2019: Knocks for Obasanjo over anti-Buhari comment (Nation)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was under attack yesterday for describing President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as “incompetent”. Obasanjo is backing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar, who the government said “will be roundly and comprehensively” defeated. The government said Obasanjo was “not properly briefed” in reaching his conclusion, even as it affirmed the ex-President’s right to endorse any candidate for the 2019 poll. However, endorsement alone does not win elections, it said. Read more
Boko Haram : FG shielding military officials, insurgents — Amnesty International (Vanguard)
Foremost human rights group, the Amnesty International, AI, yesterday, called on the International Criminal Court, ICC, to start a full-blown investigation into atrocities committed in the Boko Haram insurgency, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to bring military officials and commanders of the insurgent group who are responsible to justice. “The Nigerian government is unwilling and unable to meet its obligations as a member of the ICC to investigate and prosecute both Boko Haram and the Nigerian military,” the group said in its reaction to fresh findings published by the ICC that reaffirmed a widespread lack of accountability on the part of the Nigerian government. Read more
ASUU strike: It’s unlawful to stop salaries, says Falana (Nation)
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Federal Government to withdraw its directive stopping the salaries and allowances of the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Falana said the directive was not justified in law. The government, last week, directed the vice chancellors of federal universities to apply Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Amendment Act by seizing the salaries and allowances of the striking ASUU members. Read more
Stop paying lip service to health, medic admonishes FG (Vanguard)
Irked by what he described as unpleasant situation of Nigeria’s health sector, a former President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, has urged the Federal Government, various elected state and local governments to stop paying lip service to the health sector. Government has also been admonished to translate into reality, the widely circulated promises including the promise to allocate 15 per cent of the National budget to the health sector. Enabulele who is also the Vice-President, CommonWealth Medical Association, said that to reposition the country’s health sector, there is a need to urgently implement the National Health Act, NHA, amend the NHIS Act, strengthen the national health system (public and private), reform the governance system as well as curtail outward medical tourism among others. Read more
Jubilations in Ekiti as court dismisses suit against Fayemi (Punch)
Jubilations broke out in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Monday as the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit filed by former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, to challenge the eligibility of Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest in the July 14 governorship election in the state. Fayemi’s supporters and well-wishers gathered at the pavilion and Fajuyi Park to celebrate the court victory amid drumming and dancing. Oni, who was an All Progressives Congress aspirant in the election, in the suit, challenged Fayemi’s eligibility on the grounds that the governor did not resign his appointment as a minister 30 days before the party primaries and as well that he was indicted by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led commission of inquiry last year. Read more
Reject desperate candidates, CAN advises Nigerians (Nation)
Through its President, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday advised Nigerians not to vote for any desperate presidential candidate next year. Rev. Samson Ayokunle gave the counsel while briefing reporters after meeting with presidential candidates of 14 political parties in Abuja on their plans for Nigerians and the church. He was shocked by what he described as the high level of desperation among politicians in the run-up to the February election. The cleric warned of the likely breach of public peace during the election, if police, Army, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other security agencies do not conduct themselves properly. Read more
Ayade launches centre against gender-based violence in Calabar (Vanguard)
Cross River State Government, yesterday, inaugurated a centre that will help women and underage girls address all gender-based violence in the state. At the inauguration of the centre sited at Cross River State Women Affairs, Calabar, wife of the state governor, Mrs. Linda Ayade, said with the inauguration of the centre, deviant behaviours such as wife battering, sexual molestation and a host of other gender-based violence would become a thing of the past. Mrs. Ayade urged women residing in the state to report all gender-based violence to the centre so that drastic action can be taken against perpetrators of heinous crimes. Read more
Okowa gets backing from ex-militants, youths (Nation)
Ex-agitators and youths in Niger Delta have adopted Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for a second term. The former militants, and youths belong to the Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-militants and Youths for Atiku/Obi 2019. Led by Eshanekpe Israel aka Akpodoro, the group noted that Okowa deserved “even much more than a second term in office”, citing his impressive developmental initiatives in less than four years in office. Akpodoro, the national coordinator, spoke to reporters in Abuja, yesterday, saying the endorsement came after consultations with stakeholders in the Delta project. Read more
SA protests to Rwanda over minister ‘slur’ (BBC)
South Africa has summoned the Rwandan envoy in Pretoria after a Rwandan pro-government news site reportedly called a key minister a “prostitute”. Lindiwe Sisulu, the South African international relations minister, has also been criticised on Twitter by a senior Rwandan official. Her spokesman told the BBC the remarks were “unacceptable” and “must stop”. Ms Sisulu recently met an exiled critic of the Rwandan leader, triggering a diplomatic row between the countries. Read more
UK PM to meet EU leaders for Brexit talks (BBC)
Theresa May will meet European leaders and EU officials later for talks aimed at rescuing her Brexit deal. She will hold talks with Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Germany’s Angela Merkel after postponing MPs’ final vote on the deal. The UK PM has said she needs “further assurances” about the Northern Ireland border plan to get Commons backing. European Council President Donald Tusk insisted the EU would “not renegotiate” but said leaders would discuss how to help “facilitate UK ratification”. Read more
Falcons ex-coach Okon wants home-based players ahead of World Cup (Guardian)
Former Coach of the Super Falcons, Edwin Okon, wants more home-based players to be added to the current squad for the team to achieve better result at France 2019 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria was on Saturday drawn in Group A of the 2019 Women’s World Cup alongside, hosts, France, South Korea and Norway. However, the Falcons are supposedly not expected to come out of the group seen as a tough one if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) fails to do something drastic to save the squad from embarrassment. Read more
Organisers appeal to government, corporate bodies to invest in sports (Guardian)
The organisers of the NorthWest Petroleum Football tournament have charged governments and corporate firms in the country to invest in sports in order for there to be gainful employment and great reduction in crimes. Speaking at the final that ended in Calabar at the weekend, the Head, Corporate Communications and Brand Northwest Petroleum & Gas Mr. Dayo Adegun, said: “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a corporate way of giving back to communities. Other firms are encouraged to look for engaging activities that can unite the communities to rid it of violence and empower them for a better future.” He said, “This is our third time of sponsoring this tournament, which we hope can be used to identify real talents. It was a well-coordinated tournament with all the 10 communities (wards) of the municipal taking part as always. Our intention is to always bring the communities together via football and we are happy to have successfully done this for the third time in a row,” he said. Read more
Chelsea suspend four fans after Sterling racial abuse row (Guardian)
Chelsea have suspended four people from attending their matches while the club carries out an investigation into allegations Manchester City star Raheem Sterling was racially abused during Saturday’s Premier League clash. Television cameras apparently caught a Chelsea fan aiming racist abuse at England winger Sterling during the Blues’ 2-0 win over City at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea and the British police are investigating the incident, which has provoked widespread condemnation amid fears football is returning to the dark ages of racism that blighted the sport in the 1970s and 1980s. Read more
Klopp wants huge support from Liverpool’s fans against Napoli (Guardian)
Jurgen Klopp has called on Liverpool’s fans to produce an electric atmosphere when his side host Napoli in a must-win Champions League clash today. Last season’s runners-up Liverpool are facing elimination in Group C, needing a win over the Serie A outfit to have any chance of progressing. Liverpool are in some form, sitting top of the Premier League after claiming three successive wins since their defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain. Read more
Man charged with attacking daughter with knife, iron (Nation)
A 30-year-old man, Mohammed Bramah, who allegedly attacked his 12-year-old daughter with a knife and an iron rod, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. Bramah, of 85, Adeba Road, Lakowe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of assault and occasional bodily harm preferred against him by the police. The girl, who started living with the defendant last September, sustained injuries on her eyes, hands and had scars all over her body. Prosecuting Sergeant Ehizoba Godspower told the court that the defendant committed the offences on December 1, about 6pm. Read more
Lagos pastor defiles church member’s twin daughters (Punch)
The Assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry, Okota, Lagos, Mike Oliseh, has been detained at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, for allegedly defiling the 12-year-old twin daughters of a church member and close friend. PUNCH Metro gathered that while 54-year-old Oliseh allegedly penetrated the private parts of the first victim, he allegedly inserted his fingers in the private parts of the twin sister. Our correspondent learnt that Oliseh, an indigene of Delta State, and the girls’ father, Okoro (not real name), lived on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos State. Read more
