A former Lagos State Commissioner for Information,MrOpeyemi Bamidele has vowed not to step down for anyone ahead of Saturdays governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti.

Bamidele, an aspirant, made the vow while addressing delegates for the primaries in Ado-Ekiti, describing as laughable the rumour making the rounds that he had stepped down.

He said there was no reason for him to quit when he wasconvinced that he had a good chance of clinchingthe partys ticket.

Bamidele stated that with the assurances given by the APC Nationalleader, Bola Tinubu, and other leaders of the partyat a meetingheld in Lagoson Friday, he had no reason to doubt thecredibility of the process.

He said he expected the party leaders to conduct a free, fair and credibleprimary election that would produce a strong candidate capable of defeating the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

It will be tragic for APC to lose after passing throughthis stress; so we must do the right thing for us to get the rightresult.

I have traversed all the 177 wards and I am now visiting all the 16local governments in search of delegates.

At 54, if I want to stepdown, I wont waste time, energy and money, moving around. I will noteven pretend in telling the public about it

Let me say that I am on the field, in the race and on Saturday, weare looking forward to getting the ticket by the grace of God, hesaid.

Counselling the delegates on the choice of candidate they should vote for, Bamidele saidthey shouldchoosesomeone who has the acceptability and clout to win as well as the knack to organise the party andmake it a formidable force.

APC needs an experienced person and someone with scientificunderstanding of what has gone wrong in Ekiti and how to resolve it.

I have been commissioner for over 10 years in executive arm, I havebeen amember ofHouse of Representatives and I am also a lawyer, whichfalls within the judicial arm

I will not in any way disappoint if given the ticket because I am aloyal party man and I know how to work with everybody to get theuseful result, he said.

On the sincerity ofmembers of the Chief John Oyegun-led National Working Committee to conduct credible primary election, Bamidele said: I have no reason to doubt their integrity.

All the aspirants had gone through screening and as we were doingthis, we were given a copy of delegates list each. We all know whowill vote on Saturday.

With this, I dont envisage that anyone would try to tamper with thelist or see anyone trying to do accreditation at another locationdifferent from where they will vote which can give opportunity totransport fake delegates to the venue.

The NWC, National and zonal leaders as well as the aspirants haveagreed on some pacts and I believe these shall be allowed to prevailin this election.

Source: NAN

Sierra Leones President Julius Maada Bio has appointed 27 ministers, four of whom are women and simultaneously created a new super-ministry headed by a Chief Minister.

Appointed to run the super ministry is Professor David Francis, Maada Bios former teacher at Bradford University in UK and chairman of the transition committee.

As explained in a statement by the Presidents office on Tuesday, Professor Francis role combines that of the chief of staff in the previous regime. He is like the prime minister, the man who will run the government.

According to the statement, Francis will ensure that the government

He is expected to provide competent leadership for the day-to-day operational co-ordination, oversight, monitoring and evaluation of government business.

He will serve as the central hub responsible for the overall co-ordination and facilitates the implementation of the Governments Strategic Priorities.

He will work with all Government ministers andco-ordinate the implementation of government policies across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

As directed by the Executive President, the Chief Minister chairs the 3 cross-cutting sectoral ministries for inter-governmental co-ordination including: Education and Social Development Sector Ministries; Finance and Economic Development Sector Ministries, and the Peace, Security and Justice Sector Ministries, government explained.

The Office of the Chief Minister will also supervise the Directorate of Presidential Infrastructural Projects and Service Delivery (DPIPSD); Directorate of Strategy, Policy and Planning (DSPP); Directorate of Performance Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPMME); Millennium Challenge Coordinating Unit (MCCU); and Directorate of Institute for Science and Technology (DIST). A Permanent Secretary will provide the administrative leadership for the Office of the Chief Minister.

Women advocates have criticised the new government for appointing only four women into the 27-man full cabinet positions . One of the women appointed is Nabeela Tunis, wife of the Parliamentary Leader of the governing SLPP party.

The head of the 50/50 gender parity group,Dr Fatu Taqi said. While we congratulate the women, we are a little bit disappointed that only four of the 27 full cabinet positions went to women.

She urged the president to put on the gender lens in appointing people to ambassadorial and Parastatal positions.

Most of the nominees are from the southeastern stronghold of the presidents party, although there are northerners in senior positions such as education, health, trade and youth affairs.

President Maada Bio also gave ministerial slots to members of other political parties, excluding the former ruling APC. The presidential running-mate of the ADP party, which did not support Bio in the runoff poll, Haja Isata Abdulai-Kamara was appointed as non-cabinet minister (Resident Minister, Northwest).

Charles Margai, Presidential candidate of of PMDC party, which backed Bio is Attorney General.

Another non-SLP member appointed is Peter Bayuku Konteh. He heads the NGC party and was a former APC cabinet minister. He is the new Minister of Trade-designate.

*Full list of cabinet and non-cabinet ministers:

Chief Minister Professor David Francis
Finance Minister Jacob Saffa
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Charles Margai Attorney General
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Alpha Timbo
Minister of Health Dr Alpha Wurie
Minister of Energy Kanja Sesay
Minister of Information and Communications Mohamed Swarray
Minister of Marine Resources Emma Kowa
Minister of Labour Adekunle King
Minister of Water Resources Dr Jonathan Tengbe
Minister of Social Welfare, Gender

Rapper Kanye West, on the receiving end of criticism in the music world after backing President Donald Trump, sparked fresh outrage Tuesday when he called slavery a choice.

The rapper, never shy about expressing himself, made the comments in passing during one of two free-flowing interviews he gave as he promotes two upcoming albums.

You hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice, West told TMZ Live, the broadcast wing of the celebrity gossip site.

West elaborated little on his statement but appeared to be drawing a parallel to how he is presumed to hold certain views as an African American artist.

Were mentally in prison. I like the word prison because slavery is too direct to the idea of blacks. Like Holocaust is Jews, slavery is blacks, West said.

Wests remarks immediately sparked an uproar on Twitter, his favorite medium, and he was taken to task live by a TMZ employee who said he was appalled.

The 40-year-old rapper, designer and husband of reality television star Kim Kardashian re-emerged last month after a year-long absence that followed a purported mental breakdown.

He enraged many fellow artists but was embraced by conservative commentators as he praised Trump, who has since cited the rappers words as evidence of minority support.

In a separate interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God, West said he had not followed Trumps policies but, When I see an outsider infiltrate, I connect with that.

West who in 2005 made headlines by saying that then president George W. Bush doesnt care about black people is one of the few prominent African Americans to support Trump.

The president built his political career by promoting unfounded conspiracy theories about his predecessor Barack Obamas birthplace and has been embroiled in a number of racial controversies since taking office.

Speaking to Charlamagne tha God, West said he was upset that Obama invited other rappers to the White House such as Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z.

Obama, in off-record small talk with a reporter in 2009 that leaked, called West a jackass after the rapper disrupted the MTV Video Music Awards to say that Taylor Swift did not deserve her prize.

You know, he never called me to apologize, West said, explaining that Obama had met him and his mother before being elected president.

The same person who sat down with me and my mom, I think should have communicated with me directly.

Source: NAN

After seven years of stagnation, all public workers in Imo state, are to enjoy automatic promotion.

Governor Rochas Okorocha announced the approval of the promotion for all workers on Tuesday as part of his package for workers supportive role to his administration.

Okorocha gave the approval at the 2018 Workers Day celebration held at the Heroes Square, Owerri on Tuesday.

He said the automatic promotion was to make up for the non-promotion the workers have suffered for seven years.

Workers are the life wire of every organisation. I salute your courage, your commitment and resilience during the trying times with numerous challenges ranging from insecurity, lack of infrastructure and low remuneration.

You have remained partners in the success story of this administration. I am not unmindful of your needs. I am ready to pay you allowances, even sleeping and absenteeism allowances, he said.

On the minimum wage, the governor assured the workers that whatever the Federal Government had agreed to pay workers, Imo government will not be found wanting.

He said his government was able to reduce Imo pension from N1.7 billion to N700 million which would make for easy payment.

Okorocha called on the workers to ensure they registered at the ongoing registration of voters, saying their vote is their power to vote in people of their choice during election.

There is need for you to keep our legacies. Shine your eyes to choose government that will replace me.

Make sure you have your PVCs. The PVC story is not favourable to South-east which has the least number of PVCs.

At the rate we are going, it will come to a point where Ndigbo will become an inconsequential factor in national politics, the governor said.

The state Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Imo State Council, on behalf of the organised labour, complained of ill treatment meted to Nigerian workers by subsequent governments.

He said that the labour union had contributed immensely towards the political development of the country but had faced a lot of challenges in the efforts towards national development.

He said this was because those in authority are not concerned about the country and the welfare of its citizens, but their personal interests.

Akanazu said that while the working condition in America and other countries continued to improve for the better, that of workers in Nigeria had continued to degenerate.

He, however, noted that despite the challenges posed by government at various levels, the labour movement had continued to exist, waxing stronger to carry out its responsibility to the workers and people of Nigeria.

The union leader urged the state government to ensure it honoured the expectation of the workers that their salaries be restored to 100 per cent as against the current 70 per cent to 80 per cent, since the countrys economy has improved.

He also called on the governor to pay and reduce the pensions arrears to a reasonable level and ensure that Imo was not left behind when the new minimum wage to be announced by the federal government becomes effective.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the highlight of the occasion was the presentation of one million Naira to a pregnant woman who led the march of her colleagues at the May Day celebration. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Police have arrested 25 suspected cultists, who gathered for their initiation activities in Enugu state.

The Enugu State Police Command said it recovered a locally made single barrel pistol, a locally made cut to size single barrel gun, four live cartridges and six expended cartridges from the suspects.

The Commands spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said on Tuesday in Enugu that the suspects were arrested on April 30 at 1 a.m. in a bush at the outskirts of Enugu metropolis.

Amaraizu said the suspects were arrested by the commands Anti-Cultism Unit through intelligence information.

To this end, the operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the command through intelligence information have raided Obeagu-Amechi Awkunanaw bush.

It was reported that 25 youths from various universities, polytechnics and some secondary schools in the South-East gathered for their initiation activities into membership of Black Axe Ayes confraternity.

During the well co-ordinated raid, which took place inside the bush behind centenary city Awkunanaw, these suspects were promptly apprehended.

Amaraizu noted that the suspects have been helping police operatives in their investigations as it relates their cult activities among other vices.

The command has maintained its readiness and stand and will not rest on its oars in its campaign and onslaught against cultism and other vices among our youths in the state for a safe and secured environment, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Global military spending rose to $1.73 trillion in 2017, up by 1.1 per cent against that of 2016.

The 2017 expenditure is highest level since the Cold War, with the U.S., China and Saudi Arabia topping the list, a Swedish-based research institute said Wednesday.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said that the spending translated into $230 per person.

The U.S. remained the worlds largest spender with $610 billion unchanged year-on-year.

The U.S. accounted for over a third of global military expenditure.

The downward trend in US military spending that started in 2010 has come to an end, said Aude Fleurant, head of SIPRIs arms and military expenditure programme.

Second-placed China was estimated to have spent 228 billion dollars, and according to SIPRI accounted for the largest absolute increase in spending 12 billion dollars, measured in constant 2016 prices.

The research institute said it estimated that Chinas share of global spending has doubled since 2008 to 13 per cent.

Saudi Arabia replaced Russia in third place, spending 69.4 billion dollars in 2017.

The Middle East was the region where military spending was estimated to account for the highest portion of GDP, just over five per cent, although SIPRI said data was sketchy from several countries including Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Yemen.

In spite of low oil prices, armed conflict and rivalries throughout the Middle East are driving the rise in military spending in the region, said Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI programme.

Seven countries in the Middle East were among the 10 countries with the highest share of military spending as a portion of GDP, including Oman with 12 per cent of GDP, and Saudi Arabia with 10 per cent of GDP.

Russias spending meanwhile dropped by one fifth in real terms compared to 2016 to 66.3 billion dollars.

It was the first drop since 1998. SIPRI attributed the drop to factors such as falling oil prices.

Military modernization remains a priority in Russia, Wezeman said.

India edged France to take fifth place, spending almost 64 billion dollars.

The combined spending of the top five military spenders accounted for 60 per cent of global military spending.

Europe accounted for one fifth of global military spending, but fell compared to 2016 and was only slightly
higher than in 2008.

Four of the top 15 global military spenders were based in Europe: France, Britain, Germany and Italy.

Asia and Oceanias share of global military spending was about one quarter, mainly fuelled by Chinas expenditure.

Other top spenders in the region that were among the top 15 global spenders were India, Japan, South Korea and
Australia.

The institute said Algeria remained Africas largest spender, but its spending dropped in 2017 due to lower
oil and gas prices.

In South America spending increased over 4 per cent, driven by Argentina and Brazil.

SIPRI said its figures include salaries, costs for operations, purchases of arms and equipment as well as
research and development.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

Eating the hottest pepper in the world is no joke, as a man discovered at his expense, after a bite of the "Carolina Reaper" gave him massive headaches and necessitated an emergency visit to the hospital.

The 34-year-old took part in a hot pepper eating contest in New York and the "Carolina Reaper" gave him excruciating thunderclap headaches, finally forcing him to visit a hospital emergency room, British Medical Journal Care Reports said Monday.

A CT angiography of his brain showed he was suffering from cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), or unexpected narrowing of arteries, leading to the headaches.

Fortunately, it was reversible and the report said his condition improved with supportive care. A second examination five weeks later showed the abnormality had been resolved.

Source: ECNS

A French man has become the first person in the world to have two face transplants, according to media reports.

Jerome Hamon is recovering in a Paris hospital, three months after receiving a second transplant, which is considered a world's first.

The 43-year-old suffers from neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic mutation which causes severe disfiguring tumors on his face, the Guardian reported.

Hamon underwent his first transplant in 2010, but his body eventually rejected the new face, which had to be removed in 2017.

Without a face, Hamon had no eyelids, no ears, no skin and could not speak or eat. He remained hospitalized for two months till a second donor was available. The second transplant was performed in January.

To avoid another rejection, doctors replaced all the blood in Hamon's body in a month-long procedure before carrying out the surgery.

Hamon's first face was donated by a 60-year-old. With his second face, the man joked that he had managed to drop a few decades.

"I'm 43. The donor was 22. So I've become 20 years younger," said Hamon in an interview with French television.

According to the BBC, the world's first face transplant was carried out in 2005 in northern France. Since then, some 40 operations have been performed in the world.

Source: ECNS

An Argentine woman Brenda Barattini accused of cutting off her boyfriend’s penis with gardening scissors said she was provoked because he showed his friends their homemade sex tape, according to reports.

The 26-year-old Barattini, allegedly committed the revenge attack in the Nueva Cordoba area of the Argentine city of Cordoba last November, which left her 40-year-old boyfriend with 90 percent of his penis chopped off, and in life-threatening condition.

Barattini, who is serving imprisonment without bail ahead of her trial, said she suffered great psychological harm because of the leaked tape by her boyfriend Sergio Fernandez.

“I cut his penis but not completely: I injured him. It wasn’t complete: I injured him,” she said, according to a translation of her jail interview.

The man has been left depressed, one of his attorneys said, as he waits for future operations.

According to Fox News, hospital employees were unable to reattach Fernandez penis.

The incident rings similar to the case of Lorena Bobbitt, a woman who, in 1993, cut off her husband’s penis while he was sleeping.

Bobbitt said she did it because she “snapped” after her husband allegedly raped her the previous night.

Source: NAN

Edo South Youth Coalition (ESYC), a youth group, has insisted that they will commence recall process against Senator Matthew Urhoghide for calling for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The coalition warned that the senator could only avert the recall if he recants his position.

Recall that Urhoghide, PDP – EDO South, had on Thursday moved a motion for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari, but he had denied moving the motion.

Instead, he explained on Saturday that he only explained at the plenary that Buhari committed an impeachable offence for spending money to buy jet fighters without necessary appropriation.

The senator had been in the eye of the storm since he moved the motion.

He was on Friday evening humiliated by youths from his constituency at Benin Airport upon his arrival from Abuja.

Uroghide had alleged the Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu and the chief of staff to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Akerele, were responsible for the mob action against him by some youths sympathetic with the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Airport.

Mr. Ehis Odaise, in Benin City on Sunday challenged the Senator to respond to their query that he did not consult with his constituents before he moved the said motion.

The ESYC advised Urhoghide to be responsible for his predicament than dragging people who are not from his constituency as being responsible for his ordeal.

“We want to unequivocally say here that we are bonafide constituents of Edo South Senatorial District and we deserve the right to know what our representative is doing.

“Our action is to ensure that we get adequate representation in the Senate.

“We call on Uroghide to respond to the issues we raised in our protest against him and should stop dragging the Deputy Governor and the Chief of Staff who are not even from Edo South into the issue.

“We reiterate our position that he should withdraw his .motion or we will commence recall process against him.

“We demand that Senator Matthew Uroghide withdraws his statement totally as his 48 hours for his recalls ends 29th April 2018.

“We are a group that believe in proper representation and has nothing to do with the person of the Chief of Staff to the governor.

“Edo state remain an APC state under Governor Godwin Obaseki who is committed to bring good governance to the people as desired by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Uroghide had told journalists at the airport in Benin City that he did not move an impeachment motion against the president adding that he understood what Section 143 of the Constitution was all about.

He insisted that there was no impeachment motion during plenary and that the media acted out of ignorance by referring to what he said as impeachment motion.

Source: NAN

It is not a constitutional provision that one must visit the United States of America before becoming the president of Nigeria, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , an aspirant, has said.

The Vice President from 1999 to 2007 told the BBC Hausa service that he could be Nigeria’s president without visiting the USA.

According to the Punch newspaper, Atiku stated this on Saturday during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa Service.

He was asked how he intended to be Nigeria’s president without visiting the US.

He asked whether it was a constitutional provision that one must visit the US before becoming president.

“I can be president without going to America,” he said.

Atiku also commented on a statement credited to his former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, that he (Atiku) would not be President while he was alive.

He stated that Obasanjo was not God, saying that he didn’t lose sleep when he learnt that Obasanjo made such a statement.

According to him, if it is God’s will for him to be president, nobody, not even Obasanjo, can challenge God.

The ex-VP also confirmed that he was denied a US visa when he wanted to travel to that country.

He said he was told by the US that his application for visa was denied because it was passing through administrative process.

He also spoke about a house in the US said to belong to him and auctioned by the government of that country.

Atiku said the house belonged to one of his wives, adding that, “All my wives own houses and that particular house is not mine. It belonged to one of my wives. She sold the house and was never auctioned as it was reported.”

He further spoke on the rift between him and President Muhammad Buhari, saying the President could not control happenings in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

He said that was one of the reasons he left the party and returned to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he was a founding member.

“After 2015 general elections, I met the President. I told him that activities of the party have been crippled and there is a need to restructure.

“Also, I advised the President on issues concerning his administration. I said to him, ‘If things continue like this, I will quit’, but Mr. Buhari turned a deaf ear and remained mum.”

Source: NAN

The President of the Senate on Sunday, paid a condolence visit to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Kwara state over the death of a corps member, Miss Hilda Amadi.

Amadi, a graduate of Oil and Gas Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was participating in the ongoing orientation exercise for new members of the National Youth Service in Kwara State, when she reportedly slumped and died.

Another account said that she had fractured one of her legs and died from complication resulting from not getting good medical attention.

Saraki who visited the NYSC Camp commiserated with other members of the corps over the demise of their colleague.

Although the President of the Senate was on a condolence visit, the corps members were very elated to receive him as his visit turned to a fanfare of cheers from the youths.

The death of the corps member was confirmed by the Kwara State Coordinator, NYSC, Mr. Remigius Amaefule.

He, however, denied insinuations that there was no experienced resident doctor in the camp at the time of the incident.

At this stage, what we need is to condole with the parents of the girl and let them know that we are very sorry for what happened.

NYSC, being a responsible organisation, does not take the safety and wellbeing of corps members lightly. Insinuations of an experienced doctor not being at the camps clinic when she was taken there are not true.

A day before the commencement of camp, which is our normal practice, a consultant from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital moves into camp with us. So a consultant had been there.

The same consultant saw her, handled her case on that fateful day. It was the same consultant that took her to the General Hospital in Share and later to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

So there is no truth in any insinuation that there was no qualified doctor in the camps clinic.

Source: NAN

The Federal Government has appointed Dr Aliyu Maje Adnan as the Acting Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

His appointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

A copy of the letter was made available to newsmen on Sunday by NASENIs Deputy Director, Information and Protocol, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some staff in the agency had recently protested against the continued stay in office of Mr Mohammed Haruna, the immediate-past boss of the the agency after the expiration of his 5-year term as the EVC.

Being the most senior director in NASENI, Mr Adnan was next to the former EVC whose five year tenure ended on April 2, 2018.

The minister, who stated that Adnans appointment is to steer the affairs of the agency until further notice, said the appointment takes effect from Thursday, April 26, 2018.

The letter reads in part: I refer to the nominal roll of NASENI forwarded to my office in a letter with Ref. No. NASENI/AD/GA/8/XV11a/536 dated 11/4/2018, by the Director of Administration and Human Resources with you as the most senior director in the agency.

Based on the above information, you are hereby appointed to manage the affairs of the agency as Acting EVC/Chief Executive Officer until further notice.

Your appointment in acting capacity is with effect from 26/4/2018.

Adnan holds a PhD in Production Engineering from Bayero University Kano.

Other qualifications include Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, all from the Bayero University Kano.

Until his appointment, Adnan was a Research Director in the agency.

He started work in NASENI in August 2003, as Director/Chief Executive Officer of Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute (HEDI) Kano, one of the development institutes under the agency.

Adnan, who is a fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), was born in Kano State on February 18, 1957.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Washington D.C. in readiness for a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

As a guest of the US Government, President Buhari is staying at Blair House, the US Presidents guest house.

The Blair House used to be a complex of four formerly separate buildingsbut a major renovation between 1950s and 1980s strung them together as a single facility.

The Presidents Guest House has been called the worlds most exclusive hotel because it is primarily used to host visiting dignitaries and other guests of the president.It is larger than the White House and closed to the public.

Source: NAN

It was a mourning Sunday as many churches in Makurdi Benue State, complied with the directive of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to protest the killings in different parts of the country by herdsmen and those under the captivity of Boko Haram.

Christian faithful wore black and white attires as a mark of mourning for the murdered catholic priests and parishioners of St Ignatius Church, Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government Area.

It would be recalled that two Catholic priests, Rev. Father Joseph Gor and Rev. Father Felix Tyolaha, as well as16 other worshippers were killed at the 5 a.m. mass of the church on April 24.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went round some churches in Makurdi, reports that most worshippers, regardless of denomination, wore black and white dresses to church.

NAN also reports that the worshippers held peaceful protests within their churches to denounce the acts of barbarism and gruesome killings and other attacks on innocent citizens.

They held placards with inscriptions such as Enough of the killings, We want peace in our state, No more bloodshed, Lord, what have we done to deserve this. among others.

At the NKST church in Iyortyer, Makurdi, NAN sighted the worshippers carrying placards and marching peacefully within the premises of the worship house.

Speaking to newsmen, Pastor Frederick Ikyaan of NKST Church at High Level area of the metropolis, said the Christian community was mourning.

We are saddened by these killings and we want the world to know our displeasure over these acts, he said.

He said that the dress code was reminiscent of the tradition of the church in wearing sack clothes when faced with such calamities.

In the olden days, Christians wore sack clothes when confronted with calamities of monstrous nature but since we no longer have such clothes, we wear black and white to show our grief and anguish.

Our concern is to express our displeasure and feelings to the immediate society, our leaders in Nigeria and President Buhari, without mincing words that we are offended by the ongoing killings in the state and the country, he said.

He said that with the killing of the priests and worshippers, it was very clear that the invaders were not after the green vegetation but the soul of the state.

The cleric said that the killing of the priests had further deepened their faith and beliefs system, adding that no amount of intimidation would stop them from practising their faith.

He said that the priests andfaithful killed had become martyrs of the herdsmen invasion in Benue, adding that they were the seeds sown by the church.

Also speaking, the Associate Pastor of NKST Church, Iortyer, Rev. Terwugwa Akaawude, appealed to the Federal Government to protect lives and property of the citizens.

On his part Rev.Father Patrick Odeh of St. Juliana Catholic Mission, Bebe, High Level, accused Nigerian politicians of playing games with human lives.

Odeh said politicians were bereft of conscience in handling such sensitive matters as the killings, adding that the death of the two priests had united the church and made it stronger.

The cleric, who said the priests and worshippers died in active service, described them as gallant soldiers who never lost their faith.

He said they would be rewarded in eternity by God.

NAN reports that a combined team of security operatives were seen patrolling the state capital, while the church services were ongoing.

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Source: NAN

The National Assembly has been admonished to stop the impeachment move against President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged purchase of $469 million Super Tucano jets without legislative approval.

The former Chairman of Labour Party (LP) Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

Nwanyanwu said that though the action of the President may have breached the Constitution, he said that it was not enough to commence an impeachment process.

He insisted that commencing an impeachment process against the President would only heat up the polity. He therefore urged the lawmakers to find an alternative to impeachment.

The action is an infraction on the constitution of Nigeria and it has made the payment illegitimate.

Yes the constitution has been infringed upon; yes the National Assembly has powers to question the President on that.

The National Assembly can invoke the Constitution to remove the President and this is where I will plead with the legislature to tarry a while.

Do not invoke Section 143 of the Constitution to remove President Buhari; we have too many problems in the country today and it will not be comfortable to begin impeachment process, he said.

The lawyer, however, said if the illegality was allowed to go, a bad precedent would be set for more infringement of the Constitution in the future.

Nwanyanwu said that trillions of naira was being paid for fuel subsidies without appropriation saying, these are serious constitutional issues.

The LP chieftain blamed the aides and lieutenants of the President for not advising him against spending state money without National Assembly approval.

According to him, Nigeria is still looking for patriots as patriotism is not loyalty to the President but loyalty to the country.

He said that the National Assembly remained the true representative of the people and should not be taken for granted.

Everybody knows that monies cannot be spent without legislative approval, are they working for his success or for his down fall.

Even the Vice President is there, he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a Professor of law, why did he not advice his boss.

We should stop all the hide and seek, the impression created now is that something is fishy about the purchase and that is why they avoided the National Assembly.

Let those around him stop pushing him deeper into the pit when they should help him come out and swim freely, he added.

Nwanyanwu said that Buhari had ample time to seek legislative approval for the purchase as it was not a matter of urgent national importance but did not.

According to him, government is not village meeting or family meeting and we cannot condone illegality for expediency.

Nwanyanwu said that he is against what the President had done, calling it an `impeachable offense but he urged the legislators not to heat up the polity.

Source: NAN

Twelve persons have been confirmed dead and five others injured in an accident involving a Volvo truck and a Ford bus at Foursquare area on Lagos /Ibadan Expressway on Saturday.

Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), confirmed the accident.

Akinbiyi explained that the accident was caused by wrongful overtaking on the part of the Ford passenger bus with registration number AAA 886 XR, which led to a head on collision with the oncoming truck.

He stated that the truck with registration number LSD 138 XQ, was coming from the opposite direction before the accident.

“The accident happened around Foursquare camp (diversion axis) on the Lagos /Ibadan Expressway.

“17 people were involved, 12 persons comprising six male and six female died while three male and two female sustained injuries, ” he said.

The TRACE spokesman added that the injured victims were taken to Ife – Oluwa Plus A hospital, Ogunmakin while the corpses were deposited at FOS Mortuary, Ipara.

Source: NAN

Some youths manhandled Senator Mathew Uroghide and removed his cap at the Benin Airport on Friday for allegedly moving a motion for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Public Accounts promptly denied moving such a motion.

Uroghide denied on Saturday evening in Benin-City that he moved a motion for the impeachment of Buhari, the reported.

He had come under attack from several groups in Edo State since he was reported to have moved the motion.

But speaking to journalists afterwards, the embattled Senator explained that he never moved a motion for the impeachment of the President on account of his anticipated approval of the sum of $496 million for the purchase of Military equipment.

He said that he only called for the invocation section 143 of the Constitution, which according to him requires investigation before impeachment.

I hope you people understand the working of the Senate and the positions you are talking about. I am the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts.

Every government expenditure falls on my table. If I have to do what I have to do. The President had a good intention of buying those equipment but the procedure was wrong and he has accepted that it was wrong.

We have sworn to oath that we will uphold the decision of the constitution. A good intention of buying something and a procedure that is wrong. What do we do?

The only thing that concerned the President office is Section 143. If you check Section 143, it is a long process. The first thing you have to do is investigation and correspondences will be entered into.

The President has to be written and reply. We have not reached the issue of impeachment. Nobody on the floor of the Senate moved motion that the President should be impeached.

If the papers said somebody said the President should be impeached, it is out of ignorance with these ignorant youths that are misled by ignorant persons. It is unfortunate.

I am proud to be a Senator. All revenues fall on my table. They should be proud that this is what it is. The Constitution is above every other person.

We have not reached the point of impeachment that was why the Senate President said it should be referred to the judiciary so that they will advice on what to do.

If is said the President should be impeached, then I am ignorant. Section 143 is a very long process. It will take a lot of time and actions to impeach the President. Move a motion for the President to be impeached, then I must be stupid. I only said invoke Section 143 so that processes should be followed, Sun quoted the senator as saying.

Protest in Senate over Buharis $496m aircraft purchase

Senator Mathew Uroghide (PDP, Edo-South), however, raised a point of order to declare Buharis action illegal.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki interrupted Uroghide, noting that the matter would be taken at another time.

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Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that following Fridays attack on Urhoghide, Edo state police command has beefed up security around his Benin residence.

NAN further reports that two police hill lux vans were stationed outside while heavily armed policemen were seen outside.

Party supporters were at the residence to show solidarity with him

Speaking to newsmen, Urhoghide said he does not have any regret for what he said at the floor of the Senate.

Urhoghide who said that he would seek redress in court, stressed that he would report back to the Senate that he was humiliated for what he said during plenary.

He said it was a shame on Nigeria for a boy to hit a serving senator and representative of the people.

He stated that he expected political practitioners to educate people that he was not talking about impeachment when he moved a motion that Section 143 of the Nigeria Constitution should be invoked.

Urhoghide fingered the Chief of Staff to Gov Godwin Obaseki, Mr Taiwo Akerele, as being responsible for the mobilisation of thugs that attacked him at Benin Airport on Friday.

He said President Buhari should have submitted a supplementary budget for the purchase of the aircraft.

According to him, They have promised to deal with me. If not for the state Commissioner of Police. I obeyed the Police Commissioner.

I remained where I was until the Governor came. We were walking side by side talking when a boy hit my head and the Governor walked away.

Before I left Abuja, I knew what was happening and the person responsible for it. I called him to tell him that it was unnecessary but he didnt pick his calls.

It would be cowardice for me to abort the journey. I want to see what will happened and they displayed their thuggery, I am not cowed by it.

I will represent my constituency and do whatever I want to do. Those who beat the PDP State Youth leader were not arrested but he was arrested

If this game is not played along the direction that some people want it, then they see you as a deviant.

That is what you saw yesterday, asking a riffraff, a boy of no consequence to lay his hands on me, an elected representative of the people, a serving Senator, it is a shame on this country.

They should realised I am a PDP senator. I am in the opposition, I am not a member of the APC.

I am liberty to say anything against the APC government. I am just being objective.

They had ample time to bring the requests but they didnt. We could have said more aircraft should be bought. What they have done is rumble jumble.

The President has violated the constitution, that is the truth. If anybody is pretending that nothing has been done, the person should go to a mental home. Section 80 has been violated.

Couldnt I have spoken? That is what miscreants have misunderstood. I dont have any regret for what I said. I stand on it.

Where did I embarrass the President? Because of selfish interest here and they want to show to the President that everybody could be cowed in Edo.

This is not a war I want to fight on partisan basis. I have immunity on what I said at the floor of the Senate.

I am being crucified outside for what I said during plenary. I am going to report back to the Senate.

All the security agencies must see the threat I am subjected to because I performed my duty as a Senator.

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff to Gov Obaseki, Mr Taiwo Akerele, has denied sponsoring thugs to attack Mr Matthew Urhoghide for moving a motion to impeach President Mohammadu Buhari.

Akerele told Urhoghide to face members of his constituents that protested against his motion.

The Chief of Staff said he could not have concerned himself with what a senator from Edo South said when he hails from Edo North.

He advised Urhoghide to look out for the people of Edo South that did the protest

It was obvious to the public that the people that protested are from Edo South I am not from Edo South. Am I from Edo South.

I have nothing to do with him. I have no business with me. He should go and ask him people who protested from Edo South, he said.

Source: NAN

Fourteen opposition parties in Lagos State have formed an alliance to challenge Governor Akinwunmi Ambodes All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections.

The Chairman of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the state, Mr Kola Ajayi, made the disclosure on Saturday in an interview News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that the Star Alliance was recently formed with the objective of providing what he called a credible alternative to the APC.

Ajayi, who also chairs the alliance, listed other parties in the coalition as MEGA, Action Alliance and New Nigeria Peoples Party.

According to him, the others include Peoples Progressive Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Democratic Alternative and Accord.

Ajayi said that the Peoples Party of Nigeria, People s Alliance for National Development and Liberty, Peoples Democratic Movement and Legacy Party of Nigeria were also part of the alliance.

He claimed that APC had yet to meet the aspirations of Lagos residents, hence, the need for a credible alternative.

We formed this coalition to provide a credible platform on which to deliver good governance to the real people at the grassroots.

We think Lagos residents deserve better and we should come together and give them the kind of government they want, he said.

He urged the residents to embrace the coalition which, he said, was formed for the masses.

The coalition chairman said that the parties in the alliance had been
meeting regularly on the strategy to employ to win Lagos in 2019.

He said that the coalition would soon reach out to residents especially those at the grassroots on its development agenda.

The state Chairman of NNPP, Malam Shakirudeen Olofin, also told NAN that the alliance was formed to give residents a `better deal.

He said that the coalition was the `Lagos Third Force with the intention to bring real governance to the state.

Also confirming the alliance, the state Chairman of MEGA Party, Mr Oladele Idowu, said that the coalition was formed to deliver `real change to the state in the interest of residents.

Lagos State Chairman of Action Alliance, Mr Shola Omojola, also told NAN that the opposition parties were discussing strongly in the alliance to give the state residents a better deal.

Source: NAN

The people of Kogi West Senatorial district turned out in large number on Saturday for the verification of signatures for the recall process of embattled Senator Dino Melaye.

The verification process started with low turn out early in Saturday and later in the afternoon.

Constituents who had petitioned the INEC about the lawmakers recall trooped out in large number to verify their signatures at various polling units.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday began the verification exercise for the recall process.

The exercise is taking place across the local government areas in Kogi West Senatorial District of the state where the lawmaker represents in the National Assembly.

The verification exercise taking place today is consequent to the meeting of stakeholders convened by INEC on Wednesday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

According to a timetable released by the electoral umpire, the outcomes of the exercise will be declared on Sunday, April 29.

Against apprehensions that Card Readers might malfunction and mar the recall process of Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), verification officers have confirmed their effectiveness in the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents who monitored the verification exercise in Lokoja and Kogi Local Government Areas on Saturday also confirmed adequate security and peaceful conduct of the exercise.

The polling Officer at Ukwo-Okoriko Compound, Ward A, Unit 003, Koton-Karfe, Musa Iliasu and Sen. Dino Melaye verification agent at the unit, Imam Sani said the cards readers did not malfunction throughout the exercise.

At Banda, Oworo Ward 8, Unit 012, Johnson Salifu also confirmed the functionality of the card reader.

Patricia Aifakokhan, the NYSC Polling Officer at Lokoja Ward B sharing the views of her contemporaries in other units confirmed that the card readers functioned perfectly.

Administrator of Kogi LGA, Mohammed Tanko Musa, said he was impressed with the orderly conduct of the exercise adding that though the township witnessed low turnout, reports from the hinterlands would be different.

Meanwhile, the senator is currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Abuja following injuries probably sustained when he jumped out of a police vehicle to escape arrest.

Police men remain stationed at the National Hospital, where Melaye is still receiving treatment.

He was arrested to face trial in Kogi over allegations made by some hoodlums who alleged that the senator supplied them with weapons.

NAN correspondent who visited the national hospital observed that no fewer than 20 officers and men of Nigerian Police Force were seen in and around the trauma centre where the Senator was receiving the treatment.

NAN reports that in spite the ongoing strike embarked on by health workers, some doctors were attending to the injured senator.

The senator was earlier taken to Zankli Medical Centre in Utako District in Abuja and later moved to national hospital.

NAN correspondent, who was at the hospital on Friday, was denied access to see the injured Melaye but a source from the hospital that preferred anonymity said the senator was recovering.

Reacting, the Spokesperson of the hospital, Dr Adetayo Haastrup told NAN that the senator was in a stable condition in the hospital.

Source: NAN