Osinbajo promises Lagos more federal presence (Guardian)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has pledged federal government’s commitment to build more infrastructure in Lagos State, if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins the February 16 presidential elections. The vice president, during his door-to-door campaign at Oworonsoki, Ketu, Alapere and Ojota yesterday, said Lagos remains vital to the federal government.He also visited the paramount ruler of Kosofe and Oloworo of Oworoland, Oba Olohuntoyin Salau. Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Lagos East, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has assured President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Osinbajo, of the support of people from his zone, saying there is no alternative to continuity. Osinbajo said the APC was in the opposition for 16 years, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was in control did nothing to better the lot of Lagos. He promised that APC would not relent until it gives the state its due. Read more
Buhari approves Adamu as acting IG as Idris bows out today (Nation)
Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Abubakar Adamu Mohammed Lafia has been named as the acting Inspector-General of Police (IG). Adamu’s appointment reportedly got the blessing of President Muhammadu Buhari, who met with IG Ibrahim Idris, who is expected to bow out of service today after attaining the retirement age of 60. The appointment came following opposition from some quarters against possible tenure extension for IG Idris, who has also attained the statutory 35 years in service. It was gathered that the acting IG was selected by the president among three names submitted to him after weeks of shopping for Idris’ replacement. Read more
APC, PDP quarrel over CJN Onnoghen’s trial (Nation)
The imminent arraignment of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has pitted the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The ruling party yesterday took exception to an allegation by the PDP that it (APC) and its candidate in the February 16 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari, are behind the CJN’s ordeal. PDP spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan accused the President and the APC of being desperate to remove Justice Onnoghen because of the forthcoming elections. Ologbodiyan, who spoke for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), alleged that the ruling party was on a mission to annex the judiciary. Read more
Strike: ASUU communicates decision on Fed Govt’s offer today (Nation)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will today communicate its decision on the offers made to it by the Federal Government, its National President Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi said yesterday. The union had urged the government to show concrete evidence of commitment to agreements on meeting its demands on its on-going strike. Ogunyemi said that contrary to some media reports, the union did not reject the government offer neither has it make fresh demands. Labour & Employment Minister Chris Ngige, after meeting with the union on January 4, said the government was about resolving the dispute with the lecturers who embarked on strike on November 5, last year. Read more
No phone calls for collation officers (Nation)
Collation officers will be barred from making or receiving telephone calls during ballot collation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday. There will be simultaneous accreditation and voting and mandatory use of Smart Card Readers (SRC) in the guidelines released yesterday for the forthcoming elections. The adoption of simultaneous accreditation and voting was despite opposition by some political parties. The presidential election leads the way on February 16. In the final regulations and guidelines signed by its Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the Commission said that elections will start by 8am and end by 2pm. Read more
Ortom denies insulting Buhari (Guardian)
Contrary to media reports credited to senior special assistant to the president, Garba Shehu, that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had been insulting Mr. President during his campaigns in churches, the governor has expressed his belief that the allegation was not coming from Mr. President but cabals in the presidency. Ortom, who made the rebuttal yesterday while fielding questions from journalists in Makurdi, maintained that in the course of his campaigns (NA, he never insulted the president.“I am sure that statement from Garba Shehu is coming from the cabal that the wife of the president was complaining about. It cannot be from the president.“If I talk of Miyetti Allah claiming responsibility for the killings in Benue, it came from them; it was before the media and everybody knew about it. Read more
One dead, 50 injured in attack on APC rally (Nation)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has said one of its members died in Sunday’s attack on its rally at Ode Alfa Nla in Ilorin. APC alleged about 30 vehicles of members were destroyed by thugs. Its governorship candidate, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, was said to have been hurriedly whisked away from the venue. At a news conference yesterday, Kwara Central senatorial candidate Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe said the injured were receiving treatment at different hospitals. The conference was attended by Abdulrazaq and party stalwarts. Read more
Court upholds Kwankwaso’s son in-law as Kano PDP guber candidate (Guardian)
A Kano High Court yesterday upheld the Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s son-in-law as the duly elected gubernatorial candidate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s primaries in the state.The court, presided over by Justice A.T Gadamasi, struck out the suit filed by one Ja’afar Sani Bello challenging the eligibility of Abba Kabir Dambatta as the PDP candidate. The plaintiff had asked the court to declare that the PDP primaries held in October 2018 was null and void, claiming that Dambatta failed to satisfy the declaration of the party before returning to the PDP. Ja’afar who came second at the primaries had insisted that Kwankwanso’s in-law was not duly registered as a member of the party, after his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Read more
EFCC blames votes buying on money laundering, mortgaged conscience (Guardian)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has identified money laundering by corrupt politicians as a major cause of votes buying during elections in the country. Its Spokesperson, Tony Orilade, sated this in Abuja during the Say No To Vote Buying Concert, organised in partnership with Olaranwaju Toriseju, a popular comedian fondly referred to as Ambassador Wahala. “Whenever there is money laundering, people look for where to spend the money, legitimise the money and this election period, even though it is not legitimate, they tend to save the money and use it to buy votes. Read more
Nigeria, India sign bilateral air service agreement (Guardian)
Nigeria, and the Republic of India, yesterday, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), to deepen flight operations end to end.The Minister of States for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this via his twitter handle, shortly after signing the agreement with representatives of the Indian government. The Guardian gathered that the agreement was overdue given the perennial air traffic on the routes connecting the two countries. While the Indian community in Lagos keeps expanding, India is the prime destination for Nigerians seeking medical tourism.BASA, otherwise called Air Transport Agreement (ATA), is an understanding between two nations to allow international commercial air transport services within their territories. It dates back to the Chicago Convention of 1944. Read more
Canadian’s death sentence in China ‘horrific’, family says (BBC)
The family of a Canadian man who has been sentenced to death in China say their “worst fears” have been realised. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was given a 15-year jail term in November but, on Monday, a court said the sentence for drug smuggling was too lenient. The ruling is likely to worsen a diplomatic row between the countries. “It is a horrific, unfortunate, heartbreaking situation,” his aunt, Lauri Nelson-Jones, told the BBC via email. “It is our worst case fear confirmed,” she added. “It is rather unimaginable what he must be feeling and thinking.” Read more
‘Eagles to begin final preparation for Egypt 2019 AFCON in March’ (Guardian)
The Super Eagles will begin their final preparation for the task of winning the Egypt 2019 African Nations Cup in March, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Melvin Amaju Pinnick has revealed. Already, the Super Eagles’ backroom staff has started putting finishing touches to the logistics the team would require for seamless preparation when the players come to camp, he added. Reaffirming his administration’s determination to give Nigeria its fourth AFCON triumph this year, Pinnick yesterday said no stone would be left unturned to see the Eagles on the podium at the end of the African fiesta. Read more
Junior Lokosa joins Tunisian league side Esperance (Nation)
Happy New Year and Happy new start, that is perhaps the best way to greet Kano Pillars forward Junior Lokosa after the 25 year old successfully sealed a two and half year contract with Tunisian giants Esperance on Monday. The Tunisian club dished out a welcome message for the Badagry boy who emerged highest goal scorer of the Nigerian Professional football league last season. His exploits just before the world cup in Russia triggered off ‘Operation include Lokosa in the World Cup squad’ campaign among soccer fans in the country. Although he was part of the shape up friendlies just before the last 23-man squad was released by Coach Gernot Rohr, he ended up not making the team to Russia with many insisting that he would have made a difference had he been given a chance. Read more
Man City coast past 10-man Wolves (BBC)
Gabriel Jesus scored twice as Manchester City eased past 10-man Wolves to cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to four points. City did not manage a repeat of the scoring feats that had seen them hit 16 goals against Rotherham and Burton in their previous two games, but the outcome was rarely in doubt despite the relatively modest winning margin. Jesus opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Leroy Sane ran on to a peach of a pass by Aymeric Laporte and squared for the Brazilian to slide home. A tough task for Wolves got even harder when Willy Boly was dismissed nine minutes later, with the French defender shown a straight red card for a dangerous jumping challenge on Bernardo Silva. Read more
Williams cruises into second round (BBC)
Serena Williams stormed into the Australian Open second round as she began her bid for a 24th Grand Slam title with a win over Tatjana Maria. The 37-year-old American, whose 23rd major win came in Melbourne when she was pregnant two years ago, won 6-0 6-2 in 49 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. Williams holds the most Open Era singles titles, but is looking to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. “I have so many good memories of the last time I was here,” said Williams. “It was literally the best win of my career, so it’s just good to get back. I’m glad that I was able to come out and do what I needed to do. Read more
We’ve arrested cultist who murdered three people – Lagos police (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected cultist, Elijah Ogunlaja, who allegedly confessed to killing three people in the state. The police also said Ogunlaja, who with other cult members had allegedly been terrorising the Oworonshoki area of the state, had mobilised his gang members to kill a target on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, when he was arrested. The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, said in a statement on Monday that Ogunlaja had been involved in series of cult clashes, adding that a distress call received during a cult clash led to his arrest in the Ososa area of Oworonshoki. Read more
Truck kills sachet water hawker, child in Lagos (Punch)
A truck, on Monday, rammed into a woman and her baby, killing them on the spot, in the Oshodi area of Lagos. The woman was said to be hawking sachet water, when the truck that was carrying sharp sand, hit her. An eyewitness, Emeka Njoku, said the truck was moving at a fast speed, adding that by the time the driver tried to apply the brake, he noticed that the brake was no longer working. Njoku noted that as a consequence, the truck hit the woman and the child, who was strung to her back while she hawked sachet water. Read more