Headline

There’s Sinister Plot To Undermine Nigeria’s Democracy – Atiku

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2023

…urges Nigerians to be vigilant

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25, 2022 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has the raised alarm over what he described as a sinister plot to undermine the Nigerian judiciary as well as democracy.

Atiku raised the alarm in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja, on Saturday.

He explained that since the conclusion of the presidential election in February this year and the attendant controversies in its trail, there have been unfortunate developments that are saddening to many Nigerians.

According to him, it was needless to say that the election that brought the current government into office is the worst in the annals of democratic politics in our country, even though it was promised to be the best ever.

He said, “Consequently, the outcome of that election and the arbitrariness of the electoral umpire to declare a winner against the requirement of the law has been the reason Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and other parties in the election have chosen the patriotic path to challenge the outcome of that election.

“It is a truism that the judiciary is the only reasonable option in the quest for justice. As a matter of fact, our judiciary and the interpretations that they have given to our laws have been a major building block in our democratic journey so far.

“Our laws are very clear about the prerequisite of separation of powers as a guarantee of an independent judiciary.

“The idea behind that concept of an independent judiciary is to insulate that branch of government from unholy fraternity between its hallowed members and the rest of the society – especially the political actors.

“But as proceedings on the controversial February 25 election continues at the court, there have been threats from the ruling party that aim to intimidate the judiciary from serving the duty of justice.

“It is regrettable that the APC and, indeed, agents of President Bola Tinubu have ceaselessly chosen to stand in the way of justice by making catastrophic threats to anarchy if justice is not served according to their whims.

“These and reports in the media about some heinous plots to harass justices sitting on the petition are ominous to peace and the security of our nation.”

Ibe further said, “Our democracy gives the people of Nigeria the powers to choose their leaders, and our laws demand that our judiciary must be allowed to act independently without harassment and intimidation by the government or powerful interests.

“To compromise the workings of our democracy and seeking to compromise the workings of our judiciary is an open call for anarchy.

“As a party in the litigation that is currently reviewing the outcome of the last presidential election, we wish to express our intentions to do all that is within the law in resisting any attempt to undermine our fragile democracy.

“Indeed, we are using this channel to call on the international community to be alerted.

“Nigeria’s democracy should not be undermined by using the judiciary to serve the interest of the ruling party.

“Sadly, this has become the stock in trade of the All Progressives Congress to intimidate the judiciary.

“Recall that in 2019, the APC-led Federal Government similarly removed the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, when it was obvious that he would not bend to their will.

“The Department of State Services similarly stormed the homes of judges in 2016 and 2017, all in a bid to beat the judiciary into submission.

“The plot of the APC is simple: intimidate the judiciary, threaten judges with arrest so that they will bow to their will. This is a playbook from 2019 when they removed the CJN and then replaced him with Tanko Muhammad, who himself was later accused of corruption by his colleagues at the Supreme Court and resigned shamefully.

“However, the APC government never went after Tanko Muhammad as they did in Onnoghen’s case because it was never about corruption but election. The APC has, over the years, built a reputation of judiciary intimidation.

“They accused about 10 judges of corruption, stormed their homes, and got them suspended and yet could not convict a single one of them. Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court could not recover from the embarrassment that he ended up dying in office.

“Now, they have initiated a new plot. This time around, they want to intimidate the judges into delivering favourable judgments for them at the election tribunal. We draw the attention of the international community and, indeed, Nigerians to this fresh plot to steal the mandate of over 200 million people.”

“We are also urging Nigerians to abide by the golden rule of eternal vigilance being the price of liberty.

“On this note, we appeal to all security agencies in the country to remain professional in the discharge of their duties and resist being used as an instrument of oppression and intimidation against the judiciary.”

VANGUARD

Headline

Perplexity AI Makes $34.5bn Surprise Bid For Google’s Chrome Browser

Published

12 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Alphabet’s Chrome browser, a bold move that underscores the growing battle for dominance in the AI-driven search market.

The bid, announced on Tuesday, is more than double Perplexity’s own valuation of $14 billion.

The three-year-old company, led by Aravind Srinivas, has previously floated ambitious takeover ideas, including a proposal earlier this year to merge with TikTok’s United States business.

Google has not put Chrome up for sale and did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The tech giant is currently appealing a US court ruling that found it held an unlawful monopoly in online search, with the Justice Department pushing for a possible Chrome divestiture as part of the case.

Perplexity, which has raised around $1 billion from backers including Nvidia and Japan’s SoftBank, did not reveal how it intends to finance the bid.

However, it said multiple funds have pledged to cover the offer in full.

The startup already operates its own AI-powered browser, Comet, but acquiring Chrome’s more than three billion users would give it a major edge against rivals like OpenAI, which is also developing an AI browser.

Perplexity has promised to keep Chrome’s open-source foundation, Chromium, accessible, while pledging a $3 billion investment over two years and committing not to alter Chrome’s default search engine.

Shares of Alphabet rose 1.6% in afternoon trading following news of the bid.

Headline

Google Introduces Initiative To Equip 1,000 Nigerian Developers

Published

13 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

Google on Wednesday announced a new initiative, “Build with AI’’ in partnership with GOMYCODE to equip 1,000 Nigerian developers with critical Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills.

John Kimani, Head of Developer Ecosystem for Google in Sub-Saharan Africa, said in a statement that it was a significant move to accelerate Nigeria’s participation in the global AI economy.

Kimani said that the initiative was inaugurated to foster a new generation of tech talent capable of building transformative products that are both locally relevant and globally competitive.

He said that the initiative came at a pivotal moment, as industries across Nigeria and Africa increasingly look to technology to solve pressing challenges and drive economic growth.

According to him, by providing access to advanced AI tools such as Gemini and a curriculum with oversight from Google’s experts, the programme is set to bridge the gap between raw talent and the specialised skills required to innovate in the AI era.

The Google spokesperson said that this strategic focus was intended to accelerate the development of solutions in key sectors such as fintech, healthtech, and agritech, positioning Nigerian developers at the forefront of the continent’s digital transformation.

“We are witnessing a technological renaissance in Nigeria, driven by a vibrant community of developers who are eager to solve the challenges around them.

“Our collaboration with GOMYCODE is about more than just training; it’s about empowering this community with the tools and expertise they need to build the future,’’ he said.

Kimani noted that by equipping developers with Google’s Generative AI, it was helping to unlock a new frontier of innovation that could deliver significant economic and social impact across the continent.

He said that the 11-week programme would be delivered through GOMYCODE’s extensive network of hacker spaces, combining in-person instruction with hands-on, mentored lab work.

“This approach ensures that the training is both accessible and practical, allowing developers to immediately apply their learning to real-world projects,’’ he said.

The Country Director for GOMYCODE, Mr Babatunde Olaifa, said that GOMYCODE’s role was to provide the critical infrastructure and local expertise needed to nurture Nigeria’s tech talent.

Olaifa said that partnering with Google allowed it to bring world-class curriculum and technology directly to the developer community.

“We are creating an environment where innovation can thrive, and we are incredibly excited to see the solutions that will emerge from this programme built by Nigerians, for Nigeria and the world,” the GOMYCODE boss said.

He said that the “Build with AI” programme was now accepting applications from developers across Nigeria.

According to him, the initiative will culminate in a demo day where top participants will showcase their AI-powered solutions to a team from Google and other industry leaders.

He urged developers that are interested in being part of the AI revolution to apply by visiting bit.ly/BwAIDevTraining.

Headline

Sean Kingston Sentenced To 3.5 Years In Prison Over Fraud

Published

13 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

American-Jamaican singer Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role in a $1 million fraud scheme involving luxury goods.

Kingston, born Kisean Paul Anderson, was convicted in March alongside his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Turner, sentenced last month, received five years in prison.

Prosecutors said Kingston used his celebrity status to fraudulently obtain expensive items, including a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, luxury watches, and a 19-foot LED television.

Court documents revealed he presented falsified wire transfer receipts and enticed sellers with promises of social media promotion in exchange for the goods.

U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz ordered his immediate remand after Friday’s sentencing in a South Florida courtroom, rejecting a request by Kingston’s lawyer for a delayed surrender due to health concerns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton described the singer as a “thief and a conman,” accusing him of exploiting his fame to defraud victims for years.

His defence lawyer, Zeljka Bozanic, countered that Kingston, 35, had poor financial discipline but had begun repaying victims.

Kingston and his mother were arrested in May 2024 after a SWAT raid on his rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale.

The singer, who was born in Florida and raised in Jamaica, shot to fame at 17 with his 2007 global hit Beautiful Girls.