Nigeria needs Atiku to make life more meaningful – Tinubu

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has asserted that Nigeria needs people like former vice president, Atiku Abubakar to make life more meaningful for Nigerians.
In a letter to felicitate with the former vice president on his 70th birthday, Tinubu described the Turakin Adamawa as a man of faith, saying faith has kept him going and waxing strong.
In the letter he personally signed, the former Lagos governor urged Atiku to accept that “there is a tide in the affairs of men”.
Tinubu wrote: “I write to felicitate with you on the attainment of the proverbial age of three scores and ten, 70. Your life has been a life of service to your people, your country and the causes you believe in. Nigeria has been well-served by your stewardship and leadership.
“Your steadfastness in walking the democratic path sets you apart as a leader with substance.
“Your passion for education has seen you invest your time and resources in education, knowing full well that when you educate people, you educate a nation.
“You are a man of faith. Your faith has kept you going and kept you strong. I urge you to accept that there is a tide in the affairs of men. You must continue to serve Nigeria well even as a private citizen and a notable leader.
“Do not relent because Nigeria needs you and others like you to continue to make life more meaningful. We must continue to explore common grounds towards promoting the common good.
“I pray for a long life and continued good health for Turaki Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar”.
Recall that reports recently had it that both men are allegedly plotting to float a new political party ahead of the 2019 elections.

iPhone theft: How Seun Egbeegbe’s charms failed him at Computer Village

As the news of Toyin Aimakhu’s ex-boyfriend, Seun Egbegbe’s iPhones theft saga continues to trend on the social media, fresh reports have emerged that the filmmaker uses charms.
The Yoruba movie producer was attacked for allegedly trying to steal nine iPhones, from a store.
A phone trader, Segun Akinola, at the computer village in Ikeja, Lagos State where the incident occurred, had disclosed that Egbegbe was known all over the famous computer village market for his alleged theft attitude.
Egbegbe, who was arraigned by the police before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court and granted bail on Thursday, had refuted claims he was arrested or beaten up for stealing iPhones in Lagos State. .
A source privy to the theft incident exclusively told NAIJA GISTS that his (Egbegbe) charm failed him on the said day.
According to him, “How do you think Egbeegbe would walk into the mall accompanied by a young man, his voodoo accomplice, maybe, requesting 9 iPhones.
“What does he need 9 iPhones for? Is he a phone dealer? His charm would have made him invincible, that was why he took them (phones) to his car parked many metres away without prior notice to the phone attendant. Or maybe the sales person would have become dumb or blind or something like that until he was off the environment. As if to say he hypnotize the sales person.
“The reason he walked away was because he uses charm.
“When the sales boy ran after him to demand for the money, Egbegbe claimed he had paid; that he should be left alone. He entered his vehicle and was zooming off when the sales boy shouted, held on to him, while both exchanged blows.
“His accomplice escaped, maybe to go back to the babalawo that the charm failed. This is how all these celebrities and public figures so to speak, go around seeking for spiritual powers. They flaunt their wealth but do you ever wonder how they get it?” our source quizzed.
Meanwhile, UK trained journalist, Kemi Olunloyo told NAIJA GISTS Egbegbe uses charms.
She said he steals to impress women with gadgets gifts “according to his current girlfriend who spoke to me exclusively.”

UEFA League : Iwobi own goal denies Arsenal win; Barca , City reach last 16

Arsenal squandered their lead and missed out on a chance to secure top spot in Group A in the penultimate game of the Champions League group stages as Paris St-Germain came from behind to draw.
The visitors, much the better side in the first half, took the lead when Edinson Cavani finished a superb 21-pass move.
Arsenal equalised before the break when Grzegorz Krychowiak fouled Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud equalised from the spot in what was the Gunners’ first attempt on target.
The hosts improved after the break and took the lead in scrappy circumstances when Aaron Ramsey’s shot deflected in off the helpless Marco Verratti.
Victory would have ensured Arsene Wenger’s men would have qualified for the knockout stages as group leaders with one game remaining, but PSG levelled through a Lucas header, which came off Alex Iwobi who was standing on the line, to take top spot on goal difference.
And David Silva’s deft equaliser ensured Manchester City reached the Champions League knockout stage for a fourth consecutive season with a draw at Borussia Monchengladbach.
City trailed when Raffael netted a rising 15-yard drive past Claudio Bravo from a central position.
But Silva slid in at the near post to convert Kevin de Bruyne’s low cross before the break.
City improved after half-time, helped by the dismissal of home skipper Lars Stindl for two yellow cards.
However, the visitors were also reduced to 10 men when Fernandinho was booked for a second time for a needless tug on Raffael’s shirt inside the Monchengladbach half, reports the BBC.
Despite more space for both sides to exploit, the game failed to open up in the final half-hour.
But the point, coupled with Celtic’s home defeat by leaders Barcelona, clinches second place in Group C for Pep Guardiola’s men.
The Blues cannot catch the Spanish champions, who are four points clear with one round of matches to play.
UEFA LEAGUE RESULTS
Besiktas 3 – 3 Benfica
FC Rostov 3 – 2 Bayern Mun
Arsenal 2 – 2 Paris St G
Ludo Razgd 0 – 0 Basel
Napoli 0 – 0 Dynamo Kiev
B Gladbach 1 – 1 Man City
Celtic 0 – 2 Barcelona
Atl Madrid 2 – 0 PSV Eindhoven

Obasanjo blasts Buhari over poor economy

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday attacked President Muhammadu Buhari over his plan to borrow $30 billion to solve short-term challenges. Speaking at the first Akintola Williams Lecture in Lagos, Obasanjo said it did not indicate deep thinking, noting that rather it was a reflection of a desire to solve short-term issues to the detriment of medium and long-term goals. He also lampooned Buhari for continually blaming his predecessors for the nation’s woes, noting that the time had come for him to take full charge of the economy and correct its dwindling fortunes. “Now that we have had change because the actors and the situation needed to be changed, let us move forward to have progress through a comprehensive economic policy and programme that is intellectually, strategically and philosophically based,” Obasanjo said. “It is easier to win an election than to right the wrongs of a badly fouled situation. When you are outside, what you see and know are nothing compared with the reality. “And yet once you are on seat, you have to clear the mess and put the nation on the path of rectitude, development and progress leaving no group or section out of your plan, programme and policy and efforts. The longer it takes, the more intractable the problem may become.” He also praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and ICPC for fighting corruption but urged them to work harder. He also called for the prosecution of federal lawmakers accused of padding the 2016 budget.

AWCON: Ghana’s Black Queens hold back Super Falcons

Defending champions Nigeria on Wednesday in Limbe could only draw 1-1 with rivals Ghana at the 2016 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in Cameroon.
The result left both sides with four points each after two Match Day Two, but it also brightened their chances of semi-finals qualification.
It was however a setback to the Super Falcons who had been expected to advance to the semi-finals with a win, no matter how close.
The Falcons are tournament favourites with seven title wins from the competition’s past nine editions, and had started their campaign with a 6-0 mauling of Mali on Sunday.
With Ghana having struggled to beat Kenya 3-1 on Sunday, the Falcons expectedly took the lead after 22 minutes through competition’s leading goal scorer Asisat Oshoala.
But the Black Queens stood up to them to draw level in the 44th minute, and then went on to dominate the second half.
Nigeria will now meet Kenya on Saturday in their final group phase game, while Ghana take on Mali, with both Nigeria and Ghana needing only draws to advance.
If both sides draw their matches on Saturday, group leaders Nigeria will top to face Group A runners-up in the semi-finals.

FG scraps unified cut-off mark for varsities, others

The Federal Government has approved the scrapping of the unified cut-off mark hitherto used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as a criterion for admission into tertiary institutions.
This means that the board has been given permission to approve discriminatory cut-off marks for different institutions, believing that such would promote fairness and equity to all interested candidates.
A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Deputy Director (Press) in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Ben Goong, noted that the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, announced the development after his meeting with chief executive officers under the ministry.
The minister, however, asked JAMB to consult widely with stakeholders to develop separate cut-off marks for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education admissions that would take effect from 2017/2018.
Part of the statement read: “It makes no sense subjecting candidates who are seeking admission into various tertiary institutions to the same cut-off marks when the durations and contents of their courses are radically different.”
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyode, had initiated the argument that the unified cut-off mark hitherto adopted by the Federal Government had outlived its relevance, particularly when colleges of education and polytechnics admit for NCE and diplomas, while universities admit for degrees.

Police rescue 10 kidnap victims in Kuje

The Police Command in FCT has rescued at least 10 persons kidnapped by a gang of hoodlums in Darka village in Kuje Area Council of the FCT.
The rescued victims are Fanus Emmanuel, Babangida Emmanuel, Akimmi Dauda, Japheth Kwasu, Dorcas Shuaibu, Kemuche IK, Hamza Yunusa, Umar Godiri, Ismaila Yusuf and Abubakar Gomo.
A statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, ASP Anjugurin Manzah, stated that eight of the victims were rescued on November 19, while the other two were rescued on November 20 in Toto and Karu in Nasarawa State.
The police spokesman noted that the rescue was made possible by a joint operation by the Police Mobile Force Operatives of the command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, DSS, Nigerian Army and NSCDC.
According to him, the stronghold of the assailants who specialised in raiding remote villages at night and robbing the villagers of cash and other valuables and kidnapping was destroyed during the operation.
He added that an operative of the NSCDC, ASC Anumudu Uche, who took ill, died during the operation.
He said concerted efforts were in place to arrest the dislodged hoodlums.