NEWS

Kazeem Badmus

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recruited corps members who are Persons With Disabilities(PWDs) as ad-hoc staff for the July 16 governorship election in the State of Osun.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Abdulganiy Raji, made this known while speaking during a Town hall Meeting held in Osogbo on Tuesday for PWDs on Osun election.

The commissioner also disclosed that 95 per cent of ad-hoc staff who will be deployed during the election are corps members. 

He explained that immediately after the 2011 general election, the process of inclusivity began in the commission as INEC introduced braille ballot guide, provision of magnifying glasses, relocating all the polling units that are not PWDs compatible to a better place so that they can have access to the units.

Raji said: “95 per cent of those who will work for us, we have gotten their information ranging from people with physical disabilities, albinos, people with hearing impairment, people with visual impairment. We are going to engage all of them as ad-hoc staff for Osun state governorship election. We will ensure that we post them to places that will make life so comfortable for them at the end of the day.

“They will get used to the exercise and will get to a level where they can even be posted anywhere as we are getting matured as far as election is concerned. We are starting now and that will remain and it will be part of the electioneering process.”

Yusuf Oketola

THE Deputy Director-General of Senator Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council, Mr Kolapo Alimi, has asserted that the 2023 presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu prevented him from finding lasting solution to the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun.

Alimi noted that Tinubu tried his best to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party in the state but those involved refused to be reconciled which made the National Leader of the APC to pretend as if everything was fine due to his presidential ambition.

The former Commissioner for Local Government in the state stated on Wednesday in an interview with Bioreports newspaper.

He said: “For those who are not aware of what is happening in Osun APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu tried to intervene in the crisis but the parties involved refused to be reconciled and there is a limitation to what he could do. At the end of the day, he pretended as if everything was okay with the party in Osun because of his 2023 presidential ambition. 

“He does not want to offend some people and anyone who is close to Asiwaju well, even when he was the governor of Lagos state, will testify that whenever anyone offend him, he do look away and forget some things. That’s how a leader should be. Asiwaju is also not satisfied with the present situation of APC in the state

“Asiwaju is our leader but I will not be involved in any anti-party activities in the 2023 presidential elections. I’m a bonafide member of PDP now and I won’t do anything to work against my party. But if it is the resolution of the party to work for a Yoruba president, that’s the only way we can work for him. 

“That has actually played out during the time of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, all Alliance for Democracy governors were directed to work for him while he was a PDP candidate. It was only Asiwaju as governor of Lagos state that didn’t buy the idea”.

Speaking on his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, Alimi explained that Senator Adeleke saw a potential which Governor Adegboyega Oyetola refused to see in him as a result of his performance at the 2018 Osun governorship election tribunal.

Alimi stressed that the difference between Adeleke and Oyetola is that the Governor and his camp do not appreciate what they experienced at the tribunal in 2018.

He said Adeleke later discovered his values and contributions to Oyetola electoral and legal victory and approached him to work for the success of his governorship ambition.

The former APC stalwart said: “The difference between Oyetola and Senator Ademola Adeleke and some of other people in the All Progressives Congress is that they don’t know what we experienced during the 2018 election and at the election tribunal.

“However, Senator Adeleke witnessed all our performance at the tribunal and he then saw the potential in us, he discovered us to be a great material to his cause. He approached us to help him on his mandate.

“It’s not how long but how well. You can be with someone for long and if he/she refused to recognise your efforts, it is nothing. That I decided to join PDP, I wasn’t alone. I decamped with over 3000 people across 19 local governments in the state. 

Commenting about Oyetola’s governance style, Alimi stated that local government administration under the current administration has been bastardised.

He said: “It is under Oyetola government that local government administration was bastardised. When I was there as commissioner for local government, we constructed 3klm roads across all the 30 local governments and one area office in the state and that’s the only things that is visible today. 

“Some people do argue that local government administration has functioned in the past, I asked them that, is some of these towns no more in existence? Where are the boreholes, drainages and roads you claimed past administration before Aregbesola constructed? 

“But the one we built under Aregbesola are still in existence. And we create LCDAs. When the LCDAs were created, we observed that the cost of running administration would be expensive, so we introduced Parliamentary System, so as to reduced cost and to have more money in the government treasury.

“Oyetola came and said the parliamentary system is not suitable and they want to introduce presidential system. So, you will see those who is more prudent in term of administration. You can compare what we have in local governments during Aregbesola’s administration to what the present administration of Oyetola is doing”.

Yusuf Oketola

RESIDENTS of Aduramigba-Jericho area of Osogbo, State of Osun, have sought the intervention of the State Government to end their one-month blackout as a result of faulty transformer. 

According to the residents, there is need to procure a new transformer for the community’s electricity to be stable.

The residents told Bioreports that the community had been sharing a transformer with Onibueja, a neighbouring community for the last two years.

They added that Aduramigba-Jericho residents have been unable to raise fund to get transformer for the community.

It was gathered that Onibueja community disconnected electricity supply to Aduramigba-Jericho as a result of breach of monetary agreement.

Bioreports noted that each house in Aduramigba-Jericho were billed the sum of N30,000 by Onibueja community before allowing them to connect to the transformer. 

In an interview with a resident in the area, Habibat Olajide, she stated that the community could not afford the price of a transformer which made them to be soliciting the government’s assistance.

Olajide stressed that some businesses in the community are now dead as a result of the blackout while sighting her own example as frozen fruits seller. 

She said: My community used to share transformer with Onibueja, a community close to us. When we first got here, most houses paid a sum of N30,000 to connect electricity. But as years runs out, we have more houses here and we decided to form our own community, though we still shared transformer with them.

“We decided to stand on our own mainly because they don’t partake in building our community, what is important to them is to just take our money and don’t render any development. 

“For almost two years now, we have been rationing the electricity at night. It is usually two-day on and one-day off because they said the transformer is weak and we were living with it like that. 

“At some point, we decided we are not paying Onibueja community again and just used our money to develop our own community because we have lots of bad roads and so many poles to be bought. 

“Last year was when we decided to stop paying them but they later agreed to work things out with us. Unfortunately, they didn’t. We sent our balance to them and yet nothing was done, so some month ago we made final decision not pay them anymore and as such they decided to drop our lines 26 days ago; and here we are, no electricity and no hope.

“The price of a transformer is too much for us to bear, that is why we are soliciting to the government to please get us a transformer.

“We have contacted our lawyer and he had serve a letter to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), informing them of the situation so as to stop bringing bills”.

Kazeem Badmus

THE Chairman, Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ibadan Depot, Alhaji Mutiu Bukola, has attributed the fresh scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called Petrol to the short fall of supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). 

Bukola also disclosed that the five fuel depots situated in the South -West are not functioning, adding that members of the association have to buy PMS from private depots with an exorbitant price. 

He made this known while featuring on Rave FM’s ‘Frank Talk’ program in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

According to the IPMAN chairman, members of the association were buying the commodity at the rate of N167 per liter from the depot without cost of transportation. 

He added that the cost of transporting petroleum products to Osogbo and its environs was between N18-N20 per litre, saying the product cannot be sold at the rate of N165 considering the landing cost.  

Bukola said: “The scarcity of fuel is due to the short fall of supply from the NNPC and we are not getting it as and when due. We have been going from one private depot to the other before we can get a truck loaded and they are increasing the cost day-by-day. Right now, our members are buying at N167 per liter from the depot without transport.

“If you add another N18-N20 transport cost to it, the landing cost to Osogbo and its environs will be around N180-N187 per liter. On the other side, to run a station, you have to have a standby generator, whether Petrol or Diesel engine. Mostly, we use diesel engine and this morning, there is no station that will sell diesel below N850 per liter. The problem is coming from left and right and we are just managing them.

“We have five depots within the South-West (Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Kwara) and as I am talking this morning, there is no single one that is working out of the five. When those depots are working, we had some money paid to load fuel and till now, we have not gotten our products. Our members are dying everyday.

“Since January, 2022, Ibadan depot has been under lock and seal. No fuel there. There is a problem with the pipeline that brought fuel from Lagos to Ibadan depot to service all other areas. In lieu of that, they could not pump us and the product that supposed to serve Ibadan depot will be diverted to private depots. Because of that, we will go and buy at a high price”.

Mutiu said the monopoly of NNPC on the importation of fuel and regulation of the pump price of petrol is a cause for concern, adding that the association has about a billion-naira worth of fuel which the NNPC has not supplied. 

The chairman urged government at all level to assist the association out, saying: “We want to use this avenue to call on the federal and state government to bail us out. Osun government had done it in the past and we still want them to do it now. 

“If NNPC Ibadan is working and we have product there, we have no right to tell the masses that we want to sell above the regulated price. If NNPC depots are not working, this problem will continue and the masses will be suffering from what they suppose not to suffer for”.

Yusuf Oketola

A Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, has convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster known as Yahoo boy, Amusa Abdulhakeem Oluwasegunfunmi. 

Oluwasegunfunmi, according to a press statement by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was sentenced to eight months of community service for fraudulent impersonation.

The sentence requires him to clean the toilets of Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo.

Also, the court ordered that the convict’s attendance register be kept by the School Principal and submitted on completion of his term.

Oluwasegunfunmi was part of the five convictions secured by the EFCC before the Federal and State High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State and Osogbo.

At the State High Court in Ibadan, four cyber fraudsters, Ajisafe Sodiq Olaide, Lawal Samuel Morenikeji, Osuolale Abdullahi Abiodun, and Olamilekan Ridwan Taofeek were convicted on separate one-count charges each for offences relating to cyber-fraud. 

According to EFCC, all the convicts pleaded guilty to the charges against them when they were arraigned in court. 

Justice Iyabo Yerima of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, sentenced Olaide to six months of community service for obtaining money by false pretence.

In a different judgment, Justice Omolara Adeyemi of another Oyo State High Court convicted and sentenced Morenikeji to six months of community service; and Abiodun and Taofeek to one week of community service respectively.

The courts ordered that the convicts restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.

David Osundeyi

• Set To Screen New Commissioners

THE State of Osun House of Assembly, on Thursday, reconfirmed and extended the tenure of Caretaker Management Committee in the Local Government Councils  and Local Government Development Area Councils.

This is just as the House of Assembly got another request from Governor Gboyega Oyetola for reconfirmation and re-appointment of Commissioners and Special Advisers to fill vacant positions in the State Executive Council.

The Speaker of the house, RT. Hon. Timothy Owoeye who read out the request of the Governor on the confirmation of the Caretaker Committee Management held that the request is in tandem with Section 3(A)(i) (ii) (III) of the State of Osun Local Government Administration and Amendment 7 Law,(2021).

 The request letter read in part, “This is to bring to your notice that the 6 months term of the Caretaker Management Committee in the Local Government ,Councils,Local Government Development Area Councils will Expire on the 12th of July,2022.

“I hereby request the Distinguish State House of Assembly, Osun State to confirm the Appointment of the Caretaker Management to run the affairs of the Councils for another period of 6 months “.

The speaker while commending the Governor, emphasised the need to prevent a vacuum in Local Government being the closest tier of government to the people, harping on the insecurity level across the country. noted that it is expedient to have a structured government at the Local Government Level.

Owoeye enjoined the Caretaker members to improve on their relationship with the assembly.

While requesting for the confirmation and re-appointment of Commissioners and Special Advisers, Oyetola said “In line with the provisions of Section 192(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended, I hereby Present the under listed nominees for consideration and confirmation by the House of Assembly into the Position of Commissioners/Special Advisers in the state of Osun  with a view to filling the vacant positions in the State Executive Council “.

The nominees are Mrs Giwa Latifat, Barr. Olaboopo Olubukola, Hon. Solagbade Oladepo, Hon.Henry Olaonipekun, Hon. Bakare Akande Aleem and Hon. Olanike Omoworare.

The Commissioners/ Special Advisers designates are to Submit 35 copies of their resume to the House of Assembly on or Before Monday 27th June,2022.

The House of Assembly however constituted a 7 man  Committee headed by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Simeon Popoola to Screen the nominees.

President Muhammadu Buhari has shared his conversation with National Assembly leaders, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Nigerian leader revealed that he refrained from discussing happenings in the legislature with the duo because of his confidence in them.

Buhari made the comment on Friday in his birthday message to Gbajabiamila who clocks 60 on June 25.

He described the Surulere lawmaker as a “patriotic and honest” individual.

The President said he watched how Gbajabiamila used to be on his feet, passionately defending the party and issues he believed in.

Buhari also hailed his constituents for keeping him in the Green Chamber.

“I am so impressed and pleased with the performance of the Speaker and the Senate President.

“I called them and told them that I did not speak to them about what was happening in the National Assembly because I have so much confidence in them.”

“I know both of them and endorse their leadership so I should leave them alone to do their job.”

Buhari wished Gbajabiamila the best of luck and hopes his constituency will retain their support for him.

The President prays that God will grant the Speaker, the second longest-serving Rep, long life, good health and wisdom.

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has asked a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to go to court over a recent allegations propagated against by a section of the media.

Report made the rounds on Friday that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, had recovered N1.85 billion from a house and office said to belong to Buratai in Abuja.

Th allegedly recovered huge sum was said to be part of the billions of naira earmarked for the purchase of arms and ammunition by the Buhari administration

But the ICPC came out to deny the report of recovery of N170 million cash, $220,965, G-Wagon and other items from Buratai, who is the current Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic.

The spokesperson of the commission, Azuka Ogugua, said the report was false, adding that the said house does not belong to Buratai

He said that facts available indicate that the property is owned by owner of K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.

“We in HURIWA read a recent publication on webpage of sahara reporters titled “EXCLUSIVE: Anti-graft Agency, ICPC Uncovers Billions In Cash Meant For Arms, Ammunition To Fight Boko Haram In Abuja Home Of Ex-Chief Of Army Staff, Buratai”which was published on23/06/2022,” the group said in a statement signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko and made available to bioreports on Friday night.

“We as a civil rights body made up of lots of investigators and media workers with some of the finest investigative sources embedded in Federal and state government agencies, we can categorically confirm and attest to what the legal counsel of the retired military General said and also the ICPC has issued a statement distancing itself from the allegations that the house it invaded belonged to the erstwhile Army Chief.

“We in HURIWA are hereby encouraging the former military chief to file a suit in court to stop these vindictive media campaigns of terrorism which are funded by a top security chief working in the Presidency for political and selfish reasons”.

HURIWA is also advised media practitioners to respect the basic tenets of journalism which is objectivity, truthfulness, accuracy and balance.

HURIWA appealed to the Nigerian Union of Journalists and the Guild of Editors and the National Press Conference to roll out training programme for online publishers to educate them on the dangers of spreading fake news.

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Friday, visited the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt.

Although the agenda has not been made official, it may not be unconnected to the 2023 general elections.

Former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, was also present.

This comes a day after the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, visited Wike.

After his visit, Obi tweeted: “Earlier, I visited Port Harcourt, to confer with H.E. @GovWike on vital issues of national interest.”

Obi has also insisted he is still in talks with Kwankwaso over a possible merger.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense (RuMOD), 38 Nigerians have been killed while fighting for Ukraine against Russia.

In a report published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, it was stated that 85 Nigerians arrived in Ukraine after a global call was made by Ukraine for assistance. While 38 have been killed so far in the war between Ukraine and Russia, 35 have returned to Nigeria and 12 are still fighting to defend Ukraine.

“Against the backdrop of the Kiev regime’s mounting military failures and massive daily losses in manpower and equipment, the flow of foreign mercenaries to Ukraine has not only decreased, but is actually turning in the opposite direction,” Russian Defense Ministry stated.

While dozens are left fighting for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, there have been reports of many returning to their home country, despite the increase in payments to fight for Kiev, the Capital city of Ukraine.

“Despite the Kiev regime’s efforts and increased payments, the process of mercenaries leaving to the ‘other world’ or back to their countries of residence has not been stopped by the Kiev leadership”, the statement added.

The Conscience Alliance International (CAI), a socio-political group, has said that it is ready to work with the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, for all round development of the state.

CAI is a group of professionals Nigerians in Diaspora with membership across the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and other European countries.

A statement signed by its Director-General and Director Of Media, Wale Olaitan and Goke Butika respectively while congratulating the governor-elect described Oyebanji as a thorough-bred politician.

“We shall be willing to partner with the Ekiti State Government and the Governor-elect to deplore its expertise in the development of Ekiti state and Nigeria as a whole, charged other stakeholders in the state to work hand in hand with his administration to make the state a second to none among other states in the country,” CAI said.

The group also described Oyebanji as a tested and trusted politician who would fast-track the advancement of the state and make it more virile.

According to CAI, Oyebanji is an inexplicable pillar of transformation and light that would rapidly illuminate the length and breadth of the state with classical achievements in no distance of time.

The statement reads in part: “Oyebanji is a man of dignity with impeccable characteristics of revolutionary strength that can stand the test of time and charged people of the state to have confidence in his ability they described as supersonic.

“The organisation, therefore, expressed optimism that the incoming administration would usher in administrative finesse and managerial capability.

“We equally congratulate the other parties who fought a good fight. We salute the Independent National Electorate Commission for their upright and good conduct of the election though there is room for improvement, we acknowledge that INEC improvement on the previous elections.”

“We also acknowledge the collaboration effort of YIAGA, INEC and the media houses especially Channel television to stream live the election results and thereby result in timely collation of election result and eventually declaration of the winner in record time.”

“Though with a few incidents reported, the security agents are to be acknowledged and we salute their professionalism especially the Police, NSCDC, DSS and other paramilitary organisations who were on the ground to ensure free and fair election before, during and after the conduct of the exercise.”

“We encourage INEC, security agents, political parties, candidates and all relevant stakeholders to improve in the conduct of freer and fairer election in Osun State and by extension general election to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023”.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, has lambasted his critics.

Okowa has been facing criticisms from some quarters since his emergence as the running mate of PDP flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.

On Friday, he fired back at his critics after inspecting ongoing projects at the Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba.

The Delta Governor told them to visit the state to assess the level of infrastructural development.

“People in Lagos and Abuja say that they are not seeing what we are doing.

“It is either that they don’t come or that they just want to be wicked in their ways”, NAN quoted him saying.

On the N25billion loan for oil palm farmers, Okowa said it was not a state loan but that of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He explained that the Delta government only acts as guarantor to the farmers.

“It’s unfortunate what critics are saying, they need to be informed.

“We are only like a guarantor to the farmers, the oil palm farmers in the state.

“It’s going to be monitored but somebody needs to guarantee it for them and that is just what we have done,” Okowa said.

The governor encouraged Nigerians to embrace the PDP and assured the Atiku-Okowa ticket would deliver good governance.

Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said it read with a mix of pity and amusement, a press statement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) raising the alarm over a purported plot by PDP to sponsor protests under their name.

A statement issued by Benue PDP Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, described the statement as ‘nebulous, bathetic and totally unintelligent.

Lortyom said, “If the purported protests were to be a form of sabotage against APC, wouldn’t such amount to flogging the dead since the opposition party has already hanged itself by its failure to conduct lawful primaries in Benue to nominate candidates for the 2023 elections?

“Isn’t it the height of comedy for APC in Benue to preen itself as “… well structured and organized from the National Working Committee down to the Ward levels and handles her issues amicably….” when the same party has several of its members in court challenging the heist it conjured as “Direct Primaries”?

“Could there be anything more ridiculous than the claim by APC in that statement that they are “. committed to bringing dividends of democracy to the masses as it was evident in the just concluded primary elections across the length and breath of the state?”

He further queried how “dividends of democracy” served the masses from that unbelievable show of primitivity APC labelled a primary election in Benue State recently.

He also alleged that figures of votes were allocated even to someone who had left the party and couldn’t have participated in any of its activities?

“It is apparent that the party is now afraid of its own shadow and is sensing palpable anger of most of its members who were shortchanged during the humbug that was its governorship primary election, hence their resort to the search for a scapegoat.

“Benue APC has by its own actions set out irreversibly down the tunnel to electoral doom in 2023, but the party could still do itself some good by being penitent and thinking more about recovery in the post 2023 era, rather than spewing feeble unintelligent lies against PDP.”

Ukraine has begun withdrawing its forces from Severodonetsk as Russian forces take over the region.

The withdrawal operation is expected to last a few days as the head of the Severodonetsk district military administration, Roman Vlasenko told CNN.

“As of now, the Ukrainian military still remains in Severodonetsk,” Vlasenko said on Friday. “They are being withdrawn from the city at the moment. It started yesterday.

“There are a lot of units there, so I think the withdrawal will take a few days,” he added, without specifying where they were withdrawing to.

Vlasenko went on to say that 568 civilians were also in the city, inside the Azot plant.

“They will be able to get out as soon as the shelling is over, but to the occupied territory,” he added.

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Yobe State University Branch, (ASUU-YSU), has vowed to continue with the national strike, while pressing for the settlement of its local demands.

This was part of resolutions reached at the end of an emergency congress meeting held on Friday in Damaturu by the Branch.

Dr. Mohammed S. Jajere, branch Chairperson in a statement, noted that the meeting was held to review the on-going national strike vis-a-vis the recent release by the University Governing Council.

“The branch joined the ongoing national strike as a chartered member of ASUU not on solidarity basis as misleadingly quoted by the council.

“That none of the lingering branch issues (as contained in our earlier resolution of 10 May, 2022) was attended neither by the University management nor the State Government, contrary to the claim of the Council”, the Chairperson said.

According to Jajere, the congress warned ASUU members from other universities violating the strike action in whatever form will be reported to their respective branches for appropriate sanctions.

“Members should desist from signing any kind of work resumption register as directed by the council.

“The management of the university should avoid any form of intimidation and victimisation targeted at members of our union in exercising their fundamental rights.

“Parents are advised not to send their wards back to the University as such could amount to waste of resources”, he warned.

Recall that, Governor Mai Mala Buni and the University’s Governing Council had separately appealed to ASUU-YSU Branch to call-off the national strike in view of Yobe State’s peculiar challenges occasioned by years of Boko Haram insurgency.

Russia has claimed that the European Union and NATO are gathering a “coalition” to “essentially” prepare for a war with Russia.

Russian foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, while reacting to the news of Ukraine and Moldova becoming members of the European Union, said the EU is not a military-political bloc like the NATO.

He said that the development of its relations with other countries does not create any threats or risks but added that his country perceives the rhetoric of the union had been increasingly aggressive and “Russophobic.”

Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Azeri counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku.

The European Union, together with NATO, is gathering a sort of modern coalition to fight, essentially, a war with the Russian Federation,” Lavrov said, adding Russia will “monitor this very closely.”

This was after the European Council granted Ukraine and Moldova EU candidacy status on Thursday.

Manchester United have picked a replacement for departing second-choice goalkeeper, Dean Henderson.

United want Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann to replace the Englishman at Old Trafford.

But, the Red Devils Will have to pay a transfer fee after Watford rejected the Austrian’s plea to let him leave on a free.

Henderson is heading to newly promoted side, Nottingham Forest and Bachmann will take his place.

The 27-year-old is so desperate to make the dream move to Manchester United and talkSPORT reports that he asked the Hornets to tear up his contract.

With two years still to run on the deal, Watford are understandably keen to be properly reimbursed.

An offer of around £3m should be enough for United to get their man.

Manchester City have agreed a deal with Leeds to sign midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to Sky Sports.

The fee for the England international is believed to be in the region of £45m to £50m.

Phillips is now closer to leaving his boyhood club, where he came through the academy and came into the limelight under former manager, Marcelo Bielsa.

The deal has yet to be officially completed, as Phillips still needs to agree personal terms and pass a medical.

It is believed out of loyalty to Leeds, the only team he would have joined was Manchester City and he has turned down approaches from other clubs.

The 26-year-old will look to fill the void left by Fernandinho at City, who confirmed he will be leaving the club this summer after nine years with the club.

Patricia Scotland was elected as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in Kigali, Rwanda.

The 66-year-old lawyer and politician assumed the position on April 1, 2016.

Born in Dominica and raised in Britain, she served as the Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland.

Scotland’s 4-year term was extended in 2020 as the Commonwealth summit could not hold place due to the COVID pandemic.

The secretary-general will now serve a second term of just two years.

At the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Scotland expressed determination to carry on.

“When the role of secretary-general rotates to Africa two years from now, I will hand on the baton with a more powerful Commonwealth than ever before”, she said.

Scotland’s challenger, Jamaica’s Foreign Minister thanked the countries and people who supported her.

“If I didn’t pull through, God wasn’t ready for me to leave Jamaica yet!

“I continue to serve, and of course, sincere congratulations to Baroness Scotland”, she tweeted.

Oleksandr Sienkevych, the mayor of Ukrainian southern city of Mykolaiv has told residents in the city to run for their lives.

Sienkevych said there is massive shelling of the city and anyone who wishes to stay alive should leave without further delay.

“I suggest everyone who wants to stay alive to leave the city. About 230,000 people remain in Mykolaiv City now,” the mayor said on Friday, according to CNN.

Evacuation routes out of Mykolaiv lead to Odessa, Kryvyi Rih and the capital city of Kyiv.

The mayor said the situation in the city is “generally very bad,” adding that the city is shelled every day.”

According to him, 111 people have already been killed and 502 people have been injured, including six children.

A collapsed bridge that links Kwara and Oyo States from the Okolowo junction of Ilorin in Kwara has cut off the two states.

Residents of the state, as well as transporters, are now facing severe hardship in accessing both sides of the state, especially the transport workers and farmers who use the road on a daily basis.

The affected residents have appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Road Safety Commission and especially the Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola to come to their aid in the rehabilitation of the Ohan bridge which is very close to Alapa village in Asa local government area of Kwara state.

They appealed to the Works Minister to save their souls as there is no other source of income than driving and farming, insisting they have elderly parents, wives and children who depend on income made from the road.

The Sector Commander represented by the (DCC)Admin and Human Resources Deputy Corps Commander, Akinwumi O Fasakin, and Sector Public Enlightenment Officer, Mr O.B Basambo, visited the scene for an assessment of the situation.

He pleaded with the union to be patient with the government and assured that the FRSC will make a presentation to relevant agencies on the matter.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has finally confirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Yobe Zone C Senatorial District.

The electoral body also disassociated itself from the emergence of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.

The APC had earlier uploaded Lawan’s name on the INEC portal as the party’s senatorial candidate for the Yobe Zone C.

Although it was obvious that the Senate President did not take part in the party’s primary which produced Machina, powers that be in the constituency found a way to sneak his name into the INEC portal.

Lawan was reported to be chasing his dreams of becoming Nigerian president during the senatorial primary election, a race he lost to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It, however, came as a shock to many Nigerians when the name of the authentic winner of the primaries was substituted for that of Lawan who did not participate in the election.

In the documents uploaded by INEC on Thursday Lawan’s name was absent.

See certified copies

The Supreme Court has struck out a suit by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami SAN seeking to void the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

In a judgment on Friday, a seven-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammed, was unanimous in holding that President Buhari, having participated in the making of the law by assenting to it, could not turn around to fault its provisions.

The court upheld all the grounds of objection raised by the National Assembly, through its lawyer, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, against the competence of the suit marked: SC/504/2022.

The President and the AGF had through their Lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN argued among others, that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act was made in excess of the constitutional powers of the National Assembly and therefore, unconstitutional and illegal.

The Supreme Court, however, agreed with Ajulo that the suit is not one of such cases in respect of which the court’s original and additional jurisdictions could be invoked under Section 23(2)(1) of the Constitution and Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act 2002.

The court faulted the plaintiffs’ argument that the suit was informed by the National Assembly’s failure to give effect to President Buhari’s request that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act be deleted for allegedly offending the provisions of the Constitution.

The apex court held that the President lacked the constitutional or legal rights or power to request or compel the National Assembly to amend or make an Act.

In the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim noted that the suit touched on the essence of the powers given to the President by Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which he exercised by participating in the making of the E. A. 2022.

Justice Agim held that since the President aided the creation of the Act, with the support of the AGF, both plaintiffs could not turn around to query its legality.

He added: “The Constitution did not provide for the involvement of the court by the President after exercising his powers under Section 58(4) of the Constitution one way or the other.

“I agree with the argument by the counsel to the National Assembly (Ajulo) that this suit is reprobation of what the first plaintiff (the President) had approbated, and this cannot be allowed in law.

“Having assented to the Electoral Bill 2022 and thereby accepted that it has become law, he cannot, therefore, bring a suit, contending that the actions resulting from his assent is not constitutional, desirable and justifiable, thereby detracting from his assent.

“As it is, one of the cumulative requirements in Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act 2002 for the invocation of the additional jurisdiction of this court to entertain an originating suit between the President and the National Assembly does not exist.

“The plaintiffs have no legally enforceable legal right or power that gives life to questions raised for determination in the originating summons, and that can be protected or enforced by the reliefs claimed for.

“The dispute, in this case, does not involve any question or include the existence or extent of any legal right to the plaintiffs. Therefore, this suit cannot be entertained by this court in the exercise of its additional jurisdiction under Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act 2002

“Even the original jurisdiction vested in this court by Section 23(2)(1) of the 1999 Constitution to determine disputes between the federation and the state or between states cannot be invoked unless the dispute involves any question on which the existence of a legal right depends.

“There is no part of the Constitution that makes the exercise of the legislative power of the National Assembly subject to the direction and control of the President of Nigeria.

“The first plaintiff’s (the President) written request to the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act 2022 by deleting Section 84(12) therein, is a violation of Section 4(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

“This suit, which was filed in response to the refusal of the National Assembly to grant the said request is an employment of the judicial process to help realise the said violation.

“The court cannot be engaged in this kind of unconstitutional and illegal enterprise. The suit is, therefore, an abuse of the judicial process,” Justice Agim said.

He further agreed with Ajulo that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, and added that there was no useful purpose to be served by determining the case on the merit.

Other members of the panel – Justices John Okoro, Amina Augie, Mohammed Garba, Abdu Aboki and Ibrahim Saulawa – agreed with the lead judgment.

Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum has unveiled his squad for the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.

The American gaffer named 25 players in the squad.

Superstar striker, Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega, captain Onome Ebi and goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie are some of the regular players who made the cut.

New girls; Chinonyerem Macleans, Ifeoma Onumonu and Vivian Ikechukwu were also included in the squad.

Those dropped from the team include; goalkeeper Rita Akarekor and outfielders Amanda Mbadinuju, Charity Adule, Ugochi Emenayo, Anam Imo, Chidimma Okeke, Suliat Abideen and Opeyemi Sunday.

FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Yewande Balogun (Coppermine United, USA).

Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)

Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Charity Adule (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain).

Forwards: Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Vivian Ikechukwu (WFC Gintra, Lithuania); Chinonyerem Macleans (GSK Gornik Leczna, Poland); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain)

Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed that new manager Erik ten Hag lacks the weapon to fight for the title at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese have also told the former Premier League champions to up their game or he would leave the club.

According to Record, the Portuguese want to leave Old Trafford this summer because the club is lagging behind the others in terms of bolstering the team.

The superstar is ‘losing faith’ that the Red Devils can win anything in the upcoming season.

Ronaldo scored 18 league goals despite a torrid season for the club last season, and would not want a repeat this term

The 37-year-old was initially excited by a fresh start under new manager Erik ten Hag but is now doubtful any progress will be made due to the club’s lack of transfer activity.

The Red Devils are said to be chasing multiple top targets, including Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, Antony, Julien Timber, Lisandro Martinez, amongst others from Ajax Ajax but no deal has been struck yet.

Meanwhile, Liverpool and Manchester City have both been strengthened, and Ronaldo sees it as a sign of another season without silverware.

Record claim Ronaldo ‘fears Ten Hag doesn’t have weapons to fight for titles’, and ‘doesn’t want to waste the final years of his legendary career at a club where he feels he can’t add to his trophy haul.

The report in Record added that Ronaldo has issued an ultimatum to United – “up your game or I’ll leave.”

The Borno State Police Command has disclosed that strengthening capacity and provision of adequate psychosocial support to the personnel at the frontline would reduce depression among security agencies fighting insurgency in the northeast region.

The State Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar disclosed this during a three-day workshop organised for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) by the Management of Conflict in Nigeria(MCN) held in Maiduguri.

CP Abdu Umar was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bello noted that the workshop is timely considering the peculiarities of Borno, saying training and partnerships of security agencies would curb crimes and criminality.

“To me, strengthening the capacity of the personnel will reduce crimes, especially those who are on the frontline, I think it will assist us in prosecuting the war.

“We need to train and retrain our personnel with views of strengthening their capacity. To handle cases that are reported before their areas of responsibility professionally. Also, we have personnel from NSCDC, Police, DSS and NAPTIT. There is a need for the personnel to partner and network together in the best rest of the country.

“To a reasonable number, quite a number of personnel have experienced depression, they need psycho-social support, so if it is not readily available they go into crime because we are in the forefront of fighting insurgency, many of them are going into hard drugs.

“As you know, hard drugs can lead to rape, stealing, armed robbery and other crimes. We are going to create awareness and I believe with awareness the crimes and criminality will be reduced after this training.” Bello said.

NSCDC State Commandant, Musa Farouk Boyi while corroborating the account said there is a high rate of crime in the country and urged the religious and traditional leaders to support the security agencies to curb the menace.

“We are in partnership with the community and religious leaders to address the abnormalities that are going on in our society. I believe with this training we are going to change the narrative.

“Security is a collective responsibility, this will help to bring about normalcy in the society so that all of us can have the resilience of society and community people believing,” Musa assured.

The 2023 Governorship Candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Abia State, Onyekwere Akym Uche, has applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, on its decision to extend the ongoing voter registration and Revalidation exercise ahead of the general election in 2023.

This comes on the heels of the call by socio-political groups, members of the national assembly, and the recent court order restraining the nation’s electoral commission from ending the voter’s registration on June 30th.

bioreports recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission had earlier fixed June 30, 2022, as the deadline for the ongoing voter registration exercise across the nation.

However, Mr. Onyekwere Akym Uche, while reacting in a statement issued to journalists on Friday, maintained that the extension would halt voter apathy that may be experienced during the upcoming general election in 2023 in Abia and the entire country.

He tasked the INEC to ensure adequate logistics to enable those who are yet to register or revalidate do so, as it is their civil right and obligation as stipulated in the Constitution of the land.

He urged the electoral umpire to resist any pressure from any quarter to manipulate the ongoing process in favour of any particular candidate or senatorial zone in order not to subvert the collective will of the people.

While harping on logistics, Mr Akym Uche also urged the INEC to ensure the deployment of additional machines and ad-hoc staff to ensure eligible citizens are captured to ensure they exercise their franchise and enthrone the needed leadership at all levels of Abia State.

The Isiukwato-born politician said, “let me use the medium to restate that Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) remain the only weapon vested on the citizenry to effect leadership change, and elect people with needed competence, capacity and expertise to bring the genuine democratic dividends to the doorsteps of the Abia people”.

Three persons have been arrested in Adamawa State allegedly for raping a mentally ill woman and for defiling minors.

Two of the suspects are charged with the rape of the mentally ill woman while one faces the accusation of defiling two minors.

A statement released Friday by the image-maker of the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Sulaiman Nguroje, said Kwallan John, a 23-year-old man and Imamu Abdurrahman (21), were arrested last Sunday, June 19, for criminal conspiracy.

The police said the two raped a 35-year-old woman suffering from mental health disorder in Dirma village, Dumne, in Song Local Government Area.

“The suspects one Kwallan John 23 years old and Imamu Abdulrahman 21 years old all residents of Dirma village, conspired and took the victim to an uncompleted building and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.

“The suspects were apprehended by the police in Dumne Divisional headquarters, following a report received from one Simon D. Adamu a community member,” the statement said.

About the second case, the police command stated that on 20/6/2022, its operatives arrested a 34-year-old man for sexually assaulting two minors of Jiddel village, Michika Local Government Area.

According to Nguroje, the suspect, Dauda Idris, a taxi driver and resident of Jiddel village, took advantage of the little girls due to the absence of their parents.

“The suspect was apprehended by the Police in Michika Divisional headquarters, following a report received from one Magret Dali, a mother to one of the victims.

“Investigation so far reveals that the suspect raped the little girls severally with a threat to kill them if they speak out, while the former took advantage of the victim’s mental ill-health,” the police command said.

It added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Sikiru Akande has directed discreet investigations into the cases and commencement of prosecution of the suspects.