New Streaming Service, ARISEPLAY, Goes Live Worldwide Sunday Gets $100m seed funding for ARISE original productions Segun James will boast of a bold new the group signed by its Brand through venture capital firms, both sides of the Atlantic, all release of some of the world’s identity, showcasing the best in and Marketing Lead, Sakina adding that with its exclusive at the ease of their fingertips. biggest movies. Africa’s leading media and worldwide entertainment from Renneye, said last night. agreement with the likes of It promised never before “This distinctive streaming luxury brand, ARISE MEDIA Hollywood to Nollywood. The service, it said, SONY Pictures, FilmOne and seen exclusives, including service will be combined GROUP, will on Sunday “It will feature all of ARISE’s would ride on the back of other independent producers, an all-access pass to all the with linear channels in the launch a new streaming industry-leading original an ongoing $100million it will ensure its subscribers get behind-the-scene actions and service, ARISEPLAY, which productions,” a statement from seed funding being raised to see the best content from interviews in the run-up to the Continued on page 10 Eastern Rail Corridor to Link 14 States, Says FG... Page 42 Friday 12 March, 2021 Vol 26. No 9469. Price: N250 www.thisdaylive.com T RU N TH & REASO Ganduje, Umahi, Masari, Others Take COVID-19 Vaccine... Page 42 FG: We Have Firepower to End Insurgency without Mercenaries Insists negotiating with bandits paints govt as weak Buhari reaffirms shoot-on-sight order at AK-47-wielding criminals 2,403 insurgents killed since 2015 Armed Forces working in synergy, says Irabor Deji Elumoye in Abuja and by President Muhammadu Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Buhari. It also foreclosed The federal government negotiations with bandits yesterday ruled out hiring and terrorists, 2,403 of who mercenaries to fight the have been killed by security insurgency war, saying forces since 2015, contending the country has enough that doing so could suggest personnel and resources to weakness and incapacity on fight insecurity, especially with the reform of the armed forces Continued on page 10 Monarchs Make Case for Role in Constitution Seek task in recruitment into military, police, other security agencies Deji Elumoye and Udora accused the military regimes Orizu in Abuja of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi (rtd), Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) Traditional rulers yesterday and General Olusegun renewed their clamour for Obasanjo (rtd) of relegating relevance with a request that the traditional institution 1999 Constitution as amended to the background with no should be reviewed to include constitutional role. specific roles for them. Chairman of the council The monarchs, under the and the Sultan of Sokoto, CELEBRATING DEMUTUALISATION... auspices of the National Chairman, NGX Group Plc, Chief Abimbola Ogunbanjo (left), and former President, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Aig- Traditional Council of Nigeria, Continued on page 10 Imoukhuede, at the exchange, which was successfully demutualised on Wednesday BoT Hands Secondus Lifeline, to Serve Out Tenure... Page 5 2 FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2021 •THISDAY FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2021 • THISDAY 3 4 FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2021 •THISDAY FRIDAY, ͹ͺ˜ͺ͸ͺ͹˾THISDAY 5 Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike NEWS Email [email protected], 08066066268 BoT Hands Secondus Lifeline, to Serve Out Tenure Says PDP ready to take over power from APC Chuks Okocha in Abuja It said it is working with party. and implementation of well- Commenting on the zoning PDP at this point in time to other stakeholders to resolve “With a determination to do structured plans,” it said. of the presidency, a BoT declare its position on zoning. The Board of Trustees (BoT) disagreements among party all that is necessary to ensure It added: “Finally, the board member and former Deputy "You know very well that of the Peoples Democratic members as a way of ensuring that we fulfill the overwhelming is very appreciative of the Senate President, Senator APC has done five years now; Party (PDP) yesterday said peace and stability in the main desire of the vast majority of commitment of our governors Ibrahim Mantu, said: "Zoning politics as far as Nigeria is it would ensure that the opposition party. the people of Nigeria that to the party and the exemplary is in the PDP Constitution, it concerned is between APC National Chairman, Prince Uche According to the the PDP regains national roles they have all been is a party matter." and PDP. PDP has to be Secondus, and members of the communiqué that Wabara read power in 2023, the board is playing to keep the party at Another member and a very careful in dealing with National Working Committee to reporters, the BoT reviewed unequivocally committed the optimum operational level. former Minister of Foreign this issue; we will take it (NWC) serve out their tenure and discussed the situation of to ensuring that normalcy "The board will consult Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, step by step. I believe that which expires in December. the party nationwide, stating and peace prevail through with the governors’ forum on however, said it was too early your concerns will be taken It also said that the party that this was necessary due all the organs of the party necessary measures towards to discuss the matter. into consideration when the would do everything necessary to the heightened political to permit the development solidifying the party.” "It is still too early for the decision will be made," he said. to take over power from the All and economic tensions in the Progressives Congress (APC) in country. 2023, explaining that it is taking The purpose of the meeting, steps to resolve all disputes Wabara said, was to ensure the within the ranks of the PDP stability of all the organs of the and unite it for the attainment party and to place them on the of its objective. alert as the party prepares to There have been reported take over power once again. moves by some PDP governors The communiqué said the to remove the national chairman BoT recognised the ongoing as part of the permutations for work of the Reconciliation the bid for power in 2023. and Strategy Committee, led But the BoT said yesterday by a former Senate President, that it would ensure this does Senator Bukola Saraki. not happen. “The meeting was briefed on “The Board of Trustees the outcome of zonal congresses will ensure that a fluent and held over last weekend. Three uninterrupted operation of out of the six congresses have all the organs of the party, been successfully concluded. particularly the National “The Board of Trustees in Working Committee (NWC), playing its statutory role as remains in place leading up the conscience of the party to a successful convention in will work earnestly towards December 2021,” it said in a ensuring that the highest communiqué signed by its level of morality exists in all Secretary, Senator Adolphus its activities and that all the Wabara. members of our party live up It said it would ensure that to expectation,” it said. harmonious relations exist The communiqué added between the organs of the that the board is committed party, adding that a detailed to not allowing any strained meeting between the BoT and relationship between all VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19... the NWC is planned to be held members, particularly at the Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari (left), and Chief Medical Officer, Government House, Dr. Nafiu Funtua, during the soon. top management level of the vaccination of the governor in Katsina…yesterday Govs: FG Can’t Force Federal Salary Structure on States PDP govs pledge cooperation in fight against insecurity Chuks Okocha in Abuja him in Abuja. responsible for this. The people Pro-Chancellor of Osun State that none of them will defect He said the governors also He described governors as you appoint as vice-chancellors University, Mallam Yusuf Ali to the APC. reviewed the situations in the State governors yesterday victims of federal government’s need to speak truth to power, (SAN), told Fayemi that it is The Chairman of the PDP party and resolved to ensure accused the federal government unitary approach to a federal they need to be able to bite no longer news that education Governors' Forum, Hon. peace at all levels of the party of negotiating minimum wage structure. the bullet, and not just be a in Nigeria is in shambles Aminu Tambuwal, who is also organs. with the Nigeria Labour Fayemi spoke against the yes person. due to paucity of finances, the Sokoto State governor, at "We have met with the Congress (NLC) and trying backdrop of protests by labour “We need to work together the unionism and students' a press conference in Abuja NWC and have commended to impose it on states. over a bill before the House to confront these issues, we are activities. after a meeting of the forum, the initiative of the NWC in They, however, warned that of Representatives seeking to running glorified secondary The team, which represents said: "As governors of the PDP, coming up with the Saraki- the federal government cannot decentralise minimum wage schools as universities by this all the 48 universities owned we have agreed and resolved led committee to reconcile impose its salary structure on negotiations. system. You have to help us in by states, pleaded with the to continue to work with the aggrieved members of the them given the differentials in The organised labour on insisting that the institutions governors to take over the federal government with the party across the country. their revenues. Wednesday had stormed the too do the right thing.” burden of payment of salaries sole aim of reestablishing "It is a very commendable Chairman of the Nigerian National Assembly and states' Fayemi also agreed with of state universities, reintroduce peace in troubled areas of initiative.