Nigeria To Hold Presidential, National Assembly Elections On Feb 19, 2019

Nigeria’s next presidential and national assembly election on February 19, 2019 Independent National Electoral

Coission said on its official Twitter account last Thursday.

The date will mark the end of ailing President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term. He has not said if he will run again.

Buhari came to power in 2015, promising to crack down on endemic corruption, rid the country of the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency in the northeast and kickstart a flagging economy.

Critics say his presidency has been marred by inertia and little progress has been made on those key policies.

Buhari has been absent for much of 2017 because of an undisclosed medical problem, which calls into question whether he will stand next year. It also creates uncertainty for his All Progressives Congress party that was created to elect him.

A presidency spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Buhari’s plans.

Nigeria’s Manufacturing Index Sustains Upswing in September

Nigeria’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 55.3 index points in September 2017, indicating expansion in the manufacturing sector for the sixth consecutive month.

The PMI is an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector. The PMI is based on five major indicators: new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment.

According to the PMI report posted on the central bank’s website yesterday, 14 of the 16 sub-sectors reported growth in the review month in the following order: appliances & components; electrical equipment; chemical & pharmaceutical products; nonmetallic mineral products; printing & related support activities; plastics & rubber products; food, beverage & tobacco products; furniture & related products; transportation equipment; cement; paper products; computer & electronic products; textile, apparel, leather & footwear and fabricated metal products.

But, the primary metal and petroleum & coal products subsectors contracted in the review month.

Also, the production level index for the manufacturing sector grew for the seventh consecutive month in September 2017.

The report showed that at 58.8 points, the index indicated an increase in production at a faster rate, when compared to its level in the preceding month. Thirteen of the sixteen manufacturing subsectors recorded increase, while three subsectors declined during the review month.

At 53.5 points, the new orders index grew for the sixth consecutive month. Ten sub-sectors reported growth, while six subsectors contracted in the month of September, 2017.

However, the supplier delivery time index for the manufacturing sector, at 55.4 points in September 2017, rose for the fourth consecutive month. Twelve sub-sectors recorded improved suppliers’ delivery time, two remained unchanged while two subsectors recorded delayed delivery time.

FOREIGN: Melania Trump Replys Librarian Who Rejected Her Donated Books

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First lady Melania Trump slammed on Friday the Massachusetts elementary school librarian who rejected her donation of children's books. 

Melania Trump's director of communications Stephanie Grisham said the librarian's response was "unfortunate," according to FOX News. 

"She has demonstrated this in both actions and words since her husband took office, and sending books to children across the country is but one example," she told the outlet. "To turn the gesture of sending young students some books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the First Lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere."

The White House selected a school from every state to receive ten Dr. Seuss books in recognition of “National Read a Book” Day — among them, was the Cambridge public school where Liz Phipps Soeiro works as a librarian.

Soeriro responded to the donation in an open letter, saying the Trumps should donate the books to students who are truly in need and suggesting they send the books to "underfunded and underprivileged communities that may continue to be marginalized and maligned by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos."

The librarian also criticized the first lady's selection of books. 

“You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliche, a tired and worn ambassador for children’s literature,” Soeiro said. “As first lady of the United States, you have an incredible platform with world-class resources at your fingertips.”

Culled From Yahoo

In Nigeria, Governors Are More Powerful Than President, Says Obasanjo

By Sunday Okobi

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has recently stated that state governors are more powerful than the president of the country, noting that the states’ chief executives have a lot of power.

Speaking in an interview with African Arguments, the ex-president said he does not believe in true federalism, stating that “why are they (the governors) not accountable? What powers do they not have? They have power.

“In fact, state governors are more powerful than the president. That’s the truth.

“(So) if anybody tells you they want devolution or true federalism, he doesn’t know what he is talking.”

He went on to point out that President Muhammadu Buhari has not done enough to tackle economic recession and unemployment, especially as regards sustainability.

“Buhari has made some announcements. He has tried to keep on going in the area of agribusiness, but not enough. It is not yet enough to prepare the ground for uninhibited growth of the economy, which we need,” he said.

Obasanjo continued, “Is Buhari doing enough about it (youth employment)? I don’t believe he is. Can he do enough about it? Of course he can.

“He (Buhari) has tried to keep on going in the area of agribusiness, but not enough. It is not yet enough to prepare the ground for uninhibited growth of the economy, which we need.

“Youth empowerment, skill acquisition and youth employment – education must be able to do that. If you do that, the ticking bomb of possible youth explosion out of restiveness and anger will subside.”

He warned that if “youth empowerment, skill acquisition and youth employment – education are provided ‘’the ticking bomb of possible youth explosion out of restiveness and anger will subside.”

The former president observed that most youths agitating or protesting for the sovereign state of Biafra do not know why they are doing so.

According to him, “The protesters don’t even know what the struggle is all about, but if it gives them false hope, why not hang onto it?

“Let the elders handle it or ignore it until it loses momentum."

Nigerians Urged To Seek Sufficient Information Before Applying For Canadian Visa

Nigerians who wish to pursue their career, invest or study in Canada have been advised to always acquaint themselves with sufficient information about eligibility, procedures and process of migration to Canada and other parts of North America before applying for visa.

The Managing Partner, Topmarké Attorneys LLP, a Toronto, Canada-based immigration and business law firm, Mr. Johnson Babalola, who gave the advice in Lagos on Friday, identified ignorance as one the challenges facing Nigerians proposing to travel to Canada.

Speaking during a press briefing organised to announce the 2017 edition of the firm’s annual Immigration and Business Seminar scheduled for September 30 and October 4 in Lagos and Abuja, respectively, Babalola expressed his concern over the way some Nigerians are being swindled or put in dangerous conditions by scrupulous people, who present themselves as immigration experts.

The legal practitioner stated that the annual seminar was informed by the need to provide information and educate skilled workers, investors, students and those who intend to visit Canada for tourism with accurate information that would ease their travelling process.

While disabusing the minds of those who think Nigeria is the only country that is being wrongly labelled globally, Babalola pointed out that the aims of the seminar is to address some misinformation about Canada immigration currently making the rounds in Nigeria.

He established with verifiable facts that Canada remains one of the best countries in the world and that United Nations, for many years, has adjudged the country as one of the best countries to live in.

Babalola however admitted that unlike the United States, Canada has no lottery programme but quickly added that there are a number of immigration programmes in place for those that qualify.

Speaking further on what participants should expect at the seminars, he stated that the firm and its Nigerian partner — Global Link net Limited — will focus on student visas, visiting visas, investor programmes, self-employed programmes and express entry (skilled programmes). Other areas he mentioned are; provincial nominee programmes, real estate investment and work permits.

He said: “One of the greatest impediments to a successful immigration bid is the absence of adequate and accurate information and professional representation for immigration purposes. Individuals that plan to migrate to or invest in Canada need adequate and reliable information that can only be provided by those who are trained to do so. By providing crucial information to skilled individuals, students and investors, we assist in ensuring proper planning which is the bedrock of a successful immigration process.”

Appeal Court Orders DSS To Produce Dasuki In Court

By Our Reporter

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to produce detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), before a Federal High Court in Abuja to enable him testify in defence of erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh.

Handing this order in a unanimous verdict by its three-man panel on Friday, the Court of Appeal set aside the decision of the Federal High Court, which refused to compel Dasuki’s appearance.

Justice Peter Ige, who prepared and read the lead judgement of the appellate court, stated that Abang was wrong to have regarded Dasuki as a “non-compellable” witness in the matter, and directed the judge to indicate the date which the DSS must produce Dasuki in court and other subsequent dates.

The court upheld Metuh’s appeal and nullified the ruling delivered by Justice Abang on February 23, 2017, when the judge refused to grant Metuh’s application for a subpoena to be issued and served on Dasuki.

The appellate court ordered Abang to immediately sign the subpoena filed by the ex-PDP spokesperson, ruling that the privilege given to the lower court to sign a subpoena in civil or criminal matter is not for the personal use of the judge but for the procurement of justice.

UNICEF: 3m Children Need Emergency Education Support in N’East Nigeria

By Mich Olugbode

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Friday said the humanitarian crisis brought upon North-east Nigeria by the protracted Boko Haram insurgency is dire, leaving three million children in need of emergency education support.

Speaking to journalists in Maiduguri after an assessment tour of Borno State, the state most hit by the crisis, the Deputy Director of UNICEF, Justin Forsyth, said the humanitarian crisis is beyond UNICEF and need the collaboration of all including governments and international aid agencies.

He lamented that 57 per cent of schools in Borno alone are closed to the crisis, even as the new school year has begun, adding that across the North-east, over 2,295 teachers have been killed and 19,000 others displaced since the crisis erupted over six years ago.

Forsyth who stated that three million children are in need of emergency education support at the start of the new academic year just starting, added almost 1,400 schools were destroyed in the crisis with the majority still unable to open because of extensive damage or because they are in areas that remain unsafe.

According to him, “Children in North-east Nigeria are living through so much horror. In addition to devastating malnutrition, violence and an outbreak of cholera, the attacks on schools is in danger of creating a lost generation of children, threatening their and the country’s future.”

IPOB Leader Kanu Not In Military Custody, Says Nigerian Army

By Ugo Aliogo

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has declared that leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is not in military custody as being insinuated in some quarters.

Defence Spokesman, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, stated this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday saying that the various military operations going on across the country to deal with the various security challenges would be sustained.

Enenche also said that the exercises were being carried out by the armed forces not only to tackle the challenges but to train personnel, adding that they were being done in line with best international practices.

He declared the unalloyed loyalty of the military to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Enenche urged the citizens not to be alarmed in the face of the presence of the military in almost all parts of the country explaining that they were assisting civil authorities to tackle emerging security threats.

According to the defence spokesman, the emerging threats were not unexpected as the nation passes through various stages of development.

He said some of the advanced countries have also passed these stages where their armed forces are called in to assist civil authorities to tackle security challenges.

On the quit notice issued to the Igbo by Arewa youths to leave the Northern part of the country on or before October 1, he said that the issue had been addressed by the political leadership.

He declared that measures have been put in place to address any eventuality and assured that all citizens are safe to live wherever they chose in the country to carry out their legitimate businesses.

Pirates Strike Again, Seize Passenger Boat in Bayelsa

An armed gang suspected to be sea robbers on Thursday struck again in Bayelsa State waterways barely 48 hours after launching an ambush that killed three passengers on Tuesday.

The gunmen reportedly hijacked a passenger boat along the Nembe-Brass creeks, took its occupants  deep into the sea before asking them to disembark.

None of the passengers died as they were all said to have swum to safety.

 Another gang had on August 28 ambushed a military houseboat and killed a soldier and civilian crew.

Again, last Friday, the bandits attacked an oil services vessel killing three security men on board.

Before they struck, it was gathered that  that the suspects had trailed the boat after it had dropped off its occupants in Brass from Nembe before hijacking it.

An eyewitness who declined to be named said the suspected pirates armed with sophisticated weapons shot several times into the air before seizing the boat.

Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Lloyd Sese, who confirmed the incident said that pirates’ activities on the waterways had made life unbearable.

Sese said that the union had appealed to relevant authorities to come to the aid of commuters on the waterways saying that the attack on boats has become a frequent occurrence.

A youth leader from the area, Robert Desmond, also condemned the incessant sea pirate attacks on the waterways, describing the acts as not only senseless but inhuman.

He  wondered why a group of Bayelsa youths should be ”terrorising their own people”, and urged the security agencies to up their activities in the area.

Desmond tasked security personnel to be on the alert particularly the Brass-Nembe people who are in dire need of marine security.

He called on law enforcement agents to apprehend the pirates, destroy every network and arsenal they may have in their possession, in order to bring respite to the Nembe-Brass people.

Also confirming the incident, Asinim Butswat, a deputy superintendent of police, and spokesman of the state Police Command, said that the command had intensified efforts to check criminality and restore security in the area, insisting that the security agencies were on top of the matter.