₦airaland Forum

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged the federal government to intensify effort towards addressing security challenges in Zamfara and other parts of the country.

He made the call while paying Sallah homage to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal at the weekend.

According to him, the number of people killed in recent months in Zamfara State was beyond imagination.

Although he acknowledged some measures so far taken, he said more needed to be done to effectively address the problem.

He also called for fervent prayers for peace to reign in these areas and the country at large.

Sultan Sa’ad further advised that there should be no sacred cows in the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.

“Whoever did wrong should be punished accordingly,” he counselled.

He lauded the federal government for banning the sale and production of substances with codeine in the country and urged state governments to set up a taskforce to enforce the ban in their respective states.

The monarch noted with dismay the poor sanitary condition of Sokoto metropolis, urging for quick evacuation of refuse that littered the city.

While commending the state government for sustaining Ramadan feeding programme, he appealed to it to provide the requirements of the new Wazirin Sokoto and some newly installed District Heads.

Responding Governor Tambuwal said already agencies responsible for refuse collection and evacuation have been directed to ensure immediate evacuation of the refuse in the metropolis.

He added that the taskforce was already in place working with relevant security agencies to ensure the enforcement of ban on codeine in the state.

Tambuwal further said that the state government in collaboration with security agencies was working round the clock to ensure effective security in the state.

He thanked the Sultan and other traditional rulers for their advice which he said were yielding fruitful results, reassuring them of government’s resolve to improve the welfare of traditional rulers in the state.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sultan-to-fg-end-killings-in-zamfara-birnin-gwari-others-256805.html

50 naira x 500 people x 52 weeks = 1,300,000 naira.

Brownhypo:
Some people will just be shouting tithe and offering every seconds, as if its your 50# or 20# they used in building those Churches.

the truth is, He who is blessed is blessed indeed! forget the 20 naira offering wey you dey squeeze inside box every sunday

#Peace

Such fears, being expressed by political watchers, are predicated on the fact that the current Electoral Act provides for a window period of only one week within which the Commission (INEC) could organize and conduct re-run elections.

A run-off is an election conducted when the first election fails to produce a clear winner for the position of president, or governor. This can happen when the candidate with the highest votes does not have the required votes spread in the affected states.

Article 134 (2) of the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that a presidential candidate will be duly elected after attaining both the highest number of votes cast, and having received at least a quarter of the votes at each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The section reads: “If no candidate satisfies the requirement, a second election will be held between the two leading candidates within seven days from the pronouncement of the result.” said.

For some obvious reasons many analysts strongly believe that a run-off is not an impossibility, especially for the presidential election, with heightened fears that the Nigerian constitution has not given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) enough latitude to run a successful re-run within the stipulated period.

Controversy dogs Electoral Act amendment

With the 2019 general elections a stone’s throw away, INEC had on March 9, 2017, announced that the presidential election would hold on February 16, 2019, while governorship and states assembly elections would be conducted on March 2, 2019.

But the Presidency and the National Assembly were locked in controversy over the sequence of elections, a clause that trapped the whole process of tinkering with the Amendment Act 2010, which would have fine-tuned some issues to make the 2019 elections more credible.

While analysts believe there will ba lacuna that will cast doubt on the integrity of the 2019 elections if the two arms of government do not suspend the mutual suspicion between them, INEC is seen as the biggest victim of the acrimony because it has been trapped for now, making its preparations for a possible re-run uncertain.

Both chambers of the national assembly, though dominated by the APC, amended the order of the election. The proposed sequence of elections would make the National Assembly election come first in 2019, followed by governorship, and state houses of assembly, and presidential last.

In April, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court nullified the amendment of Section 25 of the Electoral Act, which was passed in February by the National Assembly. The court, presided by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, ruled that only INEC had the powers to create an election template for the country.

The judge also ruled that any attempt by the national assembly to amend Section 25 as done by the legislature, would first require an amendment of the constitution. On his part, President Muhammadu Buhari on March 13 refused assent to the bill, after it was forwarded to his office. He had said the amendments if allowed to pass violate parts of the constitution.

But it seems proponents of the issue at the National Assembly are undeterred. After both chambers of the National Assembly stepped down the bill that sought to introduce election sequencing in the country on April 18, a new bill to that effect resurfaced in the House of Representatives on Thursday, May 31.

In the House, a new bill on the same subject matter sponsored by Kingsley Chinda was introduced. The amendment rejected by President Buhari showed that elections into the 469 Senate and House of Reps seats would be conducted first to be followed by elections of governors and members of states Houses of Assembly, while presidential election would come last.

Curiously, the House adopted some of the provisions of a bill that allows the use of smart card only and prohibited the manual register for accreditation during the 2019 general elections. They agreed that elections could be postponed in areas where the smart card reader fails to function.

At the rate they are going, both chambers are determined to effect the various amendments within the shortest possible time and re-transmit same to President Buhari for assent, the outcome of which is definitely unpredictable.

Analysts express mixed views

Among those who believe the 2019 Presidential election may go into a re-run is renowned columnist and National Chairman of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) Tope Fasua.

“I see the 2019 presidential election going for rerun. I was the first person in this country who predicted that that election would be hung especially at the presidential level. I wrote articles on this; I looked at the way things are going, and especially with the mismanagement of optics by the present government which is lucky now to be having upspring in the prices of the crude oil and able to pay over a few things.

“But while the prices of crude oil were down and they had no new ideas, they had lost a number of states which they would not be able to get 25 per cent in 2019. All the states in the South-East, five of them, forget it! All the states in the South-South with the exception of maybe Edo State, they can’t get even 25 per cent. A couple of states in the South-West would drop as well. Maybe Lagos, but I’m not sure if the Tinubu effect would come to play this time around; people are just very angry”, Fasua said.

He further said: “Sometimes the anger may be misguided; sometimes you may say they are expecting too much, but the president said ‘I would not fund peoples’ kids fees abroad’ and the next thing you are seeing are his children leaving university from there. And he also said people should not travel abroad to take care of themselves, and then he jumps onto the next plane to go there to take care of himself , and because of that impunity, everyone goes for that same level of impunity.”

“So there’s going to be a couple of states dropping off in the South-West, and a couple of states dropping out in the North-Central or what you call the Middle Belt area in which case, if that happens Buhari would not be able to form government at first vote and it would go into a runoff,” he said.

A former chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, has also expressed fears over the possibility of a constitutional crisis in the event the 2019 presidential election runs into second balloting.

Jega who spoke during the 2018 democracy day lecture in Abuja said it took God’s intervention to avert such a crisis during the last general elections.

Jega said: “I kept giving examples of some aspects of existing legal framework, which could have created constitutional crisis if not for God’s intervention in 2015. For example, a constitutional provision that requires the electoral commission to conduct a run-off election within seven days is impossible in this country but that is what the constitution says.

“Why is it impossible? By the time the electoral commission announces result, it would have been two days and then if you take out those two days, you will be left with five days to prepare for the next run-off election.

“Meanwhile, after elections, INEC normally demobilizes staff; security personnel and you cannot demobilize them and get them in polling units within five days. In 2015, we had very serious apprehensions in electoral commission because of that constitutional provision, because of a run-off because we cannot do it within the constitutional provision.”

Stressing the need to accelerate the process of having a new legal framework for INEC ahead of the 2019 elections, Professor Jega said: “We should be mindful of the ECOWAS protocol that we have signed, which requires all signatories to ensure that any amendment to the electoral legal framework is concluded at least six months before a general election, ideally it should be at least one year before general elections.

However, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Director, Center for Democracy and Development said with proper planning, INEC can be able to conduct a rerun even within the period currently provided for in the Electoral Act without problems.

“I will be good to change what is currently provided for in the Electoral Act to give more time but a rerun is not a problem if there is proper planning on the part of INEC. He, however, pointed out that logistics issues such as printing of ballot and getting them everywhere as well as financial challenges could pose a problem to INEC.”

The National Coordinator of the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), Dr. Chima Amadi, said the electoral umpire would not be taken by surprise. “The provision in the constitution does not give INEC enough room to maneuver but I think what this INEC does is to prepare for contingencies because the one week is not enough to start preparing and reprinting and all that, amounting to billions of naira, because of that one-week window.

“So the constitutional provision is unrealistic; it’s supposed to give room for at least two months so that if it happens that there would be a runoff, INEC can make preparations. But let’s get this thing right, they always prepare for contingencies. But the framers and re-framers of the constitution should envisage a situation whereby INEC should be given enough window to maneuver and avoid waste,” he said.

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the executive director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), said the executive and legislative arms of government should be held responsible in the event that the country is thrown into a constitutional logjam arising from a rerun in 2019.

Describing concerns over the possibility of a constitutional crisis due to anticipated rerun in 2019 as legitimate, Rafsanjani said there was still time for both arms of government to effect the necessary constitutional amendments that could address the problem when it arises.

“There is still time if there is the political will. 2019 is very contentious and both the national assembly and the executive must address grey areas to avoid constitutional logjam. But if they fail to do so and it happens the two arms must be held responsible”, Rafsanjani said.

There is no cause for alarm –INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allayed fears of a logjam, saying the Commission has been preparing for any eventuality. Spokesman of INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said: “Section 134 of the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) defines the procedure for electing the President. For a candidate to be duly elected, he or she must: (i) Have the majority of votes cast at the election; and (ii) Have not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“However, when no candidate meets the conditions to be declared winner, the constitution provides that a rerun be conducted within seven days. There is already a proposed amendment to change this provision of 7 days to 21 days, which is now awaiting the President’s assent. The proposed amended was informed by the realization that seven days might be insufficient to prepare for another (presidential) election in terms of its sheer logistical requirements,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-why-re-run-elections-may-come-with-problems-256723.html

In 2015, campaign promises paved the way for politicians into various government houses in the country. With the 2019 elections around the corner, some of these unfulfilled campaign promises may prove to be pitfalls for incumbent governors seeking re-election, Daily Trust on Sunday reports from various states across the country.


El-Rufai: Facing the insecurity hurdle

Three years into his government, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has touched on some of his promises while others are still awaiting attention.

He started with the education sector and the reclamation of lands meant for schools. He demolished encroachments on school lands and rehabilitated schools, providing more classrooms, water and toilets. This is a continuous exercise intended to fix the more than 4000 public primary schools, most of which the government found in dismal states.

He has also reformed the civil service by reducing the size of government personnel, conducting biometric verification of civil servants. He also embarked on local government reforms. He has also removed 2,484 ghost pensioners from the state’s payroll, saving N1.3bn per annum. He also cancelled 450 accounts belonging to the state government in favour of a Single Treasury Account (TSA).

However, although the state government has bought 107 cars, 51 motorcycles and bulletproof vests for the security agencies, the problem of insecurity has continued to dog the state and scare away many entrepreneurs. This security issue will most likely be a key issue in the run-up to the 2019 elections.

Lalong’s LG elections gamble

Simon Bako Lalong rode to power on campaign promises that he would return internal security to Plateau State, offset backlog of workers’ salaries, ensure an inclusive government and a promise to re-start abandoned industries, especially the rebuilding of the Jos Terminus main market.

His first major score point was clearing the backlog of inherited seven months salaries of civil servants and pensioners arrears. He followed it up by sustaining the payment of monthly wages promptly, which has earned him the name, Governor Alert.

With the help of his five-point policy thrust, which include Peace, Security and Good Governance; Human Capital Development and Social welfare; Agriculture and Rural Development; Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation; and Physical Infrastructure and Environmental Development, Lalong seems to have redeemed most of his promises.

He often boasts of returning peace to the state, which he says is the cornerstone of other developmental strides.

The state government successfully mediated in the crisis between Fulani herders and Berom farmers at the beginning of the administration, bringing respite to the almost two years of attacks and counter attacks within Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South local government areas. But Lalong doesn’t seem to be showing much enthusiasm lately, as in the last one year, a resurgence of violence in parts of Plateau North is threatening to undo his peace efforts.

His government has been inclusive. There are claims that the governor had given appointments to all 45 minority ethnic groups in the state, thereby mending broken bridges among the various tribes in the state.

During campaigns in 2015, Lalong had hyped on the huge debt profile of the state, condemning any attempt to plunge the state into further debt. But in the last three years, he has collected loans, specifically from the Federal Government even though his commissioner for information, Yakubu Dati, recently said the state government had reduced the N220billion debt it inherited from the immediate past government of the state to N122 billion.

The governor surprised many when he focused his attention on completing the flyover at the State Secretariat junction, the Muhammadu Buhari Way and other road projects he initiated, even at the detriment of starting new ones. However, Governor Lalong had, during campaigns, assured the citizens that he would reactivate the long abandoned state-owned companies; and his positive pronouncement on the Terminus main market boosted his ratings. While he has since revived the Highland Bottling Company, the Panyam fish farm, the Bokkos fertilizer blending plant, Dati said Terminus market was in the process of being rebuilt and bids had already taken place.

In 2016, the state government signed a N230million Memorandum of Understanding with a UK-based company, Roughton International London Limited, in collaboration with Cynergy Associates Consortium, to commence the first phase of redevelopment and enhancement of the burnt terminus market.

A few months ago, the state government opened bidding for the reconstruction of the market, with two companies: MM Attat Construction Limited and Edil Belmonte Limited submitting bids.

But despite his achievements, Lalong broke a promise he made to democratically elected local government chairmen shortly after he assumed office. He had assured them during his campaigns that he was not going to sack them if elected, and had re-iterated his point shortly after he won election. But just when they were getting comfortable, the governor pulled the plug and replaced them with caretaker management committees over what he described as alleged corrupt practices. Since then, Lalong has replaced one caretaker committee with another and is being attacked for not conducting local government polls, a setback he blames on the security situation in the state. Depending on how these play out in the next months, the governor’s handling of this situation will be a key factor in the 2019 elections.

Many challenges facing Ortom

Before assumption of office in May 2015, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had promised to reposition the Food Basket state. Ortom’s promises were carefully encapsulated in the blueprint of his administration: “Our Collective Vision for a New Benue,” which was meant to be a compass for effectively dealing with the challenges of governance in the state when the government finally hit the ground running.

The government, under the All Progressives Congress (APC), was expected to be guided by the five strategic areas of the blueprint, such as Provision of Good Governance anchored on the fear of God, Agriculture-driven Industrialisation with a passion, Provision of Critical Infrastructure to facilitate development, STEAM-based Education/Health Services and Promotion of Gender Equality, women, children, youth and people with disability.

Besides, Ortom had, during his inaugural speech on May, 29, 2015, promised to reconcile all aggrieved people in the state within his 100 days in office.

However three years into the lifespan of the administration, some of the promises made had become a reality, others appear stalled, occasioned by excuses of financial/economic recession, as well as security challenges, while the remaining are likely to become a plea bargain to secure a second term mandate.

For instance, the governor has kept his promise to stand solidly on the decision of his people by not compromising their interest on the enactment of laws like the Prohibition of Open Grazing of Livestock, Prohibition of Abduction, Kidnapping, Hostage-taking, and Secret Cults Law, 2017.

The governor, in affecting the agricultural, educational and health sectors of the state, engaged and brought back international development agencies that had earlier left because the state defaulted in counterpart funding.

To this end, UNDP, IFAD, World Bank, UNFPA, DFID, USAID, CRUDAN, Mercy Corps and several other bilateral and multi-lateral agencies showed up to work with the state government to support social and economic development of the state.

So far, over 40 health care centres had been built by the administration between May 29, 2015 and now, while the government had procured and supplied ambulances, as well as essential drugs to Agatu, Gboko, Ohimini, Oju, Tarka and Ushongo local government areas of the state.

Although the state government had mobilised contractors to site in order to complete 11 road projects scattered across the state, its achievement in this area has suffered frustration, which was blamed on the limited resources available to the administration.

Until the beginning of this year, payment of salaries has been a problem.

Another humanitarian problem of the state is the nearly 180,000 people living in eight internally displaced persons camps, occasioned by suspected herders invasion of their land, killings of people and displacement from their homes, which invariably poses a major threat to food security as another cropping season has arrived and farmers are still in camps.

Based on these promises and the administration’s performance so far, the focus of the Ortom campaign for a second term will be hinged on his ability to contend with perceived adversaries of the grazing law to ensure its non-reversal.

Gov Abubakar and the burden of local government elections

While campaigning to be elected, Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar promised to diversify the state’s economy through agriculture, tourism and solid minerals development. He also promised to revive education, health sector, provide employment and embark on infrastructural development, especially road construction. The governor was also said to have promised to conduct local government elections if elected.

In the last three years of his administration, Governor Abubakar has recorded success in some areas while he failed to meet expectations in others.

Immediately after his assumption of office, Gov. Abubakar awarded contract for roads construction across the state, including the over 100-kilometer multibillion-naira Misau-Bulkachuwa-Gamawa road. Township roads in Bauchi metropolis were also awarded for construction.

In the area of agriculture, Governor Abubakar introduced many programmes and provided incentives to promote agricultural development in the state. He revived the state-owned fertiliser blending company, which produces fertiliser for farmers and sold at a highly subsidised rate.

However, despite the achievements he made in many areas, many observed that he has fallen short of expectations in the last three years of his administration.

Many believe the governor embarked on too many projects at the same time; hence he is slow to execute most of them.

For his critics, especially those he has been at loggerheads with for a long time, his failure to conduct local government elections as promised during campaigns is one of his failures. They believe he has nothing to boast of to convince the electorate ahead of 2019.

But the governor’s supporters believe that his performance should be viewed based on the situation the administration found itself when it assumed power, including an almost empty treasury and unpaid debts, as well as an outstanding four months salaries.

Tambuwal’s burden of inherited debts

When Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was taking over the mantle of leadership in Sokoto State, he promised to complete all projects that were left behind by the immediate past administration.

Although there was no mention of liabilities during the handover ceremony as both Tambuwal and his predecessor kept mute on the matter, it was clear that the governor inherited projects worth billions.

Some of the projects include the Independent Power Plant, the 500 units of Kalambaina Housing Estate and multiple road projects.

Our checks, however, revealed that many projects sited in rural areas were not completed.

The governor has completed some road projects commissioned during the recent Democracy Day celebration. They include Katsina Road, Sani Dingyadi Road and NNPC Mega State-Mabera Road.

Our checks also revealed that the multi billion naira extension of the Usman Faruk Secretariat has remained abandoned probably because of the legal issue trailing the contract.

The project was awarded by former Governor Wamakko in 2013 at the cost of N5.7 billion but revoked a few months ago, citing the slow pace of the project. It was, however, re-awarded to another contractor at the cost of N5.2 billion. This led to a legal tussle between the state government and the first contracting firm, Messrs Edile Construction Nig. Ltd.

In the health sector, the present government has renovated and upgraded hospitals, including the Silame Primary Health Care Centre, which was upgraded to the status of general hospital and the upgrading of the specialists hospital, Sokoto and Dogon Daji General Hospital in Tambuwal Local Government Area. Additionally, the Malaria Control Agency was established by the state government to tackle the disease head on.

It would also be recalled that the governor, upon resuming office, declared a state of emergency in education and set up various technical committees to design a blueprint towards achieving the objective goals of enhancing enrolment, especially of girl-children, renovation and upgrading of schools and construction of new one, enhancing welfare of teachers, among others. The committees had since submitted their reports, which led to the implementation of a new salary scheme for lecturers in tertiary institutions in the state. It also led to the construction of a N1.2 billion secondary school in the only local government area without a secondary school in the state.

Similarly, the programmes offered by the state university received full or partial accreditation because of the new policy; but pundits, however, believe that more need to be done in the sector.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/unfulfilled-campaign-promises-pitfalls-for-govs-second-term-bids-256686.html

In pursuance of the current administration’s avowed determination to fight corruption head-on, several top former political office holders have been sent to jail.

Prominent politicians including former governors, ministers and political party chiefs have been made to leave their palatial residences in highbrow areas of the country to experience life in prison for engaging in corrupt practices in office.

The incarceration of top shots illuminated the prisons, made the plight of inmates known and in some cases brought meaningful changes as in the case of the Jos prison where the presence of Senator Jonah Jang, a former governor of the state, led to the restoration of power supply.

While some enjoyed their confinement alone in prison, a few had the opportunity to pass nights with their family members. A case in mind was that of a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who was at the Kurmawa prison in Kano with his two sons.

Except for some legislators, most of the politicians so far remanded in prison are being tried for corruption crimes committed in the previous administration.

Two convictions have been secured under this administration, though the trial of the affected persons started long now.

Besides hose who have been to prison, there are others who are on self-exile in an effort to dodge the net of anti-corruption agencies. In this category are the former chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, a former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke and Jamila Tangaza, a former director of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS).

Yero at Kaduna Convict Prison

Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, a former governor of Kaduna State was recently sent to prison. Within five years, Yero without contesting an election became a commissioner, deputy governor and governor.

Yero, who rose from a finance director in Namadi Sambo’s firm ( Nalado Nigeria Limited) to became commissioner for finance in 2007, deputy governor in 2010 and governor in December 2012 following the death of Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa in a helicopter crash, spent about a week at the Kaduna Convict Prison.

He was in detention from May 31 to June 6, 2018 together with a former chairman of the PDP in the state, Abubakar Gaya-Haruna; a former Secretary to the State Government Hamza Ishaq and a former Minister of Power, Nuhu Somo Wya. They are standing trial over an alleged case of fraud instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Jonah Jang lights up Jos prison

A former governor of Plateau State, retired Air Commodore Jonah David Jang, was a ‘special guest’ at the Jos prison where he spent eight days.

The presence of Jang, the senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District, led to the restoration of power supply at the prison.

Jang who was a military governor of Benue, defunct Gongola and Plateau states between 2007 and 2015, is facing a 12-count charge of diverting N6.3bn alongside a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam. He pleaded not guilty.

Bala Ngilari: A convict with a choice

Perhaps, the case of a former Adamawa State governor, Bala James Ngilari, was the first conviction recorded under this administration.

In March 2017, Ngilari was jailed and convicted for failing to adhere to the procurement laws of the state. In a 75-minute long ruling, Justice Nathan Musa found the former governor guilty of four charges and discharged him on one, which bordered on conspiracy. He sentenced the former governor to five years in prison.

Nyame, a convicted Reverend

After over a decade trial, Reverend Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State, was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison for misappropriating funds while in office.

Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gudu, Abuja, sent Nyame to jail for criminal breach of trust by misappropriating N1.64bn preferred against him by the EFCC.

Born in 1955, Nyame was governor of the state from January 1992 to November 1993. He also governed the state from May 1999 to 2007. His conviction was one of landmark successes of the EFCC in recent times.

Nwaoboshi, a senator in Kirikiri!

For 48 hours, Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta North) was a guest at the Kirikiri maximum security prison over an alleged N805m fraud preferred against him by the EFCC.

Nwaoboshi who chairs the Senate committee on NDDC was arraigned alongside two companies - Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Summing Electrical Ltd - on a two-count charge of fraud and money laundering before Justice Mohammed Idris. The Delta lawmaker was granted bail on self recognition.

Lamido and sons at Kurmawa prison

Shortly after this administration came on board in July 2015, a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, were remanded in Kurmawa prison on money laundering charges to the tune of N1.351bn.

Theirs was a family affair as the court was told, the money was laundered through four companies belonging to Lamido and his sons. The companies are Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited. It was gathered that the former governor was allotted the same cell as his children. Investigation into the case predated the Buhari administration. He is one of the politicians in the PDP eyeing Buhari’s seat.

Metuh in Kuje prison

A former spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Oliseh Metuh, was in the Kuje prison in Abuja over alleged money laundering.

The EFCC is accusing him of receiving N400 million from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, believed to be part of $2.1 billion meant for arms procurement during the previous administration. The case is still on even as Metuh at different times appeared in court on stretcher.

Bala Mohammed and son in Kuje prison

A former Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed and his son, Shamsudeen, were at different times kept at the Kuje prison over allegations of financial misconduct.

Like in the case of the Lamidos, theirs is a family affair. While the EFCC arraigned the father on a six-count charge bordering on N864 million bribery and false assets declaration, his son was arraigned on a 15-count charge bordering on money laundering.

Melaye, vocal lawmaker fingered in gun running

For Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi), luck and health saved him from going to prison as he was only remanded in police custody.

His was not a corruption case but criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, among others. His case led to the summon of the IGP, Ibrahim Idris trice by the Senate and in all he snubbed the lawmakers, a development that made the Senate declare him as an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold public office within and outside the country.

Ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki

A former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, has spent 31 months in detention over allegation of mismanagement of $2.1bn meant for the purchase of arms. Most of other corruption cases involving top shots had their root in the Dasukigate as it is now known. Among those who allegedly participated in the sharing of the arms money are former governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa, his Kano counterpart, Ibrahim Shekarau, Raymond Dokpesi, Bello Haliru and son, Musliu Obanikoro and son.

Babangida Aliyu, a chief servant battling corruption case

A former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, has been held by the EFCC over allegations of abuse of office and money laundering.

The Chief Servant, as he was called during his reign, is alleged to have diverted N2 billion ecological funds for political purposes.

Fani-Kayode at Ikoyi prison, Nenadi at Kirikiri

On same day in June 2016, a former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode and that of Finance, Nenadi Usman, went to separate prisons on remand after they appeared at a court in Lagos over an alleged N4.9 billion fraud. They were arraigned before Justice Sule Hassan by the EFCC on a 17-count charge. While Fani Kayode was sent to Ikoyi prison, Usman was taken to Kirikiri prison as Ikoyi prison does not have facilities for female inmates.

Dariye bags 14 years

The latest of all is the case of Senator Joshua Dariye (APC, Plateau Central) who was on Tuesday sentenced to 14 years in prison over criminal breach of trust and two years for misappropriation of public funds, to run concurrently. Dariye, who defected to the APC in September 2016, was sentenced by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court. He is the first member of the ruling party to be convicted. Out of the 23 count amended charges, he was found guilty of 15 bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds. He was discharged on eight of the charges. Recall that the lawmaker was first arraigned in July 2007. The case which has to do with N1.16bn fraud had been on for over a decade.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/big-politicians-buhari-sent-to-jail-256569.html

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) have rejoiced with Nigerian Muslims over the successful completion of Ramadan, which involved purification through fasting and seeking for blessings and forgiveness from God.

This is contained in separate statements by the CAN President Dr. Samson Ayokunle and the National Chairman of the DPC, Rev. Olusegun Peters.

The CAN President Ayokunle, in a statement by his spokesman, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, expresses determination and commitment to collaborate with the leadership of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) under the leadership of its President and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, to promote peaceful co-existence among adherents of the nation’s two major religions and work towards unity, peace and progress of the country.

“The Ramadan is also a relevant period for the Muslim Ummah as it gives opportunity to the faithful to purify their souls in a bid to bring them closer to the Almighty God. After a successful completion of this obligation that is among the five pillars of Islam, we congratulate our Muslim brothers and sisters on successfully completing this all-important religious act.

“In celebrating the end of the Ramadan, CAN is hopeful that our political leaders at all levels will cease all discriminatory practices on the basis of religious, political or ethnic differences. Since Christianity and Islam preach unity, we pray that the Federal Government, through security agencies, will find means of resolving rampant killings by Boko Haram terrorists, criminal herdsmen and bandits. Christians all over Nigerians congratulate all Nigerian Muslims, among others, and wish them a happy Eid-el-Fitr,” Ayokunle said.

In his felicitation, the National Chairman of the DPC, Rev. Olusegun Peters, said the month of Ramadan was indeed a period of sober reflection, rededication and renewal of faith in Allah and the fatherland.

“DPC enjoins the Muslim faithful to use the occasion of this year’s Eid-el Fitr celebrations to pray for peace, progress and unity of the nation,” Peters said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/eid-el-fitr-can-dpc-felicitate-with-muslims-256397.html

President Muhammmadu Buhari says reforming a nation like Nigeria, "pushed into near decay on account of corruption", comes with teething pains.

He, however, noted that these pains are temporary; saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration he was privileged to lead "is beholden to the ordinary Nigerians and will leave no stone unturned to make their security, welfare and happiness our priority."

The president said this on Friday night in his Sallah message to mark the end of the Ramadan period.

Buhari, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, thanked Nigerians for their patience and assured that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

President Buhari stressed the importance of putting the virtues of Islam into practice beyond the fasting season.

Congratulating Muslims on completing "this spiritually significant month of sacrifice", he urged them to reflect on the importance of Ramadan in becoming good ambassadors of Islam at all times.

The president said religion should be the moral compass for all believers in their public and personal lives,” adding that "if people allow the teachings of their religions to influence their conducts, problems such as corruption, which diverts public funds to private pockets, would have been eliminated in the society."

Buhari, regretted, however, that "selfishness and greed have overcome people's conscience so much that they don't have moral inhibitions in the pursuit of their greed."

According to him, "It is impossible to separate morality from religion, and removing this connection encourages corrupt leaders and other exploiters to commit atrocities against the society."

He said he always wondered why any true believer, be they politicians, civil servants or businessmen, would seek to make profits from the misfortunes of others.

President Buhari urged ordinary Nigerians to stop glorifying thieves by treating them with disdain for bringing hardships to others.

He enjoined religious leaders to always pray for peace and unity in the country and avoid making inflammatory utterances that endanger peace or promote conflicts.

The president also appealed to fellow citizens to forgive one another and embrace peace.

He, in this respect, lauded the families of recipients of national honours for showing good examples to Nigerians and urged our country men and women to copy their good examples.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-reforming-nigeria-comes-with-pains-256405.html

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar has called on youths not to be used for thuggery by disgruntled politicians in their campaigns.

He made the call during the closing of Ramadan Tafsir conducted by Sheikh Ahmad Helele at the Kofar Kware Juma'at Mosque on Tuesday.

"I am calling on our teaming youths to shun thuggery now that we are approaching electioneering campaigns," he stated.

The Sultan added, "Don't allow disgruntled politicians to use you as political thugs by providing you with drugs and all sort of weapons to attack your own brothers because of political differences while their own children are schooling abroad. "

He however, advised Nigerians to get their voters' cards and vote for responsible people who would work for their betterment, in the next general elections.

The monarch also admonished scholars to always tell leaders the truth.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-don-t-allow-politicians-to-use-you-for-thuggery-sultan-urges-youths-256053.html

Petroleum importing African nations and Bulk Oil Distributors based in Ghana have expressed eagerness to patronize the Dangote Oil Refinery when production starts.

The oil buyers said arrangements have been put in place to import petroleum products from the world’s largest single-train refinery, situated in Lekki, Lagos state.

Hints of eager expectation and hopes on the Dangote Refinery were revealed at this year’s Ghanaian International Petroleum conference (Ghipcon 2018) which held in Accra, Ghana.

According to a statement from the Dangote Group, participants at the international conference as well as oil distributors and marketers from various countries were eager to know how they could key in for supplies from the 650,000 barrel per day refinery.

The Ghananian government expressed the view that dealing with Dangote refinery for petroleum import would be a better business for African nations than depending on the international market for the supply of refined petroleum products.

President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, who was represented by Vice-President Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia, said African nations are anxiously waiting for Dangote Refinery.

During their visit to the Dangote oil exhibition stand, the Ghanaian Vice-President and the Minister of Energy Hon. Boakye Agyarko were amazed at the size of the project and expressed satisfaction with the pace of work being done at the refinery as explained to them by Engr. Babajide Soyode, the Technical Adviser to the President of Dangote Group on Refinery and Petrochemical matters, who led the Dangote Refinery team to the Conference.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ghana-others-to-import-petrol-from-dangote-refinery-255959.html

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, renowned lawyer and human rights activists, Femi Falana (SAN) has faulted the commercialization of nomination forms by political parties for candidates seeking to contest elections on their platforms saying it is illegal.

He said a court has declared such fees for nomination forms as illegal in a case he was part of and led by the late Chief Gani Fawehunmi in 2003.

His declaration was coming ahead of the Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections in July and September respectively later this year.

He regretted that despite President Muhammadu Buhari expressing disappointment that he took a loan of N27m to obtain the nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the 2015 elections, President Buhari had not been able to change the practice despite a court outlawing it.

He spoke in his keynote address on Monday in Lagos at a National Stakeholders Summit organised by the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and DFID, with the theme: “Engaging the 2019 Electoral Process for Improved Citizens’ Participation and Public Confidence.”

Speaking at the event, the chairperson of TMG, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the organisations would not relent in ensuring that the nation’s democracy remains safeguarded from sliding into the doldrums.

“As a people, we cannot continue to live in denial pretending that all is well with our electoral process. It is important for all to appreciate the fact that there are still lots of work to do, especially in an era where innovation, advancement and improvement in every human endeavour have become a global phenomenon,” Akiyode-Afolabi said.

Falana also called for the abolition of security votes for state governors, saying it enriches them in manipulating the electoral process at the detriment of citizen’s rights and national development.

He said, “It is illegal and prohibitive to collect nomination forms. When you do that, you are excluding people from participating in the democratic process. In 2003, INEC attempted to collect money for nomination forms. Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi led us to court and the court held that it is illegal and unconstitutional to collect nomination forms, after we have dragged not less than seven to eight state governments to court over money for nomination forms for local government elections.

“The TMG may wish to put these cases together for people to know their rights. By the way, what is a nomination form? A sheet of paper! What is embarrassing for some of us is that President Muhammadu Buhari complained that he was asked to pay N27m in 2015 for his own nomination form and had to take a loan to raise the money. Now that Buhari is the President of Nigeria and leader of the ruling party (APC), what has happened? I think TMG will also want to take this up, especially the legality of nomination forms so that you can open the democratic space for people to contest and participate in the electoral process.”

He said that apart from President Buhari, the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), have not paid their party dues as party members because parties are no longer run on the basis of dues from members.

“When I was ruling for election in Ekiti State, there were old men and women who went to their rooms and pillows and brought out letters personally signed by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, acknowledging receipt of contributions to the party (Action Group). It was acknowledged by the party leader and that was how parties were run. And if you were in a public office, up to the Second Republic, you were charged 10 per cent of your legitimate salaries. I’m not talking of running cost and others,” Falana said.

On his part, the INEC Director of Publicity and Voters Education, Mr. Oluwole Osaze Uzzi, also expressed concern over the spate of commercialization of elections and voting on Election Day.

“In a society where poverty is pervasive, it is difficult to persuade voters especially the youths to forgo what they think is their immediate gain of taking few thousands or hundreds of naira for a long term benefits and the fact that those politicians who pay may not be morally bound to deliver their promises.

“It is important to point out that they are sacrificing long term benefits at the expense of their rights to good governance. We are taking all steps to ensure that the 2019 elections were successful. We are undergoing training, enhancing the card readers, building confidence and transparency in all that we do,” Uzzi said.

He also expressed concern over the uncontrollable nature of the social media, saying most of the reports therein are unsubstantiated and thus capable of undermining the success of the coming elections.

He said, “We all know that the social media is generally not regulated and most of the things in the social media are not substantiated, some of the comments are not even from Nigeria but different parts of the world. The issue of regulation of the social media and the media is a bit of concern to everybody, unlike the mainstream media. You don’t have regulatory bodies for social media. So basically, we say that you should be more circumspect on your sources of information, so you have to be careful on relying on social media as main source for your information. There are official channels for official information.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-parties-nomination-forms-fees-illegal--falana-255879.html

A member of the nPDP who became member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the APC, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has assured that their decision to suspend further discussions with the Presidency will not lead them into pulling out of the ruling party.

Apugo who disclosed this to journalists in Umuahia, yesterday, maintained that there was no crack in the APC, saying members of the nPDP needed to coordinate themselves and meet President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged marginalisation faced by its members.

He also appealed to the president to create presidential liaison offices in non-APC-controlled states; akin to what ex-President Shehu Shagari did during in the Second Republic.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/npdp-will-not-pull-out-of-apc-apugo-255745.html

The federal government yesterday said any teacher who fails a Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) prepared by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) before December 2019, would be dismissed from work.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sunny Echono, made the announcement during a computer-based PQE in Abuja. He said the access and quality of teaching and learning must be improved at all levels.

“In the past there was the shortage of teachers and many unqualified persons were taken to fill the gaps. Now, there are many qualified teachers who have been trained and certified and we have put December 2019 for anybody who is not certified as a teacher to be migrated from our classroom. They will find jobs elsewhere,” he said.

He said there are many qualified teachers who are waiting to be employed and that states and the federal government have started giving them jobs.

He said, “we recently employed over 1,000 qualified teachers in unity schools, so we are gradually weeding out the unqualified ones.”

He said government would provide the necessary teaching and learning facilities in public schools.

The Registrar of TRCN, Professor Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, said about 22,000 would-be-teachers wrote the exam this month nationwide, including 900 in the FCT. Another exam is scheduled to hold in October.

He said candidates with vision impairment have been registered but that the council was discussing with the Federal Collage of Education (Special), Oyo, to prepare their questions in Braille.

He further stated that the council was working with some institutions to prepare questions in Arabic.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-sack-unqualified-teachers-in-dec-2019-255681.html

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday alleged that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was planning to arrest him, saying his name was already on its security watch-listover his hard stance on the government.

The former president had in a letter to Buhari in January advised him not to run for second term, scoring the administration low on several fronts. He followed up at different fora by asking Nigerians to vote out the government in 2019.

Buhari on his part had hit back at the former president whom he indirectly accused of blowing $16bn on the power sector without any result.

Obasanjo in a statement through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, yesterday said he got credible intelligence report that his name had been marked down, with a plot to assassinate him.

According to the statement, part of the grand design is to seize the former president’s international passport and throw him in detention to prevent him from further criticizing Buhari.

Obasanjo also said another plot being hatched against him was to cause the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-open investigation into the activities of his administration using false witnesses and documents.

The statement said: “Since Chief Obasanjo declared in his special statement on January 23, 2018, the desperation to frustrate, intimidate and blackmail him into abandoning his divine mandate to protect the rights of the people to better life and living continued unabated and has even taken a bizarre dimension.

“Impeccable security sources have alleged Chief Obasanjo’s name is on their watch-list and that the security of his life cannot be guaranteed.

“According to these informants, many of who are in the top echelon of the nation’s security management and close to the corridors of power, the operatives are daily perfecting how to curtail the personal liberties of the former president and hang a crime on him.

“This government has demonstrably exhibited apathy, and in some cases, encouraged by its conduct, daily loss of lives and property in many states of the country, the office cannot be indifferent.

“The same EFCC that had conducted a clinical investigation on the activities of Obasanjo in and out of government, it was said, would now be made to stand down the existing report that gave Chief Obasanjo a clean bill of health on the probes are now to get him indicted, fair or foul for possible prosecution and persecution like it is being done to real and perceived opponents, enemies and critics of this government,” the statement added.

The former president however insisted that he would not be cowed into jettisoning his divine mandate to protect the rights of Nigerians.

The statement reiterated Obasanjo’sreadiness to face probe before an independent, objective and credible panel of enquiry to account for his stewardship in government and beyond.

It said the government and its supporters should understand that no amount of campaign of calumny would deter him from calling a “spade by its name”.

Obasanjo said Speaker Yakubu Dogara may face the kind of harassment by security agencies that Senate President Bukola Saraki is currently facing. He said he had received credible information of a plot against the speaker to give him the Saraki treatment.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-buhari-is-plotting-against-me-obasanjo-255589.html

Rigging during elections by any political party or staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is no longer possible in Nigeria, a top official of the electoral umpire said this yesterday.

He also chided those purportedly saying the independence of INEC had been usurped by the presidency, saying the argument could not stand because the electoral empire had in the last three years organized dozens of off- season elections with the opposition parties especially the PDP winning many of them.

The source who dismissed the outcry by the opposition over alleged plans by the ruling APC to rig the 2019 elections in collaboration with INEC said communication technology had given the electorate the power to choose their leaders without undue interference.

He also confirmed that the card reader which ensured credible elections since 2015 would be deployed to the nearly 30,000 polling units across the country in forthcoming elections; a development he said would shield the process from manipulation.

The official also said there was no plan to create additional polling units ahead of 2019 despite the fact that many communities and settlements had outgrown the current number of polling units in the country.

“No polling units will be created before the 2019 elections. If you create polling units, you have to populate them, then it will create confusion and you will have to replace the voters.

“What the commission has resolved to do is to decongest the existing polling units by creating voting points within the same location where voters exceed 500 in a particular point.

“Under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega, the commission conducted an audit of all polling units. Before then, some polling units were located in shrines and different places. But with the audit, we now have 119,973 polling units across the country and there are no more obscure polling units,” the official said.

The official added that this was the time for politicians and political parties to put their acts together; join hands with election officials and improve on the already improved credibility of INEC as shining example in Africa.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rigging-no-longer-possible-in-nigeria-inec-official-254964.html

The Federal Government says it has spent over 9billion dollars on the building of infrastructure since the beginning of the Buhari administration.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed stated this during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday to herald the 61st Meeting of the UNWTO-CAF, which begins today and run through Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

He said the increased infrastructural development across the country has improved the rate of foreign investors coming into the country saying 166 foreign delegates, 26 ministers and 332 Nigerian delegates have confirmed attendance at the confab.

Alhaji Mohammed said the infrastructural development has led to Nigeria’s ranking as the 24th globally on ease of doing business, especially with the visa processes which has been made easier for investors.

While noting the theme of the United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Commission for Africa meeting: “Tourism Statistics: A Catalyst for Development’’, Alhaji Mohammed said the theme fits very well into Nigeria’s quest to improve on her tourism statistics for planning purposes and the ultimate development of the sector.

The minister said Nigeria would showcase its rich cultural heritage and various tourism locations during the global event.

Secretary General of the UNWTO, Mr Zurab Pololikashvili said the aim of hosting the event in Nigeria is to promote the country and Africa to the rest of the World.

“The Abuja meeting will ratify an action plan on tourism in Africa. We believe that the future of Africa is in tourism because it has the potential to create jobs,” he said.

Pololikashvili said government must also ensure the provision of critical infrastructure because “tourism cannot thrive without infrastructure and that is one of the advantages.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-we-ve-spent-over-9bn-on-infrastructure-254826.html

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said there is a united voice against Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun spoke tacitly at the weekend in Abuja on the protracted crisis in Imo APC while reacting to an allegation from Gov. Okorocha that he was facing a witch-hunt from the party leadership for opposing the tenure elongation move for the outgoing National Working Committee (NWC) members.

Okorocha had been having a running battle with the Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC after losing the control of the party’s structure in the state to his political rivals in the just concluded ward, local government and state congresses.

The APC national chairman wondered why Okorocha would be targeted when he was the only person that opposed the move.

While responding to the allegation, Odigie-Oyegun said Okorocha “wasn’t the strongest force behind the objection to tenure elongation. So why is his case different? I don’t think it is necessary to go into the details.

“Well, the processes are still on and it is not good to answer you in detail. But the answer lies in one fact that he is not the only one who opposed the so-called tenure elongation, how come he is the only one being witch-hunted?

“When you look at the totality of the events in that state, I think you can get a clearer picture of what is going on there. There is a united voice calling for a different way of doing things so to speak,” Oyegun said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/there-s-a-united-voice-against-okorocha-oyegun-254804.html

Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has nominated Architect Audu Sule Katagum as his new deputy governor.

He reportedly disclosed the nomination of Katagum at a gathering at the government House Bauchi.

Katagum was nominated to replace Engineer Nuhu Gidado who resigned from the position Mid May.

Governor Abubakar was said to have informed that Katagum's name had been forwarded to the state House of Assembly for confirmation as required by law.

Speaking to our reporter on the matter, the Special Adviser to Governor Abubakar on Media and Strategy confirmed that, Architect Audu Sule Katagum had been nominated as the new deputy governor.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-governor-abubakar-nominates-katagum-as-deputy-governor-253622.html

Nigeria must be free from corruption

When 19-year-old Chidebere Confidence Nwanma met 24-year-old Saliu Ladayo last year, little did she know that the relationship would result in her death.

They became good friends and Ladayo, who just arrived Akure from Lagos, was staying with one of his brothers, nursing the ambition to marry her someday.

For Chidebere, marriage was not really her top priority as she was planning to further her education after secondary school. She had gone to Kwara State to write her SSCE examination and just returned back to Akure, Ondo State a week before her death.

It started on May 15, 2018 when Ladayo was said to have invited her to his house at No 2, Dele Ojo Street, Falodu area of Oshinle in Akure, accusing her of dating another person, which Chidebere denied. She in turn, was said to have also accused Ladayo of the same offence.

Ladayo, said to be the son of a Pentecostal pastor, wanted to collect her phone and they started struggling. Before long, the man chased her to the kitchen, where he allegedly stabbed her to death.

Ladayo was arrested by the police and paraded alongside other criminal suspects. There, he told journalists that he was under a spell as he did not know what came over him.

In tears, he narrated how he stabbed her to death.

“After she came back from her West African School Certificate Examination, people on the streets told her that I came home with another woman. She was very annoyed and came to my place asking what the meaning of that.

“She started cursing me, saying if I made love with another girl, I won’t make it in life. I asked why she was cursing me, and I told her I did not do that. I returned the curse to her, and she left in annoyance.

“She came back on May 15 and I asked her to forgive me, and as we were talking I said she should cancel the curse but she said she wouldn’t, so I seized her phone and we dragged it. I was begging her to cancel the curse and she went out to tell one of our neighbours that I seized her phone, and the woman came to ask me. I told the woman what she did and she call a second neighbor, but before she (neighbour) came back, I didn’t know what came over me, I went to take a knife and stabbed her to death.”

Chidebere’s mother, Chioma, described her late daughter as a promising young girl.

According to her, she was to be admitted into the Imo State University to study Engineering.

“I really don’t know what must have come upon (Ladayo) to do such a thing,” she said.

“If you see how meet he is, you would never believe such a person can hurt a fly, let alone kill someone. Anyway, he must perform the traditional rites for her before she is buried. He will marry her just as someone is marrying a living person. He must marry her corpse and take her to our village to pay her bride price. I have never seen him around my house before.”

The family has met and decided that the accused now in Olokuta Prison in Akure must marry the corpse properly, saying if he refuses, nobody in his family would live above the age of her death. The father of the girl also said she may not be buried this year at all because the man must take her to the village to perform all the traditional rites before her body would be put to rest.

The marriage ceremony according to them is going to be like a normal ceremony where wedding gowns will be put on the corpse and the man will put a wedding ring on her.

“Otherwise, none of the family members of the man would live more than my daughter’s age, never. I was told he is a son of a pastor in one of the new generation churches.”

Neighbours said the late girl was loved by many people who described her as strong-willed.

Last week, a candlelight procession was held in her honour. The crowd at the procession was said to have come from different parts of the country, including Lagos, Kwara, Imo and Abuja.

The procession was held for her at Oke Aro in Akure, where her parents stay.

Her sister, who came from Owerri after hearing the news, said: “I had to drop what I was doing and rushed to Akure. On the way, I was just crying. On getting to Akure I did not believe what I heard.

“She called me sometime before she went for her exams in Kwara and told me that a man was disturbing her which I took as a normal issue that should not pose any risk. I asked her to forget that kind of thing and concentrate on her examination.

“Due to our closeness, by the time she got back from Kwara, she said the same man owed her N3000 and refused to pay back.

“She later told me that it was his usual practice and she vowed to collect her money.”

She said that she tried to pacify her sister and promised she would send her money before the week ends.

“It’s so painful because we were planning her 19th birthday on May 25th. We were so close that we were called twin sisters.

“We all went to check the body in the mortuary some days back, she was still looking fresh.

“The man stays in this area, and we normally see him around. I am very sure they never got close, because my sister would have told me,” she said.

Ladayo was remanded in Olukuta prison by an Akure Chief Magistrate Court.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Martins Olufeso, had told the court on Wednesday that he stabbed the girl in the chest, hand and leg which resulted in her death. His plea was not taken by the court.

Chief Magistrate Victoria Bob-Manuel who gave the ruling said the accused should be sent to prison pending advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-our-daughter-s-killer-must-marry-her-corpse-253532.html

The Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, has called for a collective effort to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari via the 2019 election.

Falae who visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta yesterday, said it was obvious that things were not going right in the country, contrary to promises made in 2015 by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He dismissed the notion that he was in Abeokuta to seek support for his presidential ambition, declaring that the affairs of the country was more than the political ambition of anybody.

“I am here to exchange views with Baba Obasanjo on the affairs of Nigeria. Once upon a time, between 1977 and 1979, I worked with him when he was the Military Head of State as a permanent secretary. We did many things in those days to advance the cause of Nigeria. The way things are in Nigeria now, I feel the need to exchange views with him towards the progress of Nigeria,’’ he said.

The SDP chieftain said he was sure that many right-thinking Nigerians would see “the need for all of us to work together to ensure that there is a good, beneficial, peaceful and progressive change in Nigeria.”

Falae described President Muhammadu Buhari as a friend, recalling his support for him (Buhari) during the 2015 polls. “President Buhari is my friend and I remember how I raised his hands at Adamasingba stadium in Ibadan, Oyo State where I asked people to vote for him because he said he would restructure Nigeria,’’ he said.

He said Buhari remained his friend, but registered his displeasure over Buhari’s administration’s “failure to restructure Nigeria and to deliver on his campaign promises.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/falae-visits-obasanjo-seeks-collective-effort-to-unseat-buhari.html

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the timetable for its congresses and national convention in a notice submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on April 9, 2018.

In the correspondence with reference number “APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/010” titled “Notice of Conduct of Congresses/National Convention” signed by the APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, the party scheduled Ward Congresses for Wednesday, May 2, 2018; Local Government Congresses, Saturday, May 5, 2018; State Congresses, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 and National Convention, Monday, May 14, 2018.

The notice read, “We write to advise that our party is scheduled to conduct Ward, Local Government, State Congresses and National Convention to fill vacant offices arising from effusion of time or appointment into government offices, death and other reasons as stipulated in Article 17 of our Party’s Constitution.

“Please be informed that we also intend to conduct Special Local Government Congresses to elect delegates to our forthcoming National Convention.

“Meanwhile, this serves as a formal notice in line with the provision of Electoral Act.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-holds-convention-may-14.html

RIP

Thank you! aboki

dheilaw1:
i guess it's time you take your daily drugs. it's almost 10

I wish her safe return

Yes my dear

JegaQuin:
You dey MAD?

chai...baba buhari

Last Tuesday, unidentified men killed a Syrian businessman, Ahmed Abu Areeda, and kidnapped his 14-year-old son, Muhammad Ahmed in Kano State. The Syrian national was shot dead by the gunmen after he resisted the kidnapping of his son. It reportedly occurred around 8:05pm when the deceased, accompanied by his two children, went to the Kano State office of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, along Hospital Road, to pick his car.

A witness, who pleaded for anonymity said, “He closed his shop around 8pm, so he went to pick his car. The gunmen, parked outside, were apparently waiting for him. Some of them followed the deceased into the compound, accosted and shot him in the head, and took away one of his sons, Muhammad.”

An eye witness narrated: “I saw the kidnappers’ car reversing towards the gate of the Red Cross. I also saw two people dragging the boy towards the car, and one other man was behind them. This happened few minutes after we heard the first gunshot. When they forced the boy inside the car, they fired another shot in the air and drove off. Everything happened within 5 minutes.”

An associate of the deceased told Daily Trust that the deceased had been in Nigeria for about 20 years now.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Magaji Musa Majia, confirmed the incident. He added that no arrest was made so far in connection with the incident.

Police authorities also have confirmed the rescue of the abducted teenager, Muhammad. Confirming, SP Majia, said the boy was rescued without paying any ransom to the kidnappers.

However, some Syrian nationals told Daily Trust that Muhammad was returned home by the abductors with an injury, not hale and hearty as earlier claimed. “They brought him back with a gunshot wound on his thigh,” one source said.

They however dismissed the possibility of witch-hunting against late Areeda. “He was very good, he had no enemies. He minds his business. Only God knows what happened,” another said.

A source close to the family told Daily Trust that relatives of the deceased are on their way to Nigeria.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kidnapped-syrian-teen-rescued-with-gunshot-wound-on-thigh.html

Weah only asked for training of 6,0Daily Trust: How has Liberia fared since the peaceful transfer of power from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to George Weah?

Prof. Al-Hassan Conteh: Things are moving quite well. President George Manneh Weah gave the State of the Union address in which he outlined the problems and prospects of the country. He was very sincere explaining to Liberians the state of the economy. He said he inherited a government with a very low income. His priority is to collaborate with partners to buttress the country’s own income generating capacities in order to make things better for Liberians, majority of who are poor. So, because of this poverty problem which is not unique to Liberia, but cuts across many African countries, more than 50% of our people live on less than $2 a day. Given his own background, growing up in humble circumstances, that has motivated what he calls a pro-poor development policy. In following that address, he embarked on goodwill trips abroad with Liberia’s bilateral partners, including Nigeria in order to build relationships and explain to them the new dispensation under his watch. That fared very well. He came to Nigeria and had a very good meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari who he regards as his elder brother because of Nigeria’s pivotal role in Liberia peace process. He has been appointing his cabinet which is priority now, making sure that important positions are filled and that is about 85% complete. Also, he has been breaking grounds for some of the priority projects he promised during his campaign. For example, for the first time, we are going to have a military hospital.

We had high-level visit from the World Bank and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team to evaluate our economy and we are happy to note that they said there is great prospect for the Liberian economy to recover. As you know, we had health challenge in 2014, that led to the drain of the productive sector. We are very happy that this team has come and said that if we generate revenue and build institutions, the GDP would advance at 1.8% growth this year.

DT: President Weah during his visit to Nigeria was said to have requested for 6,000 Nigerian teachers. What’s the progress made so far on the request?

Conteh: Usually, when two presidents meet and have discussions, the agencies responsible for implementing the policies would take on the request. We have an agreement with Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corp, (TAC), the agency that provides technical assistance to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. I will meet with the director and evaluate the current status of the TAC programme in Liberia and address this request which is for Nigeria’s technical assistance to train 6,000 Liberian teachers. I would like to clarify that the request is not recruiting 6,000 teachers from Nigeria, it is Nigeria’s technical assistance to train the gap that we have, because we currently have 6,000 untrained teachers according to the audit that was done by the new minister of education. So, I’m going to discuss the details with the director of TAC to see how we can work out and identify the resources for doing that.

DT: What is your assessment of Nigeria-Liberia bilateral relations?

Conteh: It’s excellent, besides the government level where we have several agreements signed under the Nigeria-Liberia Joint Commission which was re-launched in 2014. We have agreements on education, mines, training of foreign service officers and have proposed three new ones on agriculture, health and technical assistance. Beside those formal agreements, at the presidential level, there have been contacts. Liberia and Nigeria also collaborate not only on bilateral level but also through ECOWAS to address regional issues. And on people-to-people relations, there is a deep and historical relationship at the citizen level - citizen diplomacy. There are Liberians who live in Nigeria and Nigerians in Liberia. Some Liberians have even naturalised in Nigeria and vice versa. So relationship is very cordial between our two countries.

DT: What’s your take on democratic governance in the sub-region?

Conteh: I think democratic governance has to be buttressed by institutions. That is the key challenge that we have in Africa today. If African governments can set up inclusive governments so that once elections are held, instead of the winners taking all, they have to be magnanimous to reach out to the opposition and bring those who are qualified to be part of the government, especially the young people. Liberia has taken the lead, President Weah has appointed many young people. And also to establish what is referred to as non-extractive institutions. In other words, institutions that do not hinder growth, are transparent and based on good governance where people can participate because this is one way to reduce poverty if people have access to education and resources. So, I think the lack of strong institutions or the existence of extractive institutions is one of the key problems. All segments of society, women, youth and civil society should have a voice. If we do that, the democratic space will expand we will able to prevent the political tension that leads to the military taking over government or the usual tension, demonstrations and unrests.

DT: ECOWAS is over 40 years since its establishment but free movement of people and goods is still not perfect. What do you think can be done to remove the barrier to free movement?

Conteh: ECOWAS has protocol on free movement of people and goods but the problem is implementation because what we have realized at the practical level is that those who are responsible for implementing this policy are very negligent. There is high level of graft at the borders, you have the unnecessary check points. What ECOWAS is doing now is trying to have border posts at critical areas that will facilitate and monitor this. But as you know, movement is very difficult. I think with the establishment of those joint border posts and the placement of professional officials at the borders, that issue will be addressed to a very large extent.

DT: 44 African countries have signed the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) agreement which aims to boost intra-African trade. But some countries including Nigeria and South Africa have declined, what is your view on this?

Conteh: The agreement is intended to promote intra-regional trade which is very low compared to other regions of the world. But there is a great opportunity for us to benefit because of Africa’s huge market of about two billion people and the GDP of about $2.3trillion. But the problem is usually the tariffs which are higher among African countries compared to when individual African countries trade with the outside world. What the AfCFTA is trying to do is to address this issue - tariff reduction and ensure a physical space for small and medium industries because African economies comprise of many of these SMEs.

So my understanding is that the countries that have not signed including Nigeria need some more time to consult with their stakeholders, which is very important because there is no use signing an agreement when the manufacturers are not confident that they can benefit. What the African Union Commission should do now is to engage countries that have not signed to find out what their concerns are. I’m confident that before the end of 2018, we will see substantial progress.

DT: Have you read Nigerian books?

Conteh: Recently, I read “My Watch” by former President Olusegun Obasanjo; “The Accidental Public Servant”; “Rochas Revealed” as well as Segun Adeniyi’s books. I also read a book by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Ogbonaya Onu, on how the All Progressives Congress was formed as a coalition and the book on Professor Wole Soyinka’s biography. These books are very good in telling one the actualities, especially things that happened behind the scene.00 teachers – Liberian envoy

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/weah-only-asked-for-training-of-6-000-teachers-liberian-envoy.html

Government with poverty mentality

Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, Malam Audu kano and six others have been abducted by unknown gunmen.

The chairman and six members of his executive committee were on their way to Zamfara for a wedding when the incident happened.



A resident of Birnin Gwaro who prefers not to be named said the seven officials had left Birnin gwari at about 2:00 pm on Thursday and were almost at the border town with Zamfara when they were stopped by some armed men.



He said those travelling from Zamfara to Birnin Gwari were the ones that brought the news that the NURTW officials who were all travelling in two vehicles had been abducted.



“But up till now they have not called and we do not know where they have taken them to,” he said.



Our correspondent also learnt that a day to that, two women and a man were abducted n their houses at Ungwan Laya, a rural community in Birnin Gwari.



The police public relations officer, Mukhtar Hussain Aliyu could not be reached on his phone.



https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/birnin-gwari-nurtw-chairman-6-others-kidnapped.html