₦airaland Forum

The Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, on Saturday assured Nigerians that the era of fuel scarcity is gone for good.

Receiving the Man of the Year Award from Nigeria NewsDirect newspaper, the NNPC GMD said that the corporation had learnt a great lesson during the recent fuel scarcity in the country.

“We have actualized the lessons learnt, part of which is to ensure that at any point in time, there should be sufficient products available for distribution across the country.

“Most of our PPMC depots in Ejigbo, Mosinmi, Ibadan and other parts of the nation have sufficient product for distribution now.

‘NNPC is discussing with security operatives to stop smuggling of petrol products across our borders.


“We are working along side with them to ensure safety of our pipelines because we still have some areas in which vandals still disrupt our pipelines,” he said.

Baru said he dedicated the Man of the Year award to all staff of the corporation.

Also speaking, Dr Diran Fawibe, Chairman, International Energy Services, urged NNPC to ensure that the nation’s refineries worked to its full capacity.

According to Fawibe, the oil and gas sector is a major sustainer of the nation’s economy.

Earlier in his welcome address, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, Publisher, Nigeria NewsDirect, said that the award was in recognition of the good work of distinguished Nigerians to the country’s growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other Nigerians that received awards include the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Raji Fashola and CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

Mutemenot:
Another 4 years of planting ugu.

cheta02:
With the above pictures and personality in attendance ,I humbly submit that Sir Obiano is politically relevant than Peter Obi .

Some legislators are deep-neck in a process to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to reject an amendment to the Electoral Act, and leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly are not amused at each other’s position.

There is a simmering disagreement between the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, over a plot by legislators to override President Muhammadu Buhari on the amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act, Daily Trust has gathered.

Lawmakers told our correspondents that while Saraki wanted and canvassed for the override, Dogara allowed the House to resolve to revisit the bill, an action that was said to have angered the senate president, even as the senate resolved Thursday to write to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, over a High Court ruling restraining the
National Assembly from further action on the amendment.

Already, the House of Representatives has agreed with the president on two of his three reasons for withholding assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The president in his letter to the National Assembly cited three constitutional matters for withholding assent to the bill.

House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas, told journalists in Abuja on Wednesday that they would re-introduce the bill and pass it for second and third readings before re-transmitting it to the president.

Though Daily Trust could not get the immediate position of the Senate on the House of Representatives resolution as the spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) was unavailable for comment and did not reply a text message sent to him on the matter, it was however gathered that with the development in the House, the senate has no option than to follow the decision to revisit the bill.

“We will allow them (House) to conclude work on it and they will send it to us for concurrence,” a reliable senate source said.

Another lawmaker said left for the senate leadership, both chambers would proceed straight to override the president without considering the reasons he gave.

“But we felt that the president was right in some aspects, that’s why this thing about revisiting the bill came up. As it is, proponents of the bill in the senate are not happy,” he said.

Asked if the two chambers would get the two-thirds majority to override the president if he declines assent to the bill again, the lawmaker said: “In the senate, I think they can get the two-thirds, but in the House, I doubt if that is possible. The truth is that there’s an ulterior motive to the amendment. You can see that PDP members are more interested in the whole thing.”

Asked if Speaker Yakubu Dogara is personally in support of the bill, he said: “One can say yes and no, regarding his support for the bill. From his body language, he wants to allow members to have their own say.

“You know there’s this notion that he’s romancing with the presidency too much and that he’s the only one benefiting. So, he wants to use this opportunity to show that it’s not true.

“In our own case, members want the president to lobby, not necessarily directly or by using money, but by giving us what is due to us such as the constituency projects. As at today, we don’t even know what they’ll do about the constituency projects, but by the time they now come suddenly and release it, you’ll see that members will listen to them.”

Daily Trust further gathered from members of the House of Representatives that it may be difficult to get the required number to override the president if he rejects the bill again.
“Let’s tell ourselves the truth, whether you like it or not, Buhari is still popular in the North. Anything that has to do with him, one should be very careful not to get into trouble. You can’t just wake up one day and say you want to challenge him and succeed,” a lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.

A Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed on Wednesday restrained the National Assembly from acting further on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018.

Mohammed in his ruling on an interlocutory injunction by the Accord Party ordered all the parties to maintain the status quo until Tuesday when the case will be heard in court.

The senate resolved to notify and write a letter to the CJN to inform him of the latest situation and remind him of the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution so that he would caution judicial officers to avoid this kind of situation in the future.

Camps collate signatures for overriding Buhari

Before the Wednesday’s resolution of the House to revisit the bill rather than overriding the president, the two groups at the senate had commenced collation of signatures. Three senators who spoke to Daily Trust separately confirmed the collation. While Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi) was said to be collating for the camp against the president’s action, the pro- Buhari camp is being led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Daily Trust gathered that while those in the anti-Buhari camp are claiming to have got 65 senators, those supporting the president’s action have 43.

Section 58(5) of the 1999 Constitution reads:

Where the president withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the president shall not be required.”

While two third of the senate is 73, that of the House is 240. Since 1999, the National Assembly only used this power once. That was during the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A Northeast senator who confirmed writing his name on the list of the pro-Buhari camp said those against the president’s action are the majority.

A senator in Melaye’s camp said they had gone very far in their quest to override the president’s action.

“It’s a mission accomplished because we have gone far on the project. Forget about their claim, they are very few and you know it is a game of numbers, not a game of propaganda. We have gotten more persons from their camp. We are just waiting for the day,” he said.

Also, a pro-Buhari senator said they would make the voting pattern of the override public.

“You know we are here representing our constituents but it is very unfortunate that many of our colleagues have abandoned those who sent them here for Saraki.

“Since voting would be done electronically, the result would be part of our votes and proceedings of the following day, we will make it available to the public,” he said on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, openly threw his weight behind the president’s action on the matter even though he faulted the court ruling on it.

Lawan said: “I don’t believe in that amendment, I voted against it, I will vote against it tomorrow but it is left for me to talk to my colleagues to see it the way I see it or if you want me to abandon my position, talk to me and that is how our democracy will develop.”

Pro-Buhari senators seek Oyegun’s intervention

A ranking senator said they had sought the intervention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the matter.

He said the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is expected to meet with the caucuses of the APC at both chambers of the National Assembly to plead with the lawmakers to toe the party line, the president’s action.

The northern senator who pleaded anonymity said they had since realised that the reordered election timetable was a game plan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“We have spoken with our party to come into the matter because we have since realised that it is the agenda of our colleagues in the PDP. We will not fall into their plot to ridicule our party in 2019.

“Yes, our aggrieved colleagues in the APC who have almost perfected their plans to decamp to the PDP or SDP are in support of the game plan, we believe that the quick intervention of our party will make an impact,” he said.

Our anger with Buhari--Lawmakers

Lawmakers who are of the APC told Daily Trust that the president’s understanding of the principle of separation of powers was strange and that he abandons his supporters at will.

A senator said the attitude of the president towards his supporters in the parliament was responsible for the field day the opposition presently has in the parliament.

“Senators are being careful to openly defend the president. Look at what happened to Ndume when he supported Buhari at the peak of the Magu saga, or is it Omo-Agege’s case you want to talk about. If not for this, a lot of us would have come out openly to fight for him (President),” he said.

A member added: “Left for me, we can override the president at any time. The truth of the matter is that when you stand by the president, he abandons you when you’re in trouble.

“There’s this belief that most of us won elections because of the president’s popularity. Now we’re saying let everybody answer his name, but they’re objecting. I don’t know the kind of logic that is.

“But I heard that some governors are seriously talking to members from their states not to support any move to override the president. In fact, they threatened the members that should they support the move, none of them would get a return ticket. I think that may affect the whole thing, but in this game, anything can happen.”

But a PDP member said they were determined to ensure passage of the amended Electoral Act no matter what it takes.

“There’s no going back. It’s not about party but about the independence of the legislature. We want to assert our independence so that anybody that comes to the National Assembly, it won’t be based on anybody’s popularity.

“We’re seriously determined to override the president should he reject the bill the second time. We’re mobilizing in both chambers. All the noise about governors trying to force their members not to support the bill won’t work.

“Do the governors like Buhari? They’re doing that for their own selfish reasons. If they promise members return tickets, I can assure you that they won’t fulfill that at the end of the day.

“So, let the time come. You’ll see what will happen. We’ll get the required number (240) to override the president, there’s no doubt about that. Our leaders are determined and nothing will stop us. This is something that will deepen democracy, but we’re surprised that they don’t want it,” the PDP member said.

APC lawmakers plan anti-party

Another lawmaker who did not want to be named also said Saraki and other key APC senators were seriously pushing for the amendment to be passed into law for them to carry out anti-party activities after winning their elections.

“As for Saraki, the truth is that he doesn’t know what his fate is come 2019. He believes that he should use all the available opportunities now to get at the presidency. The whole idea is to force the presidency to come to the negotiating table with him so that he’ll know his direction.

Their major plan is that if there’s no negotiation, and the amendment scales through, they’ll work and win their elections as members of the National Assembly, and then when it comes to presidential election, they’ll do anti-party. They believe that once they win, the president or anybody else can’t do anything to frustrate their coming back, but that is very dangerous for them,”

We won't speak on president's refusal-INEC

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, says the electoral body would not discuss the implications of the president’s decision to reject the bill since the process has not been concluded.

INEC’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, quoted the chairman as saying that the current dates for the 2019 general elections were fixed in line with provisions of the existing law.

On the implications of the president’s decision, Oyekanmi said, “It is within the powers of the National Assembly to make laws. The 1999 constitution has also clearly stated the process through which a bill enacted by the National Assembly can metamorphose into a valid law. Part of the process is the prerogative of the president to either give or withhold assent. While it is true that INEC made recommendations to the National Assembly during the electoral law amendment process, it is not in our place to begin to discuss the implications of a process that is yet to be concluded.

As for the re-ordering of the election sequence, INEC fixed the dates for the 2019 general elections in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Remember that the tenure of the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors of the states (except Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Anambra States) will expire on May 28, 2019, while membership of the National and State Assemblies will stand dissolved on June 8, 2019.

"Sections 76 (2), 116 (2), 132 (2) and 178 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) state that elections into the said offices shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder. It was based on these considerations among others that the commission on January 9 announced the timetable and schedule for the 2019 general elections.”

President may have confirmed suspicion-SDP

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Alfa Muhammed, said the decision of the pesident had raised suspicion that he was working with the electoral body.

Muhammed, in an interview with Daily Trust, said the action would create an atmosphere of delay and uncertainty within the polity.

He said, “The rejection by President Buhari raises suspicion of collaboration between the APC government and INEC. This position is affirmed by Mr. President’s decision to side with the INEC against the National Assembly in the quest by the two institutions to assert their constitutional powers. Ordinarily, the president should have sought judicial advice on who has the final authority on the matter if he was in doubt.

"Therefore, jumping into the arena and siding with INEC may be confirming the suspicion that the unpopular order of elections released by INEC may have been influenced by the APC government. Another implication is the delay and uncertainty it will create within the polity.”

Face-off a danger signal for 2019-ADP

The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Engineer Yabagi Sani, said the timetable face-off between the National Assembly and the Presidency was a danger sign post for 2019.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Sani also said the confrontation between the National Assembly and the Presidency on the issue might spell doom for the general elections unless the National Assembly, which is the guardian of democracy and the promoter of the interest of Nigerians, overrides the president’s veto. He said the president’s decision was an indication that selfishness and impunity had not only come to play but that some people had made up their minds to win elections at all costs without considering the people’s wish.

Sani added, “You would recall that we held a news conference to challenge INEC that the released schedule was undemocratic and unacceptable. Yet, sadly, INEC came up insisting that it would not shift ground.

"If the Presidency and INEC are both boldly expressing same anti-people sentiment, one can conclude that we need to pray for 2019 not to be hijacked. Our biggest worry is the legal dimension introduced. This is bringing back bad memories of the military years and setting our democracy many decades back.”

Senate, yesterday, decried the spate of killings in different parts of the country and warned that Nigeria was gradually tilting towards a failed state.

Senators made the remarks following the adoption of a resolution sponsored by Atai Aidoko at plenary over the killing of 32 people in Omale and Dekina local government areas of Kogi State on Wednesday. Adoko said 20 people were killed in Ogane-Enugu community in Dekina and 12 in Agbejukolo, Agbenema communities in Omala council. But the confirmed 20 dead.

“Despite continued condemnation of killings in many parts of the country, perpetrators of this dastardly act have not been arrested. I want this Senate to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies to bring the situation under control by arresting the perpetrators and ensure that they are prosecuted. This killing is taking another dimension as the killers also amputate peoples hands,” he said.

Emmanuel Paulker, in his remarks, said government has lost count of the number of Nigerians killed everyday by armed herdsmen and other bandits.

He warned that if urgent steps were not taken to salvage the situation, the country would run into serious crisis.

In his contribution, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, called on the Senate to work closely with the executive to enhance the efficiency of security agencies in combating crime in the country.

While noting that security agencies in the country were overstretched, Lawan expressed worry that the number of policemen guarding the communities were inadequate.

Enyinnaya Abaribe, in his remarks, came hard on President Buhari, who he claimed was not in charge. He also chastised the president over what he described as his frequent buck passing.

“The president is always passing blames. He blames every other person, but himself. He tells us every time that he does not know what is happening in the country. How can a President utter such words?

“If the president does not know what is happening in a country like Nigeria, how can we be safe? We should call the president to order and tell him to do the job he was elected to do. He should stop claiming that he does not know what is happening and do the needful,” he cautioned.

Abaribe’s remarks sparked uproar with Lawan and Gbenga Ashafa raising a point of order and urging the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to call him to order.

On his part, James Manager blamed the continued killing on non-arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators while Adamu Aliero called for the implementation of recommendations of the recently held National Security summit recently organised by the Senate in conjunction with the executive arm.

The Lawan-led committee on National Security Infrastructure is yet to submit recommendations reached at the summit.

Saraki assure that the Senate would work towards finding solutions to insecurity in the country.

“Let us be patriotic because this situation is unacceptable,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, former Senate Leader and member representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Supo Ayokunle and former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, have disagreed on the issue.

While the CAN scribe agreed with the position of lawmakers, Ndume and Mohammed said lawmakers were part of the problem.

The three spoke in separate interviews with Daily Sun.

Ndume said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) handed over a failed state to the APC-led government. He also contended that lawmakers, who claim that the country was tilting towards a failed state, were part of the failure.

Ndume who is a close ally of President Buhari, said it was wrong for lawmakers to use the plenary as a launchpad to attack the Federal Government, which he said the parliament was part of.

But speaking through his media aide, Mr. Bayo Oladimeji, the CAN president said: “If senators are saying that the country is like a failed state, I think they have a reason. The president must rise up to the occasion, otherwise, a lot of people may begin to take laws into their hands and that will not help the nation.”

Mohammed, on his part, said the National Assembly has lost the right to speak on an issue like this. “They (lawmakers) have failed to represent the people. They have only succeeded in representing themselves and their interest. If Nigeria is becoming a failed state, members of the National Assembly are directly responsible. Most lawmakers are bunch of thieves. They pocket N14 million every month in the name of serving in the National Assembly.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Charles Okah, the brother of the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), who was given a life sentence for terrorism, has been secretly moved from Kuje Prisons, Abuja, to one of the prison facilities in Borno State, THISDAY has learnt.

Worried about his seeming familiarity with the prison environment and the officers at the Kuje Prisons, the authorities of the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) last Tuesday transferred him quietly.

Okah was sentenced to life imprisonment last week over the October 1, 2010 bombing incident in Abuja
Although the prison source did not give the name of the prison, he hinted that Okah might have been transferred to Bama Prisons.

THISDAY gathered that the plan to move him was kept as a top secret to avoid leaks and operational sabotage.
Plans to move him from Kuje prison where he had been held for years was hatched at 3a.m. but was temporarily put on hold for a few hours.

This was because Okah had suddenly claimed that he had a stomach disorder and would not be able to travel such a long distance in such a condition except he was satisfactorily treated.

When he would not budge, this compelled the prison authorities to take him to the prison clinic where he was treated and given some drugs before he was certified fit for the trip.

However, other logistics arrangements crept up and further delayed the team from moving until at about 7a.m. last Tuesday.

To escort him to his new abode were a team of eight highly armed prison warders who accompanied him in two Hilux vehicles.
While one of the vehicles conveyed Okah and three armed guards, the other escort vehicle contained five other warders and a nurse.

According to the source, the plan to move him became necessary as the convict was said to have become too relaxed and conversant with the Kuje prisons and its personnel.
He said: “We do not want a situation where his familiarity with the prison environment will compromise our rules and procedures.”

Meanwhile, Okah was not the only person transferred as his co-accused, Obi Nwabueze, who was also sentenced to life, was transferred to Abeokuta prisons, South-west Nigeria.
Explaining the reason behind the second transfer, the source said: “The plan is to keep both men far away from each other.”

Last week Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Okah and his co-defendant, Nwabueze, to life imprisonment for masterminding not just the bomb blasts in Abuja on October 1, 2010, but also an earlier one in Warri, Delta State, on March 15 of the same year.

Meanwhile, Okah’s elder brother, the leader of MEND, Henry, is serving term at Korkstad Prison in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa.

Given that his appeal was recently dismissed by the Constitutional Court of South Africa, and his sentence upheld, he had since instructed his lawyers to seek redress at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, says what governors earn in Nigeria is immoderate.

Speaking as a panelist at the dialogue organised by Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism in Lagos on Thursday, Obi told the audience that if he revealed how much a Nigerian governor earns, the outrage would be hotter than what trailed the N13.5 million monthly pay of senators.

“None of you knows what a governor earns, quote me anywhere if you know you won’t be here,” he said.

“It is something you can’t imagine. You just know the one of senators, and you are shouting, but what if you know that of the governors?”

Comparing Nigeria with the US, Obi spoke of the modesty in the earnings of public office holders in America.

“America’s GDP is way above Nigeria’s but an American senator earns $174,000 (about N50 million) a year and you can imagine what his Nigerian counterpart earns in a month,” he said.

“In America, governors earn according to their state. The governor of California is the highest paid in America, and he earns $192, 000. The smallest state earns $70, 000. But in Nigeria, I can tell you because I’ve been there, the cost of just keeping convoys alone is in millions. And when people ask me why am I saying these things, I tell them that even if we made mistakes yesterday, can’t we correct it today?”

Obi said while in power, he reduced the vehicles in his convoy to four, adding that he never used a bulletproof car.

“I asked them, why are all these vehicles following me, and nobody was able to explain to me. I didn’t stop it because of them following me, but the cost of maintaining them was high. I asked them why do we need to spend about N30 million fueling these vehicles that 60 percent are empty when following me?” he said.

“What is the essence of a bulletproof car? Anyone who wants to kill you would come when you are out of the car. For eight years I didn’t use, and they didn’t kill me.”

In 2017, Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, made public details of his state’s expenditure, including security vote.

On the payslip shared by the governor, the Kaduna state government paid the governor a net salary of N470,521.74 for the month of February 2017.

Obi also noted that politicians are fond of making promises they cannot fulfil when voted into power.

“You told us that you are going to solve a problem, and we voted you, and now you are telling us that you met a problem, what do you expect to meet?” he asked.

“You shouldn’t tell us the story of what you met there, we do not expect 100 percent result, but 100 percent effort. We voted you because you said you aree-of-senators-if-i-reveal-what-govs-earn

The senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla, has announced launch of DoroCorruption anti-corruption application.

Obono-Obla, while speaking in Abuja during the launch of DoroCorruption, stated that lack of adequate information from the public was stalling efforts by the government to recover assets.

He said the anti-corruption fight can only succeed when Nigerians speak out and refuse to condone the act which he described as an ill-wind that would bring no good.

“My panel will investigate assets of public officers, but have you given us information on public officers who have assets that are beyond their legitimate earnings?

“We know them. Most of the buildings in Abuja are owned by directors in public service. How much are they earning? You know these people, they are your neighbours and you don’t give us information. How then do we help government fight corruption?”

“We need the support of civil society, the civil society should assist the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in getting information on those that have properties abroad but don’t pay tax in Nigeria. This would help in taming corruption in the country.”

The DoroCorruption mobile app is a purpose-built software that informs Nigerians about the latest trends in the anti-corruption sphere, as well as giving members of the public and private sectors an avenue to conveniently report cases of corruption.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

michoim:
Whether red or white carpet, the bottom line is that he visited...being sensitive unlike the clueless GEJ...

Partnerbiz2:
His people are living in penury..
Go to Kogi and see...
It's shameful.
Yahaya Bello isn't trying at all.
This one too..

Senate revealed yesterday that for 15 years, the federal and state governments have diverted about N500 billion ecological funds meant to tackle environmental problems of communities in the country.

This revelation was made during a public hearing on a Bill seeking to prohibit the abuse of the Ecological Fund of the Federation organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Ecology and Environment.

LEADERSHIP reports that Ecological Fund is a special intervention allocation of two percent of the consolidated revenue of the federation and one percent of the derivation allocation set aside to address ecological problems across the states of the federation, such as erosion, landslide, desertification, flood, oil spillage and draught, among others.

The sponsor of the Bill, Senator Mohammed Hassan, said that the Senate’s resolution to enact a legislation to establish and regulate the operations of the Fund and other similar funds became imperative due to the fact that over the years, the ecological funds was operated like’slush’ money and rather utilised for varying unrelated purposes, at the liberty of the incumbent.

“Successive governments have been serially accused of diverting and enriching themselves from the ecological funds. The operation of the funds had been largely discretionary, with zero guidelines on the disbursement and utilisation of the monies,” Senator Hassan said.

Yesterday, it was established that there was massive diversion and misappropriation of N154.9 billion on projects not related to environment which the Senate Committee on Public Account discovered in 2013.

A document on the report of the ecological fund, which was exclusively obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday, revealed that in 2009, N93.7 billion was “illegally transferred from the ecology fund to the consolidated revenue fund to fund the acceleration of capital budget advances to state and local governments to meet revenue shortfall and third quarter development fund warrant.

“In December 2009, the National Economic Council reported that about N200 billion belonging to the ecological fund had been spent on questionable projects that were either non-existent or had no relations to the fight against ecological disasters.”

The document revealed that the House of Representatives had, in 2010, raised queries over curious withdrawals and loans to agencies and individuals totalling N146.5billion, mainly for matters irrelevant to the objectives of the fund.

It further said: “In December 2011, there was also an illegal deduction totalling N20.1 billion from ecological fund for debt servicing, in addition to the donation of N2 billion in 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan to certain states of the federation without any criteria, in which some states did not benefit.

“In 2013, N22 billion was withdrawn and shared out to some states and local governments, while N2.078 billion was withdrawn towards the building of the second Niger Bridge.

“In 2002, the ecological fund gave a grant of N728 million to the Presidential Research and Communication Unit and disbursed N928 million for non-ecological projects, while in 2003, N1.9 billion was disbursed for non-ecological programmes out of which N800 million was given to the Ministry of Aviation for the renovation of the Aminu Kano Airport and N150 million to Kaduna State government to manage sectarian crisis in the state.

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Alikaramchi village, close to Giwa barracks in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on Wednesday night.

The incident happened hours after President Muhammadu Buhari left Maiduguri for Yobe state.

Buhari had visited Yobe state government house and Government Girls Science and Technical School, Dapchi, where he met with families of the 110 students kidnapped on February 19.

In Borno, the president met with family members of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

Bamus Garba, a resident of the area who confirmed the fresh attack, said twin suicide bombers struck around 9:10pm.

Garba said the attack happened some meters away from his home.

“We heard loud explosions close to my neighbour’s house. I cannot confirm the casualty because we cannot go out at this time of the day,” he said.

Ali Dusuman, a member of civilian JTF, a vigilante group, said eight persons sustained injuries in the attack while two suicide bombers were killed.

Dustman said a team from the explosive ordinance department of the police has visited the scene alongside some security personnel.

Security agencies are yet to react to the attack.

Evablizin:
Na you sabi oh.

Evablizin:



He did well,i will never condemn this act of kindness,thank you sir.

ABUJA- FOLLOWING President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to assent to the new amendment to the Electoral Act, which seeks to re-order the sequence of the polls during general elections, strong indications emerged yesterday that Senators have begun moves to override his veto.

It was gathered yesterday that lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the Senate have commenced the process of getting members to actualize it, just as they have however vowed to get the two- third majority required to override the president.

Before the letter from the President was read by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate had moved into an executive session at 11.04am and resumed its plenary at 11.35am.

Senate President Bukola Saraki reported at the end of the executive session that the Senate deliberated on the workings of the upper chamber, the National Assembly and CBN.

But Vanguard gathered that at the closed session of the Senators, the matter of the vetoed bill came up, but was not discussed exhaustively.

A source at the executive session disclosed that Senate President Saraki alerted his colleagues that the bill had been rejected by the President and that the senate would need to take another look at the bill, just as the senators were said to have resolved to get further clarifications from the Legal Department of the National Assembly before going ahead with the planned override of the veto.

Meanwhile, it was also gathered that no fewer than 65 Senators have signed up to join in the battle to override the president’s veto, just as 43 Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are said to be solidly backing the decision to override the veto while so far 22 Senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are said to be
supporting the idea.

The source said, We are seeking like nine members to join the race so that we can get the required 73 Senators needed to override the veto.”

It was also gathered that Senators who are loyal to the Senate President have decided to bring back the rested Senators of Like Minds, which projected the Senate President for the position in 2015.

A source said that originally, members of the Like Minds are in excess of 35 senators, but that a number of lawmakers were sitting on the fence, even as it was also gathered that of the 24 Senators who constituted the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), some are also sitting on the fence, thus making the task of to be difficult at the moment for the APC.

According to the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly requires two- third before it can override the presidential veto.

Section 58 (4 & 5) of the 1999 Constitution provide the procedures by which the National Assembly may override the veto where a President withholds assent to a bill passed by both chambers.

Section 58 (4) reads: “Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.

Section 58 (5) also reads: “Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.”

Meanwhile, the immediate past Chairman of Northern Senators Caucus and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, APC Nasarawa West, yesterday declared that the rumored suspension allegedly being planned against him by the Senate leadership , if eventually carried out , would amount to abuse of power

In a statement yesterday in Abuja which he made available to Journalists, Senator Adamu said that the alleged plan against him and other subtle attacks that had been made on him, would not in anyway deter him from remaining loyal to the ruling party , the All Progressives Congress ( APC) and fight its enemies on the floor of the Senate

He said, “I have heard what I consider to be rumours to the effect that the senate plans to suspend me. I hope it is a mere rumour bandied about in the current climate of mutual recrimination.

“However, I would not be surprised if such an extreme form of punishment is being contemplated by the senate leadership.

” I would caution against the decision, if indeed such a decision is on the cards, to suspend me because it would serve no purpose other than to demonstrate the exercise of power in a manner that results in its abuse.

“If the intention is to gag me or intimidate me, I am afraid it would not be worth the effort. Neither adversary nor adversity can force me to abandon my resolve as a matter of personal honour and principle to always speak the truth and defend the truth. It is not in my nature to see what I consider to be wrong and either keep quiet or pretend that it is not my concern. Whatever affects the interests of this administration is my concern because as a senator and as a member of the ruling party, I am but a servant of the APC brought into power on the consent of the good people of this country who expect the government to serve, protect and defend their interests.”

Adamu who chronicled his alleged offence against some forces in the senate to be when he stood up on the floor few weeks back to caution against running the government led by President Muhammadu Buhari down, kicked against new sequence of elections inserted into the electoral act amendment bill along with some other senators etc , said the voice of dissent he offered at such instances, are democratically and constitutionally allowed.

According to him, shutting out such dissenting voice would inflict irreparable damage to the Parliament and by extension , the nation’s democracy, adding, “The day we snuff out the right of dissent in and outside the senate legislative chambers would mark the beginning of our loss of individual and collective rights as Nigerian citizens. May such a day never come.”

He explained further that all allegations leveled against him so far with regard to destabilisation plot against the Senate and its leadership were barefaced lies , saying ” to achieve what and for what purpose ?

He however said as a Senator of the federal republic of Nigeria , his loyalty to the Senate as an Institution would remain intact regardless of whatever his antagonists in the senate do at the end of the day.

The statement reads in part:” The public is aware that I have been the subject of vilifications by both the leadership and my distinguished colleagues in the 8th senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the past three weeks or so.

” Various attempts have been made, and are still being made, to impugn my integrity and question my support for the leadership of the senate and my loyalty to the senate.

“Good, I have thus far refrained from a press war in defence of myself because I am fully aware that a press warfare resolves nothing. In all wars, including a press war, the truth suffers; the public becomes less informed and more confused about the facts and the issues at stake.

” I have taken some necessary steps within the confines of the senate to defend myself and re-assure my distinguished colleagues that I remain unshaken in my commitment and faithful to my oath as a legislator on whom the constitution imposes the burden of making laws for the good governance of our dear country.

“I am now forced to respond to some of the barefaced lies and the nasty allegations against me because the public has the right to know the facts. My objective is to properly educate the public on my ‘crime’ or ‘crimes.’ It is important for the public to know that I have committed no crime against the senate and/or its leadership.

” I have done nothing to bring the revered upper legislative house to ridicule intentionally or inadvertently.

” I am in the senate primarily to represent the interest of my people in the South-Western senatorial district of Nasarawa State. My voice is the voice of my people; my stand on critical national issues that agitate us is the stand of my people. To suspend me on the basis of baseless allegations that do not amount to the infraction of senate rules, is to deny them my voice and my representation.

” The power to suspend a senator be exercised with a grave sense of responsibility in order to protect the integrity of the senate as an important democratic institution and of individual senators.

“I believe we need to retrace our steps and reconsider our stand as legislators on matters of public interest. Our party, APC, has the majority in both chambers of the national assembly, yet we hold the executive prisoner of politics that are unhealthy for the polity.

“It is such a terrible irony that we sabotage our own government by refusing to do our part in support of the executive. Appointments requiring senate approval are held up. The consequence is that the public has nicknamed the president and his administration go-slow.

“The people gave us the mandate as a party to deliver. With our control of the executive and the national assembly, there is no reason why the government cannot acquit itself and fulfil the yearnings of the people. Perhaps, while we are consumed with sabotaging the administration and stabbing one another in the back, we forget that in less than a year from now, we shall be required to seek the people’s revalidation of our mandate to sit in these hallowed chambers. What shall we tell them?”

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari seized the opportunity of the encounter to query Idris for flouting his directive that he should relocate to Benue State following the killings recorded in the state.

The meeting was said to have lasted about 30 minutes after which Idris left the Presidential Villa without talking to anybody.

A source in the Presidency told journalists last night, “Police IG, Idris, was the first caller this (Tuesday) morning at the Presidential Villa apparently to explain his flouting of the President’s order to remain in Benue at the height of the clash between farmers and herdsmen.

“President Buhari who is believed to have summoned the IG, received him in a private audience. The IG left about 30 minutes after without speaking to anyone.

“It is believed the President demanded for a full report on police operations till date after which he will make further decisions.

“There is a renewed resolve to make sure that the killings and bad security situation in Benue State abate.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed the meeting to our correspondent.

Shehu however refused to disclose details of the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Presidency had earlier on Tuesday said President Buhari would first ask Idris to defend himself against the allegation of disobeying a presidential order before taking any action on the allegation.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had said this while answering questions during a radio programme, Political Platform, on RayPower FM.

Buhari had during a meeting with stakeholders in Makurdi during his visit to Benue State on Monday said he was not aware that Idris ignored his instruction to relocate to the state when the recent killings started.

“But I did not know that the IG did not stay in the state. I am getting to know this at this meeting. I am quite surprised,” the President had said when he was told that Idris did not spend 24 hours in the state.

Adesina said it would not have been proper for Buhari to act on the matter immediately the allegation was made.

He said being a fair-minded man; the President would give Idris the opportunity to defend himself against the allegation before taking the next step.

He said, “The President should act immediately and not hearing from the other side? That will not be proper. A father does not act like that.

“Even in the home, if there is an allegation from somebody, you listen to the other side before you will do whatever you will do.

“The IG, as of yesterday(Monday) I knew was out of the country. That allegation came from Benue people. Knowing the President as a fair-minded man, he is going to listen to the IG, he is going to ask him to defend himself and then the next step.”

On why it should be the people that would draw the President’s attention to the IG’s attitude when he is supposed to know how his appointees carry out his orders, Adesina said it meant that Buhari was not omniscient.

The presidential spokesman added, “It simply tells you that the President is not omniscient. No human being is omniscient, it is only God that is omniscient: He knows all things.

“The President said last week that he had his channels of getting information apart from security reports he receives as President but it does not mean that he gets every information under the sun.

“Even in the best countries in the world, the superpowers, there are still security breaches.”

Adesina also faulted those saying the IG episode had further exposed the President as not being in control of his government.

He said the fact remained that Buhari was in full charge of the government and he had been running it efficiently.

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may have sacked Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (Rtd) as Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme over graft-related issues bothering on the embezzlement of funds meant for the programme.

Sources within the Presidency disclosed that Boroh was summoned to the Presidential Villa on Friday, last week over allegations leveled on him.

It was also learnt that the Presidency may not have been satisfied with the explanations he gave regarding the allegations.

While firing Boroh, Buhari had replaced him with Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo, a seasoned researcher with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.

The new Amnesty Coordinator also holds a PhD in Strategic Studies from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, and hails from Abonema, Akuku-Toru Local Government of Rivers State.

A statement by Femi Adesina, spokesman to Buhari had also indicated that the National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno should carry out a full investigation into the activities of the Amnesty Programme from 2015 to date.

Monguno is also expected to investigate allegations of financial impropriety leveled against Boroh, especially acts that were detrimental to the objectives of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Prior to his sack, some beneficiaries of the programme have been mounting pressures on Buhari to relieve him of his duties.

But Boroh, shortly after he emerged from the meeting with the President last week Friday, described such pressures as the handwork of those who wanted the old system of corruption and embezzlement to continue.

Some of the ex-agitators had accused him of mortgaging their future, prompting them to stage a protest at Opokuma Junction axis of East-West Road and Igbogene gateway, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, recently.

There, they alleged that the programme had been hijacked by Northerners, citing a lack of consultation, non-performance and diversion of funds meant for the implementation of the programme by officials.

Boroh, who was appointed in July 2015, had reacted to these allegations, saying, “I want to let you know that what is happening in the Amnesty Programme is no more business as usual, that is the bottom line of all that is happening.

“The programme actually is a security programme that has to do with critical stakeholders who drive the process. I’m only there to supervise what they are doing so that we can achieve the aim for which the programme was established, to ensure youth restiveness is not allowed and ensure peace and stability of the Niger Delta region.”

ABUJA – All Progressive Congress (APC), stalwart and former government of Abia state, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, has challenged President Mohammadu Buhari to arrest and prosecute former President Olusegun Obasanjo to prove his seriousness in his anti-corruption war.


Kalu threw the challenge at the quarterly public lecture series of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) with the theme: Culture, Economy and good Governance: The Nigerian Experience held in Abuja.


He said President Buhari should be bold enough to prove that he has gotten the gut expected of him to salvage Nigeria from bad governance by arresting former President Olusegun Obasanjo over alledged missing fund meant for power under his regime, insisting that unless Obasanjo is arrested, the administration will not be considered to be fighting corruption.


“My prosecution is political. Our accounts in Abia state were transparent under my watch. The US knows, the UK knows. I have been given a red carpet in these two countries. I have been given a red carpet in China. In fact, I am stronger in fighting corruption than President Buhari because he is not fighting it well.


” I have recovered peoples’ money and given them back. I am a creator of wealth at every level. If any court finds me to be corrupt , it should jail me. Corruption is the bane of this country.


“A corrupt judge and corrupt politician is worst than armed rubber.


” Nigerians should start electing presidents that have meaning and gut to take decisions.


“President Buhari has got some guts but he should arrest Obasanjo for us to know that corruption is working.


“Without arresting Obasanjo, he has not started fighting corruption because Obasanjo took away our $16million electricity money. So, unless he arrests Obasanjo, corruption is not being fought in Nigeria.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44