National Assembly passes students loan bill

The two chambers of the National Assembly, on Wednesday, passed the Students Loan Bill, which would enable students in higher institutions of learning to gain more access to financial assistance.

The bill, which was sponsored by the House of Representatives speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, was titled ‘A Bill for an Act to provide for easy access to higher education for Nigerians through an interest-free loan from the Nigerian Education Bank established in this Act with a view to providing education for Nigerians and for other purposes connected thereto.’

The bill seeks the establishment of the Nigerian Education Bank, which will have the powers to administer, coordinate, supervise and monitor the management of student loans in the country. It will also receive applications for student loans through higher institutions in Nigeria on behalf of the applicants and screen the applications to ensure that all requirements for the grant of such loans under the Act are satisfied.

Also, the bank shall have the powers to approve and disburse to qualified applicants and ensure compliance in respect of disbursement, and monitor academic records of grantees to obtain information on their year of graduation, national service, and employment to ensure that grantees of the loan commence repayment as at when due, among other functions.

According to the Act, all students seeking higher education in public institutions of higher learning in Nigeria shall have an equal right to access the loan without any discrimination arising from gender, religion, tribe, position or disability.

The House of Representatives had earlier this year passed the bill and forwarded it to the Senate for concurrence. With the Senate’s concurrence, a copy would be produced and transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent. Once it is signed into law, Nigerians will begin accessing the loans.

2023: We’ll win guber poll by hook or crook – Kano APC chair

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Abdullahi Abbas, has said that the party is poised to win next year’s gubernatorial election by hook or crook.

Speaking at the flag off of the party’s gubernatorial campaign held in Gaya, Abbas stated that the APC, being the party leading the state, cannot be defeated.

“People are saying that I should stop saying the APC would capture Kano by hook or crook. I want to tell this gathering that the APC would capture Kano by hook or crook. We have today demonstrated our resolve to win the election from top to bottom come the year 2023.

“Gaya, as you know, is the home of APC; no political party can match our strength and our crowd. We are determined to take the bull by the horn in maintaining our dominance. Gawuna is our candidate and is going to be the next Governor of Kano State.

“We have made all the necessary preparations, the colourful event where our gubernatorial candidate would receive his flag from the President who would be here in Kano for the purpose of giving him the flag,” he said.

He added that APC’s acceptability and reverence in Kano State are never doubtful, and the party is surrounded by men and women of great wisdom who can pull a surprise when it comes to winning elections, stressing that it had fulfilled its mandate in the last eight years.

Speaking in the same vain, the gubernatorial candidate, who is also the Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Yusif Gawuna, said he is fully prepared for the battle ahead, knowing that he has the firm support of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and all those calling the shots in the party.

“I want to believe that my destiny is in the hands of God and that I have no iota of doubt with God’s will nothing would stop me from winning the race. Our party still remains formidable and vibrant and we are also willing to remain steadfast in the face of all odds,” he concluded.

He commended party supporters who attended the flag-off ceremony for amply demonstrating their goodwill and courage in proving to everyone that they were ready for the challenges ahead.

dailypost.ng

Kanye West asks Donald Trump to be his running mate in 2024 Election

Kanye West wants to run for U.S. president with former president Donald Trump as his running mate. 

The rapper turned fashion designer recently declared his intention to run for president in 2024. Ye also revealed controversial alt-right commentator, Milo Yiannopoulo, is set to work on his campaign. 

Despite the backlash over his many recent antisemitic and anti-Black statements, Kanye West is forging ahead, and has now decided upon a running mate. 

The G.O.O.D. Music and Yeezy founder took to Twitter on Wednesday morning, November 23 announcing he had met with Trump, who was Ye's opponent during his failed 2020 presidential campaign. 

“First time at Mar-a-Lago,” Kanye West wrote, claiming he met Donald Trump at his Miami estate. He continued noting there was “Rain and traffic,” before admitting, “Can’t believe I kept President Trump waiting.”  

After confessing he turned up to their meeting wearing jeans, “yikes,” Kanye made an interesting revelation. 

“What you guys think his response was when I asked him to be my running mate in 2024?” he asked, posting a poll. The options were “That’s very Ye,” and “That’s very Nay.” 

Sophia Momodu apologises after posting photo of Davido and three of his kids to celebrate him on 30th birthday

Sophia Momodu has apologised for a post shared via her daughter, Imade Adeleke's Instagram account to wish Davido a happy birthday.

The post shared via Imade's account was a photo of Davido and three of his kids — Imade, Hailey, and Ifeanyi, who, sadly, drowned less than a month ago.

 

 

Sophia has now released a post a day later, apologizing.

She said that she understands some might consider the post insensitive but insists that was not her intention.

 

Court orders INEC to resume voters registration

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume the continuous voters registration (CVR), until there are 90 days left before the 2023 general elections.

In a judgement on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo also directed the INEC to ensure that eligible Nigerians are not deprived the opportunity to have the voter’s card for the forthcoming poll.

Justice Ekwo held that it was the constitutional responsibility of the electoral umpire to make adequate provision for the exercise in accordance with the Nigerian laws.

“The case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit,” the judge declared.

NAN reports that Anajat Salmat and three others had sued INEC as sole defendant in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1343/2022.

In the originating summons filed before the court, the plaintiffs argued that INEC cannot stop the CVR contrary to the stipulated provisions of the constitution. They urged the court to order the electoral umpire to resume the exercise in accordance with the law of the country.

95m voters to decide Nigeria’s president in 2023 – INEC

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said 95 million eligible voters would determine Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general elections.

Yakubu said Nigeria has more eligible voters than the total number of registered voters in 14 West African countries, which is 73million.

He stated these on Wednesday at an event organized by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and Yiaga Africa at the NED Headquarters, Washington DC, United States.

“It is exactly 136 days to the 2023 general election. It is the seventh successive general election since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria 23 years ago in 1999. This is the longest unbroken period of democracy and democratic elections since independence from British colonial rule 62 years ago in 1960.”

“We have never had this long spell of unbroken period of democracy, democratic governance and elections. The election is significant because the incumbent President is not eligible to run, this being his second and final term.

“There are 18 political parties in the race to produce the next President to be elected by 95m voters. We had over 84m registered voters in 2019. But with last Continuous Registration of Voters (CVR), we are going to add at least 10m Nigerians and that will take the Register of Voters to 95m,” Yakubu said.

According to him, there will be 22m more voters in Nigeria than the whole of West Africa put together.

“Each time Nigerian goes to the polls, it’s like the whole of West Africa voting. And these 95m citizens will vote in 176,846 polling units (PUs),” he said.

Nnamdi Kanu demands N20bn compensation, apologies from Malami

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has demanded N20 billion as compensation from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Kanu demanded compensation following alleged defamatory and libellous claims against him.

Speaking through his Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, the IPOB leader, said Malami’s claim that he jumped bail despite a court order clearing him was libellous.

Recall that the military had invaded Kanu’s premises at Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, Abia State on 10th September, 2017, and this led to him fleeing the country.

The alleged invasion was contested and tagged a violation of Kanu’s fundamental human right.

But, the courts ruled that the invasion was unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional.

Speaking on the issue, Malami was quoted as saying: “To release or not to release Nnamdi Kanu is a function of law and the rule of law for that matter. In arriving at a decision on whether to release or not release, is one; you look at the rule of law, two; you look at the public and the national interest, three; you look at the security situation, four; you look at the international diplomacy.

“Let me talk first of the rule of law. This is someone that has been granted bail on account of charges that have been preferred against him at the court. Someone jumping bail to the international community, a case of a fugitive is established against the background of jumping the bail.

“Two, arising from the national security, this is someone that is charged with treason, incitement and destruction of civil authority, murder and assassination of others on account of his incitement, that boils down to issues of national security and criminality.

“Three, on account of international diplomacy, this is someone that has against his person, used the international community or a foreign country to launch an attack against a nation, against his nation for that matter.

“So all these naturally come into play to determine what to do. So if you have, through judicial processes, established multiple cases of treason, homicide, and bail-jumping, among others, the fact that you have indeed succeeded in one case as against multiple others that are pending, goes to establish the fact that that case cannot be the only basis and criterion for determining whether you are entitled to be released or not.”

Condemning Malami’s remark, Ejimakor said: “Despite the clear exoneration from jumping bail contained in the Judgment exhibited and quoted above, you have, after 19th January 2022 when this judgment was rendered, defamed and libelled our Client by your several utterances and publications (in national dailies) where you falsely stated that our Client jumped bail.

“In view of the said judgment of the Abia State High Court, your above utterances were false, malicious and reckless and they were read and heard worldwide and portrayed our Client in light

Atiku rejected Jonathan’s plea to support his re-election bid in 2015 – Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan pleaded with ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to support his re-election bid in 2015.

Wike, however, disclosed that Atiku refused to support Jonathan’s pleas to support his re-election bid.

The governor spoke when Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State commissioned the Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha road in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers.

Wike said: “Jonathan travelled to the Dorchester Hotel in London to meet Atiku but rather, the former VP told Jonathan to relinquish his ticket to him in 2015.”

Jonathan, who was the PDP presidential candidate in 2015, was defeated at the polls by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Meanwhile, Atiku and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, had visited Jonathan a few days ago.

The visit is not unconnected to the crisis ravaging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike has been at loggerheads with Atiku and the party’s leadership since he lost his bid to become PDP’s presidential candidate.

Bandits abduct 44 residents, place N20m ‘protection levy’ on Zamfara community

Bandits have abducted at least 44 people from Kanwa community in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, 

According to reports, the bandits stormed the community on Thursday night, November 17, moving from house to house to abduct residents

A local source in Zurmi town, Musa Abdullahi, told Premium Times on Saturday, November 19, that the kidnapped victims include 39 women and children and five men.  

"They went straight to the village square and started gathering residents. You know most time, men run to the bush because they know the bandits mostly kill men. The five men taken were very unlucky,” he said.

According to the publication, he mass abduction is believed to be perpetrated by a notorious bandits’ leader called Dankarami. Dankarami has been terrorizing residents of Zurmi – Birnin Magaji – Jibia axis in Zamfara and neighbouring Katsina states.

A resident said the bandits were yet to call relatives of the victims to demand for ransom.

The Emir of Zamfaran Zurmi, His Royal Highness Alhaji Muhammad Bello Suleiman, on Saturday, November 19, paid a condolence visit to the community.

The monarch sympathized with the people of Kanwa community on what happened and prayed that Allah will bring back the victims. 

Meanwhile, residents of Moriki town have started making effort to gather “protection fee” after armed criminals demanded for N20 million from the community.

Moriki has been witnessing terrorist attacks for years and has been one of the worse hit areas in the region. 

The levy, according to residents, is being mobilized from house to house and would be delivered to the armed men in Bello Turji’s camp after the criminal gang told them that they would protect the community from attacks if the levy was delivered.

A native of the community, Jamilu Shehu, said the deal was struck when some elders in the community met with a group of terrorists from the Bello Turji’s camp.

“Some weeks ago, some of our people were abducted when the ransom money was gathered, some of our elders went to pay the ransom and decided to talk with the bandits. They said we must pay a total of N20 million for protection which includes free access to our farm," he said. 

"They also promised to protect us from attack by some other bandits in the area. Infact, they said from here to Birnin Gwari, anywhere any of our residents is abducted, we should let them know. But the problem is getting the money,” Mr Shehu, who is a youth leader told Premium Times on phone.

He added that the elders in the community have accepted the decision and it has been decided that every household should pay nothing less than N6,500 to make the sum.

Photos from ex-President Goodluck Jonathan's 65th birthday celebration

Goodluck Jonathan turns 65 today, Nov. 20, and his family organized a celebration for him.

Jonathan's son-in-law Prince God'swill Edward shared photos from the celebration as he referred to the former Nigerian President as a "role model".

See below.

 

21-year-old man stabbed to death by his girlfriend in Lekki

 

The police in Lagos state have arrested a young lady identified as Esther Paul, pictured above, for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Sadiq Owolabi Dahiru, to death at Oba Amusa Street Agungi, Lekki in the early hours of today November 20.

According to police sources, the stepfather of the deceased, Kazeem Obafunso, reported at the Ilasan police station that Esther stabbed his 21-year-old stepson. Police officers were drafted to the scene where they moved the deceased to the Evercare hospital in Lekki phase 1 where he was confirmed dead by the doctors.

Esther was immediately arrested while the knife she allegedly used to commit the crime, was recovered. The body of the deceased has been deposited at the IDH Mortuary, Yaba for preservation and autopsy.