Samuel Chukwueze as the Anti-doping test conducted came out Negative.🔥🇳🇬😎
Putin Registers As Candidate For Russia’s Next Presidential Election
Russia on Monday officially recognised Vladimir Putin as a candidate for the presidential elections in March, a vote that he is all but certain to win.
The 71-year-old has led Russia since the turn of the century, winning four presidential ballots and briefly serving as prime minister in a system where opposition has become virtually non-existent.
The Central Election Commission said it had registered Putin, who nominated himself, as well as right-wing firebrand and Putin-loyalist Leonid Slutsky as candidates for the vote.
The election will be held over a three-day period from March 15 to 17, a move that Kremlin critics have argued makes guaranteeing transparency more difficult.
Following a controversial constitutional reform in 2020, Putin could stay in power until at least 2036.
Rights groups say that previous elections have been marred by irregularities and that independent observers are likely to be barred from monitoring the vote.
While Putin is not expected to face any real competition, liberal challenger Boris Nadezhdin has passed the threshold of signatures to be registered as a candidate.
However, it is still unclear if he will be allowed to run, and the Kremlin has said it does not consider him to be a serious rival.
FOREX: CBN Warns Dealers Against Inaccurate, Misleading Transactions’ Reporting
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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned all authorised dealers in the foreign exchange market against reporting inaccurate and misleading information on transactions concluded in the financial market.
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Obaseki orders reaccreditation of over 6,500 vigilante personnel, moves to boost security
…condemns attack on security operatives in Oja, vows prosecution of culprits_*
…charges citizens on effective use of State emergency numbers 112, 739
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the reaccreditation of all operatives of the State’s Security Vigilante Network, numbering over 6,500, in a renewed effort to strengthen the State’s security architecture to combat crime and ensure the security of lives and property of residents.
Obaseki gave the order during a security briefing at the Solomon Arase Command and Control Centre in Benin City, the Edo State capital, in the company of all security chiefs in the State.
Reassuring the government’s commitment to the security of lives and property of Edo people, Obaseki said his government will continue to collaborate with security agencies to combat crime and criminality in the State.
He said, “We are having this security briefing this morning to let the public know the measures that security agencies and Edo State Government are doing to secure lives and properties in Edo State.
“We all are aware of the security challenges in the State this weekend, particularly in Edo North, where in the guise of burial some citizens resulted to arson and assault on security agencies in Oja Village.
“Government can’t fold its hands and allow a breakdown of law and order in the State as appropriate actions will be taken and we have resolved to deal with what happened last Saturday. We will not accept a situation where citizens attack members of the security agencies, it’s not acceptable. As a government, we will deal with those involved in the incident.”
On reaccreditation of the vigilante in the State, Obaseki said, “We heard some kidnappers took over a checkpoint and attacked some policemen on patrol, but none lost their lives in the incident and this has prompted the government to commence a total revamp of the vigilante structure.
“Commencing today, only the vigilante personnel trained in the Nigerian Police Training School under the arrangement with the Edo State Government will be allowed to serve in Edo State. All vigilante groups and persons trained so far, about 6,500 men, are required to report to the Police Staff College where they received training for accreditation. The commander will be issuing instructions on the specific dates for reaccreditation.”
He added, “After the reaccreditation, anybody or group acting as vigilantes without being trained by the Edo State Government will be dealt with like criminals. Come out for the exercise, as we want to re-identify them and put them in our security information system software that we have developed. It will help monitor and track their activities.”
The governor, while reassuring sustained partnership with security agencies in the State, said, “The State will collaborate with Federal agencies, manning 24/7 hours Command and Control Center to ensure any incident, crime or breach of security is reported and all security agencies are in full alert to deal with such.
“Citizens are encouraged to call the security emergency numbers 112 or 739. These numbers should be called in any time of distress or security breaches in Edo State.”
Reassuring potential investors that the State is safe and secure for business, the governor noted, “We are introducing this security alert because we are aware and have had reports that some players in the political space naturally benefit from crisis situation, and we had reports that some are trying to bring in miscreants to man and support their political structure.
“We are aware and Edo will be peaceful as my administration will deal with anybody who takes action to upset our security like a common criminal.”
He added, “We are not waiting for incidents to happen before we respond. We are addressing issues ahead of time and want to inform the people that we now have a fully manned Command and Control Center as our security emergencies numbers are now active.”
On his part, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye said “Edo State Government in collaboration with the Inspector General of Police is bringing in about 4,000 policemen into the State to ensure peace and development in the State.”
Also, Commander 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Oduyebo said his men will continue to collaborate and support other sister security agencies to ensure the safety and security of the people.
NDDC Distributes Palliatives To Flood Victims In Rivers
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced the distribution of palliatives to flood victims spread across communities in eight local government areas of Rivers State.
Speaking during the presentation of the relief materials to the representatives of the flood victims in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State representative on the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, said the gesture would help the victims to recover from their losses.
Okocha said that each of the 24 trucks carrying the palliatives contained 47 different items, which were meant to cushion the effects of the flood on the victims, noting that the distribution of the materials was one of the contributions of the NDDC as a responsive intervention agency.
He said: “I stand on behalf of the Chairman of the board of the NDDC and the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who is in-charge of the day-to-day running of the affairs of the Commission, to say to you that it is our resolve that Rivers State and Niger Delta will have a new lease of life.
“We are there to defend and protect all projects in the Renewed Hope Agenda, the mantra on which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ascended the leadership of this country. President Tinubu has very serious concern about the welfare of Nigerians. Today is one of those demonstrations of the President’s responsiveness to the problems of Nigerians.”
He urged the local government chairmen to ensure impartial and judicious distribution of the relief materials to flood victims in Tai, Asari/Toru, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, Akuku-Toru and Andoni Local Government Areas.
The Rivers State Representative emphasised the importance of prioritising the grassroots beneficiaries who have borne the brunt of the natural disaster, stressing that sentiments should play no role in the allocation process.
Addressing the beneficiaries, the Rivers State Director, Engr.
Theophilus Allagoa, observed that the delay in the delivery of relief materials to the 2023 flood victims was due to the change in the NDDC board and management.
He said that NDDC decided to start the distribution of the materials to the worst hit LGAs in Rivers, stating that the Commission had different items in the list to distribute, three trucks each to the impacted communities. He also urged the communities to report to NDDC, if the materials did not get to them.
Responding on behalf of the flood victims, Chairman of Ahoada-West local government area of the state, Hon. Hope Ikiriko, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the NDDC for the gesture.
Former Gov Bello’s SSA Counters Melaye On Ex-Governor’s Achievements in Kogi
Hon. Richard Otitoleke, a former Senior Special Assistant On Land Use and Development to immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has disagreed with the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nov. 11 governorship election in the state, Sen. Dino Melaye, saying no governor in the history of the State has achieved the landmark achievements recorded by Bello.
Bello on Saturday handed over to his successor, Ahmed Ododo who was declared winner of the Nov. 11 election in Kogi by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Dino Melaye, a former member of the Senate who lost the governorship election had in an article cast aspersions on the democratic and good governance profile of former Governor Yahaya Bello.
While faulting the position of Melaye, Hon. Otitoleke said the plethora of achievements Yahaya Bello recorded while in office are there for all to see.
He said, “From the World Class Reference Hospital Okene,to road infrastructures across the state,to the establishment of additional two universities in Kabba and Osara respectively, that has given Kogites increased participation in formal education and reduced high level of illiteracy witnessed before.
“The former governor Yahaya Bello has transformed and empowered thousands of Youths in Kogi through direct and indirect youth participation in governance. These mega achievements has redefined leadership in Kogi State and above all,will be surely consolidated by the new and freshly sworn-in Governor Ododo Ahmed Usman.
“The landmark achievement of former Governor Bello is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind. No long epistle can erase Bello’s achievements in Kogi.”
Niger, Mali And Burkina Faso Withdraw From ECOWAS – Foreign Affairs
The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States.
The leaders of the three Sahel nations on Sunday issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay”.
Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
All three were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.
They have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.
A French military withdrawal from the Sahel — the region along the Sahara desert across Africa — has heightened concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to the Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
The prime minister appointed by Niger’s military regime on Thursday blasted ECOWAS for “bad faith” after the bloc largely shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.
Niger had hoped for an opportunity to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS, which has cold-shouldered Niamey, imposing heavy economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
https://punchng.com/breaking-mali-niger-burkina-faso-withdraw-from-ecowas-over-suspension/
Tinubu Approves Inauguration Of Committee On New Minimum Wage
President Bola Tinubu’s government has approved the inauguration of a tripartite committee to look into the implementation of the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), disclosed this in a letter addressed to Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC).
The letter dated January 23, 2024 is titled ‘Inauguration Of The Tripartite Committee On National Minimum Wage.’
It reads, “I write to inform you that Mr. President has approved the inauguration of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.
“The inauguration will take place on Tuesday, 30th January 2024 at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja at 12.00noon prompt.
“Members are to be seated by 11.30am. Kindly note
that a shuttle bus will be available at the pilot gate to convey members to the venue from 10.00 am.”
Labour unions in the country have been clamouring for a new minimum for workers at the federal and state levels.
Following Tinubu’s inauguration as President and the subsequent removal of subsidy on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, labour unions have threatened a showdown with the government amid rising inflation.
In June 2023, for instance, labour leaders called on the government to increase the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000 to meet up with the current economic realities.
The minimum wage was last reviewed in April 2019 from N18,000 to N30,000.
Lagos Issues Deadline To Squatters Under Ijora, Blue Line Bridges To Vacate
The Lagos State Government on Sunday gave a five days quit notice to different squatters under the Ijora Causeway bridge and Lagos Blue rail Line over head bridge in Ijora to remove all their shanties for constituting a danger to the Lagos Blue Line corridor or risk demolition and removal.
The quit notice was given by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab when he led a high powered team that included the Chairman, Special Intervention Squad on the Restoration of the Lagos Badagry Rail Corridor Clean-Up, ACP Bayo Sulaiman and Special Adviser on the Environment, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu on an inspection of the Ijora and the under bridge.
Wahab lamented the security risk that the occupation of underneath the blue rail line bridge by mini buses, block moulders, fuel sellers and miscreants posed to the safe operation of the blue rail line service, saying government would not allow this to continue.
The Commissioner stated that the State Task Force on Special Offences would take full possession of the whole expanse of land under the Ijora Causeway Bridge and would be sustained by the state government.
He also gave a 24-hour quit notice to all those selling petroleum products under the Ijora Bridge to move all their trucks and containers or risk confiscation, adding that they posed enormous dangers to the infrastructure and human presence in the area.
The commissioner said no form of enforcement must be carried against distributors and sellers of styrofoam products until the expiration of the three weeks moratorium granted them.
He maintained that the three weeks window would allow all producers and distributors to mop up all the stock they have before the enforcement of the ban takes effect.
The Environment team was also at the Park View Estate in Ikoyi where a secondary collector has been infringed upon from the upstream by building across and fencing it off.
He directed the Drainage Enforcement and Compliance Department to serve proper notices to all the property owners asking them to give unfettered access to the state to monitor its secondary collectors and remove any impediments if any.
Wahab said monitoring and enforcement of the laws on the environment would be an everyday affair and that this explained why the ministry had picked up from where it stopped last year.
Osimhen Taken In For Random Dope Test After Cameroun Game
Victor Osimhen has been taken in for a random dope test since Nigeria’s progress at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.👀