Eguavoen Congratulates Manchester City On Title Win

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May 23, 2022

Russia’s Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov

The implementation of the chief of European diplomacy Josep Borrell’s idea of creating a European army will not improve security on the continent, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

“We know that Mr. Borrel is not a proponent of diplomatic methods of settling disputes. Contrary to the office he takes he constantly and publicly demonstrates his commitment to acting from the position of strength,” Peskov told the media on Monday. He recalled Borrell’s statement to the effect the problem of Ukraine should be settled on the battlefield.

About Borrell’s statement in favor of creating a European army Peskov said that “this idea implies the militarization of the EU and of beefing up Ukraine’s military potential.”

“This is precisely what will not promote security and stability on the European continent,” Peskov said.

In his Sunday blog Borrell said that the European Union needed an army of its own to take care of its security. In his opinion the current security environment was clear evidence the EU must assume greater responsibility for its security. For this, he said, the alliance needs an up-to-date and compatible European army, which will seek to build up its capabilities.

Age Of Appeasing North Korea Is Over – President Yoon Suk Yeol

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May 23, 2022

Former South Korean President Yoon Detained Again Over Martial Law Case

The age of appeasing North Korea is over and any new talks between Seoul and Pyongyang must be initiated by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea’s new conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Monday.

Speaking exclusively in his first media interview since taking office two weeks ago, Yoon said: “I think the ball is in Chairman Kim’s court — it is his choice to start a dialogue with us.”

North Korea has launched 15 missile tests so far this year — more than in the past two years combined — and last month Kim vowed to “strengthen and develop” its nuclear forces at the “highest possible” speed.

From his new presidential office at the former defense building in Seoul, Yoon said South Korea and its allies stand ready for any acts of North Korean provocation.

“Just to escape temporarily North Korean provocation or conflict is not something that we should do,” he said, pointing at the previous liberal administration’s conciliatory strategy. “This kind of approach over the past five years, has proven to be a failure.”

Yoon, a former prosecutor and newcomer to politics, has consistently emphasized his tougher stance on North Korea and desire to strengthen the South’s military — a departure from predecessor Moon Jae-in, who had promoted dialogue and peaceful reconciliation.

Despite his stance, Yoon said Monday he didn’t want North Korea to “collapse.”

“What I want is shared and common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” he said — but added, “I do not believe that enhancing [North Korea’s] nuclear capability is helpful and conducive to maintaining international peace.”

The US, China and the Quad

Given North Korea’s recent surge in missile testing and resumed activity at its underground nuclear test site, regional leaders were on edge over the weekend as Yoon met with US President Joe Biden in Seoul.

US officials had warned the North could be preparing for an underground nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test during Biden’s visit — his first Asia trip since taking office.

So far, that hasn’t happened.

But the two men found common ground, Yoon said, showing a gift received from Biden, a sign that read, “The buck stops here.” The quote is often associated with former US President Harry S. Truman. “I don’t know how (Biden) knew that I like this statement,” Yoon said, placing it in the middle of his desk.

Throughout his campaign, Yoon emphasized the importance of South Korea’s close security alliance with the US — a push that was on full display after his meeting with Biden, when the US President praised their relationship as reaching “new heights.”

After their meeting, the two leaders announced in a joint statement they would begin discussions on restarting and potentially expanding joint military drills that had been halted under Biden’s predecessor — a step likely to draw fury from North Korea.

On Monday, Yoon defended the move as purely defensive. Regular military training is “the basic duty of every military around the world to maintain their readiness,” he said.

He added that in the case of an attack, the US would provide assistance including missile defence and its “nuclear umbrella,” the promise of protection from a nuclear-armed state to a non-nuclear ally.

However, he ruled out the possibility of “redeploying tactical nuclear weapons on the [Korean] Peninsula.”

But South Korea could see its partnership with the US and other regional players expand in other ways.

Yoon said it was in South Korea’s “national interest” to join Biden’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a newly-unveiled economic plan for like-minded democracies in the region that is widely seen as a counter to China’s sway.

He added that South Korea is also considering joining several working groups of the “Quad,” or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue — an informal group made up of the US, Australia, India and Japan — to collaborate in areas including vaccines, climate change and emerging technology. However, he stopped short of saying the South would seek official Quad membership, saying it was something they would “continue to consider.”

The Quad has become more active in recent years as concerns grow about China’s territorial claims in the region, with all four leaders set to hold an in-person summit in Tokyo on Tuesday. Beijing has condemned the bloc as an anti-China “clique” emblematic of a “poisonous” Cold War mentality.

For years, South Korea has tried to balance its US alliance with growing economic ties with China — but Seoul’s relations with Beijing have become strained in recent years.

Throughout his campaign, Yoon took a cooler tone than his predecessor toward China, portraying the country as an economic rival.

When asked about the risk of provoking Beijing’s fury by forging closer ties with the US, Yoon brushed off the threat of economic retaliation.

“Even if we strengthen our alliances with the United States in security and technology, it does not mean that we think our economic cooperation with China is unimportant,” he said. Besides, he added, both South Korea and China depend on their mutual cooperation — “so I do not believe it is reasonable for China to be overly sensitive about this matter.”

2023: APC To Screening Jonathan, Emefiele, Ngige And Others

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May 23, 2022

There was confusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday as the National Working Committee (NWC) unfolded plans to screen former President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwunmi Adesina.

Although the nomination forms were obtained for the four, they never submitted the forms to the party before the close of submission.

Frontline presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and other 21 contenders will also appear tomorrow before the Presidential Screening Committee.

The venue of the exercise is the Conference Hall, Transcorp, Abuja.

The seven-man panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) is made up of a member from each of the six geo-political zones.

The major work of the committee is to scrutinise the nomination documents of the 24 contenders ahead of the primary slated for Saturday.

Other aspirants expected at the exercise are former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Niger Delta Development Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosu.

Others are Pastor Tunde Bakare, Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade, his Ebonyi State counterpart, Governor Dave Umahi, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajiuba, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Yerima.

Others are Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, former Minister of Information Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.

APC National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Arugungu confirmed that the exercise was shifted from today to tomorrow in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

He said: “As far as the party is concerned all the 28 aspirants that paid and picked the forms for the nomination as Presidential aspirants, nobody has formally written to us that he has withdrawn his aspiration.

“All the forms of the 28 aspirants will be taken to the screening committee, not tomorrow (Monday), but on Tuesday, God’s willing, at Transcop Hilton Hotel.”

Arugungu said the panel will be constituted today.

“But, we have to consult with our leaders before we make it public. By tomorrow (Monday) we will know who are the panellists,” Arugungu assured.

Benue PDP Primaries: Gov. Ortom Wins, Serving Senators Lose

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May 23, 2022

Benue PDP Primaries: Gov. Ortom Wins, Serving Senators Lose

Governor Samuel Ortom has won the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 election in Benue North-West senatorial district.

Ortom’s emergence followed his adoption by delegates from the seven local government areas which make up the Benue North West senatorial zone.

He was in March this year endorsed as the sole PDP senatorial candidate by the stakeholders from the zone to contest the Senate seat.

The governor told journalists in Makurdi shortly after he was declared winner that he appreciates his people for always standing by him.

He said he was pleased to be given another opportunity to seek to serve the state at the Senate when eventually his tenure as governor would have been completed.

Ortom, therefore, pledged his commitment to continue doing his best in service to the people of the Senate as he noted that the interest of the people will always be his priority.

Meanwhile, in Ondo State, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial district, Nicholas Tofowomo, suffered a setback in his bid to return to the upper legislative chamber on PDP platform.

He lost his return ticket to the former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi.

Ajayi scored 78votes to beat Tofowomo who polled 74votes.

A two term Senator, Ayo Akinyelure , representing Ondo central senatorial district, also lost his seat to ifedayo Adedipe.

Obasanjo In A Closed-Door Meeting With Three PDP Governors

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May 23, 2022

Ahead of this week’s 2023 presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ex-President Obasanjo, on Monday, held a closed-door meeting with three PDP governors in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Obasanjo met with Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and a former Cross River Governor, Donald Duke.

Our correspondent gathered that the governors arrived at Obasanjo’s Residence at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library at 6:40 pm.

The meeting lasted for about an hour.

Wike said he led the PDP leaders to inform and seek the support of the former president on his presidential ambition.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the meeting, Obasanjo admitted that Wike informed him of his presidential bid.

Obasanjo described the country as a complex country but not difficult to manage if a “courageous leader is elected”.

He said “of course, Governor Nyesom Wike as a presidential aspirant with Governor of Oyo, Governor of Benue, former Governor of Cross River and former Deputy Senate President and former Minister to express to me the desire and of course I made the point that I have always made that, I have ceased to be a partisan politician, I don’t belong to any political party, but if politics is the welfare of the people, I cannot cease to be a politician because I must always seek the welfare of the people.

“And of course, you all know what the situation of Nigeria is and anybody who doesn’t know that, is either not a Nigerian or is not being truthful to himself or herself and we need, as I often said, no one individual can say yes I can do it because the situation Nigeria is today, we need all hands, all Nigerian hands on deck to restore Nigeria and that is what Governor Wike is saying to me.

“Courage, he doesn’t lack it, and if you have courage and you have the conviction to speak your mind, well you will have a saying in this part of the world that a person who speaks the truth all the time may not even get a mat spread for him because you will incur the displeasure of people, but you need the truth to be spoken and to get ourselves moved Nigeria on the path of unity.”

Responding, Wike said he has the courage and capacity to tame the nation’s insecurity if elected as President.

On the issue of zoning of the PDP presidential ticket, Wike said, “It’s not as if I am championing zoning, it’s provided in the constitution of PDP.

“Personal ambition will make us avoid or not do the right thing with impunity. But again, since they have decided there is no zoning, we are not running away, we have the capacity.

“As it stands today, you know that I’m the only candidate everybody is afraid of.”

Bloodletting In South-East Must Stop, Nnamdi Kanu Declares

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May 23, 2022

I’ve Been A Liverpool Fan Since Childhood – Nnamdi Kanu To Court After Denying Him Bail — Nnamdi Kanu

Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has demanded immediate stoppage of the senseless killings going on in the South East.

The IPOB Leader who spoke from the Department of State Services, DSS, detention in Abuja where he is currently detained expressed rage over the spate of bloodletting and insecurity in the South East.

Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu who spoke with Vanguard (not ABN TV) Monday evening, after visiting the IPOB Leader in detention said he was saddened by the reports of Killings across South East.

He said that his brother “does not believe in bloodshed” and felt too bad that blood suckers had been on the prowl in the South East almost unchallenged.

Kanu was quoted as saying that all those behind the current killings in South East must be held accountable for their atrocities, saying that Ndigbo are not known for cannibalism.

The IPOB leader also demanded the immediate release of Mrs Ukamaka Ejezie popularly known as ‘ Mama Biafra’.

According to him, the septuagenarian was arrested during Kanu’s last court appearance in Abuja on May 18.

Kanu said that the woman had been acting as his mother since his parents died in 2020.

He said that the old woman committed no crime for coming to Abuja to solidarise with him at the court when she was arrested.

”I saw her at the DSS detention cell after her clothes were washed and spread on the wall.. I demand that she be released because she committed no crime.

”She is an old woman and since my mother died I have taken her as my mother. The DSS should release her”, Kanu was quoted as saying

The IPOB Leader also cleared the air over whether he was the one that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Abambra State met when he visited the DSS headquarters last week.

He said that there was no basis for people to doubt whether he was the person that Soludo met, explaining that the Barcelona club attire he wore when the Governor visited was his nightwear.

Kanu urged all to ensure there is peace in South East which is known for peace, adding that those behind the insecurity in the zone do not mean well to the people.

Court Stops 36 Governors From Withdrawing LG Funds

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May 23, 2022

Court Stops 36 Governors From Withdrawing LG Funds

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed a suit that Governors of the 36 States of the Federation, filed to query the constitutionality of regulations the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, issued to guarantee financial autonomy for local governments.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the suit lacked merit.

It held that the regulations which came to effect on June 1, 2019, was aimed to ensure that funds meant for local governments are paid directly to them, rather than through a joint account controlled by governors.

Besides, Justice Ekwo stressed that provisions of the NFIU’s guidelines, were not in conflict with 1999 Constitution, as amended.

It will be recalled that the state governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, had on May 27, 2019, through their Attorneys-General, approached the court to halt the implementation of the regulations.

The regulations had aside from setting modalities through which funds could be withdrawn from local government accounts, also set daily limit for such withdrawals.

In their suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/593/2019, the plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, prayed the court to nullify the regulations for being unconstitutional, null, and void.

They urged the court to declare that by virtue of sections 4(7), 7(6)(a) and (b), 162(6) and 162(7) and (8) of the Nigerian Constitution, the state governments, “are not subject to control or directive of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit or body on the terms and manner of operation of State Joint Local Government Account other than by a law passed by the states’ House of Assembly”.

Cited as defendants in the matter were the Attorney-General of the Federation, the NFIU, and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE.

Meantime, while dismissing the suit, Justice Ekwo, held that the essence of the regulation was to guarantee transparency in the spending of funds that accrue to local governments.

“I am unable to see how the provisions of the 2nd defendant’s (NFIU) guidelines contradict or conflict with the provisions of Section 162(6) of the constitution which creates the ‘State Joint Local Government Account’ into which allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the government of the state shall be paid”, Justice Ekwo held.

He said the guidelines did not contradict Section 162(8) of the Constitution which prescribed that the amount standing to the credit of the local government council of the state, shall be distributed among the local government councils of that state, on such terms, and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of the state.

“The duty of the court is limited to expounding the law and not expanding it.

“On the whole, I see the provisions of the guidelines of the 2nd defendant as seeking to direct the monitoring of accounts, transfers and any other means of payment or transfer of funds of local government councils as provided for in Section 3 (1) (r) of the Act of the NFIU.

“It only limits cash withdrawal made from any Local Government Account anywhere in the country to amount not exceeding N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) per day.

“Any amount higher than that can be done using other methods of banking transaction save cash.

“Unless it can be shown that there is any provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which these provisions of the 2nd defendant’s guidelines have contradicted or conflicted directly and practically, then the issue of unconstitutionality cannot be said to arise.

“I find that the case of the plaintiffs has not been established and I so hold.

“I find in the end, that the case of the plaintiffs lacks merit and ought to be dismissed and it is hereby dismissed. This is the order of this Court,” Justice Ekwo held.

The court equally struck out the name of the 37th plaintiff (Incorporated Trustees of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum) from the suit for lack of locus standi to institute the action.

APC Crisis: President Buhari’s In-Law Rejects Kaduna Delegates’ List

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May 23, 2022

APC Crisis: President Buhari’s In-Law Rejects Kaduna Delegates’ List — Alhaji Sani Muhammad Sha'aban

An ‎All Progressives Congress ( APC) gubernatorial aspirant in Kaduna State, Alhaji Sani Mohammad Sha’aban, ‎has rejected the party’s delegates’ list, saying there was no congresses held in the state.

Sha’aban, who is an in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari, said his campaign organisation had petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) over the alleged non-conduct of congresses in the state.

He said his campaign organisation tried to submit a petition to the party’s Congress Appeal committee during their visit but were denied access to the hotel.

Sha’aban spoke through his Campaign Organization Director-General, Barrister Joshua Danladi Ephraim.

The aspirant explained further that the reason for sending a petition to INEC was to put it on record that the APC in Kaduna allegedly failed to comply with one of the requisite constituents of the electoral Act 2022 as contained in the party’s Guidelines in its choice of indirect Primaries for the nomination of its candidates for the 2023 general
election.

The five-man Appeal Committee for the Ad-hoc Delegate Congresses, on Saturday, upheld the state APC congress in the state, describing the exercise as very successful.

The five-man committee headed by Mrs. Tinuke Gbadejo Ogunrinde described the congresses as hitch-free with no petition received before, during, and after the congresses.

The Chairman further said the various categories of delegates emerged from the Special Congress in the 23 local government areas as follows: 1,275 Local Government Delegates, 1,275 State Delegates, and 69 National Delegates were unanimously elected during the Special Congress by consensus.

2023: House Of Representatives Postpones Resumption To June 7

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May 23, 2022