Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Saturday, 4 February 2017
Uber CEO resigns from Trump Advisory Council
Uber's non participation in the work stoppage called by the New York
Taxi Alliance after Donald Trump announced a ban on immigration of seven
Muslim countries coupled with the CEO's position in advisory council
led to the massive criticism and boycott of about 200,000 users.
Mr Travis Kalanick first released a statement on the issue explaining
his stand on the ban order. He revealed he was not in support of the ban
and explained ways Uber will help all affected drivers. He however
defender his position in the council saying
"Ever since Uber’s founding we’ve had to work with governments and politicians of all political persuasions across hundreds of cities and dozens of countries."His explanation didn't help much as within a day, their competitor, Lyft surged up to the 5th most downloaded app on iOs. Mr Kalanick decided to leave the advisory council altogether. In a memo sent out to the press, he wrote;
Dear Team,
Earlier today I spoke briefly with the President about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community. I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that.
I spent a lot of time thinking about this and mapping it to our values. There are a couple that are particularly relevant:
Inside Out - The implicit assumption that Uber (or I) was somehow endorsing the Administration’s agenda has created a perception-reality gap between who people think we are, and who we actually are.
Just Change - We must believe that the actions we take ultimately move the ball forward. There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America. Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and there’s a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants.
Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite honestly to Uber’s. I am incredibly proud to work directly with people like Thuan and Emil, both of whom were refugees who came here to build a better life for themselves. I know it has been a tough week for many of you and your families, as well as many thousands of drivers whose stories are heartfelt and heart-wrenching.
Please know, your questions and stories on Tuesday, along with what I heard from drivers, have kept me resilient and reminded me of one of our most essential cultural values, Be Yourself. We will fight for the rights of immigrants in our communities so that each of us can be who we are with optimism and hope for the future.
Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Snitch Alert: Uber CEO snitches on other CEOs that supported Trump
In an email to his staff on Saturday, Kalanick said that the company opposes the executive orders by Trump and will compensate affected employees. But he did not stop there, he went on to reveal in detail the names and companies of other CEOs who support and serve as advisers to Donald Trump.
Kalanick is an advisor for Trump’s business group and on Saturday, while the Taxi Union agreed to hold a strike at the JKF airport in protest of the ban on Muslim foreigners, Uber broke the taxi strike and went on to announce on Twitter that surge pricing has been reduced, meaning their prices were made less expensive, thereby undermining the effect of the strike. This prompted a lot of anti-Trump protesters to delete the Uber app from their phones and the hashtag #DeleteUber started trending on Twitter.
Kalanick was not going to suffer the backlash alone so he snitched on other CEOs, but this did not go down well, because, rather than have the criticisms shift from him to the other exposed CEOs, he received an even greater backlash, with most referring to him as "the dude that caught cheating, so he snitched on all his boys.”
Saturday, 28 January 2017
Dino Melaye Accidentally Meets Gov. Ayo Fayose
Thursday, 26 January 2017
Donald Trump's official photo MIA at LAX
The empty picture frame at the LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal used to have Barack Obama's face there up until January 20th. Donald Trump's face should be there now greeting visitors when they land but it doesn't look airport officials have received Donald's photo or just don't care to hang it there
Friday, 4 November 2016
Soyinka Promises to Cut US Green Card if Trump Wins
Nigeria’s
Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka has said he will cut up his green
card if Donald Trump emerges as winner of the US presidential election.
The green card is a permanent residence permit for the US – prized by many African immigrants to the US.
According to the BBC, his comments emerged in the video of a conversation with students at Oxford University in the UK.
The famous author appears to be taking a swipe at Mr. Trump over his radical stance on immigration.
Soyinka is one of Africa’s most
celebrated literary figures. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Literature in 1986 – becoming the first African to be honoured in that
category.
American voters go to the polls next Tuesday and latest polls show Mr. Trump and his rival Hillary Clinton are neck and neck.
Mr. Trump is famous for his promise to build a wall to keep Mexican immigrants out of the US if he makes it to the White House.
Under his hardline proposals, every
illegal immigrant currently in the US would be subject to deportation if
he wins the election.
He has said there will be no pathway to
citizenship or even legal status for them unless they leave the country
and get in line with everyone else who wants to enter the US, subject to
the normal immigration procedures.
Prof. Soyinka said he feared the Republican candidate would ask all green-card holders to reapply to come back into the US.
“Well, I’m not waiting for that,” the Nigerian author told his student audience.
“The moment they announce his (Trump’s) victory, I will cut my green card myself and start packing up,” he added.
Friday, 12 August 2016
Republicans Sign Letter Urging RNC To Stop Funding Donald Trump's Campaign
As Trump continues to slip in the polls, the signatories are asking for the party to instead focus resources on maintaining the GOP's majority in the House and Senate.
The letter, obtained by Politico, says Trump's chances of winning in November are 'evaporating day by day' and that his 'recklessness' and 'incompetence' risks handing the election to Hillary Clinton by a landslide.
It lists a string of problems with Trump's campaign, including his many controversial remarks, his refusal to release tax returns and his claim that he may not uphold NATO treaty requirements.
'We believe that Donald Trump's divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide, and only the immediate shift of all available RNC resources to vulnerable Senate and House races will prevent the GOP from drowning with a Trump-emblazoned anchor around its neck,' says a draft form of the letter.
This should not be a difficult decision, as Donald Trump's chances of being elected president are evaporating by the day.'
It adds Trump's actions, such as attacking Gold Star families, praising dictators and calling on Russia to find Clinton's missing emails, have 'alienated millions of voters of all parties.'
Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities,' the letter says.
Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Dino Melaye shares pictures from his summer vacation with his kids
Thursday, 4 August 2016
'Virtually every Nigerian is corrupt' says Governor Ajimobi
“We are looking at corruption in a global perspective as against just taking money. If you look at it generally, you will see that virtually every Nigeria is corrupt, virtually everybody is corrupt in one way or the other either attitudinally, financially or socially, and this, we believe should be looked into.
“We believe corruption is more than just taking money, I think it is attitudinal. Anytime you do what you are not supposed to do, is corruption. Sometime you can even enlarge it to mean indiscipline, inability to control yourself, to discipline yourself against selfish tendencies of wanting to take what does not belong to you. Even not doing your job is corruption, for taking salaries monthly and not coming to work and being idle is
Court sends Fayose’s ally, Agbele, to Kuje prison
A Federal High Court in Abuja on
Wednesday remanded an associate of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti
State, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, in Kuje Prison, Abuja, till Thursday when it
would deliver ruling on his application for bail.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba made the order of
remand after Agbele was arraigned on 11 counts of money laundering
involving N1,219,000,000 said to be part of N4,685,723,000 allegedly
transferred unlawfully from the account of the Office of the National
Security Adviser.
Arraigned along with Agbele were three companies, Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, De Privateer Limited and Spotless Investment Limited.
Agbele is said to be the Managing
Director of De Privateer Limited and a former Director, Finance and
Account of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission.
The prosecution stated that Agbele and
other suspects said to be at large used the companies (named as accused
persons) to disburse the funds which were allegedly released
fraudulently by the then
National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki
(retd.).
The prosecution stated in two of the counts that those with whom Agbele allegedly committed some of the crimes were at large.
The suspects on the run according to the
EFCC, are a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro;
Lt. A. O. Adewale; and Olalekan Ogunseye, said to be a sole signatory to
the account of Sylvan Mcnamara Limited.
The prosecution stated that the accused
persons did retain, transfer and convert part of the proceeds of the
funds for their personal use, when they “reasonably ought to have known”
that they were part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.”
All the 11 counts preferred against the
accused were said to be contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended in 2012).
The offences were said to be punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
Agbele pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him on Wednesday.
In the suit numbered
FHC/ABJ/CR/154/154/2016, the EFCC alleged that between April 4, 2014 and
November 13, 2014, Agebele, Obanikoro and other suspects at large
conspired among themselves to “commit illegal act of laundering the sum
of N4,685,723,000,000 being the sum transferred from the Office of the
National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria by Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.) (the then NSA).”
The EFCC alleged that the accused knew the N4,685,723,000,000 formed part of the proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.
In Count 2, Agbele, Obanikoro and the
rest of the suspects said to be at large allegedly on June 17, 2014,
allegedly “directly took possession or control” of the sum of
N1,219,000,000, being part of N4,685,723,000,000, when they “reasonably
ought to have known” that it was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful
activity.”
In Count 3, the EFCC alleged that on
June 17, 2014 Agbele “did transfer” the sum of N100m into the account
number 1010170969 belonging to Spotless Investment Limited and domiciled
in Zenith Bank Plc, when he “reasonably ought to have known” that it
was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.
In Count 4, the EFCC alleged that on June 17, 2014 Agbele and Spotless Limited “did retain” the sum of N100m.
In Count 5, the EFCC alleged that on
June 17, 2014, Agbele “did retain” the sum of N219,490,000, in the
Zenith Bank account of De Privateer Limited.
In Counts 6 and 7, Agbele, while being
the Managing Director of De Privateer Limited, allegedly retained the
sum of N300m and N200m in the De Privateer Limited’s account, on June 19
and June 23, respectively.
In Count 8, Agbele allegedly “did retain” the sum of N137m in Fayose’s Zenith Bank, Akure branch account number 1003126654.
After the arraignment on Wednesday,
Agbele’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), moved his client’s bail
application, urging the judge to grant it in liberal terms.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane, urged the court to dismiss the application.
Ojogbane urged the court to remand the
accused person in prison throughout the period of the trial and instead
of granting him bail, the judge should rather grant an order of
accelerated hearing.
Justice Dimgba fixed Thursday for ruling on the bail applicationTuesday, 2 August 2016
President Buhari has approved the appointment of 17 new CEOs of Parastatals & agencies under Fed Min of Education
List of the new CEO's and their offices below...
S/No
Parastatal
|
Name
| |
1.
|
Nigeria Educational Research & Development Council (NERDC)
|
Prof. Samaila Junaidu
|
2.
|
Nigerian French Language Village Badagry, (NFLV)
|
Prof. Raauf Adebisi
|
3.
|
National Board For Technical Education (NBTE)
|
Dr. Mas’ud A. Kazaure
|
4.
|
National Arabic Language Village, Maiduguri, Borno State (NALV)
|
Prof Muhammad Mu’az
|
S/No
|
Parastatal
|
Name
|
1.
|
National Universities Commission (NUC)
|
Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed
|
2.
|
Nigerian Institute For Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA)
|
Prof. Mrs Lilian Salami
|
3.
|
Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC)
|
Dr. Hameed Bobboyi
|
4.
|
National Library of Nigeria (NLN)
|
Prof. Lanre Aina
|
5.
|
National Examinations Council (NECO)
Prof. Charles Uwakwe
|
Prof. Charles Uwakwe
|
6.
|
National Commission For Mass Literacy, Adult And Non-Formal Education (NCMLA&NE)
|
Prof. Abba Haladu
|
7.
|
Nomadic Education Commission (NEC)
|
Prof. Bashir H. Usman
|
8.
|
National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB)
|
Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe
|
9.
|
Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)
|
Prof. Sunday Josiah Ajiboye
|
10.
|
Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN)
|
Afolabi N. Aderinto
|
11.
|
National Commission For Colleges of Education (NCCE)
|
Prof. Bappah Aliyu
|
12.
|
Tertiary Education Tax Fund (TETFund)
|
Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa
|
13.
|
National Teachers Institute (NTI)
|
Prof. Garba Dahuwa Azare
|
14.
|
Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN)
|
Prof. Michael Afolabi
|
15.
|
National Mathematical Centre, Sheda (NMC)
|
Prof. Steven Ejugwu Onah
|
16.
|
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
|
Prof. Ishaq Olarenwaju Oloyode
|
17.
|
National Institute of Nigerian Languages NINLAN
|
Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche
|
The four parastatals whose chief executives will retain their position are:
S/No
|
Parastatal
|
Name
|
1.
|
Nigeria Educational Research & Development Council (NERDC)
|
Prof. Samaila Junaidu
|
2.
|
Nigerian French Language Village Badagry, (NFLV)
|
Prof. Raauf Adebisi
|
3.
|
National Board For Technical Education (NBTE)
|
Dr. Mas’ud A. Kazaure
|
4.
|
National Arabic Language Village, Maiduguri, Borno State (NALV)
|
Prof Muhammad Mu’az
|
Chris Ngige booed for defending President Buhari’s appointments
According to eyewitnesses, when Ngige had mounted the podium to answer questions bothering on the recent appointments, many of the youths booed at him and chanted No! No! No!. He however made his points known that the appointments were not onesided as is being suggested.
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Senate screening: Nigerian diplomats fail to recite national anthem
Two longstanding Nigerian diplomats nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday failed to recite the country’s anthem and pledge, leaving lawmakers and journalists at a senate hearing in laughter.
The recitals are taught in primary schools across the country, and are performed daily by students throughout their secondary school study.
The two diplomats, Vivian Okeke and Ibrahim Isah, were nominated by President Buhari alongside 45 others as prospective envoys to different countries, where they would promote Nigeria’s culture, ideals and values.
At a dramatic session Tuesday, members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, vetting the diplomats’ qualifications, unexpectedly asked Mrs. Okeke and Mr. Isah to recite the national anthem and pledge.
While Mrs. Okeke mumbled the words of the anthem, Mr. Isah floundered and could not proceed with the pledge after introducing himself.
Mrs. Okeke was later aided by James Manager, a Senate committee member, as she murmured through the second stanza of the anthem.
Both nominees have been in the Nigeria’s Foreign Service since 1983 – already raking in 33 years of experience each.
Mrs. Okeke currently serves at the Nigerian embassy in Washington, United States. In 2013, she was the minister (trade and investment) at the mission. She is from Anambra State.
He had headed the chancery at the Consulate-General of Nigeria in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and was also Chief Airport Protocol Officer responsible for seeing off and receiving foreign leaders who visited Nigeria.
Mr. Isah told the screening committee that Nigeria must block foreign goods from entering the country “like China” to come out recession.
It wasn’t the first time a would-be envoy would fail the national anthem test.
In March 2011, Ijoma Bristol failed to recite the anthem and could not also name the capital of Jigawa State during her screening before Jubril Aminu-led Foreign Affairs Committee of seventh Senate.
She was however cleared, with then Senate President, David Mark, saying “her case is a case of poor pass”.
