The hottest and most trending news articles for this week in all categories are captured in one shot. Find articles ranging from News to Sports, to Politics, to Entertainment, to Economy, to Metro plus, and many other categories. See below the top news for the week:
NEWS
- Presidency tough, I’m eager to go – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, described his seven years in office as “tough” saying “I am eager to go.” This was as he called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities to consider the plight of the future generations of the country as the strike stretches into the fifth month.
According to a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said this when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress, legislators, and political leaders at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
Lamenting the toll his official duties have taken on him in the last seven years, President Buhari told the visiting governors and political leaders that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office. He said, “The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr. Faruk Umar Faruk, at the eid prayer ground. He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021.”
“In ten to eleven months time, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja.” The President explained that the schedule of work was much, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family.
He claimed that relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure. “I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making. I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.
- INEC Extends Voter Registration Till July 31
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the Continous Voter registration till July 31. Chairman of INEC Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, saying the decision followed a recent court judgement that paved way for the extension.
Okoye stated that the verdict has affirmed that INEC is at liberty to appoint a date of its choice to suspend the CVR, provided it is not later than 90 days before the date fixed for the General Election as provided in Sec. 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022. According to him, all legal encumbrances have now been removed following the judgement of the Federal High Court.
“The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday 31st July 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (1st – 31st July 2022),” he stated. While appreciating the timeframe for many prospective registrants, he admitted that there is a lot for the Commission to do under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register that will require time to accomplish.
- Rise against Water Resources Bill, Ijaw group tells N-Delta govs, others
President of Ijaw Professionals Association (Homeland Chapter comprising Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers), Mr. Iniruo Wills, has challenged the governors, political representatives and community leaders in the littoral states to rise up against the Water Resources Bill.
The contentious bill, it would be recalled, was shut down by the Dr. Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Dogara-led Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, before it was reintroduced to the current National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari government.
Wills in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, described the bill as a direct leadership challenge for the representatives of the people at the local, state and national levels.
He decried their continued silence on such important issue of collective interest to their states.
- Obasanjo Bags Zambia’s Highest Honour
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been honoured with the Zambia highest award of the Order of the Eagle by the President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday, in Lusaka, the country’s capital. Two former Presidents, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone also got similar honour at the colourful ceremony.
The Special Assistant on Media to the former Nigerian President, Kehinde Akinyemi hinted that the honours were contained in a government official gazette, which was made available on Wednesday. In the publication with No 7146, Vol. LVIII, No. 72, the gazette notice No.1067 of 2022 of the Constitution of Zambia notifying the public on the honours, was signed by the Acting Secretary of the Cabinet, P.K Kangwa.
- Stop lobbying for postings, National Assembly warns workers
The National Assembly management has barred workers from lobbying lawmakers to influence their postings and deployments, threatening to sanction those who flout the public service rules.
The warning was contained in a circular signed by the Diretor, Directorate of Human Resources and Staff Development, Abiodun Oladoyin, and dated July 1, 2022.
The circular, a copy of which our correspondent sighted on Tuesday, was addressed to the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly; Clerk to the Senate; Clerk to the House of Representatives; all Secretaries; Deputy Clerk to the Senate; Deputy Clerk to the House; all Directors and all staff members.
The circular titled, ‘Posting/Redeployment of Staff,’ partly read, “The management of the National Assembly has observed with great concern staff members soliciting assistance from legislators to influence their posting/redeployment to and from different directorates of their choice.
“Consequently, staff (members) are advised to strictly abide by Public Service Rules, PSR 030427 which states that ‘No officer shall seek the influence of prominent persons or any other for ensuring the due consideration of his/her claims in matters connected with discipline or with a view to obtaining consideration for appointment, transfer, promotion or posting.’”
- Bridge built by Jonathan’s govt in Kano suffers second crack in 8 yrs
A bridge in Kano metropolis located along Zaria road, built and named after the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero because of its strategic location in the city, has suffered a second crack in the last eight years. The bridge, which was constructed by Rocad Engineering Company at the contract sum of N2.99 billion in 2014 as a gift to Kano by the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan earlier suffered a crack immediately after its commissioning by the former president.
The crack was politicised by the then government of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in Kano and turned into laughing stock and named Gadar Lado. Although it was quickly rehabilitated by the contracting firm eight years after, the bridge has suffered another crack and has become a source of danger to motorists and passersby.
Abdussalam Dayyabu Kurfi, an engineer from the Kano office of the Federal Ministry of Works, assured that the bridge would be repaired.
The supervising engineer of the contracting firm, Jubril Saidu, explained that what caused the problem was the excessive use of the bridge by heavy-duty trailers after breaking the cross metal barrier placed to stop them. Jubril is worried that “so long as the heavy duty trucks will be passing on the bridge, it will not be long, it will still breakdown”.
POLITICS
- Muslim-Muslim ticket: Tinubu ignores critics, submits INEC form
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Friday, dashed the hopes of several Nigerians wishing that he would reconsider his stance on the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket by replacing former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, with a northern Christian, as his running mate. A source within Tinubu’s camp revealed hours to the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission that the APC standard-bearer had shunned all entreaties to drop Shettima.
Tinubu, who is a southern Muslim, had incurred the wrath of the Christian Association of Nigerian, some party members and political stakeholders when he announced Shettima, a northern Muslim, as the ‘special one,’ to be his running mate. The announcement provoked widespread criticisms, particularly from the Christian community with its feeling of marginalisation and age-long suspicion of an alleged plan to Islamise Nigeria.
Following the outrage that greeted his decision, Tinubu’s men and campaign teams deployed diplomacy and political conversations in the media to assuage frayed nerves. The desperate move to downplay talks surrounding ‘Islamisation of Nigeria’ fuelled the belief that Tinubu and the leadership of the APC might consider dropping Shettima for a northern Christian before INEC deadline.
However, the possibility that Tinubu might bow to pressure to change his running mate was erased on Friday when he went on to submit Shettima’s name to INEC. The spokesman for Bola Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, told newsmen that it would have been unwise for his principal to drop Shettima because certain people were uncomfortable with the choice.
- Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Shettima Breaks Silence, Says No Plan To Islamise Nigeria
The vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the ruling party ahead of forthcoming general elections. Shettima was recently announced as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC by the party’s flagbearer and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, who won the party’s presidential primary.
He defended his emergence as the candidate for the second top job on Friday while addressing members of the APC Professional Forum who paid him a visit in Abuja. “They are accusing him (Tinubu) of an attempt to Islamise the country; has he started with Islamising his own family?” the lawmaker queried. “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; yes, his running mate might be a Muslim, but his life mate for over 40 years is not only a Christian, but a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God,” he said in defence of the APC presidential candidate’s decision. He did not enforce his own Islamic faith on his own children. He was the first governor to hand over mission schools to the owners, and he has groomed people from all walks of life.
Contrary to such allegations, he believes the party’s presidential candidate has shown that he can tolerate any religion. Shettima, however, asked Nigerians to look beyond religious sentiment and focus on how to move the country forward. Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno State, is a Muslim from the north-east region and the lawmaker representing Borno Central senatorial district at the National Assembly in Abuja.
- Muslim-Muslim ticket Tinubu’s disastrous error – Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has described as “disastrous error” the choice by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, of Kashim Shettima as his running mate. According to him, although Tinubu remained “a very good man”, great listener, humble and “very generous in both cash and kind, especially where it could advance his political interests”, he had realised that it had been in the nature of power that “sycophants and lapdogs have the most influence on leaders with such character traits.” Lawal bared his mind in a lengthy essay.
The statement read, “I thought I will be able to avoid commenting on the disastrous error by my very good friend, Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his choice of a running mate. I will be the very last person to stand in the way of my very good friend Tinubu’s path to the presidency. This is because since 2011 my consuming passion has been for him to succeed Buhari as President of Nigeria. “It will not be true if I say that I did not see it coming. I have often read his body language, picked up snippets from several discussions with his lapdogs (some of whom, sadly are Christians but most of whom are Moslems) and I have conveyed my reservations to them against the pitfalls of a Moslem-Moslem ticket towards which I sensed they were drifting.
“As part of my obligation to him, a close friend, I had on many occasions argued the merits and demerits of both ticket permutations to him. I have done so in both verbal and written form and I have, likewise, done so with some of his close respectable associates and friends. In all instances, I had left him with the sole responsibility for his final decision, arguing that in the end, the consequences of the outcome of any bad decision will be his to bear. There might be some collateral damages though. I have also on several occasions passed on to him counsels and messages from some well-meaning Nigerians intended to alert him on the possible outcomes of the Presidential ticket permutations. Tinubu is a very good man. He is a great listener. He has a very humble and friendly disposition to everyone. He is very generous in both cash and kind, especially where it could advance his political interests.
- 2023: APC Christian group rejects Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, says decision insensitive
Some Christian political leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the party’s decision to field Kashim Shettima as the running mate of the presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. Both Messrs Tinubu and Shettima are Muslims – a combination that has triggered varying reactions since the former announced the latter as his running mate in Katsina, on Sunday.
The APC Christian leaders described this move as a display of crass insensitivity to the complexity of modern Nigeria and the entire Church. They said it is also a betrayal of the advocates of unity and peaceful co-existence with the Muslims including notable Imams who had “forewamed the party and the candidate from travelling that treacherous route.”
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of their meeting in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by Doknan Sheni, a professor. At the end of the meeting which was aimed at discussing the implications of the Muslim/Muslim ticket on the nation, the leaders said they cannot go back to their various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim/Muslim ticket.
Nigeria, they noted, is a multi-religious and a constitutional democracy and not a theocracy with religion as a major national fault line which cannot be manipulated without dire political consequences on the peaceful co-existence as a people. They also said the current Nigerian environment and political atmosphere is different from 1993 where Moshood Abiola and Babangana Kingibe, both Muslims, contested as president and vice-president and recalled that “there was never a President Abiola nor vice President Kingibe.”
- Muslim-Muslim Ticket: We can’t campaign for Tinubu again —Northern APC Christians
Members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 19 northern states yesterday revolted against the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election. Some members also resigned from the party over the issue. The party’s presidential standard-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim, had on Sunday, announced former Borno State Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima, another Muslim, as his running mate, kicking up mixed reactions in the polity.
A chieftain of the APC in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill; and former Abia State Military Administrator, AVM Frank Ajobena, retd, were among APC stalwarts, who resigned from the APC, yesterday, over the issue as the chairman of the Borno State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, denied endorsing the ticket.
Christians of Northern extraction in the APC said they can no longer campaign for the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu because of his choice of a Muslim running mate.
They made this position known in a communiqué issued to journalists, on Tuesday, following an emergency meeting in Abuja where the issue of the religious colouration of the APC’s presidential ticket and its implication for the nation was on the front burner.
According to the communiqué jointly signed by Prof. Doknan Sheni (Chairman) and General Ishaya Bauka (Secretary), the group explained that Tinubu’s selection of a Muslim running mate had exasperated the Christians in the North, and portrayed the APC as a party that is insensitive to their yearnings.
- 27 APC youth groups, NYCN reject Shettima’s selection as Tinubu’s running mate
Disgruntled members of 27 All Progressives Congress (APC) youth groups and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have kicked against the selection of Senator Hashim Shettima as the ideal candidate for the party’s vice presidential slot. The APC standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in announcing Shettima as his running mate, had shunned overtures from the support groups and the NYCN for him to pick a young politician as his running mate.
Reacting to the development, the NYCN National President, Solomon Adodo, and the leaders of the 27 APC support groups in Abuja on Thursday, said they stood firmly in their resolve for youth inclusion in governance come 2023. They, therefore, called on the leadership of the APC, the Progressive Governors Forum and the party’s standard bearer not to take the focus away from the youth constituency for justice and equity sake.
- Peter Obi’s presidency won’t stop Biafra agitation – MASSOB
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has lambasted Muslim cleric, Sheikh Mohammed Gunmi, describing his statement on the alleged tone down of Biafra agitation after Mr. Peter Obi’s emergence as the Presidential candidate of Labour Party as hypocritical. MASSOB said that Gumi’s statement against pro Biafra agitation is deceiving and full of falsehood.
The group stated that MASSOB and other pro Biafra agitators have been in the self-determination struggle for Biafra actualization and restoration, and have never clamoured for an Igbo man to be Nigeria president. Madu in his reply to Gunmi noted that MASSOB and other pro Biafra organizations have nothing against Mr Peter Obi and his intention to save Nigeria from further collapse since he believes in Nigeria, but that MASSOB believe in Biafra.
- Funke Akindele: Jandor’s choice underscores unseriousness of Lagos PDP, says APC
The All Progressives Congress, APC, have described the choice of Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele as the running mate of Dr Olajide Adediran of the PDP as a display of unseriousness on the part of the leading opposition party. This position was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard hours after the unveiling of Akindele. Seye Oladejo, Lagos State APC Spokesman, described the choice as an attempt to trivialize the importance of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections
The statement reads: “This development underscores the unseriousness of Lagos state PDP. This amounts to trivializing the importance of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections by giving political neophytes who have absolutely nothing to bring to the table their electoral tickets. It also shows lack of depth in the party as regards quality members to put forward for elections if they could give a member who crossed-carpeted a few days before their primaries the governorship ticket and now went to the make-believe industry to fetch a deputy. The reason for voters’ apathy is, undoubtedly, due to lack of credible alternatives by the moribund opposition party.
“I was amused to read that the deputy governorship candidate said she was suspending her acting career for the elections whose result is highly predictable. I guess she’s suspending a lot more because she has been in the news of recent for all the wrong reasons. Lagosians will certainly not allow governance to be turned to a needless experiment or a sitcom. Governance is serious business not a circus.”
ECONOMY
- Queues disappear as marketers hike petrol pump price in Abuja
Oil marketers o Thursday unilaterally raised the pump price of petrol from N165 per litre to N185 in disregard to the Federal Government approved pump price of N165 per litre. The hike which came a day after Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, said the current price was no longer realistic saw the disappearance of queues at filling stations around Abuja metropolis. Checks at some filling stations by newsmen showed that while some stations raised the price by just N10 per litre, most hiked the price by N20.
Speaking on the development, the Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike said it was expected as marketers have to cover their cost of operation. Ukadike explained that the marketers have been running at a loss these past months, pointing out that most stations closed down because of this.
According to him, “Abinitio, we have also stated that there is no way marketers will buy products from private depots who are now selling at N170 and some at N167 depending on the area the tank farm is situated. These private tank farms owners have made it clear that they cannot sell at government approved price.“
- $6.4bn debt: NEITI threatens action against oil companies
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has threatened action against oil and gas companies that failed to remit outstanding taxes, royalties and levies to the Federation Account amounting to about $6.4 billion (N2.66 trillion) NEITI noted that while a large portion of the amount has been paid by defaulting companies, it warned that it will instigate action against those that have failed to remit the outstanding amount to the government.
Executive Secretary, NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji who stated this at a ceremony to mark this year’s African Day of Anti-Corruption in Abuja yesterday warned “all the companies which still doubt our resolve to sustain this drive that we will not hesitate to activate our standing agreements with relevant anticorruption agencies to recover the funds”.
Earlier, in a pre-recorded address, President Muhammadu Buhari called for an end to illicit financial flow from developing countries into safe havens in western nations. He said this would make it more difficult for those who steal public funds to hide it in these countries.
BUSINESS
- CBN to change monetary policy direction, to focus on FinTechs, Crypto, other digital payment systems
The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, has said that the Monetary Policy Committee will chart a new course for an improved monetary policy and CBN that will provide direction for monetary policy in Nigeria. The governor said this at a Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, Strategic Retreat in Lakowe, Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos on Friday. The retreat has “Monetary Policy Implementation in a Digitally-Evolving Developing Economy’’, as its theme.
Mr Emefiele said that technology and innovation was playing a major role in output growth and economic development in Nigeria, hence the need to explore new ways of adapting monetary policy tools to improving the contribution of technology and innovations to the growth equation.
He said that monetary policy had been severely challenged, as its policy space narrowed significantly, in some cases, paradoxically and necessitating the need to rethink monetary policy in the context of emerging challenges and economic transformation. The governor also said that the apex bank had championed the financial inclusion principle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, including the recent launch of the eNaira.
- N18.8bn Investment Fraud: Court Orders Ajetunmobi Couple To Pay 27 Scammed Investors
The Lagos High Court Sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi has delivered judgment in favour of 27 aggrieved Nigerian investors/claimants who were scammed by a Nigerian couple, Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi who allegedly fled the country after duping them of N18.8 billion. Justice Toyin Oyekan-Abdullahi ordered the defendants to pay the sum of 18.8bn with interest. At a previous proceeding, the court had earlier frozen funds and properties of the defendants worldwide as well as all monies standing to their credit.
The defendants in the suit are Imagine Global Holding Company Ltd, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd, and the Nigerian couple, Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi. The two firms and the Ajetunmobi couple have been associated with an N18.8bn investment fraud by some aggrieved Nigerian investors who filed the suit before the court. According to the claimants, the sum is the outstanding investments and return on investments accruing to them from the defendants.
In reaching its judgment on Thursday, Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi dismissed all the preliminary objections filed by the defendants, while the court exited CBN from the proceedings. The court granted the reliefs sought by the 1st to 17th claimants’ counsel- Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi in the sum of N15.5 Billion and the rest of the Claimants’ represented by the law firm of Banwo and Ighodalo in the sum of N3.3 Billion totalling the sum of 18.8 Billion.
EDUCATION
- ASUU: Enough is enough, Buhari tells striking lecturers
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has, on Monday, bemoaned the action of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities for not calling off its industrial action, saying enough is enough for keeping students at home. He said this on Monday in Daura, Katsina State, when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress, legislators, and other political leaders at his residence.
The ASUU strike has entered its fifth month, with resumption not in sight as the lecturers are yet to shift grounds on their demands. Buhari urged the lecturers to reconsider their stance on the prolonged strike, noting that the crisis would have generational consequences on families, the educational system, and the future development of the country.
The President said the strike was taking a toll on the psychology of parents, students, and other stakeholders. He noted that the future of the country was resting on the quality of educational institutions and education. While assuring that the government understood the union’s position, he urged that negotiations should continue while students return to classes.
Buhari asked all well-meaning Nigerians, especially those close to the leaders and members of the union, to wade in on the matter and persuade the lecturers to resume. The President noted that students from Nigerian universities would experience challenges competing with counterparts in a highly connected and technology-driven workspace, and keeping them at home only deprived them of time, skill, and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
- Blame FG, not varsity teachers, for strike – ASUU
The Academic Staff Union of Universities said the Federal Government, and not its members, are responsible for the union’s prolonged strike. It therefore appealed to Nigerians to ask the government when it will sign the agreement reached at the just concluded renegotiation meeting.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday told striking lecturers to consider the future generation and resume work, saying “enough is enough for keeping students at home.” However, ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview with newsmen, urged Nigerians to ask the government when it would attend to the union’s demands.
He said, “We are waiting for the government after the renegotiation meeting. We have not heard anything from them. “It will be a month on July 16, 2022 since they met with us. Nigerians should ask them when they will ask us to come and sign the report/agreement of the renegotiation meeting. After all the promises they made, by July 16, 2022, this month, it will be one month and these young Nigerians are languishing at home doing nothing.” Also, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU-Lagos, Zone, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, in a statement, accused the President of being insensitive.
The National Vice-President, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Dr Abdussobur Salaam, also said, “The government itself has been delaying the process of negotiations. It seems they are comfortable with allowing the strike to linger because there has been no serious commitment to any issues so far. Government must show more commitment towards resolving the issues that led to the strike.”
Also, the chairperson of ASUU in the Federal University of Minna, Dr Gbolahan Bolarin, accused the President of playing psychological games by involving the future generation in his statement. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), also on Tuesday called on Buhari to urgently address ASUU’s needs. Falana, in a statement made available to The newsmen, accused the government of ignoring warning strikes initially embarked upon by the union.
- Falana: ASUU Prepared To Call Off Strike If FG Implements Renegotiated Agreement
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has once again spoken up about the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). In a statement on Thursday, he ramped up his push for the Federal Government to take action to meet the demands of the striking lecturers and end the industrial action which started on February 14.
Less than 72 hours after he called on the Federal Government to submit a supplementary budget to appropriate N200 billion to revamp federal universities across the country, Falana is calling on the government to sign the renegotiated agreement with the union.
“Based on our consultation with the leadership of ASUU, we have confirmed that the entire members of ASUU are fully prepared to call off the strike as soon as the FG/ASUU Renegotiated Agreement is executed by the Federal Government,” said Falana, who is also the interim Chair of Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB).
“In the circumstance, we are compelled to call on President Buhari to end the industrial action by directing the Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu to execute the Renegotiated Agreement. The Agreement should be executed as soon as possible in the public interest.”
- Kaduna Education: El- Rufai Approves Recruitment Of Additional 10,000 Teachers
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has approved the recruitment of additional ten thousand teachers by the State Universal Basic Education Board(KADSUBEB). A statement issued by the Executive Chairman of KADSUBEB, Tijjani Abdullahi, said that the board has commissioned Kaduna State University(KASU) to design and upload a recruitment portal, which will go live on Thursday, July 21st, 2022.
The Executive Chairman explains that ‘suitably qualified candidates with either a National Certificate of Education(NCE) from an accredited institution, a Bachelor’s Degree in Education(B. Ed, B.A Ed, B. Sc, Bd, B. Tech in any discipline from a reputable university) are eligible to apply. According to him, ‘’the portal will be opened for two weeks from the first day it goes live on July 21st, 2022, to August 5th, 2022 when it will be closed.’’
‘’There will be a school-by-school requirement on the portal and applicants are expected to apply to schools closest to their residences,’’ he said, adding that they ‘’ will be screened and successful ones will be invited to sit for a Computer-Based examination at three centres—Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan towns.’’ Only those that scored 75% in the examination, which is the standard that has been set by Kaduna State Government, will be invited for oral interview,’’ he clarified.
Tijjani also said that successful applicants are expected to come along with originals and photocopies of their credentials for the interview. The originals will be sighted while photocopies of all certificates will be given to the panel.’’ The Executive Chairman promised that KADSUBEB will immediately send all photocopies of credentials to various schools for verification.
HEALTH
- Yobe targets 70,000 persons in free healthcare scheme
The Yobe Government on Friday says it is targeting 70,000 persons in 2022 under its Expanded Free Healthcare Service Scheme. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammad Gana, told journalists in Damaturu on the sideline of an orientation exercise for service providers. The scheme aims to harmonise free healthcare programmes, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, Free Drugs Programme and Equity Sector.
Gana said about 50,000 poor and vulnerable persons were so far benefiting from all the programmes at primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare centres in the state. He added that harmonising the programmes would boost efficiency and cut waste of resources. He explained that “the expanded scheme is essentially about bringing all our free healthcare services under one umbrella.
Gana also said that “the state government pays 3.25 per cent of the medical bills of every civil servant under its Formal Sector Contributory Programme which started in 2020.” On monitoring and evaluation, he said the state was doing its best to minimise challenges.
WORLD
- Rishi Sunak Heads Race To Become UK PM After Latest Vote
Former finance minister Rishi Sunak came out on top in the latest round of voting Thursday by Conservative MPs to decide Britain’s next prime minister, followed by bookmaker favourite Penny Mordaunt. Mordaunt earlier came under blistering attack after she surged in the race to succeed Boris Johnson, as another long-shot candidate for leader was eliminated. The little-known Mordaunt, a committed Brexiteer who was briefly Britain’s first woman defence secretary before she was demoted to less senior roles, has emerged as the darling of Tory grassroots members.
In the second round of voting by Conservative MPs, the Royal Navy reservist again came a strong second with 83 votes, behind former finance minister Sunak with 101. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss — the favoured candidate of Johnson loyalists — was third with 64, after formally launching her campaign with vows of tax cuts and a smaller state. Promising “an aspiration nation”, Truss said she would be ready “from day one” to fix the enfeebled UK economy and take on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
Attorney General Suella Braverman was eliminated from the race after coming last, with the five remaining candidates proceeding to the next round of voting by Tory MPs on Monday. Polls point to Mordaunt beating Sunak, Truss and the others comfortably, once the party members decide between the final two candidates in the coming weeks. A poll of more than 2,200 adults by Savanta ComRes said only 11 percent could identify Mordaunt from her photograph, and only 16 percent of Conservative voters. Two respondents thought she was the singer Adele.
Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, after his elimination on Wednesday, threw his support behind Sunak, whose resignation from the cabinet last week helped spark a ministerial revolt against Johnson after months of scandal. Drawing a pointed contrast to Johnson, Hunt said the former chancellor of the exchequer was “one of the most decent, straight people with the highest standards of integrity” in politics.
- Mohammed Bin Salman, Hard-Charging Heir Reshaping Saudi Arabia
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shaken up the conservative kingdom with head-spinning reforms while quashing any threats to his status since becoming de facto ruler of the world’s biggest oil producer five years ago. The hard-charging heir drew international revulsion after Saudi agents killed and dismembered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, but US President Joe Biden’s visit to the kingdom this week looks set to restore his position on the international stage, forcing world leaders to deal with him whether they want to or not.
A towering figure with a full-face beard, deep growling voice and seemingly boundless energy, Prince Mohammed is known for his super-sized ambitions, from building the futuristic megacity known as NEOM to waging the seven-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen. The brash 36-year-old, known widely as “MBS” and said to have a fondness for fast food and the “Call of Duty” video games, is also fabulously rich, owning a $500 million yacht, a French chateau and, according to officially denied reports, a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting.
Unlike other Saudi princes with their British accents, sharp suits and Oxford degrees, MBS embraces the country’s Bedouin roots, usually donning a traditional robe and sandals, treating friends and relatives to lavish roast lamb meals in luxury desert camps. Having plotted his path to power from relative obscurity, Prince Mohammed has overseen the biggest transformation in Saudi Arabia’s modern history, the world’s top crude oil exporter and host of Islam’s two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina.
Under his rule, the kingdom’s religious police have been de-fanged, cinemas have reopened, foreign tourists have been welcomed, and Saudi Arabia has staged a film festival, operas, Formula One Grand Prix, heavyweight boxing, professional wrestling and a huge rave festival. Yet he has also jailed critics and, in a sweeping purge of the nation’s elite, detained and threatened some 200 princes and businessmen in Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel in a 2017 anti-corruption crackdown that tightened his grip on power.
- Sri Lanka Declares State Of Emergency As President Flees To Maldives
Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency Wednesday as thousands of people mobbed the prime minister’s office after the country’s president flew to the Maldives, following months of widespread protests against an economic crisis. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power” after fleeing his official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.
As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained. He, his wife, and two bodyguards were the four passengers on board an Antonov-32 military aircraft that took off from Sri Lanka’s main international airport, immigration sources told AFP. Hours later, with no formal announcement he was stepping down, thousands of demonstrators mobbed the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe — who would automatically become acting president in the event of a resignation — demanding both officeholders should go. “Go home Ranil, Go home Gota,” they shouted.
Police fired tear gas to hold them back from overrunning the compound and officials declared a nationwide state of emergency “to deal with the situation in the country”, the prime minister’s spokesman Dinouk Colombage told AFP. Police imposed an indefinite curfew across the Western Province, which includes Colombo, “to contain the situation”, a senior police officer said.
Wickremesinghe has himself announced his willingness to resign if consensus is reached on forming a unity government. His office confirmed Wednesday that Rajapaksa had left the country, but said it had no schedule for any resignation announcement. The presidential succession process could take between three days — the minimum time needed for parliament to elect an MP to serve out Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in November 2024 — and a maximum of 30 days allowed under the statute.
- Sri Lanka President Flees His Country On A Military Aircraft
Sri Lanka’s embattled president flew out of his country early Wednesday, in a probable prelude to his resignation after months of widespread protests over the island nation’s worst-ever economic crisis. Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power”, after fleeing his official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.
As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained. He, his wife and a bodyguard were among four passengers on board an Antonov-32 military aircraft which took off from the main international airport heading for the neighbouring Maldives, according to immigration sources. “Their passports were stamped and they boarded the special air force flight,” an immigration official involved in the process told AFP.
The departure of the 73-year-old leader once known as ‘The Terminator’ had been stymied for more than 24 hours in a humiliating stand-off with immigration personnel at the airport. He had wanted to fly to Dubai on a commercial flight, but staff at Bandaranaike International withdrew from VIP services and insisted that all passengers had to go through public counters. The presidential party were reluctant to go through regular channels fearing public reactions, a security official said, and as a result missed four flights on Monday that could have taken them to the United Arab Emirates.
- Protesters Storm Sri Lanka PM’s Office After President Flees Abroad
Protesters in Sri Lanka defied tear gas, water cannon and a state of emergency to storm the prime minister’s office on Wednesday after the president fled overseas, with the crowd demanding both men step down in the face of an economic crisis. In a televised statement Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had instructed the military and police to do “what is necessary to restore order”. But footage showed armed security personnel standing by in the grounds of his office as protesters, some holding national flags, milled and took pictures.
Other demonstrators at one point broke into state television studios, as the country’s months-long political and economic crisis appeared to be moving towards a climax. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday after escaping his own official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.
As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained. The 73-year-old, his wife and two bodyguards took a military aircraft to the neighbouring Maldives, immigration sources told AFP.
- Record Temperatures In Shanghai As Heatwave Bakes China
Shanghai roasted under some of its hottest temperatures ever recorded on Wednesday as a searing heatwave in China triggered a flurry of weather alerts and strained the farming and energy sectors. Swathes of the northern hemisphere have sweltered under extreme heat this week, with France and Britain set to endure soaring temperatures on Wednesday as firefighters in western Europe battle forest blazes. China has also suffered extreme weather this summer, with record floods last month forcing hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes while other regions have simmered in road-buckling heat.
Scientists say that heatwaves have become more frequent due to climate change, and will likely become longer and more intense as global temperatures continue to rise. At a central Shanghai weather station on Wednesday, the mercury climbed to 40.9 degrees Celsius (105.6 Fahrenheit) by 2:30 pm, the official news site of the national meteorological service reported. The figure “matched the record highest air temperature in the local area since records began in 1873,” the article said.
Social media users bemoaned the stifling weather, with one user on the popular Weibo platform saying they “felt like meat on a barbecue when I went for my Covid test just now.” “Maybe it’ll burn off all the virus,” another commented.
Photos on social media showed health workers in Shanghai sitting or lying on blocks of ice to cool down as they carried out a mass testing drive aimed at stemming a rise in Covid-19 cases.
The economic hub experienced a gruelling virus lockdown earlier this year that confined most of its 25 million residents to their homes for around two months. A spate of heat warnings were in place across eastern and southern China on Wednesday as authorities warned that temperatures could hit 42C in certain areas. Some media outlets reported heat-related deaths.
- Donald Trump’s First Wife Ivana Dies At 73
Ivana Trump — Donald Trump’s first wife and mother of his three eldest children — has died at the age of 73, the former president announced Thursday. Ivana Trump “passed away at her home in New York City,” Donald Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, without providing the cause of death. “She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life,” said Donald Trump, 76. Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana!” he added in the post.
Ivana Trump, a model who grew up under communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, married Donald Trump, then a budding real estate developer, in 1977. Their first child, Donald Jr., was born later that year. Ivanka was born in 1981 and Eric followed in 1984. Eric Trump posted a tribute to his mother, who was also an accomplished skier during her childhood in Eastern Europe, on Instagram Thursday.
ENTERTAINMENT
- Court Sentences Baba Ijesha To 16 Years Imprisonment For Assaulting Minor
The Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sitting in the Ikeja area has convicted and sentenced Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha to 16 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old minor. Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, in a judgment that lasted two hours also convicted Baba Ijesha of four out of the six counts for which he was charged by the Lagos State government.
The charge against him borders on allegations of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration. Baba Ijesha was pronounced guilty of counts 2,3,4 and 5 while the prosecution could not prove counts one and six which were: sexual assault by penetration and attempted sexual assault by penetration.
In her sentence, the court said, “I hereby find the defendant guilty of counts two to five and he is discharged of counts one and six. The defendant is hereby sentenced to five years imprisonment for count two, three years for count three, five years for count four and three years for count five.” The sentence adds up to 16 years but the court held that the sentence is to run concurrently starting from the day he was convicted. This means that Baba Ijesha will only spend five years in prison.
“The defendant took his acting too far. Children are frequently preyed on because of their inability to defend themselves. However, the court is not distracted. The defendant abused the position of friendship. This case brings to the limelight various sexual assault cases in the society despite the efforts of government and non-governmental organisations to sensitise the public on incessant cases of sexual assault.
- Tiwa Savage Awarded With Honorary Doctorate Degree By UK Varsity
Tiwa Savage has been awarded an honorary doctorate degree by a university in the United Kingdom. In a video shared on the University of Kent’s social media, the singer congratulated the fresh graduates, urging them to do their best. “I’m super proud and I want you to go out there, have fun and kill it. Be the best you that you can be because you truly deserve it.”
- Greatest African artiste, fans celebrate Wizkid at 32
Fans of Wizkid have taken to social media platforms to celebrate the award-winning singer as he clocks 32 on Saturday. Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, Wizkid made his debut in the Nigerian music industry in 2011 and has been breaking grounds since then. Also known as Big Wiz, the grammy-winner holds several notable achievements in the Nigerian as well as the global music space.
With the trending hashtags #WizkidAt32, #Machala, his fans, also known as Wizkid FC, took to Twitter to celebrate the star.
- Olu Jacobs celebrated at 80
A number of notable personalities across different walks of life turned up to celebrate veteran actor, Oludotun Jacobs, as he celebrated his 80th birthday, at the Glover Memorial Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos. Some of the high profile quests at the event were the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, and his wife Bisi; a former governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba and his wife, Aderinsola; and a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
The film industry was also well represented with faces such as Mo Abudu, Sola Sobowale, Victor Osuagwu, Hilda Dokubo and Ireti Doyle. One of the highlights of the event was the grand appearance of Jacobs, his beautiful wife and their two children at the venue. Many guests were impressed with the way Silva performed the customary cake cutting.
- Davido battles odds to support uncle’s gov ambition
Award-winning singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has never hidden his love for his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as he has often gone all out to support him, particularly in his quest to emerge the governor of Osun State.
Adeleke, who is a member of the People’s Democratic Party, will, today, slug it out with three other major contestants—the incumbent, Adegboyega Oyetola (All Progressives Congressmen); Akin Ogunbiyi (Accord Party) and Lasun Yusuff (Labour Party)— for the coveted office.
For the past few days, Davido has been in Osun, bonding with the electorate and urging them to vote for his uncle. Recall that in 2018, Adeleke had also flown the flag of the People’s Democratic Party flag, but narrowly lost to Oyetola after two rounds of elections.
SPORTS
- Super Falcons Beat Cameroon To Reach WAFCON Semis, Qualify For Ninth World Cup
The Super Falcons on Thursday beat their Cameroonian counterparts by a lone goal to seal a semi-final position n the African Women’s Cup Of Nations tournament holding in Morocco.
The victory also see the Falcons secure a ninth world cup ticket in a row.
A resolute defence from the Cameroonians left the match deadlocked at half-time after a dominant display from the Nigerian side However,Rasheedat Ajibade’s 56th-minute headed goal was the difference between the African giants on the night. She was assisted by Onumonu who got the ball to her to head home for Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated the Super Falcons, for qualifying for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 after their emphatic quarter-final victory at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. Special Adviser to the President, Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina, made this known in a statement on Thursday.
- Tearful Tiger Woods Set To Miss British Open Cut
Tiger Woods is set to miss the cut on his return to the British Open after a round of 75 on Friday left the 15-time major winner languishing at nine over par for his two rounds. An emotional Woods looked to be wiping tears from his face as he saluted the crowds walking up the 18th.
Woods had battled back from major surgery on his right leg after a car crash last year to make it to St Andrews, where he won two of his three British Opens. However, the physical toll of the crash was still clear to see as the 46-year-old hobbled around the Old Course in what could he his farewell appearance at the home of golf.
Most of the damage was done on Thursday when Woods posted a six-over round of 78 to match his worst ever start at the British Open. On a day of low scoring as overnight rain softened up the fast-running fairways, Woods had targeted a 66 to get back to the projected cut level of even par. A birdie at the third sparked hope for the huge galleries that one of the game’s all-time greats could produce a round to remember. But bogeys at four and six quickly snuffed out any chance of rallying back to make the weekend.
Questions will now be asked over what the future holds for Wood. He belied his physical ailments to make the cut of both the Masters and PGA Championship earlier this year, but withdrew from the PGA after a nine-over-par third round. His world ranking has slipped to 994 as he saves what golf he has left for the majors. And as a former winner, Woods will have an exemption to qualify for the British Open until he is 60.
- Kalidou Koulibaly: Chelsea complete deal for Napoli centre back
Kalidou Koulibaly, who was also interesting Juventus, had one year left on his Napoli contract, and his signing follows the £47.5m capture of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City; the defender has penned a four-year deal at Chelsea and has joined up with the club in Las Vegas
Chelsea have completed a deal to sign Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly for a fee in the region of £33m. The central defender, who has 62 caps for Senegal, has signed a four-year contract worth around £160,000 per week (£8.2m a year) net plus bonuses to move to Stamford Bridge. He flew out to Las Vegas on Friday to join up with his new team-mates on their pre-season tour of USA.
METRO PLUS
- Kuje: 421 fleeing inmates recaptured, 454 at large
The Nigerian Correctional Service has recaptured 421 inmates who fled the its facility in Kuje Abuja, while 454 others are still at large, according to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Correctional Service. This is just as the committee said it had summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Comptroller-General of the NCoS, Haliru Nababa, to appear before it over the recent attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre.
The committee also invited the Commander of the Nigerian Army Platoon on duty on the night of the attack. Chairman of the committee on Correctional Service, Edwin Anayo, who disclosed this during an oversight visit to the facility on Thursday, said the lawmakers met 115 inmates. “If you subtract it, it will give about 879 that escaped that night,” he noted.
The inmates, including 69 suspected Boko Haram members, had escaped Kuje Medium Custodial Centre on Tuesday last week after members of the Islamic for West Africa Province attacked the facility. Anayo decried that 12 other Custodial Centres had been attacked across the country recently. He said the recent jailbreaks by gunmen leading to the release of inmates are worrisome.
