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  • APC expels Rep. Dep. Chief Whip

    The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr Pally Iriase, has been expelled from the All Progressives Congress (APC) for alleged anti-party activities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lawmaker who represents Owan Federal Constituency, was expelled by his ward and ratified by the Local Government.

    The expulsion letter was signed by Zuberu Shabah and Theophilus Aigboje, Chairman and Secretary respectively, of Owan East Local Government and made available to newsmen in Benin on Monday.

    Allegations leveled against Iriase included defection of Ward eight and nine APC executives to the PDP on the orders of Iriase, presenting his Personal Assistant, Hilary Ozogo, to contest under the PDP platform and refusal to attend APC meetings.

    In the letter addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole through the Edo Chairman of the party, Mr Anselm Ojezua, the Owan East APC said it ratified the decision of APC members of Ward nine to expel Iriase.

    The letter said all laid down rules and procedures as enshrined in article 21 of the APC’s constitution were followed in reaching the conclusion to expel Iriase.

    It said the APC in Owan East has since moved on without Iriase and the evidence would show in the forth coming elections.

    According to the letter, “I humbly invite Mr. Chairman to kindly note the decision of the Owan East chapter of the APC and grant it the very urgent attention it requires.

    “The APC leadership and members in Owan East have already moved forward without Pally Iriase as we are growing in numbers everyday. This will be evident in the results we post in the forthcoming elections.

    “Iriase refused to officially inform the APC of his defection because he wants to continue to enjoy the benefit of the office of the Deputy Chief Whip.”

    Attempts made to get the lawmaker’s reaction on his expulsion were unsuccessful as his two mobile numbers were switched off.

    NAN recalls that Iriase had at the weekend confirmed that there was intense pressure on him to move to PDP, nut added that he  remained focus and committed to the APC.

    He noted that the rumour about his defection to the opposition may have been informed by his decision not to contest for any political.

    According to him, “I have made my direction politically very clear, am not contesting the 2019 general election.

    “Am a member of APC, people who do not want to be in APC anymore have defected. It is a personal thing; you don’t do it by surrogate

    “Any politician of note that is considered to have electoral value is likely, under the kind of circumstances we find ourselves in Edo state, to be under severe pressure from poachers.

    “But what you make of that pressure is the real issue, am calm. From rumour flying around, I remain who I am.” (NAN)

  • Active mobile lines decrease to 160.5m in August – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says active mobile telephone lines in Nigeria decreased marginally to 160.5 million in August from 161.42 million in July.

    NCC made this known in its monthly subscribers’ operator data posted on its website on Monday, saying the lines decreased by 904,767 in August.

    The communications regulatory body added that the Mobile Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) for active mobile lines in August was 119,008 as against 125,444 recorded in July, a decrease of 6,436.

    The report said the number of fixed wired/wireless for active mobile lines in August was 140,806 compared with its July figure of 140,582 lines, recording an increase of 224.

    According to NCC, the number of Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) was 105,678 in August compared with 101,131 recorded in July,  representing an increase of 4,547.

    It also revealed that Teledensity reduced by 0.65 in August to 114.92 as against 115.57 in July.

    Teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every 100 individuals living within an area and it varies widely across the country.

    NCC also said that the number of connected lines in August stood at 240,432,680 million as against 238,219,577 million in July, showing an increase of 2,213,103 million.

    The CDMA for connected lines for August, was 247,983 as against 246,126 recorded in July, indicating an increase of 1,857, the subscribers’ data said.

    The report said the number of fixed wired/wireless for connected lines in August was 351,103 compared with its July data that had 350,998, indicating an increase of 105 lines.

    It also showed that the number of VOIP for connected lines in August was 690,042 as against 667,763 in July rising by 22,279 lines. (NAN)

  • Buhari gives ASUU N20bn to revitalise public universities….Releases N22bn to Nigeria Airways retirees after 15 yrs

    Buhari gives ASUU N20bn to revitalise public universities….Releases N22bn to Nigeria Airways retirees after 15 yrs

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N20billion so that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) can revitalise public universities. (more…)

  • FRSC screens 300,000 applicants for 4,000 jobs

    FRSC screens 300,000 applicants for 4,000 jobs

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has begun recruitment and physical screening for about 324,000 applicants who applied for 4,000 jobs in the corps.

    Corps Marshall Boboye Oyeyemi made the disclosure when he paid a visit to the two screening centres in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday.

    The centres are the Sani Abacha Barracks, Asokoro and the National Stadium Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the screening was for various cadres, including Officers, Marshal Inspectorates and Road Marshal Assistants.

    Oyeyemi said “We are working with about 324, 000 applicants nationwide out of which we have about 105, 000 graduates.”

    He said those that would be recruited at the end of the exercise “won’t be more than 4,000. “

    “Out of the 4,000 slots, 400 is for the officer cadre.

    “Inspectorate has 1,000 and Road Marshal Assistants, 3,200 slots.

    “It will be a keenly contested exercise that is why they will go for aptitude test to be conducted by JAMB.

    “Those being screened from today (Monday) to Tuesday are graduates and you can see their level of discipline.

    “The exercise started early today and tomorrow nationwide, it will be for the graduates, I believe with the planning put in place, everything is okay.

    “After the aptitude test, they will go for interview then drug test; then the final screening with the corps marshal,” Oyeyemi said.

    He commended the smooth conduct of the exercise which he described as having being okay and was not hectic.

    “There is orderliness. The exercise began since six o’clock in the morning. This shows the level of planning.

    “The officers conducting the exercise are going by directive of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    “He has given directive that we must ensure the planning is much better than the previous exercises,” he said.

    Oyeyemi commended the Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police and Director-General, and Department of State Services for providing the security.

    The corps marshal said there were some irregularities during the exercise, including some pregnant female applicants, over-aged applicants, those short in height and married persons.

    NAN reports that the age limit for the officers’ cadre is 30 while the height limit for females is 1.63m while that of the males is 1.68m.

    One of the applicants, Mr Solomon Abubakar from Niger who said he had been looking for job since three years, expressed hope that he would to get the job after the screening.

    Miss Ifeoma Benjamin, another applicant from Anambra said she had applied severally for Federal Government jobs without success but expressed joy that FRSC accorded her another opportunity to try her luck in securing government job.

    The exercise which started Monday is expected to end on Saturday, Sept. 29.(NAN)

  • 2019: Don’t take Lagos voters for granted, NIM cautions Tinubu, others

    2019: Don’t take Lagos voters for granted, NIM cautions Tinubu, others

    .Congratulates Osun people for ‘rejecting Lagos king makers’

    The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), the umbrella platform of fresh breed political leaders in the emergent third force movement, on Monday cautioned a National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and power brokers in Nigeria to learn from the outcome of the Osun State gubernatorial elections and desist from actions tending towards taking voters for granted. (more…)

  • Oil prices at 4-year high after OPEC rebuffs Trump

    London, Sept. 24, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Oil prices jumped more than 2 per cent to a four-year high on Monday after Saudi Arabia and Russia ruled out any immediate increase in production.
    The refusal by OPEC to raise production negates the call by U.S. President Donald Trump for action to raise global supply.
    Benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 hit its highest since November 2014 at 80.94 dollars per barrel, up 2.14 dollars or 2.7 per cent, before easing to around 80.75 dollars by 1150 GMT.
    U.S. light crude CLc1 was 1.25 dollars higher at 72.03 dollars.
    “This is the oil market’s response to the OPEC+ group’s refusal to step up its oil production,” said Carsten Fritsch, commodities analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.
    OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and its biggest oil-producer ally outside the group, Russia, on Sunday effectively rebuffed a demand from Trump for moves to cool the market.
    “I do not influence prices,” Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters as OPEC and non-OPEC energy ministers gathered in Algiers for a meeting that ended with no formal recommendation for any additional supply boost.
    Trump said last week that OPEC “must get prices down now!”, but Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Monday OPEC had not responded positively to Trump’s demands.
    “It is now increasingly evident, that in the face of producers reluctant to raise output, the market will be confronted with supply gaps in the next three-six months that it will need to resolve through higher oil prices,” BNP Paribas oil strategist Harry Tchilinguirian told Reuters Global Oil Forum.
    Commodity traders Trafigura and Mercuria said on Monday that Brent could rise to 90 dollars per barrel by Christmas and pass 100 dollars in early 2019, as markets tighten once U.S. sanctions against Iran are fully implemented from November.
    JPMorgan said U.S. sanctions on Iran could lead to a loss of 1.5 million barrels per day, while Mercuria warned that as much as 2 million bpd could be knocked out of the market.
    The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries as well as top producer Russia have been discussing raising output to counter falling supply from Iran, although no decision has been made public yet. (Reuters/NAN)
    ===========================

     Posted in Economy |

    September 24, 2018 3:21 pm by  joseph.idika – Nigeria –

    Oil prices at 4-year high after OPEC rebuffs Trump
    Oil
    London, Sept. 24, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Oil prices jumped more than 2 per cent to a four-year high on Monday after Saudi Arabia and Russia ruled out any immediate increase in production.
    The refusal by OPEC to raise production negates the call by U.S. President Donald Trump for action to raise global supply.
    Benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 hit its highest since November 2014 at 80.94 dollars per barrel, up 2.14 dollars or 2.7 per cent, before easing to around 80.75 dollars by 1150 GMT.
    U.S. light crude CLc1 was 1.25 dollars higher at 72.03 dollars.
    “This is the oil market’s response to the OPEC+ group’s refusal to step up its oil production,” said Carsten Fritsch, commodities analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.
    OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and its biggest oil-producer ally outside the group, Russia, on Sunday effectively rebuffed a demand from Trump for moves to cool the market.
    “I do not influence prices,” Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters as OPEC and non-OPEC energy ministers gathered in Algiers for a meeting that ended with no formal recommendation for any additional supply boost.
    Trump said last week that OPEC “must get prices down now!”, but Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Monday OPEC had not responded positively to Trump’s demands.
    “It is now increasingly evident, that in the face of producers reluctant to raise output, the market will be confronted with supply gaps in the next three-six months that it will need to resolve through higher oil prices,” BNP Paribas oil strategist Harry Tchilinguirian told Reuters Global Oil Forum.
    Commodity traders Trafigura and Mercuria said on Monday that Brent could rise to 90 dollars per barrel by Christmas and pass 100 dollars in early 2019, as markets tighten once U.S. sanctions against Iran are fully implemented from November.
    JPMorgan said U.S. sanctions on Iran could lead to a loss of 1.5 million barrels per day, while Mercuria warned that as much as 2 million bpd could be knocked out of the market.
    The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries as well as top producer Russia have been discussing raising output to counter falling supply from Iran, although no decision has been made public yet. (Reuters/NAN)
    JI/SA
    Editing by Joseph Idika/Salif Atojoko
    ===========================

     Posted in Economy |

  • Redeployment of Permanent Secretaries

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday approved the redeployment of four federal permanent secretaries to various ministries.

    Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), made this known in a statement in Abuja.

    She stated that Alhaji Mu’azu Abdulkadir, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel has been redeployed to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    “Mrs Georgina Ehuria, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) was now deployed to Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

    “Mr Aliboh Leon, Permanent Secretary Special Duties, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) was also deployed to Federal Ministry of Environment.

    “Alhaji Suleiman Mustapha, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, OHCSF has been deployed to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

    She directed that all handing-over and taking-over processes should be done on or before Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (NAN)

  • Polio: Pakistan launches vaccination drive

    More than 250,000 health workers have fanned out across Pakistan to vaccinate millions of children against polio in a week-long drive, officials said on Monday in the country’s push against the crippling disease.

    “The drive would target 38.6 million children under the age of five,’’ said Safdar Rana, who leads Pakistan’s fight against polio.

    Rana added that the children of Afghan refugees who frequently travel between the two countries would also be administered the vaccine.

    Pakistan and Afghanistan are among only a few countries in the world where polio still exists as an epidemic.

    The UN-funded vaccination campaign has, however, helped Pakistan to control the spread as the number of new affected children came down to only four so far this year compared to 306 in 2014.

    “Pakistan is closest ever to its goal of polio eradication,” Rana said.

    The disease that cripples kids for life spread in the country’s mountainous north-west near the Afghan border, which remained under the control of militants linked with al-Qaeda for several years.

    The militants have killed hundreds of health workers and police guarding them because they thought the polio vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile.

    A series of military offensives was launched against Islamist militants to make sure workers could reach children in previously inaccessible areas. (dpa/NAN)

  • INEC declares Osun governorship election inconclusive

    INEC declares Osun governorship election inconclusive

    Prof. Joseph Fuwape, the Returning Officer for the Sept. 22 Osun governorship election, has declared the poll inconclusive.

    Fuwape, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), while announcing the results of the election, said that Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 254,698 votes.

    He said Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 254, 345 votes.

    He said the election was declared inconclusive because of cases of ballot boxes snatching that occurred in some polling units during the election.

    The returning officer mentioned the affected polling units to include Ife north, one polling unit, Ife south, two polling units, Orolu, three polling units and osogbo, one polling unit.

    He said a total of 3498 votes were cancelled in the seven affected polling units

    “Based on this fact, I cannot declare anyone the winner of the election,” he said.

    Fuwape, however, said that the rerun of the election in the affected polling units would take place on Sept. 27.

    He urged all the political gladiators to maintain peace, before, during and after the rerun. (NAN)