By Emmanuel Afonne

The Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, phase 2, has urged the youths of Niger Delta, especially the ex-agitators, to support the planned review of the blueprint of the Amnesty Programme by President Muhammadu Buhari.

A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the coalition, quoted its leader Stephen Ebisintei, as saying that the review is the only way the programme can be all encompassing.

Ebisintei said the planned review of programme is sacrosanct to the peace and security of Niger Delta, saying it is also in the best interest of the youths as well as critical stakeholders.

More importantly, it will increase choices for targeted beneficiaries of the programme and indeed the youths of Niger Delta.

We have to reciprocate the kind gesture of Mr President by supporting him in 2019 so as to enable him see through his lofty and robust plans for the region in the next four years, the statement quoted Ebisintei as saying.

He cautioned the people of the region to beware of those he called fair weather politicians, who he said are deceitfully promising the people of the region heaven on earth ahead of the 2019 elections.

Ebisintei pointed out that supporting the Buharis re-election bid remains the best option for Niger Delta as far the amnesty programme is concerned.

According to him, as the race for 2019 hots up, youths and critical stakeholders of the Niger Delta should beware of politicians whose stock in trade is promises without any intention of fulfillment.

We should as a people be more circumspect and use the 2019 election to take our destinies in our own hands; it is in our considered best interest to queue behind the president and work for his re-election bid.

If we fail in this, we may not have this rare opportunity again to lunch our beleaguered region on the desired path of sustainable growth and peace as we are witnessing now.

In the past, all we have received were promises, but we can see and testify that with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, our region has greater opportunities and is well placed to roll back the injustices of the past.

We have seen that he has not denied the region what is due to it in terms of appointment into key positions of government, especially with the appointments of Prof. Quaker Dokubo and Dr. Ibe Kachukwu as the head of the Amnesty Office and Minister (State) for Petroleum respectively.

It is without doubt that these individuals are fits in their respective offices and are working assiduously to empower youths and of course ensure development of critical infrastructure in the region.

Ebisintei also said that Buhari is the only Nigerias President who has allowed his appointees the freedom to do their work without interference, a quality that Nigerians have desired for so long.

Source: NAN

By Muhammad Auwal

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has indicated interest to participate in the rescheduled Adamawa APC governorship primaries election, hours after he withdrew from the race.

Alhaji Salihu Bawuro, the Director-General, Ribadu campaign organisation, made the announcement at a news conference in Yola on Monday.

The state APC governorship primary is rescheduled for Thursday.

Ribadu withdrew from the primary election on Sunday evening as the exercise was about to start but the exercise was cancelled and rescheduled.

Bawuro said the Ribadu campaign organisation was satisfied with the decision taken by the partys national headquarters on the cancelation and rescheduling of the governorship primaries in the state.

Now that the national headquarters had intervened to correct the abnormalities surrounding the Sundays unsuccessful primaries, Malam Nuhu Ribadu will be in full contest now that it is the direct primaries, Bawuro said.

He said that the organisation was well prepared to participate in the election, adding that it would do everything possible to ensure free and fair primaries.

Source: NAN

By Jessica Onyegbula

The Convener of the Red Card Movement and one-time Education Minister, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, has called on Nigerians to come out in their numbers to vote and protect their votes, come 2019.

Ezekwesili made the call at a one-day conference organised by The Church Must Vote an NGO, on Monday in Abuja.

She said that it was time for Nigerians to determine the quality of leadership they get through massive voting.

The theme of the conference was The Church Stand Against Vote Buying and Selling, with the slug My Vote Is Not For Sale, My Vote Must Count.

Ezekwesili said that nobody should be comfortable to sit at home during the upcoming 2019 general elections, because it was time to get rid of the old order of politicians in the country.

The former minister, an activist, said that the quality of democracy was dependent on quality of vote, and INEC must protect the vote of Nigerians.

We must compel INEC to gather some of the cases of vote buying and selling that they have identified and take them to court.

We must compel the Judiciary to act and not to defer judgement on such matters, because our democracy is under existential treat.

Citizens must understand the power they possess, and through that power, you determine the quality of leaders to lead the country, she said.

Ezekwesili said that it was time to build a nation with leaders who were elected on the bases of character, competence and capacity.

So, I support The Church Must Vote to say your vote must count because your vote does count, if it didnt count, they will not pay for it.

It is time to decide that nobody can pay for your vote because it is priceless, the people are dependent on the quality of leaders that they get for themselves.

So, let our vote count; we must cry out if we see our vote being bought or stolen, she said.

Rev. William Okoye, General Overseer, All Christians Fellowship Mission, said that some people sell their votes due to hunger and starvation.

Okoye stressed that it was better to endure hunger which was immediate in order to better their future, as any hunger that has hope does not kill.

If you are hungry today and have hope that tomorrow will be better, you will be able to manage, so we are trying to send that hope to Nigerians through the church.

We want Nigerians to know that the future will be bright if we endure the pains of now and ensure that we dont sell our vote and use our vote to bring about the better future that we are expecting, he said.

Ikechukwu Nmor, Founder, The Church Must Vote, said that the voting right of every Nigerian was priceless, and as such, shouldnt be traded for anything or any amount.

Nigeria is a great nation but with little performance; something must be done now to change things for the better.

I am here to say I stand against vote buying and selling and no amount of money is enough to sell my vote and mortgage the future of our generation.

It is important that the elections and the outcome reflect a representative and inclusive decision of all demographics, age, gender and beliefs, he said.

Source: NAN

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has not endorsed Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the Lagos All Progressives Congress governorship primary scheduled for Monday.

Contrary to the impressions created by a photograph that shows the Vice President with Sanwo-Olu, Osinbajo is neutral in the election.

He merely came to plead with the party leaders to allow a level playing field for the two contestants, including the incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode.

According to a statement by Osinbajos office, Osinbajo yesterday attended a meeting of the Lagos State General Advisory Council, GAC, where he had been invited by the elders on the council.

Before the meeting, the Vice President who had been in Lagos to participate in the Presidential primaries in the State had met with Governors Akin Ambode and the APC National Leader Ashiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

APC gubernatorial aspirants Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat were also at the premises of the GAC meeting ahead of the Vice Presidents arrival.

At the GAC meeting, Prof Osinbajo, who is believed to be supportive of a second term bid for Ambode, conveyed the view of the Buhari presidency that there should be a level playing field in the overall conduct of the primaries.

Informed sources at the meeting said the purpose of VPs attendance at the GAC was to report on a previous meeting held between him and Gov Aregbesola on how to resolve some of the outstanding issues around Governor Ambodes second term bid and its fallouts.

It was while he was coming out of the meeting that Mr. Sanwo-Olu and Mr. Hamzat took advantage of the VPS presence to take the photos which are now being falsely paraded as proof of endorsement.

The VP did not go to endorse the candidate, they only took advantage of his presence, a source at the meeting confirmed last night.

Source: NAN

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday afternoon literally went for broke, throwing all his arsenals into the ring ahead of the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress taking place Monday.

He said he is ready for a free and fair primary elections, but he warned party thugs to keep away from the wards.

He said he would ensure security at all the wards.

The incumbent believed to have the support of Aso Rock then threw in the bombshell: his only rival in the primary, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was once arrested in the United States for spending fake dollars in a night club.

In addition, he said, Sanwo-Olu, who is being backed by APC national leader, Bola Tinubu and some special interests in the state, has psychiatric issues and is not well.

Sanwo-Olu is not a fit and proper candidate for the position of Lagos governor, Ambode said.

He has been arrested for spending fake US dollars in an American night club. He lacks competency and health wise, he has gone through mental rehabilitation.

The governor disclosed that Sanwo-Olu served time in US prisons in connection with a string of counterfeit bill-passing incidents in the country.

At the press conference in Lagos the governor said he is under no illusion about the battle ahead in the APC primary for governor, but said We shall overcome.

Watch the Full Press Conference here:

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode's Press briefing on APC governorship Primaries – 20:42
— TVC News Nigeria

Source: NAN

A menacing Boko Haram fighter, with the nickname SpiderMan, has been killed by Nigerian troops.

The man who always mounted a gun truck, wearing the spidermans mask met his Waterloo 26 September.

He, along with his ragtag squad was killed in the encounter with Nigerian troops.

Spiderman was among the Boko Haram fighters who attacked Garshigar community of Mobar Local Government Area in Borno on Wednesday.

Texas Chukwu, Army Director of Public Relations, said the insurgents, who were in nine gun trucks, were repelled by troops of 145 Battalion deployed for Operation Lafiya Dole following superior power of the vigilant troops.

He added that preliminary battle damage assessment reveals that the overwhelming superior power of the troops devastated the insurgents, inflicting human and equipment casualty on the insurgents which forced them to withdraw in disarray.

The director said that the gallant troops regrouped after the fierce encounter and dominated the general area of Garshigar and its environs with fighting patrols.

The good people of Mobar Local Government are urged to remain calm and be assured of troops commitment to provide adequate security in the general area, he added.

Source: NAN

By Mercy Osajiugo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger has endorsed Gov. Abubakar Bello as the Partys flag bearer for 2019 governorship elections in the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the party from the 274 wards trooped out in their number to affirm Bello as the partys flag bearer.

Bello, thereafter, expressed appreciation to party members for the confidence reposed on him by returning him unopposed.

It is appealing when your people have confidence in you, when they support you, when they overwhelming endorse you.

In politics this is what is needed and I really appreciate this gesture.

Their action has continued to humble me and I am compelled to do more in the years ahead. By 2019 our administration will continue the good works we had started, he said.

Bello assured party faithful and people of the state of his resolve to be more committed to the actualisation of the restoration agenda of his administration.

No doubt, there have been challenges in the years past but we had tried to accomplish some vital aspects of our set goals.

We may have not been able to cover all sectors, this time we are determined to cover more grounds when APC is returned in 2019, the governor said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions with prospects of thunderstorms and rainfall activities over most parts of the country on Monday.

NiMets Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Sunday, predicted cloudy morning over the central States with thunderstorms in Mambila Plateau, Jalingo, Yola and Jos.

It added that there are chances of scattered thunderstorms over most parts with day and night temperatures of 25 to 32 and 18 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

It predicted chances of scattered thunderstorms over Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, Lokoja, and Niger later in the day with day and night temperatures of 26 to 33 and 16 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

The agency predicted that Northern States would experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions during the forecast period with day and night temperatures of 30 to 35 and 21 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

It also predicted that Southern States would experience cloudy morning with chances of thunderstorms over Calabar and Eket axis.

Rains accompanied by storms are likely over the inland and the coast in the afternoon and evening period with day and night temperatures of 27 to 31 and 21 to 24 degrees celsius respectively.

There are prospects of thunderstorms over the central and the inland cities with chances of rain along the coast within the next 24 hours, NiMet predicted. (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the resignation of Mrs Aisha Alhassan as Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development from the government with immediate effect.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

In a letter he signed on Sunday, President Buhari said, I have received your letter offering your resignation as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I accept your resignation with immediate effect.

On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I thank you for your past services to the nation.

The presidential aide revealed that the president had directed that Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment to oversee the affairs of the Ministry with immediate effect.

Aisha Alhassan had on Saturday announced her resignation from President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet and from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Alhassan hinged her resignation on her disqualification in the screening for the 2019 Taraba state governorship contest by the APC National Working Committee.

She said she was axed without any viable or genuine reason.

If I am not good enough to contest elections in the APC, then I feel I am not also qualified to remain a minister in the APC government, she stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday evening paid a get-well-quick visit to the two Nigerian Air Force pilots involved in a crash last week, at the Defence Intelligence Agency hospital in Abuja.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidential spokesman in a statement in Abuja, said the President was at the hospital as a morale booster to the injured officers.

The president rejoiced with Sqn. Ldr. Batuba, and Flt.-Lt. Andy and gave glory to God for sparing their lives.

He also commiserated with them on the loss of their colleague, Sqn. Ldr. Bello Baba-Ari.

He prayed that God would give the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss.

Chief of Medical Services at the hospital, AVM Saleh Shinkafi, assured Buhari that the medical condition of the officers was improving steadily.

He added that they were being kept for further rest and counseling, as part of the rehabilitation process.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was also on hand to receive the President, explained that the three pilots ejected successfully from their jets after the collision.

He, however, added that the helmet of Baba-Ari flew open, which led to a head injuries that turned fatal. (NAN)

Source: NAN