News

Intra African Travel: NANTA Cannot Be Ignored, Says Amb Manta

Published

5 months ago

May 7, 2023

Eric

Nigeria High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Haruna Manta says he is impressed with the high profile intervention on joint Africa Tourism prosperity by National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), noting that the association cannot be ignored in the quest to address tourism trade matters in Nigeria nay Africa.

During an interview on the sideline, after a farewell dinner, organised by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa for NANTA delegates and their partners from the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) held Hotel Sky in Johannesburg, Saturday night, Ambassador Manta disclosed that the determination of nanta to bring about change to the narratives of Intra African tourism, resonates with the dreams of most African people, emphatic that collaboration rather than individualism is the way to go in defining the prospects of Intra African cultural tourism trade and business opportunities.

“We are certainly proud of nanta for this collaboration with TOUGHA and which was endorsed by South Africa Tourism. At the embassy, we are always happy to receive Nigerian business trade groups, coming to South Africa to discuss business collaborations with groups here and by such efforts, we rekindle hope in the Nigeria and South Africa relationships, which over time has brought both countries and people together.” He noted

On the difficulty in obtaining visas to Nigeria, the ambassador explained that the process is being addressed and with the expected posting more Nigerian immigration personnel to South Africa, the overwhelming pressure of visa requests by those wishing to visit Nigeria, will ease out over time.

“These are issues which were on the table when our president and that of South Africa met not too long ago , and the whole idea is to tackle the issues with diplomatic understanding. At the commission here, we receive lots of visa requests that will take more hands to handle, but I like said, it is an issue that we confidentially expect that should be resolved ” Ambassador Manta explained further

Describing the NANTA initiative as octane to future trade professionals collaboration and partnership, Ambassador Manta stated that it’s difficult to deny visas to groups as suspicious profiling usually administered to an individual, will never be applied to collaborative and united efforts in the mould of nanta initiative.

“An individual as against a corporate effort may arouse immigration detailed profiling particularly when the individual may have enough funds to channel his visit and to which such pecuniary luxury may attract immigration deep examination as against spending by groups to an economy or destination which usually gets positive nods from host nations.” Ambassador Haruna Manta stated, adding that for every South African group or individual that visits Nigeria, there are possibilities to many trade groups from Nigeria, will be welcomed to South Africa thus spiking the trade relations and opportunities for Africa to Africa shared prosperity.

News

Adeleke Cancels Independence Day Celebration in Osun

Published

22 hours ago

September 29, 2023

Eric

Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has cancelled celebration of Independence Day slated for Sunday, October 1 in the state.

His spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, announced on Friday in Osogbo that the governor urged residents of the State to pray for the peace and prosperity of the country.

“Let us use the Independence Day to meditate and pray on the state of our nation.

“Our people are passing through tough times. It is time to take stock and seek divine intervention and guidance in the affairs of our nation.

“I greet Osun people and Nigerians in general as the Independence Day knocks at our doors.

“Here in Osun, we will celebrate with meditation and prayers,” he said.

News

Mohbad: Sam Larry Now in Our Custody, Police Confirm

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Eric

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, over an ongoing investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.

The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development to The Punch in a late Thursday night telephone interview.

“Yes, Balogun Eletu aka Sam Larry is now in our custody. He is currently assisting with the ongoing investigation,” Hundeyin said.

The police had earlier invited Sam Larry and singer, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, for questioning over Mohbad’s demise.

The police, last week, also confirmed that pathologists had concluded the autopsy conducted on Mohbad, while they await the result.

He said, “Autopsy has been concluded. Awaiting results.” This development followed the exhumation of Mohbad by a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and health officials.

The police had also arrested the nurse who reportedly injected the deceased singer before his demise on Tuesday, September 12.

The Punch

News

Kaduna: Tribunal Affirms Sani’s Election, Dismisses PDP’s Petition

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

Eric

The Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the 2023 election, Isah Ashiru, against the victory of Governor Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, in a dissenting judgment of two against one, delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel headed by Justice Victor Oviawie dismissed the petition on the ground that the pre-hearing notice was filed out of time, and therefore deemed to be abandoned.

The tribunal chairman and another member held that the appeal brought by PDP and Ashiru against the dismissal of their petition at the preliminary stage by the first and second defendants was not meritorious because the filing of the pre-hearing notice was abandoned and out of time, and therefore had dealt the entire petition a fatal blow.

The tribunal, however, noted that if the petition had not been dismissed for lack of merit, it would have ordered a supplementary election in 22 polling units within 90 days in the substantive judgment.

Senator Sani, during the election polled a total of 730,001 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ashiru of the PDP, who scored 719, 196 votes.

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Jonathan Asake, came third with 58,283 votes, while Suleiman Hunkuyi of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) scored 21,405 votes.

While the Labour Party and NNPP accepted the outcome of the election, the PDP and its candidate rejected the results, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the wrong candidate winner of the election.

Besides, the PDP and Ashiru alleged that there were massive irregularities and manipulation of results in favour of Governor Ubah in some local governments by INEC. According to them, the APC candidate did not score the highest number of valid votes cast in the election and ought not to have been returned winner of the election by INEC.

In June 2023, PDP and Ashiru, however, filed a petition at the election petition tribunal to challenge the election of Governor Uba.

At the last sitting of the court on September 3rd, all parties presented their final written addresses before the tribunal, with APC’s legal team led by a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bayo Ojo (SAN), arguing that the petitioners had helped in proving he won the election free and fair, pointing in particular to the admission of a star witness for the petitioner, Bonett Gwazah, a senior system analyst in the VR/ICT department of INEC in Kaduna State.