Ukraine meets no criteria for accession to the European community, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in a Telegram post on Monday.
“Ukraine meets no criteria for either joining the European community, or being granted [EU] candidacy,” Volodin wrote, citing total corruption, rampant crime and the rule of oligarchs there, as well as the country’s devastated economy.
“Europe realizes that only too well, too, but the desire to weaken Russia is stronger,” Volodin added.
The West is failing to fight Russia till the last Ukrainian standing, Russia’s top legislator said, “which is why Washington and Brussels are ready to do their best to keep the military operation running. In Volodin’s view, the decision to grant Ukraine EU candidacy also stemmed from that.
“A sad fate awaits Ukraine: as the decision making will be officially done in Brussels, the country would lose all its sovereignty,” Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel.
The Founder of Household of God Church, Reverend Chris Okotie, has asked political parties’ presidential candidates to step down for him in his bid to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is as he also urged Buhari to hand over to him as Interim President in 2023, noting that he was the right person to right the wrongs in the country.
The cleric made the call on Sunday while addressing journalists at his Church, Oregun, Ikeja when celebrating his 63rd birthday anniversary.
Explaining the rationale behind his request, Okotie noted that he had proposed to become the interim president because that was the “solution” for the country’s challenges.
According to him, we are blessed as a nation with all human and natural resources yet we are not moving forward. Through my government, everything will be alright.
“I want to appeal to all presidential candidates to withdraw from the race and allow me to come in as the interim president. I want to implore Asiwaju to support my government for the betterment of the country and I also want to tell Obi that the system that introduced him cannot take him anywhere, because he cannot operate in the system we have now. All the presidential candidates should support me to succeed President Buhari as the interim president.
“We must also rise above tribe and religion because there is an imbalance in the country and we are not practising federalism instead, what we are practising is a presidential system of government. Since 1999, things have been declining because the presidential system of government we are practising has failed us.
“We must get rid of the National and State Assemblies because maintaining each member cost the country billions of naira. Some of the standing committees at both assemblies are not useful to the country, they are only representing themselves, not the populace.
“For the best of the country, both assemblies should be scrapped and the money for maintaining them should be used for something else. What we have in Nigeria today is the government of the party, by the party and for the party.
“Ministers and the Commissioners should also be expunged because Nigeria’s democracy has been hijacked by the elite for their interest and they are deceiving the downtrodden who don’t know anything. And the most important of all is our constitution. It should be changed to a people-oriented constitution, not the military one we have now. After the change, we can then restructure the country for the better.”
On his plans for the country after becoming the interim president, Okotie said, “If I am made the interim president, our government will be a transparent one and we will redirect the steps of the youth who are into internet fraudsters and turned them to better persons in the society and empower them.
“While a young person with inclination to technology advancement will ensure financial accountability of government and each state will have control of their national resources. First, we emulated the British and now we are copying the American style of democracy that didn’t take us anywhere.
“The presidential system of government has failed us woefully. We should enable professional associations constitutionally to acquire legislative power as a replacement for the removal of the legislature from our political system.
“And we should also embrace the concept of aboriginal democracy, that is a government from the people, for the people and with the people. This is distinct from the current experience of political parties which is the government of the party, the party and for the party.
“My government will be that of National Reconciliation and Reconstruction. The interim government shall address aberrations and anomalies in the polity. I want to implore all Nigerians to join hands in the conversations that would enable a transition to an interim government at the end of President Buhari’s administration”.
Turkey won’t greenlight Sweden and Finland’s bid to join NATO at the bloc’s Madrid summit set for late June, the head of the Ankara-based Foreign Policy Institute told TASS on Monday.
“Turkey cannot be expected to give the greenlight at the Madrid summit. Sooner or later, Sweden and Finland will join NATO. العاب بوكر للكبار It is highly unlikely to happen this year and may require the alliance to hold another summit,” Huseyin Bagci pointed out.
He emphasized that Turkey did not oppose the NATO accession of the two Nordic countries in principle but was first and foremost interested in getting written guarantees that would address concerns about their ties with terrorist organizations, namely the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the FETO organization.
According to the expert, due to Turkey’s unwavering stance on Sweden and Finland, their NATO membership bid has become more complicated than it was when they had first announced their plans to join the bloc. “The time has come for closed-door diplomacy,” he noted.
The Foreign Policy Institute director denied allegations that Ankara had cranked up pressure on the two Nordic countries in a bid to play into Russia’s hands and to also extract certain concessions from the United States, particularly in terms of weapons supplies. طاولة الروليت
On May 18, the Swedish and Finnish envoys to NATO submitted their countries’ applications to join the alliance to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. الكزينو Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said then that Ankara would not support Sweden and Finland joining NATO until the two countries determined their position on the said organizations deemed terrorist groups by Ankara.
The Village Head of Zira, Yahya Saleh Abubakar, has been abducted during an invasion of the countryside by gunmen.
Zira is a village in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State
Abubakar was kidnapped alongside his son, Habibu Saleh,
The police spokesman in Bauchi, SP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the incident, adding that the victims will be rescued.
He said that the gunmen attacked the village, which is under Rishi Police Division, a border village with Plateau State, around 2 am Saturday night.
Wakil said the Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda, had directed the divisional police officer (DPO) in the area to rescue the abducted victim unhurt.
“The command has since dispatched a team of detectives and other police officers to rescue the victims and presently our men are combing the bush in search of the abducted victims. افضل طريقة للعب الروليت We assure residents that the abducted persons shall soon be rescued. ترتيب البوكر
Wakil urged the public to remain calm and go about their normal business and report any suspicious characters as police were doing everything possible to rescue the victims.
The abduction came five days after gunmen attacked Jimari communities in Alkaleri Local Government Area, killing four people and injuring three. 1xbet موقع
The District Head of Lame, Alhaji Aliyu Yakubu Lame, said the abductors had yet to contact the family
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called the Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain exports a “real war crime,” adding that the bloc’s sanctions on Russia have played no part in the global food crisis.
Speaking to journalists on his way to a EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said that “it’s not the European sanctions” that are “creating this crisis.”
Some background: Russia’s war in Ukraine could push up to 49 million people into famine or famine-like conditions because of its devastating impact on global food supply and prices, the United Nations has said. Countries are scrambling to find a way around the blockade, and the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “absolutely has weaponized food” by blockading grain exports out of Ukraine.
Borrell’s remarks comes after Putin said that Russia’s actions in Ukraine are not responsible for the global food crisis and accused the United States of driving up food prices in his speech to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
“Famine in the poorest countries will be on the conscience of the US administration and the Eurocrats,” he said.
Minister hits back at Putin’s remarks: Borrell countered these claims Monday, saying that the “the problem comes from the Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain.” Countries who want to buy Russian fertilizers are free to so, Borrell said, reiterating that the bloc’s sanctions do not target food or fertilizers.
One cannot imagine that millions of tons of wheat remain blocked in Ukraine while in the rest of the world people are suffering hunger. This is a real war crime,” Borrell said.
He added that he didn’t see the food crisis lasting “much longer,” expressing his hope that the UN “reaches an agreement” with Russia soon to unblock Ukrainian grain exports.
Chief Emma Eneukwu, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that some contenders for the party’s presidential ticket spent billions while others spent millions of naira to get the ticket.
This was made known by Chief Eneukwu during a lunch organized by friends of a former Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, at the weekend in Abuja.
Chief Eneukwu said the thinking among many stakeholders in the party was that the APC would micro-zone its ticket to the South East in the interest of equity and justice.
He, however, said monetization and materialism took over the process, leading to the defeat of aspirants who were not willing to spend billions.
Onu had contested the presidential ticket of the party with 12 other contenders but lost to the National Leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is from the South West.
The party’s presidential primary was held at the Eagles Square in Abuja from June 7 to 8.
Eneukwu said, “He (Onu) is not ready to buy that position when he is going to serve because some people spent their millions and billions to get there. If they have something to give to society, they will not pay to get there.
“He genuinely wanted to be president so that he can change society, and that was what he wanted Nigerians to buy into.
“But because Nigerians are so materialistic and hungry, they couldn’t see the treasure that God positioned to change this country. One day the truth will manifest; justice can only be delayed but not denied.”
In their remarks, a former Governor of Enugu State, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and his Anambra State counterpart, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said they were devastated when the two main political parties, PDP and APC, refused to zone their presidential tickets to the South East.
Femi Adesina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, has urged men of God to follow in the footsteps of Pastor Williams Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
Men of God, according to Adesina, should be apolitical like Kumuyi. سباق حصان
He spoke yesterday at the promotion of a book, titled: ‘Kumuyi: The Defender of the Faith’ in Lagos.
Adesina said Kumuyi has remained forthright, and stayed true to his calling, at a time when most men of God in Nigeria took sides politically.
He described the Deeper Life founder as a great man of God. اسرار لعبة البوكر
According to Adesina: “We are glad that Pastor Kumuyi is in that group.
“When Pastor Kumuyi talks, we can listen, knowing that his message is not tainted with politics, prejudice, or any other consideration.
“Whatsoever he says, you can be sure is what the word of God says. لعبة ضومنه اون لاين للايفون Wherever he stands is where the word of God stands.”
Only recently, Adesina slammed the founder of Living Faith Bible Church, Bishop David Oyedepo.
The presidential aide said Oyedepo was blinded by his hatred for Buhari following his series of messages against the current administration.
Superstar Burna Boy trended two weeks ago after his police escorts were alleged to have shot and wounded two patrons of Cubana club in Victoria Island, Lagos, in the early hours of Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
Reports revealed that the shooting began after a lady at the club turned down Burna Boy’s offer to join him and his friends at the VIP section.
The said lady on Sunday night opened up on her side of the story, as she detailed how Burna Boy’s aides attacked her partner and friends.
The lady, identified as Briella N on Instagram, noted that she was visiting Nigeria from overseas for a friend’s wedding when the shooting happened.
Giving details via her Instagram page, @nemebriella, she said, “We were visiting Nigeria from America and London for our childhood friend’s wedding. On the 8th of June 2022, @burnaboygram & his friends opened fire at us in @cubanalagos.
“My partner and his friend were shot, with both needing urgent medical care. A bullet grazed my partners head and our friend was shot in the thigh, leaving him hospitalised and needing an emergency surgery in Nigeria.”
She noted that she and her friends were having a nice time at the club when Burna Boy and his friends arrived.
The lady added, “As the night progressed, one of Burna Boy’s friends walked to talk to me, his request was for Burna Boy to talk to me.
“On that first attempt, I told him I wasn’t interested in talking to Burna Boy and I am married to my partner. He came again the second time and was met with the same response.
“He came the third time and that caused a few of our friends to flare up as they asked why he kept coming to disturb me. There were words back and forth and one of Burna Boy’s friends attacked one of our friends, and as they attacked him, the situation degenerated into a fight.”
Briella noted that the club security intervened and things were slowly going back to normal when another fight broke out among Burna Boy’s friends.
She noted that the shooting started at that point and everyone scampered for safety.
“At this point, I couldn’t find my partner or my best friend. I was screaming for help after being lifted and thrown so hard on the floor by one of Burna’s friends and I hurt my left shoulder,” Briella continued.
She added, “All our private police officers were not allowed into the club, so it was left to us to fight for our lives. One of our friends @theflowolf was trying to get Burna Boy to calm the situation but he only laughed at him and proceeded to get in his car whilst being protected by his security.
“The shootings happened twice at different times. His friends were also shooting at people trying to evacuate the club through the main entrance.
“They were out to kill and didn’t care who got hit. My partner’s head was bleeding profusely and his friend lost so much blood he needed a donor As soon as he got to the hospital.
“@burnaboygram left @cubanalagos without a scratch and flew out to Spain the next morning.
“@obi_cubana only reached out to us four days after the event claiming he had no idea and would do everything to get us justice for attempted murder.
“11 days later, there has been no CCTV footage released by the club OR even a statement to address the incident publicly. Business has carried on as usual for him
“To sum things up, I’m traumatised. I’ve broken down every day since then. The random flashbacks and nightmares. Especially after seeing @burnaboygram’s response.
“The lack of remorse or accountability is beyond me. At least two people could’ve died that night.”
Reacting to the shootings few days after the incident, Burna Boy had tweeted, “Nigerian Social media can say BURNA BOY started Boko haram, e no go shock me.”
Following his penalty miss at Euro 2020, Kylian Mbappe revealed he was on the verge of leaving the France national team after receiving racist abuse.
Last June, the world champions were eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16, after Mbappe’s penalty kick was saved by Yann Sommer.
Noel Le Graet, the president of the French Football Federation, claimed that the Paris Saint-Germain star was considering retiring from international football as a result of the lack of support he received after the crucial penalty miss.
But Mbappe has said it was because of the racial abuse he received rather than solely because he was not supported after his miss.
The 23-year-old wrote: “Yes finally I explained to him (Le Graet) above all that it was in relation to racism, and NOT to the penalty.
“But he considered that there had been no racism…”
The Federal Polytechnic, Ede Alumni Association (FPEA) has announced the suspension of its National President, Bashir Shittu
The announcement is contained in a letter signed by Buhari T. Abiodun, the association’s National General Secretary.
Association said it suspended Shittu over allegations of financial misappropriation and abuse of power.
In the letter on Sunday, the group disclosed that the suspended national president, Shittu had violated some sections of the FPEA Constitution.
In the letter, the sum of ten million, thirty thousand, nine hundred and sixty-one Naira and ninety Kobo (N10,030,961:90) were expended by the president without making any recourse to the National Executive Council for approval.
According to the letter, “Three previous NEC meetings were held where a qualitative explanation was requested from the president on how he spent the money and who gave the approval.
“It was also agreed that further expenditure should be put on hold until a detailed explanation and report were presented for ratification but the president still went ahead to approve a total sum of four hundred and thirty thousand Naira (N430,000), out of which a sum of two hundred and sixty thousand Naira (N260,000) was approved to himself.
“The NEC in her emergency meeting held today, after thorough deliberations, rose to suspend the president indefinitely and appointed Mr. Samson Ogundipe (Vice President 1) as Acting National President.”
In his reaction, the embattled President, Shittu Basiru described the meeting as illegal.
In his words, “It was an unauthorized and illegal meeting which I was not part of,” he said.
Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, has expressed concern over what he described...
