These are the stories you should be monitoring today:
The statement by Atiku is his latest response to the vice president on the debate on restructuring between both leaders after the latter alleged that his “concept of restructuring is understandably vague.”
Atiku who said he was hard-pressed to see how his clear and specific ideas could be described as ‘vague’, said it was most unfortunate, adding that while Osinbajo could change his stance on the call for restructuring, he should not “use one finger to hide behind semantics.”
In preparation for its primaries, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has published the schedule and timetable containing the dates of congresses and primaries for all the elective posts and the various fees to be paid in securing forms by aspirants for all the elective offices in the 2019 election.
According to the schedule released by the National Organising Secretary of the APC, Emma Ibediro Tuesday, in Abuja, Presidential aspirants for the 2019 primaries will pay N45million to obtain the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, before they can stand for the direct primary slated for 20 September.
Others include: Governorship – N22.5 million; Senate – N7million; House of Representatives- N3.8million; and State House of Assembly – N850,000.00.
The APC also announced a 50 per cent discount for female and physically challenged aspirants for all positions, adding that there shall be no separate charge for the vice-presidential aspirants.
Former Governor of Kano and Presidential Candidate of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has decamped from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Media Aide to the former governor, Sule Ya’u Sule, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday, explained that the outcome of the stakeholders meeting which he called, would decide where he (Shekarau) will go.
Shekarau’s exit from the party is coming on the heels of the dissolution of the PDP State Executive Committee in Kano by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party on Friday in Abuja to allegedly accommodate associates of new decampee and former governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris on Tuesday sent a delegation, led by DIG Habila Joshak, in charge of operations at the Force headquarters to convey his apology to elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark over an unauthorised raid carried out by some policemen on his house in Abuja.
According to a statement by Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, the IGP did not authorise the search while the informant and the four policemen who carried out the illegal raid have already detained and will be tried within the Force Disciplinary Procedures after investigations before appropriate punishments are meted out to them.
“The IGP has directed the immediate parade of the informant(Suspect) on Wednesday 5th September 2018 in the presence of the press and the public, before his prompt arraignment and prosecution in Court,” the statement read.
The Not Too Young To Run Movement in Gombe has decried the high cost of the expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2019 general elections being sold by political parties in the country, describing it as a major impediment to youth participation in politics.
National Leader of the movement, Hamza Lawal, who spoke on behalf of the group at a press conference in Gombe, alleged that state governors were working to edge out the youth from vying for elected public offices and frustrate their leadership ambition by hijacking the sale of nomination forms, adding that the development smacked of a grand conspiracy to keep the system only for the moneybags and shut out those with less financial muscle
He further recommended that the cost for nomination forms by various parties should not exceed N2m for the presidential aspirant, N1m for governorship aspirant, N600,000 for senatorial aspirants, N400,000 for House of Representatives and N200,0000 for state House of Assembly.
And stories from around the world:
U.S. President, Donald Trump wanted to have Syrian President Bashar al-Assad assassinated last year but his defense secretary ignored the request, according to a new book that depicts top Trump aides sometimes disregarding presidential orders to limit what they saw as damaging and dangerous behaviour. (Reuters)
The United Nations says the rival militia factions that have been fighting in Libya’s capital Tripoli for the past week have agreed to a ceasefire. (BBC)
Spain put the brakes on a sale of hundreds of missiles to Saudi Arabia amid concerns about their use against civilians in the war in Yemen. (Al Jazeera)
The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey meet Friday in Tehran for a summit expected to shape the future of Idlib province, home to Syria’s last major rebel bastion. (AFP)
South Korean special envoys left Seoul on Wednesday for a one-day trip to North Korea to hold discussions, which will be the third summit to be held this month between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Reuters)
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.
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