Buhari resumes duty, holds meeting with VP Osinbajo

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President Buhari with Acting President Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa on Friday shortly after his return from London.

President Muhammadu Buhari has formally resumed work in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity has confirmed.

Shehu, who confirmed the development while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Monday, said the president would hold meeting with Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president, who returned to the country on Friday after a successful medical vacation in London, entered his office at around 11.15 a.m.

Mr Femi Adesina, on Friday, on his twitter handle, revealed that President Buhari would transmit a letter to the National Assembly indicating his resumption of work after his vacation in London.

He said that the letter would formalise the president’s return.

He said: “PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) will on Monday transmit letter to National Assembly on his return to the country. That makes his return to work formal and constitutional.’’

Adesina’s post debunks some reports indicating that the President has asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to continue to act on his behalf.

NAN reports that the president left the country on Jan. 19 for a 10-day leave.

He wrote to the National Assembly informing it that Osinbajo would act as president in his absence.

The president later wrote the National Assembly for an extension of the leave to enable him to undergo more medical tests based on the advice of his doctors.

President Buhari returned to Nigeria on Friday after more than six-weeks in the United Kingdom.

The president arrived in the country through Kaduna Airport following Wednesday’s closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for rehabilitation.

The Presidential plane landed at the VIP Wing of the 401 Flying Training School of the Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna, at about 7.40 a.m.

While thanking Nigerians for their constant prayers for his good health, the president revealed that he might be going back to London in the next few weeks for a routine medical check-up.

“All I will need is to do further follow ups within some weeks.

“I thank you very much and may God bless our country,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president, who returned to the country on Friday after a successful medical vacation in London, entered his office at around 11.15 a.m.

Mr Femi Adesina, on Friday, on his twitter handle, revealed that President Buhari would transmit a letter to the National Assembly indicating his resumption of work after his vacation in London.

He said that the letter would formalise the president’s return.

He said: “PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) will on Monday transmit letter to National Assembly on his return to the country. That makes his return to work formal and constitutional.’’

Adesina’s post debunks some reports indicating that the President has asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to continue to act on his behalf.

NAN reports that the president left the country on Jan. 19 for a 10-day leave.

He wrote to the National Assembly informing it that Osinbajo would act as president in his absence.

The president later wrote the National Assembly for an extension of the leave to enable him to undergo more medical tests based on the advice of his doctors.

President Buhari returned to Nigeria on Friday after more than six-weeks in the United Kingdom.

The president arrived in the country through Kaduna Airport following Wednesday’s closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for rehabilitation.

The Presidential plane landed at the VIP Wing of the 401 Flying Training School of the Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna, at about 7.40 a.m.

While thanking Nigerians for their constant prayers for his good health, the president revealed that he might be going back to London in the next few weeks for a routine medical check-up.

“All I will need is to do further follow ups within some weeks.

“I thank you very much and may God bless our country,’’ he said.

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Tillerson to East Asia in shadow of North Korea threat

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US President Donald Trump (R) shaking hands with Rex Tillerson (L) as Tillerson's wife Renda St. Clair . / AFP PHOTO / NICHOLAS KAMM

With North Korea’s drive to field a nuclear-armed missile rapidly emerging as President Donald Trump’s first foreign crisis, his top diplomat is heading to a nervous region.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, a former oil executive with no government experience, has yet to make an impact in Washington, where he has not even appointed a senior staff.

But this week he will head as emissary of the world’s top power to Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing to tackle a nuclear stand-off that threatens to tip into a catastrophic war.

Tillerson will arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who watched Pyongyang’s latest missile tests with alarm.

On Friday, he will be in Seoul and a South Korea mired in a domestic political crisis but also still braced for further provocations from its belligerent northern neighbor.

The secretary will meet Hwang Kyo-Ahn — who is acting president until an election can be held to replace impeached leader Park Geun-Hye — and talk with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se.

Then, on Saturday, Tillerson will be in China, the United States’ nearest peer as a world power and perhaps the only one that retains any leverage over Kim Jong-Un’s regime.

– Pressure –
China supported previous UN sanctions against North Korea, and has in theory halted coal imports from its smaller neighbor, but it is reluctant to take steps that could see the regime fall.

Since coming to office in January, and especially since the most recent North Korean missile tests last week, Trump has been looking for ways to turn up the pressure on Pyongyang.

“I think it’s well known that we are looking currently at approaches to the North Korea question and there is a range of things that are being considered,” a senior US official said.

Among the other options pushed by the hawkish wing of the Washington foreign policy community are secondary sanctions that would target any Chinese banks that work with Pyongyang.

But officials preparing the trip, briefing reporters anonymously at a time when most senior diplomatic positions in Washington are unfilled, said no major announcements are imminent.

“We’re trying to come up with what the approach of the new administration is going to be,” one said.

No peace treaty was signed after the 1950-53 Korean war, so Seoul and its US ally are technically still in a state of hostilities with its neighbor across a demilitarized zone.

Since the peninsula split, South Korea has become an economic power with democratic institutions, but there are still more than 28,000 US personnel deployed to aid in its defense.

Kim, the third leader in a dynasty that rules through oppression and a personality cult, has proved just as determined as his father and grandfather to develop a nuclear weapon.

North Korea has a small number of bombs and now it is testing an intercontinental ballistic missile and shorter-range rockets that could threaten US bases and cities in the Pacific rim.

– Secondary sanctions –
Most observers see China as the only power with the leverage to get its isolated neighbor to stand down, and existing United Nations-backed sanctions have had little effect so far.

The crisis is shaping up to be the key early challenge of Trump’s presidency and the Pentagon has already provoked China’s ire by deploying the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea.

US officials insist THAAD is a purely defensive system designed to protect South Korea and Japan from Kim’s missiles, but Beijing sees it as a threat to its own deterrent ability.

And the signals coming out of China are not encouraging for those in Washington who cling to the hope that Beijing may be ready to rein in its small but combative neighbor.

On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi implied that the United States and North Korea were equally at fault for provoking the latest crisis and headed towards a “head-on collision.”

Wang urged the US military to halt planned exercises with South Korea, in exchange for Pyongyang halting its nuclear and missile programs — an idea Washington promptly dismissed.

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Nigeria has potential to become defence systems solution hub (Read full details)

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Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, says Nigeria has the potential to become the world’s defence systems solution hub given its capacity to produce high-grade security merchandise locally.

Idris said this on Friday during a tour of ProForce Armour and Ammunitions Production Facility, a defence systems and gadgets provider in Ode-Remo, Ogun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facility produces armoured personnel carriers, ammunitions, ballistic helmets, bullet-proof vests, armoured cash-in-transit and personal protection vehicles.

The IGP, who was impressed with the level of expertise at the facility, said the nation’s desire for rapid development could only materialise through adequate support to local manufacturers.

According to him, Nigeria could save a lot of foreign exchange with the purchase of merchandise locally to equip the nation’s security outfits in their fight against crime.

“To be honest with you, I have seen first-hand what Nigerians can offer with the right support. Here, you can see local content development in practice.

“I think it’s a great achievement for us as a country when we start venturing into presumed impossible feats and turning them into possibilities.

“Technologically, Nigerians have the know-how and capacity to compete with the best when it comes to manufacturing.

“It’s an advantage to us when we see avenues such as these we can exploit to bridge the gap of development and unemployment.

“For the police, we will continue to support such ventures by exploring local content opportunities of improving the force’s ability to address security issues and create employment,” Idris said.

Similarly, the Ogun Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, said it was important for government to always create an environment for local manufacturing to thrive.

He added that the best way of spreading wealth and reducing social strife was by creating jobs through local content development.

Ashiru, however, urged manufacturers to focus more on backward integration through raw materials in-sourcing to improve the production value-chain by empowering local suppliers.

“What has happened in Ode-Remo has put this place on the map in terms of capacity and wealth creation.

“However, for every import that we do, we are exporting jobs.

“ Therefore, in-sourcing for raw materials will further improve the competitive edge of the industry.

“By focusing on empowering more of the local suppliers, manufacturers can maximise returns for the economy turnaround that we envisage.

“We are a country endowed with wealth of mineral resources and as government we always encourage that Nigerians patronise made-in-Nigeria goods.

“The only way we can improve our value-chain and strengthen the economy is by looking inwards for economic solutions through research, innovation and enterprise,” Ashiru said.

In his response, ProForce Managing Director, Mr Adetokunbo Ogundeyin, thanked the IGP for the visit, saying the company would continue to restrategise to remain competitive and meet local demand.

“The technology we have here is adaptable in that we produce to suit the peculiarity of the Nigerian terrain. That has always been our cutting edge.

“In the case of raw materials, we have done a lot of backward technology and developed a steel-rolling mill in Ota, Ogun, where we produce steel from scrap metal.

“There is also a joint venture agreement in place with another glass manufacturer to start producing our own glass locally.

“By the time we produce our steel and glass then we have achieved up to about 70 to 80 percent of our technology,” Ogundeyin said.

ProForce was established in 2008 and prides itself as the only private armoured vehicle manufacturer in Nigeria specialising in armoured vehicles and personal protection.

As a total defence solution provider, the company focuses on the delivery of confidence in protective mobility.

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Fuji Music veteran ‘K1 De Ultimate’ clocks 60…Read full details

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K1 De Ultimate. PHOTO: NAN

Foremost Nigerian musician ‘K1 De Ultimate’, acclaimed to have introduced the Fuji music genre to the sounds of keyboards, saxophones and guitars, clocked 60 years on Friday.

Born on March 3, 1957, Olasunkanmi Wasiu Ayinde Marshal is popularly addressed by
fans as K1.

He started his music career at tender age, and by 15, he had won various local music competitions.

He later became a member of the popular Ayinde Barrister band, the Supreme Fuji Commanders from 1975 to 1979.

K1 released his first solo album ‘Abode Mecca’ in 1979, and the iconic hit ‘Talazo 84’ in 1984, which launched him into stardom.

He started his global music tour between North America and Europe in 1984, a feat he continued annually over the years.

In 1996, he delivered the first Fuji performance ever at the World Of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) in the UK, an international festival that celebrates the world’s many forms of music, arts and dance.

K1 also won the Headies Hall Of Fame and the City People Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Nigeria has potential to become defence systems solution hub

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Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, says Nigeria has the potential to become the world’s defence systems solution hub given its capacity to produce high-grade security merchandise locally.

Idris said this on Friday during a tour of ProForce Armour and Ammunitions Production Facility, a defence systems and gadgets provider in Ode-Remo, Ogun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facility produces armoured personnel carriers, ammunitions, ballistic helmets, bullet-proof vests, armoured cash-in-transit and personal protection vehicles.

The IGP, who was impressed with the level of expertise at the facility, said the nation’s desire for rapid development could only materialise through adequate support to local manufacturers.

According to him, Nigeria could save a lot of foreign exchange with the purchase of merchandise locally to equip the nation’s security outfits in their fight against crime.

“To be honest with you, I have seen first-hand what Nigerians can offer with the right support. Here, you can see local content development in practice.

“I think it’s a great achievement for us as a country when we start venturing into presumed impossible feats and turning them into possibilities.

“Technologically, Nigerians have the know-how and capacity to compete with the best when it comes to manufacturing.

“It’s an advantage to us when we see avenues such as these we can exploit to bridge the gap of development and unemployment.

“For the police, we will continue to support such ventures by exploring local content opportunities of improving the force’s ability to address security issues and create employment,” Idris said.

Similarly, the Ogun Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, said it was important for government to always create an environment for local manufacturing to thrive.

He added that the best way of spreading wealth and reducing social strife was by creating jobs through local content development.

Ashiru, however, urged manufacturers to focus more on backward integration through raw materials in-sourcing to improve the production value-chain by empowering local suppliers.

“What has happened in Ode-Remo has put this place on the map in terms of capacity and wealth creation.

“However, for every import that we do, we are exporting jobs.

“ Therefore, in-sourcing for raw materials will further improve the competitive edge of the industry.

“By focusing on empowering more of the local suppliers, manufacturers can maximise returns for the economy turnaround that we envisage.

“We are a country endowed with wealth of mineral resources and as government we always encourage that Nigerians patronise made-in-Nigeria goods.

“The only way we can improve our value-chain and strengthen the economy is by looking inwards for economic solutions through research, innovation and enterprise,” Ashiru said.

In his response, ProForce Managing Director, Mr Adetokunbo Ogundeyin, thanked the IGP for the visit, saying the company would continue to restrategise to remain competitive and meet local demand.

“The technology we have here is adaptable in that we produce to suit the peculiarity of the Nigerian terrain. That has always been our cutting edge.

“In the case of raw materials, we have done a lot of backward technology and developed a steel-rolling mill in Ota, Ogun, where we produce steel from scrap metal.

“There is also a joint venture agreement in place with another glass manufacturer to start producing our own glass locally.

“By the time we produce our steel and glass then we have achieved up to about 70 to 80 percent of our technology,” Ogundeyin said.

ProForce was established in 2008 and prides itself as the only private armoured vehicle manufacturer in Nigeria specialising in armoured vehicles and personal protection.

As a total defence solution provider, the company focuses on the delivery of confidence in protective mobility.

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Faisla by Harp Bhullar [Mp3 + Lyrics]

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Faisla by Harp Bhullar Mp3 download

Album: Faisla

Singer: Harp Bhullar

Music: Anu Manu

Lyrics: Babal Tehna

Label: MP4 Records

Released: 26 Feb,2017

Duration: 05:08

Description: Faisla Harp Bhullar New Punjabi Song Download Free. Music Given by Anu Manu & Lyrics By Babal Tehna Music Copyright of Moviebox Birmingham Limited. Faisla Song Lyrics.

Download and enjoy below…

DOWNLOAD

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Made In Heaven – Afuru M Gi N’anya [Mp3, Lyrics, Wiki, Bio]

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After the release of their debut single, ‘Jeje’, Made In Heaven is out with another single titled Afuru m gi n’anya. Afuru m gi n’anya which means ‘I love you’ in Igbo is a blend of soft rock and blues. The song puts the listener in an atmosphere of total worship to the Most High.
With a mix of four languages-English, Efik, Yoruba and Igbo- Afuru m gi n’anya expresses the hearts of grateful believers, who have experienced the love of God in diverse ways. In total wonder of God’s goodness, one cannot but tell the Lord ‘I love you’ because he first loved us.
The dynamic trio that forms Made In Heaven: Kasope, Olusayo and Lumynors O’ven have this to say of Afuru m gi n’anya:
‘We are indeed ecstatic and grateful to God for the wonderful things he’s done for us. We put this song out with total heartfelt thanks to the Almighty for his love for us. This is why we wrote the song to express our love for him too. Afuru m gi n’anya’

Made In Heaven – Afuru M Gi N’anya

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Tribunal decries INEC’s delay in calling witnesses (Read full details)

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Edo State Governor-elect Godwin Obaseki (middle) after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him as the winner of the election in Benin City on September 29, 2016.

The Edo Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin on Tuesday decried the failure of Mr Onyinye Anunonye, counsel to the Independent National electoral commission(INEC) to call witnesses in its defence in a petition before it.

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, its candidate in the Sept. 28 governorship election, in their petition, are challenging the declaration by INEC of Mr Godwin Obaseki as the winner of the election.

The petitioners had named the INEC, Obaseki and the APC as first, second and third respondents respectively in the petition. INEC had declared Obaseki winner of the Edo governorship election after he polled 319,483 votes to defeat Ize-Iyamu, his closest rival, who scored 250,000 votes.

The petitioners are alleging that the said election was fraught with electoral fraud in some units and wards in the 18 local government areas of the state. They are asking the tribunal to declare Ize-Iyamu as the winner from the valid votes cast.

The petitioners closed their case on Friday after calling 91 witnesses and tendered used ballot papers, results and voter register before the Justice Ahmed Badamasi-led three-member election petition tribunal.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Anunonye informed the tribunal that he could not open his defence, saying he had no witnesses to call in the case. Shortly after announcing his appearance, Anunonye said “ I know the tribunal adjourned till today for us to open our defence. Unfortunately, we have challenges.

“The first is the scheduling of time of the senior counsel in the case for the first respondent which makes it impossible for any of them to be here today.

“And the second and the most important is the challenge of logistics which has made it impossible for any of our witnesses to be in court.”

He explained that many of the witnesses were former NYSC members who had passed out and who resided outside Benin, adding “we have sent them text messages.

“But we have not been able to meet with them to interact and streamline our witnesses to be called in other to present a defence for the respondent.

“While we are conceding three days to enable us to whittle down our witnesses, I apply that the tribunal adjourns to Friday when we will open our defence.

“It should consider the days as part of our 10-day statutorily allotted time for the respondent,’’ he said.
Anunonye’s application, however, drew the ire of the tribunal chairman, Justice Badamasi, who asked him “why didn’t you prepare before today, knowing that the petitioners closed their case on Friday?

But Mr Ken Mozia and Mr Rikky Tarfa, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN), and counsel to Obaseki and APC, respectively, did not oppose Anunonye’s request for adjournment.

They argued that since he was utilising the statutory allotted time, submitted that he should be allowed time to deal with the identified challenges in the defence of his case.

But MrAdebanjo Adelodun, SAN, the petitioners’ counsel, opposed the application for adjournment, saying that although adjournment was at the discretion of the tribunal, it depended on the credible and factual evidence presented before it.

“In this instance, the respondent has not presented any cogent and credible reason for the tribunal to grant an adjournment, aside from the nebulous word ` logistics’.

“My Lords, the respondents is aware that we closed our case on Friday and was sufficiently informed by the tribunal that it would open its defence today.

“We are here today and prepared and INEC is chickening out. We apply that the tribunal forces INEC to open its defence today as we are eager to get done with this petition,” he said.

Adelodun argued that “INEC has several of its members of staff in Benin and who also functioned as electoral officers, it can invite them as witnesses.”

The ruling, Badamasi, however, said that taking into consideration that the first respondent had a 10-day period to present its defence and “since the days being sought for adjournment, are within the allotted time, the application is granted.

Badamasi thereafter adjourned sitting till Friday, Feb.14 for INEC to open its defence.

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Bournemouth’s Arter grateful for Guardiola gesture…See full details

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Bournemouth's English-born Irish midfielder Harry Arter runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Newcastle United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on November 7, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS

Bournemouth’s Harry Arter has praised Pep Guardiola for the “unbelievable touch” of wishing him well with the birth of his child, which is due later this week.

In December 2015, before the Manchester City manager had arrived in England, Arter and his partner Rachel’s daughter Renee was stillborn, prompting an outpouring of sympathy for the midfielder and his family.

Guardiola was seen talking to Arter after City’s 2-0 win away to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Monday.

Explaining what the Spaniard had said to him, Arter told the Daily Echo: “He offered his best wishes for me and my partner this week, which was an unbelievable touch.

“He is someone I have a massive amount of respect for. I watched his Barcelona teams, and look at his Manchester City side.

“For me, he is the best manager in the world. I don’t think there’s anybody close to him and what he has achieved.

“For him to offer that to me, I respected it and accepted it with a smile on my face.”

Guardiola had previously relayed the details of his side of the conversation at his post-match press conference.

“He (Arter) will be a father soon so I said big congratulations to him and his partner because I know what happened in the past, and, hopefully, the baby will be well,” said Guardiola.

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Shun nepotism, corruption, Obaseki tells NYSC members (Read full details)

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Monday urged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to avoid nepotism and corruption which were challenges in the society.

Obaseki gave the advice in Benin, at the closing ceremony of the 2017 NYSC Batch “B” Stream II orientation course.

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Philip Shuaibu, charged the corps members to be hardworking, dedicated, patriotic and committed in improving the lives of people they come across.

He urged them to integrate themselves with the people in the rural areas and respect the culture of their host communities.

Obaseki said Edo people are hospitable and very accommodating, assuring the corps members that they would enjoy their stay in the state.

The governor urged them to contribute their quota through Community Development Services (CDS), which at the end of their service year could qualify them for state honours.

He appealed to employees not to turn down corps members posted to serve with them.

The State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Abdulahi Yusuf, while presenting the 2230 members, said 75 per cent of them had been posted to various educational institutions.

He said that others, such as doctors, paramedics and lawyers, were posted to rural areas.

Yusuf urged the corps members to be good ambassadors of the scheme in their places of primary assignment.

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Mixed reactions trail AMCON’s takeover of Arik Air

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PHOTO: Arik Air

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the takeover of Arik Air by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AMCON had on Thursday taken over Arik Air following the airline’s huge indebtedness to the company and other creditors, both local and foreign.

The asset company directed that the airline would now be managed by Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, a veteran aviation expert, under the receivership of Mr Oluseye Opasanya (SAN).

Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), told NAN on Friday that the aviation unions were being cautious in their reaction to AMCON’s take over of Arik Air which is Nigeria’s largest carrier.

“Our position is that AMCON, which is an agency of government, has not been able to manage some of these firms the way we would have expected.

“We are not particularly pleased with the way AMCON has been managing Aero Contractors, and now it is coming to take over Arik.

“We just need to watch what is going to happen thereafter too and give them the benefit of doubt for now, ” Abioye said.

He said that the welfare of Arik Air’s employees was the number one priority of the unions, stressing that the leadership would soon meet on how to resume discussion with the new management

Also reacting, Mr Gbenga Olowo, President, Aviation Round Table (ART), said the harsh condition of doing business in Nigeria was largely responsible for Arik Air’s woes.

” We all saw it coming to Arik, and maybe others, more than a year ago.

“ART Quarter 1 breakfast meeting in 2016 appraised the very poor situation of Nigerian airlines and rose with an unambiguous communique on the way forward. This is still available on artng.org.

“Treating the Arik case in isolation will be to trivialise the magnitude of the problem.

” Going back to almost 40 years; the government airline – Nigeria Airways – failed; pioneer private airlines – Okada , Kabo, etc failed; third generation ADC, Bellview, Chachangi, Sosoliso etc failed; fourth generation Virgin Nigeria and Air Nigeria failed.

“Believe me, given same Nigerian operating environment, the national carrier yet to be born will fail,” Olowo said.

According to him, the failure of the airlines, essentially, is a Nigerian business environmental factor.

He said business and government were permanently at variance, while cost was permanently higher than income.

” Tax overburden and infrastructural deficit erodes revenue steadily. Gazetted policies that will enhance performance are not implemented. Credit is not in Nigeria business dictionary.

” Yet, Aviation is prone to the most minute situation in the economy, ranging from weather to politics and reckless holidays, ” Olowo added.

On his part, Capt. Dele Ore, a former President of the ART, said that the take over of Arik Air was very gloomy for the industry.

Ore said :”From experience, if care is not taken, that airline will be crippled for the next two years.

“There will be too many interests and distractions. The boardroom politics, shareholders and ownership tussle will bog the airline down.

“So, my own fear is for our children, friends and colleagues who may be thrown out of jobs if things are not done properly. ”

He said the owner and management of Arik Air brought the situation upon themselves by not entrenching good corporate governance on the airline and its operations.

According to him, the airline also had many expatriates on its payroll which was not really necessary.

“The debt profile is too high because when you bring foreigners here, you have to give them the best treatment and condition of service.

“What you spend on one expatriate can cater for three Nigerians who can do the same job,” Ore said.

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Russian runner banned, loses Olympic gold for doping

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The ban was back-dated to start on August 24, 2015. CAS said all prizes won between July 26, 2010 and August 19, 2013, are forfeited.

The international sports tribunal on Friday stripped Russian runner Mariya Savinova-Farnosova of the London Olympics 800 metres gold medal and banned her for four years for doping.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said there was “clear evidence” that Savinova was involved in doping from the eve of the European Championship in Barcelona in 2010 until the 2013 world championships in Moscow — including for the 2012 London Games.

The ban was back-dated to start on August 24, 2015. CAS said all prizes won between July 26, 2010 and August 19, 2013, are forfeited.

The CAS acted as the main tribunal in the case as the Russian athletics federation is suspended by the world body, the International Association of Athletics Federations because of its doping controversy.

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