By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has originated a phone call across to his Turkish counterpart, Tecep Tayyep Erdoan where the two leaders had fruitful discussions.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Shehu quoted the president as expressing satisfaction with existing bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Nigerian leader called for greater Turkish participation in the economy and the humanitarian efforts in the Northeast.

The president used the occasion to extend a sincere message of goodwill and felicitation on the important occasion of Eid-el-Fitr to President Erdoan and the people of Turkey.

He also expressed gratitude to Allah for sparing our lives and granting us the ability to perform the important obligations of the month of Ramadan.

According to the presidential aide, the two leaders expressed their earnest desire for peace and stability to reign in the world, and for an end to all ongoing conflicts as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday depart Abuja for Paris, France, on a four-day official visit to attend the African Finance Summit.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

According to him, the summit will focus on reviewing African economy following shocks from Coronavirus pandemic, and getting relief, especially from increased debt burden on countries.

He added that the summit, to be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, would draw major stakeholders in the global finance institutions and some Heads of Government, who will, collectively, discuss external funding and debt treatment for Africa, and private sector reforms.

He said, during the visit, President Buhari would meet with the French President to discuss growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, political relations and economic ties.

Shehu revealed that the two leaders would also deliberate on climate change and partnership in buoying the health sector, particularly in checking spread of COVID-19, with more research and vaccines.

Before returning to Nigeria, President Buhari will receive some key players in the oil and gas sector, engineering and telecommunications, European Council and European Union Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and Commission, and members of the Nigerian community, he said.

He stated that the president would be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, and Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire.

Other on the trip, according to him, are: National Security Adviser, retired Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno and Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufai. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

In a congratulatory message by his Spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday, Buhari commended the royal fathers unwavering dedication to Nigerias unity and development.

The president saluted the Igwe for devoting so much of his time, resources and influence to champion access to quality education as a necessity for national development.

He thanked him for setting a worthy example to the traditional institution on dignity and honour in public office, respect for diversity, and dedication to the culture of peace and bridge building.

Buhari, therefore, joined family, friends, well-wishers and beneficiaries of Igwe Achebes leadership and philanthropic gestures in praying that almighty God grants the celebrant more years of health and happiness. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhammad Nasir

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has urged youths not to allow the current challenges in the country to deter them from realising their ambitions.

Tambuwal said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Malam Muhammad Bello, on Saturday.

The governor made the appeal in Sokoto when he hosted various youths organisations in the state to a lunch event in commemoration of the Eid-el-Fitr festival.

He urged the youths to work hard in whatever they chose as career in order to succeed, adding that theyshould hope and act as if the future is now.

Tambuwal noted that the youths have a lot to contribute in building the state and nation, as such should not be deterred by difficulties and challenges.

We deliberately chose as our slogan; The Future Is Now when we wanted to run for the Presidency in the year 2019.

As such, I appeal to all of you to make up your minds on what you want as individuals and sustain your vision on the realisation of that, going forward, he said.

Tambuwal also encouraged the youths to participate actively in politics and governance, noting that he joined politics in his late twenties.

The governor while outlining the trajectory of his personal experience in politics, encouraged the youths to give a shot at politics, saying with God on your side, nothing will be impossible.

Our administration believe in the youths and that is why we are investing in education, healthcare and human capital development.

This is why we have spent more than any previous government around here on students scholarship despite the economic challenges we are facing, he added

He also said the challenges Nigeria is facing today are very enormous and needed people with zest, and divine interventions to be overcome.

The governor noted that the state wage bill has risen from between N1.4 billion and N1.5 billion to N2.7 billon, excluding allowances and cash allocations.

Sokoto state is not like Lagos or Rivers where the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is robust. We dont have such high IGR. Hardly do we rake in N700-N800 million in a month.

Moreover, most of these is not coming from the business community.

But now, with the reform, and working in concert with the people, we are striving to turn around the internal revenue service with the hope that there will be a rise in our IGR, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken with U.S. President Joe Biden about the Gaza conflict.

The head of the Israeli government announced on Twitter on Saturday that he had informed Biden on the phone about developments and measures that Israel had taken and still wanted to take.

He also thanked the U.S. president for Washingtons unconditional support when it comes to Israels right to self-defence.

The conversation between Netanyahu and Biden was the second official one since the beginning of the conflict.

Meanwhile, Biden has briefed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Washingtons diplomatic engagement in the ongoing conflict, the White House said in a statement.

Biden also stressed that the Islamist Hamas movement must stop firing rockets at Israel.

Biden and Abbas expressed concern over the deaths of innocent civilians.

The U.S. president stressed his commitment to a negotiated two-state solution.

According to him, it is the best way to achieve a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Spotify founder Daniel Ek has revealed he has had a bid to buy Arsenal rejected, which included elements of fan ownership and representation on the board.

The Swedish billionaire, a boyhood Arsenal fan, tweeted his interest in purchasing the north London outfit last month during protests against club owners.

The protests had followed the clubs involvement in the European Super League (ESL) project.

Arsenal were one of six English Premier League (EPL) clubs to sign up for a breakaway European competition last month before quickly withdrawing from the process less than 48 hours later.

Thousands of fans protested outside the Emirates Stadium before their 1-0 defeat to Everton on April 23 when Ek registered interest in buying the Gunners.

Kroenke, who owns the club through his Kroenke Sports and Entertainment business, has stressed that he has no interest in selling.

But Ek moved forward with his plans and has the backing of former Arsenal players Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry in a potential take-over.

The 38-year-old has said he has made an offer to the Kroenkes over buying Arsenal, which son and director Josh is believed to have turned down.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Ek said: Inaccurate reports emerged today saying I have not made a bid for Arsenal Football Club.

I think its important to correct the record this week an offer was made to both Josh Kroenke and their bankers that included fan ownership, representation at the board and a golden share for the supporters.

They said that they dont need the money. I respect their decision but remain interested and available should that situation ever change. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Saturday reiterated the states commitment to enforce the ban on open grazing of cattle in Abia.

Ikpeazu said this during a zoom meeting with newsmen of Abia extraction under the aegis of Abia Media Forum.

The governor said that a bill was already in place to enforce the ban and to check the activities of criminal elements disguising as nomads.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nigerian governors from the Southern part of the country recently resolved to ban open grazing of cattle in their states.

This was part of the 12 resolutions reached by the governors at their Tuesday meeting in Asaba, Delta state capital.

The governors had said that open grazing of cattle had often caused conflicts between host communities and migrant herders, leading to several deaths and murder in many states.

They also accused some of the herders of committing other criminal acts, including armed robbery, kidnapping and rape.

Ikpeazu said We are now at the point of making sure that we enforce and implement it and even in doing that I must also share what I see as a challenge to the enforcement of that law.

The law is in place and we are taking steps to enforce it.

It has become imperative that we enforce that law strictly because we just noticed that we have big time trouble in our hands.

We have those that we refer to as criminal herdsmen; they are different from the ordinary herdsmen that we have been living with all these years.

We now have in our mist bandits that have infiltrated from the rest of West Africa and other parts of Africa and their assignment is to come here rape, kill and kidnap people for money.

It is now very imperative that we enforce that law, he added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ayinde Olaide

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his wife, Hajiya Aisha, on Saturday, received their second jabs of Astrazeneca vaccine of COVID-19.

Speaking after receiving the jab, Mohammed appreciated the states development partners, the health workers as well as the religious and traditional leaders for the success of the vaccination exercise

According to him, through the collaborative efforts, the state had achieved 97.9 per cent coverage of the vaccination.

The governor called for synergy between the federal and state governments to procure more vaccines for the total coverage of the citizenry.

The governor appealed to some religious faithful, who allegedly refused to participate in the vaccination against COVID-19, to embrace the exercise.

He said that he was surprised to hear that leaders of certain religion refused to present themselves for the vaccination.

Please, we are not expecting this from them because they are the most enlightened among our population.

If they are not presenting themselves, the followers will also not present themselves.

We dont want any exclusion, everyone is very dear to me.

So, I must make sure that they are well secured and protected, the governor said.

Earlier, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), remarked that some pregnant women were among those who allegedly refuse to take the vaccine jabs.

Mohammed noted that a large number of Bauchi residents were responding positively to the vaccine.

He explained that the state recorded 97.9 per cent vaccination coverage during the first vaccination exercise.

The chairman added that the state had received 55,000 vaccines from the Federal Government for the second COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

We have 97.9 per cent coverage and we have about 55,000 doses of vaccines in our hand today.

However, we are only going to give this vaccination to those that had the first dose.

If you didnt take the first dose, you are excluded from the second dose, Mohammed said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday called on religious leaders to unite in fight against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, in a statement in Abuja said Buhari made the call during telephone conversation with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III.

The Sultan originated the call to felicitate with the President on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast and the observance of the Eid prayers.

The president called for continuous dialogue between the leaders of the two major faiths for peace and stability to reign in the country.

He commended the Sultan for his effective leadership of the Muslim Ummah and credited him with the unity of the community sustained under his watch.

On his part, the Sultan pledged his commitment to the continued existence of the country as one geo-political entity.

He assured the president of the support of the Sultanate in the ongoing efforts to tackle challenges facing the nation. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Uchenna Eletuo

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared a three-day prayer for the peace and unity of the country in the face of mounting insecurity.

The General Secretary of CAN, Mr Daramola Bade-Joseph, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Bade-Joseph said that the event which would hold from May 28, until May 30, had become necessary following the spate of insecurity in parts of the country.

He said that the prevailing circumstance had made it imperative to seek Gods intervention to restore peace and progress in Nigeria.

According to him, all participating denominations are expected to gather in the evenings of each of the days set aside for the prayers.

He appealed to CAN members to pray God to give the political leaders in the country the wisdom to do justice and show fairness to all manner of persons irrespective of ethnic group, creed and religion.

We should also pray that the law enforcement officers rise to their responsibilities by providing the necessary security we need in Nigeria, Bade-Joseph said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News