I Will Not Support A Northern Candidate In 2023; It Should Go To The South – El-Rufai |The Source

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August 9, 2020

By Gideon Njoku

From a surprising corner comes a strong support for a power shift to the Southern part of Nigeria in 2023.

Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, says the next President of Nigeria should come from Southern Nigeria. El-Rufai is a self-professed Buharist, and one of the intellectual engine rooms of the North. He is also a technocrat.

Until now, most people thought he had his eyes on the Presidential seat in 2023; that he had been planning and lobbying for it.

But El-Rufai shocked not a few people when he denied interest in the 2023 Presidency.

Speaking on a BBC Hausa service on Saturday, El-Rufai said he would never support a candidate from the North to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

He said people had been saying, since he was the FCT Minister, that he was eyeing the Presidency, but that everybody was wrong; and that he still has no such ambition in 2023.

El-Rufai: “In Nigerian politics, there is a system of rotation in which everyone agrees that if the North rules for eight years, the South will rule for eight years.

“That is why I came out and said that after President Buhari has been in the office, no Northerner should run for office. Let the Southerners also have eight years.

“It has been said that I have loved the Presidency since I was a Minister in the FCT.

This is nonsense. I do not want the Nigerian Presidency.”

El-Rufai has joined a number of other voices in the North, clamouring for a shift of power from the North to the South. They include elder statesman, Tanko Yakassai, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal. These voices join many from the South who insist it is only fair that power rotates to the South.

However, speculations are rife that some power blocs are skimming for the pairing of Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, and El-Rufai, to be the APC Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate respectively.

Said a strong supporter of the two: “It is a combination nobody can be ignore.”

Breaking: Juventus Appoints Andrea Pirlo As New Manager |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Less than 12 hours after the sack of Maurizio Sarri as the Manager of Juventus Football Club of Italy, the Club Management has announced former Player and ex- Italy Football International, Andrea Pirlo as its new Manager.

Pirlo was only named the club’s Under-23 head coach last month, but has secured a major promotion before even taking charge of one match with the Serie C outfit.

It will be a major challenge for the 41-year-old, who has never managed any Club before, either at youth or senior level, since he retired from Football.

Pirlo returns to Juventus having starred for the club between 2011 to 2015, where he won the Serie A Scuddetto, Italian Super Cup and the Coppa Italia on more than three occasions.

The prolific midfielder helped lead the Bianconeri to four straight Serie A titles, as well as the final of the 2014–15 Champions League.

Internationally, Pirlo represented Italy on 116 occasions and was a member of his country’s victorious 2006 FIFA World Cup team.

His playing career ended in 2017 after a three-year spell at Major League Soccer side, New York City Football Club, after which he began preparing for a career in coaching.

Pirlo will take over a team that has won nine consecutive Serie A titles, but has continued to fall short of in the Champions League.

Sarri was sacked after just one season despite winning the Scudetto at the first time of asking.

The Italian Serie A Champions were booked out of the European Club Championship in the Round of 16, losing to Olympique Lyonnais Football Club of France 2-2 aggregate score, but were eliminated through the away goal rule.

Lyon defeated Juventus 1-0 in France, while the Italian Champions won 2-1 in Turin, with both team tied 2-2 on aggregate.

Two goals in either half by Cristiano Ronaldo were not enough for the Seven straight Serie A Champions, who suffered a heartbreak with Memphis Depay scoring for the French Side from the Spot Kick in the 17th Minutes of the match.

Sarri became the oldest Coach in the history of Italian Football to have won the League, which is first major title win in Italy, having won the UEFA Europa League with Chelsea in the 2018/2019 season, defeating Arsenal 4-1 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Juventus sacked Sarri following an inconsistent season that saw them win the Italian Serie A and failed to progression beyond round of 16 in the Champions League.

Following a meeting of Juventus’s Management hierarchy on Saturday, the decision was taken to swiftly replace the 61-year-old former Chelsea and Napoli manager.

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, along with former Juventus managers Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte were quickly linked with the job but the Bianconeri have instead opted to take a risk on Pirlo, a coaching novice.

Pirlo will have high expectations to meet, with it now established that success in Europe is the principal goal for Juventus. The club’s last Champions League win came in 1995-96 and Pirlo will be expected to help end a drought that has now reached 24 years.

The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 was expected to help end the club’s wait for European glory, but the Portugal superstar has only managed to lead Juventus to a quarter-final exit at the hands of Ajax last term before this season’s stunning round-of-16 elimination at the hands of Lyon.

Breaking: Senator Buruji Kashamu Dies of COVID-19 |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Ogun state has lost one of its very rich sons. Senator Buruji Kashamu is dead.

Kashamu, reportedly, died this afternoon of COVID-19 at the First Cardiology Consultants Hospital, Ikoyi, the same hospital where former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, and former Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi died. Senator Bayo Oshinowo also died in same hospital. The three men also died of COVID-19.

It is not known when he was admitted to the hospital, but the news

of his death was broken by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, via his Twitter handle.

Mourning him, Murray-Bruce said he had lost his forever friend and brother. He said both of them were inseparable.

His words: “I have just lost my good friend of forever to #COVID19.

“Until his death, Sen. Buruji Kashamu and I were inseparable. He died today at First Cardiology Consultants, in Lagos.

“May his gentle soul rest in peace. I pray his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear this heavy loss. pic.twitter.com/OJGIt0VK3nhttps://twitter.com/benmurraybruce/status/1292146377468895232

In life, Kashamu was controversial, and remained so till death.

He had a running battle with the USA Drug Agency, who alleged he was a drug dealer. They fought for his extradition from Nigeria to the USA, to answer to drug charges. But, he fought back all the way, and stopped Nigeria from extraditing him to the USA.

The case was still on at the time of his passing today, Saturday, August 8.

He, also, had a running battle with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and succeeded in dividing its Ogun State Chapter.

In 2019, he was the party’s governorship candidate, and had the brilliant and cerebral Dr Reuben Abati, as his running mate. The battle for the soul of PDP in the state was still on till his date.

A businessman and philanthropist,he also had a running battle with Sir Kesington Adebutu Adebitu over the ownership of Loto.

More details, later.

2023: Ngige Says In 2014, APC Agreed On Rotational Presidency |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has backed the Apex Igbo Cultural Group, Ohaneze, on its position for a Candidate of South East extraction becoming the next President in 2023.

Ngige revealed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, had a gentleman agreement in 2014 to rotate the presidency.

Speaking in an interview to mark his 67th birthday, the former governor of Anambra State said the rotation of the presidency is made for the stability of the country.

Ngige noted that though the agreement was not contained in the party’s constitution, the framers of the constitution of the APC agreed that it was something possible.

According to him, “It is not written in our constitution, but for me, it will make for stability and fairness if it rotates from the North to the South. I was in PDP, we practiced it. It makes for stability.

“We don’t have it in our party constitution but we, the framers of the constitution of the APC, agreed that it is something possible. I was one of the wise men that drafted the APC constitution with Chief Segun Osoba as the head.

“That’s what we agreed on; that we don’t have to insert it, but these are things that could be done by gentleman agreement.”

Ngige noted that it was the agreement that guided the party during its presidential convention where President Muhammadu Buhari emerged APC candidate in 2014.

“Whether there should be rotation, zoning or not, for me, it is a simple matter. It is a gentleman’s agreement.

“Even the American constitution doesn’t have everything written in it.

“When we went for the first national convention of the party to elect the presidential candidate, we told all the southerners to step down. It was only Okorocha who refused to step down, and we quarreled with him. People like me quarreled with him from the South East, and I told him I won’t support him, and I did not,” Ngige said.

It would be recalled that during a couple of days ago, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, said the Igbo will join forces with the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to fight for the Biafran Republic if South-East does not produce President in 2023.

In an interview with the Saturday Sun, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, threatened there may be no Nigeria of the South-east is denied the Presidency.

Last week, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and a close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, canvassed for a power shift to the South. He, however, preferred that a candidate of South- west origin to other zones.

Pastor Itua Ighodalo: “Oshiomhole Is Fighting For Political Relevance” – Says Obaseki May Win |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

Respected Pastor of the Trinity House Church, Itua Ighodalo, says former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is fighting for political relevance.

Ituah, a native of Edo State, who spoke in an interview monitored, and published by the Saturday Vanguard, was analysing the problem between Oshiomhole and his estranged political godson, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the state of Edo State.

Oshiomhole and Obaseki, in the past several months, have been enmeshed in a dirty fight which factionalised the APC in the, and cost both men heavily.

Obaseki was denied a second term ticket by the APC, forcing him to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he picked the party’s Governorship ticket.

On the other hand, Oshiomhole lost his plum office as the National Chairman of the APC, over his squables with Obaseki.

Explaining that he knew the relationship between both men, long before their bitter quarrel, he said that Obaseki worked on the Governorship candidacy of Oshiomhole, raising money for the project, and heading the Economic team.

But Pastor Ighodala was quick to add that Oshiomhole did not ask Obaseki to.

He said: “When Oshiomhole decided to run, he did not consult Obaseki as such, but the latter decided to help volunteer to help the ex-NLC President with economic blueprint, running around raising money, encouraging him and so on, and so forth.

“Nonetheless, Oshiomhole became governor, and Obaseki left everything he was doing in Lagos, where he was running a very good financial institution because he wanted to support, first and foremost, Edo State, and secondly, Oshiomhole with an economic plan, and economic blueprint.

“They set-up an economic team with my brother, Asue Ighodalo, as a major member of the team, and I know they would go to Benin for days and nights, at their own expense, holding meetings on how to prepare the grounds for the success of that administration.

“Even Oshiomhole had acknowledged that Obaseki didn’t cost him any money, but instead, raised money for him.”

On Oshiomhole’s position now, Pastor Ighodalo said: “Comrade Oshiomhole is fighting for his own political relevance. He feels that Governor Godwin Obaseki is obligated to him, having helped and assisted Obaseki to become governor.”

On the September 22 governorship election, and the chances of Obaseki, Ighodalo said: “I think he (Obaseki) stands a good chance of winning the election. He has worked hard in the State.

“The educational system has gone up with everybody electronic now. The young children are doing very well. And their parents are very happy, and the residents have given him a name ‘wake and see governor’.

“He did a lot of roads and infrastructure. He built secretariat that has been abandoned. He is trying to wake up a lot of things, even industries, and some other sectors.”

Obaseki’s main challenger in the September 19 election is Oshiomhole-backed APC candidate, Ize-Iyamu.

Breaking: Alex Otti, Finally Joins APC, Dumps APGA |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Banker turned- politician, Alex Otti, has finally joined the All Progressives Congress, APC. Otti is hoping that the move would bring to reality his persistent dream of becoming the Abia State Governor.

Otti was the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the 2019 Gubernatorial elections in Abia State.

He officially declared for the APC in his private palatial country home in Arochukwu, Abia State.

The Politician hosted the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former Chairman of APGA, Senator Victor Umeh, House of Representatives Spokesman, Hon Benjamin Kalu, among other party stalwarts.

Addressing the guests present at his residence, Otti declared that he has since registered as a member of the APC in his ward, narrating how the former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, initially, tried to convince him to join the party in 2018.

“Let me use this opportunity to announce that I have registered in APC. In 2018 it was 10pm, one day, and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu showed up in my house in Lagos. I wasn’t even expecting him. Kalu said the reason for his visit is to ask me to join the APC. I will only support you if you’re going to contest the 2019 election under the umbrella of the APC because I want to put a stop to all the nonsense going on in the state.

“Two days later, we met at the airport and I was chatting with the former Minister for Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, and Senator Orji Kalu told the Minister about his visit to my place two days ago.

“Then we started the discussion all over, but I didn’t join, the reason I didn’t join the APC was not because I didnt see truth in what he was saying, but I had already embarked on a mission, and I needed to fight the injustice in the party, and on Friday the 14th of August, I will publicly declare for APC.

“Let me also note, importantly, that I am not joining the party because I want to be Governor, but I want to join the opposition as a unified platform to remove the evil in this land.

”If you go to Ebonyi state, you will be marvelled at the good job that David Umahi is doing in the state, yet they don’t get as much as what Abia gets in terms of Federal and other allocations. We need someone who can turn around the fortunes of Abia State from the beginning, and we shall support whosoever becomes the person.

We shall also ensure that we remove memebers who are unfaithful, especially candidates who negotiate with other parties for monetary benefits.”

Exposing his ordeals in previous political parties, , Otti disclosed that he was duped when he was a member of the PDP. He described the Abia PDP as made up of fraudulent individuals.

He said , “I spent so much money when I was in the PDP (People’s Democratic Party) but at the end, I discovered they are all fraudulent in PDP, I was duped by the PDP, so I had to leave the party for them.

He thanked the Chieftain and former Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, for his presence.

Otti lamented the sorry state of Abia State, and ascribed the poor Governance in Abia State to the non-interest of elites in politics.

He, however, urged Abians to rise up against bad governance in the state. According to him, majority of people in the state lived below the poverty line.

Speculation is that Umeh may, also, dump APGA as Kali is said to be mounting pressure on him to defect to the APC.

I Watched A Python Swallow A Boko Haram Captive – Released Victim |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

A 28-year kidnap/Boko Haram victim has narrated her horrifying experience while in captivity. She said she watched, in horror, as a python swallowed a female captive. She also knew of other horrors..

Juliet Adarju said she was captured by gunmen, along with others, on her way from Damaturu to Maidugiri.

She was in company with her mother who was ill, and who her elder sister had asked that she be brought to Maidugiri, by her, for medical attention.

On abduction, and taken into a forest, Juliet disclosed in an interview with Saturday Punch, she said she found out that those who abducted her had a working relationship with Boko Haram. She said members of the sect would come, see the captives, take money (ransome money paid by victims’ families), and take away the females.

In her own case, even though her abductors threatened to give her away to the Boko Haram sect, they said they did not like her, but asked her to either convert to the Islamic religion, risk being a Lear Sharibu, or be killed. She refused.

Her abductors, who abandoned her mother along the road, asked her to tell her people to raise money. Her Pastor and Church members were able to raise the sum of N1.5m to gain her release.

On her experience, while in captivity for over two weeks, she said she watched as a python swallowed a female victim.

Juliet: “There was a lady who was swallowed by a python in the forest. The lady was trying to escape when she encountered the python.”

She, also, revealed how a Policeman was killed, along with his wife, baby, and his( the Policeman’s) friend.

Her words: “There was a Policeman who was kidnapped, and his wife was told to pay ransom. When the wife brought the money, she came with her baby, and her husband’s friend who had a gun. When the abductors realised that her husband’s friend has a gun, they killed the policeman, his wife, the baby and his friend. They were shot.”

Even though they were not shot before her, she said: “They showed me the corpses.”

She disclosed that her abductors spoke Fulani, Kanuri and a little Hausa.

Fallout of Ondo APC Primary: Associates, Families, Battle Aspirants |The Source

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August 8, 2020

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Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State — Rotimi Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni, Akure

The dust raised by the just concluded primary election of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), in Ondo state, is yet to settle as some aspirants who stepped down for the incumbent Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, are being accused of financial inducement.

Reports from supporters of the aspirants also flayed them for ditching them at the eleventh hour for selfish promises of juicy appointments and other political patronages.

One of the aspirants, Mr Okunjimi Odimayo, has, however, described the allegations as baseless, saying stepping down for Governor Akeredolu was just for patriotism and genuine intention for the growth of the state.

Odimayo said in a statement by his media aide, Mr Yemi Akintomide that he was much pained and disappointed when close associates and members of his family started confronting him with rumour of being heavily induced by Governor Akeredolu to curry his support during the party primary election.

He wondered how people would go about spreading such lies from the pit of hell about him, after his patriotic and genuine intentions for the growth of the state.

“What pains me most is that after I carefully and diligently explained the circumstances that warranted my decision to step down for Governor Akeredolu to emerge as candidate of our party for the October 10, 2020, governorship election in my statement on the eve of the primary poll, close business and political associates keep calling me to verify if in actual fact, I took money from Governor Akeredolu before, or after, taken the decision.

“My only response at this moment is that my support for Governor Akeredolu is total, unambiguous and without any financial inducement before, during, or after the APC primary poll, and I never nurse any ambition to take money from him to work for him as we’re going into the governorship election proper.

“I believe I have fought a good fight as a young man with genuine intention and inner purpose to raise the hope of the common people, and change the old narrative of governance which I did with no mind of trading it off in naira and kobo.

“I know that age is still very much on my side with bountiful opportunities and ability to gather more useful experience and be equipped more richly in age and managerial skills for future leadership potentials that God has deposited in me.

“By holding on to this fact, I will never jeopardise this lofty dream and God’s promise with a penury in the name of financial inducement,” he added.

In the run-up to the Primary, a number of the aspirants stepped down for the Governor. He is to face the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede and others at the October Governorship election.

Another Deadly Disease Surfaces In China |The Source

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August 7, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

While the World is still battling with, and making researches for a vaccine for the deadly COVID-19 Pandemic another Virus has emanated from China.

If it is not curtailed, it may escalate and spread to other parts of the world.

The Contagious Virus is called STFS and has been found in East China’s Jiangsu Province. The bad news is, the infection may transmit from person to person.

Almost 37 people have been diagnosed with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) this year, a disease caused by the novel bunyavirus, reportedly spread by ticks.

Now, experts have also warned that the infection is contagious.

Previously, it was reported that the virus can be transmitted from infected animals or people to others via blood, respiratory tract, and wounds.

However, Sheng Jifang, an expert on the novel bunyavirus and director of the infectious disease department with the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, said that a patient who was infected with the novel bunyavirus three years ago and later died, had infected 16 people who had contact with the patient’s dead body, as the patient had bleeding due to severe infection.

One of those people also died later, Global Times reported.

Ticks are insects commonly found outdoors. They usually live in grass, trees, shrubs, and leaf piles.

Ticks are also very commonly found in pets like dogs and cats. Tick bites are caused when these insects bite the skin.

While tick bites are usually harmless and do not show any symptoms either, they may carry and transmit certain diseases and infections that are deadly.

State Of The Nation: Secondus Blasts President Buhari, Says He Is Not In Charge |The Source

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August 7, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Dissatisfied with the recent happenings in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Uche Secondus, has slammed the President.

The opposition Party Chairman urged President Buhari to take Charge of the country, and not allow some opportunists to hijack the nation from him.

Secondus advised him to wake up and tackle the mounting challenges.

Secondus declared that “the country is drowning, President Buhari needs to wake up”.

The PDP Chairman made these comments on Thursday at the PDP national secretariat when he received the Ogun State Working Committee, following the visit of the delegation, announcing the reconciliation of the warring factions.

Secondus said that the situation in the country could have been better “if the President was up and doing.”

The PDP leader advised Buhari to engender peace in the country by ensuring free, fair and credible polls in Edo and Ondo states.

“INEC must conduct elections. The military must face their professional responsibilities and avoid getting involved in election matters. One clear way of achieving peace is to conduct a free and fair election where the people freely choose their leaders.”

He said the President’s trip to Mali recently was in pursuit of law and order after flawed elections, noting that it should be an eye-opener for him.

Secondus told Ogun PDP leaders to ensure that they sustain the new harmony.

“Ogun state has always been a PDP state but for the unnecessary and avoidable bickering we lost it to the opposition. We must Unite to get it back”, he concluded.