TheNewsGuru

Tag: Wednesday

  • 2019: Atiku to deliver lecture at Chatham House Wednesday

    Former Vice President and presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar is scheduled to deliver a lecture in London Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 25 in furtherance to the pursuit of his presidential ambition.

    The keynote speech entitled “The Importance of Strengthening State Economic Management Systems” will lay bare novel and real prescriptions that when implemented will help Nigerian states come out from their economic quagmire and ultimately gets Nigeria working again.

    The Chatham keynote speech is one in a series of engagements by the PDP presidential hopeful to showcase the possibilities that exist in Nigeria and how to unlock its huge potentials to the good of all Nigerians.

    According to a statement from his media office, Atiku Abubakar will also deliver another major keynote speech at the Invest Africa and British Council for Africa ‘Annual Debate’. The former Vice President will be speaking alongside Dr Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary of the United Kingdom Government, on the subject of “Building new trade partnerships in Africa”

    These engagements are a follow-up to Atiku Abubakar’s meeting in June of 2017 with Liam Fox and Prime Minister Theresa May where they discussed the UK’s plan for increased trade with Nigeria post-Brexit.

    The PDP presidential hopeful will also be the guest of honour at a lunch on Nigerian inward investment to be hosted by Lord Anthony St John (former UK Minister for Africa) and be a guest speaker at Round Table of key UK business leaders keen in investing in Nigeria at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall.

    The visit to the UK by Atiku Abubakar, one of Nigeria’s most successful business leaders and foremost advocates for restructuring and free trade, is a continuation of his life-long commitment to find real solutions to help rescue Nigeria from its current economic crisis and set it on the path of economic growth and prosperity.

  • JUST IN: JOHESU suspends strike, directs members to resume on Wednesday

    JUST IN: JOHESU suspends strike, directs members to resume on Wednesday

    The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, JOHESU, has suspended its nine-day-old strike.

    The union made the decision following a nine-hour meeting with the federal government in Abuja on Saturday.

    The national chairman of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah, said the strike had been suspended “in principle”, as a NEC meeting of the union will be held on Tuesday to take the final decision.

    He said that the union has reached an agreement with the Federal government and workers are to resume back to work on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the union embarked on a nationwide strike on September 20 to protest among other issues, salaries adjustments, promotion arrears, and improved work environment for its members.

  • BREAKING: Court unfreezes Delta State’s Paris-Club bank account

    BREAKING: Court unfreezes Delta State’s Paris-Club bank account

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wednesday, vacated an earlier ex-parte order freezing the Paris Club Refund Account of Delta State Government over consultancy row with Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd.

    Before unfreezing the account, Justice Yusuf Halilu, the trial Judge, held that the issue of territorial competence of the court which Alex Izinyon (SAN), counsel for the Delta State Government, had raised on the last adjourned date, must be resolved first, considering that it is fundamental to the case.

    The Judge resolved the issue in favour of the plaintiff, Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd.

    Justice Halilu added, “For intent and purpose, the job was to be carried in Abuja, the court has jurisdiction over the matter”, he ruled.

    In vacating the court’s earlier order to froze the account domiciled with the Zenith Bank (3rd respondent), the court accepted the submission of Izinyon that there was ‘concealment of fact’ on the part of the plaintiff.

    The Judge said: “I have gone through and read and read again (letter of disengagement of Mauritz Walton). I will not much dwell on that document for now until the main issue comes up.

    “The question is would the court have granted the interim order of freezing the account? Ordinarily, it would not have matter whether the letter was presented before the court or not by the plaintiff.

    “It is more reasonable and fair to vacate the order in view of the fact Izinyon drew my attention to the document which was concealed from the court by the plaintiff. It is fundamental to the matter. I hereby set aside the entry order”, he held.

    Justice Halilu cautioned counsel to always present every fact before the court and leave it to determine the relevance of such documents.

    The court thereafter adjourned till August 28 for the hearing of the substantive matter.

    It could be recalled that an FCT High Court froze the Delta State account on alleged failure of the state government to pay consultancy fees to Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd.

  • Court rules on Evans’ fundamental rights suit Wednesday

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed Wednesday, August 16, to rule on whether or not it will proceed to hear the N300m fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Evans, through his lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, filed the suit to challenge his alleged unlawful detention by the police.

    He is contending that his detention in the police custody since June 10, 2017, without being charged to court is a violation of his fundamental rights under sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the Constitution.

    He wants the court to award N300m damages in his favour against the police.

    Joined as respondents in the suit are the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

    When the matter was called on Tuesday before Justice Abdulaziz Anka, Evans’ lawyer, Ogungbeje, told the court that all the respondents had been served and that the suit was ripe for hearing.

    But countering him, counsel for the Lagos CP and SARS, Mr. Emmanuel Eze, said the IG and the Nigeria Police Force had not been duly served and as such the case could not be heard.

    He said despite the hint of the court, Ogungbeje had yet to go to Abuja to serve the court processes on the IG and the NPF in their personal capacities.

    Eze argued that Order 5 Rule 8 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Rules required that service of court papers on the IG and the NPF must be personal.

    Besides, he contended that Ogungbeje had not sought the leave of the court for the case to be heard during the court’s vacation.

    “Our submission is that they have not taken steps to clothe this court with jurisdiction to hear this case either during or after the court’s vacation,” Eze said.

    But Ogungbeje argued that by virtue of Order 5 Rule 2 of the Fundamental Rights Procedure Rules 2009, the IG and the NPF could be served through their agents and had thus been served through their legal offices at Alagbon, Lagos.

    “The 1st and 2nd defendants have been duly served by the bailiff of this court on the 29th of June, 2017. The proof of service, as done by the bailiff of this court, is in Your Lordship’s file. I urge Your Lordship to rely heavily on the proof of service in Your Lordship’s file,” Ogungbeje said.

    He argued further that Eze had no right to speak for the IG and the NPF since he did not announce appearance for them and did not file a counter-affidavit to contradict the proof of service.

    Urging the judge to go ahead and hear the application, Ogungbeje added that a defendant in a civil case could not be compelled to appear in court if he chose to stay away.

    “As we speak, the applicant is still in detention. The coast is clear and we urge Your Lordship to allow us to take this application,” Ogungbeje said.

    After taking arguments from both lawyers, Justice Anka adjourned till Wednesday for a ruling.

  • Seven state governors to meet Buhari in London tomorrow – Presidency

    Seven state governors to meet Buhari in London tomorrow – Presidency

    The Presidency has said the seven state governors scheduled to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in London will depart Nigeria this evening.

    Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu made the disclosure while addressing State House Correspondents at the Presidential villa, Abuja.

    Shehu revealed that the meeting between the President and the governors will hold by 3 pm on Wednesday.

    He identified those scheduled for the trip to include, Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara state, who will lead the delegation.

    Other members of the delegation are Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Umar Ganduje (Kano) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Buhari on Sunday, hosted the APC’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, other party leaders and some governors elected on the platform of the APC inside the Abuja House in London, United Kingdom.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari traveled for medical check-up in London on Sunday, May 7, more than a month he came back into the country from a previous medical vacation.

     

  • INEC to formally receive petition recalling Dino Melaye Wednesday

    All is now set for the formal receipt a petition to recall Senator Dino Melaye tomorrow (Wednesday) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    This was confirmed to newsmen by an anonymous source in the Kogi State Government.

    The source explained that all that needs to be done has been completed and “it is left to INEC to take the next course of action.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that a total of 188,580 electorates from Kogi West Senatorial District already signed the recall register form of the senator.

    Announcing the figure at the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Lokoja, the returning officer for the recall of the serving senator, Adamu Yusuf, explained that out of 360,098 of the total registered voters of the seven western senatorial districts comprising Yagba, Mopa Muro, Kabba Bunu, Yagba East, Koton Karfe, Lokoja and Ijumu, 188, 588, signed the recall register constituting 52.3% of the voters in senatorial district.

    “Going by the above figures, it is important to let Nigerians know that we have met the Constitutional requirements of 51.1%. Dino has failed to represent Kogi West so we are calling him back home,” Yusuf added.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that INEC had last week denied knowledge of the recall process of Senator Melaye.

  • Senate to hold valedictory session for Adeleke Wednesday

    The Senate on Tuesday, adjourned plenary to Wednesday, to hold a valedictory session in honour of a member, Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, who died on Sunday.

    This followed a motion by Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, at plenary as the upper chamber resumed after two weeks Easter break.

    Lawan said that it was the practice and convention of the National Assembly to always show respect and honour to a deceased member by adjourning plenary.

    He said, “because of the death of our colleague on Sunday, I move a motion that the Senate observes a minute silence and adjourn to Wednesday, April 26.

    “Our colleagues will have the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Adeleke in a valedictory session,” he said.

    Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT) seconded the motion.

    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that a valedictory session would be held in honour of the Adeleke and advised members to ensure that they dressed appropriately.

    Speaking to newsmen at the end of plenary, Saraki described the death of Adeleke as a shock to all the lawmakers.

    “I have known him for many years. He was a very patriotic grassroots politician, who had great love for his people.

    “He was very friendly in the chambers and loved by everyone.

    “His contributions to our debate were that of a statesman. He was a true Nigerian,” he said.

    The senate president said that the death of Adeleke was a big loss to the National Assembly, people of Osun and Nigeria.

    He advised lawmakers to make out time to relax very well, saying that their job was stressful.

    “This work can never finish. We will just play our part and do our best. The most important thing is to make a mark,” he said.

    On his part, the Senate Chief Whip, Olushola Adeyeye, urged the lawmakers to live their days well and apply their hearts to wisdom.

    “There is only one life and when it expires, all you get from anybody is a minute silence.

    “Live happily, pleasantly, doing what you are supposed to do rather than live lazily and die without applying yourself to the best of your ability.”

    Also speaking, Sen. Binta Masi (APC-Adamawa) said that the deceased was a “very good fellow’’, who would be missed, because he had created a vacuum’’.

    Until his death at 62, Adeleke was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Capital Market and he was in the senate for the second time.

    He was in the red chamber between 2007 and 2011, representing Osun West senatorial district on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He lost his re-election bid in 2011.

    However, Adeleke won the election in 2015 and returned to the chamber, but as a member of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He was also the first elected governor of Osun.

     

    NAN

  • Photos: Abuja airport ready for operation, to be opened on Wednesday

    Photos: Abuja airport ready for operation, to be opened on Wednesday

    The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr Usman Muktar, says the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, runway is ready for operation and can be opened on Wednesday.

    Muktar stated this while speaking with newsmen during an inspection of the airport’s runway on Monday in Abuja.

    The Abuja airport was closed on March 8 for six weeks to enable rehabilitation of its 3.6 kilometres runway to be carried out. Flight activities were consequently diverted to Kaduna International Airport during the period.

    The Federal Government had announced that the airport would be reopened for normal operations on April 19.

    Muktar disclosed that NCAA had concluded the second phase of inspection as follow-up to the recommendations made to the contractors to correct some areas of concern earlier identified by a team of experts.

    According to him, they inspected yesterday, made some observations but the findings that were found were not safety critical and today it is found that they have been rectified.

    “We have carried out the inspection and we have confirmed that the job has been done quite satisfactorily in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard and recommended practices.

    “So, the airport, the runway is very ready to accept flight operations safely.

    “By this, we are declaring that the airport and its runway are quite operational at the time that has been determined as the official opening of this airport,” he declared.

    Muktar said that the agency had already issued “Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)’’ to all aviators worldwide that the airport was ready for reopening on Wednesday as scheduled.

    On the calibration of the airport, he said that nothing had been tampered with as far as the instrument landing system was concerned to warrant recalibration.

    According to him, calibrations are normally scheduled and very soon this airport will also be calibrated along with others.

    “It will be normal routine calibration which will be applicable to other airports that are due for recalibration,” he said.

    Earlier, the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, had said that the runway was fully ready for reopening, adding that it had been completely cleaned up.

    Dunona said that NCAA had given the operators a “clean bill of health’’, adding that some of the observations raised by the team of experts on the repair of the runway had been corrected.

    He explained that the runway was cleared “because we have our technical team working across the length and breadth of the runway to make sure that every detail is observed.

    “That is why all equipment has been evacuated from the runway.

    “Later, all the professionals in NCAA and FAAN will carry out a detailed inspection again to ensure that all debris is cleaned up during final cleaning.

    “Any moment from now, if there is any aircraft, we are ready to receive that aircraft, but of course, in aviation there are procedures because NOTAM has to be issued and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) will do that and then we are ready,” he said.

    See pictures of the rehabilitated runway below:

    Photos: Abuja airport ready for operation, to be opened on Wednesday

     

     

  • Expect poor visibility on Wednesday, NiMet warns Nigerians

    Expect poor visibility on Wednesday, NiMet warns Nigerians

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned that poor visibility will prevail over the country in the next 24 hours due to thick dust in the atmosphere.

    NiMet gave the warning in its Weather Alert by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    It said a fresh dust had been observed over western Chad and south eastern Niger republic as at 1100 LT, which would further deteriorate the already poor horizontal visibility across the country.

    NiMet added that most parts of Northern cities were likely to experience a further reduction in horizontal visibility to less than 1000m in about five hours from time of issuance of the forecast.

    It said that Katsina, Maiduguri, Kano, Damaturu, Nguru and Gombe would mostly be affected by the poor visibility.

    According to NiMet, a further reduction in visibility is expected over parts of the central cities of Abuja, Minna, Bida, Lafia, Jos, Makurdi, in moderate dust haze conditions.

    “A visibility range between two to five kilometres while Lokoja is anticipated to have visibility less than or equal to 1000m in the next 12 hours from the time of issuance.

    “Southern cities including Owerri, Enugu, Asaba, Ibadan, Lagos, Akure, Owerri and Port Harcourt are also expected to still be under the influence of moderate dust haze in the next 24hrs.

    “Thick dust visibility less than 1000m is observed over Maiduguri, Kano, Potiskum and Yelwa,’’ NiMet stated.

  • Watch out for thick dust haze atmosphere on Wednesday – NiMet

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted moderate to thick dust haze conditions over the central states on Wednesday with horizontal visibilities less than 1000m over Abuja, Bida, Zaria and Makurdi.

    NiMet made the prediction in the Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday.

    It explained that the region would have day and night temperature of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and 8 to 20 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that the Southern states would experience thick dust haze conditions with day and Night temperatures of 30 to 34 degrees and 17 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, northern states will experience thick dust haze conditions with visibility values less than 1000m throughout the forecast period.

    “The region will have day and night temperatures of 24 to 31 degrees Celsius and 12 to 18 degrees Celsius respectively during the forecast period.

    “Thick dust haze is expected over the entire country within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.