DONALD TRUMP IN HOT SEAT AS WORLD LEADERS GATHERS AT UN

Donald Trump takes center stage at the United Nations next week when world leaders gather in New York, anxious to hear the US president outline how he is reshaping Washington’s role in global affairs.

 TRUMP The nuclear crisis with North Korea, the future of the Iran nuclear deal and Myanmar’s military crackdown against Rohingya Muslims are expected to top the agenda at the world’s biggest diplomatic gathering. Trump will deliver his first address to the annual General Assembly high-level debate, which kicks off Tuesday with 129 heads of state and government set to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron will also make his debut, as will UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, now nine months in the job. But all eyes will be on Trump, whose election last year was described as a political earthquake by UN diplomats now struggling with unclear US policies on global crises, from Syria to South Sudan. Washington’s friends and foes have been grappling with the implications of Trump’s “America-First” policy and his address will be closely-watched for signs of what’s in store. While Trump is expected to play to a domestic audience by reasserting the themes that have made him popular at home, diplomats are not ruling out some signs of a shift, on climate change, for instance. The United States sparked global outrage when it announced in June that it was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, but that process will take three years, allowing time for a re-think.

“Expectations are low, but that may play to Trump’s advantage” said Richard Gowan, a UN expert from the European Council of Foreign Relations. “If he makes any friendly gestures, like hinting that the US could actually stay in the Paris climate change agreement with a few tweaks, he will be acclaimed as a statesman.” “Globally, public opinions of the president are pretty low,” said Martin Edwards, a UN expert at Seton Hall University. “I expect the tone to be off-putting rather than engaging.”

 – Trump vs Macron ? – On Tuesday, the French president will take the podium just a few speakers after Trump and deliver an address that will champion multilateralism and renew his call of action on climate change. Macron “can roll out an inspiring vision of global cooperation to eclipse the US president,” said Gowan. “If Trump crashes and burns with a really nasty speech, Macron will look particularly good.” During the myriad of bilateral meetings, North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests will be in the spotlight after Russia and China agreed to back a US push for tougher UN sanctions against Pyongyang. The North Korean crisis has pushed the war in Syria off the top of the global agenda, but there is no agreement among big powers on the diplomatic steps needed to avoid war. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho is set to defend his country’s nuclear drive during his address on Friday. Ri is expected to meet with Guterres, who has offered to act as mediator. On Syria, allies will press Trump to come up with a broader strategy beyond leading the coalition that is fighting the Islamic State (IS) group. There will be also be calls from Washington’s partners who signed the Iran nuclear deal to salvage the agreement. The plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims fleeing a military campaign in Rakhine state will also be discussed, with the UN Security Council weighing a tougher response after calling for an end to the violence.

 – Reforming the UN – On Monday, Trump will host a meeting of about 100 world leaders on reforming the United Nations at an event attended by his influential UN ambassador Nikki Haley and Guterres. The UN’s number one financial backer, the United States has threatened deep cuts to UN funding and Haley was a driving force behind a $600-million-dollar cut to the UN peacekeeping budget this year. At a news conference this week, the UN chief said he was hoping for a “constructive” message from Trump about the United Nations, the global body the US president once disparaged as a “club” for “people to have a good time.” “I hope that if that is the message that will be conveyed, that that message will be well received,”

No to NGO regulation bill

WE are worried at strenuous efforts being made to shackle activities of civil society groups, otherwise known as Non-Governmental Organisations,
 NGOs. If allowed to pass, our democratic and civil liberties will suffer a terrible blow, rather than expand, after 19 years of unbroken civil rule.
 The Bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Umar Buba Jibril, is calling for the setting up of yet another Federal agency to be known as the NGO Regulatory Commission, which will have an Executive Secretary and a 17-member Governing Board to be appointed by the President for a five-year tenure. Its job will be to issue licences to all NGOs, which will require renewing such licences every two years. If the Commission’s board declines to renew any group’s licence, the NGO will cease to operate. The board will also poke-nose into how funds received from donors are spent, and if any NGO spends without the Commission’s permission it would amount to a crime which attracts a jail term of up to 18 months. As expected, the Nigerian Network of NGOs earlier this week gathered in Lagos and unanimously kicked against this rather dubious effort to subject civil rights advocacy in Nigeria to military-style straitjackets.
 We are also opposed to the idea of creating yet another Federal agency which will draw on our lean resources only for the purpose of restricting free speech and shutting down avenues through which the civil rights of citizens are promoted and ventilated. Civil society groups are very important components in the vanguard for the expansion of the democratic space and citizen rights. They play a big role in enlightening the people and promoting their access to issues like justice, liberty and the abolition of certain harmful socio-cultural practices that hamper human rights and personal dignity. In an atmosphere of rapidly dwindling support of governments for their own organs of public enlightenment and social reorientation (such as the National and State Orientation Agencies), the NGOs, with the support of foreign and local support funding, are able to fill much of the void. They greatly complement efforts of the media in holding government to account and calling attention to ways by which the people can be better served. We admit that, as any other human endeavour, NGOs can engage in excesses, such as corrupt practices and the promotion of strange foreign traditions such as same-sex marriage or behaviour which are against our laws and lore. However, we believe that enough laws and regulations already exist to bring errant NGOs and their promoters to book. We do not need any additional effort in this pursuit, so the NGO Regulation Bill should be rested.

Adamawa govt assures Igbo residents of safety

Governor Mohammed Jibrilla of Adamawa State, yesterday, assured the Igbo community in the state of their safety. He gave the assurance against the backdrop of clashes between security operatives and members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Abia and Rivers states. Gov. Mohammed Bindow Jibrilla Governor Jibrilla, who spoke when he received the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minster of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, who paid him a courtesy call in his office, said: “We will like to assure Igbo residents in the state of their safety, despite the growing tension in parts of the South-East states.’’

The Attorney General was in Adamawa State for the Attorney-General and State Commissioners of Justice summit holding in Yola, the state capital. Minister of Justice, Mohammed Malami, had called on the state governors to join efforts with the Federal Government to eradicate hate speech. Elated, Governor Jibrila thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the restoration of peace in the North-East. He said if there was no peace in the North East, the Attorney Generals’ summit will not be holding in Yola.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Ahmed Sajoh, told journalists, moment after the meeting, that security will be beefed up based on alleged planned attacks by some miscreants. In his remarks, Malami observed that the existence of the nation was under threat, noting that without the collaboration of the governments at all levels, the nation was sitting on a time bomb. He commended Governor Jibrilla’s administration for the physical transformation of the state, in line with the All Progressives Congress, APC, manifesto. The Justice Minister urged the party’s leadership in the state to give Governor Jibrila a choice of first refusal ahead of 2019 general election.

Man impregnates wife’s sister, kills baby five days after birth

The police in Bayelsa State have apprehended a 47-year-old man, Moses Otimba, for killing a five-day-old baby boy he fathered with the younger sister of his pregnant wife.

The suspect, was said to have impregnated the girl, Joy, and allegedly killed the child and buried it in a shallow grave near a river.

Otimba, an indigene of Ogbogoro community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, was said to have carried out the act in connivance with Joy in order to hide the paternity of the baby.

Joy, 18, allegedly refused to disclose the identity of the father of her unborn baby throughout the nine months she was pregnant. She lived with her sister and Otimba throughout the period.

The two suspects were on Thursday paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asuquo Amba, at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Amba said policemen from the Yenagoa Police Division, arrested the two suspects on August 15, 2017, noting that they had confessed to the murder.

The CP said, “Mr. Moses Otimba, male, 47, impregnated one Joy Matthew, 18, a younger sister to his wife, Glory. The pregnant Joy was delivered of the baby by a traditional birth attendant at Amarata, Yenagoa on May 8, 2017.

“On May 13, 2017, Moses, Joy and the baby left the birth attendant and went across  the Swali Bridge where Moses took the baby from his  mother, went down the shore, suffocated the baby and buried the body in a shallow grave.”

Amba said Joy, who alleged that she was being tormented by “some spirits”, confessed to the incident to her mother three months after the act.

He said Joy’s mother alerted the police, which swung into action and arrested the suspects.

The police commissioner said, “The police visited the scene of the incident. By the time they got to the scene, the current of the river had washed away the child’s body.

‘’The suspect, Moses Otimba, has confessed to the crime and Joy has also confessed her alleged involvement in the murder of the baby. Investigation is ongoing.’’

When asked if what the police said was true, the prime suspect, Otimba, spoke in affirmation, saying that he killed the baby because he was scared and afraid to break the news to his wife (Glory) and his mother-in-law.

He admitted that he killed the baby with the consent of Joy, saying that he told Joy of his predicament concerning the paternity and that Joy “gladly gave him the boy” to kill.

Otimba said, “I killed the baby boy because I was afraid. I did not really know how to face my wife and my mother-in-law. I am really sorry.

“I took the baby to the bush in my community and closed his nose until he died. When I was carrying out the act, I was weeping and crying but I had no choice.

‘’When I got to the site, he was five days old then, I closed his nose and within some seconds, he stopped breathing. After that, I started regretting.

“The mother of the baby agreed that we should kill him. I told Joy that I did not know how to tell my wife about the development.

“On that day, she was carrying the baby. She gladly gave me the baby to do as I wished. My wife was not aware of all of this.  But somehow, I did not know what happened. I learnt the baby’s mother told her mother who alerted the police and we were arrested.”

CBN pledges to ensure liquidity in forex supply

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele



The Central Bank of Nigeria has said it will continue to intervene in the inter-bank foreign exchange market in order to sustain liquidity and stability in the sector.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, gave the assurance in Abuja on Friday, stressing that the measures being taken by the apex bank had yielded positive results as far as forex supply was concerned.

While acknowledging a marginal fluctuation in the exchange rate, he noted that the naira remained stable against other major currencies around the world, even as he observed that activities in the foreign exchange market remained dynamic.

According to him, the interventions of the apex bank are in line with its commitment to sustain liquidity in the market to meet genuine requests as well as deepen flexibility in the foreign exchange market.

Okorafor warned speculators against nefarious activities, adding that the CBN had put necessary checks in place to guard against sharp practices in the forex market.

While stressing that there was nothing to suggest that the CBN planned to discontinue its forex intervention, he noted there had been accretions in the country’s foreign reserves from $30bn to about $32bn.

Okorafor, therefore, urged those who genuinely required foreign exchange for their transactions to approach the Deposit Money Banks, noting that the banks had enough forex to meet the demands for foreign exchange.

It will be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria has consistently injected funds into in the interbank foreign exchange market, which received a boost of $547m in the last round of intervention.

Meanwhile the naira exchanged at the rate of 363 to the US dollar in the Bureau de Change segment of the market on Friday.

Stop sending corrupt ex-govs to Senate, Christian elders tell PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has been asked to stop sending former governors, who have mismanaged the resources of their states, to the Senate.

The National Christian Elders Forum, which made the call in Abuja on Thursday, said it was unfortunate that former governors, who looted their state treasuries, were the ones making laws for the nation.

The Forum, which was led by its Chairman, Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), made the call while paying a courtesy call on the national leadership of the PDP at the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja.

Asemota, who spoke on behalf of the group, regretted that political parties operated as a mere parastatal of the government.

The senior advocate stated that Nigeria was ripe for political parties that were driven by qualitative political ideology, manifesto, high moral standard, leadership by men and women of proven integrity and good reputation and a clear programme of action that would build the country.

Asemota added, “It is very sad that governors, who have mismanaged their states and looted the states treasury dry, now find retirement space in the National Assembly.

“Why can we not have political parties that will say ‘no’ to such wasteful managers of state resources?

“Why do political parties keep recycling for the country discredited and outrightly incompetent persons as leaders of the country?

“Why do incompetent and wasteful individuals, who mismanaged the commonwealth of the people, still find abode in political parties as power brokers?”

He recalled the recent quit notice to Igbo living in the northern part of the country by Arewa youths.

Asemota said what was more unfortunate was the information that the governors of the region announced that the quit notice had been suspended.

This, he said, implied that it could resume at a later date.

He said, “If governors are now seen to condone such unlawful and ill-motivated statements, then how shall the youth be contained?

“We wish to stress that the conduct of these governors is subversive of their oath of office wherein they swore to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law.”

He warned that the youth might soon take laws into the hands if the leaders don’t change their ways.

Analysis of Benue – the state that has been hit hard

No fewer than 15,000 persons have been rendered homeless as flood wreaked havoc in Benue communities last weekend. Then, on Wednesday, 30 August, Makurdi, the state capital, was again flooded after a five-hour downpour. The downpour, which started around 12.24am, lasted till 5am, rendered thousands of residents homeless, and destroyed lots of properties. The areas mostly hit are are Zone 4, Wurukum, Gebade, Nyinma, Ghana, Naka Road, Wadatta Gboko Road and Media village in Achusa, and this caused panic among residents of neighbouring Nasarawa state. In reaction to the latest incident, the state governor, Samuel Ortom, called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the problem of flooding in the state. Ortom had inspected the flooded areas on Wednesday and described the problem as overwhelming, serving as salt in the injury of a state currently faced with challenges of paying workers’ salaries. He then directed the State Emergency Management Agency to liaise with the National Emergency Management Agency for the purpose of assisting displaced persons. The governor also ordered that excavators should be used to create emergency water channels, pending Federal Government’s intervention, as he specifically requested the Federal Government to consider the release of ecological funds to Benue State, maintaining that if urgent steps were not taken, the sad experience of 2012 might repeat itself. Benue floods over the last two years 21 Aug 2015 – About 200 houses and huts were swept away on Friday in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, following more than four hours of torrential downpour. 31 Aug 2016 – At least nine people were reported missing in Benue state as a result of flooding from Kereke stream in the state, which overflowed its bound. 10 Sept 2016 – No fewer than ten persons have been reportedly swept away by flood in Guma local government area of Benue state, following days of torrential rains in the state. 4 Aug 2017 – Floods destroyed many property and rendered thousands homeless in Makurdi, capital of Benue state Friday, 4 Aug, as five local governments were badly affected. 27 Aug 2017 – No fewer than 15,000 people were sacked from their homes by an early morning rainstorm, Saturday, and a resultant flood that submerged over 2,000 houses in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, and its environs. The blame game begins A radio station, Wurukum Market, and seven communities were submerged following Saturday night’s heavy downpour in Makurdi. Other communities, according to the report, affected were Welfare Quarters, Benue State University community, New Kanshio village, and Rice Mill Wadata as well as Idye and Achusa villages. Joseph Ustev, the state’s commissioner of Water Resources and Environment, who alongside Commissioner for Land, Survey and Solid Minerals, Bernard Unenge went round the town for an assessment on Sunday explained that the ministry needed adequate funds to mitigate the situation, adding, as the disaster was caused by blocked drainages in some areas. Utsev also said that federal help was needed. “Benue Government is looking for ways in which River Benue can be dredged. This is because by dredging the river, majority of the water can be accommodated to prevent future overflow. “The ongoing research so far, showed that the preliminary study will cost about N8 billion while the main project will gulp about N300 billion. “This is where we need federal government financial intervention to execute the project, since the funds are much.” However, a state Emergency Agency official who refused to give his name said that cause of the problem may be closer to home. He alleged that the previous administration of Gabriel Suswam had created many new residential layouts in Makurdi without a proper drainage control system. He however added that the Ortom government had thus far chosen to ignore the problem, which has led to the same issues recurring year after year. During the inspection of the affected areas, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, Boniface Ortese, said that proactive measures will be put in place to address the situation, including clearing of buildings that had sprung up along drainage channels. Ortese said that more than 110,000 persons in 24 communities, including Makurdi, were displaced by the flooding, and more than 2,769 households were affected, including houses in Achusa, Idye, Wurukum Market, Genabe, Industrial Layout, Demekpe, Wadata Market, Katungu, behind the Civil Service Commission, Agboughul-Wadata among others. Paul Abuku, a Makurdi resident who spoke to Daily Times said that a lot of buildings have been submerged. He also said that there was an economic impact as many farms had been lost in this agricultural region. “Fish farmers have also had their fish swim away, and incidences of snake bite are rife as the snakes enter buildings with the water,” Abuku said. “Properties have been lost, and hundreds have been rendered homeless, living like refugees wherever they can find shelter right now.” Benue opens camps for refugees In one of his reactions, the state governor, Sam Ortom, announced the official opening of two camps for Internally Displaced Persons. Mr Ortom made the announcement after inspecting flooded areas within Makurdi and its environs, saying that the empty International Market and the Presidential Building at Agan Toll Gate would become camps for IDPs, pending when water level would subside, with a resounding assurance that his administration would do everything possible to provide minimum comfort to all displaced persons while in camps.

2019: I’m not interested in politics, Dangote tells PDP

…Says his passion is to create jobs for Nigerians …’No think thank committee has contacted me’ …Warns politicians to stop dropping his name Africa richest man and billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has declared that he has no interest in politics, advising that politicians and political parties should leave him alone and stop dropping his name. Dangote, who is the President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dangote Group of Companies, specifically warned that nobody should set him on a collision course with President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The business mogul stated this while reacting to The Daily Times exclusive report that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leaders are mounting pressures on him to come and contest for the 2019 presidential election on its platform. Dangote spoke during a telephone interview with The Daily Times in Abuja on Thursday. Members of a think tank committee of the PDP put in place by former President Goodluck Jonathan were said to be wooing Dangote on the issue. But Dangote has made it clear that his primary interest, which he had always made known to everybody, is business with the goal of providing jobs for millions of people in addition to wealth creation. He said: “I am an entrepreneur. My passion is to create jobs for Nigerians and not otherwise.” He also disclosed that those who are jealous of successes so far recorded by him in business are the ones desperately trying to link him with the 2019 presidential election. Dangote said: “I am not interested in politics and this is authoritative. No member of any think tank committee has contacted me. People should stop dropping my name for the 2019 presidency. “This whole thing is an attempt by people who do not like me. They are doing all these with a view to putting me on a collision course with President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party. They are people who are jealous of the successes I have so far recorded in business. “My passion is for business development, provision of jobs and wealth creation, not politics. “I have never shown interest in politics. Am not interested in politics. I am not a politician. My passion has always been business and business. “Buhari is like a father to me. Nobody should try to set me on a collision course with President Buhari. That will not work. I have high regard and respect for the President. “For emphasis once again, I am not a politician. I can’t and won’t confront President Buhari. They should leave him out of any high wire politics and horse trading. I also seize this opportunity to warn name droppers to desist from their infamous act. They should stop using my name for politics. They should not set me on collision course with President Buhari and the government in power”. Continuing, Dangote said: “By the time the ongoing Dangote refinery in Lagos and the sugar projects come on stream fully, there will be a great positive development and thousands of jobs created that will change the narrative in the country. That is my passion”. Ahead of 2019 general elections, high wire politics has begun while politicians have started endless meeting in order to position themselves for different elective posts. But the sudden return of Buhari from medical vacation in London has changed the permutations as the President’s body language and the rousing welcome for him by the ordinary people are now causing some ripples in the political circles.

Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/news/2019-im-not-interested-politics-dangote-tells-pdp/

…Says his passion is to create jobs for Nigerians …’No think thank committee has contacted me’ …Warns politicians to stop dropping his name Africa richest man and billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has declared that he has no interest in politics, advising that politicians and political parties should leave him alone and stop dropping his name. Dangote, who is the President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dangote Group of Companies, specifically warned that nobody should set him on a collision course with President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The business mogul stated this while reacting to The Daily Times exclusive report that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leaders are mounting pressures on him to come and contest for the 2019 presidential election on its platform. Dangote spoke during a telephone interview with The Daily Times in Abuja on Thursday. Members of a think tank committee of the PDP put in place by former President Goodluck Jonathan were said to be wooing Dangote on the issue. But Dangote has made it clear that his primary interest, which he had always made known to everybody, is business with the goal of providing jobs for millions of people in addition to wealth creation. He said: “I am an entrepreneur. My passion is to create jobs for Nigerians and not otherwise.” He also disclosed that those who are jealous of successes so far recorded by him in business are the ones desperately trying to link him with the 2019 presidential election. Dangote said: “I am not interested in politics and this is authoritative. No member of any think tank committee has contacted me. People should stop dropping my name for the 2019 presidency. “This whole thing is an attempt by people who do not like me. They are doing all these with a view to putting me on a collision course with President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party. They are people who are jealous of the successes I have so far recorded in business. “My passion is for business development, provision of jobs and wealth creation, not politics. “I have never shown interest in politics. Am not interested in politics. I am not a politician. My passion has always been business and business. “Buhari is like a father to me. Nobody should try to set me on a collision course with President Buhari. That will not work. I have high regard and respect for the President. “For emphasis once again, I am not a politician. I can’t and won’t confront President Buhari. They should leave him out of any high wire politics and horse trading. I also seize this opportunity to warn name droppers to desist from their infamous act. They should stop using my name for politics. They should not set me on collision course with President Buhari and the government in power”. Continuing, Dangote said: “By the time the ongoing Dangote refinery in Lagos and the sugar projects come on stream fully, there will be a great positive development and thousands of jobs created that will change the narrative in the country. That is my passion”. Ahead of 2019 general elections, high wire politics has begun while politicians have started endless meeting in order to position themselves for different elective posts. But the sudden return of Buhari from medical vacation in London has changed the permutations as the President’s body language and the rousing welcome for him by the ordinary people are now causing some ripples in the political circles.