PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 6. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, President of the Senate Dr Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Gen Yakubu Gowon, Former Head odf State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan, former CJN Hoj Justice Belgore during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently chairing a meeting of Council of State at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ABN TV reports.
PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 9. L-R; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Mrs Folasahde Yemi-Esan, SGF Mr Boss Mustaha, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, President of the Senate Dr Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 7A&B. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, President of the Senate Dr Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Gen Yakubu Gowon, Former Head odf State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan, former CJN Hoj Justice Belgore during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023
The meeting which started at 10:12am after the rendition of the national anthem is being attended by former heads of state and presidents, including Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) and Goodluck Jonathan. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, joined online.
Others who join virtually include Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Abubakar Bagudu, Governor of Plateau State and Chairman, of Northern States Governors Forum, Simon Lalong.
The rest are governors David Umahi, Ebonyi, Yahaya Bello, Kogi, Ademola Adeleke, Osun, Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa, Dapo Abiodun, Ogun as well as Benue State deputy governors Benson Abounu, Nasarawa, Emmanuel Akabe, and Enugu Deputy governor.
Two former Chief Justices of the Federation, Alfa Belgore and Mahmud Muhammad are in attendance.
In attendance physically are Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan
The National Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian government whose functions include advising the executive on policy making.
The meeting is expected to discuss national crises including petrol and naira scarcity, insecurity and others, ahead of the general elections.
Also present and awaiting their turn to brief the council are Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba, Commandant General, Nigerian Security, and Civil Defence Corps, Hammed Audi and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele on the preparation for the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly polls and new Naira notes respectively.
PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 3B. L-R; Former President Dr Goodluck Jinathan, Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon and President Muhammadu Buhari during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 1A&B. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan and Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 00A&B. L-R; Former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan, Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon. and President Muhammadu Buhari during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 0A&B. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan and Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023
PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING 1A&B. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Former President, Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan and Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING AB. L-R; Former President Dr Goodluck Jinathan, Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon and President Muhammadu Buhari during the Council of State Meeting Head at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 10TH 2023
On May 26, the APC declared Emenike the winner of the governorship primary in the state.
On November 11, Binta Nyako, a federal high court judge, sacked Emenike and ordered INEC to recognise Ogah as the party’s governorship candidate in the state.
Both APC and Emenike had filed separate appeals challenging the verdict delivered by Nyako.
Dan Eke, another aspirant, also filed an appeal challenging the judgment of the trial judge that recognised Ogah’s candidacy.
In December 2022, the court of appeal sitting in Abuja affirmed Emenike as the party’s candidate.
In the unanimous verdict, Olabisi Ige, who led the appeal court panel, read out the names of the party members sent by the APC national secretariat to conduct the governorship primary that produced Emenike, affirming that the exercise was valid.
Another candidate, Dan Eke, also filed an appeal in which he contested the trial judge’s decision to recognize Ogah’s candidacy.
The court of appeal in Abuja confirmed Emenike as the party’s nominee in December 2022.
Olabisi Ige, who presided over the appeal court panel, read aloud the names of the party members appointed by the APC national headquarters to oversee the governorship primary that produced Emenike and affirmed the validity of the process in the unanimous decision.
South Korea mourns its country’s first robot suicide as the administrative officer robot was found defunct after throwing itself down some stairs.
South Korea’s Gumi City Council announced the robot was found unresponsive after having apparently fallen down a two-meter (six-and-a-half foot) staircase last week.
Witnesses saw the robot officer “circling in one spot as if something was there” before the accident occurred, but the exact cause of the fall is still being investigated, a city council official told AFP.
“Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company,” the official said, adding that the robot had “helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information” to local residents.
“It was officially a part of the city hall, one of us,” another official said. “It worked diligently.”
Headlines in local media questioned the apparent robot suicide, saying: “Why did the diligent civil officer do it?” or asking “Was work too hard” for the robot?
Appointed in August 2023, the robot was one of the first to be used in this manner in the city.
Made by Bear Robotics, a Californian robot-waiter startup, the robot worked from 9 am to 6 pm and had its own civil service officer card.
Unlike other robots, which can typically only use one floor, the Gumi City Council robot could call an elevator and move floors on its own.
South Korea is one of the most enthusiastic users of robots globally.
It has the highest robot density in the world, with one industrial robot for every 10 employees, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
Gumi City Council is currently not planning to adopt a second robot officer at this moment, it told AFP.
Lo Celso kicked the ball off Bravo and it rebounded to Chile’s Igor Lichnovsky, who tried to poke it wide, but Lautaro Martínez, who entered in the 73rd, calmly one-timed that rebound into the roof of the net on Argentina’s 21st shot.
Players waited for three minutes while the goal, Martínez’s 26th for the national team, was confirmed in a video review.
Argentina leads Group A with six points, followed by Canada with three, and Chile and Peru with one each.
The world champions finish the first round against Peru at Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, when Canada meets Chile in Orlando, Florida.
Former Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has said he would be willing to coach the team.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is currently looking for a new coach to tinker the Super Eagles following Finidi George’s resignation few weeks ago.
The NFF has however narrowed down the choice to an expatriate.
Adepoju is one of the few Nigerians, who holds a UEFA Pro coaching licence.
The former Real Sociedad player stated that he has what it takes to manage the Super Eagles.
“We had several players in the Castilla team who are brilliant coaches today, and we didn’t see it at the time. I have a UEFA Pro license myself, so if there’s an opportunity, I wouldn’t mind,” he told the Managing Madrid Podcast.
“I’m open. I once coached Shooting Stars in Nigeria, but I haven’t coached since then.”
The Police Command in Anambra State has launched a manhunt for a yet-to-be-identified officer, who allegedly extorted the sum of N810,000 from a victim.
An activist, Harrison Gwamnishu had in a post on his official X handle, raised the alarm on Tuesday that some police officers allegedly extorted N810,000 from a motorist in Onitsha.
According to him, one of the officers, during a stop-and-search, allegedly planted marijuana inside the victim’s car and later accused him of being a drug dealer.
The victim, in an audio-visual post by the activist, alleged that the officers seized his phone and even threatened to kill him.
Reacting, the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Tuesday, said it has initiated steps to quickly identify the officer for necessary action.
In the statement, the victim was also invited to the command headquarters in Awka, the state capital for better information.
“We have initiated steps to identify the alleged officer; information about the incident has been escalated to Area Commander, Onitsha, for necessary actions.
“The command also wishes to invite the victim to its Headquarters in Awka to get information that will help in facilitating the necessary procedures involved in the process,” he said.
The Kaduna State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appealed to Governor Uba Sani, to without any delay, announce a date for council elections.
The party emphasized that appointing transition committee chairmen to administer the councils was not in line with Nigeria’s constitution.
According to the PDP State chairman, Felix Hassan Hya, “We are battle-ready for the local government elections and there’s no room for caretakers in the Constitution of Nigeria.”
He called on the APC government to set up and announce a programme for elections.
In addition, the PDP demanded that the electoral body in the state, KADSIECOM, should demonstrate its independence from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during the council polls across the 23 local government areas.
Hyat said, “If the ruling party beats us through fair play, we’ll concede. But if we beat them through fair play, they should concede as well. There is no more room for manipulation.”
Zamfara State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Aisha M.Z. Anka, has raised alarm that over 950,000 women in the state are at high risk of maternal deaths.
The commissioner stated this in Gusau, the state capital on Monday during the opening ceremony of a five-day workshop on preventing maternal deaths for health workers in the state.
The workshop was organized by the Health for Life and Development Foundation in collaboration with the Zamfara State Ministry of Health and the Hospital Services Management Board, with support from the United Nations Population Fund.
According to the commissioner, Nigeria accounts for 14 per cent of the global maternal death. She further stated that northern Nigeria, including Zamfara, accounts for 70 per cent of maternal deaths in the country.
Dr. Anka further stated that the 50 nurses and midwives who attended the training, were selected from various health institutions across the state.
“The workshop signifies government’s commitment to improving maternal health in the State. This training is aimed at ensuring the safe delivery of babies across all health facilities in the state.
“The participants were nurses and midwives selected from various medical institutions in the state who are in charge of labour rooms in the health facilities across the state,” she said.
“As we are all aware Gov. Dauda Lawal declared a state of emergency in the health sector and the state government embarked on a total renovation of health facilities across the state.
“This training is part of the government’s commitment to promoting capacity, manpower and skills of our health workers across the State.”
Speaking earlier, the Director of Health for Life and Development Foundation, Dr Abubakar Danladi, explained that the workshop was organised based on the realization of an increase in maternal mortality in the state.
“This training is to ensure that our health workers are well equipped and trained to handle health cases related to maternal deaths. This is for the capacity building of our nurses and midwives on the management of direct and indirect causes of preventable maternal deaths.
“Part of the conditions of the training is for participants to cascade the skills they will acquire to their respective health facilities,” he stated.
The Police Service Commission, PSC, has insisted that it would not cancel the list of successful candidates recently released for recruitment into the constables cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.
PSC disclosed this in a statement signed and issued on Tuesday by the Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani.
DAILY POST recalls that the Nigeria Police Force had alleged that the recruitment process was marred by corruption, stressing that the final list contained names of people who never applied.
Governors of the 36 states of Nigeria have fixed an emergency meeting for today, Wednesday, over the proposed new minimum wage.
This comes a few hours after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Tuesday stepped down the memo on minimum wage.
Recall that the 36 governors had earlier rejected the proposed N62,000 by the federal government, stating that some states would have to borrow money if the amount is implemented.
However, the organized labour is still insisting on N250,000 wage.
According to Daily Trust, the Acting Director on Media and Public Affairs of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Halima Ahmed, disclosed that the governors would meet in Abuja by 7 pm today, Wednesday, over the matter.
As the world marks the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi has called for more concerted efforts towards preventing drug abuse and guiding those weighed down by addiction.
Obi stressed that the government must seek to save the nation from the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
He suggested that the government should invest in rehabilitating those already caught in the web of drug abuse and stringent punishment meted out to drug traffickers.
In a statement issued on Wednesday via his X handle, he lamented that drugs and substance abuse have contributed to high rates of crime, moral decadence in society, and other associated health hazards.
According to him, it also greatly dampens the productivity of the people, especially the youth population.
Citing a report by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) which said that about 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15-64 years, abused drugs, Obi said more efforts must be channeled into prevention.
He said: “Today is set aside by the global community to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. It is a day set out to strengthen actions that will rid the society of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
“It is also a day that reminds us of the need to direct more concerted efforts towards preventing drug abuse and guiding those weighed down by addiction through the path of freedom.
“For a predominantly youthful population, Nigeria, where poverty and and where unemployment are on the increase, the incidence of drug abuse remains high.
“Economic hardship and other poor socio-economic factors have been identified as the leading factors fueling drug abuse among our youth.
“A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) states that Nigeria and some African countries will witness a 40 per cent rise in the population of drug users, especially the youth population if urgent measures are not taken.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reports that about 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15-64 years, abuse drugs. The National Bureau of Statistics reports a 14.4 per cent drug prevalence in Nigeria, which is twice the global average of 5.8 percent.
“Drugs and substance abuse have contributed to high rates of crime, moral decadence in society, and other associated health hazards. It also greatly dampens the productivity of the people, especially the youth population.
“We must, therefore, seek to save our nation from the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. More efforts must be channeled into preventing the spread of this virus.
“The government should invest in rehabilitating those already caught in the web of drug abuse and stringent punishment meted out to drug traffickers.
“With commitment and sincerity of action, we can achieve a drug-free nation in a New Nigeria that is possible.”
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the final forfeiture of $1.426 million linked to the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the High Court gave the verdict of the final forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government.
The forfeiture followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday.
“Of the total sum of $26, 555, 000.00 received by Donatus Limited, the balance standing in the said account as of today is $1,426, 175. 14.
“It is the balance in the account that the applicant seeks to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria, which has been traced to be the proceeds of unlawful activities of Godwin Emefiele and his cronies,” it said.
Recall that on May 29, EFCC had earlier secured an interim order temporarily forfeiting the money.
Emefiele had been under investigation for alleged corruption after he was suspended in June 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
South Korea mourns its country's first robot suicide as the administrative officer robot was found defunct after throwing itself down some stairs.
South Korea’s Gumi...
