Senate screens non-career ambassadorial nominees (Read full details)

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The Senate has begun the screening of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees submitted to it by the President.

Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, Chairperson, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs said in Abuja on Tuesday that the screening was in line with section 171, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Jan. 12, re-submitted a list of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

The chairperson said the Senate would ensure that it selected and confirmed the best nominees that would represent Nigeria in the international arena to enable it to compete favourably with other nations.

“The committee expects that your performance during the screening would be commensurate to the task of the assignment you are nominated for.

“You should equally have it in mind the dynamics of foreign policy and relations between Nation-states that requires timely action on all matters affecting the well-being of Nigerians in all countries of the world.”

“I assure you of the committee’s determination in the conduct of this assignment to be just and fair to all nominees, without compromising the strict selection process of qualified individuals among you that will represent Nigeria abroad.

“I also wish to use this opportunity to bring to your notice, reported cases of the inaccessibility and preferential treatments of our citizens by some Nigerian Envoys.

“And to strongly caution you to desist from such behaviour, if eventually confirmed.”

Sunmonu said the committee would carry out a thorough job to ensure that good hands were deployed at the end of the exercise.

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Madonna adopts twin girls from Malawi…Read full details

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(FILES) This file photo taken on November 30, 2014 shows US pop superstar Madonna sitting among Malawian children during a visit to the Mkoko Primary School, one of the schools Madonna's Raising Malawi organization has built jointly with US organization BuildOn in the Kasungu District, Central Malawi. A court in Malawi on February 7, 2017 approved Madonna's request to adopt two four-year-old twin girls, adding to the two other children that the US pop superstar adopted previously from the country. / AFP PHOTO / AMOS GUMULIRA

US superstar Madonna adopted two four-year-old twin girls from Malawi on Tuesday, a court official in Lilongwe told AFP, taking the number of children she has adopted from the country to four.

Just two weeks ago, the singer denied that she was involved in any adoption application in Malawi after news of her court case first emerged.

“I can confirm that Madonna has been granted an adoption order for two children,” judicial spokesman Mlenga Mvula told AFP, adding they were twins called Esther and Stella.

Madonna, who set up a charity called Raising Malawi in the southern African nation in 2006, adopted Malawian children David Banda in 2006 and Mercy James in 2009.

Her publicist was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

On January 24, local media reports said the singer appeared before Justice Fiona Mwale, accompanied by two unidentified children and several other people, before being driven away in an SUV vehicle.

Later that day Madonna told US magazine People in a statement that “the rumours of an adoption process are untrue.”

Madonna’s charity is funding a surgical unit for children at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Blantyre, the commercial hub of Malawi.

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#IStandWithNigeria: The price of Attachment for braids have increased from N500 to N1500 per pack! – Yemi Alade reacts to nationwide protest

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The singer took to her Instagram page to show support for the #IStandWithNigeria Nationwide protest.

She wrote;

“#istandwithnigeria
The price of Attachment for braids have increased from #500 to #1500 per pack!
#50 agege bread is now #100
What about kereosene price!! Okada no dey collect #50 again sef!
#istandwithnigeria
#increaseInPrices
#reductionInquality
#Kidnap&armrobbery are on the
increase!
WE JUST WANT ANSWERS FROM THE GOVERNMENT WE PUT IN POWER TO REP ,PROTECT AND GUIDE US.

PROPER COMMUNICATION IS WHAT WE WANT… #WeWantConstant&
continuousCommunication
#weNeedToPrepareTheYouthsToBeLe aders”

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Court adjourns hearing in suit against Tambuwal till Feb. 28 (Read full details)

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Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

The Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday adjourned hearing till Feb. 28 in a fresh suit seeking to remove the Sokoto State Governor. Aminu Tambuwal from office.

The suit is in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling of Dec. 9, 2016, which ordered the court to retry the case on its merit and make decisions as demanded by law.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned the matter at the instance of the plaintiff’s counsel, Ikoro M. Ikoro, for the determination of the plaintiff’s motion.

The plaintiff, Umaru Dahiru, is seeking nullification of Tambuwal’s nomination as All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2015 governorship election in the state.

Ikoro who confirmed receipt of the counter motion said he needed a short adjournment to enable him respond to the counter affidavit.

He informed the court that he had filed a motion dated Jan.31 to amend the reliefs being sought in the originating summon. The counsel said that he wanted some reliefs to be deleted from the originating summon having been overtaken by events.

However, Mr Jibrim okutepa(SAN) and Mr Sunday Ameh(SAN) counsel to APC and Tambuwal, respectively, said they have filed a counter affidavit to object to attempt to amend the originating summon.

In the fresh court action, the plaintiff hinged his case on the ground that the Dec. 4 primary election was conducted in gross violation of Section 87 of the 2010 Electoral Act and the APC 2014 Election Guidelines.

He also sought court declaration that it is unlawful for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act on a candidate nominated by the APC for the purpose of general candidate.

He said it is unlawful when such a candidate was elected in violation of electoral guidelines established by the APC itself.

Dahiru also asked the court to declare that in the circumstances of the primary election, Tambuwal is not entitled to be returned as the governorship candidate of the APC for the Sokoto State governorship conducted in April 11, 2015.

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Tribunal hears Ghana, Ivory maritime dispute…Read full details

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Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo

An international tribunal on Monday began hearing arguments in a dispute between Ghana and Ivory Coast over a contested maritime boundary that cuts through lucrative offshore oil fields.

The area is believed to hold the biggest hydrocarbon resources discovered in west Africa over the last decade.

The neighbours have asked the Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to rule on where the border lies exactly, with Ghana arguing there is no need to deviate from a decades-long “mutually agreed and recognised” boundary line based on equidistance.

Ivory Coast, however, claims the border is not properly demarcated and accuses Ghana of carrying out oil exploration activities in Ivorian maritime zones.

Both sides will lay out their case in oral hearings over the next two weeks, with Ghana kicking off the proceedings on Monday.

“The boundary lies in the region of some of the most significant oil reserves in west Africa,” Ghana’s justice minister Gloria Akuffo told the court in her opening statement.

“A fairly drawn agreed line does not suddenly become unfair simply because one state decides it would be economically more advantageous for it if the line were drawn somewhere else.”

A tribunal spokeswoman told AFP that a judgement in the case is not expected until “later this year”.

The two countries brought their spat before the tribunal in 2014 after months of fruitless negotiations.

In a setback for Ghana in 2015, the court’s special chamber ordered it not to carry out any new oil drilling in the disputed waters until the matter was resolved.

But the court rejected Ivory Coast’s demand that Ghana suspends all ongoing oil exploration and exploitation in the area, ruling that such a move would cause the country “considerable financial loss” and could harm the maritime environment by allowing equipment to deteriorate.

Several oil companies including France’s Total, Russia’s Lukoil and the UK’s Tullow Oil have reported significant finds in the contested area in recent years.

The dispute carries echoes of another maritime border row on the continent between the eastern nations of Kenya and Somalia.

The UN’s highest court in The Hague agreed earlier this month to hear their case, which will determine the fate of offshore oil and gas projects in the Indian Ocean waters.

Despite the tensions, both Ghana and Ivory Coast — West Africa’s second and third-largest economies — have insisted they remain on good terms.

“The relationship between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire remains cordial, a testament to the strength of our relationship,” Akuffo told the court.

Ghana is a major producer of gold and cocoa and began commercial oil production in 2010 following the discovery of the Jubilee oil field, which produces 100,000 barrels per day.

Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer of cocoa, has a daily oil production of some 45,000 barrels and is aiming to increase its output to 200,000 barrels per day by 2020.

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Egypt salutes team ‘dignity’ after agonising loss…See full details

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Egypt's goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary stands dejected after Egypt lost 2-1 to Cameroon in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final football match between Egypt and Cameroon at the Stade de l'Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on February 5, 2017.  PHOTO: AFP / GABRIEL BOUYS

The Egyptian president and newspapers applauded the “dignity” of the national football team on Monday, calling them champions despite agonisingly losing the Africa Cup of Nations final 2-1 to Cameroon.

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny gave Egypt the lead midway through the first half on Sunday and they looked to be on course to win an unrivalled eighth Cup of Nations crown in their first appearance at the tournament since 2010.

But Cameroon hit back and Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score a stunning winner with two minutes left to break Egyptian hearts.

“We have lost with dignity” read the headline of the privately owned Al-Shorouk newspaper.

“The Pharaohs have lost 2-1 in the finals after a dignified performance,” said the state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper.

The private Al-Watan newspaper chimed: “The cup was lost but we won the national team.”

“You have honoured us, champions… We’ll meet at the World Cup,” the privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper added.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his “great appreciation” to the players on their “dignified performance” in Gabon.

“Despite the result of the game the national team has won the appreciation of the entire Egyptian people and the respect of all football fans around the world,” Sisi said in a statement.

Thousands of fanatical Egyptians gathered in front of massive screens in the 6 October suburb in western Cairo, as they did all over the country, blowing Vuvuzelas and waving Egyptian flags.

The Vuvuzela horns fell silent at the final whistle.

“I’m in shock,” said 30-year-old engineer Ayman Abou el-Nour, who was watching the game with his wife and two children.

“We needed something to bring us happiness. Our problem now is that we don’t have anything to make us happy.”

Egyptians, grappling with skyrocketing prices and political turmoil, hope next year’s World Cup will offer some more respite.

“We have lost the cup but we still have a chance to reach the World Cup. That is the big dream,” said 20-year-old student Ahmed Alaa.

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