By Yakubu Uba

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has urged the international community to support humanitarian action in Borno, currently recovering from insurgency.

Gutteres made the call on Tuesday in Maiduguri while rounding off his visit to the state where he interacted with displaced persons, repentant Boko-Haram members and government officials led by Gov. Babagana Zulum.

I want to congratulate the Governor for what I see today.

I want to strongly appeal to the international community to understand Borno as a state of hope, to support humanitarian action in Borno, to recognise the enormous challenges that Borno faces with climate change and Boko Haram activities, and to invest in Borno of hope.

The community should provide support to the project of the Governor of Borno and civil society of Borno in order to create condition for real development.

So, I want to be your (Zulum) advocate within the international community to support and to invest in Borno of hope, Gutteres said.

While noting that terrorism cant be totally defeated with military force, Gutteres lauded the policy of reconciliation and reintegration adopted by the state, saying that it would facilitate the process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the visit, Gov. Zulum briefed the Secretary General of challenges facing the state.

The state has already commenced reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons.

Source: NAN News

By Idowu Gabriel

The Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Opeyemi Bamidele, says that more than 5,000 members of his senatorial district have benefitted in his empowerment programmes in the last three years.

Bamidele made the disclosure during his 2021 mega empowerment programme, held at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

He said that his empowerment programme had never been on the basis of membership of All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that it was aimed at bringing dividends of democracy toall his constituents.

For record purpose, todaysoccasion marks the third edition of my annual empowerment programme, which is aimed at saying thank you to all my constituents for their support.

To the glory of God and by dint of my constituents continued support and prayers, my election into the Ninth Senate has brought about a remarkable harvest of dividends ofdemocracy.

No fewer than 5,000 beneficiaries have been empowered in the last three years.

The empowerment that we having today (Tuesday) is not only for APC members, but one that will bring dividends of democracy to all my constituents, he said.

Bamidele described the 2021 mega empowerment programme as special, stressing he had decided to equip Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital with medical equipment like ambulances and ventilators to ensure access to health care services by his constituents.

He listed the equipment to include: tractor and farm inputs to All Framers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ekiti chapter, motorcycles, mini buses, hair dressing materials, vulcanising tools, tailoring machines and patrol vehicle for the police.

The senator appealed to those who might not benefit directly now to be patient, assuring that the 2022 edition of the empowerment programme would capture more people.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Niyi Adebayo, lauded Bamidele for not betraying the confidence reposed in him by people of his senatorial district.

Adebayo, who is the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, called on people of the state to vote en masse for the APC governorship candidate, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, and ensure his victory in the June 18 governorship election.

Speaking on behalf of AFAN, the state Chairman, Mr AdebolaAlagbada, thanked Bamidele for the farm inputs given to his members, pledging that they would make judicious use of them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries at the occasion included: Oluyin of Iyin, Oba Adeniyi Ajakaye, an APC chieftain, Mr Tade Aluko, and the lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Constituency I, Mr Adesola Fatoba, among others. (NAN) (nnews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Chukwuemeka Opara

The Ebonyi Government on Tuesday, rewarded Mr Abraham Owutoshi, an ex-corps member with N300,000 for distinguishing himself during his service year in the state.

The Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Mr Charles Akpuenika, while making the presentation on behalf of Gov. David Umahi, said the Nasarawa-born Owutoshi impacted positively on the community where he served.

Akpuenika represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Ben Okike, said that Owutoshi would also receive a state award for distinguishing himself during the service year.

I congratulate the awardee on behalf of the state government for an outstanding performancewhich should be emulated by other corps members.

The awardee conductedMathematics quiz competitions in the state and awarded 10 winners free Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination registration forms.

He also offered free WAEC registration forms to the 10 last-placed contestants, he said.

The Ebonyi Government under the leadership of Gov. David Umahi believes in the mantra of reward for hard work and will continue to motivate individuals who contribute to the well-being of its people, he said.

The State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Mercy Bamai, applauded the ex-corps member for heeding to the call of community development service of the scheme.

Impacting the tenets of the community service started from the orientation camp and we are always happy to see its fruits.

We are glad that you made the NYSC proud and urge you to continue being its good ambassador, she said.

She noted that Owutoshi installed seven solar-powered street lights at Udemezue St., Okpaugwu, Abakalikiand converted an abandoned mono-water borehole to an electric-induced facility.

He also installed two-water overhead tanks for the people of the area among other initiatives, Bamai said.

Owutoshi in his remark, thanked the Ebonyi Government for the award and the NYSC for offering the springboard to contribute his quota to the good of the society.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Owutoshi who served under the NYSC 2020 Batch B Stream 1, is a graduate of Mathematics from the University of Abuja.

Source: NAN News

Israel has lambasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for claiming Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, saying it was an unforgivable falsehood that debased the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.

Leaders from several Western nations denounced the foreign ministers comments and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of having forgotten the lessons of World War II.

In a sign of sharply deteriorating relations with Moscow, the Israeli foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an apology.

Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.

The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately, he added.

Lavrov made the assertion on Italian television on Sunday when he was asked why Russia said it needed to denazify Ukraine if the countrys own president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, was himself Jewish.

When they say What sort of nazification is this if we are Jews, well I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it means nothing, Lavrov told Rete 4 channel, speaking through an Italian interpreter.

For a long time now weve been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves, he added.

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video message, noted Moscow has been silent since Lavrovs comments.

This means that the Russian leadership has forgotten all the lessons of World War II he said. Or perhaps they have never learned those lessons.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken weighed in later on the comments by his Russian counterpart saying it was incumbent on the world to speak out against such vile, dangerous rhetoric.

The German governments anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, said Lavrovs remarks mocked the victims of Nazism and shamelessly confront not only Jews but the entire international public with open anti-Semitism.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called the top Russian diplomats comments obscene, while Canadas Justin Trudeau expressed disbelief.

Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Israels memorial to the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, said the Russian minister was spreading an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.

The identity of one of Hitlers grandfathers is not known but there has been some speculation, never backed up by any evidence, that he might have been a Jew.

There was no immediate response to requests for comment from the Russian embassy to Israel or from Lavrov in Moscow.

Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, said accusing Jews of being anti-Semites was the basest level of racism. He dismissed Lavrovs assertion that pro-Nazi elements held sway over the Ukrainian government and military.

The Ukrainians arent Nazis. Only the Nazis were Nazis and only they dealt with the systematic destruction of the Jewish people, Lapid told the YNet news website.

Israel has expressed support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February. But wary of straining relations with Russia, a powerbroker in neighbouring Syria, it initially avoided direct criticism of Moscow and has not enforced formal sanctions on Russian oligarchs.

However, relations have grown more strained, with Lapid last month accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president has also run into flak in Israel by looking to draw analogies between the conflict in his country and World War II.

In an address to the Israeli parliament in March, Zelenskiy compared the Russian offensive in Ukraine to Nazi Germanys plan to murder all Jews within its reach during World War II. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

Anti-abortion activists and pro-abortion rights supporters took to the streets of Washington on Tuesday after news that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling which legalized abortion nationwide.

A leaked initial draft majority opinion suggests the court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, Politico reported on Monday.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the authenticity of the draft opinion.

The Supreme Court and the White House declined to comment.

Within hours of the news, anti-abortion activists chanting hey, hey, ho, ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go and abortion rights supporters shouting abortion is healthcare were facing off outside the court.

Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in U.S. politics and has been for nearly a half century.

A 2021 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 59 per cent of U.S. adults believed it should be legal in all or most cases, while 39 per cent thought it should be illegal in most or all cases.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the draft opinion which is dated Feb. 10, according to Politico, which posted a copy online.

Based on Alitos opinion, the court would find that the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed abortions performed before a fetus would be viable outside the womb between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy was wrongly decided because the U.S. Constitution makes no specific mention of abortion rights.

Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each state from regulating or prohibiting abortion, Alito said, according to the leaked document.

The unprecedented leak sent shock waves through the U.S., not least because the court prides itself on keeping its internal deliberations secret and leaks are extremely uncommon.

The news stunned abortion providers.

On Monday night, Andrea Gallegos, executive administrator at Tulsa Womens Clinic in Oklahoma, had just finished calling some 25 patients scheduled for abortions on Tuesday to tell them that their appointments would need to be canceled because of a soon to be enacted Oklahoma law modeled on a highly restrictive Texas abortion ban.

I cant say that Im surprised.

Now all these other conservative states like Oklahoma are passing the exact same legislation that Texas did.

I have to say I became less optimistic and way more scared for what the future of Roe looks like, she said.

The ruling would be the courts most sweeping since former President Donald Trump succeeded in naming three justices to the court, cementing a 6-3 conservative majority.

The Republican-appointed Justices reported votes to overturn Roe v. Wade would go down as an abomination, one of the worst and most damaging decisions in modern history, said U.S. House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer both Democrats.

The news broke a little more than six months before the midterm elections that will determine if Democrats hold their razor-thin majorities in the U.S. Congress for the next two years of President Joe Bidens term in office.

The decision appeared based on an oral argument in December on Mississippis bid to revive its ban on abortion starting at 15 weeks of pregnancy, a law blocked by lower courts.

The report said a court majority was inclined to uphold Mississippis abortion ban and that there could be five votes to overturn Roe.

An official ruling is expected sometime before the end of June.

Four of the other Republican-appointed justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett voted with Alito in the conference held among the justices, the report added.

After an initial vote among the justices following an oral argument, one is assigned the majority opinion and writes a draft. It is then circulated among the justices.

At times, in between the initial vote and the ruling being released, the vote alignment can change.

A ruling is only final when it is published by the court.

The Roe v. Wade decision recognised that the right to personal privacy under the U.S. Constitution protects a womans ability to terminate her pregnancy.

Christian conservatives and many Republican officeholders have long sought to overturn it.

If Roe is overturned, abortion is likely to remain legal in liberal states.

More than a dozen states currently have laws protecting abortion rights.

Numerous Republican-led states have passed various abortion restrictions in defiance of the Roe precedent in recent years.

Republicans could try to enact a nationwide abortion ban, while Democrats could also seek to protect abortion rights at the national level.

Democrats said the draft opinion underscores the importance of this years elections, in which they are seeking to maintain control of the House and Senate.

Republican lawmakers criticised the leak, suggesting it was an attempt to inappropriately pressure the court into changing course.

The anti-abortion group the Susan B. Anthony List welcomed the news.

If Roe is indeed overturned, our job will be to build consensus for the strongest protections possible for unborn children and women in every legislature, said its president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, in a statement. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

Olukayode Babalola

Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) has advised Nigerians to be security conscious.

He gave the advice shortly after a courtesy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Chindo-Yamusa at his palace in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Monday.

We have the responsibility as government to take care of the citizenrys security but security is everybodys business.

If anyone is doing anything wrong, you have the responsibility to report to the nearest authority.

If you keep quiet, you are endangering the peace and tranquility of the country and your family.

You allow one little thing to happen and you dont know how it will go. So everyone should see himself or herself as agent of security in this country, he said.

He also appealed to Nigerians to shelve their differences, be law abiding and love themselves, irrespective of their religious or tribal differences.

I enjoin Nigerians to love their neighbours as they love themselves as ordained by the holy books.

If we abide those simple divine instruction, we will have tranquility and we will have stability and we will witness rapid development in the country, he said.

The APC Chairman expressed gratitude to God for the state of Nigerians who were able to carry out the 30 days Holy Ramadan fasting, and celebrate the Eid-El-Fitr in good health.

The Emir, Dr Shehu Chindo-Yamusa, lauded the people of Keffi Emirate and muslims across the country for the successful completion of the holy ramadan fasting.

He also called for Nigerians to be proactive with regards to security and their active participation in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The traditional ruler also stressed the need for farmers in the emirate to go to their farms since the rainy season had commenced. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The National Youth Mandate Group (NYMG) in collaboration with North Central Youth Council of Nigeria (NCYCN) have advised all political parties to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the North Central.

The National Coordinator and Convener of the groups, Mr Abba Abba, gave the advice in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Abba said that zoning the presidential ticket to North Central would balance political equation in the country.

The youth leader insisted that the North Central had been sidelined in the scheme of things for long, as per the issue of presidency was concerned.

North central is the region hosting the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, the administrative headquarters of Nigeria, and at no time any political party thought it wise that North Central should produce the President of Nigeria.

What is our offence that we are not always considered? We shall mobilise, canvass support and engage stakeholders to understand the reasons why north central should be given the presidential ticket, he said.

Similarly, Abba called on the National Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) not only to zone their presidential ticket to North Central, but also to give the partys ticket to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi.

Gov. Yahaya Bello represents the youth mandate in Nigeria and we are ready to mobilise support for his election as President of Nigeria.

He has done well as governor of Kogi and gather much desired experience to lead our great nation.

We will continue to campaign for Gov. Bello in all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, trusting God, that Bello will emerge the next President of Nigeria, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Leonard Okachie

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Abia, Chief Onyekachi Onyekwere, a.k.a Gaddafi, has lauded the partys decision to adopt direct primary to elect candidates for 2023 elections in Abia.

Onyekwere said this on Monday, when a governorship aspirant on the APC platform, Chief Daniel Eke, visited him in his Eziala Nsulu country home in Isialangwa North Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the national leadership of the party approved direct primary for Abia and other states, where the party is having problems.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abia APC became poliarised into two factions in the aftermath of the ward, local government and state congresses in 2021.

The parallel congresses produced two leaderships with Acho Obioma from the Donatus Nwankpa-led group and Kingsley Ononogbu, who emerged from Ikechi Emenike-led faction.

Although, the national leadership of the party recognised and inaugurated the Ononogbu-led executive, the two factions have continued to operate under separate leaderships and secretariats in Umuahia.

Speaking on the direct primary, Onyekwere expressed happiness that the method would help to ensure that only a popular governorship aspirant emerged.

He also said that with direct primaries, those who allegedly hijacked the party would give way for genuine leaders.

Let us be calm and focused now that the party has directed that direct primaries will be used in Abia.

What we need to do is to get to the people at the grassroot.

Those who are fighting us, God will fight them, Onyekwere said.

He further said that he encouraged the aspirant, who hails from Abia North, to run for the governorship, considering his sterling qualities.

He described Eke as a man of wisdom, intelligence and with the requisite capacity to change Abia.

Yes, I have endorsed him for the governorship. He is my candidate.

I trust him and I believe he is the man we need to change the state, he said.

NAN reports that Onyekwere, who is well-respected for his political sagacity in Isialangwa, is also known as a political kingmaker in the state.

The meeting was attended by the Council Chairman and Woman Leader of the party, Mr Endy Ogalabu and Mrs Rose Onyendilefu, respectively.

Ogalabu assured the aspirant of the support of the party members in the area and advised him to ensure that the needful is done in his pursuit for the partys ticket.

He further said: On the day of the primaries, we shall stand behind our choice.

Those who thought they hijacked the party would know they have nobody with them and they will quietly fizzle out.

Thereafter, the candidate that will emerge automatically becomes the leader of APC in the state.

In a brief remark, the woman leader told Eke that for coming here to consult us, your victory is assured.

I am confident that you will change Abia, if given the mandate, she said.

The aspirant thanked the party leaders for their belief in him and promised not to disappoint them, if elected.

Eke assured them that he would work to achieve the cardinal objective of his manifesto, which includes to reclaim, restore and modernise the state.

He promised to promote quality and functional education, tackle youth unemployment through training in technological skills, converting waste to wealth, among other development programmes.

Other party leaders at the meeting included the LG Secretary, Mr Azubuike Nwachukwu, Youth Leader, James Uchenna, and Alfred Chubuike, Chief Aniforo Ole and Dr Samuel Ekpo.

The aspirant was accompanied on the visit by members of his political structure, called Reality Organisation, including its Secretary, Uzoma Emezue, Mr Jimmy Uche and former Speaker of Aba North Legislative Council, Jonah Onwuchekwa. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta says the country needs to expand the frontiers of its revenue generation to mitigate the funding challenges inhibiting educational development.

Okowa said this after inspecting facilities at the Faculties of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Owa-Alero Campus, University of Delta, Agbor, on Monday.

He said the nation needed to invest more funds in the infrastructure, human resource and equipment of the education sector to ensure the availability of full internet services in every university.

According to him, it is important to fund the educational system but unfortunately the nations economy is challenged.

If you look at the national budget and most of the state budgets, you will find out that the Federal and State Governments are actually struggling.

When you have so many competing forces to deal with in an annual budget, you try to put little funds across.

Because, in the first instance, you have to ensure that you pay salaries and if at the end you have little left, then it is a major problem.

Whenever I study the Federal Government budget, l feel very worried about the huge challenge we have as a nation.

This is because you find out that every single kobo that is going into infrastructure development or capital development is actually borrowed, he said.

The governor said there was huge problem when all resource that was available outside borrowing went into recurrent expenditure.

And that is why if you study the budget in full at the federal level in the individual sector such as education and health; there are very huge funds available for recurrent expenditure because of payment of salaries.

At the end, you only have between 10 to 15 or maximum 20 per cent for capital development; this in itself is a very huge problem, Okowa explained.

He further said there was the need for the nation to find a way to prioritise by looking at the sectors that should be given greater attention.

I think it requires a lot of work and a lot of prioritisation to deal with the sectors that are most important.

All sectors are important but some sectors are definitely more important than others.

So, it requires a genuine analysis of what we are doing at the moment and then have a rethink to be able to take us to where we ought to be, he said.

The governor said that work at the faculties had progressed, adding that it should progress a little faster.

He added that the faculties had been accredited by the National University Commission and that lectures had since started in the campus. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Uchenna Ugwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi chapter has urged citizens across the country to elect credible and good leaders in the 2023 elections.

Mr Ikechukwu Nwafor, the State Chairman of the NLC, made the call at a news conference in Abakaliki on Monday.

Nwafor said that the briefing was part of the activities marking the 2022 Workers Day celebration in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria ((NAN) reports that the NLC in the state shifted the celebration to May 2, instead of May1, as approved by the UN.

The 2023 elections are around the corner and we must not allow ourselves to be used by politicians. We must be careful on whom to support.

Our interest should be more on credible and good leaders that can have workers interest at heart, he said.

The chairman expressed worry over the wellbeing of workers in Ebonyi and the entire country.

According to him, electing good leaders irrespective of tribe and political party would guarantee good welfare for workers.

On good governance, Nwafor decried the way workers had been denied of their welfare and urged the government to focus more on project that could impact positively on citizenry.

I urge the Ebonyi government to reduce focus on non-profitable projects. They should invest more on projects that can promote social services.

We do not want government that will be stealing from the civil servants. We support good governance and that will continue to be our campaign come 2023, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News