Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, has endorsed the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the 2019 Presidential election.

The group announced the endorsement through its spokesperson, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, after a meeting of delegates and elders from the six Southwest states held on Thursday at the House of Chiefs, Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group, which was led by Pa Ayo Fasanmi, included former governor of Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Dr Abayomi Finnih, Chief Adeleke Adewoyin and Prince Biodun Ogunleye.

The meeting, which lasted four hours, resolved that any other group not with the Yorubas on the decision and choice were usurpers as well as renegades.

The group noted that Afenifere, as started by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, was known for being progressive.

“We have decided to host the whole Yorubaland in Ibadan on January 29, 2019. It is to proclaim the support of the Yorubaland for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“It is also to tell the whole world that Afenifere created by Baba Awolowo before his death is still intact as a progressive movement and any Afenifere person who is not in the progressive is not part of us.

“We are now telling the Yoruba people and the whole world that we are going to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo come 2019 Presidential election,” the group said.

It said they were supporting Buhari inspite of the economic challenges which was a collective issue, adding that the economy, which had been bastardized for years, is growing under Buhari.

The group affirmed that Buhari was trying his best, saying the economy and GDP is growing.

According to the group, “look at the programmes for the youths and the children through empowerment and school feeding programmes in schools across the country.

“26 states are already in the programme and many other states are happy with it.
So, Buhari is trying his best and the best is yet to come, that is why we are asking people to vote for him, particularly in Yoruba land come 2019 Presidential election.”

It described the factional group which threw its weight behind another presidential candidate as usurpers, adding that the Afenifere they know in Yorubaland is a progressive movement.

The group said that the factional Afenifere group, led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo, which threw its weight behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was not part of them, but usurpers.

“Yoruba is not divided, there are not so many Afeniferes. Yoruba is a nation and even during the time of Baba Awolowo, there were dissent voices, so we are not embarrassed.

“Our group is led by the longest living senator in Nigeria, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, and you can see everybody there including Sen. Biyi Durojaiye, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, Baba Olusi and many others in Yorubaland who are not renegades with us.

“There was no time Afenifere has not been a socio-political organization. It is a socio-cultural and political organization and that is just the full name of Afenifere.

“Let me again say that the owner of the mandate of the Yoruba people is APC. The six governors of Yorubaland are APC, all houses of Assembly in Yorubaland are APC, so we have six speakers of houses of assemblies, so you can imagine.

“Those who claim to be in the other group of Afenifere, none of them have ever contested an election. The fact is there for all to see. So, they don’t have any mandate.

“It is our Afenifere that we are talking here that has the mandate of the Yoruba people and you will see them here on the day.

“By January 29, they will all be here including the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to declare support for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election,” the group added.

Afenifere decried the jeering of Buhari by lawmakers during Wednesday’s budget presentation, saluting Buhari for not being deterred and concluding his presentation.

Among others who attended were a former Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Pa Ayo Afolabi, Mr Oladosu Oladipo, Mr Muyiwa Ige, Prof. Adebanjo Ademodi, Mr Tokunbo Ajasin and Mr Awa Bamiji.

NAN reports that Oyo State Government was represented by Dr Morounkola Thomas, the Executive Assistant on Political Matters to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.

By Cecilia Ijuo

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill(PIGB) and other bills critical to national development.

Saraki said this in his opening remarks at the 2019 budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari, the speech was however not delivered at the ceremony, but was made available to newsmen.

He noted that in response to the economic recession, the National Assembly passed a number of bills to assist the executive mobilise investment into the country to stimulate economic activities.

He said the PIGB alongside National Transport Commission Bill and Federal Road Authority Bill, had not been signed into law, contrary to the expectations of many.

Let me make it clear that the National Assembly appreciates Your Excellencys assent to some of these bills.

We recognise the prerogative of the president to sign or not to sign these bills.

However, we believe that some of the issues cited for withholding assent may be better addressed through further technical engagements, since the bills are, in the main, aligned to government policy direction, he said.

Saraki said unless the countrys laws were improved upon to create the right structures that enable the private sector to power the economy, job creation and opportunity to thrive and prosper would be difficult.

I must commend the President for the Social Investment Programme initiative.

However, as laudable as this initiative has been, it is pertinent to note that the current approach is unlikely to have a sustainable, measurable impact that is free of corruption and abuse.

You will agree with me that such a programme should carry no whiff of politicisation. Our role as leaders must always be to ensure that we deliver governance results that do not discriminate.

We should also ensure that all Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political stride have access and are seen to be treated equally, he said.

Saraki expressed the National Assemblys readiness to work with Buhari on the peoples-oriented programmes of the administration to ensure success.

He assured the President that the assembly would continue to work with him and his team to ensure that whatever was required through legislation and oversight to plug revenue leakages and ramp up revenues was given priority.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari on Wednesday unveiled a budget of N8.83 trillion for 2019.

The budget is N300 billion lower than the N9.1 billion being implemented in the current fiscal year.

The sum of N4.04 trillion or 50.31 per cent is earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N2.03 trillion representing 22.98 per cent is for capital projects.

Other estimates are N492.36 billion for Statutory Transfers, N2.14 trillion for Debt Servicing and N120 billion as Sinking Fund.

The budget is based on an oil production estimate of 2.3 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N305 per dollar.

Other benchmarks are Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 3.01 per cent and inflation rate of 9.98 per cent.

The total projected revenue is N6.97 trillion, which is three per cent lower than the 2018 estimate of N7.17 trillion.

The expected incomes consist of oil revenue projected at N3.73 trillion, and non-oil revenue estimated at N1.39 trillion.

Meanwhile, estimate from non-oil revenue consists of N799.52 billion from company income tax; N229.34 billion from value added tax, and customs duties of N302.5 billion.

Other revenues expected in 2019 include various recoveries of N203.38 billion; N710 billion as proceeds from the restructuring of government equity in joint ventures, and other sundry incomes of N104.1 billion.

The N8.83 trillion proposed expenditure for 2019 includes grants and donor funds amounting to N209.92 billion.

The budget deficit is projected to decrease to N1.86 trillion or 1.3 per cent of the GDP in 2019 from N1.95 trillion projected for 2018.

On sectoral allocation, the Ministry of Interior would get N569.07billion, Defence-N435.62 billion, Education-N462.24 billion and Health, N315.62 billion.

Source: NAN

The Congolese aviation firm Gomair said its cargo plane which went missing on Thursday after delivering materials for an upcoming presidential election had crashed.

Gomairs financial director, Jean de Dieu Gato Karekezi, said he did not yet have any information about casualties.

The firm lost contact the plane on Thursday evening as it was flying back to Kinshasa after delivering materials to Tshikapa, a city near the border with Angola.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board. Air accidents are relatively frequent in Congo due to lax safety standards.

Karekezi said the plane had been rented by the national electoral commission (CENI) to deliver election materials.

A CENI spokeswoman said the agent who had taken the flight to Tshikapa had stayed there, but she did not provide any further information.

The incident follows a tumultuous week in Democratic Republic of Congo, which has seen the long-anticipated election postponed for a week due to logistical issues, clashes between protesters and police, and the deaths of over 100 people in fights between ethnic groups in the northwest.

Source: NAN

Deji Adeyanju has been remanded in prison custody until 6th February 2019 by the Chief Magistrates Court in Kano.

The court on Friday took the plea of Adeyanju who is charged with complicity in series of murders since 2000s.

The court said that it lacked jurisdiction to hear murder charges against Adeyanju who had been arrested since Dec. 13.

Adeyanju stood trial on similar charges between 2005 and 2009 but was discharged and acquitted by the Kano State High Court.

Adeyanju was arrested and detained for five days in Abuja before he was moved to Kano.

Chief Magistrates Hassan Fagge had on December 19, ordered his remand and scheduled today for bail hearing.

But when the court opened at about 9:42 a.m. Friday, Mr Fagge said he had determined that he lacked the power to hear the homicide charges brought against Mr Adeyanju by the police.

Adeyanju was moved to Kano Central Prison.

The position of the court has hit the social media, especially the twitter.

BREAKING: The Chief magistrate in charge of Dejis case declines Jurisdiction. The case has been adjourned to 6th February for further mention. will spend his Christmas and New year in Prison.

This phase too shall pass.

Th Deji Adeyanju (@Shalomttheo)

Source: NAN

A combined global audience of 1.12 billion watched the World Cup final between France and Croatia in July, FIFA, the governing body of world football, said on Friday.

In total, FIFA said, a combined 3.572 billion viewers more than half of the global population aged four and over tuned in to world footballs ultimate competition for at least a minute, over the course of the World Cups from June 14 to July 15.

A survey it had commissioned by FIFA found that 3.04 billion viewers caught at least three minutes, a 10.9 per cent increase on Brazil 2014, and 2.49 billion watched at least 30 minutes, or one third of one match, up on 2014s 1.95 billion.

FIFA calculated that the average live audience for each of the 64 matches was 191 million.

The survey estimated that 9.5 per cent of that audience, or 309.7 million people, watched no coverage at home but caught the action on digital platforms, in public viewing areas or in bars and restaurants.

That proportion was higher for the final between France and Croatia. FIFA said 884.37 million viewers tuning in to traditional TV coverage and a further 231.82 million watching outside the home or digitally.

According to FIFA, Publicis Media Sport

Two persons have been intercepted carrying $2.8million cash at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

The men were arrested by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu Zone.

The suspects, identified as Ighoh Augustine and Ezekwe Emmanuel, claimed to be workers of Bankers Warehouse.

The EFCC said the two men concealed the cash in two suitcases, containing $1.4 million each.

According to a statement by the commission, they were arrested at the departure lounge of the airport on Thursday night while about to board an Arik Air flight to Lagos.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they have been in the business of conveying cash for some notable banks, for over six years and were in the process of doing same for Union Bank Plc, located at New Market, Onitsha, Anambra State, when they were caught.

The suspects further confessed that they had so far carried out such assignments, four times this year.

They will be charged to court soon, EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade said.

Source: NAN

Counting their blessings as the year comes to an end, Nigerian rice farmers have confessed that they have been transformed from poverty to wealth.

The farmers attributed their fortunes to the Anchor Borrowing Programme which made many of them to improve on their inputs especially fertilizers, seedlings, and water pumps.

The owed their successes to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which introduced the programme through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, commended the administration for introducing the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which was inaugurated on Nov. 17, 2015, in Kebbi state.

“Mr President, with the Anchor Borrowing Programme many farmers have improved their inputs especially fertilizers, seedlings, water pumps etc.

“Farmers are benefitting from your administration because rice farmers have transmitted from poverty to wealth,’’ he said at a Gala Night organised by Rice Farmers in honour of beneficiaries of the Anchor Borrowers Programme at the old Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.

To this end, Goronyo, announced that the 12.2 million rice farmers had pledged their support for the re-election of President Buhari.

According to him, the farmers have contributed N100 each, amounting to N1.22billion, to promote and boost the Buhari/Osinbajo campaigns for the 2019 presidential election.

Goronyo urged the president to thank the Kebbi State governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu; the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, for their support to the farmers.

The President of the Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Mr Thomas Etuh, who also spoke at the event, lauded President Buhari for his efforts in the revitalization of the nation’s fertilizer sector.

He announced the contribution of the association amounting to N570million towards ensuring the re-election of the president in 2019 general elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari had also directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to commence the restocking of all its Strategic Grains Reserves nationwide

He said the directive had become imperative following the completion of a comprehensive survey on damages done to farmers and fishing communities in the riverine areas as a result of flood disaster.

He said the report indicated that over 160,000 farmers and additional 70,000 fishermen were affected by the disaster.

“For about three months the National Food Security Council working with the National Emergency Management Agency conducted comprehensive survey of the farmers, fishermen and livestock owners affected by the flood disaster,’’ he said.

President Buhari, who was honoured at the event with an award of excellence for his administration’s favorable policy that had impacted positively on the country’s agricultural sector, pledged that all the affected persons would be compensated to cushion their hardship.

He thanked the organisers of the event, and assured that the federal government would continue to implement policies and programmes meant to uplift the standard of living of the Nigerian farmers as well as boost food sufficiency in the country.

Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the essence of the award given to the President Buhari by the rice farmers.

He congratulated the president for the award, and assured that Nigeria would soon commence the exportation of rice to boost the nation’s revenue base.

The CBN governor, Emefiele, in his contribution, said the Anchor Borrowers Programme had remained the most successful agricultural programme in Africa.

According to him, many African countries are now under studying the programme with a view to replicating the success in their countries.

“The program is changing the narrative of agricultural investments in Nigeria.

“It has brought the era of food security and sustenance leading to a cut in forex being used for importation of rice and other food items into the country,’’ he said.

He stated the programme had received support from stakeholders across the country including state governors.

The CBN governor revealed that the bank was also in partnership with other commodity associations who were working to reduce importation bills and to create jobs.

Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the essence of the award to President Buhari.

In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, noted that Nigeria had remained the world largest producers of maize, cassava, yam and other staple foods due to the progressive agricultural policies and programme of the Buhari administration.

He stressed that the fortunes of farmers across the country had improved, adding that the farmers had told him that they would `reward’ the President in 2015.

Source: NAN

The incidence of Bank Verification Number theft is now very rampant in our society. And something that is meant to help check identity fraud has turned to a potent instrument that ‘agents of the underworld’ could use to clear out the funds in an individual’s account. Time and again, we have heard reports of how people end up losing the money in their account right after losing possession of their mobile phones. Long before now, the loss of a mobile phone may not be something to fret about but now [with one’s BVNvbound number in the misplaced phone], there’s a lot to be concerned about. You surely cannot afford to keep calm if your phone’s apps are not locked prior to losing your device.

Notwithstanding, I feel there’s got to be well-thought plan to help ‘undiscerning’ individuals better secure their BVN, and that goes beyond just advising them to desist from disclosing the code to a third party. This is particularly necessary bearing in mind that the miscreants who specialize in stealing people’s phones usually catch them unawares.

Preventing BVN theft
In preventing BVN theft, the first line of action is to keep secret things ‘secret’; do not disclose it to a third party; keep your BVN-bound SIM safe from any suspicious individual and avoid writing or storing your BVN on a sheet of paper. But having done all these, you may still fall victim upon losing your phone, and this is why I feel the following steps need to be taken:

Creating a password for checking BVN
Dialling 5650# and having your BVN displayed on the screen of your smartphone is quite ‘loose’ and/or insecure in my own perspective. It makes things rather too easy for the BVN thieves who eventually enlist the help of some devious bankers to make available other relevant information about a customer’s account. It is to this end that I believe having to input one’s password before being able to access the Bank Verification Number can help in a great way to stop fraudulent individuals from having possession of one’s BVN. This is a very simple solution that the regulators need to bring into effect without delay.

Deactivating your phone number
Another way of securing your BVN as well as other information is to deactivate your phone number by contacting your mobile service provider as quick as you can after you must have lost it. This must be done on time considering the fact that it takes the fraudsters nothing – after getting hold of your device to extract your details.

Secure your apps
You can give the thieves some hard time gaining hold of your password by setting a password on your apps. With this, they will not be able to easily dial the code that would reveal the BVN. You can also find apps like AppLock, Privacy Knight, Lockit etc. really useful in this regard. It however needs to be said that this should not always be seen as a fool-proof solution as these crooked guys could find a way to bypass the system.

Contact your bank
The primary reason why you are securing BVN is to prevent the loss of your hard-earned cash. So, it is expedient that you inform your bank about the loss of your BVN-bound number/SIM as soon as possible. Contacting them will ensure that whatever transactions initiated are well monitored and this could subsequently lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. Again, this would prevent the 'ravenous wolves' from carting away your fund.
In concluding, I will like to stress the need for regulators to see to the very first step – about enabling the use of password to check BVN.

This, I believe, is the ultimate solution to prevent BVN theft but before the implementation of such, you can consider the other points and ensure that you do not fall into the web of the purloiner of BVN.

The Nigerian Air Force has announced the death of the former chief of defence staff, Air Chief Marshal, Alex Badeh (retd.).

He was 61 years old.

According to the Air Force Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Adamawa-born Badeh died today from gun wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked by gunmen on Abuja-Keffi Road. He was said to be returning from his farm.

Daramola broke the news on Twitter:

It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully announce the unfortunate demise of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who died today, 18 Dec 18, from gunshot wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi Road

— Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola (@KunleDaramola3) December 18, 2018

It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully announce the unfortunate demise of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who died today, 18 Dec 18, from gunshot wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi Road

— Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola (@KunleDaramola3) December 18, 2018

Alex Sabundu Badeh was born 10 January, 1957 in Vimtim, Mubi LGA of Adamawa state.

He was educated at Vimtim Primary School and Villanova Secondary School.

He obtained his secondary school certificate in 1976 and gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1977 as a member of the 21 Regular Course.

He was commissioned Pilot Officer on 3 July 1979 and commenced his flying career at the 301 Flying Training School on the Bulldog Primary Trainer aircraft in 1979.

Between 1981 and 1982 he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in the United States Air Force. He was at the 301 Flying Training School (FTS) as a squadron pilot and later became an instructor pilot on the Bull Dog and DO-228 aircraft.

He rose through the ranks and became Air Vice Marshal in 2008.

He became the 18th Chief of Air Staff in October 2012 and was appointed Chief of Defence Staff in January 2014.

He held the post till July 13, 2015, when he was retired by the Buhari administration.

Since then, he had faced a court trial for alleged theft of defence funds during his tenure.

The House of Representatives has resolved to admit President Muhammadu Buhari on the floor of the green chambers to present the 2019 Appropriation Bill just as Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) reports that ongoing strike by workers could not stop the ceremony.

President Muhammadu Buhari had intimated the National Assembly of his desire to present the budget on Wednesday.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by the Leader of the house, Gbajabiamila, at the plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuf Lassun on Tuesday.

Moving the motion earlier, Gbajabiamila urged the house to support the motion to enable the president to perform his constitutional functions.

When the motion was put to a voice vote, while some members in the house were in support, others shouted against the motion.

The deputy speaker, however, ruled to allow the president to present the 2019 Appropriation.

Femi Gbajabiamila had earlier said that the ongoing strike by members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) would not stop the legislature from sitting.

Gbajabiamila said told journalists Tuesday that shutting down the National Assembly was tantamount to shutting down the nation.

He said that the house would sit to pass a resolution to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to present the 2019 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Everybody has the right to strike, you cannot take that away from anybody, it is a constitutional right, it is almost a fundamental human right for you to down your tools but thats where it ends.

You down your tools but you cannot stop lawmakers from doing their work, that is totally out of the purview of strike.

In fact, it is in our laws, the Legislative Privilege Act that nobody can stop a legislator from doing his work and it attracts certain punishment, he said.

The leader said that the lawmakers would protect the rights of the striking workers and that the right of lawmakers to sit must also be protected.

According Gbajabiamila, when you shutdown the National Assembly, you shutdown the entire country.

Gbajabiamila explained that the monies being demanded for by the striking workers had nothing to do with the legislators at the National Assembly.

According to him, the Senate, the House of Representatives and the management have separate account and they operate differently.

The leader said that the lawmakers were only intervening to ensure peace between the workers and the management of the assembly.

He said when the National Assembly cannot perform its constitutional functions and the budget cannot be laid before the house, that will amount to shutting down the country and that nobody would sit and watch that to happen.

Gbajabiamila said that the leadership of the National Assembly met yesterday and the matter was being taken care off and that the results were already being seen.

Source: NAN