Two former Military Head of State, General Abdulsami Abubakar and General Ibrahim Babangida has called on the Academic Staff Union Of Universities and the Federal government to reconsider their stand on the ongoing strike in order to avert total collapse of education in the country.

The duo spoke with journalists shortly after paying sallah visit to the state governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu at his residence in Minna on Friday.

General Abubakar who spoke extensively on other nagging national issues including security, oil theft among others also called on all other unions already on strike or warming up to enter into dialogue with the relevant authorities to avoid the collapse of the nation's economy.

General Abubakar said, "I believe that strike is a normal issue but i think we are overdoing it in this country because in other developed countries, strike is done within 24 hours aimed at drawing attention to their plight. Nigerians are already feeling the pinch of these strike actions and so government and these strikers should look at how these issues can be resolved immediately."

The former Head of State said government should not have allowed the strike to linger on for so long and therefore called on it to look into their demands and address them accordingly regardless of its dwindling resources.

According to him, "Government should look into these various issues and demands and address them accordingly regardless of the dwindling resources of the country and similarly, the strikers should also look at the coffers of government and try to be reasonable in their demands."

He noted that the various unions had made their points and therefore urged them to go back to work pointing out that if the strike continues, they might eventually lose the sympathy of the people.

General Babangida who also spoke in the same vein also called on the striking unions to sheath their swords in the interest of parents, students and other affected Nigerians.

11:52

Aviation authorities in Lagos attempted a vigorous push back on Tuesday report that the nation's aviation minister, Stella Oduah, abused her office by compelling the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to purchase two armoured BMW cars for her worth N255 million.

The New York based online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, claimed in an investigation report that Mrs. Oduah compelled the NCAA, an agency under her supervision, in a presumed case of corruption, conflict of interest, and abuse of office, to procure the cars for her with public funds. Aviation spokesman, Yakubu Datti, dismissed the newspaper report as "rumours" suggesting that it was politically motivated.

"I don't respond to rumours…[and] as we approach 2015, people are bound to make up all sorts of stories," Mr. Datti told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview, arguing, "This is a woman (Mrs. Oduah) who is successful and established. A woman that made her mark in oil and gas, who owned trucks, barges, and so on. What is two cars?" The newspaper, which supported its report with documents of the procurement, said it discovered that Mrs. Oduah, a close associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, is enmeshed in a pattern of questionable expenditures in the aviation ministry.

Sources at the agency also said, according to the paper, that the NCAA embarked on such a jamboree despite its "financial challenges." "The NCAA does not have enough funds to upgrade equipment, send staff for critical training, and hire enough qualified staff. Yet, all the minister is concerned about is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for operations," SaharaReporters quoted a source as saying. The aviation ministry however declaimed such suggestion, describing it as "ridiculous."

14:08

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the elder statesman and partisan of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere has called upon the Igbo and Yoruba ethnic nationalities to join forces to develop Nigeria, as mistrust between them has stalled then nation's socio-economic growth.

According to Mr. Adebanjo, if the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo had cooperated and ruled Nigeria, the country would have been an oasis of development.

Speaking yesterday at Lagos presentation of Dr Luke Nnaemeka Aneke's book, 'The Untold Story of the Nigeria-Biafra War,' Mr. Adebanjo said, "When we chronicle the diary of what led to the Nigeria-Biafra war, a lot of people felt the Igbos must be blamed.

"There is no doubt that mistakes were made, but the principle on which war was fought was on the ground of a person who does not want to be cheated."

"The major blunder the Igbos and the Yorubas made was that they misinterpreted friendship. I, Azikiwe and Awolowo had come together, will we be where we are today? So, that was the major mistake that we made.

"If Azikiwe was Prime Minister of Nigeria then, and Awolowo was Minister of Finance, where do you think Nigeria will be today? All the wonders of what happened in the West would have been replicated in the entire country, with such collaboration. But, it was never so," the politician said.

"The history of the war has to be told very honestly. There has been a lot of prejudices here and there. And a lot of friends have been made enemies all because of book presentations.

14:01

Reporters have obtained documents  exposing the depth of corruption and mismanagement of public funds at Nigeria's Ministry of Aviation headed by Stella Oduah.

One of the documents in details reveals how Ms. Oduah compelled the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armored BMW cars for the minister. NCAA is the agency charged with ensuring the airworthiness of commercial planes flying within Nigeria's airspace. Two officials of the agency told Reporters that the NCAA did not have enough funds to upgrade equipment, send staff for critical training, and hire enough qualified staff. "Yet, all the minister is concerned about is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for operations," one of the sources said.

13:41

Kukere crooner Iyanya is smiling to the bank today as he signed an endorsement deal with Solo Phones Nig.

The deal is said to be a one year contract and is worth $220, 000 and as a signing on gift he was given a brand new 2013 Toyota Prado.

Big congrats to him.

photos after the cut....

13:39

Convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Tunde Bakare, has welcomed the proposed national conference with some level of caution but warned that if the nation does not talk before the next general elections, the country might cease to exist.

The pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly gave this remark at the launch and maiden lecture of the Centre for Change in Lagos on Tuesday, where he noted that Nigeria should be a model for not only Africa but the black race. Mr Bakare who is a stunch critic of President Goodluck Jonathan, subtly endorsed the planned conference at the event which had the theme; retriving the soul of a country in ruins.

The former Vice Presidential aspirant, who noted that the amalgamation of the country was not a mistake and that the things that unite the country and more than those dividing it, said "that is why we must all reason together when we have the chance to talk" adding that "and we must walk the talk

13:36

All Progressives Con-gress, APC, has rejected the result of the Delta Central senatorial by-election announced by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, demanding for "a fresh election that would allow the people of Delta Central to freely elect a senator of their choice."

But the Delta State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, yesterday, admonished losers in last Saturday's senatorial by-election in Delta Central to stop making inflammatory statements to rather shift the battle to the tribunal.

Voting in session at Ophori-Olomu.during the election. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire. Voting in session at Ophori-Olomu.during the election. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire. The APC candidate, Olorogun O'tega Emerhor, who addressed newsmen in Effurun, Delta State, accused the state government and all its agencies, including INEC and security agencies, of working in favour of the ruling party, PDP.

He said: "I hereby, place this on record that no by-election took place in Delta Central on October 12. What took place was a sham, calculated to select a senator, the first in any democracy in the world by the government and all its agencies, including INEC, the military and other security agencies working together to achieve this nefarious and predetermined outcome." He alleged that the whole process was militarised as voters were intimidated to stay at home and were not allowed to come out and exercise their franchise, adding that soldiers supervised the snatching of ballot boxes by PDP stalwarts and thugs.

"In places that were not strongholds of PDP, INEC found every reason in the book to bungle the exercise, including but not limited to the lame excuse by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members that their allowances for the training they received few days back and the money for the voting exercise which they had not even conducted, be paid.

The payment for training and election conduct is clearly within the purview of the government of the day and INEC for which they have been heavily funded by tax payers," he said. Emerhor also accused the military of supervising the thumb printing of ballot papers in private homes of PDP stalwarts, adding that in the few areas where the semblance of election took place, the exercise started beyond 3p.m., which was outside the constitutional and electoral provision. "The aim was to delay the exercise to give room for PDP to manipulate the system in the dark of night, which was what actually happened across board.

INEC failed to provide transportation for men and materials and left this critical responsibility to the Delta State Government, which provided them the opportunity to hijack and divert the materials." He also alleged that the restriction of movement put in place by INEC was not adhered to by PDP stalwarts, saying that "serving members of the National and state Assemblies, local government Chairmen, commissioners, deputy governor and others moved about with police escort giving the voters the impression of being above the law."

13:31

The 76 alleged miscreant that where deported by the Lagos State Government has taken the Lagos State Government to a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

The suit was filed by seven of the deportees:Nnenna Ogbonna, Joseph Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Emily Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and Onyeka Ugwu as the applicants, on behalf of the 76 others, while the Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State are the respondents.

In the motion filed by their lawyer, Ugo Ugwunnadi, the applicants asked the court to declare that they, as Nigerian citizens were entitled to the enjoyment of their fundamental rights as provided for in Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41 and 42 of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

The applicants are also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, workers and officers from their further deportation or refusing them free entry into Lagos and free exit there from, as well as an order mandating the respondents to tender a written apology to them by publishing the apology in three national newspapers continuously for 30 days, from the date of the first publication, for unlawful and gross violation of their constitutional rights.

13:25

Being financially independent is excellent for everyone. Each of us, can make a small or big effort to earn money and stand on our own feet. The benefits go beyond the economic reasons. It is good for women and the whole society. Some of these benefits include:

1. Financially independent women take their own decisions. When women are dependent upon others for money, they might need to take permission from them. Some women might be happy to do that while others need to be more independent and take their own decisions.

2. Financially independent women are good financial backups for family. In times of financial crisis, when many people lose jobs, it is good when both partners are earning income. When one loses job, other still has income to support the family and fill the gap. In terms of health, if one partner is sick, he or she can take time off and take good rest and recover properly. Finally, in case of unexpected death of family member, the other person can still handle the family expenses.

3. Financially independent women contribute financially to the family. When the inflation is up, prices are skyrocketing, if both partners are working, it is easier to own a home and meet family expenses.

4. Financially independent women contribute financially to the society and economy. When women earn money, they can be financially givers to society. They can give to charities and help in social causes. They also boost country's economy and GDP by earning actively.

5. Financially independent women motivate children to stand on their own feet. When children see that mother is earning money, they are motivated to stand on their own feet. They see good work ethic in their own home and want to follow it.

6. Financially independent women can follow their dreams. We all dream but sometimes when we don't have money, we need to adjust to what we have and be content. Women who earn money tend to follow their dreams which could be a social cause or a big car.

13:18

A businessman, Charles Ugwu, has been killed in the Ajegunle area of Lagos, over his refusal to settle some street urchins, popularly known as area boys.

The incident was said to have occurred at Uzor Street, Ajegunle, on September 24 2013. A tyre dealer, Ugwu was said to have been accosted by two area boys, identified as Saturday and Chimezie, while offloading goods from a vehicle to his shop.

The deceased's wife, Stella, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, told PUNCH Metro that her husband had resisted the thugs' efforts to extort money from him resulting in the assault on her husband.

She said, "Around 9pm on that day, two young men, known as Saturday and Chimezie, accosted us saying they would not allow us to continue working until we settle them.

"We asked them why we should pay them because the goods had nothing to do with the hoodlums. Saturday was "annoyed; he walked away only to return with stones, which he threw at us. When my husband cautioned him to stop causing trouble, Saturday picked up a "stick and struck Ugwu on the neck."

Ugwu was said to have fallen to the ground while all efforts to revive him failed.

PUNCH Metro learnt that immediately after Ugwu was killed, the Divisional Police Officer of Ajegunle Police Station, Mr. Abayomi Agbana, was contacted. Agbana was said to have dispatched policemen to the area and the two suspects were arrested.

The bereaved wife lamented the hardship that had been brought on the family due to her husband's death.

She said, "Who will train my children for me? Ugwu was a good father and husband; he was much too young to die. We loved each other so much. How can my three children be fatherless at these ages? Our first is just 15 years old. The second is 12 years and the last child is nine. These hoodlums have wiped out the joy of my life."

In his statement at the police station, Saturday claimed that he actually demanded money from the businessman but had nothing to do with his death.

13:14