Atletico Madrid chief Miguel Angel Gil Marin attacked Barcelona on Tuesday over their pursuit of highly-prized striker Antoine Griezmann, saying he was fed up with the Catalan clubs attitude.

Marin issued his strongly worded rebuke hours after a Spanish radio station reported that Barcelona were poised to pay the French internationals 100 million-euro release clause.

The Atletico CEO said the clubs stance was very clear.

Not once have we negotiated for Griezmann nor do we have any intention to do so, he said in a statement issued on the teams official website.

A few months ago, I personally expressed to Barcelonas president that our player isnt for sale nor are we going to sell him, he continued.

At the same time, I let him know that his inappropriate conduct was against the integrity of the competition

The uncertainty over Griezmanns future could not have come at a worse time for Atletico as they prepare for next weeks Europa League final against Marseille.

Marin added: Were fed up with Barcelonas attitude.

That a president, player and a board member speak the way theyve done about the future of a player with an existing contract and just a few days before disputing a European final, is an absolute lack of respect towards Atletico.

He said Atletico would be demanding compensation from Barcelnoa should the player exercised his right to nullify his contract due to their pressure throughout the season.

He finished off by declaring enough is enough. I hope this statement serves its purpose and that us Atletico fans can enjoy this moment and prepare ourselves for a final like we should.

Marins plea followed a report by Cadena Cope radio station that Barcelona have told Atletico Madrid they are going to pay Antonie Griezmanns get out clause. And Atletico know the player will be leaving at the end of the season.

That came after Atletico president Enrique Cerezo refused to clarify Griezmanns future after domestic media suggested Cerezo had met the player for dinner in a bid to persuade the Frenchman to stay at Atletico, with the promise of a bumper new contract.

Cerezo has denied meeting Griezmann for talks but the Atletico president was also not definitive on the 27-year-olds future.

I can tell you one thing: Antoine Griezmann is an Atletico Madrid player as of today, Cerezo said.

I cannot tell you anything else because I do not know anything else.

Barca were forced in January to deny publicly they had agreed a deal to sign Griezmann, who has indicated he wants his future resolved before the start of the World Cup.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde on Tuesday described Griezmann as a great player.

But we have to be very cautious about saying anything about a player that is not ours and making sure we respect our rivals, he added.

Source: NAN

By Ayinde Abdulsaheed Olaide

Some members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi state have called for the cancellation of the party ward congress held in the state on May 5, describing the exercise as fraudulent.

Addressing newsmen in Bauchi on Tuesday through their spokesperson, Alhaji Shehu Ningi, the members, under the platform of APC Supporters Network, said the exercise was not only fraudulent, but also a scandal that ought to attract the attention of ICPC.

We find the declaration of the ward congress in the state a success as objectionable and condemnable.

Members of APC and members of the general public in Bauchi are living witnesses to the fact that no Ward Congress took place at all throughout the state, they insisted.

They alleged that no electoral officer or member of the election committee was seen at almost all the venues for the congress.

According to them, voters waited from morning till evening on the day of the congress without seeing anybody to conduct the election.

In view of the fraud, we are therefore calling for the cancellation of the Ward Congress purported to have been carried out on Saturday 5th May 2018.

We are also calling for a repeat of the Ward Congress, to be conducted by a different state election committee.

Failure to listen to us will definitely jeopardize the hitherto brilliant chances of the party at the polls, come 2019 general elections, they said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the chairman of the congress committee, Mr Tony Macfoy, had earlier told newsmen that the congress was conducted peacefully and successfully.

All the grievances within the party stakeholders were amicably resolved before the conduct of the congress, he had said.

Source: NAN

The rescheduled governorship primary of the Ekiti All Progressives Congress (APC) will now hold on Friday, 11 May.

The party announced the new date today following an emergency meeting of its leadership, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the national publicity secretary said.

The primaries held last Saturday was disrupted after dozens of aspirants allege rigging by former governor Kayode Fayemi.

It was not clear if the party had resolved the issues raised by many of the 33 contestants, who accused the Governor Tanko Al-Makura committee of attempting to rig the election in Fayemis favour.

The contestants, who also passed a vote of no-confidence on the committee and asked that the election be held afresh and votes already cast by delegates from five local councils be cancelled.

The ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party is holding its primary today to pick its torch bearer, for the election that will take place in July.

Source: NAN

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Tuesday urged the International Oil Companies and Oil Producers Trade Section (IOC/OPTS) operating in the country not to induce lawmakers during the consideration of other sections of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The Fiscal and Host Communities Bills, a components of the Petroleum Industry Bill is currently before the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

Saraki who stated this when the leadership of the IOC/OPTS visited him in Abuja.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, he said that the leadership of the 8th National Assembly has made it clear to all lawmakers involved in the process to live above board.

He called on the leadership of the OIC/OPTS to report any lawmaker who seeks any personal favour when the process of passing the bills commences this month of May.

Saraki said: Let me also use these opportunity to just make some ground rules clear. We as the 8th National Assembly I told you at the beginning that the two houses will be on the same position on the remaining Bills. I think we have shown that on the first bill we passed.

I am confident that for these other bills too, we will do the same. I want to assure you that it is in our own interest and the leadership has made it clear to all the members involved that this must be a transparent process.

We are doing it in the interest of the country. Leadership is not going to tolerate any hanky-panky. No favours. No gifts. Nothing must be given to get this work done.

And we want to mandate you that if you see any of these you should be able to bring it to the attention of the leadership. All we want to see is a Bill that is in the interest of Nigeria and we have read the riot act to all our members that nobody should approach anybody for any interest towards any benefit and I want to make this very clear.

This is the position of leadership on this issue. We must ensure that everything is above board because this is not just a Bill for today, but for future generations. We must make sure that in our time it is done properly, he stated.

Saraki said that after the passage of the PIGB by the National Assembly which is now before now before the Presidency for assent, the process for the passage of the Fiscal and Host Communities Bills will soon commence to pass a petroleum bill that will be a win-win for all stakeholders.

He said: This is where we are now and this is where it concerns those of you who are operators to see that we can pass a petroleum bill that is a win win for all.

A petroleum bill that will be a win for Nigeria on the revenue side, investment side and jobs creation; and it is also a win for those who are investing in Nigeria. Because we appreciate that it is a very competitive world out there and we must make Nigeria competitive.

The only way we can do that is through engagement. We cannot do it by just passing a bill and just putting it at your doorstep, because we are not the ones that will do the investment. So, it has to be a bill that we all believe is in the interest of all those who are involved, he said.

It would be recalled that the National Assembly Assembly has commenced the process of passing the Fiscal and Host Communities components of the Petroleum Industry Bill after the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) now before the President for assent.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation of the IOC/OPTS and Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Limited, Mr. Osagie Okunbo, said the visit is essentially meant to assure the leadership of the National Assembly that the IOC/OPTS will make its memorandum on the Bills available to the relevant Committees of the National Assembly during the public hearing.

He said that it is important to ensure that the PIB that will be passed is one that will essentially promote investment.

Our primary concern is that at the end of the day, we both lay the years of uncertainty to rest, but even more importantly, that a bill that is passed eventually is one that we can all be proud of and the one that we can say will encourage investments in all parts of the oil industry, Okunbo stated.

Source: NAN

Governor Ayo Fayoses candidate, Prof. Kayode Olusola-Eleka has emerged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State for the July 14 election.

He is at present the deputy governor of the state.

In the primary held on Tuesday, Olusola, polled 1190 votes to defeat Dayo Adeyeye who had 771 votes.

The delegates accredited for the election were 1961, with 7 of the votes voided, according to the leader of PDP electoral committee, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

NAN reports that Mr Dayo Adeyeye, who left the venue at about 8p.m, accepted the outcome of the primary election, which he agreed was conducted under free and fair atmosphere.

In his acceptance speech, Eleka thanked the delegates for finding him worthy.

He expressed gratitude to Mr Dayo Adeyeye for exhibiting courage throughout the period the pre-primary election.

The deputy governor, who praised Gov. Ayo Fayose for standing by him, vowed to defeat the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming July 14 governorship election in the state.

Also reacting, Gov. Fayose promised to embark on meaningful reconciliation by reaching out to aggrieved party leaders, especially the duo of Dayo Adeyeye and Mrs Abiodun Olujimi, so that the PDP in the state can be a united house once again.

Source: NAN

South West leaders have stepped into the logjam in Ekiti governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) involving 33 aspirants.

The leaders met on Tuesday in Abuja with the aspirants for the partys ticket for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti.

Former National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, said after the meeting that they would advise the partys national leadership on the proposed fresh primary in Ekiti.

We are going to talk to the party about what the aspirants have said and what we all think is best, and we know that the party will take the right decision.

We are going to convey our resolution to the party and the party will be able to tell you, he said.

He added that the meeting took a decision on what would be best for the party and the country generally.

On whether a consensus candidate would be considered for the election, Akande said that may be an option for the aspirants.

Consensus is already in our Constitution and it is an option; also primary election is already in our Constitution.

But what we want is the general happiness of the leaders of the party, the contestants and our party, he said.

He, however, added that the aspirants were asked to think about arriving at a consensus candidate ahead of the rescheduled primary slated for Friday.

The party on Saturday, conducted a primary election to pick its candidate for the Ekiti poll, but the exercise was marred by violence, which led to its cancellation by election committee. (NAN)

Source: NAN

In a surprise move which he termed efforts to build institutions, the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki has visited the new office complex of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

There has been no love lost between the 8 Senate and the EFCC especially as it concerns the confirmation of the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

The Senate rejected the appointment of Magu as the Chairman of the commission over allegations of corruption by the Department of State Security (DSS). However the executive had insisted on not substituting Magu while he (Magu) continues to allege that some members of the senate are corrupt.

However, in a surprise move, Saraki went on an inspection tour of the headquarters of the commission.

Speaking to newsmen after the inspection, he said that will continue to support efforts to build and strengthen the nations institutions irrespective of any differences.

He said that he was particularly impressed by the quality of work done and the fact the building was designed by a Nigerian architect.

He said he is duty bound to visit the completed project as part of his oversight functions in view of the contributions of the National Assembly to its realization.

The Senates President said that the nation must continue to build institutions as well as strengthen existing ones to realize its dream of becoming a great democratic country.

I think the most important thing as far as we are concerned is that I have always said that we must always continue to build institutions and that is what is important and we must continue to support in building these institutions.

If we are going to build a better society in our country, one of the main things we must tackle is the issue of corruption and how we can do that is by strengthening these institutions.

My presence here is to say that whatever we do in our job, the most important thing is that we all represent institutions and we must work and see that it is in the interest of the country.

So my presence here is, after a building like this where the National Assembly has played a great role, it must be my responsibility to see how the money was spent and I can see that that has been done properly and we should continue to work together to see that that goes well for the entire country.

If you look at most projects in Abuja, I dont think any project like this has been well-funded and that shows that despite all the noise you will hear, the National Assembly has supported where it matters because this is where it matters and I think we have done that.

If you look at what has been achieved in the last two and half years in putting this building up and bringing it to completion, I think it is a remarkable achievement, he said.

As the head of the legislature, I have responsibilities that goes beyond whatever issues there may be. You see, you guys in the media like to hype things. The most important thing is that we must always do the right thing.

We might disagree on what those right things are but at the end, we must ensure that we build institutions, we support institutions and do what is right and we must continue to do that, he said.

Saraki said that the fight against corruption must continue in order to bequeath a better future to both present and coming generations.

He insisted that there was no way Nigeria can be built if corruption is not fought to the barest minimum.

I have always said that my own strong will is that as we fight it, we must fight it in ensuring that we strengthen the institutions and what you see here is part of the process of strengthening that institutions so that whoever comes here will know that this is what we must fight if we want to build institutions, he said.

Source: NAN

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme, has registered more than 80,000 public sector enrollees less than a year after it began operations, its Executive Secretary, Dr Zuoboemi Agadah said on Wednesday.

Agadah made this disclosure in Yenagoa while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with an Heath Maintenance Organisation, United Healthcare International for the schemes technical support.

The State Government started an health insurance scheme for its workforce in June 2017 with a plan to extend the scheme to cover the informal sector in due course.

Agadah, who said that the enrollment was ongoing, added that the feedback from the registration desk was encouraging.

He said that in spite of the growing number of enrollees in the scheme, government had also met its financial obligations to health care providers.

According to him, feedback from the enrollees and other stakeholders in the health sector, shows that the scheme is doing well.

The Executive Secretary attributed the success so far recorded to the adoption of the template already put in place by the National Health Insurance Scheme of the Federal Government.

He said that the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme was also collaborating with other states of the federation where similar schemes were being run.

Agadah said that such collaboration was to overcome the teething problems of the scheme for the benefit of stakeholders.

He said that the scheme was able to face the challenges at the initial stages through an effective Quality Assurance and Compliance Management System.

Agadah applauded the United Healthcare International for its expertise and support for the scheme since inception in June 2017, resulting in high standards in its overall implementation.

He said that the scheme made available quality and affordable health care to enrollees, who paid just 10 per cent of the cost of drugs in addition to the monthly premiums paid by civil servants.

Agadah lauded Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa for establishing the scheme, adding that plans had reached an advanced stage to cover the private sector.

In his response, Dr Kazeem Mustapha, the Executive Director, United Healthcare, noted that the zeal and commitment of the managers of the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme was commendable.

He said that the quick impact of the scheme was informed by the direct result of the determination of the Bayelsa Government to improve the health status of its citizens.

Source: NAN

North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump said the three men, who were freed after Pompeo met Kim, were on the way home from Pyongyang on the chief U.S. diplomats plane. The president planned to greet them when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) Thursday morning.

The release appeared to signal an effort by Kim to set a more positive tone for the summit and followed his recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyangs nuclear bomb test site.

While Kim is giving up the last of his American detainees, whom North Korea has often used as bargaining chips with the United States, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, something it has not signalled a willingness to do.

But Wednesdays announcement gave Trump a chance to tout a diplomatic achievement just a day after his decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal drew heavy criticism from European allies and others.

I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

The family of Tony Kim, one of freed prisoners, thanked Trump, saying in a statement: We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees.

South Korea heralded the move as positive for upcoming talks between Trump and Kim and called on Pyongyang to also release six South Korean detainees.

The fate of the three Korean-Americans had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first-ever meeting of U.S. and North Korean leaders.

As Pompeo returned to his Pyongyang hotel from a 90-minute meeting with Kim, the secretary of state crossed his fingers when asked by reporters if there was good news about the prisoners.

A North Korean official came to the hotel shortly afterwards to inform Pompeo that Kim had granted their release, according to a senior US official present for the exchange.

Pompeo replied: Thats great, according to the official.

You should make care that they do not make the same mistakes again, the North Korean official was quoted as saying. This was a hard decision.They were in the air less than an hour after leaving custody.

The three are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST.

North Korean state media says they were detained either for subversion or committing hostile acts against the government. Many of the foreigners detained by North Korea in the past have said the government forced them into making confessions to false or trumped up charges.

Speaking to reporters as he returned from North Korea, Pompeo said a place and date had been set for a one-day summit in good, productive conversations between U.S. and North Korean officials. But he did not offer specifics.

Trump viewed the release of the three Americans as a positive gesture of goodwill ahead of the planned summit, the White House said. It is planned for late May or early June.

The White House said the three Americans appears to be in good condition and all were able to walk without assistance onto the plane.

I think there is reason for some optimism that these talks could be fruitful, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said of the coming summit.

There was no immediate sign, however, that Pompeos visit had cleared up the question of whether North Korea would be willing to bargain away nuclear

Source: NAN

Malaysia was counting votes Wednesday after one of the countrys fiercest ever election battles which has pitted scandal-hit Prime Minister Najib Razak against his one-time mentor, 92-year-old former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad.

Najib is seeking to retain power at the head of a regime that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957, but veteran ex-leader Mahathirs shock comeback has upended the election race.

Angered by a massive financial scandal that has tarnished Malaysias international image, Mahathir has teamed up with an alliance of parties that opposed him when he was in power, and which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim his former nemesis.

Najibs ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is seen as likely to retain power mainly due to an electoral system critics say has been heavily manipulated to favour the government, but analysts predict it will lose the popular vote for the second consecutive election.

I am confident of winning, ex-PM Mahathir Mohamad told reporters. I feel very good, I am confident unless Najib cheats.

Results started trickling in a few hours after polls closed, with BN having a slight early lead with 14 seats to nine for the opposition, according to the Election Commission.

But some key BN figures appeared to have fallen, with unofficial results on Bernama state news agency showing the heads of the ethnic Indian and Chinese parties in the coalition had lost their seats.

Earlier, voters flocked in large numbers to polling stations throughout the day, leading to hours-long queues in many places and prompting complaints from voters and opposition leaders about people potentially missing out on voting.

Before polls closed, Mahathir said he was worried voters may not get the chance to cast their ballots.

I have received reports from voting centres that many voters are gathered outside polling stations and that the process was moving quite slowly, he said.

I hope (people) will be given the right to vote.

Election officials were yet to disclose the final turnout, although analysts said it could be lower than at the 2013 election, when it was 85 percent. This would be a blow to the opposition who have said they need a high turnout.

There were other complaints of dirty tricks at the poll, with both opposition leaders and senior BN members claiming that their phones had been jammed by a flood of spam calls to stop them from communicating with their teams.

The internet regulator blamed the attacks on bots (automated programmes) and said it would investigate.

The race has been fiercely contested, and the opposition alliance has gained ground in recent weeks as Mahathir, who ruled with an iron fist for 22 years, chipped away at the governments key support base, the Muslim Malay majority.

Earlier Mahathir cast his ballot alongside his wife in the northern city of Alor Setar, and said he was confident of victory.

Najib, a political blue blood and son of Malaysias second prime minister, voted in his constituency of Pekan.

Source: NAN

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday incurred the wrath of the senate as the lawmakers unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on him.

The senators were angry because Idris had personally refused to appear on invitation to answer questions concerning the arrest and issues surrounding Senator Dino Melaye.

Idris had on first invitation, sent a Deputy Inspector General of Police to represent him but the senate refused to honour the DIG.

The senate took the decision on Wednesday after about an hour of closed door session.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki announced the decision of the senate during plenary.

The Senate, in a closed session, deliberated on the non-appearance of the IGP to the Senate in plenary after series of invitation.

The Senate noted that this amounted to a great disrespect to the institution and constituted authority.

The Senate also notes that his earlier refusal to appear before its investigative committee was overruled by a court of competent jurisdiction just in April of this year.

The senate, therefore, views his persistent refusal as a great danger to our democracy.

Therefore, the senate resolved to declare the IGP as an enemy of our democracy and not fit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria.

The leadership of the Senate was also mandated to look into the matter for further necessary action.

Earlier, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe(Abia-APC) condemned the action of the IGP, saying it was a disrespect for the legislature.

Democracies die and it dies in two ways. It either dies abruptly or in bits and what is happening today in Nigeria is that democracy is dying in bits.

It dies when people abuse governmental powers and all that we have seen today with the conduct of the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is nothing but an abuse of power.

He has no respect for this institution and that is now a fact. There is actually no way we can dress it to say we should give him some more time.

We can say that what he is doing is anything but an abuse of this institution, the federation and himself even in the eyes of the international community.

This morning I watched someone who was a Police Officer in Britain and what he said was germaine to what we are saying here.

He said if the Chief Law Officer cannot obey the law of the land how do you now say to other people who are miscreants should obey the law, he said.

According to him, unless a concrete decision is taken by the senate, the disrespect for the National Assembly would become widespread.

Abaribe said, I want to agree with some of our colleagues who have said that we should go into a close door session and agree whether we will accept this insult or not.

I want to appeal to us to remember that if you do not deal with this abuse of power all of us are going to regret it because there is nothing to stop anybody else from doing what it likes in this country, he said.

The Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan said he made efforts to reach the IGP for 48 hours but was not successful.

Personally, I made attempts to call his line and I sent text messages that he should call me as soon as he was able to see my messages.

Clearly, the IG is not here. I think this is very unusual and very unfortunate.

I personally feel that public officers should do what is in the interest of the public and where any public officer cannot do what is in the interest of the public, there is no need for such an officer to continue to occupy that kind of position.

This institution is now at a crossroad on this. I believe that a decision has to be taken on the way forward.

I do not think it will make any further sense to continue to extend invitation until the Senate takes a different decision to make the situation better, he said.

Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha(PDP-Taraba) said it was a sad moment for democracy.

He added that the IGPs action was inexcusable, unacceptable, and condemnable.

He called for immediate action to protect the institution of the National Assembly.

This senate needs to take very serious action on the way forward. We cannot stand this embarrassment any longer.

I will suggest we have a closed session. I am moving for us to executive session to take very serious consideration on this matter. This is a national disgrace.
Isah Missau.(APC-Bauchi) said the IGPs action was not just disrespect for the Parliament but also the President of the country who appointed him.

He said, I recall I made mention that there is problem with the leadership of the Police.

On official capacity, there is no any person here that is not bigger than the IG constitutionally. Anybody here can invite the IG officially, because by the Constitution, every senator is bigger than the office of the IG.

What the IG is doing is not against the Senate, it is against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he is the leader today, of this country.

If an appointee of the President will refuse to honour invitation of an institution, it is unfortunate.

I think it is left for this government to decide if they have an appointee that will rubbish the image of the country.

I think it is much unfortunate and we will have to do something, the image of the president, the image of country and the image of our democratic environment that is the institution of the parliament, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN

The Adamawa State Coordinator of National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Mallam Abubakar Mohammed said that about 1596 corps members out of the 2,126 registered under the 2018 batch A sought redeployment out of the state.

Mohammed made this known Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola, saying they left based on insecurity, marriage and health grounds.

He said the 530 corps members that concluded their orientation today (Wednesday) were not posted to serve in Michika, Madagali, Mubi North and Mubi South Local Government Areas, also for security reasons.

He also said that corp members were not posted to villages in Numan, Demsa and Lamurde local government areas because of herders/farmers clashes.

However, there are those who requested to be posted to Mubi, particularly married women who have their families there which we obliged, Mohammed said.

He urged the people of Adamawa to appreciate corps members who decided to serve in the state by supporting them to give their best.

In his address at the Wednesday closing ceremony of the batch A orientation course, Gov. Muhammadu Bindow said his government is committed to improving the welfare of corps members.

Bindow who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Suleiman Sambo, said that his administration was appreciative of the numerous contributions of corps members in uplifting the standard of living of communities they served, adding that employers have been directed not to reject corps members posted to their organizations.

I want to urge you to make the best use of your orientation course in the subsequent months awaiting you in the service year.

I want to assure you that Adamawa State Government is ready to tackle the challenges of the NYSC schedule in the state and improve the welfare of corps members..

Our government has directed that corps employers should not reject members posted to their organisations under any guise. Adequate arrangements have been made to give you decent accommodation and other welfare incentives in order to motivate you.

Source: NAN

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday in Abuja, said that over five million new tax payers have been enrolled in the last 12 months.

Speaking at the 20th annual tax conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Osinbajo said that the tax compliances is closely linked to good governance.

He said that tax compliance should go hand in with good governance as the head and tail of the social contract between the government and its citizens.

The government of President Buhari is working to change this state of affairs. We are determined to restore the full weight of the social contract.

We are rewriting the old rules and compacts; making it clear to Nigerians that we will ensure that every naira of public money is put to use for the maximum good of the Nigerian people.

We will also simultaneously ensure that every naira due to the public coffers in taxes is promptly and efficiently collected.

This level of commitment to accountability makes it easy to see how we have managed to, even in the face of dwindling oil earnings and a recession, succeeded in spending significantly more on infrastructure (roads, rail, power) and human capital development (education, health, poverty reduction) than previous governments.

As of May 2017, only 14 million economically-active Nigerians paid taxes. I am pleased to note that that number is now in excess of 19 million, and still growing, he said.

Exemplifying with the wonderful achievements of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in South West, Osinbajo said that the giants stride which was achieved before Nigeria discovered oil proves how far tax payment can go.

He said that the free education as well as infrastructural developments enjoyed in South western region of Nigeria were only possible with funds from cocoa and tax payment.

He however decried that with the coming of the military and the oil boom, everybody forgot about taxation as the central government began to give everybody allocations.

So, today the states in the old Western region, aside from Lagos, do not earn enough in taxes or anything else to pay salaries let alone do major capital projects.

Without federal allocation, most states cannot survive. I am sure you are familiar with the statistics, Lagos state alone takes in as much IGR as 31 states combined. It tells you how little the other states manage to bring in IGR.

This historical analogy of the old Western region and fate of the states that now constitute it explains the low level of tax compliance; the now-well-known fact that our tax-to-GDP ratio stands at only 6 percent.

Although we are told that it will improve with VIADS and some of the steps taken already by the FIRS. This is obviously a dismal figure when compared to other countries at similar levels of development: Ghana, Egypt and India at 16 percent, South Africa at 29 percent.

That our tax-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world should in fact surprise no one.

As at December 2017, only 943 Nigerians pay self-assessed taxes of over N10 million and of that number 941 live in Lagos State, the other two live in Ogun State, he said.

He called on citizens to always endeavor to pay their taxes stressing that tax does not excite anybody anywhere in the World.

He assured that the APC government will keep their part of the bargain by ensuring that monies realized from taxes were put to good use.

Source: NAN

Novak Djokovic scored his best-ranked victory in almost a year by coming through his nightmare first round against world number 20 Kei Nishikori at the Madrid Open on Monday.

The 12-time major champion could now face Kyle Edmund in round two, if the Briton wins his own awkward opener on Tuesday against the talented Daniil Medvedev.

Not long ago, Djokovic versus Nishikori would have been a match for the latter stages of a grand slam but struggles with fitness and form caused these two to meet first up on Manolo Santana.

Djokovic prevailed 7-5, 6-4, producing some scintillating tennis when it mattered most to register his first win over a top-20 opponent since the Serb beat Gael Monfils at Eastbourne in June last year.

At their best, Djokovic and Nishikori were perhaps the games two outstanding athletes, renowned for their speed in defence and stamina over five sets.

But injuries, to the wrist for Nishikori and elbow for Djokovic, have left each attempting recoveries and it was certainly evident here that both are still some way away.

If Edmund beats Medvedev, he may fancy his chances against a player he is yet to take a set off in three meetings.

Djokovic, however, will be keen to draw on the positives. His movement was better and he delivered in the crunch moments. There were also a handful of breathtaking retrievals the 30-year-old would have been proud of in his prime.

Four games both players would have liked to forget prompted an exchange of breaks in the middle of the opening set but Djokovic stepped up a gear at 5-4.

Nishikori resisted two rasping forehands but finally caved two games later as Djokovic clinched the frame.

Djokovic seemingly defied physics by lashing one smash into the net early in the second but found his groove again at 5-4, breaking Nishikori to seal victory in just under two hours.

Maria Sharapovas clay-court revival is also gathering pace after the Russian had earlier eased past Romanian big-hitter Irina-Camelia Begu in the womens tournament.

Sharapova arrived in Spain on the back of four consecutive defeats but two wins, the latest a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Begu, have sent the 31-year-old into the last 16.

Frances Kristina Mladenovic will now await Sharapova, who is showing signs of rhythm ahead of the French Open later this month, which she won in 2012 and 2014.

Source: NAN

Neymar will attend Tuesdays French Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and minnows Les Herbiers, PSG captain Thiago Silva said.

He is fully motivated but sad that he cant train with us. He will be there to support us tomorrow at the Stade de France and I think hell be happy, Silva told reporters at a press conference on Monday ahead of the game.

Neymar returned to Paris on Friday to continue his recovery, two months after undergoing surgery on a broken bone in his foot in his native Brazil.

He is unlikely to play again for PSG this season, his focus now on being ready in time for Brazils World Cup bid in June and July.

Silva added: Neymar is doing well. Its clear hes making progress. Hes already working in the gym.

PSG are overwhelming favourites to beat third-tier strugglers Les Herbiers in Tuesdays game at the Stade de France, having already won the Ligue 1 title and the League Cup this season.

They were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the last 16, shortly after Neymar suffered his injury in a game against Marseille.

It would take a shock of seismic proportions for Qatar-backed PSG, even without the still injured Neymar, to slip up against a team of modest players struggling to stay in Frances partly amateur third division.

PSG are fresh from winning the Ligue 1 title and are hoping to secure a clean sweep of the domestic trophies when they run out at the Stade de France for a game that will be attended by President Emmanuel Macron.

Revenue of almost 500 million euros ($596m) last year makes them the seventh-richest club in the world according to Deloittes latest Football Money League.

That helped them splash out a world-record 222 million euros on Neymar last year and commit to spending 180 million euros to buy Kylian Mbappe from Monaco.

With average gates of around 1,300, Les Herbiers annual budget is around two million euros and prevents them from offering more than 3,000 euros a month to their players.

The figures suggest PSG will easily win the French Cup for the fourth year running, and record 12th time overall, but Les Herbiers are not worrying about that.

That is not how we should look at this match, insisted their coach Stephane Masala as he spoke to the press on Monday at the Stade de France.

I am a young coach and I am here to learn. I hope the players are there to learn and I hope PSGs great players will give us a lesson. We wont be an embarrassment, even if we get hammered.

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara are currently meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

It is unclear the agenda of the meeting, however, last week, the Senate mandated its Leader to interface with the executive over the fragrant disregard of the National Assembly by the Inspector General of Police.

The Senate had berated the Police IG Ibrahim Idris for failing to honour its invitation over the killings across Nigeria as well as the arrest and harassment and detention of their colleague, Dino Melaye.

As at the time of this report, a source close to the President of the senate could not confirm the agenda or the details of the meeting between the number one citizen and the number three and four citizens of Nigeria.

Our Correspondent gathered that the meeting started after Buhari returned from Daura, Katsina state where he went to attend the APC Ward Congress in his ward.

More details shortly

Below are more pictures from the meeting.

Source: NAN

Soyode

Mr Ali Soyode, an industrialist and founder of Europes first ethnic media and satellite television, BEN TV, has declared his intention to run in the 2019 presidential election.

Soyode, who made the declaration on Monday in Abuja, said that he took the decision after consultations with youths, leaders, elders, trade unions, Non-Governmental Organisations, among others.

He has yet to announce the platform under which he would contest.

Soyode, who is also an agriculturist, said his ideals were encapsulated in the acronym YEEEEEEES; hence the slogan `Yes, we can.

He listed the ideals as youth empowerment, economy, education employment, energy, enterprises (agriculture, health), elders, experts (experience, quality and enforcement of policies), and security.

We have the youth and the experience of our elders and both are needed to make Nigeria greater nation.

We have the ability to meet our challenges because we have the most needed resources, human capital and blessing of natural resources that abound in the country as well as millions of highly skilled Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Our economy sincerely needs diversification, moving away from oil to manufacturing and services.

Our education is falling; many have called for a national emergency in the education sector and educational standards actually declining in parts of the country.

He said that employment would be one of the cardinal points of his administration, adding that in a technology-driven world, the innovative and creative minds of Nigerians would be empowered.

Soyode, fondly called the `BRIDGE, said he would also focus on security as the benefits of living in a great nation like Nigeria would not be enjoyed without security.

He said he would reform the armed forces and the police by increasing their budgets, training them and equipping the necessary tools to fight crime.

To me, police officers are as important as any officer or executive in the Nigeria.

Their job is not to prosecute those that have the resources to hire private security officers, but to deal with anyone breaking the law and safeguard the properties and belongings of the common people.

All options will be explored to help reduce crime; and as shared before on equality, whoever is found guilty will face the full force of the law.

Let this be a warning to the foreign killers in Nigeria; leave the country now; it is the end of the road.

The bridge will not allow you to cross over into killing our people, burning our people; burning our properties, he said.

He said that Nigeria needed peace and security for the economy to grow; for tourism industry to grow and attract tourists.

The presidential aspirant said he was a detribalised Nigerian committed to charting a new course for the country.

Source: NAN

The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after Saturdaysinconclusive primary took a different dimension on Monday as police have sealedthe partys secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports thatprotesters, who claimed tobe sympathetic to the aspiration of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had besieged the secretariat onthe Ajilosun- Ikere road where they announced the removal of the state executives led by Chief Jide Awe.

NAN reports that the protesters also announced the immediateformation of a pro-Fayemi caretaker committee.

Armed policemen, however, arrived the secretariat shortly and drove everyone out before sealing off the party secretariat.

The protesters saidthey were at the secretariat to register their disapproval over the conduct of the members of the State Working Committee.

The protesters, who brandished placards with various inscriptions, alsopassed vote of no confidence on Awe and the partys spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, alleging that they were supporting a particular aspirant.

Relying on Article 21 (7) of the partys constitution, the protesters disbanded the SWCand set up a Caretaker Committee headed by the APC Chairman in Ise/Orun Local Government Area, Mr Michael Egunjobi.

The protestersalso laced thegate of the party withfetish materials made from palm oil and egg.

Awe, who was said to have narrowly escaped assault by the irate party members, was ferried to safety from the secretariat by mobile policemen.

As atthe time of filing this report, police vans werestill stationed at the secretariat which was under lock and key.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 27 aspirants have rejectedthe position canvassed by the National Working Committee of the partythat the botched primary would continue from where it ended on Saturday.

Some of the aspirants led by former Gov. Segun Oni on Monday met at a location in Ado Ekiti and rejected the position of the NWC that the committee which conducted the primary should returnand complete the exercise.

The aspirants,who were reacting to a statement credited to theNational Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the ballot cast onSaturday in five local governments before the violence erupted had beenrendered invalid.

Among those present at the forum, apart from Oni, wereSen. Babafemi Ojudu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Bimbo Daramola, Sen. Ayo Arise, Sen. Gbenga Aluko, Kola Alabi, Muyiwa Olumilua, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, Debo Ranti Ajayi andDr Bayo Orire.

The spokesperson for the group, Yaya-Kolade, said the fact that the votes were not counted, collated and announced at the venue, had rendered the process invalid.

She declared that the 27 aspirants would not accept attempts to validate unverified results of the few delegates that had cast their votes onSaturday neither would they accept the Tanko Al-Makura-led committee again as umpire.

Source: NAN

The letter by the Peoples Democratic Party to the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres is preposterous and comical, the presidency said today.

The letter signed by the National Chairman of the opposition PDP, Prince Uche Secondus accused President Muhammadu Buhari of several sins, including alleging that his administration was at the verge of destroying Nigerias democracy.

The presidency, in a statement by Senior Special assistant on media, Malam Garba Shehu, said the letter was a demonstration that the PDP was a bad loser, desperate for another chance after they were kicked out in 2015 for failing the nation and its people.

PDPs lecture on democracy and the rule of law coming from a party with a tradition of undemocratic rule is a desperate attempt to pervert history and the course of justice, he said.

The sermon, is both trite and hollow, coming from a party with intolerance for dissent as its hallmark. A party that humiliated opposition parties and stunted their growth. This was the atmosphere that nurtured the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC.)

The war against corruption, for which many more politicians may soon be docked, cannot be misrepresented as an attack on human rights and Mr. Secondus should not try to mislead the UN. Nigerian politicians at all levels have been used to dispensing with state funds in whatever manner they please, and to have someone, an administration, finally saying, No. It doesnt matter how big or important you think you are; the law must come against you That is not something they are used to at all. For the PDP, as has now emerged, national security was the major source of their funding.

The PDP Chairman and all other politicians against whom the countrys anti-corruption agencies have on-going investigations, should be assured that it is only a matter of time before the law catches up with them, and makes them pay for the grief their mismanagement of the past has caused, and is still causing Nigerians. Nigerians suffered because of the poison sowed by the PDP.

If the public were privy to some of the facts and figures on corruption that President Buhari and the anti-corruption agencies are, they would understand the passion that drives the determination to nail these callous men and stop them in their corrupt tracks.

Regarding the accusation that President Buhari is behind the spate of herdsmen and farmer clashes in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, all we will say is that it as an embarrassing charge that the PDP would make, conveying an allegation from the beer parlours of Nigeria to an international body like the UN.

The PDP certainly has no shred of evidence to make such an allegation. These are comments driven by tribalism and that age-old trick of balkanisation in a bid to score political points. This should not surprise anyone given the politics of anger, violence and polarisation that are the stock-in-trade of the PDP.

The various lengths to which President Buhari has gone to end the spate of killings, such as mobilising state resources against the attackers, approving the setting up of new police and army formations in the affected areas, and the recruitment of thousands into the police and other arms of the military, are a few of the several steps taken which a more reasonable opposition will acknowledge.

What can President Buhari possibly gain from the killings? There is no intelligent angle from which you analyse the matter and see any possible gain for this government in the wanton destruction of life and property going on. For the new PDP leadership on the other hand, incapable of thinking big about the nation, they see and treat the unfortunate spate of killing of innocent Nigerians as political gift, about which they seem very happy to cite as the basis for a return to power. They feel bad at every turn the country improves, which is beyond comprehension. They should bury their heads in shame.

Source: NAN

Brazils former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says he is very much a candidate in the elections coming up in October, despite having been in jail for a month, the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported Monday.

The message was given by theologian Leonardo Boff, who visited Lula in prison in the southern city of Curitiba.

Lula will only renounce his candidacy if it is proven that he owned a penthouse which he allegedly renovated in a corrupt deal, according to Boff.

He wants to return to power to give a central place to Brazilian policies for the poor, Boff was quoted as saying.

Lula was jailed on April 8 after being sentenced to 12 years for corruption and money-laundering in connection with the renovation of a beachside penthouse.

The renovation was bankrolled by a company seeking contracts with the state oil giant Petrobras.

Lulas lawyers have launched an appeal process in an attempt to overturn his conviction so he can contest the October 7 elections. Opinion polls indicate he would win these with a large majority if he were to run.

Lulas Workers Party has said it has no plan B in case he is not allowed to represent it in the elections. However, Brazils electoral tribunal is expected to bar him from the poll.

Source: NAN