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Akeredolu Reacts To Northern Govs’ Position On 2023 Presidency Zoning

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has reacted to the Northern Governors’ rejection of zoning the 2023 presidency to the southern part of the country.

Naija News reports that the governors met on Monday at the Council Chamber (Sir Kashim Ibrahim House) of the Kaduna State government house.

The governors, under the auspices of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, held the meeting jointly with some traditional rulers and Emirs from the region led by the Sultan of Sokoto.

In their position made known in a communique after their meeting, the governors condemned zoning as earlier adopted by their southern counterparts, arguing that zoning is not constitutional.

“The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall secure at least 25 percent of the votes cast in 2/3 states of the federation. In the case of run-up simple majority win the election,” the communique read in part.

The Northern Governors also rejected the stand of their southern counterparts on Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, saying that VAT collection by state governments would cause economic hardship and multiple taxations.

Reacting to the position of the Northern governors, Akeredolu said his Northern colleagues have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression.

In an interview with The PUNCH, Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the Southern Governors remain resolute on their demand.

He said, “They (northern governors) have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression. No one can stop them from expressing themselves.”

Source: Naija News

Heritage Bank MD tasks govt on policies to support private sector interventions for infrastructure growth

…Cart away duo Platinum awards

L-R: Blaise Udunze, Team Lead Media and External Relations of Heritage Bank Plc; former Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Waheed Olagunju and the Chairman of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria, Titus Nwokoji, during the duo Platinum Awards presented to Ifie Sekibo and Heritage Bank for Outstanding Support towards FICAN and Financial Reporting, respectively at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria’s (FICAN) 30th-anniversary conference and awards with the theme: “Financing Infrastructure & SMEs for inclusive growth in the post-COVID-19 economy,” held in Lagos, weekend

The MD/CEO of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo has called on governments to provide enabling policies that would support private sector interventions to achieve the vision of infrastructural development.

He made this submission at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria’s (FICAN) 30th-anniversary conference and awards with the theme: “Financing Infrastructure & SMEs for inclusive growth in the post-COVID-19 economy,” held weekend in Lagos, where the bank carted away duo Platinum Awards presented to Ifie Sekibo and Heritage Bank for Outstanding Support towards FICAN and Financial Reporting, respectively.

Sekibo who was represented by Olusegun Akanji, Divisional Head, Strategy and Business Solutions, argued that the government cannot solve the country’s infrastructure challenges, noting that it is the private sector that will deliver the solution.
According to him, the government can only provide enabling policies that will support private sector interventions.

“We need the global private sector intervention to help us achieve a vision of infrastructural development,” he said.
He noted that until the country developed an identity management system that delivers value to the citizenry, SMEs will continue to grapple with financing challenges.

He explained that though the banking industry has financed a lot of SMEs in terms of count, that it is the sector that has the largest numbers of bad loans and frauds in terms of count.

MD of FMDQ Group, Bola Koko represented by Yomi Osinubi, Head Private Market, urged Nigeria to conceive a way its domestic capital market could fund the international capital market.

L-R: Titus Nwokoji, Chairman of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria; Olusegun Akanji, Divisional Head, Strategy and Business Solutions of Heritage Bank Plc and former Chairman of FICAN and Deputy Business Editor of Vanguard, Babajide Komolafe, during the duo Platinum Awards presented to Ifie Sekibo and Heritage Bank for Outstanding Support towards FICAN and Financial Reporting, respectively at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria’s (FICAN) 30th-anniversary conference and awards with the theme: “Financing Infrastructure & SMEs for inclusive growth in the post-COVID-19 economy,” held in Lagos, weekend

That, he said, was the only way that we could pluck the infrastructure rewards.

“If we want to pluck our infrastructure rewards, first of all we have to conceive of a way our domestic capital market can actually fund capital market.

“But the investors in debt capital market international and debt, money will come into an environment where capital is expected and there is an expectation of good management of those resources and cash flows will come back to it.

“So I think there’s the issue of maybe an underlying structure where we want to put in capital like road infrastructure tax payment.

” If you want SMEs to get the best benefits of infrastructure development in the country, the CBN Governor mentioned the largest areas of course for SMEs which is energy. The second largest is the logistics, movements of cargo around the country,” he said.

Executive Commissioner, Temidayo Obisan representing the Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),Lamido yuguda advised that the nation connected the right duration of money which according to him would be long-term. “The major thing to identify is that infrastructure is a long-term thing, so it Is essential we connect the right duration of money which is long term capital which is what capital market provides and which sec as a regulator should.

“We have about three surviving infrastructure focus funds in Nigeria now that are totalling almost a 100bn, itching about 90 billion at the moment and there are some that are registered programmes of 200billion,” he said.

More so, the Chairman of FICAN, Titus Chima Nwokoji, said if Nigeria’s infrastructural gap, which is estimated to be N36 trillion annually, is addressed, a lot of the country’s economic challenges will be easily tackled.

“And coming out of COVID-19 pandemic, we know that if the infrastructure is fixed and SMEs thrive, the growth that you see will be faster,” he added.

UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition(NEC) 2021 Ready to Receive Digital Applications

+ Portal for NEC 2021 Opens…Prizes increase in value by 33%

UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced the commencement of the 2021 edition of its annual National Essay Competition (NEC) in Nigeria with a call for entries.

The National Essay Competition (NEC) is part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative which is aimed at promoting literacy and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst senior secondary school students in Nigeria and across the African continent.

This year’s edition, which is its 11^th, has been modified to ensure ease of access and the increased participation of students from Senior Secondary School across Nigeria, who can submit their entries from the comfort of their homes and schools through the UBAF NEC digital submission portal www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition.

Like the previous year, the prizes for the NEC 2021 winners have increased in value considerably by 33%. The first prize winner will receive an educational grant of N3 million to study at any African university of their choice, up from the N2.5 million in 2020. The second and third prizes now stand at N2.5 million and N2 million educational grants respectively. Winners of the 12 best essays will also go home with state-of-the-art Laptops to help them with their tertiary research work and other studies.

The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta, said that the Foundation scaled up the prizes for the second year in a row in order to accommodate the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and also the fluctuation in the currency levels.

She explained that with the digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country will have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent.

“At UBA Foundation, it is imperative that our programmes continue to impact lives in meaningful ways. We realise that the use of technologically driven initiatives is part of the modern day. We want to be able to reach the students where they are and this is mostly online. The digital portal for online submission has made it more comfortable for students to send in their applications and compete with ease. For those who do not have access to computers or data, we are going to make this competition inclusive by allowing them access to any UBA branch near them to submit their entries digitally. Every student who wishes to, will be able to enter for the NEC 2021 and stand a chance to win a fully funded University education through the UBA Foundation’ said Atta.

The essay topic for this year is: “What is the role of technology in educating the African Youth?” All essays must be handwritten and students have up until October 29, 2021 to upload the scanned copies of their handwritten entries as well as their IDs on the digital portal at www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition. No physical copies will be accepted this year.

The submissions will be evaluated by judges who are professors from reputable Nigerian Universities. These judges select the top 12 finalists who will take home consolation prizes including personal computers. The 12 finalists will write another supervised essay where the top three winners will be announced at the grand finale to be held on November 30^th at UBA’s head office in Lagos, Nigeria.

The UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition has been rolled out in 4 other countries where UBA operates, with plans in place to cover 19 African countries in the next couple of years.

UBA Foundation embodies the UBA Group’s CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on societies through several laudable projects and initiatives. The Foundation through its Education pillar, has donated hundreds of thousands of books to students across Africa under the ‘Read Africa’ initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths.

Students can apply for the National Essay Competition 2021 at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition

Popular R&B Singer, R. Kelly found guilty in sex-trafficking trial

R. Kelly was found guilty of all charges preferred against him bordering on sex trafficking and related crimes
R. Kelly was convicted by a federal jury on Monday in his sex trafficking trial, where prosecutors accused the R&B singer of exploiting his stardom over a quarter-century to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex.

Jurors in Brooklyn federal court deliberated for a little more than one day before voting to convict the 54-year-old Kelly on all nine counts he faced, after a 5-1/2 week trial.

Kelly had been charged with one count of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution.

Prosecutors said Kelly took advantage of his fame and charisma to recruit victims, including some plucked from crowds at his concerts, with the aid of people in his entourage.

Witnesses said some victims had hoped Kelly could jumpstart their careers, only to find he demanded their strict obedience and would punish them if they failed.

Trial testimony from government witnesses portrayed, often in graphic detail, an unseemly side to Kelly’s 30-year music career, whose highlights include the 1996 Grammy-winning smash “I Believe I Can Fly.”

The singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is one of the most prominent people tried on sex charges during the #MeToo movement, which amplified accusations that had dogged him since the early 2000s.

Like Kelly, many of his accusers were Black, differentiating the case from recent #MeToo convictions of comedian Bill Cosby and movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Cosby’s conviction was overturned in June.

Kelly’s alleged victims included the late singer Aaliyah, who Kelly briefly and illegally married in 1994 when she was 15. Aaliyah died in a 2001 plane crash.

Many accusations against Kelly were included in the January 2019 Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.”

Several witnesses testified that Kelly instilled fear if his victims did not fulfill his every need, sexual and otherwise.

Jurors heard how Kelly would compel victims to follow “Rob’s rules,” including that they call him “Daddy” and get permission to eat or go to the bathroom.

One witness hoping to interview him for a radio station said he locked her up for at least two days without food or water before assaulting her.

Witnesses also said Kelly pressed accusers to write “apology letters” to potentially absolve him of wrongdoing, and concealed before intercourse that he had contracted herpes.

The racketeering charge gave prosecutors leeway to offer evidence that might otherwise be too old to prosecute.

Kelly did not testify in his defense, which lasted about two days.

His lawyers sought, including during cross-examinations of several witnesses, to portray Kelly’s accusers as former fans who felt jilted when they fell from his favor, and that their sex with Kelly was consensual.

They also tried to show how some accusers stayed with Kelly long after the alleged abuses began, and questioned why they failed to go to the police or waited years to come forward.

On top of the conviction, Kelly still faces federal charges in Chicago on child pornography and obstruction, and state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.

“Nigerians deserve Buhari” – Reno Omokri reacts to video of Pere’s fans protesting over BBNaija’s twist

Human right activist, Reno Omokri has reacted to a video of Big Brother Naija housemate, Pere fans protesting over the game twist announced on Sunday night.

Earlier today, fans of the ex-military officer, who was fake evicted last night and currently battling with his colleague, Angel for the last spot in the finale, staged a protest over the development calling it unfair.

Reacting to a video from the protest ground which surfaced online, Reno Omokri berated the protesters. According to him, there are more pressing issue that needs the voice of the people rather than a reality show.

“These Nigerians are not protesting because the Naira is now worth less than the Zimbabwean dollar, or because insecurity has made life in Nigeria a living hell, or because of Buhari’s refusal to name Boko Haram’s sponsors, or because VAT is collected by the Federal Government from states that generate income and given to states that mostly just consume. They are protesting because they claim Big Brother cheated Pere.

Now, you see why Nigeria is the way she is? Ask Nigerians to come out to protest for their rights and few will come out, if any. Ask them to come out for a Wizkid concert, and people who can’t feed will miraculously acquire money and sell out the concert. Imagine this going on on a Monday, when they should be productive at work or their businesses. We love to give our energies to the trivial, not the vital. Nigerians, perhaps we do deserve Buhari!” He wrote.<.blockquote>

VIDEO: Again! French President Macron Assaulted In Public As Man Throws Egg At Him

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, on a visit to an international food trade fair was hit on the shoulder with an egg thrown at him by a man.

In the video that has gone viral, Macron was seen walking through the crowd when an egg bounced off him without breaking.

This is coming barely four months after the president was slapped.

Two bodyguards can be seen immediately getting closer to the president.

The video also shows a man being taken away from the scene by other bodyguards.

Reporters heard Macron saying “If he has something to tell me, then he can come.”

No details have been released by authorities on the man’s identity or possible motivation.

Recall, a bystander identified as Damien Tarel slapped French President, Emmanuel Macron across the face during a trip to southeast France on the second stop of a nationwide tour.

Watch Video Below:

Source: Naija News

Taliban ban barbers from shaving, trimming beards in Afghanistan

The Taliban have banned hairdressers in Afghanistan’s Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, saying it breaches their interpretation of Islamic law.

Anyone violating the rule will be punished, Taliban religious police say.

Some barbers in the capital Kabul have said they also received similar orders.

The instructions suggest a return to the strict rulings of the group’s past tenure in power, despite promises of a milder form of government.

Since taking power last month, the Taliban have carried out harsh punishments on opponents. On Saturday, the group’s fighters shot dead four alleged kidnappers and their bodies were hung in the streets of the western city of Herat.

In a notice posted on salons in southern Helmand province, Taliban officers warned that hairdressers must follow Sharia law for haircuts and beards.

“No one has a right to complain,” the notice, which was seen by the BBC, read.

“The fighters keep coming and ordering us to stop trimming beards,” one barber in Kabul said. “One of them told me they can send undercover inspectors to catch us.”

Another hairdresser, who runs one of the city’s biggest salons, said he received a call from someone claiming to be a government official. They instructed him to “stop following American styles” and not to shave or trim anyone’s beard.

During the Taliban’s first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the hardline Islamists banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted that men grow beards.

But since then, clean-shaven looks have become popular and many Afghan men have gone to salons for fashionable cuts.

Many Afghan barbers say their business has dried up

But the barbers, who have not been named to protect their safety, say the new rules are making it hard for them to make a living.

“For many years my salon was somewhere for young people to shave as their wish and look trendy,” one told the BBC. “There is no point continuing this business.”

“Fashion salons and barbers are becoming forbidden businesses,” another said. “This was my job for 15 years and I don’t think I can continue.”

Another barber in Herat said that although he had not received an official order, he had stopped offering beard trims.

“Customers don’t shave their beards [because] they don’t want to be targeted by the Taliban fighters in the streets. They want to blend in and look like them.”

Despite slashing his prices for a cut, his business has dried up. “Nobody cares about their style or hair fashion,” he said.

Southern Kaduna Boils Again As Gunmen Invade Community, Kills 30, Many injured

At least 30 persons have been killed and many houses razed in Madamai and Abun villages in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to the former Coordinator, Kaura Youth Coalition, Comrade Derek Christopher, the attackers invaded the communities around 5pm and started shooting sporadically.

He said, “Some of them were taken to the hospital for treatment.”

Attempts to reach the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammed Jalige, for comment was to no avail, as his number was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Source: Dailytrust

Pere’s Fans Storm BBNaija’s Head Quarters, Stage Protest Against Alleged Injustice

Fans of Big Brother season six, housemate, Pere have staged a protest at the Ilupeju head office of the organizers in Lagos.
The fans are complaining about the alleged injustice meted out on their favorite housemate following Biggie’s twist.

Naija News understands that housemates, Pere and Angel were asked to play a game that would be used in determining who wins and gains access to the finals of the show after they were both evicted from the house.

However, stats show that Pere’s votes enormously topped Angel’s votes, prompting viewers to questions the integrity and credibility as the twist by Biggie seemed unfair.

Pere’s management earlier today pleaded with his fans to exercise patience and let the twists play out. But it seeming as the pleas fall on deaf ears as fans troop out in numbers to voice their displeasures at the reality show’s headquarters.

Read the press release by Pere’s management earlier today.

“Big Brother has a tradition of fair conduct spanning its history. As a platform that has helped so many people over the years, their integrity is indispensable, and the credibility of their process has barely ever been in question.

“This is why they’ve led by example over the years which in turn makes the show the biggest platform in Africa.

“The events of yesterday created so much uproar among our fans, neutrals, and even our competitors. The ripple effect of this event has thrown our voting team off-balance in terms of preparedness for the final week of voting.

“Even though we feel unfairly at a disadvantage, we still believe it’s a twist and a game that would play out eventually make our votes count. We must trust the Process and integrity of the Platform.

“The platform wouldn’t allow the efforts of millions of people that went all out to vote to go in vain. One of our major voting team coordinators had a life-threatening accident last week while trying to solicit and coordinate our votes, not to talk of different incidents involving our team members in different states putting them in harm’s way while voting tirelessly.

“They invested resources, time, sweat, and sleepless nights just to get Pere into the final week.

“It’s being rumored that some of our supporters are planning on taking certain actions to express their anger and frustration.

“We appreciate every one of you, for your unwavering solidarity, but we implore everyone to stay calm and exercise patience.

“Let’s allow the twist to play out and eventually take Pere to the finals. Make no mistakes, OUR VOTES WILL COUNT. Thanks for your support.“

Source: Naija News

Arrested Kaduna Kidnap Kingpin Discloses Identities Of Gang Members, Gives Breakdown Of Ransom Collected

Goma Samaila, leader of a kidnap gang in Ragachucku axis of Kaduna State, has disclosed the identities of his gang members.

The 47-year-old suspect, who has reportedly been into crime for many years, spoke about some of his operations and amounts received as ransom.

In a viral video, Samaila was seen pleading for mercy while being grilled by one of the security operatives who arrested him.

“I am pleading for mercy and forgiveness; I will never commit such offence again,” he said.

On some of the operations he was involved in, he said, “The first person we kidnapped is Abdul; they paid a ransom of N200,000; on Alhaji Umaru, we collected N500,000, Another person is Alhaji Birau; they paid the total sum of N3 million and the other person is Alhaji Ibrahim who paid N700,000.”

Samaila also disclosed the identities of some of the gang members.

“In Ragachucku axis, there are Yusuf, Sale, Gomi, Nasiru, Tukur, Banki, Magaji.

“Then in Kirama axis, there are Musa, Kadi, Oria, Ibrahim, Bala, Rebo, Gaia, Malan, Osama, Babangida, Abubakar and Sule. I can’t remember the name
of the other one who left us to join Babangida, Suleiman and Sule.”