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Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Joe Erico has described as pure patriotism coach Stephen Keshi’s acceptance to temporarily oversee Nigeria’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) double-header against Congo DR and South Africa on September 6 and 10, respectively. Re-engagement discussion is still ongoing between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and representatives of the former Togo coach before the sports minister, Tammy Danagogo stepped in to broker a two-match truce while discussion continues. Erico said it must have been the burning desire to serve fatherland that would have compelled the former Mali coach to come down from his firm stand to take up the assignment of guiding the Afcon champions to prosecute the two important matches. “Keshi’s act is patriotism at its highest, worthy of commendation. Usually, it’s during period of national emergency that patriots step out to distinguish themselves from ordinary mortals. “We’ve two Afcon matches right before our noses wit...

World soccer governing body, FIFA has urged Chris Giwa to stop parading himself as the Nigeria Football Federation president. A letter signed by FIFA secretary-general, Jerome Valcke gave Giwa and his backers up till midnight of Monday September 1 to vacate the NFF secretariat. The letter addressed to NFF secretary-general Musa Amadu declared that FIFA will not recognize the election that brought Giwa and his executive committee to power. And if by Tuesday morning order was not restored to the NFF, Nigeria will face international sanctions. Aminu_Maigari “We understand from the sequence of events that the general assembly duly convened by the NFF Executive Committee could not start as planned because some NFF members, including the president, were being held by security forces for questioning. “Finally, we have learnt that the persons who claim to have been duly elected during the so-called ‘elective general assembly’ have come to the NFF offices claiming to be the legitimate pr...

***Clears Ribadu, Marwa, Ardo, Tukur, Gulak, 8 others for primary election By Henry Umoru AHEAD of the September 6 primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the emergence of the party’s candidate for the October 11 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, the party, yesterday, disqualified the acting governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, from contesting. Addressing journalists after the nine hours screening exercise, Chairman of the PDP screening panel for Adamawa State and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Nasir Mantu, said that the panel, while relying on Section 191(2) of 1999 Constitution, the acting governor could contest because he was a child of circumstance, a midwife and not the woman carrying the baby. President Goodluck Jonathan and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu President Goodluck Jonathan and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Of the 14 aspirants who appeared before the Mantu-led committee, only the acting governor was disqualified while the rest were cleared to part...

The battle for the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is creating tension in Kano State where the supporters of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and those of former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, have clashed. The state House of Assembly, dominated by the APC, has broken into two camps, each supporting Kwankwaso and Buhari. The governor and former Head of State are leading contenders for the APC presidential ticket. Some members of the assembly, under the aegis of G34, had, late last week, endorsed Kwankwaso for the APC presidential ticket. But signs that all was not well in the parliament emerged, yesterday, when a member of the group, Yusuf Abdullahi Atta, dissociated himself and some of his other colleagues from the endorsement, declaring support for Buhari. Kano State Deputy Majority leader, Yusuf Suleiman Babangida, who disclosed the G 34 endorsement of the state governor, on Thursday, declared that the current security situation in the country ...

A former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu, has denied reports that he is leading a lobby to unseat the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. In a statement, Egwu said the reports were brought to his attention around 10.30 am on Friday and that he was truly confounded at the carefully constructed falsehood. He observed that the reports were the handiwork of ‘’wicked minded and politically desperate individuals who hope to achieve other aims by knocking heads together through insinuations and irresponsible innuendos’’. The former governor added: ‘’I am, however, convinced that anyone with even a little knowledge of politics and personalities mentioned in the reports will immediately dismiss it without second thought.’’ Egwu said, in the statement, that he never had any discussions with ex-Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, who he knew to be responsible and easy-going, regarding his future since he left office and that he did not see ho...

NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, has led some leaders of the party to former National Chairman, National Republican Convention, NRC, and immediate past Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tom Ikimi, begging him to rejoin the party. Muazu, who made the visit, Friday night, to the Abuja Maitama residence of Ikimi with the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, and PDP deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Uches Secondus, stressed that the visit was among others designed to finalize arrangements for his formal return, adding that the PDP was happy that Ikimi had decided to return to its fold. The PDP boss described Ikimi as a highly organized and patriotic Nigerian who has the interest of the nation at heart, saying such attribute made it hard for him to be in a party like the APC. He said that PDP will immensely benefit from Ikimi’s “wealth of experience, strong political structure and massive followe...

Last Tuesday, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan launched the Nigerian National Identity card to great expectations. The National Identity Card project has been long in the making. The first proposal for the National ID project was mooted in 1976, but various interests, including cultural and religious concerns, pressured the administration into abandoning the idea. Dr. Alex Ekwueme has himself revealed how he spearheaded the idea to create a National Population database which would provide consistent demographic information in Nigeria, but which was scuttled by pressures even within the administration in which he served. Clearly, there are those for whom accurate national population statistics serves very little interest. Indeed, for this group, it is not in their interest for Nigeria to have a clear population index and a national means of citizenship identification. But a national identity card, which will capture Nigeria’s national population data is both desirable and welcome. Th...

Never in the history of Nigeria has a non-governmental organization, under the aegis of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria(TAN), moved with passion for the unrivaled good leadership precepts and love for the masses already evidenced by the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan taken up the initiative to guide the citizens ahead the coming 2015 general elections. Apparently feeling what many Nigerians have noticed-that the numerous life-enhancing/transforming achievements of the president have remained unnoticed, unreported or intentionally disregarded, the international Nigeria-based NGO few months ago decided to take up the challenge. So far, two out of its scheduled seven national rallies planned to hold at each of the nation’s geopolitical zones, with a grand finale scheduled for Abuja, have proved that the dogged determination of the group to showcase Jonathan and the gains of his transformation project is working. The sleepy cities of Awka and Ibadan stood still when th...

*Says Gbenga Daniel set booby trap all over Ogun *’The challenge of running Onabanjo Varsity’ *Speaks on the alternative to the ‘politics of rice’ By Jide Ajani Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State says it is an insult to the people to reduce governance to the distribution of kerosene and rice. He speaks, in this interview, in reference to the Ekiti State election in which ‘politics of stomach infrastructure’ was said to have played a role in determining the winner. Amosun also sheds light on the alleged feud between him and a top leader of his party – All Progressive Congress (APC) – in Ogun, Chief Olusegun Osoba, saying he won’t fight the APC leader. According to him, his predecessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, set booby traps for his government. The governor also comments on the challenge of running Olabisi Onabanjo University whose students have been locked in battle with his government over school fees. Chief Segun Osoba and Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun Chief Segun Os...

But Ojukwu, overwhelmed by personal ambition and popular support, decided that “an early practicable date” meant “four days later,” without detailed preparation for the worst case scenario – war. In the early hours of May 30 1967, he declared the transformation of Eastern region into The Republic of Biafra. Looking at the issue dispassionately, although Ojukwu was under tremendous pressure to pull Eastern region out of Nigeria, he lacked the necessary political experience and sagacity to neutralise the understandable anger of his people and explore less extreme or disruptive approach for resolving the conflict between Eastern region and the federal government. Now, a lot has been written on the civil war, which actually began on July 6 1967 when a contingent of the Nigerian army unleashed an artillery barrage on Ogoja on the northernmost border of Biafra. Sometime ago, I discussed some of the issues concerning the war when some Yoruba ethnic irredentists attacked Chinua Achebe for lab...

By Femi Aribisala God, our Father, is merciful. Once we repent, he immediately forgives us; provided we also forgive others. Jesus says: “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus does not say we shall be forgiven because he will die for our sins and wash us in his blood. He says we shall be forgiven if we forgive others. It is all that simple. Kingdom keys Jesus says to Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19). What are the keys of the kingdom and what doors are they for? Are they used to lock up Satan and his demons as most Christians presume? Are they used to engage in “spiritual warfare;” a Christian dictum for violent and aggressive prayers? Don’t be deceived. Jesus’...

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday, said he was consulting with “senior” leaders across the country to determine his political direction in 2015. He stressed the need for free and fair elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), just as he described as undemocratic the militarization of states during polls. There is the speculation that the House Speaker may dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he is expected to vie for the presidential ticket. The Speaker spoke at the residence of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu, before attending the wedding ceremony of the son of the Oba of Benin, Prince Ehioze Erediauwa, and his wife, Chioma. The Speaker was flanked by the Minority Whip of the House and member representing Uhumwonde/Orhiomnwon Federal constituency, Samson Osagie; Rasaq Bello-Osagie (Oredo Fede...

A frontline governorship aspirant in Lagos State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, popularly called GOS, has held discussions with top officials of local governments in all the 57 council areas of the state. The meeting, held to seek the support of the council bosses for his gubernatorial aspiration was closely followed, weekend, by the declaration of total support for GOS by a socio-political organization, Patriots Face. The group, parading thousands of members across the 57 council areas of the state, declared its support for the senator’s aspiration at a ceremony in Mushin. A statement by Solomon’s campaign team, yesterday, said “the meeting midweek with vice chairmen and secretaries of all the local councils in Lagos was aimed at mobilizing them for the senator’s governorship ambition which has been receiving widespread support across the state’’. The statement added: ‘’He urged the gathering to buy in and take ownership o...

With the launch of the new National electronic identity card scheme , there may not be a hiding place again for unscrupulous Nigerians engaging in identity theft and other criminal vices that have been threatening Nigeria’s national interests and growth For one thing, the scheme which is expected to signal the start of Africa’s largest financial inclusion, according to keen observers, would end the regime of duplication of biometric data bases in the country. Interestingly, by using the card as a payment tool, Nigerians can deposit funds, receive social benefits, save, or engage in many other financial transactions that are facilitated by electronic payments with the extra security assurance that biometric verification provides. Jonathan-e-ID-CardHowever, upon completion of the pilot program, the Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC), it was learnt was planning to introduce more than 100 million cards to Nigeria’s 167 million citizens. In the pilot phase,...

To him, inclusive growth in the economy is not complete without the rural dwellers whose life depends on agriculture, so he sees himself as being on a mission to integrate the rural dwellers through transformation of agriculture. Today, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, sees his journey in the corridor of power as an opportunity of being an instrument in transforming the country’s agriculture. In this chat with Editors in Lagos, he talks about the Agriculture Transformation Agenda of the government and what they have been able to do with fertilizer, various crops and the investments they have attracted to agriculture which have helped in bringing down the food import bill of the country in the past three years. ON INVESTMENT IN AGRIC Akinwunmi Adesina Akinwunmi Adesina What we are building right now in agriculture is a very effective value chain that goes from the farm to the table and this involves smallholder farmers and the big off takers like...