The Big 5: FG reacts to execution of aid worker; As Fayose bows out, PDP cautions EFCC against detaining him indefinitely | More stories

These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

Following the execution of a second aid worker with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Hauwa Leman, by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Monday, the Federal Government has expressed shock over the development, describing the killing as “dastardly, inhuman and ungodly.”

In a statement issued by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, through his media adviser, he commiserated with the family of the aid worker, adding that the Federal Government did everything any responsible government should do to save the aid worker.

“We are deeply pained by this killing, just like we were by the recent killing of the first aid worker. However, we will keep the negotiations open and continue to work to free the innocent women who remain in the custody of their abductors,” the Minister said.


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has not changed its decision to bar the All Progressives Congress (APC) from fielding candidates for the various elective positions in Zamfara during the 2019 general election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, restated the body’s decision while responding to questions from journalists on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commission (ECONEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday, stressing that the deadline for the submission of the list of candidates for the general elections remains October 18.

“We have issued a statement on Zamfara and nothing has changed. We stand by the statement that we issued,” Yakubu said.


Meanwhile, the spokesman for the APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu, has said the party would go ahead to submit list of its candidates for all positions in Zamfara, explaining that the party has options of consensus, direct and indirect primaries stressing that it was going to apply its time to pick candidates like they have done in other states,.

He added that the party would meet all requirements for submission of candidates from Zamfara, as he said “INEC would be wrong to insist that the party doesn’t have candidates for election until the deadline has expired.

“I can assure you that before the Oct. 18 deadline, we are going to meet all INEC requirements and we are going to submit names of all the candidates for not only Zamfara but the 36 states and the FCT,” he said.


The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday alleged that the Presidency has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to arrest and detain the outgoing governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, indefinitely.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said “it is now beyond dispute that Governor Fayose is not a scoundrel running away from justice and that whatever the EFCC, APC, and the Presidency’s spin-doctors may say, it is also clear to everyone that Fayose is not a coward; neither is he afraid of the EFCC.”

“Fayose is prepared and ready to defend himself in the court of law. Neither the Presidency nor EFCC is a court of law. Since the EFCC said it had dusted up Fayose’s files, it should be ready to take him to court once he presents him at the agency’s office on Tuesday,” the statement read.


Bishop of the Living Faith Church, David Oyedepo, who was one of the clergies present during the reconciliation meeting between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, has said that he was invited to mediate between both leaders and nothing more.

The fiery preacher disclosed this at a Sunday Service in his church, explaining that he is anointed to be a mediator because the price of peace is cheaper than the cost of war, adding that he has done same at all levels of the country.

“Never be left in any doubt, I have never belonged to any political party and I will never belong to any. “There is no political party where members of Winners are not. Our goal is to secure the future of Nigeria,” he said.


And stories from around the world:

“Rogue killers” could be to blame for the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US President Donald Trump has said, as his Secretary of State headed to Riyadh in an attempt to find out what happened. (AFP)


Turkish and Saudi teams investigating the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi two weeks ago left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul early on Tuesday after a nine-hour search of the building, Reuters witnesses said.


North Korea, South Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) held their first three-way talks on Tuesday to discuss demilitarizing the border as the two Koreas push for peace, Seoul’s defense ministry said. (Reuters)


British Prime Minister, Theresa May has called for “cool, calm heads” as she insisted a Brexit deal was “still achievable” despite differences with the EU. (BBC)


Australia’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison said Tuesday he was open to shifting the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in line with President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise the contested holy city as Israel’s capital. (Al Jazeera)

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail