By Hauwa Gold

The national secretariat of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has said that the union was not aware of a court order directing its members to resume work within 24 hours.

The union said this in a statement jointly signed by Messrs Biobelemoye Josiah and Ekpebor Florence, the National Chairman and Secretary of JOHESU, respectively, on Friday.

A copy of the statement dated May 17, with reference number: HQ/JOHESU/ADM/VOL.III/563, was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto.

It was apparently reacting to a widely circulated report ordering the union to suspend its protracted strike.

It has come to the notice that some propagandists are circulating this false information in order to mislead members, the statement said.

The union leaders urged members to remain steadfast in compliance with the earlier directive given to sustain the nationwide strike until further instructions were issued by JOHESU.

The national chairman of the union also confirmed signing the latest circular to all JOHESU branches in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN recalls that the National Industrial Court on Thursday in Abuja ordered the striking JOHESU members to suspend their nationwide on-going strike and resume work within 24 hours.

Justice Babatunde Adejumo gave the order following an ex-parte motion filed by an NGO represented by Mr Okere Nnamdi.

The NGO, Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, in the motion prayed the court to order the workers to resume work and go back to negotiation table.

Adejumo, who is also the President of NICN, ordered the Minister of Health, Minister of Labour and Employment, among others, to immediately set up a committee to address issues raised by labour.

The judge ordered that the parties should arrive at an acceptable and amicable solution in the interest of Nigerians who are bearing the brunt of the strike.

The judge also ordered that the President and Vice President of JOHESU should attend such negotiations.

He said that the negotiations should take into consideration the provisions of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Act.

Joined as respondents in the suit are the president and vice president of JOHESU as well as the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

JOHESU embarked on the industrial action on April 17, demanding for improved facilities, upward adjustment of CONHESS salary scale, and employment of additional health professionals.

Other demands are implementation of court judgments, upward review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years, and harmonisation of salaries of all healthcare workers in the country.

The matter was adjourned until June 4 for hearing of motion on notice and originating summons.

Source: NAN

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has frowned at what it described as the unacceptably low participation of West African women in politics.

President of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), Senator Stella Oduah disclosed this in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament.

The interview is aimed at heralding the summit of ECOFEPA scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. A summit which Oduah says will be an opportunity to further address the plight of women in politics.

Oduah who is the chairman of the Committee on Cooperation and Integration in the Nigerian Senate, said that it was particularly appalling that the level of women participation has been dwindling across West African nations in the last decade.

She attributed the non-participation of women in politics to lack of capacity stressing that women must be empowered to actively participate in politics.

With particular reference to her country Nigeria, Sen. Oduah said that women participation at the national level had dropped to a meager 6 per cent.

The disparity that we have; where women are barely participating in politics, is increasingly getting worse.

Nigeria today, at the national level we have 6 per cent, that is totally unacceptable. In some other African nations, you have barely above that.

A few may have accomplished more than that but ultimately we want to have collective accomplishment of nothing less than 30 per cent.

What is important to us is that for that to happen we have to empower women.

Those women that live in rural communities and have the capacity should be given the opportunity to represent their people and be the month piece of their people and participate actively in issues that concern their people.

That is what ECOFEPA is trying to accomplish. And to ensure that we have the legal framework in doing so, we are working to have the enabling laws in all countries.

Se we are appealing, we are advocating and we are sensitizing collectively to have that showcase in itself.

We are women that have capacity, we are women with aspiration to participate in politics and in the affairs of our people, she said.

Speaking more on the summit, the ECOFEPA President who is a former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, said that the even was about sensitization and advocacy for greater women participation.

She said that ECOFEPA was advocating for emancipation, women empowerment and for truly getting women to fully participate in politics.

Oduah insisted that without empowering women. It would be difficult to get them to participate in politics stressing that empowerment was the bedrock of women participation.

Women must be empowered to participate in politics. This will ensure that we mainstream the affairs of ECOWAS women and girl child to ensure that our capacity is properly utilized for the betterment of ECOWAS Nations.

If we fail to do that we would be under utilizing our collective effort and capacity, she said.

As part of the summit, ECOFEPA will be awarding some notable Nigerians including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Head of State Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).

Source: NAN

At least eight persons were killed on Friday in a shooting at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas, a local sheriff said, with one person in custody and a second detained.

The incident was the latest in a long series of deadly shootings at U.S. schools in recent years.

President Donald Trump in a tweet said the situation was not looking good.

School shooting in Texas. Early reports not looking good. God bless all!

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Seventeen teens and educators were shot dead at a Parkland, Florida, high school in February, a massacre that stirred the nations long-running debate over gun ownership.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said that eight to 10 people, both students and adults, died in the incident at the school about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Houston.

There is one person, a suspect, in custody and a second possible person of interest that was detained and being questioned, Gonzalez said at a news conference.

At least nine people were taken to area hospitals for treatment, hospital officials said. The conditions of those people was not immediately clear. Gonzalez said a police officer was also being treated for injuries.

Live television images showed lines of students and buses gathered in fields surrounding the school.

This is no longer an active shooting situation and the injured are being treated, the sheriffs department said on Twitter.

Sophomore Leila Butler told the local ABC affiliate that fire alarms went off at about 7:45 a.m. local time (1245 GMT) and students left their classrooms. She said some students believe they heard shots fired, and that she was sheltering with other students and teachers near campus.

Another sophomore, Dakota Shrader, told Fox 26 TV her 17-year-old girlfriend told her by phone that she was wounded but was recovering in a hospital. My friend got injured, said an emotional Shrader. Her leg, she got shot in the leg.

Dr. David Marshall, chief nursing officer at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said that the hospital was treating at least three patients two adults and one person under 18. He said it was not immediately clear if that child was a student.

I know that they have gunshot wounds but thats the extent of the knowledge I have at this point, Marshall told reporters at a news conference. One adult is in our operating room.

Were ready for more patients, he said. We have not heard of any enroute at this point.

Source: NAN

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered, Erastus Akingbola, to return to the Federal High Court, Lagos, to answer his alleged five billion Naira fraud charge.

Akingbola is a former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc.

Justice Tanko Muhammad, leading a five-man panel, affirmed the Feb. 20, 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos which overturned the Federal High Courts decision striking out the charges against Akingbola.

Justice Sidi Bage, who read the lead judgment of the apex court, held that Akingbolas appeal challenging the Court of Appeals judgment lacked merit.

He ordered that the case file be remitted to the Federal High Court, Lagos, for expeditious trial and to be handled by another judge.

Justice Kumai Akaahs, a member of the panel, in addition to agreeing with the lead judgment, said that he was worried by the stand of the trial judge in the matter.

Akaahs said that Justice Archibong acted like a military dictator when he descended into the arena and chided the prosecution for their inability to prosecute and therefore removed his toga of impartiality.

He constituted himself into a military dictator and this is regarded as judicial tyranny and a case of bias was established against the judge.

According to Akaahs, while we have immunity, we do not have absolute powers to do and undo.

It will be recalled that Akingbola s trial was prematurely terminated in April 2012 by Justice Charles Archibong, whose decision in the case later culminated in his compulsory retirement from the bench.

Archibong, in a judgment he delivered on April 2, 2012, struck out the 26 counts contained in a charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against Akingbola.

He said this was on the grounds that the prosecution was not diligent in handling the case.

The judge described the EFCC prosecution team as a drain in the public purse and directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to disband the team.

Source: NAN

Prime Minister of Israel invites Pastor Chris Oyakhilome to special reception celebrating US EmbassyPublished on May 17, 2018 By Daily Post Staff

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome was invited to a special event hosted by the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. The official reception for the event, celebrating the move of the US Embassy, took place throughout the 2018 Holy Land Tour with Pastor Chris. It was a trip that included countless followers fulfilling their dream of a once in a life time pilgrimage.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome stated: “Every Christian must love Israel because adoring Israel is loving Jesus”during leading the Holy Tour at Israel.”

The exclusive event took place at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with invitees that comprised of ambassadors and official state agents.

The Prime Minister of Israel is famously close to the American Evangelical community, embracing people who support the state of Israel. Pastor Chris is quoted saying: “Evangelical Christians are Israel’s greatest Buddies”

This is the third year that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, along with members of the Believers’ LoveWorld (BLW), will be touring the Holy Land. Chris Oyakhilome is the creator of this BLW Inc. also called the Christ Embassy Church. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome stated in his announcement that this year is the Year of the Supernatural, so the trip to Israel can’t be more suitable.

This is a milestone year for the nation of Israel and thus the Tour will highlight the importance of this season’s trip for a period of reflection, inspiration, and enlightenment.

The tour to Israel provides participants the chance to walk in exactly the same avenues that Jesus Christ walked, bringing the Bible to come alive. Christians may familiarize themselves with different aspects of the Holy Land, experiencing an in-depth look at the numerous sites the property has to offer you. The BLW group provides guides to highlight different historic information and biblical references.

This tour is occurring at one of most outstanding times ever for Israel, celebrating its 70th year of Independence in addition to the movement of the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Based on remarks that were made by Pastor Chris in the past, the State of Israel occupies an essential status in the fulfillment of Bible prophecies regarding the future of Earth.

Throughout the excursion Pastor Chris spoke out: “Israel is open currently because it has embraced Democracy, unlike its neighbours.”

Source: Dailypost NG

President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that the 2014 governorship election which produced Governor, Ayodele Fayose was characterised by “hanky-panky.”

Speaking while hosting members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, South-West caucus to a dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari described the situation as an unfortunate saga.

The President urged APC leaders to do everything possible to prevent subversion of the will of the people again.

Buhari said, “This is crucial because I remember the hanky-panky that attended the last gubernatorial election in Ekiti State in 2014. I recall the firsthand account I received from some of the dramatis personae in that unfortunate saga.

“We must do everything to ensure that we do not allow any subversion of the will of the people this time round.

“Now that the primary is over and we have a candidate, all hands must be on deck to achieve a positive result.”

Source: NAN

Political allies have taken to the streets to jubilate for paralysing Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha in the fight to take control of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

There have been wide jubilation in Imo because we have rescued the party from Gov. Okorocha, we have made it impossible for him to get help from anywhere, the Imo stakeholders and bigwigs have said.

They said that they have made Okorocha politically irrelevant in their determination to rescue the party from imminent collapse in the state.

Dr Theo Ekechi, who spoke to newsmen after a close-door meeting with the APC national leadership on Thursday in Abuja, said the stakeholders had overwhelming evidences against Okorocha.

This, he said, had made it impossible for the governor to get attention from any quarter in the state and in the South-East region.

He cannot run to any political figure in the state because none is with him, he cannot approach any clergyman in the state.

In his desperation, he ran to Sokoto, Daura and even to the Vice President, but help has refused to come, he said.

Ekechi said Rochass inaction was responsible for the problems facing the party in the state and the South-East generally.

In a petition submitted to the partys national leadership, the stakeholders chronicled what they described as the governors sins and appealed for state of emergency in the state.

He called on the partys national chairman to bring to the notice of President Muhammadu Buhari the crisis in Imo before it completely gets out of hand.

Ekechi alleged that the state was being mis- managed under Okorocha, adding that the governor was running the state like a personal estate.

He also alleged that the governor was harassing and intimidating perceived opponents in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Officers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have returned to seaports and land borders to control importation of unregulated products.

The agency is collaborating with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and with the active support of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and Ministry of Transport.

According to the agency, this is to effectively control importation of unregulated products, falsified and substandard drugs, unwholesome foods, narcotic drugs and hazardous chemical substances and foods into the country.

NAFDAC said it received the notice on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 in a letter dated 29th March, 2018 from the office of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as part of the PEBEC reforms.

In a statement signed on Thursday, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye, said thousands of Nigerians have died because of falsified and substandard medicines.

He also noted that the development became even more necessary following a recently released documentary on codeine abuse.

He said: Many are currently ill, most likely due to unwholesome foods, drugs and abuse of narcotics and controlled substances, such as codeine, tramadol,
pentazocine, etc. These are partly due to exclusion of NAFDAC from our ports since 2011. The recent documentary on codeine abuse brought more attention to the issue.

He further stated that apart from the dangers posed to public health, drug abuse weakens and slows down economic and national development, as well as increases the threats to national security.

The need for return of NAFDAC officials to the Ports and borders has been emphasized in different fora by the new NAFDACs DG but received a boost in the Communique issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser at the end of the National Chemical Security Training Conference in Abuja on 16th March, 2018.

The theme of the conference was Towards a Secured Importation, Distribution, Storage and Use of Chemicals in Nigeria, the statement noted.

The agency expressed gratitude to the Office of the NSA, the Chemical Society of Nigeria, The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), among other key stakeholders for recognizing it as a key player in the national security architecture,

It therefore, promised that with the help of Nigerian Customs Service, the Shippers Council and other sister agencies, it will ensure that products that pose danger to the population are controlled at the point of entry.

In addition, the presence of NAFDAC at the ports and borders will reduce significantly the evasion of payments of statutory fees for importation of regulated products, thus increasing the Agencys internally generated revenue and that of the Federal Government, the agency stated.

Source: NAN

Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission, on Thursday gave an update on the results for 18 chairmanship seats out of the 23 Local Governments in the just concluded May 12 local councils polls.

The chairman of the Commission, Dr Saratu Dikko who confirmed the results in Kaduna, said the All progressives Congress (APC) won 14 local government chairmanship seats, while the PDP won fourseats.

Dikko said the commission would hold elections in the remaining five local government areas on June 2, 2018.

According to her, the APC won in Birnin-Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Ikara, Kaduna North, Sabon-Gari, Kagarko,Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sanga, Soba and Zaria, whilethe PDP won in Jemaa, Kachia, Kauru and Zango-Kataf.

The KSIEC had initially given Sanga to PDP.

According to her, Kaura, Jaba and Kajuru local governments would hold fresh elections on June 2.

This conclude the confirmation of the result, she said, adding that the outstanding elections in four wards in Chikun and two wards in Kaduna South local governments would also hold on the same day.

She said Certificates of Return would be issued to the winners on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

Source: NAN

Dozens of designer handbags stuffed with cash and jewellery were seized during Malaysian police raids on luxury properties linked to former prime minister Najib Razak on Friday, as a corruption probe gathered pace.

Officers removed Hermes, Birkin and Louis Vuitton bags as part of a trove whose value they said they could not yet estimate because of its sheer volume.

In the Taman Duta home of Najib, the police said they seized 52 luxury handbags. The handbags included 16 from Chanel, 10 from Gucci, eight from Versace and five from Oscar de la Renta, the Straits Times reported.

The operation also yielded a haul of ten luxury watches including several Rolexes, a Hublot and a Patek Philippe, as well as RM537,000 (S$181,000) and 2.87 million Sri Lankan rupees (S$24,400) in cash.

According to Straits Times, the haul was in addition to the 284 boxes containing luxury handbags and 72 bags filled with jewellery, cash of various denominations, watches and other valuables that were seized late on Thursday night after the police raided three apartments owned by Datuk Seri Najibs family in Pavilion Residences, a posh condominium development in Kuala Lumpurs shopping district.

At one of these apartments, the police took what was likely to be their biggest haul, loading five police trucks with hundreds of orange boxes containing Hermes Birkin bags. A Birkin costs anywhere between US$12,000 (S$16,105) and US$300,000.

The discovery adds significantly to the peril faced by Najib, who just last week had seemed to be cruising toward an election victory before a stunning upset.

The raids made good on a pledge by the new government headed by 92-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to investigate Najib.

Officers had previously declined to comment on the searches.

But Amar Singh, head of the Malaysian police commercial crime investigation unit, on Friday confirmed the raids were linked to investigations into accusations that Najib, his family, and cronies looted billions from a state investment fund he founded.

I cant give an estimated value of the items, Amar told reporters at the upscale Kuala Lumpur condo complex where the raids were carried out.

We have sealed the bags but we know they contain money and we know they contain jewellery.

He said 72 of the bags were filled with large amounts of various currencies, including Malaysian ringgit, US dollars, watches and jewellery.

The amount of jewellery is rather big, he said.

Footage captured by local media showed cardboard boxes and suitcases, sealed in plastic wrapping, being loaded into a black police truck. It took five trucks to remove all of the seized items, reports said.

Just last week, 64-year-old Najib was widely expected to lead his powerful Barisan Nasional (National Front) political machine to victory, extending a more than six-decade reign that had made it one of the worlds longest-serving governments.

But his coalition accused of ballot-box stuffing and gerrymandering was unexpectedly trounced by a diverse alliance that rallied public support against Najibs suspected corruption and increasingly repressive tactics.

The handbag discovery will add to public scorn for Najibs wife Rosmah Mansor, who has long been reviled by Malaysians for her perceived haughty demeanour and reported vast collection of designer bags, clothing and jewellery collected on jet-set overseas shopping trips.

Her reputation contributed to voter perceptions of rot in a ruling establishment that had lost touch with economically struggling and middle-class Malaysians.

Mahathir had already barred Najib from leaving the country in the wake of last weeks election over allegations that he oversaw the looting of billions of dollars from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB in a breathtaking and complex campaign of fraud and money-laundering stretching around the world.

The police actions have fuelled speculation in Malaysia that Najib would soon be taken into custody, but so far there has been no indication that his arrest was imminent.

Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim, the former opposition leader who was jailed under Najib but freed on Wednesday, indicated this week that they expected charges to be filed against Najib soon.

Source: NAN

University lecturers in Kenya grouped under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) have ended a strike over low pay after reaching an agreement with authorities, a union official said, allowing classes to resume after being suspended since early March.

Strikes by public workers in the country have become more frequent in recent years, often over low pay and other grievances.

Constantine Wasonga, secretary general of the union said the union had reached an agreement with the Inter Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), which negotiates lecturers welfare with the government.

As the strike is now over, all students are invited to resume their studies immediately, Wasonga said.

He did not provide details of the agreement, but said negotiations with the government would continue.

Aside from the pay issue, the lecturers had also demanded access to services available to other public servants like car loans and higher quality medical insurance.

Some public workers accuse the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta of neglecting them and failing to curb widespread corruption that they say swallows money that could be used to raise their pay.

Government officials deny the accusation.

Source: NAN

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Nigerias President Muhamadu Buhari and reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Nigeria, U.S. Department of State said.

Spokesperson for the Department, Ms Heather Nauert, said Pompeo, during the call, also underscored Buharis visit to the U.S. on April 30, and recognised Nigerias leadership in Africa.

Nauert said: On May 17, Secretary Pompeo called Nigerian President Buhari.

The Secretary noted the longstanding relationship between the Nigerian and American people and underscored the themes of the April 30 official working visit of President Buhari to the White House.

He recognized Nigerian leadership across the African continent on priorities we share: countering terrorism and other threats to peace and security, creating economic opportunity, fighting corruption, and advancing democracy and stability.

The Secretary welcomed continued cooperation in advancing our nations mutual prosperity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Buhari visited the U.S. on April 30 at the invitation of President Donald Trump, and held bilateral meetings with the U.S. counterpart at the White House.

The meetings, which also had cabinet members from both sides, focused on security, economy and the fight against corruption. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje has waded into the crisis that almost engulfed the Kano State House of Assembly following a threat by aggrieved lawmakers to impeach the speaker and his deputy.

The spokesman of the aggrieved legislators and former Speaker of the House, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum, announced at a news conference in Kano on Wednesday night that the lawmakers have agreed to shelve their plan to impeach the Speaker, Alhaji Yusuf Ata, after the governors intervention.

We wish to inform you that the Executive Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as well as party leadership in the state have waded into the crisis that engulfed our assembly.

They also ensured that the crisis ended in an no winner no vanquished.

As loyal legislators of this honourable House, who respect the supremacy of the leadership of the Executive Governor and party leaders in our state, we wish to state that we are in agreement with the decision taken, he said.

He said the concerned members were fully in support and in agreement with the decision taken during the meeting which took place on Tuesday night, May 15 at the Government House, Kano presided over by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said the agreement reached at the meeting are as follows:
1.That Yusuf Abdallah Ata (Fagge constituency) should remain as Speaker.

2. That Kabiru Rurum (Rano constituency) to serve as Deputy Speaker.
3. That Mohammed Bello Butu-butu (RiminGado/Tofa constituency) to serve as Majority leader.
4. That Bappa Babba Dan agundi (Kano Municipal constituency) to serve as Chief Whip.
5. That Sanusi Usman Bataiya (Albasu constituency) to serve as Deputy Majority leader.
6. That Ayuba Labaran Durum (Kabo constituency) to serve as Majority Whip.

He, therefore, appealed to all members and the general public to remain calm and assured them of their commitment to the rule of law and total discharge of their legislative duties in the interest of the electorate.

He said the House would reconvene on Thursday, May 17 for deliberation.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged South West caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to bring Ekiti state back into the fold of progressive states.

The president, who gave the challenge during a dinner meeting with the caucus of the party in the South West on Wednesday night, said they could achieve this by ensuring electoral victory for the APC gubernatorial candidate, Kayode Fayemi , in the forthcoming governorship elections in the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed July 14 for the conduct of the governorship elections in Ekiti state,

The President said members of the party must work together in the state to ensure that the will of the people was not subverted.

I know Ekiti fairly well and Ekiti people are well known for their forthrightness, candour and integrity.

All of these values seem to have been lost and we must restore these values and return Ekiti to its pride of place in the comity of states.

I know Ekiti fairly well and Ekiti people are well known for their forthrightness, candour and integrity.All of these values seem to have been lost and we must restore these values and return Ekiti to its pride of place in the comity of statesBuhari.

As we approach the 2019 elections, the return of Ekiti into the fold of progressive states is important as the election of July 14 is going to be a key pointer to subsequent elections, he said.

President Buhari, who reiterated his determination never to interfere in the internal affairs of the party at any level, commended his minister of Solid Mineral Resources, Kayode Fayemi for reaching out to his co-contestants who lost out in the Saturday primaries.

He therefore enjoined all members and supporters of the APC in Ekiti state and beyond to see the July 14 governorship elections as a collective mission to rescue Ekiti and promote development.

Chief Bisi Akande, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meeting, assured that the caucus would do all it could within the electoral process to secure victory for the APC candidate in the July 14 election.

Among those at the dinner were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, National Leader of the APC and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba and the National Chairman of APC, John Odigie-Oyegun.

All the 33 governorship aspirants, along with Fayemi and former governor Segun Oni, partook in the dinner.

Governors at the meeting included Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and the Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, who was the chairman of APC Ekiti Governorship primaries committee.

Some members of the National Assembly, Ministers and stakeholders from the South West were also in attendance.

Source: NAN

The doubt over the quantity of daily petrol consumption has prompted a decision to effect the closure of filling stations that are 10 kilometres on the border to monitor actual consumption.

The Sub-Committee of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Remittance to Federation Account on Wednesday directed that the filling stations be closed down immediately.

The committee arrived at the decision after its meeting with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) officials presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.

The sub-committee queried the claim by Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it was lifting 60 million litres of petrol per day at present from a previous claim of 30 million barrels per day.

We have so many international partners that are saying that even if we are feeding Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Niger, we cannot take more than 35 million litres, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara and Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, said.

He told State House Correspondents that the closure of the stations was to monitor the volume of petrol being distributed across the country.

According to Yari, the stations will be recertified according to their needs before they recommence operation.

So, we are taking decision now that any filling station that is 10 kilometres on the border side should be closed down by DPR.

And, we are going to direct the Minister of Finance in collaboration with DPR and NNPC to put a tracking device to every truck to know where that truck is heading.

The tracking will also show where the trucks are discharging the fuel because we are suspicious of the number, the governor stated.

He said that the committee had asked the NNPC to furnish it with how much it remitted to the Federation Account as proceeds from petroleum from 2015 to date and how much was outstanding.

On the cost of recovery which NNPC used to replace subsidy, the governor said that NEC was surprised that subsidy re-entered the trade after efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the practice. (NAN)

Source: NAN

An irate passenger who reportedly missed his scheduled flight was arrested at Melbourne Airport on Thursday after attempting to break into a Jetstar Airways plane.

The incident was captured on video by a traveller inside the terminal.

The video footage showed the man bashing and pulling frantically on the planes door, trying to get inside.

According to local media, the man was hours late for his original flight and became aggressive towards Jetstar staff.

They alleged the infuriated man then pushed a crew member and ran through the terminal gate onto the tarmac where
he was able to access the stairs leading to the plane.

We were sitting waiting to get on the flight and people went oh my god, what is going on? a witness said.

Someone was running on the tarmac!

This man was trying to get up the stairs, he was physically fighting with the staff, punching and scratching them.
`
The man was eventually restrained by baggage handlers and arrested by the police.

It was believed at least two Jetstar employees suffered injuries.

A spokesperson for the airline said baggage handlers went above and beyond.

We praise our crew for safely handling this incident and restraining the passenger until police arrived.

The man has been banned from any future Jetstar or Qantas flights and is set to face charges. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN

The US governments ethics watchdog on Wednesday referred President Donald Trumps apparent hush-money payment to a porn star to the Justice Department for possible investigation.

The 130,000-dollar 2016 payment to Stephanie Clifford, better known as adult performer Stormy Daniels, was made by Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who seems to have only been reimbursed last year, according to the presidents 2017 financial disclosure form released Wednesday.

A footnote in the 92-page document claims that the expense was not required to be reported on Trumps 2016 disclosure form, but in the interest of transparency says that Cohen was reimbursed without interest last year for an amount in the range of 100,000-250,000 dollars.

Contradicting the footnote, the US Office of Government Ethics notified the Justice Department that the payment meets the disclosure requirements for a reportable liability under the Ethics in Government Act.

The letter by the office to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said that Trumps financial disclosure reports were being provided because you may find the disclosure relevant to any inquiry you may be pursuing regarding the presidents prior report, which was filed in June 2017.

The letter constitutes a referral by the ethics office of a possible false financial filing.

Daniels had previously described a 2006 liaison with Trump before signing a non-disclosure agreement shortly before the November 2016 presidential election.

Trump, who denies any sexual relationship with Daniels, tweeted this month that the agreement was made to stop the false and extortionist accusations.

Trump had claimed in early 2018 that he had no knowledge of Cohens payment to Daniels.

Rosenstein a year ago appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead the federal probe into Russian election meddling, Moscows contacts with Trumps campaign and Trumps possible obstruction of the investigation.

Cohen was the target of raids last month in an investigation by the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, after a referral from Mueller.

Citing the federal criminal investigation, Cohen this week told a New York court that he would refuse to testify, citing his right against self-incrimination under the US Constitutions Fifth Amendment in a lawsuit filed by Daniels seeking to have the non-disclosure agreement cancelled.

Daniels attorney argues that the contract was invalid because Trump never signed it, and alleges that Cohen falsely accused her of lying.

Trump was a television star and newly married to his third wife, first lady Melania Trump, at the time of the alleged Daniels encounter.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

The Israeli army said its jets targeted Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip early Thursday in response to machine gun fire aimed at an Israeli border town.

One Palestinian was moderately injured from the strikes, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

The strikes were conducted in response to the heavy machine gun fire that targeted the city of Sderot and the numerous shooting attacks that targeted IDF soldiers throughout the day,the Israeli army said in a statement.

The strikes come days after 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces along the Gaza border during protests there.

The protests fuelled by a US embassy move to Jerusalem and over a decade of blockade on the coastal enclave made Monday the bloodiest day in Gaza since a 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, which still controls the territory.

Israel says that Hamas, the Islamist group which most of the West considers a terrorist organization, is using the protests as a mask to breach the Israeli border fence and attempt attacks on Israeli civilians. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has urged Muslims to utilise the holy month of Ramadan to pray for peace, unity and prosperity in the country and the world in general.

The governor made the call in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abdu Labaran, on Thursday in Katsina.

Muslims the world over commenced fasting in the holy month of Ramadan on Thursday.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad.

Fasting is the third pillar of Islam in which Muslims observe 29 or 30 days of abstinence from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset with the hope of earning Allahs blessings.

Labaran quoted Gov. Masari as saying I am calling on Muslims in the country to use the Ramadan period to pray for the nation and its leadership.

As a period of devotion, there is no better time to dedicate to Nigeria than now, in view of the insecurity challenges threatening its corporate existence.

As a period of intense devotion and introspection, it is incumbent on us to use religion for the advancement, not the dismemberment of our nation.

This, we can do by imbibing the lessons which the month of Ramadan seeks to teach us, especially showing love to one another regardless of religious inclination, assisting the less privileged and placing our collective interest over and above individual considerations.

We must remember that a nation is only as good as its leadership, which means we cannot wish evil for our leaders and expect prosperity for the nation.

Masari called on Nigerians to continue to support governments effort at improving the living conditions of people and moving the country forward. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Frenchman had Arsenal in the running to land the Portuguese star as he prepared to leave Sporting, but saw Manchester United beat him to a deal.

Arsene Wenger considers missing out on Cristiano Ronaldo to be his biggest transfer regret at Arsenal as the Portuguese could have changed history in north London.

Having spent 22 years at the Gunners helm, the Frenchman has suffered plenty of recruitment near misses in his time.

Some iconic figures have slipped through his grasp, with various factors conspiring against Arsenal as they endeavoured to land both promising and proven stars.

Source: Goal.com

Source: NAN