I won’t enter Govt House until September –Wike

The RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said on Sunday that he would stay away from the Government House in Port Harcourt for the next three months as a result of the vandalisation of the property in the place by the immediate past administration.

Wike, who spoke at the post-inauguration thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, disclosed that all the vehicles in the Government House had been taken away.

The governor disclosed that he noticed that the bullet proof doors, furniture, cars, crested carpets, curtains and windows were not left behind by the former administration.

Wike explained that he was able to observe the missing items during an inspection of the Government House after he was sworn in as the state’s chief executive.

He said, “As I speak with you, everything has been vandalised. I will not enter the Government House in the next two or three months. There is no vehicle in Government House, not even one. Yet the former governor (Rotimi Amaechi) talks about corruption.”

The governor assured the people that he would not disappoint them and the Peoples Democratic Party.

In his remark, the Senate President, David Mark, expressed optimism that the PDP would return to power at the federal level in 2019 as Nigerians would yearn for the party after four years of the APC regime.

Mark noted that most of the party’s achievements would be glaring to Nigerians within a short period.

The post inauguration thanksgiving service reception was attended by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senators-elect from the South-South and South-East, Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus and members of the National Working Committee of the PDP.

Meanwhile, the former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, has described Wike’s claim that the facility was vandalised by the Amaechi administration as false.

Okocha maintained that the property in the Government House were intact before the immediate past administration left.

Source- Punch #nigeria

Beijing bans smoking in public spaces

Tough anti-smoking measures have gone into effect in the Chinese capital, where smoking is now banned in restaurants, offices and on public transport.

Under the law rolled out on Monday, anyone in Beijing who violates the bans, which include smoking near schools and hospitals, must pay $32.25. The current fine, seldom enforced, is just $1.60.

Anyone who breaks the law three times will be named and shamed on a government website. And businesses can be fined up to $1,600 for failing to stamp out smoking on their premises.

The government will also no longer allow cigarettes to be sold to shops within 100 metres of primary schools and kindergartens, according to state media.

China has more than 300 million smokers, and more than 1 million people die each year due to smoking-related diseases, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

More than half of Chinese smokers buy cigarettes at less than $0.80 a pack.

Previous attempts to ban smoking in Beijing, the latest in 2011, have ended in failure.

Al Jazeera’s Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said enforcement would be a major challenge but noted that the campaign around the new law had been more high-profile than previous anti-smoking measures.

The Bird’s Nest Stadium, the symbol of the 2008 Olympics, has beem draped in vast anti-smoking banners and on Sunday, a large event was held to promote the ban.

Bright red banners, typically used to display government slogans, have also been posted around Beijing with anti-smoking messages, the Reuters news agency reported.

At least 1,300 inspectors will be dispatched to enforce the ban, supported by volunteers.

Buhari names Adesina, Shehu as spokesmen

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday named the President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina; and the Director, Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Mallam Garba Shehu, as spokesmen.

While Adesina will serve as the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Shehu will be the new Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity).

According to a statement made available to journalists by Shehu, the President also approved the appointment of Mallam Lawal Kazaure as the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP).

The statement did not indicate the job schedule of Adesina and Shehu as their two offices appear similar.

Apart from being the current President of NGE, Adesina is the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun newspapers.

Shehu was the President of the NGE 16 years ago.

Kazaure is a career Foreign Service official and currently serves in Aso Rock Villa as a Special Assistant (Presidential Matters).

Meanwhile, a desire by Buhari to ensure zonal balancing is delaying a formal announcement of all his appointees, The PUNCH has learnt.

It was learnt in Abuja on Sunday that some party leaders were impressing it on the President to be mindful of the constitutional provision which stipulates respect for federal character even in his choice of personal staff.

Section 14 sub-section (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, states, “The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies.”

The PUNCH gathered that the President, who appears set to appoint a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Abdurrahman Danbazau (retd.), as the National Security Adviser, is also contemplating appointing Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), as his Chief of Staff.

However, some party leaders close to him are of the view that he should not concentrate these appointments in the North-West.

A highly placed member of the APC, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said a list was still being drawn up.

He said, “He (Buhari), is President now, he dictates his pace of work. I understand the list is being made up and that it is likely that Dr. Ogbonaya Onu will emerge as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“I also heard that there are some issues over (who will be) Chief of Staff, the President wants to announce everything together.”

Further findings revealed that the President was tinkering with an earlier list he had prepared after further consultations.

ISRAEL/GAZA

 

THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL HAS CALLED FOR AN “IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE” IN GAZA.

 

AN EMERGENCY SESSION BACKED A STATEMENT CALLING FOR A TRUCE OVER THE MUSLIM HOLIDAY OF EID AL-FITR “AND BEYOND”.

 

BOTH THE PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI ENVOYS TO THE UN CRITICISED THE STATEMENT, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

 

GAZA HAD ITS QUIETEST NIGHT IN WEEKS AFTER A WEEKEND PUNCTUATED BY BRIEF TRUCE INITIATIVES OFFERED BY BOTH ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

 

MORE THAN 1,030 PALESTINIANS, MOSTLY CIVILIANS, AND 43 ISRAELI SOLDIERS AND TWO ISRAELI CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED.

 

 

LIBYA

 

AT LEAST THIRTY-EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN CLASHES BETWEEN TROOPS LOYAL TO THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT AND ISLAMIST FIGHTERS IN THE CITY OF BENGHAZI.

 

REPORTS SAY THE MILITANTS ATTACKED TROOPS IN THE CENTRE OF THE CITY, IN EASTERN LIBYA.

 

A WEEK OF FIGHTING IN THE CAPITAL TRIPOLI, NEAR THE AIRPORT, HAS LEFT 97 PEOPLE DEAD AND 404 INJURED.

 

LATER IT WAS REPORTED THAT A FUEL STORAGE SITE IN THE AREA HAD BEEN HIT BY A ROCKET AND FIRES THERE COULD CAUSE A DISASTER IF NOT KEPT UNDER CONTROL.

 

A STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ASKING FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE IN PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES.

 

JAPAN

 

A HIGH SCHOOL GIRL HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF KILLING AND DISMEMBERING A CLASSMATE.

 

JAPANESE POLICE SAY THE 15-YEAR-OLD WAS ARRESTED IN SASEBO CITY IN JAPAN’S SOUTHERN NAGASAKI DISTRICT.

 

THE GIRL WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEATEN HER FRIEND, THEN STRANGLED HER AND SEVERED THE VICTIM’S HEAD.

 

INFORMATION HAS IT THAT HER BODY WAS FOUND IN THE APARTMENT OF THE SUSPECT, WHO WAS LIVING APART FROM HER PARENTS.

 

 

USA/FIRE

 

TWO FAST-MOVING WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE DESTROYED TEN HOMES AND HAVE FORCED THE EVACUATION OF HUNDREDS MORE.

 

IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION, A FIRE HAS SPREAD TO COVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 4,000 ACRES, WHILE ANOTHER BLAZE THREATENS HOMES AROUND YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK.

 

SEPARATELY A MAN IN HIS 20S DIED AND OTHERS WERE HURT IN A LIGHTNING STRIKE IN A RARE SUMMER STORM IN LOS ANGELES.

 

MOST OF THE VICTIMS WERE HIT ON A BEACH IN LOS ANGELES, HOWEVER ONE GOLFER WAS ALSO STRUCK ON NEARBY CATALINA ISLAND.

 

SOUTH KOREA

 

STUDENTS WHO SURVIVED SOUTH KOREA’S FERRY DISASTER HAVE BEGUN TESTIFYING AT THE TRIAL OF THE SHIP’S CREW.

 

THE STUDENTS ARE GIVING EVIDENCE AT A DISTRICT COURT NEAR THEIR HOMES, RATHER THAN AT THE ACTUAL TRIAL IN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF GWANGJU.

 

THE SEWOL FERRY SANK IN APRIL, KILLING 304 PEOPLE – MOSTLY TEENAGERS.

 

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FERRY HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY MODIFIED TO CARRY MORE PASSENGERS AND CARGO, AND WAS OVERLOADED.

 

BUT PROSECUTORS SAY THE ACTIONS OF THE CAPTAIN AND CREW – INCLUDING INSTRUCTING PASSENGERS TO STAY IN THEIR CABINS AS THE SHIP LISTED – LED TO MORE DEATHS.

 

ARUBA

 

TOP VENEZUELAN OFFICIAL GENERAL HUGO CARVAJAL HAS BEEN RELEASED BY THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ARUBA, AFTER BEING DETAINED OVER US ACCUSATIONS OF DRUG-TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES.

 

THE US TREASURY SAID HE HAD BEEN PROTECTING DRUG SHIPMENTS BY COLOMBIAN FARC REBELS.

 

BUT A JUDGE ON THE ISLAND SAID GENERAL CARVAJAL HAD A DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT AND THAT HIS ARREST WAS ILLEGAL.

 

 

GEN CARVAJAL WHO WAS HEAD OF VENEZUELA’S MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BETWEEN 2004 AND 2009 HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY THE COUNTRY AS ITS CONSUL IN ARUBA.

 

CAMEROON

 

THE CAMEROONIAN MILITARY SAYS MEMBERS OF THE MILITANT GROUP BOKO HARAM HAVE ABDUCTED THE WIFE OF THE COUNTRY’S DEPUTY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AMADOU ALI IN THE NORTHERN CAMEROONIAN TOWN OF KOLOFATA.

 

MR ALI, WHO WAS BREAKING HIS FAST FOR THE ISLAMIC HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK, MANAGED TO ESCAPE TO A NEIGHBOURING TOWN.

 

A LOCAL RELIGIOUS LEADER AND MAYOR WAS ALSO ABDUCTED FROM THE SAME TOWN.

 

BOKO HARAM HAS STEPPED UP CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS INTO CAMEROON IN RECENT WEEKS, AS THE ARMY WAS DEPLOYED TO THE REGION.

 

RUSSIA

 

A COURT BASED IN THE HAGUE HAS ORDERED RUSSIA TO PAY FIFTY BILLION IN DAMAGES TO FORMER SHAREHOLDERS IN THE DEFUNCT OIL PRODUCER YUKOS.

 

THE COURT OF ARBITRATION SAID RUSSIA MUST PAY THE COMPENSATION AFTER FINDING THAT IT FORCED THE COMPANY INTO BANKRUPTCY.

 

RUSSIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAID RUSSIA WOULD USE ALL AVAILABLE LEGAL POSSIBILITIES TO DEFEND ITS POSITION.

 

THE COMPANY WAS FORMERLY CONTROLLED BY MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY, WHO WAS AT ONE POINT RUSSIA’S RICHEST MAN.

 

 

 

MALAYSIA

 

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF NAVI PILLAY SAYS THE DOWNING OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES JET MH17 IN EASTERN UKRAINE MAY CONSTITUTE A “WAR CRIME”.

 

UKRAINE AND WESTERN GOVERNMENTS BELIEVE PRO-RUSSIAN REBELS SHOT DOWN MH17, USING A MISSILE SYSTEM SUPPLIED BY RUSSIA.

 

MOSCOW AND THE REBELS HAVE BLAMED UKRAINIAN FORCES FOR THE PLANE CRASH.

 

MEANWHILE, THE UKRAINIAN ARMY IS TRYING TO TAKE CONTROL OF TWO MAIN ROADS, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IN KIEV BELIEVES TO BE VITAL SUPPLY LINES FROM RUSSIA FOR REBEL FORCES IN DONETSK.

 

IN THE PAST 24 HOURS THERE HAS BEEN HEAVY SHELLING IN THE CITY OF HORLIVKA, WHERE SEVERAL CIVILIANS WERE KILLED.

 

ADAMAWA

AS ADAMAWA STATE ELECTORATE AWAITS THE YET-TO-BE ANNOUNCED DATE OF THE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION BY THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), A GROUP, DEMOCRATIC YOUNG PATRIOTS (DYP), IS ROOTING FOR THE FORMER MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR OF LAGOS STATE GENERAL BUBA MARWA, TO SUCCEED THE IMPEACHED GOVERNOR, MURTALA NYAKO AS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE.

 

A STATEMENT BY THE ACTING NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF DYP, ARIYO-DARE ATOYE SAYS MARWA HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO REBUILD ADAMAWA STATE, AS WELL AS RESTORING PEACE IN THE NORTH-EAST.

 

THE STATEMENT ADDED THAT ADAMAWA HAD BEEN DENIED GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IS CURRENTLY GROANING UNDER HEAVY FINANCIAL BURDEN INFLICTED ON IT BY THE IMMEDIATE PAST ADMINISTRATION OF NYAKO.

 

IT SAID THE STATE HAD BEEN IN THE NEWS FOR THE WRONG REASONS UNDER NYAKO AND THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED TO REDEEM IT.

THE STATEMENT NOTED THAT WITH MARWA, COMES AN ASTUTE ADMINISTRATIVE SKILL, POLISHED EXPERIENCED, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION  REQUIRED TO TURN AROUND THE FORTUNE OF THE STATE.

 

SPORTS

LIVERPOOL HAS MADE SOUTHAMPTON DEFENDER, DEJAN LOVREN THEIR FIFTH SUMMER SIGNING IN A DEAL WORTH TWENTY MILLION POUNDS.

 

THE TWENTY FIVE-YEAR-OLD CROATIA CENTRE-BACK JOINED THE CLUB ON A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT AND IS THE THIRD SAINTS PLAYER TO MOVE TO ANFIELD DURING THIS TRANSFER WINDOW.

 

LOVREN HAD SPOKEN PUBLICLY ABOUT HIS WISH TO MAKE THE SWITCH AND FOLLOWS FORMER TEAM-MATES RICKIE LAMBERT AND ADAM LALLANA.

 

MEANWHILE, REDS BOSS, BRENDAN RODGERS HAS DISCLOSED THAT THE SIGNING IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE FOR THE CLUB AS LOVREN WILL JOIN UP WITH THE SQUAD ON THEIR US TOUR.

 

 

MIMIKO/RAMADDAN
ONDO STATE GOVERNOR, DR OLUSEGUN MIMIKO HAS  URGED THE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE  OPPORTUNITY OF A NEW BEGINNING BEING OFFERED BY THE CONCLUSION OF THE RAMADAN  FAST ,TO USHER IN A NEW ERA OF PEACE AND PROGRESS IN THE COUNTRY TO  ENABLE THE NATION BE THE BEST FOR ITS NUMEROUS DEPOSIT OF POTENTIALS.

 
 
DR MIMIKO IN HIS EID AL-FITR MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE CALLED FOR MORE DEDICATION TO THE NIGERIA PROJECT AND URGED ITS CITIZENS TO TAKE  ADVANTAGE OF THE JUST CONCLUDED HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN TO USHER IN A NEW ERA INTO THE COUNTRY DEVOID OF CONFLICT, BLOOD LETTING AND EVERY TRACES OF EVIL.  

 

HE SAID THE LONG PERIOD OF SELF RESTRAINT AND SELF PURIFICATION WAS A GREAT SPIRITUAL EXERCISE THAT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO COME AND GO IN VAIN.

WHILE CONGRATULATING MUSLIMS FOR THE SALLAH FESTIVITIES, MIMIKO CALLED ON NIGERIANS AS A WHOLE IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR RELIGIOUS LEANING TO IMBIBE THE SPIRIT OF TOLERANCE, LOVE AND GOOD NEIGHBORLINESS AMONG THEMSELVES AS ENSHRINED IN THE HOLY BOOKS.

 

 

 

UNESCO

THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO) HAS EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN, YOUTH AND ADULT ILLITERACY.

 

UNESCO REGIONAL DIRECTOR, PROF. HASSANA ALIDOU WHO MADE THE STATEMENT NOTED THAT THE ISSUES, IF NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED, HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON INVESTMENTS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD MADE IN LINE WITH ACHIEVING THE EDUCATION FOR ALL (EFA) GOALS 2015.

 

 ACCORDING TO THE ELEVENTH EFA GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT NIGERIA HAS THE WORLD’S LARGEST NUMBER OF 10.5 MILLION CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL AND WILL LIKELY BE OFF TRACK BY 2015.

 

THE REPORT ALSO NOTED THAT A KEY REASON LEVELS OF YOUTH LITERACY HAD REMAINED LOW WAS DUE TO PEOPLE’S LACK OF ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION AND THE SLOW PACE IN THE EXPANSION OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

 

THE UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE, HOWEVER SAID THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ENHANCE CAPACITY BUILDING AT THE STATE LEVELS TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES TO QUALITY EDUCATION.

 

Prof. Hassana Alidou, the Regional Director, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), said on Sunday that fostering cultural diplomacy among countries would help Nigeria’s recovery of its stolen artifacts.

 

 

Alidou said this while speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja.

 

 

She said the role of the organisation in safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting the cultural and creative industries gave it the comparative advantage of providing platforms for dialogue.

 

 

 

PDP/KADUNA

 

THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) SAYS IT IS NOW APPARENT THAT TERRORISTS COULD ATTACK ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY.

 

IN ITS REACTION TO YESTERDAYS KADUNA BOMBINGS WHICH CLAIMED THE LIVES OF MANY INNOCENT NIGERIANS, THE PARTY DESCRIBED THE ATTACKS AS DASTARDLY AND UNFORTUNATE.

 

A STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY OF THE PARTY, OLISA METUH SAID PDP MOURNS THE DEAD AND JOINS NIGERIANS IN THANKING GOD FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF GEN. MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND SHEIKH DAHIRU BAUCHI WHOSE CONVOYS WERE AFFECTED IN THE INCIDENT.

 

THE PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS HAS CHARGED PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN TO TAKE THE SAFETY OF NIGERIANS MORE SERIOUSLY JUST AS IT CONDEMNED THE SPATE OF BOMB BLASTS AND ATTEMPT ONE OF ITS LEADERS, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI.

 

A STATEMENT BY ITS NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, CHIEF JOHN ODIGIE-OYEGUN, ADVISED THE JONATHAN ADMINISTRATION TO FULLY COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN CRUSHING THE BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY AND EXPRESSED CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILIES OF THE DEAD.

ABIA/PLATEAU

 

 

BARELY 24 HOURS AFTER POLICE IN ABIA STATE NABBED A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, CHIJIOKE EZEBUIRO FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING HIS EIGHTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD FATHER, EMMANUEL EZEBUIRO A SUSPECTED CHILD TRAFFICKER JOSEPH ESSIEN HAS ALSO LANDED IN POLICE NET.

 

JOSEPH ESSIEN WAS ARRESTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SELL A THREE-YEAR-OLD BABY GIRL, DORCAS USEN AT THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND NAIRA IN ABA.

PARADING ESSIEN WITH OTHER SUSPECTED CRIMINALS AT THE STATE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN UMUAHIA, THE POLICE PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER, MR. GEOFFREY OGBONNA, SAID THE SUSPECTS WILL SOON APPEAR IN COURT.

 

IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, FOUR SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS HAVE BEEN SHOT DEAD IN BOKKOS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE, BY THE SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE IN THE STATE.

SPORTS

 

 

FORMER NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL JONATHAN AKPOBORIE HAS SAID THE LACK OF STAND OUT PERFORMANCES IN THE COUNTRY’S SECOND ROUND BERTH AT THE WORLD CUP IS THE REASON WHY SUPER EAGLES PLAYERS HAVE FAILED TO MOVE TO BETTER CLUBS AHEAD OF THE NEXT EUROPEAN LEAGUE SEASON.

 

BROWN IDEYE, WHO IRONICALLY DID NOT MAKE THE WORLD CUP SQUAD, IS THE ONLY NIGERIAN TO HAVE MADE A BIG MOVE FROM DYNAMO KIEV TO ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE OUTFIT WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOR A CLUB RECORD FEE BELIEVED TO BE AROUND 10 MILLION POUNDS.

 

ACCORDING TO THE FORMER VFB STUTTGART STAR, NIGERIAN PLAYERS FAILED TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT THEY WERE CAPABLE OF DOING IN BRAZIL.

 

HE, HOWEVER, CONCLUDED SAYING HE DOESN’T FORSEE THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY NIGERIAN MAKING A BIG MONEY MOVE IN EUROPE EXCEPT THEY STEP UP THEIR GAME.

EBONYI / KIDNAP

 

 

FEW DAYS AFTER THE FORMER EBONYI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, CHUKWUMA NWAZUNKU WAS IMPEACHED, UNKNOWN GUNMEN HAVE KIDNAPPED THE MAJORITY LEADER OF EBONYI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, SAMUEL NWALI AT HIS RESIDENCE IN ABAKALIKI.

 

SAMUEL NWALI WHO REPRESENTS IKWO SOUTH STATE CONSTITUENCY IS BELIEVED TO BE A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE NEW SPEAKER, HELEN NWOBASI.

 

A MEMBER REPRESENTING AFIKPO SOUTH EAST, ENI UDUMA CHIMA CONFIRMED THE INCIDENT TO NEWSMEN.

SPORTS

 

 

THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION, AMINU MAIGARI HAS BEEN IMPEACHED.

 

MAIGARI WAS IMPEACHED BY EIGHT VOTES TO FIVE OF THE 13-MAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AS MEMBERS RECONVENED TO REVIEW NIGERIA’S PARTICIPATION AT THE JUST CONCLUDED WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL.

 

LAST NIGHT THE EMBATTLED NFF PRESIDENT MADE SPIRITED EFFORT TO SHIFT THE EXECUTIVE MEETING THAT HE SCHEDULED, CITING MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE.

 

THE BOARD HAS MANDATED THE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF MIKE UMEH TO ACT AS PRESIDENT AND PRESIDE OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE FEDERATION PENDING THE COMPOSITION OF THE NEW NFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AFTER THE ELECTIONS OF TUESDAY, THE 26^TH OF NEXT MONTH.

 

RUSSIA

 

 

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS DENOUNCED THE LATEST U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST HIS COUNTRY SAYING THEY WILL DAMAGE RELATIONS AND HURT BUSINESSES FROM BOTH COUNTRIES.

 

THE PRESIDENT SAID BILATERAL RELATIONS WERE REACHING A DEAD END.

 

HE WAS SPEAKING AFTER THE U.S. AND EU BOLSTERED SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA OVER ITS SUPPORT FOR SEPARATISTS IN UKRAINE.

 

AS SHARES IN RUSSIAN INTERESTS HIT BY THE SANCTIONS FELL SHARPLY, MARKETS ALSO FELL BY MORE THAN 2.5%.

 

IN ADDITION THE ROUBLE HAS PLUNGED AGAINST THE EURO AND DOLLAR.