The Nigeria Police have confirmed the arrest of three suspects for vote buying in Saturdays Osun governorship election.

The suspects are Muriat Olalekan, Hamzat Muniru, and Adeagbo Wasiu.

The force spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, said on Saturday in Abuja that the suspects were allegedly arrested in the act of vote buying.

Moshood said the arrest followed the deployment of operatives of IGP Monitoring Unit and the Intelligence Response Team of the Force.

The spokesman said that the sum of N720, 000 was recovered from the suspects.

He said investigation into the cases was ongoing and the suspects would be arraigned on completion of investigation. ( NAN)

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral (INEC) has warned against announcing or publishing false election results as the collation of the Osun governorship election results is underway.

The Commission gave the warning on Saturday through its twitter handle @inecnigeria.

It said that the official results would be available as announced by the election Returning Officer.

Announcing or publishing a false election result is an offence.

It is a criminal offence punishable by a term of imprisonment.

The official #OsunDecides2018 results will be uploaded on our platforms as declared by the Returning Officer, the commission said.

Source: NAN

Youths on the platform of Coalition of Ebonyi Youths Organisation on Saturday embarked on a solidarity walk to mobilise the people for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The youths, 2019 Buhari /Ogbuoji Youth Support Network, declared their support to the re-election of President Buhari in 2019 and the election Sen. Sonni Ogbuoji as the next governor of Ebonyi in 2019.

The group said its commitment to the projects were due to Buharis outstanding performance and credible representation of Ogbuoji.

The spokesman of the coalition, Mr Eseni Ukoh, in an interview with journalists after the road walk, said that Buhari has demonstrated his ability to take Nigeria to the next level.

What Nigerians want is good and transparent governance that will stimulate economic growth and development to improve the standard of living of the people, Ukoh said.

The president promised to tackle insecurity, corruption, power, unemployment; improve infrastructure and agriculture and his achievements in these areas can be seen everywhere.

Ogbuoji is the only aspirant among other aspirants from the various political parties that possesses the experience, capacity and capability to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

He is a sitting senator, a former Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation and one time chairman of the old Afikpo Local Government Area.

His entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC) has helped to restructure and reposition the party and the evidence is what we are witnessing today.

We are appealing to both the national and state leadership of APC to give him the partys ticket and to let them know that no other aspirant that can deliver Ebonyi people from bad governance than Ogbuoji, he added.

The coordinator who also spoke on the alleged recall of Ogbuoji by some group allegedly sponsored by politicians in the state, described the exercise as a show of shame and an exercise in futility.

They are only being afraid of the senator because they know that he is the only person that has all it takes to oust the sitting governor.

These people are very jittery and that is why they have employed all sorts of devious, laughable and anti democratic means to distract the senator.

There are processes to follow in recalling a serving lawmaker by his or her constituents and not at a political rally.

Ogbuoji is the only credible, experienced and competent person to lead the state and take Ebonyi people from the shackles of heavy taxation, political stagnation and general maladministration, Ukoh said.

The spokesman stressed that the coalition with membership drawn from across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi would not rest on its oars until Buhari is re-elected in 2019 and Ogbuoji emerged the next Ebonyi governor.

The Legislative Assistant to Ogbuoji, Mr Ifeanyi Ogba who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), commended the youths for the solidarity march and urged youths to support the re-election of Buhari and Ogbuoji s gubernatorial aspiration.

This is not a political rally, it is a road walk organised by a coalition of about five youths organisations to support the re-election of Buhari and the election of Ogbuoji as governor.

The road walk commenced from Ishieke park at Water Works Road through Vanco and moved down to Ogbuoji s campaign office along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.

I commend the youths for the orderly conduct and the display of their zeal for a change in the governance of Ebonyi in 2019. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Victor Adeoti/Ogbagba

Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Osun election, says voting-buying has negatively affected the exercise.

Akinbade spoke to newsmen in Ogbagba after the accreditation and voting exercise.

Vote-buying has cast shadows on the governorship election. Vote-buying had taken the shine off the election,he said/

However, he commended voters for ensuring a peaceful electoral process.

The former Secretary to the State Government, who voted at his Obas Compound, Ward 3, Polling Unit 1 at 10.35am, also said that the nations democracy was improving on all fronts.

By and large, we are inching gradually to a convenient point in our polity.

Everybody involved in this election should be commended; the INEC officials, security agents, electorate, politicians and others.

At least, reported cases of electoral violence are limited, apart from the incidence of vote buying that dotted everywhere while the exercise lasted.

We just hope something will be done to it in organised electoral engagements in the future, Akinbade said.

The ADC standard bearer appealed to the people of the state to remain peaceful and not promote violence after the release of the result.

Source: NAN

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has resolved to be an aspirant on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compete with Adamawa governor Muhammadu Bindow for the 2019 election.

Ribadu said he decided to challenge Bindow because the governor had not provided concrete service to the people.

He told party official at the state secretariat on Saturday in Yola, that Bindow performed below expectation, as such the APC needs a new face to make a difference.

Give me the chance and opportunity to make the difference. Our dear state is facing a number of developmental challenges that require urgent, holistic and strategic handling.

We do not need cosmetics, which do not address fundamental issues that are cornerstone to our development as a people. It takes visionary leadership with capacity and modern thinking to provide that needed redirection, beyond deceptive makeup.

It is this much-needed leadership that I promise to offer to our people. I come with genuine intention and I have a burning passion to change the fortunes of our people for good.

With all sense of humility, I believe I possess the requisite credentials, both academic and character, required to move this state forward. I will run an all-inclusive government where all stakeholders like you truly have stakes, Ribadu said.

He urged party officials to ensure level playing ground for all aspirants.

As we move into the primaries, what we require from you, our party leaders, is utmost level of responsibility by allowing free and fair contest.

We cannot afford to manipulate our party into failure. Injustice can never stand. Even if it does, it would be on shaky foundations which can collapse at any time.

Therefore, skewing a process like the primaries to favour one person, even though unpopular, may only lead our great party to failure, something no genuine party member would desire.

Responding, the Adamawa APC chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal, lauded Ribadu for his commitment to the party and assured him and other aspirants of level playing field.

I want to assure you of free and fair primaries and the commitment of the party executives to fully support any candidate that emerge, Bilal said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that apart from Ribadu and Bindow, another aspirant, Dr Halilu Ahmed is also seeking the partys endorsement to fly its flag for the governorship race. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Saturday commissioned new power transformers at Okpella substation to boost electricity supply to Edo north, especially in major towns of Auchi, Okpella and Igarra.

The 1x60MVA ,132,33kv power transformer would also service some major towns in Estako, and Akoko Edo local governments.

TCN had also successfully installed 40MVA at Auchi 132, 33kv substation.

The new installation at Okpella was to improve on the old 1x15MVA,132/33Kv substation which had limited capacity to adequately supply electricity to Okpella, BUA cement company, Aghenebode town and environs.

Because of the limitation, TCN awarded the contract for the reinforcement of the substation in 2012 to Messers Power Control and Appliances (PCA) to add 160 MVA,13/33kv transformer to increase the quality of supply in the area.

The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), Prof. James Momoh, commissioned the transformer in company of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo.

He said communities in Edo north had been experiencing poor electricity supply over the years.

He said that this had impacted negatively on the industrial development of the zone and the state in general.

The villages around here witness low voltage, meaning there is no impact in development, it cannot touch industrialisation that we want because the quality of supply is very low.

Because we are unable to harness power, industries cannot spring up in Edo, where we have all the vegetation, we have all the minerals.

The lop-sidedness in supply made it very impossible for distribution to get to our villages.

He explained that the provision of the new additional power transformer in the substation was for the interest of the Edo people, adding that the Okpella community must maintain and protect the facility.

It will serve Okpella cement factory, it will serve other people, but we want to make sure we create jobs, we create industries. It will bring relief to our people; it will transform the economy of the state.

Momoh, who promised to ensure improved power supply in Edo also commended TCN management and its in-house engineers for installing the power transformer.

TCN engineers have done many installations in the country, they are saving money for Nigeria.

Responding, Obaseki said that the initiative of TCN had just ignited the starting of industrial revolution in the state.

We thanked TCN and NERC for what they are doing in the electricity industry.
The issue of electricity supply was at the front burner during my campaign and you have help up spark up electricity supply via this initiative by increasing the capacity of the substation with over 300 per cent.

He said that the state government would continue to support TCN in the discharge of its duties, especially on resolving the onerous challenge of right of way on transmission lines.

He appealed to NERC to prevail on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to improve its supply to customers, saying that BEDC was underperforming in the state.

The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Mohammed said that the installation of the 60MVA 132,33kv in Okpella was consistent with the industrial policy of Edo government.

He attributed it to the existence of huge mineral deposits like limestone in the area.

He said that the installation would improve power supply to BUA cement company, Aghenebode town, Igara and many other communities in the state.
According to Mohammed, the installation of the 1x60MVA at Okpella substation will also increase the total wheeling capacity of TCN to 7,124MW.

He said that TCN would soon complete the installation of another 30MVA on the station and re-conduct the Benin, Irua Auchi, Okpella, and Okene 132 substations.

He said that this would enable the optimum use of the capacity being installed on the Okpella station.

We are adding 100MVA at Irua, 150MVA at Benin, and another 100MVA at Benin transmission station, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Presidency has said the political career of Sen. Bukola Saraki, has shown that he is a very dangerous person who can go any length to promote his personal interests.

The language of the campaign of the PDP’s presidential aspirant is such that could not be used against a domestic help.

“Is he just knowing that the President lacked vision?’’

Presidency said that Buhari was someone that the Saraki had worked with very closely for more than three years. “Amazingly, he never said all that he is now saying against him.’’

“Rather, his word for and on the President were always respectful and reassuring. That’s the man he called “My Father,” about him “there is no cause for alarm…a President who is healthy, witty and himself.” What then changed, all of a sudden?

“Is he saying these blatantly false and crude things against the President because he is gunning for the same office?

“Could it be that he is targeting President Buhari because the party he has just joined does not have any real issues to highlight?

“Be that as it may, our appeal to our supporters is to ignore Saraki and any such politicians bent on lowering the quality of political discourse. Let them drown in their own waters.’’

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, condemned Saraki’s remarks in Abuja and enjoined all groups and supporters of President Buhari’s candidature in 2019 presidential election to always ignore the offensive speeches by the PDP aspirant.

He advised support groups to ignore the “crude and extremely derogatory’’ speeches by Saraki and other PDP presidential aspirants against President Buhari.

It urged supporters to always put their points in more decent language and display maturity instead of joining issue with Saraki and other PDP’s aspirants.

Saraki, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is one of the PDP presidential aspirants.

“The Presidency wishes to react to the crude speeches hitting the news from Senator Bukola Saraki who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party with the sole ambition of running as the president of Nigeria.

“In response to the condemnable and extremely derogatory speeches by the PDP aspirant, we urge all Buhari supporters to display restraint in language and conduct and to always put across their points of view in a decent language.

Food security is not a thing to be undermined by anyone practicing Agriculture especially as it relates to crop production. Virtually every one of us will fret when asked to consume a poisonous substance – such (substance) is definitely not something to munch or swallow – but sometimes these toxic substances find their way into the things we eat. It could be in the process of production, processing, packaging or handling, and they seem to exist in trace amount in food items and could cause the human body system one degree of harm or the other upon ingestion.

In this article however, I will like to briefly talk about fertilizers while focusing on companies that are known to produce organic fertilizers. Fertilizers are, of course, used for boosting the quantity and quality of plants and there are basically two types – the organic and inorganic fertilizers. The organic fertilizer is often adjudged to be safer than the inorganic type [which could contain considerable amount of toxic substances] hence farmers are now embracing the use of the former in the production of crops.

The eco-friendly property of organic fertilizers also make them to be of great appeal to farmers. And as organic is now being vastly promoted and widely practiced, I felt it’s high time we provided the list of companies manufacturing organic fertilizers along with their contact address. These companies are spread across the nation, and some of them are listed below:

• Agoc Unique Nigeria Limited
  Plot 256, Etta Agbor Layout, IBB Way, Calabar Municipal, Cross River State.

• Basumn Consults Limited
  1, Oluwatobilola Street, Alimosho, Lagos.

• Batisal Nigeria Limited
  9, Kadiri Street, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State.

• Bauchi Fertilizer Company Limited
  2, Railway Road, Industrial Area, Bauchi, Bauchi State.

• Biostadt Group
  387, Agege Motor Road, Cappa Bus-Stop, Ademosun, Mushin, Lagos State.

• Black Earth Nigeria Enterprises
  8, Ajepobo Street, Ijebu North, Ogun State.

• EarthCare Nigeria Limited
  Flower Bus-Stop, Ikorodu-Shagamu Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
  www.earthcarecompostplus.com

• Golden Fertilizer Company Limited
  2, Old Dockyard Road, Apapa, Lagos State.

• Hybrid Green Agro Services
  D7, Vegetable Section, Building Material Market, Bukuru, Jos South, Plateau State.

• Latest Agro Care Limited
  6/8, Amilegbe Road, Ilorin South, Kwara State.

• Livinda Nigeria Limited
  29, Umuelekeuba Road, Amalato, Ideato South, Imo State.

• MiddleBrook Farms Limited
  7, Adeyeri Crescent, Ikeja, Lagos State.

• Nitromobil International Nigeria Limited
  40, B.U.K Road, opposite B.U.K Old Site Main Gate, Kano State.

• Nnasaf Agro Company Limited
  Plot 9753, David Mark Road, opposite Foundation Mira, Tunga, Minna, Niger State.
  www.nnasafagro.com

• Olsmacen Organic Global Limited
  43, Gibbs Street, Afaha Offot, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.

• Opek Resources Limited
  7, Oba Ademola Road, Enugada, Abeokuta South, Ogun State.

• Rajans-Global Ventures
  40, Ganaja-Ajaokuta Road, Adankolo, Lokoja, Kogi State.

• Sludar Agro Enterprise
  22, Rutu Road, Doma Town, Doma, Nasarawa State.

• list itemVictory Global and Allied Systems Limited
  4, Suite E5, Michiko Street, Garki II, Abuja.

• Verreaux Farm Limited
  42, Kenneth Dike Way, Bodija, Ibadan North, Oyo State.

Polaris Bank has taken over the assets and liabilities of Skye Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria said today.

Consequently, the CBN has revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank Plc with immediate effect.

Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos on Friday. Emefiele said the decision was reached following the inability of the owners of the bank to shore up the capital of the distressed bank which had earlier received a N350 billion intervention in July 2016.

Polaris is a bridge bank set up in concert with NDIC and AMCON and the unveiling was a guarded secret until Emefieles announcement in Lagos today. According to Emefiele, the bridge bank, Polaris Bank will be getting a single digit interest long term facility of N786 billion from the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

The winding up of the bank came five months after the CBN renewed the mandate of the board of the for an additional two years. Emefiele passed a confidence vote on the board and said it shall continue to run the bank.

The banks board comprises Mr Muhammad Ahmad and Mr Tokunbo Abiru, Chairman and Group Managing Director respectively.

The CBN back in April also said the board was given a new two-year term to turn around the operations of the bank.

In the two years of the boards mandate, the team has stabilised the institution, entrenched sound corporate governance and risk management practices, and restored depositors confidence.

In recognition of the stellar performance of the board, the CBN has renewed the Boards mandate for an additional two-year term till 30th June, 2020.

We wish to assure the Banks shareholders and stakeholders of the commitment of its board and Management, working with the CBN, to conclude various initiatives to achieve a positive turn around for the bank and deliver value to its stakeholders.

Also, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim said the option of a bridge bank was to ensure that the depositors of the bank are taken care of and deposits are not lost.

Ibrahim said that the bridge bank would also ensure that there would be no job losses as Polaris Bank would retain all staff of the distressed bank under a new contract.

Meanwhile, the share price of Skye bank on Friday gained 4.05 percent at 77 kobo.

The stock is expected to be placed on suspension from Monday in accordance with bridge bank procedures.

You will recall that on 4th July 2016, we took a regulatory action on Skye bank Nigeria PLC. Specifically, this action led to the resignation of the Chairman, all Non-Executive Directors on the Board as well as the Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, and the two longest- serving Executive Directors on the Management Team

At that time the proactive action was informed by unacceptable corporate governance lapses as well as the persistent failure of Skye Bank PLC to meet minimum thresholds in critical prudential and adequacy ratios, which culminated in the banks permanent presence at the CBN Lending Window.

The focus of the action then was to save depositors funds and to ensure that the bank continued as a going concern, being a systemically important bank. Part of our intention was also to stem the imminent job losses to staff if a liquidation option had been adopted. These objectives have been fully achieved and the bank has been able to meet customer obligations, having curtailed the liquidity haemorrhage and restored depositor confidence.

Indeed, the banks performance has improved considerably compared to the pre-July 2016 era.

The result of our examinations and forensic audit of the bank has, however, revealed that Skye bank requires urgent recapitalisation as it can no longer continue to live on borrowed times with indefinite liquidity support from the CBN. The shareholders of the bank have been unable to recapitalise it.

We wish to assure all depositors that under this arrangement, their deposits shall remain safe and that normal banking services shall continue in the new bank on Monday, 24th September, 2018, to enable customers to transact their businesses seamlessly.

Thus, all customers of Skye Bank shall be automatic customers of the new bank and their accounts and records duly purchased by Polaris Bank.

Given the good performance of the board and management, the CBN shall retain them. In addition, all employees of Skye Bank shall be absorbed by Polaris Bank under a new contract unless any employee decides to opt out.

We wish to assure the general public that the Nigerian banking industry remains safe and resilient and that the CBN will continue to live up to its responsibilities of promoting stability in the banking and financial system.

Skye Bank Plc which has metamorphosed into Polaris Bank was a product of the merger of five legacy banks as a result of the banking industry consolidation and recapitalisation exercise of 2005. The legacy banks were Prudent Bank Plc, EIB International Plc, Bond Bank Limited, Reliance Bank Limited and Co-operative Bank Plc.

Following the merger, the bank opened three West African subsidiaries in Sierra Leone, Gambia and Guinea.

In 2014, the bank won the bid to acquire the 100 per cent ownership stake of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in Mainstreet Bank Limited, a deal which made Skye Bank one of the top four banks in Nigeria. But the move, may also have undermined its books as the bank was taken over by the CBN in 2016.

The defunct bank is quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with over 450,000 shareholders..

Source: NAN

The European Union (EU) Election Observers say they will monitor Saturdays governorship election in Osun with an eye on vote-buyers.

Mr Ketil Karlsen, the EU ambassador to Nigeria, said this at a news conference on Friday in Osogbo.

Karlsen said that the EU was hopeful that the modalities put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check vote-buying during the election would yield positive results.

While commending INEC on its preparation, Karlsen said the global community would be watching the conduct of the election, being the last before the 2019 general elections.

Karlsen, who noted that more than 28 diplomatic observers from different countries were in the state for the election, said EU was committed to the continued consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.

We are neutral in this election. We are not here to promote any candidate or political party.

But we are here to promote the process that would lead to credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria and we hope to see credible election on Saturday.

We are also here to see stability and continuity in Nigeria, Karlsen said.

Also speaking, Mr Dominic Williams, the Political Councillor, British High Commission, said the Osun election would be a signal to the 2019 general elections.

Williams said the EU would be watching to see how the election would be conducted and its impact on the 2019 general elections.

We want free, fair and credible elections and we want candidates to show respect for the rule of the game and shun violence.

We also appeal to the more the 1.2 million people that have collected their Permanent Voter Cards to come out en mass to vote, Williams said.

In his remarks, Mr David Young, Deputy Chief of Mission, United States embassy, said the US was committed to transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.

Young said the EU would continue to support the process that would promote peaceful elections.

While commending INEC for what it had done so far, Young urged the security agencies to be neutral in the election.

Source: NAN