Plans for the formation of a mega party are creating increasing dissonance within the two major political parties in the country with eyes turning on Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as the beautiful bride of the major agitators.

Plans for the formation of a mega party are creating increasing dissonance within the two major political parties in the country with eyes turning on Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as the beautiful bride of the major agitators. Meanwhile, promoters of the mega party, Vanguard learned, are moving to ensure that the party has a complete national outlook with faces from all geopolitical zones on board. Crucial to the move, it was learned, is the enrolment of some former governors mostly of the former ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into the mega party. Retired generals with political bent are also being recruited into the movement, Vanguard gathered. Meanwhile, against earlier projections of the Senate President being hounded out of office, Senator Saraki, it was learned, has become a beautiful bride to those in the APC who want to remain and those who want to opt out. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had repeatedly been mentioned as among those to leave for the mega party. Tinubu, however, issued a rebuttal on Monday as he insisted he would remain in the party he helped to build. Repeated efforts to get a confirmation or otherwise on Atiku’s stance, as at press time, yesterday were not successful. Atiku and Saraki had forged a sort of collaboration just before the National Assembly leadership election in 2015 as supporters of both men within the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, closed ranks to throw up Saraki as Senate President as against the inclination of the Tinubu/Muhammadu Buhari tendency in the ruling APC. That collaboration was underpinned by the stoicism with which Atiku’s Man Friday, Timi Frank, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, flayed the attacks against Saraki. However, multiple sources confirmed to Vanguard that Buhari’s associates, following the fallout with Tinubu in Kogi and Ondo States, have opted to collaborate with Saraki towards ensuring the realisation of the President’s second term ambition in 2019. Towards that end, Saraki, it was learned, has become a key political strategist within the Buhari political tendency and was instrumental to the strategic political moves that helped win the Ondo State governorship election for the APC. The position of Saraki in the APC was accentuated last week after his political godson, Bolaji Abdullahi, was named to take up the position of National Publicity Secretary, a position vacated by Alhaji Lai Mohammed. “True, Lai Muhammed was originally from Kwara, but he was Asiwaju’s own Kwaran, who is more or less a Lagosian. When Muhammed went on to become Minister of Information, the implication was that Asiwaju and the ACN block had nobody left in the party’s executive hierarchy. Instead, it is Saraki that now has his man as the voice and face of the party,” Mr. Tope Ajayi, a source privy to the developments, told Vanguard. The Tinubu camp, it was learned, has, however, not given up on Saraki as associates are said to be making regular contacts with the Saraki camp towards projecting a common front towards the 2019 contests. Political commentators have also noted how the Presidency has recently been falling back to please the Senate President and sometimes making sacrifices to please him. In one of the latest gestures to the Senate President, Pastor Yissa Benjamin, a former Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly who was nominated to the board of the National Communications Commission, NCC, from Kwara State in the days of the acrimony between the Presidency and Saraki was dropped by the Senate without much of a complaint by the Presidency.

Youths under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party National Youth Frontier, PDPNYF, has berated the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC over what they described as the dwindling fortunes of Nigerians under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Youths under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party National Youth Frontier, PDPNYF, has berated the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC over what they described as the dwindling fortunes of Nigerians under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDPNYF which took to its Twitter handle @PDPNYF, on Tuesday, gave a clear analysis of the differences in the prices of essential commodities under the immediate-past PDP administration and the current APC administration.

PDPNYF decried that the prices of goods and services have increased steeply under the APC government as compared to the immediate past administration of the PDP

According to PDPNYF, “a bag of rice which sold for N8,500 in the PDP administration now sells for N22,000; Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol which sold for N97per litre has now been hiked to N145 per litre.

“A bag of cement which used to cost N1,400 is now N2,300.

“The Pounds and Dollar rates have increased steeply, leaving the Dollar to N420 from N187 and the Pounds from N280 to N560.”

10 year old boy & two others defile seven-year-old girl in Lagos

10 year old boy & two others defile seven-year-old girl in Lagos

Two minors, identified simply as Segun and Kalesanmi, and a 22-year-old tiler, Samuel Osholo, have been arrested for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.

The suspects reportedly covered the girl’s mouth and took turns to defile the primary one pupil inside a building under renovation on Adaraloye Street, Ikorodu, Lagos State. They were however caught in the act by the victim’s peers, who had gone into the building to play.

PUNCH Metro reports that Osholo and 17 year old Kalesanmi had gone to work in the building, 

which is a stone’s throw from the victim’s residence. The duo also lived in the neighbourhood.

They were said to have persuaded 10-year-old Segun, the girl’s neighbour, to lure her into the building around 6pm on Friday.

The victim’s father, a trader, said one of the children, who caught the suspects in the act, confided in his wife, adding that he was informed about the incident on the telephone.

“My wife and I work in Oyingbo and we usually return home late. But that day, my wife returned home before me. She explained to me that a girl told her that our daughter had been defiled. I rushed home immediately. The girl mentioned Segun and I went to meet him. He confessed and mentioned the two other suspects.

“I reported the case at the Igbogbo Police Division and they were arrested. There was sperm in her pants and the police confirmed it too. We took her for treatment at the Ikorodu General Hospital.

“Since yesterday (Tuesday), my neighbours have been threatening me for taking the matter to the police. If anything happens to me or any of my family members, I will hold them responsible.”

Segun confessed to the crime at the station, saying that he persuaded the girl to follow him to the building after the other two suspects promised him some money.

He said,

“The girl and I live in the same house. They told me to invite her to meet them in the house where they were working and I did. They asked me to get a piece of cloth and paper. They put the paper on the floor and laid the cloth on it. They instructed me to take off her pants and sleep with her.

“I removed her pants and slept with her. They also slept with her. The girl began to cry and they covered her mouth. I felt sorry for her. I told them to stop, but they refused. They said she would not die and that nobody would know. They also promised to give her money.”

However, Osholo and Kalesanmi, who spoke in Yoruba, denied raping the girl, adding that they had finished work and left the area before the incident occurred.

“I don’t know anything about this case. A building is being renovated on Adaraloye Street and we were asked to fix the tiles. I don’t know where the incident happened. The girl is lying against us,” Osholo said.

Kalesanmi said,

“There was a misunderstanding between the girl’s father and my elder brother. They fought recently and the girl’s father broke a bottle and threatened to stab us.

“While people tried to settle the matter, he called his daughter to a corner and spoke with her secretly. I don’t know what they planned. This allegation was made out of annoyance.”

The suspects were brought before an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on seven counts bordering on unlawful sexual intercourse. While Segun pleaded guilty to the charges, the two other defendants pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.A. Oshoniyi, granted Osholo bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum and ordered that he should be remanded in prison pending when his bail conditions would be perfected.

Adjourning the case till January 26, 2017, Oshoniyi held that Segun should be kept in Boys Remand Home in Oregun, Lagos, while Kalesanmi should be remanded at Borstal Home, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers South East in the forthcoming re-run elections, Senator Magnus Abe, has claimed the perceived interference of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara was tailored towards achieving a clear political advantage for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers South East in the forthcoming re-run elections, Senator Magnus Abe, has claimed the perceived interference of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara was tailored towards achieving a clear political advantage for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Abe described the intervention of the National Assembly members in Rivers State’s crisis as ill-timed and an attempt by the PDP to manipulate federal agencies and influence public opinion.

In a letter he personally signed and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abe said: “I am in receipt of a letter of invitation from the House of Representatives Committee on the Army dated October 20, 2016, inviting me to attend a public hearing of a petition by the Civil Liberties Organization South-South zone against the Nigerian Army. Not surprisingly, Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by Mr. Livingstone Wechie, the arrowhead of Governor Wike’s campaign of calumny against the APC in Rivers State. He is the Vice Chairman of the Rivers PDP campaign publicity team. He was the pilot of the infamous Integrity Group that sponsored the petition against Mr. Chibuike Amaechi in the Senate and he is also the plaintiff in the suit to stop the swearing-in of Victoria Nyeche, APC member-elect of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“I have read through the said petition and it is clear that the petition sponsored through your office is nothing but an ill-disguised attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party to manipulate federal agencies and influence public opinion in order to secure undue advantage for the PDP in the coming re-run elections. There has been a clear and consistent pattern of the Peoples Democratic Party which ordinarily should have been the minority party using the National Assembly to tilt the political scales in Rivers State in their favour at decisive moments.

“These hearings are a clear abuse of the constitutional powers of the House of Representatives and a violation of your oath of office wherein you swore to do right to all Nigerians. The Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot be a speaker for only PDP in Rivers State and this is made even more painful when we remember that you were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), the Party you are now using the enormous powers of your office to persecute.”

No fewer than 200 Islamic clerics, comprising local Almajiri teachers from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, have commenced training on how to counter radicalization message of the followers of the dreaded sect.

No fewer than 200 Islamic clerics, comprising local Almajiri teachers from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, have commenced training on how to counter radicalization message of the followers of the dreaded sect. The training with the theme: De-Radicalization, counter Terrorism and migration in Northern Nigerian, is put together by the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, and sponsored by the Japanese government. Speaking to newsmen at the training for some of the clerics in Adamawa weekend, the Project Coordinator, Mr Ikponmwosa Omoigiade, said the training, which is part of a bigger project on de-radicalization, counter-terrorism and migration in Northern Nigeria, had already been conducted for some of the clerics in Borno and Yobe states. He said the clerics, who comprised imams, scholars and proprietors of Almajiri schools, were trained on how to identify and contain Boko Haram ideologies and extremism in their areas with the aid of manuals by clerics from Islamic Da’awah Centre and Arabic teachers from Ahmadu Bello University. The coordinator lauded the commitment shown by the clerics, adding that the centre would do an assessment on the impact of the project in the affected states. Some of the participants who spoke on the programme, described it as a welcome development that would assist in handling extremist and propagation of the peaceful nature of Islam. They pointed out that Prophet Muhammad cherished peaceful coexistence among and between Muslims and non-muslims and viewed non-Muslims as people who should be attracted to Islam instead of being terrorized.






Vanguard

Yola—No fewer than 200 Islamic clerics, comprising local Almajiri teachers from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, have commenced training on how to counter radicalization message of the followers of the dreaded sect. The training with the theme: De-Radicalization, counter Terrorism and migration in Northern Nigerian, is put together by the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, and sponsored by the Japanese government. Speaking to newsmen at the training for some of the clerics in Adamawa weekend, the Project Coordinator, Mr Ikponmwosa Omoigiade, said the training, which is part of a bigger project on de-radicalization, counter-terrorism and migration in Northern Nigeria, had already been conducted for some of the clerics in Borno and Yobe states. He said the clerics, who comprised imams, scholars and proprietors of Almajiri schools, were trained on how to identify and contain Boko Haram ideologies and extremism in their areas with the aid of manuals by clerics from Islamic Da’awah Centre and Arabic teachers from Ahmadu Bello University. The coordinator lauded the commitment shown by the clerics, adding that the centre would do an assessment on the impact of the project in the affected states. Some of the participants who spoke on the programme, described it as a welcome development that would assist in handling extremist and propagation of the peaceful nature of Islam. They pointed out that Prophet Muhammad cherished peaceful coexistence among and between Muslims and non-muslims and viewed non-Muslims as people who should be attracted to Islam instead of being terrorized.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/boko-haram-200-islamic-clerics-counter-radicalization-training-n-east/Yola—No fewer than 200 Islamic clerics, comprising local Almajiri teachers from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, have commenced training on how to counter radicalization message of the followers of the dreaded sect. The training with the theme: De-Radicalization, counter Terrorism and migration in Northern Nigerian, is put together by the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, and sponsored by the Japanese government. Speaking to newsmen at the training for some of the clerics in Adamawa weekend, the Project Coordinator, Mr Ikponmwosa Omoigiade, said the training, which is part of a bigger project on de-radicalization, counter-terrorism and migration in Northern Nigeria, had already been conducted for some of the clerics in Borno and Yobe states. He said the clerics, who comprised imams, scholars and proprietors of Almajiri schools, were trained on how to identify and contain Boko Haram ideologies and extremism in their areas with the aid of manuals by clerics from Islamic Da’awah Centre and Arabic teachers from Ahmadu Bello University. The coordinator lauded the commitment shown by the clerics, adding that the centre would do an assessment on the impact of the project in the affected states. Some of the participants who spoke on the programme, described it as a welcome development that would assist in handling extremist and propagation of the peaceful nature of Islam. They pointed out that Prophet Muhammad cherished peaceful coexistence among and between Muslims and non-muslims and viewed non-Muslims as people who should be attracted to Islam instead of being terrorized.

$175m found in Jonathan’s wife’s firm’s bank account

$175m found in Jonathan’s wife’s firm’s bank account

The EFCC has launched a manhunt for two suspects, Toru Wonyeng Ibuomo and Friday Davies, linked to the curious deposits in four tranches  within 14 months — between February 21, 2014 and April 1, 2015.

The anti-graft agency is probing how the cash was withdrawn from the domiciliary account with Skye Bank Plc without any trace of where it was diverted to.

The deposits are different from the $15.5million over which the ex-First Lady sued the EFCC, which placed No Debit Order on four accounts.

But the company is one of the four convicted on November 2 for laundering the $15.5million, which Mrs. Jonathan insists belongs to her.

The companies convicted by Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.

Barely two weeks after the conviction of the companies, the EFCC uncovered another $175, 750,000 deposits in the account of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited.
The cash has, however, vanished from the bank.

EFCC detectives discovered that the account was opened on November 30, 2013 by Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited  with number 2110002238.

The company was registered on January 29, 2013 with RC 1092722. The “strange” deposits came within 14 months.

The deposits are:
21/2/2014—$46,500,000
24/2/2014—$31,000,000
31/3/2015—$49,250,000
1/4/ 2015—$49,000,000

“The EFCC is probing how the deposits hit the company’s account  barely two years after it was registered and without executing any major contract. We are suspecting that this is another slush account where government funds were diverted to,” a source close to the investigation told The Nation. 

The source said: “All the deposits were in cash, a development which showed that it was a pure case of money laundering. 

On the 21st of February, the account was reported to have recorded a cash deposit of $46,500,000 by the General Manager of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited  , Toru Wonyeng Ibuomo.

Three days after(24th of February, 2014), another cash deposit of $31,000,000 was made by the same General Manager. 

Friday Davies made a cash deposit of $49,250,000 into the same account. The last tranche of $49,000,000 was deposited by Davies on Apri 1, 2015.”

The source, who pleaded not to be named because of what he described as the “sensitivity” of the probe, claimed that the EFCC was on the trail of Ibuomo and  Davies.
The source added:

“We need the two depositors to assist in the ongoing investigation of the payments into the affected account. 

It is more curious when the bank details did not show evidence of withdrawals. Yet the whereabouts of the cash was unknown. We hope it is not a private banking arrangement to hide slush funds.”

The source confirmed that the EFCC would probe the likely roles of the former First Lady in operating the account of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited.

“In a matter before the Federal High Court, the ex-First Lady admitted that one of her domiciliary accounts was bearing Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited. 

We are investigating this $175.750million deposits and the extent of the involvement or relationship of the ex-First Lady with the funds. This is a fresh case; it has nothing to do with the $15.5million frozen by the EFCC.”

MIKEL Obi has again disagreed with Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr for the second time this week when he insisted he is not being shut out at his club Chelsea because he featured at the recent Rio Olympics.

MIKEL Obi has again disagreed with Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr for the second time this week when he insisted he is not being shut out at his club Chelsea because he featured at the recent Rio Olympics. Nigeria skipper Mikel said in a statement that Chelsea manager Antonio Conte supported him to feature at the Olympics and there is mutual respect between he, the manager and the Nigeria national team. “I’d like to clarify that the recent media claims that I’ve been punished by Chelsea FC for participating at the Rio 2016 Olympics are completely inaccurate,” read the statement. mikel Obimikel Obi “Unfortunately comments made by Gernot Rohr before the 3-1 win over Algeria were both mistranslated and taken out of context by the Nigerian media, as English isn’t Mr Rohr’s or much of the Nigerian media’s first language. “To be absolutely clear, Mr Conte and Chelsea were always fully supportive of my captaincy of the Nigerian team at Rio. “The manager gave me his full blessing to participate at the Olympics, and even encouraged me to bring back the gold medal – something I spoke to the media about at the time. “It goes without saying there is nothing but absolute respect between myself, the Nigerian national team and Chelsea FC, something that was demonstrated by Mr Rohr’s recent visit to Cobham. “My only focus now is on winning more silverware with Chelsea and getting Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup, two challenges I can’t wait to face in the coming months.” Before the match against Algeria on Saturday, Mikel told the local media he would accept a draw with the North Africans, while Rohr made it very clear the Eagles need to win at home to stay on course for Russia 2018.

MIKEL Obi has again disagreed with Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr for the second time this week when he insisted he is not being shut out at his club Chelsea because he featured at the recent Rio Olympics. Nigeria skipper Mikel said in a statement that Chelsea manager Antonio Conte supported him to feature at the Olympics and there is mutual respect between he, the manager and the Nigeria national team. “I’d like to clarify that the recent media claims that I’ve been punished by Chelsea FC for participating at the Rio 2016 Olympics are completely inaccurate,” read the statement. mikel Obimikel Obi “Unfortunately comments made by Gernot Rohr before the 3-1 win over Algeria were both mistranslated and taken out of context by the Nigerian media, as English isn’t Mr Rohr’s or much of the Nigerian media’s first language. “To be absolutely clear, Mr Conte and Chelsea were always fully supportive of my captaincy of the Nigerian team at Rio. “The manager gave me his full blessing to participate at the Olympics, and even encouraged me to bring back the gold medal – something I spoke to the media about at the time. “It goes without saying there is nothing but absolute respect between myself, the Nigerian national team and Chelsea FC, something that was demonstrated by Mr Rohr’s recent visit to Cobham. “My only focus now is on winning more silverware with Chelsea and getting Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup, two challenges I can’t wait to face in the coming months.” Before the match against Algeria on Saturday, Mikel told the local media he would accept a draw with the North Africans, while Rohr made it very clear the Eagles need to win at home to stay on course for Russia 2018.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/mikel-disagrees-rohr-clarifies-chelsea-position/

Donald Trump has revealed plans to deport or jail up to three million illegal migrants, reports the BBC.

President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump has revealed plans to deport or jail up to three million illegal migrants, reports the BBC.

Trump spoke with CBS in his first interview as president-elect, saying that the immigrants targeted would be those with criminal records, such as gang members and drug dealers.

Mr Trump added that he still plans to build a wall along the US border with Mexico which could include fencing.

“What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably two million – it could be even three million – we are getting them out of the country or we are going to incarcerate,” Mr Trump told 60 Minutes.

“Be we’re getting them out of the country, they’re here illegally.”

“After the border is secure and after everything gets normalised, we’re going to make a determination on the people that they’re talking about who are terrific people, they’re terrific people but we are gonna make a determination at that,” he said.

“But before we make that determination… it’s very important, we are going to secure our border.”

Mr Trump further gave insight on his proposed wall along the Mexican border

“There could be some fencing,” he said. “For certain areas I would [accept a fence], but certain areas, a wall is more appropriate. I’m very good at this, it’s called construction.”

As at 2010, there were an estimated 178,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records in the United States.

predictions that over 18.2 million Africans, including an estimated 4.8 million Nigerians, may become diabetic by 2030,

predictions  that over 18.2 million Africans, including an estimated 4.8 million Nigerians, may become diabetic by 2030,    as  World Health Organisation, WHO, called for  prioritisation of actions to prevent people becoming overweight and obese, beginning before birth and in early childhood. winning the war against diabetes.

Currently, of the 7 million persons that are diabetic in Africa, 1.7 million are Nigerians, but as a result of adoption of Westernised dietary habits, physical inactivity leading to overweight and obesity, the burden of  the disease that has silently been on the increase over the years is expected to explode over the next decade.

On the occasion of World Diabetes Day 2016, November 14, the WHO issues a call for action on diabetes, drawing attention to the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease. 

Enormous scale

The WHO Global report on diabetes that underscores the enormous scale of the diabetes problem, and the potential to reverse current trends, notes that the creation of  a combination of fiscal policies, legislation, changes to the environment and raising awareness of health risks works best for promoting healthier diets and physical activity at the necessary scale.

According to the latest WHO data, 422 million adults have diabetes while 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. The WHO fact sheet on  diabetes shows that 1 in 3 adults aged over 18 years is overweight and 1 in 10 is obese.

The first WHO Global report on diabetes demonstrates that the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980. This dramatic rise is largely due to the rise in type 2 diabetes and factors driving it include overweight and obesity.

The new report calls upon governments to ensure that people are able to make healthy choices and that health systems are able to diagnose, treat and care for people with diabetes. It encourages healthy eating,  physical activity and avoidance of excessive weight gain.

Africans have  been warned to be mindful of adopting western lifestyle  which has been blamed for rising cases of diabetes not only among top executives but also school children.

The growing problem of diabetes has relatively been attributed to overweight and obesity, due to reduction in physical activity and adoption of unhealthy diets which are high in calories from fats and sugars, high in salt, and low in vegetables and fruits.

The WHO notes that most people with diabetes in Nigeria and Africa are unaware of their condition and therefore do not seek treatment and care. Yet, untreated, uncontrolled or poorly managed diabetes leads to serious complications such as heart attacks, kidney failure, stroke, lower limb amputations, visual impairment and blindness.

Prevention of diabetes or delay in the onset of diabetes and the development and progression of its complications can be achieved through healthy diets, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight, avoiding tobacco use and monitoring blood-sugar levels.

Warning signs

These include frequent urination, recurrent thirst, intense hunger, weight gain or unusual weight loss (for people with type 1 diabetes), increased fatigue, irritability, blurry vision, delay healing of cuts and bruises, sexual dysfunction etc.

The WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan said: “Diabetes and its complications impact harshly on the finances of individuals, their families and the economies of nations. People with diabetes who depend on life-saving insulin pay the ultimate price when access is lacking.

“As part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Member States have set an ambitious target to reduce premature mortality from NCDs – including diabetes – by one third; achieve universal health coverage; and provide access to affordable essential medicines – all by 2030. We have an enormous task at hand,” she noted.