EKITI GOVERNOR-ELECT FAYEMI CELEBRATES WITH GOVERNORS AFTER HIS VICTORY AT THE POLLS. PHOTOS

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate in the Ekiti governorship election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, won the governorship election according to the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission in majority of the 16 local councils in the state.

The former minister won in 11 out of the 16 local government areas of the state, polling 197,459 votes, and edging out his closest rival Olusola who got 178,121 votes by 19,338 votes.

Fayemi along with his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi were joined by governors of Ogun, Kebbi and Jigawa states; Ibikunle Amosun, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Badaru Abubakar and others to celebrate the election victory.

EDEN HAZARD HINTS REAL MADRID MOVE AND DISCUSSES CHELSEA EXIT

Eden Hazard

Having starred for Belgium at the World Cup, the playmaker has suggested it might be time to 'discover something different'

Eden Hazard cast fresh doubt over his Chelsea future as the Belgium star appeared to confirm his interest in a move to Real Madrid.

New Blues boss Maurizio Sarri faces a battle to keep the forward, who believes his World Cup performances warrant him the Golden Ball and the right to choose his next destination.

The 27-year-old signed off from a successful campaign in Russia with his third goal of the tournament as Belgium beat England 2-0 in the third-place play-off in St Petersburg on Saturday .

About his future at club level after the game, Hazard told reporters they already know his preferred destination amid reports he could be a potential replacement for the departed Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid.

"After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different," Hazard said.

"Certainly, after this World Cup, I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will have the final decision.

"You know my preferred destination."

Afforded a free role in behind Romelu Lukaku, Hazard was one of the most influential players at the World Cup.

After helping the Red Devils surpass their previous best of fourth, he feels his performances should earn him the title of the tournament's best player.

"Deserving it… well, it would be showing off to say I deserve it but yes, I do think I deserve it with my performances in the matches," he said about his chances of securing the Golden Ball.

"But there are other players in the World Cup, some who will play the final tomorrow, so it is not really important for me.

"If I get it I will be very happy and if I don’t get it I will be happy with the World Cup we have played".

PREMIUM TIMES CHALLENGES, KEMI ADEOSUN TO GO TO COURT, INSISTS HER CERTIFICATE IS FORGED

Mrs Kemi Adeosun 
Nigeria's Finance Minister

The publisher of the Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, on Thursday, in Ilorin challenged the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun to go to Court on the story that she allegedly forged her youth service exception certificate.

Dapo insisted that the investigation the news medium conducted evidently shows that the exemption certificate the woman parades is a forged one. According to him, ”We didn’t just publish the story in question, it was a product indepth investigation, and we have it on good authority, that the certificate ‎she’s parading is a forged one. We challenge her to go court, we will meet her there”.

Olorunyomi stressed that Premium Times carried out a thorough investigation before publishing the story, adding that the organisation would encourage Adeosun to go to court because that is the best way she could prove the story if she believes it is not true. “Adeosun forged her exception certificate. The story is real. We did a water-tight investigation that took us three months before we came out with the story.

We encourage her to go to court if she will like to prove us wrong,” he stressed Olorunyomi stated this when responding to a question from a member of the audience after he delivered a lecture entitled “Independent Journalism At The Interface Of The Digital Transition” at the University of Ilorin .

He delivered lecture at the 9th Annual lecture organised by the Mass Communication Department of the University in memory of Mr Doyin Mahmoud, the Pioneer Head of the department who died in 2009.
Mahmoud, a respectable media executive was a former Managing Director of the Independent Newspaper Limited, the publisher of Daily Independent.

Responding to another question on the anti-corruption war, the veteran journalist advised the government to strengthen all the agencies responsible for the campaign against corruption and encourage all stakeholders to be part of the campaign to make it more successful. Olorunyomi, while delivering his lecture pointed out importance of independent media to democracy saying “you really can’t have a healthy democracy without independent media.”

The journalist who noted that there is increasing financial crisis occasioned by such factors as drastic drop in circulation of newspapers, dwindling patronage in advertisement militating against independent journalism, advised that stakeholders must be proactive in addressing the problem to ensure independent media is maintained. He described Mahmoud under whom he said he worked, as a great and knowledgeable journalist who he said was always thirsty of ideas and knowledge and after improvement of individual journalists and the institution of journalism.

Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem expressed that legacies of Mahmoud were being celebrated by the Mass Communication Department and advised that people should do good to leave good legacy behind “We are all going to be was that people will be saying he was this he was that. Let is working hard to leave good was behind, ” he stated

In another development, a former Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Maharazu Tsiga, has said he couldn’t have approved the request of Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, for an exemption certificate.

Tsiga was Director-General of the NYSC at the time the minister claimed to have applied for the certificate in 2009. This is even as the Publisher of the Premium Times, the online portal that broke the story, Dapo Olorunyomi, yesterday, in Ilorin challenged Adeosun to go to court on the story that she allegedly forged her youth service exception certificate.

Kemi Adeosun In a telephone interview with online portal, Premium Times, Tsiga, a retired general, further provided clues that further reinforced positions of NYSC’s serving and retired personnel, including a retired director of mobilisation, Anthony Ani, all pointing to the invalidity of the said ‘certificate’.

He repeated the point earlier made by Mr Ani that verifying any certificate claimed to be from the NYSC was an easy task. “We have what is called strong room. I believe from there they can easily identify if a certificate is issued by the NYSC or not,” he said. On whether anybody who graduated below the age of 30 but applied later to the NYSC for exemption could be exempted, Tsiga said “it is not possible.’’ He said even if one had reached 100 years, one would still have to serve, saying: ‘’In as much as you have not served, no matter how old you are, in as much as you were not mobilised to serve at the time you were supposed to serve, they can never give you exemption.

You must go for service.’’ Speaking in a Channels Television programme, Sunrise, on Wednesday, former Director of Mobilisation at the agency, Anthony Ani, had said there was no way a director-general who left the system in January could have signed a September certificate, among others. “I don’t know where the certificate comes from but (what) I say is that NYSC cannot make that mistake. The NYSC that I served, that I know, can never make that type of mistake,” Ani said

BREAKING: KWARA STATE GOVT COMMENCES PAYMENT OF JUNE SALARIES IN SPITE OF DELAYS FROM ABUJA.

Govs Aregbesola and Ahmed of Osun and Kwara State respectively  (Osun state government)

The Kwara State government commenced payment of June salaries despite the deadlocked Federal Accounts Allocation Committee(FAAC) meeting over disputed payments into the federation purse.

State governments are often due a monthly percentage from the federal coffers and most States rely on this money to offset salaries due to civil servants.

Monthly allocations to federal, state and local governments are only released following successful FAAC meetings.

Alhaji Demola Banu, Commissioner for Finance in Kwara said the salary payments will continue on Monday.

Banu expressed optimism that the deadlock which has delayed June salaries  across the 36 states, as well as at local and federal levels, will be resolved this week, and added that the state government sourced the money from alternative sources to pay its workers in the interest of their welfare.

He commended state and local government workers for their patience over the late salaries, stressing that all hands are on deck to resolve the differences which led to the  delayed release of monthly revenue to all tiers of government in the country.

Crude oil accounts for a chunk of Nigeria's earnings. Most States in the federation primarily live off what is shared monthly from crude oil earnings. 

UPDATED: EX-ONDO DEPUTY GOVERNOR'S DAUGHTER FOUND DEAD IN BOYFRIEND'S HOUSE

 
The daughter of the immediate past deputy governor of Ondo state, Lasisi Oluboyo, was on Sunday found dead at her boyfriend’s house. 
Until her death, she was a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.

The Adenike Oluboyo, daughter of the immediate past deputy governor of Ondo state, Lasisi Oluboyo, was on Sunday found dead at her boyfriend’s house in Akure.

Ms Oluboyo, who was a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, was found dead in her boyfriend’s house, Adeyemi Alao, popularly known as Q.S.  Until her death, Adenike was a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.

Femi Joseph, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ondo command, who confirmed the story to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), described the incident as  saddening and very unfortunate. “It is not a rumour but it is a fact that the young lady was found dead this morning and it is saddening and very unfortunate. “We are on it and trying to get some facts but the commissioner of police will brief the press about the details in another 48 hours,” Mr Joseph said. 

Adeyemi denied involvement in Oluboyo’s death when he faced journalists at the headquarters of the Ondo State Police Command on Wednesday in Akure.

According to him, it was the slain girl that brought two boys into his room, who eventually killed her.

Adeyemi explained that he had dated Oluboyo for four years before they parted ways in 2015, and that they only reconciled after the last Ramadan celebration.

Adeyemi, who completed his National Youth Service in 2017, said he had no reason to kill her because he hoped to use her father’s connection to secure job.

He said that Oluboyo came to his house on Thursday because of her project which he was helping her to do.

According to him, they had finished chapter one and her supervisor had already approved it and she came for final correction so that she could move to chapter two.

He explained further that the girl later travelled to Lagos on Friday to buy some wrist watches but she forgot to drop her project with him.

“Meanwhile, on Saturday she snapped both the soft and hard copy of her project to me on my whatsApp for correction.

“On Monday, I believed she was already in school when she sent me a text message to send her N2,000. But I was able to send only N1,000.

“So, I was surprised when I heard a knock on my door later in the day and she entered my room.

“She later told me that she wanted to receive some visitors in my place, and few minutes later she brought two boys in. I was not surprised because that was not her first time to bring someone to my house.

“Later when they came in, we exchanged greetings and I left them in the room. But after 30 minutes, one of the boys called me in and I discovered he held a small gun in his hand while the other boy was on her, naked.

“And I heard Khadijat saying ‘I will not tell anybody’. The boy strangled her to death and threatened me not to shout or else they would kill me.

“They later forced me to find a digger with which they dug the ground in my room and buried her

“They are the ones that killed and buried her. I could not shout after they left because of the implication of what has happened, for I was sure nobody would believe me.

“On the fifth day, I was not comfortable anymore, so I exhumed her body and confided in my younger brother who advised that we should inform our father about the development.

“It was my father who informed the police before I was arrested,” Adeyemi said.

Mr Femi Joseph, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command who paraded Adeyemi with other suspects, said he would soon be charged to court after completion of investigation.

BREAKING: NUC MAY LIFT BAN ON DISTANCE LEARNING IN NIGERIAN UNIVARSITIES SOON

THE National Universities Commission has disclosed that it is developing quality assurance protocol for Open and Distance Education in Nigeria, signalling the readiness of the Commission to lift the ban on distance learning in Nigerian universities.

Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed made this known in Abuja on Monday while speaking at a two-day retreat, organized for all Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities as a way of sustaining the periodic review of the challenges confronting tertiary education.

He said the protocol being developed by a team of experts, when completed, would enable the Commission to properly regulate the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Nigerian universities when the ban is lifted.

Rasheed, therefore, charged the conventional universities in the country to accelerate efforts at introducing open and distance learning wings in order to expand access to tertiary education in the country.

He said: “We want to encourage our conventional universities to introduce Open And Distance Learning wings. We are working on developing the protocol for Open and Distance Learning so that we can have a quality distance learning education,” he said.

He noted that the high number of applicants for university education annually coupled with the population explosion, open and distance learning holds the future for tertiary education in Nigeria.

He, however, said the Commission would not allow 100 per cent online distance learning programme so as to give room for fraudulent individuals to make a caricature of university education in the country.

He insisted that the Open and Distance Learning would be complemented by face-to-face interaction in order to ensure the quality of products of the system.

NUC boss added that the Commission is re-engineering the universities curriculum in response to the needs of the nation.

Rasheed noted that for a successful tertiary education delivery in the country both private and public universities will have to come together as one and reinvent themselves in order to progress.

While stressing the need for a continuous review of tertiary education, Rasheed said: “Our system is growing. With over 164 universities with about 2 million students’ enrolment and over 60,000 academics in the system, we have a very expanding system that we need to become more regular with our review.”

~ NUC DENIES ANY VARSITIES RANKING YET

On the consistent rumours of Nigerian universities being ranked, Rasheed said the commission has not offered any ranking of universities, adding that the official ranking of all Nigerian universities would be released next year when all the accreditation might have been done.

He further challenged universities to come up with new programmes saying that the commission is ready to partner with them in order to move forward.

SPLINTER GROUP EMERGES IN APC

A splinter group has emerged in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The splinter group named Reformed APC (rAPC) announced its emergence at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Chairman of the splinter group, Buba Galadima, announced the emergence of the faction at the press conference held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

Galadima was national secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the plaform on which President Muhammadu Buhari contested presidential election in 2011. CPC is one of the parties that formed APC.

Also, Mr Kassim Afegbua was named the national publicity secretary of the rAPC.

The chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) group in APC, Abubakar Baraje, and some members of the APC were at the press conference.

The nPDP, a group that has made a major contribution to the emergence of the APC administration has made strenuous efforts to invite attention to inequities, injustice and poor management  in our party without any success.The nPDP had shown good faith and commitment to the party, but it has been rewarded with indifference and even contempt.It is obvious that the leadership of the APC has decided to shut out members of the APC, as well as other members who have raised genuine grievances and a desire to improve the responsiveness of the APC to the desire of members for a party founded on democratic principles.

With scenario painted above, Galadima said the original founders of the party resolved to “take control and give legitimacy to APC to be now known as and called REFORMED-APC (R-APC).”

He noted that: “The R-APC as constituted have officers in all the wards, 774 Local Governments, and all the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT. The R-APC also have National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and other organs of the Party are properly constituted and functional. Some of the National Officers of the R-APC  include:

1. Yobe State – Buba Galadima (National Chairman)

2. Kano State – Bala Muhd Gwagwarwa (National Deputy Chairman, North)

3. Abia State – Chief Theo Nkire (National Deputy Chairman, South East)

4. Ondo State – Hon. Eko Olakunle (National Vice Chairman South West)

5. Kaduna State – Hon. Hussaini Dambo (National Vice Chairman North West)

6. Kogi State – Mahmud Mohammed Abubakar – (National Vice Chairman, North Central)

7. Benue State – Hon. Godwin Akaan (Deputy National Secretary)

8. Oyo State -Dr Fatai Atanda (National Secretary)

9. Edo State – Kazeem Afegbua (National Publicity Secretary)

10. Adamawa State – Daniel Bwala (Financial Secretary)

11. Jigawa State – Abba Malami Taura (Deputy National Auditor)

12. Kwara  State – Hon. Kayode Omotosho (National Treasurer)

13. Anambra State -Barr. Nicholas Asuzu (National Youth Leader)

14. Rivers State – Barr. Baride A. Gwezia (Legal Adviser)

15. Katsina State – Haj Aisha Kaita (National Woman Leader)

16. Bauchi State – Mrs. Fatima Adamu (National Welfare Secretary)

17. Ogun State -Alh. Isiak Akinwumi (Deputy Financial Secretary)

18. Zamfara State – Alh. Bashir Mai Mashi (Deputy National Treasurer)

19. Abuja – Hauwa Adam Mamuda (Deputy Welfare Secretary)

20. Sokoto State – Hon. Shuaibu Gwanda Gobir (Deputy National Publicity Secretary)

21. Katsina State – M. T. Liman (National Organising Secretary)

22. Niger State – Dr Theo Sheshi ( Deputy National Organising Secretary.

11. Some of the State Chairmen include:

1. Adamawa  – Dimas Ezra

2. Anambra – Sir Toby Chukwudi Okwuaya

3. Bauchi – Sani Shehu

4. Benue – Noah Mark Dickson

5. Jigawa – Hon. Nasiru Garba Dantiye

6. Kaduna – Col. Gora (Rtd)

7. Kano – Umar Haruna Doguwa

8. Katsina – Sada Ilu

9. Kogi – Alh. Hadi Ametuo

10. Ogun – Alhaji Adeleke Adewale Taofeek

11. Ondo –  Hon. Otetubi Idowu

12. Oyo – Alh. Ali Alimi Isiaka Adisa

13. Yobe – Mohammed Burgo Dalah

14. Zamfara – Alh. Nasiru Yakubu

15. Niger – Hon. Samaila Yusuf Kontagora

16. FCT – Adaji Usman

“The R-APC includes all the progressive forces in APC, including most of the leading members of the defunct nPDP, CPC, ANPP, ACN and others. The R-APC, will work with like-minded political parties and groups to offer Nigeria qualitative good governance in 2019. Nigeria faces an existential threat arising from three years of near destruction of this country and the exacerbation of our ethnic, religious and divisive cleavages. 

We will in concert with others offer real change to Nigeria. Not fake change. It is clear that our party needs a leadership that will live by its founding ideals.We have therefore decided to legitimately lead those members to work  to rebuild our nation more firmly on genuine democratic principles, to enshrine good governance and restore the faith of Nigerians in the possibility of the existence of a prosperous, secure and peaceful nation”

He called on “all Nigerians, not to despair as a rescue plan is in the works and will be unfolded soon”

COURT ORDERS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO BEGIN IMPEACHMENT PROCESS AGAINST BUHARI

President M. Buhari

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo has granted an order of mandamus to compel the National Assembly to begin impeachment process against President Muhammadu Buhari, based on some alleged constitutional breaches.

Justice Maureen Onyetenu gave the ex parteorder on Wednesday, following a motion filed before her by the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ilesa branch, Mr. Kanmi Ajibola; and a human rights activist, Mr. Suleiman Adeniyi.

The activists had, about three months ago, written to the Senate and the House of Representatives to begin impeachment process against the President, based on the continuous killings and spending without lawmakers’ approval.

However, the duo approached the court seeking an order to compel the National Assembly to begin the process following their refusal to impeach Buhari based on the activists’ letters.

They alleged that the President did not possess a certificate to be qualified as a President and should be impeached based on this and other alleged impeachable offences.

The judge, in her ruling, granted the leave to compel the National Assembly to commence impeachment process against the President.

2019: PDP REPORTEDLY REACHES AGREEMENT WITH OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES AGAINST PRESIDENT BUHARI

As the political scene begins to gear up for 2019, desperation have already kicked in, among top politicians in Nigeria, to unseat president Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) at all cost.

Members of the opposition party have reportedly reached a consensus in their plot to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Reliable news reports have it that the various parties have almost concluded terms of their alliance.

It was reported that the “Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), New PDP (nPDP) and about 34 other parties and groups are close to signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the alliance.” 

The committee saddled with the responsibility of perfecting their terms of condition will soon present the final outcome of its work. A source said: “We are hoping to conclude all plans in the next three weeks. I can assure you that Nigerians would begin to see serious activities in the next few days.” One of the main concerns of the group, however, is the political platform to use to present its candidate.

It was also reported the middle belt is also working on checkmating the north by presenting a unity candidate. A source involved in the plot said: “The move is a massive one and there is the determination to checkmate the North this time.

The core North has always taken the slot each time the presidency is zoned to the North. This time, we are presenting quality candidates, who are seasoned technocrats and we will market them to the whole country. 

“If you look at the electoral map of elections of 1983 and 1999, you would discover that the Middle Belt delivered the presidency to Alhaji Shehu Shagari and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in the two rounds of elections.

The Middle Belt has always played a key role in resolving the electoral direction of Nigeria.” The leaders have thus reportedly come up with four names to be presented as likely candidates to challenge President Buhari.

Meanwhile, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, accused former president Olusegun Obasanjo of being the most hypocritical former leader of the country, following his attempt to hijack the movement for political change.

Soyinka stated this in Abuja on Friday, June 22, at a dinner organised by the International Press Institute. “Obasanjo has crossed the red line and I will launch a publication to expose him on July 3 at Freedom Park in Lagos. He is trying to hijack a recovery process he is least worthy to lead," he said.

GOVS USING FAAC STAND-OFF AS EXCUSE NOT TO PAY SALARIES— NNPC

NNPC Towers, Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, accused state governors of using the stand-off emanating from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting as an excuse not to pay salaries to workers.

NNPC also described the governors’ declaration as an attempt to incite Nigerians against it.

The corporation in a statement by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, also debunked allegations that it was diverting proceeds of crude oil sales to another account instead of the Federation Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

NNPC Headquarters, Abuja.

Ughamadu described the actions of the governors as unfortunate, especially as it was the same governors that approved some of its measures to entrench transparency in its operations.

The statement read:  “The governors’ (under the umbrella of the Governors’ Forum) antics of  rushing  to the press at the earliest opportunity of FAAC meeting is most unfortunate, using this as an unfortunate excuse not to pay salaries.

“It is a ploy to set the public against the NNPC. Yet, it is  the same Governors’ Forum that approved the cash call exit to restore investors’ confidence and boost crude oil production, thereby generating more revenue for them to share.  Again, all crude oil sales proceeds go straight into the CBN and not to the NNPC accounts.”

NNPC had on Saturday night, disclosed that it would be meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to address the issue of remittances to the Federation Account that caused the suspension of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting.

In a text message in Abuja, Ughamadu had stated that the decision to address the issue with the Vice President was due to the stance of the state commissioners of finance.

He said: “The issue will be resolved with the Vice President who chairs the National Economic Council, NEC.”

The NNPC had on Thursday, accused state governors of making unnecessary demands, stating that the governors were asking the corporation to remit additional N40 billion to FAAC.

Ughamadu had disclosed that the fresh demand was in breach of the agreement it had with the governors.

According to him, the NNPC had agreed with the governors to make a monthly remittance of N112 billion to the FAAC, but the NNPC was able to exceed the amount by N35 billion, bringing its remittance in June 2018 to N147 billion.

Ughamadu further described the demands of the governors as unfortunate, especially as the NNPC had to secure the extra funds from amount meant for meeting its Joint Venture cash call obligations.

He said:  “The NNPC N147 billion June remittance to the Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee, FAAC, is in line with the terms of agreement it had with governors on the matter.”

“The agreement NNPC had with the governors was that the corporation would make a monthly remittance of N112 billion to FAAC subject to sufficient funds from sales of domestic crude oil allocation for the corresponding month after meeting cash call obligations on JVs, deductions of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)-cost under recovery and pipeline maintenance.”

“NNPC was able to surpass the terms of agreement with the governors on the monthly remittance for the month of June by N35 billion, having taken a cue from their postures by taking from the sum meant for settling cash call obligations.

“The corporation regretted the Governors’ additional request of N40 billion. It is unfortunate, given the fact that NNPC is set to exit the cash call phenomenon.”