Liverpool through to UEFA Champions League final after beating Spanish side, Villarreal 5-2 on aggregate on Tuesday.
Liverpool, came from behind during the second half to defeat Villarreal in their second leg encounter in Spain.
Goals from Fabinho, Luis Diaz, and Sadio Mane saved the Reds from European humiliation against a side who cancelled out their 2-0 first leg deficit with ease.
Details more.
The press is a critical agent for the protection of democracy and development and must be supported to enable them to effectively discharge their constitutional duties as the watchdog of the society, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said.
It observed that Nigerian journalists fought very hard to achieve the nation’s democratic status and deserve a better deal, unlike the current situation where many of them struggle with poor conditions of service among other challenges, including censorship, harassment, intimidation, and in some cases, assassinations.
NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, made the remarks on the eve of the celebration of the 2022 World Press Freedom Day which is commemorated annually on May 3.
He asked the society to see journalists as “the oxygen of democracy and agents of change and development,” adding that their constitutional duty which is enshrined in Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution as amended – “to hold the government accountable to the people” distinguishes them as those who perform an essential duty to the nation.
Human Rights Defenders
The Chief Human Rights Officer stated that it is incontestable that the advent of the internet with the attendant boost in digital communication has benefited humanity in various ways, “but at the same time, it has threatened our right to privacy, since virtually nothing is hidden from the internet radar.
Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said, “It is on this note that I commend UNESCO for championing the proposed World Press Freedom Day Global Conference scheduled to hold between May 2 and 5 in Punta Del Este, Uruguay.
“The conference would be a forum for key players in the internet-related companies, legal experts, journalists, etc to discuss the challenges of digital communications, the impact on press freedom, and the way forward.”
According to the learned silk, the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day is not an opportunity to witch-hunt any person or institution but is a period to reminisce the fundamental principles of press freedom, gauge the state of press freedom globally, defend the media from attacks on their independence, and to pay tribute to journalists who are either human rights defenders in custody or captivity or have lost their lives in the line of duty.
He, therefore, urged the law enforcement agencies, including the police to, as a matter of necessity, intensify their investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of some Nigerian journalists, including that of late Vanguard newspaper, Tordue Salem, whose body was reportedly found in Abuja in 2021.
The observance of World Press Freedom Day, which started in 1993 and is celebrated on May 3 annually, is designed to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and to remind journalists of the need to adhere to their professional ethics, defend democracy, justice, equity, and fairness and be committed as human rights defenders
Muslim faithfuls in Nigeria, Africa and around the world are beginning their prayers and celebrations for Eid ul Fitr 2022. Also written as Eid al-Fitr, it means ‘festival of breaking the fast’ and takes place when Ramadan ends, signalling that the daily fasting is over and the next month (Shawwal) begins.
Earlier Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar announced that EID prayer will be held across Nigeria on Monday, May 2.
Similarly Saudi Arabia announced that Eid ul Fitr festivities will start on Monday, along with a number of other countries. For others, though, Eid already started on Sunday, May 1, or won’t be until Tuesday, May 3. The festivities normally last for three days.
Dates of Eid and other Islamic months and events can vary by a day or so depending on moon-sighting announcements from different locations. Some communities follow the Saudi news, others look for confirmation in Morocco, the UK, or other countries. So how do you wish your neighbours or friends, colleague at work, a Happy Eid and what can be said as a reply?
How to wish Muslims Happy Sallah/EID Day:
Eid is a word for a festival or celebration, while mubarak means blessed. So to say Eid Mubarak means Happy Eid, or have a blessed holiday.
Eid Mubarak may be said at the end of a fuller greeting. For instance:
Aamiin Ya Rabb Samawati.
Alhamdulillah for the completion of this year’s Ramadan. May Allaah SWT Grant us our heart desires, makes us amongst His Best in this dunya and alkhira, Forgive our sins, Accept our ibada and Spare us life and good health to witness many more.
Eid Mubarak!
Another instance:
Happy Sallah Day Celebration. May Allah accept from us all our good deed during the Ramadan.
It is as simple as the above samples, free free to show love to a Muslim near you.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Monday as the first day of Shawwal 1443AH in Nigeria.
The Sultan made the declaration in a statement on Saturday signed by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs Sultanate Council, Sokoto.
He said the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in Conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee did not receive any report from various Moon Sighting committees across the country.
He said therefore, Sunday is the 30th day of the month of Ramadan 1443AH.
The Sultan said he has accepted the report and accordingly declared Monday as the first day of Shawwal 1443AH, Day of Eid-el-Fitr.
He felicitated with Nigerian Muslims and wished them God’s guidance and blessings.
He urged Muslims to continue to pray for peace progress and development of the country and wished all Nigerians happy Eid-el-Fitr.
Earlier Nigerian Newssphere reported that Saudi Arabi declared Monday as Eid-el-Fitr.
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has sought the collaboration of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the successful execution of the 2022 Information Communication Technology and Telecommunication (ICTEL) Expo.
This was the focus of the discussion between the two organisations, during a courtesy visit by delegates from LCCI to the Commission in Abuja recently.
Speaking during the visit, which took place at NCC’s Head Office (Annex) Mbora, Abuja, the Director, Trade Promotions, LCCI, Seriki Oyediran, said that the objective of the visitation was to discuss with the Management of NCC toward achieving the objectives of the 8th Edition of the ICTEL Expo focusing on: “Ensuring Efficient Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria.”
Oyediran acknowledged that the participation of NCC at the annual trade fair in previous years has added colour, focus and clarity, and ensured the success of previous events. He, therefore, called on the Commission to partner with the Chamber to enable it to record greater success in the ICTEL 2022 edition.
Responding, Director, Digital Economy, Dr. Austin Nwaulune, who received the delegation on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, applauded LCCI for its consistency in organising the annual confernce.
Nwaulune stated that the theme of this year’s conference aligns with the Commission’s focus on facilitating infrastructural development and deployment to enhance socio-economic development of Nigeria.
Demonstrating the connection between the thematic focus of the conference and NCC mandates and activities, Nwaulune explained that, through the NCC, the Federal Government has established various policies such as the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), which is being vigorously implemented to improve broadband infrastructure across the country.
The Director Digital Economy Department at the Commission, also recalled efforts of the Commission in ensuring that the seven Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) already licensed by the telecom regulator accelerated their infrastructure deployment across the six geo-political zones of the country.
The Director commended the organisers for the calibre of sponsors listed for the expo and asserted that the event will be a hub for stakeholders such as Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), InfraCos and international organisations, and offer them the opportunity to glean developments in the country and to deepen their interests in promoting innovation, competition.
In his comments, the NCC Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Efosa Idehen, explained that the Commission has evidently adopted an open-door policy and particularly through its consumer-centric initiatives. He also emphasised that the Commission appreciates collaboration with stakeholders whose programmes allow consumers to interact with the service providers.
“The NCC prioritises the consumers. We therefore see this forthcoming expo as another opportunity for the consumer’s voice to be heard as they interface with service providers. This is based on our regulatory mandate of ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services get value for their money and are treated right as critical stakeholders in the telecom ecosystem,” Idehen stated to reiterate NCC’s commitment to the promotion, protection and defence of the interests of telecom consumers.
Saudi Arabia has announced that Muslims in the country will celebrate the Eid-el-fitri on Monday.
The Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court as saying the Shawwal crescent was not sighted on Saturday and thus Ramadan continues on Sunday.
Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset during the Islamic month of Ramadan. The sighting of the crescent moon on Saturday would have marked the end of Ramadan and the start of the next month of Shawwal.
In he Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) asked Nigerian Muslims to look out for the crescent moon on Saturday.
As of 6 p.m. Nigerian time, the NSCIA has not announced that the moon has been sighted anywhere in the country.
Should the moon not be sighted on Saturday in Nigeria, then Muslims in the country will, like their Saudi counterpart, fast on Sunday and celebrate the Eid on Monday.
The UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain also announced that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be May 2, AlArabiya news network quoted the International Astronomical Center as saying on Twitter.
Eid al-Fitr celebrations occur at the end of Ramadan which lasts 29 or 30 days based on when the crescent moon is sighted.
…Clears 15 Aspirants
As Nigerians gear up for the coming 2023 presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential screening committee has disqualified two of its aspirants.
This is coming as 15 Aspirants scaled through.
Chairman of the committee, Sen. David Mark announced this on Friday after the committee concluded its screening of the party’s 17 aspirants.
Sen. Mark did not disclose the identity of the disqualified candidates.
The exercise, as far as we’re concerned, went on very well. We’ve been here since morning, and I’m sure you people have been here since morning also.
“We’ve been very thorough this time. See how much time we’ve taken to screen each individual who has been here. We screened 17 aspirants, which is quite a number. We cleared 15 and two have not been cleared.
“Now, don’t ask me those who have been cleared and those who have not been cleared, because I won’t tell you. We haven’t released the result to them. So, if you ask a question in that direction, you’re wasting time.
“I think on the whole, that’s what we’ve done. And we’re quite satisfied with the standard of the aspirants by and large. And we think that any one of them, who gets the ticket, will win the election in 2023.”
“They didn’t meet the requirements and I can’t be more specific about that.”
The disqualified candidates are expected to forfeit the N40 million each of them paid for the expression of interest and nomination forms.
Reason for Disqualification
Speaking on the reason for the disqualification, the former Senate President said they did not meet up with the requirements for the position they were contesting for.
15 Apsirants cleared
Speaking on the 15 aspirants, who scaled the screening hurdle, the former Senate President noted that they were all qualified and would perform well if they emerged the flag bearer of the party in next year’s election.
The 17 aspirants screened on Friday included, Teriela Oliver, the only female aspirant in the race; governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; Nyesom Wike of Rivers; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi; and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; as well as investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former Anambra State governor Peter Obi; and former Senate President, Pius Anyim.
Others were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose; ex-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa; a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Publisher, Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe; Charles Ugwu; and Chikwendu Kalu.
The screening, according to one of the aspirants – Sen Anyim Pius Anyim – was designed to verify the candidates’ membership and financial status, academic credentials, and other requirements for a presidential candidate as spelled out in the constitution.
…Falana, Ananaba, Yusuf, Ogar, others disagree over former president’s fate
The hope for the emergence of former President Goodluck Jonathan to run for the 2023 Presidential Election has divided legal practitioners as lawyers held divergent views over legality of such ambition.
Supporters and followers alike have been touting the former President’s resurgence to take-over from President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023.
However, some lawyers have argued that chances of his emergence, noting very slim as Nigerian construction frowns against such ambition.
The Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Thursday said that former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot run for the 2023 presidential race.
In a statement, Falana said Jonathan cannot contest the 2023 presidential election by virtue of Section 137 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“It has been confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan has decided to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, to contest the 2023 presidential election,” the statement partly read.
“However, the former President is disqualified from contesting the said election by 137 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended which provides as follows: ‘A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.
“Some people have said that the amendment is not retrospective and therefore cannot apply to Dr. Jonathan. Assuming without conceding that the amendment is not retrospective, it is submitted that under the current Constitution a President or Governor cannot spend more than 2 terms of 8 years. In other words, the Constitution will not allow anyone to be in office for more than a cumulative period of 8 years.
“It is not in dispute that Dr. Jonathan became the President of Nigeria in 2010 following the sudden death of President Umaru Yar’adua. He later contested and won the 2011 presidential election. Having spent 5 years in office as President, Dr. Jonathan is disqualified from contesting the 2023 presidential election.
“The reason is that if he wins the election, he will spend an additional term of 4 years. It means that he would spend a cumulative period of 9 years as President of Nigeria in utter breach of Section 137 of the Constitution which provides for a maximum two terms of 8 years.”
His comments followed speculations that the former president may defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Similarly, Professor Paul Ananaba (SAN) said Jonathan is not qualified to run for the office of the president because the constitution does not envisage that any Nigerian will be in office for more than eight years under any circumstance.
“If you add the four years – the two years under Yar’adua, and another four years – it will be more than eight years,” he said.
Similarly, Buhari Yusuf said Jonathan is ineligible under the law saying the combined reading of sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, “Makes it practically impossible for someone who has taken the oath of office twice as president to come on the third one.”
However, Murtala Abdukareem (SAN) and Okonache Ogar Esq insisted that Jonathan is qualified to run for 2023 election.
Murtala Abdulkareem (SAN) said the decision of the court in the case of Ayuba Sabo and Ahmed Abubakar vs Ibrahim Gaidam over the Yobe State governorship election of 2015 has resolved the issue.
“He (Jonathan) can contest, but if he takes the oath in 2023, he will not be eligible to contest afterward,” he said.
Similarly, Okonache Ogar Esq said Jonathan is only ineligible to seek a fresh term after the forthcoming election not before as the constitution set out to correct the existence of a vacuum in the event of incapacity or death of the governor or president with the availability of the deputy governor or the vice president.
In the middle of this, Nigerian Newssphere gathered that the Former President is yet to declare his intention to vie for the 2023 presidential race.
..Says use of booster devices illegal, to persecute users
Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), said terrorists, bandits have been denied access to Subscribers Identity Module(SIM) cards with the ongoing implementation of National Identity Number, SIM linkage policy in Nigeria.
The Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement NCC, Mr Ephraim Nwokonanya, represented by Head Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, Mr Alkasim Umar made this disclosure at the One-day Capacity Building for members of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association(NITRA), Abuja Chapter on Thursday at the Commission Headquarters, Abuja.
Mr Umar while speaking on the NIN-SIM linkage, Menace of Network Booster Devices, other Compliance, Monitoring Enforcement issues of the Commission, stressed that there is an appreciable progress in NIN-Slinkage policy.
He explained that NIN-SIM implementation has been a potent tool in addressing the Nation’s insecurity challenges.
He disclosed that the commission is committed to persecuting Nigerians using network boosters in their homes and offices at detriment of others.
According to him, “Yes we are making progress. The only challenge we are faced with now is, If they kidnap you, I mean the bandits; they use your number to call. They will never use their phones lines, it is the kidnapped person’s phone number they use to call and switch it off immediately. They can keep you at a different place and make somewhere else. If a phone is off, there is no way one can trace it. It’s a big challenge.
“Even in the National Assembly someone brought this up, to ban all kidnappers lines, some people objected, that if they use a person number to make calls why can’t Federal Government block the terrorists/bandits phone numbers. Then someone rose up to say there will be more killings, this is because kidnappers are after victims’ money so there is no way it will curb the problem. But now there is progress, because they are being denied of SIM cards”, he stated.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Director of Public Affairs NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde said the capacity training is premised on the Commission recognition of the important media practitioners in its day-to-day activities.
“Let me be quick to mention that the Commission recognizes the importance of NITRA as a strategic ally, and this accounts for why we have on several occasions provided capacity building and trainings for members of NITRA with the aim of providing the platform for equipping you as our stakeholders and partners from the Media with the knowledge and skill required to do your jobs effectively, efficiently and in the most professional manner”, the said.
Meanwhile, Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, Mr Atu Sunday who spoke intensively on the issues around International Termination Rate(ITR) for Voice services, explained that the Commission’s ITR policy is ultimately designed to carter for the interest of Nigeria and all telecoms stakeholders.
On ITR floor price pegged at $0.0045, Mr Sunday said the commission utilized the best pricing modem to arrive at the figure that is why the rate is not too high or low.
“So, if the rate is too high between portfolio Nigerians who are only developing their pockets in just being able to call but at the same time, the rate should be fair that it will also not be injurious to our balance of payments. It will also not be injurious to the profitability of the operators”, he explained.
In another presentation session, Head Spectrum Administration NCC, Mr Usman Aliyu highlighted the Commission’s journey so far on 5G deployment in Nigeria.
In her remarks, the Head, Media and Public Relations NCC, Mrs. Grace Ojougboh lauded members of NITRA for their professional reportage of the Commission.
On his part, speaking on behalf of NITRA President, Mr Blessing Olaifa, Mr Emmanuel Elebeke appreciated NCC for the capacity training.
He assured that members of NITRA would continue to support the progressive policies of the commission via consistent reportage.
“We want to commend you for your consistency in churning out progressive policies and regulations that have positioned NCC as a pace setter in Africa.
“We assure you that we will keep faith with you and ensure that we always support you as expected as professionals in the courses of our reportage for the greater good and growth of the Nigerian economy”, he said.
