₦airaland Forum

Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that retaliation would be the last resort in the efforts being made by the Federal Government to resolve the continued xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.


Gbajabiamila, who is leading the House six-man delegation to South Africa, next Monday, explained that the retaliation would be detrimental to both countries. Addressing House correspondents yesterday on why the House leadership decided to send a delegation to South Africa, the majority leader said during the 5-day trip, the lawmakers would interface with the South African Parliament and discuss the possibility of both countries enacting hate crime laws, adding that it would cover crimes committed based on nationality.


He said that the delegation intended to engage the South African Parliament and other authorities on areas of mutual benefit and how much both countries could lose from Xenophobia and possible retaliatory actions or severing of diplomatic ties.


He stated further that they would also seek to strengthen the Nigerian /South African Bilateral Commission which only exists on paper for now. “We hope to meet with Nigerians who reside in South Africa and assure them of government’s intervention.


“We will advance and hopefully get a commitment on the need for payment of compensation for the victims of this last attack,” he said. Also speaking on whether Nigeria was afraid to take strict action against South Africa, Gbajabiamila said that retaliation was not the first step to diplomacy, adding that cutting of ties and retaliation are always the last resort.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

sabama007:
Oh!

Those melons haff riped ooooooooo

Walid Jubril, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) board of trustees, says the party leaders are ready to visit and sympathise with President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Buhari has received top dignitaries at the Abuja House, London, where he has been staying since he commenced his vacation on January 19.

Among them are Senate President Bukola Saraki; Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives; and Ahmad Lawan, majority leader of the senate.

Others are Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun state; and Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun state governor

But in an interview with NAN on Tuesday, Jubril said PDP leaders were ready to visit Buhari if given the opportunity.

He denied the reports that the party promoted the rumoured death of the president, saying the PDP had been praying “fervently” for Buhari’s safe return to Nigeria.

“Let him be well and come back and continue with his leadership of Nigeria,” he said.

“If we are to be given the opportunity, the PDP leaders will even go to London to wish him well and sympathise with his family.”

He also spoke on the lingering crisis in the party, saying efforts were being made to resolve the problems and “forge ahead”.

“By the grace of God, we are coming clean and the PDP will never die, it will remain as a very strong party,” he said.

“There could be differences; differences will come and go, we will emerge stronger and ready to win all elections like we have won in Rivers, Taraba, Gombe, and we are going to win in Anambra, Ekiti, hands down.”

Jubril cautioned key stakeholders against confusing party members, and advised them to allow ongoing reconciliation efforts by well meaning Nigerians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said apart from Jonathan, other stakeholders in the party have been engaged in the reconciliation efforts.

“I am very sure that there are moves by very responsible party leaders on way forward for our party and we are making a lot of contacts,” he said.

“People should give the former president the opportunity to make proper scrutiny and come out with agreeable solutions on this matter.

“They should not be in too much hurry to further confuse members; we are talking about political solutions.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

missomo:
They didn't even edit the arm tattoo.

The reward system that pegs minimum wage at N18, 000 for civil servants, while state governors rake in “as much as N2 billion” as bogus security vote is antithetical to Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said.

Mr. Ekweremadu spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Friday evening, where he delivered the 4th National Public Service Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, on the
theme: “Federalism and The Legal Framework for Combating Corruption in Nigeria.”

The excerpt of Mr. Ekweremadu’s lecture was made available to PREMIUM TIMES by his spokesperson, Uche Anichukwu, on Saturday.

Mr. Ekweremadu decried “a situation where the minimum wage is pegged at N18,000, while some State governors could pocket as much as N2 billion under the cover of Security Vote.”
“When a man who earns N18, 000 cannot buy a bag of rice, how then can such a person take care of his family? Does it make sense to him if you tell him not to find alternative means of catering to the needs of his family?
“Is it not also possible to abolish the Security Vote and replace it with Contingency Vote so it can be appropriated and accounted for,” queried Mr. Ekweremadu.
While calling for abolition security vote, the lawmaker proposed N50, 000 minimum wage nationwide.

Some states have not still implemented the N18, 000 minimum wage policy, introduced by Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Mr. Ekweremadu did not comment on the huge earnings lawmakers like him receive annually, a subject often criticised by Nigerians.

Speaking further, the Deputy Senate President, made case for decentralization of the anti-corruption fight to reflect the essence of Nigeria’s federalism.

Mr. Ekweremadu said, “I wish to make the following suggestions: Decentralization of federal anti-corruption agencies, establishment of State anti-corruption agencies, domestication of anti-graft laws, enthronement of fiscal federalism, decentralised policing, establishment of State orientation agencies, State social intervention/security schemes, State prisons, true economic reforms and public participation in the anti-corruption war.

“Sadly, only Kano state currently has a state agency to fight corruption- the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission. This should be emulated, and urgently too, if we must make a headway in the war against graft.

“Similarly, a Code of Conduct Bureau should be established in the states with a Code of Conduct Tribunal to handle cases of civil servants in the states and local government councils. Besides setting up such agencies, there is also the need for the states to domesticate auxiliary federal laws such as the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Fiscal Responsibility Act, among others, to help curb corruption. Rivers, Oyo, Anambra, Enugu, Ekiti, Lagos, and Ondo are the only States that have so far adopted the ACJA.”

According to the Senator, a situation where the two anti-corruption agencies in the country, Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, do not have presence in the entire country, makes the fight against corruption
ineffective.

He noted, for instance, that the ICPC has just six zonal offices and nine state offices, in addition to its headquarters in Abuja, while the EFCC had offices in only eight states, apart from its headquarters in Abuja.

“These do not scratch the surface, as they are grossly inadequate for a vast area like Nigeria and leave the agencies highly overstretched.”

He added that, “Entrenching fiscal federalism will replace the current ‘feeding bottle’ arrangement where the centre holds tightly to the purse string and feeds the components, with a better arrangement that is predicated on self-reliance, hard work, enterprise, resourcefulness, ingenuity, taxation, transparency, and accountability.

“In the various kindred/family meetings, the illiterate farmer or palm wine tapper becomes literate when it comes to how the fines and levies he contributed were spent because it is the product of his sweat, not a windfall from anywhere”.

Listing the various mineral resources in the 36 States of the country, Mr. Ekweremadu noted that “The good thing is that every State of the federation is sufficiently endowed to survive from its own resources and sweat.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

A team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ransacked the palatial home of George Turnah, popularly known as the godson to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The fierce-looking operatives reportedly stormed the courtyard of Turnah located at Kolo Creek, Ogbia local government area with scores of fully-armed mobile policemen and soldiers.

They were said to have arrived the courtyard at about 5pm on Friday and painstakingly searched various buildings and rooms in the premises till about 10pm.

Though there was no clue that money was recovered from the house, the team were said to have carted away cheque books and financial documents.

The commission was said to be investigating an alleged multiple cases of corrupt enrichment against Turnah and his involvement in disappearance of money allocated to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

It was learnt the 33-year-old Turnah fled his multi-billion naira Kolo Creek Villa built with a gold-plated fence and gate along the Ogbia town road few minutes before arrival of the EFCC.
His whereabouts were unknown with all his telephone numbers switched off.

When our correspondent visited the Kolo Creek Villa, about 45 minutes drive from Yenagoa, the compound was filled with solemn voices of a church congregation wafting from one of the buildings.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogbia and two police officers in mufti visited the villa to debrief one of the stewards.

A source from the building confirmed the EFCC team spent about six hours to search different parts of the buildings.

He said: “It was a scary sight because many mobile policemen and soldiers were involved in the operation.
“They took over the premises and the road and conducted thorough search each room.

“They broke some doors and used keys to open others. They carted away cheque books and other financial documents.

“But I am not aware that money was recovered from the house. Our master left the house a few minutes before they came”.

Turnah, who graduated from the Law Faculty of the Niger Delta University (NDU) in 2009, warmed himself into the heart of Jonathan when he founded the Jonathan Youth Vanguard popularly called Joy 2011, a platform he used to mobilise support for Jonathan.

Jonathan conferred on him the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award and was appointed a Special Assistant on Youth Matters to the Managing Director of (NDDC) in 2012.

Following the exit of Jonathan in 2015, Turnah floated a conglomerate, El-Godams and Celtic Group of Companies with investments in transport, agriculture and sports among others.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

As the President Muhammadu Buhari administration continues its anti-corruption effort, the United States government has expressed concern over the capacity of Nigeria’s States Security Service, SSS, to investigate money laundering.

The U.S. government also expressed worry about the SSS’ refusal to share intelligence with sister agencies to investigate financial improprieties.

“There are concerns about the Department of State Services’ capacity to investigate money laundering and that it does not share case information with other agencies that also conduct financial investigations,” the report states.

The assessment is contained in March 2017 edition of the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) authored by the US Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs.

The report, which highlights major steps taken by countries and jurisdictions considered major hubs for money launder have taken to improve their anti-money laundering (AML) regimes, also flays Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for its over-reliance on investigation by confession and its failure to conduct investigations with the involvement of prosecutors.

It stated that the EFCC’s reliance on formal mutual legal assistance with the U.S. to collect admissible evidence in money laundering cases is a major challenge in its effort to curb financial crimes.

It however praised the EFCC for its “aggressive” probe of high-profile corruption but said that the conviction rate was regrettable.

“However, the EFCC’s conviction rates continue to be low due in part to gaps in the judicial system that cause cases to languish in the system for long periods of time without resolution,” the report said.

While praising Nigerian banks for their willingness to submit currency transactions reports, it observed that the high volume of the reports and the cash-based nature of the country’s economy makes it difficult to detect suspicious transactions.

The report, which describes Nigeria as “a major drug transshipment point and a significant center for financial crime”, slams Nigerian financial institutions for engaging in “currency transactions related to international narcotics trafficking that include significant amounts of US currency.”

The INCSR observed that criminal organisations, corrupt officials, businessmen, terrorist group and internet fraudsters take advantage of Nigeria’s weak law, poor enforcement, geographical location, porous borders and socioeconomic conditions to launder proceeds of crime.

“Criminal proceeds laundered in Nigeria derive partly from foreign drug trafficking and criminal activity including illegal oil bunkering, bribery and embezzlement, contraband smuggling, theft, and financial crimes. Public corruption is also a significant source of laundered criminal proceeds.

“International advance fee fraud, also known as “419 fraud” in reference to the fraud section in Nigeria’s criminal code, remains a lucrative financial crime,” it states.

It observes that Nigeria made limited progress in passing its anti-money laundering legislation. It particularly frowned at the failure of the government to sign the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) Bill, which would granted autonomy to the NFIU, and the Proceeds of Crime (POC) Bill passed by the National Assembly in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

“There has also been little movement on a draft mutual legal assistance bill, pending in the National Assembly since 2015,” the report says.

It, however, lavishes the government with praise over the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), saying it improves transparency and streamlines revenue collection and expenditure.

“In 2016 President Buhari implemented several transparency measures, such as requiring all government entities, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, to remit nearly all revenues to a Treasury Single Account (TSA). The recent implementation and enforcement of the TSA as well as the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System are intended to make Government government revenue collection and expenditures more streamlined and transparent.”

In what can be described as an endorsement of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s unmatched contributions to Nigeria’s history, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, yesterday said the former President, through the establishment of a Presidential Library, is assisting Nigerians to chart a pathway for development and progress.

The Acting President, who was among the plethora of dignitaries who graced the grand commissioning of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said one of the ways to approach the future with sure-footedness is by preserving the lessons, the failures and the successes of the past.

According to him, that is what President Olusegun Obasanjo has been able to do with the establishment of the Presidential Library.

Some of the World leaders who attended the event included but were not limited to: Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; Presidents Faure Gnassingbe (Togo); Ernest Koroma (Sierra Leone); Boni Yayi (Benin Republic); Laila Ndinga (Kenya); Joyce Banda (Malawi); William Mkapa (Tanzania); and Nicephore Soglo.

Others included former US Ambassador to UN, Andrew Young; Michael of Kent; former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan; Prof. Akinwunmi Adesina; and John Kuffor, former President of Ghana.

Also on the roll call, were former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ernest Sonekan, Abdul Salam Abubakar, Emeka Anyaoku, Namadi Sambo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Rabiu Kwakwaso.

Also in attendance were Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote; Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun and his counterpart in the Mines and Steel ministry, Kayode Fayemi; Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed; Femi Otedola; factional National Chairman of PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Former governors Goodswill Akpabio, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Alao Akala were also present, as well as former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu.

OSINBAJO ON OBASANJO’S ACHIEVEMENT

The Acting President in his remarks, extolled the virtues of Chief Obasanjo, describing him as a world statesman, detribalised Nigerian as well as a gift to Nigeria in various ways.

Osinbajo, who spoke shortly after the guests were taken round the various sections of the library including the museum and bookshops, described Obasanjo as a rare gem.

He said “very few human beings have a chance of making history and fewer still have a good fortune of making history and writing it as you go along and living longer to even establish a library and write history in your own words. Baba Olusegun Obasanjo is certainly one of those rare human beings.

“But the most serious advantage is that it is one of the sure ways of preserving the lessons, the failures and the successes of the past and also that we can approach the future with more sure-footedness and less pains. History is the most compassionate teacher.” This, he said, is what Obasanjo has done.

Continuing, he said: “At some point in time we were told in an adage that experience is the best teacher, but, now we know it is only half of a wise saying. The full statement of that adage is that experience is the best teacher for a fool, a wise man doesn’t need the pain of experience, history is a kind and a more compassionate teacher.

“President Olusegun Obasanjo is therefore a gift in various ways, being so intricately tied to the history of Nigeria, few years away from independence, to the civil war and then Head of State with the Nigerian people, and then the transition to civil rule and then from retirement and farming, and being twice elected as President of Nigeria and then handed over to another President.

“At every turn, he recorded his views and perspectives and his perspectives, especially of the times in various books, articles, seminars and now in this amazing monument, to add credible life of service to our continent and to our world.

“We are fortunate that it is not only a life-participant and sometimes victim of the twist and turns of history of our nation and continent, but, he is an enthusiast.

“Aside from all else, his enduring legacy will be his belief in one strong, detribalised Nigeria, and this is so evidence in the gatherings of Nigerians here and also his belief in words and in practice in an Africa united in vision and thoughts again; that Pan-Africanist vision is evident in the large gathering of African serving and former heads of governments here present.

“But we diminish his vision if we do not recognize his place as a world-stateman; even that is evident from the representatives of the world that are present here today. “I’m sure that as visitors to this Library, especially young Nigerians who, through this magnificently created place, will learn from both what they see and hear but perhaps what is unsaid, that our place in the history of our society is not what we take from it but what we manage to give it. The more selfless the giving, the more historic. I’m previleged to be here to celebrate in this Library, a man who has given and is continuously giving, an authentic African icon, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo”, Osinbajo said.

In her remarks, the Liberian President, who also doubles as Chairperson of Economic Community of West Africa States, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, quoted the 22nd President of the USA, President Franklin Roosevelt, and commended Obasanjo for the gesture.

She said “History will bear truth to this President, setting the pace in Africa that will spell a long legacy of successful retiring Presidents to record and preserve the history of nation building for posterity and for the benefit of today and future generations.

“You (Obasanjo) are inspired by the examples of President Jimmy Carter with whom you share the vision of preserving the record of the past for future purposes. In your early efforts you faced difficulties and decided that as you go on, you remain firm in your commitment to preserve the institutional memory of the nation in your journey. Today, it is a great delight to witness and rededicate Africa’s first. This was achieved through your innovative efforts.

“Through these facilities we witness the extension of Roosevelt’s vision as a living testimony of Africa’s belief in itself, in a capacity to learn from the past and create a better future. We take pride that through it, our own history, your own history, your nation’s history is recorded, presented and graphically displayed by ourselves, by yourself through these structures for posterity sake.

“The lessons herein are more than academic or events from the past, when history and technology meet as eloquently displayed in Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, history becomes alive as a dynamic reality and development of human kind for our people, our children who will read events of history, who will live, interact, feel and challenge the interpretation of past events.

“I advise African children, adults, scholars everywhere and friends of Africa worldwide to visit this Presidential Library as we have experienced today, feel the exhibits from the life and times of a great son of Nigeria and Africa; more importantly read, see, hear, feel and interact with history and culture”.

Earlier, Obasanjo, in his remarks, said the Library was the fulfilment of his vision and mission which he had in 1988, to collect vital materials of the civil war.

Obasanjo, who described the Library as a centre of knowledge, said the Library would also sustain culture and encourage tourism.

The former President commended the Board of Trustees and the management of the Library, saying without them, the Library wouldn’t have been possible.

AWUJALE, FAYOSE ABSENT

Whereas it was a capacity crowd attendance, the conspicuous absence of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, was noticeable. The Ijebu monarch had disagreed sharply with former President Obasanjo a few months back.

Awujale in an Autobiography titled “Awujale: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. Adetona, Ogbagba II”, published by Mosuro Publishers in 2010, had accused Obasanjo of behaviour unbecoming of a president when he was the nation’s leader. Obasanjo then reacted sharply to the monarch’s comment calling him a liar among other names. It had been expected that the occasion of the commissioning would have served to a fence-mending purpose.

Apart from the monarch, other notable personalities that shunned the much-publicised programme from the South-West were governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, and his Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajimobi.

Fayose, who leads governors of Obasanjo’s former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is a known critic of the former president.

BANTER BETWEEN SHERIFF AND OBASANJO

Obasanjo, not one known to shy away from joke, spotted Modu Sheriff of PDP and asked, “Sheriff, what are you doing here?

“Sheriff, who invited you here”

Sheriff, in his response, said “Im here in my capacity as the national chairman of the largest political party in Africa”.

tifany89:
Lwkmd. Guy u be crase o , tears dey comot my eye

LouisVanGaal:
I know...
we can always play opposition with maturity and patriotism...#BlessingsFollowYou!

nyabingi:
Exactly my though, can an Aboki go to Aba, Owerri, Enugu or Onitsha to do the same, they can't and somebody will say Igbo's are tribalistic, the Igbo man has been doing his best for this fake project called Nigeria since after the biafran war without being appreciated, I bet u if any crises arises in that same community the young man will be the first target and he will be killed by the same people he was helping and iam talking from experience!

coputa:
leadership is all about ideas and commitment and not thr Agberos and street urchins we call leaders

KardinalZik:
U forgot to add these lies by Femi Adesina, Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki:

http://www.authorityngr.com/2017/02/The-Buhari-we-saw-is-not-sick--Saraki-Dogara/

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/breaking-buhari-not-ill-london-hospital-presidency/

Where is the honesty?

vickylincon:
you got bad mouth

gbegemaster:
This your comment sha.

lefulefu:
ur analysis na die

Rockyrascal:
I was scared as Bleep; I thought he aready passed on when that young ATM defender was in tears.

LouisVanGaal:
Okay...good night.

ozoebuka1:
that meme u used to reply that guy was just perfect for the reply, it got me Lol..nice one...though the guy really meant well for u.

ozoebuka1:
this, tell you from the bottom of my heart cracked me up

ojimbo:
he will rather build more mosque for them

ghost2020:
loool your goat

sabama007:
What an experience!

When were you attacked?

CaroLyner:
Take down that meme.
Its disturbing.

sabama007:
He's free of sentiment and bigotry unlike our NL e-warriors

Tazdroid:
he has a point, bone that talk

sabama007:
You again?

You're definitely anti-Nigeria