BREAKING: APC Promises Jonathan Presidential Ticket Ahead Of 2023 Election
The All Progressives Congress, APC has stated that they will allow Ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan contest for the 2023 Presidency if he becomes a member of the party.
This was revealed by the National Secretary, APC Caretaker, and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, John Akpanudoedehe during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Wednesday.
He made this comment while discussing speculations that Jonathan is considering to join the ruling party.
He added that the ex-president will also be granted a founding member status if he joins.
He also clarified that Jonathan would not get an automatic ticket as he will vie with other members of the party before getting the ticket.
“The last National Executive Council of the party actually gave a blanket approval to any individual that if you join APC today, it is as if you are a founding member of the party.”
“So, anyone who joins today has the same opportunity to run for any office in this party. It has always been so, so I am not speculating,” he said.
Passengers get off from a privately owned Iranian airline Mahan Air flight at the airport in Kabul on September 15, 2021 Afghanistan
Passengers get off from a privately owned Iranian airline Mahan Air flight at the airport in Kabul on September 15, 2021
Iran on Wednesday resumed commercial flights to neighbouring Afghanistan, where the Taliban took control last month.
“Today Mahan Air carried passengers between Mashhad and Kabul airport,” Fars news agency reported, referring to Iran’s second-largest city, in the northeast, and the Afghan capital.
“At present, this airliner is returning to Mashhad with passengers.”
It was the first such flight between the two countries since the return of the Taliban to power on August 15.
The Iranian civil aviation agency had announced the interruption of flights to Kabul on August 16 for security reasons.
Commercial flights resume in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover
Previously, Mahan Air had operated two flights per week between Mashhad and Kabul.
Mahan Air, the second largest Iranian airline after the state-owned Iran Air, has been on the blacklist of entities targeted by US sanctions against Iran since 2011.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Islamic republic hosts more than 3.46 million Afghans, most of them refugees or illegal immigrants, representing more than four percent of Iran’s population.
Buhari urges media to ignore Yoruba Nation, IPOB agitators at UN
The Federal Government of Nigeria has appealed to Nigerian media houses to focus on core issues as President Muhammadu Buhari addresses the 76th Session of the high-level General Debate of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, 26th of September, 2021.
President Buhari who is billed to be the fourth speaker at the event, will deliver his address at 2pm (WAT).
The Presidency in a statement on Wednesday, condemned the Yoruba Nation agitators for affiliating themselves with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who have been designated a terrorist organisation.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the Buhari-administration will continue in its fight against insurgency which has raged the Northeast and Northwest regions of Nigeria.
Buhari seeks senate’s approval of over $5bn loan
Deal of the day
The statement read:
“Appeal to media to focus on core issues as President Buhari goes to the United Nations
“For Nigerian diaspora groups to use the world’s largest platform – the United Nations General Assembly – to garner attention to their causes is not unexpected. It was, however shocking, to see “Yoruba Nation” advocates yesterday unequivocally throw their lot in with Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). IPOB is a designated terrorist organisation.
“It has now publicly revealed a 50,000 strong paramilitary organisation. It regularly murders security services and innocent civilians, with a significant uptick of violent attacks this year. And it is currently attempting to hold Nigerian states hostage with orders to stay at home under threat of terror. Without doubt, Nigerians and the entire world will judge Yoruba Nation by the company it keeps. No one can take seriously this organisation if it continues its IPOB association.
“When their allies systematically trample human rights, it raises sober questions about their claims to uphold the values of the UN. The cooperation is a worrying development, once parsed with Yoruba Nation’s increasingly violent rallies in Nigeria. Actions and associations speak louder than words. Yoruba Nation’s talk of human rights promotion must therefore be ignored.
“Meanwhile, the Nigerian government will continue its work at the UN- to fight against corruption and illicit financial flows, and international cooperation. If we want to see stolen funds returned to their rightful home in Nigeria, the government must continue to campaign for and coordinate global action on asset recovery.
“The government will remain the leading regional actor in the fight against global terror – particularly against threats emanating from the Sahel. Through the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps programme, the country also shares technical expertise with countries from the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific. At the same time, the administration is implementing a programme of environmental sustainability to combat developments which destroys Nigerian communities in vulnerable regions.
“Only through the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development can we secure a prosperous future for Nigeria. As the largest country in Africa, the government takes seriously its leadership role and will continue to strive for continental unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity. Our expectation is therefore for the media to work with the government to focus attention on the core issues the President, the leader of the country has on his programme.
Sluggish Messi fails to deliver as PSG draw at Brugge
Lionel Messi’s main task at Paris St-Germain will be to help deliver an elusive Champions League, but for all the fanfare surrounding the Argentina star’s first start it proved a frustrating evening as the club began their European campaign with a draw at Club Bruges.
Messi struck the crossbar but struggled to make a serious impact on his full debut and it was instead Ander Herrera who netted the opener after great work down the left from Kylian Mbappe.
Hans Vanaken scored a deserved equaliser before the break to get the 29,000-seater Jan Breydel Stadium rocking.
Messi was carded for a second-half foul and Mbappe replaced after 51 minutes as PSG found it difficult to break down the energetic hosts, who may feel they could have won the game themselves.
Deal of the day
PSG struggled to deal with the home side’s aggressive pressing throughout and needed goalkeeper Keylor Navas to tip Charles de Ketelaere’s well-struck effort over the crossbar to keep them level.
Messi breaks Pele’s record as highest goal-scorer in South America
Messi began to find more space as the Belgian side tired late on but the 34-year-old was unable to unpick the Bruges defence, leaving boss Mauricio Pochettino to ponder how to get the best out of his all-star front three.
“We need time to work for them to build an understanding,” said Pochettino. “That’s been clear and we’ve said that in recent days. We still have to create a team.”
This was Messi’s 150th appearance in the competition and, for a player so synonymous with Barcelona, it felt surreal seeing him line-up for the first time in Europe in the white away strip of PSG.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner arrives in Paris to complete a lavishly-assembled forward line including Neymar and Mbappe that will be expected to bring much-desired European success to the French capital.
Things started smoothly as Mbappe teed up Herrera for his first Champions League goal – though it was his fourth of the season in all competitions for PSG – before the blockbuster cast was split up when the French forward had to be replaced early in the second half.
PSG fans have so far had to watch their new number 30 from afar, with Messi’s only previous appearance since signing for the club coming as a substitute away at Reims in Ligue 1.
Coincidentally, 30 was the number donned by Messi when he was handed his Champions League debut for Barcelona by Frank Rijkaard as a shaggy-haired 17-year-old in December 2004, a game that saw the already-qualified visitors lose 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Seventeen glittering years later – and though the legs may not be as fresh – the diminutive 34-year-old boasts the same crispness of thought and magnetic touch that led Ronaldinho – once a PSG star himself – to declare Messi his heir at the Camp Nou.
The ‘Little Flea’ has since collected four European titles, 10 La Ligas and most recently a Copa America to go with his individual accolades, but that did not make life any easier for Messi and PSG in their opening Group A match against Bruges.
Messi first burst into life on the edge of the Bruges area after 22 minutes, jinking into space and sliding a pass through to Mbappe, who saw his effort palmed away, and soon after the Argentine came within inches of his first PSG goal after curling an effort against the crossbar.
But those moments of customary magic came either side of a deserved leveller for the hosts, with captain Vanaken arriving late to steer in Eduard Sobol’s cross.
No player has netted more Champions League goals for one club than Messi’s 120 for Barcelona and with 20 minutes remaining he went close to opening his account for Paris St-Germain when he tested goalkeeper Simon Mignolet with a left-footed strike.
Messi picked up a booking for a mistimed tackle, and he and Neymar, who last won the Champions League together in 2015, were well dealt with by the Belgian champions’ backline, with Scotland defender Jack Hendry putting in a particularly impressive performance.
The final whistle was met by roars from the home crowd, who continued to celebrate as Oasis tracks were belted out over the stadium tannoy on a memorable night for the club.
of reaching a truce that might culminate in ending the month long strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) ended on an inconclusive note on Wednesday, as stakeholders shifted the deliberations to next week.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and officials of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) locked horns on Tuesday night till early hours of Wednesday, trying to reach an agreement on the proposed review of new hazard allowance for doctors working in government owned hospitals but they failed to arrive at a common ground, forcing them to reschedule for next week.
The marathon meeting also involved the Presidential Committee on Salaries with the leadership of NMA and its affiliates.
All these come just as the ultimatum given by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to embark on indefinite strike expires on September 17.
Ngige recalled that they started this discussion with all the health workers since March but along the line, NMA disagreed on fundamental principles of negotiation with JOHESU.
He explained that the president of NMA requested that the discussion should be compartmentalised, which is allowed in Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to the minister, when people who are not doing the same work are negotiating an interest, if they decide to be separated, it can be done ab initio or midway, but that will put a lot of load on the negotiator.
He, however, appealed to the NMA and JOHESU to sheathe their swords to enable the conclusion of discussion on the matter before the end of September.
Ngige said, “If we do so, it is to your own advantage because it has to be captured in the 2022 budget. Government will also look at its purse and if there is money, the president will sign and it will be a win-win situation for all of us.
“Last week, we discussed with JOHESU. We had a fruitful discussion. It is in that spirit that I am asking you that this should be fruitful, so that we can rest the issue of paying N5000 hazard allowance. In 2020, it was not you who informed government. It was by our own volition that we invited both sides to the meeting where we handed over special COVID allowances to medical and dental workers and other allied health workers and we did it seamlessly. I don’t know whether it was because of the fear of COVID that you worked together.
“Today, the divide is there. Having read the altercation between you and JOHESU, which is in the media, we can’t believe that both of you are managing one patient. We are appealing to you, let us unite and see how we can navigate this thing. This is COVID-19 period. Stop this dichotomy between you and JOHESU. Both of you are managing one patient. It is team work. Nobody can do it alone.”
On the prolonged strike of NARD, Ngige called out striking resident doctors, saying they are insensitive to the plight of Nigerians by embarking on strike at the middle of a pandemic.
He maintained that the Federal Government has been religiously implementing its own part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the NMA, but rather than do their own part, the doctors have chosen to make the government the weeping dog.
While pointing out that he had remained neutral as the conciliator, the minister made it clear that he would no longer allow the idea of unions whipping the government every time they come for negotiation, even when the government was trying its utmost best and the other side liable of not doing their own part.
He explained that timeframes were fixed for actions to be taken, with those who are to take the actions spelt out.
On the issue of MEDSABAN and MDCAN raised by NMA, Ngige said they set up a committee, which had held its inaugural meeting, adding that even before their inaugural meeting, the government had placed all of them back on CONMESS.
“I used my powers as conciliator to say that there is a court judgment and that the government must obey. Court judgments are not what you pick and choose. No matter how bad a court judgment, affected persons must obey, whether you are government or private sector. A court has ordered that these people should be placed back on CONMESS, pending when it concludes this suit.
“Again, we have a Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages. We put every wage on hold. There is a circular to that. So, we would have had a look at it before the amputation of people’s income in an emergency situation of COVID-19. Government is sensitive. I am sensitive to all these things.”
He insisted that the doctors were the people who are not sensitive because they embarked on strike during a pandemic whereas all the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the laws of the country say that in emergencies, strike is not allowed, not to talk of people on essential services.
“In emergency situations where the lives of a small population or whole and their safety would be affected, people do not go on strike. It is there in our laws. I will give it to you people to read. Doctors are supposed to be educated people, unless you want us to agree with what lawyers are saying that they are the learned people and every other people do not know anything. Doctors are educated people. If you are educated people, learning is part of education. So, we must balance things.”
Making remarks, the Secretary General of NMA, Dr. Philip Ekpe, called for prompt attention to resolve the anarchy in the health sector, urging the Federal Ministry of Health to explore the window opened by the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari to see that all the negotiations were not in vain.
Others from the government side at the meeting were the Minister of State, Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mahmuda Mamman, and his Labour counterpart, Peter Tarfa; the Chairman of National Salaries and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, and representatives of the Accountant General of the Federal and Director General of Budget Office.
Resilient Liverpool come from behind To Trash Old Rival AC Milan 3-2 At Anfield
Report as Liverpool claim opening-night win in Group B; Tomori own goal puts Liverpool ahead before Mo Salah misses pen, but Rebic and Diaz give Milan shock lead at half-time; Salah and Henderson on target in second half to secure win for Liverpool
Jordan Henderson’s superb finish gave Liverpool a 3-2 victory from behind over AC Milan in a thrilling opening-night clash in Champions League Group B.
Liverpool burst out of the traps and were 1-0 up early on through Fikayo Tomori’s own goal from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross (9), before Mo Salah saw his penalty saved by Mike Maignan (14), his first miss in 17 for Liverpool.
But Milan produced two goals out of thin air as Ante Rebic’s tidy finish (42) and then former Man City man Brahim Diaz’s tap home (44) from two similarly blistering breaks stunned Anfield going into half-time.
Salah made up for his penalty miss with a leveller just after the break (48), poking home Divock Origi’s clever chip over the defence, and Jordan Henderson completed Liverpool’s own comeback with an exquisite half-volley from 20 yards (69) from a cleared corner.
The result, paired with Atletico’s 0-0 draw against Porto, puts Liverpool on the front foot in a tricky Group B, with Porto next up away from home on September 28. Jurgen Klopp’s side are unbeaten in all competitions this season, and unbeaten in 14 overall.
It was Anfield’s first European night with supporters in attendance since the start of the pandemic, while seven-time winners AC Milan were back in Champions League action for the first time in seven years.
But it was a rude awakening initially for the Italians as Liverpool camped in Milan’s defensive third from the first minute; Andrew Robertson and Diogo Jota missed early half-chances, and they took the lead through brilliant combination play between Alexander-Arnold and Salah.
Having played a one-two with Salah around an unsuspecting Rafael Leao, Alexander-Arnold skipped his way into the box on the right, looked to centre, and saw the ball deflect off Tomori and over goalkeeper Maignan for an own goal.
It should have been 2-0 moments later as Liverpool were awarded a penalty for a handball from Ismael Bennacer as he blocked Robertson’s cross, but Salah’s blasted penalty was saved by Maignan down the middle, before the Milan stopper reacted well to tip away Jota’s headed rebound at close range.
Liverpool made four changes to the side that beat Liverpool as Virgil van Dijk was benched alongside Thiago and Sadio Mane, while Harvey Elliott was out injured.
Joe Gomez came in for his first start since November, Divock Origi got his first start since January, while Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita came into midfield.
AC Milan made three changes to the side that beat Lazio on Sunday as Simon Kjaer, Ismael Bennacer and Alexis Saelemakers came in for Alessio Romagnoli, Sandro Tonali and Alessandro Florenzi. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was out injured, while Olivier Giroud was on the bench.
Milan then settled slightly as Liverpool moved to a lower gear, but the chances continued to flow as Joel Matip headed a good opportunity at Maignan, and Salah’s snap-shot from the edge of the box was tipped away brilliantly by the busy goalkeeper.
But such is the nature of Champions League football, one moment of quality turned the game on its head. Milan equalised from nowhere as Leao’s pass split Matip and Joe Gomez to find Rebic, who wrapped his foot around the ball to finish low past Alisson.
And just 110 seconds later it was 2-1 as Rebic was released again by Leao on the left of the box. This time he squared for Theo Hernandez, whose shot was blocked on the line by Robertson, only for Diaz to tap home again with the Liverpool defender failing to get back to his feet in time.
Liverpool’s fans and players went into half-time wondering how their dominance was not reflected in the scoreline.
But they were let off the hook seconds after the restart as Simon Kjaer converted at the back post from a Jordan Henderson error at a corner, only for the offside flag to correctly go up, and it was soon 2-2.
Mo Salah scores Liverpool’s second goal
Receiving the ball on the edge of the box from Salah, Origi scooped the ball over the Milan back line for the Egyptian, who composed himself before pushing the ball past Maignan, staying just onside.
AC Milan retreated again, and Liverpool huffed and puffed before getting their third midway through the second half through an unlikely source.
From a half-cleared corner, Henderson’s first-time half-volley from the edge of the box was struck superbly, flying into the bottom left corner for only his second Liverpool goal since the end of the 2019/20 season.
The one-goal lead was still fragile as sub Olivier Giroud headed off target, while Alisson just cleared ahead of Milan’s front line from a corner, but Liverpool held on.
This wasn’t quite Istanbul in 2005, but the victory and comeback was a show of character from a Liverpool side reverting to type following an topsy-turvy 2020/21 season, and a classic European night will contribute heavily to the feeling of normality at Anfield.
Investigate Disclosed Boko Haram Sponsors NAOSRE Charged President Buhari
The National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to expedite appropriative administrative measures and investigate the truth or otherwise of the list of Boko Haram sponsors in Nigeria released by the United Arab Emirates, UAE.
On the list were six Nigerians, designated as terrorism sponsors.
According to UAE, the listed individuals and entities, including their affiliates, are being monitored.
The Nigerians named are Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad.
Relying on its Resolution No 83 of 2021, UAE is making good its promise to target and dismantle networks that finance terrorism and its related activities.
The resolution demands that the UAE regulatory authorities monitor and identify any individuals or entities affiliated with or associated with any financial, commercial or technical relationship and take the necessary measures according to the laws in force in the country in less than 24 hours.
In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday morning, NAOSRE President, Comrade Femi Oyewale, noted that the embarrassing disclosure by the UAE government was just an extension of the engagements of NAOSRE which has been saddled with bridging the communication gap between citizens and security agents as well as expose individuals and institutions that support terrorism.
Oyewale explained that the association is determined, more than before, to continue with its media supports to end insurgency in Nigeria
“At NAOSRE, our core responsibility has been to preach patriotism and dissuade supports to terrorism.
Our task to promote citizens’ absolute loyalty to Nigeria’s peaceful coexistences has been nothing but challenging.
“Yet, we remain committed. Therefore, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser, NSA, to leave no stone unturned in investigating current UAE’s revelations.
“We also urge the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation to take appropriate measures to ensure that justice is done for a peaceful Nigeria.
“At NAOSRE, we assure President Buhari and the international community of our association’s cooperation in the struggle to end terrorism in Nigeria,” Oyewale stated.
Deeper knowledge of space and its exploration, over the years, has been herculean in Nigeria.
This became worrisome so much so that the federal government, at the rebirth of democratic governance, established the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) a research institution that is under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology of Nigeria.
The Agency was established on May 5, 1999, with the broad objective to pursue the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefits of the nation.
While the government’s efforts are salutary, the singular effort of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, to establish Planetarium, a dome that stimulates events in the space at the expansive Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, has elevated and externalized opportunities for space knowledge.
Speaking with reporters over the weekend, Dr.Yinka Ajiboye, Director of the institution, Space Centre, explained that the ABUAD Planetarium “Is the second in West Africa but the largest.”
Ajiboye further explained the passion of the unprecedented founder, Aare Afe Babalola, who, he said expended huge capital in the Dome.
He disclosed that at the Dome, countless celestial bodies can be viewed adding that it is an investment aimed at promoting science and space knowledge in the country.
Ajiboye called on space knowledge seekers to take full advantage of the ABUAD Dome which “Has the shape of hemisphere” adding that information and other inquiries can be obtained through 08063767051
Reno Omokri, a socio-political activist, has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari over plans to obtain fresh foreign loans.
Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, accused the president of being an enemy of Nigeria’s progress.
In a series of tweets, Omokri accused Buhari of using the foreign loans on alleged useless things like building a Naval base in a desert in Kano State.
He wrote: “A new $4 billion loan. What is Buhari even using all these loans for? Useless things like Naval Base in Kano’s desert and sewing Igbo trousers that never reach the ankle. What has this nation called Nigeria done to deserve this enemy of progress?
“Naira is now ₦550 to $1, and Buhari still wants to borrow an additional $4 billion after increasing foreign debt from $10 billion in 2015 to $34 billion today? Does he have no shame? What type of bambiala mentality is this? Is it until Naira gets to ₦1000 to $1?”
Buhari had on Tuesday asked the Senate to approve $4 billion and €710 million external loans.
The president’s request was contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Ahmad Lawan and read at plenary yesterday.
Buhari said the proposed loan would be financed through sovereign loans from the World Bank, French Development Agency, EXIM Bank and IFAD.
Buhari noted that the loan, if approved, would enable the Federal Government fund critical infrastructural projects in different sectors across the country.
‘Those Smuggling Gold Out Of Nigeria Deserves Death Penalty’ – Minister
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Dr Uche Ogah, has said that private jets are being used to smuggle gold into the country.
Mr Ogah made the remarks at a two-day public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy.
The public hearing was set up as an enquiry into the country’s $9 billion annual loss in mining and gold smuggling.
The minister also recommended harsher punishment for the perpetrators.
“Gold smuggling in Nigeria is often done using private jets, the very reason private jets ownership and operations need to be streamlined in the country.
“For these crimes to be fought decisively, potent punitive measures like capital punishment need to be legally provided for,” he said.
He added that smuggling of gold and mining was tantamount to robbing the country of billions of dollars every year.
