruption legacy it left for Buhari to clear.

“In both content and context, PDP’s latest allegations on President Buhari administration’s anti-corruption efforts should be seen for what they are: empty, baseless and diversionary,” acting publicity secretary Yekini Nabena, said in another scathing reaction to the PDP. The reaction was titled; ‘PDP Your Corruption Stench suffocates Nigerians”.

Nabena said although the opposition in a democracy is supposed to offer constructive criticisms and proffer alternative solutions to government policies and programmes, the opposition rhetoric of the PDP has been replete with ‘senseless noise-making”

“It is truly amazing that that the party of a failed government which held the country prostrate for 16 years; stole, wasted and misappropriated our abundant resources will have the audacity to make comments on the current administration that within three years is clearing the rot left after the PDP’s misrule.

“Was it not under the PDP’s immediate-past administration that disclosures of nauseating magnitude were made?

• I collected N350m from Dasuki for consultation – Iyorchia Ayu

• I only collected $30,000 from Dasuki not N100m – Bode George.

• I got N4.6b from Dasuki for spiritual purposes – Bafarawa.

• I got N2.16 from Dasuki for publicity purposes – Dokpesi.

• I got another N100m from Yuguda. He did not tell me from where – Bafarawa

• I gave N100m each to Odili, Jim Nwobodo, Bode George and others – Yuguda.

• The President asked to change N10b to foreign currency for PDP delegates – Dasuki.

• N950m was shared in my house – Shekarau

And many more shameful disclosures.
“These are just a tip of the iceberg of how our commonwealth were massively looted by the shameless characters in the PDP. Instead of apologizing profusely for their gang rape of the nation, the PDP seeks to present itself before Nigerians in 2019 to seek a return to their stealing. The PDP should understand that Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry how the country was destroyed by the PDP’s gang of pen robbers.

“The PDP may wish to explain to Nigerians under which administration a State Governor who was set free in many courts in Nigeria on charges of corruption and money laundering but was tried and jailed in the United Kingdom. Is it not ironic that the PDP preaches about corruption in the oil sector when it infact oversaw record pillage, maladministration and disrepair of the oil sector when it held sway.

“The PDP should remind Nigerians the circumstances under which the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), now Emir of Kano, lost his job in the bank. How many millions of dollars did he say was not remitted to the nation’s coffers on regular basis? The PDP may also explain the fuel subsidy scandals and how billions of the country’s funds went into private pockets; the massive seizures of properties and cash from public officers who served in the PDP Government.

“In 2015, Nigerians voted massively for the establishment of a truly progressive government to check the shocking level of impunity, corruption, disregard for the rule of law and other deplorable undemocratic practices which previously defined our national life. The APC assures all Nigerians that the President hold sacred this collective trust.

“Despite spirited efforts to discredit on-going anti-corruption efforts, the war against graft is being won. An often overlooked major achievement of the anti-corruption war is that President Buhari has brought the issue of corruption to the heart of national consciousness. The fact that Nigerians are talking about it means we have not accepted it as a way of life and as long as ordinary people continue to show that disdain for corruption, we would win the war sooner or later.

“Under President Buhari, the country has never had it so good. Yearly remittances by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) have been in billions of Naira, over and above what PDP governments remitted in 16 years; increasing yearly revenue from the Customs Service; within three years and despite low oil prices, execution of massive road and rail infrastructure our foreign reserves has grown to over $47 billion- about $4billion more than that of South Africa.

“Under the administration of President Buhari, no minister will purchase bullet proof cars with public funds, nor will an oil minister junket the globe with family members in private jets at the public expense.

“Nigerians were taken for granted too long and have vowed enough is now enough. No degree of blackmail and wicked scheming will make us return to the years the locusts had eaten. We have crossed the Red Sea and have no intention to return to our ugly past.

“While the PDP and their agents attempt to discredit the ongoing fight against corruption, the question the PDP should answer is: are anti-corruption efforts being carried out within the ambit of the law? We urge the President, law enforcement agencies, anti-graft bodies and indeed Nigerians not to be sidetracked by the desperate and roguish attempt by the PDP and their agents to discredit the ongoing fight against corruption. It is natural, corruption will fight back!

“The assurances Nigerians can hold firm is that the APC will not fail the country like PDP’s wasted 16years. While the PDP continue to spew lies in its cheap attempt at opposition politics, President Buhari is concentrating on the important work at hand – clearing the mess and rebuilding the country in all facets.”

Source: NAN

Mr Philip Shekwo, Chairman of the Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Sunday said that President Muhammadu Buhari was sent by God to save Nigeria from total collapse.

Shekwo stated this during a Thanksgiving Service held in his honour in Toto Local Government Area of the state.

If not because God, in his infinite mercy, decided to bring Buhari to power at the time He did, the country could have been in a serious mess by now.

The President is sincerely fighting corruption; corruption is responsible for all other reasons why there is so much rot in the system.

Boko Haram was also defeated and no Local Government Area in the country today is under the control of the group as was the case in the past.

Immediately President Buhari started fighting corruption and corrupt people, every right-thinking Nigerian knew that corruption would fight back, he said.

He attributed the killings by suspected Herdsmen and bandits in some parts of the country to corruption fighting back to discredit the president.

Shekwo appealed to Nigerians to believe in the President and the party as it would take time to rebuild the system which was destroyed by former leaders.

He assured all aspirants contesting for elections under the party of a level-playing ground, saying the state chapter of the party would ensure justice and equity to all its members.

Source: NAN