Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Buhari in closed-door meeting with 36 governors in Aso Rock

 



President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with governors of the 36 states behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Details coming….

Monday, 7 December 2020

Netanyahu thanks Trump on three-year anniversary of US recognition of Jerusalem

 


The American proclamation on the Israeli capital will be displayed in Israel’s Cabinet room alongside President Truman’s 1948 proclamation recognizing the newly established State of Israel, says the Israeli premier.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his great support for the Jewish state, saying that his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 would go down in history with President Harry S. Truman’s recognition of the State of Israel.

“Exactly three years ago, President [Donald] Trump became the first world leader to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” said Netanyahu at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.

“The proclamation will now be prominently displayed on the wall of Israel’s Cabinet room here in Jerusalem. It will be displayed alongside President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 proclamation recognizing the newly established State of Israel. These two historic proclamations will never be forgotten,” he said.

The Israeli premier noted that as significant as that recognition was, it was but one of many historic decisions Trump made during his presidency.

“He recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He recognized Israel’s legitimate rights in Judea and Samaria, proposed a realistic peace plan that acknowledges those rights and maintains Israel’s ability to defend itself. He forged the historic Abraham Accords, which ushered in a new period of peace that is dramatically changing the face of the Middle East before our very eyes,” said Netanyahu.

“He withdrew from the dangerous Iran nuclear deal, placed crippling sanctions on Iran and took out the world’s most dangerous terrorist, Qassem Soleimani. And, of course, he brought the U.S.-Israel alliance to unprecedented heights,” he added.

“For all this and more, thank you, President Trump.”




Trump planning last hurrah for Biden inauguration

 


President Donald Trump is planning to leave the White House on inauguration day via helicopter, skipping Joe Biden’s inauguration – and instead holding a massive rally in Florida to kick off a potential 2024 election bid, according to a report by Axios.

Citing sources familiar with the discussions, the Axios report claims that rather than attend Biden’s inauguration on January 20th, President Trump will depart the White House via Marine One, then fly to Florida on Air Force One for a massive political rally, held to coincide with the swearing in of Joe Biden.

The rally would likely serve as the platform for Trump to announce a run for president in 2024.

The Trump campaign refused to comment on the report.

White House spokesman Judd Deere neither confirmed nor denied the report, but said that unnamed sources “have no idea” about the president’s plans.

“Anonymous sources who claim to know what the President is or is not considering have no idea. When President Trump has an announcement about his plans for Jan. 20 he will let you know.”

Recent reports citing unnamed White House officials claim that President Trump is already planning a 2024 presidential run, as polls show him the candidate of choice among Republicans for the 2024 presidential ticket, with more than half of Republicans favoring Trump over all other potential candidates.




Buhari pleased with outcomes, says presidential aide

 


The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Sunday said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was “very pleased” with the outcomes of the bye-elections held across the country on Saturday.

He said since results from the elections showed that the All Progressives Congress remained the chosen party of Nigerians, Buhari urged the party to uphold the spirit of hard work that led to the victories recorded.

Shehu said this in a press statement titled, ‘Presidency welcomes bye-election results, says we won’t fail the nation.’

The statement reads partly, ‘Results coming from the states of the long list of bye-elections show definitely that our party, the All Progressives Congress, remains the chosen party of Nigerians.

“We do not take this confidence of the people for granted and we will not fail them.

“Nigerians who appreciate the efforts of the administration in making life better for all citizens, especially under an economy facing the severest test from the global coronavirus pandemic will not be disappointed.

“We thank them immensely for their trust in the party and government.”

Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday congratulated the ruling APC for its victory in the bye-elections.

The Speaker specifically congratulated the APC in Lagos State and its victorious candidates for the Lagos-East Senatorial District and that of Kosofe State Constituency II, Tokunbo Abiru and Obafemi Saheed, respectively.

In a statement on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker noted that APC remains the party to beat across the country, boasting that it will remain so.

In a related development, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, in a statement felicitated with candidate of the APC, Prof Nora Daduu’t, on her victory in the Plateau-South Senatorial District bye-election.





ASUU: Union gives update on strike, negotiation with Nigerian govt

 


The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has disclosed that its members are in consultation over the proposal the federal government made to them.

ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said members are making consultations regarding their next line of action.

Ogunyemi explained that the consultation would go beyond this week.

Following a series of meetings between ASUU leadership and the federal government, the Labour Minister, Chris Ngige had promised that government would pay all withheld salaries of lecturers.

The Federal government also pledged to release N75 billion for the revitalisation of universities and the payment of Earned Academic Allowances.

However, Ogunyemi told Vanguard: “We have what the government is offering and have transmitted the same to our members nationwide, and we are consulting on what the next line of action will be.

“As for how long the consultation would take, I cannot say, but it may go beyond this week. Whatever we decide on is going to be in the national interest, the interest of our children, the interest of our members and the good of all.”


Dickson wins Bayelsa West senatorial by-election

 


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Dec. 5, Bayelsa West senatorial by-election.

INEC Returning Officer Prof. Okechukwu Okeke, of the Federal University Otuoke, (FUO) said that Dickson polled 115,257 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi of All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 17,500 votes.


Saturday, 5 December 2020

US govt removes visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians

 


The United States has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians with effect from December 3.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this on Saturday.

A statement from the ministry confirmed that the development follows the Nigerian government’s decision to remove “excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for United States citizens applying for Nigerian visas”.

The reciprocity fee was imposed by the Donald Trump administration in 2019 and was between $80 to $303 depending on the type of visa.

The fee was charged alongside the mandatory visa application fees for only applicants who are issued visas.



Goodluck Jonathan debunks rumours of contesting 2023 election

 


Former President Goodluck Jonathan has debunked rumours of him contesting the 2023 presidential elections and possibly return to the office he left five years ago.

He said it was rather too early for him to be thinking of that.

The Bayelsa State-born Jonathan bared his mind on Friday, December 4, when journalists asked him to state his position on the speculations that has been trailing him in recent times about the moves by politicians trying to woo him to throw his hat into the ring.

Speaking with journalists after attending an event organised by the Commonwealth Community Choir in Abuja, Jonathan was asked if he would be joining the presidential race for 2023, but he swiftly responded by saying:

“It is too early to talk about that.”

Jonathan added that he would rather speak about the issue of insecurity in the country and called for support for the Federal Government and the security agencies to overcome the challenges.

He also noted that Nigeria was not the only country affected by insecurity as that was one of the major challenges he had to deal with while in office.

In the past few weeks, there have been conjectures that Jonathan is being persuaded to run at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two terms.

During his 63rd birthday celebrations two weeks ago, there was a report of a visit by some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and chieftains of the ruling party, with gossips rife that they were trying to convince Jonathan to contest in the 2023 presidential election.

In a statement he later issued, Jonathan denied the fact that the visit of the APC big wigs had anything to do with politics as they only visited him to celebrate with him and his family.


Wednesday, 25 November 2020

South-south Leaders Meet FG Delegation, Demand Restructuring, Federalism

 



South-south governors and other stakeholders from the geopolitical zone yesterday in Port Harcourt met with a presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and demanded restructuring of the country to ensure “true federalism” and guarantee peace, security and stability of the country.

They also demanded the relocation of the headquarters of all subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the region.

Calling for the revitalisation of the region’s Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri ports, they also demanded the immediate privatisation of the nation’s refineries to make them functional and boost the economy of the region.

The South-south leaders stated that the country was not at peace with itself and not working as it should, particularly, for the people of the South-south region.

The Chairman of the South-south Governors Forum and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, presented the position of the zone during its stakeholders’ meeting with the presidential delegation.

The meeting, earlier slated to hold on November 17, was cancelled at the last minute on the excuse that Gambari and some other members of the delegation had to attend an emergency meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on the same day.

The sudden cancellation of the meeting angered leaders of the geopolitical zone who demanded an apology from the government.

The presidency had fixed the meeting with the governors and other leaders of the region to discuss burning national issues affecting the region and the aftermath effects of the #EndSARS protest.

The federal government delegation was supposed to include all the ministers from the geopolitical zone and other persons.

In the aftermath of the cancellation, Okowa, who presided over the session, had expressed regret at the botched meeting, adding that the people of the region had been embarrassed, disgraced and disrespected.

He had said that the South-south geopolitical zone is a very important component part of the nation and the governors feel insulted because the traditional rulers who had gathered for the meeting deserved to be revered.

In a move to pacify the South-south leaders, the presidency had expressed regrets over the failure of the presidential delegation to honour the scheduled meeting with governors and leaders of the zone and promised to contact them to reschedule the parley.

It had attributed the absence of the delegation, which necessitated a last-minute cancellation of the meeting and drew the anger of the South-south leaders, to the timing conflicting with an emergency National Security Council meeting, which held in the State House on Tuesday.

However, at yesterday’s meeting, Okowa told the presidential delegation that the South-south is committed to restructuring the country to guarantee “true federalism” and devolution of powers to the states to create and manage their own police and security architecture under a federal structure.

The regional leaders also called for the relocation of the headquarters of major oil companies, NNPC subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the South-south region.

They requested the immediate implementation of the consent judgment entered in the Supreme Court Suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the South-south gets its share of $55 billion shortfall of collection on deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts.

“True federalism’ guided by the principle of derivation, revenue sharing and control of resources by each state of the federation as it was the case in the first republic is what we want,” Okowa told the presidential delegation.

According to him, the geopolitical zone desires a federation where its constituent units are constitutionally empowered to create their own structures like local government areas, manage their elections and control their judiciary.

He said: “We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a little bit of efforts, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the federation as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse. This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country.

“What is worse and even more painful in this ugly situation is the deliberate lack of understanding, empathy and the uncompromising attitudes of some Nigerians, who have refused to understand the challenges of the South-south region of the country, especially, the degradation of the environment and our waters. As a result, most of the demands of the region have remained unattended to while the resources of the region have been used continually to develop other parts of the country.”

The governors called for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the region’s major seaports in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri to enhance the economic development of the region.

They demanded that the two refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri should be privatised.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, urged the leaders of the region to avail themselves of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly since most of the issues contained in their demands are constitutional matters.

In his address, Gambari said the meeting was in response to the president’s mandate that the presidential delegation comprising all the ministers from the region to visit and consult the representatives of the people regarding the recent #EndSARS protest.

Gambari noted that reports indicated that there were instances where a breakdown of law and order was reported across various locations in the South-south states.

He lauded the governors for their quick response and actions in addressing the #EndSARS crisis.
Those who attended the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Ben Ayade (Cross River); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).

Others were Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva; Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jeddy- Agba; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi was absent.

Other eminent persons present were the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd); former President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Onueze Okocha (SAN); and President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), worldwide, Mr. Peter Igbifa, among others.

US Excludes Nigeria from N7.5m Visa Bond Policy



The United States Mission in Nigeria yesterday took to its Twitter handle to debunk claims that Nigerians are expected to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 before securing visas.

The outgoing administration of United States President Donald Trump yesterday issued a new temporary rule that could require tourists and business travellers as well as others from 24 countries, mostly in Africa, to pay a bond of as much as $15,000 to visit the country.

The US State Department said the measure targets countries whose nationals have higher rates of overstaying B-2 visas for tourists and B-1 visas for business travellers.

The Trump administration said the six-month pilot programme will test the feasibility of collecting such bonds and serves as a diplomatic deterrence to overstaying the visas.

The new visa bond pilot programme for B-1 visas (for business travellers) and B-2 visas (for tourists) is expected to run for six months — December 24 to June 24, 2021.

The visa bond pilot programme is targeted mostly at African countries with high visa overstay.
The new visa system elicited outrage from Nigerians, prompting the US Mission to explain that Nigeria is not on the list of countries whose nationals are affected by the policy.

The US statement said: “Nigeria is not included in this six months pilot programme.

“In response to the April 2019 Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates, the Department and our embassies and consulates overseas conducted an in-depth analysis to identify and address the root causes of overstays.

“Among other efforts to address this challenge, the State Department is considering additional steps to address overstays, including piloting a limited visa bonds programme to test, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds as a means to ensure the timely departure from the United States of certain travellers.

“Accordingly, the State Department will begin a limited six-month visa bond pilot program beginning on December 24, 2020.

“We are committed to combating visa overstays and making sure travellers to the United States respect our laws.

“The implementation of this pilot builds on our engagement with foreign governments in recent years and will ensure continued progress to reduce overstay rates.”

Trump, who lost a re-election bid earlier this month, made restricting immigration a central part of his four-year term in office.

President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, has pledged to reverse many of the Republican president’s immigration policies, but untangling hundreds of changes could take months or years.

Thursday, 19 November 2020

NDLEA intercepts 12.05 kilograms Cocaine at Abuja airport

 


An attempt by one Okorie Cyprian Raymond to allegedly smuggle hard drugs into Nigeria has been foiled by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Command, Abuja.

Okorie was arrested during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight 911 from Sao Paulo, Brazil en-route Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to NDLEA spokesman, Jonah Achema, the drug, which weighed 12.05 kilograms was carefully packed in drink sachets of pineapple and lemon flavor and concealed in a suit case.

Okorie had already claimed his luggage upon arrival and proceeded to NDLEA screening point where it was detected that one of his bags was stuffed with prohibited drugs suspected to be Cocaine.

“He claimed that the drug consignment was given to him to deliver in Nigeria by one Uche whom he met in Church in Brazil about three months ago through a friend. Okorie said Uche overheard him talk to his friend about his impending trip to Nigeria”.

The suspect said: “I actually did not have knowledge of what is in the bag. Oga Uche brought the suit case to me at the airport just an hour before flight take-off. This short interval did not give me the opportunity to scrutinize the bag”.

Okorie, 38 and a school certificate holder has been a resident of Sao Paulo since 2015 where he worked as a technician in brass installation Center.

According to him, “I had to leave my bicycle spare-parts business in Nigeria for greener pasture in the USA but opted to travel through Brazil, Mexico to America. My journey was aborted in Mexico from where I was returned to Brazil where I was granted asylum.”

Kabir Sani Tsakuwa, NDLEA Commander, Abuja Airport noted that “the 12.05 kilograms of Cocaine is one of the highest quantity seized by the Command in recent times. We promise all travelers who involve themselves in drug trafficking that they will not escape our drag net. We will continue to sustain our vigilance,” Tsakuwa said.




NDLEA intercepts 12.05 kilograms Cocaine at Abuja airport

 


An attempt by one Okorie Cyprian Raymond to allegedly smuggle hard drugs into Nigeria has been foiled by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Command, Abuja.

Okorie was arrested during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight 911 from Sao Paulo, Brazil en-route Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to NDLEA spokesman, Jonah Achema, the drug, which weighed 12.05 kilograms was carefully packed in drink sachets of pineapple and lemon flavor and concealed in a suit case.

Okorie had already claimed his luggage upon arrival and proceeded to NDLEA screening point where it was detected that one of his bags was stuffed with prohibited drugs suspected to be Cocaine.

“He claimed that the drug consignment was given to him to deliver in Nigeria by one Uche whom he met in Church in Brazil about three months ago through a friend. Okorie said Uche overheard him talk to his friend about his impending trip to Nigeria”.

The suspect said: “I actually did not have knowledge of what is in the bag. Oga Uche brought the suit case to me at the airport just an hour before flight take-off. This short interval did not give me the opportunity to scrutinize the bag”.

Okorie, 38 and a school certificate holder has been a resident of Sao Paulo since 2015 where he worked as a technician in brass installation Center.

According to him, “I had to leave my bicycle spare-parts business in Nigeria for greener pasture in the USA but opted to travel through Brazil, Mexico to America. My journey was aborted in Mexico from where I was returned to Brazil where I was granted asylum.”

Kabir Sani Tsakuwa, NDLEA Commander, Abuja Airport noted that “the 12.05 kilograms of Cocaine is one of the highest quantity seized by the Command in recent times. We promise all travelers who involve themselves in drug trafficking that they will not escape our drag net. We will continue to sustain our vigilance,” Tsakuwa said.

Buhari hails Goodluck Jonathan in birthday message

 


President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with former President Goodluck Jonathan on his 63rd birthday.

Jonathan turns 63 on November 20, 2020, and Buhari congratulated him for a life of service that has brought honour and goodwill to the country.

A statement signed by Femi Adesina and made available to DAILY POST on Thursday said that Buhari noted with appreciation, the peculiar and remarkable climb of the former president on Nigeria’s political ladder, “and dedication that has kept him working most recently as ECOWAS envoy to bring peace to the Republic of Mali.

“President Buhari prayed that the Almighty God will grant Dr Jonathan longer life, good health and more wisdom to keep serving the nation and humanity.”


Govt, ASUU to Resume Talks On Friday



 Strike not about IPPIS alone, union insists

The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will resume talks on Friday, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The spokesman of the ministry, Mr. Charles Akpan, confirmed last night that the talks with the ASUU leaders would hold at the minister's conference hall.

This is coming as ASUU has said it would not call off its eight-month strike even if the federal government withdraws the Integrated Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) as a means of paying them.

The Benin Zone of the union also yesterday expressed doubt over the capability and commitment of Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, to midwife any peaceful resolution of the issues that led to the ongoing strike in the country's public universities.

The Coordinator, ASUU Owerri zone, Mr. Uzo Onyibinama stated the union's position on IPPIS in a press briefing held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

He said federal government was feeding the public with lies about the strike, stating that the main reason for the strike was the government's inability to keep previous agreements and not about IPPIS as being propagated by the government.

He said the union would not call off the strike until all its demands were met by the federal government.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the issues in contention remain revitalisation fund for public universities, arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), visitation to universities, proliferation of state universities and issues of governance in them, and conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

"The later issue of IPPIS was a new introduction and a diversion as no university in the world runs such a system.

"Instead of apologising to the Nigerians and hiding their heads in shame on the serial failures of Governments particularly the present Government which came on the mantra of 'change', the duo of Ministers Chris Ngige and Emeka Nwajiuba have been feeding Nigerians with lies and half-truth.

"Ministers Ngige and Nwajiuba have on many occasions on various media organisations said that agreement have been reached on virtually all the issues that necessitated the seven months old strike

"They should please tell Nigerians, who are their masters, those agreements that have been reached and implemented. As far as our Union is concerned, no agreement has been reached on any of the demands.

"So, instead of constantly running to the press, Ngige and Nwajiuba should sit down and painstakingly do the work that they are paid to do. It is on record that the date given by the Minister Ngige to reach our Union with Government improved position has elapsed without any communication.

"The proposed new timelines for implementation of some proposals such as the appointment of a new team for renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, gazetting of visitation panels among others have elapsed without any implementation. This shows the insincerity on the part of the Government.

"On IPPIS, our Union has been consistent in rejecting the platform as it compromises the autonomy of the University system and a threat to national security considering that the software is hosted in Washington, the USA with a sub-platform at Gombe State"

Meanwhile, the Benin Zone of the union also yesterday expressed doubt over the capability and commitment of Ngige, to midwife any peaceful resolution of the issues that led to the ongoing strike in the country's public universities.

The union hinged its doubt on Ngige's approach in the handling of the ongoing strike, which it said may probably not midwife a resolution of the crisis in the country's public universities.

The zone is made up of University of Benin(UNIBEN), Benin City; Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University(AAUA), Akungba Akoko Ondo State; Olusegu Agagu University of Science and Technology(OAUSTEC), Okitikpukpa, Ondo State; Delta State University, Abraka; and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Efurun, Delta State.

In a statement issued in Benin City yesterday and signed by the Union's Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh, ASUU observed that since the development of UTAS (University Transparency and Accountability Solution), which ASUU is recommending as against the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which the federal government what them to adopt, the minister has been making remarks characteristic of a "spoiler, confusionist and anti-ASUU, rather than a conciliator."

Esumeh said that by the provisions of the law, Ngige, as the Minister of Labour and Employment is saddled with the conciliatory role during industrial disharmony, "to calm an already tensed situation and bring about a peaceful resolution, but he has chosen to be the mouthpiece of other unions that were not part of the 2019 MoA (Memorandum of Agreement)".

He accused the government of introducing IPPIS to divert the public attention to the lack of sincerity, and will to faithfully implement agreement reached with ASUU, insisting on the union's rejection of IPPIS, given its violation of the University Autonomy Act and its inadequacies to carter for the peculiarities in the university system.

The union accused the government through the Minister of Finance, her Labour and Employment counterpart as well as the Accountant General of the Federation of "deploying the weapon of hunger to compel and coarse ASUU members to enroll on the IPPIS platform. This move of government smacks of impunity and it is undemocratic in a democratic setting."

Wednesday, 18 November 2020

ASUU strike: FG will meet agreements with all unions – Buhari


President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that the federal government would meet all agreements with unions in the educational sector.

Buhari gave the assurance while expressing concern over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

He appealed to the lecturers to return to their duty posts.

The President spoke at the 2020 convocation and 72nd founding day celebration of the University of Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Buhari was represented at the ocassion by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed.

He urged all unions in the educational sector to embrace dialogue, rather than confrontation.

“I wish to assure all stakeholders, in the education sector, that the Federal Government will continue to meet its obligations and agreements with all unions.

“It is my earnest desire that all unions should shed the toga of confrontation and embrace dialogue, for the sake of our children and the development of our educational system,” he said.

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Joe Biden calls Donald Trump's refusal to admit defeat 'an embarrassment'

 

Joe Biden has laughed off comments made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the White House was preparing for "a smooth transition to a second Trump administration".

Speaking in Delaware a short time ago, Mr Biden was asked about Donald Trump's refusal to acknowledge he had lost, calling it an "embarrassment".
"The fact that they're not willing to acknowledge that we won at this point is not of much consequence in our planning and what we're able to do now between now and January 20," Mr Biden said.
US President-Elect Joe Biden called Donald Trump's refusal to admit defeat "an embarrassment". (Nine News)
"I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly.
"It will not help the President's legacy."
Mr Biden said his team could get by without transition funding and access to official briefings, for now.
"We don't see anything slowing this down, frankly," he said.
When asked whether he had a message to Mr Trump, Mr Biden said: "Mr President, I look forward to speaking with you".
President Donald Trump gives two thumbs up as he departs after playing golf at the Trump National Golf Club.
President Donald Trump gives two thumbs up as he departs after playing golf at the Trump National Golf Club. (AP)
Mr Biden laughed when referencing comments made by Mr Pompeo earlier this morning.
"I don't see a need for legal action, quite frankly," Mr Biden said.
"You've seen it play out, the action (Mr Trump is) taking, and so far there is no evidence of any of the assertions made by the president or Secretary of State Pompeo," he laughed.
Mr Biden was asked how his team expected to move ahead with the Republicans so far refusing to acknowledge he had won the election.
"They will, they will," Mr Biden said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the White House was preparing for a "smooth transition" to a second Trump term. (AP)
Mr Biden also vowed to make healthcare affordable for all Americans when he officially comes to power in January.
"I will protect your health care like I protect my own family".
That included taking "bold steps to lower health care costs" and "lowering the price of prescription drugs".
"Families are reeling right now. Were going to get right to work, I promise you."
He also made reference to his own family's experience of losing a child to a serious illness.
"When a family is faced with the awful news of a child's diagnosis of leukaemia, or a mum forced to battle against breast cancer, it stops your heart," Mr Biden said.
President-elect Joe Biden walks to his motorcade as he leaves The Queen theatre in Wilmington, Delaware. (AP)
"It wrenches your entire world off its axis when that happens. Believe me, I know the feeling and too many American families know it as well.
"At that moment, the very last thing on your mind, the very last thing on your mind should be is whether you can afford the treatment, the affordable care act was created to put a stop to that inhumanity."

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