DAILY RENDEZVOUS

Daily Rendezvous Nigeria has been drawn to play Ghana in the third round of FIFA Qatar 2022 world cup draw. Of the ten African countries in the qualifiers the fixtures Dr as Follows: Egypt Vs Senegal Cameroon vs Algeria Ghana vs Nigeria DR Congo VS Morocco Mali VS Tunisia All the matches were to be played between 24th-29th March, 2022. The draw was held at 22nd January, 2022 at Douala, Cameroon. The seedings were based on the November 2021 FIFA World Rankings.

Daily Rendezvous - Ranks 9th Assembly High on Performance, Legislative Diplomacy The Chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rt. Hon.( Dr.) Yusuf Buba Yakub, has endorsed the 2022 Appropriations Act as forward-looking and a progressive movement for Nigerian Foreign Missions. Yusuf Yakub Buba said, the 2022 Act has given Nigerian missions the Independence to carry out their duties without a recourse to ministerial approvals. Buba explained that this improvement in the 2022 Act will go a long way in empowering Nigerian Ambassadors at post to spend funds appropriated as Capital Allocations in their Missions without seeking the extra approval of the Ministry headquarters in Abuja.  Yakub Buba made this known in a press statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Anya-Akpta Pius, and made available to Newsmen over the weekend. Buba said, "The powers granted the Foreign Missions in the Act recently signed by Mr. President will among ...

Daily Rendezvous House of Representatives has commenced investigations into alleged disappearance of about 178,459 arms and ammunition, belonging to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). It also called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) to urgently apprehend those culpable for depletion of the Force’s armoury. The resolutions followed adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu. Disappearance of the arms and ammunition was contained in the 2019 report of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. According to the lawmaker, the audit of Arms Movement Register, Monthly Returns of Arms and Ammunition, and Ammunition Register at the Armoury Section of Police revealed that lost firearms, as at December 2018, was 178,459 pieces. Okechukwu explained that out of 178,459 missing arms, 88,078 were AK-47 rifles, 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols across different police formations, which could not be accounted f...

Daily Rendezvous Nigeria needs $2.7bn investment to stabilise petroleum products supply — NNPC THE National Economic Council, NEC, on Thursday said that decision on the removal of the subsidy on petroleum will be made in June when the provision for its payment in the 2022 budget expires. NEC said though conservation on subsidy removal has been going on it was yet to take a position on it. The council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met at the Conference Hall, Presidential villa, Abuja on Thursday, with the declaration that since the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited has become a limited liability company, it must be run differently. Fielding questions while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, the governor of Nasarawa state, Abdulahi Sule said it was understandable that the provision for the payment of the subsidy is made in the 2022 budget only until June. Governor Sule, flanked by his Edo state counterpart, Godwin Oba...

Daily Rendezvous A total of thirty-seven (37) terrorist elements in the northeast, with seventeen (17) said to have been arrested. Twenty-One (21) assorted arms as well as one hundred and seventeen rounds of different calibres of ammunition, and four gun trucks were captured from the terrorists. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko disclosed this during the bi-weekly press briefing on the operational activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria within the last two weeks, held at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja. He said in the last two weeks, a total of sixteen abducted civilians have been rescued, while eight hundred and sixty-three terrorists and their families have surrendered to the troops. “Within the past 2 weeks, own troops aggressively sustained their operations on the terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements by maintaining offensive engagements in all theatres of operation within the country, which recorded appreciable...

Daily Rendezvous The Chairman of Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC), Isa Shettima has  announced the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of Local Government Councils Elections in the state. Isa Shetima made this known in a press statement issued by the information Officer of the commission, Innocent Zira, on Thursday and made available to Newsmen in Yola, Adamawa state.  According to the statement, local government elections has been scheduled for Saturday, 9th April, 2022. Shettima said that, "As part of activities towards the successful conduct of the exercise, the commission has slated the 24th January, 2022, for meeting with chairmen and secretaries of the registered political parties at its headquarters in Yola by 10:00am.  "The commission has also fixed 14th to 19th, February, 2022 for the conduct of party primaries at ward and LG levels, and that 21st to 25th February, is for collection of nomination for...

Daily Rendezvous President Muhammadu Buhari has launched a mega rice project of about 15 pyramids porported to hold over a million bags of rice. Despite the widely celebrated success of the project, Nigerians have taken to the social media to criticize the project as fake saying most farmers in Nigeria did not receive the much needed support for rice farming as they werw busy grappling with killer bandits, Boko Haram insurgents and herdsmen attacks. Nigerians also questioned as  spurious and incredulous, the amount of N1 trillion said to have been disbursed to farmers in Nigeria. The mega project which is regarded as the largest of its type in the world, is located at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) along the Airport Road. The project was executed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN). The one million rice paddy stacked in 15 separate pyramids were planted and harvested from states across...

Daily Rendezvous On 15 January 2021, a shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Rwanda included the billionth dose supplied via COVAX. Together with our partners, COVAX is leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, with deliveries to 144 countries to date. But the work that has gone into this milestone is only a reminder of the work that remains. As of 13 January 2022, out of 194 Member States, 36 WHO Member States have vaccinated less than 10% of their population, and 88 less than 40%. COVAX’s ambition was compromised by hoarding/stockpiling in rich countries, catastrophic outbreaks leading to borders and supply being locked. And a lack of sharing of licenses, technology and know how by pharmaceutical companies meant manufacturing capacity went unused. COVAX is working with governments, manufacturers and partners to ensure that when countries receive vaccines they can get them to people quickly.   With update...

News Rendezvous By Austin Ajayi Yola. Thrity Players that took part in the 3rd edition of Engr. Nimrod/ YSFON Under20 Football Competition in Adamawa state have been invited to camp for the annual RAMART/YSFON under 20 football competition in Kano. The 30 Players were selected from the recently completed Engr. Nimrod / YSFON Under20  football competition held in Hong. According the National Organing Secretary of YSFON, Mr.  Abdulrazak Usman, he said "twenty of the selected players will be selected to represented Adamawa state in this year's RAMART under 20 football competition in Kano". He added that " apart from players being selected to represented their states from competitions like this, the  sponsor of YSFON Under20 football competition in Adamawa, Engr. Musa Nimrod has also seek for parternaship with a foreign football academy that some of the talented stars will be sent to  further develop them and the game in Nigeria" Mr. Usman al...

Daily Rendezvous The simmering peace that is gradually creeping back into the Adamawa state chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, is on the verge of suffering a relapse, a situation if, not sincerely and properly managed, may send the party into perpetual comatose. Coincidentally, the alleged clog in the wheel, whose only political credentials are failed presidential and governorship bids was also, among the crusaders, that thwarted the re-election of former Governor, Senator Jibrilla Bindow and adorn the party with the garment of opposition. Unknown to many, the self inflicted graveyard peace hovering over the APC, has sent the ruling party in the state into back-stabbing, glass clicking, frenzy and champaine popping mood because the moment peace take flight from APC in a reminiscence to the pre-2019 elections era, the incumbent government will stroll back to office, effortlessly. Where others are indecisive, frightened, waiting to be 'called upon,' or endo...

Daily Rendezvous Sequel to the ninety days notification issued by the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC), the Adamawa state governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has constituted a caretaker committee, to oversee the affairs of the 2021 local governments council, heading into the local government polls, most likely to hold in April. This was made known in a press statement issued by the press secretary to the Adamawa state governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, and made available to Daily Rendezvous, Wednesday. Adamawa State Governor Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has approved the appointment of Caretaker Committee Chairmen and  their Deputies to oversee affairs at the 21 Local Government Councils in the State.  Their appointment follows the expiration of the tenure of elected Chairmen on December 8th 2021. Those appointed include  MADAGALI LGA 1. Chairman: Hon Abdullahi Doda 2. Vice Chairman: Justin Patrick. MICHIKA LGA  1. Chairman: Danbiyu Paul Tumba ...

Daily Rendezvous Chief Ernest Adegunle Shonekan who headed the Interim National Government that succeeded the junta of General Ibrahim Babangida, has died. Shonekan died in Lagos at the age of 85. He was the interim head of the Nigerian Government between August 26 and November 17 1993 when he was ousted in a coup led by late General Sani Abacha. Born on 9 May 1936 in Lagos, Shonekan was educated at CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College. He received a law degree from the University of London, and was called to the bar. He later attended Harvard Business School. He joined the United Africa Company of Nigeria in 1964, at the time a subsidiary of the United Africa Company and rose through the ranks in the company and was promoted assistant legal adviser. He later became a deputy adviser and joined the board of directors at the age of 40. He was made chairman and managing director in 1980, and went on to cultivate a wide array of international business and political connections...

Daily Rendezvous The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and south West political power house, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says he has informed  General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of his intention to contest for the president of Nigeria come 2023 presidential election. Tinubu made this known, Monday while briefing State House correspondents shortly after he met with Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. Accordingo Tinubu, the President is a democrat and therefore, has not asked him to stop the pursuit of his ambition which for him is a life-long quest. Tinubu said, “I have informed the President of my intention but I’ve not informed Nigerians yet. I am still consulting and I have no problem consulting and I have not set a parameter of limitation to the extent of how many people will I consult. You will soon hear all you want to hear; it is a categorical declaration. You’ve gotten that truth from me that I have informed Mr President of my ambition.”...

Daily Rendezvous Tigrayan forces have claimed that dozens of civilians in a camp for Internally Displaced people were killed in a government airstrike — indicating conflict is still ongoing despite recent reconciliation efforts. A spokesman for Tigrayan forces said that an airstrike by the Ethiopian government killed at least 56 civilians in the country's embattled northern region.  Reports of the airstrike at the camp in Dedebit in northwestern Tigray, came a day after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued a message of reconciliation on Orthodox Christmas.  What we know about the strike "Another callous drone attack by Abiy Ahmed in an IDP [Internally Displaced Persons] camp in Dedebit has claimed the lives of 56 innocent civilians so far," Getachew Reda, a spokesman for Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), said on Twitter.  The report could not be identified independently as access to Tigray is restricted, and the region remains unde...

Daily Rendezvous A Niger Delta rights activist, Israel Joe, has asked the Federal Government not to make real its proposed increase in prices of petroleum products. He warned that civil society organisations would not hesitate to shut down Nigeria if the Federal Government went ahead with such plan. Joe, who stated this in a statement in Warri, said Nigerians would no longer tolerate the hardship brought upon them by the present regime at the centre. He said, “Nigerians will no longer tolerate the hardship brought upon us by this government. We listened gleefully to the speech of the President and it wasn’t clear if the subsidy would be removed or not. “However, we have got from reliable source that the Federal Government of Nigeria planned to remove subsidy on petrol products towards the end of February. “Let it be on record that the Federal Government of Nigeria has not put forth any superior logical argument about the advantages of removing subsidy, as it has...

Daily Rendezvous The former Senator representing Central Adamawa, Girei Abubukar, has called on politicians to desist from using religion and tribalism to gain political advantage. Girei, while hosting hundreds of his community members to a luncheon at his family residence said, politicians must learn to place national interest above their personal interest and use their vantage position to strengthen national unity. Girei made the remarks at a luncheon he organised for his constituents and community members, in Yola, Adamawa state. Girei said, "I grew up with my friends here in the then Gongola state, we went to school here, then I went to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. "My friends then are still my friends now, we did everything together and we still keep to our circle of friendship. We were never Muslims or Christians, we were never Fulani or Bachama or any other language. "Non of those things matter or defined who we are or h...