Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared his support for the candidate of the Democratic Party, Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election.

The backing has been seen as an apparent sarcastic remark a day after Washington accused Moscow of seeking to influence the vote.

Putin comments on political and social issues in the United States often with sarcasm.

He said last year that the US political system was “rotten” and that Washington could not lecture other countries about democracy.

“Firstly, (US President Joe) Biden recommended all his supporters support Mrs Harris,” Putin said during a question-and-answer session at Russia’s Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

“Here, we are going to do that too, we’re going to support her,” he added, with a wry smile.

“She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her,” the Russian leader said.

“(Former US President Donald) Trump has imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions.”

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more “predictable”.

The White House called on Putin to “stay out” of US elections.

Putin’s comments came a day after the United States indicted two employees of the state-run Russian news network RT and slapped sanctions on its top editors.

Washington accused them of trying to influence the upcoming US ballot.

Gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and one of Governor Seyi Makinde’s key supporters, Hon Benedict Akika, popularly known as “Bene” in his home on Wednesday night.

The gunmen wearing masks reportedly stormed the Idi Ape, Olorunda-Aba residence of Mr Akika in Lagelu local Government Area of the state and abducted him.

Unconfirmed report also indicated that a life was possibly lost during abduction on Wednesday night.

The Oyo State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement on the matter but in a message via the phone, the command’s spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, indicated that investigation has commenced into the matter and details would be provided accordingly.

The Oyo state government have also not issued any statement concerning the unfortunate incident.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Modibbo, has said Advisers and Ministers of President Bola Tinubu are incompetent and deserve to be sacked.

The Taraba State APC chieftain, Ibrahim Modibbo, said ministers of President Tinubu are newspaper tigers.

He accused them of relying solely on textbook economics as solution to Nigeria’s hunger and hardship problems than the people.

Modibbo, in an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, stated that Tinubu advisers are giving him wrong advice that is responsible for the economic hardship.

He appealed to Nigerians to give the President time, stating there would be light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m a Nigerian and I also feel the pains just like Mr. President also feel the pains and the pulse of Nigerians.

“I don’t want to defend some of these conditions. I’m not here as a government spokesperson. Therefore as a caveat, I’m not going to defend that because to me it will show sensitivity and compassion. That is why I said people around Mr. President are giving him wrong advice.

“If I were a president today I would have sacked almost virtually all the ministers and what have you, to get new people, new advisors because some of this economic team, they are just mere newspaper tigers as far as I’m concerned.

“They can only limit themselves towards the textbooks econometrics without looking at the proper inventory of Nigeria’s economic system, looking at the poor masses as a ladder,” Modibbo said.

He added that President Tinubu made wrong decision in getting a new presidential jet without selling the old one in the fleet.

He, however, assured Nigerians that the President would find a solution to the current economic hardship caused by his administration’s policies.

“With all these problems, must we buy a new jet? If you ask me, I’ll say yes, and I’ll say no. Yes, because recently we’ve seen how some of the former presidents, Iran President had air crash.

“Therefore I would have sold some of the fleets and get a new one. No, in the sense that for us to be very sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigeria and 2027 is just by the corner, elections coming up, the way Nigerians today in terms of aggregation of opinion, in terms of sensitivity with the current economic temple, Nigerians are not finding it funny.

“But Tinubu has history by his side, he has two more or three more years to change the whole economy to the dynamics of governance.

“Therefore looking at every parameter of democratic practice, we know that there is no democracy that will be able to give you a hundred percent satisfaction.

“And this is where we are as painful as Mr. President’s decision to take some of these policies which he knows to his heart that is painful. I am sure he’s looking for a way out to see to the possibilities of maybe finding solutions,” Modibbo added.

The National Economic Council (NEC) on Wednesday, imposed a deadline of September 9 for four states to submit their reports on the establishment of state police.

The NEC will review comprehensive reports from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on that date. States that do not meet this deadline will be subject to the NEC’s decisions regarding the state police.

Additionally, the Federal Government has allocated ₦3 billion in aid to states affected by severe flooding.

At the conclusion of the NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Acting Oyo State Governor Abdulraheem Lawal reported that all states were expected to submit their reports for NEC’s review.

The discussion on state police was driven by ongoing security challenges across regions, including the Northeast, Northcentral, Southwest, Southeast, and Southsouth.

Lawal emphasized that the initiative aims to enhance national security. He noted that last year, the NEC had asked states to provide reports on the establishment of state police. States that fail to meet the September 9 deadline will be bound by the NEC’s decisions.

He said, “An update on the establishment of State police was considered and this was as a result of the security challenges that we have across the nation, in Northeast, Northcentral, southwest, Southeast and South south so that we would have a robust security in our nation.

“For that purpose, sometimes last year NEC considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations

“Today (Wednesday), all the states were supposed to submit for consideration of NEC. Incidentally, four states couldn’t submit, and for that purpose, NEC decided that those states must make their submissions on or before Monday next week, otherwise, whatever decision next date on the establishment of State Police will be binding on those states that reused to submit them to make submissions.

“So that is the resolution as of today’s NEC meeting.”

Although the specific names of the four states that have yet to submit their reports were not disclosed, sources identified them as Adamawa, Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and the FCT.

According to Vanguard, the source said one of the four states claimed it had already submitted its report.

Also briefing, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed provided insights into the flood situation, highlighting the federal government’s ₦3 billion relief fund.

Mohammed described the severe impact of the flooding, especially in the Northeast, where critical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, has been damaged, affecting households, schools, and other essential services.

He said, “The flood was more devastating along the Northeast axis where a major artery between Kano and Maiduguri has been cut off with devastating effects on households, schools, bridges and other means of livelihood. Lives were lost and a lot of properties were also destroyed.

“Of course, that has really provided a big challenge to us as a government and as a people in our states because we need to provide more of food security. Already, farmlands are submerged and therefore there’s need for collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security.”

Mohammed noted that this year’s harvest is expected to be significantly affected due to the floods. He called for coordinated efforts between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and state ministries to ensure a comprehensive response to the crisis.

An inventory of the damage, including impacts on agriculture and infrastructure, is required by Monday to facilitate timely support.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule supported this perspective, noting that a new governance structure has been established to manage flood relief efforts.

The reconstituted Flood Committee now includes governors from Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Jigawa states, as well as key federal ministers and agency directors. The Committee will oversee the assessment of flood damage and ensure effective relief measures.

He said: “The Flood committee has to be reconstituted and the new members of the councils are governors of Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Jigawa states.

“Others are Minister of Water of Resources, minister of state Water of Resources, Minister of State for Environment, DG Nigeria Sovereignty Investment Authority (NSIA), DG NIMET, DG NWRI, MD/CEO NIWA, MD if NNDC, MD NEDC, and DG NEMA.

“The council has decided that Monday will be the deadline for all the states of the Federation to submit details damages including farms, schools, barges that have been affected by the last flood and Mr. chairman mentioned it will be taking into consideration for appropriate support to the various states.

“So these are the new very strong membership of the flood committee that will continue to address council henceforth.”

The NEC has mandated that all states submit detailed damage reports by Monday, including impacts on farms, schools, and infrastructure, to enable appropriate support for the affected regions.

The co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has said that Nigeria’s Value Added Tax is among the lowest worldwide.

Bill Gates disclosed this on Tuesday during the Nutrivision 2024, dialogue held in Abuja.

The billionaire said this while responding to a question on potential financing mechanisms for large-scale public health interventions.

According to him, there are plans for the government to fund more health-related programs.

“Over time, there are plans for Nigeria to fund the government more than it does today. The actual tax collection in Nigeria is pretty low.

This comes as Bill Gates participated in Nigeria’s National Economic Council on Wednesday.

Recall Meanwhile, Taiwo Oyedele, the Chairman Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms announced that plans are on the way to propose a law that would increase VAT from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.

A former spokesman of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has charged President Bola Tinubu, ex-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi to step aside ahead of the 2027 elections.

Okonkwo said Tinubu, Obi, and Atiku are not fit to contest in the 2027 election, stressing that they have failed Nigerians.

Speaking on Arise TV, the Nollywood actor also criticized the opposition for their failure to form a consolidation and work together against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to Okonkwo: “I completely agree with you that we need new faces, 100%, and that was why I have said that Atiku, Peter Obi, and Tinubu should step aside.

“The reason is that the ruling party has failed, and the opposition has failed. Are you aware that in the House of Representatives, you have more opposition members than the ruling class?

“I’m saying you don’t just finish an election, and the first thing you start talking about is the next election. You consolidate and form alliances amongst yourselves to work together as the opposition.

“If all the opposition members in the House of Representatives had come together, they would have produced the speaker and the vice.”

Galatasaray coach, Okan Buruk, has given an insight on how he convinced Victor Osimhen to join the Turkish Super Lig club.

Recall that Osimhen was heavily linked with moves to Al Ahli and Chelsea on transfer deadline day.

The Nigerian striker ultimately decided to join Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli, failing to join either Chelsea or Al Ahli. 

Speaking on how he convinced Osimhen, Buruk said he had a personal conversation with the 25-year-old, during which he outlined his playing style to the player.

“I have a style and a method, like a video chat with a footballer on the phone… I spoke to Osimhen and he was convinced,” Buruk told Milliyet via Napoli Magazine.

“He found it very exciting to come to Galatasaray. I already had the idea of playing with a double striker. Such an opportunity should not be missed.”

Vice-President Kashim Shettima is currently presiding over the national economic council (NEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The meeting is attended by Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The vice-president, by the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution, is the chairman of NEC.

The NEC meeting, held monthly, deliberates on the coordination of the economic planning efforts and programmes of the various levels of government.

The council comprises the 36 state governors, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the minister of finance, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and other government officials and agencies, whose duties hinge on the economy.

Gates is in Nigeria as part of his foundation’s ongoing commitment to Africa’s development.

On Tuesday, Dangote announced the commencement of petrol production at the Dangote refinery.

According to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the refinery is expected to supply 25 million litres of petrol daily in September.

The 650,000-bpd capacity refinery began operations in January with the production of diesel and aviation fuel.

Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been assured that as soon as the civil servants start receiving the new minimum wage that was approved by the Federal Government, their monthly allowance would also increase.

NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed gave this assurance while addressing corps members at the Kebbi and Sokoto states Orientation Camps located at at Dakingari and Wamakko in both states respectively.

Brig.-Gen. Ahmed said the corps members’ selfless and immense contributions to the socioeconomic development of the country cannot be underestimated.

According to a press statement by Caroline Embu, the acting director information and public relations of the NYSC, Ahmed also implored them to use the opportunity of the service year to develop themselves and plan for greater heights in the future.

He further advised the corps members to embrace the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme to acquire vocational skills that would make them self-reliant after the service year.

“At least, learn a skill while in camp and after the Orientation Course, you continue with the post-camp training.

“Try to acquire a skill that would enable you to create jobs and employ others instead of searching for jobs. We have many ex-corps members across the country who are doing well in their different vocations today”, the DG said.

He added that the NYSC Management has partnered many reliable organisations like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank, Access Bank, NNPC Foundation among others, that have been assisting in giving loans and grants to corps members.

General Ahmed also assured that the Scheme would not post any corps member to a place where their safety is not guaranteed, while also advising them to be security conscious at all times.

While presenting her camp situation report to the Director General, the Kebbi State Coordinator, Mrs Aghata Banki Okolo said a total of 1,195 corps members have been registered, comprising of 1,077 for Kebbi and 118 that were dislodged from Zamfara State.

“They are responding positively to all camp activities and instructions. We also have a total number of 240 camp officials that have been applying emotional intelligence in the discharge of their duties,” she added.

For his part, the NYSC Sokoto State Coordinator, Alhaji Yakubu Yaro Usman informed General Ahmed that the corps members have exhibited high sense of discipline and acclimatised to camp environment with adherence to camp regulations.

He added that the Corps population comprised of 1,488 members made up of 682 males and 606 females for Sokoto State, with 134 males and 66 females that were dislodged from Zamfara State.