Atiku says Boko Haram is far from being defeated

Ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar believes that Boko Haram is still strong enough to cause major scare in the country – His statement contradicts President Muhammadu Buhari’s claims that the dare-devil terrorists have been defeated – Atiku says until everybody returns to their normal activities, we cannot say that the problem is over

Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over claims by his government that Boko Haram has been defeated. According to the ex-vice president who spoke at the 11th Founder’s Day Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), in Yola, Adamawa state on Saturday, Boko Haram still retains the capacity to carry out occasional deadly attacks. This statement is in sharp contrast to what President Buhari and Nigeria’s minister of Information, Lai Mohammed had said about Boko Haram being decimated.
OFFICIAL 1.95 NGN/CFA OFFICIAL 316.5 USD/NGN MARKET 465 USD/NGN BREAKING: Panic as PDP seeks postponment of Ondo polls NEWS › Boko Haram Atiku says Boko Haram is far from being defeated Dokunola 57 minutes ago 45680 – Ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar believes that Boko Haram is still strong enough to cause major scare in the country – His statement contradicts President Muhammadu Buhari’s claims that the dare-devil terrorists have been defeated – Atiku says until everybody returns to their normal activities, we cannot say that the problem is over Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over claims by his government that Boko Haram has been defeated. According to the ex-vice president who spoke at the 11th Founder’s Day Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), in Yola, Adamawa state on Saturday, Boko Haram still retains the capacity to carry out occasional deadly attacks. This statement is in sharp contrast to what President Buhari and Nigeria’s minister of Information, Lai Mohammed had said about Boko Haram being decimated. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Whatsapp Atiku Abubakar warns that the fight against Boko Haram is far from over. 

This counter claim by Atiku who is in the same All Progressives Congress (APC) party with Buhari is another clear sign that the unrest in the party is not nearing its end. In a statement issued on Saturday, Atiku said: “The insurgents still occupy a specific geographical space. They (Boko Haram) still retain the capacity for occasional deadly attacks. 

Many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and live in fear. “We cannot say that the problem is over until every displaced person is able to return home, to the office, to the market, to the farm, and resume normal activities.

Tinubu will break away from APC to form new political party

Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, in a warning to Nigerian politicians, has raised an alarm that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are likely to lose key personalities this year. In a no-holds-barred chat with our correspondent, the revered Nigerian prophet noted that the PDP is under a spiritual attack and unless they go for cleansing, they are not likely to be free. He added that the party will break into two and while the new version of the party will go, “the old will remain. The Makarfi/Sheriff synergy will not work.”

The Spiritual leader of the INRI Evangelistic Spiritual Church thereafter made a very damming prediction of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu floating another party. “Some APC governors will dump Buhari and Tinubu while some PDP governors will be at crossroads and find it difficult to make certain decisions when it matters most. READ ALSO: South west APC leaders await Tinubu’s directive on new party “There shall also be unexpected removals from President Buhari’s cabinet members while the SGF will run into crisis with the Chief of Staff. I see a change of affairs in Customs as well,” Primate Ayodele explained  explain further. 

Donald Trump asks his children to select cabinet members

America’s president-elect, Donald Trump, has committed the selection of his future cabinet into the hands of his running mate, Mike Pence as well as three of his children.

Reports from the United States where anti-Trump protesters stormed the streets of Washington DC to protest his win at the polls which Hillary Clinton was clearly a favourite to win, showed that Americans are already showing signs of fear over a possible xenophobic attack under his authority.

On Friday, the businessman announced that his vice president-elect would be in charge of steering the transition of power, saying: “Mike will have a big role. He’s very capable.” In his first interview with The Wall Street Journal after his triumph at the polls, Trump informed that his vice would serve as the link between him and the congress.

It was also gathered that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was included on the transition team and this is likely to make the citizens raise their eyebrows. On Tuesday, November 8, Trump defeated Clinton in the election which was keenly contested between the pair and one which many bookmakers were proven wrong. His emergence as the 45th president of the United States is seen in different lights by leaders from all over the world, especially with the uncouth statements he made prior to the election.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/1046046-americans-trouble-donald-trump-asks-children-select-cabinet-members.html

CAN RONALDO REALLY LAST UNTIL 41? DON'T WRITE OFF CRISTIANO PLAYING FOR MANY MORE YEARS

The Portuguese has signed a new contract with Real Madrid that links him to the club until 2021 and says he wants to play until he is 41 - but is that really realistic?

Last January, many were quick to claim Cristiano Ronaldo was on his last legs. Some speculated that he would not be back on the podium at the Ballon d'Or; that his poor form for Real Madrid signalled the start of a dramatic decline. How wrong they were.

Since then, the Portuguese has won the Champions League for a second time with Los Blancos, been crowned a continental champion with his national team at Euro 2016 and picked up a string of individual awards, including this year's Goal 50. He is also the red-hot favourite to collect what would be a fourth Ballon d'Or later this year.

Ronaldo has always savoured proving his haters wrong. "Your love makes me strong," he once said. "Your hate makes me unstoppable." It is an attitude he has had since a young age - and he excels when he is told he cannot do something. It drives him to new heights.

The Portuguese put pen to paper on a new contract at Madrid last Monday and, when asked what had been the most special moment in his spectacular seven-season spell in Spain, he said: "Right now. Winning the Champions League, the Euros with Portugal and signing a new contract - this is the best moment for me." And no doubt it will have been even sweeter because those three things were thought, by many, to have been impossible. But not for Cristiano - the word is not in his vocabulary.

Yet doubts were raised again after the signing ceremony at the Santiago Bernabeu. Many high-profile journalists were quick to claim on social media that there is no way Ronaldo will honour his new deal. In two or three years, he will be gone, some said. But how can they be so sure?

Ronaldo himself has often stated that he wants to play until he is 40. Now 31, the former Manchester United winger has no interest in a coaching career, claiming that he will focus on his brands after retirement, and that means he is keen to extend his playing days for as long as possible.

"This is not my last contract [at Real Madrid]," he said at the event on Monday. "It's the penultimate one. I want to play until I am 41. I want to keep improving and keep learning."

Naira stays firms at N470/$1 at parallel market

The Naira has stayed firm at N470 to the dollar in the black market, NAIJ.com can report this Monday, October 31.

However, the local currency is expected to strengthen this week on improved dollar supply to the market, currency dealers have predicted.

NAIJ.com recalls that the Naira fell to N470 to the dollar on the parallel market last Friday, as against the N455 to the dollar it was the preceding Friday.

But according to Aminu Gwadabe, president of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators in Nigeria (ABCON), the nation’s currency has been estimated to reverse its losses as traders anticipate improved dollar supply from international money transfer agencies to ease a shortage.

Gwadabe said: “The Naira should appreciate gradually in the coming days after the expected sales of about $21 million by Travelex last Thursday and subsequent extension of dollar sales to bureau de change operators in the other part of the country.”

Travelex and First Bank are authorised by the central bank to sell dollar to BDC to boost liquidity and narrow the gulf with the official rate.

FG to realise N20billion from sale of presidential jets

The federal government is set to realise N20 billion from the sale of two of its jets

– Two out of the 10 airplanes in the presidential fleet have been put up for sale

– The estimate is based on their current market value

A report by The Guardian indicates that the federal government of Nigeria will realise N20 billion from the sale of two presidential jets.

Sources quoted in the report says the estimate is based on the current market value of the jets – Falcon 7X and Hawker 4000. Aviation experts also corroborated the valuation of the aircraft.

The presidential jets were put up for sale last week in an advertorial that appeared in selected newspapers in Nigeria.

The report noted that bidders have been pouring in both from home and abroad to check the Falcon 7X which is currently at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while the Hawker 4000 aircraft is in Zurich, Switzerland.

The report further stated that  the authorities were looking for a very good bid in the neighbourhood of $50million for the two planes.

At the current market rate in the international market, a new Falcon 7X costs $53million and the Hawker 4000 costs $22.9million.

The federal government bought the Falcon 7X in 2011 at the cost $50 million.

The estimated value of all the 10 aircraft in the fleet of the presidency is put at over $450 million, with about N8 billion spent on maintenance and fuel yearly.

The chief pilot of the presidential fleet, Captain Dung Rwang Pam told The Guardian that the aircraft’s types were for the very rich, hence should also be expensive selling them.

He said in other climes, the bid would have been for between 60 and 70 per cent of the initial cost, given the short mileage they have covered since they were bought by the government.

He however expressed concern that the system may short-change the government in the bidding process.

The Nigerian media yesterday, October 10, widely reported the handover of two aircraft from the presidential fleet to the Nigerian Air Force.

The two helicopters were acquired by the federal government on October 20, 2014 and May 21, 2015 respectively, according to Presidency Office of Digital Engagement (PODE).

Lagos ports to receive 26 ships with food items, others

Twenty six ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos from Monday, October 31 to Wednesday November 23.

This was made known by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) via its publication – Shipping Position.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NPA said that the expected ships contained buck wheat, bulk sugar, general cargoes, empty containers, base oil, aviation fuel, ethanol, base oil, diesel, containers and petrol.

Also, four ships had already arrived the ports, waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser, bulk sugar and petrol.

Nigeria operates mostly an import-dependent economy, which makes the Lagos ports the busiest in sub-saharan Africa.

On a monthly basis, ships from across the world berth at the Lagos ports carrying goods which flood Nigerian markets making it difficult for locally produced goods to gain traction in the economy.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) and Nigeria has commenced formal talks on a deal to send Nigerian migrants in Europe back home.

The deal is part of the EU’s latest move to stem the exodus of Nigerians and other Africans to Europe. The migrants usually embark on dangerous trips across the Mediterranean sea in their efforts to get into Europe.