₦airaland Forum

EKITI State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has raised alarm over the possibility of Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen not becoming the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.








Fayose said there are forces out to prevent Onnoghen from becoming the substantive CJN.


He said his appointment as Acting CJN was “either a grand plot to deprive him of his well-deserved appointment as CJN because he is from the South-South region or those cabals in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa want to hold him in the jugular, using his confirmation as substantive CJN to get him to assist them to pervert justice”.


In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said it was strange that despite the fact that the National Judicial Council recommended only Justice Onnoghen to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment as the CJN in line with its rules since October 13, 2018, his name was not sent to the Senate for confirmation.


The governor said that this is the first time Nigeria is having an acting CJN though Onnoghen’s name was sent to Buhari early enough.


He said: “As at the time the NJC recommended Justice Onnoghen to President Buhari, it was 28 clear days to the November 10, 2016 retirement date of Justice Mahmud Mohammed.


“Why then was his (Justice Onnoghen) name not sent to the Senate for confirmation? Why appointing him as Acting CJN when his name should have been sent to the Senate between October 13, 2016 that he was recommended to the president and November 10, 2016 that Justice Mahmud Mohammed retired?


“Obviously, there is more to this acting CJN appointment than meet the eyes and in my opinion, it could be that President Buhari never wanted Justice Onnoghen as a substantive CJN because he is from the South-South or that they want to use his pending appointment as substantive CJN to make him do their biddings.


“They have subdued the national assembly and are now in the last stage of muscling democracy by subduing the judiciary.


“If men of good conscience, especially leading lights in the legal profession refuse to raise their voices against this tyranny, they will all be consumed by the tyrant.”


Governor Fayose, who said playing politics with the judiciary, especially at the CJN level, was dangerous to the survival of democracy, urged Justice Onnoghen to do his job without fear or favour, “bearing in mind that it is only God that put people in positions.”


He added: “I am sure those who made sure Justice Onnoghen’s name was not sent to the Senate for confirmation until the tenure of Justice Mahmud Mohammed expired knew what they were doing. They obviously needed a situation where the CJN, being in acting capacity will be subservient to them, using his appointment as substantive CJN as bait.


“However, Justice Onnoghen must live above that temptation of wanting to be the substantive CJN at the expense of strict adherence to the rule of law and principles of democracy.


“He must resist any attempt to further gag the judiciary even if that will cost him his appointment as the substantive CJN.”

THE Senate has rejected the report by its Committee on Finance in which the N143.7bn budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service was approved.



The lawmakers, while debating the recommendation of the committee during the day's plenary, criticised the report as lacking details.

While some senators said it was fraught with ambiguities, others pointed out duplication of projects in the proposed budget of the FIRS.

Some of the duplicated projects as noted by the lawmakers include the N586m budgeted for refreshment and meals; N350m for "hire of hall, accommodation and events;" N681m for welfare packages; N200m for sporting activities; and N150m for honorarium.

The sum of N683m was budgeted for security services; N250m for security vote; N90m for office furniture and equipment, while another N300m was budgeted for maintenance of office building; N266m for maintenance of office equipment; and N120m for maintenance of computers and IT equipment.

About N170m was budgeted for maintenance of plants and generators; N120m was set aside for "other maintenance services;" N440m was budgeted for office materials and supplies; N68m for library books and periodicals; N530m for computer materials and supplies; N1.9bn for printing of non-security documents; and N100m for other materials and supplies.

A sum of N2.5bn was budgeted for tax audit investigation and monitoring, while another N500bn was appropriated for tax investigation; N170m for maintenance of plants and generators; N750m was set aside for generator fuel; N700m for motor vehicle fuel; and N1.45bn for general fuel and lubricants.

The committee approved both the recurrent and capital expenditures as proposed by the FIRS.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, asked the committee to work on the grey areas in its report and represent it in one week.

On the FIRS proposed budget, the report presented by the committee read in part, "The Federal Inland Revenue Service projected to collect tax revenues to the tune of N4.082tn in 2016. This comprises N484bn oil and N3.597tn non-oil revenues.

"The projected four per cent cost of collection on non-oil revenue is N143,904,640,000. The total projected available fund for the 2016 budget is N146,165,108,293, comprising four per cent cost of collection and N2,260,468,293 or 20 per cent of the 2015 operating surplus."

The Chairman of the committee, Senator John Enoh, while presenting the report to the chamber, recalled that the Senate had on July 21 considered the request of President Muhammadu Buhari on the 2016 budget of the FIRS and referred same to the committee for further legislative action.

On the performance of the 2015 budget of the FIRS, the report stated that the National Assembly's joint Committees on Finance approved a revenue projection of N436tn, comprising N1.74tn oil revenue and N262tn non-oil revenue.

The joint committees also projected the four per cent cost of collection of non-oil revenue by the FIRS to be N104,723,880,000.

The committee stated the summary of the proposed 2016 expenditure of the service as follows: personnel, N64,491,130,526; overhead, N46,363,000,000; and capital, N32,868,300,000, bringing the total expenditure to N143,722,430,526.

The committee further observed, "The total personnel costs are for salaries, wages, allowances, performance bonuses and social contributions. The 8,000 members of staff are proposed to be on the payroll during the 2016 financial year, which accounts for the increase of 19 per cent above the actual staff strength of 6,748. The projection presumes a recruitment of new staff members in 2016.

"The overhead cost is very vital in driving the achievement of the FIRS' core objectives of tax revenue generation. The provisions in the 2016 budget give more emphasis on availability of office materials, training, consulting and professional services, and publicity.

The committee recommended that a total expenditure of N143,722,430,526 be approved for the FIRS, which the Senate rejected.

THE FCT Police Command has dispelled rumours making the rounds that an explosive device was discovered around Jabi Lake, in Abuja on Thursday.








A statement by Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, ASP Anjuguri Manzah said contrary to the unverified rumours, it is pertinent to state that findings by the Command Explosive Ordinance (EOD) unit revealed that the device in question was  an ultra sound flow metre used in measuring the volume of water that passes through a pipe.


He said the device was deployed by a team of engineers handling the Federal Capital Territory reduction of non-revenue water project.


Also , the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Muhammad Mustafa has enjoined residents of the Federal Capital Territory to discard the rumours and go about their lawful businesses as the Command has put in place adequate security measures to protect them.


Similarly, the Command warned “violators of the ministerial ban on the operation of Commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (keke Napep) in the City centre to desist from it forthwith. All Divisional Police Officers in the Command have been directed to arrest all violators of the directive and prosecute them accordingly,” the statement said.


The Command also reminded passengers on ministerial ban on the operation of motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (keke Napep); they are also warned not to encourage the violators of the directive by patronising them.

In the past, Black Friday wasn’t a big deal. It quietly came and walked away without any buzz. The Black Friday adrenalin was, however, pumped up to a palpable frenzy with the entry of online shopping. Now, almost every Nigerian looks forward to the last week of November to do their shopping. In fact, some Nigerians have been saving since the beginning of the year just to shop on the biggest shopping week of the year. Statistics show that 2.3 million people visited Jumia on Black Friday the previous year and 76% of all transactions were made on mobile. Interesting right? Hence, there is no doubt Nigerians love Black Friday. But Why? We share 5 reasons.

You will get crazy discount

The import of Black Friday is to get mouthwatering discount and exclusive deals that you cannot get on any other week or day of the year. You can get as much as 50% on hotel bookings and other household items on Black Friday. Add this to the fact that Nigerians love cheap and amazing offers.



Opportunity to do all your Xmas shopping

Black Friday is an opportunity for you to do your Christmas shopping. This is also important because, in Nigeria, prices usually skyrocket in December. So, it is smart to do all your shopping on Black Friday rather than waiting till December.

Save significantly

Nigeria is in recession. So, if you don’t have enough money to buy what you want, Black Friday is the week to wait for. With the exclusive deals, you can buy whatever you want with what you have in your pocket. You will also save.



You get what you want

What do you want to buy or book Hotels? Electronics? Household items? Groceries? Fashion items? There is a 95% chance you will get them on Black Friday at fantastic prices because businesses do their utmost best to ensure that they have anything and everything their customers want.



They don’t need to visit a physical store

Most of the Black Friday shopping transactions Nigerians do is online. They don’t need to visit any physical store. In other words, it is convenient coupled with the delivery at your doorstep. For other days, Nigerians may probably prefer to visit their favourite online store.

NIGERIA'S former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has approved the laying off of 70% of the staff strength of his private television organisation, TV Gotel, Social Times has learnt.

As at press time, Details are still sketchy.


More details later...

SweetyZinta:
good for her. am not yet registered and have not even tried checking out d new site. guess am ok with the former

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in Walter Onnoghen as the new acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.








The swearing in ceremony was conducted, Thursday, at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.


Mr. Onnoghen replaces Mahmud Mohammed whose tenure ended at midnight on Wednesday.

EXCLUSIVE: PORNOGRAPHIC PICTURES OF NIGERIA’S 10TH RICHEST BILLIONAIRE’S DAUGHTER, FATIMA INDIMI LEAKS

With the wave of nude videos currently circulating the Nigerian cyber space, Secret Reporters has exclusively laid hold of pornographic pictures of Indimi’s daughter, Fatima Indimi.

Secret Reporters had earlier reported on the dirty lifestyle of the Indimis in the past and his outrageous 4.2 billion Naira donation to Lynn University in US, leaving his impoverished state of Borno.

We gathered that, Fatima had taken the pictures and sent to her boyfriend, who she was expecting to get married to her, but he finally disappointed her.





Sources say, the ex boyfriend of Fatima is a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), and had to quit the relationship due to the overwhelming influence Indimi has on his daughters, where he pulls them out from their husbands houses at will, and travels with them as we had reported in the past.

The El Amin International School graduate recently founded a clothing line called Le Rouge by Amma domiciled in Abuja which was opened with fanfare.

THE Senate on Thursday dismissed the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Sustainability Paper sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the documents as “empty” and not worth considering.








The Senate’s action is coming two days after it rejected the president’s plan to borrow $29.690 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018. It said the plan lacked detailed information.


It also came on the same day the Senate denounced presidential aides as being “incompetent”, saying they failed to present a comprehensive proposal on Mr. Buhari’s bid to borrow $30 billion.


Mr. Buhari had on October 4 sent the MTEF and FSP, ahead of the 2017 budget, to the Senate and the House of Representatives for consideration.


The Senate complained that the details of the fiscal proposals, which in Nigeria’s public finance architecture are the precursors to the annual budget, were not attached to the president’s letter requesting the consideration.


At plenary on Thursday, the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, raised a point of order drawing the attention of his colleagues to a newspaper report with a headline, which suggested that the National Assembly was to blame for failure to meet the October target for the submission of the 2017 budget proposal.


He said the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, was quoted as saying in the publication that the suspension of debate of the MTEF/FSP had stalled the ministry’s plan to transmit the 2017 budget to the legislature.


Mr. Ndume expressed displeasure that the executive arm had resorted to blaming the legislature over the avoidable delay.


He said, “As the Leader of this Senate and I am responsible for presenting communications, bills from the Executive. You will recall that we received the MTEF on 30th September. Instead of submitting it according to law not later than 1st of September, that is not even the problem.


“I went through and the copies have been circulated. I talked to some experts. Even in this chamber, we have people that you can call experts. If you look at this document that they call MTEF, it is empty. And it doesn’t contain anything. If you have nothing how do you consider nothing?”


Mr. Ndume said on October 19 he wrote Mr. Udoma and his Finance counterpart, Kemi Adeosun, seeking the details of the MTEF/FSP but that he was yet to get any response from the duo.


He said he invited both ministers to meet with the Senate on November 1 to review the MTEF from holistic perspective but that they failed to turn up.


He further explained that in the letter he requested that a comprehensive report on the implementation of the 2016 budget as of third quarter as well as the fiscal rates taxes and charges used to derive the projected revenue.


“Up till now, there is no communication to that,” the senate leader lamented.


Mr. Ndume warned that the legislature could not afford to begin the 2017 budget process with blame game.


He said, “We cannot afford to start the 2017 budget process with this blame game. This Senate is Nigerian Senate. We have the opposition that is co-operating with us and we have the majority in this Senate.


“So, it is not like we are working against the government but we know what we are doing. And we should do it right.


“When they bring nothing and we ask for something so that we will do it properly, they run to the newspaper to start blaming the National Assembly.”


The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said he called Mr. Udoma on phone to discuss the matter and that the minister was ready to retract what he reportedly said about the MTEF and the blame on the legislature.


The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Albert Bassey, also said, “I called the Minister of Budget and he confirmed that he was quoted out of context that he will address this.”


On his part, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, gave assurance that the Senate was ready to consider the 2017 budget provided things were done right.


“We are ready to take the budget presentation anytime … in doing so, the executive must be reminded that everything must be done right. All arms of government must live to its responsibility. The issue of blame game should be put behind us,” he said.


The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udoma, denied snubbing the Senate.


In a statement by his media aide, Akpandem James, Mr. Udoma expressed surprise at the accusation by Mr. Ndume.


He said the proposed meeting with the Senate was eventually moved by agreement; and wondered why Mr. Ndume would go on the floor of the upper legislative chamber to say he failed to turn up, when he was aware that the meeting was rescheduled.


“Senator Udoma was equally surprised that even after the newspaper that published the story, which quoted him as blaming the National Assembly for the delay in the presentation of the 2017 budget, has published that the reporter never spoke with the Minister, Senator Ndume still went ahead to make an issue out of the matter on the floor of the Senate,” his aide said.

THE Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has raised the alarm, saying there were deliberate plots to ruin his reputation by forces “that are not comfortable with his campaign to rescue the nation from the vice grip of corruption.”



In a statement Thursday the EFCC boss said the plots were “already manifesting in clandestine campaigns of misinformation in the social media intended to impugn his integrity and pit him against certain interests both within and outside of government.”

“In the last week or so, the social media has been awash with fictitious reports, all painting an uncanny picture of desperation by Magu over his purported non-confirmation as substantive chair of the EFCC, and of stricture within the rank and file of the EFCC workforce leading to resignations,” the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency said in a statement Thursday.

“One of such reports is the one making the rounds in several gossip blogs with the title, “How EFCC’s Magu and Sahara Reporters Peddle Lies to the Media”.

“The report which is a parody of disingenuous invention of falsehood, is the handiwork of mischief makers hell-bent on causing disaffection between the Magu-led EFCC and the Executive on one hand, and the members of staff of the EFCC on the other.

“The EFCC wishes to put it on record that Mr. Magu does not bully anyone, and has not embarked on any mission aimed at blackmailing “some highly placed personalities in the country such as Emirs, President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointees” or any other individual, lowly or highly placed in the society.

“The allusion to “bullying” and “victimization” of EFCC staff is clearly designed to instigate the staff of the Commission against its leadership as there is no truth in it.

“For the records, no “senior EFCC core staff” has resigned from the Commission and insinuation of mass resignation at the Commission is mere scaremongering.

“The same applies to the claim that a sensitive unit has been set up in the Commission to “bug the phone lines” of some persons. This is mischief taken too far!

“Mr. Magu who is humbled by the rare privilege to serve the country. He has no axe to grind with any interest.

“I came to this job with an open mind to do my best for my country. My actions are dictated by my professional instinct and the love for my country. It is not personal and I have no issues with anybody.”

INTROVERT:
Sauce

THE Niger Delta militants have disowned elders from the region who held a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday at the Aso Villa, Abuja, saying that the elders cannot represent them.


The militants emphasized that none of the stakeholders who met the President had the proper knowledge of the plight of the Niger Delta people, stressing that bombing of oil facilities in the region will continue


In separate statements, the Niger Delta Peoples Democratic Front (NDPDF) and the Concerned Militant Leaders (CML) expressed dissatisfaction that no former militant leader was among those chosen to be part of representatives of the region in the meeting with government.


Leaders of the two groups, General Ben and General Playboy maintained that such a meeting without any recognized former Niger Delta militant would not protect the interest of the people of the region.


They also doubted the Federal Government’s sincerity on the $10 billion development fund to be earmarked for the Niger Delta.


“Pipeline bombing cannot stop because the people going for the meeting do not know why they are going there. It is not the first, second, or third time and would not be the last. So, we cannot be deceived or bamboozled by whatever tag is given to the meeting.


“We insist on implementation of the report of the National Conference and other reports on the development of Niger Delta region. Anything short of this is insincere and will not be accepted. For a genuine peace, past reports of several commissions on Niger Delta must be visited,” they said.


General Playboy said: “Our elders and leaders are not helping matters at all. They do not really know the plight of Niger Delta people because they are wealthy, quite rich and do not take issues about the region seriously.


“They do not know the common people in the region because they are not based in Niger Delta and cannot show holistic commitment to our struggle. Our elders represent themselves, and not the people in the rural areas.


“We don’t need people who will play politics with the genuine struggle of Niger Delta people. We don’t want people, who are not agitators. The real agitators are people like Alhaji Asari Dokubo, High Chief Government Tompolo, Egberipapa, General Africa, General Joshua and many others.


“These are the kind of people that can negotiate for our people. They know the plights of the Niger Delta people because they live in the same environment with them. They are not based abroad. They come down to the communities to know the feelings of the people. Such people should represent us.”


General Playboy, however, noted that their position did not mean that they were disrespectful to the elders in the region, insisting that they (elders) were not needed at the meeting with the President.

THE Organizers of Miss Diva Awards have explained why they are honouring embattled ex-beauty queen, Chidinma Okeke, despite her alleged involvement in a series of sex tapes which have been buzzing the internet for weeks now.



“Chidinma didn’t have to meet any criteria to receive this award. It was solely the decision of the brand to honour her,” Chijioke “Mr. Decency” Awugosi, project coordinator of DIVA Queens award, said.

“We are aware of the controversy that will come with it. But we hope that in due time, every well-meaning and reasonable individual will see the reasons behind the award.”

Trouble started for Ms. Okeke, the former Miss Anambra 2015 who hails from Orumba North in Anambra State, when earlier in October, sex videos were leaked on the internet appearing to show her in a racy scene with a fellow model identified as Adaobi Nzekwe who also doubles as her personal assistant.

At first, she vehemently denied being involved in the video, claiming her face was superimposed.

However, she slipped into new depths when a second video was released showing the ex-beauty and her P.A. in a more sordid scene, inserting a full cucumber fruit into their private parts.

Vanguard newspaper reported penultimate weekend that a third one-hour long sex tape featuring the disgraced former beauty queen and that is much more graphic than the first two snippets was about to hit the internet. The report also cited a source who said the tapes had been released in retribution for Ms. Okeke not holding up her end of a deal with an unnamed “chief”.

This person reportedly invested money on the pageant organisers to ensure that Miss. Okeke would win and then also spent money for her makeup and wardrobe. The deal also stipulated that the unnamed donor would receive the proceeds she made from her reign as Miss Anambra, but Ms. Okeke allegedly reneged on the deal.


Mr. Chijioke, also said the award’s organisers were supporting the ex-beauty queen to curb the exploitation of young girls by the “high and mighty” in the modelling industry, who allegedly use blackmail to tarnish the image and dreams of young girls and bring the modelling industry as a whole into disrepute.

“We chose to stand with Chidinma right till the very end. We’ll give her every support we have at our disposal; morally, psychologically, legally. She is an icon and through her we can reach out to thousands of girls who have or are on the verge of being sexually exploited. It is a civilized world, we shouldn’t be so judgmental,” he said.

Meanwhile, the decision to honour Chidinma has drawn both criticism and applause on the social media.

While some found it disgusting to honour her, others were of the view that she should be shown concern whether she committed the act or not so as to avoid a case of her being forced to suicide.

“I never wanted to talk about this issue on my wall but this is getting stupid by the day. How can you give an award to a lesbian instead of following the law which states how many years imprisonment she should face,” Embo Ems, a Facebook user wrote.

Other supporters pledged their support on all social media networks with the hashtag #istandwithChidimma.

However, the implications of this scandal for Chidinma are growing direr. After losing her title, the former Miss Anambra was also condemned by Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), the organizers of the pageant.

In a recent development, The National Coordinator of the Association for Universal Moral Education Nigeria, Therese Nwodo,  blamed failed parenting for the alleged sex scandal.

The Catholic sister called on the Nigerian public not to traumatize the beauty queen the more by dramatizing her situation but to offer her psychological and spiritual succor to overcome the crisis.

“The lesbianism story about the beauty queen is unfortunate; it is symptomatic of what is going on in the society now. Our values have gone down; parents are no longer available to teach their children what is socially acceptable”, she told News Agency of Nigeria.

In a lengthy post on Facebook, the embattled ex-beauty queen said she feared she would be shot at a press conference she scheduled to talk about the scandal.

Nigeria is one of 38 African countries making up about 70 percent of the continent that have passed anti-gay legislation in one form or another.

(NAN)

THE Presidency has said it will not dispute the decision of the Senate to reject the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow $29.9 billion.



The Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Senate on Tuesday rejected the request of Mr. Buhari to borrow $29.9 billion as part of its external borrowing plan for 2016 to 2018.

The leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, told journalists after plenary that the request was rejected due to the absence of certain documents that should have accompanied the letter.

Ita Enang, therefore, said that the Presidency would not be disputing with the senate but would rather engage with them on the issue that had been raised.

“We are not disputing with the distinguished Senate.

“There are certain information and details which will enable them to consider in detail, and appropriately the request of Mr President.

“So we are collating that information. The Budget Office of the Federation, the Debt Management Office, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Minister of Finance and the economic team are collating the information so that it can be submitted to the Senate to enable them take the appropriate decision.

“We would be engaging the Senate. We will not be disputing with them but we will be engaging with them.

“When we present a matter before the legislature it is for them to consider and as they have considered, more information is needed and that information they are entitled to it and we would provide,” he said.

(NAN)

FEW days after getting married to President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Fatima, Malam Gimba Ya’u Kumo is under the spotlight of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).








Kumo who was the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, is being investigated over a N3 billion fraud while he was still in office.


A tweet on Sahara Reporters reports that Malam Kumo had been under intense investigation before his marriage to Fatima, the President’s second daughter on October 28, 2016, and now, even as the Buhari’s son-in-law, the anti-graft agency is making sure he faces the full wrath of the law.


Insiders have also noted that the President has vowed not to wade into the case and has told his in-law to make himself available for investigations and to clear his name without involving the First Family.

THE Director General of the Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, on Tuesday provided clarifications on the proposed $29.9 billion foreign loan request submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.



Nwankwo spoke on a Channels TV live programme, Sunrise Daily.

He explained that the loans, which cover a period of three years, would help in addressing the biting infrastructure deficit in the country.

He stated: “When you are in this kind of economic situation, you have to decide where you want to start addressing the problem.

“You then come to the conclusion that the most critical point to start is to deal with infrastructure problem.

“If you deal with infrastructure problem, the cost of power will be lower, the cost of transportation will be lower and the cost of most other services will be lower.”

According to Nwankwo, one of the features of the proposed loan is the low concessionary nature of the interest rate, which is fixed at 1.5 per cent.

This arrangement differs from previous loan arrangements under previous administrations with the Paris Club of creditors, which came with floating interest rates as high as 18 per cent.

Nwankwo also explained that the facility will help revive infrastructure like railways, which will smoothen movement of heavy goods across the country.

He believes tackling infrastructure deficit would force down costs of goods and services on the long run, explaining that the development will have a significant impact on the price level in the economy.

He said: “That impacts the economy by bringing down the general price level.

“When you do this, the Central Bank of Nigeria will set the monetary policy rate low, because all over the world, the central bank knows it has to put the monetary policy rate high enough to catch up with inflation rate, otherwise we will be talking of negative real rate of interest, which destroys the economy.

“So the way to go about it is that you have adequate infrastructure, power, road, transportation, ICT.

“All these make the cost of production in the economy much lower and when this happens, the cost of goods and services will be lower and then inflation will start coming down.

“And if inflation comes down, the monetary policy rate will be lower and this will translate to a lower lending rate.

“That is the sequence.”

The DG stated the $30 billion is actually for a three year-period and that it will run from 2016 to 2018, to be repaid over 20 years to 30 years.

Nwankwo said with this arrangement, it will not be difficult for the country to repay.

According to him the DMO had advised the Federal Government that Nigeria can as from 2017 acquire loans to the tune of $22 billion and that $30 billion for three years is lower than what it advised the Federal Government to get.

Speaking on how the $30 billion will be spent, Dr. Nwankwo stated that $10 billion will be spent per annum for three years and will be targeted at building infrastructure in all states of the federation.

He said the main focus will be on power generation, rail and road renovation and construction.

Meanwhile, the Senate has rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for authorisation to borrow about $30 billion.

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has said that his administration fought corruption in the country without making noise about it.



Mr. Jonathan said this on Monday while speaking at the Oxford Union of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

The immediate past Nigerian leader spoke on the theme “Promoting Youth Entrepreneurship”.

Responding to inquiries by some of the students regarding his administration’s fight against corruption, Mr. Jonathan said he would not like to “interfere with the legal processes” because “several matters are pending in court”.

Mr. Jonathan however said he did enough to reform anti-corruption agencies to enable them function effectively.

“We reformed the institutions and introduced various mechanisms to stop the corruption problems in our country without publicity,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan lost his bid for a second term in 2015.

Using his Twitter handle, the former president paid glowing tributes to Nigerian youth and said “any Nation that does not spend its wealth and resources to develop the capacity of its youth, will be forced to use them to fight insecurity.


“As a leader, you can decide through your policies to educate the youth, or face the consequences of failing to do so,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan also said his administration put in place some youth related policies, which, he said, helped grow the Nigerian economy.

“Despite incredible challenges, Nigerian youths are achieving great things and placing Nigeria positively in the world map. They inspire us,” he said.

He also said his administration increased the allowances due to Youth Corps members by more than 100% in 2011.

Mr. Jonathan added that the PDP administration that he led “identified Nollywood as a sector that can employ many young people and provided a grant of $200 million to boost the industry”.

“As a result, Nollywood became a major contributor to our GDP and in 2014, the industry contributed 1.4% to our GDP,” he said.

“We may not have been perfect, but we did our best, and our best yielded an era of unprecedented economic growth for Nigeria. A growth that proved the truism that a Nation’s wealth is not underneath the ground but between the ears of her people.

“Under my watch, Nigeria was projected by CNN Money to be the third fastest growing economy in the world for the year 2015.

“While serving as President of Nigeria, I worked for the next generation and not for the next elections. I have no regrets for what I did,”Mr. Jonathan said.

The former president also called on contemporary African leaders to see youth entrepreneurship as a collective project transcending national boundaries.

THE All Progressive Congress after several months of blaming the erstwhile ruling party, PDP, has accepted responsibility for the poor current state of Nigeria’s economy, promising to fix the problems.








The APC’s position was stated by the Chairman of its Governors Forum, Governor Rochas Okorocha who briefed journalists after a meeting between the party’s governors and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress behind closed doors.








The meeting is holding inside the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.


Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is also attending the meeting.


The governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum who is also the governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha.


Some governors at the meeting include those of Ogun, Kogi, Kaduna, Edo, Zamfara, Benue, Sokoto and Kano among others.


Some state governors including Lagos and Nassarawa are being represented by their deputies.


The agenda of the meeting is not made known.

THE Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen in stout defence of the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, dismissing calls for his resignation led by the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following allegations by some recently arrested Judges that he tried to influence their rulings on some election petition cases.






Rivers APC in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt and signed by the State APC Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, insisted that Amaechi is clean and not guilty as charged.


“We are convinced that God, who has always fought for Amaechi, will continue to save and strengthen him and will once again vindicate him,” the party said.


It lambasted both Rivers PDP, the National PDP and others who have joined in calling on Amaechi to resign and for his probe based on the allegations of attempted bribery levelled by some sponsored and drowning judges who were looking for a tool to stay afloat as not only vindictive, shameless, laughable, mischievous but exposure of a clique that is so desperate to expose and express their ignorance and evil plots against a man whom they see as the arrowhead that dislodged them from power at the centre.


“These calls being championed by the PDP are just the latest manifestation of the party’s frustration and fight against Amaechi in retaliation for his role in dislodging the PDP Government at the centre during the 2015 presidential elections. These useless calls based on the unfounded and baseless attempted bribery allegations against the former Rivers State Governor and Minister of Transportation confirms our fears and stand that the two discredited Justices made these allegations as part of a political strategy to destroy APC and run down the political fortunes of this rising star. PDP is only acting out its frustration over the key role that Amaechi played to end the corruption system engineered by the past PDP administration at the centre but let us assure the public that this plot has already failed before it was hatched because no sound Nigerian will buy this lame allegation that have no logical stand,” Rivers APC said.


The party recalled the failed plots by PDP to deny Amaechi the party's gubernatorial ticket he won convincingly in 2007 and the efforts PDP also made to ensure that Amaechi was neither screened nor appointed as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


“Having failed to deny him the 2007 PDP gubernatorial ticket and to stop his appointment as a Minister, PDP is now sponsoring some unpatriotic, chronic corrupt and confused Judges to start mentioning Amaechi’s name in the hope that doing so will save them from paying for their heinous crime against the people of Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole,” the statement said.


Continuing, Rivers APC said: “We wish to counsel the Justices already arrested for corruption to be men enough and face their trial accordingly and leave Amaechi alone. Amaechi’s only crime was that he played a yeoman’s role in the efforts to see to the emergence of the revered Muhammadu Buhari as the President of Nigeria who, imbued with God’s wisdom and strength, has launched an uncompromising war against those who looted our common patrimony who in retaliation are frustrating the economic recovery of our dear country by promoting insecurity in our country.


“We will like to reiterate unequivocally that Amaechi is not only clean but a tool to free Nigeria from the corruption imposed on us by those who hate our nation. He demonstrated his sagacity and prudence by saving a whopping sum of N134.4 billion (Using N168 to $1 as it was in 2014 when the contract was first signed under Jonathan's Administration) for the nation by negotiating downwards the planned 1,402km Calabar-Lagos Coastal Rail Project. “Rt. Hon. Amaechi has by this singular act demonstrated to the entire world that he is one of the Saints in the public service of our great nation.”


As much as we sympathise with PDP in its failed plot and wild chase to silence and intimidate Amaechi, let us remind them that Amaechi will never be cowed as fighting against him means fighting against God and failure will always be their portion but incase they have forgotten so soon, Chibuike means “God is all Powerful” and “Rotimi” an abridged version of “Oluwadurotimi” meaning “the Lord stands by me”, while Amaechi means “who knows tomorrow?” It is, however, in vain that these chronic looters and enemies of Nigeria are fighting against Amaechi as he is innocent of the charges against him and bound to triumph at the end of the day.

THE re-arrested former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has collapsed in the custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).








He has been revived by his family doctor who was hurriedly called to attend to him, Social Times learnt.


Fani-Kayode media aide Jude Ndukwe who was contacted for confirmation said “I will get back to you on this”.


Fani-Kayode was re-arrested in Lagos after showing up for his N4.6bn alleged fraud trial


The former Minister was re-arrested after he raised an alarm that the Commission has finalized plans to arrest and detain him the second time and longer than he was detained before.


His media aide,  Ndukwe also alleged that his boss’ life was in danger as plans to murder him in detention has been hashed by the government that believed that Fani-Kayode has been a pain through his regular criticism.

WHY the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-arrested former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-kayode after he stepped out of a court room at  Federal High Court Lagos, has emerged.



According to the EFCC, he would face fresh charges over new evidence that he collected huge cash directly from the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election and would be flown to Abuja for fresh interrogation

Saturday Vanguard quoting a top EFCC source, “we are going to move him to Abuja to answer fresh questions arising from the new evidence that he personally collected various sums of money from the ONSA”.

The amount allegedly collected by Fani-Kayode, according to the source is different from the N4.9 billion, which he and the former Finance Minister, Esther Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimension Nig. Ltd., reportedly collected from the ONSA ahead of the presidential election.

The EFCC has already slammed a 17-count charge against them for taking the money from the public treasury and retaining same without rendering any verifiable service to the nation.

“There is a fresh case of various sums of money traced to the suspect, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the N4.9 billion case we instituted against him and others in Lagos.

“We arrested Fani-Kayode because we need him to explain to our operatives why he took the money and what he used it for. It is clear from the records before us that he received the money directly from the NSA.

“From the record before us, the suspect signed and collected the sum of N26 million for undisclosed purpose and we want him to explain to us why he took the cash in the first place,” the source said

At the resumed hearing of the charge against him in Lagos yesterday, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, opened his case and concluded the witness’ evidence for the day, while the court adjourned the case to November 14 and 15, 2016, for continuation of trial and rose.

Shortly after Fani-Kayode had walked out of court, two officers of the EFCC dressed in white kaftan, requested that he followed them to the commission’s office.

Immediately, the court’s gate was barricaded by a Toyota Hiace bus and Fani-Kayode was taken to the EFCC.

The Commission yesterday opened its case and called its first witness, Mr Idowu Olusegun.

Led him in evidence, the witness, who is media consultant with Paste Posters Company Ltd, told the court that N30 million was paid in cash to him, by the office of the Director of media and publicity, PDP campaign Organisation.

According to Olusegun, he had reached an agreement with the organisation whose office is situated at 14B, Samora Machel Avenue, Asokoro, Abuja, for the sum of N24m for media consultancy services. He said that a further negotiation was reached in which N50 would be paid for each size of A2 posters, while N20 would be paid for each size of A4 flyers.

The witness told the court that after the printing job for the posters and flyers was done, he was invited to the office of the organisation and given N30 million in cash.

He further told the court that he had demanded to know why payment was made in cash and was informed by one Mr Oke, that cash was the approved means of payment.

He said that Mr Oke had been the person communicating with him throughout the pendency of his engagement to do the media jobs.

The witness added that apart from the N30 million paid to him, there was also an outstanding payment of N24m which was not paid to his company.

After his testimony and based on agreements of counsel, the court fixed November 14 and 15 for continuation of trial.

Meanwhile, a mild drama played out in court during his trial yesterday when the trial judge, Justice Sule Hassan, ordered the seizure of the mobile phone of Fani-kayode.

According to Premium Times, the accused had held his phones and suddenly, the phone rang out loud and the judge asked: “Who is doing that?”  He ordered the court’s registrar to seize the phones.

Similarly, the trial judge also issued a warning to counsel representing the accused, when he sighted him sipping from a bottled water during proceedings.

The judge had warned counsel to seek the permission of the court, whenever, his client was pressed for water.

According to Hassan “The court is not a market place, there must be order and sanity.”

HOURS after reports emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari had   forwarded names of  46 non career ambassadors to the Senate for confirmation, the presidency has  released the full list of ambassadors-designate including the names of career ambassors –designate earlier forwarded for  confirmation








A statement by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina said in a statement Thursday evening  that “ President Muhammadu Buhari has today approved the nomination of 46 non-career Ambassadors-Designate.  It will be recalled that the President had earlier approved the nomination of 47 Career Ambassadors-Designate.


“This second batch completes the list of the President’s nominees, reflecting character and gender consideration. The full list of all appointees and states which make a total of 93 is as follows:

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Lalasticlala, mynd44

THE Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has said that fifty-five (55) people stole N1.3trillion from the national treasury in seven years under President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch.








The committee said Jonathan tolerated corruption, closed his eyes to graft while his administration fared worse than his predecessors in tackling official sleaze.


In its report of activities from August 2015 to July 2016 presented to civil society organisations (CSOs) by its Executive Secretary Prof Bolaji Owasanoye during an interactive session in Abuja Thursday, PACAC said corruption brought Nigeria under to its knees under Jonathan.


The report says: “His (Jonathan’s) tolerance of corruption was reflected in the sunset of activities of anti-corruption agencies under his watch and exponential increase of other vices no doubt fuel by corruption.


“For example, it is widely believed that insecurity escalated because of the massive embezzlement of $2billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki, who allegedly diverted the money appropriated to fight insurgency.


“The problems in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry reached zenith with multi-billion dollars subsidy scams while President Jonathan looked the other way.


“At the same time, other vices spread like cancer – kidnapping, import duty waivers, financial recklessness, a profligate legislature, corrupt judiciary, etc. There was no single high profile conviction under his watch yet there were allegations of high profile corruption within his cabinet.


“Jonathan’s legendary comment that stealing is not corruption underscored his perspective on corruption and remains a watershed in the history of anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.


“Under his watch, corruption brought Nigeria to its knees.”


PACAC said using World Bank rates, one-third of the N1.3trillion allegedly stolen by only 55 people in seven years could have provided 635.18 kilometers of roads, built 36 ultra-modern hospitals in each state, built and furnished 183 schools, educated 3,974 people from primary to tertiary level (at N25.2million per child) and built 20,062 units of two-bedroom houses.


The committee noted that while former President Olusegun Obasanjo established key anti-corruption agencies which led to high-profile convictions even though “his actions were not above board”, the crusade against corruption went comatose from 2007 “largely due to leadership deficit”.


PACAC said corruption is Nigeria’s greatest challenge and is directly associated with the current economic decline, poverty rates, reduced life expectancy, mortality and deteriorated living standards.


Owasanoye said due to corruption, a few Nigerians were richer than their states, while plea bargaining was abused as people who stole the country dry were given slaps on the wrist and asked to go home.


He said PACAC has designed a Plea Bargain Manual which mandates custodial sentence for all those who plead guilty of looting after returning all they stole.


Other strategy documents developed by PACAC and adopted by the government, he said, are a draft National Anti-Corruption Action Plan and Strategy Document, Corruption Case Management Manual (full and abridged versions), Corruption Information/Intelligence Sharing Protocol, and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Corruption and other Related Economic Offences.


Others are the Strategic Communication Blueprint for FGN in the Fight Against Corruption, Assets Recovery Strategy Document, Framework for Management and Administration of Recovered Stolen Assets, Draft Bill and Explanatory Memorandum for the Establishment of Special Crimes Court, amongst others.

THE letter written by Justice Inyang Okoro is still causing more confusion as individuals he named in the letter as trying to induce him are all denying and requesting for prove or evidence.








The most recent is the Pastor Ebebe Ukpong who Justice Okoro alleged  to have brought Dr. Umana Okon Umana to his house. In Justice Okoro's letter, he alleged that when Umana raised the topic of inducing him so that the Supreme Court verdict will favour him, Pastor Ebebe shouted and asked not to be involved in that.


But in Pastor Ebebe Ukpong's press release, he totally denied the existence of such meeting.


PRESS STATEMENT BY PASTOR EBEBE UKPONG ON THE LETTER BY HON. JUSTICE INYANG OKORO TO THE  HON. CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA.


I have read in the social media and several newspapers  since the night of Tuesday, October 18, 2016, a letter purportedly written by Honourable Justice John I Okoro, JSC, and addressed  to the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council.


 


In the said letter, Justice Okoro alleged that I led Mr Umana O. Umana to visit with him in his residence without giving any details of such visit. Many reactions have followed. I’m constrained to make this statement for record purposes.


1. I have known, in adult context, Hon Justice  Okoro for more than three decades now. He is my brother;


2. We mutually visit each other in our homes, sometimes physically walking across in there. We also  attend each other’s functions;


3. For example, in November 2014 when my son married in Lagos, my brother, Justice Okoro, spent three days with us for the event in Lagos despite his crowded schedule as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. I remember very well that ‘politicians ‘ from Akwa Ibom State did not find it fit to  attend the landmark event;


4. I have never led anyone to Justice Okoro nor attended any meeting in his house where the issue of bribery, corruption of any kind or perversion of justice was discussed. Of course, I could never have and will never contemplate such as it is against my personal principles informed by my relationship with the Almighty God. I stand always for the truth, integrity and fairness;


5. I live and work above politics and partisanship. I strive for a greater Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State and not the destruction of anyone or institution;


6. It is so sad for me watching strong ties of relationships and blossoming careers built on handwork being eroded by ‘politics’; and


7. Let me repeat the prayer I shared with Justice Okoro’s family the moment I heard about the sad event, based on 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – ‘since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you’.


Ebebe A Ukpong
October 20, 2016.

THE Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa has been crowned the 39th Oba of Benin Kingdom.


Prince Erediauwa was crowned at about 2am on Thursday by the Usama N’ Ihiron also known as the Edion led by Chief Oliha.


Other members of the Edion are Edohen, Ezomo, Ero, Eholo N’ Ire, Oloton and Edaiken.


The crowning was done at a private ceremony inside the Usama Palace, a temporary building erected for the coronation ceremony.


However, the name of the new Oba is still being kept from the public until the Oba is presented to the public at Urhokpota hall.


Sources said that after the coronation ceremony was performed in the inner chambers, the new Oba was presented to the people outside.


Unlike before when the Crown Prince move about without covering his mouth, the source said he wore the crown and used a white handkerchief to cover his mouth.


It was gathered that there was huge jubilation around the Usama palace and great fireworks.


Meanwhile, a large crowd has gathered at the Usama Palace to accompany the new Oba to Urhokpota.


Among those present is Chief Omohor of Benin Kingdom, bearer of the ancient sword carried by the Oba, the Ikpakohen group ( royal drummers) from Ikpema responsible for beating the royal drum, Ekassa dance group, Isienmwenro guild amongst others.


A bridge has been constructed at the now dried up Omi River and Chief Omoruyi Isekhere is waiting to take the Oba across the bridge.


On his way to Urhokpota, the Oba will pass through Isekhere, performed some ceremony at Iwehen street under the watch of Ewaise N’ Iwehen and proceeded to cross the bridge.