Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has opened a campaign office in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, as part of preparations to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Blueprint gathered exclusively that the campaign team under the aiges of Progressives Consolidated Group (PCG) has also been inaugurated on Saturday.
The said campaign office is located at No. 15b, Buchanan Crescent, off Aminu Kano, by Emab plaza Wuse 11, Abuja.
Blueprint learnt reliably that the campaign office is already decorated with the Vice President’s banner with inscription “Face of Hope.”
Sources at the campaign team told our correspondent that the Chairman of the PCG is President Muhammadu Buhari’s kinsman from Kastina state known as Dr. Aliyu Kurfi.
Other members of the team include; Musa Liman as deputy chairman North, Dr Ebenezer Faji as deputy chairman South, Dr. Eli Eberechukwu Dibia as Vice Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Muhammed as the National Coordinator, Dr. Usman Ibrahim as Organising Secretary and Barrister Emmanuel Pippa as the Publicity Secretary.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a Brazil based drug dealer, Okafor Moses in connection with over 2.55 kilograms of cocaine.
This is contained in a statement signed by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, in Abuja on Sunday. He said that drugs were recovered from a toilet at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
Babafemi said that the drug was discovered in the toilet of the airport on Friday Nov. 12, after it was dumped there by a trafficker who was obviously scared of being caught by narcotic officers positioned at the airport.
“The following day, Saturday Nov. 13, the actual owner of the consignment, Moses arrived the airport from Brazil via an Ethiopian Airline flight and was promptly arrested.
“While being interviewed in custody, he confirmed he is the owner of the seized illicit drug, ” he said.
“In other interdiction operations across the country, over 6,043.857 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered in five states.”
Babafemi named the states as Adamawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Ebonyi, adding that more than two hectares of cannabis farms were also destroyed.
He said that a suspected fake security agent, Abdullahi Mohammed, who claimed to be serving in one of the security formations in Mubi, Adamawa state, was arrested over four blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 4kg on Bazza-Michika road.
“In the same vein, four other suspects were arrested at different locations in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, with assorted substances such as Cannabis, Diazepam, Exol-5 and Tramadol tablets.”
“In Ondo State, three persons: Alabi Idowu; Oluwatomipe Olorundare and Finity Sunday were arrested on Monday, Nov. 15 and a total of 2,771kgs of Cannabis recovered from them at Oke Ogun camp, Ipele, Owo LGA.”
“While 59-year-old Mrs Joy Peter was nabbed with over 39kg cannabis and Tramadol tablets on Wednesday Nov. 17.”
“In the same vein, over 2, 832kg of drugs were seized and more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed in parts of Ekiti state.”
Babafemi said that 2,582kg of cannabis were recovered on Tuesday Nov. 16 from Itapaji forest, Ipao, Ikole LGA, 250kg was seized from Ise forest, Ise-Orun LGA where the cannabis farm was also destroyed on Thursday 18th Nov.
“In Ebonyi, 29-year-old Ivoh Chukwuemeka accompanied by his girlfriend Ogbonna Peace, 18, was intercepted along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway with 20.357kg cannabis on Friday Nov. 19.Similarly, 377.5kg cannabis was seized from at least two suspects: Lucky Okhian and Aaron Monday in Owan West LGA as well as Okpokhumi forest in Owan East LGA of Edo state,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men involved in the operations across the commands for sustaining the heat on drug cartels in the country.
“We are proving to the bad guys and merchants of death that we’ll not stay a step ahead of them but two steps in this game, and this we must sustain as we prepare to go into the new year,” he said.
Manchester United ended Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s three-year reign as manager at Old Trafford on Sunday following a run of one win in seven Premier League games.
“Manchester United announces that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left his role as Manager,” the club said in a statement. “Ole will always be a legend at Manchester United and it is with regret that we have reached this difficult decision.”
The club also announced that Michael Carrick will now take charge of the team for forthcoming games, before the appointment of an interim manager.
Manchester United announces that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left his role as manager.
Ole will always be a legend at Manchester United and it is with regret that we have reached this difficult decision. While the past few weeks have been disappointing, they should not obscure all the work he has done over the past three years to rebuild the foundations for long-term success.
Ole leaves with our sincerest thanks for his tireless efforts as Manager and our very best wishes for the future. His place in the club’s history will always be secure, not just for his story as a player, but as a great man and a Manager who gave us many great moments. He will forever be welcome back at Old Trafford as part of the Manchester United family.
Michael Carrick will now take charge of the team for forthcoming games, while the club looks to appoint an interim manager to the end of the season.
Former Presidential aide, Reno Omokri has praised talented Nigerian singer, Davido for donating the sum of two hundred and fifty million naira to orphanages across the country.
Davido took this decision after he hit more than two hundred million naira in donations in two days from his friends to clear his Rolls Royce from the port.
Reno in his reaction said Davido is much wiser than those who gave him monies, stressing that he understands the spiritual realm and the ways of God.
The former presidential aide also commended the singer for having a heart of Gold.
He wrote, “Davido is much wiser tha those who gave him monies. He understands the spiritual realm and the ways of God. He has secured a soft spot in the Heart of God by virtue of James 1:27. I commend him. What a heart of Gold. Those who gave to him should read Proverbs 22:16
“To show you how vain human nature is, very few people will donate ₦1 million to orphanages, who really need the money. But they fall over themselves to donate ₦1 million to Davido, who does NOT need the money. Davido understood that. And did what he did. Bravo!
“Those saying Davido donated the money as an afterthought are pathetic. Look at the calibre of people on the committee to disburse the funds. It would‘ve taken days, if not weeks to contact them and get their buy in. This was a carefully thought out act of goodness.”
A former governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Senator Gbenga Aluko is dead.
He was 58 years old.
The Ode Ekiti born politician was said to have slumped in his office in Abuja and rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
He died Saturday evening.
Daniel Olugbenga Aluko was born on 20 July 1963, to Professor Sam Aluko, a prominent Nigerian Economist from Ekiti State. He attended Federal Government College, Ilorin, and then was admitted to the University of Benin, graduating in 1982 with a degree in Geography and Regional Planning. He went on to the College of Energy and Petroleum Studies, Oxford, England for a Post Graduate course in International Oil Trading and Pricing. Positions held between 1983 and 1999 included Managing Director/CEO of HYGYNIX, Executive Director of Baseline Petroleum and Chemicals and Executive Chairman of Independent Strategists. He was appointed Special Assistant to the Minister of Transport and Aviation and General Manager of Nigeria Shipper’s Council from 1993 to 1995.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999 Aluko was appointed to committees on Selection, Senate Services (vice chairman), Aviation, Women Affairs, Finance & Appropriation, Social Development & Sports and Local & Foreign Debts. He was appointed Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate. Later he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Gas Committee and Chairman of the Petroleum Committee. Aluko was opposed to plans to privatize the Nigerian Mint. He was appointed Chairman of an ad hoc committee to investigate the controversial closure of Savannah Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
After leaving the Senate, Aluko continued in private enterprise, holding a controlling interest in Alstegg and Midlands, a Civil Engineering Firm and serving as a Director of Crest Healthcare, Consultant to DFID on Parliamentary Matters and Director of Government Affairs with Chevron Nigeria.
Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola has urged Nigerians to be patient till January 2022 to find out whether or not the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu would run for president in 2023.
Fashola said he did not know if the former Lagos State Governor had a presidential ambition.
Speaking on Friday during a Channels Television programme ‘Hard Copy’, Fashola explained that Tinubu had not informed him he was running in 2023.
“I saw him last week; he didn’t tell me he was running for office and to the best of my knowledge, the last statement he made about it was that people would know in January,” the minister said.
The Minister was also asked if he enquired from Tinubu about his intention to run.
He replied: “No, I didn’t ask him, I only went to see how well he was doing.
“He has issued a statement that ‘I will speak in January’, so let’s wait for his speech.”
On whether he was speaking for any aspirant come 2023, the minister declined.
He said: “As far as I am aware, nobody has said, ‘I want to be Nigeria’s President’. There are people speaking for people. Nobody has come out; we are not at that stage yet.
“I can’t venture out and say that I will speak for X or Y. Let the person come out and say, ‘I want to serve Nigeria’.
“It pains me sometimes when we seed that very important job and responsibility to, ‘My people said’. I think the whole sense of it should be that I am able, I have looked at myself, give me your problem, you go to sleep’.”
Afrobeat singer, Davido Adeleke, donates the entire N201M raised for his birthday crowdfunding to charity with an additional N50M.
This is coming days after the singer raised the sum of N201M initially intended to be for his 29th birthday celebration.
Davido, however, confirmed in a statement via Instagram his intention to donate it all to charity in Nigeria with an extra N50M from his pocket.
“A lot of people have called me saying it’s your money, keep it, don’t listen to what people are saying, but not to be corky, the money is a lot; I won’t say I don’t need it. I think there are more people that need it more than me. Right now, we are at about N201M; so, I’ve decided to donate all the money out in Nigeria and apart from the N201M, I will add N50M from my own money,” he said.
Nollywood actress Joke Silva has for the first time spoken publicly about the health condition of her husband and veteran actor Olu Jacob
During an interview with Chude Jidonwo, Joke Silva disclosed that Olu Jacobs has dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). According to her, her husband has been having dementia for a couple of years but was not disclosed publicly.
“It’s been going on for a couple of years and it’s the first time she’s saying it publicly. He is dealing with issues and it is been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy body”.
“It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease, it affects the brain and affects the person.
She added: “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing…but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.
She continued: “We have gone through some times and situations recently that I wish I had the old you here so I don’t battle these times on my own but we are grateful for the moment of clarity. I miss the times we work together.”
The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) – brainchild of Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder/Executive Chairman of BUA Group has donated and handed over a newly built 150-bed hospital to the Nigerian Police in Abuja.
The hospital, which is the first donation of its kind to the Nigerian Police, is called the “ASR Africa Police National Reference Hospital, Abuja”, and was developed at a cost of 4billion Naira with funding drawn from the annual $100million ASR Africa Fund for Social Development and Renewal.
Speaking at the physical handover of the hospital building to Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police, Abdul Samad Rabiu said that the hospital project was conceived out of the desire to provide the best healthcare services and facilities for the Nation’s security operatives.
“The ASR Africa Police Hospital will bring qualitative healthcare closer to the people that protect lives and properties in the country as well as other Nigerians who will also be able to utilize the facility.”, he added.
In his comments while receiving the original certificate of occupancy from the representatives of ASR Africa, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, commended the philanthropic work of the founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu. IGP Alkali mentioned that the ASR Africa Police National Hospital was conceived, completed, and built to standard in record time without any hitch. “We are really grateful to ASR Africa and Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu for this first-of-a-kind donation of a mega hospital to the Police.
It is heartwarming to know that there are patriotic individuals like Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu who are genuinely interested in providing support for the thousands of policemen, women, and their families through initiatives such as this.”, he added.
Also speaking on the activities of the ASR Africa Initiative, Ubon Udoh, MD/CEO of ASR Africa said that various grants have been awarded to educational institutions, health facilities, governments as well as non-governmental organizations as part of ASR Africa’s contributions to sustainable development in Africa.
“When ASR Africa began, we set aside $100 million yearly for various interventions in health, education and social development. Within nine months, we have shown how passionate we are about social impact and development especially in the areas of health care delivery, education, social development, and sustainable infrastructure across the country and Africa.
The brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was established in April 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting Health, Education and Social Development within Africa.
The richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote, has expressed how pathetic it was for him to watch his brother die, while on life support machine.
“It is a very tough time for us; its been very trying, especially for myself.
“Having a brother like him; once you lose him it is really very painful. He died in front of myself, our mother and all his children.
“The most painful thing is when you are told that your brother will be passing on in about an hour.
“And you stand by watching as the machine is going down until it stopped working.
“It was very tormenting,” Dangote stated.
He said these when the leader of All Progress Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, paid him a condolence visit on Friday.
Tinubu was in Kano to condole with him on the death of his brother, the Vice Chairman of the Dangote Group of Company, Alhaji Sani Dangote.
“We have always known that when there is life there is death. We, as Muslims, don’t know who is next and it can be today, tomorrow or even now.
“That is why it is good to be good, so that when you get there you can bid for whatever you were asked to do on earth.
“Your excellency, you are our host because you are the governor of all of us and we really thank you for taking almost the whole week struggling with the crowds, its not easy.
“I thank you all for all your prayers and your support.
“This will actually help us to reduce the pain that we are going through,” Dangote added.
In his condolence message the APC leader, Tinubu stated that money cannot buy life and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
He called on the family to take heart and continue to pray for the repose of late Sani’s soul.
“We are here not to just commiserate or console you, we are here together to mourn our dear brother.
“Sani is not yours alone. He was a Lagosian and a great Nigerian and a friend and a brother to all of us here.
“I am not a preacher, but I know what it means to suddenly lose a close relation, especially a brother.
“What we have come to do is to join in prayers for you and the people of Kano state, for Nigeria and the entire family as a whole.
“May God give you the strength to bear the loss. It is a loss to all of us.
“May God grant you longer life, keep you in good health, keep the family in good health, give you peace of mind and the ability to accept the decree of God Almighty.
“He is the giver and the taker and He can do anything at any given time he chooses.
“With your faith and your strong capacity, we believe you will come out of it and continue to do good in his name, in your name, in the family’s name and the entire people of the country,” Tinubu stated. [Vanguard]
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