Breaking: Buhari signs Executive Order 007, permits private firms to fund roads (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed Executive Order 007 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. It is known as “Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.” It permits private companies to fund the contraction of major roads in the country, while they are repaid in form of tax credit. Read more
Gana rejects Appeal Court affirmation of Duke (Nation)
Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has rejected Thursday’s Appeal Court judgement, which affirmed former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke as presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This came as national chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae, called on all aggrieved members of the party to bury their differences and support Duke’s presidential ambition. Gana, addressing the media, on Friday in Abuja, through his campaign organisation, said having carefully weighed the views and options presented by SDP’s stakeholders and supporters, it was his considered opinion the judgement was erroneous, contradictory and a miscarriage of justice. Read more
INEC’s position on Ezekwesili in order, says political scientist (Punch)
A Political Scientist, Prof. Femi Otubanjo, says the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Dr. Oby Ezekwesili’s decision to withdraw from the 2019 presidential race is in order. Otubanjo told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos that INEC’s stance would protect the commission from confusion and danger of litigation that might arise during and after the elections. Ezekwesili, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria presidential candidate, had on Thursday announced her withdrawal from the race. She said she was opting out to help in building a coalition that would be an alternative to both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in the coming elections. Read more
Court upholds INEC ban on APC candidates in Zamfara (Guardian)
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday upheld the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bar all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State from participating in the 2019 general elections. The court said INEC acted within its powers by refusing to accept the list of APC candidates for the next general elections. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu said it was not the fault of INEC that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body. Ojukwu said INEC’s action was intended to curb impunity among political parties and politicians; ensure that rule of law is adhered to. Read more
Five arrested in Italy for forced prostitution of Nigerian women (Nation)
Five people have been arrested in Italy for smuggling Nigerian women into Europe and forcing them into prostitution, according to Italian Carabinieri Police. The suspects, apprehended in the Sicilian town of Messina, were part of an organised crime racket that smuggled “at least 15’’ unaccompanied minors into “several European Union countries’’ via Libya and Sicily, the police said in a statement yesterday. The syndicate relied on an Italian accomplice who worked in a migrant charity. According to Police, he would help the criminals trace the women after their arrival in Sicily and contribute to forcing them into prostitution. Read more
Nwobodo dumps APC for PDP (Nation)
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Jim Nwobodo has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) less than 24 hours after Ohaneze Ndigbo endorsed the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar. The former governor of old Anambra state announced his return to the PDP when some members of the Ohanaeze led by former chairman of Police Service Commission, Chief S. N. Okeke visited him in his Amechi Awkunanaw country home. In the entourage were the secretary to the Abia State government Prof. Eme Okoro; former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Dubem Onyia; Senator Ben Obi; former Minister for Health Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu; Oseloka Obaze and late Dr. Ekwueme’s daughter, Mrs. Ada Onyemelukwe. Read more
U.S., UK vow to sanction polls violence perpetrators (Guardian)
Those who unduly interfere with Nigeria’s forthcoming general elections are to face restriction of visas and other punitive measures from the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (UK). In two separate statements yesterday, both countries said they would be monitoring the elections ‘closely’ to ensure that they are free, fair and credible. Specifically, the U.S. said although it had no preferred candidate, it was interested in the process because of Nigeria’s relevance to Africa and the world. “The conduct of the upcoming elections in Nigeria is important not only for Nigeria, but for the African continent. The United States government does not support any specific candidate or party in the upcoming elections. Read more
Buhari congratulates President Tshisekedi of DRC on election, inauguration (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the newly elected President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on his victory and inauguration. In a congratulatory message issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in Abuja on Friday, Buhari commended the government and people of DRC for their determination and commitment to democratic principles. He noted that such commitment resulted in the first peaceful transfer of democratic power since independence in 1960. The Nigerian leader and ECOWAS Chairman, also saluted the Congolese people for peacefully exercising their franchise during the national elections in their country. Read more
32,000 Cameroonians seeking refuge in Nigeria – UN (Vanguard)
The UN has said that no fewer than 32,000 Cameroonians fleeing insecurity and violence are currently taking refuge in Nigeria. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Cameroon, Ms Allegra Baiocchi, while presenting the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan for the country, described the situation in the country as “forgotten crisis”. Baiocchi and Cameroon’s Civil Protection Director, Ms Yap Mariatou, warned at the launch in Geneva that there was a drastic increase in humanitarian need across the country. Read more
Greece vote settles 27-year Macedonia row (BBC)
Greek MPs have voted narrowly to back a historic agreement with Macedonia, bringing to an end a 27-year dispute over its northern neighbour’s name. Parliament in Athens agreed by 153 votes to 146 to approve the name Republic of North Macedonia, despite widespread opposition from the public. Thousands demonstrated outside parliament on Thursday night. Greece has rejected Macedonia’s name since its independence in 1991 as it has a region of the same name. Opposition to the deal is strongest in the northern Greek region of Macedonia, but polls suggest more than 60% of Greeks dislike it. Read more
Facebook to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger (BBC)
Facebook plans to integrate its messaging services on Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. While all three will remain stand-alone apps, at a much deeper level they will be linked so messages can travel between the different services. Facebook told the BBC it was at the start of a “long process”. The plan was first reported in the New York Times and is believed to be a personal project of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Once complete, the merger would mean that a Facebook user could communicate directly with someone who only has a WhatsApp account. This is currently impossible as the applications have no common core. Read more
Dad treated daughter like his ‘wife’ and raped her repeatedly (Metro)
A woman told her dad ‘you took my childhood away’ as she watched him being jailed for treating her like his ‘wife’ and repeatedly raping her 35 years ago. Carol Higgins, who waived her right to anonymity, cried and smiled as Elliott Appleyard, 71, was locked up for 20 years after a court heard how he raped her ‘three or four times a week’ from she was just 14 years old in the 1980s. Leeds Crown Court was told how Miss Higgins was even made to wear an engagement ring belonging to the wife of Appleyard, and was forced to have a tattoo of his nickname put on her shoulder. Read more
Lionel Messi urges rescue team to resume search for Emiliano Sala (Metro)
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has joined the calls demanding the search for missing footballer Emiliano Sala to be reopened after the rescue mission was called off on Thursday. The striker, 28, and pilot David Ibbotson, 60, were travelling on a light aircraft from Nantes to Cardiff on Monday evening when the plane vanished over the English Channel. After several days of extensive searching, Guernsey Police confirmed they had been unable to find any trace of the aircraft, pilot or passenger and were ending the hunt, with the chances of survival labelled ‘extremely remote’. Read more
Zola expects Higuain to make flying start at Chelsea (Punch)
Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola has backed Gonzalo Higuain to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge as the Argentina striker prepares for his debut this weekend. Higuain joined Chelsea on loan from Juventus on Thursday and could make his first appearance for the Blues in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday. “There are players who need to be rested and it could be an opportunity,” Zola told reporters on Friday. The 31-year-old was at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s League Cup semi-final win on Thursday but had not completed his move in time to be registered for that match. Read more
Gary Neville should be Manchester United’s next manager, says Phil Brown (Metro)
Former Premier League manager Phil Brown has named Gary Neville as a potential future Manchester United boss. Brown, who got Hull City promoted to the Premier League in 2008, believes the Red Devils should be looking at former players to permanently replace the sacked Jose Mourinho. While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer falls into this category and remains a realistic option given his superb start in the dugout, Brown has also named Neville as a suitable candidate. Read more