Ambode Leads As Top Performing Governor..

An ongoing opinion poll has shown Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State to be in the lead as Nigeria’s top performing governor.




The poll being organised by the African Leadership Magazine is to determine Nigeria’s top performing governor.

According to a statement by Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna yesterday, the poll tagged; ‘ Good Governance Polls for Nigeria’s Top Performing Governor, ’ started two weeks ago, with Ambode maintaining the lead with increased 36.1 percent of the total votes cast.

The poll, according to organisers, was designed by the group as part of its strategic engagement tool to monitor performance and gauge the mood of the electorate in Nigeria in line with its objective of providing credible information and support to leaders in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Meantime, at the time of filling this report, voting was ongoing and expected to close in the next four days.

Vanguard

Muslims Pray With Catholics Over Priest's Murder

Muslims attended Catholic mass in churches around France on Sunday in solidarity following the brutal murder of an 85-year-old priest, Father Jacques Hamel by 2 ISIS jihadists. More than 100 Muslims were among the 2,000 people who packed the 11th-century Gothic cathedral of Rouen, near the Normandy town where the priest's throat was slit.

"I thank you in the name of all Christians," Rouen Archbishop Dominique Lebrun told them. "In this way you are affirming that you reject death and violence in the name of God."

A few policemen and soldiers stood guard outside but did not conduct searches on the attendees. The local imam Otaman Aissaoui led a delegation of Muslims to a Catholic mass and said:
"Being united is a response to the act of horror and barbarism."
Notre Dame church in southwestern Bordeaux also welcomed a Muslim delegation, led by the city's top imam, Tareq Oubrou.
"It's an occasion to show (Muslims) that we do not confuse Islam with Islamism, Muslim with jihadist," said Reverend Jean Rouet.
Muslims were responding to a call by the French Muslim council CFCM to show "solidarity and compassion" over the priest's murder on Tuesday.

A woman wearing a beige headscarf who sat in a back pew at a church in central Paris said:
"I'm a practising Muslim and I came to share my sorrow and tell you that we are brothers and sisters." Giving her name only as Sadia, she added softly: "What happened is beyond comprehension."
At the Saint Leger church in the northern city of Lens, around 30 Muslims attended mass wearing T-shirts emblazoned with messages such as, "Terrorism has no religion or identity".

Father Hubert Renard told the congregation: "We are not alone; our Muslim brothers are here too."

Many were moved to tears during the sign of peace, a regular part of the liturgy when the faithful turn to greet each other in the pews, either shaking hands or kissing.

Muslims also attended Catholic masses in Italy, notably at Rome's Santa Maria di Trastevere church, in response to a call by the Sant'Egidio community known for its international mediation efforts.

Also on Sunday, dozens of prominent Muslims published a joint letter pledging: "We, French and Muslim, are ready to assume our responsibilities."


Source: AFP

I Regret Campaigning For Sheriff To Become PDP Chairman And I Have Learnt My Lessons - Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, said he regrets campaigning for the embattled factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to become the Chairman.

Fayose said:
“I must tell you that I have learnt my lessons from my past experience. I will not openly identify or campaign for a candidate any longer. As part of our great party in Ekiti, I ‘m assuring you that I do not have a personal candidate and God knows I have not spoken to my people about any candidate.
“We will allow God to choose for us this time by ensuring that all aspirants have a level-playing ground.
“I have learnt my lessons on Ali Modu Sheriff and I take full responsibility for the consequences. Imagine, if we have allowed him to get there, with the way he is now behaving, it would have been worse than this.”
Fayose lamented that in regards to the crisis rocking the party, some people were merely paying lip service to reconciliation efforts in the PDP because of selfish interests.

Fayose also condemned those going to court to express their grievances on party matters.

He said:
“Dry bones of the PDP will rise again”. “God will give the PDP a new leader that will reposition the party to progress in the country.
“In Ekiti, we have no anointed candidate; we would come to Port Harcourt with open mind and let God do justice”
Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, who is running for PDP Chairmanship was in Ekiti State at the Jibowu Hall, Government House, soliciting for support. He pleaded with the stakeholders to allow him to serve the party. He assured everyone that he is a great leader, a transformer and a bridge builder, who will promote, protect and project the PDP with growth.



Source: This Day

Nigeria Makes Headway In Securing China's Funding Of Projects

Press statement from the Presidency
Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, at the weekend, in Beijing, made a strong case why the Chinese government should assist Nigeria financially in funding critical major infrastructure projects in the country. Senator Udoma who was in China for the Coordinator’s meeting on the implementation of the follow-up actions of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) also used the opportunity to discuss issues of vital economic interest with that country’s Vice Minister for Commerce, Mr. Qian Keming; and officials of China EXIM bank, where he stressed the mutually beneficial relationship the two countries will eventually enjoy if Nigeria’s economy is assisted to grow rapidly.


At the Johannesburg Summit in South Africa in December 2015, China had agreed to Assist African countries in ten strategic areas that will help their economy. It pledged $60 billion in aid, grants and concessional loans.

Nigeria is trying to get as much of the Chinese funding for projects in the form of grants, aids, investments and loans. The loan component will however be within the country’s debt sustainability limits. Projects proposed for the facility by Nigeria is in the region of about $20 billion, and the Minister said Nigeria will be in a better stead if the Chinese government will assist with a substantial part of the funds required.

During the various meetings, Senator Udoma stressed the need for special consideration for Nigeria given its strategic relationship with China, its economic potentials, and its capacity to redeem its part of the transaction obligations.

The Minister said following the meetings, both countries expressed satisfaction with the proposals and are very anxious to take proceedings to the next level.
During the Cooperation meeting attended by ministers from various countries in Africa, China’s President Xi Jinping said the meeting was an important step taken by China and Africa to implement the consensus of Chinese and Africa leaders and the outcomes of the FOCAC.
“It is a significant measure to boost China-African cooperative development. The meeting demonstrates to the world once again that no matter how the international landscape may change, the resolve of China and Africa to pursue unity and win-win cooperation will never change”, Jinping said.

The President noted that the weak performance of the world economy brings both opportunities and challenges to the economic development of China and Africa. “We must stand shoulder to shoulder and march forward hand in hand,” he admonished.

In his keynote speech, China’s State Councilor, Yang Jiech, explained that his country initiated the meeting at this time “to take stock of the delivery of summit outcomes, to align our thinking, built consensus, overcome challenges and difficulties, share experience and promote cooperation, so that we can pool the wisdom and strength of both sides and give a leg up to the implementation work”.

At the plenary session, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, was pleased that both China and the African countries have attained a high level of implementation of the outcomes of the summit, have acted promptly to take forward the five pillars and ten plans of cooperation and have made substantial progress in enhancing friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation across board.

He added that China has delivered on its commitments and made every effort to advance follow-up actions.

Akpandem James
Media Adviser to the Hon Minister

Waje's Stunning Look To The Finale Of The Voice Nigeria

For the final episode of the popular show, The Voice judge Waje plunged into leather pants and complemented it with a white jacket. She wore sleekly cut hair with a clean bronzed make up look.
View More pictures below.

Hair: Priscilla Nqoko
Make up and Styling: Artistry By Tolani

Niger Delta Militant Group, MEND, Claims FG Has Agreed To Release NNamdi Kanu, Okah Brothers

Niger Delta Militant group, MEND, has released a statement alleging that the President Buhari-led administration has agreed to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB Nnamdi Kanu and Charles and Henry Okah, suspected masterminds of the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja.

In a statement released by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, MEND said the decision to free the men was reached at a negotiation meeting which was facilitated by former Senate President, Adolphus Nwabara. The statement reads in part ;

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is the only militant group from the Niger Delta region who are presently engaged in a dialogue with the federal government of Nigeria through oil companies and security agencies -with a view to resolving the current Niger Delta crisis. Thus far, the deliberations have been fruitful, various concessions and guarantees have already been secured. Some of which include, but are not limited to: release of Henry Okah, Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze; review of the life sentence handed to Mr. Edmund Ebiware based on a proposal put forward by the Aaron Team representative for Abia and Imo states, Senator Adolphus Wabara. Also, conditional release of IPOB leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and others if they renounce their agitation for a “Biafra Republic,”.
The statement by the group adds that part of the agreement includes the that wanted militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo will not be arrested if he comes out of hiding.