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  • Ortom’s defection excites APC

    Ortom’s defection excites APC

    The All Progressives Party (APC) has expressed excitement over the exit of Benue Governor Sammuel Ortom to joint what it called “club whose philosophy is to share the money and not develop communities”.
    Mr Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of APC, has said that the party was relieved of Ortom defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    “I am relieved as national chairman, and I believe that the leadership of the party in Benue is also relieved that Ortom has left the party and returned to the club he belongs”, Oshiomhole said in an interview with newsmen on Friday.
    Oshiomhole lampooned the PDP as a “club whose philosophy is to share the money and not develop communities”.
    “We now have a clean platform to search for a clean and credible candidate from Benue, a candidate that can provide leadership that the great people of Benue state deserves. And not someone who seeks to make political capital out of human graves and celebrating the death of his own people,” he said.
    Oshiomhole added that as a party, the APC condemns killings by any criminal whether in Benue state or any other part of the country.
    He said that the APC accepts that government’s responsibility must be to protect lives and properties.
    However, the party will condemn in strong terms anyone in government that seeks to get political capital from the shedding of blood.
    He stressed that government at all levels have shared responsibility of protecting Nigerians irrespective of religious, social and political status.
    Oshiomhole accused the Benue governor of ineptitude in the discharge of his duties as chief security officer of his state and insisted that Ortom got the party’s ticket,” on a platter of gold”.
    This, he said, was especially so, because the governor never participated during the process of the party’s formation.
    He added that the party would henceforth, be more thorough on its choice of candidate.
    “He became a candidate by accident and the lesson for our party is that never again should anyone become a candidate on our platform by accident.
    “It has to be by conscious choice, my aim is that we will have a political party that is defined by clear cut ideology and people will join or abstain from joining on the premise of conviction,”he said.
    He added that it was unfortunate that while President Muhammadu Buhari had been to other states in the federation to commission projects, there has been none to commission in Benue.
    This, Oshiomhole said, was so because Gov. Ortom had not developed any project since he assumed office, adding that this was one of the complaints the Benue APC leaders brought against him.
    The APC national chairman also accused Gov. Ortom of making political gain on the security situation in his state, after allegedly spending heavily on security.
    He said that the Benue governor when asked to defend himself following the accusations against him, could not give reasonable explanation.
    “Whereas the President and Vice President had visited other states to commission projects, they had only visited Benue on condolence visits.
    “It is okay to lament that there is no federal presence. Where is the explanation for the absence of projects in Benue state?
    “Ortom’s argument is that he had diverted a lot of funds to security issues ,” Oshiomhole said.
    He added that the governor’s, claim of spending so much on security in the state raises more questions.
    He noted that while the governor claimed that he had spent N22 billion received from the Federal Government on security, the people of the state were more and more insecure.
    Oshiomhole said he felt scandalised watching Gov. Ortom on television saying he had to leave the APC because the party could not protect the state.(NAN)

  • We’ll address your grievances, IBEDC tells protesters in Omu-Aran

    The Omu-Aran Business District of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in Kwara has pledged to address the grievances that led to the recent public protest against the company in the area recently.

    Mr Biodun Ogun, the District Business Hub Manager, made the pledge during a meeting with members of Omu-Aran Traditional Council of Chiefs at the Olomu’s Palace on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that scores of youths and women in Omu-Aran took to the streets last Thursday to protest outrageous bills and alleged extortion by IBEDC personnel.

    The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions like: “No more extortion”, “Stop crazy electricity bills” and “Repair damaged cables, polls”, stormed the office of IBEDC located inside Omu-Aran City Complex to register their grievances.

    Dr Doyin Lawal, the President of Omu-Aran Youth Forum (OYF), who led the protesters, said the youths had no option than to register their grievances through the protest.

    Ogun, who acknowledged that there might be genuine cases of crazy bills, however, faulted the manner the protesters adopted.

    According to him, the youths should have used the official channels provided by the company.

    “We just did a comprehensive data capturing of our consumers to ensure cordial relationship and effective service delivery.

    “We are ready to entertain genuine complaints from consumers over crazy bills and other related issues if channeled through appropriate quarters.

    “We believe this is far better than storming our offices and attack our workers to the extent of inflicting injuries on them.

    “The district will not deliberately impose high bills on its consumers except in cases of errors which can be traced and promptly addressed,” he said.

    Chief Jide Adebayo, the Eesa of Omu-Aran, who responded on behalf of the Olomu-In-Council, said the council was never consulted over the planned protest.

    He, however, said the council would not relent until the issues raised by the protesters received amicable settlement between the parties.

    Adebayo advised officials of the company to promptly address the noticeable grey areas as promised to forestall unwarranted clashes.

    He appealed to the officials to return to their duty posts, while assuring them of the council’s support at all times. (NAN)?ISHO/ESAN/TA
    Edited by Abiodun Esan/Tajudeen Atitebi

  • Adeleke Osun PDP candidate faces certificate scams debacle

    Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, Osun state  PDP gubernatorial candidate, is alleged not to have the West African School Certificate and he did not graduate from Jacksonville State University (JSU) in the United States, as he claimed.

    According to a report by icirnigeria.org, the authorities of Jacksonville University in Alabama, United States have confirmed that although Adeleke enrolled for a programme in the school, he did not graduate.

    According to his profile on the National Assembly website, Adeleke has a Diploma in Criminology from JSU and graduated in 1986. He also graduated from Ede Muslim Grammar School, Osun State, where he obtained an Ordinary Level Certificate.

    His academic claims have, however, been  debunked.  According to recently circulated claims, Adeleke registered for GCE O’ Level in 1981 but had F9 in English Language and was recorded absent for other subjects. It also said he has no degree from JSU where he registered as Jackson Ademola Adeleke, while providing what it titled as official records of his enrolment.

    Adeleke on the campaign

    Dele Adeleke, Ademola Adeleke’s junior brother, has denied the allegations and encouraged those who disagree to verify the senator’s result at his alma mater. “Do you think the APC would not have raised the issues if he did not have the authentic certificates?” he had asked.

    The ICIR can, however, confirm that Adeleke did not graduate from Jacksonville State University, though he has claimed otherwise.

    Buffy Lockette, the Director of Public Relations at the university, in response to a mailed enquiry, told The ICIR that though the senator enrolled at the tertiary institution, he was not awarded any degree.

    “Your request was forwarded to me,” started Lockette. “According to our records, he attended JSU but did not graduate. I cannot provide any additional information. Perhaps you can learn more at http://www.studentclearinghouse.org.”

    When The ICIR checked the West African Examination Council’s website to view Adeleke’s O’ level result using examination number 19645/149 as circulated, the site replied, “result not available for this candidate in the specified year and exams diet”.The Council’s online result verification portal, which claims to contain data from 1980 to 2018, was also consulted with the same details. The result was brief: “candidate does not exist”.

     

    When The ICIR checked the West African Examination Council’s website to view Adeleke’s O’ level result using examination number 19645/149 as circulated, the site replied, “result not available for this candidate in the specified year and exams diet”.

    The Council’s online result verification portal, which claims to contain data from 1980 to 2018, was also consulted with the same details. The result was brief: “candidate does not exist”.

    Demianus Ojijeogu, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, told The ICIR all candidates’ results are in the custody of the Council and should be accessible on the website, regardless of performance in the examination.

    The dancing Senator Adeleke and his wife

    “Even if the candidate has F9 throughout or is absent throughout, it is accessible,” he said. He, however, added that the Council is still working on results of candidates who wrote in 1981 and the surrounding years.

    “You know there is this change of nomenclature in our examination. We used to have SSCE then WASC, and now WASSCE. So, we are trying to update the website; maybe they took some down.” He promised to confirm and provide feedback on why the results are not presently online.

    Meanwhile, two members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseun Idowu, have as a result of the controversy applied to the Osun State High Court for an order setting aside Adeleke’s election as the party’s flag bearer in the September gubernatorial election.

    Olabayo, in his affidavit, said the senator truly attended Ede Muslim Grammar School “but did not leave with a School Leaving Certificate having absented himself from the school leaving examinations but for English where he scored a failing mark of F9”.

    One of the exhibits provided to the court and obtained by The ICIR is Adeleke’s senior secondary school examination statement of result recently collected from Ede Muslim High School. It shows that the candidate had an F9 in English Language, while grades for Literature in English, Mathematics, Biology, Economics, Islamic Religious Studies, Christian Religious Studies and Geography, were said to be pending.

    Ruling on the plaintiffs’ ex-parte application on Thursday, the court gave Adeleke six days, that is till August 1, 2018, to provide his certificate.

    “It will be inequitable not to allow the respondent to come and show his certificate if he has any but if given the opportunity to present side of the case, the balance which is necessary for interlocutory injunction would be adequately considered,” noted Justice David Oladimeji.

    Though a newcomer to Nigeria’s elective politics, the 58-year-old senator appears to be flying from triumph to triumph. He was largely unknown politically prior to the demise of Isiaka Adeleke, his older brother, who passed away on April 23, 2017.

    Following a bye-election held to fill the vacuum left by Isiaka in the Nigerian senate, he was declared to have had a landslide victory, winning in nine out of 10 local governments. He admitted this was due to his brother’s “historical goodwill” and influence.

    According to him: “I was having fun during the campaign and enjoying my dance because my brother had done 70 percent of the job with his historical goodwill right from when he became an executive governor in 1991. I was always with him. I want to follow his footsteps and may God help me.”

    Last Saturday, Adeleke found himself a step closer to his political ambition as he was declared PDP’s gubernatorial flag bearer in Osun State, after he narrowly defeated Akin Ogunbiyi with a seven-vote difference.

    Though what he notes as his target achievement is “to sponsor Bills that would be impactful on my people, especially youths and women”, the senator has in fact not notably sponsored any bills since his election into the red chambers.

    On the contrary, he has become notorious for his vigorous, entertaining dance moves and his fondness for flaunting these in public ? a trend that has earned him the name, “the dancing senator”.

  • Nigerians in S/Africa seek speedy implementation of 10-year passport validity, laud Buhari

    The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has called for speedy implementation of the 10-year validity period for Nigerian passport recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The President of the union, Mr Adetola Olubajo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that the development was welcomed and a right measure.

    Adetola, who commended President Buhari for the initiative called for safeguards against exploitation of Nigerians most especially those in the Diaspora, saying there was the need for proper monitoring.

    According to him, the development will make Nigeria be on the same page with other countries.

    “Concrete measures should also be put in place to avoid ripping off Nigerians most especially those of us in Diaspora,” he said.

    He noted that the approval was an answer to the prayers of the union.

    He said that NUSA had in the past written to the Federal Government to extend the validity period of the passport to 10 years.

    Olubajo explained that the union also made representation for the extension of the validity period of passport to President Buhari during his state visit to South Africa in 2015.

    According to him, NUSA made representation for the extension of the validity period of passport during the visit of former Comptroller General (CG) of NIS, Mr Martin Abeshi, to Johannesburg

    “The union also presented the issue during the state visit of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

    “It is with great pleasure and jubilation that we received the news on the development from CG of NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede,” he said.

    NAN reports that Babandede, on July 26 announced that President Buhari had approved the extension of validity of Nigeria’s international passport from five to 10 years.

    He said that with the approval, the Federal Government could now enter bilateral agreement with other countries for 10 years visa.

    The CG said that this would mean less work for the service and that the people will have to pay more.

    “President has approved a lot of reforms; one of the reforms is 10 years validity for the passport for adults from the age of 18 upward.

    “This is great news for Nigerians in the Diaspora, because they have been yearning for this.

    “The National Assembly had submitted proposal several times that the passport should be 10 years like other countries of the world, the president has approved that,” Babandede said.

    The CG also noted that in the past months there had been issues with shortage of the booklet, but that has been sorted out.

    He said that the best solution was to produce the passport here in the country and the NIS is working on the process.

    “Passport has to be produced in Nigeria, there will be a passport factory in Nigeria,” Babandede said. (NAN)

  • IBB mourns former Gov. Hashidu

    IBB mourns former Gov. Hashidu

    Former Military President,  Ibrahim Babangida,on Friday  described the death of former Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu, as a great loss not only to Gombe State, but Nigeria in general.
    In a statement signed by him and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna, Babangida said the deceased contributed a lot the development of the country.
    Hashidu, who died on Friday (yesterday) served as  Minister of Water Resources, and later that of Agriculture during the regime of Babangida.
    He described  Hashidu as a “trusted ally and a technocrat per excellence” that was an asset to his administration in the development of River Basins, and who also ensured the implementation of water resources management policies in the country .
    He  also described him as a “political ideologists and a pragmatic politician that accepted the will of the people by conceding defeat in the 2003 election and congratulated the winner.”
    The former Military President extended his hearfelt condolences to the family of the deceased as well as government and people of Gombe State. ( NAN)
  • Hajj 2018: Don’t overstay in Madinah, NAHCON warns Nigerian pilgrims

    Hajj 2018: Don’t overstay in Madinah, NAHCON warns Nigerian pilgrims

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has cautioned state pilgrims agencies against allowing their pilgrims to stay beyond eight days in Madinah or take responsibility for their feeding and accommodation.

    The warning was issued in a circular to the agencies on Friday in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that pilgrims are expected to be transported to Makkah, preparatory for the Hajj rites after staying for eight days in Madinah.

    There are currently 1,946 Nigerian pilgrims in Medinah from Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kwara states.

    “Any pilgrim that overstays beyond eight days, state pilgrims welfare boards will be fully responsible for their feeding and accommodation in Madinah,” the circular stated.

    NAN reported that 556 pilgrims from Kaduna State arrived in Madinah late on Tuesday night while 552 from Kwara landed in the Holy land on Friday.

    Before their arrivals, 446 from Kogi and 382 pilgrims from Nasarawa State were already on the ground.

    The essence of transporting pilgrims to Madinah en-route Makkah is to among others, enable them to visit historical sites and worship in the Holy Prophet’s Mosque. (NAN)

  • Research identifies brain mechanism linking depression with sleep problems

    Research identifies brain mechanism linking depression with sleep problems

    BEIJING, (Xinhua) — Scientists from China and Britain have identified the brain regions associated with depression and sleep problems.

    The research, co-conducted by scientists from Fudan University, the University of Warwick and University of Oxford, could lead to better treatment of both problems.

    Up to 70 percent of those suffering depression report poor sleep quality, and those with sleep problems are significantly more likely to be depressed.

    Cheng Wei of Fudan University, one of the researchers, said the close relationship between the two symptoms was discovered more than 100 years ago, but the brain mechanism behind the relationship was still unclear.

    “Through the mining of brain image data, we found the neural circuit that modulates the relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms,” Cheng was quoted as saying.

    The research analyzed data from 10,000 people from the international brain image databases including the U.S. Human Connectome Project and the UK Biobank.

    Results showed that some brain areas including the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (associated with negative emotion), the precuneus (associated with self awareness) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (associated with short-term memory) were strongly associated with depression and sleep problems.

    The findings have implications for targeted treatments of depression and improvements in sleep quality.

    The research was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

  • Egypt sentences 75 Brotherhood prominent figures to death in sit-in case

    Egypt sentences 75 Brotherhood prominent figures to death in sit-in case

    CAIRO, July 28 (Xinhua) — An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced 75 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to death over charges of violence and murder, a judicial source said.

    The case, publicly known as “Breaking up Rabaa Sit-in,” dated back to 2013. The convicted were charged with causing deaths of policemen, attempted murder and vandalism, the source told Xinhua.

    The court referred the sentence to Grand Mufti, the country’s highest Islamic official who will give the religious judgment of all preliminary death sentences.

    The Mufti’s opinion is non-binding as it is usually considered a formality.

    The defendants included Essam El-Erian, the deputy leader of the Brotherhood’s freedom and Justice Party, Moahmed al-Beltagi, secretary general of the party, Safwat Hegazi, prominent preacher of the Brotherhood, and Assem Abdel Maguid, prominent member of the group’s Shura Council, as well as other Islamists leaders.

    Rabaa was one of two sites where supporters of the ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi gathered in the weeks following his overthrow by the army in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule.

    The sit-in was dispersed violently by security men, after many warnings by the government. The protesters have been accused of hindering traffic, causing public disorder, terrifying the residents as they possessed weapons.

    Morsi’s Brotherhood group was banned by the government and most of his group have received verdicts varied from death, to life sentences over violence, killing and espionage.

    Morsi is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence over inciting deadly clashes between his supporters and opponents in late 2012 and a 25-year jail term over leaking classified documents to Qatar.

    The verdicts can be appealed.

    Ahmad Ban, expert with Cairo-based Nile Center for religious movement affairs, and a Brotherhood dissident, said the verdicts could be appealed several times, predicting president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will pardon several figures including Morsi when if finally comes to execution.

    “The pardon will be focused mainly on the Islamists who weren’t involved directly in killing security men or civilians,” he said.

    He added both the country and the Brotherhood group will seek reconciliation, but each side is waiting for more concessions.

    Sentencing for more than 660 other Islamists in another case was set for Sept. 8, according to state-run Ahram news website.

    The case involves the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie and a photographer Mahmoud Abu Zeid. Charges range from murder to damaging public property.

    Since Morsi’s ouster, Egypt has been facing a wave of terror attacks that have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers as well as civilians.

    A Sinai-based militant group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks in Egypt over the past few years.

    Meanwhile, the Egyptian forces have killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country’s anti-terror war declared by newly re-elected President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi’s ouster.

  • U.S.’s Pence meets with Ethiopian prime minister, applauds reforms

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Friday and praised “the historic reform efforts” undertaken by Abiy since assuming power in April, the White House said in a statement.

    Pence noted Abiy’s efforts at “improving respect for human rights, reforming the business environment, and making peace with Eritrea,” the statement said.

    “The two leaders underscored their countries’ shared values and their commitment to building an even stronger partnership in the days ahead,” it said.

    Under Abiy, Ethiopia has instituted reforms including releasing political prisoners, diluting state control of the economy and making peace with northern neighbor Eritrea after two decades of hostility.

    A 41-year-old former intelligence officer, Abiy came to power after his predecessor resigned earlier this year amid protests against abuses by security forces and public anger over perceived ethnic marginalization of many groups in the racially diverse country.

    While in Washington Abiy was also scheduled to meet with members of Ethiopia’s large diaspora community in the United States, whose remittances have helped prop up the economy.

    Abiy is also due to visit Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

    He met on Friday with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who said they had “an engaging and productive meeting.”

    “I reiterated the IMF’s commitment to work with the Ethiopian authorities to ensure that the economy achieves high rates of sustainable and inclusive growth to reduce poverty,” she said in a statement.

    Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Sandra Maler