These are the stories you should be monitoring today:
Former Finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, has on Saturday reportedly jetted out of the country, hours after her resignation bothering on forgery of her National Youth Service Scheme Exemption certificate.
As reported by Punch, multiple sources at the airport confirmed her departure to the United Kingdom, adding that the British Airways aircraft she reportedly boarded to London left the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at exactly 8:05am on Saturday.
Premium Times who broke the news of the allegation involving Adeosun in July, also reported that sources close to the former Minister revealed that she had left the country for the United Kingdom. “She has left Nigeria,” a source said. “She most likely is in the UK by now,” a source claimed.
The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria has qualified for the 2019 under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tanzania, after edging out Ghana on penalties in the zonal qualifiers played at the Stade General Seyni Kountche in Niamey, Niger on Saturday.
Following a 1-1 draw played by the teams in full time, the game went into a penalty shoot-out which ended 3-1 in favour of Nigeria who would now join seven other teams to slug it out for the four World Cup slots reserved for the continent.
Following its recent declaration that President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term would spell doom and stunt Nigeria’s economy, the Presidency has on Saturday challenged multinational banking and financial services company, HSBC to return all of Nigeria’s stolen assets in its coffers, and see how well the country will do.
According to a statement by the Special Senior Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who stated that HSBC allegedly laundered over $100m for the late Abacha in Jersey, Paris, London and Geneva, “HSBC’s put down on President Buhari is no more than an expression of frustration over the administration’s measures put in place which has abolished grand corruption, the type which this bank thrives on in many countries.”
“A bank that soiled its hand with ‘‘millions of US dollars yet-to-be-recovered Abacha loot” and continued until a few months ago to shield the stolen funds of one of the leaders of the Nigerian Senate has no moral right whatsoever to project that a “second term for Mr. Buhari raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration,” the statement read.
Former Senate President, David Mark on Saturday held a private meeting with the former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, at his residence in Minna, capital of Niger.
The former Military Governor is believed to have met with Babaginda to discuss his presidential ambition ahead of the Presidential Primary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he is expected to slug it out with 11 other Presidential aspirants.
NAN reports that Sen.David Mark in company of Sen. Zainab Kure, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha and Sen.Suleman Adokwe, current chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.
Senior Pastor of Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie has revealed his preparedness for the primaries of his political party, the Fresh Democratic Party, expected to hold on September 29, to pick its candidates ahead of the 2019 elections.
Making the announcement during a church service in Lagos, he stressed that “the amount of anger in the nation today is unprecedented and whatever the APC Government is doing now will not work,” adding that the prayers of the saints have been heard as Nigerians need to “enthrone an interim government headed by people who understand what it takes and who have the courage and ability to transform the nation.”
Despite running for the office of the President on three previous occassions, Okotie who declared his intention to run for the 2019 presidential election on July 15, told his congregation that his mandate this time around was to set up an interim government, which he had named “Government of National Reconciliation and Reconstruction,” that would birth a new Nigeria, Punch reports.
And stories from around the world:
China on Sunday accused Taiwan’s spy agencies of stepping up efforts to steal intelligence with the aim of “infiltration” and “sabotage”, and warned the island against further damaging already strained cross-strait ties. (Reuters)
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she was “irritated” by speculation about a leadership contest as she slammed former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, seen as her most likely challenger. (AFP)
At least 25 people are known to have died but blocked roads and downed communications lines mean the true impact on rural areas is not yet clear in Phillipines’ Typhoon Mangkhut, which ripped through its main island with deadly consequences on Saturday. (BBC)
The Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was released from prison on Saturday following a surprise presidential pardon. (Al Jazeera)
Pope Francis on Saturday expelled a Chilean priest under investigation in a case involving the sexual abuse of children, according to a report by local media on Saturday, amid a growing global abuse scandal that has shaken the Roman Catholic Church. (Reuters)
Read » The Big 5: Hours after resignation, Adeosun reportedly jets out to the UK; Return our stolen assets or keep quiet – Presidency to HSBC | More stories on YNaija