Tag Archives: Backs

World Bank Backs Nigeria’s Transparency Project

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The World Bank has pledged additional support towards the President’s fight to entrench accountability and transparency across the country.

The Country Director for Nigeria and Coordinating Director for West Africa Regional Integration Programme, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, spoke to journalists during a visit to the Minister of Science and Technology in Abuja.

“At the World Bank, we think the good government of Nigeria is taking the right step in dealing with governance issues.

“Our role is to support the government of Nigeria in its efforts at improving transparency and accountability or in the development programmes that we do. It starts with accountability and transparency,” he said, adding that conversation on areas to revamp in the country is ongoing with various ministries.

Mr Rachid noted that it would be aspiring to lend huge support in other sectors like agriculture, security, solid minerals as well as science and technology to assist in repositioning Nigeria as a global economic hub of Africa.

“We have heard from a number of cabinet ministers about the importance of diversifying the revenues away from the oil sector and we have been working with both the Ministry of Agriculture and (that of) Solid Minerals in this particular area.

“We have also looked into further support in the power sector. As you know, the power sector is a binding constraint to growth. Science and Technology plays an important role in all of our support because it looks at the aspect of efficiency and innovations.”

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, commended the move, urging civil servants to work judiciously with the nation’s available resources.

Credit: ChannelsTv

FIFA Presidency : Blatter Backs Kalu

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As the FIFA Presidency election gathers steam, suspended FIFA president, Sepp Joseph Blatter has openly declared his support for former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu to occupy the exalted position of FIFA Presidency, even as he has faulted the candidature of former Secretary General Jerome Champagne and Prince Alli of Jordan.

Speaking in Zurich, Blatter said, “The position of the FIFA president is too important to be left to just anybody. I have heard of some candidates who want to take over from me. But I find the businessman from Nigeria, Kalu very qualified and interesting because he is not only a businessman, but a politician with lots of contacts and corporate experience. He can bring his great experiences to bear in the running of world football. He is passionate about the game.

“I remember how he sponsored one of Nigerian clubs to win the CAF championship twice. He is a man that can take world football to the next level,” Blatter told the Swiss Radio monitored on Sunday.

Blatter said though Kalu had not formally declared his interest, it was in the best interest of Africa to nominate him because of his deep passion for the game.

“If Africa hopes to win the support of other federations, then they must queue behind the Nigerian business man. Football has developed beyond just any body taking over. I sacked Jerome Champgne in 2010 so how can he come back to lead an Association he tried to destroy. You need a man who can command respect and win friends for football. With Kalu, Africa stands a better chance, he concluded.

Credit: Sun

The Kardashians Allegedly Turn Their Backs On Caitlyn Jenner

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During ‘I Am Cait’, both Kim, 34, and Khloe, 31, criticised the 65-year-old for ‘bashing’ Kris Jenner in her Vanity Fair interview.

Now, sources who are apparently close to the family have told Us Weekly that the Kardashians are feeling frosty towards Caitlyn.

The sources reckon: “There’s not a lot of love for Caitlyn.

“Vanity Fair was the start of the downfall. It came out and they looked like idiots, they first saw the article on Twitter!“The Kardashians were furious once they realized she took jabs at Kris, a lot of times she wasn’t very nice. They are so incensed that they may be done with Caitlyn for good. Everyone has turned their backs on her.”

Read More: yahoo

Buhari Backs APC’s Stand On National Assembly Crisis

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday threw his weight behind the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate candidates for the various principal offices in the National Assembly.

Buhari, while responding to Thursday’s fracas in the House of Representatives, said he expected the APC lawmakers to toe the party’s line in the election of principal officers. Buhari, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu noted that the lawmakers should have been respected the wish of the party.

He, however, noted that the situation has not gotten out control as it  is still within manageable parameters.

Read More: TheNation

Buhari Backs APC, But Says Saraki, Dogara’s Emergence Is “Constitutional”

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President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the election of new leaders of the National Assembly, saying he supports those elected, yet he wished the party’s choices were respected.

The Senate on Tuesday elected Bukola Saraki as its president, defying the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which had presented Ahmed Lawan as its preferred candidate.

In the same vein, the House of Representatives elected Yakubu Dogara, against the wish of the party for Femi Gbajabiamila to be elected speaker.

The APC has rejected the elections and has vowed to sanction members who disobeyed its directives.

In a somewhat ambiguous response, Mr. Buhari merely said he “noted the outcome of the just-concluded election of leaders of the National Assembly”.

A statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, said the president would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed.

Nonetheless, the president took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred, the statement said.

“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected,” the statement said.

“That sentiment still stands. Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party”.

The statement said the stability of our constitutional order and overall interest of the common man were uppermost on the president’s mind, as far as the National Assembly elections were concerned.

The president called on all the elected representatives of the people to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive change to the lives of Nigerians.

Credit: premiumtimesng

Benue State Backs Akume For Senate Presidency

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Political leaders in the Benue State are backing George Akume’s candidature for the position of Senate President.

The leaders, under the auspices of Benue Rebirth Initiative, expressed their commitment to work for the success of the legislator in his bid to succeed David Mark.

“We sincerely wish to use this medium to affirm to Nigerians and the rest of Africa that the bitter tribal discord between the various ethnic components of Benue State has been buried through the concerted efforts of this group in honour of Senator George Akume’s detribalized and nationalistic posture,” the organisation said.

The organisation said Akume’s Senate Presidency would bring rapid development of the north central geopolitical hemisphere by the practical demonstration of his mass followership cutting across every stratum of the society and the expected collaboration with the incoming administration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to deliver on the All Progressives Congress manifesto.

“We wish to throw our total support behind Senator George Akume, which is not only to confirm his evergreen political image in the minds of the poor masses of Benue State but to reaffirm our commitment to the unity of purpose that the interest of Benue State must come before the selfish interest of a few minority in the land.”

Benue Rebirth Initiative said it had carefully analyzed the various arguments canvassed in favour of Akume, who is a former Governor of the state and present minority leader of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, expressing confidence that Akume perfectly fitted into the various arguments centred on religion, legislative experience, strength of character, goodwill, masses oriented ideology.

“This rare gesture particularly from his party men and women at the All Progressive Congress is a pointer to the fact that Benue’s position in our democratic experience cannot be over emphasized at this point in time.”

Credit: CAJ News