The Nigerian Government has reacted to its removal from a Religious Freedom Blacklist by the United States Government.
In a statement on Thursday signed by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, the Federal Government hailed the United States for removing Nigeria from the list calling the decision ‘fair and just’.
Mohammed reiterated his earlier stand, when Nigeria was put on the list last year, that Nigeria does not engage in religious freedom violation or have a policy of religious persecution.
He said Nigeria jealously protects religious freedom as enshrined in the country’s constitution and takes seriously any infringements in that regard.
”We will continue to ensure that every Nigerian has the freedom to practise his or her own chosen religion or belief without hindrance,” the Minister said, while commending religious leaders in the country who have been working to ensure religious harmony.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday , fixed December 10, 2021 to pass judgment on a political matter instituted by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against the All Progressives Congress(APC) candidate in the recently concluded Anambra State governorship election, Senator Emmanuel Andy Ubah.
Other respondents in the suit are the APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
In the suit filed by SDP’s counsel, Chief James Onoja SAN, he urged the court to declare “that the Senior School Certificate Examination May/June 1974 Statement of Result purportedly issued by the 4th Respondent through Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw, Enugu, Enugu State to Uba Emmanuel Nnamdi with candidate number 05465/08 submitted by the 1st and 2nd Respondents to the 3rd Respondent for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is false.”
Making his final argument on Thursday, Chief Onoja SAN told Justice Taiwo Taiwo that Andy claimed to have acquired his WAEC (SSCE) certificate in 1974.
He insisted that the examination council only started issuing SSCE in 1988.
He also alleged that Ubah had several names on various certificates he tendered to the APC and INEC, including that of WAEC.
He said it was a contravention of the electoral act, adding that “This court has the authority of preventing such people from accessing public office.”
APC Stakeholders Blame Buni For Anambra Defeat, Demand Dissolution Of Caretaker Committee
In his objection, APC’s lawyer, Vincent Otaokpupu, urged the judge to dismiss the submissions of the plaintiff for being statute barred (out of time).
He also argued that Onoja abandoned his false information allegation and was busy “changing the goal post” by attacking the placements of Andy Ubah’s name.
“So their argument is statute barred, and we invite the court to decline jurisdiction. I implore the court to discountenance their submissions and strike out this suit with impunitive cost of 100 million naira,” he added.
On his part, Ubah’s lawyer, Chris Kelechi Ubeoyibo Esq, said that any controversy regarding the name of his client in the result in question was resolved when he swore to affidavit to capture the changes.
“My Lord, the adoption of the name Andy; there is an affidavit of fact sworn before a notary public,” he added.
INEC was not represented in court.
“Judgement is adjourned, all things being equal, for 10 December , 2021,” presiding judge, Taiwo ruled.
WAEC’s counsel, Rita K. Awuru, later told our correspondent that she tendered evidence before the court showing “We conducted SSCE and GCE in 1974 up till 1988.”
The police have arrested Oduduwa University owner Ramon Adedoyin over the death of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University.
The police have arrested Oduduwa University owner Ramon Adedoyin over the death of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University.
Mr Adedoyin owns Hilton Hotel and Resort, a facility Mr Adegoke lodged.
Mr Adegoke lodged in the hotel on November 5 to sit his examinations at the OAU distance learning centre in Moro, Osun.
The student was declared missing two days after he lodging into the hotel and was later found dead.
The police command in Osun said in a statement that it had arrested six people linked to Mr Adegoke’s death.
A police spokeswoman in Osun, Yemisi Opalola, announced Mr Adedoyin was arrested on November 15.
According to the statement, Mr Adedoyin is undergoing interrogation in connection with the case while the police await an autopsy report from the hospital.
The command commended the public, especially the bereaved family, students, and OAU authorities, for their patience to allow the police to conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.
The ambition of no fewer than 80,000 outgoing secondary school students of Kano State to go to the higher institutions now hangs in the balance as the National Examination Council, NECO, has withheld their results over alleged N500 million unpaid debt by the state government.
A report monitored on BBC Hausa Service claimed the examination body withheld the students’ results because the state government could not pay the NECO examination debt amounting to over N500 million.
According to the report, 70 percent of the students who sat for the NECO examination in 2021 were sponsored by their parents, but because of the unpaid debt by the state government, their results have not been released till date.
Kano state is among states such as Adamawa, Niger and Zamfara that owe NECO millions of Naira in examination fees ,the report alleged.
One of the affected students told the BBC Hausa Service that they “are in a dilemma because post secondary institutions are about to close the admissions for the session.”
He said he was waiting for the release of the NECO result to process admission into the university of his choice, but might lose the chance if the problem persisted.
“We tried and contacted our school, but we were told to be patient, and time is running out. I don’t know what will happen next,” he said.
Efforts to reach the state Commissioner for Education, Sanusi Saidu Kiru, were unsuccessful.
Already, some rights campaigners have written to the state government, urging it to take the necessary action to avoid halting the students’ educational pursuits.
A rights activist, Ibrahim Umar, said the complaints they received from students at a time tertiary institutions were closing admission processes ,made them to intensify pressures on government to solve the problem.
Umar said they would take the necessary measures to see that the results are released to the students, because majority paid for their exams fees themselves.
The social media was recently on fire when the warring singing twins Peter and Paul Okoye popularly known as PSquare have started following each other on Instagram, we can finally confirm that the super talented duo are actually back together.
Video made available to www.societygazetteng.com shows Peter who has been working solo under the name Mr P visiting his twin brother known as Rudeboy as a solo artist and the two brothers hugging each other while those present were heard saying finally.
The twin had been in a serious fight for a while and all attempts to settle them has been futile until now.
A storey building in Flour Mills Estate, Magbon in Badagry area of Lagos State, has collapsed, leaving many people trapped under the rubbles.
Naija News reports that this was made know in a statement on Facebook signed by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye.
According to LSFRS, five people have been rescued from the collapsed building which was under-construction.
The agency stated that four individuals have also been rescued unconscious as residents and police officers are helping emergency workers.
The statement disclosed that those who have been rescued were taken to the hospital.
The statement read, “There has been a reported case of a storey building collapse at Sunny Filled, Flour Mills, Estate, Magbon, Badagry, Lagos.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Badagry Station had rescued five victims from the under-construction building while concerted efforts are ongoing to rescue remaining trapped victims.
“The victims which are mainly construction workers are however rescued with varying degrees of injury but in stable condition and been taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
“However, four adults male have been recovered (unconscious) thus far as the Nigerian Police, Morogbo Division and the Community dwellers are complimenting the efforts of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, says the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been interviewed over the recent invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili.
Baba made this known when he received a delegation of Rivers’ elders and elected representatives led by Governor Nyesom Wike at the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday.
The IGP said the police interviewed Malami based on the confession of the lead suspect, Lawrence Ajodo, who had claimed to be a consultant to the minister.
Baba stated that Malami denied ever meeting Ajodo or ever being on the payroll of the Ministry of Justice under his supervision.
The police boss, however, said the minister actually confirmed that his ministry had initially constituted a recovery team, but that team had since been disbanded.
Baba stated that the suspects involved in the illegal siege were still in police custody amid the ongoing investigation and would soon be charged to court.
Speaking on the issue of the magistrate who issued the search warrant, the IGP said a letter was sent to the Chief Registrar of the Federal Capital Territory requesting his release for questioning.
He added that the magistrate will soon be questioned, saying that he has not denied the fact that he issued a search warrant that led to the illegal raid.
He said, “We wrote a letter to the Chief Registrar of FCT to release the magistrate, and instead of releasing him, they replied to our letter, plus his statement to us. So, we don’t want to pick any quarrel.
“What we needed was the statement. We are working on the statement. He has not denied the fact that he issued a search warrant and that is what we wanted to confirm.”
Earlier, Governor Wike appealed to the police boss to unravel the real motive behind the recent invasion of the residence of Justice Odili.
He also charged the IGP to ensure that all those directly or indirectly involved in the illegal raid face the full wrath of the law.
The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is unabating as former Senator, Kabiru Garba Marafa, on Wednesday warned Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is the Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, to expel him and watch the party crumble.
Marafa, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, dared Governor Buni to throw him off the party and watch the party sink into more crisis.
Marafa advised the Yobe State governor to stop deluding himself as the national chairman of the APC, declaring that he is only chairman of the party’s convention planning committee.
Marafa, who represented the Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the last assembly, had on Sunday, threatened to institute legal actions against Governor Buni’s CECPC over what he termed gross violations of the party’s constitution in the conduct of party affairs.
“APC is a political party, not a committee. Committees are created to serve specific functions not to usurp the powers of the entire legal entity,” he stated.
“The function of the Mai Mala committee is to plan a convention just as its name implies. Mai Mala is the chairman of the APC convention planning committee and not APC itself,” he added.
Quoting section 12.3 of the APC constitution, he said the provision lists the party’s National Executive Committee NEC members “and it made the National Chairman of the party and not the chairman of any committee by whatever name as the chairman of the organ while Section 12.3 (xxxi) lists the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as members only, so the question is; who approved the constitution and subsequent extensions of tenure of office of the illegal and obnoxious CECPC?”
“This is the situation we find ourselves. The Chairman of APC today is an overzealous chairman of convention planning committee only and a sitting governor”, Marafa declared.
Marafa’s latest response followed a statement from the CECPC that was issued on Monday through its Secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudodehe, warning Marafa to desist from anti-party activities or risked being expelled from the party.
Responding to that threat, Marafa said, “Expelling me from the party will only aggravate the problem. It will herald the beginning of the agitation; rule of law must be respected.
“The committee is illegal and alien to the constitution of the party. We are building everything on nothing. Rather than the expulsion threat, the committee or the chairman should respond to issues I raised,” he said.
“What does our party constitution says that renders Buni’s committee null and void? Section 17 (4) of the constitution of our beloved party, says ‘no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position office in government concurrently’. Article 20 states the only way the leadership of the party can evolve.
“Section 13.3(iv) which was relied upon to create the illegal body called CECPC talked about the power of NEC to create committees.
“Mai Mala should choose between Yobe or APC. The combination of the two is no longer tenable”, Marafa declared.
Marafa reiterated his determination to institute legal actions to save the party from what he tagged, “over ambitious Buni” if he refuses to revert to his original assignment as chairman convention planning committee.
“We will show him the way out dishonourably. We will not allow the party we contributed immensely to develop to be destroyed by over-ambitious, self-centred and enemies of the party, and the country.
“This is the party we laboured, toiled and laid the foundation for its success. We will not allow those who have little or no stake in the party to destroy it or to please certain individuals and achieve their selfish interests,” he said.
Marafa, while insisting that he has committed no offence, said the party should revert to the path of constitutionality and rule of law or face extinction.
Man electrocuted while trying to save a bird trapped on a high tension wire (video)
A video showing a man being electrocuted while trying to save a bird trapped on a high tension wire has been shared online.
In the video, the man climbed on an electric pole armed with a long metal. As he tried to hit the bird to free it, he hit the high tension wire with the metal and he was electrocuted. The spark caused him to fall to his death.
ONYEAGWU CALLS FOR COLLABORATION WITH NIGERIANS IN THE DIASPORA FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Ebenezer Onyeagwu
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has called for increased collaboration of Nigerians in the diaspora for the nation to achieve its economic growth targets. He made the call during the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit 2021 organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. The hybrid event which held at the State House Banquet Hall, Aso Villa Abuja & Virtually had in attendance the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and State Governors.
Delivering his remarks on this year’s theme: “Partnership and Linkages for Post Covid Economic Growth”, Onyeagwu noted the aptness of the theme of the summit, as it underscores Nigeria’s need for robust growth following the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a severe macroeconomic shock.
Onyeagwu commended the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for leading with policies that create an enabling environment for investment in Nigeria, such as the “Naira 4 Dollar Scheme”, which contributed to boosting diaspora remittances by providing incentives for recipients of international money transfers. In his view, this and other policies encourage the senders and recipients to channel inflows through the official market, knowing that they will not be shortchanged.
Onyeagwu also passionately highlighted Nigeria’s enormous investment potential, especially the nation’s huge market and youthful population, which is a veritable source of labour and a consuming population.
Highlighting the need for partnership and collaboration of Nigerians in the diaspora to achieve Nigeria’s economic growth targets, particularly during these challenging times, Onyeagwu pointed out that across the globe, the diaspora community plays a critical role in their home country’s economic growth and development. He noted that Nigeria has enormous potential to attract significant diaspora inflow, most of which is coming in through informal channels. These remittance inflows and investments, which are counter-cyclical, help in ameliorating foreign exchange challenges as the funds form a significant buffer for the country’s foreign reserves.
Onyeagwu identified the healthcare sector as one area where diaspora investment and intervention are urgently required. In his words, “by leveraging the expertise of our diaspora healthcare professionals in some of the emerging world-class health facilities in Nigeria, such as Evercare Hospital, Ibom Specialist Hospital and Base University Hospital, we can begin to curb the loss of foreign exchange to medical tourism”. He, therefore, called on the various associations and groups of Nigerians in the diaspora to pull resources together and identify viable investment opportunities in the homeland.
Whilst commending the untiring efforts of NIDCOM led by Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa in supporting the engagement of Nigerians in diaspora in the country’s policies, projects, and development programmes, Onyeagwu canvassed that the narrative should shift from diaspora remittance to Diaspora Direct Investment as advocated by Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Mr. Emeka Offor, Acting Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).
Onyeagwu noted that as a socially responsible organization, Zenith Bank continues to play its part in promoting investment in Nigeria. In the light of this, the bank is proud of its partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) and remains committed to creating value for Nigerians in the diaspora through its unique products, services and quality service, including mortgage. He noted that Nigerians in the diaspora could open bank accounts with Zenith Bank through various online and digital channels and do not need to visit Nigeria to have bank accounts back home.
Zenith Bank is Nigeria’s largest and one of Africa’s largest financial institutions by tier-1 capital, with shareholders’ funds in excess of NGN1.1 trillion ($2.64 billion) as at December 31, 2020. The bank is a clear leader in the Nigerian financial space, with several firsts in the deployment of innovative products and solutions that ensure convenience, speed and safety of transactions.
