South Africa: Zuma out, Ramaphosa in

It’s new dawn in South Africa. Jacob Zuma, 75, has taken the final bow from office as President. Sixty-five-year-old Cyril Ramaphosa, former Deputy Chairman of the African National Congress (ANC) has stepped in. 
CYRIL Ramaphosa was yesterday elected as South Africa’s President in a parliamentary vote. He pledged to tackle endemic corruption after scandal-ridden Jacob Zuma resigned on orders from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The road back to prosperity and self-respect under Ramaphosa, 65, who became ANC head in December, will be long and hard in a nation still polarised by race and inequality more than two decades after the end of white-minority rule.
Still, Zuma’s departure late on Wednesday, provided evidence of the strength of South Africa’s democratic institutions, from the courts to the media and the constitution.

Ramaphosa, in brief remarks to parliament ahead of his first State of the Nation address expected today, said he would work hard “not to disappoint the people of South Africa”.
“The issues that you have raised, issues that have to do with corruption; issues of how we can straighten out our state-owned enterprises and how we deal with state capture (influence-peddling) are issues that are on our radar screen,” he said.
Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as Zuma’s permanent successor by parliament, and confirmed in the post by South African Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, who had earlier read out the former President’s resignation letter.
It is expected that after taking the oath of office yesterday and his broadcast today, Ramaphosa will make changes to the cabinet.
The rand, which has gained ground whenever Zuma ran into political turbulence, soared to a near three-year high against the dollar on word of his resignation.
South Africa’s main stock market index jumped nearly four per cent and headed for its biggest one-day gain in more than two years as investors hailed Zuma’s exit after nine years in office rife with allegations of sleaze and mismanagement.

Ratings agency Moody’s said it was closely monitoring developments in South Africa, focusing on the policy implications of Zuma’s political demise.
The S&P Global agency said South Africa’s sovereign credit ratings and outlook will not be immediately affected by the change of the country’s leadership.
Ramaphosa, who will be President until elections next year, faces an uphill battle to earn back public and investor support.
But, his stated commitment to boosting growth and stamping out graft has gone down well with foreign investors and ANC members who felt Zuma’s handling of the economy could seriously damage the party in the 2019 election.
Africa’s most developed economy needs faster economic growth if it is to reduce high unemployment – currently at 27 per cent – and alleviate persistent, widespread poverty that aggravates inequality and stokes instability.
The economy, Africa’s most advanced, remains largely under the control of whites who held power under apartheid.
The 75-year-old Zuma said in a 30-minute farewell address to the nation he disagreed with the way the ANC had thrust him towards an early exit after Ramaphosa replaced him as party president, but would accept its orders.
“Zuma did the right thing to resign. Yes, let’s see what Ramaphosa is having for us, thank you,” said Hlengiwe Mswazi, an office worker in the capital Pretoria.
Tshepo Kgobane, also in Pretoria, said: “So it is a good thing that he resigned. We must have a party – a big party. We must throw a party because he resigned. We wanted to see that.”
Zuma bowed out hours after police raided the luxury home of the Gupta family, the Indian-born billionaire allies of the former president who have been at the centre of corruption accusations against Zuma and his circle for years.
Zuma and the Guptas have always denied wrongdoing.
“Defiant in defeat” and “Going, Going, Gone” were among the newspaper headlines that captured Zuma’s unwillingness to leave.
“South Africa’s long nightmare is over,” read the headline from online political news website Daily Maverick.
Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led his party in a mass walkout from parliament yesterday, saying it would not take part in the election of a new president so as not to legitimise an ANC candidate.
The EFF, which has six per cent of the seats in parliament, had sponsored a no-confidence motion in Zuma that would have gone ahead yesterday, had Zuma not jumped.
The foundation set up to guard the legacy of the late anti-apartheid icon and first black South African president Nelson Mandela said Zuma’s departure brought to an end “a painful era for the country”.
“One chapter in South Africa’s political soap opera has finally ended with the resignation last night (Wednesday) of President Jacob Zuma,” NKC African Economics analysts wrote in a note.
“It would be gratifying to see the dedication and purpose the ANC put into ridding itself of Zuma now be directed into rebuilding the economy, dealing with the corruption still residing in the ANC and improving its shoddy governance record.”

ABUJA – In spite of the fact that it did not conduct last Saturday’s local government election in Kano state, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has promised to launch a probe into the circumstances surrounding the incidences of underage voting across the 44 local councils in the state.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/inec-probes-underage-voting-kano-lg-polls/

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – In spite of the fact that it did not conduct last Saturday’s local government election in Kano state, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has promised to launch a probe into the circumstances surrounding the incidences of underage voting across the 44 local councils in the state. INEC National Chairman, Mahamood Yakubu addressing pressmen on new release of 2019 Election Time Table and Schedule of Activities for 2019 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections while at INEC Office Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan. Though the election was conducted by the Kano State Independent National Electoral Commission SIEC, the federal electoral umpire, INEC had provided SIEC with the voter register used for the elections. But speaking Friday in Lagos at a workshop on the implementation of the Election Project Plan, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the commission could not ascertain whether or not the voter register it gave the Kano SIEC was used or discarded. He said; “By way of clarification, I wish to state that the Commission is aware of the discussion around the Voter Register and the concern expressed in certain quarters on the possible prevalence of ineligible registrants on the voter register. The Commission is equally concerned for the simple reason that the credibility of an election draws from the credibility of the voter register. The eligibility for registration as a voter in Nigeria is clearly defined in Section 12 (1) of the Electoral Act. This includes citizenship, residence and the attainment of the mandatory age of 18 years. Recent reports of violations by underage persons following the Local government elections in Kano State is deeply disturbing. “It is true that the State Independent Electoral Commission had requested INEC for a copy of the voter register. I can confirm also that a soft copy of the register was made available to the State. The voter register in Kano State is the one used for the 2015 General Election. In July 2016, INEC used the same register to conduct a State Assembly bye-election in Minjibir Constituency which has 78,210 registered voters spread across 126 polling units clustered in 11 Registration Areas (Wards). In that election conducted by INEC, no single incidence of underaged voter was recorded. What therefore happened in the last Local Government election conducted by the State Electoral Commission? Was the voter register actually used or not? “We wish to assure Nigerians that the matter will be fully investigated. A National Commissioner from INEC will lead a team to Kano next week involving technical staff of the Commission drawn from the Voter Registry (VR), Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the Electoral Operations (EOps) Departments for an immediate and comprehensive investigation. We will share the findings of the investigation with Nigerians. I wish to assure Nigerians that going forward, we will interrogate the voter register nationwide in order to purge it of any possible ineligible registrants. “Turning to the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, I am glad to report that from July to December 2017, some 3,978,682 citizens were registered afresh nationwide; 135,127 unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected; and 166,073 requests for transfers and 334,086 requests for replacements of PVCs were recorded. For the new fresh registrants, the gender distribution shows 58% male and 42% female. In terms of the distribution by States, Rivers State recorded the highest number of new registrants, followed by Delta and Lagos while Kwara, Gombe and Ondo recorded the lowest. The Commission will be posting detailed information and analysis of the ongoing CVR on our website on a continuous basis for public information from next week”.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/inec-probes-underage-voting-kano-lg-polls/

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – In spite of the fact that it did not conduct last Saturday’s local government election in Kano state, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has promised to launch a probe into the circumstances surrounding the incidences of underage voting across the 44 local councils in the state. INEC National Chairman, Mahamood Yakubu addressing pressmen on new release of 2019 Election Time Table and Schedule of Activities for 2019 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections while at INEC Office Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan. Though the election was conducted by the Kano State Independent National Electoral Commission SIEC, the federal electoral umpire, INEC had provided SIEC with the voter register used for the elections. But speaking Friday in Lagos at a workshop on the implementation of the Election Project Plan, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the commission could not ascertain whether or not the voter register it gave the Kano SIEC was used or discarded. He said; “By way of clarification, I wish to state that the Commission is aware of the discussion around the Voter Register and the concern expressed in certain quarters on the possible prevalence of ineligible registrants on the voter register. The Commission is equally concerned for the simple reason that the credibility of an election draws from the credibility of the voter register. The eligibility for registration as a voter in Nigeria is clearly defined in Section 12 (1) of the Electoral Act. This includes citizenship, residence and the attainment of the mandatory age of 18 years. Recent reports of violations by underage persons following the Local government elections in Kano State is deeply disturbing. “It is true that the State Independent Electoral Commission had requested INEC for a copy of the voter register. I can confirm also that a soft copy of the register was made available to the State. The voter register in Kano State is the one used for the 2015 General Election. In July 2016, INEC used the same register to conduct a State Assembly bye-election in Minjibir Constituency which has 78,210 registered voters spread across 126 polling units clustered in 11 Registration Areas (Wards). In that election conducted by INEC, no single incidence of underaged voter was recorded. What therefore happened in the last Local Government election conducted by the State Electoral Commission? Was the voter register actually used or not? “We wish to assure Nigerians that the matter will be fully investigated. A National Commissioner from INEC will lead a team to Kano next week involving technical staff of the Commission drawn from the Voter Registry (VR), Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the Electoral Operations (EOps) Departments for an immediate and comprehensive investigation. We will share the findings of the investigation with Nigerians. I wish to assure Nigerians that going forward, we will interrogate the voter register nationwide in order to purge it of any possible ineligible registrants. “Turning to the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, I am glad to report that from July to December 2017, some 3,978,682 citizens were registered afresh nationwide; 135,127 unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected; and 166,073 requests for transfers and 334,086 requests for replacements of PVCs were recorded. For the new fresh registrants, the gender distribution shows 58% male and 42% female. In terms of the distribution by States, Rivers State recorded the highest number of new registrants, followed by Delta and Lagos while Kwara, Gombe and Ondo recorded the lowest. The Commission will be posting detailed information and analysis of the ongoing CVR on our website on a continuous basis for public information from next week”.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/inec-probes-underage-voting-kano-lg-polls/

Libya returnee dies in Port Harcourt

A Libya returnee, Miss Towabola Adebayo, has died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
Adebayo, who hailed from Ogun State, was among the 5th batch of Libya returnees that arrived Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday night aboard Medview Airline.
A statement issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Port Harcourt on Friday and signed by its head of Public Relations, Sani Datti, said the deceased took ill in Libya and was taken to the UPTH in a waiting NEMA Ambulance on arrival at Port Harcourt airport where she was immediately admitted at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital.
The woman was reportedly treated for vomiting, general weakness of the body, abdominal pains and its associated illnesses before she died on Thursday.

He said the deceased died three days after she was admitted in the hospital.

Buhari meets APC Governors in Daura

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with 18 state governors in the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Daura, Katsina State.

Three of the governors were represented by their deputies at the meeting which started at 2: 45 p.m.

Those at the meeting were – Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Abubakar Muhammed (Bauchi), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).

Others were – Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Sani-Bello (Niger) and Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa).

Governors of Benue, Osun and Ogun were represented by their deputies.

The governors of Yobe and Plateau were also represented at the meeting.

Zamfara killings: Buhari orders Defence minister to Gusau

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday directed the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali (retd), to proceed to Zamfara State immediately for on the spot assessment of Thursday’s massacre of 18 persons in Birane village, Zurmi local government area of the state.
The President also directed security agencies to immediately mobilise and deploy operatives to the vulnerable areas of the state and ensure that perpetrators of the act are brought to face the full wrath of the law.
He described the attack as heinous and inhuman.
President Buhari commiserated with the families of the victims, according to the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The President assured the Zamfara State government and residents of  the state, that the Federal Government would  continue do all within its power to support security agencies to secure lives and property, not only in the Zamfara but all parts of the country.
President Buhari restated his administration’s determination to put an end to the spate of senseless spilling of innocent blood in parts of the country and called for restraint to allow the nation’s security apparatus to stem the undesirable trend.
He prayed that God would receive the souls of the departed and comfort their families.

Falana to IGP: Provide information on extra-judicial killings within seven days

Lawyer-turned rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to provide the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the reports of investigation into the large scale killings of 9,457 persons from 2011 to date within seven days.
Falana said in a letter dated February 11, 2018 that the request was made under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and aimed at ending official impunity and facilitate the trial of suspects involved in the illegal killings.
The lawyer said he would proceed to the court to institute mandamus proceedings against the IGP if he fails to furnish him with such information as requested.
“As this request is made under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, you are required to accede to our request within seven days of the receipt of this letter. However, if you fail or refuse to accede to this request, we shall proceed to institute mandamus proceedings, compelling you to furnish us with the needed information,” he stated.

Falana noted that the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has commenced the prosecution of the terror suspects who were arrested from 2011-2017 by the security forces based on pressures from the human rights community.
He, however, regretted that while this was ongoing, other armed gangs that had engaged in the mindless killing of thousands of Nigerians including children have not been prosecuted by the respective state governments.
According to him, this explained why the cold murder of unarmed citizens has continued unabated.
Falana listed extra-judicial killings that had taken place in the country to include: “ the abduction and killing of 60 security officers in 2013 by a cult group in Nasarawa State; killing of over 2, 000 people in Benue State by herdsmen, militia groups and other armed gangs; killing of 800 people in Mambilia, Taraba State by a militia group in September 2017; killing of 204 people by gunmen in Southern Kaduna in 2016; killing of 347 people by the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State in December 2015 and killing of 150 pro-Biafra agitators by security forces in the South East region from 2013-2017.”

We’ll stop killings, poverty in 2019 – PDP

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said on Wednesday his party would stop killings, poverty and hunger in the country if it wins the 2019 presidential election.
Secondus, who led members of his National Working Committee (NWC), to witness a mega rally to mark the 6th anniversary of Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson’s administration, said the brooms of the All Progressives Party (APC) brought killings and vengeance to the country,
The party chairman spoke at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion, Yenagoa, where party faithful and thousands of women, youths and elders in outfits with touch of red in the spirits of the Valentine, gathered to celebrate Dickson.
Former governors, former ministers, state chairmen of PDP led by Obong Paul Ekpo of Akwa Ibom State, members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly led by their Speaker, Kombowei Benson, National Assembly members and traditional rulers were in attendance to honour Dickson and his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd).

Scores of APC stalwarts and their supporters defected to the PDP at the event.
Secondus, who had earlier inaugurated the pavilion, also reaffirmed his doubts over the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair election in 2019.
Describing INEC as the parastatal of the APC, Secondus, however, warned that any attempts to manipulate the elections in 2019 would be resisted by the people.
He said: “Starting from Bayelsa today, we are waiting for very prominent stakeholders of our nation to come over to the party that will rescue our nation from this challenge of difficulty, hunger, killings and poverty.
“Our country witnessed the era of brooms from 2015. This broom has brought us evil, vengeance, hunger, poverty, killings in our land. We will continue to receive these brooms and throw them into the ocean. Never again shall our people witnessed killings and poverty.
“We will rebrand, reposition our party and regain the lost ground. Bayelsa has laid the foundation for our teeming supporters. Just two days ago, we were at Abia State and we visited Abia. The governors of PDP are performing.

“They are the good example of nation-building. I believe that all the 11 governors of PDP are the best the country has today. And because they have performed, the entire nation can see that this is the party that can rescue this country.”

Three floors was approved for Lekki gardens building – Witness

The Lagos High Court, Ikeja, heard on Wednesday that the five- storey building that collapsed in Lekki Gardens on March 2016 was approved as a three- storey building.
At least 35 people were killed in the incident.
A prosecution witness, Maruis Agwu, disclosed this during cross examination by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), counsel to the first, sixth and seventh defendants.
The Managing Director of Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Richard Nyong, is the first defendant in the case.

He is standing trial alongside Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Get Rich Investment Limited, also known as Horizon 1 Extension, House H15, Mr. Sola Olumofe; the firm’s contractor, Odofin Henry Taiwo, Omolabake Motunde, Omotilewa Oluwatosin Joseph and HC Insight Solution Limited.
They were arraigned on a six- count charge of failure to obtain building approval for the collapsed building and involuntary manslaughter.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Agwu denied giving out the construction work to one Lanre Kuyebi who he said is not an engineer.
The witness told the court that he is an architect adding that he designed the building and had nothing to do with the construction of the structure.
“I don’t handle structures but only designs. I only handled activities which was limited to the design of the structure,” Agwu stated.

Lent: Buhari urges Christians to Pray for Nigeria’s unity, progress

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday felicitated with Christians in Nigeria on the solemn occasion of the commencement of this year’s Lenten season.
As they join their counterparts worldwide to emulate the worthy example of Jesus Christ who fasted 40 days at the beginning of His earthly ministry, the President urged Christian brothers and sisters to pray fervently for the country’s unity and progress.
He believed that Nigeria’s existence as one united country is a divine arrangement and nothing should be done to put it asunder.
President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, enjoined all Nigerians to intensify love, brotherliness and concern for the less privileged members of their communities in order to strengthen the bond of togetherness.

Patience Jonathan: Ozekhome, EFCC’s lawyer clash over representation

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome and counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, clashed at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.
The disagreement was over the representation of four companies that pleaded guilty to laundering $15.5million allegedly belonging to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
While Ozekhome is claiming to have been validly appointed to represent the firms, another lawyer, Luke Aghanenu, also claimed that he was briefed by the companies to represent them.
The companies are – Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Limited.

The EFCC arraigned them with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.
Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.
Aghanenu filed a motion for change of counsel, praying the court to hold that he was validly appointed by the companies’ directors to represent them, not Ozekhome.
The motion was argued before Justice Babs Kuewumi.
While Ozekhome urged the court to dismiss the application for change of counsel, Oyedepo said he was not opposed to the motion.
There was a heated exchanged between Ozekhome and Oyedepo when the SAN accused EFCC of trying to determine which lawyer would represent the companies.

Ozekhome said EFCC being the prosecution should not be interested in who represented the companies.
He said: “Because we want to set aside the guilty plea of the companies, they arranged with the EFCC to change counsel. We’ll not allow that to happen. They’ll continue to contend with my face.
“It already show your interest, that you (EFCC) have an interest in who represents the defendants you’re prosecuting.”
But, Oyedepo described Ozekhome’s comments as prejudicial, saying they were unfair to him and EFCC.
“The allegation made by the learned SAN is totally unmeritorious. It is not in the interest of justice. It’s prejudicial to us. It’s unfortunate.
“This not the only case we are both involved in, so why would I not want to see his face?  My prayer is that he should be busy, that people should contact and give him briefs,” he said.
Oyedepo said it was wrong for Ozekhome to “scandalise” him, but the SAN insisted that the EFCC had a preference for the lawyer who would represent the firms.”

Edo reopens job portal March 1

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed that the state government is finalising arrangements to reopen the EdoJobs portal on March 1, 2018.
In a statement on Thursday, in Benin City, by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, the governor said the reopening of the portal would extend the window of opportunities for more youths to be captured in the state’s jobs database.
The governor reassured youths in the state of his administration’s commitment to fulfil his campaign promise of creating 200,000 jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
According to Obaseki, “The reopening of the job portal is to capture more youths in the state, who are to undergo employability and capacity building training. After their training, these youths will be matched with employers of labours, who have indicated interest in employing young people.

“It is clear that we have a crisis of youth unemployment and we are making frantic efforts to address it. There are various options the applicants on the jobs portal can choose from.
The EdoJobs initiative trained a batch of 500 youths late last year, and also supplied over 4,000 people trained by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) this year.
EdoJobs is an employment initiative of Godwin Obaseki-led administration to train and retrain graduates with post-secondary school certificates on business writing, workplace ethics, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence and managing conflicts, among others. The initiative gives applicants the opportunity for job placements in companies across the state.
The portal provides the state government with data of applicants, which it uses for planning skills training for the job seekers in collaboration with companies requiring skilled labour.

Buhari loses sister in-law

A sister in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajiya Aisha Mamman, is dead.
Mamman, 75, died in the early hours of Thursday.
The Information Officer of the Daura Local Government Council in Katsina, Alhaji Salisu Haro, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura.
He said the deceased died at 11:30 a.m. at the Federal Medical Center in Katsina after a brief illness.

Haro said that the deceased was the wife of the late Alhaji Mamman Danbaffale, the elder brother to Buhari.
He said that Mamman was survived by eight children, including Fatihu Mamman, a staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission and Hajiya Rbiya Mamman, a nutrition officer with the Katsina State Government.
Haro said the deceased had since been buried in Daura in accordance with Islamic injunction.