Rebekah is a freelance reporter for the Daily Dot.12,000 Ooni ex-queen’s supporters demand justice as video proves govt aware of funfair
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck's college football career appears to be over. The Bulldogs released an ominous update Monday on the top NFL Draft prospect's elbow injury, which he suffered in the 22-19 win over Texas in Saturday's SEC Championship game. "Georgia quarterback Carson Beck suffered an elbow injury during Saturday's Southeastern Conference Championship game," it read. "He and his family are exploring treatment options and there is no current timetable on his return." Georgia also announced that punter Brett Thorson will require season-ending surgery after injuring the knee in his non-kicking leg on Saturday. "Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said, per the statement. "I'm confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way." Bill Belichick's typical response to criticism of 48-year age gap with girlfriend Tom Brady issues brutal one-word response to Bill Belichick's college coaching chances Beck injured the elbow in his throwing arm late on the last play of the first half. Smart said postgame that the Florida native couldn't grip the ball because of the impact of what's now believed to be a UCL issue. Georgia backup quarterback Gunner Stockton replaced the Florida native after the halftime break, only to get hurt on what would be the penultimate play of the Saturday overtime thriller. Beck checked back in before handing the ball to running back Trevor Etienne, who secured the conference title for the Bulldogs with a four-yard rush. There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror US Sports will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters. Follow @MirrorUSSports on Twitter : The official Mirror Sports X/Twitter account for all the latest sports news as it happens in real time. Follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , , Facebook or visit The Mirror US homepage.WOOD DALE, Ill. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR) ("AAR" or the "Company") announced today that it has reached resolutions with the Department of Justice ("DOJ") and the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to resolve previously disclosed potential violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA") relating to certain transactions signed in 2016 and 2017 in Nepal and South Africa. After self-reporting the potential violations to the DOJ and SEC in 2019, and cooperating with both agencies in a multi-year investigation, AAR has entered a Non-Prosecution Agreement ("NPA") with the DOJ, and the SEC has accepted the Company's Offer of Settlement and issued a cease-and-desist order (the "SEC Order"). The resolutions with both the DOJ and SEC make clear that the relevant conduct was principally carried out by a former employee of a Company subsidiary and former third-party agents. The total amount payable by AAR under the NPA and SEC Order is $55,599,653 , inclusive of penalties, forfeiture, and prejudgment interest, which will be reflected as a one-time charge in the Company's consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2025 second quarter ended November 30, 2024 . The Company expects to fund these payments using a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under its revolving credit facility. "We are pleased to resolve these matters with the DOJ and SEC," said John M. Holmes , AAR's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We thank the DOJ and SEC for their collaboration and their recognition of the Company's substantial cooperation. AAR remains committed to transparency and accountability and operating in an ethical and compliant manner as we deliver innovative, value-driven solutions to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers worldwide." Since self-reporting the potential violations to the DOJ and SEC in 2019, the Company has taken extensive steps to enhance its global compliance program. AAR's remedial actions, along with the significant effort it made to cooperate with the investigations, were acknowledged by the DOJ and the SEC as part of the resolutions. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company with operations in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through four operating segments: Parts Supply, Repair & Engineering, Integrated Solutions, and Expeditionary Services. Additional information can be found at aarcorp.com . Forward-looking statements This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which reflect management's expectations about future conditions, including, but not limited to, funding the payments required pursuant to the resolution of the DOJ and SEC investigations. Forward-looking statements often address our expected future operating and financial performance and financial condition, or sustainability targets, goals, commitments, and other business plans, and often may also be identified because they contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "likely," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information available to the Company as of the dates such assumptions and estimates are made, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, depending on a variety of factors, including: (i) factors that adversely affect the commercial aviation industry; (ii) adverse events and negative publicity in the aviation industry; (iii) a reduction in sales to the U.S. government and its contractors; (iv) cost overruns and losses on fixed-price contracts; (v) nonperformance by subcontractors or suppliers; (vi) a reduction in outsourcing of maintenance activity by airlines; (vii) a shortage of skilled personnel or work stoppages; (viii) competition from other companies; (ix) financial, operational and legal risks arising as a result of operating internationally; (x) inability to integrate acquisitions effectively and execute operational and financial plans related to the acquisitions; (xi) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions; (xii) circumstances associated with divestitures; (xiii) inability to recover costs due to fluctuations in market values for aviation products and equipment; (xiv) cyber or other security threats or disruptions; (xv) a need to make significant capital expenditures to keep pace with technological developments in our industry; (xvi) restrictions on use of intellectual property and tooling important to our business; (xvii) inability to fully execute our stock repurchase program and return capital to stockholders; (xviii) limitations on our ability to access the debt and equity capital markets or to draw down funds under loan agreements; (xix) non-compliance with restrictive and financial covenants contained in our debt and loan agreements; (xx) changes in or non-compliance with laws and regulations related to federal contractors, the aviation industry, international operations, safety, and environmental matters, and the costs of complying with such laws and regulations; and (xxi) exposure to product liability and property claims that may be in excess of our liability insurance coverage. Should one or more of those risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. Those events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond our control. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Part I, "Item 1A, Risk Factors" and our other filings from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The risks described in these reports are not the only risks we face, as additional risks and uncertainties are not currently known or foreseeable or impossible to predict accurately or risks that are beyond the Company's control or deemed immaterial may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations in future periods. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events, except as required by law. Contact: Media Team +1-630-227-5100 Editor@aarcorp.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-resolves-foreign-corrupt-practices-act-investigations-with-the-doj-and-sec-302336664.html SOURCE AAR CORP.AAR resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations with the DOJ and SEC
NASSAU, Bahamas — Justin Thomas was long off the tee and made a few long putts on the back nine to overtake Scottie Scheffler with a 6-under 66 and build a one-shot lead Saturday over golf's best player going into the final round of the Hero World Challenge. Thomas is trying out a 46-inch driver — a little more than an inch longer than normal — that he previously used for practice at home to gain speed and length. He blasted a 361-yard drive to 8 feet on the par-4 seventh hole and led the field in driving distance. But it was a few long putts that put him ahead of Scheffler, who had a 69. Thomas was on the verge of falling two shots behind when he made an 18-foot par putt on the par-3 12th hole. On the reachable par-4 14th, he was in a nasty spot in a sandy area and could only splash it out to nearly 50 feet. He made that one for a most unlikely birdie, while behind him Scheffler muffed a chip on the 13th hole and made his lone bogey of a windy day. Scheffler never caught up to him, missing birdie chances on the reachable 14th and the par-5 15th. Thomas hit his approach to 3 feet for birdie on the 16th after a 343-yard drive. Scheffler made an 18-foot birdie putt on the 16th to close within one. Scheffler missed birdie chances on the last two holes from the 10-foot and 15-foot range, while Thomas missed an 8-foot birdie attempt at the last. "I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today," Scheffler said. Thomas hasn't won since the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, and a victory at Albany Golf Club wouldn't count as an official win. But the two-time major champion has made steady progress toward getting his game back in order. "I'm driving it great. I've had a lot of confidence with it," Thomas said of his longer driver. "I feel like I've been able to put myself in some pretty good spots going into the green. I'm still not taking advantage of some of them as much as I would like, but that's golf and we're always going to say that." Thomas was at 17-under 199 and will be in the final group Sunday with Scheffler, who is trying to end his spectacular season with a ninth title. Tom Kim put himself in the mix, which he might not have imagined Thursday when he was 3 over through six holes of the holiday tournament. Kim got back in the game with a 65 on Friday, and then followed with 12 birdies for a 62. He had a shot at the course record — Rickie Fowler shot 61 in the final round when he won at Albany in 2017 — until Kim found a bunker and took two shots to reach the green in making a double bogey on the par-3 17th. Even so, he was only two shots behind. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (68) was four back. "Feel like I've been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that's all I can do," Thomas said. "I can't control everybody else or what's going on, I've just got to keep playing as good as I possibly can and hope that it's enough come Sunday." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Alberta cancels foreign worker recruitment trip to United Arab Emirates
ATLANTA — The Lakers’ four-game road trip, which ended with a disheartening overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday , lasted eight days if you count the days they flew out of and back to Los Angeles on the front and back ends of the trip. But considering they were in Southern California for just a few days after their Nov. 26 road loss to the Phoenix Suns and Nov. 27 road win over the San Antonio Spurs – flying back to L.A. Thanksgiving ahead of their Nov. 29 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder before flying to Salt Lake City the afternoon of Nov. 30 – the trip felt longer. “It was a two-week road trip, let’s be honest,” coach JJ Redick said Friday night. “It was a two-week road trip.” And the nature of how the last two weeks have gone for the Lakers added to their road weariness. The loss to the Hawks was their third straight defeat, including their losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat by a combined 70 points, and their seventh loss in nine games going back to the Nov. 21 home loss to the Orlando Magic , the start of another three-game losing streak. While Friday’s loss continued their losing streak, they played with significantly more energy and effort compared to their losses earlier in the week. “Based off the last couple games that we played, Minnesota and Miami, it’s a good bounce back for us,” Anthony Davis said. “Just some of the defensive communication we messed up a little bit [on Friday night]. As far as the carryover, it was better.” When asked what it’ll take for the Lakers, who won their first three games of the season and were 10-4 before their recent skid, to get back over the hump, LeBron James pointed to the players the team has been without. Austin Reaves missed the entire road trip because of a bruised left pelvis suffered Nov. 29 against the Thunder. “With Austin, the movement piece and the thrust, his ability to get in the paint, his ability to, for the most part, make quick decisions,” Redick said. “In some ways, he’s like a connector for our offense, but he’s also a scorer and a playmaker. So you can have connectors that aren’t necessarily players that can do what Austin does in terms of creating offense. He does both. And also, he’s highly competitive and he brings that juice every night.” Backup center Jaxson Hayes has been sidelined 12 of the last 13 games because of right ankle injuries, and isn’t expected to be reevaluated until this upcoming week. Christian Wood (offseason left knee surgery) and Jarred Vanderbilt (offseason feet surgery recovery) have yet to play this season. The Lakers announced that Vanderbilt is expected to return in early January . Wood’s status isn’t as clear. “I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump,” James said. “We just gotta just not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be all right.” Or as Davis put it: “There’s no cavalry. No one [feels] sorry for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Just gotta continue to put our head down and grind and work.” The Lakers will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at Crytpo.com Arena. After that, they’ll get a rare four-day break off of games before playing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday in Minneapolis. “That break, if you call it a break, for three, four days, we have to use that for our minds, for our bodies, for clean up,” Redick said. “It’ll be a good opportunity for us.” When : 6:30 p.m. Sunday Where : Crypto.com Arena TV/radio : Spectrum SportsNet/710 AMQatar tribune BerlincTypeface:> Germany has halted decisions on asylum applications from Syrian citizens following the ouster of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, a spokesman for the Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) told DPA on Monday. The halt applies to more than 47,000 asylum applications from Syrians in Germany in which the civil war and current political situation in Syria would be major factors in deciding whether the applicants should receive asylum or not, the BAMF spokesman said. “The BAMF takes a very close look at the individual cases, including an assessment of the situation on the ground in the country of origin,” an Interior Ministry spokesman told journalists in Berlin. The agency has the option of deferring decisions on asylum cases if the situation in an applicant’s home country is unclear, and that currently is the case in Syria, the ministry spokesman said. (DPA) Copy 10/12/2024 10
Thomas uses big drives and putts to hold lead in Bahamas
Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad's notorious dungeons who celebrate in Damascus streetsMONTHS after securing a 44.8% stake in Caribbean Producers (Jamaica) Ltd (CPJ), AS Bryden and Sons Holdings Ltd (ASBH) has acquired an additional 30.4% share, with plans to offer the remaining shareholders the option to sell, paving the way for a full takeover. This was announced by the Jamaica Stock Exchange yesterday where ASBH, which is owned by Seprod, is listed. According to the announcement nearly 95 million shares in ASBH were given to the previous CPJ shareholders as payment. “A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings Ltd, a reporting issuer and company incorporated in Trinidad and Tobago, with offices located at 1 Ibis Avenue, San Juan, Trinidad, today announced that it has acquired an additional 30.4% stake in Caribbean Producers (Jamaica) Ltd in exchange for 94,871,379 newly issued ordinary shares of ASBH to the sellers of the CPJ shares. As a result of this additional purchase, ASBH owns 75.3% of CPJ and CPJ is now a subsidiary of ASBH,” the notice yesterday stated. The closing price for ASBH shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange yesterday was JA$30.95, valuing the 94,871,379 shares at JA$2,936,269,180.05 ($126,806,742.84). “ASBH recognises that its increased ownership represents more than 50% of the issued share capital of CPJ and consequently ASBH will extend a Mandatory Offer to all remaining CPJ shareholders within 30 days in accordance with the Jamaica Stock Exchange's General Principles relating to Takeovers and Mergers,” it stated. “ASBH’s increased ownership of CPJ is consistent with our objective of purchasing additional shares we shared following the acquisition of our strategic stake in July. We will soon extend an offer to purchase shares from all CPJ shareholders on equivalents terms subject to CPJ remaining a listed company,” ASH director Nicholas A Scott stated. On July 9, CPJ announced that ASBH had acquired a 44.8% strategic stake in the company. “We are committed to becoming the leading distributor of food and premium beverages to hotels, resorts and restaurants in Jamaica and across the Caribbean. As a member of the Brydens Group, CPJ will now have access to greater resources and a regional platform. This is an exciting time for both ASBH and CPJ. I look forward to working with the combined team to grow our business and deliver value to our customers, principals, employees and shareholders,” ASBH chairman P.B. Scott stated. CPJ is a distributor of global food and beverage brands in Jamaica and St. Lucia. Founded in 1994, CPJ is headquartered in Montego Bay and specialises in providing a wide range of food, beverages, and non-food products mainly to the hospitality industry. They supply items such as meats, seafood, dairy, wines, and spirits, as well as offering logistics and supply chain solutions. CPJ operates “CPJ Market” retail stores in Jamaica and St. Lucia. The company is also listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. ASBH is a distributor based in Trinidad and Tobago with operations in Guyana and Barbados. Established in 1923, the company distributes food, premium beverages, consumer products, pharmaceuticals and industrial supplies in the Caribbean region. The Bryden Group operates several subsidiaries and affiliates including AS Bryden Trinidad and Tobago, Bryden Pi, F.T. Farfan, BPI Guyana, ICON Guyana, Micon Marketing, Armstrong Healthcare and Stansfeld Scott (Barbados).
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Dr M Zahid Latif assumes office as Rector NUSTJulian Reese delivered 23 points and 11 rebounds as sluggish Maryland pulled away late in a 81-66 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday in College Park, Md. Derik Queen provided 18 points and 14 rebounds while Ja'Kobi Gillespie added nine points and as many assists as the Terrapins (11-2) improved to 19-0 all-time against the Hawks, with all of the wins coming by double-digit margins. In the final nonconference game for both teams, the Terrapins' Selton Miguel had 10 points and Jordan Geronimo added nine off the bench. Playing for the first time in seven days, Maryland never trailed but struggled to pull away from UMES (4-12). Ketron Shaw paced Maryland Eastern Shore with 20 points and nine rebounds. Evan Johnson scored 15 points and Christopher Flippin added 14 points and six boards for the Hawks of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, who are 0-12 against Division I schools this year. UMES kept in close in the first half as Maryland missed its first eight shots from 3-point range. The Terps held a 19-17 lead when Rodney Rice ended the drought with a corner 3 with 6:38 left in the half. About a minute later, Geronimo drained another from the same spot on the floor. In the final 53 seconds of the period, Reese wheeled inside for a three-point play, then DeShawn Harris-Smith added a buzzer-beating trey from the top of the key as Maryland took a 40-24 lead at the break. In the second half, the Hawks kept it close as Shaw continued to score in the open floor and Johnson drained a pair of 3-pointers. When Flippin made a pair of free throws with 10:08 left, he cut the Terrapins' lead to 54-48. But that's as close as the Hawks got as Maryland answered with three quick baskets. In the final 8:11, Gillespie and Miguel made 3-pointers and the duo combined on a fast break, with Gillespie feeding Miguel for a 3-point play that gave the Terrapins their biggest lead, 81-58, with 2:26 left. --Field Level MediaRemember Y2K? It was 1999 and many were sure civilization was about to endSenior members of Canada's cabinet held talks Friday with US President-elect Donald Trump's nominees to lead the departments of commerce and the interior, as Ottawa works to hold off the threat of punishing tariffs. Canada's newly-appointed Finance Minister Dominic Leblanc and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump's commerce secretary nominee, who will also lead the country's tariff and trade agenda. Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum was also at the meeting held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Leblanc's spokesman Jean-Sebastien Comeau, who confirmed the participants, described the talks as "positive and productive." Trump has vowed to impose crippling 25-percent tariffs on all Canadian imports when he takes office next month. He has said they will remain in place until Canada addresses the flow of undocumented migrants and the drug fentanyl into the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised retaliatory measures should Trump follow through on his pledge, raising fears of a trade war. Leblanc and Joly "outlined the measures in Canada's Border Plan and reiterated the shared commitment to strengthen border security as well as combat the harm caused by fentanyl to save Canadian and American lives," Comeau said in a statement. Canada's Border Plan -- estimated to cost CAN$1 billion ($694 million) -- was crafted as part of Ottawa's response to Trump's concerns. Lutnick and Burgum "agreed to relay information to President Trump," the statement said. Trudeau is facing his worst political crisis since sweeping into office in 2015. Leblanc was named finance minister earlier this month after the surprise resignation of Chrystia Freeland. In a scathing resignation letter, Freeland accused Trudeau of prioritizing handouts to voters instead of preparing Canada's finances for a possible trade war. More than 75 percent of Canadian exports go to the United States and nearly two million Canadian jobs depend on trade. bs/aha
The Falcons are sticking with Kirk Cousins and may get a break thanks to a soft scheduleIMC Campus held its annual graduation ceremony recently (14) at BMICH, Colombo in affiliation with the IIC University of Technology. The Chief Guest was Prof. G.A.Sanjeewanie Ginigaddara (Former Vice Chancellor of Rajarata University. Also present were Dr. Kavya Jayakody (Founder/Director of IMC Campus), Dr. Engineer. Priyantha Morapitiya (Senior Lecturer), Dr. Pradeep Edward (Director/General Manager of Hemas Capital Hospital), Dr Dhanushka Wickramarathne (Head of Business Development, International Relations, Climate & Geospatial Engineering of CESL) and Dr. Keerthi Nawarathne (Deputy Director General of Sri Lanka Institute of Advance Technological Education). Over 160 students were awarded their Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Studies by the dignitaries present. The ceremony organization led by Dr. Amal Wijenayaka (Head of Academics), Sarala Udadewaarachchi (Center Manager) and Pragashene Sivalingam (Executive Administration).
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As the country inches closer to 2025, with just two years remaining before the 2027 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Young Progressives Party, and the Coalition for United Political Parties have called for legislation to prohibit political defection. They also reassured the public that the opposition parties would unite to form a formidable front capable of effectively challenging the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to ensure Nigerians received the best possible leadership and governance. This was as the ruling APC chided the opposition parties over the call for a bill to halt the random defection of politicians from their parties to other political platforms. The APC argued that the constitution had granted politicians the privilege to switch allegiance. Political defection has become a common trend in Nigeria, with politicians switching parties at will. On December 5, four lawmakers from the LP and one from the PDP defected to the ruling APC. The LP lawmakers who switched parties are Chinedu Okere (Owerri Municipal/Owerri North/Owerri West Federal Constituency), Mathew Donatus (Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna), Akiba Bassey (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Cross River), and Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo). A few days later, on December 12, Ajang Iliya, the House of Representatives member representing the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency in Plateau State, also defected from the LP to the APC. Over a year ago, 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, left the PDP for the APC. This mass defection caused political instability in Rivers State, triggering multiple legal battles. The growing trend of defection has raised concerns about the stability and integrity of party politics in Nigeria. Before these recent defections, a significant number of politicians, mainly from opposition parties, had already switched allegiance to the ruling party. This trend has been seen as a reflection of the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable nature of Nigeria’s political landscape. Just recently, several lawmakers left their previous parties—such as the PDP, NNPP, and LP—and joined the ruling APC, offering various political justifications for their decisions. The pattern of defection has raised concerns about the stability and integrity of party politics in the country. In response, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, stated that political defections posed a threat to Nigeria’s democracy. Osadolor, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH , lamented that many Nigerian politicians lacked principles and had defected primarily for economic survival rather than for the benefit of the people. He said, “This government is very adept, very skillful in regime security. In doing all this, they have weaponised not only hunger but also destabilised institutions that should have been able to enforce checks and balances. “The man has so firmly placed iron fists on all the institutions in this country that you don’t even have an institution or an opposition. “So, when you see these defections in the National Assembly or state Assemblies, you will just know it is all about economic survival. Most of those you see jumping from one party to another lack principles. “This is a threat to democracy. To curb this reckless defection, I think there is an urgent need to review some of our laws to nip this in the bud.” Osadolor expressed optimism that as long as President Bola Tinubu did not have control over the air Nigerians breathe, there would be strong opposition in 2025 and beyond to challenge the APC government. He stated, “As long as the air we breathe does not come from President Tinubu, the opposition parties will remain united and more formidable in challenging the APC. Therefore, Nigerians still have hope and will wait patiently to cast their votes.” Also speaking, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, expressed concern that the defections signalled the erosion of democracy in Nigeria. Speaking with our correspondent, he called for a thorough review of Nigerian laws to address political defections. He stated, “What it shows is that democracy is eroding. It is now becoming, ‘Well, if I can settle myself, then things are fine.’ A lot of the politicians are no longer representing the people; they are no longer representing their constituents; they are representing themselves. “So, we need to look at our laws to checkmate this and do a lot to uphold our democracy to make sure they give a voice to the voiceless and try to maintain democratic structures to bring about good governance for the benefit of the people of the country.” Similarly, the YPP National Publicity Secretary, Egbeola Martins, cautioned that defections could result in a one-party state, which in turn could lead to dictatorship. In an interview with Sunday PUNCH , Martins emphasised that the ongoing electoral reform must take a strong stance against defections and ensure that there must be no ambiguities. He stated, “We can tell that things have been going from bad to worse. Democracy should not benefit only a few; it should be for the benefit of everyone. You can see the unrest in neighbouring countries that led to military takeovers because the people do not see any benefit from democracy. “I think the political class should not allow democracy to deteriorate in this manner. There should be a law to prevent political defections, and politics and political associations should be based on principles.” Related News 2027: Political movements spread as bigwigs plot Tinubu’s ouster APC chieftain urges Bago to pull out of AEDC Stop daydreaming, face reality, APC blasts Kwankwaso “In fact, the government should make it a matter of policy. They must deliberate on this to sustain a strong opposition. We should not allow people to move from one party to another, as it could lead to a one-party state, which in the long run, would not bode well for the nation.” “A one-party state is essentially a dictatorship. Therefore, there is a need to review our laws. There should be a deliberate effort to ensure that laws are in place to discourage the movement from one party to another, particularly to the ruling party.” The YPP Publicity Secretary stated that a one-party state was harmful to Nigeria and emphasised that the political class must act to prevent disillusionment, ensuring Nigerians continued to value democracy. He added, “This is not even healthy for the ruling party. That is why, based on some of the proposals we have submitted as a party, we believe that the ongoing electoral reform should make it difficult for individuals to cross from the party on whose platform they won elections to another party. The legislation should be unambiguous. “Once you leave your party and join another, you should automatically lose your seat. There should be no exceptions, such as in cases where there is a crisis in the party. No! “Look at the PDP as an opposition party; it is struggling, and that should have been the face of a strong opposition in Nigeria. But it is not, because the laws are too weak to address the political class manipulations. “We believe the ruling government should ensure that these laws are enforced. The political class needs to play its role to prevent the point where Nigerians become disillusioned and feel they no longer need democracy.” The CUPP spokesperson, Mark Adebayo, explained that many defectors did so out of fear of persecution. Speaking with Sunday PUNCH , he stated that most of the defectors would regret their actions in 2027 when the APC would be defeated. Adebayo stated, “On the defection by lawmakers, it just shows you the policies of stomach infrastructure that Nigerian democracy is all about. All these are politicians who believe in stomach infrastructure. “They are defecting because they cannot ensure a robust opposition political party. They believe that joining the APC may protect them from future prosecution by anti-graft agencies, especially the EFCC and ICPC. “They are also under the mistaken impression that the power of incumbency will help them win elections. But I can assure you that the APC has performed so poorly that in 2027, the opposition will give them a run for their money.” APC kicks Meanwhile, the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, said it was obvious the campaign was being fuelled by the frustration of losing their bigwigs to the ruling party. He said, “I think that legislation is ill-proposed because the legislation permits freedom of movement. There should be freedom to make up and change one’s mind at will without interference from anybody. “The opposition is making this proposal out of frustration because they were not able to manage their affairs. As a result, there is an exodus to the ruling party. However, that is not to say they can’t take their motion to the National Assembly, which will deliberate in the interest of the country if it deems it fit. “But I can tell you with certainty that it is going to be dead on arrival. You cannot deny politicians the right to jump ships. They can move from one party to the other. It is like marriage and divorce. One is at liberty to marry provided the two agree and is also a liberty to divorce once they disagree. “So, if you are in a party and not getting what you want or feel the party cannot meet your aspiration, the constitution has given you the provision and permission to cross over to where you will achieve your aim. That is my personal opinion.” CSOs speak Lending his voice to the matter, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, attributed the defection of politicians to the ruling party to lack of transparency and accountability in governance. He lamented that Nigerian politics was driven by selfish interests, describing it as a pursuit of “stomach infrastructure.” Rafsanjani emphasised that while politicians had the right to defect to any political party, there was the need for political party reforms to ensure that parties were not used merely as tools for power grabbing and personal agendas but as platforms to foster internal democracy and active participation. “There are legitimate reasons for leaving a party. If one no longer subscribes to the party’s principles, they cannot be compelled to remain. However, we must reform political parties so they will cease to be platforms for personal gains and power plays.” Also, the Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, Jackson Omenazu, described the current political situation as a breach of public trust, tarnishing Nigeria’s image globally. He warned that unchecked defections could lead to a one-party system, eroding democracy. Omenazu noted that politicians were bound by the manifestos of the parties under which they were elected, arguing that if they aligned with another manifesto, they should resign and seek re-election under the new platform. He added that defection without returning to the electorate violated public trust and undermined democracy. “The right thing to do is to go back with a new-found manifesto to the people and present it to them. The defector as a lawmaker should resign from his or her position, go back to his people and present a new manifesto. If the people elect you based on the new manifesto, you go back to the National Assembly. “If they don’t elect you, you remain at home. But it’s a complete breach of public trust for you to take another manifesto and get into the National Assembly, find favour in another manifesto, and without recourse to the people, defect. “Systematically, we are heading towards a one-party state, and it is not good for democracy. A good opposition is the strength of democracy and where there is no opposition, there is no democracy.”Co-working spaces in Singapore still in demand despite WeWork pull-outs