THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MARCH 22, 2018
PDP: E-politics, our weapon to sack Ambode in 2019 (NewTelegraph)
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has said that the party was determined to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 through the use of digital mobilisation of residents ahead of the governorship election in the state. Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Lagos, Chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Moshood Salvador said that the PDP was ready to take over from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2019, describing the governor as under-performing. Calling for a total cancellation of the Land Use Charge in the state, the PDP chairman rejected 50 per cent reduction approved by the governor, adding that the government was punishing Lagosians with the Land Use Charge. Read more
Yoruba Language as a tool for academic advancement (Guardian)
okan, eeji, eeta, eerin, arun (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)”, the schoolchildren recited excitedly after the teacher. Soon, it was time for the multiplication exercise. “Eeji lopo ookan je eeji; eeji lopo eeji je eerin; eeji lopo eeta je eefa; eeji lopo eerin je eejo…(2×1=2; 2×2=4; 2×3=6; 2×4=8)”the animated teacher read out the multiplication table in Yoruba. The pupils – from various ethnic backgrounds – were thrilled as they repeated after their teacher. As the bell rang for lunchtime, the kids chorused the exercises in Yoruba as they ran across the field to play under the noon sun. The teacher felt proud about the new language of instruction and looked forward to the next class. Read more
VIO to begin Clampdown on Road Unworthy Vehicles (Leadership)
The Federal Capital Territory, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (FCT-DRTS), also known as Vehicles Inspection Officers (VIO), said it has concluded plans to commence clampdown on road unworthy vehicles in the territory. In an interview with newsmen, the director of FCT-DRTS, Engineer Wadata Aliyu Bodinga, explained that the operation, tagged: ‘Operation Giraffe’, is part of the efforts of the directorate to restore sanity on FCT routes. Bodinga disclosed that, as part of the exercise, about 400 workforce of the directorate have been deployed to ease traffic flow in the city centres and the suburbs, just as he warned motorists against violating traffic rules. Read more
Ambode charges elders, youths on good governance (Guardian)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has heaped on the combination of experience of political elders and the creative/innovative ideas of youth as impetus to achieving good governance and sustainable development in the country. In his address during the second edition of the Bola Tinubu Youths Summit, held at MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos last week, the Lagos State governor who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule noted that it is very imperative to create a platform in which the benefits of the experience of the elders would be effectively combined with the creative and innovative ideas of young people in order to align the nation’s desire for good governance and growth with global trends. Read more
Pipeline vandalism: Residents call for police presence at Lagos/Ogun border (Vanguard)
Residents of Ikorodu area of Lagos/Ogun border, ravaged by pipeline vandals in 2016, have called on the appropriate authority to establish permanent police station along Itaoluwo road to curtail resurgence of the menace. The people made the call in separate interviews with newsmen on Thursday in Lagos. The residents, however, commended the security measures put in place to curtail pipeline vandalism but expressed concern that the vandals had started regrouping. Read more
Oyegun begs senators (SUN)
Against the backdrop of the controversy and intrigues surrounding the amendment of the Electoral Act, which re-ordered elections in 2019, and its subsequent rejection by President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has reached out to its caucus in the Senate. Oyegun led the APC NWC to a crucial meeting with the APC Senate caucus, yesterday. Daily Sun gathered that Oyegun, during the closed door meeting, begged senators not to go ahead with the planned override of President Buhari’s veto of the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018. Read more
Kidnapped Dapchi school girls released to military, says Gen. Nicholas (SUN)
Contrary to speculations that there was no military presence at Dapchi, Yobe State, when the Boko Haram terrorists dropped off the kidnapped students of Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), early Wednesday morning, the military said it was fully in ground but could not do much because of an already existing agreement. It said it had to honour an already existing agreement between the Federal Government, the military, the negotiators and the terrorists, that restricted it from taking any action against and preventing the terrorists from having free and unhindered access into Dapchi. Read more
FG files suit to seize Ekweremadu’s 22 Abuja, US, Dubai houses (Punch)
The Federal Government on Wednesday applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja to temporarily seize some properties belonging to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, because he allegedly failed to declare the assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau. Nine of the targeted properties are said to be in Abuja, two of them in London, the United Kingdom, eight in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and three in Florida, the United States. Read more
Stella Oduah: Why Igbo deserve the South East Development Commission (Vanguard)
Making a National case for my regional development bill at the Senate The truth is — that every part of Nigeria suffers one form of neglect or the other but some are more unequally yoked than the others. A case in point are the Igbo people of Nigeria. I am a proud Nigerian but an unhappy one. As a Senator representing Anambra North, my first obligation is to the people of Anambra North, and then Anambra State and then the South East of Nigeria. My people are unenthusiastic about this Nation state, the mood in the region is at its worst since the civil war. I am not going to sit pretty in Abuja trying to be politically correct. The elite scoff at the demagogues but are unaware that their rise is only a proof of their own extinction. Read more
Buka operators, restaurateurs, food vendors laud NTDC, NIHOTOURS’ Nigerian Flavours (Tribune)
The economic import of tourism is gradually being reflected in the business transaction and psyche of ordinary Nigerian who has now realised what the sector has in stock for them. Thanks to the fitting of people with sound minds, clarity of purpose, drive, vision, people who are fit, prim and proper with definite intention and clear understanding of what they need to do at their duty post. These people without blabbing or creating a necessary fuss about themselves recoiled into their cocoons, dug into their cognate and corporate experience in public and private life and brought to bear proactive programmes and events which do not only call attention to the sector but stimulate economic activities and shore up business opportunities. Read more
Horror as UNIMAID student suffers acid attack (SUN)
“As soon as he touched her face with the handkerchief, she passed out,” so said Ibrahim Yusuf about the attack on 26-year-old Fatima Habu Usman, a final year student of the University of Maiduguri who last Friday was kidnapped by unknown commercial tricycle operators in Borno State and doused in acid. Yusuf, a male relative of Fatima, a female student of UNIMAID’s Department of Nursing, recalled the gruesome incident, part of a long and worrying trend of acid attacks by anonymous persons on unsuspecting victims. Fatima, according to Yusuf, had boarded the tricycle in front of First Bank after depositing cash in the building. Read more
Fire guts Masts of major Telecom Companies in Abuja (Leadership)
An early morning fire has engulfed telecom masts of MTN, GLO, Airtel and 9MOBILE in Daki-biyu, Jabi communities of FCT, abuja. An Eye witness, Mr, Friday Anyandi who spoke said the masts belong to MTN, GLO, Airtel, 9MOBILE, networks. Leadership gathers that the fire started at about 3:49am Thursday morning. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained yet. Read more
World Cup: Rohr rues Ikeme’s illness, worried about Eagles goalkeepers (Vanguard)
After closing his door to former Super Eagles captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr is still have problem getting a replacement for Carl Ikeme who was diagnosed with Leukaemia. The German coach admitted he has a goalkeeping problem ahead of the Mundial, saying : ‘’It is true. Our problem is Ikeme’s illness (he was diagnosed with leukemia)’’. Meanwhile Rohr has also said his captain John Obi Mikel will have to undergo rigorous training with the national team ahead of the 2018 World Cup, bearing it in mind that the Chinese Super League is not too competitive. Read more
Poland vs Nigeria: I’ll present strongest squad – Rohr (Vanguard)
Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr has promised to name his strongest possible starting line-up for tomorrow’s pre-World Cup friendly against Poland at the Municipal Stadium. It means the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi and Eddy Onazi are set to start against the Europeans, while Deportivo de La Coruña’s Francis Uzoho might be in goal as Chippa United’s Daniel Akpeyi is unlikely to make it to Poland and Ikechukwu Ezenwa has yet to arrive in camp. Read more
Everton attacker, Onyekuru returns to training, eyes World Cup spot (Guardian)
Everton attacker, Henry Onyekuru has returned to the training pitch after extensive time out with a knee injury. Onyekuru, who had an excellent start to the season on loan at Anderlecht before getting injured, is back on the pitch and expects to get some playing time this season and a call-up to the World Cup with Nigeria to be ready for next year. Announcing his return to the pitch yesterday, Onyekuru wrote in his twitter handle, “I am so grateful to be able to be back running and back with the ball at my feet. It has been a journey, Thank you all for your prayers and support. The Lord is truly my strength.” Read more
Serena crashes out in Miami as nervous Osaka advances (Guardian)
Serena Williams crashed out of the Miami Open in the first round here Wednesday, slumping to a straight sets defeat against Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the latest setback to the former world number one’s comeback. Osaka, who won her first major title in Indian Wells last weekend, was superior throughout and fully deserved her 6-3, 6-2 win in just one hour and 17 minutes. It was Williams’ fourth match and second tournament appearance since returning from 13 months of maternity leave — yet the American’s movement and inability to stay in the rallies suggested her comeback could be more arduous than expected. Read more
Air strikes near school in Idlib kill 16 Syrian children (Theirworld)
Air strikes hit near a school in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib yesterday, killing at least 16 children, a monitoring organisation said. “Twenty civilians, including 16 children, were killed in an air strike in Kafr Batikh in Idlib province,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It was not clear whether the bombing was carried out by the Syrian regime or its Russian ally. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitor, said the first strike hit children coming out of a nearby school. He said: “The oldest among them is 11.” In Kafr Batikh, the children’s devastated families wrapped the tiny bodies of their children in thick wool blankets. Read more
‘Tragic’ Conditions for Displaced from Syria’s Eastern Ghouta (Aawsat)
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Syria on Wednesday condemned the “tragic” living conditions of thousands of civilians who have fled a regime assault on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus. “If I was a citizen, I would not accept to stay in Adra for five minutes, with this tragic situation,” Ali al-Zaatari told AFP, referring to a regime-held area to which thousands of civilians have fled. “People may have escaped fighting, fear and insecurity but they find themselves in a place without anywhere to wash themselves. This should not be,” Zaatari said. Read more
Russia brands Boris Johnson’s Putin-Hitler comparison ‘disgusting’ (Skynews)
Russia has hit out at Boris Johnson likening Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler, calling it “disgusting” and “unacceptable”. The Foreign Secretary suggested the Russian President will “glory” in this summer’s World Cup in a similar way to the German dictator during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Mr Johnson told a committee of MPs it was “an emetic prospect” to think of Mr Putin “glorying in this sporting event”, as he agreed it would be comparable to the Olympics held in Nazi Germany. “I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right,” Mr Johnson said. Read more
Freiburg murder: Afghan jailed for life in Germany (BBC)
An Afghan asylum seeker has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a woman in Germany in a case that fuelled tensions over the mass influx of migrants. Hussein Khavari admitted to attacking 19-year-old medical student Maria Ladenburger in the south-western city of Freiburg in October 2016. She disappeared on her way home from a party. Her body was found in a river. He was arrested weeks later and DNA tests linked him to the crime. After his arrest, it emerged that he had already been convicted to 10 years in jail in Greece in 2014 for attempted murder, but was freed in October 2015. Read more