How creative artists mobilized Nigerians to sack PDP - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerian musicians and other performing artists for their invaluable roles in mobilizing the electorates to give victory to the APC in the 2015 general elections.

He said that his victory in the last  elections would not have been possible without the musicians and other performing artists as they were the agents who drove home the message of change through the nooks and corners of the country.

President Buhari made the remarks in Kaduna on Saturday while declaring open the Kaduna Music Festival, KADAMFEST.

“Many were the efforts made to build a strong party and persuade people that an alternative exists to the incompetence of the PDP. We politicians did our best. But the story of 2015 cannot be honestlytold without acknowledging the contributions of creative people to the APC’s success.

“Many actors, musicians and writers – from different strands and in various styles- drew Nigerians to the banner of change. In speaking the language of the people, enlightening and mobilising them with words and images they could understand, I doubt if any politician surpassed the likes of Dauda Rarara and other musicians.

“You – our artists gave hope to our people and persuaded them to believe that things could reallychange. Musicians and actors across the length and breadth ofNigeria mobilized the citizenry tostand up for peaceful, orderly and transparent elections. You preached both peace and hope leading to democratic change.

“This application of creative talent to the cause of political change in a dire moment for our country deserves eternal gratitude. As President, I say a formal thank you today on behalfof myself, the APC and our victorious candidates.

“In appreciating talent, we have aduty to ensure that we do not turn our backs, or reduce the creative sector to something that we engage only during elections. We who have been inspired or benefitted in other ways from creative talent owe anobligation to help ensure that thetalented can live on their gifts. Those who identified with us, sang, danced and rapped for us when we were seeking office have earned the right to our recognition.

“It is in this spirit that I commend the Kaduna State Government for organising the Kaduna Annual Music Festival (KADAMFEST) which offers a platform to acknowledge musicians from all over the country for helping to make 2015 the year of change.

“KADAMFEST also reflects the Kaduna State Government’s approach to giving momentum to the growth of the creative industry in the state. In creating jobs, government often has to provide funds and facilities to catalyse the opportunities.

“It is noteworthy, however, that the Kaduna State Government has attracted private sector sponsorship for this festival, anddid not have to put in its own resources,” he said.

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Youths should move from being job seekers to job creators - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed job creation as one of the cardinal policies of his change agenda.

Buhari said this on Saturday at the second convocation ceremony of the Kaduna State University, Kaduna, where he was conferred with his first ever honorary doctorate of letters.

President Buhari who spoke on the subject, “Entrepreneurship for Development,”  pledged his administration's fullest possible support to all efforts to create more jobs through the reorientation of Nigerian youths towards an entrepreneurial mindset.

His words
“This administration will ensure that youths in the country are gainfully employed and youth restiveness curtailed.

“One of the focal points of this administration is job creation. Job creation will help in the achievement of other objectives of the government such as poverty reduction and security which are some of the challenges this administration is confronted with . Insecurity cannot be divorced from unemployment and poverty because an idle mind, they say, is the devil’s workshop.”

Speaking about the need to diversify the economy, given the dwindling oil revenue, Buhari said;
“One of the ways we can achieve this is through the reorientation of our youths towards an entrepreneurial mindset. We must therefore promote and enhance the teaching and learning of entrepreneurial skills in all schools and tertiary institutions, thereby exposing our youth to the basics and rudiments of starting and sustaining their own businesses."

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Army Chief's Convoy In Deadly Confrontation With Islamic Sect

Army spokesman, Col Sani Usman on Saturday confirmed that soldiers had a deadly encounter with members of the Shiite Islamic sect, in which the sect claimed that seven of its members were killed and 20 grievously wounded in Zaria, Kaduna State.

In a statement he issued to newsmen, Col Usman said ;
“The Shiite sect,on the orders of their leader, Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky, today (yesterday)    afternoon in Zaria attacked the convoy of the Chief of the Army Staff while on his way to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau and attend the passing out parade of 73 regular recruits intake of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.

“The sect members, numbering hundreds and carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects.

“The barricade was obviously a deliberate attempt to assassinate the Chief of the Army Staff and members of his entourage while on a legitimate official assignment as Special Guest of Honour at the passing out parade which had earlier been widely publicized.

“The troops responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of the Army Staff, on hearing the explosion and firing, were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all costs... "

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Guinness Reaffirms Commitment To Quality Products

PRESS RELEASE.       November 14, 2015  

Guinness remains committed to 

delivering quality and innovative products 

 Brewing giant, Guinness Nigeria Plc, has reaffirmed its commitment to continuously deliver quality products through application of the highest standards of good manufacturing practice. 

 The over-riding objective, according to the Managing Director, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, is to avail customers of world-class products and value for money. In so doing, Guinness will continue to maintain and improve the quality and efficiency that it has established in over 60 years of operations in Nigeria. 

 He said the company’s conformity to the highest standards of quality have enabled the repeated re-certification of its products and procedures by some of the world’s leading certification organizations as the International Standards Organization (ISO) as well as the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). The company received the ISO 9002:1994 quality standard in 2001 becoming the first brewery in West Africa to be so honoured. 

 Also speaking against the backdrop of reported sanction on the company by NAFDAC, Corporate Relations Director, Sesan Sobowale acknowledged the receipt of a letter from NAFDAC. He said the alleged infractions relate to a rented off-site warehouse where raw materials are stored; explaining that the said raw materials store is not a production facility and that the quality of its products was never in issue. 

 "NAFDAC insists that its authorisation is required before we can carry out the destruction of expired raw materials or indeed in the process of approval of new best before date by the manufacturers of these raw materials and we were in the process of engaging NAFDAC for clarifications and resolution of the issues before the private correspondence from NAFDAC to Guinness Nigeria was clandestinely passed to a journalist at the Punch", Sobowale stressed. 

 Ndegwa reaffirmed that Guinness Nigeria is very positive that on account of its ongoing engagement with NAFDAC, the issues will be clarified and resolved in a short while. 

 Guinness Nigeria established its first brewery in Ikeja, Lagos in 1962. Since then it has remained an integral player in Nigeria’s manufacturing space, opening up more breweries located in Benin City and Aba respectively. It has been commended on several occasions not only for its commitment to quality and safety but also importantly, for its contributions to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

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Midnight Fire Consumes Family Of Four

For the family of Mohammed Sani Abdulrahman, it was a sad and painful end as he, his wife Sefinat and two children lost their lives in a midnight inferno that suddenly engulfed their Kontagora, Niger State home.

The fire which reportedly resulted from a power surge in the early hours of the fateful day consumed the family of four as they sadly got trapped in their one bedroom apartment.

Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in a message of condolence to relations of the deceased family lamented the unfortunate loss. 

In a message signed by his Chief   Press Secretary, Jibrin Baba Ndace,  Governor Bello pledged to overhaul the state's fire service for more effective performance.

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Kidnapped Council Boss Dies With Abductors In Car Crash

Barely two days after he was sworn in as the Chairman, Management Committee of Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau State, Mr. Hosea Azi, has died in the company of his abductors.

Reports have it that Mr Azi was kidnapped on Friday night along
Miango Road in Jos.

The kidnappers were said to be heading towards Abuja with the victim at high speed  when they ended up in a ghastly accident at Garaku village, near Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abuh Emmanuel confirmed the incident, but could not give the details.

Mr Samuel Nanle, Director of Press to Governor Simon Lalong also confirmed the death of LG boss in a car crash but could not explain the circumstances.

“The Council boss met his death in a fatal motor accident on Friday night at Garaku village near Keffi, Nasarawa State. Family source said two other persons with him in the car also died in the accident.

“However, there is no confirmation of his abduction yet, though it is being rumored that he was abducted in Jos. Security operatives have been dispatched to the accident scene to confirm that,” he said.

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Confessions Of A Minister: How I shared N1.9b for PDP campaigns.

Mr Bashir Yuguda, a former Minister of State in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has been singing before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

In a Statement of Witness/ Caution which he wrote on oath, before the anti-graft agency, Yuguda detailed how he disbursed a couple of billions of naira to various PDP chieftains during the 2015 general elections.

See an excerpt from the statement here.

“For the cash disbursement of N600million, it was meant for the six zonal chairmen for Contact and Mobilisation Committees for Election of 2015. The chairmen are Bode George, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi; Peter Odili; Attahiru Bafarawa; Jim Nwobodo; Ahmadu  Ali. The sum of N100million was given to each chairman. I gave the money in company of Prof. Alkali, who was Political Adviser to former president. The zonal chairmen are for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). I also instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer the sum of N100m to Dalhatu Limited on the request of Attahiru Bafarawa.

“I also remember that Bello Sarkin Yaki was among the people that the then NSA instructed that I send the sum of N200million to. He was the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kebbi State.

“I knew the chairman of Stallion Limited whose second name I cannot remember. Between December 2014 to June 2015, on the instruction of the then NSA, I introduced Jabbama Limited to a staff of the company on the instruction of the chairman.

“When the account was in credit, disbursement was made from time to time on the instruction of the then NSA. Part in foreign exchange or transfers.

“I wish to add that sometime in February 2015, I instructed Jabbama to transfer the sum of N300m to BAM Properties. The account was given to me by Bello Haliru as one of the people the former NSA requested me to give money. I also remember that Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi was sent the sum of N100million on the instruction of the then NSA.

“Further to my statement of 30th November, 2015, I have brought the sum of $829,800 (equivalent to N200m) and N600m was given to me to distribute to the six PDP Zonal Committee chairmen. I don’t know who are the directors of Dalhatu Investment Limited but funds were transferred to the company’s account on the instruction of Dalhatu Bafarawa for the total amount of N1.5billion received from the then NSA by Jabbama Limited.

“I shall endeavour to recover the sum of N600million given to the six zonal PDP committee chairmen, while I appeal to the commission to use their machineries to trace the remaining balance of the money transferred to various accounts.

“I have been shown transaction of N200million from the Office of the Accountant-General to Jabbama which Jabbama said it’s on my instruction but I cannot remember this instruction until I crosscheck."

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