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THE NEW opposition coalition in Malaysia, Pakatan Harapan, has finally revealed its leadership lineup. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is chairman, jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim is de facto leader while his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is coalition president. When unveiling the lineup last week, Dr Mahathir inadvertly made a joke when he referred to Mohamad Sabu, the president of component party Amanah, as the president of Umno. Umno, short for the United Malays National Organisation, is the lynchpin party of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition… and Dr Mahathir’s former political platform. The irony in politics can sometimes be pretty amusing; if you look at the new Pakatan Harapan leadership, you’ll see long-time sworn enemies now standing together as friends and partners. Case in point: Dr Mahathir and Anwar. Who could forget how in the 1990s, Dr Mahathir sacked Anwar who was then his deputy, and put him in jail for sodomy. Anwar...

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, has called on the National Assembly and the executive to close ranks and sheathe their swords in order to save the country’s nascent democracy. Speaking with journalists yesterday shortly after condoling with Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State at the Government House over the death of Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Tinubu said conflicts and altercation between the legislature and the executive arm of the government was normal in a democracy. He added that the issue of    national interest was above any primordial consideration. According to him, for democracy to thrive, there must be the compelling need for the relevant arms of the government to close ranks despite the fact that the issue of stand-off and disagreements are normal and part of the beauty of    democracy. He also stressed that allow...

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, said an estimated N7 trillion was spent by Nigerians to import consumables and household items into the country in 2015. Abubakar decried the development at a stakeholders meeting held in Kano on ‘Buy Made-in-Nigeria Products’ organised by her ministry in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. She said the staggering amount on importation of goods was unacceptable to the present administration hence the national orientation to change the attitude of Nigerians towards patronising locally made products.  “In 2015 alone, over N6.7 trillion was spent on the importation of goods and services for which the nation can produce locally. N1.09 trillion was reportedly spent on imported foods and drinks; N1.5 trillion on spare-parts; N123.01 billion on shoes and clothes and N399 billion on household items. Imagine if this had been spent on our local industries,” she stated....

Access Bank Plc has emerged winner of the ‘Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement’ Award for 2017, held in Germany, for the second time. “The award was presented to Access Bank Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe, in Karlsruhe, Germany, a year after the bank made history as the first African bank to receive this prestigious accolade. The award was received barely a week after Nigeria’s foremost rating agency, Agusto & Co, upgraded the Bank’s rating from A+ to AA- According to the bank, the award is in recognition of Access Bank’s outstanding success in incorporating economic, social and environmental aspects into its corporate strategy and business processes. “This prize also brings global recognition to the Bank’s impressive success in holistically embedding sustainability across all aspects of operations within the financial institution. “The award ceremony which held on July 13th, 2017, was attended by CEOs of leading international financial institutions, ...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the boast by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it is ready to return to power in 2019 as both unattainable and unrealistic. The ruling party also described what it said was the penchant by some PDP members to mock President Muhammadu Buhari over his ill-health as un-African and distasteful. In a statement issued yesterday by the APC national spokesman Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said it had taken such misplaced optimism as part of the excitement after the Supreme Court victory secured by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi group in the PDP. However, the APC spokesman said that since the last     Wednesday’s verdict, “we noticed that several of his supporters and party members have expressed similar sentiments”. “It appears, however, that the outcome of Wednesday ruling is beginning to set them on a different course. We are therefore delighted that the PDP is beginning to talk about holding the APC accoun...

Incarcerated former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has spoken of the prompt intervention of the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan in tackling the Boko-Haram menace and recovering dozens of towns and villages which led to the smooth conduct of 2015 general elections in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria. Dasuki stated this from detention in his foreword to a 308-page new book titled: “Boko Haram Media War- An Encounter with the Spymaster” written by Yushau A. Shuaib. “In the war-front are evident success stories which Shuaib has mentioned in some of the articles that featured in this book, especially on media relations, self-censorship, gallantry in recovering dozens of cities and towns among other declassified revelations,” he said. Dasuki said: “In fact, without our intervention in ensuring the defeat of Boko Haram, the electorates could not have had the opportunity to exercise their franchise. “It is a fact that we provided peace and stability t...

The Niger State Government has released over N30million to the state emergency management agency for the purchase of relief materials to victims of the recent flood disaster in parts of the state.  Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who announced this when he paid an on-the-spot inspection to flood-affected areas at the weekend, blamed the heavy losses recorded as a result of the flood on non-adherence to building regulations. “The recent collateral and financial losses as a result of the flood were mostly due to the non-adherence to urban development regulations as evident in indiscriminate building of structures without recourse to the law, especially on the flood or stream plain. “All these losses incurred both in human and property would have been averted  if our people adhered strictly to urban development regulations.” Bello also declared that “It was glaring that most of the affected areas were on the natural flood path, we have to desist from this unwholesome pract...

Olalekan Abdul-Rahaman Badmus is the Managing Director of Tuns International Limited, comprising Tuns Foods & Agro Allied, Tuns Farms and Tuns Satellite Town. Badmus, a graduate of Computer Science and Engineering, a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), also holds an MBA. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, he talks about his company’s participation in the Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme, now known as O-MEALS, what it takes to manage an international organization like Tuns International Ltd, why Tuns decided to diversify and the organisation’s new line of business. AT what point did you assume duty as the MD of Tuns International Ltd? That was 2011. At that time, we were on the verge of trying to do a lot of reorganization. It was at that time we started the low line of our business. We commenced with changing of our former business plan from when we used to raise the birds ourselves to commencing the Osun Broiler Outgrower Scheme. It was ...

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday revealed his thoughts on how some of the structural defects in the  1999 constitution  could be addressed. He said there was  no reason for the  continuous operation of the Federal Land Registry in Lagos,describing the current situation as an aberration. The governor therefore wanted the ‘aberration’ addressed  in line with the principle of fiscal federalism. He spoke at a joint working retreat of the Senate and House Representatives Committees on the Review of 1999 Constitution in Lagos. He said the land registry  ought to have been closed and all title therein moved to the Lagos State Land Registry. He also called for the restriction of the Land Use Act only to the Federal Capital Territory on the basis of the fact that land has always been, and should remain, a residual matter for the State Houses of Assembly to legislate upon, hence the need for the Act to become Land Use Law of the States....

When Per Mertesacker got injured last season and was completely left out of the Arsenal side even when he had recovered fully, it looked like he had kicked his last ball for the Gunners. But due to injuries and suspensions the BFG was brought in for his first and ONLY start of the season against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, and he was immense in the middle of Arsenal’s new back three formation. He has recently announced that this will be his last season as a player at Arsenal, and he will move on to running the academy players from next summer, and having been club captain for some time he obviously has great leadership qualities. Maybe he can teach our kids how to defend better! But, as he said, he will still be playing this season, and due to Holding and Mustafi not being in the travelling Arsenal squad due to their international exploits, Mertesacker was once again in the starting line-up. The Big German not only helped to keep a clean sheet, but he was also up the other end ...

Officials fear many countries will not be able to meet the strict new requirements The US  State Department  has released guidelines for granting visas that could effectively expand Donald Trump’s  travel ban  on six Muslim-majority countries. The State Department recently sent out a cable listing the new standards that all countries must meet when applying for US visas for their residents. The guidelines are so strict, however, that officials worry many countries won’t be able to meet them. Among other things, countries seeking US visas must include a facial biometric image on their passports, issue electronic passports, and provide "any other identity information" on travellers that Washington requests. The countries must also supply information on anyone they believe to be a terrorist, as well as the criminal history information of anyone seeking a US visa. States that do not meet these standards within 50 days – or at least develop a plan to do...

There is little doubt among Arsenal fans that Arsene Wenger, with the backing of the club’s board, has sharpened up his act in the transfer market this summer, not just by smashing the Arsenal transfer record to sign the French striker Alexandre Lacazette, but in almost every aspect of his dealings. Beating a number of big European clubs to get Kolasinac on a free, being in with a chance of beating the big guns of Real Madrid and more to the Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe and making sure that we kept hold of Hector Bellerin and did not allow Alexis Sanchez to a Premier League rival are all clear signs that the boss is hitting back. Transfers are not the only issue that some disgruntled Gooners and his critics in the football press have had with the Frenchman in recent years though. One of the major factors in so many Arsenal fans feeling it was time for a change of manager was that feeling that every season goes the same way and that a lack of motivation, ruthlessness or winning...

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has revealed that he does not own a bullet-proof car. Obaseki speaking on Friday when the state branch of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), visited him at the Edo State Government House, Benin City, explained that it was because the state does not have enough funds.  “I am the Governor of Edo State. I am entitled to a brand new bullet-proof car, but I have not bought it because we cannot afford it,” he said Obaseki added that he was avoiding “wasteful spending”. The Governor also denied that the state government was owing pensioners.

Chelsea are reportedly closing in on the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Diego Costa’s transfer back to Atletico Madrid draws nearer. Antonio Conte is looking set to finally end his long search for a new striker this summer with a club-record deal for Aubameyang, whom Dortmund are resigned to losing this summer. The Bundesliga giants have already stepped up their efforts to bring in a replacement for the Gabon international, who was the German top flight’s top scorer last season with 31 league goals, and 40 in all competitions. Chelsea desperately need that kind of quality up front next season as Costa looks closer to returning to Atletico after being left out of the Blues’ squad for the start of pre-season. The Spain international has not travelled with the rest of Conte’s squad for their trip to the Far East, and the Daily Mirror now claims Aubameyang is set to be his replacement at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old had also been linked with the likes of Liverp...

The Nigerian Police Force will recruit 155,000 personnel within five years to bridge its manpower shortage, according to the Inspector-General, Mr. Ibrahim Idris. Idris told newsmen on Friday in Kano that 31,000 personnel would be recruited every year, for five years. He said that the force did not recruit rank and file  personnel  between 2011 and 2016, a development that has created "a huge gap". "We want to meet the UN standard of one police man to 400 people; the fight against crime and criminality cannot be successful without adequate manpower," he said. On the quit notice issued to Igbo people by some nothern youths organisations, the police boss declared that no individual has the authority to eject any Nigerian from any section  of  the country.

JUVENTUS are poised to make a new £40million move to lure Nemanja Matic from Chelsea. The Premier League champions will leave Matic and Diego Costa behind when they embark on their pre-season tour to China and Singapore on Monday, as the pair try to sort out their futures. –– ADVERTISEMENT –– Juventus sold defender Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan yesterday in a move that netted the Italian champions £38m and they are now ready to spend some of that cash on Matic, who wants to leave Chelsea. His non-inclusion in the tour party is a clear sign by manager Antonio Conte that he expects the Serb midfielder to move on, with Chelsea set to complete the £39.7m signing of Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko last night. Matic is also keen on a move to Manchester United, whose manager Jose Mourinho has wanted a reunion with the player, but Chelsea are still reluctant to sell to a direct rival and a move to Juventus could suit sides both better, with Chelsea still in negotiati...

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama,  on Friday  said President Muhammadu Buhari nominated late Babatunde Osotimehin for two-year extension of his service at the UN shortly before his death. Mr. Onyeama stated this in Abuja at a memorial service for Mr. Osotimehin organised by the UN. He said that Nigeria was proud of the late professor, and pointed out that he diligently served the country and the international community. He said that the country had to write a letter to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to retain late Mr. Osotimehin in his team. “Two months ago, I actually had to write a letter to the UN Secretary-General at the instruction and encouragement of Mr. President and the Acting President. “The letter was to inform him that Nigeria was immensely proud of what Osotimehin was doing for the past six years. “And, that we will appreciate very much since he has the right to appoint his team, to retain him for the next two years,” he s...