Destruction of billboards: Lagos PDP, APC in war of words (Vanguard)
The People Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, yesterday, engaged in war of words over the removal and destruction of billboards belonging to Mr. Jimi Agbaje. While the PDP warned the APC against provoking opposition supporters into violence over removal of its party’s campaign materials, the APC called on the PDP to stop the blame game. In a statement PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofeek Gani, said: “We have been watching the deliberate and wilful destruction of our billboards and other campaign assets and infrastructure by the agents of the Lagos State Government whom we have since found out are operating in cohort with the leadership of the Lagos State chapter of the APC. Read more
Row over Osinbajo’s push for Buhari in Southwest (Nation)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo sparked a huge controversy at the weekend when he asked his kinsmen in the Southwest to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid next year. He was quoted as saying that the re-election of the President for another four-year term will pave the way for the Southwest to vie for the presidency after the expiration of Buhari’s tenure. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused Osinbajo of positioning himself to succeed Buhari in 2023, describing it as an ambition that can never materialise. Read more
Why Buhari can’t use stadium for campaign, by Akwa Ibom Govt (Nation)
The controversy surrounding Akwa Ibom State government’s decision not to allow the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium for political campaigns and other activities may have died down, it was learnt yesterday. The dispute over the 30,000 capacity stadium started after the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) applied to the state government requesting for the use of the facility for the kick-off of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign on the Friday. The state government through the commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko gave reasons the facility cannot be used for now. Read more
2019 polls: Join hands against insecurity, insensitivity — Obasanjo (Vanguard)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerians to join hands against insecurity and insensitivity in the country. Obasanjo said this at the 80th birthday of Ango Abdullahi, former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, ABU. NAN reports that the ceremony was organised by the Abdullahi Kwasau Dynasty. The former president said the call became necessary in view of the incessant insecurity bedevilling the country. Obasanjo said: “Nobody should feel that he has the monopoly of violence and if it is violence, when you are pushed to the wall, well they say a man dies only once. Read more
Strike no threat to 2019 elections, says ASUU president (Nation)
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) National President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi has said the union’s strike will continue until the Federal Government pays the salary shortfall and earned allowances of his members. He also insisted on payment of revitalisation fund of N1.1 trillion for upgrade of public universities. Ogunyemi said contrary to the claims by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the union’s strike would not disrupt the 2019 elections. He called for replacement of Dr. Wale Babalakin as head of the Renegotiation Committee of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement. Read more
Explosion rocks Enugu APC campaign office (Vanguard)
Midnight fire yesterday gutted the gubernatorial campaign office of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirant in Enugu State, Mr. George Ogara. Two branded campaign buses were gutted by the fire which also affected banners bearing President Muhammadu Buhari’s inscription with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and that of Ogara who contested in the party primary as governorship aspirant. Though some sources alleged that an exploded device caused the fire incident, the police did not connect the incident with any explosion. Read more
Bankers Warehouse urges EFCC to release detained $2.8m cash, employees (Nation)
The management of Bankers Warehouse yesterday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the $2.8 million cash and its employees arrested at Enugu Airport last Thursday. Bankers Warehouse is a company registered by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to carry out cash movement as well as currency processing. In a statement titled: “Interception of $2.8 million at Enugu Airport by EFCC”, the company said the cash was seized and its employees were arrested while carrying out legitimate business of cash movement for one of its banker clients. Read more
We‘ve made progress in releasing funds to states, says UBEC (Nation)
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) at the weekend said it had made progress in releasing funds to states for the provision of the needed infrastructure in public primary and secondary schools. Its Executive Secretary, Hamid Bobboyi, said most states in the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest have successfully accessed some of the funds with the commission. Bobboyi, spoke with reporters in Abuja, explained that some states in the Southeast were yet to access funds with the commission since 2014 because of the issue of matching grant. Read more
Jehovah’s Witnesses boost pidgin language devt (Vanguard)
The advancement of Pidgin English received a boost recently at Ota, Ogun State at the Nigerian Pigdin Convention Series of Jehovah’s Witnesses which held from December 20 to 23, 2018. This was the seventeenth in the series of the 2018 “Be courageous!” Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses Recently there are clear indications that Jehovah’s Witnesses are seriously using Pidgin as tool to reach the heart and they have risen beyond the general stereotypical description of it as ‘Pidgin English’ or ‘Broken English. Read more
Tear gas fired as Sudan protests spread (BBC)
Police in Sudan have fired tear gas at protesters as part of violent anti-government protests that have spread across the country. Hundreds of demonstrators blocked a road near a football stadium in the capital, Khartoum, on Sunday before clashing with riot police. Opposition figures say 22 demonstrators have been killed since Wednesday, but officials say the figure is much lower. The protests erupted after bread and fuel price rises were announced. Over the past year, the cost of some goods has more than doubled, inflation has risen to nearly 70%, the value of the Sudanese pound has fallen sharply and shortages have been reported in cities including the capital Khartoum. Read more
Fears of new tsunami as volcano seethes (BBC)
Coastal residents near Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears it could trigger a new tsunami. On Saturday, giant waves crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 281 people and injuring 1,016. It is thought that volcanic activity set off undersea landslides which in turn generated the killer waves. Anak Krakatau erupted again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke. Video shot from a charter plane captured the magnitude of the volcanic event in the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java. Read more
U-17 AFCON: Golden Eaglets will qualify for World Cup, Garba assures (Vanguard)
Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba, said his team will be ready to ride the challenges of the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Tanzania next year, and earn qualification for the FIFA World Cup billed for Peru. The Eaglets were paired with hosts Tanzania, Angola and Uganda. Garba said it was a good feeling returning to the tournament, the Eaglets missed in 2017, despite winning their fifth FIFA World Cup title in 2015. Nigeria won the world title in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015. “We are champions of West Africa, which gives us a good feeling going to Tanzania. However, it is a tournament of champions as the other teams also won their regional tournaments. Read more
AFCON hosts not a problem for Eagles – Ighalo (Punch)
Striker Odion Ighalo is optimistic the Super Eagles would be in top shape when the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations is held, despite a host not yet announced by the Confederation of African Football for the continent’s top football showpiece. The Eagles have qualified for the competition but play Seychelles in Nigeria on March 22, 2019, in their final group fixture. The Confederation of African Football earlier this month stripped Cameroon of the 2019 AFCON hosting rights due to concerns about the country’s security and infrastructure. Africa’s football-governing body CAF will name a new host on January 9, 2019 with South Africa and Egypt putting forward bids to host the rest of Africa next summer. Read more
Spurs shine to hit Everton for six (Guardian)
Tottenham Hotspur showed why manager Mauricio Pochettino is a wanted man by thrashing Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park on Sunday to close to within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool. Spurs have had to cope with the unwanted attention of Pochettino being linked with the Manchester United job following Jose Mourinho’s sacking this week. But they showed no signs of being distracted as they roared back from a goal down thanks to doubles from Son Heung-min and Harry Kane with Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen also on target. Read more
Benue Police uncover firearms factory (Vanguard)
A firearms manufacturing hideout has been discovered by operatives of the Benue State Police Command in Yelwata, a community in Guma local government area of the state. During the raid, two men, Donatus Ahongh and Boyi Ayaayua, were arrested with their manufacturing implements and 12 assorted locally-fabricated arms including AK-47 rifle magazines. State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okon, who made the disclosure while parading 11 suspected criminals and members of cult groups recently arrested in parts of the state, said: “The discovery was made by a team of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, FSARS.” Read more
Police arrest four burglars, recover stolen items (Punch)
The police in Bayelsa State have apprehended four suspected burglars, who specialise in breaking into people’s homes in Agbura, a suburb of Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state. The suspects, whose ages range from 16 to 21 years, were arrested by policemen on patrol of the area on Saturday. The suspects who gave their names as Joshua Teboda (20), Ayebatoyefa Godspower (18), Biekuromo Godspower (16) and Evans Obuju (21), are residents of Trinity Church Road, Agbura. Read more
Victim exposes ‘kidnappers’ community in Ondo where 40 men carry rifles’ (Vanguard)
Ondo State, since it was created 42 years ago, had not seen the situation it witnessed in the last two weeks, no thanks to the activities of kidnappers. Highways in the three senatorial districts of the state have become a snare as kidnappers lay siege. Fear gripped motorists plying the highways. No fewer than 15 persons, including medical personnel, lecturers and civil servants, have been abducted on the Akure/Owo/Akoko highway within the last two weeks. One of those kidnapped was a heavily pregnant medical doctor, Jumoke Aiyeku. Read more