President
Mike Pompeo: Donald Trump will get ‘second term’
The U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, perhaps, shocked Americans and the world on Tuesday, when he predicted that President Donald Trump “would win a second term in office” despite the victory of his opponent, Joe Biden, at the recently held presidential polls. The New York Post reported that Mr Pompeo, during a briefing at the State Department’s headquarters, Pompeo was asked by a reporter whether government officials were “preparing to engage” with Mr Biden’s transition team. “There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Mr Pompeo said with a smile. “The world should have every confidence that the transition necessary to make sure that the State Department is functional today, successful today and successful with the president who’s in office on Jan. 20 a minut...
Hillary Clinton: US Presidents have always accepted defeat
In an apparent reference to President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept defeat, former US First Lady and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has said the willingness of American Presidents to accept defeat distinguishes American democracy. She said this in post on her Facebook page, where she posted a letter written by then outgoing President George H W Bush to then incoming President Bill Clinton, in 1993. “Here’s how it’s done in America, “she wrote. Continuing, the former presidential candidate said: ‘This is the gracious letter George H.W. Bush left for Bill in the Oval Office on the day of Bill’s inauguration.” Quoting the letter, she said:”Your success now is our country’s success,” President Bush wrote. “I am rooting hard for you.”” “Since the very beginning, American presidents ...
US election crimes director resigns after Donald Trump’s attorney general authorises probes
The top federal investigator of election crimes in the US has resigned just hours after Donald Trump’s attorney general William Barr authorised probes into claims of voter fraud. Richard Pilger, director of the election crimes branch of the Department of Justice, stepped down from the post he has held since 2010 on Monday. The branch director, Richard Pilger, handed in his resignation within hours of Barr’s authorization. In an email to colleagues about Barr’s order, Pilger said, “Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications… I must regretfully resign from my role,” The New York Times reported. US Attorney General William Barr gave federal prosecutors blanket authorization Monday to open investigations into voting irregularities, as President Donald Trump repeated u...
Senator Lawan: Fresh mass protests inescapable if…
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has warned that Nigeria may not escape another mass demonstration in the mode of #EndSARS protest if the Federal Government fails to effectively address youth unemployment. Lawan gave the warning in Abuja yesterday at the 2021 budget defence of the Ministry of Agriculture. He urged the government to take practical steps in its 2021 budget to meaningfully engage the youths. “Our budget, especially for 2021, should be mindful of what we do to provide employment opportunities for these youths. “They demonstrated. They protested because they could do so. There are so many other people who may not be youthful but are also in the same need and they didn’t protest. “Let’s meet them where they are. We don’t have to wait until they also try to grumble or protest. We sho...
Northeast elders asks President Buhari to sack service chiefs
The Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development, Monday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his service chiefs, accusing the military of deploying massive strength during the #EndSARS protests in parts of the country, thereby leaving the zone at the mercy of Boko Haram, an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists. According to the elders, scores of civilians were killed as a result of the strategic and operational blunders, which they argued, was avoidable, had greater tact been adopted. In a statement signed by the chairman, Engr. Zana Goni, the North East elders said pro-active intelligence would have revealed this lapse to the military high command, had the service chiefs not been lethargic in their responsibilities. Consequently, the elders, for the um...
Nigerian government exempts Dangote from border closure – report
The Nigerian government has allowed Dangote Cement to resume exports across its land borders, Bloomberg reports. This is despite the closure of all land borders by the government for over one year. The move has, however, raised hopes that Nigeria may be opening up trade with neighbors after a year-long blockade. The administration of the President Muhammadu Buhari gave its authorisation for Africa’s biggest producer to export cement to Niger and Togo in the third quarter for the first time in ten months, Michel Puchercos, chief executive officer, said on an investor call in Lagos. The export was made possible “through authorisation given by this administration,” he said. The exemption to Dangote Cement is seen as a softening of the government’s position on a border closure that started in ...
Ukrainian president tests positive for coronavirus
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday he tested positive for the novel coronavirus but felt fine as infections surged in the country. “Despite all quarantine measures, I also had a positive test,” Zelensky said on Facebook. The 42-year-old leader said that his temperature was 37.5C but that he felt “good”. He will self-isolate and continue to perform his duties, he added. “Most people overcome Covid-19. And I will get through this too,” he said. The head of Zelensky’s office Andriy Yermak also said that he had contracted the coronavirus. In June, Zelensky’s wife Olena Zelenska was hospitalized after contracting the virus but has recovered. On Saturday, the ex-Soviet country of 40 million people reported a record of 10,746 new coronavirus infections. Ukraine, one of Europe’s po...
Egypt says plans railway lines extending to Libya, Sudan
Egypt’s transport minister Sunday announced proposals to construct a railway line to reach the Sudanese city of Wadi Halfa, and to extend a line in the north to Libya’s Benghazi. The announcement came as part of Egyptian government efforts to overhaul the country’s transport system, including an ailing railway network with a poor safety record. The government decided on “a number rail transport projects that could be carried out in cooperation with investors,” Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir told a news conference in Cairo. They include “building an Aswan-Toshka railway line that will extend to the city of Wadi Halfa in Sudan,” he said, referring to locations in Egypt’s south and a city just across the border. He also said there were plans to extend the Marsa Matrouh-Salloum line, in Egy...
Donald Trump will lose special Twitter protections when Joe Biden takes office
U.S. President Donald Trump will be subject to the same Twitter rules as any other user when President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20, the social media company confirmed this week. Twitter places “public interest” notices on some rule-breaking tweets from “world leaders” that would otherwise be removed. Such tweets from political candidates and elected or government officials are instead hidden by a warning and Twitter takes actions to restrict their reach. But the company said this treatment does not apply to former office holders. “This policy framework applies to current world leaders and candidates for office, and not private citizens when they no longer hold these positions,” a Twitter spokesman said in a statement. It has added multiple warnings and labels to tweets from the...
Why Donald Trump lost U.S. election
Donald Trump won more than 70 million votes, the second highest total in American history. Nationally, he has more than a 47% share of his vote, and looks to have won 24 states, including his beloved Florida and Texas. He has an extraordinary hold over large swathes of this country, a visceral connection that among thousands of supporters has brought a near cult-like devotion. After four years in the White House, his supporters studied the fine print of his presidency and clicked enthusiastically on the terms and conditions. Any analysis of his political weakness in 2020 also has to acknowledge his political strength. However, he was defeated, becoming one of only four incumbents in the modern era not to get another four years. Also he has become the first president to lose the popular vot...
US election: Donald Trump begins legal battle to challenge Joe Biden’s victory Monday
President Donald Trump says his campaign office will kick-off legal battle to challenge the victory of Joe Biden in the US poll on Monday. Joe Biden becomes US President-elect on Saturday after defeating the incumbent in the presidential poll. But Trump has rejected Biden’s victory, claiming the election was fraudulent and that he would challenge the outcome in court. Immediately Biden was declared winner, the president said in a statement from his campaign that Biden is “rushing to falsely pose as the winner,” and called the race “far from over.” The statement said the campaign’s legal battle would begin Monday. “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated. “I will not rest until the Ame...
US election: Donald Trump’s statement after Joe Biden declared winner — full text
Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the United States presidential election by several major national media outlets, defeating incumbent Donald Trump. Reacting to the projections on Saturday, Trump immediately accused Biden of “rushing to falsely pose as the winner”. The Republican has made repeated claims of electoral fraud without providing evidence, and his campaign has pledged to challenge the result in some battleground states. Here is Trump’s statement in full: “We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly conte...
