ENUGU STATE CIVIL SERVANTS RECEIVE 13TH MONTH SALARY AS CHRISTMAS BONUS

…Appreciates Gov. Ugwuanyi’s magnanimity, love

Workers of Enugu State confirmed receipt of the 13th month salary as 2018 Christmas bonus on Monday, from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.

Confirming the news, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Enugu State Council, Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe disclosed that “some workers started calling me this evening that they have received alert for the 13th month salary”.

The elated labour leader had in a letter issued to Gov. Ugwuanyi, today, which was co-signed by his secretary, Comrade Benneth Asogwa, appreciated the governor’s “magnanimity for the approval and payment of the 13th month salary (Christmas bonus) to the civil servants and workers of the state-owned parastatals in Enugu State”.

They stated that the Congress was delighted that “for the first time the state-owned parastatals will be paid 13th month salary alongside their colleges in the civil service”.

The Congress noted that the governor’s kind gesture towards the civil/public servants of the state has “demonstrated your continuous love for the workers of Enugu State by putting smiles on their faces in this Christmas season”.

They therefore, pledged their unflinching support for the success of his administration.

Truly, Enugu State is in the hands of God.

JESUS SUPERMARKET: RCCG SELLS A BAG OF RICE AT N9k, AND OTHER CONSUMABLES, TO THEIR MEMBERS IN ABUJA

In the mood of Christmas and welfare outreach, RCCG, Hall of Mercy Parish, Bwari, Abuja provided food items to members and non-members of the church at half the market price. Some items like clothes, bags, shoes etc where made available for free.

A bag of rice sold in the market for N18,000 was sold at the church for N9,000. Half bag sold in the market for N9,000 was sold for N4,500 in the church. Other food items like groundnut oil, tomatoes, pepper etc, were sold in the church at half the market price, just to reach out to those in need who cannot afford the exorbitant prices of those items in the market.

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KWANKWASO SET TO RETURN TO APC - DAILY TIMES

Barring last minute changes, former Governor of kano state Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have concluded plans to return to the All Progressive Congress (APC), from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Our reporter learnt on good authority that the Senator representing Kano central Kwankwaso, have been sending Emissaries to the Presidency to pave way for his return into the fold of the APC again. It would be recalled that Kwankwaso alongside 12 other Senators in July, 2018 defected to the PDP.

Kwankwaso vied for the office of the Presidency under the platform of the PDP and finished 4th in the presidential race. Impeccable source in the Kwankwassiyya camp told this newspaper that, the Senator is not happy with some developments in the PDP and feel uncomfortable.

The sources added that as at the time of filling this report the PDP Presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar hasn’t not release a dime to campaign in kano, noting that Kwankwaso had allegedly submitted a proposal of over N1 Billion to Atiku. Since the request was tabled, Atiku have kept mum, after series of reminders were sent to him by Kwankwaso. Kwankwaso is equally angry, Atiku didn’t appoint him campaign cordinator in the North-west, considering his wealth of experience.

“ I can confirm to you that Oga is not happy about so many decisions that are not going his way, I don’t see him staying in PDP”. Miffed by this the former Governor have consulted widely and have concluded to return to the APC. The source revealed that the only obstacle on his way back to APC is the insistence of those in the Presidency that he (Kwankwaso) should ‘ go and mend faces with the state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.’ Kwankwaso is said to be very upset with that decision which he perceived as condescending low to plead with a man he installed who he felt betrayed him. Another factor troubling the former Presidential aspirant is the disquiet in his Kwankwassiyya camp, since he allegedly imposed his brother in-law Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf as the PDP governorship candidate.

Many of his allies are not happy with the alleged imposition of his In-law, which has since led to the exit of his staunch supporters of the duo of General Idris Bello Danbazzau (RTD), and Hajiya Balaraba Ibrahim who joined the APC recently. Our reporter gathered reliably that many of his close allies are on their way back to the APC, which include the national chairman of Kwankwassiyya movement former Secretary to the State Government Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, former national treasurer of the APC Alhaji Bala Gwagwarwa, former Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar among others all on their way back to APC and may soon be received by President Muhammadu Buhari. To this end, political pundits in the state are of the view that Ganduje’s re-election bid look like a walk in the park.

Source: https://dailytimes.ng/kwankwaso-set-to-return-to-apc/

FINALLY, ACCESS BANK ACQUIRS DIAMOND BANK.

Diamond Bank

LAGOS — Access Bank Plc has finally acquired Diamond Bank Plc.

According to insiders, the official announcement of the transaction will be made in the course of the week by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, according to TheCable.

Another source said confirmed that the deal has been sealed, awaiting final ratification from the regulatory body.

The acquisition was midwifed by the CBN in a bid to further consolidate the banking industry, sources informed.
Last week, Diamond Bank announced its decision to drop its international operating licence to focus on national operations following capitalisation issues.

Uzoma Dozie, the bank’s Chief Executive Officer, confirmed the development in a statement released on Friday.
Dozie had said: “With this approval, the bank will cease to operate as an international bank.

“The re-licensing as a national bank supports Diamond Bank’s objective of streamlining its operations to focus resources on the significant opportunities in the Nigerian retail banking market, and the economy as a whole. The move follows Diamond Bank’s decision to sell its international operations, which included the disposal of its West African Subsidiary in 2017 and Diamond Bank UK, the sale of which is currently in its final stages.”

“The change to national bank status also enables the bank to maintain a lower minimum capital requirement of 10 per cent, as against 15 per cent required for international banks.”
The bank recorded its worst month on record in November with share plunging to 0.61k per unit on November 30, 2018.

TENSION IN ONDO AS KIDNAPPERS GO ON RAMPAGE, ABDUCTS MORE UNSUSPECTING TRAVELLERS

The tension among residents of Ondo State over rising insecurity got to a worrisome level at the weekend when most travellers from and to Akure and Akoko areas of the state including lecturers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, RUGIPO escaped abduction while some were not lucky as they fell the victims of gunmen who flooded the highways yesterday.

The apprehension among the residents and travellers got to a worrisome level due to recent dismantling of the military checkpoints across the state which they believe had given criminals free hands to operate in the last one week.

An eyewitness account summarized that several people escaped at Ogbese/Iluabo area on Owo-Akure road around 5:20 pm on Saturday evening, “I narrowly escaped kidnapping after Iluabo on my way to Akure after a wedding ceremony I attended at Omuo Ekiti. Nigerians are under siege. I saw these guys shooting sporadically from a distance. Unfortunately, some kids and those who were unlucky to get out of their vehicles were taken away by the kidnappers”.

Our correspondent gathered that three different cases of kidnapping and armed robbery were recorded on the routes on Saturday’s evening specifically at Oba Akoko axis where three persons fell victims of kidnappers on Friday’s night, while that of Ogbese/Ilu Abo axis areas of Akure occured simultaneously on Saturday’s evening.

Only last week four persons including a lecturer Taiwo Akinyemi abducted at Amurin Village, near Owo, but Taiwo later died in the kidnappers’ den while three weeks ago, six chieftains of African Democratic Congress (ADC) including the state chairman and senatorial candidate for Ondo north were kidnapped on Ikare Akoko- Owo road and were later released after paying ransome.

Three victims were also said to be members of staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo were kidnapped but they were later released by the suspected kidnappers recently after huge ransoms had been collected from their families.

Narrating his ordeal on Owo-Akure road, a lecturer from RUGIPO, Dr. Rahman Abubakri who escaped being kidnapped by the gunmen at Ilu Abo area of Akure on Saturday lamented that he narrowly escaped with other travellers but another lecturer from the department of Marketing at the Polytechnic was not lucky as he was picked by the kidnappers yesterday.

Abubakri said, “Around 5:20 pm this evening( Saturday), I narrowly escaped kidnapping around Iluabo on my way to Akure after a wedding ceremony I attended at Omuo Ekiti.

Nigerians are under siege. I saw the fulanis shooting sporadically from a distance. The bushes and tick forests we don’t care to go into have been well studied by the Fulanis. Unfortunately, some kids were taken away by the kidnappers”.

He opined that, “almost the same time, a lecturer of the Department of Marketing, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo was kidnapped by the same Fulani herdsmen between Ipele and Owo Road. Another kidnapping took place at Oba Akoko. Three persons fell victim as they were taken away into the Bush. My colleagues missed being kidnapped on Friday evening”.

The lecturer who expressed worries over the increasing rate of insecurity in Ondo state in recent time, said the upsurge in kidnapping cases must be tackled by the police and government at all levels.

Another traveller who escaped, Mrs Nike Oyetade alleged that the kidnappers use the forests near their operation points as detention camps, stressing that children in secondary schools and tertiary institutions far away from their various places of residents are not safe anymore.

Another traveller’s family member sent a message to our reporter around 7pm Saturday, “Info from one of our members who just passed through Ogbese now has it that just before Ogbese from Akure the men of the underworld has struck again kidnapped some people and presently in a gun shoot out with the police.Kindly avoid the route now”.

Speaking on the security situation, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident, said men of the state police command had been on the trail of the kidnappers.

The PPRO said “we have resolved to increase our manpower on our roads with more patrol to reduce the activities of these criminals to the barest minimum. I can assure you that justice will be done and the search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts, to find those responsible and bring them to justice”.

VETERAN NOLLYWOOD ACTOR, IFEANYI IKENGA GBULIE IS DEAD - DIES AFTER A PROLONGED BATTLE WITH STROKE (PHOTO)

Late Ifeanyi

The Nollywood actor dies after a prolonged battle with stroke

Veteran Nollywood actor, Ifeanyi Ikenga Gbulie, is dead.
The actor who has been bedridden for several months, as a result of stroke, passed away in the early hours of December, 13, 2018, in Enugu.

JUVENTUS STAR, CRISTIANO RONALDO LIKELY TO RECEIVE TWO-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

C. Ronaldo

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will appear before a court in Madrid on January over a £14.7m tax evasion fraud.

The five time Ballon D'or Winner was charged by Spanish authorities in 2017 over money owed from image rights.

MySportDab report this was after a shell company British Virgin Islands  was used to hide parts of his income between 2011 and 2014.

“The accused made use of a corporate structure created in 2010 to hide from the tax authority income generated in Spain through image rights,” said a statement by prosecutors at the time the charges were first brought.

According to AS, Ronaldo who signed for Juventus in the summer will now be sanctioned to appear before the court to hear the verdict - which a be a two-year prison sentence.

He has applied to the courts to appear by video-link.

Spanish law dictates that jail sentences of two years and under are to be suspended for first-time offenders, pending the accused not committing any further crimes in Spain during that period.

Ronaldo's lawyer, José Antonio Choclán, had lobbied the courts for the sentence to be commuted to a €375,000 fine - the same outcome as was negotiated for another of his clients, former Real defender Fábio Coentrão, for similar offences.

That deal was rejected by presecutors.

Ronaldo has already paid up the bulk of the €14.7million which was outstanding in order to smooth over his move to Turin, and January's court appearance will bring a close to the matter.

The final bill for the Portugal forward will ultimately top €18.9million once fines and interest are factored in.

While in Spain Ronaldo became Real Madrid's highest ever goalscorer, netting 451 times after joining from Manchester United for a then-record £80million in 2009.

Ronaldo is also Portugal's most-capped player, with 154 appearances, and record goalscorer, with 85.

SPAIN TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE TO OVER N429,000

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday his cabinet would approve next week a 22 percent increase in the monthly minimum wage to 1,050 euros ($1,192) r over N429,000 in 2019.

The increase, “the biggest since 1977”, will be submitted to a cabinet meeting in Barcelona on December 21, he told parliament.

“A rich country can’t have poor workers,” said Sanchez, who is widely expected to call an early general election next year.

The measure was part of his minority Socialist government’s draft 2019 budget unveiled in October but which he is struggling to pass in parliament so it will now be approved by decree.

The announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled Monday a 100-euro ($113) per month increase in the minimum wage from next year in a major concession to “yellow vest” protests which have roiled the country.

After years of austerity policies imposed to cope with the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, governments are under increasing pressure to ease the purse strings, especially for the lower paid.

Sanchez’s Socialists control just 84 seats in the 350-seat parliament, the smallest number for a government since the country returned to democracy following dictator Francisco Franco’s death in 1975.

He negotiated the draft 2019 budget with far-left party Podemos, which controls 67 seats, but would still need the support of Catalan separatist parties to pass the spending plan and they have steadfastly refused.

The government estimated the minimum wage hike will cost the state 340 million euros per year.

Employers groups and the conservative opposition parties, the Popular Party (PP) and Ciudadanos, oppose the wage hike, saying it will hurt job creation.

PP leader Pablo Casado has said the 2019 budget, which also includes tax hikes, is “economically suicidal”.

HAVING SEX IN CAR NOT A CRIME, NIGERIA POLICE AFFIRM

The Nigeria Police Force says it is not a crime to have sex in one’s car.

The police, however, said it could be considered a crime if one has sex with underage person; or if the car is parked in a religious institution when the act takes place.

The Police also say car sex is unlawful if both persons are of the same sex.

The Police, therefore, asked that anybody who is harassed for having sex in a car should report the incident immediately.

The Head of the Police Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, said this while responding to a question on Twitter.

The question had been raging on social media following an incident that occurred last week wherein a couple was harassed by a mob for having sex in a car.

Responding to a question, however, Shogunle said, “No. Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria, provided the location is not a place of worship; both persons are 18 years and above; the act is consensual (agreed to by parties); parties are of opposite sex.

“If threatened with an arrest over above, please report to the Police.”

See the tweet:

Abayomi Shogunle

✔@YomiShogunle

NO.
Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria provided;
1. Location is not a place of worship
2. Parties are 18 yrs+
3. The act is consensual (agreed to by parties)
4. Parties are of opposite sex
If threatened with an arrest over above, pls contact @PoliceNG_PCRRU.

stan d man@Stanley_Moses13

Oga @YomiShogunle please is it a crime to have sex in your car?

RIVERS 2019: COURT OF APPEAL CONFIRMS RIVERS APC WON’T FIELD ANY CANDIDATES FOR 2019 ELECTIONS

~ •••AFFIRMS DISQUALIFICATION OF TONYE COLE AND ALL OTHER RIVERS APC CANDIDATES

The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division on Wednesday confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State will not field any candidates during the 2019 General elections when it dismissed the appeal filed by the factional Rivers State APC Governorship Candidate, Mr Tonye Cole.

The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division also confirmed the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu that Rivers State has no ward executives, local government executives and State Executives as it dismissed the appeal filed by Sacked Rivers State APC State Chairman, Mr Ojukaye Flag Amachree.

The Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division Special Panel Chaired by Justice Abubakar Yahaya dismissed the two appeals for lack of merit.

The third appeal which centred on the judgement by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu was dismissed because it was filed out of time and therefore statute barred.

Delivering his judgement Justice Yahaya,said the appeal against the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu High Court judgement on the party Congress crisis lacks merit, adding that the application for joinder failed to observed the 14 days rules of Appeal.

While delivering judgement on the substantive appeal number CA/PH/198 that bothered on Justice Nwogu’s judgement, the panel ruled that the Ojukaye faction failed to seek leave of court before appealing against the judgement.

Justice Yahaya ruled that the judgement delivered at the lower court was a consent judgement, adding that Ojukaye faction should have done the needful legally before approaching the court.

Counsel to Ibrahim Umar and 22 others, Mr Patrick Luke said that the rulings of the Court of Appeal confirm that the judgement by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu remains valid and is still subsisting.

Counsel to Ojukaye Flag Amachree, Emenike Ebete noted that the court heard the three matters and in her wisdom arrived at the rulings confirming the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu.

He said: “Arguments were taken but the Court in its infinite wisdom held that in appeal 461, that is the substantive appeal, that the consent judgement of the High Court of Rivers state and by provision of the constitution, we ought to have sought leave of court to appeal against that consent judgement. That is their own decision and they struck it out.

“The one for the candidates and the party state excos, we were dismissed on the ground that it was a pre-election matter, that we did not bring the application within 14 days after decision was delivered on October 10. What that means is that, we will approach the Supreme court to contest the judgment “.

It will be recalled that on October 10, 2018, a High Court in Port Harcourt nullified the nomination of Mr Tonye Cole as the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State on the ground that his nomination is a function of illegality and unconstitutional acts.

The Court also nullified the the Rivers State APC Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly Primaries conducted on the premise of the illegal ward congresses.

The High Court further nullified all the elections of Rivers APC Ward Executives, Local Government Executives and State Executive Committee that arose from the illegal ward congresses.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu in a suit filed by Ibrahim Imah and twenty-two others against the APC, the Court declared that the ward congresses of Rivers APC were illegal because they were not conducted in line with the APC Guidelines and Constitution.