Buhari meets Tinubu ahead of Lagos APC gov primary (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The meeting which was held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, came barely 24 hours before the APC governorship primary for the state slated for Tuesday. It was gathered that the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, was, however, not part of the meeting Buhari had with Tinubu. Read more
No roads anywhere in Lagos as residents, motorists, commuters lament (Vanguard)
Lagos residents, motorists as well as commuters have continued to lament and groan under deplorable conditions of roads across the metropolis without an end in sight to the nightmare. There is hardly any stretch of road across the commercial nerve centre of the nation that is totally free of potholes, including the recently repaired stretch between Cele and Iyana-Isolo on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. The section by Ilasa Bus Stop inward Oshodi, has already become a gully with a massive pothole. Directly under the pedestrian bridge, at Mechanic bus stop, Iyana-Isolo and Five-Star, are also riddled with massive potholes while the entire service lane on both sides of the expressway, between Charity and Oshodi, is terribly bad. Read more
Independence broadcast: PDP, Afenifere, CD knock Buhari (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the Kowa Party presidential candidate, Dr Adesina Fagbenro-Byron; and the Campaign for Democracy have berated President Muhammadu Buhari for his broadcast on the 58th independence anniversary of the country. They noted that the President did not paint the true picture of happenings in the country, adding that what he claimed as his achievements were not true. Read more
I won’t give up on my stolen mandate — Adeleke (Vanguard)
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Osun state governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke has vowed to contest the result of the election and reclaim his “stolen” mandate. He said this in an interview with Channels Television. Adeleke said: “I’d like to tell them that their mandate was stolen. The election was rigged because all our people were not allowed to vote.” Read more
Don’t victimise Fayose after leaving office, PDP tells Buhari (Punch)
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West zone on Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies not to victimise Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, after the expiration of his term as the state governor in a few weeks. In a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s stakeholders meeting in Ibadan, the PDP also condemned the role of the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. Read more
2019: Tension in APC, PDP as more candidates emerge (Vanguard)
Less than a week after leaders and stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, agreed to hold the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, findings have emerged on how the controversy over the choice of venue was finally resolved. Following a week of uncertainty over a venue which led to a sharp disagreement between the National Working Committee, NWC, and the Board of Trustees, BoT, on the one hand and Governor Nyesom Wike and some presidential aspirants on the other, the party resolved the issue at its 82nd emergency National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting last week. Read more
Nigeria can’t celebrate independence without abducted girls, says CAN (Guardian)
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said that Nigeria cannot claim to be celebrating Independence as a nation when Leah Sharibu and over 100 Chibok schoolgirls are still in captivity. The president, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, therefore urged the Federal Government to work harder and get them released before it is too late.In his message on Nigeria’s 58th Independence anniversary yesterday in Abuja, Ayokunle lamented that Nigerians not only witnessed daily shedding of blood, but also had kidnappers who abduct people and would only release them after payment of ransom. Read more
Buhari’s take on terrorism at UN (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari had seized the opportunity of the current session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to highlight the challenge, which terrorism continues to pose to Nigeria. It was indeed an appropriate forum to reiterate the global nature of the Boko Haram insurgency and the herdsmen menace to the Nigerian polity. At such for a, issues which require multilateral cooperation are canvassed. Terrorism is a global scourge that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders. This is because territorial integrity of nations is being challenged by hoodlums. All hands must be on deck, therefore, to put an end to the uprising. Read more
FG commences field trials on GMO crops (Guardian)
The Federal Government has granted permits for confined field trials on genetically modified maize, rice, cassava, sorghum and cowpea to ascertain ability to resist insect attack in the country. Country Coordinator of Open Forum on Agriculture Biotechnology (OFAB), Dr. Rose Gidado, told The Guardian that the permits were granted after in-depth risk assessment, socio-economic considerations, environmental costs, and benefits as well as safety of Nigerians. Read more
Lagos primary: APC NWC meets Ambode, seeks way forward (Sun)
In apparent moves to douse the rising tension in the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the primary election in the state, it has been gathered that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party have met with incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in Lagos. The NWC are also scheduled to meet members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) at the APC state Secretariat at ACME Road, Ogba in Lagos later on Monday. Read more
Serena strips naked (Vanguard)
Stripping naked and singing in public is most people’s worst nightmare, but in a bid to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness month, Serena Williams has done just that. The 23-times grand slam winner proved that tennis is not her only talent when she recorded a version of the Divinyls’ hit I Touch Myself, to encourage women to check themselves for breast cancer. Marking the start of the awareness month, the 37-year-old said the video had put her out of her comfort zone, but she said she hoped it would remind people that early detection can often be key to recovery. Read more
Trump says he plans to sign new deal to replace NAFTA by end of November (xinhuanet)
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he plans to sign a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada by the end of November to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “It’s my great honor to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA… with an incredible new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement called USMCA,” Trump said at an event at the White House to celebrate the new trade deal. Read more
Libya can ruin your AFCON plans, Obuh warns Rohr (Guardian)
Former Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh has advised the Super Eagles to approach the 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya seriously, saying the North Africans have the potential to ruin Nigeria’s ambition of being in Cameroun next year. Nigeria will host Libya in the first leg of a double header in Uyo next week with the return leg scheduled for Tunisia on October 16. Obuh noted that the Libyan team are currently having a fine run in the Nation’s Cup qualifying series, winning their two games against Seychelles and South Africa, adding they would want add the Eagles to the list to stamp their ticket to the continental fiesta. Read more