FG INAUGURATES SHIPPERS’ COUNCIL GOVERNING BOARD, CHARGES THEM ON ECONOMY, ACCOUNTABILITY

Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Sambo has inaugurated Nigerian Shippers’ Council Governing Board with the charge to foster an economy that is robust, transparent, accountable and in line with international best practices.                

Sambo who performed the inauguration Wednesday in Abuja disclosed that the  Council is vested with “the responsibility of providing a forum for the protection of the interest of shippers on matters affecting the shipment of imports and exports to and from Nigeria  as well as liaising with the appropriate arms of the Government  of the Federation and other Organizations in assessing the stability and adequacy of existing services and make appropriate recommendations.”

The Minister, further urged the Board members to work in line with the policy direction of the Federal Government while reminding them of their roles of engendering harmonious working relationship with the  Management of the Council.                              

Furthermore, the Minister expressed confidence that the Board would live up to the expectations of the government and called on members to deploy their expertise to promote prudence, transparency, accountability, equity and fairness in the discharge of your responsibilities, while admonishing them to be change agents by adhering to zero tolerance to corruption.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said: ” you have your roles to support the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, but you are not part of the day to day running of the Council. At some later date, we will be having a retreat where your roles will be clearly spelt out.  We are planning to do it with all our  Boards so that we avoid conflicts. It has become important for me to stress this at every Board inauguration for agencies of the Ministry of Transportation to avoid stress.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of the newly constituted Board, Lawal Sama’aila Abdullhi thanked the Federal Government for giving them the opportunity to serve, assuring that the Board will deliver on its mandate and support the Management of Nigerian Shippers’ Council to succeed.

Open-air cinemas” mirror cultural life changes in Tibet autonomous region

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By Xu Yuyao, People’s Daily

Lodro is a rural projectionist in Damxung county, which sits on an average altitude of 4,300 meters in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region. In the past 37 years, Lodro has shown free movies to farmers and herdsmen in nearly 200 villages.

A “movie tour” to villages sometimes took him more than three months, during which he had to take screens, a projector, films, a generator, as well as food and beddings on a hand tractor.

There are many projectionists like Lodro in Tibet. They have left their footprints on almost every piece of inhabited land in the autonomous region, to enrich the cultural life of residents.

Herdsmen in Tibet led a poor cultural life in the 1980s and 1990s as villages there were isolated without road and electricity. Watching movies was an important source of entertainment and information about the world at that time.

To watch movies, some villagers would travel kilometers away from their homes with projection teams, They would gather together to enjoy the movie in rain or shine, and danced beside the screen after the movies were over.

Projectionists were inspired to keep running from village to village by this passion. Last year, over 66,000 movies were screened by 500 rural projection teams working across remote villages in Tibet autonomous region.

As film projectors have been replaced by electronic ones with colorful digital films, movies today are screened for villagers in an on-demand manner, which reflects the upgrading of public cultural services in the autonomous region.

In 1998, China started a project that aimed at screening a movie for every village every month. Two years later, the country kicked off another program that dubbed over 2,400 movies for residents in Tibet in the following 20 years.

These public cultural services have brought abundant cultural resources and better cultural infrastructure to Tibetan herdsmen, laying a solid foundation for the development of mass cultural activities.

Nowadays, splendid video shows are available on herdsmen’s mobile phones and televisions. All administrative villages in Tibet autonomous region have broadband internet access, and over 99 percent of them are covered by both optical fiber broadband and 4G signals.

The well-developed internet infrastructure enables residents in the autonomous region to search for cultural content anytime and anywhere, and they are able to watch movies and dramas, attend online classes and read news. Many herdsmen also share their life and talent on short video platforms.

Tibet has developed from a time when there were only film projectors to an era in which people are acquiring information from smartphones and computers. Internet signal, crossing mountains and rivers, has not only altered the cultural life of Tibetan residents, but also improved their livelihood and happiness.

As information technology develops, “open-air cinemas” are losing glamour. Today, more and more movies are screened indoors in the autonomous region so that the audience can get a more comfortable experience. Projectionists, in the past and the present, have always been presenting movies to villagers, meeting their aspirations for a better life.

Muslim-Muslim ticket: Sen. Kalu, a serial betrayal of the Igbos and christiandom-Democratic watchdogs

A coalition of several democratic groups have described Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu as a serial betrayal of the Igbo race in general and the people of Abia north Senatorial district which he is privileged to represent in the National Assembly.

The group which operates under the auspices of Coalition of Democratic Watchdogs for Electoral Reforms while addressing journalists in Abuja today, Monday, 8th August, 2022 stated that as the nation prepares for the conduct of 2023 general elections, the need for a true, fair and equitable representation has consistently eluded Nigerians across board.

Dr. Gabriel Nwambu, who addressed the media said the cardinal principle of civil society organizations globally is hinged on equity, fair representation of constituents and democratic principles and it is the quest for a true representation that has compelled the coalition to look at some of the unguarded utterances of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senator representing Abia North senatorial district of Abia state.

According to him, “in 2021, during the heated debate on Section 47 and 50(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 as Amended which dwells on electronic transmission of votes in the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor was one of the Senators who said in categorical terms that AbiaNorth had no network coverage. This was a blatant lie because Abia North has effective network coverage. It is also well known to Nigerians that Senator Orji Uzor voted against the electronic transmission of election results, an innovation introduced by INEC to reduce the rigging and manipulation of election results”.

He also said: “preparatory to the primary election that produced the Presidential candidate of political parties, the chief whip of the 9th Senate, Orji UzorKalu on camera displayed his loyalty to the Senate President; Dr. Ahmed Lawal. This was doneimmediately the APC party chairman, Adamumentioned that Ahmed Lawal was the consensus candidate. Kalu said that he would prefer to be a servant in the Aso Rock Villa, sweeping and serving Ahmed Lawal than exist as other Nigerians outside the Villa.

“For us as Igbos, we believe that such a statement from a man who is representing the good people of Abia North Senatorial district, doubling as the chief whip of the 9th Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria is derogatory and demeaning to his constituents, people of Igbo extraction and Nigerian citizens in general. Mr. Kalu has not only subjected himself to ridicule but has reduced his constituents to mere servants.

“Now, Nigerians who stood up and spoke vehemently against the Christian/Christian or Muslim/Muslim ticket opined that for peaceful coexistence of all Nigerian citizens, for equity and fairness as contained in the Federal Character, 1999 constitution as amended, it is an aberration for any political party to field two persons of same faith as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate respectively, as this is not consistent with fair representation and therefore could impair on national unity and peace”.

The Coalition wondered while the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the candidate of the APC and his decision to field Kashim Shetima as a running mate against wide condemnation and public outcry against a muslim/muslim ticket brought in yet another utterance from Mr. Kalu.

“On National television, Orji Uzor was seen saying that even if his position would be against that of his bishop as a catholic and his people in Abia North, that he prefers the muslim/muslim ticket for his party to win the 2023 election and moreover, the wife of Tinubu (a pastor) would become the first lady who invariably for him, is like a deputy President. In other words, Sen. Kalu’s position is that Christians would be represented even when the office of the first lady is not recognized by the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria.

“Now, Senator Kalu is from Abia North of Abia state where 100% of his constituents are Christians. Our firm belief is that the essence of representing a people is essentially to speak the mind of your constituents. But nay, Orji Uzor Kalu consistently without recourse to the yearnings and aspirations of his people, has demonstrated that his personal interest supersedes that of the people who voted him to power. Moreover, the manner at which Kalu switched loyalty, the somersault from Senator Ahmed Lawal to Bola Ahmed Tinubu brings to bare the integrity of Orji Uzor to question. The speed at which Kalu started singing praises for Tinubu against his earlier servant disposition for Lawal brings to conclusion, the man Orji Uzor as a man of double standard”.

He reminded the Senator that Abia state farmers and residents have witnessed an alarming rate of killings in recent times perpetrated by Fulani herders. The Prelate of the Methodist Church was even kidnapped and a ransom of one hundred million naira paid to secure his release. The victim stated clearly that the men who kidnaped him were Fulanis.

The rest of the text of the address reads:

“Now, Orji Uzor Kalu has also laid claims to be the one who brought in the infamous RUGA to Abia state while holding sway as Governor of the state. This claim by Mr. Kalu is obviously to seek favour and be loved by some persons other than his own constituents who are killed on a daily basis, women are raped in farms, men, women, old, young, children are killed and decapitated in farms and homes, people are kidnapped here and there in Abia state, yet Kalu does not give a bulge. He doesn’t care, so long as the situation benefits him.

“Ironically, this same man, a calamity to the people of Abia – North, a disgrace to Christian Dom, a sell-out and selfish man is seeking a re-election to the Nigerian Senate…God Forbid! We reject such Calamity to befall us again.

“Orji Uzor Kalu (……) a man alleged to have peculated the treasury of Abia state, bringing the state to its knees and responsible for the state’s current economic, financial and security woes that has befallen Abia state is currently standing a re- trial of 7.1 Billion Naira theft. Whether he likes it or not; the 7.1 Billion Naira theft is still hanging round his neck”.

Second Hainan Expo reveals increasingly stronger appeal of Chinese market

The second China International Consumer Products Expo, also known as the Hainan Expo, recently concluded in Haikou, in south China’s Hainan province.

The six-day event received more than 280,000 visits, and increasedexhibition spaceovernearly 20 percent from the previous session. More than 2,800 brands from over 60 countries and regions participated in the event. Over 600 new products were released at the 177 launch events held during the expo.

The Hainan Expo, by expanding new space of open cooperation,has further energized global recovery.

China’s imports and exports bucked the trend in the first half of this year, with the foreign trade of goods jumping 9.4 percent year on year.

China firmly promotes higher-level opening up and is committed to trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. The hosting of the Hainan Expo bore special significance as global recovery and trade growth remained sluggish.

China’s hosting of the expo, which focused on consumer goods, would have a positive impact on boosting consumption, promoting trade and improving the economy, said Zhang Xiangchen, deputy director-general of the WTO.

He called the expo and the construction of the Hainan free trade port an important measure for China to comprehensively deepen reform, promote higher-level opening up, drive high-quality economic development and promote global trade and economic cooperation.

China has provided a huge market for global enterprises, said PamelaCoke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Center (ITC), a joint agency of the WTO and the UN.

The ITC has established cooperation with the China International Import Expo to help micro- and small-sized enterprises from developing countries seek business opportunities, she said, adding that the WTO-UN joint agency hopes to explore more possibilities of cooperation with the Hainan Expo.

Hainan is working to build a free trade port with Chinese characteristics and global influence. The Hainan Expo demonstrated China’s efforts to give play to the advantages brought by the Hainan free-trade port in comprehensively deepening reforms and putting up the highest-level opening-up policies on a trial basis, and contributed to deepening bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation.

MatthewMargulies, senior vice president of China operations for the U.S.-China Business Council, believes that the construction of the Hainan free trade port has attracted a number of enterprises and huge human resources.He stated that the Hainan free trade port will provide unparalleled development opportunities for global enterprises.

China, firmly implementing a strategy of expanding domestic demand, gives play to consumption in leading the economic cycle. It has become the world’s second largest consumption market, with expanding consumption and a constant upgrading of its consumption structure.

Compared with the previous year, the Japanese pavilion became bigger and the number of Japanese exhibitors doubled, said Shimizu Kenji, director-general of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Guangzhou. He added that Japanese enterprises took the Hainan Expo as an opportunity to seek growth.

The three major brands under Tapestry, Inc., an American multinational luxury fashion holding company, launched a number of products at the Hainan Expo. They livestreamed the launch events to present their products to more consumers.

Yang Baoyan, President of Tapestry Asia Pacific, told People’s Daily that the company enjoyed robust momentum in China over recent yearsand announced to set up its China travel retail headquarters in Hainan in April this year.

Honson To, Chairman of KPMG Asia Pacific and KMPG China, said the Hainan Expo has become a bridge matching global products and services and demonstrated the strong appeal of the super large Chinese market. He added that exhibition of premium products from across the world has established a platform for multi-country cooperation.

Many reports have noted China’s green consumption trend. A report by the China Institute for Reform and Development said the general trend of China’s consumption restructuring remains unchanged, and green consumption has been highlighted as a new type of consumption.

Another report by Ernst & Young indicated that Chinese consumers showed the strongest awareness for sustainable development among all respondents from 24 countries.

Amaechi Pays Condolence Visit To Ndume Over Loss Of Father

Former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi today paid condolence visit to the home of distinguished Senator Ali Ndume over the recent passing of his father.

Amaechi who was a Presidential aspirant in the last All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election, was accompanied to the Maiduguri home of Senator Ndume by members of his campaign Organisation.

Amaechi said “we are here to condole our leader and chairman of our campaign organization who lost his father. Though the delegation has come on behalf of the campaign but I felt that as the aspirant that they all supported, there is need for me to also visit him again. So we are here to condole with him”.

The former Minister further said, “though we had a bit of time with his father, who already grown very old then, but he was quite kind to all of us.

Our chairman inherited this seemingly good virtue of his late father. He is almost a replica of his father.

“In Nigeria today, especially at the political terrain, we have a lot of people who are lacking this quality- good character but not in our chairman.

In all honesty, I think that was what he inherited from his father. So that’s what prompted our coming to say to him that he’s not just a man but a leader that people must emulate, aside his family he should mentor others and pass on this leadership quality to others especially to those that would miss his father.”

The Senator representing Borno South constituency was the Director General, Amaechi Campaign organisations for APC Presidential primary election. Amaechi trailed behind the winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu with 316 votes.

The entourage had other members of the Amaechi Campaign organisations which include Former Speaker Abia States House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, Senator Representing Taraba Central senatorial zone, Sen. Tutari Abubakar, former Speakers Borno State House of Assembly, Hon. Bulama Fuji Ibrahim, Sen. Andrew Uchendu, Sen. Joshua Lidani.

Late Alhaji Ali Buba was born in October 1940 in the Ville Village of Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State. He enrolled into the Nigerian Army during the Civil war. Upon retirement from the Nigerian Army, he was appointed the 1st District Head of Ville District in 2016 by HRH the Emir of Gwoza on the approval of the then Governor of Borno State Kashim Shettima.

He died on the 18th of July and buried on the 19th of July, 2022 in Maiduguri.

He is survived by two wives , eight children with many grand children.

TINUBU CAMPAIGN GROUP INAUGURATES NATIONAL EXECUTIVES, APPOINTS AMINAT AMINU-ISAH SPOKESPERSON

The National Coalition Group (NCG), have inaugurated newly elected national executives to oversee the youth wing of the All Progressive Congress(APC) Presidential campaign team to fruition come 2023.

The new national executives were sworn in by Mr Francis Shoga, a representative of the NCG Board of Trustees (BOT) at the Tinubu campaign office in Wuse2 Abuja, on Friday.

Shoga urged the newly elected executives who are drawn from all walks of life, to use their wealth of experince to strategize programmes and events that will not only educate, enlighten Nigerians on why APC presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the best man to lead Nigeria, come 2023.

The NCG had its elections on Monday after receiving other groups on the grounds of merger for the purpose of ensuring that the Ahmed Bola Tinubu-Shetimma who are riding on the APC presidential ticket sails to harbour.

The Chairman during a chat with the in House media personnel at the end of the inauguration, said the NCG is in high spirit and is ready to set the ball rolling at ensuring that no stone is left unturned in ensuring that the APC presidential flag bearer is victorious.

For their part, ths Deputy National Chairman North, Mrs Abiodun Essiet; Deputy National Chairman South, Comr.(Sct.) Ekene Nwokoro; explained that the youth population makes up a huge chunk of the electorate population, hence the need for the youth to support the candidacy of Tinubu and Shetima.

According to the duo, the inauguration of the executives would aide the activities mapped out for the success of the principal, considering the fact that that youth need to be more enlightened on the issue of legitimacy of their franchise and why they should give their mandate to a leader who would salvage the country’s situation.

The new national executive of the NCG include, the National Chairman of the group, Dr. Bako Muhammed; Deputy Natioanl Chairman North, Mrs Abiodun Essiet; Deputy National Chairman South, Comr.(Sct.) Ekene Nwokoro; National Secretary, Miss Martha Agba; National Coordinator, Mr Idris Jibril; National Legal Adviser, AbdulAzeez T. Ahmed Esq; National Auditor, Sadiq Abdulfatai; National Director Project Design and implementation, Mr Ahmad Abdullahi; National Director Policy Strategy Development Delivery and Implementation Prince Shinna Agoi.

Others are National Director Media and Publicity, Mrs Aminat Aminu-Isah, National Director Logistics and Oversight, Hon. Chukwuma Patrick; National Director Welfare, Ashlee Momoh, National Treasurer Mr. Olanrewaju Obasa; National Director Youth Mobilisation and Consultation, Mr Musa Abdulrahman Idoko; National Director Community Engagement, Dr. Justice Chikezie; National Director Finance, Funding and Sponsorship, Mr Samaila Audu
Director. Finance, National Director Women Affairs and Development, Hon. Mary Ofie Odey.

Also elected are, South West Zonal Coordinator, Mary Adekemi Oluwajana; Zonal Coordinator North Central, Ibrahim Tahir; North West Zonal Coordinator, Mr Yusuf Amosu; Mr James Omini, Zonal Coordinator South-South; South-East Zonal Coordinator, Ms Ogechi Michael.

NPC Standing Committee spokesperson makes remarks on U.S. House Speaker Pelosi’s visit to China’s Taiwan region

On behalf of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, a spokesperson for the NPC Standing Committee on Tuesday made remarks on the visit to China’s Taiwan region by Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The following is the full text of the remarks:

On Aug. 2, in disregard of China’s solemn representations and firm opposition, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went ahead with her visit to China’s Taiwan region. The move has gravely violated the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, gravely undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely impacted the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and sent a seriously wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China’s NPC firmly opposes and strongly condemns the move.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle is the premise for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, and is also the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. The United States has made solemn commitment to China on the Taiwan question, but in real action, it has constantly upgraded substantive relations and official exchanges with Taiwan, emboldened and supported “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, attempted to use Taiwan to contain China, and severely undermined the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government and the Chinese people have taken and will continue to take resolute and forceful measures to firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

The Taiwan question bears on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. For China, there is zero room for compromise and not an inch to give. The Anti-Secession Law has made clear stipulations on major issues including upholding the one-China principle, deterring separatist moves toward “Taiwan independence” and opposing interference in the Taiwan question by external forces. The stance of the Chinese government and the Chinese people on the Taiwan question has been consistent. It is the firm will of over 1.4 billion Chinese people to resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any attempt to obstruct China’s complete reunification and great national rejuvenation is doomed to fail.

KANO-KADUNA RAIL:   JUST 12 PERCENT  WORK DONE IN 11 MONTHS INSPITE COMPLETION PROMISE

The contractors of the much talked about Kaduna – Kano rail line China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) has delivered  just 12% percent of work eleven months after President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the project, the Minister  of Transportation, Muazu Sambo has disclosed.

Recall that the former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi had in March assured Nigerians that the project would be delivered for commercial activities before May 2023, based on the pace of work by the contractors and the availability of funds.

Muazu, who spoke in Kano Thursday blamed insecurity as the major drawback largely responsible for the failure of the contractor to keep up with the expected pace of the project.

He however promised to engage the armed forces and the police to design a template for security, not only along this corridor but to serve as a template for all other corridors. This was contained in a press statement signed by Director Press and Public Relations, Eric Ojekwe.

The Minister also promised that the Federal government will prioritize the completion of the Kano-Kaduna Rail project due to the immense socio-economic impact it will have not only on the communities along the rail corridor but the country as a whole.

He said: “We know that most of the agricultural products in Nigeria are produced in the northern part of the country and taken to the south while goods that are imported into the country that comes through the seaports have to come through the south. So, it is an understatement if I say that this project is critical to the well-being of Nigerians”.

Mu’azu, also spoke on encroachment on lands for which the Ministry has already paid compensation and acquired, assuring that a high-level meeting with the Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, should address such issues.

The Transportation Minister, later inspected the ongoing University of Transportation project, in Daura where he said the proposed December, 2023 completion date is not acceptable and urged Messrs. CCECC to hasten on earlier delivery date.

The Minister was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMT), Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Board Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, Engr. Alhassan Ibrahim, the Managing Director,  NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, Director, Rail Transport Services, FMT, Engr. Jimoh Yusuf and others.

World in need of new global security governance for peaceful situations

The 2022 Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recently wrapped up in Madrid. As the world’s largest military alliance, the NATO has woven a U.S.-centered global military network together with U.S. military allies in Asia Pacific and around 750 U.S. military bases in 80 countries and regions.

Facts prove that the U.S. military alliance system has already become a tool of the U.S. to maintain its global hegemony. This system is against the trend of the times and the aspiration of people, and seriously threatens world peace and security.

Humankind aspires to peace and security. However, U.S. military alliances have frequently launched wars. To seek private gains, the U.S. always neglects the purposes and principles of the UN, and the sovereignty and dignity of other countries, acting as a bully together with its allies.

Throughout the 246-year history of the U.S., there were only 16 years in which the country was not at war with others. The warlike country and its allies have repeatedly aroused anti-war protests around the world.

The world needs common development, but U.S. military alliances are forcing poverty and underdevelopment upon others. According to incomplete statistics, the wars initiated and joined by the U.S.-led NATO have displaced over 10 million refugees since 2001.

Struggling to live on the ruins caused by the U.S., people in Iraq and Afghanistan are not only facing poor infrastructure, high unemployment and scarce public services, but also expanding influence of terrorist forces.

As most countries in the world are calling for win-win cooperation, U.S. military alliances are hyping division and confrontation. Countries should work as one to cope with global governance challenges, but U.S. military alliances are clinging to Cold War mentality and zero-sum game.

Rather than being dissolved after the end of the Cold War, the NATO made five rounds ofeastward expansions led by the U.S., which finally triggered the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Provoking confrontation between the two countries, the U.S. instigated the NATO to strengthen presence in the alliance’s east part, accelerate northward expansion and enhance sanctions against Russia. It looks like the U.S. has raised the curtain for a new Cold War in Europe.

Besides, the U.S. is also tightening its alliances in Asia Pacific. It knocked together the so-called Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and AUKUS, and invited its Asia Pacific allies for the first time to attend the NATO Summit, trying to build a military chain to contain China and make the peaceful situation in Asia Pacific tense. Besides, the U.S. has extended the reach of military alliances to the spheres of economy and technology, forging exclusive cliques to serve its scheme of major country competition.

The world is in dire need of new global security governance when it is facing complicated international situations and security challenges.

In April this year, China proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), calling on the world to stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and to protect the indivisible security community where all mankind live, so as to pave the way for a new type of security that features dialogue, partnership and win-win instead of confrontation, alliance and a zero-sum approach.

The GSI responds to the strong voice made by the people around the world for peace and development and charts the course for global security governance. It will inject strong impetus into tackling security dilemma and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The world should make joint efforts to implement the initiative. All countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and any hegemonic practice that violates sovereignty must be opposed. The world should firmly safeguard the authoritativeness of the UN and true multilateralism, and abandon the outdated alliance-led practice that divides global security governance, so as to avoid a new Cold War.

Countries must accommodate each other’s reasonable security concerns, oppose pursuing security at the sacrifice of other’ security, stay committed to the general direction of promoting peace talks and jointly working for political solutions to hotspot issues, and oppose double standard and unilateral sanctions.

They should follow a coordinated approach to safeguarding traditional and non-traditional security, emphasize both development and security, and address root causes. They should work to safeguard the hard-won prosperity achieved in Asia Pacific over the past decades, build a regional security framework that’s balanced, effective and sustainable, oppose an “Asian version” of the NATO and oppose dividing the region with alliances.

The tide of history is mighty. Those who follow it will prosper, while those who go against it will perish. The U.S. should conform to the trend of the times and the aspiration of the people around the world, abandon the outdated alliance and confrontation mentality, and stop the wrongdoing of hindering world peace with military alliances.

Breaking: Gombe governor in certificate forgery mess, Court asked to disqualify him, deputy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Gombe State Governorship Candidate, Muhammad Jibrin Barde have urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to disqualify Gov. Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and his Deputy, Jatau Manassah Daniel from contesting and participating in the 2023 Governorship Election in Gombe State for submitting forged certificates.

In  SUIT NO: FJC/ABJ/CS/1301/2022 between Peoples Democratic Party & 2 Ors v. INEC & 3 Ors filed on the 2nd August, 2022,  PDP prayed the Court to disqualify the Inuwa and his deputy from contesting the election for submitting forged documents and certificates to INEC which was published on 22nd July, 2022.

In an Originating Summons  filed on their behalf by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, SAN and  J.J. Usman, SAN, the Plaintiffs submitted relying on series of Supreme Court decisions that Inuwa and his Deputy having deposed to FORMS EC-9, the said Forms constitute Certificates and making false statement in it amount to submitting forged certificates which is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).

In a Court processes obtained by our Reporter, the Plaintiffs alleged that Jatau bears multiple names in his certificates to wit:

  1. Certificate of primary Education (ManassahJatau)
  2. West African examination Council School Certificate (Daniel Manassah J)
  3. University of Maiduguri Certificate (Manassah Daniel Jatau)
  4. National Youth Service Corp Certificate (Daniel Manassah)

without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9 submitted to INEC.

In 2022, Gov. Inuwa submitted FORM EC-9 (Affidavit of Personal particulars of Person seeking election into the office of governor of Gombe State)  where he stated that he worked in Bauchi State Investment Company Limited in 1984, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1985-2003 as against what he deposed to in 2018 as working in Bauchi Investment Company Limited in 1985, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1980-1990.

That  Gov. Inuwa in 2018 while presenting his personal particulars in aid of his qualification to participate in the Gombe State Governorship election stated in his INEC FORM CF001 that he worked with A.Y.U & Co. Ltd from 1980 – 1990, while in 2022, the same 3rd Defendant stated in his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd from 1985 – 2003.

The Governor  by his INEC FORM CF001 has stated under oath that  in 1980 -1990, he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd, however, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated again on oath via his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with the same A.Y.U. & Co. Ltd from 1985 – 2003.

While his Deputy attached his Certificate of National Youth Service Corps dated the 31st July, 1980 which stated thus:

“This is to certify that Daniel Manassah NYSC/Mad/79/6201 has satisfactorily completed one year of the national Service from 1st August 1979 to 31stJuly 1979 in accordance with section 11 of the national Youth Service Corps decree No. 24 of 1973”

According the Plaintiffs, the Deputy Governor who claimed to be working with the Nigeria Army from the period of August 1979 till July 1980 has submitted an NYSC discharge certificate that stated on its face that he commenced his National Youth service in August 1979 and completed same in July 1979.

The Plaintiffs also contended that from the paragraph D of the Jatau’s INEC Form EC–9, he claimed that he worked for the Nigeria Army from July 1979 till August 1980 and his reason for leaving the Nigeria Army in July 1980 was for the National Youth Service.

The Plaintiffs contended further that in Jatau’s INEC FORM EC-9, he commenced his NYSC after he left the Nigeria Army in July 1980 but the has submitted an NYSC Certificate that stated he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and ended in July 1979.

The Plaintiffs argued FORM EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both the Gov Inuwa and his  Deputy Jatau are not qualified to contest the election which they have set themselves to do.

The Plaintiffs urged the Court to disqualify them. No date has been given for the hearing of the case.