Buhari suspends Onnoghen, swears in Mohammed as acting CJN

President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Chief Justice of Nigeira (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, pending the completion of his trial at the Code of Condcut Tribunal.

He said the suspension followed the order of the CCT directing him to suspend Onnoghen, pending the completion of his trial.

The President has swore in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as the acting CJN. Mohammed who hails from Bauchi state is the most senior justice of the Supreme Court.

I won’t use Government Money to finance my Campaigns, Buhari Promises

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja said he was committed to eliminating corruption in campaign financing, vowing not to use any money from the treasury for his re-election campaign.

The president, according to a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the president made the disclosure, while speaking at the close of Wednesday’s weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the Council Chamber of the State House.

Adesina said Buhari directed members of his cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC)- led administration in next month’s general elections.

He quoted the president as saying, “As political parties spread their ideologies and views to every nook and crannies of the country, the issue of cash payment to voters and its corrupting influence in electioneering has once again become a topical issue.

“Try and use text and multi-media messages to seek votes for the party and government.

‘‘There is no money from the treasury for use in the campaigns. I will not authorise that.”

According to him, Buhari declared that the APC-led administration has a clear development agenda best suited to take Nigeria forward and sustain economic development.

‘‘This message needs to be taken to all Nigerians but we cannot use money from the treasury to share out to prospective voters.

‘‘Nigerians want change and we alone can deliver that change. Our people can no longer be swayed by money politics,’’ he was further quoted to have said.

The statement added that the president also used the occasion, which was a valedictory session for the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, to wish the minister success in her electoral contest.

“The minister had signified her desire to leave the cabinet, in line with existing regulations, to run for a legislative seat in her native Yobe State,” the statement added.

North Korea's Kim Jong-un visits China's Xi Jinping

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing for an unannounced visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mr Kim will be in China until 10 January with his wife Ri Sol-ju, according to state media reports.

The visit comes amid reports that negotiations are under way for a second summit between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump.

The two met last June, the first such meeting for a sitting US president.

Mr Kim met Mr Xi on Tuesday for about an hour, South Korean news agency Yonhap reports, citing unnamed sources, saying the pair discussed the possible US-North Korea summit. After their meeting, Mr Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a dinner, Yonhap says.

INEC to train over 1m personnel for 2019 polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will train over one million electoral staff and ad-hoc personnel for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

Mr Solomon Soyebi, Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), made the disclosure on Monday in Calabar. He stated this during a training workshop for State Training Officers and Assistant State Training Officers on Cascade Training Implementation for 2019 elections.

The workshop was organised by INEC in collaboration with the International Foundation of Electoral System (IFES). Soyebi explained that 850,000 electoral personnel would be trained as polling unit officials, while 150,000 would consist of Civil Society Organisations and officials of security agencies officials.

“With just about 39 days to the first election and about 53 days to the second one, it is very important that we train our people adequately.

“For the poll officials, we are going to train over 850,000 personnel.

“When you aggregate the Civil Society Organisations and security officials, we will be talking of over one million personnel and each of them has to be trained.

“Today’s training is for the poll officials, who will go back to their states to transmit the training to the ad-hoc staff ahead of the election,’’ he said. He added that for the first time, the institute was organising a training which would involve the inclusiveness of special groups like the people with disabilities.

Atiku alleges Buhari’s cut deal with Yari, Masari to ‘capture’ Zamfara, Katsina States

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said accused President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, party of allegedly cutting a deal with the governors of Zamfara and Katsina to “capture” the states. Atiku also said he welcomes “whatever reasonable measures the Federal Government takes to put an end to the needless loss of lives and property in Zamfara and Katsina States,” but warned that “imposing emergency rule in the two states can only address the symptoms rather than the cause of the current security crisis facing the North West states.”

Reacting to the call by Governor Abdul-Aziz Yari Abubakar for the imposition of a State of Emergency in Zamfara State, Atiku said, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, that a fundamental solution must be sought to the crisis to ensure lasting peace. The statement claimed “the deal being struck between the federal government and the Governors of Zamfara and Katsina States reflects the desperation of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led FG to “capture” the states at all cost during next month’s general elections.”

“The deal, cut at a meeting in the presidential villa in Abuja is simple: The FG will impose a state of emergency in Zamfara, to provide a window for APC to field a candidate for the governorship election in the state, having failed to do so within the time frame stipulated by the Commission.” In the statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by Shaibu, as seen in happeningnownews.com, Atiku said that “everything that is required for this manipulation has been provided by the leadership of the party.”

I’m being sexually harassed by men, Edo Assembly female candidate cries out

Edo State House of Assembly only female candidate seeking to represent Oredo West Constituency, Miss Charity Idahosa, says she is being sexually harassed by men over her ambition.

Idahosa, contesting under the platform of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), made the allegation in a chat with newsmen in Benin on Thursday. She described the experience as frustrating, and a recurring negative trend against women in politics. “Well it has been mixed feelings. I came into politics with the desire to make a change and contribute my quota to the development of Oredo West constituency. “It will be shocking to note that people I had looked up to for support often asked for sexual gratification before giving their support and for me it is absurd and unacceptable.”

The MAJA party candidate who declined to mention names added: “I know this may sound funny but it is real. “There are a lot of women out there that cannot speak out on some of their unpleasant encounters and experiences. “I think it is time for Nigeria women to rise against this trend. We need to be protected and supported.”

She, however, vowed to remain undaunted in her desire to contest the state assembly election in spite of the frustration and lack of support. Idahosa stressed that female candidates require a law to protect them from all forms of harassment in the pursuit of their political ambitions.