Blog

NAN-S-16

NSF

Abuja, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung has said that Abuja may host the 19th National Sports Festival, following uncertainty over the readiness of Cross River to host the event.

A statement issued in Abuja by Nneka Anibueze, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, said Cross River State government was not forthcoming with a date for the event.

According to the statement, the Main Organizing Committee for the festival is asking the ministry for N650 million to host the festival.

“We conveyed the National Council for Sports in Calabar and made several inspection tours of facilities to ensure that we hold the event this year.

“But it does appear to us in the ministry that we might be going back to Plan B.

“Our plan B is that, if Cross River state cannot host the event, we will come back to Abuja and host the National Sports Festival.

“We are determined because without the National Sports Festival, we cannot enrich the talents’ profile of our athletes for national and international competitions.

“We have succeeded in hosting the National Youth Games against all odds and we will go back to our plan B if Cross River state relocates the burden of funding the games to the ministry.

“They have insisted that we provide as much as N650m for them to host the festival; if we had N650m, then why do we have to go to Calabar?” the statement quoted Dalung as asking.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the festival, designed to hold biennially to discover talents for international and continental competitions, has suffered many postponements in the past.

It was last held in Lagos in 2012 and has witnessed several postponements by proposed host states. (NAN)

DE/EMAF/MZA

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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-H-1
NJC
By Martins Odeh
Abuja, Oct.14, 2016 (NAN) The National Judicial Council (NJC) has said the action of the Department State Service (DSS) against the seven serving federal judges was a denigration of the entire judiciary as an institution.

A statement signed by the Acting Director of Information of the Council, Mr Soji Oye, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday night.

The Council said that by the act of the DSS, judicial officers were now being exposed to insecurity, adding that criminals might take advantage of the recent incidents to invade their homes under the guise of being security agents.

“The Council vehemently denounces a situation whereby the psyche of judicial officers in the federation is subjected to a level where they will be afraid to discharge their constitutional judicial functions.

“The Council will not compromise the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. The Council wishes, therefore, to reassure the public that any person who has a genuine complaint against any judicial officer is at liberty to bring it up to the Council for consideration,” he   said.

Oye said further said the Council had never shielded any judicial officers suspected to have breached the code of conduct guiding the profession or other important law of the land.

He said that the Council insisted that the DSS must be restricted within its primarily concern with the internal security of the country.

In another development, Oye said the Council recommended Justice Sylvester Onnoghen to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria.

By the  recommendation, Onnoghen is expected to succeed the outgoing CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who retires on Nov. 10

Onnoghen was born on Dec. 22, 1950, at Okurike Town, Biase Local .Government Area of Cross River.

He obtained the Bachelor of Law degree at the University of Legon, Ghana, in 1977 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria designate was pupil state counsel, Ministry of Justice, Ikeja, Lagos, and Ogun between 1978 and 1979.

He was partner in the Law Firm of Effiom Ekong & Company, Calabar, 1979 to 1988 and Principal Partner/Head of Chamber of Walter Onneghen & Associates, Calabar 1988 to 1989

Onnoghen was appointed High Court Judge, Cross River Judiciary, 1989 and
Chairman, Cross River Armed Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, 1990 to 1993.

He was also Chairman, Judicial Enquiry into the Crisis between Student of the University of Calabar and Obufa Esuk Orok Community, Calabar in 1996 and chaired the Failed Bank Tribunal, Ibadan Zone, 1998, before his elevation to the Court of Appeal in 1998 to 2005.

Onnoghen, a Fellow, Chattered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Body of Bencher and Life Bencher was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2005.  (NAN)
OMO/OFN

21 Chibok girls not swapped with detained Boko Haram terrorists -VP

NAN-H-112
Exchange
Abuja, Oct. 13, 2016(NAN) The Federal Government has said the 21 Chibok girls rescued on Thursdaywere not exchanged with detained Boko Haram terrorist.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo gave the explanation at a news briefing at the State House shortly after some 21 abducted Chibok girls and a 21-month-old baby released to the Department of State Service (DSS) were taken over by the Federal Government.

“There was no exchange of any kind; certainly there was no swap of any kind and I think the truth of the matter of course as you know even when we started negotiation we had said that we were ready to consider whatever options there were.

“But I believe that very fortunately God truly helped us in the negotiations.

“There was absolutely no exchange of any kind and so any news or story of four or one or two of three of four commanders (of Boko Haram) is entirely untrue; no such thing took place,’’ he said.

Osinbajo, however, said that the government was open to all options for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

According to him, government has said it from the very beginning that it is very prepared to consider every option.

He said that the very important thing was that the nation should be sensitive about the assurance that government wanted to bring back the girls alive.

“We want to be sure that we are able to do so. At the same time we have to be able to balance it against the overall safety and security of the country.

“So, in the process of negotiations we look at all options; we will weigh the options carefully and decide what to do.

“But what has happened and the process that we have begun have not involved any type of swap of Boko Haram commanders or persons held as being militants in any way,’’ he added.

Osinbajo described the nature of the release as a very good turn of events, saying “we believe that in the next few months we should be able to bring in more of these girls along the same lines using the same negotiations and the same template.”

The vice president  admitted that the Swiss Government worked with the government in the process of negotiation and explained that the Red Cross Society was not involved in the negotiation.

He,however, added that in taking the girls back the security worked with the Red Cross to provide the medical support in case there were emergencies of any kind due to the absence of the country’s medical team.

Osinbajo also told the correspondents that only one of the released girls had a baby.(NAN)
DCU/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

Chibok: FG takes over 21 girls, baby, at DSS clinic,

NAN-H-108
Chibok

By Donald Ugwu
Abuja, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) The Presidency has formally received the 21 Chibok Girls and a 21 month-old baby rescued by the Department of State Service (dSS) on Thursday.

The girls were handed over to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, by the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Lawal Daura, at the DSS medical Centre, Abuja.

Osinbajo thanked God for the rescue of the girls and promised that the travails of the Chibok girls abducted about 30 months ago would soon end.

He reminded them that the entire country was hoping to have them back throughout the months they were in captivity.

“We hoped that one day we will see you again and we are very happy to see you back.’’

He assured them that the Federal Government would bring their parents to see them in Abuja.

“Your parents will be coming to join you; we can’t be taking you out here immediately because we want to ensure that you are in very good health.

“I am sure that you are going to be well taken care of; we have already provided very good accommodation for you where you will stay and your parents will come and meet you.

“We are also going to make sure that while you are here we not only take good care of you but see to it that everything that you require going forward, perhaps your education, employment, would be provided.’’

He assured them of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to give them the best, adding that he was excited to hear about their rescue.

“When you were away he (Buhari) kept saying that if this had happened to his own daughter that he wouldn’t know what to do with himself.

“So, we are very excited that you are here and happy that God has preserved your lives and brought you back.

“We know that very soon all will be well and I am sure that when you meet with your parents they will also be very excited and happy to see you.’’

The vice president assured them that the Federal Government had already contacted their parents and assured them that they were in good health.

“We are all looking forward to how you are all going to settle down fast and be taken care of,’’ he said.

He further reminded them of the assurance of the medical doctors to give them the kinds of treatments that they needed.

Osinbajo prayed to God to “replenish, resuscitate and revitalise them’’ and also give them good health and make them more successful and happier in life than they were ever before.

He also prayed that those still held in captivity would be returned to the nation unhurt.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Amina Alhassan, who was at the event translated the vice president’s speech to the girls, and assured them that the medical centre would take good care of them.

The Director Medical Services of the Centre, Dr Ann Okoroafor, said that the girls were brought into the centre at about 1.00 p.m.

Okoroafor said the girls’ ages ranged from 18 years to 22 years and that the centre performed some medical examinations on all of them already.

She said the centre had tried to make the girls to relax and feel at home, adding that they had been provided with all the things they would need such as toiletries and clothing.

“Some of them who were ill, we have already commenced treatment for them; but we are to still do a lot more because it is not just a flash in the pan thing.

“We want to do a lot more as we have support from other agencies’’.

Okoroafor said a consultant psychiatrist from the National Hospital had arrived to assist in the examination and treatment of the rescued girls.

“We want to take them through a process and ensure that during this initial period they come back into the society the way they should.

“We noticed a whole lot of difference from the time we received them and a few moments ago when some of them were laughing and joking with them; that gave them a lot of joy.

“It means that we have created the environment for them to know that people care about them and that is the most important thing we want to do now,’’ she added

According to her beyond showing that Nigerians care about them medically, the society also cares about them to have the best of everything.

“We are happy to have them and so far so good,’’ the doctor noted.

The DSS boss, Daura, had said that the Chibok girls were rescued with the facilitation of the Switz Government and other international organisations with the active support of the Nigerian Army and Air Force.

“We are all grateful that God has made this possible and we are hopeful that this negotiation which brought about the rescue of the 21 girls will continue and hopefully the rest of the girls will be released very soon,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Chairman of the Chibok Community in Abuja, Mr Tsambido Hosea, and the Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr David Atuwo, were at the event.(NAN)
DCU/OFN

Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-F-23

Violence

Bangui, Oct. 13, 2016 (dpa/NAN) The UN mission to Central African Republic on Thursday said that about 30 people were killed when UN peacekeepers clashed with members of the largely Muslim Seleka rebel group.

According to the report, the clashes began on Wednesday after four armed Seleka members were interrupted for stealing a generator in the northern town of Kaga-Bandoro.

One of the armed men was killed during the hold-up.

Seleka subsequently attacked civilians and was challenged by UN peacekeepers, the mission said.

The fighting continued until early Thursday and gunshots were still heard later in the day.

The fatalities included 12 Seleka members, as well as civilians. Nearly 60 people were injured, the UN mission said.

Widespread looting was reported in the town.

Diamond-rich but poverty-stricken CAR was plunged into more than two years of lawlessness after Seleka overthrew Christian president Francois Bozize in March 2013.

It said that since a new government was elected in February, with President Faustin Touadera at the helm, the situation in country somewhat stabilised.

(dpa/NAN)
OYE/IEA
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Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Idahosa Asowata

NAN-F-22

Situation

Cape Town, Oct. 13, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) The Africa Head of Ratings Agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P), said on Thursday the current situation in South Africa was “not business as usual.

He cited the “political turmoil and tension” as worrying signs ahead of a ratings decision on Dec. 2.

Addressing the Africa summit in Cape Town, Konrad Reuss said S&P would be closely looking at South Africa’s economic growth trajectory and fiscal targets.

Reuss said after the national prosecuting authority said it planned to charge Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with fraud.

It was a ploy widely seen as an attempt by President Jacob Zuma to take control of the Treasury by removing the respected technocrat.

“This is not about political noise. We have political turmoil, political tension that can undermine structural reforms”, Reuss said.

He said that any attempt to undermine South African state institutions would be negative for the rating.

S&P rates South Africa at BBB, the lowest investment grade rating one notch above junk, and it maintained that rating in June while keeping its outlook negative, citing slow economic growth and political concerns.

(Reuters/NAN)
OYE/IEA

Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Idahosa Asowata

NAN-HE-26
Sanction
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) The Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN) on Thursday attributed the inability of companies to seek quotation on the nation’s bourse to incessant penalties meted out to quoted companies by market regulators.

The National Coordinator of ISAN, Mr Sunny Nwosu, made the assertion in Lagos at a news conference heralding the association’s 2016 Triennial Delegates Conference/Gala Night.

Nwosu said that sanctions imposed on quoted companies by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) made companies to shy away from listing on the exchange.

He said that market regulators should be weary of sanctions in order to grow the market.

“We should be careful of punitive measures if we want to develop the market,’’ Nwosu said.

He said that the spate of sanctions in the market was eroding investors’ confidence.

Nwosu also said that regulators preference for foreign investors contributed to the development in the capital market.

He called on SEC and NSE to strengthen their enlightenment programmes on ways to bring retail investors back to the market.

“The market is suffering because it has minimal retail investor participation,’’ Nwosu said.

He said that “retail investors are the ones that will develop the market and not foreign investors that can leave at any given time’’.

Nwosu said that the capital market remained the best form of savings for investors in spite of its current performance due to economic recession.

On the listing of multinationals, Nwosu called on the Federal Government to use moral persuasion instead of force because of “free entry, free exit’’.

He said that government failed to enter into an agreement with these companies on listing plans when they first came into the country.

The shareholder activist said that government should as a matter of urgency list all its unbundled agencies to encourage companies to toe the same line.

“Government has yet to list its agencies on the exchange and we are saying that charity should begin at home,’’ Nwosu added.

On the conference, he said that economic experts would chart the way forward for the regulation to drive Nigeria’s early recovery from recession.

He said that ISAN would at the conference, slated for Oct. 14 in Lagos, nominate new a National Coordinator and other officials.

Nwosu said that the conference has the theme, “Financial Turbulence and Regulatory Framework in a Recessive Economy’’. (NAN)
JNC/PDE
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(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-HE-25
Market
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday, remained on a negative note due to unimpressive third quarter result declared by some companies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NSE) reports that the market capitalisation slipped further by N59 billion or 0.61 per cent to close at N9.567 trillion against N9.626 trillion achieved on Wednesday.

Also, the All-Share Index which opened at 28,027.23 lost 172.45 points or 0.61 per cent to close at 27,854.78, amid price loses by some blue chips.

Mr Ambrose Omordion attributed the development to third quarter result released by Forte Oil which was below investors’ expectations.

Omordion said that the loss was due to investors’ reaction to mixed performance posted by the company for third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2016.

He said that the mixed performance was below market estimate.

NAN reports that the company during the period posted revenue of N121.08 billion against N91.62 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2015.

Its profit after tax was down at N2.80 billion against N4.28 billion in 2015.

The company’s Earnings per share dropped to 2.13k compared with 4.28k posted in 2015.

Consequently, the company topped the losers’ chart, dropping by N7.69 to close at N152 per share.

It was followed by 7UP with a loss of N3.50 to close at N154.50, while Lafarge Africa dipped N1.21 to close at N45.60 per share.

GT Bank dropped N1.14 to close at N22.86 and PZ Industries declined by 64k to close at N18 per share.

On the other hand, Nigerian Breweries led the gainers’ table, growing N1.22 to close at N149.20 per share.

Mobil followed with a gain of N1 to close at N186 and Guinness gained 32k to close at N80.06 per share.

Dangote Sugar appreciated by 18k to close at N6.80, NAHCO grew by 13k to close at N3.30 per share.

In spite of the drop posted by the market indicators, the volume of shares traded closed higher with an exchange of 380.75 million shares valued at N1.83 billion transacted in 2,954 deals.

This was against the 155.58 million shares worth N1.43 billion exchanged in 3,277 deals on Wednesday.

NAN reports that Access Bank was the most active as investors staked N886.94 million on 158.10 million shares.

Diamond Bank came second on the activity chart having accounted for 79.56 million shares valued at N9.58 million, while Fidelity Bank exchanged 28.81 million shares worth N24.53 million.

FBN Holdings traded 19.40 million shares valued at N58.41 million and Transcorp sold 12.85 million shares worth N12.94 million. (NAN)

JNC/AK/YAZ

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Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Yusuf Zango

Health minister seeks support of traditional rulers in fight against polio

NAN-HG-25

Polio

Yola, Oct. 13, 2016 ( NAN) Following the recent reported case of polio virus in Borno ,the Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has called for concerted intervention of traditional institutions in the fight against the deadly Virus.

The minister made the call on Thursday in Yola when he led a delegation of stakeholders in the health sector on an advocacy and sensitisation visit on Lamido Adamawa.

He said traditional rulers have a vital role to play in supporting the implementation of policies and programmes of government to ensure total eradication of wild polio virus in the country.

Ehanire explained that at present, there are four cases of people affected with the virus in Borno, adding that wild polio virus now remain in only three countries- Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

Responding, Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo , assured the minister of the support and cooperation of traditional rulers to ensure eradication of wild polio virus in the country.

The royal father advised the Federal Government to closely monitor people visiting Nigeria from neighbouring countries to avoid spread of the virus.

NAN)

AMA/OU/OU

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Edited by Obike Ukoh

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NBA insists DSS actions against judges remain unlawful, unconstitutional

NAN-H-95

Judges

By Martins Odeh

Abuja, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has insisted on that the arrests and subsequent detention of seven judges by the Department of State Service (DSS) remained unlawful and unconstitutional acts.

The NBA President, Mr Abubakar Mahmud (SAN), maintained the stance when he briefed newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

Mahmud said the invasion of the houses of the justices in the middle of the night by masked security operatives remained improper.

He said steps must be taken to bar the country’s judiciary from being exposed to ridicule and disdain by security operatives under the guise of fighting corruption.

The NBA president said the association had never condoned any acts of indiscipline among judges, adding that its present stance was not meant to shield judges found to have contravened the law.

Mahmud said the justification of DSS actions by the Presidency was not tenable, adding that the Presidency must act within the rule of law in the ongoing corruption war

On the claim that the National Judicial Council (NJC) did not act on the intelligence supplied by DSS on conduct of the judges, Mahmud dismissed it, saying NJC was not accountable to the service.

Mahmud said the NBA had proof there were correspondence between the DSS and NJC in respect of disciplinary actions already taken against some of the justices.

He, however, said the dissatisfaction shown by the service as to the severities of Council’s recommendation.

“This does not in any way suggest that the NJC did not carry out a thorough job.

“It was in our view wrong for the DSS to ask the NJC to make available to it the copies of disciplinary proceedings against judges for its vetting.

“This is the bone of contention. The NJC is not answerable to the DSS, It is not under its control and supervision and therefore, such demand negates the law,’’ Mahmud said.

Mahmud said: “We want to make it clear that the NBA is not against criminal investigation of judicial officers but that such action must be conducted in line with the rule law’’.

“From our investigation, two justices of the Supreme Court were never invited or any complaint filed against them,’’ he said.

Mahmud further said the petitions filed against four of the judges of the Federal High Court had been properly handled and disposed by the NJC.

“The Council made recommendations for their punishment to the appropriate authority, while the allegation against the fifth judge is still pending.

“From the records, the two justices of the apex court were never investigated because no formal complaints were brought against them, so why the humiliation,’’ he asked.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NJC which is statutorily mandated to oversee the conduct of judges has yet to come out with a position on the matter.

The NJC held an emergency meeting on Tuesday which end on Wednesday night (NAN)

OMO/OFN

Edited by Felix Nwadioha