Pro-Buhari group tells Senate to respect court ruling on Senator Omo-Agege

Pro-Buhari group says Senate action against Senator
Omo-Agege constitutes an affront to the law and
principles of human right and free speech.
- Senate, Saraki head to Appeal Court against Omo-
Ageg
The Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) has
accused the Nigerian Senate of ill-treating
suspended Senator Omo-Agege representing
Delta north in the National Assembly.

The Nation reports that the group speaking at a
press briefing in Katsina state on Friday, May 11,
urged the upper chamber to respect the recent
ruling of the Federal High Court which ruled that
the Senate’s decision against Omo-Agege was
constitutionally defective.
The state chairman of the group, Abba
YAbdullahi, said the action of the senate
constitutes an affront to the law and principles
of human right and free speech.


Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate on Thursday,
May 10, rushed to the Court of Appeal against
the nullification of the suspension of one of its
members, Ovie Omo-Agege by the Federal High
Court in Abuja just as the lawmaker reacted to
the judgement in his favour.
Vanguard reports that the Senate and its
president, Bukola Saraki, who is the second
defendant in the case, also filed for a stay of
execution of the nullification of the suspension.
The Senate confirmed that it promptly filed a
notice of appeal and a motion for stay of
execution of the judgement of the lower court.

Kayode Fayemi wins Ekiti APC governorship ticket

The minister of mines and steel development, Kayode
Fayemi, has emerged the winner of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) primary in Ekiti state.
The former governor defeated other contestants
in the poll with a total of 941 votes, out of the
2337 votes by the delegates, which put him a
ahead of other aspirants, The Cable reports.
Fayemi defeated 31 other aspirants including ex-
governor Segun Oni who secured 481 votes, to
clinch the party's ticket.


The aspirants who came closest to Fayemi are
Kayode Ojo 281 votes, Olufemi Richard Bamisile
179 votes, Oluyede Oluwole 121 votes and Aluko
Daniel Olugbenga 86 votes.
Meanwhile, the APC local government congress
in Agege, Lagos state, reportedly turned bloody
after a man was allegedly shot dead during a
fracas that ensued after voting had ended on
Saturday, May 12.

Premium Times reports that deceased identified
as Nurudeen Olanose, was allegedly shot at
Central School, Dopemu, while two others are in
critical condition.
The newspaper stated that nine people have been
arrested and taken to Area G Police Division in
Agege over the violence that trailed the congress

FG fires NECO registrar, 2 deputy directors

- 2 NECO deputy directors are sacked for alleged
corruption
- The most senior director, Alhaji Abubakar Gana, is
ordered to take over as registrar in acting capacity
- Muhammadu Buhari says no nation would progress if
its educational system is poor
The registrar of the National Examinations
Council (NECO), Professor Charles Uwakwe and
two deputy directors of the examination body
have been sacked.
The Nation reports that though no official reason
has been given for the disengagement of the
register, the two deputy directors might have
been disengaged for alleged corrupt practices.
Some sources attributed the sack of the registrar
to the award of a N25 billion contract which was
without the knowledge of either the federal
ministry of education or the governing board of
the council.

Others said Professor Charles Uwakwe may have
been fired for allegedly recruiting some staff
without the knowledge of the appropriate
authorities.
adegokblog .com learnt that the most senior director,
Alhaji Abubakar Gana has been directed to take
over as registrar in acting capacity.
Meanwhile, adegokblog; President Muhammadu Buhari has
said that the federal government will evolve
measures to curb incessant strikes and address
grievances by staff of universities in the country.

Buhari, represented by a director with National
Universities Commission, (NUC) Gidado Kuma,
spoke on Saturday at the 23rd, 24th and 25th
combined convocation ceremonies of Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
He said government was looking into the
operations of agencies in the education sector to
find solutions to the problems militating against
their desired impact, especially in the university
system.
The president said that the essence of creating a
specialised university such as ATBU was to assist
the country in training future scientists and
launch it into the sphere of technological
breakthroughs

Rested Lionel Messi left out of Barcelona's trip to Levante

Lionel Messi has not been included in Barcelona's squad for
Sunday's match away against Levante as the Catalan side look
to take a step closer to an unbeaten season.
Barca can stretch their unbeaten run to 44 games in La Liga if
they avoid defeat in Valencia, with 37 of those games coming
in the current campaign.
They would then only need to navigate next weekend's home
game against Real Sociedad to become the first-ever side to
end a 38-game season in Spain's top flight unbeaten.
However, they will travel to the Ciutat de Valencia stadium
without talisman Messi, who has been given a rest by coach
Ernesto Valverde, presumably with the World Cup in mind.
Valverde previously had to tell Argentina that the country
doesn't need to worry about Messi's fitness going into this
summer's tournament in Russia after the forward picked up a
hamstring injury in April.
Messi had been expected to feature against Levante as he
looks to wrap up a fifth European Golden Shoe. With 34 league
goals this season, he is three ahead of his nearest challenger,
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, so is unlikely to be caught
regardless.
Valverde, meanwhile, said he wants his side to make history
by going the whole season unbeaten. Real Madrid and Athletic
Bilbao managed unbeaten seasons in 1932 and 1930
respectively, but the length of the championship was only 18
games in those days.
"In principle, that's never been an objective for us, but now that
we have won the league we need new motivations and that's a
very clear one," Valverde said in a news conference. "It's been
a long time since anyone did it and we're close to achieving it
this year. Our main objectives are already completed, so let's
see if we can now go unbeaten. It would be historic."
As attention in the local press turns to the summer transfer
window, Valverde insisted the only thing he is focused on is
the Levante game. The Valencia-based side have secured their
top-flight status for another season courtesy of picking up 23
points in their last 10 matches, including winning their last four
games.
But the Barca coach admitted there have already been some
talks with regards to finalising the squad for what will be his
second season in charge.
"We have touched on what we want to do this summer
slightly," he said. "But we want to focus on the end of the
season first. If we were thinking about players for next season,
I think we would lose that competitive edge. It's a distraction."
Valverde said the club will look within to replace the departing
Andres Iniesta at first, with B team midfielder Carles Alena
likely to be promoted to the first team.
"The first idea is to look at what we have here: [Philippe]
Coutinho's good in [Iniesta's] position and there are other
players, too, like Alena from the B team," he said. "I think it's
more or less clear [Alena will be promoted], he's been training
with us all season. We will see later [if more come up with
him]. There's Oriol Busquets, but we will need to see how he
is after his injury.
"We always have to be following the [transfer] market, too. We
lost an important player last year [Neymar] in a surprising
manner and we had to improvise. Things were turned inside
out.
"With Andres, we know he's leaving, so we have some time to
plan. Some players are so special and unique, though, that it
would be a lie to say you won't miss them. Of course we will
miss him, so we need to find another way of balancing the
team without him."
As well as Messi, Barca will be without Sergi Roberto, Samuel
Umtiti and Aleix Vidal. Sergi Roberto is serving the second
game of a four-match ban following his Clasico dismissal, a
match which also saw Umtiti injure his knee.
Winger Vidal, meanwhile, has been left out for the third
consecutive league fixture and is expected to be one of the
players available for transfer this summer.