younglee's Blog

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has condemned the call for the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners to end their actions. Professor Soyinka says the attempt by security operatives to stop the protesters is not in the interest of democracy. He stated his disapproval on Thursday at an event in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria. He Nobel laureate insisted that the BBOG campaigners, who are campaigning for the rescue of the missing Chibok girls, were merely expressing their democratic rights rather than constituting public nuisance. Procession To See President Buhari Soyinka’s disapproval comes after security operatives prevented a peaceful procession of the BBOG campaigners from reaching the Presidential Villa. The procession, on its way to see President Muhammadu Buhari, to demand an update on the abducted Chibok girls, was stopped at the Independence Avenue by security operatives, who were “acting under strict orders”. Former Minister of Education, Oby...

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has expressed surprise at the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the state’s governorship election earlier slated for Saturday, September 10, 2016. The agency on Thursday afternoon announced this decision after it had earlier said that it would go ahead with the polls. Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Governor Oshiomhole described the decision as a set back for the state. He frowned at the time it took the electoral body to make the decision, which he said affects the parties’ programmes. He said that if INEC had given the hint earlier that the election would be postponed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have also postponed its final rally to suit the new election date. The Governor also reacted to allegations that his party was behind the postponement of the election by stating that none of the other parties was as ready as the APC for Saturday’s election. He ...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has raised alarm over what it called an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unleash violence and cause confusion in the state during the governorship election. The party, which is holding power in the state, claims that the plan would pave way for the opposition to rig the governorship election scheduled for September 10. Militants From Delta A statement by the party said “no less than 500 militants from Delta are being mobilised to critical areas of Edo State to carry out this evil plan using the waterways. “The primary targets are Edo-North using the River Niger to access areas around Agenebode; Edo-South, via the Osse River; and Edo Central, via Ilushi River”. Citing internal sources within the PDP, the APC also alleged that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the conduct of the elections were being compromis...

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has insisted that Corps members involved in the Edo state governorship election are prepared to deliver a credible electoral process. In a statement signed by the Corps’ Director of Press and Public Relations, Abosede Aderibigbe, the Director General, Brigadier General Sulaiman Kazaure stated that the scheme is committed to the entrenchment of a credible electoral system. Brigadier General Kazaure warned politicians to play by the rules and avoid any attempt to distract the Corps members from discharging their assignment. He added that the Corps members involved in the Edo governorship election have been warned that any violation of the scheme’s code of conduct would be met with consequences as provided in the electoral law and the NYSC bye-laws.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that before Nigerians demand to see the changes he promised them during the 2015 election, they must first change their own attitude by shunning corruption and other social vices. He adds that change is not about economic or social progress, but it is in terms of citizens’ personal behaviour. He lamented that honesty, hard work and godliness had given way to all kinds of manifestations of lawlessness and degeneration in our national life. Buhari said, “Our citizens must realise that the change they want to see begins with them, and that personal and social reforms are not a theoretic exercise. If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or even the larger society. “In other words, before you ask ‘Where is the change they promised us?’, you must first ask, ‘How far have I changed my ways? What have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of society?’ The President said his government had ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the Edo State governorship elections earlier stated for Saturday, September 10. INEC says the election will now hold on Wednesday, September 28, 2016. The agency made the U-turn on Thursday evening, few hours after it had said that it would go ahead with the election against the advise of Nigerian security agencies. The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) had advised INEC to postpone the governorship election scheduled for Saturday for security reasons. The two security agencies said the advise was based on credible intelligence at its disposal, which suggests that insurgents are planning to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets, with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September. Meanwhile, the Peoples’ Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress have reacted to INEC’s decision to postpone the Edo polls. The State Ch...

The traditional ruler of Ukpo community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Robert Eze, has stated that the disputed land between his community and Abagana belongs to Ukpo both legally and historically. This is sequel to the mayhem allegedly unleashed by Abagana people on Ukpo community on August 19, where a security guard was shot dead and property belonging to the police was destroyed. However, the traditional ruler of Abanaga, Igwe Patrick Mbamalu Okeke, while suing for peace expressed confidence that the Police and the Committee set up by the state government will get to the root of the matter. The President General of the Community, retired Group Captain Benson Okoye, and the Legal Consultant of the Community, Mr. Martin Anah, during a press conference at the palace of the traditional ruler reiterated the legal and historical rights of Ukpo people over the disputed land. Group Captain Okoye stated that the land dispute between the two neighbou...

The Joint Security Task Force has recovered 14 rustled cattle from the alleged kidnap den of the wanted suspect and gang leader, Terwase Akwaza, popularly called ‘Ghana’ in Benue state. The Benue State Commissioner Of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, while briefing journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, said that the police have made serious efforts to speed up the arrest of the suspect. According to him, ‘Ghana’ will be arrested on charges of murder and kidnap. After investigations, the police discovered that the recovered cattle are only among the over 3,000 cattle allegedly rustled by the suspect. Mr. Makama stated that the joint security almost caught the wanted gang leader, but noted, however, that ‘Ghana’ was only fortunate to have sensed the approaching security forces, who got stuck on a bad road within his hide out.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Buratai Tukur, has reassured the people of Niger Delta region of the continuous desire of government to fight terrorism along its maritime domain. The Army boss gave the reassurance shortly after the flag-off exercise of the Operation Crocodile Smile in Calabar, the Cross River State capital. Carrying out the exercise at the Amphibious Training School in Calabar, the Army boss said, the Launch of the Crocodile Smile exercise in the State will go a long way to combating criminal tendencies that might arise in the State. Lt Gen. Buratai, however, identified logistics as one of the major challenges that might hinder the smooth running of the exercise, but noted that government has been supportive towards this regard, while suing for the continuous support of residents around to avail the Army with useful information, security wise. Buratai later commissioned some boats donated by the Federal Government to boost the effective patrol of creeks a...

The high rate of accidents have been attributed to human errors emanating from dangerous driving. This, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), includes unnecessary overtaking at bends; indiscipline and disrespect for traffic rules and regulations as well as overloading of vehicles among others. The Deputy Corps Marshal in Charge of Operations, Mr Adei Abu said research and statistics by the agency identified speed and speed related offences responsible for high percentage of crashes, which stands at over 60%. This, he added, informed the introduction of maximum road safety speed limit and limiters for vehicles. The FRSC embarked on sensitisation campaign for safety on the roads which is usually characterised by upsurge in traffic volume across the nation, especially during the festive season. Some measures have been put in place by the commission to curb recklessness on the road especially in Zone 4 of the FRSC made up of Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa States. ...

The Delta State government says it will explore avenues to harness the more than 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the state. This, according to the Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Okowa, is in a bid to key into the resolution of diversifying the economy. Assuring investors of its commitment to diversifying the state’s economy to speed up the prosperity agenda of the Okowa administration, the Executive Assistant to Governor Okowa on Investment, Mr Paul Nma, said that with the natural gas that abounds in the the state, efforts would be made to reduce gas flaring with its attendant health and environment hazards as these investments will be targeted at massive job creation for Delta State residents and indigenes. Partnering with the state government to achieve this vision is the LNG Technology a south African company led by the South African High Commissioner, informing the state executive council that they were in the state to explore ways to help diversify the state’s economy and...

President Muhammdu Buhari on Thursday described the new National Orientation Programme, Change Begins With Me, as a determination of his administration to carry all Nigerians along on the journey to a better and greater society that everybody can be proud of. The President, who was a special guest at the launching, which took place at the Conference Hall, in the Presidential Villa said the programme is the best way to sustain the effort his administration has made in the fight against corruption. He decried the alleged erosion of the long cherished and time honoured, time tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, good neighborliness, abhorrence of corruption and patriotism. He also called on all Nigerians, especially the private sector, to change the old way of doing things as well as support the campaign.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said it will go ahead with the Edo State governorship elections against the advise of Nigerian security agencies. The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) had advised INEC to postpone the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2016 in Edo state. The two security agencies said the advise was based on credible intelligence at its disposal, which suggests that insurgents are planning to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets, with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September. The agencies said Edo State is amongst the states being earmarked for these planned attacks. In a joint statement, the agencies reminded the public that similar threats were issued during the May 1, Labour Day and Democracy Day, May 29, celebrations as well as the Eid-el-Fitr holidays in July, 2016. The statement further adds that “the security agen...

The Nigerian government says it will not increase the pump price of petrol despite a demand that it should consider the removal of the price cap. This is coming as a reaction to a requestmade by the forum of former Group Managing Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Sunday. They had called for the removal of the price cap of 145 Naira per litre, which was set in May by the Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, insisting that it was not harmonious with the liberalisation policy of the Federal Government. A statement by the NNPC’S spokesman, Mr Garba Mohammed, said the 145 Naira per litre price cap did not go well together with the liberalisation policy when factors such as the foreign exchange rate, crude cost and Nigerian Ports Authority charges remain uncapped. The price cap had been set when the dollar exchange rate at the parallel market was less than 300 Naira, with the government saying the decision was to ensure that...

The United Nations is painting a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s economy, calling it the poorest and most unequal among countries of the world with 64% of her population living below poverty line. This was in a report read during a consultative meeting on the formulation of the UN Development Assistance Framework IV (UNDAF IV) for the South East geo-political zone in Awka. The UN says: “Poverty and hunger have remained high in rural areas, remote communities and among female – headed households and these cut across the six geo-political zones, with prevalence ranging from approximately 46.9 percent in the South West to 74.3 percent in North West and North East.” On unemployment, the report notes that Youth unemployment which is 42% in 2016 has continued to create helplessness and despair resulting into upsurge in crime and terrorism. It says that over 10 million Nigerian children of school age are out of school with no knowledge or skills. It estimates Nigeria’s revenue to ha...

A meeting between OPEC Secretary-General, Mohammed Barkindo and Iran’s oil minister to discuss global oil market conditions and crude prices has started in Tehran, the ministry’s official website reported on Tuesday. “The meeting between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) official and Minister (Bijan) Zanganeh started a few minutes ago. Barkindo arrived in Tehran on Monday night,” SHANA, the ministry’s information service, said. Members of OPEC will meet on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum (IEF), which groups producers and consumers, in Algeria on Sept. 26-28. They are expected to seek to revive a global deal to stabilise oil output levels. Non-OPEC member Russia, the world’s top oil producer, is also expected to attend the IEF. Hit by global oversupply, oil prices collapsed to as low as $27 per barrel earlier this year from as high as $115 in mid-2014, but have since recovered to around $47. Attempts by OPEC and non-OPEC oil exp...

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Edo State for the All Progressives Congress Mega Rally to round up its campaign for the Edo State governorship election. The President aircraft touched down at 10:20AM While in Benin City, the President is expected to visit the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Eheneden Erediawa, before attending the mega rally. The rally is to hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the Edo State capital.