Former President of the United States, US, Barack Obama, has condemned the shooting at the Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
TVN reports that two people have died after gunshots were fired at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania – with the injured former president rushed off stage by armed security, according to the Associated Press.
Reacting via his X handle on Sunday, Obama said there was no place for political violence in American democracy.
Obama, who is a Democrat, said although details of the incident were still scanty, Americans should be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t “seriously hurt.”
He urged Americans should use the incident to recommit themselves to civility and respect in their politics.
He wished Trump a quick recovery.
Obama wrote, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
‘No place for violence in our democracy’ – Obama condemns assassination attempt on Trump
‘No place for violence in our democracy’ – Obama condemns assassination attempt on Trump
Kidnappers of Benue Polytechnic Rector demand N70m ransom
Kidnappers of Benue State Polytechnic acting Rector, Emmanuel Barki, have contacted the family, demanding N70 million naira as ransom for his release.
TVN had reported that three staff members, including the acting rector, were reportedly abducted on Thursday while they were traveling back to Ugbokolo from an official assignment in Makurdi, the state capital.
Recall that Barki, two other management staff of the institution, and their driver were kidnapped along the Otukpo/Otukpa Road. One of the victims was later released due to ill health.
According to a source close to the rector’s family, who wished to remain anonymous, the kidnappers had contacted the family, demanding a ransom of N70 million.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, confirmed the abduction and stated that an investigation was ongoing.
The Security Adviser to the Governor, Joseph Har, also confirmed the incident but mentioned he was unaware of any ransom demand.
“The incident happened, but I’m not aware they demanded ransom, but security men are combing the bushes to rescue them,” Har said.
Kidnappers of Benue Polytechnic Rector demand N70m ransom
Mbah to gift Rangers N50m reward for winning NPFL
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah has pledged to provide N50 million and other non-cash rewards to the Rangers International Club of Enugu for winning the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League trophy.
Mbah pledged while hosting the club at the Government House, Enugu on Saturday.
Rangers won their last league match for the season in Jos where they beat Gombe United 2-1 on Sunday, as the club celebrated the title win in a grand style at the Okpara Square in Enugu amid thousands of ecstatic fans,
Mbah said he was doing so as a proud father whose children returned from school with distinction.
He told them that the history of Rangers would not be said or completed without them as they had their names affixed in the indelible sand of the club’s history.
According to him, the players and crew members brought the state honour and pride.
“Rangers International transcends generations, acts as a unifying factor to many and so it is not just about winning a trophy and making us proud but putting Enugu State in the hearts and minds of the people of this country and beyond.
“So I want to end by saying that you have made us proud and we would in turn also make you happy,” Mbah said.
The governor commended the club manager, Mr. Amobi Ezeaku; the State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu and other crew members for their commitment and team spirit.
The governor added that “we are going to provide the sum of N50 million and other non-cash rewards that we have planned for all of you.
“I am going to be speaking with your general manager for those non-cash rewards that will impart your lives and immortalise you.”
He, however, pledged more support for the club that would lead them to places and bring glory to the state, assuring the development of sports in the state.
In his remarks, the club’s General Manager extolled the passion Mbah had for the club, saying that the governor’s presence in Jos to watch the match against Bendel Insurance served as a motivation to them.
Ezeaku recalled that Rangers played outside the state for two years due to bad pitch but Mbah came and restored it, leading to the successes recorded by the club.
NAN
One Year Scorecard: Constituents rate Senator Izunaso low
The leadership of Orluzurumee Youth Assembly, OYA, the apex socio-cultural Youth Organization which comprises the 12 LGAs of Orlu Senatorial District, has described the one year outing of Senator Osita Izunaso as below expectation.
In an open letter to the Senator in response to his claims during a town hall meeting, the National President of the Organization, Emejuru Thaddeus acknowledged his effort in pushing for Orlu State through the motion he moved on the floor of the National Assembly.
The president, however, reminded the Senator that significant aspects of his legislative duties remained unattended to.
He pointed out that the Senator, within his one year in the National Assembly, is yet to present the erosion problem ravaging the people of the zone, mostly that of Ideato-Umuchima, which has left many homeless.
Emejuru maintained that the Senator’s inability to bring up the erosion menace before the National Assembly is a big discredit to him.
The leader of the group also pointed out that the Senator’s claim to have carried out empowerment scheme was below average, especially on the side of the youths.
“There have been no well planned medical outreach programmes for the sick in our Senatorial Zone, no visible scholarship schemes and many other unfulfilled promises.
“We advise you to buckle up and work towards delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Orlu Zone.
“Your performance in the remaining years of your representation will be closely watched and we expect significant improvements,” the letter partly stated.
One Year Scorecard: Constituents rate Senator Izunaso low
Ooni bans market groups over high cost of food
The leader of market heads in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Akinwande Olajire, has said Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, banned market groups in the town over their roles in current high cost of food items in the community.
A video of Olajire addressing traders in a neighborhood market in Ile-Ife had gone viral on Saturday.
Olajire, who spoke in Yoruba language said Oba Ogunwusi had suspended market groups, as their activities have been fingered as the cause of high cost of food items.
He said groups of traders dealing in various food items have been involving in fixing cost of goods, even when they have bought the items cheaply from farms.
Explaining further on the action of the monarch, Olajire said “Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, sent me to the markets across Ife. You must have seen one of videos that we recorded during the visits. I am the Babaloja of Ejigbomekun market also known as Oja tuntun. I am the leader of Babalojas in Ife.
“Baba Ooni and his Chiefs have been told of unjustifiable amount traders are selling food items in markets in the town and one of the measures to check this is the ban he placed on market groups. These groups are fixing prices for their members and we don’t want that. Traders should be free to sell at cheap rate, if they are able to buy at cheap rate from farms. The groups have been banned.
“We have locked all the identified places these markets groups are using for their meetings and we will keeping monitoring them. If anyone is caught acting to intimidate traders for selling at cheap prices, such a person will face consequences.
“We also received several complaints from these traders about how motorists and others are extorting them. We will act on their complaint but they cant sell at prices we consider too high in our markets.”
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Industrial court reinstates ASCSN president, Bola-Audu
The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has reinstated Innocent Bola-Audu as the lawful President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants in Nigeria.
In a judgment delivered virtually on July 9, 2024, and the Certified True Copy of the judgment made available to journalists on Saturday, Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola held that the suspension of Bola-Audu by the Central Working Committee of the ASCSN and his subsequent expulsion by the National Working Committee was unlawful, illegal, null and void.
The judge held that Bola-Audu ought to have been reinstated as the President of ASCSN after the High Court of Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama cleared him of all criminal charges filed against him by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
Defendants in the suit are ASCSN, Bashir Lawal and Tommy Etim-Okon as first to third, respectively.
Recall that on Monday, February 22, 2021, NAPTIP arrested and detained Bola-Audu for an alleged case of human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable persons.
He was, however, cleared, discharged and acquitted of all the allegations by an FCT High court.
Bola-Audu had, on July 15, 2022, by a General Form of complaint, filed a suit before the industrial court praying the court for the following orders, “A declaration that he is the lawful and substantive National President of the ASCSN
“An order of the court mandating the ASCSN and all its organs reinstating him to his elected position as National President of the ASCSN with immediate effect.
“An order of the court mandating the ASCSN and its agents to ensure that he serves out his tenure of four years without any interruption.
“A declaration that the emergency meeting of the Central Working Committee requisitioned by the second defendant held in March 2021, which purportedly reached a decision that he should step aside and the appointment of the third defendant as acting President to replace him is irregular, unlawful and illegal.”
The claimant also prayed the court for nine other declarations, with the 13th declaration being that “the sum of N3m be awarded against the defendant as cost”.
Justice Oyebola, while ruling on the preliminary objection filed by the defendants, held that they only raised the issue of jurisdiction after they had joined issues at the point where the claimant was almost closing his case
“Though the dispute is intra-party, one peculiar fact set us apart from an ordinary intra-union dispute, the claimant’s case is based on an alleged disobedience to an order of an FCT High Court.
“Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria makes the National Industrial Court superior court of record against an arbitration.
“Disobedience to court orders cannot be settled through arbitration.
“The National Industrial Court, by virtue of Section 6 and 254 C(1) (J) of the constitution, has exclusive jurisdiction to entertain trade disputes.
“The argument of the defendant that the matter is an abuse of court process as there is an appeal against the judgment of the FCT high court is not tenable.
“No notice of appeal has been placed before this court, and the issues canvassed at the FCT high court are different from that before this court.
“An FCT High Court had on 15th March 2021 ordered that parties should maintain status quo in a fundamental right enforcement suit filed by the claimant was disobeyed by the defendants.
“An order of court is made to be obeyed whether rightly or wrongly made,” the Judge held.
She held that the suspension and expulsion of Bola-Audu was done unlawfully and declared it null and void having been done in defiance to a subsisting order of court.
“The third defendant cannot continue to act as the acting President but can return to his position as Vice President if the union wishes
“Mr Bola-Audu has been acquitted of the allegations levelled against him by NAPTIP; the ASCSN ought to have reinstated him
“The claimant was in court most of the time for the proceedings and conducted himself in an orderly manner. It is in line of this I award the sum of N3m against the defendants jointly
“An order is hereby made reinstating Mr Bola-Audu back to his post as substantive National President of the ASCSN till when his tenure is completed,” the judge ruled.
Quick facts about Trump’s assassination attempt
Former US President, Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a political rally Saturday, leaving the security agencies hunting for information about how a gunman could attack a former US leader.
Here is a blow-by-blow account of the shooting in Pennsylvania, where one Trump supporter was killed.
– How it unfolded –
Dressed in a white shirt, dark blazer and bright red MAGA cap, Trump was railing against illegal immigration when shots rang out at 6:08 pm (2208 GMT).
“Take a look at what happened…” he said, his words cut off by four shots in quick succession.
Trump grabbed his right ear as repeated shouts of “Get down!” were heard, before a fifth and sixth shot.
The former president crouched down behind the lectern as Secret Service agents moved in around him. Screams were heard in the crowd.
Within four seconds, further shots were fired, prompting more supporters to get down while additional agents rushed to the stage.
Seventeen seconds after the first shots, a final pop was heard, and a woman screamed.
Three heavily armed members of the security forces moved onto the stage 22 seconds after the shooting started.
Secret Service agents swiftly shared instructions — such as “We’re clear” and “Let’s move” — before they lifted up a dishevelled Trump.
Visible once more around one minute after the gunfire started, Trump said, “Let me get my shoes”, as the agents formed a ring around him.
It’s another 13 seconds until Trump raised his fist to the crowd, who responded with cheers.
As the former leader was ushered off the stage, his MAGA cap in hand, onlookers chanted, “USA!”.
Trump paused briefly to pump his fist in the air, before stepping off the stage.
Immediately before disappearing into an SUV and just two minutes after the assassination attempt started, Trump raised his fist once more and turned briefly towards the crowd.
As the car pulled away, heavily armed security forces dressed in khaki fatigues moved onto the scene.
– Trump says ‘felt the bullet’ –
Trump gave his first account of the shooting at 8:42 pm, posting on his Truth Social site.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump wrote.
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
The White House said President Joe Biden was given an initial briefing on the incident by 6:50 pm.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Shortly before 10:30 pm, Biden’s office said he had spoken to Trump and would cut short his beach weekend to return to Washington.
– Shooter named –
The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania’s Bethel Park, according to US media.
Crooks was named by the FBI “as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump”.
The Secret Service said the shooter “fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally” before being “neutralized” by agents.
Multiple witnesses said they saw the gunman before the shooting and alerted authorities.
Trump supporter Ryan Knight said he saw the attacker on a nearby building.
“When I was sitting there, a guy said: ‘Oh God, he had a gun’,” Knight told journalists.
Local police said they had “responded to a number of reports of suspicious activity” but gave no further details.
The attacker was armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, US media reported.
– Victims –
The gunman and a bystander were killed at the rally, while two spectators were critically wounded.
Two witnesses told US media they saw a man fatally shot in the head.
“The man beside me suffered a gunshot to the head, was instantly killed (and)… Another woman looked like she got hit in the forearm or hand,” a man, whose name was only given as Joseph, told NBC News.
A second witness, who said he was an emergency doctor, said he went to help after someone shouted that a person had been shot.
“The guy had spun around and was jammed between the benches. He had a headshot here,” he said, indicating a spot on his head, in comments shared widely in US media.
“There’s lots of blood, and he had brain matter,” said the man, who was wearing a white USA T-shirt stained with blood.
Anyim will receive equal opportunities as old members
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, has assured former Senate President, Pius Anyim, that he won’t be regarded as a second-class member of the party, saying he will receive equal opportunities as others.
Ganduje made the pledge when he received the veteran politician into the ruling party from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the APC chairman’s aide, Edwin Olofu.
Ganduje described the coming of Anyim and others to the APC as a huge blessing to the party owing to their wealth of experience.
He said, “Today I’m elated to receive such an important personality to our party, I want to assure you on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Timubu that you are welcome to the largest political party in black and white Africa.
“Be rest assured that we will give you equal opportunity like old members of our party so that you can come to the table with your huge experience and followership.”
Ganduje urged the South East geo-political region to join the mainstream politics, stressing that the zone can’t continue to be in the opposition
Anyim defected to the ruling APC on Saturday in an elaborate occasion held at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The former Senate president also led notable politicians from other political parties, such as the former Labour Party governorship candidate in the state, Edwin Nkwegu and Senator Obinna Ọgba, including thousands of their supporters, to join the party.
Aside from Ganduje, the new converts were received by the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodinma; Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, State Chairman of the party, Stanley Meghan and other party chieftains.
Kogi NMA suspends chairman
The Nigerian Medical Association, Kogi State Chapter, has suspended its Chairman, Dr Olusola Baoku, for alleged constitutional, administrative and financial infringements.
At an emergency congress held in Lokoja, the state capital, on Saturday, a former Chairman of NMA Dr. David Ayemila, told journalists that a committee has been constituted to hold sway till August 11, 2024 when election that will produce a new state executives would be conducted.
It was learnt that the congress resolved to ensure there is no vacuum by empowering the committee of Past Chairmen Chaired by Ayemila and Dr Zubair Kabiru as Secretary, to take over the running of the association till when a new election is expected to be conducted and new officers emerge.
Ayemila attributed the crisis that affected the association to the way the sispended chairman handled the association’s affairs.
“Our committee was inaugurated today, July 13, 2024 to watch the activities of the Nigeria Medical Association until August 11 when a new leadership of the association would be elected,” Ayemila noted.
Ayemila stated that the decision for the dissolution of the former State Exco was as a result of their failure to manage the association well and preventing avoidable challenges which the association was subjected to, adding that, the only way out is to constitute the new interim management committee.
He blamed the inability of the disbanded state officers to organise meetings hence, the decision to have a new organ that will steer the affairs of the association.
Ayemila implored members to support and cooperate with them to discharge their assignment.
He said, “The congress also empowered the Association of Past chairmen by transmitting all the powers of the State Officers Committee to the Committee of Past Chairmen.
“The committee is to ensure that the medical and surgical outreach proposed for Okene holds, including a successful election and Annual General Meeting.”
Recall that under Baoku, seven members of the 2022-2023 exco resigned following the crisis rocking the association.
Real reason Gov Yusuf reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano – Kwankwaso
The Nigeria Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has explained why Muhammad Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano.
Kwankwaso said Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State reinstated Sanusi as Emir in fulfilment of his campaign promises to the people of the state.
The former Kano State governor said they have no regrets with the governor’s decision to reinstate Sanusi.
Recall that Yusuf reinstated Sanusi of Emir of Kano after dethroning Aminu Ado Bayero.
His action followed the repeal of the 2019 Kano Emirate Law by the state House of Assembly.
But, featuring on Arise News Prime Time, Kwankwaso said: “It was a campaign issue. Don’t forget that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was installed in 2014 by our government.
“My Deputy who became governor decided in his wisdom to divide Kano into five emirates. What many people don’t remember is that it was tried by the Rimi government during the Second Republic.
“It was our position, our belief that Kano should continue as one solid traditional institution. That was what we believed in.
“So, during our campaign, the governor went round to tell the people that if they voted for him, Kano would return to being one solid traditional institution, of course with support from the other emirates.
“That is why when he was sworn-in, he started a process of consultation.
“But for one year, the governor carried out due consultations and decided to follow due process through the State House of Assembly and Sanusi was reinstated. People voted for him for several reasons, including making Kano one strong emirate.”
Real reason Gov Yusuf reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano – Kwankwaso