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Popular Singer Ice Prince Regains Freedom

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ABN Editor 2
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Popular Singer Ice Prince Regains Freedom

Nigerian musician Panshak Henry Zamani, AKA Ice Prince Zamani, has been released from prison.

Recall that Ice Prince was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for allegedly abducting an officer when he was stopped at about 3 am for driving without license plates.

He had pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him at the Magistrate Court in Ajah, Lagos State.

Magistrate Taiwo Oyaniyi granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 and demanded the provision of two sureties.

It was gathered that the artiste was released after meeting bail conditions on Thursday.

Confirming the development, Ice Prince tweeted, “Freedom is priceless.”

Hungary Can ‘No Longer Be Considered A Full Democracy,’ Says EU Parliament

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ABN Editor 2
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Hungary Can ‘No Longer Be Considered A Full Democracy,’ Says EU Parliament

Hungary can “no longer be considered a full democracy,” the European Parliament said in a statement following its adoption of a report on Thursday.

The Parliament said the situation has “deteriorated such that Hungary has become an ‘electoral autocracy.’”

“Overall, [The European Parliament] expresses regrets that the lack of decisive EU action has contributed to a breakdown of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary, and turning one of its member states into hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” the report read.

“There is increasing consensus among experts that Hungary is no longer a democracy,” the report added.

In their report, Parliament members listed a range of concerns, including about the functioning of the country’s electoral system and judicial independence. They also expressed fears about academic and religious freedoms, as well as with the rights of vulnerable groups, including “ethnic minorities, LGBTIQ people, human rights defenders, refugees and migrants.”

The motion, which passed with 433 votes in favor, 123 against and 28 abstentions, calls on the European Council and the European Commission to “devote more attention to the systemic dismantling of the rule of law” in Hungary.

In particular, the EU Parliament calls for the Commission to withhold Hungary’s EU funds.

Some right-wing MEPs criticized the report, saying it was “based on subjective opinions and politically biased statements, and reflects vague concerns, value judgments and double standards.”

“This text is yet another attempt by the federalist European political parties to attack Hungary and its Christian-democratic, conservative government for ideological reasons,” they said in a minority position statement attached to the report.

Citing corruption risks, the European Commission is expected to recommend later this week suspending billions earmarked for Budapest from the bloc’s 1.1 trillion euro ($1.1 trillion) shared budget for 2021-27, according to Reuters.

That would be the first such EU move under its new financial sanction dubbed “cash for democracy” and agreed two years ago precisely in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as well as his allies in Poland, rowing back on liberal democratic tenets inside the bloc.

Orban has been locked for years in acrimonious feuds with the EU, which Hungary joined in 2004, over the rights of migrants, gays and women, as well as the independence of the judiciary, media and academia.

The self-styled illiberal crusader denies, however, that Hungary is any more corrupt than other nations in the 27-nation bloc.

The European Commission has already blocked some 6 billion euros due for Budapest from the bloc’s separate Covid economic stimulus package, citing insufficient anti-graft safeguards in Hungary’s public procurement.

Funds worth as much as a tenth of Hungary’s GDP could be at stake should other EU members approve the expected recommendation by the Commission, a prospect that has weighed on the Hungarian forint, central Europe’s worst-performing currency.

Budapest has come under pressure in recent weeks to strike a deal with Brussels and unlock funding for Hungary’s ailing economy, and Orban’s government has promised to create a new anti-graft agency.

Member countries have three months to decide on the Commission’s recommendation and they could limit the punishment if they found Budapest’s actions in the meantime convincing.

But on Friday, Orban dismissed the EU Parliament’s statement as a “boring joke.”

“As far as the EU Parliament decision is concerned, we think it is in the domain of (a) joke. We are not laughing because it is a boring joke,” Orban said through a translator after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Reuters reported.

Abia State Government Warns Against Intimidation Of Town Planners

By
Victor Alade
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Abia State Government Warns Against Intimidation Of Town Planners
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu

The government of Abia State has called on residents of the state to desist from harassing, intimidating and arresting the state Urban Planning Authority personnel who visit building sites to monitor compliance with guidelines.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Dr Chidi Onwuchuruba, gave the warning at a meeting with UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) Team in Aba on Friday.

Addressing building professionals, Onwuchuruba said that some of them joined property owners to disrupt urban planning rules.

“People building should find a better place and build according to the rules.

“Whenever you see them (Urban Planning Authority personnel), they are probably checking on compliance with the rules; so, don’t arrest or harass them.

“By year 2000, the then Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, being an Aba boy, set up a committee to see how to sanitise the city.

“The committee, which I was part of, reported that 1, 500 buildings needed to be knocked down but he was unable to implement it.

“By 2009, during the tenure of Theodore Orji, he set up another committee to review the state of building developments in Aba.

“The committee Orji set up reported that a whopping number, 4,500 buildings, needed to be knocked down in Aba. Orji could not implement it.

“One day, a governor, who will have the willpower to implement such a report will knock down up to 10,000 buildings in Aba,” the official said.

He urged property developers and other Abia residents to support town planning activities for the benefit of all. (NAN).

CBN Announces eNaira Platform Temporarily Unavailable

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Munachi
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CBN Announces eNaira Platform Temporarily Unavailable

The eNaira platform will not be accessible for a while, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This was revealed by CBN in several tweets on Thursday, along with the announcement that the platform would soon be operational.

Additionally, it mentioned that platform upgrades are currently being made to enhance user experience.

CBN tweets read: “Dear valued customers, we apologize for the current unavailability of eNaira services, which is due to an ongoing improvement maintenance activity,” it tweeted.

“Our technical team is working hard to complete the enhancement process in the next few hours.

“While we regret any inconvenience customers may experience in the interim, we do appreciate your kind feedback and patience as we all strive to improve the user experience with the eNaira.

“We assure you that the eNaira platform will be back online soonest to serve you better. Please bear with us.”

Meanwhile, Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, has added eNaira as a payment option for merchants, a move that could help boost the adoption of the digital currency.

Flutterwave said on Thursday that over one million merchants now accept naira payments from their customers.

“We… are confident that this number will grow further as we continue to innovate and expand,” Flutterwave said in a statement.

Atiku, Tinubu, Obi Others Invited For Peace Agreement

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ABN Editor 2
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Atiku, Tinubu, Obi Others Invited On Peace Agreement

The National Peace Committee has invited presidential candidates, their parties and spokespersons to sign a peace agreement ahead of the 2023 general elections to ensure that their campaigns are issue-based and peaceful.

The invitation was handed to the contestants, their parties and spokespersons through a letter on Thursday in Abuja.

The letter indicated that the agreement would be the first cycle to be held on September 29, 2022 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Chairman of the committee Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), who signed the invitation letter stated that the peace agreement will be signed twice before the general elections.

The letter stated, “the first accord signing is intended to commit political parties, candidates and their spokespersons to conduct their campaigns both online and offline in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious and hateful rhetoric that will incite violence and further aggravate the growing tension in the nation.

“The second peace agreement will hold in January, 2023.

“These interventions are to complement ongoing peace initiatives aimed at promoting a violence-free and inclusive electioneering process before, during and after the declaration of the final election results.”

SDP Has What It Takes To be In Aso Rock In 2023 – Chief Falae

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ABN Editor 2
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SDP Has What It Takes To be In Aso Rock In 2023 – Chief Falae
Chief Olu Falae

The founding chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, on Thursday said that the party has what it takes to win the 2023 general elections.

Falae stated this at the official inauguration of the party’s new National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that when he decided to revive the party, some people thought it was impossible, but today the party had grown in number and strength across the country.

“SDP is the only party with right technology, philosophy and manifesto. We deserve to rule Nigeria and by the grace of God, we will be there.

“We have a good presidential candidate in the person of Adewole Adebayo who has not only demonstrated his knowledge of law but history, anthropology, architecture and other fields.

“We need someone with broad mind and education like Adebayo to lead our country.

“The party may not have a governor today, but I have no doubt that SDP will be in Aso Rock and become governors in many states in 2023,” Falae said.

He commended the party leadership for its achievements, urging them to continue to bring back those who left the party and new members to work together to win the 2023 general elections.

Falae decried the rate at which many young men and professionals including doctors were leaving Nigeria to seek greener pastures.

“If we do not restructure and revive Nigeria, more and more young people will desert the country,” Falae said.

He said that with Adebayo as SDP presidential candidate, Nigerians have the chance to elect a president that would restructure and chart a new course for the country.

In his remarks, the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, expressed his commitment to be a better president that would deliver good governance and democracy to Nigeria when elected.

Adebayo said that when elected, he would deliver victory to Nigerians in form of sound medical care, security and education.

“If you want to know if I will be a better president, look at the decisions that I have taken.

“Of all the money bags and peoples of claim titles I have chosen a youth, a leader of change, dynamic person, banker, economist and proven integrity, Yusuf Buhari as my running mate.

“SDP has the young person as the national chairman who represents the future.

“I am telling Nigerians that the alternative you have been looking for is here. The excuse that you don’t have a choice is gone.”

He advised Nigerians not to listen to pundits on the 2023 general elections saying the outcome of the election would surprise many.

The SDP National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, said that the SDP is a moving train determined to win the 2023 general elections.

“I don’t see any party defeating the SDP, unless we are not committed. The array of our gubernatorial candidates who have contested elections before is overwhelming.

“If you mention any of them, people know them and they will win for SDP. We don’t concede defeat. There is no defeat in our dictionary.”

Gabam urged party members to forget their personal issues and work together to save Nigeria.

He described the new building as a demonstration of prudent management of the party’s meagre resources by its leadership.

Gabam said it was also a demonstration that SDP would manage Nigeria’s resources well and that the party was ready for the 2023 general elections.

Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, the former Liaison Officer to President Shehu Shagari, urged the party leaders and members to go back to the grassroots and mobilise support for SDP and its candidates.

Yakasai, who was represented by the SDP gubernatorial candidate in Adamawa State, Dr Umar Ardo, advised the party to take advantage of the new Electoral Act 2022, to win elections for the party.

“2022 electoral act is an opportunity for the SDP to mobilise for the party. There is no more room for rigging and vote allocation has been tackled,” Yakasai said.

Father Who Violated 18-Year-Old Daughter For 12 Years In Lagos Bags 21 Years Imprisonment

By
Alex Enemanna
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0

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday sentenced a 52-year-old- man, Akin Isaac, to 21 years for raping his 18-year–old daughter for 12 years in Lagos State.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo sentenced the convict to 21 years imprisonment following his plea of guilty to the one count preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

During the arraignment, the state’s prosecution counsel, Omowumi Bajulaye-Bishi, told the court that Isaac defiled his daughter from age six to age 18.

According to the prosecution, the offence committed contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law Cap C.17 Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

In her judgment on the plea bargain agreement the convict signed with the state, the judge said the 21 years proposed sentence by the ministry of justice was too small to the offence which carried life imprisonment.

She held, “I knew this case very well, I could remember the survivor was crying when giving evidence before the court that she had abortion and how the defendant had beaten her.

“The prosecution had called four witnesses who testified against the defendant. The defendant initially pleaded not guilty.”

Earlier Justice Taiwo who handed down the sentence to Isaac had also directed the court registrar to put the defendant in the witness box to go through the process of plea bargain wherein he was asked whether he was forced or coerced by anybody whatsoever to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.

Isaac answered that he decided to change his plea. He started pleading with the court to have mercy on him.

However Bajulaye-Bishi , while reviewing the facts of the case, said between 2014 and 2020, the defendant was having unlawful sexual intercourse with his daughter which resulted into at least one pregnancy.

“The defendant also attempted to procure abortion for her and regularly administer drugs to her to prevent pregnancy.

“Trial commenced on February 7, 2022, in which the prosecution called four witnesses before the defendant approached the prosecution to change his plea.

Consequently the court admitted the convict’s plea of guilty and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment.

PUNCH

‘It Doesn’t Matter How Long I Touch The Ball’ Haaland Speaks Ahead Wolves Clash

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ABN Editor 2
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Haaland Faces Possible FA Charge
Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland

Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland says he’s not bothered by the number of touches he has with the ball for as long as he keeps scoring the goals.

The Norwegian star made this known in an interview with TribalFootball, where he hailed his overhead volley as one of the best of his career, but is eyeing more goals.

Haaland has already scored 13 times for the Premier League champions in just eight matches.

However, he said that he’s more focused on getting goals against Wolves this weekend.

“I have to focus on the next game and I have to focus on the right things. If I think too much, then I don’t think it is a good thing. It’s about focusing on the right things.

“For me, it was easy to stay focused, as I always do. People might say I don’t touch the ball enough and this and that, but I don’t care about this. I know what I am going to do and what I have to do.

“That’s exactly what I did in a difficult match and exactly what I will keep doing. My dream is to touch the ball five times and score five goals. That’s my biggest dream.

“It was a special match for me to play Dortmund. It was emotional and I have a lot of good friends with the coaches, staff and everyone I know.

“I had to be focused, be ready for the things that I have to do against my former team. At the end, it’s just a football game, but for me it was a bit more special.

“It was emotional, but it was a nice game. It was strange, but it was nice. I will always love everyone there and it’s an amazing club. I had a good time there.”

Ronaldo Reacts To Scoring First-Ever Goal In Europa League

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ABN Editor 2
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Ronaldo Reacts To Scoring First-Ever Goal In Europa League

Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his delight after scoring his first-ever goal in the Europa League as Manchester United beat Sheriff 2-0 on Thursday. سلوتس اون لاين

Ronaldo opened his goals account in Europe’s second-tier club competition after doubling United’s lead from the penalty spot. 1xbet casino

Jadon Sancho opened scoring for the Red Devils early in the first half as Erik ten Hag’s side bounced back from their opening day loss to Real Sociedad. العاب مقابل المال

And reacting to scoring his first goal in the competition, Ronaldo praised his teammates for making it happen.

“Happy to score and help the team win! 3 important points!” Ronaldo wrote on his Twitter handle.

“Well done lads.”

Putin, Nikol Discuss Situation On Armenian-Azerbaijani Border

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ABN Editor 2
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Putin, Nikol Discuss Situation On Armenian-Azerbaijani Border

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border over phone, the press service of the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers reported.

“The interlocutors referred to the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that despite the relative tranquility at the border, the situation caused by Azerbaijan’s aggression against the sovereign territory of Armenia remains very tense,” the statement said.

According to the press service, the Armenian Prime Minister and Russian President also discussed issues related to the implementation of decisions taken in connection with Armenia’s application to the CSTO.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed to TASS that such a conversation indeed took place.

“Indeed, there was a telephone conversation late at night,” Peskov said.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday night that Azerbaijan’s armed forces were shelling Armenian settlements. Baku said that it retaliated Yerevan’s actions. Later Azerbaijan announced that the sides had agreed on a ceasefire, but Armenia claimed that the shelling continued.·

The Armenian Security Council held an emergency meeting and decided to ask for help from Russia to invoke the provisions of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, as well as the CSTO and the UN Security Council. Pashinyan told the parliament on Wednesday that 105 servicemen had been killed by the Azerbaijani actions.

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