Rio Olympics: NFF Hit Back At Dalung Over U23 Allegations

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNcRor5KuzggRL1FFi_bWXaCwUw7IALFaMQ9M2VaGiu21IX8NeYiEe_Fd8_X9CvPfhZns9CIbEuow0IglSdsQBj7IT4qVAaoKkjvEyyrke0jKFT9PVRz3C33iLnhz_hyphenhyphenMpTQl-_kcdwU/s1600/da.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNcRor5KuzggRL1FFi_bWXaCwUw7IALFaMQ9M2VaGiu21IX8NeYiEe_Fd8_X9CvPfhZns9CIbEuow0IglSdsQBj7IT4qVAaoKkjvEyyrke0jKFT9PVRz3C33iLnhz_hyphenhyphenMpTQl-_kcdwU/s400/da.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The Nigeria Football Federation have rejected insinuations by the Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung in a television interview that the issue of the Nigeria Olympic football team being stranded in Atlanta, United States of America was a hoax.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> The Olympic Eagles only arrived in Manaus for their first Rio 2016 match six hours before their opening match due to a shortage of funds.<br /> <br /> Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, who is a ranking member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, said the entire Board was shocked by the insinuations, as the NFF President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, had been giving them updates of useful meetings he has been having with the Sports Minister since he arrived in Brazil on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> “The NFF Board and Management are taken aback by these insinuations. The NFF President has been telling us of meeting between him and the Minister on how to avoid the kind of situation we got into in the USA in the future. So, the Minister’s latest statements are a bombshell," Yahaya-Kwande said in an NFF press release.<br /> <br /> “We are not openly challenging the Minister, but we must set the records straight. To start, we do not have any partnership with Delta Airlines, a company that we owe much gratitude for the way it came to the rescue to airlift our team to Brazil. The names of NFF’s partners and sponsors are known to the public.<br /> <br /> “Secondly, the NFF is not aware of any receipt that was presented to the Minister for airlifting the U-23 team from Atlanta to Manaus. I am aware that the Minister himself requested for the phone number of our FIFA Match Agent (Mr. Jairo Pachon, who has been working with the NFF since 2009) when everybody became desperate about how the team would go to Brazil. The NFF President gave him the phone number, and the Minister himself asked Mr. Pachon to go ahead and charter an aircraft, and Pachon reverted that the amount would be $174,000, as against the $300,000 that was bandied earlier. However, the money did not reflect in the airline company’s bank account within the deadline it gave to us, so the service was cancelled. We insist that Mr. Pachon acted in the best interest of Nigeria.”<br /> <br /> Yahaya-Kwande also took the opportunity to react to earlier allegations of the NFF bloating the football team’s list.<br /> <br /> “Which persons did we increase the team with?" he asked rhetorically.  "There were two alternate players, the team media officer, the team coordinator, the team’s equipment manager and the team’s technical officer, who have always been part of the team’s crew, and who by global standards are required by the team. When it was made clear that they would no longer be taken care of, we told them to return to Nigeria.<br /> <br /> “As I speak with you, the only NFF top officials at the Olympics are the NFF Technical Director and the NFF President. I would like to be proved wrong on this.<br /> <br /> “The NFF Board has always displayed integrity in all its financial dealings and have always communicated to the Minister on every financial transaction and detail. On this too, we would like to be proved wrong.”</div>

Latest-News Rio Olympics: NFF Hit Back At Dalung Over U23 Allegations

The Nigeria Football Federation have rejected insinuations by the Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung in a television interview ...

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FG begins swap moves for Chibok girls with Boko haram prisoners

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmyGG-pbrFjS3l3zkFB0WIG3IuKk3BnH09JGfFHTw825jrff3ey2nsTkDbq7jwxYkk4dIDunJIyYAgZ0BhbR-VP2M65tvan7DaqM7TVT56oSgSKaOBSaRz4_LcPGT-sIWmHYYGNirzE4/s1600/boko11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmyGG-pbrFjS3l3zkFB0WIG3IuKk3BnH09JGfFHTw825jrff3ey2nsTkDbq7jwxYkk4dIDunJIyYAgZ0BhbR-VP2M65tvan7DaqM7TVT56oSgSKaOBSaRz4_LcPGT-sIWmHYYGNirzE4/s400/boko11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> There are indications that the Federal Government has begun moves to exchange the Chibok girls with some Boko Haram detainees.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was gathered that as part of the moves, security agencies had started conducting a fresh profiling of  the Boko Haram detainees in line with a directive of the Federal Government.<br /> <br /> It was learnt the profiling would include the time they were arrested and the de-radicalisation programme they had undergone.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Findings showed that besides the military, the police, the Nigeria Prison Service, the office of the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Justice would be involved in the swop talks.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that although the government had not decided on the militants that would be released in exchange for the Chibok girls, insurgents, who had not been tried could  be the first beneficiaries of the swop deal.<br /> <br /> It was also learnt that detainees, who had undergone the “de-radicalisation” programme of the government, would be considered under the arrangement.<br /> <br /> Investigations showed that the government had started addressing problems that could hinder the swop talks with the sect following its split early this month.<br /> <br /> Boko Haram had, on August 3, 2016, split with ISIS naming Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the leader of the group.<br /> <br /> But a few days later, the former leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, in a video, dismissed the appointment of the new leader and insisted that he remained the authentic leader of the group.<br /> <br /> Shekau, in a video released on Sunday, said the sect was ready to exchange more than 200 girls abducted on April 14, 2014 at Chibok Secondary School for its fighters that were being detained by the Federal Government.<br /> <br /> It has earlier been reported on Tuesday that the Federal Government was in a dilemma over the faction of the sect it should hold talks with.<br /> <br /> A top government officer, who confided in newsmen, said that the government had started addressing the problem.<br /> <br /> He said, “I can assure you that the government is identifying genuine members of the sect it is negotiating with.  We won’t repeat the mistake the immediate past government made by talking with those who will not produce the girls.<br /> <br /> “Government is not opposed to swapping. Other countries, including Israel, have done it. In fact, security agencies are conducting fresh profiling of the sect members that are being detained. That is the first move. If there are sect members that have not been tried, they will be the first set to be considered under the arrangement.”<br /> <br /> Attempts to speak with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, failed as he did not pick calls to his mobile telephone. Neither he nor his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, replied enquiries sent as text messages.<br /> <br /> But the minister had on Sunday said that the government was in touch with members of the sect.<br /> <br /> “The government is in touch with those behind the video. We are on top of the situation,” he had stated.<br /> <br />  Military operations will continue —Defence headquarters<br /> <br /> The Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, has said that the military operations against Boko Haram will continue.<br /> <br /> According to him, the military is profiling the arrested Boko Haram members.<br /> <br /> He said, “The issue of dialogue rests with the political leadership of this county. If they decide, fine. But our own activities would surely go on in any security threatened location.”<br /> <br /> Abubakar said the military would continue to search for the Chibok girls and other people abducted by the sect, adding that the armed forces were being professional in handling the issue.<br /> <br /> He said, “Whatever the government wants is what we are going to do and we are very sure that we are doing enough to ensure that we push forth carefully, professionally and cautiously in order not to jeopardise the ongoing efforts by the military vis a vis the lives of our loved ones.<br /> <br /> “We are being very careful. You know we are profiling all these people who we arrested or those who surrendered. We are profiling them properly. The issue of saying that they are going back to the bush does not even arise.<br /> <br /> “The most important is that we are able to put them where they belong and put them under maximum care so that there would not be any apprehension.”<br /> <br /> On the claim by the sect that some Chibok girls had been killed in military bombardment, he stated, “The Nigeria Air Force uses precision equipment against only registered targets. So, how are we going to randomly bomb where they are? The military is doing all it can without jeopardising their lives.”<br /> <br /> Abubakar also commented on the latest video released by the sect. He said, “The person that appeared in the video is not Shekau. He is just a replica. He is just trying to work on the psychology of people. They all know that people know that we have completely dealt with these people so they are now doing this media war. That is what they are doing.”<br /> <br /> When asked about the profiling and the number of Boko Haram detainees in prison custody, the Nigeria Prison Service spokesman, Francis Enobore, directed all inquiries to the military.<br /> <br /> The DSS has yet to get a spokesman.<br /> <br />  Experts ask FG to get credible negotiators<br /> <br /> Some security experts have urged  the Federal Government to involve credible people in the negotiation for the swopping of the Chibok school girls for Boko Haram detainees.<br /> <br /> They also cautioned the government to consider national security before finalising a deal with the insurgents.<br /> <br /> A retired Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, said  that it was important for trusted and credible persons to be involved in the negotiations with the violent sect.<br /> <br /> He said, “One thing the government could do is by asking the Boko Haram detainees that would be released to sign an agreement that they would not engage in violence after they are released, but if they did, the alternative is for military action against them to continue.”<br /> <br /> Tsav said it was necessary to engage Boko Haram for the release of the 219 schoolgirls, whom he described as precious souls.<br /> <br /> Another security analyst, Ben Okezie, said the proposed negotiation must involve the best hands in the security circle, including psychologists and criminologists.<br /> <br /> While expressing reservations over the move to swop the girls for insurgents, Okezie cautioned the government against releasing hardened and unrepentant insurgents who he said would likely go back to the trenches.<br /> <br /> “If you are going to release Boko Haram insurgents, now that they are trying to regroup, they would surely go back (to fight) and the insurgency will be worse than before,” he said.<br /> <br /> A security expert, John Enweliku, said the Federal Government should first verify whether Boko Haram was serious about the swop deal.<br /> <br /> He said if the group was serious about it, the government could then go ahead in the deal.<br /> <br /> Enweliku, however, cautioned the Federal Government against negotiating with the wrong party.<br /> <br /> He said, “The authenticity of the negotiation claim is the issue here. The other time when the Federal Government tried toeing the path of negotiation with the militants, they ended up meeting with the wrong party.<br /> <br /> “Swopping the Boko Haram members for the Chibok girls is a welcome development. It happens even in advanced countries, but we should ensure we negotiate with the right people this time around.<br /> <br /> “The girls’ lives are important, but the Federal Government should tread cautiously. Their abduction has brought pain to their families and to the country as a whole.<br /> <br /> “And I am sure that with the present leadership of our various security agencies, they are capable of containing the activities of the militants when released.”<br /> <br /> Also, a counter-terrorism expert based in the United States, Sunday Ogunlana, said it was not wrong for the Federal Government to swop the Chibok girls for Boko Haram detainees.<br /> <br /> Ogunlana, however, cautioned the government against negotiating from the position of weakness.<br /> <br /> He said, “If these people (Boko Haram) are sincere that they want to release the girls, I don’t see anything bad in the negotiation, but it should be done with caution. And the Federal Government also must be transparent about it. They have to tell us who is setting the rules of the negotiation? How many Boko Haram members are they swopping for the Chibok girls? Are we negotiating from a position of strength or weakness?<br /> <br /> “If the girls are united with their families again, it is something good and no amount of sacrifice is too much to rescue them. Look at what happened in the United States few days ago, when the US sent $400m in cash to Iran to free four American hostages held in Iran. These countries will tell you they don’t negotiate with terrorists, but that they dialogue.<br /> <br /> “We can try that as well. We have used force before and we are still using it, but it has not been working. So if truly the Chibok girls exist and they are still being held, the Federal Government should verify and negotiate with the right group, and this time around, from the position of strength.”<br /> <br /> But a security consultant, Patrick Agbam, said the Federal Government should look for a new way to rescue the Chibok girls.<br /> <br /> He said releasing Boko Haram members to the public again could create more security problems for the country in the future.<br /> <br /> He said, “Everybody is eager to see the Chibok girls released to their families. Their lives are in danger now and they need to be rescued. It is very easy to say they should swop, but how are we sure that the Boko Haram members released will not create another problem in the future? Are we sure they will keep to their end of the deal? We should be cautious.<br /> <br /> “We want to see the girls back, but I think the government should look for a new way to rescue the girls. When you release criminals, they will come back to haunt you.”<br /> <br /> <br />

Latest-News FG begins swap moves for Chibok girls with Boko haram prisoners

There are indications that the Federal Government has begun moves to exchange the Chibok girls with some Boko Haram detainees. It was ga...

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Dogara and his supporters cannot harm me, I'm too strong for them - Jibrin

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytKaP3dvg7gR1lVjMvzcASOkvKhaHA7-rILLz-OxWQY-jqdOqhL42hE_XJbKvQzWiHWfTEt_bG3XVkQ2nW7n0h865tocBUp67XfXN1Trxsu0Cr8zxwk1ctK8t5G7cWwxcJF9OyTkG3NY/s1600/Abdulmumin-Jibrin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytKaP3dvg7gR1lVjMvzcASOkvKhaHA7-rILLz-OxWQY-jqdOqhL42hE_XJbKvQzWiHWfTEt_bG3XVkQ2nW7n0h865tocBUp67XfXN1Trxsu0Cr8zxwk1ctK8t5G7cWwxcJF9OyTkG3NY/s400/Abdulmumin-Jibrin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the house of representatives committee on appropriations, says Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, and other legislators he accused of padding the 2016 budget need more forces to fight him because he is stronger.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> The leadership of the house had released a statement on Thursday to say Jibrin was sacked as appropriations chairman because of his “gross abuse” of the budget process.<br /> <br /> But responding on Friday, Jibrin said the statement by the house leadership only showed that Dogara wanted to drag the senate and the executive into the matter.<br /> <br /> “They just want to drag as many people as possible into the matter to use it as a shield or create a situation that in their foolish way of thinking will compel me to implicate the six other principal officers or other people both in NASS and the executive arm,” he said.<br /> <br /> “They are obviously looking for co-travellers. You can see the pattern of systematic blackmail desperately trying to drag in the executive and the senate. I am just too strong for them. They need more forces to fight Hon. Jibrin.”<br /> <br /> The lawmaker said they failed to state how he abused the budget process or put it in jeopardy.<br /> <br /> He said no ministry, department or agency of government had complained about him, saying: “No facts; just empty vague allegations just to divert attention and buy time.<br /> <br /> “But when Lasun took over as chairman of the harmonisation committee, he did ‘a great job’ for the corrupt quartet. He fantastically loaded the budget with all the poisonous insertions they wanted. I have forwarded documents to that effect to the anti-corruption agencies.”<br /> <br /> He claimed that Dogara operated the finances of the house in absolute secrecy, awarding wasteful contracts using funds meant for members.<br /> <br /> “I am pleading with the security and anti-corruption agencies to be vigilant because Speaker Dogara is moving freely and destroying evidence. Let me assure Nigerians that I will continue with this struggle even if I am alone,” he said.

Latest-News Dogara and his supporters cannot harm me, I'm too strong for them - Jibrin

Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the house of representatives committee on appropriations, says Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, and other ...

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We can’t guarantee conclusive elections in 2019 – INEC Chairman

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwx5awVtQdrSuYveqRTZE5UD7TMduGLZQGF01TZVRdpZ47B0TdMO3T_IZSJbeTT3a7k0NvaPiNq_Z1NEoXQJy1owGRBNpiBxx6J047-L0OmDxULNMPN38pBQ7AcIlzJv9vFl2HM7Wbrc/s1600/INEC-boss-Mahmood-Yakubu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwx5awVtQdrSuYveqRTZE5UD7TMduGLZQGF01TZVRdpZ47B0TdMO3T_IZSJbeTT3a7k0NvaPiNq_Z1NEoXQJy1owGRBNpiBxx6J047-L0OmDxULNMPN38pBQ7AcIlzJv9vFl2HM7Wbrc/s400/INEC-boss-Mahmood-Yakubu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says given the challenges and malpractices that have marred elections both in the past and in recent times in the country, the commission cannot guarantee that the general elections in 2019 will be conclusive.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> He said any attempt to give such assurance at this time would be second-guessing the outcome of the election, noting that it had become inevitable for the commission to declare some elections inconclusive.<br /> <br /> The INEC boss, who spoke when he led some staff of the commission, including a national commissioner, Mr. Solomon Soyebi on Friday, stated that if everyone, including the staff of the commission, the voters, politicians and other stakeholders, play by the rules, there would be no inconclusive election.<br /> <br /> <br /> He said, “We can’t second-guess to say this is the outcome of an election before it happens, unless we are not conducting elections. We hope it won’t lead to that, but if it happens, the constitution has a way out of it.<br /> <br /> “There is no way the commission will declare any election conclusive where the threshold is not met. We can only declare an election conclusive when we are satisfied with the law and electoral act because all elections are governed by constitutional provisions, provisions of the electoral act and our guidelines. This is the challenge that we face, but we must express it because we (INEC) will not compromise.<br /> <br /> “The constitution of this country provides condition for making return in an election. If that threshold is not met, can INEC make a declaration? We can’t, under the law, and if you do so the court will nullify the election and then we incur costs to do the election again.<br /> <br /> “As to what will happen in 2019, only God knows, but we will abide by the provisions of the constitution, the electoral law and our guidelines in making declarations. We can only hope for the best.”<br /> <br /> The INEC chairman, who spoke extensively while responding to questions on the inconclusive elections conducted by the commission, explained that majority of the 137 elections conducted by the commission in the past eight months were conclusive, dismissing insinuations that the commission had been organising inconclusive elections.<br /> <br /> He explained that people had been used to conclusive elections on first ballot, pointing out that the political terrain has changed completely. He added that most of the elections were a product of the 2015 general elections and that there were no less than 680 court cases emanating from the 2015 general elections.<br /> <br /> “It is not strange. More than any commission in the history of this country, we have conducted more elections outside the context of general elections. People often forget that we had inconclusive elections in the past.<br /> <br /> “The first inconclusive election in Nigeria was in 1979, and that was the election that brought Shagari into power. We have forgotten about the mathematics of what two-third of 19 was, whether it was 12 or not. Eventually, the matter wasn’t resolved by the commission. People like Richard Akinjide went to court, and eventually the court decided the winner in 1979.<br /> <br /> “In recent times, we have had series of inconclusive elections. The governorship election in Bauchi State was inconclusive because of post-election violence and INEC concluded the election after two weeks. The same thing happened in Imo; the first election that brought in Rochas Okorocha was inconclusive, until two weeks after. In 2015, Taraba, Abia and Imo were inconclusive and there were other constituency elections where elections were inconclusive.<br /> <br /> “The most difficult election for the commission to conduct are off-season elections, because the attention of everybody focuses on a particular constituency and the political actors and gladiators and their antics have time to mobilise nationwide to descend on a particular constituency, which made the conclusion of such elections very difficult.<br /> <br /> “What I want Nigerians to understand is that our democracy is maturing. If it matures, it cannot be the way we used to do things before. The mindset would have to change. Days were long gone when politicians do everything they can to be declared winners, knowing that the case would end up in court.<br /> <br /> “So, let’s hope for the best, but it is everybody’s responsibility to make this democracy work. Citizens can protect their mandate. If we play by the rules and we are patient, I’m sure we will minimise all these issues leading to inconclusiveness.”<br /> <br /> However, the INEC boss said apart from power play by political gladiators, emergence of strong political parties had made the elections more competitive. “When we had one dominant political party and other smaller parties, elections were always conclusive, but now, by evolution, not by imposition, we have two strong political parties, fielding strong candidates, making the elections extremely competitive,” he added.<br /> <br /> When asked if he was being teleguided by the executive as rumoured in some quarters, he said there was no such thing, noting that both the opposition and the ruling parties had accused him of being teleguided by the executive anytime their party didn’t win an election.<br /> <br /> “I have made a commitment to this country that the day I think I cannot perform this job in good conscience, I would leave, afterall I have a job to go back to; teaching. So, it’s not true that we are being teleguided,” he said.<br /> <br /> Yakubu equally lamented that the nation had not been penalising electoral offenders, saying it was painful that over 1,000 persons died as a result of post-election violence in Kaduna in 2011 and nobody was arrested or prosecuted.<br /> <br /> He added that it was also regrettable that the recommendations of the Mohammed Uwais-led committee and the Ahmed Lemu-led committee had not been implemented, saying time had come for the government to set up an electoral offences commission and tribunal, to which all violators of electoral acts would be subjected, including staff of the commission.<br /> <br /> He said, “Under the electoral act, INEC is supposed to penalise electoral offenders and what are the steps: first, we have to make arrest, but INEC has no police, so we can’t arrest. Secondly, we have to investigate to be able to have evidence that can be tendered in court during prosecution, but we have no power to investigate, and for me, most extraordinarily, that means INEC is supposed to prosecute its own staff. How can INEC prosecute itself?<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, when asked what the commission had done in punishing some of its staff found guilty of electoral offences, the INEC chairman said over a hundred of its staff, both serving and retired had been invited by the EFCC in connection with the allegation of financial misappropriation levelled against the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe.<br /> <br /> The EFCC had alleged that some key staff of INEC benefitted from the $26m allegedly shared by the former Minister in the run-up to the 2015 general elections.<br /> <br /> Yakubu said, “The first one when I came in was the revelation coming out of what you people in the media call DiezaniGate.  So far, over a hundred staff of INEC had been invited. At a point, we toiled with the idea of speaking to the EFCC to see the weight of evidence they have so that we can take administrative action against our own staff, but they are innocent until they are proven guilty. They have to be charged to court, but we have taken notice and we have a complete list.<br /> <br /> “If you hear a certain number this week, the following week, it would have increased, arising from the interrogation of more staff, so we have not got to the end of it, and it’s not good for the commission to take decision in pieces, but eventually, some of them who are culpable will be charged to court.”<br /> <br /> He, however, assured that the commission would continue to deepen the use of technology, learn from what happened, make the smart card reader better and add new initiatives. “We are committed to ensure that every ballot counts and is accounted for,” he said.

Latest-News We can’t guarantee conclusive elections in 2019 – INEC Chairman

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says given the challenges and malpractices that have m...

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Godwin Emefiele elected president of African central banks

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFUbNz93iaNp8Ty2CsGi4BcgTPcIdYISCY2iqp2EH5SsJv7qlpmlOrG5rHvB_QhvWEjUb49KEB8A3p5tBQj2iKs260zUTzyyeyHSPLgmZmohSqDArzCJdEfTGlkpJFU7VDXOc3pUOnrk/s1600/eme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFUbNz93iaNp8Ty2CsGi4BcgTPcIdYISCY2iqp2EH5SsJv7qlpmlOrG5rHvB_QhvWEjUb49KEB8A3p5tBQj2iKs260zUTzyyeyHSPLgmZmohSqDArzCJdEfTGlkpJFU7VDXOc3pUOnrk/s400/eme.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been elected president of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) for 2016/2017.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> Emefiele was elected at the end of the 39th ordinary meeting of AACB governors.<br /> <br /> To work with Emefiele are the governor of the Bank of Ghana as chairman of the West African sub-region; governor of the Central Bank of Mauritania, chairman of the North African sub-region; and the governor of the Bank of Central African States, chairman of the central African sub-region.<br /> <br /> Also elected were the governor of Banque de la Republique du Burundi as chairman of the East African sub-region and governor of the Central Bank of the Kingdom of Swaziland as chairman of the Southern African sub-region.<br /> <br /> Reading the communique at the end of the meeting of governors, the new AACB president disclosed that the nomination for the vice chairman of the AACB, which is zoned to the South African sub-region, would be made known in due course.<br /> <br /> The assembly of governors also chose: “Prospects for monetary integration in Africa: Lessons learned from the experience of monetary and financial integration of Europe,” as theme for the 2017 symposium.<br /> <br /> According to the communique, the meeting noted that the unwinding of unconventional monetary policy measures, adopted during the financial crisis by the US Federal Reserve and central banks of developed countries, could have a negative impact on African countries due to the interconnectedness of economies.<br /> <br /> However, the congress noted that the unwinding of unconventional monetary policy could be an opportunity for African countries to develop appropriate measures to strengthen their resilience in the face of exogenous shocks.<br /> <br /> The assembly of governors therefore emphasised the necessity for African countries to diversify their economies and improve exports, while limiting imports.<br /> <br /> The Governors equally examined the implementation status of the African Monetary Cooperation Programme (AMCP) and pointed out the inability of African states to sustainably meet some of the criteria for macroeconomic convergence due to the negative impact of certain variables within the international environment.<br /> <br /> They therefore urged African countries to strengthen efforts at implementing structural reforms in order to diversify their respective economies, improve the business environment and promote intra-regional trade as a way of strengthening their resilience amidst external shocks.<br /> <br /> In reviewing the implementation of the work programme of the Community of African Banking Supervisors (CABS), which it noted had helped to set up an intranet platform for exchange of information among African banks.<br /> <br /> The AACB disclosed plans to unveil a project for collecting information on the activities of cross-border banks.  This, the AACB noted, would allow the identification of risks associated with the activities.<br /> <br /> The 39th ordinary meeting of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) was attended by 27 member Central Banks and the African Union Commission (AUC).

Latest-News Godwin Emefiele elected president of African central banks

Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been elected president of the Association of African Central Banks (AAC...

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My husband gives me 10 naira upkeep allowance, wife tells court

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TYM8mWPJ1Ow6PFjIYtsbVCQXfrHgGq9orFVQYjBrJ24Dr-_8yYDLE1bk5HisGdxHJgVT2wAq2OERCxdwwxhLQ7ZxqVAoAXPIN7nywGJjGoUfNe3-3gXRLZpZ-M4oKSqJOGXj6yk5kKU/s1600/gavel+law.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TYM8mWPJ1Ow6PFjIYtsbVCQXfrHgGq9orFVQYjBrJ24Dr-_8yYDLE1bk5HisGdxHJgVT2wAq2OERCxdwwxhLQ7ZxqVAoAXPIN7nywGJjGoUfNe3-3gXRLZpZ-M4oKSqJOGXj6yk5kKU/s400/gavel+law.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> An Ojaoba Panel of Sharia Court of Arbitration in Ibadan on Friday heard that a man, Abdulrasheed Yusuf, gives his wife, Sidikat, N10 per meal as upkeep allowance for family of six.<br /> <br /> Sidikat had asked the court to dissolve her 18-year-old marriage to Yusuf for alleged infidelity and starvation.<br /> <br /> “He was giving me N10 as feeding allowance either as breakfast or lunch because he said he just lost his job.<br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> “Even when he got another job, Yusuf did not change and in fact, the situation worsened as we continued to depend on concoction.<br /> “Yusuf, most of the times fed on bread and egg with sardine while the children and I took gari or eba.<br /> <br /> “My lord, right from the beginning of my stay with Yusuf as his wife, I started experiencing different kinds of bad treatment of which starvation was number one.<br /> <br /> “Worst still, Yusuf started having sexual intercourse with my younger sister who came to assist me when I was sick and in fact impregnated her.<br /> “My lord, I still managed to endure with him for 10 years and when I saw that things will not change, I moved out of his house.<br /> <br /> <br /> “As if those are not enough, he could not pay for any of his children hospital bill, let alone mine.<br /> <br /> “During our wedding, so as to make things easy for him, I barely requested him to give me my favourite Islamic music cassette as my bride price and I am ready to refund it,” Sidikat explained.<br /> <br /> Sidikat also said that her husband impregnated her younger sister.<br /> <br /> However, Yusuf strongly opposed the divorce, but failed to address any of the fundamental issues of starvation and infidelity raised by his wife.<br /> “My lord, till the end of time, I am not parting ways with Sidikat.<br /> <br /> “I am ready to welcome her back into my home any day anytime,” Yusuf said.<br /> In his judgment, the President of the court, Sheikh Hamad Tirmisiyu, held that it was terrible for any husband to be so irresponsible to the extent of being unable to fend for his household.<br /> <br /> He added that Sharia considered inability of a husband to adequately provide for his family as a wicked act and ungodly.<br /> <br /> “Obviously, there is no true love between Sidikat and Yusuf because the husband cannot respond to the fundamental issues raised by the wife.<br /> “Accordingly, Sidikat shall refund the Islamic cassette which stood as bride price on wedding day to Yusuf.<br /> “The children shall determine who to stay with between Sidikat and Yusuf.<br /> <br /> “In addition, Yusuf shall pay a monthly feeding allowance of N10, 000 for the upkeep of the four children until they are ready to stay with him,” he said.<br /> (NAN)

Latest-News My husband gives me 10 naira upkeep allowance, wife tells court

An Ojaoba Panel of Sharia Court of Arbitration in Ibadan on Friday heard that a man, Abdulrasheed Yusuf, gives his wife, Sidikat, N10 per ...

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Rio performance is poor, We must start planning for Tokyo 2020 immediately – Sports minister, Solomon Dalong

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeuwd0qQ5WXsl5-ZKckNI89lepE40tpQAPxWBXYGuo_rHKQq7WoTv6-nYQnj303wFSeugM52dZNjGRlWcexzS9GPi6CibMD1laVFJw7B8u6m7-dWmnSkpKMevmsOITtzI7gbI61WAgoY/s1600/solomon-dalong_1g8yibj79a4zi1n6q599cytnew+sports.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeuwd0qQ5WXsl5-ZKckNI89lepE40tpQAPxWBXYGuo_rHKQq7WoTv6-nYQnj303wFSeugM52dZNjGRlWcexzS9GPi6CibMD1laVFJw7B8u6m7-dWmnSkpKMevmsOITtzI7gbI61WAgoY/s320/solomon-dalong_1g8yibj79a4zi1n6q599cytnew+sports.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Nigerian athletes have been promised better preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with Team Nigeria yet to register its name on the medals table after Day 15 of the 2016 Olympic Games.<br /> <br /> <a id="more" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> Reacting to questions in Rio after Nigerian athletes in boxing, table tennis, rowing, wrestling and others failed to achieve a podium finish, the Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung explained that the results in Rio were a reflection of the level of preparations for the games. “It takes a minimum plan of 4 years to prepare for an Olympics.<br /> <br /> We have seen that the likes of Divine Oduduru, Blessing Okagbare, Aruna Quadri, Efe Ajagba, Ese Brume, Chierika Ukogu and others would have made the desired impact if we had done the needful after the London 2012 misadventure. Success in sports no longer depends on skills and determination.<br /> <br /> Sports has gone scientific. It is time now to develop sports from the grassroots using sports science. It is not just to compete but we need to be in tune with modern day sports. We can also start to develop other sports like water sports, gymnastics, long distance races, etc “We are going to put in place a structure that will enable us to start early preparations for the next Olympics which must include provision of equipment and facilities.<br /> <br /> We must ensure that all stakeholders including the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the sports Federations, zones , state and local government councils are incorporated in our quest to excel in future. “The corporate world will also be taken into cognizance.<br /> <br /> We will kick-start our preparations for Tokyo 2020 when I meet with all federations’ presidents to do a review and submit extensive programs which will prepare us for Tokyo 2020.”

Latest-News Rio performance is poor, We must start planning for Tokyo 2020 immediately – Sports minister, Solomon Dalong

Nigerian athletes have been promised better preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with Team Nigeria yet to register its name on th...

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