Tinubu Hates Buhari’s Leadership Style — Saraki (Independent)
The conflict between Senate President Bukola Saraki and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Monday took another dimension as Saraki exposed Tinubu’s hatred for President Muhammadu Buhari’s style of leaderships. Saraki, who said that Tinubu’s love for Buhari was borne out of personal aspiration for 2023 presidential race, explained why the APC national leader hated him. Read more
US Embassy announces resumption date (ChannelsTV)
The US embassy has announced that it will reopen its Abuja consular section on August 24 for full services for both visas and American Citizen Services (ACS). The embassy said this in a message on its website. The embassy had in a statement on August 15, announced temporary suspension of its regular services for visas and American Citizen Services in Abuja. The Embassy in its message urged Visa applicants with appointment scheduled for August 24 to report to its office. The message read: “The US embassy in Abuja’s consular section will reopen on August 24th for full services for both visas and ACS. Please, note that consular functions at the US consulate Lagos were never affected and will continue as usual. Read more
‘Heaps Of Refuse In Lagos Sickening, Unacceptable’ (Leadership)
As part of measures to tackle the huge challenge posed by waste management in Lagos State, Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard has unveiled a platform known as Operation Keep Lagos Cleaner, a voluntary group aimed at helping the state government to achieve its objective of ridding the state of filth. Speaking at the flag off of the operation in Lagos, the state coordinator of the group Seyi Bamigbade said the commitment Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to provide the state with a functional, robust and sustainable waste management system that would transform the state into the cleanest city in the world was not in doubt, saying what is needed is concerted efforts to achieve it. Read More
Ajaokuta-Aladja rail project will boost mining activities-MAN (Vanguard)
MINNERS under the auspices of Miners Association of Nigeria, MAN, have expressed optimism that the completion 154-kilometer Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge line billed for commercial operations by September 2018 will boost mining activities in the minerals and mining sector. Read more
2019 Presidency: APC lists corruption allegations against Saraki (Vanguard)
All Progressives Congress, APC, said, yesterday, that Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, would not pass integrity test to contest the 2019 presidential election because of the litany of corruption allegations against him. Oshiomhole-Saraki The party’s reaction came against the backdrop of reports that the Senate president was nursing presidential ambition in 2019. Read more
A’Ibom APC chairman, deputy defect to PDP (Independent)
Faction Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state, Dr Udoma Bob Ekarika, and a one-time governorship aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has defected back to PDP. Also to abandon the state chapter of the APC is the Deputy Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Emmanuel Udoh and the 2015 Director General of the Party’s campaign organization, Obongifiok Annie Asikpo. Read more
Direct primary tears Ondo APC apart (Vanguard)
THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, deepened weekend, over the opposition of the faction of the party aligned to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to the introduction of the direct primary mode of electing candidates of the party in the forthcoming elections. Read more
Why some customary practices in Nigeria are illegal (Guardian)
Court restrains Cross River APC, NWC from conducting fresh congress (Guardian)
An Abuja High Court has given an injunction restraining the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River State from conducting fresh primaries.Justice O.A Musa also restrained the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party from doing so, pending the determination of the applicable suit. He gave the injunction in a suit between APC chieftain, Sylvester Okpo from Cross River South Senatorial district, vice chairman, Regina Takon, ex-officio ember and youths leader, Charles Asim, who are plaintiffs in the matter, and APC Nigeria as defendant. Read more
Banks worry as power firms’ debts worsen (Guardian)
Many of the Nigerian banks that gave loans to core investors during the privatisation of the power sector in 2013 may have incurred losses, our correspondent has learnt.
It was gathered that the banks had, in the past four years, been struggling to ensure the repayment of the acquisition loans they granted to the power investors. The privatisation of the power assets fetched about $3.2bn for the Federal Government, with the generation and distribution companies sold for $1.7bn and $1.5bn, respectively. Read more
‘Why banks can’t lend on single-digit to SMEs’ (Guardian)
Despite efforts by financial services regulators to make funds available for small business at single-digit interest rates, banks have said this may not be possible until such facilities are made available to them by the promoters at such low rates. Speaking specifically on the partnership by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), with five commercial banks for the disbursement of loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Head, Emerging Businesses, Diamond Bank Plc, Ayo Olojede, said single-digit on-lending is not feasible unless banks want to indulge in charity. Read more
Everton Loanee Henry Nets Winner; Austria Vienna’s Edomwonyi At The Double (AllNigeriasoccer)
Super Eagles striker Henry Onyekuru is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring he is back in favour for Gernot Rohr’s team by the time the 2019 AFCON qualification rolls around, following his latest performance for Galatasaray in their 1-0 victory. The 21-year-old made his second league appearance for his Turkish Super League team yesterday against Goztepe Izmir and he repaid Fatih Terim’s faith in him with the match winner. Read more
Amaju Pinnick is NFF chairman – FG (Punch)
The Presidency on Monday said it recognised the Amaju Pinnick-led executives of the Nigerian Football Federation as the authentic executives of the federation. The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a message he posted on his Twitter handle, @akandeoj. Read more