Abuja To Host 2016 Glo-CAF Awards

The capital city of Nigeria, Abuja, will again host the 2016 Gala event of the prestigious Glo-CAF Awards on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at the International Conference Centre (ICC), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed.

Abuja is hosting the awards for the third time, having hosted the inaugural edition in 2005 and the 2015 edition.

In a press statement, Africa’s highest football body, the CAF, said: “the 2016 Glo-CAF Awards will be held in the city of Abuja, Nigeria and the new African Footballer of the Year, the greatest African football legends and 15 winners in other categories will be unveiled during the Gala night.”

Other categories include African Player of The Year (Based in Africa), National Team of The Year, Club of The Year and Coach of The Year.

Also to be unveiled are Most Promising Talent, Women’s National Team of The Year, Woman Player of The Year, Referee of The Year, African Legend, CAF Fair Play Award, Platinum Award – which is usually reserved for the President of the host country, Africa Finest XI and Youth Player of The Year.

Gabonese International and Borussia Dortmund of Germany winger, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon is the current African champion, having won the last edition while the 2015 African Player of the Year – Based in Africa- is Mbwana Ally Samatta of Tanzania.

The annual award sponsored by Nigerian telecommunication giant, Globacom is expected to congregate top football celebrities and government officials across Africa, the statement said.

Since 2005 when Globacom took over the sponsorship, the awards gala has been held in several cities across Africa. Accra, Ghana hosted the 2006 edition, while the event moved to Lome, Togo, in 2007. Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos, hosted the event in 2008 before it moved back to Accra in 2009. The 2010 edition of the award took place in Cairo, Egypt, while Accra hosted the event back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. Lagos again hosted the 2013 and 2014 editions.

http://thenationonlineng.net/abuja-host-2016-glo-caf-awards/

Four Women Accuse Donald Trump Of Forcibly Groping, Kissing Them

Four women accused Donald Trump of groping or kissing them without their consent in news reports published Wednesday, just days after the Republican presidential nominee insisted in a debate that he had never engaged in such behavior.

One of the women alleges that Trump grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt during a flight more than three decades ago, the New York Times reported. Another says he kissed her on the mouth outside an elevator in 2005, according to the same report. A third woman says Trump groped her rear end at his Mar-a-Lago resort 13 years ago, the Palm Beach Post reported. The fourth, then a People magazine reporter, says Trump kissed her without her consent when the two were alone in 2005 right before an interview she was about to conduct with Trump and his wife.


Trump and his campaign denied the allegations. But in each of the first three instances, the newspapers spoke to people close to the women — a universe that includes friends, family members, significant others and colleagues — who verified that they told them their stories about what they say happened months or years ago. In the fourth, the reporter wrote a detailed first person account of what she says happened on People's website.

The GOP presidential nominee was considering filing a lawsuit against the Times and was consulting with advisers about his legal options, according to two people close to him. The two people, who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations, said Trump is furious about the accusations made against him in the story and with the newspaper for publishing them.

Early Thursday morning, Trump's campaign released a letter from attorney Marc E. Kasowitz demanding a retraction from the Times. "Failure to do so will leave my client with no option but to pursue all available actions and remedies," it said. The letter was addressed to Times executive editor Dean Baquet.

In a statement issued by his campaign shortly after the Times report was published, spokesman Jason Miller said, “This entire article is fiction.” Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks told the Palm Beach Post "there is no truth" to the third allegation. Hicks denied the fourth account in a statement, saying it "never happened."


The news came five days after The Washington Post reported Friday on a 2005 video in which Trump can be heard making vulgar comments on a hot microphone about physically forcing himself on women sexually.

At Sunday's debate, Trump was asked by a moderator whether he had ever behaved in such a way.

“No, I have not,” he responded.

Separately, CBS News on Wednesday reported 1992 footage filmed for "Entertainment Tonight" in which Trump is heard commenting about a young girl, "I'm going to be dating her in ten years."

Also Wednesday, Rolling Stone published a story that included the allegations of Cassandra Searles, Miss Washington 2013. In a comment she appended to a post she had put on Facebook earlier this year suggesting that Trump treated pageant contestants “like cattle,” Searles wrote, “He probably doesn’t want me telling the story about that time he continually grabbed my ass and invited me to his hotel room.” Yahoo covered her post and comment in June.


Jessica Leeds, 74, told the Times that she sat beside Trump in the first-class cabin of a flight to New York when she was 38. She didn't know him. Leeds said Trump groped her and tried to reach up her skirt. “His hands were everywhere,” she said.

The second woman, Rachel Crooks, was at the time a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company in Trump Tower who said she came face to face with Trump outside an elevator there in 2005. She said that after she introduced herself to Trump and they shook hands, he would not let go, then kissed her cheeks and “kissed me directly on the mouth.”

“I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that,” she said.

Days later, Trump, then recently married to his wife Melania, came to her office and requested her phone number, saying he planned to give it to his modeling agency. Crooks was skeptical, but agreed. She was never contacted by the agency, the Times reported.


Neither Crooks nor Leeds reported their descriptions to the authorities. But the Times quotes Leeds's neighbor, Crooks's boyfriend at the time and her sister, each of whom said that the women previously told them about their alleged encounters with Trump.

Both Leeds and Crooks say they support Hillary Clinton's campaign for president, the Times reported.

Mindy McGillivray, 36, told the Palm Beach Post that Trump groped her rear end at Mar-a-Lago in 2003 when she was there accompanying a photographer friend who was shooting a Ray Charles concert.

“All of a sudden I felt a grab, a little nudge. I think it’s Ken’s camera bag, that was my first instinct. I turn around and there’s Donald. He sort of looked away quickly. I quickly turned back, facing Ray Charles, and I’m stunned," she said.

"Ken" is Ken Davidoff, the photographer, with whom the paper also spoke. Davidoff said he did not witness the alleged incident but recalled that McGillivray told him about it right after it happened.

Natasha Stoynoff, the reporter who wrote that she went to Mar-a-Lago to interview Trump and Melania Trump for a feature story on their first wedding anniversary, said Trump kissed her without her consent when they were alone in a room.

"I turned around, and within seconds, he was pushing me against the wall, and forcing his tongue down my throat," Stoynoff wrote.

She wrote that he told her later, "You know we’re going to have an affair, don’t you?"

Hicks, in her statement denying the allegation, said, "Mr. Trump was the biggest star on television and surely this would have been a far bigger scoop for People magazine."

In a Tuesday phone interview with the Times, Trump denied the claims made by Leeds and Crooks.

“None of this ever took place,” he said. As a reporter questioned him about the women’s claims, he told her: “You are a disgusting human being,” according to the Times.

Miller, in his statement, accused the Times of a “completely false, coordinated character assassination” against Trump. He called it a “political attack.”

Jennifer Palmieri, communications director for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign, said the reports show Trump lied on the debate stage on Sunday.

“This disturbing story sadly fits everything we know about the way Donald Trump has treated women. These reports suggest that he lied on the debate stage and that the disgusting behavior he bragged about in the tape is more than just words,” Palmieri said in a statement Wednesday night.

In the "Entertainment Tonight" footage reported by CBS News, Trump can be heard asking a young girl at Trump Tower, "You going up the escalator?"

"Yeah," she responds.

"I'm going to be dating her in ten years, can you believe it?" Trump is heard saying.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CBS report.

In the video reported by The Post on Friday, Trump says he is “automatically attracted” to beautiful women, and “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.”

He adds: “And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”


“Whatever you want,” says another voice, apparently that of Billy Bush, then of “Access Hollywood.”

“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/10/12/two-women-accuse-trump-of-unwanted-sexual-touching/

NDDC Board: Senate Rejects Three Of President Buhari's Nominees

The Nigerian Senate has began consideration of nominees for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board with Senate president Bukola Saraki presiding over the plenary.


The Senate reverted to committee of the whole to deliberate on their confirmation.

However, three out of the 19 were not confirmed. They include Hon.Donatus Enyinnaya of Abia state, Sen. OSita Bonaventure Izunaso, Imo state and Olatokunbo Ayotunde Ajasin of Ondo state.

Saraki thanked the committee for their efforts and congratulated the chairman and the new members of the board.

Two months ago, the Senate officially received a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari requesting the confirmation of Victor Ndoma Egba as chairman and Isima Ekere as managing director of the NDDC.

The Nigerian Senate had on Tuesday, October 4, screened Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the former Senate leader, as chairman of NDDC board and other members.

However, the former Senate leader was not screened, but spoke briefly to his colleagues, even as he was later asked to take a bow.


Read full list of the nominees below:

1. Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba – Chairman – Cross River state

2. Nsima Udo Ekere – Managing Director – Akaw-Ibom state

3. Engr Adjogbe Samuel – Executive director – Delta state

4. Mene Derek – Executive director (finance and administration) – Rivers state

5. Hon. Donatus Enyinnah – member – Abia state

6. Frank Samuel George – member – Akwa-Ibom state

7. Prof. Brambaifa Nelson – member – Bayelsa state

8. Sylvester Nsa – member – Cross-River state


9. Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo – member- Delta state

10. Hon. Uwuile Saturday – member – Edo state

11. Sen. Osita Izunaso – member – Imo state

12. Olatokunbo Ajasin – member- Ondo state

13. Harry Dabibi – member Rivers state

14. Benard Banfa – member- North central zone

15. Yahaya Mohammed – member – Northeast zone

16. Mustapha Dankadai – member – Northwest zone

17. Igo Weli – member -Niger Delta

18. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse – member- Federal Ministry of Finance

19. Abdul-Kazeem Bayero – member – Federal Ministry of Environment


See photo of the nominees below which was twitted by @ngrsenate

https://www.naij.com/1003728-happening-now-senate-confirms-nddc-nominees-full-list.html

It’s Only In Nigeria We Arrest Before We Investigate, Says NBA Secretary

Isiaka Olagunju, general secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), says it is erroneous to level allegations of corruption against the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC).

Speaking on Monday on a Raypower radio programme, The Platform, while fielding questions on the recent raid of some judges’ homes by the Department of State Services (DSS), noted It’s only in Nigeria we arrest before we investigate.

He said Nigerians should not forget that a week ago, the NJC not only dismissed three judges on allegations of corruption but recommended them for prosecution.

He stated that raid on the homes of the judges was not done according to due process.“Any allegation against the NJC, with due respect, is quite erroneous. Apparently, they are not aware of the position of the NJC; we always rely on what we read on the newspapers and social media,” Olagunju said.

“Based on the facts available to us, the NBA, NJC is doing what they are supposed to do and they are doing well. There may be room for improvement; we are not saying they are perfect.

“Of course there is no prefect condition in life, but if you need room for improvement, there must be engagement. It’s not by confrontation; it’s by engagement to achieve what you want to achieve.

“It’s only in Nigeria we arrest before we investigate; we are not saying the judges are corrupt or not corrupt but due process was not followed. If a constable is found not doing the right thing he is firstly dismissed before he is prosecuted. The fight against corruption is a process.

“Please we should not forget that just about a week ago, the NJC dismissed three justices — one justice of the court of appeal and two judges of the high court — and even recommended the prosecution of one of them.

“We need to appreciate the efforts made by the NJC. If you want to make comments, you should make comments with the facts available to us, we should not rely on speculation.”

He explained that a committee of the NBA would look into the matter and advise the law body of a decision to take.

“We are not gathering information; they will look into the matter and advise us so we would know the decision to take or what to do, and hopefully the NJC is meeting today in Abuja and before the end of today we will also come out with something. But definitely, it’s not togather information but to look into the matter,” he added.

“What are the real issues? Because we rely on what we believe on social media, on newspapers, but we established a committee to lookinto the matter and see or give us the actual facts.”

https://www.thecable.ng/its-only-in-nigeria-we-arrest-before-we-investigate-says-nba-secretary

Lagos To Start Disbursement Of N25bn Employment Trust Fund Next Week - Ambode

…Plans recruitment of 5000 neighhbourhood watchers to boost Security

… As governor holds 5thTown Hall Meeting In Surulere

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday disclosed that the State Government would begin the disbursement of the much anticipated N25 billion Employment Trust Fund (ETF) and other empowerment programmes initiated by his administration next week.


Governor Ambode, who spoke at the 3rd Quarter 2016 Town Hall Meeting, held at the Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere said that the funds for the programmes targeted to assist youths, artisans and the needy become self reliant have been provided, hence beneficiaries would start getting support from the last quarter of the year.

“We will roll out all our empowerment programmes immediately to assist all our youth, artisans and the needy. The funding for the N500m Lagos State Persons Living with Disability Fund has been provided and beneficiaries will start getting support from this quarter,” Governor Ambode said.

To beef up the security in the State, especially at the community level, Governor Ambode also disclosed plans to recruit at least 5,000 Neighbourhood Watchers with new recruits expected to earn at least N25, 000 monthly with other allowances.

He said the neighbourhood Safety Agency Bill which he signed into Law on August 15, 2016, was part of efforts to institutionalise and deepen community policing in the State.

“There is a law that has just been passed which is the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps Law, 2016 and in line with the resolution taken by the House of Assembly yesterday, we would go all out to make sure that this agency is activated and all our neighborhoods will be covered, and then centralize with the State Government with all the necessary equipment and resources to ensure that we establish what we call community policing and that is the way to go.

“We will rebrand Neighborhood Watchers and re-equip them to the level that each Neighborhood Watchers in all the Local Governments will have their vehicles and necessary equipment to complement security. We are also working on employing additional 5,000 Neighborhood Watchers in all our Local Governments and they will be paid by us, while the basic salary for the entrance level will be N25,000 per month,” the Governor said.

Speaking on the budget performance of the 2016 budget, Governor Ambode disclosed that the State’s budget performance for January to September performed at 69 per cent as against 65 per cent for the same period in 2015.

He said a total of N166.8billion has been spent on capital projects this year, a figure, he said, was more than double the N53.6billion spent for the same period last year.

Governor Ambode said the State generated a total revenue of N97.3billion in the last quarter with an expenditure of expenditure of N110.2billion, noting that the cash reserve of the State has remained positive.

The Governor also disclosed that a total sum of N55billion was expended on capital expenditure in the last quarter.

According to him, the last quarter witnessed a lot of activities from the delivery of massive road infrastructure across the Local Governments in the State as well as the promulgation of the anti-Land Grabbing Law, aimed at making life easier for property owners and a boost in investment activities that will enhance the growth and development potentials in the State.

He expressed optimism that despite the recession, the State’s economy would remain on a strong and sound footing if capital expenditure spending is increased.

“In this quarter, we will concentrate more resources on capital projects. We will put money in the hands of our local contractors and through them stimulate and reflate the economy. Immediate payments will be made to contractors handling health sector and education sector projects within the next two weeks,” Governor Ambode assured.

Speaking on some projects outlined for the next quarter, the Governor said that plans have been concluded to transform the Yaba Bus Park with the provision of modern bus shelters replica of the ones erected at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

Governor Ambode also assured that the road rehabilitation projects ongoing at Adetola Street and Brown Road in Aguda, Surulere as well as Olajuwon and Biney Streets in Yaba would be completed before the end of the present quarter.

He said with the completion and delivery of the first phase of the 114 local government roads last month, the process of bid invitation for the construction of additional 114 roads across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas would commence within the next three weeks.

“We have commenced a multi-faceted development that will change the face of Lagos Island. We have installed new bus shelters at Tafawa Balewa Square and before the end of December, various projects will be commenced within the National Museum axis, Onikan to Tafawa Balewa Square, and from Lagos House Marina and Freedom Park. By the time we complete these projects, Lagos will become a major tourist destination in West Africa,” the Governor said.

Also speaking during the interactive session at the event witnessed by captains of industries, party chieftains and members of the diplomatic corps, Oba of Lagos, HRM Oba Rilwan Akiolu, lamented the suspension of a bill seeking special status for Lagos by the Senate, but expressed optimism that the bill would still become law in the nearest future.

He said: “The suspension of the bill sponsored by our amiable daughter and wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu is unfortunate but it is better and advisable to let these people know that this is not a matter of quarrel but a question of time. It will definitely happen.”

The monarch, who recalled the history of the agitation for special status for Lagos, urged the promoters of the bill to go back to drawing board and do their home work well before representing it for consideration and passage.

The Governor, who also spoke on the issue, commended Senator Tinubu for her courage to push for the bill, while also lauding the Senate President, Bukola Saraki for his magnanimity in allowing the bill to be presented on the floor of the Senate.

He however expressed optimism that the bill would be reactivated and represented again, saying that the success of the bill was in the overriding interest of Nigerians.


Source:https://sotrueng.wordpress.com/2016/10/11/ambode-lagos-to-start-disbursement-of-n25bn-for-unemployed-next-week/

Recession: Bread, Biscuits, Others Prices To Go Up By 15% – AMBCON

By Festus Ahon

ASABA – AS Nigerians still grapples with the devastating effect of the economic recession being witnessed in the country, the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, AMBCON, has said the prices of bread, biscuits and other related commodities would be increased by 15 percent with effect from 17th of this month.


The Association in a communique after its enlarged joint meeting of the South-South and South-East geo political zones held in Asaba, blamed the development on the high cost of production.


Decrying that Nigeria’s economic recession was taking a more dangerous twist, the Association in the communique co-signed by chairman of the Joint Zonal Counci, Sir Hilary Eze, Secretary, Elder Akpan Jude and 12 others from the zones, which include Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta and Akwa-Ibom States, said “the adjustment of price is as a result of the sudden increase in the prices of sugar from N7,000 to N19,000, butter from N4,200 to N12,000, yeast from N10,500 to N17,000 and flour from N9,700 to N12,000.

“After considering the impact of the skyrocketed prices of baking ingredients/materials, for the survival of our noble business, which is presently bleeding, the association came to the conclusion to adjust our prices by 15 percent.”

Appealing to the Federal Government to come to their aids, they wondered why all entreaties to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to safe them from loosing grip of the business, fell on deaf ears.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/recession-bread-biscuits-others-prices-go-15-ambcon

Defamation: Odili Sues Peterside, Claims N6bn Damages

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

THE former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, has dragged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to court for an alleged defamation of character.

Odili, who is claiming the sum of N6bn as damages in the suit, had stated that Peterside, who is the current Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, had defamed him through a newspaper publication (not The PUNCH) in February 2016.

The defendant was alleged to have said in a press conference that the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, during a victory thanksgiving service, alleged that Odili helped him (Wike) to secure the judgement that gave him (Wike) victory.

But Odili had described the statement credited to Peterside as false and malicious, maintaining that Wike never said that he (Odili) helped him to secure election victory at the Supreme Court.

However, when the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Odili was asked to enter the witness box to adopt his witness statement.

Though the defendant and his counsel were absent in court, the Lead Counsel for the plaintiff, Kanu Agabi (SAN), told the trial judge, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, that Peterside was properly served.

Iyayi-Lamikanra, however, adjourned till October 27, 2016, for further hearing of the case.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after court proceedings, Agabi said, “We sued for libel and we called our first witness. We have adjourned for cross-examination till the 27th of October, 2016.

“We felt defamed by their (defendant) publication and we are here to vindicate ourselves.

“You could see that the defendants were not in court, but they have been served; they have been properly served. The court would not have proceeded otherwise.”

http://punchng.com/defamation-odili-sues-peterside-claims-n6bn-damages/