UN blasts Nigeria for human trafficking (Guardian)
The United Nations on Monday criticised Nigeria for failing to tackle human trafficking, after a human rights mission looked at efforts to stamp out the organised trade in people. “What is being done is not enough,” the world body’s special rapporteur on the subject, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, told reporters at the end of an eight-day visit. Some 18,000 Nigerians arrived in Italy via the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa in 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Read more
Buhari accepts donated nomination forms, slams APC defectors (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, accepted the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress from a group, Nigerian Consolidation Ambassadors Network, which donated the forms worth N45m to him to support his bid for re-election next year. At an event marking the handover and acceptance of the forms in the Presidential Villa, Buhari lashed out at defectors from the APC, describing them as weak and selfish politicians. He said, “I am honoured today to receive youths from all over the country contributing to buy the form for me. Read more
50 dead as Indian bus plunges into valley (Guardian)
Fifty people died when a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims plunged into a valley in southern India on Tuesday, one of the deadliest accidents on the country’s notorious roads in recent years. Road crashes in India claim the lives of more than 150,000 people each year. Most accidents are blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. The bus carrying 80 people was returning from the famous Hindu temple of Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy in the hilly southern state of Telangana when it skidded off the road. Read more
Paris Club refund: FG bars states owing salaries (Punch)
The Federal Government said states must clear the backlog of salaries and other related staff arrears before they would be able to access the remaining 2.69 billion dollars Paris Club Refund. The Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Hassan Dodo, on Tuesday, said the Federal Government would commence phased payments of the refund to the states once the condition and several others were met. “The DMO led the reconciliation process under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Finance. The final approval of 2.69 billion dollars is subject to some conditions. Read more
2019: Saraki appoints Doyin Okupe chairman, campaign media council (PremiumTimes)
The Senate President and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bukola Saraki, has appointed Doyin Okupe as chairman of the Media Council for his campaign organisation. His appointment was announced in a statement by Mohammed Wakil, the Director General of Mr Saraki’s Campaign Organisation. Read more
2019: I am Atiku’s senior, I won’t step down for him – Lamido (PremiumTimes)
A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has responded to a statement in which former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, said Mr Lamido would step down for him in the presidential race. Both men are running for the ticket of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside about ten other aspirants. At a meeting with PDP leaders in Dutse, Jigawa State on Monday, Mr Abubakar said he believed Mr Lamido would step down for him as his elder brother. Read more
APC speaks on ‘purchase of nomination form’ by convicted Joshua Dariye (PremiumTimes)
The All Progressives Congress said on Tuesday that it would never allow an ex-convict vie for office on its platform, saying both the Nigerian law and its own constitution prohibit election of persons found guilty of criminal offences. The disclosure effectively sealed the prospects of Joshua Dariye, a Nigerian senator from Plateau State who was recently reported to have obtained Senate nomination forms for 2019. Read more
Ex-president Obasanjo urges West African govts to decriminalise drugs (SUN)
West African governments should overhaul their drug laws to decriminalize personal use and prioritize treatment as a response to rising substance abuse in the region, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo said on Tuesday In an interview before he was due to present a model drug law to regional officials in Senegal, Obasanjo urged authorities to channel resources into fighting large-scale trafficking, which he said was undermining regional democracy. Read more
Saraki must vacate the position of Senate president – Oshiomole (Guardian)
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomohle, has continued in his insistence that Dr Bukola Saraki must leave his position as the Senate President. In an interview on Channels Televison’s Road map 2019, Oshiomhole said the Senate President had to step down from his seat as a matter of honour. He further threatened that if Senator Saraki does not step down he will be impeached. Read more
Intrigues in Lagos Race as Tinubu’s Mandate Group Backs Sanwonolu against Ambode (Thisday)
A web of intrigues surfaced on Monday as Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and two others, Mr. Jide Sanwonolu and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, picked the governorship nomination forms for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the 2019 contest in the state. The three of them are known godsons of the party’s national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, who, it has been variously speculated, has unresolved issues with Ambode. The initial information THISDAY had yesterday was that Ambode proceeded to Abuja to pick up his forms after getting signals from Tinubu that the coast was clear for him to make his move for a second term of office. Read more
Japan’s Abe expresses support for better Trump-Kim ties (Guardian)
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday voiced support for the rapprochement between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, a Japanese diplomat said, as Washington considers the possibility of a new summit with North Korea’s leader. In a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon on the sidelines of an economic forum in Russia, Abe reiterated his support for “the agreement between President Trump and Chairman Kim, in particular, the commitment of the North Korean leader towards the full denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” said a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman. Read more
NEXIM Earmarks N37bn to Promote Export of Agricultural Products in 36 States, FCT (Thisday)
The management of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) has earmarked the sum of N37 billion to develop and support export commodities from primary production to the exporting stage across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The bank said each state and FCT would benefit from N1 billion loan with single-digit interest rate to harness a chosen agricultural product that is export worthy in order to complement the federal government’s quest of diversifying the oil-based revenue to agriculture. Read more
ANALYSIS: Sexism and Serena at the US Open (PremiumTimes)
Serena Williams has a one-year-old daughter and has defied the odds to reach the final of the last two Grand Slam tournaments – Wimbledon and the US Open, but has unfortunately lost both. On Saturday at Flushing Meadows, she lost to one of her adoring fans, Naomi Osaka 6-2 6-4 but events, especially in the second set has taken away from the excellence of Osaka in that final match and cast shadows on the regulators, umpires and the rules and regulations that govern the sport. Read more
Global hunger continues to rise with Africa worst hit – UN report (PremiumTimes)
The population of hungry people is rising across the world, a UN report has shown, with more than a quarter of them in Africa. Out of the 821 million people who faced shortage of food in 2017, 257 million were found in the continent. A new report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World released on Tuesday showed that world hunger rose in 2017 for the third consecutive year, fuelled by conflict and climate change.
Nigerian govt unveils project to improve storage in health facilities (PremiumTimes)
The federal government has assured Nigerians of its commitment to take further measures toward ensuring and improving the storage sections in health facilities in the country through Public Private Partnership (PPP). The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, gave the assurance when the Director-General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Chidi Izuwa, visited him on Tuesday in Abuja. Read more
ANALYSIS: Sexism and Serena at the US Open (PremiumTimes)
Serena Williams has a one-year-old daughter and has defied the odds to reach the final of the last two Grand Slam tournaments – Wimbledon and the US Open, but has unfortunately lost both. On Saturday at Flushing Meadows, she lost to one of her adoring fans, Naomi Osaka 6-2 6-4 but events, especially in the second set has taken away from the excellence of Osaka in that final match and cast shadows on the regulators, umpires and the rules and regulations that govern the sport. Read more