Breaking News: Ambassador Kolade tasks politicians on capacity building

Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Dr. Christopher Kolade, has charged politicians vying for elective positions in the country to take leadership courses to better understand their responsibilities.

Kolade, who urged the politicians to see leadership as a vocation, said government at all levels must work closely to ensure that the country’s human capital is fully harnessed to benefit the citizens.

The former envoy was speaking at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM)’s 50th anniversary and logo unveiling in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to him, CIPM is the professional institute that talks about the management of human resources, with the legal backing to regulate practitioners.

“If we want leadership to have the best influences on performers in this nation, people elected in any position should be given leadership training.

They should understand the responsibility they have as leaders and the accountability that must follow that responsibility,” he stressed.

Breaking News: Ebonyi government confiscates 378 bags of poisonous rice

Ebonyi State government yesterday said it had seized over 378 bags of poisonous rice imported into the state from other parts of the country.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Donatus Njoku, who disclosed this journalists in Abakaliki, said a member of staff of the ministry noticed at a market that one of the millers was mixing the rice with bags written not for human consumption with other rice and re-bagging them.

He said after preliminary investigations, the matter was reported to the State Executive Council, which ordered the temporary closure of the market and also set up a committee to investigate the matter.

He said security agencies led the state officials to arrest several persons in connection with the alleged importation and selling of the rice.

“One of the bags of rice has been sent to NAFDAC for analysis to confirm if they are poisonous.

The Commissioner of Police, Titus Lamorde, has directed the matter to be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for adequate investigation,” she said.

Breaking News: Ministry - Farmers-herders conflict depleting animal population

The Federal Government has raised concern that the increasing farmers/herders’ conflict across the country was depleting animal population.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bukar Hassan, who stated this in Abuja yesterday during the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) workshop for livestock experts in Nigeria, said the potential promises of the sub-sector were being threatened with pervasive conflicts in the Middle Belt, North-East and other parts of the country.

He expressed worry that the waves of destruction and demographic dislocation are so huge and unprecedented that the livestock husbandry set-up are significantly disrupted with animal population being totally wiped out in many instances, adding that cattle rustling and allied crimes are some of the crises.

Hassan, represented by the Director, Animal Husbandry, Mr. John Taiwo, said the LEGS programme by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) was aimed at saving lives and livelihood through two key strategies of assisting in the identification of the most appropriate livelihood interventions in emergencies and providing standards, indicators and guiding notes for the interventions based on good practice.

In another development, Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet) has warned that without appropriate policy implementation, the worsening problem of food shortage and hunger in the country may not end soon.

APRNet President, Anthony Onoja, who stated this yesterday at the ninth agricultural policy research seminar in Abuja, noted that issues like climate change, poor finance of agriculture research and herdsmen violent clashes with farmers in different parts of the country may “exacerbate the already lingering food deficit problem if not addressed now, especially using a multi-stakeholders’ approach.”

Onoja said poor access to finance by farmers and other issues in the agricultural sector might result in the sector not meeting the need of Nigerians.

Breaking News: 165 Nigerian migrants arrive Lagos from Libya

The Charge d’Affaires en titre of Nigeria in Libya, Alex Kefas, has disclosed that about 165 Nigerian migrants arrived from Libya.

This is even as he said the situation is so bad that the Nigerian Embassy in Libya usually rush Nigerian migrants from the embassy to hospitals for delivery.

Kefas, who briefed journalists in Abuja, said the returnees were billed to arrive Lagos yesterday, saying 3,801 irregular Nigerian migrants have been repatriated in recent time.

“We have been doing our best. Of course, it costs us some of our resources to handle the numbers of migrant on daily basis. On several occasions, some of them from the embassy were rushed to the hospitals to deliver babies. So, that is to tell you the magnitude of what the mission has been going through,” Kefas said.

He said 109 out of the numbers, were part of the Nigerian migrants whose video clip surfaced online recently, requesting assistance from the Federal Government.

“Today, we are also expecting the arrival of 165 irregular migrants that are being repatriated here today. So, out of this number, we have 109.

“These 109 that some weeks ago, sent a recorded video that went viral, that they appeal to Mr President and some religious leaders to come to their help, we are happy that they are in this very group that will be coming today. That is great news,” Kefas said.

Breaking News: Ambassador Gambari cautions against use of religion, ethnicity to divide Nigerians

Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, a scholar and diplomat, has identified those who fan the flames of division using ethnic, religious and cultural diversity tools as the enemies of the Nigerian state

Gamabri stated this at the 4th National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) 2018 Annual Lecture organised by NBC in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, on Thursday in Abuja, according to News Agency of Nigeria, NAB.

Gambari, who was a former Minister of External Affairs and former representatives of Nigeria in UN, also listed national indiscipline, greed as factors that are working against the Nigeria project.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Broadcasting and Nigeria’s Ethno-Cultural and Religious Divide: Bridging the Gap’, Gambari, however, disclosed that the real divide in the country is not about ethnicity and religion.

According to him, existing socio-economic inequality, poor governance were the real itching clog in the wheel of the country’s progress.

He cited the existing disparity in the healthcare, girl-child school enrolment between the North and Southern parts of the country as another factor that should not be glossed over.

“If you take the education of the girl-child as a factor, you would see the case of inequality as the southeast is having an enrolment rate of about 85%, southwest as 89%, south-south as 79%, Northeast as 20% and Northwest as 29%.

“Only 25% of women in the North use maternity clinics while 85% of the women in the Southeast do. With this, it is not surprising that 39% of women in the Northeast die as a result of complications during childbirth.

“This is what brings about high level of economic inequality such that different Nigerians live different lives in different parts of the country. How do you build a common nationhood when citizens are living such parallel lives?,” he queried.

He added that contrary to what former American President Barrack Obama’s comment that Africa needs strong institutions, Nigeria needs both strong institutions and strong leaders to thrive.

“Good governance, which is about inclusiveness and rule of law, if adhered to, will bridge the divide in the country,” he submitted.

Speaking on the role broadcasting could play in bridging the gap, the diplomat said that broadcast media must cater for the diverse interest groups in the country.

Gambari, however, while describing the broadcast media as a double-edged sword whereby it could be used for good or bad, emphasised that organisations must adhere to Broadcasting Code.

“Despite the emergence of Social Media, broadcast media remain the source of news and entertainment for many Nigerians. Hence, there must be a multiplicity of broadcast media to cater for the diverse interest groups in the country.

“Hate speech must be addressed. Strategic civic education must be embarked upon in schools, political parties, associations and grassroots.

“On the other hand, certainty of sanctions should be established by the regulators of these broadcast media,” Gambari noted.

Earlier, the Director-General of NBC, Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu said it was imperative for broadcasting to be a bridge-building industry.

According to him, the Nigeria Broadcasting Code states that broadcasting shall influence society positively, setting the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of the nation for the public good.

”In the Cultural objectives of the code, it requested Nigerian broadcasting to safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political,social and economic fabrics of Nigeria,” he said.

Breaking News: 2019 - National Assembly committee cuts INEC’s budget by N200 million

The National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reduced the earlier approved budget for the commission by over N200 million.

The committee had on Monday adopted a budget of N143 billion (N143,512,529,455) for the elections – as against the initial demand of N189 billion by INEC. It, however, directed the electoral commission to present another budget for the approved N143 billion.

By Tuesday, the Chairman of the committee, Suleiman Nazif, and other members disclosed that INEC had submitted a new budget for the N143 billion. They also set up a six-member sub-committee to review INEC’s new budget.

At its final meeting on Thursday, Nazif disclosed that the committee has reduced the amount by exactly N200,272,500 million.

The lawmakers also recommended that the funds be sourced from the other service-wide votes under the Special Intervention Programme, to avoid inflating the 2018 budget.

The committee chairman who gave the report, explained that the N200.2 million was cut from four sub-heads in the INEC budget.

According to a report, the panel reduced N50.2 million from N587.2 million for “enlightenment forums” originally budgeted by INEC. It stated that political parties were already doing enlightenment for the 2019 elections.

“Election jingles” budgeted for N471.9 million, but was cut by N71 million and “training of continuous voter registration officials”, initially budgeted for N300 million, was reduced by N50 million.

Similarly, the committee slashed the “monitoring of elections in 2019” originally budgeted for N359.4 million, by N27 million.

Nazif said the the recommendation will be forwarded to the National Assembly leadership and the Committee on Appropriation for consideration and final approval.

Breaking News: It’s unlawful for EFCC to unilaterally probe state’s finances – Ex-NBA chief

A former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN), has said it is unlawful for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invade a state and commence unilateral investigations of her finances.

Speaking during a special appearance on African Independent Television’s (AIT) morning magazine programme, Kaakaki, on Wednesday, Chief Okocha noted that the State House of Assembly has oversight functions over a State governor.

He said: “The State House of Assembly has oversight functions over the governor of Rivers State. What is the business of the EFCC in a state when we are in a federation? We are not a primary school administered by a headmaster. It is totally unlawful.

“We have a proverb that says if I have my money and I want to use it to buy groundnut, it is not your business. What is the business of the EFCC? Is the money of Rivers State the money of the Federal Government?”

He said monetary transactions by the Rivers State Government will not lead to any misfortune for the federal government to warrant the invasion of Rivers State by EFCC.

“What economic misfortune will the spending of Rivers State money bring or visit on the federal government? It is totally unlawful,” Okocha said.

He said it was illegal for the EFCC to freeze the accounts of Akwa Ibom and Benue States and described the focus on Rivers State as totally unlawful.

“We operate a federal system of government. What that indicates is that a measure of self government is given to the states.

“They receive their funds direct from the federation account. They control and disburse their funds in accordance with the appropriation laws made by the Houses of Assembly of the states.

“And they are perfectly entitled to deal with the funds as whoever is the State Chief Executive deems fit. What will you say if, tomorrow, you hear that EFCC has frozen the account of the federal government because it wants to investigate whether the federal government or that the president exceeded the limit of spending? It is unheard of,” he said.

He said there was a court pronouncement in 2007, under the administration of Dr Peter Odili, that the EFCC has no business investigating the State, adding that nearly 11 years after, EFCC has not successfully appealed the judgment.

Okocha noted that the attacks by EFCC maybe geared towards crippling the states by the federal government.

“I see this as a calculated attempt to stifle operations of certain states that, perhaps, the federal government considers are not friendly.

“You know there was a time they froze the account of the governor of Ekiti. The court made a pronouncement that they have no such powers. This is all along the same line.

“EFCC is now turning out in this fight against corruption to appear as if it is an attack dog against perceived enemies of the federal government,” he said.

Breaking News: Nervous Usain Bolt prepares for football debut

Usain Bolt is set to get a first taste of competitive football on Friday in a much-hyped game, but the sprint superstar admits he is nervous with his fitness levels not up to scratch.

The Jamaican is likely to be handed a 10 or 15 minute run-out for Australia’s Central Coast Mariners in a friendly against an amateur side as he works towards his dream of earning a playing contract and becoming a professional footballer.

Such is the buzz swirling around the match that it will be broadcast live on pay TV and 10,000 fans are expected to cram into the Central Coast Stadium for what is normally a low-key pre-season fixture.

The club, which finished bottom of the domestic A-League last season, is planning fireworks and other entertainment to keep fans amused until Bolt makes his entrance.

All eyes will be on the eight-time Olympic champion with a local paper planning to distribute 100,000 cardboard cut-out face masks of the 32-year-old for onlookers to wear.

“I think that will be a bit weird, but not too weird,” Bolt, who favours playing left wing, joked of the masks. “I’ve seen a little bit of that in track and field. But it will be something new to play the first game and see that.”

Bolt dominated sprinting after taking double individual gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and he remains the world record holder for the 100 metres.

He went on to win a further six Olympic golds and pick up 11 world titles before retiring last year and pursuing his passion for football.

Despite being used to running in front of 100,000 spectators and millions of TV viewers, the nerves are jangling as he enters a new phase in his career, having tried out with several other clubs around the world to no avail.

“There will be nerves, definitely. It’s not like a charity game anymore, this is a career I’m pursuing,” said Bolt.

“I expect to make mistakes, but I also expect to go in, make myself proud and push myself.”

His football dream is still a work in progress, with Bolt admitting this week to struggling with the constant stop-start of the sport, unlike his usual quick fire sprint on the athletics track.

“He doesn’t have football fitness, which is natural. We have not brought him in and said you have to do this and do that by this time,” said Mariners coach Mike Mulvey, who has given Bolt an indefinite time to prove himself.

“For this Friday, it comes down to what the fitness coaches tell me with regards to how his body’s coping with the loading we’ve got at the moment.

“But I would imagine he’s going to be playing some part on Friday.”

– Spotlight –

Mariners head of performance Andrew Young was blunt in his assessment: “As of right now, Usain’s not in the type of condition required to play A-League,” he told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

“We have to work on his aerobic capacity and he knows that.”

The Mariners kick off their A-League season away to Brisbane Roar on October 21.

Despite Bolt being likely to spend most of Friday’s game on the bench, his presence at the club’s base in Gosford, 75 kilometres (47 miles) north of Sydney, has generated global excitement and Mulvey is lapping it up.

“What the lads in the office are telling me, there could be 10,000-12,000 people here, that’s quite unbelievable for a pre-season game. But I welcome it because it puts us under a little bit of a spotlight,” he said.

While Bolt is used to the trappings of fame and fortune, he is determined to be just “one of the boys” in his new life around the Gosford area, a popular weekend getaway from Sydney with magnificent national parks and sandy beaches.

The bright lights of Sydney are not far away, but he has no plans to be out partying.

“I do want to enjoy the city and the life but I’m still going to remember that I’m a professional footballer now so I have to respect the coach and what rules the Mariners put down,” he said.

Breaking News: Pressure on Manchester United to get back on track at Burnley

Pressure is on Manchester United as they visit Burnley on Sunday, desperate to avoid a third straight defeat in what has been a poor start to their Premier League campaign.

Monday’s 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur followed the 3-2 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion and shaky defending was to blame for both losses for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Mourinho’s angry post-match news conference increased the scrutiny on his management but there has been no indication from the United hierarchy that they are considering a change on the bench.

A loss at Turf Moor, however, would surely raise serious concerns about the direction the club is heading under the former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager.

Burnley, though, have yet to find anything near the form they showed last season, when they finished a surprising seventh in the league and earned an unlikely qualification into the Europa League.

The Clarets are without a win from their opening three games and after a home defeat by Watford, they lost 4-2 at Fulham on Sunday.

Sean Dyche’s side have had to play six qualifying matches in the Europa League during July and August and that has been a strain on a relatively small squad.

United will be without central defender Phil Jones while Icelandic winger Johann Berg-Gudmundsson is doubtful for Burnley with a hamstring injury.

United’s Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera believes the many options available to Mourinho mean they should be capable of finding the right approach soon.

“We did a good 60 or 70 minutes (against Spurs) and should have been winning 2-0 at halftime, but we didn’t.

”If we want to win the next game against Burnley this is the commitment we should have. The basics have been shown.

”This is the way we have to play if we want to win against Burnley.

“We have quality, a very big squad. We made six changes and for the first 70 minutes, we were good. It’s easy to turn things around,” Herrera said.

While Spurs, who have a 100 per cent record, will be in buoyant mood after their triumph at Old Trafford, Saturday’s opponents Watford have been the surprise packages in this campaign.

Javi Gracia’s team has also won all three opening games.

Champions Manchester City will expect to get back to winning ways at home to Newcastle United in a match which pits Pep Guardiola against his fellow Spaniard Rafa Benitez.

City had to fight back for a 1-1 draw at promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers last week while Newcastle are likely to repeat the defensive approach they used in their 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea.

Liverpool have also won all three opening games but will know a test awaits them at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City.

Chelsea, another of the four teams with 100 per cent records, host Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth.

Breaking News: Samuel Eto’o promises house to former Cameroon captain who is homeless

Ex-Cameroon, Barcelona and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o has said he will buy a house for former national team captain Norbert Owona, who is homeless and whose plight has been highlighted in a documentary.

Owona, who is 67 and played for Cameroon in the 1960s and 1970s, has been living rough on the streets of Douala – the city in which he once played for club Union Douala.

However an inguinal hernia forced him to go to hospital, where Eto’o visited him and made his pledge on Sunday. Eto’o has also said he donated 500,000 CFA francs (£686) to Owana, according to another former player, Joseph Kamga.

Kamga – who played for Cameroon at the 1982 World Cup in Spain – has been campaigning on behalf of several players who have suffered difficulties since quitting the game, saying the situation some have found themselves in is “indescribable”.

Owona had written to some government ministers about his state of health and his appeal for help.

He complained of “living like an animal” and said it was “unfair to receive such treatment from his country”.

Owona said it was difficult to get medical help because he had no money or home, having spent all his savings to pay for the cancer care of his wife and children.

Breaking News: Nuclear deal - Iran loses hope on EU

Iran appears to have lost hope on Europe to save the international nuclear deal after U.S. withdrawal earlier this year.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader who expressed regret over the development on Wednesday urged government to stop pinning its hopes on Europe to keep the accord alive.

Reuters quoted Khamenei as saying that Iran could abandon the nuclear agreement if it does not serve the “national interests” of the country.

“The nuclear deal is a means, not the goal, and if we come to this conclusion that it does not serve our national interests, we can abandon it,” Khamenei was quoted as saying by his official website.

Khamenei added that even as officials from European countries work to salvage the deal after the exit by the U.S., Tehran should “give up hope” for the deal to be saved.

“There is no problem with negotiations and keeping contact with the Europeans, but you should give up hope on them over economic issues or the nuclear deal,” he was quoted as saying.

The comments came a day after Iranian lawmakers ordered President Hassan Rouhani to answer for his role in the faltering economy amid growing political divisions in the country.

Rouhani claimed that newly re-imposed U.S. sanctions after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal would only serve to unify the country.

“I want to assure the Iranian nation that we will not allow the U.S. plot against the Islamic Republic to succeed.

“We will not let this bunch of anti-Iranians in the White House be able to plot against us,” he told parliament.

Breaking News: Court sentences ex-policeman to 15 years in prison for killing teen

Texas jurors sentenced former police officer Roy Oliver to 15 years of jail for murdering a black teenager, local media reported.

The incident took place in 2017 in Balch Springs, Dallas County.

Oliver responded to a call from a party and opened fire at a vehicle moving away from the site, hitting unarmed Jordan Edwards in the head.

Oliver also received a fine of 10,000 dollars, the WFAA broadcaster said.

Oliver said he shot because he feared for the life of his partner, officer Tyler Gross, while Gross testified that he did not see threats for his safety, and the car was driving off the policemen.

Breaking News: German police ready for new anti-migrant rally

German police on Thursday brace up for fresh anti-immigrant rally in the eastern city of Chemnitz after two similar protests resulted in clashes and attacks against foreigners.

Far-right group Pro Chemnitz wrote on Facebook, where it has 18,00 followers, that it would stage a protest at 6pm near a football stadium in the city.

An Interior Ministry spokesperson said police in Saxony, the state where Chemnitz is located, have requested back-up from federal police.

State police came under fire for policing a Monday rally that drew 7,000 people with less than 600 officers.

Michael Kretschmer, state premier of Saxony, and Chemnitz mayor Barbara Ludwig were to hold a citizens’ forum to discuss the days of unrest an hour after the latest rally was set to start Thursday.

The stabbing death of a German man – allegedly at the hands of a Syrian and an Iraqi – at a street festival early Sunday sparked a spontaneous rally the same day.

A much larger rally held on Monday that included clashes and random attacks on foreigners.

The violence was fuelled by false information on social media about the circumstances of the crime, including the claim that the victim had been defending a woman from the asylum seekers.

Police debunked that claim, saying only that it had been a fight between two groups.

An arrest warrant for one of the alleged perpetrators was illegally leaked and circulated online, prompting long-standing allegations to surface of links between Saxony police and right-wing groups.

Breaking News: US pastor held in Turkey set to go to European court – lawyer

A US pastor under house arrest in Turkey is prepared take his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unless the Turkish judiciary sets him free, his lawyer told Al Jazeera.

The case against Andrew Brunson, who is being held on terrorism charges, has triggered a full-blown diplomatic dispute between Washington and Ankara with no end in sight.

A Turkish court in the western province of Izmir on August 17 rejected an appeal to release Brunson, upholding a judgment taken by a lower court earlier in the week.

Ismail Cem Halavurt, Brunson’s lawyer, said that they would go to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in Turkey, within weeks as the last effort to find a domestic remedy to Brunson’s situation.

“We will receive a formal notification on the latest verdict by the criminal court in Izmir soon. Then we have a month to appeal it at the Constitutional Court,” Halavurt said, adding that Brunson’s “right to liberty and security” as well as “right to travel” have been breached.

“Unless the Constitutional Court frees him, we will have to take the case to the ECHR as the domestic legal remedies we can seek will be exhausted,” he added.

Turkey is one of 47 signatories of the European Convention on Human Rights that established the supranational human rights court, which makes binding verdicts.

Arrested in 2016

A protestant pastor, Brunson, who lived in Turkey over two decades with his family, was arrested in 2016 in a government crackdown following a failed coup bid. He faces 35 years in prison on espionage and violence charges.

Brunson was in prison before he was allowed to be kept under house arrest on July 25. He also has a court-ordered travel ban imposed on him.

Halavurt said that the case has been increasingly politicised because of the eroding diplomatic climate between Washington and Ankara.

“It is very hard for the Turkish judiciary to act impartial in such a politicised case. Therefore, we are prepared to take it to the relevant international judicial authority, the ECHR,” he told Al Jazeera.

US and Turkish officials have been trading barbs over the Brunson case, which included remarks from US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish officials have stressed that the Turkish courts were independent, including the ones hearing the case of Brunson.

Erdogan said earlier in August that his country would not make compromises regarding the independence of the judiciary, in a reference to the Brunson issue.

Talking to Al Jazeera, Ahmet Berat Conker, an MP with Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, called on the US to respect the judicial process for the pastor.

“The independent Turkish judiciary will make a verdict on the case without bowing to any pressures,” said Conker, who is also a member of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

Tariff war

The NATO allies have recently imposed increased tariffs on each other as the diplomatic dispute spilled over to the economic arena.

Washington announced a doubling of steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey on August 10, with Ankara hitting back five days later by doubling tariffs on certain US imports, such as passenger cars, alcohol and tobacco.

“It is a big mistake to link the future of mutual relations to a judicial judgment. The approach of the Trump administration to the issue is wrong,” Conker told Al Jazeera.

“The two countries should discuss the issues they have through diplomatic channels, and independent from judicial processes.”

The Turkish lira has taken a dive since the beginning of the year, and with an acceding speed in the month of August. The currency lost more than 40 percent of its value against the US dollar this year, amid macroeconomic concerns and the diplomatic showdown between Washington and Ankara.

The Turkish government has demanded extradition of Fethullah Gulen, an exiled religious leader based in the US and wanted in Turkey. Ankara accuses Gulen of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt that killed about 300 people.

Erdogan has suggested in public addresses that an exchange of Gulen for Brunson would be possible.

Breaking News: Emmanuel Macron under fire for calling French ‘resistant to change’

French President Emmanuel Macron came under attack from the opposition on Thursday after describing his countrymen as “Gauls who are resistant to change” during a trip to Denmark.

The comments came during an exchange with French expatriates in the Scandinavian country, which Macron has long admired because of its economic model that mixes a strong social security system with rules allowing companies to easily fire workers.

“Let’s not be naive, what is possible is linked to a culture, to a people who are the product of their history,” Macron said on Wednesday afternoon.

“These Lutheran (Protestant) people, who have experienced transformations in recent years, are not like the Gauls who are resistant to change,” he said, using a term for the ancient tribes that roamed France more than 2000 years ago.

The remark echoed previous comments by Macron saying the French “hate reforms” and that the country is “unreformable”.

He prefers instead to talk about a “transformation” under his leadership.

The 40-year-old former investment banker is trying to push through his own version of Denmark’s “flexi-curity” model of flexibility and security by loosening French labour law and reforming the social security system.

But the opposition back home seized on the remarks.

“As usual, he scorns the French while overseas. The Gauls will take great pleasure in responding to his arrogance and contempt,” said far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Leftwing MP Alexis Corbiere from the France Unbowed party denounced Macron for his “staggeringly stupid remarks”.

“Macron in Denmark is not only contemptuous of his own people but also very ignorant about the Gauls who were incredibly progressive,” he added.

– Nepotism row –

But the president was quick to respond while in Finland where he is on the second leg of his Scandinavian trip.

“You need to step back from the controversy and social media,” Macron told reporters, describing his remarks as “a light-hearted moment”.

“I love France and the French people, make no mistake. I love it in all of its components.”

And he also defended a decision to appoint French writer Patrick Besson as consul general in Los Angeles.

Besson, who has written some 20 novels, is a close personal friend of Macron and his wife Brigitte who penned an overwhelmingly positive book on how Macron captured the French presidency in May 2017.

“There is no cronyism in exchange for favours,” Macron said, indicating he would “continue to open up all of the top state jobs to people with talent and strengths from all walks of life.”

The criticism comes as problems mount for the centrist leader who swept to power promising to end decades of high unemployment and reform the European Union.

He suffered a major political scandal this summer when a senior security aide was filmed manhandling protesters, and his poll ratings have slumped to their lowest-ever levels.

On Tuesday, he suffered a major blow to his green credentials when his popular environment minister resigned live on radio, saying the government was doing too little and was influenced by “lobbies”.

Breaking News: Archbishop asks Pope to resign, says corruption reaches the top

The archbishop who sparked a crisis in the Catholic Church by calling on Pope Francis to resign has denied he was motivated by personal vendetta and said he sought to show that corruption had reached the top levels of the Church hierarchy.

Archbishop Carlo Vigano has gone into hiding since conservative media published an 11-page statement in which he alleged the pope knew for years about sexual misconduct by an American cardinal and did nothing about it.

Vigano has been communicating through Aldo Maria Valli, an Italian television journalist who Vigano consulted several times before releasing his statement last Sunday when the pope was in Ireland.

Italian media has reported he was upset because he was never made a cardinal by former Pope Benedict or because Francis blocked his further advancement in the Church.

“I have never had feelings of vendetta and rancor in all these years,” he was quoted as telling Valli, who has been publishing statements from Vigano in his blog.

“I spoke out because corruption has reached the top levels of Church hierarchy,” said Vigano, a former Vatican ambassador to Washington.

The Vatican had no comment on the new accusations by Vigano.

In his statement, Vigano accused a long list of current and past Vatican and U.S. Church officials of covering up the case of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who resigned last month in disgrace.

One of the people he attacks in the statement is Cardinal Tarciscio Bertone, who was secretary of state under former Pope Benedict.

Italian media reports have said Vigano was upset because Bertone had blocked any possibility of him becoming a cardinal.

In his comments published on Valli’s blog, Vigano says he himself gave up the possibility of becoming a cardinal “for the good of the Church”.

Vigano did not include any supporting documents in his remarkably blunt statement in which he said cover-ups in the Church were making it look like “a conspiracy of silence not so dissimilar from the one that prevails in the mafia”.

On his flight home from Ireland on Sunday, Francis told newsmen he would “not say one word” about the accusations.

“Read the document carefully and judge it for yourselves,” he said.

Francis’ supporters say the statement contains holes and contradictions and note that Vigano prepared it with help from two journalists who have been critical of Francis, citing this as evidence that it forms part of an ideological anti-Francis strategy.

The journalists deny this.

Breaking News: Senator Adeleke calls on Governor Aregbesola to pay workers’ salary arrears

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has called on Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to listen to the civil servants clamour for prompt payment of the arrears of their salaries and make life meaningful to them.

Adeleke who lamented government’s failure to pay workers their salaries said that God frowned at such an act, noting that

based on “divine instruction in all holy books, a labourer deserves his wages in good time.”

The flagbearer stated this yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, in a statement by the Head of Media and Public Communication of the PDP Campaign Organisation, Mr. Bamidele Salam.

He made the call against the backdrop of the three-day warning strike embarked upon yesterday by the workers, following the non-payment of a 34-month salary arrears, allowances and pensions owed by the government.

He wondered why Aregbesola “would neglect such a fundamental obligation of government for so long without any justifiable reason.”

Adeleke held that “the civil service was the engine room for meticulous implementation of programmes and policies of any serious government and that the institution must be respected and highly motivated.”

While commending the labour unions for their endurance and decision to resort to constitutional means of agitating for their rights, Adeleke promised that if elected governor, the PDP govern would obliterate all anti-workers policies of the Aregbesola administration and make them proud to be civil servants.

He, however, reiterated commitment to the welfare of the people of the state, insisting that he regarded leadership as a call to selfless service.

The party leadership also called on the governor to promptly respond to the demand of the workers by ordering immediate payment of the backlog of the workers’ salaries and allowances.

The chairman of the party, Soji Adagunodo, made the call in statement made available to Daily Sun, in Osogbo, on Wednesday.

He described the nonpayment of the workers’ and pensioners’ financial entitlements as callous and unwarranted.

Adagunodo said that “government had no justification for the brazen oppression of workers who toil day and night to sustain the running of public institutions.”

“To make matters worse, Ogbeni Aregbesola continues to make senior citizens who are pensioners objects of ridicule in the society by refusing to pay their meagre pensions and gratuities,” Adagunodo said.

While expressing the party’s solidarity with the workers, Adagunodo noted that “the workers’ strike would have been averted if the governor hadn’t abandoned his responsibilities to cater for the welfare and security of the greater number of the people of Osun State.”

He added: “Rather than attend to the germane issues raised by the labour unions while the ultimatum lasted, Ogbeni Aregbesola was busy with desperate political campaigns to install his surrogate as the next governor.

“We condemn this gross insensitivity and call on the governor to immediately address the demands of the workers in order to save millions of innocent citizens from the consequences of a prolonged strike.”

In reaction, the All Progressives Congress (APC) described PDP as a failed party which previous administration did not prioritise workers’ welfare and therefore not in the position to teach the APC-led government how to take care of workers.

It held that Aregbesola’s APC-led administration took over from PDP when workers’ welfare status had already been in a shambles.

It added that it was Aregbesola that came to redeem their hope when he started paying workers’ salaries between 25th and 26th of every month and also increased salaries until economic recession set in.

The party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, who stated this in a chat with Daily Sun, added that the governor had assured that he would not owe workers and pensioners a dime before his tenure expires in November.

“So, we don’t need the intervention of a failed party to teach us how to take care of our workers. After all, they don’t have any good plan for anybody, Oyatomi said.

“The government of Osun and APC may not need the intervention of ‘unserious’ political gang called APC. We are not in the same category,” he added.

Breaking News: PDP slams APC, Presidency over restructuring

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the comment by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo dismissing the promise by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure the nation, if voted into power, has further confirmed that the ruling party outrightly lied to Nigerians, just to win the 2015 general elections.

The PDP stated that the APC made the issue of restructuring a cardinal agenda in its manifesto, alongside other bogus promises which it had failed to fulfill, adding that the ruling party’s dodgy approach to the issue of restructuring has earned it the odious reputation as the most deceptive political organisation in the history of our nation.

The PDP, in a statement by the national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, recalled that the APC, in line with its duplicitous script, went ahead to set up a deceptive committee on restructuring, which made several recommendations that they never contemplated implementing, but only to create an impression that their dysfunctional party and incompetent government are committed to their promises.

“Now that the 2019 general elections are around the corner, the APC has become apprehensive that Nigerians will hold it to task on its promises, including that of restructuring, hence the resort to rhetoric and desperate recants, for which the loquaciousness of persons like Prof Osinbajo has been enlisted.

“In all, the PDP counsels the APC and the Buhari Presidency to learn that there is no way they can hide from their shadows as they must be ready to face Nigerians on all scores, in all their lies, deception and false promises, with which they fraudulently took over power in 2015,” PDP said.

Breaking News: 2019 - PDP alleges APC plotting Governor Wike’s removal

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers State, Felix Obuah, said he has noted with dismay the inciting and unguarded utterances of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC), which constitute a threat to the 2019 elections in state.

Obuah, in a statement issued, on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt, alleged that the opposition party has perfected plot to remove Governor Nyesom Wike at all cost.

He expressed concerns about the utterances of the APC leader urged international community and security agencies to take note of the plot and prevent it from fruition to avert crisis in Rivers.

The state PDP chairman claimed that it was the violent activities of the APC, that led to the suspension of Saturday, August 18, Port Harcourt City Constituency 3 by-election, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to fill a vacant seat at the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Ranting through a series of comments on his facebook wall, he insisted that whatever that is needed to be done to remove Governor Nyesom Wike from office would be done, not minding the means and cost.

“This is coming less than 24 hours after the visiting ambassadors of Ireland to Nigeria and his European Union counterpart to Rivers State.

The State PDP boss also warned against regarding the APC’s threats as an empty talk, or “sweep it under the carpet as usual, so as to save the state from the imminent danger of the APC’s plot”.

Meanwhile, the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone, has debunked the allegation by credited to the PDP chairman.

Finebone, while responding to the claim through a text message, told newsmen that the purported allegation might have been seen in a trance.

Breaking News: 2019 - Governor Dickson calls for violent-free PDP primaries

Ahead the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, has appealed for a violent-free exercise in the state.

The leadership of PDP has commenced the sale of nomination forms for the 2019 general elections into the 24 seats in the House of Assembly, five seats in the House of Representatives and three seats in the Senate.

Governor Dickson has, therefore, called on all aspirants seeking nominations into offices on the platform of the PDP to shun bitterness, violence and rancour and go about their consultations and campaigns with decorum

A press statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, quoted the governor as having made the remarks, on Wednesday, in Toru-Orua, when he received some eminent Bayelsans on a condolence visit over the passing of his mother, Mrs. GoldCoast Dickson.

Dickson said the PDP in Bayelsa State has never been associated with violence and called on politicians to always play by the rules of the party.

He also appealed to aspirants to approach the primary elections with open mind and be willing to accept the decision of the party’s Electoral College in good faith.

While stressing that PDP will conduct a credible congress and primary elections, the governor called on the PDP leadership in the state to be fair to all those seeking elective offices before, during and after the exercise, noting that it is by so doing that the party will sustain its consolidated popularity in the state.

Dickson who seized the opportunity to thank Bayelsans and Nigerians in general for their support, prayers and outpouring of condolence messages to him and family on the demise of his beloved mother said very soon the family will come up with details of the funeral rites.

Meanwhile, a Bayelsa-based advocacy group, the Crusaders for Good Governance, has faulted the decision by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Konbowei Benson to view for the 4th term as state Assembly member in 2019, insisting that the State Assembly seat is not his birth right.

According to the group, though everyone is free to contest the 2019 elections, the Assembly seat of Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 is not a one man’s dynasty that the occupant will stay forever.

The group, the Crusaders for Good Governance, in a statement issued in Yenagoa and signed by its Chairman, Ogele Aaron and Secetary, Meshack Ebi, stated that ” We are not under bondage neither does Constituency 4 belong to a monarch so the present representative should leave for others with fresh ideas.

Breaking News: Governor Dankwambo - I’ll restore party’s supremacy back to PDP

Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, on Wednesday, promised to restore and promote the lost party’s supremacy if given the presidential ticket of the party to contest the forthcoming presidential election.

He disclosed this while meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party faithful at the party’s secretariat in Benin-City.

‎According to Dankwambo, the party’s constitution remains supreme and should be held to the letter, adding that the constitution has respect for the leaders of the party and also provides for good and qualitative lives for Nigerians.

“So, today, we are coming to you, respecting the supremacy of the party which has been lacking over time.

“The supremacy of our leaders and the leadership of this great party, there are some people, come rain and come shine, are PDP men and women, respecting this title and I am assuring you if given this opportunity, we will continue to maintain and promote this party supremacy and we will ensure that all the values, visions all the wishes of our leaders that are enshrined in our constitution, all the template that we have developed over time to ensure good quality of lives of Nigerians will be promoted and will be upheld”, he said.

Dankwambo noted that there was no doubt that the party has an array of qualified individuals bidding for the same ticket, and urged that when deciding on who is to be the presidential candidate of the party, the leadership of the party should consider the aspirant who would as a better alternative for Nigerians.

“The Chairman and the members of the state working committee and our party men, we are here in Edo State to solicit for your support and this support we are soliciting, like I have said over here, PDP has trained and groomed many leaders.

“So many leaders will come to Edo to do the same thing that I am doing but what we are saying is that for any persons that we are bringing collectively, that we should take a decision that we are providing alternative to the two hundred or so millions Nigerians that are out there and are waiting for us.

“In this case, we should bring a very good alternative to Nigerians. For alternative to be very good, we should have to sit down and think.

“We should not be doing what we were doing before. We should sit down and have a criteria of identifying the kind of person that we will present as alternative to Nigerians and that alternative, we should gauge anybody that comes here to talk to us so that before we go for convention, we already have identified and aligned with the person that we feel is a very good alternative for Nigerians because we can do whatever we want to do, and if we do whatever we want to do, Nigerians will do what they want.

“So it is good. Right now we are very few. Maybe in Edo, no more than 50 or 60 of you will take decision for more than the 10 million people or so in Edo.‎ God has given us enormous responsibility and we should use this responsibility very well.

“To the extent that we gauge and provide this leadership for other Nigerians and again, if you find me worthy of such quality, I will accept and I will assure you that I will drive the party in such a way that we will enthrone victory by the special grace of God”, he said.

The PDP presidential aspirant however said he was ever ready to work with any of the aspirants the party so decided has better qualities than him‎.

“And Mr. Chairman, I want to also assure you that if you do this kind of criteria and identified somebody that is better suited than me, to meet up this kind of challenge, I guarantee you that I will join you and that person for us to make sure we provide alternative to Nigerians”, he said.

He promised to bring to bear a government that will treat everybody equally, give equal opportunity for every Nigerians to develop in his own pace.

“We will bring that kind of government that will judge you by the quality and strength of your character and how you develop yourself. These are the only things you can change, how you develop your brain, how you strengthen the quality of your heart, your character.

“We are bringing a government that will give Nigerians equal opportunity to excel to any positions as they desired”, he said.

Breaking News: President Buhari, VP Osinbajo, Asiwaju Tinubu, others attend crucial APC NEC meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are some of the attendees of the National Executive Committee meeting of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.

The meeting is currently ongoing at the APC secretariat in Abuja.

Mr Buhari arrived the meeting at 11:19 a.m., after Mr Osinbajo and other stakeholders arrived.

Among the earlier arrivals was former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.

Thursday’s meeting will, among others, address the type of primaries to be adopted by the APC to select its candidates for the 2019 general elections.

Some senators on Wednesday said they could leave the APC if the party adopts indirect primaries, favoured by some governors.

The senators said they fear governors would use the indirect delegates system to ensure only their favoured aspirants emerge pary candidates.

Breaking News: Nasarawa government to provide security in all state markets

The Nasarawa Government says it will provide adequate security in all the newly established markets across the state to ensure security of life and property.

Stephen Dogo, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lafia.

Dogo said that the state government had put in place security measures to forestall any break down of law and order in and around markets across the state.

He said shop owners should not to entertain fear of burglary, robbery and fire in and around the markets as police and fire service out posts and other security measures had been put in place.

Dogo said the current administration was giving due consideration to security of life and property of all the traders across the state.

He said: “Security of life and property is paramount to this administration, hence provision is being made to secure the life and property of traders in and around the markets across the state.

“Although, nobody prays for disasters, the state has built police and fire service out posts and also put in place other security measures to forestall security threat and disaster in the market.”

On the Neighbourhood Market in Lafia, the permanent secretary said it had been opened and appealed to shop owners who were yet to move in to do so.

According to him, the essence of building markets is to operate them, saying that it did nobody any good to allow the shops to lie fallow.

He said: “State Government has spent so much to build these markets; if they did not move in to use these facilities, the aim of building these markets will be defeated.”

NAN reports that some shop owners were seen putting finishing touches in preparation to moving into them.

Farouk Hassan, a tailor and shop owner, told NAN that he was happy to move into the Neighbourhood Market for business.

Samaila Ahmed, also a trader in the market, said he was grateful to the state government for building a befitting market with state of art security measures and comfort for the traders.

NAN reports that the Neighbourhood Market was built with modern facilities like pipe borne water, private transformer, toilets, police and fire service out posts, among others.

Breaking News: PIGB - Ex-VP Atiku Abubakar urges President Buhari to have a rethink

The Northern Youths for Peace and Security, NYPS, yesterday endorsed Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as their “choicest” candidate for the number one seat in the country in the forthcoming general elections.

The leader of the group, Salisu Magaji, disclosed this at a press conference in Jalingo, capital of Taraba State, after a meeting with key northern youths.

Magaji said that the decision of the group was based on its conviction that the present leadership in the country had failed woefully and Saraki is the most credible person with what it takes to salvage Nigeria from its present abysmal state.

The peace ambassador insisted that Saraki’s track records as the Kwara State governor and his mature handling of the senate as president has made him a highly coveted candidate that the People’s Democratic Party PDP and Nigerians generally should trust with the mandate to save the nation.

“Gentlemen of the press. We are here as the Northern Youths for Peace and Security to endorse president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki as our choicest candidate for the president of Nigeria in 2019.

“We can not shy away from the fact that this country has suffered so much in all ramifications as a result of bad governance.

“The economy is in a very bad shape and the lives of Nigerians have become cheaper than a bag of rice in the market. We are greatly divided along tribal and religious lines and this polarization has dealt us big blows both on the local and international scenes.

“It is, therefore, very important that we elect a very credible leader to take us back to the path of progress and development.

“Saraki has proven himself a very competent and highly detribalized person who can effectively command proactive followership.

“His track records as the governor of Kwara State and as the senate president are here with us. That is why we have united to endorse him and urge him to come out for the presidency of this great country for the 2019 general elections.

“We urge the PDP and all good people of Nigeria to join in this train of change to bring in a tested and trusted leader so that he can bring in his wealth of experience and goodwill to bear in providing the much needed development that would reposition us on the path of progress.”

Breaking News: PIGB - Ex-VP Atiku Abubakar urges President Buhari to have a rethink

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to have a rethink on his decision not to give his assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill.

Abubakar, a leading aspirant for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2019 election, said this in a statement he personally signed.

The statement reads: “It is rather unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill that the National Assembly in conjunction with the oil majors and host communities put in so much work to come up with. I am of the opinion that this is a monumental mistake.

“The reason given by the President for rejecting the bill also betrays the fact that the current administration is out of tandem with global best practices. Saying that the Bill will ‘whittle down’ the President’s powers is most unfortunate.

“A leader must be secure in himself before he can secure his or her people. A President is not powerful because he holds the Presidency. Neither is he only powerful because laws confer powers on him. In truth, a secure leader brings power and influence to the office he occupies instead of taking power from that office. He also gives laws the force of power by obeying and implementing them.

“The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) will be a great catalyst for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and has the capacity of stabilising our host communities, boosting our reserves and creating the enabling environment that attracts the type of investment that will make Nigeria a world leader in the petroleum industry.

“In recent months, Nigeria became the world headquarters for extreme poverty, having overtaken India as the nation with the most people living under $2 a day (81 million people). If we are to change the situation and bring our people out of poverty, we must support legislation such as the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill.

“As the late great President Ronald Reagan once said, the greatest leader ‘gets the people to do the greatest things’. The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill will help Nigeria to do great things and I urge President Buhari to put aside his insecurities over the loss of his power and let the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill be.”

Breaking News: Ex-President Jonathan to Senator Saraki - But for your leadership, National Assembly would have been in chaos

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday commended the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, for the firm and progressive leadership he has provided for the National Assembly.

Jonathan spoke when Saraki paid him a courtesy visit at his Maitama Office in Abuja.

He said the tremendous support being enjoyed by Saraki from lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives testifies to his leadership ability.

He thanked Saraki and members of his entourage for the visit, noting that most of the leaders that came to his house with the President of the Senate had at one time or the other played key roles in his political history and development.

Jonathan said: “Senate President, let me use this opportunity to commend your leadership abilities.

“Looking at what is happening in the country, if not for your strong leadership, probably the National Assembly would have been in chaos and if the National Assembly is in tatters, then of course, democracy is gone.

“I am quite pleased with the kind of relationship you have with the House of Representatives members and how you have been able to hold the National Assembly together because on the day that the parliament was invaded, though the target was the Senate, the House of Representatives members were as active as, if not more active than, the Senators and that cannot happen by chance.

“What we know is that if there is an assault on the Senate.

“Then it is also seen as an assault on the House of Representatives.

“If they (House of Representatives members) don’t believe in you, I don’t think some of them would have taken that kind of risk.

“That commitment shows that they believe in your leadership.”

Earlier, Saraki said his visit was to pay his respect to the ex-president and also to inform him of his formal return to the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He said that the present realities in the country show that all those that love the country must work together to return the country to the path of growth, fairness, equity and justice.

Breaking News: SDP accuses Governor Okorocha of looting Imo local councils funds

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), Wednesday, lambasted Governor Rochas Okorocha-led administration in Imo State over his alleged abysmal failure and deliberate policy of foisting hardship on the people of the state.

The party declared that it had found Okorocha wanting for allegedly mismanaging and looting of local government council allocations for seven years.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Publicity secretary of SDP in Imo, Godsent Chillos and forwarded to newsmen on Wednesday evening.

The statement quoted SDP as accusing Governor Okorocha of deliberate conversion of public lands to personal use.

The statement reads, “Noting the abysmal and colossal failure of the APC government in Imo State and its deliberate policy of imposition of poverty and hardship on the toiling masses, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Imo state, therefore, has resolved to take the bull by the horn to lead the people of Imo out of the APC captivity come 2019.

“The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Imo State, therefore, has found the APC led government of Imo State wanting on the followings: Reckless mismanagement and looting of local government council allocations for seven years.

“Illegal and reckless demolition of public markets and the people’s properties without adequate compensation or adherence to due process and respect to rule of law.

“Conversion of public lands to personal uses: eg. Orji Mechanic and Nekede Mechanic villages, Eke Ukwu market site, Owerri New market site, IBC quarters at Orji, Area H along Port Harcourt road etc.

“Our hearts are together with all the people whose loved ones and friends have died as a result of the untold hardship the APC led government of Imo State has caused Ndi Imo and those whose shops and houses were wantonly destroyed by APC led government. SDP therefore pledge to rebuild Imo State to modern state within twelve months if elected to power in 2019.”

“We therefore call on the good people and residents of Imo State to join SDP in their numbers as SDP is the only credible alternative for the people of Imo State in 2019 general elections. Together we can put to an end this impunity, evil and sadistic cabal that has held Imo State captivity for over seven years,” it added.

Breaking News: WHO endorses campaign to protect health workers, facilities from attack

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed ongoing campaign for the protection of healthcare facilities and workers in vulnerable environments championed by Ethics Resource Centre (ERC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ethics Resource Centre is a coordinating agency for health sector security project.

The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Alemu Wondimagegnehu made the endorsement on Wednesday in Enugu during the 2nd Healthcare Security Leadership Conference in Enugu.

Wondimagegnehu was represented at the event by the WHO officer in-charge of Health Emergency Programme, Dr. Samuel Mutbam.

The WHO rep said that the organisation in collaboration with other relevant agencies had always driven the initiative of delivering health services to the people.

He said that the security situations in parts of the country as well as the socio-economic challenges had made their mandate more pronounced.

Wondimagegnehu said that the conference had become apt due to the situations faced by even security agencies on their line of duty.

“We are happy Ethics Resource Centre is the agency driving this project. WHO has endorsed it and given this project the credibility it required and we will be happy to work with them,” Wondimagegnehu said.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Director of Ethics Resource Centre, Mr Ike Onyechere, said that the project became necessary following the complicated security situation in parts of the country.

Onyechere said that such situations had challenged several aspects of the economy, including the health sector.

“The health sector has become one of the specially targeted areas by hoodlums and miscreants and we feel that there should be more organised response to quell this,” he said.

He however, blamed the situation on a general culture, which he said, does not take security as a serious issue.

The director said that situations where medical personnel and facilities as well as patients were usually victims of attack needed to be a cause for concern to Nigerians.

“This project needs a coordinating approach and institutional support to succeed,” Onyechere said.

In a goodwill message, the Enugu State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Mr Steve Amoga, said that attacks on the vulnerable had assumed frightening dimension.

Amoga said that terrorists and kidnappers would soon start attacking soft targets including hospitals.

“They are now kidnapping dead bodies and if corpses could be kidnapped one wonders what will now happen to the living,” he said.

He said that Internally Displaced Person’s camps had become more vulnerable, adding, “we must look at the means of checkmating them”.

Amoga said that security agencies needed to be preemptive so as to protect the vulnerable in such facilities.

NAN further reports that the conference was attended by security agencies including the military, police, NSCDC, Federal Road Safety Corps and collaborating agencies in the health sector.

The conference had its theme as ‘High Performance Leadership Imperatives for Protection of Healthcare Facilities, Institutions and Workers in Complex Security Environments.”

Breaking News: Nigeria, Britain sign agreement on economic development, security

Nigeria and Britain on Wednesday in Abuja signed two agreements on Defence and Security partnership as well as Economic Development Forum.

Speaking briefly before signing the agreements, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that Nigeria and the United Kingdom would continue to enhance their cooperation in tackling corruption and reducing poverty.

The Nigerian leader lauded the British government for its assistances to Nigeria in the fight against terrorists, and pledged Nigeria’s readiness to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

“I welcome you most sincerely to Nigeria and I am very grateful to the British government under your leadership for the help you are giving us in the area of security.

“The training team that goes to our institutions in Kaduna and observe the operations in the North-East mainly, we thank you very much for that.

“I also thank you very much for the improvement in trade relationship between us since you assumed office.

“We are nervously watching developments about Brexit, because we know that relationship has been on since 1938 and people are here looking at the opportunities in education, businesses and so on.

“Let me assure you that we will take the necessary steps to improve on the trade relationship between our two countries,’’ he said

President Buhari expressed Nigeria’s satisfaction for the removal of barriers by British government for veterans of the World Wars, and numerous assistance to tackle human trafficking as well as climate change.

He also narrated the effects of the drying up of Lake Chad and the need to resuscitate it, to boost farming and fishing activities within the Chad basin.

In her remarks, British Prime Minister, Theresa May, said following the exit of the UK form the European Union, there would be need to seek more economic ties with Nigeria.

She pledged that the United Kingdom would assist Nigeria in the fight against terrorists as well as human trafficking.

He said: “I’m delighted to be able to here in Abuja and to continue the very good discussions we had when you were in London in April.

“As you say we already have very good cooperation between the UK and Nigeria which include education, defence, security and trade relations.

“We are ready to cooperate together on global and regional issues; to strengthen that cooperation and partnership, I have with me a business delegation, as we look to enhance our ties in future and explore more trading opportunities.

“We will also be looking to work together to step up efforts against security threats from Boko Haram, human trafficking and the likes.

“And of course also cooperate to fight corruption and lifting people out of poverty.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Theresa May has since departed Abuja for Kenya via Lagos as she continues her tour of African countries.

Breaking News: Flood hits 8 local councils in Kano

Kano State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA) says it has dispatched personnel to eight local government areas of the state recently affected by flood to assessing the damage caused by the disaster in the areas.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Alhaji Ali Bashir, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Thursday.

He said the team had visited seven out of the eight local government areas concerned to compile report on the situation.

Bashir listed the local government areas as: Rimin Gado, Tofa, Dawakin Tofa, Gwarzo, Danbatta, Kabo, Gezawa and Gabasawa.

“The team has so far visited and assessed the situation in Rimin Gado, Danbatta, Gezawa, Gwarzo, Tofa, Dawakin Tofa and Kabo local government areas.

“As I am talking to you now, we are in Gabasawa Local Government Area, assessing the damage caused by the flooding in the area,” he said.

Bashir, who declined to state the number of people affected by the disaster, said after the assessment, the agency would make a comprehensive report for onward submission to the state government.

“We cannot give you the exact number of persons or houses affected until after we finish the assignment.”

According to him, the agency is still receiving reports of the disaster from other areas prone to flood.

NAN reports that no fewer than three people were reported to have died and several houses destroyed in Kiru Local Government Area of the state, following a heavy rainfall on Monday.

Breaking News: Governor Sani-Bello orders repair of collapsed bridge

Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has ordered the state’s Works Ministry to repair the collapsed Gulbin-Boka bridge in Mariga Local Government “within 24 hours”.

The bridge, which links the state with Kebbi and Sokoto States, collapsed on Monday after a downpour.

Bello directed the ministry to mobilise a contractor to fix the bridge “immediately” due to its social and economic importance.

The governor, who noted that the route was a Federal Government road, disclosed that a contract had been awarded for its rehabilitation by the Federal government.

“But, while the contract is on-going, we must fix the bridge to make the road passable to alleviate the suffering of the people,” he said.

He commended the people for their support and patience, promising that government would continue to solicit Federal Government’s intervention on the ecological problems bedeviling the state.

In his remarks, works commissioner Ibrahim Balarabe assured Bello that that the ministry would mobilise contractors to commence work so as to meet the deadline.

Breaking News: UN chief hails ex-President Obasanjo for role in Liberia’s smooth transition

Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, has expressed gratitude to former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his mediation role in ensuring smooth political transition in Liberia.

Guterres made the remarks in his speech to the security council’s debate on the ‘Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Mediation and the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts’ at the UN headquarters in New York.

He said the UN has a number of mediation resources that are deployed in various ways adding that his special envoys and representatives pursue consultations, good offices, and formal talks, often alongside envoys and mediators from regional organisations or member states.

The UN chief explained that he had established a high-level advisory board on mediation, which Obasanjo is a member, to complement his efforts and those of his envoys.

Obasanjo is one of 18 global leaders, senior officials and experts on the high-level board created in 2017 to advise the secretary-general on mediation and back those efforts around the world.

Guterres said: “I am also grateful to former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, a member of the Board, who travelled to Liberia on my behalf to support the peaceful transfer of power after the 2017 elections.

“This is just one example of how we can deploy Board members in the cause of conflict prevention. The Board’s members have experience and networks across the entire spectrum of mediation.

“I look to them to provide tailored advice, to find new entry points, and to help train and build capacity amongst our partners.”

Obasanjo was involved in mediation efforts in Angola, Burundi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, among others.

He was also a designated UN envoy who has overseen various democratic elections across the continent and is particularly renowned for his activities in the peace process of West African countries Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Obasanjo’s appointment as an envoy to Liberia followed the conduct of the second round of the presidential election between former Vice-President Joseph Boakai and current President George Weah.

The transition was Liberia’s first peaceful transfer of power from one democratically elected leader to another in more than 70 years.

Breaking News: Minister - Tobacco cause of over 90% cases of oral cancer

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Wednesday said that tobacco use has been estimated to account for over 90 per cent of oral cancer cases recorded in the country annually.

This worrisome situation, he said, could be reversed through deliberate actions carried out to motivate people to change unhealthy habits and also improve their oral hygiene behaviours.

To this end, Ehanire, while speaking at a workshop organised by the Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria (DTRBN) in Abuja, urged allied dental professionals in the country to develop skills that enhance their practice and above all improve the oral health of Nigerians.

“Many epidemiological surveys show the significant role socio-behavioural and environmental factors in the occurrence of oral disease.

“Tobacco use has been estimated to account for over 90 percent of cancers in the oral cavity and is associated with aggravated periodontal breakdown, poorer standard of oral hygiene and consequently premature tooth loss.

“I, therefore, urge you to adopt counselling methods that help people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivations they need to change their behaviours,” the Minister said.

Speaking on the theme of the workshop: “Motivational Interviewing and Oral Health Behaviour; the Evidence, Eminence, and Exigence”, the Registrar of DTRBN, Mrs Mercy Ojo said the aim was to present evidence-based information so that dental professionals can make informed decisions regarding patient’s treatment and recommendations.

Breaking News: Theresa May - I had excellent time in Nigeria

British Prime Minister, Theresa May, says she had an excellent time in Nigeria and hopes to see increased trade and investment between Nigeria and the UK.

She spoke with newsmen at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja on Wednesday in Lagos, shortly before departing the country at 8:10 p.m.

“I was in Abuja and also in Lagos to see the thriving business community here.

“We want to see increased trade between Nigeria and UK, increased investment, bringing jobs here in Nigeria, jobs in the UK.

“This will be good for both countries and I have had an excellent time in here in Nigeria, and I am very pleased to be here today,” she told newsmen.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, who was at the airport to see her off, said the important visit centered on improving investment in the state and the country in general.

“She has visited Abuja earlier in the day.

“The important part of this visit was discussion on how investment in Lagos can be improved by British investors.

“We realise that Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria and a whole lot of British investment are domiciled in Lagos,” he said.

The governor said they spoke about how to improve investment planning and what Lagos has been doing to attract investors.

“We having been doing a lot of judicial sector reforms and security sector reforms and she is pleased with the progress we are making in Lagos.

“She is ready to complement our efforts by opening up export credit facility and also with development finance to some of the things that we are doing in Lagos,” he said.

Ambode said the discussion also centred around boosting technology and improving infrastructure and the creative industry.

“We spoke about things related to technology, infrastructure and also the creative industry.”

On the relationship between Lagos and Britain, Ambode said: “we need to make sure that a whole lot of British investment is coming to Lagos. She is willing to do more with us.

“You know, Lagos in 1861 was a British colony. The history has been so long, so, we also need to reactivate that,” Ambode said.

NAN reports that the state government, in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, shed more light on Ambode’s discussion with May.

Ambode, according to the statement, said that much of Nigerian education, cultural and political systems were influenced by Britain and there were more Nigerians living in the UK than elsewhere in the world.

Breaking News: 48,000 jostle for 2,000 jobs in Ekiti

No fewer than 48,000 unemployed youths have so far obtained employment forms and sat for the ongoing recruitment exercise advertised for only 2,000 vacancies into the various cadres in Ekiti State Public Service.

A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti by the the state’s Head of Service, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, said the recruitment exercise was aimed at filling available vacancies in the public service.

Faseluka, in the statement issued by his Media Officer, Enoch Seun, stated that the retirement of workers who were employed en masse between 1981 and 1982 by the Adekunle Ajasin-led government of the old Ondo State, had created a lot of vacancies in the Ekiti Public Service.

He explained that these category of workers who transferred their service on the creation of Ekiti State massively, exited between 2016 and 2017, having spent the mandatory 35 years in service.

The Head of Service said though there were more than 2,000 vacancies, the state government was merely filling 2,000 critical job vacancies.

According to him, such vacancies exist in different cadres of the service cutting across the core civil service, teaching, Primary Education Board, Hospitals Management Board, and parastatals.

He stressed that the ongoing recruitment was the only major recruitment embarked upon by the present government in the last four years.

The Head of Service assured all applicants that the recruitment would be merit-driven and not based on political patronage, adding that successful candidates would still undergo interviews.

He clarified that some categories of applicants such as sweepers, security guards and gardeners would not partake in the written examination but would be subjected to oral interviews because of the nature of their jobs.

Breaking News: Customs to investigate illegal military wear importation

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), retired Col. Hameed Ali, has inaugurated a six-member investigative Committee to find out all those connected to the illegal importations of military wears.

Ali announced this in a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the Committee was inaugurated under the Chairmanship of the Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG), Sanusi Umar, who is also Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘C’ Headquarters.

According to the statement, the committee is constituted following seizures of military wears by Operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in recent times.

The PRO said sometimes in July, officers and men of the NCS Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ and Operatives of the Onne Area II Command Port-Harcourt separately intercepted 2X40ft containers.

He said the 2X40ft containers of MRSU 3040288 and MRKU 4909151, were found to contain military camouflages and other items on July 27 and Aug. 16 respectively.

`The first interception was found to contain 11 bales, each containing 400 pairs of new set of military camouflage uniform totaling 4400 sets.

“The second interception was found to contain 620 sets of completely sewn military camouflage uniform and caps, 10,100 pieces of inner military T-Shirts, 512 pairs of military jungle boots.”

He said the imports were “Contrary to schedule 4(13) of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff which falls under Absolute Prohibition and Section 46(b) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA)”.

The spokesman said the CGC while inaugurating the committees said that preliminary investigations led to the arrest of five persons including the importer of both consignments.

He said Alli also told the committee that painstaking investigation be conducted to unravel all those “remotely connected to the criminal importation with a view to punishing offenders and preventing re-occurrence”.

Attah said the committee also included “ACG E,I&I, ACG Bukar Amajam, DC Olomu B.O, AC Okonmah S, Mr J.O Oloworaran – DIA and Barrister T.K Wudapba – NCS Legal Adviser.

He said the committee’s terms of reference were also “to investigate through the concerned parties, all alleged breaches of the Customs Import Clearance Procedure as set out in our extant law/statute books”.

He said the committee was also mandated to investigate the importation of both containers MRSU 3040288 and MRKU 4909151.

Attah said the committee was to identify all parties involved in the unwholesome importations and establish their degree of culpabilities.

The committed also has the mandate to profile all importation previously made by the sole importer or his cronies.

He said that the committee would make recommendation to the NCS management on the way forward with the case based on the investigations made.

He also said that the committee was also mandated to liaise with other security agencies if such need arose during the course of the investigation.

Responding on behalf of the Committee, Umar, thanked the CGC and Management staff for the confidence reposed in them and assured him of a very thorough investigation.

Umar said the committee would stop at nothing to bring back quality report.

Breaking News: Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs dismisses Jose Mourinho replacement talk

Ryan Giggs has dismissed the prospect of taking over as Manchester United manager if Jose Mourinho is sacked, calling for unity at Old Trafford.

United legend Giggs, a former assistant to Louis van Gaal, is one of the bookmakers’ favourites to take over if Mourinho is axed.

ESPN reports that United are standing by Mourinho despite the club’s worst start to a season since 1992.

Asked on Wednesday about his shortening odds to replace the Portuguese coach, Wales boss Giggs said: “I would keep your money in your pocket if I were you.”

United travel to Burnley on Sunday looking to get their season back on track after consecutive defeats to Brighton and Tottenham.

Burnley are also struggling after picking up just one point from their opening three games, and Giggs believes the trip to Turf Moor has come at the right time.

“It is a time for the fans to stick together and get behind [the team],” he said. “It is a tough time at the moment, but we have had tough times before and got through it.

“Burnley was one of the games where I was setting up the cones before the game and I thought: ‘I wouldn’t mind playing today.’

“It is a fantastic game to get rid of all that negativity around the club. Purely speaking as a fan, I hope we get through it sooner rather than later.”

Breaking News: Zinedine Zidane ready to replace Jose Mourinho as Manchester United manager

After failing to acquire any of their targeted defenders during the pre-season Premier League transfer window, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United have had a worrying start to the season, fueling speculation of Mourinho being replaced.

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is reportedly closely “watching the turmoil” at Old Trafford and is prepared to step in if Man Utd’s board decide to sack Mourinho, The Mirror reported on Wednesday.

However, despite a dispute with the club’s executive vice-chairman, Man Utd’s owners and board have reportedly decided to give Mourinho more time to get things in order, contrary to reports that his sacking is imminent.

United opened the season with a somewhat unconvincing win over Leicester City, and went on to suffer an away defeat to Brighton and a 3:0 at home thrashing to Tottenham Hotspur.

Under Zidane’s management, Real won three consecutive Champions League titles, while also beating fierce rival Barcelona to the La Liga trophy in the 2016/2017 season.

Despite another impressive campaign, he resigned from the club earlier this year in a shock move after a dispute with the club’s board.

The Frenchman has emerged as the most likely replacement for Mourinho and is reportedly willing to work with senior personnel at Man Utd to return the club to its former glory.

Bookmakers have also shortened their odds for Michael Carrick to displace Mourinho, though, as already mentioned, he is unlikely to be forced out immediately as he maintains a fair degree of support from the club’s senior management.

Currently 13th in the Premier League standings, the Red Devils face Burnley on Sunday and will be looking to pick up three points to prevent them from falling further down the table.

Breaking News: Cristiano Ronaldo wins UEFA Goal of the Season

Cristiano Ronaldo’s bicycle kick against Juventus has been voted UEFA’s goal of the season.

The former Real Madrid striker, who has now joined the Bianconeri, beat competition from 11 nominees from the various UEFA competitions to win the award for his goal in last season’s Champions League quarter final first leg.

With Real Madrid already leading in Turin thanks to Ronaldo’s opener, he acrobatically connected with Dani Carvajal’s cross to send the ball into the top corner.

His effort led to a standing ovation from the Juventus supporters — an act Ronaldo claimed influenced his decision to make the summer switch.

Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen was also among the nominees for his counterattack finish in Denmark’s World Cup playoff victory over the Republic of Ireland.

Brits Lucy Bronze and Elliot Embleton were also on the list but missed out.

Breaking News: Bryan Robson - Jose Mourinho should not be sacked

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho deserves more than three Premier League games to get things right, Bryan Robson has argued.

Mourinho has seen his side slip to defeats against Brighton and Tottenham in the first three weeks of the season, but despite reports of trouble behind the scenes, he has been backed by the Old Trafford hero.

Although the 3-0 loss to Spurs was the worst home defeat of the manager’s career, Robson, who played 345 times in the league for the Red Devils between 1981 and 1994, says the Portuguese’s track record of success should not be ignored.

“It’s too easy. The minority of fans in clubs will be asking for the manager’s head after a few bad results and it’s often they speak the loudest,” he stated to MUTV.

“The track record that Jose has holds up. After three games, you don’t talk about sacking the manager, you encourage and back him.”

Robson, though, was not without criticism. In the wake of Mourinho admitting that he does not know his strongest defence, he instructed the embattled former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss to strengthen his rearguard by sticking to a partnership instead of chopping and changing.

“What I’d like to see is Jose picking two centre halves he trusts and see them for a run of games,” he said.

“We need two defenders who know each other properly. Like Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic and others but the centre halves have also always been in the team. It would be nice to see that for a run of games and get clean sheets.”

Reports have surfaced following the Spurs defeat that Mourinho could be gone by the September international break, should United suffer a third loss in four matches. They travel to Burnley on Sunday on Premier League duty and do so under a weight of negative pressure.

Mourinho took charge of the side in 2016 and enjoyed success in both the EFL Cup and Europa League during his first season in charge. Last term, however, he was unable to separate up any silverware.

Over the course of the summer, he was thwarted in his attempts to strengthen the squad, with the board unable to get a move for a centre-back over the line, despite numerous targets being touted, including Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld and Leicester City’s Harry Maguire.

Meanwhile, his relations with players such as Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba are said to be frayed, and after the Spurs loss he stormed out of a press conference after a brief rant.

As such, Robson’s viewpoint is not universally echoed, with his former Old Trafford team-mate Paul Parker calling for Mourinho to depart.

Breaking News: Thomas Lemar - Antoine Griezmann convinced me to join Atletico Madrid

Thomas Lemar has said France teammate Antoine Griezmann’s decision to stay at Atletico Madrid and his praise for the club helped convince him to join them.

Lemar became Atletico’s most expensive signing when he arrived from Monaco in a €70 million deal this summer.

“It’s obvious that chat from Antoine and also from Lucas Hernandez, speaking to me about the club and telling me it is really good to advance and continue my career, helped me to choose Atletico,” he told Spanish newspaper Marca.

Asked whether his arrival had had anything to do with Griezmann’s decision to stay, Lemar said: “I know he really wanted me to come and he’s happy that I’m here so that we can do good things this season.”

Griezmann is a candidate for the Ballon d’Or after winning the Europa League and then helping France to victory at the World Cup, and Lemar said: “It [Griezmann winning the award] is what I expect to happen and something I wish with all my heart.”

Meanwhile, Lemar said he did not feel any pressure at Atletico because of his big price tag.

“I say that the figures are between the clubs. I don’t have anything to do with that,” he said. “I just have to do my work on the field and everything will go well … or so I hope.”

The midfielder said he had not found it difficult to settle in at his new club, praising the help of his teammates.

“I’m not a complicated person,” he added. “It’s much easier with players like Diego Costa, who is really crazy, and Koke. They are fantastic people.

“Later, when Antoine and Lucas arrived, I spoke French with them and everything became much easier.”

Breaking News: Egyptian football official ‘threatens’ Mo Salah’s family

A senior official from the Egypt Football Association (EFA) has reportedly made a veiled threat against the family of Mohamed Salah after the Liverpool striker blamed the footballing body for Egypt’s disastrous World Cup campaign.

According to the New Arab, the Twitter account reportedly belonging to Khaled Lateif, told Salah, the English Premier League’s best player of last year season, that while he no longer resided in Egypt, his mother did.

“I’d like to remind @MoSalah that your mother is still in Egypt. You are abroad and can do as you wish. Those who understand, understand.”

Lateif appeared to make the remarks shortly after Salah posted two videos on his official Facebook page criticising the EFA for the country’s poor World Cup campaign.

Egypt came bottom of their group after losses to hosts Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

In one of the videos, Salah criticised a decision by the FA to hold its training base in Chechnya, hundreds of kilometres away from the squad’s games.

The camp was widely criticised as disorganised, open to Egyptian celebrities and media, and not focussed on essential training.

“We had many disturbances at the team’s camp during our participation at the World Cup in Russia,” Salah said, adding that he was disturbed in his room in the middle of the night by visitors wanting to “chat”.

“I’m the person that these things happen to. I’m the person who gets harmed by these things.”

During the tournament Salah was also paraded around Grozny stadium by Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s Kremlin-backed leader.

CNN later reported that Salah was considering quitting the national team and was unwilling to being used by Egypt as a political pawn.

‘Pig in white’

Salah, who has scored 35 goals in 59 games for his country, has also been a dispute with the EFA after his image featured prominently on the national team’s official plane.

Salah, who has an individual multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Vodafone, was left frustrated and at risk of legal action after his face appeared on the jet which is co-sponsored by rival telecommunications firm ‘WE’.

The footballer lodged a complaint to the EFA but said he was ignored, prompting him to issue public statements online.

The EFA responded saying it would not meet the “illogical” requests, maintaining it would “not favour one player over another”.

Magdy Abd El Gany, another senior member of Egyptian FA, also appeared to launch an attack on Salah on Tuesday, this time calling him a pig.

Pigs are an animal considered ritually unclean in Islam and believers are prohibited from consuming them.

“Here is a picture of me with four players and a pig in white,” Abdulghani said in a caption accompanying an image of himself, Mo Salah and four other footballers.

The EFA is known top have repeatedly flouted FIFA statutes regarding the politicisation of football associations.

Earlier this year, it held a press event to endorse the re-election of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Sisi came to power in 2013 after toppling the country’s first democratically-elected President, Mohamed Morsi.

Morsi served just one year of a four-year term, before he was removed from power and the organisation to which he belonged to, the Muslim Brotherhood, was outlawed.