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Kemi Adeosun Opens Up On NYSC Certificate Forgery Allegation As PMB Accepts Resignation Letter, Assigns New Finance Minister

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It’s no longer news that Kemi Adeosun, the Honourable minister of finance has resigned!  However President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday accepted the resignation of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun. The President thanked the Minister for her services to the nation and wished her well in her future pursuits. The President also approved that the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, should oversee the Ministry of Finance with effect from today. Below is the full text of Mrs Adeosun’s resignation letter. His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari President, Federal Republic of Nigeria State House Aso Villa Abuja Dear Excellency, Let me commence by thanking you profusely for the honour and privilege of serving under your inspirational leadership. It has been a truly rewarding experience to learn from you and to observe at close quarters your integrity and sense of duty. I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign. Your Excellency, kindly permit me to outline some of the background to this matter. I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London. My visits to Nigeria up until the age of thirty-four (34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport. I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four (34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty (30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding. On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status. I then received the certificate in question. Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to nor familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine. Indeed, I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun State House of Assembly and in 2015 for Directorate of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National Assembly for screening. Be that as it may, as someone totally committed to a culture of probity and accountability I have decided to resign with effect from Friday, 14th September, 2018. Your Excellency, It has been an exceptional privilege to have served our nation under your leadership and to have played a role in steering our economy at a very challenging time. I am proud that Nigeria has brought discipline into its finances, has identified and is pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock the potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was able to exit recession and has now started to lay the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation. Repositioning this huge economy is not a short term task and there are no short cuts, indeed there are tough decisions still to be made but I have no doubt that your focus on infrastructural investment, revenue mobilisation and value for money in public expenditure will deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all Nigerians. I thank His Excellency, the Vice President and my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council for the huge pleasure and honour of working with them. I also thank most specially, the team in the ‘Finance Family’ of advisers and heads of agencies under the Ministry of Finance. Your Excellency, this group of committed Nigerians represent a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They have worked well above and beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned. The diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to succeed. Your Excellency, let me conclude by commending your patience and support, during the long search for the truth in this matter. I thank you again for giving me the honour of serving under your leadership, it is a rare privilege, which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and committed progressive, I appreciate you for your dogged commitment to improving this nation. Please be assured, as always, of my highest regards and best wishes Kemi Adeosun (Mrs) Sent from my iPhone 255 Views

Breaking: StarTimes Snatches Europa League From DSTV!

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While NIGERIAN soccer addicts are disappointed over DStV\’s Shortcomings over the live broadcast of some important international matches (FA cup, Europa League ..etc)for 2018/19 season, it may interest you to know that Startimes has secured the right for UEFA @EuropaLeague 2018/2019 season. Signed and ready to be delivered but the question remains, for how long? 353 Views

THREE ONE-CHANCE ROBBERS IN POLICE NET

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The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested three one-chance robbers on the Third Mainland Bridge while another jumped into the Lagoon with the gang’s loot. The robbers, John Akinyemi, 27; Paul Oliseh, 37 and Amos Williams, 12, were arrested on Monday afternoon on the Third Mainland bridge after a chase by the Rapid Response Squad patrol team monitoring Iyana-Oworo. The policemen after being informed that the one-chance robbers were operating around the area, chased the bus, a Volkwagen Transporter with the registration number, AKD 562 XP to the bridge. The robbers, after being double crossed by the officers on the Third Mainland Bridge, abandoned their vehicle and were fleeing on foot when they were arrested. One of the robbers, who was later identified as Junior, 19, was reportedly hit by speeding vehicles twice on the bridge before jumping off into the Lagoon. According to the leaders of the gang, John Akinyemi, “there were four of us. I was in charge of calling the team to work. It was our first trip for the day. We took four passengers in Estate Bus Stop in Alapere. They were going to Oshodi. We dispossessed them and dropped them off before Iyana-Oworo one after the other. We took their phones and money. We have been doing this for more than three months. We sell the mobile phones and jewelry, and we share the money”. One of the victims, Semiu Oluwaseun, who alerted the RRS officers immediately he was thrown out of the moving bus, said the robbers collected his phone and the sum of N500,000:00. Another victim, Jamiu Ojuroye, who was robbed on Sunday, identified John Akinyemi as the driver of the bus he was robbed in. He noted that he was robbed on Sunday night and that the robbers team took N150,000:00 from him before threw him out of the speeding bus. Ojuroye added that after struggling with the robbers, they poured a peppery substance on his face, took his money before throwing him off around 8:00 p.m. The robbers were paraded today by Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, at the Command Headquarters. 232 Views

Virgil Abloh, Nike, and Serena Williams Are Making Our Tennis Fashion Dreams Come True

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The 2018 U.S. Open doesn\’t kick off until August 27, but tennis fans are already getting pumped. Why? Well, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the tennis match. And more importantly, Serena Williams is hitting the court once again. Of course, she\’ll be wearing Nike, like always. But this year, the athletic brand turned to Off-White and Louis Vuitton Men\’s Virgil Abloh to help design her dress. \”With Serena, we have one of our generation\’s most powerful, inspiring athletes as the muse,\” Abloh explains in a statement. \”I was trying to embody her spirit and bring something compelling and fresh to tennis.\” Don\’t be jealous. You can grab your own Virgil Abloh x Nike design, too. Later this month, Abloh\’s creations, which are titled The Queen Collection, will be up for grabs at select Nike stores. The roster includes an asymmetric, tulle dress that comes in two different colors, a bomber jacket, and three sneaker designs to choose from. There\’s the NikeCourt Flare 2, The Ten: Nike Air Max 97, and The Ten: Nike Blazer Mid SW. 252 Views

VP Osinbajo orders IGP Idris to reform notorious Police unit

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Since last year, numerous Nigerians have taken to social media to accuse officers of the unit of several misconducts ranging from harassment, extortion, assault to extra-judicial killings. This has led to relentless calls for the unit to be completely scrapped to ease the fears of Nigerians who live in dread of the unit. In a statement issued by Osinbajo\’s spokesperson, Laolu Akande, the Acting President ordered the IGP to shut down the unit \”with immediate effect\”. The statement read, \”Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Acting-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more. \”The Acting President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the emerging unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Humanitarian Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects. The operatives should also bear proper identification any time they are on duty. \”In the meantime, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a Committee that will conduct nation-wide investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.\” While speaking at a town hall meeting at the launch of National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, Clinics in Ibadan, Oyo State on June 26, 2018, Osinbajo had disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari was concerned with the operations of SARS and had already ordered a review of the unit. The vice president further said the unit cannot be scrapped but be rehabilitated to curb the atrocities of the bad eggs. End SARS campaign When the earlier calls for the scrapping of the unit grew in December 2017, IGP Idris ordered the reorganisation of SARS\’ operational roles and activities. Under the reviewed arrangement, state Commissioners of Police were installed as overall heads of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide. The IGP also ordered for all SARS personnel nationwide to undergo a new training program to be organized in collaboration with some civil society organisations, local and international NGOs, and other human rights organisations. Despite the reorganisation, the calls to scrap the unit resurfaced again this year with the unit still operating with impunity that mostly targeted Nigerian youths. 582 Views

You are part of the challenges we are facing now – Tinubu fires at Obasanjo

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The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday said that he was confident President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 elections. Tinubu made the statement in Lagos while addressing party members at a stakeholders meeting of the state chapter. He said that the president had acquitted himself as a leader so far inspite of the challenges of governance. The APC leader condemned what he called the frequent attacks on Buhari-led administration by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He said that the criticisms of Obasanjo were in bad faith, pointing out that he could not stop Nigerians from re-electing the president. “Our president, President Muhammadu Buhari has done well, he deserves another term, and we will support him to win because he is our man. “Forget about Obasanjo’s letter and his frequent attacks on our president, he cannot stop the president because Nigerians would re-elect him. “Obasanjo has spent his own time; he should leave Buhari alone and face his business because he cannot tell us who to vote for. “He is part of some of the challenges we are facing in the country today, because he did not lay the right foundation when he was president,” he said. Tinubu added that the exit of some members from the APC would also not stop the re-election of President Buhari. The chieftain said that the party was unshaken by the defections and was on course to recording victories in the 2019 election. Tinubu said that the results of the Kogi, Katsina and Bauchi bye elections, in which the APC was victorious, were a precursor to the pattern of the general elections. “I congratulate the winners in the election and their victory is proof that our party is getting more popular by the day. “Those who want to defect can defect, that is their problem. APC remains unshaken and these people will know the reality in the election,” he said. He commended the National Chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomole, saying members were pleased with what he was doing in the party. He said that the direct primary system was good for democracy, and the party would adopt it to conduct its primaries. Tinubu urged members to play by the rules in electing candidates at the primaries. He urged the members to mobilse others to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards as that was necessary for victory in 2019. 575 Views

Rivalry between government and lawmakers hampering Nigeria\’s progress – Rep

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A member of the House of Representatives, Sunday Katung (PDP-Zangon Kataf/Jaba), has blamed undue rivalry between the executive and National Assembly for the slow pace of development in the country. Katung made this known on Wednesday, August 15, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Zonkwa, Kaduna state. The lawmaker attributed the rivalry between the two arms of government to “selfish interests” thereby depriving the larger society the opportunity to reap dividends of democracy. He expressed regret that the two arms of government were not paying enough attention to germane issues bordering on the collective interests of Nigerians, but more with matters that only benefit them. Katung called on stakeholders come together to tackle the problem including the security situation in the country in the overall interest of the Nigerian people yearning for progress. The lawmaker assured his constituents of quality representation at all times and urged them to support him with suggestions and ideas that would make his work more relevant to their yearnings and aspirations. He said his priorities for the constituency included skills acquisition for the teeming unemployed youth, computer literacy and sports development among others. The Presidency has denied reports that the Electoral Act amendment bill passed by the National Assembly was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. The senior special adviser to the president on National Assembly matters, Ita Enang, said the bill which was passed by the lawmakers on on July 24 and transmitted to President Buhari on August 3 is still awaiting the President’s assent. 588 Views

Aubameyang sends message to Unai Emery about changing position for Arsenal

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Emery has faced a dilemma ahead of the new season with both Aubameyang and Lacazette competing for the role as Arsenal’s spearhead in attack. Aubameyang started as the central striker in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday but his role changed when Lacazette replaced Aaron Ramsey in the second half. When asked about his relationship with Lacazette, Aubameyang told ESPN: ‘We really get on well. ‘There is a spark between us when we are both on the pitch together. ‘We look for each other, we saw it [on Sunday] against City when he came on. ‘I don’t mind playing on the left if Laca is in the centre. We both want to do our best for the team.’ 278 Views

Serena Williams speaks out after Cincinnati defeat to Petra Kvitova

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The 23-time Grand Slam champion fought back from a set down before losing 3-6 6-2 3-6 to the Czech in an entertaining contest at the Western and Southern Open. Kvitova picked up just her second win against the American great in seven attempts, although she has now picked up back-to-back victories over the 36-year-old. Williams had responded well to the heaviest defeat of her career against British No. 1 Johanna Konta in San Jose by thumping Daria Gavrilova in the first round and she put in a decent performance against 2018 WTA title leader Kvitova. And though she fell short, she was happy to perform at a ‘really high level’ and believes there’s a long, exciting road ahead of her. ‘I think it was a good match today,’ she said. ‘We both played at a really high level. Only one person could win. ‘You know, this is a long comeback. I just began. I just started — definitely at the very, very beginning. ‘I’m getting there, and I’m going to just continue to work hard and, hopefully, I’ll start winning more matches.’ Two-time Grand Slam winner Kvitova – who will go on to face Kristina Mladenovic in the third round – was full of praise for Williams, who forced her to dig deep to claim her 40th match win of the season. ‘It was a pleasure to share the court with Serena, she’s such a champion,’ Kvitova said. ‘We are both coming back – from injury, from motherhood – so it’s something really special to play her. ‘Unfortunately it’s in the second round, but playing a night session against Serena in front of a USA crowd, it’s been great.’ 356 Views

Tiemoue Bakayoko sends message to Chelsea ‘family’ after completing AC Milan move

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The 23-year-old joined Chelsea on a five-year deal for a fee of around £40million last summer but struggled in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, finding himself out of Antonio Conte’s starting XI towards the end of the campaign. While Maurizio Sarri’s arrival appeared to hand Bakayoko a lifeline and a chance to resurrect his Chelsea career, the France midfielder has agreed to a temporary move to the San Siro. Milan have the option to make their deal permanent at the end of the season but it appears Bakayoko sees his long-term future in the Premier League with Chelsea. ‘Wishing my Chelsea family the best this season! #TILWEMEETAGAIN,’ the former Monaco man told his followers on Instagram. The Frenchman also praised Milan for showing belief in him ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. ‘AC Milan, thank you for believing in me and for all the support,’ Bakayoko wrote in a separate post. New Chelsea boss Sarri hinted that Bakayoko could be one of the players out of the exit door this summer. ‘Now I think the squad is too large,’ the Italian said ahead of Chelsea’s victory over Huddersfield. 295 Views