Opinion: Praying For A Hale And Hearty President Buhari

 by Mekaboy

The APC has described Buharis health conditions in many ways. Sometimes it's been said he is very strong, he is energetic, he is in high spirit and the most popular is Hale and Hearty.

The minister of information, Lai Mohammed has said this time without number whilst responding to questions by journalist.

''President Buhari is hale and hearty''

The president's media special assistant, Mr. Adesina has repeated this line over and over again. But the question that keeps bulging the mind is: do healthy people require prayers? of course they do but certainly not in the guise prayers has been held for Mr. Buhari nationwide.

In the whole country, wherever those prayers were held, the mosques, the churches, the beer parlous, it was specifically that God grants the president good health and bring him back to his seat in Aso rock.

Someone lied to us then............Just yesterday Sahara reporters ran a story detailing the president's ailment and the severity of it all. But his image makers want us to believe he is just resting. Nearly 40days of just resting?

Anytime i hear people saying let's pray for the president to recover i ask myself, recover from what? From being hale and Hearty?

If truly the president is Hale and Hearty the way we are told, then Nigerians should pray that his condition remains permanent.

This is my opinion.

Bush: I BelieveTrump Wants to Unify the Country

Former President George W. Bush was a guest Monday on the "Today" show discussing President Donald Trump's first month in office.

Responding to a question from Matt Lauer on whether Trump has done anything so far to unify the country, Bush said it's only been a month.

"I think you have to take the man for his word that he wants to unify the country, and we'll see whether he's able to do so," the former president said.

"It's hard to unify the country though with the news media being so split up."

Bush said the makeup of the media has changed since his time in office since "now there's all kinds of information being bombarded out and people can say things anonymously."

But the former president emphasized that the media, which has been attacked repeatedly by Trump, is "indispensable to democracy."

He also discussed Trump's revised executive order on immigration, expected to be signed later this week.

"I am for an immigration policy that is welcoming and upholds the law," said Bush, who was promoting his new book, "Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors."

-Foxnews

Ifeanyi Ubah: Best for South-East to remain in Nigeria

The Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has admonished the people of the South East geopolitical zone to remain in Nigeria because it is “highly unfavourable” to be an independent state.

Ubah also said that the future of the South East remains bright in Nigeria because it has the potential to becoming the economic nerve centre of the country, just the way Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou are to China.

The business mogul, who is also the Publisher of The AUTHORITY Newspapers, said that he was canvassing the position after “following discussions on this noble fo­rum and in a bid to contrib­ute my own quota to the discourse, my position on whether or not to remain in Nigeria, is for the South East to stick with Nigeria.

“My reasons are simple - the South-East is particularly not ready for such a move as we are infrastructurally and industrially deficient.”

According to Ubah, the prospect of the South East leaving Nigeria is “highly un­favourable. First, the South East lacks the essential and requisite agricultural depos­its to sustain herself.

“While harbouring the thoughts of self-determina­tion, there is urgent need for an agricultural revolution through progressive poli­cies within the South East­ern states.

“The South East needs to exploit areas where she al­ready possesses compara­tive advantage in agriculture and promote policies that will enhance her productivi­ty and trade.

“Second, industrialisation is key to whatever the South East intends to achieve and stand for. We saw BRIC+S countries (Brazil, Russia, In­dia, China +South Africa) at­tain their projected economic giant status at the end of 20th Century. Today, all eyes are on the new projected MINT Countries (Mexico, Indone­sia, Nigeria and Turkey).

“MINT is projected to emerge as the new global economic giants in this 21st Century after the emergence of BRIC+S and there is abso­lutely no doubt in my mind that the South East needs to be to Nigeria what Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou are to China before thinking of separation from Nigeria,” he said.

Ubah further suggested that Ndigbo should strive to make the South East a health tourism hub for Nigeria and West Africa by extension, stressing that there is need to redirect the massive revenue currently being enjoyed by these Indian and American hospitals to the South East.

He asserted that overall, the Indian healthcare market is worth around $100 billion and is expected to grow to $280 billion by 2020, a com­pound annual growth rate of 22.9%.

“Is this not strategic enough for the South East to tap into as a means to creat­ing value before harbouring thoughts of self-determina­tion?

“Finally, it is pertinent to note that this revolution must be driven by state chief executives,” Ubah stressed.

Ubah therefore charged the South East state gover­nors to lead the campaign to actualising the ideas put up by him, declaring that “it’s high time we stopped our dependence on federal allo­cations which merely 

serves to pay civil servants.

“There is urgent need to look at securing partner­ships with our brothers and sisters in the diaspora as well as the international commu­nity. However, all these can only be achieved if there is transparency, accountabil­ity and the requisite zeal to pursue this cause within the confines of those who pos­sess the mantle of leadership in the South Eastern states, as such qualities will conse­quently breed confidence in the minds of potential inves­tors.”

There is nothing like Osibanjo adminstration, APC warns

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Youths Renaissance has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari is the head of the current administration.

The group, therefore, warned those referring to the government as ‘Osinbajo administration’ to stop forthwith.

A statement by Collins Edwin, National Secretary, APC Youths Renaissance, noted with dismay the “attempts by some Nigerians and their collaborators in the media to create crisis of confidence and severe the smooth working relationships between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo through unnecessary praises and accolades”.

It said since President Buhari left Nigeria for London in January, prominent Nigerians and organisations had formed the habit of making superficial praises of the successes achieved by the APC-led Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari, in which Professor Osinbajo is standing-in for him in Acting Capacity.

“We are using this medium to educate these professional merchants of conflicts that there is nothing like Osinbajo Administration in this regime, but the Buhari Administration.

“Hence, whatever successes achieved by anybody, whether by Professor Yemi Osinbajo or any of the Ministers serving under the four-year mandate given to our great party by Nigerians, the credit should go to the Buhari Administration.

“We will henceforth view anyone who still indulge in this balonious habbit of making sycophantic praises and ascribing credits to an individual against the administration as unveiled enemy of the Nigerian people who do not want peace in our leadership”.

Reuben Abati: No regrets working with President Jonathan

Contrary to public sentiments that members of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet enjoyed working with him because of his alleged leniency towards corrupt people, his then media adviser, Mr. Reuben Abati, has said that he had no regrets working with Jonathan, because of the many lessons and quality exposure that he received under him. Abati said this on Sunday night while fielding questions from the media on life in the Presidential Villa.

He described working under the former President as going to the ‘University of Life,’ saying that even those who were his critics would have had something to learn if they got into arena of state power at that time. The former presidential spokesman said that in spite of the allegation that he received N50 million from ex-National Security Adviser, Dasuki Sambo, and his alleged promise to return N5 million out of the sum to the government, he still thinks his integrity and name are intact.

He said: “I do not regret working with the former President. If you worked with his government, it is a different kind of exposure. It is like going to the university. If you like, you can call it the University of Life. “I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to serve at that highest level in Nigeria and for the many lessons and quality exposure that I received.

Shehu Sani: Buhari surrounded by Vultures and Hyenas

Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has claimed that majority of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet members are “vultures and hyenas” for refusing to declare their assets publicly.

The lawmaker made the assertion over the weekend while touring the late Malam Aminu Kano Musuem in Kano State.

He noted that the failure of the President’s cabinet members to declare their assets shows that they do not believe in the current anti-graft war.

Sani urged the President to reshuffle his cabinet immediately he returns from the United Kingdom, UK, where he is currently on medical vacation.

According to him, “Buhari is an island in his government and by the time he is back, he needs to disinfect and fumigate his government because in his anti-corruption crusade, he is the only person who believes in the anti-corruption war, people within his corridors of power are simply Buhari in their faces, but anti-Buhari at hearts.

“Now, tell me, how a president (Buhari) who publicly declared his own assets; and apart from him and his vice-president, nobody, even within his own close kitchen cabinet or outside veranda cabinet could publicly declare their assets. This shows the disbelief in the style of his own life and his own manner of leadership. President Buhari is surrounded by vultures and hyenas.”

-Dailypost

Xenophobia: The Law Must Take Its Course against South Africa’s Stark Criminality

Jimmy Broni Smith

XENOPHOBIA is defined as the irrational or unreasoned fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. In other words, it is discrimination or racism acted out either consciously or unconsciously.
For many commentators, Xenophobia as has been murderously carried out in South Africa in 2008, 2015 and for the past two weeks respectively is due to a plethora of factors like the country's social dynamics, Afro-pessimism, jingoism, exceptionalism, ethno-nationalism and its distant cousin tribalism. BASED on all the afore-mentioned which will probably never fade away owing to their deep rooted nature, it's only a matter of time before the next xenophobic instalment of murders, arson and looting plays out again! The recent spate of attacks against foreign nationals living in the country has claimed six lives; in 2015 over a dozen were murdered through horrific means like burning victims with car tyres round their necks, stabbing and hacking. 15 years ago when it all started, the numbers were much higher as seventy lives were wasted. Can these so-called xenophobic murders be justified? Apologists have proffered defences all of which are flimsy and laughingly puerile. Illegal immigrants, drug dealers, undocumented foreign nationals or whatever else it may be, the law should be left to have its way. No man is above the LAW as we've been taught from childhood. No man must therefore take the law into his hands on no conceivable account.
It is on record that a Zulu ruler, King Goodwill Zwelithini recently gave an address laden with xenophobic innuendos. That allegedly set the stage for this round of criminality on the streets of Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and Johannesburg. It's hard to think that this is the same country which was under the sceptre of perhaps the most heinous crime ever committed against a group of people on their own ancestral land: Apartheid! Black countries from the Caribbean to Africa and Black leaders in America and Europe all vociferously attacked Apartheid and some even fought ideologically and physically to dislodge it. That same country now feels itself so special that it will rain death on fellow Africans or blacks living within it. It reeks of deliberate forgetfulness and wanton shame.

The "Rainbow Nation" has perhaps the most progressive national Constitution in all of the black continent. The Freedom Charter, their post-Apartheid Constitution enacted in 1996 bears striking resemblance to the United States Constitutional document. Just like the US code, it begins with "We the people," and goes on "of South Africa believe that South Africa belongs to us and all those who live in it, we are united in our diversity..." The Rainbow Nation was thus born, but twelve years down the line a small section of the populace forgot that legendary opening statement! The ethos of Ubuntu - respecting one another's dignity and humanity, plus fostering unity between and amongst different races and nationalities flew out of the national consciousness. At least out of the consciousness of those who skeweredly think the presence of other nationals is a roadblock to their personal or collective development.

These attacks are not strictly xenophobic as they are being labelled by most especially the SA media. President Jacob Zuma decried the savagely ugly incidents as criminal and that the law must bring the 170 or so perpetrators to justice. Clearly, the government has done little or nothing about this problem. Every time it is caught off-guard!

It is not a problem that requires a hasty fix either. But the spanners must be instantly thrown into the works as it were. The distasteful Apartheid legacy of latent violence more or less ingrained in the national psyche, youth apathy, the controversies surrounding education such as the fees must fall movement, job and entrepreneurial opportunities for graduates and the skilled are trendy issues in need of hot and enduring answers. Education is a priority area; the greatest South African ever Nelson Mandela once said: Education is the most powerful tool to change the world with! One wouldn't be amiss to assert that these issues have a link directly or indirectly in the perpetuation of xenophobia. Take the youth problem for instance; many of them are self-confessedly wayward and disobedient leading them to deviant and juvenile misdemeanors. These lost youths are at the forefront of criminal acts like the one under review.

Not all immigrants in South Africa are illegal or undocumented or drug dealers, but the truth remains that the righteous always suffer with the wicked. Immigrants both legal and otherwise badly need the staunch protection of the law in South Africa. A vibrant act must be passed in their favour in this dispensation of transnationalism and globalisation.

In the backyard of Mandela, the rights of all and sundry must be respected, observed and protected.

Jimmy Broni Smith

writes from

Freetown, Sierra Leone

PDP crisis: I won't trade words with Fayose says Sherrif

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, has admonished the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose to respect himself, PDP and Nigerians, saying he could not join issues with the Ekiti Governor as that would amount to reducing himself to his level.

Sheriff gave the appeal while reacting to Fayose’s criticisms of him since he was affirmed the National Chairman of the former ruling party by a Port Harcourt Appeal Court.

Speaking in Abuja when leaders of the party from the South-West paid him a solidarity visit, the former Borno State Governor advised governors on the platform of the party against doing anything that would further divide the party.

According to Sheriff, “Yes, our governors are very important people. They are leaders of the party in their own right. I beg them not to divide the party. Let everybody unite and build the party.

‘’For Governor Ayo Fayose, I have no issues to join with him because I cannot even comment on some of the things he says and does. Doing that would amount to coming back to his level. But I beg him to respect himself, to respect the PDP, respect Nigeria because whatever you say today, posterity will judge you. I beg him to control himself.”

Sheriff reinstated his earlier stands on the Appeal court ruling, saying the victory is for all PDP.
“As I said, this victory is for every member of PDP; there is no loser. People can vent their anger but as a leader and father of everybody, I want to make sure that this party is united,” he added.

-DailyPost

Osibanjo: Nobody shall hold Nigeria to ransom

THE Federal Government said yesterday it would not allow anybody to hold Nigeria to ransom under any guise.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who said this, added that the government was intensifying dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta with a view to addressing security challenges in the region.

He restated the government’s commitment to making the business environment more conducive for local businesses to thrive by speeding up the process of formulation and implementation of strategies.

Osinbajo, who spoke at the 16th edition of the National Productivity Day and conferment of National Productivity Order of Merit Award on some individuals and corporate bodies, said the government was committed to its promise on the fight against terrorism, anti-corruption and the development of the economy to create jobs.

His words: “Boko Haram has been defeated and its members are only resorting to cowardly attacks on soft targets, killing innocent men, women and children. Despite this, the residents of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, including several neighbouring states, are now going about their daily business in relative safety.

“Besides Boko Haram, a new insurgency has arisen in the form of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by groups of Niger Delta militants. This administration will not allow them to hold the country to ransom. While security is being beefed up in the areas, we shall intensify our on-going dialogue with the various stakeholders in the region.”

Restating the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s commitment to the country and the citizenry, Osinbajo said: “We are working tirelessly and will continue to do so with hard work, diligence and honesty. Delivery may be a bit slow, but the promised change will come in no distant time.

“Our economy is no doubt currently facing serious challenges. Before now, the economy had been purely monolithic having relied solely on oil as its major source of revenue.

“The dwindling oil prices and the disruption in supply occasioned by the insecurity in the Niger Delta made us to realise the urgent need for diversification of our economy with emphasis on sectors that will improve employment prospects for our young people.”

Osinbajo urged entrepreneurs to take advantage of the new opportunities to grow businesses, create jobs and wealth for themselves and the nation.

He said: “Nigeria’s current youth unemployment crisis has been attributed to lack of job, skills and experience. I am happy to note that the inclusion of entrepreneurship education in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme enables the corps members to acquire skills in specific areas of interest.

“This not only makes them self-reliant and employers of labour; but also prepares them for value added work life. The Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is providing N2.5 billion facility for the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP).

“Specifically, Corps members with good business ideas and entrepreneurial skills will have access to the loan at single digit interest. It is my expectation that this programme, in addition to other ongoing interventionist programmes, will help to combat youth unemployment.”

He listed the payment of the N5, 000 monthly allowance to one million poorest and most vulnerable citizens, the recruitment of 500,000 unemployed graduates and the proposed training for 375,000 others without degrees, as some efforts of the government to reduce unemployment.

-Nation

PDP crisis: Fayose rejects Sheriff, sides with Makarfi

By Jude Melea Moses

In an effort to finding better ways to win back its faction as the authentic Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), after an appeal court in Port Harcourt declared Sen. Ali Sheriff as the original National Chairman, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, the Chairman of the caretaker committee of the PDP and its supporters against all odds went ahead and held a stakeholders meeting after the Police stopped them from using their already scheduled venue, the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

While the meeting saw in attendance, the BOT of the PDP, Senators, governors, the youth and other big names in the PDP, a communiqué was read out at the end of the meeting by the Sec. Prof. Jerry Gana.

Prof. Gana said, “the PDP is united, strong, resolute, steadfast… under the leadership of national caretaker committee.”

He added that the judgment by the court of appeal in favour of Sheriff is not the final judgement as they will seek redress in Nigerian’s Apex Court, the Supreme Court.

According to Gov. Kayode Fayose, of Ekiti, Chairman Governor’s forum and other members at the meeting, declared, “we stand with Makarfi.”

“I want to appeal to all of you, it is no to Sheriff, and it is yes to Makarfi.”he added.

And on the sealing of their already scheduled place of meeting by the police, Gov. Fayose lamented how the police have become tools used by the present regime to kill the opposition party and rule of law.

While ‘rumour’ has it that Sen. Sheriff and his followers have been hired by the ruling party to bring PDP to its knees, for now, PDP is sick and only time will tell with 2019 fast approaching.   

Ekweremadu: Naira now worst currency in Africa under Buharii

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday, took a swipe at the All Progressives Congress administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the economy has suffered more crisis under the new government.

Ekweremadu said this at the Peoples Democratic Party’snational stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ekiti State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, on Monday. The Deputy Senate President, while decrying the worsening economic conditions of the country, alleged that “all APC promises had been kept in the reverse order.”

He was quoted by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, as saying, “They told us that one US dollar would be one naira when they take over. Has that happened?

Today, our currency is the worst currency in the whole of Africa. Is that the type of democracy we looked forward to? I can see a situation where the price of oil is going up and the value of naira is going down. What type of economics is that?”

Ekweremadu, however, enjoined PDP faithful to remain strong as the party would “work with Nigerians to restore true democracy and hope to our people.” He said, “I believe that with determination and sticking together, we will triumph and Nigeria will be better for it.”

The Deputy Senate President also condemned what he described as the manipulation of vital institutions of democracy and radical decline of democratic freedoms in Nigeria.

He also said the solidarity of all key organs of the PDP for the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee, despite the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal on the party’s leadership tussle, showed that “it is not the hood that makes the monk.”


Ekweremadu, while condemning the sealing of the International Conference Centre, Abuja, the earlier announced venue of the meeting, by the security agencies, said that “such flagrant manipulation of critical institutions of democracy is not only dangerous, but bad news for the nation’s democracy.”

He said, “We are aware that all the institutions of democracy are being manipulated and harassed in this country. The National Assembly and the press are not left out. The Independent National Electoral Commission has been captured and now a part of the APC. Our judiciary is being insulted and assaulted every day. Their houses are being attacked very late at night and the judges are being harassed.

“So, we are not surprised at what we are seeing today (sealing of meeting venue)? But what remains is for us to remain resolute.”

The Deputy Senate President expressed his displeasure at what he described as the rising political persecution in the country. He said, “If you look around this room, you will see a lot of people who are being harassed, persecuted and taken to court. What is their offence? They claim they allegedly received stolen property, yet, nobody has been arraigned for the actual stealing. As a lawyer, I know that if you are being arraigned for receiving stolen property, you must first of all arraign the man who stole the property. That is not so in our own case. Is that democracy?”

Ekwememadu urged party members to remain resolute and protect the soul of the PDP and the nation’s democracy, insisting that the party leaders were made by the party faithful and could never be imposed from the outside.

He said, “We have heard there was a judgment in Port Harcourt. Now, those who benefitted from the judgment, where are they? Are they with our former ministers? Are they with our National Assembly members? Are they with our governors? Which organ of the party are they with or is with them? The truth is that it is not the hood that makes the monk.”

-Punch 

Politics: Wike says lies affecting Nigeria as a country

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that Nigeria will only experience peace and development when the several lies affecting her functionality are dismantled.

He also called for immediate reforms where states are treated as federating units and not departments of
the Federal Government.In his acceptance speech after receiving the award as the Sun Governor of the Year, 2016 in Lagos on Saturday night , Governor
Wike said that all efforts must be targeted at inclusive governance, which will cater for all sections of the country.
He said: "There are too many lies in the Nigeria’s structural arrangement we must dismantle, including the over-concentration of absolute power and resources at the centre, in order to guarantee sustainable peace, good governance and development.

"For heaven’s sake, we must come to terms with the fact that States are federating units, not departments of the Federal Government. State Governors are elected by their people, and therefore superior in every respect to appointed officers of the federal government.

"It is a constitutional fiction to refer to Governors as Chief Security Officers. But, even at that, nobody can claim to be more concerned about insecurity in our States than the Governors."

He said despite the challenges posed by the imbalances, he has worked deliberately to support security agencies and improve security in Rivers State.

The governor said: "In Rivers State, our administration treats security as number one priority. We have invested millions of naira to provide support for the security agencies, including patrol vehicles, communication and surveillance equipment, gunboats and other logistics.

"Even as I speak, we have procured six armoured personnel carriers to be delivered to the police force. You must also be aware of the two armoured helicopters partly funded by the previous administration, which we brought into the country and voluntarily offered to the Nigerian Air force to use in providing aerial security surveillance for the State.

"Unfortunately, our commitments and support for the security agencies, especially the Police and the DSS appear fruitless given the prevailing disenchantments over their poor operations and relationship with the government and our people.

"Worse still, the politicization of security agencies and services in Rivers State, which started with the frequent and impulsive replacement of Police and DSS bosses, is becoming entrenched and even taken to irrational levels."

On his award, Governor Wike explained that he will remain committed to the delivery of quality projects and programmes across the state for the good of the people.

He noted that the successes recorded in road infrastructure, health infrastructure, security of lives and , education, empowerment, youth development, urban renewal and agriculture.

He said: "As a government, we refused the temptation to politicise project implementation. It is for this reason that we embarked on the ambitious completion of the projects abandoned by the previous administration provided they have direct bearing on the lives of our people.

"And because we recognized the direct relationship between the quality of infrastructure and the State’s growth potential, we completely insulated road construction from political considerations and ensured that all such contracts are given only to tested and reputable contractors.

" This policy saw the quick return of construction giants like Julius Berger, CCECC, Setraco, Dantata & Sawoe, Reynolds Construction Company, and others.

"It is also instructive to note that our infrastructure revolution is not limited to roads. We appreciate the essence of achieving holistic development of the State, which can be impeded without the simultaneous development of social infrastructure.

"Accordingly, we also rebuilding the schools to improve the quality of education and rehabilitating and re-equipping the general hospitals to enhance healthcare delivery. As I speak, 13 general hospitals are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation while the Vice President on his recent visit flagged off the construction of senior doctors’ quarters at the State-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital."

Governor Wike added: "Also, we are constructing a world-class pleasure park to enhance tourism development, reconstructing the Bille/Bonny Jetty, completed and commissioned the Okrika Jetty to improve water transportation and providing potable water for some of our communities. In appreciation to God, we are building the Port Harcourt Ecumenical Centre to uplift the spiritual lives of our people.

"Rivers State is now a huge construction site and this is deliberate. In 2016, we spent not less than 60 per cent of our budget on capital projects. In 2017, we have increased it to 70 per cent to enable us deliver on our unmet needs for more social and economic infrastructure."

While thanking the Sun Newspapers for the award, he assured that he will continue to perform in such a way that he will continue to win the award.

The Sun Governor of the Year Award was presented to Governor Wike by the Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaokwu who lauded the governor for his outstanding performance.

The award ceremony was attended by political and business leaders across the country.

International: Zimbabwe election –Mugabe will run says wife

The wife of Zimbabwe's 92-year-old President, Robert Mugabe, has said that he is so popular that if he died, he could run as a corpse in next year's election and still win votes.

Grace Mugabe, 51, was addressing a rally of the governing Zanu-PF party.

Mr Mugabe has governed Zimbabwe since the end of white-majority rule in 1980 following a bitterly fought war.

His wife, who has often professed her undying loyalty to her husband, has assumed an increasingly high profile.

"One day when God decides that Mugabe dies, we will have his corpse appear as a candidate on the ballot paper," Mrs Mugabe told the rally in Buhera, south-east of the capital Harare.

"You will see people voting for Mugabe as a corpse. I am seriously telling you - just to show people how people love their president."

President Mugabe has been backed by his party to stand again in next year's election, but recently cut back on his public engagements.

Grace Mugabe has warned contemporaries of Mr Mugabe from the guerrilla war era that they are not in a position to replace him because they likewise would be too old.

"Anyone who was with Mugabe in 1980 has no right to tell him he is old. If you want Mugabe to go, then you leave together. You also have to leave. Then we take over because we were not there in 1980," she said, gesticulating towards herself.

Last September, the president was rumoured to have died after he reportedly cut short his attendance of an AU summit to fly to Dubai for a health check.

Mr Mugabe later joked about the rumours, saying he indeed died but was only resurrected.

-BBC

Breaking News: Diezani’s billions forfeited to Nigeria

A Federal High Court Lagos on Thursday ordered the final forfeiture of the sum of N34 billion (153 million dollars) linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke.

Justice Muslim Hassan issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the forfeiture of the money as proceeds of crime.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Justice Hassan had on Jan. 6 issued an interim order of forfeiture of the sum of N34 billion to the Federal Government following an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking a similar relief.

The EFCC had initiated an ex-parte application, seeking an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of the sum to FG which it claimed was linked to the ex-Minister.

Also joined in the suit was Mr Dauda Lawal as respondent.

The court had also issued 14 days to any interested party to appear and prove the legitimacy of the money failing which the money would be permanently forfeited to the government.

At the last sitting of the court on Jan. 24, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo and Mr Charles Adeogun, Counsel representing the EFCC and the respondent (Lawal), had argued their originating processes before the court.

Oyedepo urged the court to make the interim order absolute and ordered a final forfeiture of the sum to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He also urged the court to order the forfeiture of other sums to which no claim had been laid.

In his argument, Adeogun urged the court to issue an order, directing a refund of N9.08 billion to the second respondent on the grounds that it was obtained by coercion.

He argued that before such forfeiture orders can be made, two essential elements must be satisfied; namely — “that the property in question is unclaimed, and that such property or funds formed proceeds of an unlawful act.

Justice Hassan, in his judgment, ordered a final forfeiture of the unclaimed sum of N23. 43 billion and $5 million to the Federal Government.

“I hereby make an order pursuant to Section 17 of the Advanced fee Fraud and other related Offences Act 2016, for final forfeiture of the unclaimed sum of N23, 426, 300, 000.00 billion and 5 million dollars to the Federal Government finally.

“In respect of the second respondent, learned Counsel, Mr Charles Adeogun, informed the court that the second respondent filed a counter-affidavit on why the sum of N9.08 billion should not be forfeited.

“I have carefully examined the affidavit evidence before the court and I find that the second respondent was duly cautioned in English language before his statement was taken and so, I hold that same was taken without any evidence of inducement.

“On the whole, I am satisfied that all the conditions stated in Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, was duly fulfilled by the applicant.

“I accordingly make the following orders — An order for the final forfeiture of the sum of N23, 426, 300, 000.00 billion being unclaimed property to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“An order of final forfeiture is also made for the sum of N9.08 billion recovered from the second respondent to the Federal Government of Nigeria, this is my judgment,” he said.

Before the judgment, Adeogun had informed the court of two of his pending motions filed on Feb. 3 — the first seeking an abridgement of time and the second, for leave of the court to file further affidavits to his counter- affidavit.

He told the court that parties were exploring means of reaching amicable settlement in the matter.

He described it as a common sense approach to resolving the matter, adding that the sum recovered from the second respondent and sought to be finally forfeited, were “gathered from friends and relatives.”

Adeogun added that the facts were not made available to the court at the last adjournment because the instruments with which the funds were paid were still with the commission.

In response, Counsel to the EFCC, Oyedepo said he was not privy to such settlement options, adding that he was only sent to do the “bidding” of his employers.

He said: “If the intention of the respondent is to keep the application in the court’s file in abeyance, I will then pray the court to strike out the applications relying on the authorities of SIEC Ekiti State vs NCP, Newswatch communications Ltd vs Attah and Manuel vs Briggs.

“The applications the counsels seek to put in abeyance is intended to arrest the court’s judgment fixed for today.

“In all these, the court had held that it is alien for the court to allow its judgment to be arrested once reserved.

“It is just like a pregnant woman in the delivery room, getting an invitation to attend a wedding ceremony; in essence, the court is carrying a pregnancy and so, no party should be allowed to terminate it.

“The court had given parties adequate time for anyone to complain of rights infringement and so I urge the court to strike out the application so that the coast can be clear to deliver judgment.”

The judge, in a short ruling, allowed the second respondent’s counsel (Adeogun) to move his application and thereafter dismissed the application and proceeded with the judgment.

-NAN

Palestine: Guterres counters says no alternative to two-state

Isreali PM Netanyahu and President Trump at a news conference in Washington

UN Secretary-General António Guterres disagreed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s position on Wednesday, insisting there is no alternative to the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

Guteress made this known in a remark during a meeting with Egypt’s President Abdel al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo.

Following his meeting with the foreign minister, the Secretary-General spoke to reporters and said that he has always believed that Egypt, due to its history, its cultural and its geopolitical position, is a central player in this region and an absolutely essential contributor for the solution of the problems of the region.

He also spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian question, asserting that there is no Plan B to a two-state solution and that everything must be done to preserve that possibility.

Speaking at the press conference, earlier, President Trump said he would be comfortable with either one-state or two-state solution to the conflict.

“I am looking at both two states and also one state but the one that the two like will be the best.

“Both sides must make compromises to ensure peace.

“Palestinian must get rid of their hate teachings about Israel to their children at a young age.

“I also think that Palestinians must acknowledge the existence of Israel statehood. Such a great country of Israel must be recognized.

“United States has unbreakable bond with Israel,” Trump said.

The U.S. President, however, asked Israel to hold back a bit on the ongoing building of settlements on disputed lands.

Responding to questions, Netanyahu argued that he does not believe settlements are the core of the problems in the region.

“The true prerequisite of peace is that Palestinians must recognize Israel as a state and must stop teaching its citizens hatred against Israel and calling for Israel destruction.”

“So the persistent rejection of Israel state by Palestinians must change. I want the status to change.

The Prime Minister said that the security of Israel must be guaranteed therefore Israel must also take full control of the security on the area