ATTENCAO

Donald Trump on Thursday secured the support of enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, after unbound delegates pledged to back the billionaire, according to the Associated Press count. The Republican Party will not make the results official until its national convention in July, when delegates actually cast their votes for the nominee. The party does not provide an official delegate count throughout the primary race, leading several US news organizations to compile their own estimates. There are slight discrepancies between different counts because in some states delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice, unbound by the primary results. Trump has now secured the backing of 1,238 delegates, one more than the 1,237 needed, according to the AP, which said the New York real estate tycoon passed the threshold when a small number of unbound Republican delegates, including Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard, said they would support...

Chukwuama Muanya The United States (U.S.) could soon become the first country to approve the commercial use of a common bacterium to fight the spread of mosquitoes that can transmit viruses such as Zika, dengue and Chikungunya. According to a report published in Nature, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing an application from the biotechnology start-up MosquitoMate to use the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis as a tool against the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). The company plans to market Wolbachia as a pesticide — one that kills only mosquitoes, and leaves other insects untouched. The EPA’s decision on the matter will come after a public-comment period that ends on May 31. MosquitoMate’s strategy involves rearing mosquitoes infected with a particular strain of Wolbachia and releasing the males into the environment. When these male mosquitoes mate with wild females who do not carry the same strain of Wolbachia, the resulting fertilized eggs d...

With the spectre of recession hanging over the nation, the Senate is deeply worried. Taking into cognisance the shrinking economy underscored by rising inflation, unemployment, poverty, dwindling oil revenue and other symptoms of recession, the upper legislative chamber yesterday summoned the Finance Minister, Mrs., and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. The senators want the duo to brief the upper legislative chamber on the monetary and fiscal policies adopted to salvage the worrisome economic situation. Adopting without debate, a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Bassey Albert Akpan (PDP, Akwa Ibom), the chamber expressed concern about revelations from several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have roles to play in the economy regarding the gloomy picture of the nation’s economic condition. Already, experts, including the National Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) under ...

Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Jose Mourinho and Manchester United can be “a good wedding.” Mourinho, 53, is expected to be confirmed as the new United boss by the end of the week after Louis van Gaal left the club on Monday. United could only finish fifth in the Premier League under Van Gaal last season, though they did lift the FA Cup. That wasn’t enough to save Van Gaal, who came in for much criticism for the team’s style of play. Ancelotti sympathises with the Dutch coach, who he feels had a difficult job handling the rebuilding process in the years after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. But Ancelotti, who succeeds Pep Guardiola as boss of Bayern Munich this summer, believes Mourinho can help take United back to the top of the game. “I think it is a good wedding [with Man United] because Mourinho really knows the Premier League well,” Ancelotti told the Daily Telegraph. “He is one of the best coaches in the world and Manchester United at this moment need some...

Nigeria’s recovered loot has increased by at least N6.66 billion. The amount is part of the N23.3 billion ($115 million) election campaign bribe allegedly distributed by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deziani Alison-Madueke, through Fidelity Bank. While the chief executives of Sterling Bank and Access Bank reportedly refunded N5 billion and $5 million (N1 billion) respectively, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered N17 million from former Secretary to the Government of Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, and two others from the state. It also reportedly recovered N49 million from Fidelity Bank. The amount is said to be the profit the bank made for helping Alison-Madueke to share the $115 million to designated people in the country. The aggregate of these recovered funds is N6.66 billion while N16.64billion is yet to be recovered. The $115 million which was allegedly used to bribe Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) offici...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) monetary policy committee (MPC) says the recession of the Nigerian economy is “imminent”, maintaining status quo on the monetary policy rates. Speaking on the state of the economy, Godwin Emefiele, the central bank governor, said: “The conditions that led to the contractions in the first quarter of 2016 were still largely unresolved. The recession which was signalled in July 2015, now appears imminent.” Emefiele, who spoke on behalf of the committee, said the previous decisions of the MPC need time to crystallise, hence, there was no need for adjusting rates. Stating the decision as the least risky option, the committee asked the CBN to work on a flexible exchange rate system, with no mention of devaluation. The bank said the monetary policy rate (MPR) and cash reserve ratio (CRR) will remain at 12 percent and 22.5 percent respectively. Liquidity ratio was also held at 30 percent. The MPC asked the bank to adopt a flexible exchange rate syst...

PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, yesterday accused the sacked chairman of plotting to destabilise the party. Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Jalo also revealed that the root cause of the persistent crisis that threatened to tear the party apart was the plot by Sheriff to hold on to power and contest the 2019 presidential election on the party’s platform. The former deputy spokesman said if Sheriff had refused to vacate the seat, the crisis in the PDP would have continued and might have led to the disintegration of the opposition party. Jalo explained that during the 71st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, it was agreed that his tenure had expired because he was completing the tenure of Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, which ended in March, and should therefore have vacated the office honourably. He further explained that Sheriff had not been given a waiver by the party, adding that the NEC took the decision that only the nation...

Contrary to application of brutal force against militants in the Niger Delta region, the federal government has been advised to engage the vandals who have been attacking oil installations in the region in dialogue. Making the call yesterday during an interactive session with a coalition of civil society groups held in Lagos, the junior petroleum minister, Ibe Kackikwu, said government should use such opportunity to speak to the militants on why their actions are inimical to the oil rich region. According to Kachikwu, who noted that government had realised that military tanks would not address the problem of the militants, as the activities of militants is working against efforts by the government to improve the Nigerian economy. The petroleum minister, who was at the session with Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said he was prepared to engage the people in dialogue with the hope to finding lasting solution to the problems in the region “The military ba...

Deji Akinwande, a Nigerian professor in the US, has received America’s highest research award. Earlier in the year, Akinwande was named by President Barack Obama, as one of the recipients of “the highest honour bestowed by the US government for science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers”. Speaking to TheCable on Monday, Akinwande said he was awarded by Obama on May 5, 2016, at the White House, where the 105 researchers were hosted. Obama and the Researchers (Akinwande marked in Green) According to the White house, Akinwande was awarded for his “outstanding research accomplishments in nanomaterials, graphene device physics, and opto-electronics, and for dedication to the education of future scientists and engineers”. Annoucing the winners earlier in the year, Obama said: “These early-career scientists are leading the way in our efforts to confront and understand challenges from climate change to our health and wel...

Farmers in Kaduna state are counting their losses following the destruction of their farms by pests which continue to affect tomato in many northern states. In Kaduna alone, about N1 billion worth of tomatoes are said to have been destroyed by the pests known  as Tuta Absoluta, which has ravaged farms across and led to nationwide scarcity of tomatoes. The newly established Dangote Tomato Processing Factory in Kadawa, Kano State, recently suspended production as most of the tomato farms in Kano, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Kaduna states were affected by Tuta Absoluta. Already, the Kaduna state government has declared a state of emergency on tomato farming in the state as a result of  the destructive pests. The state is noted for the production of tomatoes in commercial quantity, with 12 local government areas  engaged in the farming. The commissioner of agriculture, Maigari Daniel Manzo, at a news conference in Kaduna on Monday, said  80 per cent  ...

The action which was taken on Wednesday failed to gain much traction. Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Ayuba Wabba president of the NLC, said that the union decided to suspend the action after making wide consultations. “After an exhaustive deliberation, NEC noted its protest action was informed by the twin issues of the unjustified and illegal hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products,”he said. “In consideration of the above, NEC after due consultation with its constituents resolved to suspend with immediate effect, the action it commenced on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The action is thus hereby suspended.” According to Wabba, the union resolved to resume negotiations with the government on the new petrol price regime. After unfruitful negot‎iations with the government over the increase in the price of petrol from N86.5 to N145, the NLC embarked on a nationwide industrial action and protests. But the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and a...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has warned that there could be reprisal attacks on Fulani herdsmen in the State if they did not desist from attacking the people. He described the Fulani herdsmen that invaded  Oke Ako in Ikole local government area of the State on Friday, killing two residents of the town and injuring others, as “agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly.” According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications , Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “I have directed the police and other security agencies in the State  to fish out the killer herdsmen. I am in constant touch with the security agencies and I hope that the killer herdsmen will be fished out wherever they are and made to face the full wrath of the law. “The people of Oke-Ako should therefore remain calm while the security agents do their job. However, the security agents must be mindful of the fact that the people’s patience has...

As the monetary policy committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) meets tomorrow to deliberate on the issues affecting the economy, negative GDP growth rate and galloping inflation would top the agenda. At this week’s meeting billed to hold on Monday May 23 and Tuesday May 24, the MPC would determine whether or not to change the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), the benchmark interest rate, which was raised to 12 per cent from 11 per cent, and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), which was raised to 22.5 per cent from 20 per cent at its last meeting. The meeting would also decide whether or not to tinker with the liquidity ratio, which was left unchanged at 30 per cent at its last meeting. Last Friday, on a day it released an unemployment rate of 12.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year, an increase from 10.4 per cent of the previous quarter of 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced a real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of -0.36 per cent, in Q1 2016, which...

Ben Obi emerges party scribe How governors turned against sheriff Gana’s group seeks BoT’s intervention Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja In a bid to urgently reposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and stem the growing tide of opposition within its fold, the national convention of the party yesterday in Port Harcourt sacked its acting national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. Sheriff was replaced with a caretaker chairman, former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi. Former presidential adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Ben Obi, was elected secretary of the caretaker committee, which was mandated to manage the affairs of the party for three months. Sheriff’s tenure was a major source of division in the party, as a faction supported his stay in office while another fiercely sought his removal. The changes that emerged in Port Harcourt were amid a parallel convention of the PDP held in Abuja by the faction of the part...

China has emphatically denied reports that human flesh is being canned and sent to Africa as corn beef. In media report, an unnamed Zambian woman living in China reportedly issued warnings to Africans not to eat corn beef. She claimed that the Chinese people have started producing corn beef with their dead bodies and sending them to Africa. Yang Youming, the Chinese ambassador to Zambia, said that these claims being spread by the media are false, adding that the rumors were being circulated by “people with ulterior motives attempting to destroy the long-standing partnership between Zambia and China”. Some reports have been quoting workers in Chinese meat factories who claim the measures began because there is limited burial space. Gory images (pictured), said to show human bodies being prepared for the process, have been exposed as fakes from a 2012 marketing stunt for the video game Resident Evil 6. Youming called for an investigation into the allegations. A compre...

Giwa FC has been expelled by the League Management Company (LMC) for failing to honour three consecutive home games for the 2015/2016 season. The club is owned by Chris Giwa, who is laying claim to leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The expulsion of Giwa FC, according to the LMC, was a series of infractions. “Giwa FC is in for breach of NPFL framework and rules for failing to honour three cumulative fixtures without acceptable reason,” it said. “The three fixtures Giwa FC failed to honour being in Ilorin against Wikki Tourist for match day 14, Akwa United for match day16 and Enyimba for match day 18. “Giwa FC was banished to Ilorin to play three consecutive home games after disturbances in its match day 12 game with Rangers of Enugu which was not concluded in Jos. “Giwa FC’s letter to have its game against Enyimba rescheduled failed to meet NPFL provision requesting for a shift in game 72 hours before the said game holds. “Giwa FC will also pay a fine o...

Giwa FC has been expelled by the League Management Company (LMC) for failing to honour three consecutive home games for the 2015/2016 season. The club is owned by Chris Giwa, who is laying claim to leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The expulsion of Giwa FC, according to the LMC, was a series of infractions. “Giwa FC is in for breach of NPFL framework and rules for failing to honour three cumulative fixtures without acceptable reason,” it said. “The three fixtures Giwa FC failed to honour being in Ilorin against Wikki Tourist for match day 14, Akwa United for match day16 and Enyimba for match day 18. “Giwa FC was banished to Ilorin to play three consecutive home games after disturbances in its match day 12 game with Rangers of Enugu which was not concluded in Jos. “Giwa FC’s letter to have its game against Enyimba rescheduled failed to meet NPFL provision requesting for a shift in game 72 hours before the said game holds. “Giwa FC will also pay a fine o...

Traders of the Hajiya Ibrahim Commsie Shopping Complex, Police Barracks, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, operating under the umbrella of POWA Market, have dragged the Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and others before the Federal High Court, Lagos over the closure of the market. The plaintiffs, Messrs Iyoha Wilson, Osborn Atrogo, Sunday Usulor, among others, claimed that by virtue of Section 36(1) of the 1999 constitution the defendants, who alleged that the traders were “causing obstruction for road users” along Bourdillon Road, Falomo had not been heard, tried by a court of law, convicted or held liable before the defendants closed down the shops. They are therefore urging the court to declare the action as “unlawful, illegal, ultra vires, unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal consequence.” They also prayed the court to declare the actions of the defendants as intimidation, threats, harassment...

Adeola Akinremi.  Now that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has earned his political party, the All Progressives Congress, the sobriquet, All Promises Cancelled, the next question is whether, over the coming months, the government will be able to do something about its battered image, or whether it’s going to take more chances and finish so poorly. True, were Buhari to be a footballer, he will be scoring against his own team and having own goal recorded against his name. Conversely, while on the surface the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) pretends that APC is a party to beat at the next round of elections, a panicky reality exists at the party’s backroom. It all comes down to Buhari’s penchant for ignoring good advice or delay unnecessarily before acting. It is one bad choice a leader can make. Just before he was sworn-in, I remember the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, visited Buhari and propped him with good counsel. “You have more...

‎Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he can vouch for President Muhammadu Buhari when it comes to managing Nigeria’s funds. Speaking at the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Friday, Tinubu described Buhari as honest and straightforward. The APC chieftain said that he was at the union’s headquarters to appeal to the NLC to shelve the strike. An NLC faction led by Ayuba Wabba had declared a nationwide strike and protests on Wednesday‎. But the action failed to gain much traction. “I cannot say, I’m a part of the decision that created the situation. I can only say I noticed the communication gap. And I cannot say you are enemies of this government,” he told the executive of the congress‎. “‎Today, we came here to appeal to you. Go back to history, we worked real hard to bring Nigeria on progressive path. For me a progressive government is all about the welfare of the people. “Mr president, the former president of NLC...

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started investigation into allegations of diversion of Osun State local council funds leveled against the state governor Rauf Aregbesola. This is sequel to a petition by an Osun-based civil society group, Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State {CSCEOS}. The Ibadan Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency (EFCC) had invited the Chairman of the CSCEOS, Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, to appear before it on May 17, 2016 for further clarifications The group, which had earlier sent a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, accused the Aregbesola’s administration of diverting the federal allocation funds meant for the 30 local council areas, since November 2010 when the administration came on board. The EFCC’s Invitation letter to Sulaiman, dated May 13, 2016, and titled: “Investigation Activities: Acknowledgement/Invitation Letter” signed by EFCC’s Zonal Head, Akaninyene Ezima, was released to the press yesteterday. T...

Home  Nigeria Court Orders UNILORIN to Pay N970m Tax Arrears May 15, 2016 1 1323 Federal High Court By Hammed Shittu An Ilorin High Court has ordered the University of Ilorin to settle its outstanding tax liability  of N970m to the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIIRS). The presiding Judge, Hon. Justice  Bayo Yusuf, gave this ruling on Friday at the Kwara State High Court. According to him, the application for stay of execution by the University of Ilorin on the judgment earlier given in favour of KWIRS is not valid and is now subsequently dismissed by the court. Reading his ruling, Hon Justice Yusuf ordered that University of Ilorin being the judgment debtor, pay N100m on or before 31 May, 2016‎ and N50m monthly until the N970m is liquidated accordingly.  He added that interest accrued on the liabilities should be paid as well. This judgment is seen as a major victory for the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service and  the beginning of r...

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have given the federal government a three-day ultimatum to reverse its decision to remove subsidy on petroleum motor spirit (PMS), which led to the increase in the pump price of the product to N145 per litre from N86.50 per litre, or the workers would shut down the whole country at the expiration of the ultimatum NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, who spoke yesterday at a press conference that also included Chairman of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LACSCO), Dr. Dipo Fashina, insisted that the organised labour would make good their threat, should the government fail to reverse the pump price. According Wabba, “in the event government fails to accede to these demands on or before 12 midnight on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and their civil society allies resolve to commence the following actions with eff...

Lionel Messi and Co. celebrated yet another Liga title victory on Saturday, pipping rivals Real Madrid to the post, and we take a look at the numbers behind their triumph Barcelona have won another La Liga title after beating Granada 3-0, and they have done so in some style. The victory marks Barca's sixth title victory in the past eight seasons, their 24th in total, and they have earned their latest piece of silverware in swashbuckling fashion. Barca, led by the fearsome attacking triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, have scored a staggering 112 goals in La Liga in 2015-16 but, amazingly, that haul is only the third best of their time in the top-flight; they scored 115 in 2012-13 and 114 in 2011-12. Suarez - the third player to score 40 goals in a league season after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - netted a hat-trick as Granada were downed, his sixth hat-trick of the season. No other player across Europe's top five leagues has scored more than three. Ye...

Lionel Messi and Co. celebrated yet another Liga title victory on Saturday, pipping rivals Real Madrid to the post, and we take a look at the numbers behind their triumph Barcelona have won another La Liga title after beating Granada 3-0, and they have done so in some style. The victory marks Barca's sixth title victory in the past eight seasons, their 24th in total, and they have earned their latest piece of silverware in swashbuckling fashion. Barca, led by the fearsome attacking triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, have scored a staggering 112 goals in La Liga in 2015-16 but, amazingly, that haul is only the third best of their time in the top-flight; they scored 115 in 2012-13 and 114 in 2011-12. Suarez - the third player to score 40 goals in a league season after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - netted a hat-trick as Granada were downed, his sixth hat-trick of the season. No other player across Europe's top five leagues has scored more than three. Ye...

Lionel Messi and Co. celebrated yet another Liga title victory on Saturday, pipping rivals Real Madrid to the post, and we take a look at the numbers behind their triumph Barcelona have won another La Liga title after beating Granada 3-0, and they have done so in some style. The victory marks Barca's sixth title victory in the past eight seasons, their 24th in total, and they have earned their latest piece of silverware in swashbuckling fashion. Barca, led by the fearsome attacking triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, have scored a staggering 112 goals in La Liga in 2015-16 but, amazingly, that haul is only the third best of their time in the top-flight; they scored 115 in 2012-13 and 114 in 2011-12. Suarez - the third player to score 40 goals in a league season after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - netted a hat-trick as Granada were downed, his sixth hat-trick of the season. No other player across Europe's top five leagues has scored more than three. Ye...

Ahead of the federal government’s announcement tomorrow on the removal of subsidy on petrol, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the government will have to take tough decisions on the desirability of retaining fuel subsidies, adding that it had become necessary to remove them. His statement coincided with a remark by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who confirmed that the government would in the next few days unveil a new policy to address the subsidy issue in the country. Osinbajo, who spoke at the third Ogun State Investors’ Forum held in Abeokuta, the state capital, said: “No matter how we slice it, we are in economic times that are challenging, but they provide us with some of the best opportunities for making a real difference in our economic life. “I think that we are at a point that a lot has been said about subsidies and what to do with subsidies. I think we are at a point where we must make many difficult decisions and make very t...