FAMILY WAR ERUPTS OVER SENATORIAL BID: Bianca’s sins, by Emeka Ojukwu Jr (Vanguard)
The claim that the children of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu have resolved not to support the senatorial ambition of the Biafra warlord ’s widow, Bianca, has literally opened the floodgates of reactions from both sides. While the paternal family of Bianca, the late Chief C.C Onoh family, mocked the children of the Ikemba Nnewi, stating that they would meet at Bianca ’s inauguration, a group, Friends of Bianca, bought nomination form of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for Bianca a day after the publication. Bianca is seeking to represent Anambra South Senatorial District in the Senate. Read more
South Africa shuts consulate in Lagos (Punch)
There are strong indications that the South African consulate in Lagos might have shut down, trapping hundreds of passports belonging to visa applicants. It was gathered that the consulate had failed to release the passports of many Nigerians who applied for South African visas for the past two weeks. Our correspondent gathered that a firm, VSF Global, which processes visa applications for the South African High Commission, had failed to return hundreds of passports received from its Lagos and Port Harcourt visa application centres. Read more
Lagos, Dubai, Ghana, Others to Exhibit as Akwaaba Expo Commences Sunday (Thisday)
West Africa’s leading travel fair, the Akwaaba Africa Travel Market will kick-off it’s 14th edition Sunday in Lagos. The three-day event billed for Eko Hotel will have exhibitors in the travel and hospitality sector from across Africa, and a special delegation from the UAE led by Dubai’s department for Trade and Commerce Marketing. The Ghana Tourism Authority is one of those expected in Lagos with a team that includes famous actor Van Vicker who has starred in numerous Nollywood movies. Read more
120 PDP gov aspirants pick forms, 12 jostle for presidency (Punch)
One hundred and twenty governorship aspirants have paid N6m each to pick the expression of interest and nomination forms of the Peoples Democratic Party, investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH have revealed. Also, the party had sold the nomination forms to 12 presidential aspirants as of Saturday afternoon. Each of the aspirants paid N12m each to the party to obtain its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms. Though our correspondent was unable to get the breakdown of the governorship aspirants, state-by-state, it was however gathered that the race would be keenly contested in some states. Read more
I dropped presidential bid to protest Ekiti rigging – Fayose (Punch)
The outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has explained that he dropped his presidential ambition to protest the alleged rigging of the Ekiti governorship election. He stated this in Ado Ekiti when the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, met with the state delegates to ask for their support for his presidential ambition. Fayose said he was no longer motivated to pursue his dream of becoming the nation’s president since the mandate freely given to his deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola, by the people, was allegedly stolen by the All Progressives Congress. Read more
APC primaries: Delegates join govs to battle Oshiomhole, senators (Punch)
Delegates who emerged through the congresses of the All Progressives Congress at the ward and local governments levels earlier this year have joined their state party executives and governors to reject the direct primary option proposed by the National Working Committee of the party. Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH revealed that delegates, who bought forms and contested elections before they emerged as party officials at all levels, had vowed to work against the interest of the governors if they embraced the direct primary option. A leader of the APC in one of the South-West states, who is also a delegate, told one of our correspondents that it would be unfair to deny ward and local government officers of the party the opportunity to “reap from their investments” during the general elections. Read more
PDP, others partner to sack APC in Osun (PDP)
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Mr Soji Adagunodo, has said the party will work with all opposition parties in the state ahead of the September 22 governorship election in order to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress. Adagunodo said this in Ileogbo, the headquarters of the Ayedire Local Government Area, while speaking with our correspondent on the sidelines of the campaign in the town on Friday. The PDP chairman said he was confident that the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke would emerge victorious in the poll with the development after the reconciliation of the candidate with Dr Akin Ogunbiyi. Read more
I have forgiven those that searched my house – Clark (PMNews)
Elder statesman, Edwin Clark, says he has forgiven those that invaded his house over alleged stockpiling of firearms. He made the statement when Senator Shehu Sani (APC- Kaduna) visited him in Abuja. Some policemen on Sept. 4, searched Clark’s house for alleged firearms. Clark said he decided to forgive them in the interest of peace and the fact that the Nigeria Police had apologised. Read more
Between the ‘rule of law’ and ‘national security’ (Vanguard)
In his address to the convention of lawyers at the 2018 annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, President Muhammadu Buhari said inter alia: “the rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation’s security and national interest.” It was a rather weird declaration by a president who was elected constitutionally. But it does appear that two very possible things are happening here: first might be that Mr. Buhari is making a power grab, and laying the early grounds for his future political actions as we approach the bellwether 2019 elections; and the second might be that this president genuinely does not know exactly the meaning of “the rule of law,” has no understanding of the institutional framework of the system of government of which he is executive head, and is profoundly therefore ignorant of the meaning of nation and the modern state as established by law. In either situation we have a problem. Read more
My son was poisoned to death days after withdrawing N1.3m to expand his business — Father of NSCDC corporal (Vanguard)
It is the joy of parents to die at old age and before any of their children, but for Mr Mukadas Maigari, a resident of Gembu in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, the death of his 29-year-old son, Abdullahi, sometime in September 2014, has created a big vacuum in his lineage. The pain he felt four years ago, after the demise of the son, is the same even now, as grief and anger still boils within him owing to the untold hardship those who sent Abdullahi to his early grave plunged the family into. Read more
Osinbajo calls for backward integration in dairy Industry (Guardian)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on investors in the diary industry to facilitate backward integration in the sector including providing incentives for local diary farmers. Osinbajo expressed this view on Friday when he received a delegation from FrieslandCampina led by its Global CEO, Mr. Hein Schumacher on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The delegation also included the Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Robert Petri, the Chairman of the FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Mr. Jacob Ajekigbe and other management staff of the company. Read more
Insecurity: FG determined to save Lake Chad region – Adamu (SUN)
The Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, has expressed the Federal Government’s determination to save the Lake Chad region from insurgency. Adamu, who stated this in a press statement signed by the Director of Information, Kenechukwu Offie, promised that the people in the region will experience enduring peace and restored hope. The minister stressed the need for a coordinated stabilisation process among member states in the region, adding that returning the region to normalcy was a priority of the Buhari administration. “There is need for a holistic approach in supporting the efforts of the joint task force to further ensure protection of lives and properties in the region, as there has been a massive internal and across-border displacement, destruction of lives and properties, human rights abuses and weakening of government institutions and apparatus,” he stated. Read more
In Strategic Iraqi City, a Week of Deadly Turmoil (NYTimes)
Iraqi security forces stepped up patrols Saturday in the southern city of Basra, a strategically important oil port on the border with Iran where longstanding protests about quality of life have escalated into days of rioting and violence
The predominantly Shiite city is among the poorest areas of Iraq, despite the huge nearby oil reserves that drive the national economy. Although Basra has escaped the terrorist violence that has racked the country for years, its population has struggled with its own set of problems: high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure and rampant organized crime groups with leaders linked to powerful Shiite militias. Read more
Mike Pence denies discussing plan to remove Donald Trump from power (theguardian)
A bombshell newspaper essay which detailed efforts to sideline Donald Trump from government was “just an obvious attempt to distract attention from this booming economy and [the president’s] record of success”, vice-president Mike Pence has said. Speaking to CBS’s Face the Nation in an interview to be broadcast in full on Sunday, Pence also denied that White House officials had discussed invoking the 25th amendment and removing Trump from power. Read more
I’m not a bad girl – Tayo Sobola (Punch)
Actress Tayo Sobola has admitted that she is aware that certain people think she is wild and a bad influence. In an encounter with Sunday Scoop, she said she knew she could appear crazy but she was a calm person. Sobola stated, “I can appear like someone that is crazy but my inner self speaks for me. People should stop judging a book by its cover. When you see a book, the right thing is to open it before making a conclusion. Read more
Musa on target as Super Eagles rout Seychelles (Guardian)
The Super Eagles of Nigeria didn’t need to get into higher gears as they strolled to a 3-0 victory over Seychelles. Captain Ahmed Musa opened the scoring in spectacular fashion in the 15th minute. The Al Nassr forward continued his fine form from the World Cup where he bagged two goals with a sublime left-footed volley that hit the cross-bar but eventually got into the net after the ball ricocheted off the back side of the Seychellois goalkeeper Dave Mussard. Read more
Naomi Osaka thrashes tearful Williams to clinch New York Crown (PMNews)
Japanese Star Naomi Osaka trounced her idol, Serena Williams to lift her first Grand Slam in New York, winning 6-2 6-4. Her victory denied Serena her dream record equalling 24th Grand Slam. The match was marred by rantings by Serena after the umpire warned her about a non verbal message passed to her by her French Coach Moratoglou. But Serena was unhinged thereafter, shouting expletives on the umpire, who imposed the sanction of awarding two game penalty to her opponent. Read more