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Canada Gets Fresh Prime Minister

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister on Friday, taking charge of a country rattled by a breakdown in US relations since President Donald Trump’s return to power.

The ruling Liberal Party overwhelmingly backed Carney to replace Justin Trudeau, betting his experience leading two central banks through historic crises will reassure Canadians facing a potentially devastating trade war.

Carney, who turns 60 on Sunday, is a political novice who has never won an elected public office but his campaign skills will be tested soon with Canada likely headed for a general election in weeks.

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The threats posed by Trump are expected to dominate the vote.

The US president has sought to bludgeon Canada, imposing sweeping import tariffs and threatening further levies while claiming the country is not “viable” on its own and should be annexed by Washington.

Carney, who was sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister at a ceremony in Ottawa, has described Trump’s stance as the most serious challenge Canada has faced in a generation

Everything in my life has prepared me for this moment,” Carney said Sunday after winning the Liberal Party leadership race.

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He was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs before serving as governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008-2009 financial crisis and led the Bank of England through the turmoil surrounding the Brexit vote.

He has sought to present himself as purpose-built to lead a country through a trade war with the United States, once Canada’s closest ally but now a country that Carney says Canada can “no longer trust.”

At a Group of Seven meeting in Quebec, Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Carney would bring a “new dynamic” to US diplomacy

Speaking before Carney was sworn in, Joly said she and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is at the G7, were working on setting up a call between Trump and Carney “in the next couple of days.”

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Tightening race –
Trump’s tariffs and insults have upended Canadian politics.

At the start of the year, the Liberals were trailing the Conservatives by 20 points in the polls.

But in the weeks since Trudeau announced his plans to resign on January 6, the race has tightened to a near draw.

“Carney is arriving at a good time. He has emerged as a figure people seem to trust to take on Donald Trump,” University of Winnipeg politics professor Felix Mathieu told AFP.

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On the week Trump’s sweeping 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports came into force, Carney visited a steel plant in Hamilton, an industrial city near the US border in the province of Ontario.

Wearing a hard hat and goggles, Carney said he was ready to work out a trade deal with Trump.

But he insisted there must be “respect for Canadian sovereignty” in any negotiation.

– Distance from Trudeau –
Trudeau posted a goodbye message to Canadians on Thursday after nearly ten years in power, saying he was “proud to have served a country full of people who stand up for what’s right.”

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Trudeau’s support had plummeted over the past year, but his standing partially rebounded following a series of resolute speeches in response to Trump.

Carney has made clear efforts to distance himself from Trudeau with moves aimed at attracting more centrist voters.

He has said addressing climate change will be a top priority but he is scrapping Trudeau’s “divisive” carbon tax on individuals and families while advancing market-led solutions.

And he is stopping a tax on capital gains that would have applied to the wealthiest Canadians, which the Trudeau government said was essential to shore up Canada’s finances.

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We think builders should be incentivized for taking risks and rewarded when they succeed,” he said on Sunday.

AFP

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Kwara govt revokes signage, billboard licenses

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The Kwara State Government has announced the immediate revocation of all signage and billboard licences issued in 2024 with enforcement actions set to begin next week.

The government also warned that identification and removal of unauthorised billboards would commence shortly.

The announcement was made in a statement released on Sunday by the Chairman of the Kwara State Task Force Committee on Illegal Billboards and Signages, Bolanle Olukoju.

Olukoju, who is also Commissioner for Communications, explained that the revocation was in line with a previous notification suspending all billboard licences in the state.

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He said the move aimed to facilitate the removal of unauthorised and improperly erected billboards, posters, and light pole banners throughout Ilorin and other urban centers.

“This initiative aligns with the Urban Renewal Programme of the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration, which seeks to transform Kwara into a modern and visually appealing state,” he said.

The government also confirmed that no new registrations or renewals of signage and billboard licences would be processed until further notice.

The temporary measure, the statement added, will allow the state to finalise a new regulatory framework for outdoor advertising.

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The statement further emphasised that identification of non-compliant billboards is already underway, and owners of unregistered billboards are urged to remove them immediately.

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FG outlines requirements for civil servants wishing to change their name, next of kin

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The Federal Government has unveiled requirements for civil servants seeking to migrate their salaries, change their names and their next-of-kin among others.

This was revealed in a memo by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation dated March 12,2025 and addressed to all Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The memo said the government had observed that civil servants effecting the changes on their names and next-of-kins do not submit the necessary documents needed to effect such changes, hence the need for the memo.

“Further to the Circular Ref. HCSF/PS/CMO/IPPIS/I/VOL.I/508 dated 1st November, 2022 on the above subject, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has observed that some Ministries, Departments and Agencies do not attach the required documents which would facilitate granting approvals for migration of saiary, change/correction of names, gender and next-of-kin within the shortest possible time.

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“MDAs should therefore, note and be guided by the following Standard Operating Procedures for requests on changes/corrections on HR records of employees on the IPPIS Platform:

With the implementation of the Human Resource component of the IPPIS in the Federal Public Service, it has become necessary to take note and be guided by the above requirements.

“Kindly note that requests that are forwarded to the Office of the Head of the Civil service of the Federation without specific documents will not be processed for approval. Please bring the content of this Circular to all concerned for strict compliance,” the memo read.

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Atiku supports Lagos corps member facing threats due to viral video

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Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed support for a Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, also known as Raye, who claimed to have received threats after her viral video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement shared on X on Sunday, Atiku praised Raye’s courage, describing her as a symbol of a new generation of politically engaged women committed to advocacy and democratic participation.

“Raye embodies the spirit of a new generation of women who champion the ideals of popular participation and unwavering advocacy in the political sphere.

“I deeply admire her boldness and wisdom—her fearless resolve to speak truth to power, undeterred by the weight of opposition,” Atiku wrote.

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The former presidential candidate likened Raye to historic female activists such as Gambo Sawaba, Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, and Margaret Ekpo, who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Atiku called for support rather than hostility towards Raye.

“Rather than being met with hostility, Raye deserves encouragement and support. She is a shining emblem of the Nigerian youth—a testament to the long-held promise that the leaders of tomorrow are already among us, ready to shape a better future,” Atiku said.

Raye, a corps member serving in Lagos, recently made headlines after a video she posted criticising government policies went viral.

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She later claimed to have faced threats, reportedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take down the video.

In the video posted on her TikTok account #talktoraye on Saturday, Raye voiced frustration over Nigeria’s deteriorating economic situation, lamenting that hard work no longer guarantees financial stability.

She criticised Tinubu’s leadership, calling him a “terrible leader,” and questioned the government’s commitment to easing citizens’ hardships.

Authorities have yet to comment on her allegations.

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