By Nefishetu Yakubu

The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) on Friday announced the suspension of the state local government election earlier scheduled for April 19, over a court judgement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the crisis in the party dragged the commission to a Federal High Court in Abuja for not giving the mandatory 90 days notice of election.

The decision to suspend the election is contained in a statement signed by Emmanuel Abebe on behalf of the chairman of the commission, retired Justice James Oyomire, and made available to newsmen in Benin.

The statement reads; It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that due to the content of the publication in the Vanguard Newspaper of 7th April 2022.

By which the Federal High Court Abuja restrained the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting the Local Government Elections in the State scheduled for 19th April 2022,

All processes leading to the conduct of the said elections are hereby suspended, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice, the statement said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patience Omoha

A Non-Governmental Organisation, One Nigeria Group (ONG), has called on Nigerians to eschew ethnic and religious sentiments and vote for a patriotic Nigerian for president during the 2023 general elections.

The President of the group, Alhaji Muhammad Saleh-Hassan, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

Saleh-Hassan urged Nigerians to vote for a president, who should be a pan-Nigerian president, irrespective of which part of the country he or she comes from.

He urged patriotic Nigerians to get their permanent voters cards ready, ahead of the 2023 General Elections, so as to vote for a patriotic, pan-Nigerian president from any zone of the country.

I, therefore, call on all Nigerians, as the 2023 Elections is around the corner, as patriotic Nigerians, go, get your PVCs and vote for a pan-Nigerian president from any zone in the country.

It is important to note that ethnic and religious sentiments are faster killers of our country than corruption.

Today, ethnic sentiments have given birth to IPOB, Boko Haram, bandits and other criminal elements across the country.

In the South-South in particular, these elements engage in economic sabotage, thereby, stealing millions of barrels of crude oil, he said.

The groups president, called on all patriotic Nigerians to join forces with the organisation and rise above hate, ethnic and religious sentiments, adding that Nigerias strength is in its diversity.

Lets all rise in unity against the criminal elements and enemies of Nigeria, who are trying to cripple our economy, divide us and set our country ablaze.

Elections will come in peace without pre or post-election violence and the enemies of our country will bury their heads in shame.

We should learn from the Ukrainian crisis and begin to love our country, defend our country with all our might as we have always pledged, he said.

Saleh-Hassan noted that, over the years, ethnic and religious sentiments and attendant criminality had only culminated in pain and misery upon the country and its citizens.

These have brought nothing to this country but pains and all manner of evil that has produced widows, orphans and out-of-school children.

We have no other country than Nigeria, we must also remember that no country in the entire world will be able to contain 200 million refugees who may seek shelter if the unexpected happens, he warned.

The group also condemned all banditry attacks in the country, and called on security agencies to continue to do their best to bring all criminals and separatists to book.

The statement also quoted Sunday Attah, the groups projectcoordinator as calling on Nigerian artists and musicians to condemn the activities of kidnapping, Boko Haram through their music and work.

They must rise and speak against every activity that would give the country a bad name, the statement added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Augustine Eguavoen, former Super Eagles Technical Adviser/Interim Coach, on Friday in Abuja called for a long-term contract for whoever will be the teams new chief coach.

Eguavoen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) needs to do this to ensure the new coach gets the Super Eagles to fly high again.

I will just say anybody coming in should be given a long-term contract, just like a long-time project, he said on the sidelines of the presentation of Certificates of Occupancy of houses to members of the victorious Super Eagles team which won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tunisia.

Eguavoen said it was going to be difficult to lead the team to success without having a long time to prepare it.

But he noted that the new coach would still have to rely on the present crop of players.

You cant just raise a new team. Its always going to be difficult. Any coach that is coming in now will still work with 90 per cent of these players we have now, the former Super Eagles full-back said.

Eguavoen who apologised for his inability to lead the Super Eagles to qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup said the team he handled was still a good side.

First of all I will like to apologise for our inability to qualify for the World Cup. Its very painful that we didnt qualify and I know how much we love football in this country.

But we didnt lose the game. We only lost the ticket, and the fact that its a World Cup ticket makes it more painful.

He said the fact that lack of time did not allow him to impose his football philosophy on the team was partly responsible for the failure to pick the World Cup ticket.

I think we didnt have enough time. If we had enough time to bring in new players and see them in friendly games and the coach is able to establish his DNA, I think it would have been better. But we need to move on, the coach added.

Eguavoen, who is still the NFF Technical Director said all attention should now be on getting a new coach who would ensure qualification for the 2023 AFCON in Cote dIvoire.

Already, 46 countries including Nigeria have lined up to compete in the group stage of the 2023 AFCON qualifying competition which begins in June.

NAN reports that the NFF Executive Committee had on Tuesday mandated the federations Technical and Development Sub-Committee to within the next five days recommend a new coaching crew for the Super Eagles. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has started the training for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) managers and officers to enhance their capacity.

Speaking at a two-day capacity building workshop in Abuja, Team Lead of the programme, Aishatu Digil said that the purpose of the training was to ensure effective service delivery.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the training were programme managers and officers of school feeding programme across the states.

The school feeding programme is an initiative of the Federal Government to provide one free nutritious meal to pupils from primary one to three in public schools.

Digil further encouraged the participants to participate actively to enable them gain the actual knowledge that was expected of them for better service delivery.

She said that the participants would be looking at the critical aspect of the school feeding programme that they needed to learn more to ensure they further improved their skills.

According to her, the overall programme will be strengthened.

The school feeding programme is such a unique intervention among all government interventions.

It is collaboration the Federal Government provides the funding, set the template and the guideline on how the programme should be implemented and the state government is responsible for the actual implementation.

We want to use this opportunity to get back at the same page with the implementers because it is important as the programme is implemented, it is done according the necessary rules and regulations, she said.

One of the participants, Mr Ifeanyi Onah, School Feeding Programme Manager, Enugu State, while commending the ministry for the initiative said that the capacity building workshop was apt.

Onah said that some materials and equipment were given to the programme managers and officers to aid their coordination in the states.

He said that the tools would help them to do an on the spot reporting of what is happening at the state level.

According to him, this will help the ministry to get feedback on the programme timely and do the necessary coordination for proper decision and further planning.

Another participant, Mr Gidado Abubakar, Team Lead, NHGSFP, Bauchi State, said that the training would enable the stakeholders brainstorm on critical areas of the programme for further improvement.

We are here to look at the challenges, level of implementation and a way forward for a viable programme, he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Nigerias Super Falcons lost 0-2 to their Canadian counterparts on Friday in the first of a two-game encounter between both sides.

The friendly game at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver saw Nigerias goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and later Tochukwu Oluehi, making good saves to limit the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champions.

Falcons did their best to keep the hosts at bay in the first half but, five minutes into the second half,Jessie Fleming broke the deadlock for the Canadians.

In the 72nd minute, Vanessa Gilles doubled the hosts lead with another goal to finish the game with a 20 victory against the nine-time African champions.

Both teams will meet again on Monday. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

Moses Omorogieva

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has urged the governors, as the Chief Security Officers, to take charge of their states, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be in every state to ensure security of lives and property.

Bello, an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, who said that he did not expect the President to secure his state as a governor, added that he had put so much in place to bring crime to almost zero in Kogi.

The Kogi governor, stated this on Friday in Abuja at his Second Annual GYB Seminar for Nigerias Political and Crime Editors and Correspondents, said that the bulk of securing the states was on them as chief executives.

The presidential hopeful said he would not tolerate buck- passing concerning insecurity in Nigeria, when he becomes the President of the nation in 2023.

He promised to ensure that all governors in Nigeria take responsibility for security in their states, stressing that he would hold them responsible for breaches when elected as president of Nigeria in 2023.

Bello, however, assured that states would be empowered to rise to the security challenges.

As a president, I will supervise and ensure that all security agencies carry out their duties as expected. I will punish those not doing well.

The whole world will bow for Nigeria after 365 days as president as security issue will be fixed. However, I am not a governor that will expect the President to secure my state, he said.

Bello insisted that he would not play politics with the security challenges in the country because it was as a result of the failure of various administrations in the past.

He said, I refused to politicise insecurity. Buhari is a man who loves truth and reality. I will let you know that the President loves this country.

This insecurity is not a thing of the President though we shouldnt pass buck because that is why we came on board. It is a successive failure of various administrations.

Let me remind us once again that certain military and police hardware were nonexistent or was last purchased in the administration of former President Shehu Shagari.

Bello pointed out that after the bomb blast incident in Ikeja cantonment in Lagos State in 2001, Nigerians never asked whether the arms and ammunition that detonated and killed some people were ever replaced since then.

After the various decays, the foundation was shaky and the President spent a lot of money to buy equipment. The President will not sit in the Villa and hold AK-47 to come and secure my schools and roads.

Some of these crimes that we see today is more than what we see on the surface. I will never come out here and point out the flaws. Whatever I observe, in terms of loopholes and lapses, it is between myself and the President to let him know.

I will never be that governor who will come out and tell that the President did not secure my schools and roads. That is why as the Chief Security Officer of Kogi, I I brought the rate of crime from the zenith down to the floor and the President is assisting me to succeed in that area, he said.

The governor said that he was sincere about fighting crimes and criminality, stressing that If all states governors would do what they were supposed to do, the Presidents job would have been made easy.

But if I become the President, I will ensure that every chief executive of the various federating units sit up and do their jobs. I will not tolerate any lackadaisical attitude or passing of buck to the center. I will ensure that various federating units are strengthened.

Majority of some of these crimes are politically motivated, especially the recent ones we are witnessing. However, the issue of security can never be brought out to the public so you will not expose your country to danger, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has urged participants of Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) to develop ideas and Knowledge-based solutions that could help in surmounting the nations security challenges.

Yahaya made the call during the inauguration of AWCN Course 6/2022 on Friday in Abuja.

He said the war course was a critical learning curve in military career, adding that the knowledge acquired on the course would determine how well the officers could contribute to the ongoing and future operations.

You must therefore learn to think out of the box not forgetting that contemporary security challenges of the 21st century submit only to knowledge based and specialized efforts.

Hence seize this opportunity to hone your skills accordingly and endeavour to be creative with novel ideas on how best to surmount our challenges.

This is indeed my expectation of you all and that of your Services, Ministries, Agencies and Departments, he said.

The Army chief commended the resilience, dedication, commitment and doggedness of the troops deployed in various trouble spots across the country, adding that the sacrifices of the troops had continued to yields successes.

These successes, according to him, are results of the renewed focus and determination of the armed forces to operate jointly in restoring peace and ensuring security of lives and property in Nigeria.

Yahaya commended the college for its capacity as the premier institution of learning in the Nigerian army and fast becoming a destination of choice for armed forces of several countries in Africa and beyond.

He said that AWCN had since inception in 2017, successfully played its primary role of grooming operational level military officers and a select few from relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies in Nigeria for the onerous task of conflict management and defence.

According to him, the college has shown a defining character in its training and research activities as seen in the sterling performances of its alumni.

The former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Gen. Alexander Ogomudia, in his lecture titled, Military Leadership in a Joint Environment, said that military leadership entailed commanding, motivating and directing others to accomplish desired goals.

Ogomudia said that military leadership was an act that could be learnt in the same way as other endeavours while outlining attributes of a military leader.

He also said that operational commanders must know their men and look out for their welfare as well as ensuring that their task was clearly understood.

Train your men as a team because you must prepare for the battle as well make sound and timely decisions, have a sense of responsibility and employ command capabilities to achieve responsibility.

Successful military leaders must possess enduring personal competence and courage to achieve the responsibility in a complex operational environment, he said.

Ogomudia also urged strategic military leaders to discourage rivalry and jealousy among the various components of the joint operations so as to achieve the desired goals.

The Commandant, Army War College Nigeria, Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, said the college was established to bridge the knowledge gap between the tactical and strategic levels of leadership in the Nigerian army.

Alabi said the current security environment in the country gave impetus for the need to train professional level leaders to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the operational needs of the military.

He said the college had successfully conducted five war courses since inception, adding that the course 6/2022 was designed to equip participants with the requisite ability to provide answers to problems at operational level.

According to him, participants must know that the task before them on the course is enormous and the stakes are high.

I encourage you to exert yourselves cognitively and think outside the box to add value to the solutions being sought to the many problems which we have been confronted with at operational level, he said.

Alabi said his vision for the college was to institutionalise the college as a centre of excellence through enhancement of robust academic programmes, partnership and collaboration, infrastructure and staff welfare.

He assured that the college under his command would ensure effective delivery of course content, attainment of full structural and academic capacity and contribution to army operational capacity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AWCN Course 6/2022 has 73 participants comprising of 58 army officers, two officers each from the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, five from four allied countries of Gambia, Liberia, Congo Brazzaville and Rwanda.

There are also six participants, one each from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Angela Atabo/Lizzy Okoji

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Friday called on media practitioners to set the agenda ahead of 2023 General Elections and continue to put politicians on their toes forgood leadership.

Bello made the call at the Second Annual GYB Seminar for Nigerias Political and Crime Correspondents in Abuja.

He said that the category of media practitioners were chosen to engage in the awareness campaign because nomeaningful development would be made without partnering with the media.

The governor said that the nation was in a very critical period because she was at the threshold of either getting on the right trackorreturningback to where she was in the past.

He said that this was what necessitated the seminar to continue to educate, sensitise and evaluate the electoral environmental situation and give proper reportage.

No government or country can succeed without the media, however good the government may be, if the media does not carry out fair and just reportage we wont make any headway.

All we are asking is to ensure that we have a society that is free of crimes, criminality, and it isgood for all Nigerians.

So, continue to put us on our toes at all times but be fair in your reportage , we are in political season, a transition system and we crave for good leadership.

How you set the narrative, how you set the agenda will depend on the kind of leadership you will get at the end of the day.

I know surely that myself and several others may have thrown our hats in the ring.

So, weneed you to be fair to each and every one of us ,and to Nigerians to be able to select those who will lead the country after Muhammadu Buhari for another four to eight years and beyond, he said.

Bello urged the media to report situations with wisdom and not be sensational, adding that although Nigeria was faced with some challenges, there were other countries that werefacing even more challenges.

He also urged the media to curb fake news and misinformation to stall harm .

So please, I crave your indulgence, let us continue to be patriotic, Nigeriais the only country we have with good leadership , Nigeria will be the best country .

However, you are the ones who is going to set the tone and the agenda for us to have that kind of leadership becauseyou are a critical stakeholder.

We need you to partner with us in this journey ahead in order that we have the kind of leadership we deserve, he said

The Commissioner for Information, Kogi , Kingsley Fanwo, in his remarks said that Bello pledged to make the event an annual one to equip media practitioners with requisite skillsfor national development .

Fanwo said that this years edition was aimed at setting the agenda for the 2023 Elections, adding that it was the responsibility of the Nigerian media to do that ahead of the elections.

This is in terms of whatwill bethe talking points as we approach 2023, what are the issues that are challenging our nationhood ,what are the demons we need to defeat for Nigeria to remain one even after the elections?

These and others, shall be discussed extensively during the course of the seminar, he said

The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),Mr Chris Isiguzo, commended Bello for the initiative, adding that the annual GYB seminar for the nations politics and crime reporters and editors was apt.

As we match into the 2023 Elections, two issues will occupy the frontline, politics and insecurity that is why it becomes highly imperative to gather this crop of professionals to build their capacity.

This is because the kind of language and reports put together will substantially shape the discussions we have as we move towards 2023 .

With this, you are eliminatingpoison for Nigerias political landscape by bringing all of us together for this two days seminar .

Also speaking, Mallam Mustapha Isa, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, thanked Bello for sustaining the seminar.

Isa said that Bellos choice of the seminar Setting Agenda for 2023 given the challenge the country was facing.

He said that Bellos achievement had shown that he had what to offer, adding that it is a season of promises ,so if you are a sitting politician and you what to rule, you have to show how you have done in your present capacity.

So, instead of coming to promise us, we want Nigerians to know your precedents and what to offer ,and if you cannot answer these questions ,you will lose the opportunity, he said (NAN)(nannews.ng)

ATAB/LIZ/IAA

Source: NAN News

By Angela Atabo /Lizzy Okoji
Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says he will nominate the first female vice president if emerged the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023 General Elections.

Bello, who said this at the Second Annual GYB Seminar for Nigerias Political and Crime Correspondents in Abuja, said he would give consideration to women if given approval to choose his running mate.

The governor said that he was committed to running an inclusive government carrying women, youths and Persons With Disabilities along as he did in Kogi, ensuring that no one was left behind.

If given the opportunity, if my political party will give me the opportunity and free hand to choose who will run with me, come 2023, surely I will not leave the constituency of my mother, which is women.

I assure you that if ever I will be given that opportunity, I will wish to have the first female vice president from 2023, he said

Bello said that his administration, if given the mandate to lead Nigeria, would focus on empowerment and capacity building to foster the smooth running of the Nigerian economy.

He said that his administration as governor of Kogi raised 2,000 millionaires, stressing that if elected president, he would lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

In my presidential declaration speech, I promised that I would build on what Mr President promised of ensuring that nothing less than 100 million Nigerians are pulled out of poverty by the year 2030.

The question will be, what have you done in Kogi State, how many millionaires have you made?

I will tell you that within the limit of our resources, coupled with various challenges and demands on our resources we have been able to make nothing less than 2,000 millionaires in Kogi State, within this short period.

Our government created an enabling environment that if you have N1 million you should be able to turn it around and multiply it.

He said that his achievement so far would make him win the partys ticket irrespective of the method adopted by the party to select the candidate.

According to him, his party will still produce the next president of Nigeria, APC is very strategic.

Forget about zoning or no zoning; it is about who is a leader and will put the party together.

The party knows the body language of the nation. APC knows the clamour for a young President who will build on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The party knows who will turn the fortunes of this country around.

If consensus is going to be the option, so be it. Whether its direct or indirect primary, Yahaya Bello is the man to beat.

We must jettison sentiments, it is time to bridge the religious gap and cement the relationship, he said.

Bello said that he was the man that would champion a new Nigeria where sentiments would no longer matter.

We want to make sure that the language you speak, your religion and where you come from does not matter again in our presidency, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwafunke Ishola

Action Health Incorporated (AHI), through its Girls Voices programme, has trained 1,200 in-school adolescent girls on equality issues, girls rights and adolescent health and wellbeing in Lagos.

Co-Founder of AHI, Uwemedimo Esiet, disclosed this during the closing of leadership and mentoring sessions with students of Wesley Girls Junior Secondary School, on Friday in Lagos.

Esiet noted that AHI, with the support of CUMMINS, had assisted in training girl-leaders to advance their advocacy through activities that would improve equity and equality issues, girls rights, adolescent health and wellbeing of Lagos girls.

He said that the girl-leaders had led a mentoring and leadership forum for eight weeks for students in Wesley Girls Junior Secondary School.

According to him, the forum serves as a platform to influence the girls on life skills and social networks as well as menstrual hygiene management.

Esiet noted that the skills acquired had enhanced the girls self-awareness, negotiation, goal-setting, decision-making and leadership capacity.

Some of the girls are eager to start implementing what they had learnt. Some even want to create girls clubs in their churches, mosques and schools.

The platform has exposed the capacity of the girls to become leaders and change agents in their respective communities, he said.

According to him, positive outcomes have been achieved from the projects, assuring that the influence of the girls on their peers will lead to a transformed society.

Also, Principal of the school, Mrs Olaitan Fasuyi, commended AHI and CUMMINS for the support given to the students.

Fasuyi expressed optimism that the students would begin to manifest the skills they had acquired for the transformation of the society. (NAN)

Source: NAN News