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A US inmate's escape plan falls through - literally - and it's all caught on camera.

Bandits raided communities in Zamfara State during the week, killing some persons and setting houses ablaze.

The bandits invaded the community in the early hours of Tuesday, killing 14 people and setting two communities — Tungar Takoka and Tudun Wadar Maijatau — ablaze.

    

Ade Marafa, elder sister to Kabiru Marafa, Senator representing Zamfara Central, was killed by bandits numbering over 100. A ransom of N30million was also demanded to secure the release of Alhaji Ibrahim, husband of late Ade Marafa.

The bandits also set Ruwan Bore community in Gusau Local Government Area ablaze.

Residents of Tudun Wadar Maijatau, one of the villages burnt by the bandits in Zamfara State, as well as residents of Gurbin Bore and Tungar Takoka, have fled to Mada and other safe communities.

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At the OPL 245 trial - in which Eni, Shell and 13 other key figures, including managers and intermediaries, are in the dock - it is the day of Christopher Adebayo Ojo. It is in fact up to the former Minister of Justice of Nigeria to explain his role in the complex affair that revolves around the alleged billion dollar bribe paid for the acquisition of the rich oil license in the country.

"Etete? I saw no conflict of interest."

Ojo entered the scene in 2005 when he became attorney general of the government, a position he held for three years. In 2006, he countersigned the agreement to return to Malabu Oil & Gas control of the OPL 245 license, which had been managed exclusively by Shell since 2002. An agreement urged by oil minister Dan Etetewho, however, as we know, is also the actual owner of Malabu itself. The public prosecutorSergio Spadaroremembers it, but on this occasion the nonchalanceof the former minister is proverbial.

Did you know that Etete had an interest in the company? "Yes." Didn't you think that Malabu's OPL allocation was illegitimate? "No."

50 million for unsuccessful consulting

The lightness of the answersis striking several times, as is the absolute imperturbability with which Ojo will confirm from now on details that are in some ways surprising, not to say suspicious, at least in the eyes of the prosecution. In 2009, Malabu, or Etete, took over the former minister as legal advisor to find potential buyers for OPLs. Result? A series of unsuccessful encounters.

Spadaroasks for the names and Ojo opposes professional secrecy, claiming, however, that he has never met representatives of ENIor Shell. The consultant's contribution to the 2011 agreement that allows the two corporations to take control of the license is in fact null and void. Yet, as agreed with Etete, the former minister is paid a fee of 50 million dollars.

Switzerland Stops Falcioni

And here opens another chapter. The original agreement provided that the transaction would be managed by Petrol Service, the company of the Italian honorary vice-consul in NigeriaGianfranco Falcioni, one of the defendants in the trial. Falcioni would have guaranteed the success of the operation by collecting for this5 milliondollars, 10% of the fee of Ojo.

However, the agreement fades almost immediately. After receiving the $1.092 billion paid by Eni for the acquisition of the license to a JP Morgan bank account in London, the Government of Nigeria tries to transfer the amount to Petrol Service. The recipient of the transfer is a company account with the BSI bankin Lugano. However, the Swiss do not trust thesender and reject the transfer. According to the prosecution, Falcioni's company served as an intermediary to cover the real beneficiary of the transaction, namely Dan Etete. Falcioni would ultimately be left empty-handed.

"I'm still waiting for 40 million."

The money will still arrive in Nigeria and a majority share of the amount, 532 million $, will end up in the hands of one of the great protagonists of the affair: the super-dealer Abubakar Alyu, a great friend of the former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan. It would have been he, according to the reconstruction of the prosecution, who distributed the shares of the alleged maxi bribe. Adebayo Ojo, recipient of a $10 million transactioncarried out by a company called Rocky Top Resources, isalso a beneficiary. Ojo said in the courtroom that he had legitimately received that money as part of Malabu's compensation. And the remaining 40 million? He's still waiting for them, he explained, but he's looking forward to receiving them. At the moment he has not filed any lawsuit for non-payment.

The minister denies Eni manager

Ojo, you understand, it's not easy to break up. Not even in the face of the figures with the many zeros. In the course of his statement, he also stated that he was still in business with former manager Eni Vincenzo Armanna, another of the defendants in the trial. The former minister, in particular, says that he has paid him a contribution of $ 1.2 millionto start a "business" in the gold sector. He also stated that he was still interested in working with the partner, expanding his business to include the renewable energy and oilsectors. But according to Ojo, they haven't heard from each other since last year. As for the business projects, he continued, there would be no written agreement.

The version of Armanna

The witness' version, however, contrasts with the testimony given to the investigators by the former director of operations, Eni, for the Sahara area. In April 2016, Armanna stated that he was unable to start business because of the low profit margins caused by the high price of gold. The former manager had also called into question personal"economic difficulties". Adebayo Ojo, the report states, "He actually wanted to have this money back but I involved him in some business and I found him some customers in Nigeria and then, in the end, he was satisfied”. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the sum paid by Ojo - by means of a transfer with reason for payment 'Eredità Armanna' - is also a share of the alleged bribes.

Final Scene Shot

In the afternoon it was the turn of the most awaited witness: the presumed dominus of the bribesAlhaji Abubakar Aliyu. But here comes the twist of the day. The witness only found out at the beginning of the hearing that he was being investigated in the proceedings. The Nigerian authorities, charged by the Milanese Public Prosecutor's Office, apparently failed to notify him of the documents. The Court thus granted a postponement ofthe testimony until 13 March. On this occasion, Abubakar will still have the opportunity to remain silent.

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Stephen Biegun returns from three days of talks in Pyongyang, "confident" of "real progress".

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'Witchcraft' is blamed for a spate of child abductions and murders in the Njombe region of Tanzania.

Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, on Thursday admitted receiving a "compensation" of $10million from former Petroleum Minister Dan Etete for his work as a legal adviser in the sale of OPL 245.

Ojo made the admission in a passage of his examination in Milan in the ongoing trial of former top officials of Royal Dutch Shell and Italian Agip-Eni over the payment of $1.092billion to Etete, the former Minister who awarded himself the lucrative OPL 245 by willing it to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company he had earlier set up using a false identity. He was also convicted of money laundering in an unrelated case in France in 2007.

Among the defendants in the matter are the CEO of the 'Dog six-legged', Claudio Descalzi; his predecessor, Paolo Scaroni; their accuser and former Manager of the Sahara area, Vincenzo Armanna; and also the same company and Shell.

Ojo admitted, in fact, that the worth of his compensation was $50million but he only received a part.

"I received only part, $10million, "and I hope to be able to regain possession of others. I'm not going to sue," he said.

The $50 million, according to the investigation documents, is a tranche of the maxi bribe of which a part was also paid to him, and was nothing more than — as it was written in an agreement — 5percent of the $92billion paid by the Italian oil company.

Ojo's admission, heard by videoconference, does not match that recorded by the former number one of the 'six-legged dog' for the Sahara area in April 2016, as he had claimed in front of investigators and investigators that the money "recovered by Bayo Ojo" has never been returned because not only in Italy at that time the price of gold was very high and "the margin would have been extremely modest", but also for its "economic difficulties.

Ojo, Descalzi had said, actually wanted to have this money back "but I involved him in some business and I found him some customers in Nigeria and then, in the end, he was satisfied".

The former Manager of the oil group would have 'coordinated' with Gianfranco Falcioni, former Italian consul in Nigeria, and Ojo the transfer of the alleged maxi bribe paid by Eni to the account of the Nigerian government at Jp Morgan Chase in London and subsequently received from the former Minister the sum of €917,952 with causal "Armanna inheritance" and that for the prosecutor's Office would be a share of the alleged bribes for the operation.

In his reconstruction, Ojo did not deny that he had collected $10 million. Instead, he said part of the compensation for his "legal advice" should actually have been $50 million, a figure equal to 5 percent of the amount paid to Malabu and Etete for the acquisition of the field.

 

Pressed by the questions of the prosecutor Sergio Spadaro about the work he had done since 2009 — after he had left the public office during which he had taken part in the proceedings to reassign Malabu to Etete — Ojo, who is referred to in the indictment  as one of the recipients of the bribes, explained that his task would be to seek "one or more buyers of the Block but I was not lucky enough to find them".

He didn't talk about the details of his assignment, however, claiming professional secrecy, but he specified that during his work he didn't know about the lawsuit initiated by Shell nor that the Dutch and Italian oil companies "could be buyers" of Opl 245.

He then said that the $10 million was transferred from Rocky Top Resources "to his personal account because his firm did not have a foreign account". Of these, then, a million and $200,000 would be paid in 2012 to Armanna to start an activity in the gold sector.

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A scandal has engulfed the political leadership of the US state. What do the voters make of it?

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The Chinese-owned meme platform taking over the internet.

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Fifty years since the Boeing 747's first flight, BBC Rewind looks back on how the jumbo jet changed aviation and global travel.

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Frank Gardner was paralysed when he was shot six times in 2004. Skiing was one of the joys he did not want to lose.

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Nicolas Maduro is trying to use the country's gold to raise cash and make friends.

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Six months after 43 people were killed when part of the bridge collapsed, work to rebuild it has started.

The Joint Action Committee of Northern Nigeria Youths Association (JACON) has urged the international community and foreign election observers not to bow to the threat by Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State.

A statement issued on Thursday by the group, also urged security operatives to ensure that the forthcoming elections were conducted without hitches.

Murtala Abubakar, convener for JACON, noted that the “inflammatory statement” made by el-Rufai was not new, as he had called the opposition party in Kaduna “termites and ants that should be crushed”.

In a live television programme aired on NTA on Tuesday, el-Rufai had said foreigners who interfered in the forthcoming elections would leave the country in “body bags”.

Condemning the statement by el-Rufai, JACON had noted that it was something the Governor did as he had declared that anyone who questioned his style of leadership “should climb Kufena Hill and jump to their death”.

The statement read: “The most recent and bizarre action by the Governor was his allusion to a religious icon, the celebrated and revered Catholic leader, the Pope. That statement was meant to infuriate the Catholics and Christians to cause religious conflict. The Christian community had, however, restrained from pouring out their fury and shown a sense of maturity by not playing into the hands of the governor.

“It was also gathered by the association that the Governor had shown no remorse or ordered any arrest for the three young boys who were murdered in cold blood at Unguwan Muazu within Kaduna metropolis, right under his watch, during his campaign. It took the serious intervention of indigenes to ensure the killings of the young boys did not lead to another circle of bloodletting in Kaduna.”

According to the group, the statement by el-Rufai is “unfortunate, condemnable, a call to violence and veiled threat to all peace-loving people”.

Murtala, however, stated that “the association has resolved not to be drawn into any act that will lead to loss of lives and property in Kaduna State, the region or the nation as a whole”.

They also urged security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property before, during and after the elections.

“In the face of this, we call on all to remain steadfast, not to bow to intimidation, not to play into the hands of people like el-Rufai, whose plan is to throw the state and the nation into another round of bloodletting. We shall triumph over those who don't want to see us in peace.”

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A human rights organisation, OurMumuDonDo Movement, has revealed plans to launch a Social Contract Initiative for Nigerians, a programme designed to engage and enlighten the citizens on accountable democracy.

The launch will take place on Monday, January 11, 2019, in Abuja.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, who is the convener of the movement, said it is aimed at enlightening citizens about Nigeria's democratic process as well as transfer the ownership of the democratic process to the citizens, thereby enabling them to engender accountable democracy.

He noted that the electorate and voting population must be able to understand and reconstruct their engagement with the democratic process as the “real owners” of government and the Nigerian project, people’s participation and commitment to the electoral and political processes would continue to depreciate.

He said: “As an organization advocating for social change, we believe that for there to be a stable and progressive society, there must be some established norms guiding the relationship between the people and the government of the state.

"These established norms will define mutual obligations between the people and their leaders at the national and subnational levels of government. These mutual obligations will form the nucleus of the agreement that we call the Social Contract. 

"The Nigerian Social Contract Initiative, loosely translated as NaWeBeGovernment, is an initiative of the Omudodu Youths Foundation, a.k.a. OurMumuDonDo Movement, designed to enlighten the citizens about Nigeria's democratic process as well as transfer the ownership of the democratic process to the citizens thereby enabling them to engender accountable democracy.”

Oputa pointed out that Social Contract Initiative would improve citizens' participation in the democratic process, as well as increase the trust of the electorate in Nigeria's electoral process. 

He stressed that the Initiative is in line with the 2019 elections, and is proposed as a model for reviewing and determining the commitment of politicians and political parties in the Nigerian polity. 

"Our Movement, with support from the Ford Foundation and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) (Youth Alive Foundation) embarked on opinion surveys across the country using questionnaires, and also through town hall engagement, to gather information on the knowledge of the social contract among citizens. 

"When we started the Nigerian Social Contract Initiative in June 2018, we realized that there was insufficient information on youth and citizens’ knowledge and engagement with the social contract as a tool for promoting good governance in Nigeria. 

"This propelled us to conduct a survey to obtain baseline information about citizens’ knowledge of social contract and their level of engagement with government, using available spaces and legal frameworks, to demand accountability and good governance."

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Kinsmen of Leo Ogor, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and member representing Isoko Federal Constituency, have approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, to seek his immediate disqualification from contesting a seat in the National Assembly in the 2019 elections, over allegations he forged the certificate he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/10/2019, was filed by Peter Enaruke, and has the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the first defendant, INEC as second defendant and Leo Ogor as the third defendant.

The Originating Summons was brought pursuant to section 6(6), 36, 106(b) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended), section 31(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (As Amended), Order 3 of the Federal High Court (civil procedure) rules, 2009 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Court.

The plaintiff claimed that the dates of working experience filled in the 2018 INEC Form CF001 and the educational qualification with dates in the 2014 INEC Form CF001, and certificates submitted by Ogor for the 2019 general election were false information and forged certificates.

Enaruke is seeking determination from the court on the following issues:

"Whether upon construction and interpretation of the constitutional provisions of section 6(6), 36, 106(b) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd Defendant, who swore on oath vide his 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 – affidavit in support of personal particular of persons seeking election to the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta state, that he allegedly worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 1980-1982 (As against his earlier affidavit in 2014 INEC form C.F. 001 wherein he stated that he worked with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 1980-1981, has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least, as respects his working experience with dates in the said 2018 INEC form 001.

"Whether upon construction and interpretation of the constitutional provisions of section 6(6), 36, 106(b) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd Defendant, who swore on oath vide his 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 – affidavit in support of personal particular of persons seeking election to the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta State, that he allegedly obtained his primary school leaving certificate in 1972 (as against his earlier affidavit in 2014 INEC form C.F. 001 wherein he stated he obtained his primary school leaving certificate from 1969-1974 has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least as respect his educational qualification with dates in the said 2014 INEC form C.F. 001.

"If the answers to issues 1 and 2 are in the affirmative, Whether upon construction and interpretation of the constitutional provisions of section 6(6), 36, 106(b) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd Defendant stands automatically disqualified from contesting the forthcoming 2019 general elections into the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta state, slated for 16th, February, 2019 or any other date political party by reason of the fact that the 3rd defendant has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least as respect his working experience with dates in the said 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 and his educational qualification with dates in the said 2014 INEC form C.F. 001

"If the answers to issue 3 above is in the affirmative, Whether this Honourable Court can invoke its statutory powers under section 6(6), 36, 106(c) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), section 31 (5) and (6) of the electoral act 2010 (As Amended) and other enabling laws in that behalf, to issue an order disqualifying the 3rd Defendant from contesting the forthcoming 2019 general elections into the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta state, dated for 16th, February, 2019 or any other date thereabout on the platform of the 1st Defendant or any other political party by reason of the fact that the 3rd defendant has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least as respect his working experience with dates in the said 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 and his educational qualification with dates in the said 2014 INEC form C.F. 001.

Whereupon the plaintiff claims against the defendants jointly and severally as follows:

"A declaration that by the virtue of the mandatory, constitutional and statutory provision of section 6(6), 36, 106(c) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd defendant, who swore on oath vide his 2014 INEC form C.F. 001 – affidavit in support of personal particular of persons seeking election to the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta state, that he allegedly worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 1980-1981 (As against his later affidavit in 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 wherein he stated that he worked with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 1980-1982, has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least, as respects his working experience with dates in the said 2014 INEC form 001.

"A declaration that by the virtue of the mandatory, constitutional and statutory provision of section 6(6), 36, 106(c) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd defendant, who swore on oath vide his 2014 INEC form C.F. 001 – affidavit in support of personal particular of persons seeking election to the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta State, that he allegedly obtained his primary school leaving certificate from 1969-1974 (as against his later affidavit in his 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 wherein he stated that he obtained his primary school leaving certificate, at least as respect his educational qualification with dates in the said 2014 INEC form C.F. 001.

"A declaration that by the virtue of the mandatory, constitutional and statutory provision of section 6(6), 36, 106(c) and 107(I)(h) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended), the 3rd defendant, stood automatically disqualified ab initio from contesting the forthcoming 2015 general elections into the House of Representatives, Isoko North/South federal constituency of Delta state, held  February, 2015 or any other date thereabout on the platform of the 1st defendant or any other political party, the 3rd defendant has perjured and presented false information and forged certificates, at least as respect his working experience with dates in the said 2018 INEC form C.F. 001 and his educational qualification with dates in the said 2014 INEC form C.F. 001.”

The plaintiff is, therefore, seeking among other things an order setting aside or nullifying forthwith the nomination of Leo Ogor as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

"A perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants either by themselves, agents, privies, surrogates or any other person(s) whosoever from parading, presenting, recognising, projecting, forwarding, accepting, or dealing with the 3rd defendant in any manner however as the candidate of the 1st defendant in contesting the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

"A perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd defendant either by themselves, agents, privies, surrogates or any other person(s) whosoever from parading, presenting, recognising, projecting, forwarding, accepting or suffering his name to be forwarded to the 2nd defendant or dealing with the 1st and 2nd defendants in any manner however as the candidate of the 1st defendant to represent the 1st defendant in the forthcoming 2019 general elections."

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Hoodlums have attacked the campaign train of Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly known as ‘Small Alhaji’, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Ifedore/Idanre Federal Constituency in Ondo State.

The hoodlums, numbering about six, ambushed the campaign vehicles in the convoy team of Adefisoye at Ipogun in Ifedore, on Friday.

They also attacked Isaac Kekereowo, the Director General of the Tajuden Adefisoye Campaign Organisation.

The armed thugs were suspected to be sponsored by Honourable Baderinwa Bamidele, popularly known as ‘Mr. White’, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

SaharaReporters gathered that no fewer than three persons were shot, while others sustained various degrees of injuries.

It was learnt that the thugs were armed with dangerous weapons as they unleashed terror on Adefisoye's supporters. One person later identified as Benjamin Falusi was shot dead, just as two campaign vehicles in the convoy were damaged and burnt by the hoodlums.

Oluyemi Fasipe, spokesman of the Tajudeen Adefisoye Campaign Organisation, confirmed the attack to SaharaReporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Fasipe said the hoodlums ambushed the campaign team at Ipogun and unleashed terror on the occupants in the vehicle.

Benjamin Falusi, who was shot dead by the thugs during attack on the SDP supporters in Ipogun.

He said: "Yes, It is true. We were attacked by the thugs who suddenly ambushed us after the campaign train already visited seven communities in the area. We were making our way to Ipogun in the Idanre/Ifedore area, when the thugs attack our convoy, which was led by the Director General of the campaign organisation.

"They attacked our people and shot at people indiscriminately. Three persons were shot and one of them is dead already. The incident is highly unfortunate, but we are calling for investigation into the case and for the culprits to be brought to book by the Police.

"Luckily, Alhaji Tajudeen Adefisoye was unhurt and had to rush to the nearest police station at Ilara Mokin to report the incident.”

Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo State Police Command, also confirmed the attack in a telephone interview with SaharaReporters.

Joseph disclosed that the SDP has been invited by the Police for interrogation over the attack on his convoy.

"We have already invited the man (Adefisoye) for interrogation and he would explain to us more about the attack on his vehicle. We have commenced investigation on the attacks on the convoy by the thugs and we shall bring those who perpetrated the act to book soon,” he said.

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Hundreds of ex-staff of the defunct national airline, Nigeria Airways traversed the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, on Friday resolving that they would support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the forthcoming elections.

This rally held as plans had reached an advanced stage for the Nigerian government to pay the next of kin of the deceased ex-staff of the defunct national carrier.

In his remarks at the rally, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said that just as those living among the ex-staff received their pensions and gratuities, the government was also making plans to ensure that the deceased workers received their entitlements through their next of kin.

Mohammed lamented that 15 years after the airline was wrongly liquidated, no government deemed it fit to pay the workers their entitlement. The workers organised a ‘thank you’ rally for Buhari for paying 50 per cent of their severance packages since the airline was liquidated in 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The 50 per cent of the severance packages was N22.5billion, while the president said in September that the balance would be paid within six months.

No fewer than 800 ex-staff of the airline out of 5,996 beneficiaries had died in different circumstances in the past 15 years after liquidation.

Mohammed said other beneficiaries of the package included ex-Biafra policemen, ex-workers of the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL), as well as workers of the Ajala Delta Steel Company.

He said: “This administration’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of Nigerians led President Muhammadu Buhari to end the 14-year wait and suffering of 5,996 former staffers of Nigeria Airways, who have started receiving payments of their pension arrears and other benefits from government.

“It’s noteworthy that since liquidation of Nigeria Airways, successive administrations have failed to settle the ex-staffer, leading to untold suffering and loss of human dignity by affected people.

“It is not just former staffers of Nigeria Airways who have benefited from the people-oriented policy of this administration, as former Biafran policemen, former workers of Aladja Delta Steel Company and former Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) workers have also seen their years of suffering and neglect come to an end thanks to President Buhari.”

Comrade Lookman Animashuan, co-ordinator of the rally and former President of the Aviation Unions Grand Alliance (AUGA), told journalists that the workers were not coerced to organise the rally for the president.

On those criticising their action, he said: “Those people saying so are wailers; they will never see anything good in anything. They should put themselves in our shoes and after 14 years if they haven’t been collecting salaries, if about 800 members and family members have died because of neglect, they will not be talking the way they are talking.”

The ex-staff were joined by other unions in the industry such as the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

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Nigerians have taken to social media to express disappointment over the construction of a giant broom in front of the Abuja City Gate.

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) noted that as of Thursday, it wasn’t clear what was being constructed when they began, but afterwards, it turned out to be the broom symbol of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A Twitter user,‏ @adex0057, uploaded a photograph of the broom taken as on Thursday, and he tagged the Guinness World Records (GWR) in his caption.

The caption read: “WORLD LARGEST BROOM Attention: @GWR This is the Largest Broom anybody or group has ever [erected] anywhere in the world. This is work of some group of volunteers of @OfficialAPCNg . It deserves your recognition and honour. Location: Abuja; Date: 02/07/2019.”

The tweet by @adex0057 was retweeted by Rauf Aregbesola, immediate past Governor of Osun State.

However, the presence of the APC broom has been greeted by anger and in some cases, disappointment.

@dondekojo wrote: “These ones are installing a giant broom in front of a national monument? How insane is this?" while @Shawnife wrote: “These people don’t even rate us again. A huge broom has now been mounted in front of the City Gate.”

While @Biisi96 wrote: “What’s the meaning of this useless broom they are erecting at city gate? So this is the madness they were up to. I was confused as to what it was yesterday evening. But alas it was buffoonery in the making. I’m tired abeg,” while @TheIgboWolf wrote: “The broom doesn't represent anything to Nigerian or Nigeria. It's a symbol of a party, just one political party. But it has been mounted at the front of FCT. Again, this country is not for all of us.”

@Waynetipsy_ng tweeted: “#2019elections APC Mounts Gigantic Metal Broom At City Gate, Abuja. The broom allegedly cost a whooping N250million.”

A tweet by @dulzura_2badtz read: “Just a random question from a curious observer... so is this broom a national monument or it’s just for the election purpose and how much was budgeted for this?”

@ify_zoe wrote: “World Largest Broom. You are even tagging Guinness Book of Records without shame. If Buharism isn't a mental case I wonder what it is,” while a tweet by @NotACoquette read: “The broom that brings doom.”

@Mohd_abdul_’s tweet read: “Going to the FRANCE capital you would see... The ‘EIFFEL TOWER’ but coming to Abuja, the Nigeria capital you would end up seeing the ‘BIG BROOM’”, while @afrispheric wrote: “Imagine driving into the capital city of a country in the 21st century and one of the first things you see is a BROOM. Not a rocket. Not a super computer. Not a freedom fighter. But a dirty looking broom.”

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Omoyele Sowore, candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has responded to Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka's endorsement of Kinglsey Moghalu for President. And his answer is simple: "We do not believe in the politics of godfathers, godmothers or endorsements."

In a statement released very early on Friday, Soyinka had endorsed Moghaly, candidate of Young Progressive Party (YPP), saying the decision was reached after "months of studying the careers, experiences and track records of most of the presidential aspirants, and most intensely those actually short-listed by the opposition parties themselves". 

“Like millions of Nigerians, we watched the debates. I physically interacted with some of the acknowledged top contenders, in some cases several times. We participated in HANDSHAKE ACROSS NIGERIA, where some candidates presented their briefs,” the Professor had said.

“Among others, I delivered a keynote address. We watched television interviews. We have exchanged notes with highly respected international Civil Servants. The drive towards Consensus among these dedicated groups sometimes took the form of test questionnaires to the aspirants, including items such as: ‘Who among the contestants would you choose, if you did not emerge as the ultimate preference?'

"Let me reiterate: there is over-abundant but stifled leadership material, and there can be no excuse, now that that potential of high quality is being manifested, for constricting the political space in a population that is nudging two hundred million. And that statement is of course specially addressed to those who took part in this exercise, those who deliberately opted out of it, some of whom were assessed anyway. Such potential compelled us to exercise utmost rigour in what proved to be a most daunting exercise. The final determination however is — the flag-bearer of the Young Progressive Party — KINGSLEY MOGHALU." See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Wole Soyinka’s CITIZEN FORUM Endorses Moghalu For President 0 Comments 16 Hours Ago    

However, responding also on Friday through Dr. Malcolm Fabiyi, Director-General of his presidential campaign, Sowore said the only opinions that matter... the only voices of influence are not those of privilege, power, status, or fame".

"The only endorsement that matters to us is the one the Nigerian people have already given us. We are the voice of the Nigerian people, and the only organic platform that will represent the interest of the Nigerian masses," he said.

THE FULL STATEMENT 

For the past year, Omoyele Sowore, leader of the Take it Back Movement and presidential candidate of the AAC has travelled across the 6 geopolitical zones, travelled to over 200 cities and towns within Nigeria, and engaged extensively with Nigerians at home and abroad to share his vision for birthing a vibrant and prosperous nation. Those consultations and engagements have created the broadest coalition of Nigerians that our nation has ever seen. 

On our platform, those previously considered inconsequential - the voiceless, the teeming poor and the forgotten youth - have found a voice and an outlet for the realisation of a nation that works for all of her people.

We have said from the beginning that we do not believe in the politics of godfathers, godmothers or endorsements. Indeed, we seek to create a nation where the only opinions that matters, and where the only voices of influence are not those of privilege, power, status, or fame. The only endorsement that matters to us is the one the Nigerian people have already given us. We are the voice of the Nigerian people, and the only organic platform that will represent the interest of the Nigerian masses. 

For the avoidance of doubt, there is no presidential candidate that can boast of the antecedents, the history of principled engagement, and the sacrificial participation in the struggle to move Nigeria forward that Omoyele Sowore has displayed over the last 30 years. 

From the fight to reverse the annulment of the June 12th 1993 elections, to the restoration of democracy in 1999, to the truncation of Obasanjo’s 3rd term bid, to the exposure of the Yar’Adua cabal’s bid to deny a constitutional transfer of power to a minority president, to the courageous real-time release of the 2015 poll results that helped to safeguard and ensure free and fair elections, Sowore has been at the forefront of pivotal political events of in country. 

No other candidate has had this level of engagement. No other candidate can speak of a thirty-year consistency in their service to the nation. No other candidate has worked for the Nigerian people as thoroughly and comprehensively as Sowore has done. No other candidate speaks to the aspirations of the Nigerian people with the authenticity that Sowore does. That authenticity is what has powered our party to becoming one of the three largest parties in the nation.

We want to assure Nigerians that on February 16th, the African Action Congress will be on the ballot. On that day, Sowore and the AAC will get the only endorsement that matters when the Nigerian people vote to elect him as the next president of Nigeria. On February 16th 2019, the Nigwrian people will speak with one voice, and that onerous voice of reason will trounce the dictates of godfatherism.

Nigeria, our dear Nigeria, is on the March to greatness!

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Femi Falana, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has written the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to request an immediate discontinuation of the case instituted against Walter Onnoghen, the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Onnoghen is standing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over allegations of fraudulent declaration of assets.

The letter, dated February 3, 2019, and addressed to Abubakar Malami, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, was entitled: ‘Request to Discontinue the Case of FRN V Justice Walter Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal Forthwith’.

The letter read: “Since the charge of false declaration of assets was filed against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, by the Code of Conduct Bureau, I have repeatedly requested you to use your good offices to discontinue the case. My request was anchored on the case of Elelu-Habeeb v Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors (2012) 40 WRN 1 where the Supreme Court held that by virtue of Section 292 of the Constitution of Nigeria, the head of any of the judicial arms of State and Federal  Governments cannot be removed from office without a prior investigation conducted by the National Judicial Council.

“Having confirmed that you have since submitted a petition to the National Judicial Council alleging grave misconduct against the Chief Justice, I am compelled to request you, once again, to file a nolle prosequi to discontinue the charge pending against his Lordship at the Code of Conduct Tribunal without any further delay. The charge should not be allowed to hang like a Sword of Damocles on the head of the Chief Justice while he is being investigated by the National Judicial Council.

“In view of your implicit confidence in the ability of members of the National Judicial Council to resolve the matter you ought to accede to the request to terminate the proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal forthwith. 

“As you are no doubt aware, the withdrawal of the case from the Code of Conduct Tribunal will lead to the immediate vacation of the ex parte order relied upon by President Mohammadu Buhari to justify the illegal suspension of the Chief Justice from office and the appointment of Justice Tanko Mohammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. Even though by virtue of Paragraph 10 (2) (a) of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) the Code of Conduct Tribunal is empowered to order any public officer to vacate office the power cannot be exercised until such a public officer has been tried and convicted for breaching the provisions of the code of conduct for pubic officers.

“But as a public officer cannot be removed from office on the basis of an ex parte order granted by any Court or Tribunal in Nigeria we urge you to advise President Buhari to reverse the suspension of the Chief Justice. Once the suspension is reversed Justice Walter Onnoghen will then be prevailed upon to resign as the Chief Justice having lost the moral authority to preside over the affairs on the juridical organ of the Government of the Federation.

“However, if his Lordship does not call it quits or if the National Judicial Council does not recommend his removal from office you may wish to exercise your powers under section 174 of the Constitution to prosecute him for failure to declare his assets, which is a punishable offence under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. It may interest you to know that the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal which declared section 3 (d) of the Code of Conduct illegal and unconstitutional was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Dr. Olubukola Saraki v Federal Republic of Nigeria (unreported) Appeal No CA/A/1/127C/16 in which judgment was delivered on 27th October 2016."

    

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The traditional ruler of Owu–Okuta, Osun State, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, Tegbesun III, has warned politicians not to drag the Nigerian military into politics.

Makama, who hosted journalists at his palace on Wednesday, said the move is anti- democratic.

“Through my consistent observation of our political activities since the return of civilian rule in 1999, I have come to a realisation that opposition parties are fond of accusing incumbent of using the military to suppress it before, during and after general elections, with the Army being the worst hit.

There is no doubt that this development is unhealthy for our nascent democracy and nation building. It is noteworthy that it creates unnecessary tension in the polity just as it also reduces the military to a dispensable tool in the hands of political class."

The royal father, who could be seen holding back some privileged information at his disposal on how some politicians are allegedly mounting pressure on the military, especially the Nigerian Army to carry out partisan activities, commended the leadership of the Army for resisting external influences and performing their duties as patriotic Nigerians.

“Based on my status as traditional ruler who must always be seen as father of the nation, I will not go into the specifics on different pressures allegedly mounted on the military, especially the Army, but  which the military persistently resisted.

"On the strength of this, I am appealing to our political parties, as we go into the next general election, to leave the armed forces out of their build-up. Without any fear of contradiction, the armed forces is not only the symbol of our national unity and cohesion, it is also the defenders of our territorial integrity as its personnel sacrifice their comfort for our peace."

He appealed to every Nigerian irrespective of religious, political and ethnic leanings to support the military in the fight against insurgency, in order for the strides made in the war to be visible to all.

“As I have said before now, our troops need our individual and concerted support through prayers and positive comments," he said. "A situation whereby their efforts are greeted with scornful remarks would naturally kill their morale and also incapacitate their spirit to fight and get desired results.”

Makama also warned Nigerians to be weary of external forces who masquerade as human rights organization but are agents of destabilization while he also challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be fair in their conduct of the forth coming general elections.

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Some executive members of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) have countered the claim of Ganiyu Galadima, the ACPN National Chairman, that Obiageli Ezekwesili, the party’s former presidential candidate, mismanaged campaign funds.

The party has threatened to drag Ezekwesili to court if she failed to return all funds donated for the aborted presidential campaign.

However, some other executive members of the party have debunked the claim made by the Galadima faction, noting that it was the latter and his ilk that mismanaged campaign funds and not Ezekwesili.

A statement signed by Chief Angus Uzoamaka, ACPN National Treasurer, Chief I.K. Okagbu, the Chairman, South East Zone; Dr. F.U.A. Nwanebu, Assistant Director General, South East Campaign, on Friday, affirmed that the party indeed appealed to Ezekwesili to take its presidential ticket.

They, however, noted that immediately after the convention held on October 7, 2018, Galadima, Paul Isamade, the National Secretary, Alhaji Maikasuwa Goroyo, and Alhaji Otumba Bosun took an oath of secrecy and “decided to frustrate, annihilate, exclude and avoid all other National Working Committee (NWC) members of the party in the most articulate and decisive meetings with the presidential candidate and her team”.

In the statement entitled: ‘This ACPN Factional  Defection to APC is Malicious and Fraudulent’, the excos said: “We want the entire Nigerian populace to note as follows: That it took us (ACPN leadership) several weeks to approach and consistently plead and convince Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili to enter political race and to contest this presidency under our party; That we, on several visits, reassured her that we will never fail to abide and act with due process, transparency, internal party democracy, integrity devoid of unpatriotism, monetary inducement and non-clannishness in all dealings for the benefit of a new Nigeria; That on October 5th, precisely, in her corporate office, she (Dr. Oby), accepted our plea and  convictions, but informed us (ACPN) that she is not a ‘moneybag’, but would rely on our (ACPN) structures, the Nigerian volunteer populace, donors, and our mutual contacts as a paradigm shift, to fund the campaign on the Nigerian political land space. She also told us that we must work with her to build a coalition to push out APC and PDP.

“It was immediately after the convention of October 7th, 2018, the National Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, National Secretary Mr.  Paul Alhasan Isamade, Alhaji Maikasuwa Goroyo, and Alhaji Otumba Bosun, sensing there would be huge inflow of funds to the coffers of ACPN, took oath of secrecy (as confessed by one of them – Alhaji Goroyo, in our presence), decided to frustrate, annihilate, exclude and avoid all other National Working Committee (NWC), members of the party in most articulate and decisive meetings with the presidential candidate and her team.

“All the monies paid into ACPN’s FCMB bank account by Oby Ezekwesili’s campaign donors, including those paid by candidates for various positions, have never been accounted for, and has been hijacked by Alhaji Ganiyu  Galadima, Paul A. Isamade, and two others, by their arbitrary and unexplainable withdrawals and expenditure, without informing the National Treasurer (who is also a third signatory to the party account), the National Auditor, or the Financial Secretary. These four men resorted to arbitrarily issuing suspension letters to top national executive members, who they perceive would probe or question these nefarious activities and  hidden agenda, to maliciously truncate the presidential campaign programme of Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, including extortion of money from APC or other willing tools of corrupt alliance to undo Nigerians.

“Every effort made for the National Chairman, the National Secretary and the North, South-West and South-South zones (led by Paul Alhasan Isamade, an Aboh-Kwale man) to submit names/office addresses and structure of the party for planning, budgeting and execution, and to enable willing donors see reasons for further support, were truncated by these four men, now rushing to APC without shame.

“It was when the presidential candidate and some members of the campaign team discovered fake proxies from different states and locations were assembled to an all-inclusive meeting in Abuja, monies already disbursed for hotels, transport and sundry expenses, that it became necessary for explanation on how the additional N4.5 million transferred into ACPN account was expended.

“These transparency requests from the National Chairman, who doubles as the Vice Presidential candidate, and refusal to support the demand to build a coalition had led to this Galadima’s  ugly, hide and seek (party buy-and-sell) actions, which when discovered, we had no option than to support Dr. Oby  Ezekwesili’s decision to withdraw her candidacy, then possibly help support any possible third force coalition, so as to save this our  beleaguered Nigeria, out of the grip of unpatriotic, clannish and non entrepreneurial  leadership and followership as it exists to date.

“For ACPN, the four political jobbers, unpatriotic and transaction-filled souls in control, remain a big regret of political participation, as they have openly and shamelessly told us, we should never mention the word ‘selfless’ nor ‘national patriotism’ in their presence.”

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