NIGERIAN NOTCH

Pope Francis has declared the death penalty “inadmissible” and “an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”, promising the Catholic Church will work towards its abolition around the world. The change, which has been added to the catechism of the Catholic Church and is therefore now official teaching, formalises a position that the Pope has articulated since becoming pontiff five years ago. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke told  CNN : “The key point here is really human dignity. The Pope is saying that no matter how grievous the crime, someone never loses his or her human dignity. “One of the rationales for the death penalty in Catholic teachings historically was to protect society. Obviously, the state still has that obligation. That is not being taken away here, but they can do that in other ways.” Historically, “the Church has mostly been unopposed to the death penalty, including into the 20th century”, reports the  BBC . In 1952, Pope Pius XII said it ...

Rivers State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Felix Obuah, has said the gale of high profile defections from All Progressives Congress, APC, has brightened the chances of PDP’s victory in 2019. Obuah said their departure has put APC in disarray, stressing that the development has confirmed the unwavering position of PDP that APC is visionless, lame and has nothing to offer the masses other than poverty, hunger and bloodletting.  Recalling that the decampees, which include Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; National Publicity Secretary of APC, Bolaji Abdullahi and a host of some state assembly members constitute the ‘heart and soul’ of the party, Obuah said the development now marks the end of the road for APC. He added that the ultimate beneficiaries of the development are the generality of the Nigerian citizens, whose political system has been trans...

The Governor of Sokoto State, H.E Aminu Tambuwal of has aganist all speculations decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party PDP. Mr Tambuwal, who is said to be nursing a presidential ambition, called on Nigerians to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s election, considering the ineptitude of the current administration which has  reflected bad governance in all circles of the National economy. He said Mr Buhari has been “ineffective” as president. Mr Tambuwal was of the view that he decided to leave the APC because President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the nation and should be voted out in 2019. Tambuwal left the PDP to join the APC in 2014 as part of the “new PDP” bloc. His defection is expected to be a part of Mr Tambuwal’s presidential ambition. Mr Tambuwal is a close ally of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who is arguably the leader of the PDP at present after his loyalists emerged leaders o...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has urged communities in Anambra State to assist the agency in their fight against drug abuse. The State Commandant of the agency, Mr. Sule Momodu made the call yesterday during a chat with newsmen in Awka. Speaking through the Public Relations Officer of the agency in Anambra State, Charles Efosa Odigie, the NDLEA boss said that without collective fight against the scourge, the agency will hardly win the war. While commending some communities within the state as well as the government of Anambra State under Governor Willie Obiano for assisting the agency in the fight, Momodu regretted that some communities and market leaders harbor drug sellers; thereby heightening the scourge of the trend. He noted that many people are under bondage in different ways today because of their addiction to drugs; and called on residents of the state bring their loved ones, who are already addicted to drugs to bring them to NDLEA for counseling, ...

  BY MOKWUGWO SOLOMON 08063831036 On Monday, December 11, 2017, I was in my house at Abube-Uno Nando in Anambra East, where I went to mark the 4th anniversary of my father’s separation from the family. I was sitting by his graveside reflecting on life generally when I received calls from my colleagues in the media, who told me that Emeka Odogwu went viral on the social media discussing me. I logged-in and scanned through the information. Initially, I was reluctant to reply because I felt it was unnecessary dignifying him with my response. Initially, I did not want to join issues with a character whose stock-in-trade is to go about impregnating people’s wives and widows. When I later made up my mind to respond, I reasoned that it was necessary to wait; first, to know what would be the response of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and Mr. Madu Onuorah, the publisher and MD of The AUTHORITY Newspaper respectively; and also to hear the opinions of the leadership of NUJ as ...

Having year-to-date (YTD) growth as at December 8, 2017, showing that Dangote Flour Mills has been flight footed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), outperforming the Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index, the rise in the company’s share is as a result of impressive performance seen so far in the year. The company’s share which opened the year at N4.25, gained N168.24 per cent to close trading on December 8, 2017 at N11.40 per share. It would be recalled that the Dangote Flour Mills share emerged the best performing stock in 2016 with a gain of 276.11 per cent. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) story is changing positively, and quite rapidly, in the context of the magnitude of challenges operators faced in the last two years and ongoing anemic economic recovery. Though capital market analysts had pointed out at the beginning of the year that earnings outlook will be better compared to previous year. The Consumer Goods Company’s performance has been impressive as a result ...

The newly sworn in national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has expressed apprehension and uncertainty about the party’s return to power in 2019, saying it is going to be herculean a task. He however noted that it is achievable, just as he assured that he would ensure internal democracy is enthroned in the party. Secondus, a former deputy national chairman of the PDP was sworn in as the new chairman of the party in the early hours of yesterday after defeating all the aspirants who contested the coveted position with him in the party’s national elective convention held at Eagle Square, Abuja. Protests had trailed his victory, with two aspirants, Prof Tunde Adeniran, former minister of Education, and media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi, rejecting the outcome of the contest. Before then, former deputy national chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George; former Ogun State governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former governorship candidate in Lagos State, Jimi...

The thin line between despotism a and a democracy is the rule of law. The rule of law presupposes that all individuals, including those who make laws and the people entrusted with the duty of enforcing those laws, are subject to the law. In other words, the law is supreme and binding on all persons and entities. Nigeria has experienced a series of totalitarian regimes and the numerous negative effects of those governments are still felt till date by Nigerians. The reign of terror associated with those regimes, massive lootings of the common wealth and the outrageously high levels of human rights abuses cannot be forgotten in centuries to come. In fact, Nigeria is in its unenviable shape today largely due to the corruption and mismanagement of her resources experienced during the military regimes. Having experienced firsthand the level of degeneration that occurs in a country without rule of law, it is incumbent on us all to protect our democracy and the rule of law associated with i...

Time and again we have seen individuals, companies and even civil societies give awards and accolades to very corrupt members of the Nigerian political class, past leaders who have milked dry the breasts of our country for their selfish benefits, and high ranking members of the public service who have done nothing but collect unearned salaries and contribute to the decay in the civil service. In fact Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and Sani Abacha have been given awards by not only civil society groups but also former Nigerian Presidents. We praise Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, James Ibori, Chimaroke Nnamani, Dimeji Bankole, Bode George, Joshua Dariye, Murtala Nyako, Orji Uzor Kalu, Lucky Igbindedion, and even Bukola Saraki for their “selfless service”, “exceptional leadership styles” and “integrity in service”. Our people are mad!!! They can only be mad, or perhaps I am the mad one. On a second thought we are certainly all mad!!!  If not, how do we explain these? What explanations can we...

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday that, in recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, President Donald Trump was obeying the will of the American people.  But Washington’s top diplomat has stood by his boss and insists the decision has not marred what has otherwise been a very positive reception from EU and NATO colleagues.