Stan Kroenke moved to the brink of a full takeover of North London Club Arsenal on Tuesday after minority shareholder Alisher Usmanov accepted an offer worth £550 million ($712 million) for his stake.

American businessman Kroenke currently owns 67 per cent of the Gunners through his company Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and has offered to purchase the 30 percent held by Usmanov’s Red and White Securities firm, valuing the Premier League club at £1.8billion.

Usmanov confirmed in a statement released to Britain’s Press Association that he had accepted the offer but did not give a reason as to why he has now opted to cash in.

Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL, said having a single owner would benefit the club but fans said it was a “dreadful” day.

Despite cup successes in recent years, Arsenal have slipped behind their rivals in the Premier League and have consistently failed to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

They have not won the title since 2004 and last season finished sixth, 37 points behind champions Manchester City.

Arsenal, who play City in their season opener on Sunday, are also adjusting to life after Arsene Wenger, who left the club in May after 22 years at the helm, replaced by former Paris Saint-Germain boss Emery.

“We at KSE are moving forward with this offer leading to 100 percent ownership of the club,” Kroenke said in a statement published on the London Stock Exchange.

“We appreciate Mr Usmanov’s dedication to the Arsenal Football Club and the storied ethos and history the club represents.”

Later on Tuesday, Red and White Holdings released their own short statement to confirm the deal.

“I have decided to sell my shares in Arsenal Football Club which could be the best football club in the world,” said Usmanov.

“I wish all the best and great success to this wonderful football club and to all those whose lives and careers are entwined in it.”

The deal brings to an end a battle between billionaires Kroenke and Usmanov for control of the club.

In October last year, KSE offered around £525 million to buy the 18,695 shares held by Usmanov, the Russian businessman who himself attempted to buy out Kroenke in May 2017.

“The successful implementation of the offer will result in the opening of a new chapter in the history of the club in bringing 100 per cent private ownership by KSE,” the statement said.

“KSE believes moving to private ownership will bring the benefits of a single owner better able to move quickly in furtherance of the club’s strategy and ambitions. KSE is a committed, long-term owner of the club.”

Kroenke has been a part-owner of Arsenal since 2007, gradually increasing his stake.

Under Stock Exchange rules, Kroenke will have to make an offer for the remaining minority shares in Arsenal, most of which are small numbers held largely by supporters of the club.

It is not currently mandatory for those shareholders to accept but if Kroenke purchases Usmanov’s percentage, he can then push through a compulsory acquisition.

This would see KSE take those final shares to complete a 100 percent takeover of the club.

The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust issued a strongly worded statement opposing the move.

“Stan Kroenke taking the club private will see the end of supporters owning shares in Arsenal and their role upholding custodianship values,” it said in a statement.

“The AST is also extremely concerned to note that this purchase is being funded by a loan,” it added.

“The most dreadful part of this announcement is the news that Kroenke plans to forcibly purchase the shares held by Arsenal fans. Many of these fans are AST members and hold their shares not for value but as custodians who care for the future of the club.”

Within two hours of the announcement ‘#KroenkeOut’ was trending on Twitter in Britain.

Arsenal great Ian Wright tweeted: “Incredibly sad day for so many of our fan shareholders that no longer own a part of this club.”

A political campaign group, PMB Sensitisation/Workshop Committee (PMB-SWC), North-Central chapter, says nobody in the country can defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections.

Williams Ozi-Raji, Chairman, North-Central zone of PMB-SWC said this on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the activities of the group ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Ozi-Raji said the group had concluded plans to carry out sensitisation programmes across states in the zone to ensure the re-election of Buhari.

He described PMB as a man who exhibits zero tolerance for corruption and injustice and whose political will helped in transforming the Nigerian economy.

Within the age bracket of those who have served in government, we do not have anybody that equals PMB in terms of character, credibility among others, he said

According to Ozi-Raji, the group will also work for the election of other contestants in the All Progressives Congress (APC) from ward to the federal level.

In achieving this, a lot has been put on ground structurally because if you do not plan, it simply means you have planned to fail.

We are also to ensure that every Nigerian in the North-Central is properly educated on what PMB has done for Nigerians for him to deserve a second term.

This will be from the ward, local and state level in the North-Central states; the road transport workers, civil servants, the less privileged and the physically challenged will all be carried along, Ozi-Raji said.

He attributed the herdsmen killings across the country to ploy by desperate politicians to discredit the present government and to frustrate the re-election of Buhari in 2019.

The election of Mr President in 2015 was not because some politicians decamped from PDP to APC, but because he was one man who Nigerians felt it was time to do the right thing and they gave him their votes.

Those that defected to APC in 2015 did that because they wanted a situation where they would destabilise the efforts of Mr President and APC.

Now that the opportunity was lost, they thought it was time to return to their original party to carry out their enterprise.

Even if PMB stands alone in APC, the good news is that our votes will count and he will still win the election.

Source: NAN

Barely three months after the fusion of Coalition of Nigerian Movement (CNM) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), a faction pulled out on Tuesday, announcing itself as New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

Protem National Chairman of the group, Chief Precious Elekima, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

He said that the group withdrew from ADC because it did not want to be a party in Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), explaining that ADC leadership joined the alliance without consulting stakeholders.

Elekima said that the formation of the group was to keep alive the mission of ADC to free Nigeria from backwardness, which the party (ADC) wanted to truncate by joining the coalition.

He recalled that CNM, which he claimed now had no fewer than five million members across the country, was formed after the publication of the famous open letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in January, 2018.

He said that by joining the alliance, the ADC defied the clarion call by Obasanjo for the rejection of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).

Elekima said that without collecting any money from the former president or any of his associates, Nigerians organised themselves from the wards to state level, toiled and sacrificed towards salvaging the country.

On May 10, without any form of consultation with the components of the federation, that is the states, the teeming members of CNM fused into ADC as the third-force with the mandate to salvage Nigerians from oppressive leadership.

These teeming Nigerians believed in the good intentions as set out in the clarion call so meekly embraced by the ADC.

They gave flesh and blood to the ADC, reinvigorated and rebranded it to aspire as the third-force in the political landscape of the country.

This again, they did without any sponsorship from the former president or his associates. They invested their time and resources to building the ADC whose star was on the rise.

Suddenly, without any consultation with the party chairmen and stakeholders in the 36 states and Abuja, the ADC was taken into a place for unholy intimacy with the PDP.

As if that was a small matter, defectors from the APC were also called in to take part in this unholy political orgy clothed as Memorandum of Understanding for the CUPP on July 16.

The N-ADC chairman said that with respect to Obasanjo, Nigerians and the international community were not being informed about cleansing in APC and PDP, to certify fit for ADC to be in alliance with them.

According to him, Nigerians cannot be fooled as ADC has become just another vehicle for recirculation of the people that were common problem of the nation.

Since majority of the members in the ADC never set out to deceive Nigerians, it has become necessary for the sake of these innocent members and the hope held for Nigerians that we step out of the ADC.

It has become necessary to step out with the mission and mandate of the clarion call and leave behind those leaders who for reasons best known to them have become like those in APC and PDP.

We are, therefore, happy and proud to announce that these gallant Nigerians who believe in the Third-Force for Nigerians have now constituted themselves out from the former ADC as the NewADC.

We call on members of ADC nationwide, the CNM and all progressives to rally round the N-ADC as we set out on a mission to free Nigerians from their slave masters, he said.

Elekima, who was Coordinator of CNM in Rivers, apologised to Nigerians, saying that his group was not part of decision to join CUPP.

He disclosed that the factional group had already written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to notify it of the formation of N-ADC, with temporary National Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.

This, he said, was important in order to meet up INECs time table for 2019 general elections.

We will come out with a decision that will be all-embracing and will create a path way for Nigerians to follow.

Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Chief Anayo Arinze, said that Elekima was not a card-carrying member of ADC, and could therefore, not form faction of the party.

Arinze added that Elekima and his group could not be consulted on the partys decision because they were not members of ADC.

Should we go about the streets and be consulting people who are not our members before we make decision as a party? he asked.

Source: NAN

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, has exonerated the Nigeria Police Force from the Tuesdays blockade of the National Assembly (NASS) by security operatives.

Idris stated this after a closed door meeting with the acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said the blockade of the NASS complex was a surprise to him, adding that the police would soon issue a statement on the incident.

Obviously, like I said, I have not got a detailed brief on that. So, when I get the brief, in fact we are going to issue a (press) release, he said.

Osinbajo had on Tuesday sacked the Director General, Department of State Service, Lawal Daura with immediate effect, over the invasion of the premises of the National Assembly.

Osinbajo condemned the unauthorized takeover of the National Assembly complex, describing it as a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all acceptable notions of law and order.

He maintained that the unlawful act which was done without the knowledge of the Presidency is condemnable and completely unacceptable.

The acting President assured Nigerians that all persons within the law enforcement apparatus who participated in this travesty would be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.

The sacked DSS boss had earlier met behind closed door with the acting president with the IGP Idris and the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, in attendance.

In a statement later on Tuesday, by acting deputy commissioner, Jimoh Moshood, the police categorically denied the involvement of their men in the blockade at the assembly.

The Nigeria Police Force wishes to categorically state that its personnel was not involved in any way whatsoever in the blockade of the National Assembly in the early hours of today, 7th August, 2018.

The Force was not informed and has no pre-knowledge of the blockade.

The Nigeria Police Force hereby implores the Media and the general Public to disregard in entirety insinuations that Police personnel were involved in the blockade as untrue, misleading and a misinformation.

The Nigeria Police Force will continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails, sustain unflinching respect, support and protection of all constituent authorities and democratic institutions in the Country, while maintaining law and order, protection of lives and property Nationwide.

Source: NAN

The Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly (NLSA) has described as `destructive Tuesdays siege on National Assembly by operatives of the Department of Security Services (DSS).

Dr Umar Ardo, Secretary, NLSA, in a statement in Abuja, said the National Assembly incident constituted a huge threat to Nigerias democracy.

He urged the leadership of the National Assembly to as a matter of urgency reconvene and summon the leadership of the executive to explain the DSS action.

Ardo said that disciplinary actions should be applied where necessary as provided for by the constitution.

He said that the position of NLSA was that all Nigerians should protect the nations democracy.

Meanwhile, Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had in a swift reaction, sacked the Lawal Daura, the Director-General, DSS over the unathorised blockage on the National Assembly.

Osinbajo directed him to hand over to the most senior director in the services.

Source: NAN

Mr. Matthew B. Seiyefa has been appointed the Acting D-G of the Department of State Services.

The appointment followed the sacking today of the former D-G, Lawal Daura, by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. He was ordered to hand over to the most senior official of the agency.

Seiyefa, from Bayelsa state is the most senior Director in the DSS. A Twitter post by the PresidencyNigeria said he will act as Director-General until further notice.

Osinbajo described the blockade asa gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order.

According to him, the unlawful act which was done without the knowledge of the Presidency is condemnable and completely unacceptable.

Professor Osinbajo assured Nigerians that all persons within the law enforcement apparatus who participated in this travesty will be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.

Daura, born 5 August 1953, was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 2 July 2015, following the dismissal of his predecessor Ita Ekpeyong.

He once worked in the service and retired.

Seiyefa, Dauras successor had earlier served as the Director of the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), before he was transferred to the DSS headquarters.

He met with Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He arrived the Presidential Villa in an official SUV at4pm, clutching a file and was received at the entrance by the ADC to the Acting President.

With about 34 years of experience, Seiyefa had served in different capacities, including State Director in Osun, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos states.

Seiyefa is also a member of the National Institute.

Source: NAN

The British Government has said that it is closely monitoring political developments in Nigeria following reports of blockade of National Assembly entrance by officials of the Department of State Service (DSS).

The British Government made this known in a statement from its High Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.

Operatives of the DSS took over the gates of the Assembly as early as 7 a.m. on Tuesday and reportedly prevented some lawmakers from entering the complex.

The officials also reportedly claimed to be acting on orders.

The UK Government, however, stated that it was aware of media reports of the situation at the National Assembly this morning.

We are closely monitoring the situation and other political developments in Nigeria.

The United Kingdom supports a process whereby the people of Nigeria can exercise their democratic rights to vote and be voted for.

It declared its unwavering support for a free, fair, credible and peaceful process and the independence of institutions, which allow for that.

Political leaders have condemned the incident, while officials of the DSS had since left the Assembly complex, following the immediate sack of Director-General of the agency by the Federal Government.

Source: NAN

Food vendors on Tuesday took advantage of the barricade of the National Assembly entrance by security operatives to make brisk business.

Newsmen, the assembly workers and other Nigerians, who were barred from entering the assembly complex, resorted to the vendors for food as they waited at the entrance.

Security operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) had as early as 7 a.m., barricaded the entrance to the complex, denying some lawmakers, journalists and staff of the assembly, access into the premises.

The lawmakers were later, at about 9 a.m., allowed into the premises, but newsmen, assembly workers, including Clerk of the National Assembly,Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolorin,and other Nigerians, continued to be barred from entry.

The entrance of the assembly where the barred persons gathered was littered with bottles of water and soft drinks, groundnut peels, and used food packs among others.

One of the vendors, Mrs Hauwa Ismaila, said that the development at the assembly entrance was unusual, but had however, made her to make business and gain.

She said today is better than other days. My food is almost finished.

Another vendor, who pleaded anonymity, said my buns is finished. I thank God.

Source: NAN

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuff Lasun said the meeting of the leadership of the National Assembly(NASS) scheduled for Tuesday afternoon has been cancelled, blaming the security situation at the legislative building.

The Punch quoted Lasun as saying that the meeting was no longer feasible because of the tense situation at the National Assembly.

A meeting cannot be held under this kind of atmosphere.

It is unfortunate that this is happening; because when the parliament is under siege, democracy is under siege, Lasun was reported to have said.

Lasun arrived the National Assembly a few minutes to 12pm, the time fixed for the meeting. He said he came to attend the meeting.

Operatives of the Department of State Services, who had locked down the National Assembly since 6am, allowed him to drive into the complex.

But, he soon drove out again after meeting briefly with the senators and members keeping vigil at the lobby of the White House.

Lasun said he had been in touch with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara.

Source: NAN

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the Director-General of the Department of State Security, Malam Lawan Daura at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the two security chiefs, who arrived Aso Rock at different times, were to update the acting president on security developments including the blockade of the National Assembly by security officials.

The Inspector-General of Police was the first to arrive at about 12.35 p.m before the arrival of the DSS Director General at about 1.15p.m.

The Police and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) had on Tuesday, blocked the main gate of the National Assembly, preventing lawmakers and staff from gaining access into the complex.

The security operatives, however, later allowed the lawmakers access into the complex while journalists and other staff were barred.

Source: NAN

The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura has been sacked by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

According to a tweets by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President,
Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.

Mr. Daura has been directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice, Akande said.

AgP Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.

AgP Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.

— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) August 7, 2018

AgP Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.

— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) August 7, 2018

Mr. Daura has been directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice.

Laolu Akande (@akandeoj)

Operatives of the DSS, wearing masks blocked the gates of the National Assembly this morning, preventing senators and workers from gaining entrance.

Some PDP senators, who were caught in the blockade interpreted it as a move to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki. But it turned out there was nothing like that in the offing as no APC senator was in the National Assembly when they were creating the row outside the gate.

The blockade has been roundly condemned as anti-democratic and has made the leadership of the National Assembly to call off a scheduled meeting this afternoon, that would probably have paved way for the reconvening of the Assembly.

Members of the two-chamber legislature went on break on 24 July. They were scheduled to resume on 25 September. The executive arm of government has issued a red alert that the recess may lead to a government shutdown.

Source: NAN

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN said the blockade of the National Assembly gates by operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS) was unauthorized and slammed it as a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order.

According to him, the unlawful act which was done without the knowledge of the Presidency is condemnable and completely unacceptable.

A statement issued by Laolu Akande,Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity,Office of the Acting President, said that the action of the DSS was not authorised by the presidency.

By this statement, Professor Osinbajo is consequently assuring Nigerians that all persons within the law enforcement apparatus who participated in this travesty will be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.

Osinbajo had earlier sacked Lawal Daura, the Director-General of the secret service and asked him to handover to the most senior person in the organisation.

Daura was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 2 July 2015, following the dismissal of his predecessor Ita Ekpeyong.

He once worked in the service and retired.

He was born August 5, 1953, in Daura Katsina state.

Source: NAN

Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo said he has not resigned his position and is not leaving the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.

Umoh, said that there was no iota of truth in the story.

He said that the deputy governor had travelled on official assignment to represent the Gov. Udom Emmanuel at Ati Annang Convention holding in New York.

The CPS said the deputy governor in a telephone conversation with him on Monday denied the story as groundless.

The attention of the Office of the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State has been drawn to certain rumours and misrepresentations in a section of the media to the effect that the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Moses Ekpo, has resigned from office.

The reports particularly from the online community further make allusions to the effect that the Deputy Governor has also defected from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Given the temperament of the times and the implications of suchinnuendos, we are constrained tocategorically state that there is no iota of truth in the story making the rounds

That the purported report is therefore nothing but a poorly concocted piece of a malicious hatchet job and a pack of lies, and should be appropriately ignored.

It is instructive to note that currently, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor is representing the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel as Special Guest of Honour at the 2018 International Convention of Ati Annang holding in New York, United States of America and is yet to return to the state.

In his reaction to the rumour from New York on phone today, the Deputy Governor said: I have not resigned.

I haveno reason whatsoever to resign or jump ship from a government that is both responsive and performing optimally, while giving practical meaning to democratic dividends for the people of Akwa Ibom. I cannot, and will not jump ship.

According to him, the 77 year-old deputy governor has called on Akwa Ibom people, both at home and in the Diaspora, as well as the PDP family in the state to remain resolute and committed to support the Gov. Udom Emmanuel.

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Source: NAN

By Opeyemi Aremu-Gbemiro

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti on Monday granted the prayers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inspect election materials and results of the July 14 governorship election in the state.

The APC was represented at the tribunal by Yomi Ariyo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who led six other counsel.

Justice Suleiman Belgore, while granting the prayers, gave reasons for granting the application which was filed on July 31.

He said the counsel had sought the order of the court to access the election materials in order to make photocopy of the documents of the election materials and to use forensic equipment to view the handwriting of the election result and the fingerprint of the election materials.

The request, he also said, was to obtain and photocopy all the election materials which were also in custody of the first respondent, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He added that the request was to seek forensic experts to access both machine and other materials used in the conduct of the election.

The tribunal chairman granted the application, saying this was also approved for the PDP.

APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, was declared the winner of the election by the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, after securing 197,459 votes.

The PDP candidate and current Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, scored 178,121 votes.

Source: NAN

An Osun High Court sitting in Osogbo has adjourned till Wednesday ruling in the certificate suit involving Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Sept. 22 governorship election in the state.

Justice David Oladimeji, adjourned proceedings onMonday after all parties had accessed the relevant documents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two members of the PDP in the state had approached the court for an interlocutory order setting aside the election of Adeleke as the PDP governorship flag bearer over alleged non-submission of his Secondary School leaving certificate.

Adeleke was declared the winner in the PDP primary held on July 21 having polled 1,569 votes to beat by seven votes, his closest rival, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, who had 1,562.

The plaintiffs, Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseun Idowu, in the suit filed on July 24 sought an interlocutory order setting aside the election of Adeleke, arguing that he did not satisfy the constitutional requirements to contest the governorship election.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Olufemi Ayandokun, had earlier told the court that the certificate tendered by Sen. Ademola Adeleke to INEC and the court was forged.

He urged the court to take judicial notice of the date the certificate was issued and the year statedon it.

The counsel argued that at the time the certificate was issued, Osun had not been created as a state.

He described the certificate as fake.

Ayandokun prayed the court to adopt and rely on the written address in support of the response to the notice of preliminary objections and asked the court to strike out the counter-affidavits.

The defence counsel, Mr Edmund Boriomoni, told the court to also strike out the originating summons and the motion on notice for want of competency and jurisdiction.

He said that another affidavit had earlier been filed for preliminary objection and a counter-affidavit for the originating summons.

Boriomoni said there were 22 grounds, 48 paragraphs of affidavits and three exhibits marked in support of the affidavits and nine issues for determination.

He urged the court to dismiss the suit filed against his client for lacking in merit.

Source: NAN

In a bid to make the recently passed financial autonomy more effective, the National Assembly has commenced push to enshrine administrative autonomy in state Houses of Assembly.

This was the main advocacy at a workshop organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for members of the State Houses of Assembly.

The conference tagged: Two-Day Conference For State Houses of Assembly on Operating Within The Context Of First Line Charge, was organized for members of the 36 houses of Assembly.

In her Welcome remarks, the Director General of NILDS, Prof, Ladi Hamalai told the lawmakers that there cannot be effective financial autonomy without the establishment of a service commission.

She explained that for the legislature in the states to be truly autonomous, they must be fully responsible for all the affairs that concern them.

With particular reference to the principles of separation of power, she said that the legislature could not be said to be independent if the executive arm was still in charge of employing and deploying staff members of the legislature.

We must all pass the Act establishing the Service Commission, it is part of the principles of separation of power.

She said that the financial was a good stepping stone for the legislature in states, but stress that there was still a long way to go after the autonomy had been well domesticated.

Reiterating the role of service commission in effective autonomy, the Secretary of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) Mr Olu Ajakaye, said that without administrative autonomy.

He recalled that the period of financial dependence was very torturous as the legislature had to always go cap in hand to the executive anytime they had a programme or project.

He therefore admonished the lawmakers that they must also push for administrative autonomy and take over the management of their staff if they must reap the benefit of the financial autonomy recently granted them.

This financial autonomy would be incomplete without administrative autonomy: a situation in which the employees of the state assembly are controlled by the state civil service commission does not aurgur well for the autonomy of the legislature.

It is on this note that I call on all states that are yet to establish their state service commission to do so immediately.

We must try and distinguish the legislative service by also entrenching he nomenclatures that are peculiar to the legislative service.

Today the legislature has its own unique concepts, norms practices and procedures.

Therefore we must imbibe our own structure in line with our procedures. Many secretaries of commissions or clerks of assemblies prefer to be addressed as permanent secretaries.

The earlier we drop the civil service hangovers, the better for the legislative service. This will not only create an identity for the service but will also make the service robust and enviable, he said.

He commended the efforts of the DG NILDS for her pragmatism in convening the conference and other relevant conferences.

Declaring the conference open, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani Omolori however cautioned the lawmakers to handle the autonomy with responsibility.

He said that the financial autonomy was not an avenue for the legislature to become financially reckless, stressing that any form of misappropriation would be treated as an act of corruption.

He therefore urged all lawmakers to endeavor to declare their assets before assuming office.

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to have recorded its first victory at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti on Monday as it prayers was granted to inspect election materials and results of the July 14 governorship election in the state.

The APC was represented at the tribunal by Yomi Ariyo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who led six other counsels.

Justice Suleiman Belgore, while granting the prayers, gave reasons for granting the application which was filed on July 31.

He said the counsel had sought the order of the court to access the election materials in order to make photocopy of the documents of the election materials and to use forensic equipment to view the handwriting of the election result and the fingerprint of the election materials.

The request, he also said, was to obtain and photocopy all the election materials which were also in custody of the first respondent, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He added that the request was to seek forensic experts to access both machine and other materials used in the conduct of the election.

The tribunal chairman granted the application, saying this was also approved for the PDP.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, was declared the winner of the election by the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, after securing 197,459 votes.

The PDP candidate and current Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, scored 178,121 votes.

Source: NAN

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says that no fewer than 2,700 Federal employees from FCT and Niger due to retire in 2019 have commenced their verification and enrollment in its Abuja centre.

Mr Peter Aghahowa, the PenCom Head of Corporate Communications, said on Monday that the Abuja centre was part of phase II of the nationwide verification and enrollment programme.

He said the phase II of the enrollment was ongoing in two other centres of Lagos and Ibadan, adding that phase one had been concluded in 12 other centres across the nation.

The exercise in Abuja has been on since July 30 and will end on Aug. 17.

It is meant for Federal Government employees due to retire between January and December 2019.

Their retirement is hinged on attainment of 60 years of age or 35 years in service whichever is earlier or 65 years by age for employees of tertiary institutions or 70 years of age for professors.

According to Aghahowa, the verification and enrollment are designed to facilitate payment of retirement benefits of the potential retirees.

He said the physical enrollment also covered those who had already retired, but were yet to be enrolled.

Aghahowa said affected employees were requested to attend with originals and copies of letter of appointment, evidence of transfer of service and acceptance letter where applicable.

Other documents are birth certificate or declaration of age, promotion letters, payslip indicating grade level and step as at June 2004.

Others are: Promotion letter and payslip indicating grade level and step as at January, 2007, promotion letter and payslip indicating grade level and step as at July,2010.

Promotion letter and payslip indicating grade level and step as at December 2013, Letter of introduction from the MDAs, staff identity card, letter or evidence of retirement where applicable, letter of indemnity from the MDA, the PenCom spokesperson said.

He said prospective retirees were also requested to come with evidence of registration with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) indicating Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) and Personal Identification Number (PIN).

Aghahowa said the MDAs were expected to send their Pension Desk Officers to identify potential retirees and confirm authenticity of the documents presented by the employees.

He, however, said that potential retirees who were medically unfit were exempted from the exercise.

Aghahowa said PenCom had earlier advised PDOs of medically unfit employees to present their documents and letters from qualified physician certifying that the affected employees were not capable of attending the exercise.

According to him, the commission advises all prospective Federal Government retirees to take part in the exercise as it is a pre-condition for payment of their retirement benefits.

Source: NAN

Ogun State Nigeria took a comfortable position on the list of top five best performing students in the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board.

According to statistics by JAMB, three of the 5 students who made the highest score, had links to Ogun state.

The highest scoring candidate Mr Galadima Zakari, although from Biu in Borno State, sat for the examination in Ogun state and emerged with 364 out of 400.

The second highest scorer, Adekunle Jesufemi, with a score of 358, is from Ogun state and also sat for the in the state.

The third highest score of 357 however went to Alikah Oseghale from Edo State who sat for the examination in Ekpoma.

Ogun state also produced the 4 highest scorer, Ademola Adetola who is from Ogun State but sat for the examination in Lagos and recorded a score of 355.

While Akinyemi Paul from Ogun state, who wrote his examination in Lagos, Ape Moses from Benue who wrote the examination in Makurdi and Obi-Obuoha Abiamamela from Rivers who wrote the examination in Port Harcourt came fifth with a tie score of 354.

The boards Head of Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said in a statement on Sunday, in Abuja said that the information became necessary and to put the records in proper perspective following a circulated misinformation in some quarters.

According to him, the attention of the board is drawn to publications that Ape Moses from Benue came top in the entire exercise.

The report, he said, was untrue and incorrect.

He, however, explained that Moses with 354 score was the highest scorer from Benue State and the entire North Central.

Benjamin added that it was imperative to set the records straight in order to ensure that the public was not misled by unverified report.

The Board appeals to all interested individuals and organisations who would want to use its data for research, reportage and other national necessary disposition to always contact it for accurate and up to date information.

This is so as not to misdirect the public into taking wrong and misleading conclusions.

Our doors are always open to any request especially when the nation would be the ultimate beneficiary.

Source: NAN

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the opposition is using fake news and hate speech as campaign tools to de-market President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The minister said this on Monday when he paid official visit to the Abuja office of The Authority Newspaper.

Buhari has indicated interest to contest the 2019 presidential election under the platform of his ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

The opposition has latched on to the use of fake news as a campaign tool ahead of the 2019 general elections.

With the Buhari Administration delivering on its promises to fight corruption, build the nations economy and tackle insecurity, the opposition has realised it will not make any impact if it takes on the Administration on that turf.

So, it has decided to take the easy route, which is to use fake news and hate speech to de-market the Administration, pitch Christians against Muslims and one ethnic group against another.

In short, it wants to plunge the country into turmoil. It is said that the easy way is not always the right way.

The opposition knows that but it doesnt care. It is hell bent on dividing Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines, he said.

The minister said the opposition had been using fake news to blame all the killings in a certain part of the country on herdsmen.

He said it ignored the band of deadly militia groups that were being sponsored by unscrupulous people to kill innocent people and put the nation on edge.

The minister stressed that the clashes between the farmers and herders were being aggravated by climate change which had heightened the contest for scarce natural resources like water.

With a population of 45 million in 1960, Nigeria is today approaching the 200-million mark.

Yet, the resources have not expanded and have in fact been shrinking.

Mohammed said his visit to the newspaper began a media tour aimed at pushing the national campaign against fake news, launched on July 11, to sensitise Nigerians to the dangers posed by fake news.

He noted that though fake news was a global phenomenon, it is a danger to the peace and security of Nigerias nascent democracy and corporate existence.

It is a time bomb. It has wreaked havoc in other lands. In 1994, over 800,000 people died in Rwanda due to a combination of fake news and hate speech.

In India, about a dozen people have been killed after they were falsely accused in a message circulated on Whatsapp, of abducting children.

The US is still reeling from the role that fake news played during the countrys last general elections.

Mohammed said that fake news had aggravated the farmers/herders clashes in the country but that the Administration had put all necessary measures in place to stem the killings.

In Zamfara, for example, you can see how the military has put the bandits on the run.

In Benue, the police and the military are working hard and that has resulted in a drastic fall in the spate of killings.

Sadly, the media has either downplayed or ignored this. This government will not relent until every Nigerian can sleep with his or her two eyes closed.

The minister called on Nigerians to be wary of the fake news being deliberately pushed, especially on social media platforms, to exploit national fault lines.

He said Nigerians should check the source of any news item being pushed their way and stop sharing whatever they could not vouch for.

The minister specifically thanked the management of the Authority Newspaper for supporting the campaign against fake news, especially with a recent editorial it published on it.

Mr Madu Onuorah, the Managing Director of the Newspaper, thanked the minister for the visit and assured him of support to ensure the success of the campaign against fake news.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister fielded questions ranging from politics to economy from the management team of the newspaper.

Source: NAN