Buhari summons Tinubu over rift with Ambode (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly summoned the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to Abuja yesterday over the latter’s rift with Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. A reliable source from the party told The Guardian that the APC Governors’ Forum urged Buhari to appeal to Tinubu not to disgrace one of their own. Read more
Tinubu has final say on next Lagos gov —APC (vanguard)
GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode’s prospects of returning as governor of Lagos State were yesterday hanging on the cliff with all major political players in the state pointing at the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for direction. Meanwhile, Ambode has relocated to his home base in Epe where he is weighing his options in the face of chorused mobilisation by the political base of the party to stop him. With the Tinubu camp seething of rebellion by Ambode, pacifists were, however, calling on Tinubu to thread with caution, with the assertion that he could lose his place of political ascendancy in the state if the crisis with the governor was not properly managed. Read more
2019 – Youths forum organises one million march for Saraki (Vanguard)
No fewer than one million people have been mobilised to converge on Ilorin, kwara state capital on Saturday to sensitize and mobilise the people for the presidential aspiration of Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki. Spokesman of a youth organisation based in Ilorin, Kwara state, Olarenwaju Oba Youths Forum, Mr Abdulrahaman Oba who dropped the hint at a press conference in Ilorin yesterday called on the youths and other well meaning Nigerians to support the presidential aspiration of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki in order to bring an exemplary leadership, impactful service and result oriented representation. Read more
No plan to postpone 2019 election – INEC (PremiumTimes)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restated that there is no plan to postpone the 2019 general election. The commission made this known in a press release by the chief press secretary of the chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi. “Our attention has been drawn to a story with the headline – We May Shift 2019 Polls Over Threat Of Violence – INEC which appeared on the front page of a national newspaper today, but which did not correctly reflect what the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu said at the meeting. Read more
Sowore promises 100,000 minimum wage if elected president (Guardian)
Presidential aspirant of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore has promised to increase the country’s minimum wage to N100, 000 if he is elected in 2019. Civil servants in the country through Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) are currently demanding the 18,000 Naira minimum wage to be increased to 56000 Naira. Read more
Police still holding ex-SSS DG Lawal Daura without charges (PremiumTimes)
The police are still holding former Director-General of the State Security Service Lawal Daura without charges 37 days after he was first taken into custody following his dismissal by then-Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. Human rights advocates who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on the plight of the former top spy chief decried his prolonged detention and criticised the police for yet again flouting the Nigerian Constitution. Mr Daura was arrested on August 7, moments after Mr Osinbajo relieved him of the top national security position on allegations of corruption, insubordination, abuse of office and breach of trust. Read more
Police arrest suspected killers of Imo Catholic priest (Punch)
The operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo State police command have arrested the suspected killers of Rev Fr.Jude Egbom of St Patrick’s Catholic church, Amucha, in the Njaba Local Government Area of the state. Egbom was on Monday night along Nkwerre-Anara Road shot dead and his vehicle stolen. Read more
Osun begins payment of salary arrears, pensions (Punch)
The Osun State Government has paid workers’ salaries, leave bonuses and pensions with the N16.6 billion Paris Club refund released to the state by the Federal Government. The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, who said this at a press conference in Osogbo on Thursday added that the state government added N3 billion generated from other sources to make it a total of N19.8 billion which was used to pay the August salaries, four months salary arrears, pensions and leave bonuses to the workers. Read more
Nigeria troops repel fresh Boko Haram base attack (Guardian)
Soldiers have thwarted another Boko Haram attack on an army base in northeast Nigeria, the latest in a series of offensives against military targets in the remote region. Scores of fighters attacked the base in Damasak, in the far north of Borno state, on Wednesday evening, firing heavy artillery in an apparent bid to overrun it. Read more
Flood Sacks Anambra Council Secretariat (ThisDay)
Flood has reportedly submerged Anambra West Council Area headquarters situated at Nzam, forcing workers in the council to move out. A source from the area said the workers had been forced to relocate to a neighbouring community in Umueze Anam early in the week, but were also sacked again by flood after they resumed for work and found their temporary office also submerged. Read more
Absence of witness stalls Evans’ trial (Nation)
Absence of a prosecution witness on Thursday stalled continuation of trial in the case of suspected ‘billionaire’ kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, before an Igbosere High Court in Lagos. Evans is facing two separate charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Adedayo Akintoye. In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba. Read more
Man allegedly kills woman, throws body in river (Punch)
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered the remand of 29-year-old Ojo Yemi for allegedly killing a 65-year-old woman, Josephine Ajayi. The defendant, docked for murder, was alleged to have killed the woman and threw her body into the river. Yemi whose address was not provided, is being tried for murder. Read more
Court dissolves marriage over religious difference (Punch)
A Grade “C” Customary Court, sitting in Iseyin on Thursday dissolved a four-years marriage between Remi Atanda and Muri Atanda over religious difference. The complainant, Muri, had approached the court seeking dissolution of the marriage over refusal of his wife to attend the “Ifa’’ shrine with him. He said he could no longer tolerate the “insubordination’’. Read more
SEC to regulate technology application in capital market – Uduk (Nation)
In its desire to transition towards a technology driven capital market as well as protect investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has said that the Commission would soon come out with regulations that would guide such products in the capital market. This was disclosed by the Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk during the presentation of a Lecture by Mr. Ade Bajomo, Vice President FinTech Association of Nigeria titled “Market Impact of the FinTech Revolution” in Abuja, Wednesday. Read more
Queen Elizabeth II signs bill for parents to be given paid leave over child’s death (Punch)
Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday signed the first ever government law that would allow paid leave from work for parents who suffer the death of a child. The new law to support parents affected by the tragedy of childhood mortality is expected to come into force in 2020, and was welcomed by charities offering help to bereaved moms and dads. Read more
Barcelona, Madrid hope to continue winning streak as Laliga returns (Guardian)
Joint leaders of the Spanish LaLiga Santander, Barcelona and Real Madrid will aim to continue their 100 per cent records on tricky trips to face Basque sides Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, as returns this weekend. All four Champions League teams in Spain are playing on Saturday ahead of the return of UEFA competition next week. Atletico Madrid is hosting Eibar and Valencia will welcoming Europa League-bound Real Betis to the Mestalla Stadium. Read more
Japan’s Osaka has ‘no regrets’ over chaotic US Open final (Guardian)
Japan’s Naomi Osaka has refused to criticise Serena Williams after her historic US Open victory was overshadowed by the American’s furious row with the chair umpire The 20-year-old melted hearts when she broke down sobbing after thrashing her idol 6-2, 6-4 to become Japan’s first Grand Slam singles champion in New York last weekend. Read more