₦airaland Forum

lovejo:
OP.
I had similar issue with GTB in July and I filled necessary form and GTB contacted I was also charge by same merchant on June and ask if I need refund for both, so I filled new form for both an GTB told me to wait for 45 days.
I was debited from Poland and lo and behold when it is 48 days i got all my refund in full.

Initially I wanted to post my issues on nairalad, but I gave them benefits of doubt.
Just do what it is necessary to be done and limit your card transactions to like $50 per transaction and anytime u want to use it for high volume u need to login to your online account, this method works for GTB customers.

Thanks for sharing. Can you kindly explain more? Would the seller provide their account details wherein you can transfer the funds to?

Atmmachine:
When i hear people say that Nigeria is the most corrupt country on earth, I just laugh at them.

USA is the home of theives and scammers.
They don't need to see your debit card or credit card to hack them.
If you make a purchase in any mall or shop and use your debit card to pay, there's what is called a skimmer that records every information on your card.
The hacker will use it on Best buy or Walmart (The easiest shop to scam). They will make a purchase online, they will immediately change the home delivery option to pick up because if the address on the card don't match the shipping address they will not send your item. They will go to Best buy or Walmart and pick up the item they purchased online.
There's a chip in every card that every phone detects automatically that's what apple wallet is, you just show your iPhone to the POS machine and it will detect your card.

I have seen professional scammers here in the USA.
From Tax refund scam to using someone social security card.
Once a person dies, the hackers will hack into the system, collect his/her social security number and sell it to illegal immigrants.

If your card was issued by any USA bank, they will give you back your money even if it is $60, 000

This is terrible! What do we do about this?

KA24DETT:
Innovate or die. I pity the traders at computer village. Very soon no one will be coming there to shop. Wait till Walmart and target hit Nigeria. With their warranty and money back.

You are quite right. Most of our shop owners don't know that they are doing themselves a disservice by not protecting their customers. Traders in most towns that malls like Shoprite have appeared know what has befallen them.

Political moves to save Saraki’s job crumble


THESE may not be good times for the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, as a complex negotiation to save his job through a political solution to his false asset declaration trial appeared to have failed.

The last-minute attempt to save Saraki was said to have been spearheaded by some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress but the efforts crumbled because of the conditions which Saraki had found impossible to satisfy.

If the efforts had not failed, a source said Saraki would not have appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday and be in the dock for the second time within one month.

The APC face-savers were said to have prevailed on the Senate president to respect the party’s position on the appointment of the Senate leadership, a position Saraki had breached when he chose Senators Ali Ndume, Bala Na’allah and Francis Alimikhena, as Senate Leader, Deputy Leader and Deputy Majority Whip, respectively.

The APC choices for the positions had been Senator Ahmed Lawan (North-East) as Majority Leader; George Akume (North-Central) as deputy Majority Leader, and Abu Ibrahim (North-West) as Deputy Chief Whip.

Reversing the positions was said to have been the minimum condition for Saraki to retain his position as the Number Three man.

Sources, who asked not to be identified, said Saraki had indeed tried to reverse the appointments of the Senate principal officers but that he met resistance from them, especially Ndume, who was said to have told the Senate president to his face that he could not surrender the mandate given to him by other senators from his zone.

Ndume asked Saraki to forget the vacating of office for Lawan. Bala Na’allah and Francis Alimikhena were also said to have refused to abandon their mandate for Akume and Ibrahim respectively.

It was the search for the solution to the imbroglio that reportedly informed a meeting between the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, Ndume and three other ranking senators, including Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East) and Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), on Monday night.

Osinbajo was said to have told the APC senators that the position of the Presidency remained that Saraki must toe the party’s line on the appointment of principal officers.

But Ndume, according to a source very close to the senate leadership, allegedly told Osinbajo point blank that the decision to quit office as senate leader was beyond him because he was being threatened by his colleagues against succumbing to any pressure to do so.

The source added that the meeting, which also had in attendance the APC chairman, Chief John Odigie – Oyegun, said the Borno senator insisted that having been elected by his colleagues from the North-East, he could only quit the position at their instance.

Ndume was said to have told Osinbajo that the Presidency should not blame his emergence on Saraki because he was voted for as Senate Leader, having lost the contest for the Deputy President of the Senate position to Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

He was also said to have also told Osinbajo that the APC could not sanction him because he was a popular politician who had been winning elections in his area even when he was not in the party.

“With due respect, Mr. Vice-President, I cannot give you what I don’t have. It is the North-East caucus in the Senate that gave me their mandate; they are the only one that can withdraw it.

“Apart from this, asking me to relinquish my position will likely create enmity between Borno and Yobe states because the Borno South would see it as a case of deliberate persecution of their representative in the APC government,” the senator reportedly told Osinbajo.

Ndume was also said to have argued that his constituents would not take it lightly with him because they saw him as holding the position in trust for them. He said he had been been warned before attending the meeting against trading off his mandate.

The Senate Leader was said to have added that having emerged the Senate Leader by the votes of a majority of the senators from the North-East, Saraki could not unilaterally remove him.

A three member committee headed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, was said to have been working on the planned political solution aimed at resolving the impasse.

It was learnt that while the Dogara committee had convinced Na’Allah and Alimikhena to accept resignation as principal officers and accept chairmanship of juicy committees, Ndume had consistently been rejecting the offer.

Another senator from the North-West geopolitical zone also hinted our correspondent that Saraki had actually informed Lawan to be prepared to take office as the senate leader.

“The issue would have been resolved long time ago if Ndume had agreed to be the chairman of a juicy committee since his deputy, Na’Allah, had agreed to resign and accept chairmanship of a juicy committee,” the senator said.

Odigie-Oyegun had on June 24 written to Saraki and Dogara, listing the names of proposed occupants of the leadership positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

While Dogara accepted the party’s decision, Saraki had named different people on the floor of the Senate in July

Odigie-Oyegun had, in the letter to Saraki, named Lawan (North-East) as Majority Leader; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (South-West) as Chief Whip; George Akume (North-Central) as Deputy Majority Leader and Abu Ibrahim (North-West) as Deputy Chief Whip.

Attempts to speak with the spokesperson for the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, on the issue were unsuccessful as calls put across to his mobile were not answered while a text message sent to him on the matter had yet to be acknowledged as of the time of filing this report.

Ndume declined comments when contacted on the phone, saying that he could only speak to our correspondent on issues before the Senate as the leader.

“I am the leader of the Senate and not that of APC senators. I can only speak on issues that concern the entire Senate, which had been tabled for deliberation.”



http://www.punchng.com/news/political-moves-to-save-sarakis-job-crumble/

Ministerial Screening of Amaechi: The moral burden



The fate of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, arguably, one of the best performing governors in the last dispensation hangs as a moral burden on the All Progressives Congress, APC Senate caucus. After deferring the screening on two occasions, the Senate would be hard put to justify another deferment today.

IT is not surprising that Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi’s ministerial confirmation hearing has generated the most contentious debate among stakeholders. Controversy was imprinted at his naming ceremony even as an infant. Though he is neither Yoruba nor Igbo, Amaechi bears two of the most popular names among the mutually suspicious Yoruba and Igbo.

His schooling was also not without controversy peaking with his activism on the platform of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS in the mid-80s.
Politically, Amaechi’s footprints are also laced with much controversy underpinned by his revolutionary emergence as governor in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, despite having a ‘K-leg’ problem as perceived by the former leader of the party and then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

However, his most controversial political landmark was his role in marshalling the successful campaign of the APC in the 2015 presidential election. That was despite the fact that just four years before, Amaechi, was perhaps the closest confidant of President Goodluck Jonathan among the five governors of the PDP in the South-South.

Buffeted and browbeaten by the political intrigues of Governor Timipire Sylva in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State, Jonathan as vice-president, reportedly found comfort and companionship in Port-Harcourt where he mostly resorted to in the desert years under the late President Umaru Musa Yar‘Adua regime.

It was perhaps that companionship that gave Amaechi the opportunity to understand the future foibles and failures inherent in a second term for Jonathan, leading to his violent disagreement that made him the number one enemy of the Jonathan family.

Indeed, against the odds and inclination of the political leaders of his South-South region, Amaechi took the uncommon step of leading the push against his “brother” Jonathan, and in the process, facilitated the first election defeat for a president in Nigeria.
His efforts should ordinarily have been rewarded with a high-level position in the new government, and it was no surprise that he was easily pointed out for high office in the new administration.

The realisation of his possible emergence as an official power broker in the new regime was enough to stir what his associates have described as a campaign of calumny against him.

On the Senate floor, the antagonism is led by Senator Thompson Sekibo, a third-term senator who returned to the Senate in 2011 under Amaechi’s political shadow.
Outside the Senate, the campaign against Amaechi is reportedly fuelled by his successor as governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, his one-time chief of staff who was promoted minister under Amaechi’s gaze. Even before Amaechi was formally nominated, Wike’s apprehension was buttressed in a statement he issued last July.
In the statement issued on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, the governor, pre-empted a panel he charged to investigate Amaechi by describing his predecessor as corrupt and who, according to him, would stain Buhari’s vaunted anti-corruption stance.

“If Buhari is sincere in his fight against corruption, let him probe Amaechi’s government, and he will discover that there cannot be a government official that is more corrupt than Amaechi,” he said.

Associates of Wike in the Rivers State chapter of the PDP have seized upon the White Paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to launch a public campaign against Amaechi’s confirmation.
Remarkably, the White Paper on the report quickly came out once it emerged that Amaechi had been named as a ministerial nominee.

Even thought the issues raised in the panel report are presently the subject of court processes, they are, under the correct atmosphere, sufficient to stop anyone from holding the high office of Minister of the Federal Republic.

Commission of inquiry
Associates of the former governor and lately, Amaechi himself, have pooh-poohed the assertions against him, notably alleging that the Commission of Inquiry was instigated against him. It was further claimed that the report and white paper were timed to cause maximum damage to derail Amaechi’s nomination.
The frenzy against his screening by the PDP in Rivers State, it is feared in some quarters, may be because of speculations that Amaechi may be given the Police Affairs Ministry on account of his successes in arranging the security infrastructure that at one time kept robbers and kidnappers at bay in Rivers State.
Whatever it is, Amaechi has turned into a bone in the throat of the Senate and especially the APC caucus. Many APC senators rode on the coattails of President Muhammadu Buhari to win election which was held on the same day as the presidential election.
Amaechi’s associates have also come out to defend their man citing the world class primary and secondary institutions that became a model for other governors, the healthcare infrastructure established by the preceding regime and the once impregnable security infrastructure put up by Amaechi as legacies that cannot be rewritten. But in the game of politics facts quickly fade out as political interests becloud political players.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/ministerial-screening-of-amaechi-the-moral-burden/

Sahara Reporters Exposé Forces Court Of Appeal To Adjourn Saraki’s Ruling Indefinitely


The Court of Appeal in Abuja did not sit today, as was expected, to deliver a ruling that would have freed Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, from the corruption charges he is facing before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Last night, SaharaReporters exposed a deal which had been brokered by Alfa Belgore, a former judge of the Supreme Court, in which a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal would have thrown a spanner in the legal works by ruling that the Code of Conduct Tribunal lacks jurisdiction to try the Senate President.

However, at 2p.m. today, Nigerian time, the judges of the Court of Appeal failed to show up to give the ruling they had promised last Friday. The court registrar told lawyers and members of the press in court only that the case had been adjourned. No date was provided to the lawyers in court.

Mr. Saraki had hoped the Court of Appeal would today end his ordeal at the CCT today, where his trial resumes on Wednesday. It is not clear if the Court of Appeal judges have any surprises up their sleeves before that important date on the nation’s political and legal calendar.


http://saharareporters.com/2015/10/19/sahara-reporters-expos%C3%A9-forces-court-appeal-adjourn-saraki%E2%80%99s-ruling-indefinitely

Ministerial screening: Trouble not over for Amaechi

Senate committee seeks stay of action
By Iheanacho Nwosu and Fred Itua, Abuja

HOPE of the embattled for­mer Governor of Rivers, Chi­buike Amaechi, appearing before the Senate, as other ministerial nominees, has fur­ther dimmed, as the Commit­tee on Ethics and Public Peti­tion may have recommended a stay of action on his screening. This has, however, split the Senate.

Daily Sun gathered that the committee, which will for­mally submit its report to the Senate tomorrow, made the recommendation based on the complexity of Amaechi’s case.

A member of the commit­tee headed by Senator Sam­uel Anyanwu, revealed that members took cognizance of the white paper submitted to it by the current Rivers State government, which indicted Amaechi. In addition to that, he said the committee looked into the merits and demerits of other petitions against the for­mer Rivers governor.

“We made some recommen­dations on the case and that of other nominees. We felt that there should be a stay of action on the screening until some is­sues are addressed,” the source said.

Apparently sensing the outcome of the committee’s investigation, Amaechi, last week, wrote the leadership of the Senate advising it to dis­countenance the White Paper indicting him, arguing that it lacked the force of law.

Amaechi claimed that he was innocent of the allegations of corruption for which he had been indicted by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry chaired by Justice G.O. Omereji.

The letter, signed by his counsel, Edward Pepple and dated October 12, 2015, fur­ther stated that the Supreme Court had emphasised in a case involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar “that an indictment by judi­cial commission of inquiry or administrative panel is not an ‘indictment’ was not sufficient for the purpose of preventing a person from holding a public office.”

The letter added: “Section 182(1)(i) only enables a ju­dicial commission of inquiry or administrative tribunal to determine the culpability of a citizen, where it is alleged that such citizen has been in breach of standards of behaviour ex­pected in public life.

“Where such inquiry finds a citizen liable or culpable of a conduct bordering on crimi­nality and the federal or state government accepts such a re­port through a published white paper, it is still not enough to deny a citizen eligibility to the office of governor unless and until he is afterwards prosecut­ed in a court of law and found guilty.

“Mr. President, we have no doubt that the Senate being an arm of government established under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria verily appreciates the general principle of the rule of law, hence the invitation extended to our client to respond to the petition.”

However, the chairman of Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petition, Senator Anyanwu, refused to confirm or dismiss claims that his com­mittee has recommended a stay of action on the screening of Amaechi.

Speaking with Daily Sun, he insisted that the public would know his committee’s deci­sion on the matter and other petitions tomorrow when the plenary resumes.

He also spoke on the peti­tion against the nominee from Sokoto State, Aisha Abubakar. He said the nominee has been invited and would face the committee today to respond to the allegations levied against her nomination.

“Why are you people al­ways interested in Amaechi’s case? There are other petitions before the committee. We have other ministerial nominees that have been written peti­tions against. All the petitions will be submitted on Tuesday. That is all I can tell you. We are meeting tomorrow (today) to conclude on the final report.

“I am sure that by Tues­day, it will be ready. I cannot tell you what we are going to submit to the Senate. There is nothing I can tell you. By Tuesday, you will hear about the report when it will be pre­sented to the Senate. We ought to have finalised the issue by the weekend. But I travelled to my state. I just came back today (yesterday). Everything will be handled all together. We have invited the nominee from Sokoto state. She will appear before the committee tomorrow (today). Her own report will be ready too by Tuesday,” Anyanwu said.

Meanwhile, lobby for the screening of Amaechi was stepped up at the weekend with one of the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) gover­nors from the North leading the campaign. The lobbyists, who are close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, are said to have impressed it on the senators that refusal to screen and confirm Amaechi by lead­ership of the Senate will be viewed as sabotage.

Sources revealed that the group has been lobbying sena­tors to support the screening of Amaechi, leading to senators being divided.

The Senate will tomor­row begin the screening of the remaining 18 ministe­rial nominees, the majority of which were in the second list President Buhari sent. Those to be screened are: Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Claudius Omoleye Daramola, Anthony Anwuka, Geoffrey Onyeama, Brig-Gen MM Dan-Ali, James Ocholi and Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Okechukwu Enela­mah, Muhammadu Bello, Mu­stapha Baba Shehuri, Aisha Abubakar, Heineken Lokpo­biri, Adamau Adamu, Isaac Adewole, Usani Usani Uguru and Abubakar Bwari Bawa.

Meanwhile, the nomination of Professor Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, the outgoing Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, and an indigene of Ilesa in Osun State has been described as a right step in the right direction.

A socio-cultural Ijesa group, Ijesa Unity Group in a statement by Messrs Akin Oluwakuyide and Agboola Sanni described the appoint­ment not only as an honour to Ijesa land but to Osun State as a whole.

The group specifically not­ed that in spite of his academic excellence and intellectual ascendancy, the Professor has never distanced himself from the development of Ijesaland, stressing that even from his Ivory Tower of the University of Ibadan as Vice-Chancellor, the Professor has always shown himself as a model of inspiration to the Ijesa com­munity in the university.

According to Oluwakuyide and Sanni, in spite of the vari­ous academic communities he had passed through both lo­cally and internationally in the pursuit of his academic career, he has always identified Ilesa Grammar School as his prima­ry academic and intellectual constituency.

Also, the Buhari Solidar­ity Organisation has urged President Buhari not to be dis­tracted by the rantings of some misguided elements over the nomination of Bayo Shittu.

Acting chairman of the or­ganisation, Akinrogun Segun Taiwo said the choice of Shittu was not only a blessing to the state in particular, but a great asset to the nation as a whole.

Also, a petition written by some stakeholders from So­koto State against the nomi­nation of Aisha Abubakar has triggered protest in Abuja. The petition has been described as unfortunate and an affront on womenfolk.

Senator Ibrahim Gobir had submitted the petition last Thursday during plenary. He had revealed that it came from stakeholders from So­koto state to the effect that the nominee should be dropped from the list and replaced with a ‘more competent person.’

However, in a protest, a group, Concerned Stakehold­ers for Good Governance (CSGG) contended that there was no basis for the petition, especially as the nominee is qualified for a ministerial ap­pointment.



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/ministerial-screening-trouble-not-over-for-amaechi/

I will not resign if we fail to defeat Boko Haram – Buhari


In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with Al Jazeera English’s flagship current affairs show, ‘UpFront’, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari pledged to defeat Boko Haram by December but also acknowledged he would be willing to negotiate with the group to secure the release of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls.

“They have to prove to us that they are alive, they are well, and then we can…negotiate with them,” President Buhari told ‘UpFront’ host Mehdi Hasan. “We said it and we meant it. If we are satisfied that the girls are alive.”
When asked whether he would offer financial payments, or a prisoner release, to Boko Haram in return for the girls, Buhari did not rule out either option. “Well it depends on the negotiations with the leadership of Boko Haram.”

The president has pledged to defeat Boko Haram by the end of 2015 and told Hasan: “As soon as the rainy season comes, which is by the end of the year […] Boko Haram will virtually be out of their main stronghold and that will be the end of it [….] Attacks by Boko Haram on townships, on military installations, will certainly stop.”
If Boko Haram isn’t defeated by December, however, Buhari said he “will not resign”.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/i-will-not-resign-if-we-fail-to-defeat-boko-haram-buhari/

How I lobbied HID to make Awo work for me — Gowon

By Daud Olatunji
ABEOKUTA—Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), yesterday, disclosed how he lobbied the matriarch of Awolowo family, late Mrs. HID Awolowo to convince her husband to serve as federal commissioner for finance and vice president of the Federal Executive Council under his administration during the civil war.
Gowon, who ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1975 ,however, urged Nigerians to be patient with their leaders, describing the country ”as most difficult to govern.”

The former Head of State, who is the Chairman of Obafemi Awolowo foundation led his team which comprises former World Court Judge, Bola Ajibola, Professor Emeritus, Oladipo Akinkugbe and Afenifere chieftains Ayo Adebanjo’and Sir Olanihun Ajayi, among others to Awolowo family’s house in Ikenne, Ogun State over the death of HID Awolowo.

Gowon, who spoke on behalf of other members eulogised the late Mama HID Awolowo for her role in his government, saying, he had to lobby her to convince her husband to serve under him.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/how-i-lobbied-hid-to-make-awo-work-for-me-gowon/

Amaechi’s Screening Postponement Linked To Opposition In APC Ranks

SaharaReporters further learned from sources within the APC that Governor Wike has been bribing members of the National Assembly to protest Mr. Amaechi’s nomination as minister. Our source claims that, as a result of Governor Wike’s efforts, Mr. Amaechi’s screening continues to be postponed from fear that his attempt at getting screened successfully might be thwarted.

SaharaReporters has learned that the inability of the Senate to undertake the screening process of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi for the federal cabinet is due to growing opposition against him within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr. Amaechi’s screening has been postponed twice, the second time because the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions was unable to submit a completed report on the outstanding petitions against the nominee. There are also additional allegations that there is a court order against Mr. Amaechi from Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, from current Governor Nyesome Wike.

When contacted, an aide to Mr. Amaechi dismissed the existence of such an order, telling a SaharaReporters correspondent: “Nobody has seen any court order. It is rumored but no one has seen it.”

The same aide admitted that however that “the matter [allegations of corruption by Governor Wike] is in court,” and “preventing the Senate from entertaining petitions” against him.

SaharaReporters further learned from sources within the APC that Governor Wike has been bribing members of the National Assembly to protest Mr. Amaechi’s nomination as minister. Our source claims that, as a result of Governor Wike’s efforts, Mr. Amaechi’s screening continues to be postponed from fear that his attempt at getting screened successfully might be thwarted.

The APC opposition against Mr. Amaechi, together with disgruntled members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could prevent his appointment to President Buhari’s government, this source told SaharaReporters.


http://saharareporters.com/2015/10/15/amaechi%E2%80%99s-screening-postponement-linked-opposition-apc-ranks

Oliseh –Enyeama saga: When the art of diplomacy fails


BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Last week, things began to fall apart (apologies to late Chinua Achebe) in the camp of the Super Eagles. Before the 2-0 crumbling to Congo on Thursday, there had been an anti climax when Vincent Enyeama had a row with the coach leading to the announcement of his retirement from the national team. There have been different versions of what led to the crisis.

But one thing has surfaced from the versions from the two men at the centre of the show: attitude problems. Incidentally, both were at one point or the other, the captains of the Super Eagles. Like most current and the immediate past players of the Super Eagles, Vincent Enyeama and Sunday Oliseh have attitude problem.

Perhaps, a brief background will help the reading public understand the issue which may resurface in future. It is almost a common knowledge that a typical Super Eagles’ player is arrogant. Even, the then Governor Rotimi Amaechi remarked as such while addressing the audience at the 2011 AIT Football Awards in Port Harcourt. His statement came from his interaction with the players when he was the chairman of the Presidential Task Force in 2010.

Others have made similar remarks. Kunle Salami, a respected colleague once told me of how it was difficult to interview Mikel Obi in London after Chelsea’s FA Cup win in 2009. It took the intervention of a higher calibre player, Didier Drogba, for Mikel to grant the interview.

There have been many of such instances. Colin Udoh, though very close to the players as a former media officer of the team has had similar experience when he was challenged by Mikel Obi in the aircraft that brought the team back from Sudan after the unexpected 1-0 loss. His offence: Twitting that the team did not deserve to qualify for the last AFCON having gotten a mere one point from the obtainable nine at the time.

In my 30 years as a sports journalist, I have found it easier to interact with higher profiled footballers abroad than with a Nigerian player who ordinarily should be my focus and perhaps, the main reason for my attending most of the international competitions. It was easier to approach a Pele, Maradona, David Beckham, Ronaldo and Messi for a chat or even photography and autograph than to do the same with the least profiled Super Eagles’ player.

Therefore, if tomorrow, Vincent Enyeama becomes the Super Eagles’ coach, the same attitude complaint we all possibly have about Sunday Oliseh, will be replicated. It is a case of what goes round comes round.

The Oliseh-Enyeama tango is not entirely a strange incident. We had it in a lower proportion between Stephen Keshi and Joseph Yobo – another tango of former skipper cum coach (Keshi) and an out of favour captain (Yobo).

Like I remarked two years ago in similar case of Keshi and Yobo, both Oliseh and Enyeama also have their share of the blame. The NFF also have a role to play before the hitherto innocuous actions will snowball into team disintegration and we all begin to analyze the causes of our failure to get to the next AFCON and or qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

I have chosen to take on the coach first. I concede to him the right to choose the players he requires for any assignment. He also has the right to choose who should captain his team. We have seen instances, even abroad, when team handlers hand the captain’s armband to any player of their choice.

But while conceding to him the right to choose materials necessary for any assignment at hand, he must also note the importance of communication and management. Oliseh should not just be a coach; he must also be a manager, even if the NFF, his employers, did not so designate him.

Experienced coaches act as diplomats. As former two-time British Prime Minister once remarked, “diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions”. The coach needs tact in executing his powers over players. Borrowing phrase from Isaac Newton, “tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy”.

I had listened to Oliseh’s comments on SuperSport during the 2013 African Nations Cup in South Africa just before Cote d’Ivoire’s group match with Tunisia. The Ivorian captain, Didier Drogba, was not in the starting line-up. Oliseh remarked that it was customary that captains were informed by coaches of their exclusions.

Last week, he should have just done what he preached. Oliseh should have called Enyeama aside to inform him that he had appointed a new captain at least for the match at hand or even on permanent basis. Making the announcement in the presence of all amounts to publicly pulling down his hitherto captain. That was a major mistake Oliseh has to admit.

Poor communication affects managerial skill and could eventually lead to disintegration of a team. Some players are reportedly lining up behind their beleaguered captain. This may be inevitable in the Super Eagles if order is not restored. Stephen Keshi experienced this before while on the saddle in Togo. His inability to handle success and also rally players around himself became his major undoing.

Like the Latin phrase ‘Festina lente’ which translates to ‘make haste slowly,’ one will advise Oliseh to tread softly while exercising his authority. Oliseh needs to control his temperament. He should remember that it was his hot temper that caused his unceremonious exit from the Super Eagles which he captained till the 2002 AFCON in Mali where he reportedly insulted even the then sports minister.
He has seen it all from all perspectives as a player, a captain and now chief coach. At the level he is now, he is more of a manager and should understand the management of materials he is employing and deploying.
This will avert a possible players’ mutiny which a former Super Eagles’ technical adviser, Thijs Libregts, once had in his native country, The Netherlands.
Libregts qualified his country for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, but had to be sacked few weeks to the event owing to players’ mutiny. In the two years he handled the star-studded Dutch team, he was not popular among the older players, notably Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman and Jan Wouters.
Gullit led the revolt after one of the World Cup qualifying games, with Finland in Helsinki – a game won by the Dutch. Gullit asked the coach to leave the dressing room so that the players could talk more freely.
After the eventual qualification, it was obvious Libregts was not commanding the confidence of his players, leading to his sack on March 19, 1990. He went to court which ruled that since he had lost confidence of his players, he could not expect his contract to be upheld to allow him manage the team to the World Cup. This should be instructive to coaches as they ought to be source of motivation to the players.

And to Enyeama, exclusion from the team or the announcement of an ‘interim’ captain should not have warranted an outburst. Take England for instance, captains are changed almost at the whims and caprices of whoever was the manager.
He would not have had the audacity to challenge his club’s manager if he were dropped in any game. If club managers are to be respected, national team managers even deserve more. As a senior player who one day could take up a managerial appointment, he should by now begin to cultivate the art of giving due respect to the national team manager.
A simple act of calling up the coach to express his feelings could have saved Enyeama and the entire team the current act of dancing naked in the public. The impression now is that Enyeama may have instigated some players.
This should not be. I cannot imagine the manager making a public apology to player, even if he feels ill treated. I advise Enyeama to put a call to the coach. I believe as gentlemen, they will resolve their differences.

As there were claims that Enyeama travelled to Belgium at the instance of the NFF president who was with him at his mother’s funeral two days earlier, Enyeama should have at least waited for the NFF boss to arrive or put a call across before his public announcement of international retirement.

Having put up 13 years of service and with 101 record caps, he should be a more mature player who also deserves a befitting farewell match as done to players in other climes. The announcement on the social media is not cast on stone.

The gentleman goalkeeper, who is also acclaimed by Lionel Messi, should reconsider his decision. His 101 international caps are not just enough. That only makes him Nigeria’s most capped player. Dear Vincent Enyeama, there are still heights to scale, even on the continent. Enyeama is just the second joint most capped African goalkeeper alongside Tunisia’s Shobeir Ahmed (1984 -1996).

Even with retirement in view after 2017 AFCON as was claimed he had told Oliseh, he can still assail the 103 caps of Egypt’s former goalkeeper, Nader El-Sayed (1992 -2004) to truly be Africa’s number one goalkeeper.

He deserves a better ceremonial match which can spur even upcoming players to wish to assail his records. The NFF should intervene and reconcile Oliseh and Enyeama for the greater interest of Nigerian football and no one should be made to publicly lose face.



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/oliseh-enyeama-saga-when-the-art-of-diplomacy-fails/

Drama as Senate screens Ogbeh, Fayemi, Dambazzau, Udoma, 6 others


•Amaechi, Fashola, others to face Senate today •New minister-nominees: Adewole, Daramola, Adamu, Lokpobiri, Ahmed, 9 others make list


THERE was drama on the floor of the Senate, on Tuesday, during the screening of minister-nominees sent to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This ensued as the Senate leader; Senator Alli Ndume, moved the motion for the national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to be allowed to take a bow and go.

Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, inputed the drama when he was asked to second the motion that Mohammed take a bow and go.

He amended the motion, saying Mohammed should be allowed to clear his mind on the floor, so that he could drop one or two propaganda before leaving.

The statement from Akpabio elicited laughter on the floor.

The senators, who on Tuesday commenced the screening of the nominees, however, protested failure to attach states of origin to the letter of nomination for the screening.

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who spoke after the Senate President took the floor of the chamber to commence the screening process, said the message should be passed to President Buhari to ensure that he attached the states of origin of nominees to the letter of nomination in the future.

He said the letters, as sent by Buhari, left senators guessing as to the state of origin of the nominees, adding that he was also not sure of the nominee from his state.

The senators, however, screened 10 out of the 21 nominees in the first batch of the list forwarded by President Buhari, while the chamber also received another 16-man list, which the president described as the final list of nominees.

Others screened alongside Lai Mohammed were Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh; Chief Ogbonnaya Onu; Dr Ehanire Osagie; Lieutenant-General Abdurahman Dambazzau; Engineer Suleiman Hussaini Adamu; Amina Ibrahim Mohammed and Mr Ibrahim Usman Jibril.

The nominees answered a wide range of questions, with the exception of Mohammed, who was simply asked to “bow and go.”

Two of the nominees, Fayemi and Dambazzau, were thoroughly grilled, with the development fuelling speculation that a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and his counterpart from Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, might face a tough time when they appear for screening today.

The 16-man list sent on Tuesday to the Senate were also unveiled, with Khadijah Bukkar Abba lbrahim, Claudius Omoleye Daramola, Professor Anthony Onwuka, Geoffrey Onyeama, Brigadier-General M. M Dan-Ali (retd), James Ocholi, Zainab and Shamsuna Ahmed making the list.

Others were Okechukwu Enelamah, Muhammed Bello, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Ms Aisha Abubakar, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Adamu Adamu, Pastor Usani Usani Uguru and Honourable Abubakar Bawa Bwari.

Buhari said he was forwarding the list in line with the provisions of Section 147 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, adding that the list contained the final list of the would-be ministers.

Briefing the Senate correspondents at the end of Tuesday’s sitting, Senator Dino Melaye said the newly unveiled nominees would be taken during the week alongside the 21-man list earlier received on September 30.

According to him, the Senate would strive to complete the screening this week, adding that the newly unveiled nominees must immediately complete their documentations at the National Assembly.

Immediately the list of new nominees were read by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Senate minority whip, Phillip Aduda, raised a Point of Order, citing Sections 147 and 299 of the Constitution.

He said since the constitution required that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should be seen as if it is a state; the people of the area deserved a minister-nominee.

The atmosphere at the entrance of the National Assembly was, however, calm on Tuesday, contrary to expectations of many Nigerians.

Many had expected protesters to flood the entrance of the Assembly complex in protest against some nominees.

But the senators first took a report of the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, which probed a petition against Hajia Amina Ibrahim Mohammed, who was believed to have been nominated from Kaduna State.

The committee, however, cleared the woman, after concluding that she was a nominee from Gombe State.

Before the commencement of the screening, the senators had held a closed-door session for one hour, during which they agreed on the modalities for the screening.

Former Senate chief whip, Senator Udoma, who was the first to be screened, spoke about the state of Nigerian economy, adding that there was the need to ease the process of doing business in Nigeria.

The former senator, who was questioned by the Senate President and his deputy was, however, allowed not to answer the questions posed to him by Senator Saraki.

Senators chorused “bow and go” as soon as he was about answering the questions posed by Ekweremadu.

The Deputy Senate President had asked Udoma for his view on the PIB and the national conference report conducted by the last administration.

While answering Saraki’s question, Udoma said Nigeria was currently ranked 170 out of 189 countries on the ease of doing business, adding that to turn the economy around, the country needed to grow at 30 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), rather than the current 20 per cent rate.

“We have to look at the various policies for manufacturing. They have to be consistent because that is what investors want. To increase the investment rate from its current 20 to 30 per cent, we have to look at the issue of enabling environment, review our tax policies and I am ready to help redesign it being a child of the private sector,” he said, adding that as a member of the private sector, he understood their language and knew what they needed.

He also said he was surprised to be named as a minister by Buhari, adding that since he left the Senate in 2007, he had left active politics.

Fayemi, who also appeared before the Senate, said though he left some debts in Ekiti State while he served as governor, he had managed the state to the best of his ability.

He stated he inherited a debt of N30 billion from the previous government due to several commitments, but was able to offset it, while only leaving a debt of N18 billion as governor.

He also denied the claim that he bought a bed of N50 million for the State House, adding that the entire Government House was bult with N2.5 billion.

He challenged anyone with invoice to the contrary to show his proof of the purchase of the said bed at N50 million.

“The state was saddled with outstanding obligations. (Segun) Oni did not envisage he was going to leave office and as such, I met obligation to the excess of N30 billion and I took it up, completed all the projects, paid up the outstanding obligations to the contractors. Now, Ekiti is 33 in the revenue ladder of the country, with a monthly income of N3 billion and salary expenditure of N2.4 billion. If you find yourself in such a state, it is to find ways to meet the promises made to the people of the state.”

He insisted that the bed he bought for the state cost N1.5 million, adding that the State House was built as a legacy House costing only N2.5 billion and ranked among the cheapest in the country.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, who appeared after him, said the nation needed to focus on agriculture, in order to feed its people.

According to him, agricultural yield in the country was low, compared to other countries and continents, adding that this was so because there was no seed company in the country.

He said the nation must device means to feed its people, especially in view of the growing population.

Dr Osagie Ehanire from Edo State also canvassed a review of school curriculum while facilities should be enhanced to meet global standards.

He said hospitals should be better managed and that the fight against corruption should be extended to the health sector.

“I think that many people that go to hospital don’t get desired attention. I canvassed orientation programmes for hospital workers,” he said.

He also stated that the issue of wrong diagnosis can be handled, while asking for the standardisation of traditional medicine.

He further said: “Doctors that are well-trained do not have equipment, others are not properly remunerated, as such, they have to find solace outside.”

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Danbazzau, said Nigeria must take advantage of the opportunities provided by the United Nations to improve the reimbursement of its soldiers.

He said that while he agreed that the North-East had been ravaged by poverty and insecurity and the soldiers were losing their lives, there must be improvements on incentives.

He stated: “Although there are allowances and incentives approved to them, there is need for an upward review and one of the ways is to take advantage of the United Nations reimbursement system. We have often relied on budget but if we can assess the United Nations Fund, the budget would be utilised on the welfare of staff and equipment. There is also need for capacity building and inculcation of discipline among the officers and men.”

On the herdsmen and farmers imbroglio, he said the nation must tackle the issue of ecology, adding that “it is a matter of two parties fighting on a quick sand; at the end of the day, two of them might be submerged.”


http://tribuneonlineng.com/node/19629

Get Android 6.0 Marshmallow Features Without Updating

Written by Mihir Patkar
October 12, 2015
Get Android 6.0 Marshmallow Features Without Updating

Google has now launched the latest version of Android, 6.0 Marshmallow, for its Nexus phones. But Android updates don’t roll out to all phones at the same time, especially the non-Nexus ones, and they often take a long time. But you get can some of the Marshmallowy goodness right now — regardless of what phone you have!

Whether you’re on Lollipop, KitKat or older versions, you can get several of Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s best features on your phone right away. Not everything, mind you, but enough of the cool stuff.

It’s easier if you root your Android phone, but even if you haven’t, there are ways to get those features.

Get the Marshmallow Look Right Now


For the first time, Google has released the stock Android launcher for anyone who wants it. The new Google Now Launcher is exactly what Marshmallow ships with, and it supports some cool new features such as:

Swipe left to get the new “Google Now homescreen”, which has all the information you need from Google Now cards, complete with offline support.
When you’re on the homescreen, just speak quick “OK Google” commands, no taps or activation necessary.
The App Drawer now scrolls vertically, and is automatically arranged alphabetically.
You can search installed apps through the Search Bar, and it will also give suggestions of other apps you might like.

The Google Now Launcher is pretty impressive and lightweight enough to work fast on low-powered hardware too, so it’s definitely a contender for the best free Android launcher.

Download: Google Now Launcher for Android (Free)

Backup App Data and Restore (No Root)


Marshmallow brings a much-wanted feature, the ability to backup an app with all its data and then restore it to a device, without rooting your phone. Well, you might be surprised to know you can already do that.

We already have a multi-layered plan to backup non-rooted Android devices, but Helium is a core part of that. The app, made by the famous Clockwork Mod team, lets you backup apps complete with their data.

All you need is the Helium app, the companion Carbon app for Windows, Mac, or Linux computers, and a USB cable. Start the app, connect the phone to your computer, and you’re ready to go.

Helium backs up most apps, and it will notify you of which ones it can’t. I suggest you also backup the APK, since it makes restoring easier for some apps that break compatibility with new versions.

When you’re ready to install all this to a new phone again, connect it to your PC, download the app, and restore all your apps. It’s seamless and just works.

Helium Premium will also let you backup to cloud devices and external storage, and it supports apps that the free one doesn’t. Cloud backup makes it easier to sync an Android phone or tablet over WiFi. It’s well worth $4.99, if you ask me, but try out the free app first.

Helium isn’t a perfect solution though. For a full and complete backup of Android, you’ll need a rooted device and Titanium Backup Pro.

Download: Helium for Android (Free)

How to Manage Individual App Permissions
Android-6-Marshmallow-App-Permissions-Manager


Android Marshmallow finally, finally brings the ability to control app permissions on an individual basis. What this means is that if an app asks for permission to read your text messages and your GPS data, you can choose to grant access to location but not your messages.

Controlling individual app permissions helps avoid the seven deadly security risks from apps. If you are using Android 5.x Lollipop or Android 4.3/4.4 KitKat, you can control individual app permissions with App Ops. On Android versions 4.2 and older, you’ll need to root your phone to control permissions.

App Ops is super simple and you’ll be able to toggle the permissions any app uses with a simple switch. That’s exactly how it works in Marshmallow too. So if you’re on Android 4.3 or higher, you’re in luck!

One thing to note: Uninstalling App Ops isn’t as easy as just deleting the app from your phone, you need to download a special App Ops Uninstaller.

Download: App Ops for Android (Free)

Better Cut, Copy, Paste for Android
android-6-marshmallow-features-cut-copy-paste

Mimicking the iOS look, the new Android 6.0 makes it easier to cut, copy, and paste anything by giving you clear options when you select any text or image. However, there’s actually a better way than Marshmallow’s options.

Native Clipboard is probably the best way to improve copy-paste on Android. The app requires deep access to your Android device, but once you grant it those rights, it will copy anything in any text box, and paste any of your recent clipboard copied items to any other box. Double tap an empty box, and it just works.

Even after trying out Marshmallow, I found myself wanting to get this app back, so in this one case, the current systems actually outdo what you’ll get on Android 6.0.

Download: Native Clipboard for Android (Free)

Boost Your Battery Life With Two Apps
android-marshmallow-boost-battery

Marshmallow has two cool features to lengthen your battery life. First, it automatically puts unused apps to sleep. Second, it detects when you aren’t using your phone and stops using data at that time.

But what do you know? You already have a couple apps that will do the same things! You need to download Greenify and JuiceDefender.

Greenify’s auto-hibernation mode (available on Android 4.1 or newer phones) will stop updating apps you aren’t using and prevent them from slowing down your phone. JuiceDefender, on the other hand, is an all-in-one solution for almost any battery-saving tip on Android.

You get a lot of options in the free app, so try it out. I think you’ll be compelled to fork out $4.99 for JuiceDefender Ultimate.

Download: Greenify for Android (Free)

Download: JuiceDefender for Android (Free)

Ditch Chrome Custom Tabs, Get Firefox 42
android-6-marshmallow-features-chrome-tabs


One of the cooler features in Android Marshmallow is Google Chrome’s new Custom Tabs. With this, apps can open an optimized browser tab with saved passwords and other Chrome data intact. Plus, the pages will preload in the background so they seem faster.

Even if you aren’t using Android 6.0, you can get all of this goodness with the new Google Chrome for Android, which includes this feature.

Now, Chrome is the fastest Android browser, so this is great news. But Chrome isn’t necessarily the best browser. Personally, I’d recommend going with the new Firefox 42 Beta for Android.

Firefox 42 has a new awesome “Tab Queuing” feature, which is reason alone to get it. With this, when you are using any app, you can continue using it. When you see a link, tap it and it’s added to a queue, without moving you away from the app. Go to your notifications to find your Tab Queue, and with one tap, open them all in Firefox. It’s fantastic!

Download: Google Chrome for Android (Free)

Download: Firefox 42 Beta for Android (Free)

Which Marshmallow Feature Is Your Favorite?
Personally, I love the idea of a universal fingerprint scanner that is built into Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is obviously not something you just can download an app to get.

What’s your favorite Android 6.0 feature, and is there any way to get something similar on older phones? Let us know in the comments!


http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/get-android-6-0-marshmallow-features-without-updating/

Tinubu attacks Saraki


By Clifford Ndujihe & Dapo Akinrefon
NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, lambasted Senate President, Bukola Saraki, describing him as an indisciplined, disloyal and member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in soul.

Tinubu spoke yesterday while denying media reports (not Vanguard) that he was conspiring with Senate President Saraki to move against President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged disaffection with the ministerial list.

Insisting that President Buhari must be supported by all to realise the change agenda, Tinubu said there was no way he could conspire with Saraki, who he said was indisciplined, disloyal and a PDP member in soul.
Tinubu spoke via a statement from Conakry, Guinea, by his Media Director, Dare Sunday.

“The idea of an alleged conspiracy between Tinubu and Saraki against the President is a lie. Tinubu is committed to the APC vision and the Nigeria Project. The way Senator Saraki captured his current seat travestied party discipline” he said.

Reacting to the attack, the Senate President, Saraki, said he would not join issues with Tinubu and promised that the screening of ministerial nominees, starting tomorrow, would be done objectively according to the laws of the country and in the interest of Nigerians.
Tinubu in the statement said: “It was a crass act of disloyalty showing that Saraki may have joined the APC on paper but has remained true to the malpractices and wrong aims of the reactionary PDP in his soul.

“If this nation is to have more than a fleeting chance of escaping the quagmire into which years of PDP misrule have taken us, we cannot allow these regressive elements to deploy their cunning tricks to divide and pit progressives against progressives,” he said
The APC leader said he would not toss aside a lifetime’s labour because of an alleged slight and certainly would not join with Senator Saraki in stymieing the government which might just be the nation’s last best chance to salvage itself.

“In our journey to national betterment, plans and policies will be made, then amended. Mistakes will occur and then be corrected. Achievements will be had and replicated. Through it all, Asiwaju will remain true to the progressive ideals that fuelled the creation of the APC. He has devoted his political life to achieve what has been achieved. His heart is too much of the people and his mind too fixed on establishing a positive historic legacy to suffer such a cynical policy or engage in the destructive pettiness of which he is accused.”

He continued: ‘’The alleged conspiracy is a figment. It takes at least two people to make a conspiracy. There has been no substantive communication between Asiwaju and Saraki since the latter decided to foul the integrity of the Senate and the party. To be truthful, I don’t think Saraki would care to hear what Asiwaju would have to say to him. He would admonish the Senator to treat the nomination process with dispatch, justice, fairness, transparency, and most of all with the greatest patriotism.

“He would counsel Saraki to shelve his personal situation for the moment to concentrate on the people’s business. It would be a grave mistake and abuse of office for Saraki to directly or indirectly inject his personal matter into the approval process. Saraki should not link the approval of a single minister to his desire for extra-judicial treatment of his issues.’’

The statement read in part: ‘’Other than voice this encouragement, Bola Tinubu will never say a negative word or lift a finger to forestall anyone’s approval before the Senate. For the record, the Buhari Presidency was brought to life by the votes of millions of Nigerians who desire change. Such a collective and historic achievement is not one that anyone who worked to bring it to life would easily seek to de-construct.

“If adhering to the decisions of the party, supporting the government’s progressive plank and working for the good of the people qualifies Tinubu for surveillance, then he will accept that.

“However, we know that any such surveillance is not from state security organs. Such activity would come from the insecurity agencies of the PDP and its mercenary allies elsewhere who would seek to fragment the true core of the APC so that they may scuttle the Buhari reform programme and return the nation to the misgovernance of the past. They hope to delude the APC into attacking itself. By so doing, they believe they can regain through stealth, the reins of government the people seized from them through elections. They seek to break the hearts and hopes of the people. Asiwaju Tinubu would never team with anyone to gain such an inhumane objective…

“Those who midwifed this garish tale gave birth not to truth but to lies intended to kill APC unity and to retard the Buhari administration’s strategic reform initiatives, as earlier outlined by our party manifesto. Given the potential for change that stands before us, we are now beginning to see the true nature of many people. There are those who truly want positive change so that we can break from the ways of a stolid past. Then there are those who speak of change with their mouths but never believe in it in their hearts. They came along with us for the ride or because no other political option availed itself at the operative time. Now given the chance to redeem themselves from their past political actions, they would rather return to the political morass from whence they came.

“Here, I will do those who inhabit the shadows of untruth a favour. I will state explicitly what they hoped to get the reader to infer. Their claim is that Tinubu has joined with Saraki to scuttle the President’s ministerial nominations. They have misfired.

‘’Their wrong is a great wrong. Like the rest of us, Asiwaju Tinubu waited for the President to select his cabinet. The majority of the selections have been made. There is nothing to do but congratulate the appointees and pray for them. Their responsibilities are vast, the future of the nation now rests on their shoulders. The challenges before them are manifold and daunting. Those who want the best for Nigeria can only hope that these people succeed. The only intervention that Asiwaju Tinubu would make is one of encouragement. He would charge them to remain true to the progressive vision of the party and our President.’’

I won’t join issues with Tinubu—Saraki
Reacting, Saraki, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Mr Yusuf Olaniyonu said: “I saw the statement said to be issued by Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu over a story published by a national daily. I have decided not to join issues with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, I know that most Nigerians are aware that there has been no meeting or communication between me and Asiwaju Tinubu since I was elected Senate President. Therefore, I do not see any basis for a newspaper to report that we are both plotting to oppose the President.

“I recognise Tinubu as one of the leaders of the APC who contributed so much to the victory of the party in the last election. Some other people also contributed and I believe the collective efforts made it possible for the first time in the history of our country for an opposition party to win the general elections.
He also said: “Let me state clearly that I remain a committed member of the APC and will do all in my powers to ensure the party fulfill its promises to bring positive changes into the country.

“Since my election as Senate President, my focus and efforts have been devoted to doing the job that I was elected to do by my constituents and my colleagues in the Senate. Twice, my colleagues have confirmed their support for me as the primus inter pares in the Senate.

“As I said in my speech when we resumed from our recess late September and in Ikenne over the weekend, the screening of ministerial nominees will be handled by me and my colleagues with all sense of responsibility and in adherence to the provision of the constitution. We will be fair to all and be guided by the interest of Nigeria. The screening will be devoid of sentiment and it is not an opportunity for anybody to settle scores. We are equally eager for us to make a positive difference in our polity and Nigerians will be able to judge us whether we acted in their best interest or not.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/tinubu-attacks-saraki/

odave:
Not in osun alone, its aready hapening in lagos. Better fill your tank if you happen to see where they are selling. I was telling relatives and friends last two weeks about the looming scarcity. No fuel in depots...NIPCO IBAFON, AITEO, Coconut, Folawiyo etc and no vessel on sea.

The cause is what I describe as SABOTAGE many in the oil business/sector are not happy not only marketers

Many marketers are afraid of what Buharri led government could do. You buy @ 77.66 naira per litre and with all d bills and transport it could be 79 or 80 naira per litre from depot and government just decide that pms should sell @ 40 per litre who wan make loss abeg

Are you saying marketers like TOTAL are selling at a loss?

Nigeria: The Vendetta In DSS By Ikechukwu Amaechi


BY IKECHUKWU AMAECHIOCT 09, 2015

When President Muhammadu Buhari pulled out his kinsman, Lawal Daura, from retirement to head the Department of State Services (DSS), it did not come as a surprise to many.


The DSS with Ita Ekpenyong as Director General had become overtly partisan in the run up to the 2015 general election and the moment former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the vote, it was apparent that Ekpenyong’s days were numbered.

It didn’t also come as a surprise to many discerning observers of the country’s security and power architecture when about 40 DSS top ranking personnel, including its rambunctious and noisy spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, were sacked or compulsorily retired on August 31.

What many Nigerians did not foresee, however, was what happened two weeks later.

On September 11, the appointments of 60 trainee officers out of 452 that belonged to Basic Course 28 of 2014 codenamed COBC28/2014 were whimsically terminated and the trainees thrown out of the State Services Academy (SSA) in Lagos.

Those dismissed had only one month of training to undergo before their commissioning as senior intelligence officers on October 26, 2015.

Those whose appointments were terminated had not only undergone the basic training in the academy but also the three-month attachment at DSS state commands nationwide where they learnt how to handle high calibre weapons, detonate bombs and all sorts of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Security experts from the British Secret Service were also hired by Nigeria to take them on special intelligence gathering courses in counter-terrorism and insurgency. They had been on this since December 2014 and many of them were already in celebratory mood, having only one month left.

Then, the shocker.

None of the trainees had an inkling what was in the offing. It was just like any other normal day in the camp until about noon when some officers (messengers of death) arrived from Abuja, called out their names and handed them their dismissal letters.

They were marched to their various rooms to pick their personal belongings and thrown out of the camp, under the rain, with the gate shut behind them. Just like that!

Even the pictures they took with their colleagues while in training were seized. Their laptops and cellphones were thoroughly pored over. The victims were not told what the issues were. It was all about national security and the DSS did not owe them any apologies.

But one thing was certain. Many of those rusticated were not found wanting. They were not thrown out of the service because they performed below expectation in training.

In fact, some of those sacked had already been commended by their course advisors. They were some of the best trainees, already proficient in the use of sophisticated weapons.

These are young men and women, Nigerian youths, who had looked forward to serving their country with all their God-given physical and mental abilities being treated so shabbily by a country that expects them to be patriotic.

Many Nigerians didn’t get to know about this injustice. It was done in a hush-hush manner. The media has been largely silent over it. There is no outcry possibly because a new sheriff who can do no wrong is in town.

No reason was given for the shabby treatment meted out to the youths, our so-called leaders of tomorrow.

The termination letter dated September 4 and signed by one GK Mohammed on behalf of Daura simply read: “I am directed to inform you that the Director General, State Services (DGSS) has approved the termination of your appointment from service with immediate effect.

“You are, however, required to hand over all government property in your possession, including your study guide/note books to the Director of Studies, State Services Academy (SSA), Lagos, and obtain appropriate clearance before your final exit please.”

Didn’t they have a right to know what the issues were, why they were sacked without any notice?

To add insult to injury, the victims were demonised after they had left camp because the instructors reportedly told those left behind that the rusticated trainees had fake certificates and gained admission through the back door.

But that was an after-thought because many of them had genuine and verifiable certificates.

In any case, shouldn’t anyone who gained admission to any institution, particularly the country’s foremost secret service, with fake credentials be punished beyond mere rustication.

In the same vein, it amounts to being economical with the truth for the service to claim that some of the trainees came through the back door (whatever that means) because truth be told, none of them came through the front door, figuratively speaking.

The DSS does not advertise vacancies and the process of recruitment is always secretive.

The trainees were told it was “Executive Recruitment”, and in one of the forms they filled to gain admission, they were asked to name their sponsors, the person through whom they came to the academy. You must have a godfather to be there.

If sponsorship was the crime committed by those sent parking, then all the 452 trainees were guilty. So, why were some kicked out and others allowed to stay?

When I met one of the victims last week, she was distraught.

“What kind of life is this? Which other country will treat its citizens like this? Where do I go from here?” she asked.

Of course, I knew what she was talking about. Nigeria, her country, has treated her unfairly since she graduated from the university some years ago. With a good first degree and a Master’s to boot, she had looked forward to living a fulfilled life.

But that is quickly turning out to be an illusion.

Her stint in the banking industry was a nightmare. She almost had a nervous breakdown because of the tyranny of deposits. The DSS job was, therefore, God-sent and she put everything into it and had already been commended by her instructors for her dexterity.

And now, this!

Last week, she looked like a ghost. I barely recognised her. The vivacity had gone. The liveliness, the get-up-and-go spirit, had vanished. There was no sparkle in the eyes. The energy was no longer there. There was no laughter.

She was a broken woman. She still does not have any idea why they were sacked but she was emphatic that most of those asked to go are from a particular section of the country.

Those from the right neck of the woods are still in camp, even those that are not supposed to be there.

For instance, one of the rules, I am told, is that the trainees must not be married before coming to camp. But some of the trainees are not only married but also have children. And those who ought to know are aware.

But not to worry. They share kindred spirit with the new sheriff in town. That is all that matters. They understand his body language and he knows theirs.

The flip side is that no country runs on these paradigms ever achieves greatness.

History is our witness.


*Ikechukwu Amaechi is the Editor-in-Chief/Managing Director of TheNiche, a national newspaper published in Lagos. (ikechukwuamaechi@yahoo.com)


http://saharareporters.com/2015/10/09/nigeria-vendetta-dss-ikechukwu-amaech

Revealed at last: Salary and allowances of NASS members


By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor
The controversy over the monthly salary of a Nigerian lawmaker has finally been laid to rest with a formal disclosure of what the legislators earn. The National Institute of Legislative Studies, NILS, apparently worried by growing public outcry against the Nigerian lawmakers, on Friday released a set of documents, showing what constitutes the earnings of the 109 Senators and 360 members of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

The documents, which were made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Friday, indicated that the Nigerian lawmakers earn perhaps one of the least salaries among legislators in the world, as against the notion that their pay was outrageous.

Apart from releasing global comparative figures drawn from nine countries, the NILS also gave a breakdown of what constitutes the monthly take-home pay of each Nigerian lawmaker. The figure shows that while a Nigerian Senator gets an annual basic salary of N2,026,400,00 a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives goes home with N1,985,212, 50 per year.

But beyond that a Senator takes home a bouquet of allowances which hike their salary to N12, 902, 360.00 while their House of Representatives counterpart goes home with N9,525,985.50 annually.

Thus, for the four-year tenure which the lawmaker stay in the NASS, the Nigerian government spends a total of N1, 406,357,240.00 as basic salary on the 109 Senators and N3,428,994,780.00 on the 360 members of the House of Representatives.

The breakdown of the allowances are on: Vehicle fuelling/maintenance, Constituency, Domestic Staff, Personal Assistant, Entertainment, Recess, Utilities, Newspaper/Periodicals, Houses Maintenance, Wardrobe, Estacode, Duty Tour, which attract more money available to the lawmakers than their basic salaries.

Beyond that, the lawmakers earn special amount in every four-year period on Accommodation, vehicle loan, furniture, and severance allowance, which make every Senator to pocket N24,090,000.00 and a House of Representatives member to go home with N23,822,00.00 within the same period.

Thus for every four year which a lawmaker stays in the NASS, the Federal Government spends N2,625, 810,000.00 on accommodation, vehicle loans, furniture and severance gratuity on the 109 senators and N8,575,920,000.00 on the 360 House of Representatives members.

This payment brings the total expenditure of the government to N33, 992, 360 for the senators and N33,347, 985, 50 on the members of the HoR. The figures are lower when compared to what their counterparts in eight other countries earn.
But the monies Nigerian lawmakers earn from their oversight functions and other sources make them big earners.

A global comparison released by the NILS shows that lawmakers in the Philippines earn the highest annual basic salary of $4, 497,957, followed by their counterparts in the United States of America where a Senator goes home with $3,409,422 while a member of the US House of Representatives takes $1,429,909 home annually.

This is followed by lawmakers in Kenya who earn $968,013 per annum followed by their counterparts in Australia who take home $646,230 while those in the United Kingdom go home with £494,285.43.
The list is followed by lawmakers from India, who earn $474,484, Singapore with $253,469, and Tanzania with $230,961.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian government has been spending a total of N150 billion per year on the NASS but has been forced to step it down to N120 billion this year following rising outcry that the lawmakers are taking too much from the Federation Account leaving little for other sectors.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/revealed-at-last-salary-and-allowances-of-nass-members/

El Rufai has just moved from kitchen cabinet to family cabinet. As a Son-in-law to the president, he definitely will call a lot of shots. From the earlier reports about disagreement between him and Osinbajo, it is now obvious why Buhari couldn't call him to order. It is now up to him to know how to conduct himself otherwise he will suffer the same fate he subjected Osinbajo to by being also labelled Buhari’s boy.

Bitterleafsoup:
We need assets with amounts make it clear Senators!

Keep deceiving yourself. Someone that said that he doesn't give a damn is now the one with an acceptable declaration of asset. Can all his earnings before and after presidency build the house he is living in now in Otueke not to talk about other assets?

Lamorde: EFCC chair in soup over N1trn ‘looted funds’

… Buhari orders probe

We’re not aware –EFCC
By Adetutu Folasade- Koyi, Tunde Raheem and Fred Itua, Abuja

CHAIRMAN of the Eco­nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibra­him Lamorde, is presently being investigated over alle­gations of diversion of over N1 trillion from the sale of confiscated properties be­longing to convicted public officials including former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha and former Inspector Gen­eral of Police, Tafa Balo­gun, among many others.

Daily Sun gathered that the Presidency’s searchlight had actually been on the EFCC following complaints and reports that EFCC oper­atives were notoriously let­ting some financial crimes suspects off the hook rather than prosecute them.

The decision to launch a full-scale investigation, however, started after one George Uboh appeared be­fore the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on August 23 where he alleged that Lamorde dipped his hands into the said funds.

It was gathered that after his appearance at the Senate, the Presidency picked inter­est in the matter and direct­ed the Office of the National Special Adviser (NSA) to commence investigations into the allegations.

A National Assembly source said thereafter, the NSA, Major General Ba­bagana Monguno (retd) re­portedly swung into action.

“Series of complaints against Lamorde is his per­ceived slack supervision of his operatives. There have been series of allegations that operatives collect bribe from suspects and let them off the hook rather than in­vestigate allegations thor­oughly.

“This investigation is not a witch-hunt…It is meant to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they are not mere allegations but, they are weighty enough to warrant presidential scrutiny.”

In his petition to the Sen­ate, Uboh said the fraud allegedly perpetrated by Larmode dated back to his days as the Director of Operations of the EFCC between 2003 and 2007, as well as an acting Chairman of the commission between June 2007 and May 2008, when the then chairman of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, was away for a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

Uboh, Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Se­curity Systems, a security firm, in his petition dated July 31 accused Lamorde of some specific instances of under-remittance and non-disclosure of proceeds of corruption recovered from criminal suspects, in­cluding Balogun and Ala­mieyeseigha.

He assured the Sen­ate that he would produce “overwhelming evidence” to back his claims against Lamorde.

Uboh also alleged that the EFCC had not account­ed for “offshore recover­ies” and that “over half of the assets seized from suspects are not reflected in EFCC exhibit records.”

The petitioner equally accused Lamorde of con­spiring with some EFCC officers and external audi­tors “to operate and con­ceal a recovery account in the Central Bank of Nige­ria (CBN) and excluded the balances from your au­dited financial statements between 2005 and 2011.”

“Lamorde continues to conceal the details of the unsold properties forfeited by both Tafa Balogun and DSP Alamieyeseigha de­spite receiving rent rev­enues from some estate agents on the said proper­ties,” he further alleged.


http://sunnewsonline.com/new/lamorde-efcc-chair-in-soup-over-n1trn-looted-funds/

Cabinet: Why Buhari snubbed governors


President Muhammadu Buhari has left governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the lurch with his choice of ministerial nominees. Except for Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, who succeeded in having his candidate, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, an economist and ex-Commissioner for Finance, on the list, all other APC governors failed to have their candidates as ministerial nominees.

The ministerial list, which comprised 21 names, turned what has become a tradition in the past 16 years on its head; a tradition where governors made input in the choice of ministers. “With the list of first batch of ministers released on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, the president has whittled down the influence of the governors.

As it is, we have no influence as to the state representative in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). “You can hardly find a governor who has his nominee on the ministerial list. The situation is so bad that the president, in some cases, even appointed those opposed to the governors in their states. He has the right to appoint, but he should also know that the governors made so much contribution to his election.
“I can tell you that most of the governors are not happy with the development. As governors, we can’t come out and kick against the list, but you can see the opposition in some states from the party,” a source said. But a ministerial nominee, who craved for anonymity, said the president has assembled a team that will deliver on his vision without any external influence.

“The game has changed. What we have is a departure from the past. The president has exercised his constitutional right to assemble his ministers. Yes, the governors contributed to the president’s victory just like other stakeholders.

There are still other appointments to be made which the governors can make input,” a ministerial nominee told New Telegraph. Buhari has picked nominees from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Benue, Edo, Kwara, Kano, Plateau, Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna states, controlled by APC governors. The other ministerial nominees so far released are from states controlled by opposition parties, led mainly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They include Senator Aisha Al-Hassan (Taraba), Dr. Chris Ngige (Anambra), Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu (Delta), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), and Senator Udoman Udo-Udoma (Cross Rivers).

In Lagos, Buhari opted for former Governor Babatunde Fashola, who was in charge of fund raising for his presidential campaign. The nominee was neither the choice of his successor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, nor APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu. Tinubu, who the lot fell on to pick a minister from the state preferred Wale Edun, a former Commissioner for Finance under him or Yemi Cardoso. But Fashola emerged. The story is not different in Oyo State, where Barrister Adebayo Shittu emerged to the chagrin of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

A measure of the displeasure could be seen in the massive opposition that trailed Shittu’s nomination as the state chapter of the APC has rejected his appointment. Shittu was the gubernatorial candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Oyo in 2011.

He lost to Ajimobi. In Kwara, where Abdulfatah Ahmed is the governor, sources said that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who is the godfather of the state politics, had nominated Bolaji Abdullahi, a former Sports Minister in the Goodluck Jonathan administration. But Buhari opted for Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is the National Publicity Secretary of the APC. In Niger State, Buhari also defied Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and opted for Ahmed Ibeto, a former deputy governor of the state.
In Kebbi, Governor Atiku Bagudu has no input in the choice of Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN). Malami made the ministerial list because of his relationship with Buhari since the CPC days.

The ministerial nominee was the National Legal Adviser of the CPC and was the lead counsel for Buhari at the Appeal and Supreme Courts, when Buhari challenged Jonathan’s victory after the 2011 polls. Similarly in Edo, Buhari went for Dr. Osagie Ehanire, a brother of Daisy, wife of former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma. Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s nominee, Prof. Julius Iyonvbere, could not make the federal cabinet.
In Kano, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau made the list because of his relationship with the president.
Dambazau was earlier touted as the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Neither Governor Umar Ganduje nor his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso had a hand in the nomination. In fact, sources said the governor nominated Kwankwaso for the federal cabinet. In Jigawa, Suleiman Hussain Adamu is the son of the Emir of Kazaure, HRH Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu and a brother to the acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Amina Zakari, and the Jigawa State Commissioner for Education, Rabi Ishaq. Governor Abubakar Badaru was not involved in the nomination.

The Benue State nominee, Chief Audu Ogbeh, a former PDP National Chairman, made the list without the input of Governor Samuel Ortom. Ogbeh is a confidant of the president and was the head of Buhari Campaign Organisation before the president emerged as the APC presidential flag bearer.

In Plateau, Solomon Dalong was a member of the presidential transition committee of Buhari. Dalong, a member of the Northern Elders’ Forum, was not nominated by Governor Simon Lalong. Similarly, Senator Hadi Sirika from Katsina State is a close ally of Buhari. The president hails from Katsina State and singlehandedly picked Sirika without input from Governor Aminu Masari. Kaduna State is the second home of the president. Mrs. Amina Mohammed made the list on merit.

It was not clear if Governor Nasir El-Rufai had input in the choice. It is the same case with Ibrahim Musa Jubrin from Nasarawa. Governor Tanko Al-Makura had no input in the choice.

The APC governors had made spirited efforts to have their nominees in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). This was one of the requests they tabled before Buhari at a meeting held at the Defence House shortly after he emerged the president- elect after defeating Jonathan, a sitting president and PDP candidate in the March 28poll. According to a party leader from the north, the president asked the governors: “Is there any constitutional provision that says you should nominate ministers for me?

If you nominate ministers for me, will you allow chairmen of the party in your states to nominate commissioners for you? Will you be fair to me to nominate for me people I don’t know to work with me as ministers?”

According to the source, when the governors could not provide answers to the three questions, the president told them that he would nominate his ministers himself based on his own conviction. He also told the governors to use the good men they wanted to give him to work in their states.

Those who visited Buhari were Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ahmed (Kwara), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Kashim Shettima (Borno), El-Rufai (Kaduna), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Al- Makura (Nasarawa) and Ganduje (Kano). Contacted for comment, APC spokesman, Mohammed, said he couldn’t comment, as he was an interested party.

An APC official, who refused to be named, told New Telegraph on the telephone yesterday that Buhari is unknown to the party leaders as he is to many Nigerians.
“It is left for the media to deconstruct this man Buhari. We all claim to know him, but nobody actually does. He does his things the way he is convinced about. Yes, he consulted the party, but you know that the consultations are just there. He will still do what he wants.
That is what has happened with the list. Nobody can say he contributed to the list. But if you look at the list so far released, you will see that he based it on reward for loyalty, competence and integrity. It is not a list we can claim to know how he made it.”

Asked about the input of governors to the nominees, the party chief stated: “From the list, you can even see that some of the names there are too strong that their governors will not nominate them as directors or anything in their states. For sure, the governors did not have any input in his list. Buhari chose everybody there based on loyalty, competence and integrity.”
Between 1999 and 2015 when the PDP held sway under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua and Jonathan, the tradition had been for governors to submit the names of three people from their states for the president to choose one.

A founding member of the PDP, who is now in the APC, said that the tradition started with Obasanjo because “he came from nowhere and needed to establish his own hegemony in the party.” “You know he had no base. He had to take the governors along to build his base.
That tradition was carried on by Yar’Adua and Jonathan. You would also recall that when Obasanjo desired to send away the founding fathers, he became the leader and handed over the machinery in the states to the governors. Those you see complaining today are people who wanted to have control of Abuja and their states. As you know, most of the governors today may not perform.

They want to have an eye in Abuja for their re-election and control their states by appointing their own commissioners. But Buhari has refused,” the source said.


http://newtelegraphonline.com/cabinet-why-buhari-snubbed-governors/

PassingShot:
Firstly, PMB never gave any impression that the four months were to get "saints" and "angels". He clearly said he needed the time to clear the mess in the ministries; to establish new rules of engagement for the new ministers. What is wrong in wanting a new set of working arrangements from the past regime?

For all it is worth, governance at the federal level is not meant for all comers. It is for the experienced, tested and reliable hands. You see Fashola, Amaechi, Ngige, Ogbe et al as incompetent or too old to be ministers, the president sees them differently. Ministerial positions cannot be given as gifts on the basis of young age to those who do not join government. It is the same thing everywhere you go except for a few cases.

Also, we can and we do achieve different results with same set of tools. "Leader B" may excel with same ministers where "Leader A" has failed. The key thing is the type of leadership provided.

Diezani, Oduah, Abba Moro, Bankole, and many others belong in the new generation but we saw how all looted with reckless abandon. So, what's the fuss about the "younger generation" that has shown capacity for insatiable appetite for corruption?

The bolded is what some people cannot see or refuse to accept. We are mostly guided by sentiments and not by facts or reality. It is imperative to know that Jonathan as a new comer was our initial thought of change but we never factored experience in our permutations. We need the experienced hands to mentor new hands on how to govern. So the new generation can chart the proper course on the shoulders of experienced hands who are courageous to do things differently.

Diezani In London By Michael Egbejumi-David



I have met the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke before. It was about three years ago in an Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston. Unfortunately for me, former US president, George W Bush Jnr was also at the event. Everyone – including my woman! - rushed off to have their picture taken with Bush. Not me. I kept my eyes on Diezani. In the end she gave me her card and asked me to call on her whenever I was in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, I ferried myself to her imposing office after a few unreturned phone calls. It was, ‘come today; come tomorrow’ until I ran out of steam and returned to the UK. That was the last time I collected a card from any visiting Nigerian person. But even at that, I’ve always had a soft spot for Mrs Alison-Madueke.

However, I knew there would be trouble ahead when shortly thereafter I saw on Saharareporters pictures of some fine kids living it up, popping champagne and crystal as the flew in the plush interior of a private jet. Those fine young kids were Alison-Madueke’s. It requires no genius to put two and two together when a few short years later, the National Assembly accused the ex-minister of squandering about $10 million on private jet rentals and summoned her to come and defend herself. Instead of doing just that, Diezani went to court and found a Judge willing enough to issue an injunction that prevented the Legislators from looking any closer at her apparently oily hands.

It has happened before: In December 2009, one Justice Marcelleus Awokulehin of a Federal High Court in Asaba looked into a total of 170 charges of theft and corruption preferred against James Ibori, former governor of Delta State and dismissed them all! In his ruling, Marcelleus fell just short of declaring the Ogidigbodigbo an Urhobo saint.

Nevertheless, the British got their hands on Ibori and the brother is currently doing a 13 year stint in one of her Majesty’s padlocked guest houses. Since that episode, Nigerian officials have learnt to stay well clear of the UK at the expiration of their tenure. For instance, have you heard of Emmanuel Uduaghan visiting London recently? No, you haven’t; but what compelled Alison-Madueke to go anywhere near the UK?

Well, the story is that Alison-Madueke has at least one property in the UK she purchased through a Yoruba lawyer circa 2012 for around £4 million. Somehow, the British authorities felt there was something fishy about that purchase and have been all up in Diezani’s business ever since. And just last Friday, the ex-minister was collared in London along with four other people. They were all charged with bribery, corruption and money laundering. Already, money is being taken off her.

It would appear Alison-Madueke is no student of history. If she is, she would have known about one DSP Alamieyeseigha and the capabilities of the British authorities. Alamieyeseigha barely escaped that island with his frock and mascara intact. Similarly, a short phone call and Ibori would have explained to her all the energy his is expending not dropping the soap at shower times.

In conversation with some politicians and past government officials from the South-south, I find that they often advance this argument that folks from other parts of Nigeria have stolen a lot from the country, and so it is their turn. Some of them actually passionately justify this and see it as some kind of sacred duty. But is stealing and corruption the best way to redress power and wealth imbalance in Nigeria?

There is no running away from the fact that in our country, southern government officials and leaders try to outdo each other when it comes to corruption. They certainly out perform their northern counterparts when it comes to stealing. It could even be reasonably argued that the brazen and large scale theft that took place under Babangida and Abacha were intellectually aided by southern collaborators. What we seem to possess in the south is a completely warped sense of duty and a pile of university degrees that does nothing to improve our humanity. Our people (the big men and the not so big) steal without a care in the world.

I know for a fact that as a fresh governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim was waylaid and got 419ed by some Igbo boys posing as London Metropolitan police officers. Ohakim was relieved of a briefcase containing more than £1 million in his hotel room. The very next morning, the man ran out of the UK in absolute panic. The imposters were later intercepted by the real police and the money was taken off them. That money eventually found its way into the British treasury.

As was the case with Alamieyeseigha, the British government took over a lot of Ibori’s UK assets which were quite considerable. They are getting ready to do it again to Alison-Madueke. As we speak, the UK government has filed a separate application against Mrs. Agama, Diezani’s mother, for the seizure of an undisclosed amount of money. Foolishly, we continue to lose our meagre wealth to our erstwhile colonial master and other wealthy nations. What an irony!

Our wealth still flows outward with mainly southern ‘educated’ leaders piloting the out-going ships. It would be interesting to know how many private homes and businesses past and present British and American government officials have in Nigeria and in Africa. Again, education without humaneness; without sense.


demdem@hotmail.co.uk


http://saharareporters.com/2015/10/06/diezani-london-michael-egbejumi-david

Buhari, Dogara meet over Saraki’s trial


There were indications that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, met on Monday night over the ongoing prosecution of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, for alleged false asset declaration.

The meeting said to have been held late in the night.

Our correspondent learnt that Dogara had reportedly “secured a booking” to meet with Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.

A senior official of the House told The PUNCH that the meeting was not an open affair and that nobody could gauge the mood of the President.

The official said, “I am aware that he (speaker) secured a booking to see the President this night. But, this will not be an open meeting just yet. I think he wants to first see Mr. President and inform him about the resolution of the House.

“The President’s mood will determine whether he will go on to mediate in the matter to find a political solution as advised by the House.”

The House had in a resolution passed on Wednesday, last week, asked Dogara to intervene in Saraki’s case by meeting with Buhari and the Senate President, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, with a view to finding a political solution to the matter.

The move by the House came soon after the Code of Conduct Bureau arraigned the Senate President before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false asset declaration.

The House had argued that a political solution could save the country the heat generated in the polity by Saraki’s trial at the CCT.

It also claimed that a matter affecting the National Assembly could indirectly be a threat to democracy.

Part of the resolution reads, “The House mandates the leadership of the House to meet with the President with a view to politically resolving all outstanding issues relating to National Assembly in the interest of Nigerians.

“Mandate the speaker to intervene in the present issues and challenges being faced by the Chairman of the National Assembly (Saraki) with a view to finding a political solution and protecting the institution of the National Assembly as a whole for the interest of our democracy.”

When contacted for comments, the Chairman, House Ad hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Sani Zoro, said he could not confirm whether there would be a meeting between Buhari and Dogara.

Zoro claimed to have made efforts to reach the speaker but could not because of a meeting of the leadership of the House being held as of 4.44pm when he spoke with The PUNCH.

However, he admitted that Dogara was “eminently placed” to mediate in the issue since his position had not been “called to question by any authority as we speak.”

He added, “While I cannot confirm immediately whether there will be a meeting tonight between Mr. President and the Speaker, I will quickly say that the speaker has been involved in several reconciliation meetings within the party (All Progressives Congress) and other levels.

“It was not by mistake that the House mandated him to intervene in the current issue affecting the Senate President.

“He has been holding several reconciliation meetings.”

But, another member of Zoro’s committee confided in The PUNCH that he was aware that Dogara planned to meet with Buhari between Monday (yesterday) and Wednesday (tomorrow) over Saraki’s case.

The source said two other meetings, one with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and the other with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, would precede a meeting with Buhari on Wednesday.

“He will likely meet with the VP and the SGF on Tuesday (today) before another leg of meeting with Buhari on Wednesday,” the source stated.

Buhari had said that his relationship with Saraki would be determined by the outcome of his trial by the CCT.

However, the two top officials of the government were photographed on Thursday last week at an event marking the 55th Independence anniversary of the country as they laughed and bantered.

The photograph was said to be intended to portray the two as officials who had no scores to settle.

Buhari and Saraki are said not to have held any official meeting to discuss matters of state since the latter emerged as the President of the 8th Senate on June 9 against the preferred choice of the APC, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

The current peace move being spearheaded by Dogara is coming amid the screening of Buhari’s ministerial nominees by the Senate, beginning anytime from Tuesday (today).

Saraki had on Wednesday last week confirmed the receipt of the letter containing the names of the nominees but noted that the letter would be opened at plenary on Tuesday.

With Saraki in charge of affairs, there are concerns in some quarters that the Senate President may seize the opportunity to take his pound of flesh by influencing senators to reject a number of the nominees.



http://www.punchng.com/news/buhari-dogara-meet-over-sarakis-trial/

Fresh crisis hits Bayelsa APC

By NDUBUISI ORJI

EVEN as the dust over the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Bayelsa State is yet to settle, a fresh crisis has hit the state chapter of the party.

This time, it is over who should be nominated as the deputy governorship candidate.

Former governor of the state, Timipr­eye Sylva emerged candidate of the par­ty last week in a rescheduled primaries.

A source claimed that leadership of the party in the state is currently split over who should be nominated for the office .

According to the source, the difficulty arose from the fact that Sylva had pri­or to the primaries, made promises to many leaders of the party for the same position. The move was to get their sup­port.

The source, who is a chieftain of the party, said the issue is ripping the party apart stressing that it had become so worrisome that if care is not taken, it could lead to mass defection before the December 5 governorship election. He said: “It is now a fight to the finish.”

The source said the rift would not have arisen if Sylva had not made mul­tiple promises to key leaders of the party as a way of luring them into supporting him.

Having got the ticket, the source stat­ed that redeeming his promise has be­come a huge challenge for Sylva .

On the number of people promised the running mate ticket by Sylva, the source claimed that no fewer than six persons were given the promise.

The source revealed that among the lot, two names who are now “major po­litical headaches” in the cat and mouse game are the state chairman, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe and PDP defector, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.

Sylva, had earlier reportedly settled for the party chairman but changed his mind because of what was regarded as “pressure from Sylva’s inner circle,” who warned that Oruminighe had be­come “too powerfuls.”

He stressed that the fear was that if the state chairman was handed the tick­et, he could plot against Sylva in case they win the election.

He noted that Oruminghe is the brain behind Sylva’s emergence using his po­sition to ensure the delegates voted for him at the primary. He was also said to be Sylva’s political godson, having served under him as chairman of South­ern Ijaw Local Government.

In the case of Senator Lokpobiri who defected from the PDP and aspired to be governor but is now the Director-Gen­eral of Sylva’s Campaign Organisation, the source claimed that he was keen on becoming running mate but may have missed out due to similar reason against the party chairman.

Lokpobiri, the source said, would have been a good choice but Sylva and his ‘inner circle” are not comfortable with him because in their estimation, he could be “cunning and too independent-minded.” He is also to be a “violent politician” who could “match Sylva violence for violence.”


http://sunnewsonline.com/new/fresh-crisis-hits-bayelsa-apc/

Navy warns tanker drivers against blocking access routes

THE Nigerian Navy has warned tanker drivers who park and block the entrance and exit of Kirikiri town to desist from doing so, so that its personnel deployed on the Kirikiri bridge would always ensure traffic flow on the entrance and exit of Kirikiri town.

The Commander, Ni­gerian Navy Ship (NNS), Wey, Navy Commodore Celestine Odiase, who gave the warning lamented the blockade of the movement of other vehicles by the tanker drivers who park on Kirikiri bridge.

He said: “It was about 7am when I was alerted. I rushed to the scene and found the gap between my men and area boys.

“They were trying to lynch my men. I saw the leadership of the tanker drivers trying to pacify them but they were demanding that we bring out the ratings for them to kill.

“What truly happened was that there is an arrange­ment already on ground that they should always leave one lane free and that they should not park on the bridge.

“So, our personnel saw them parking on the bridge and as they made to run away, the conductor jumped down and the tanker crushed him to death.”

He debunked complic­ity of the Nigerian Navy in the death of the conductor who was identified as Ab­bas Kasali .

Commodore Odiase, said the incident which oc­curred on Thursday, saw the conductor crushed to death by his tanker driver, one Ibrahim Salami, who tried to evade arrest for parking wrongly on the bridge.

He said: “You are aware of the stress motorists un­dergo along the Oshodi/ Apapa Expressway and this axis is access way to one of the busiest seaports in Ni­geria.

“These tanker drivers park everywhere and more worrisome is that they park on the Oshodi bridge. You will agree with me that the bridge is old and not built to carry heavy things. It was because of this that the navy decided to deploy unarmed personnel to that area.

On the issue of bribe, Odiase said, “The issue of bribe does not come in and if any of the men had any inclination to do so, they wouldn’t have done it under the watch of a responsible lieutenant commander.



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/navy-warns-tanker-drivers-against-blocking-access-routes/

Diezani: Fear grips Jonathan’s ministers


By Iheanacho Nwosu

FEAR has gripped ministers, who served in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration following the last weekend arrest of former minister of Petroleum Re­sources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke by the Metropolitan Police .

The fear in their camp is strengthened by the revelation that anti-corruption agencies are actively collaborating with their coun­terparts in London and developed countries in probing key officials and ministers of the past administration.

Only last weekend, the British National Crime Agency was said to have sent a team of detectives to work with operatives of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe Alison-Ma­dueke.

The disclosure came hours after the anti-graft body sealed the Abuja residence of the former minister.

Last night, the Presidency announced it was collaborating with the British Govern­ment on Diezani’s case.

A statement from Presidential aide, Gar­ba Shehu reads: “The government is aware of the arrest and all the government inves­tigative agencies are working very closely with the British law enforcement…Nobody wants to give the impression that this gov­ernment is frivolous and unserious.

“For this reason, government is only con­firming active collaboration. Beyond this, we are not saying more. In due course, Ni­gerians will be briefed on updates as appro­priate.”

A source at the EFCC disclosed that though the body and its foreign collabora­tors would dig in to get to the bottom of the alleged sleaze involving Alison Madueke , the probe would not be limited to only her ministry.

The source said all top officials of Jona­than’s administration would be made to answer questions regarding what he called “mounting allegations” against them.

He named key agencies and govern­ment officials that the searchlight would be beamed on to include former minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sena­tor Bala Mohammed, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In his Independence anniversary mes­sage, President Muhammadu Buhari said he has ordered a complete audit of the fi­nances of NNPC, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other revenue-generating agen­cies.

Lending credence to claims that fears have gripped the camp of Jonathan’s minis­ters, a former minister in the administration told Daily Sun that they had been getting feelers about the incumbent administration coming after them.

“We know they are on our trail; all we are asking for is that the government must be sincere in the investigation. They should not accuse us falsely,” he said . He also disclosed how staff of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) told him how operatives of the Department of State Ser­vices (DSS) got information regarding for­mer government officials, who registered companies with fictitious and non -existent names and used such companies to award contracts to themselves and in the process, fleeced the country of billions of naira .

“We know they are after us. We only want them to be fair to all of us. Some of us are afraid, not because we did what they are al­leging we did but, because, we are not sure they will approach the investigation with an open mind and sincerity of purpose,” the former government official said.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/diezani-fear-grips-jonathans-ministers/

I thought they said El-Rufai was lying?

CharlesPhc:
Who's that dude smiling sheepishly when someone is lying in pain?

If you have worked in an hospital before or had to deal with trauma you will know why. You don't help the traumatized by looking serious all the time. Your humor and your smile is meant to lift their spirit and help them to have a positive outlook to their situation. Once they lose hope, the medical personnel attending to them will have more work to do to revive them.

dirtymoney:
All I see is economic policies that would just increase hardship to Nigerians.
Presently, manufacturers are almost unable to import raw materials and spares.
These policies would have come in handy when the country's health, educational and industrial sector are up and doing and not the reverse.
And come to think of it, why is everything centred around crude oil?
Why can't we focus on other sectors like Agriculture, Mining and tourism?
The government seems to be taking decisions from 20 years projections and not from the current state of the economy.

Since oil that constitute 80% of our income is now about $40 per barrel, what policy do you propose that the present administration should implement that would not impose hardship on Nigerians. Reality check, when two third of your income is gone you are already in a state of hardship. There no country in the developed world that will empty their reserves to make up the difference. They will embark on structural reforms to bring down expenditures which is a form of hardship and investments to generate alternative sources of income or ways to increase revenue for the existing avenue which is another form of hardship because you invest from your savings which you should have used meet your present needs.

Referee pulls out a gun at Brazilian football match


A referee has shocked millions around the world after he pointed a gun at a player during a regional league match in Brumadinho near Belo Horizonte, Brazil’s sixth largest city and the capital of the state of Minais Gerais last weekend.

According to Mirror UK, Gabriel Murta, said to be a police officer by day reacted to an alleged assault by a player by racing to the changing rooms to get the weapon. The referee had to be restrained from using the gun by one his linesmen and is now facing disciplinary action.

League president Valdenir de Castro claimed Murta was kicked and slapped after one of the team’s players and manager invaded the pitch to demand a red card for a player from the opposing side.

Referees’ association boss, Giuliano Bozzano, said Murta felt threatened and went to look for the weapon to defend himself. The referee was subjected to a psychological assessment on Tuesday and could face suspension or a permanent ban if found guilty.


http://www.punchng.com/feature/weird-planet/referee-pulls-out-a-gun-at-brazilian-football-match/

How Literacy Encouraged Slavery Post American Revolution Rebellion

When the American Constitution was confirmed through votes in 1789, massive efforts were applied to sustain slave illiteracy and restrict slave mobility. The white masters, were, however, becoming uncomfortable as the slaves were increasingly displaying discontentment. To ensure that their slaves did not see the light and rise, the slaveholders hijacked the two factors that they realized were their biggest threat: writing and reading. The slaveholders realized that the numerous slave gatherings and their thirst for literacy could topple the balance and turn against them. Their biggest worry rose from the fact that a learned slave would be free from the ignorance they imposed on them and would no longer bow to slavery.

The leaders of famous slave rebellions such as Nat Turner, Gabriel Prosser, and Toussaint L’Ouverture showed a similar pattern that seemed to worry the white masters; they were all literate slaves. The ensuing worries were, ‘what if the slaves understood that they were not meant to be enslaved?’ ‘Would a learned slave extend his or her knowledge to the other slaves?’ and ‘Would the slaves, once literate, seek revenge against their oppressors?’

The above-mentioned people were the souls that did not fear branding, whipping or certain death as they sought literacy. They needed to read and write at all costs. However, freedom was far from over owing to the existence of oppressive laws such as the Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850. This Act gave the slave masters the right to reclaim their property in which case the slaves were termed as “property.” These acted as barriers because most of the slaves’ attempts to escape always failed.

The enslaved people chose to run away from their plight especially when faced with poor working conditions, new owners, division of family or punishment. Newspapers published advertisements for slave runaways as a strategy by white masters to repossess escaped slaves. There were also advertisements aimed at sensitizing the slaves on what literacy could do for them. They were, however, rare because not many slaves could read or write.

The slave Prophet’s case explains the above revelation. Prophet, aged about 25 to 30, was owned [as a property] by one John Ruppert. Ruppert had bought Prophet from one Leonard Cecil. So, when Prophet escaped from Ruppert, the latter advertised him in the Georgia Gazette based in Savannah on the 18th of October 1792. The advert described Prophet as a figure that was well-known in the Savannah area. He was said to relate highly with both black and white dwellers unlike other slaves in the area. He also accessed the newspapers with much ease and was not the typical slave that worked on rural plantations under the scorching sun. He was learned, literate and empowered. In his conclusion in the advertisement, Ruppert stated that Prophet was likely to live freely henceforth because he could read and write.

Ruppert’s advertisement showed that if a slave was able to read and write like Prophet, then they could transform the image of slavery that was believed and upheld by the majority of Americans. Prophet, owing to his literacy, was not perceived of as a common slave and he had perfectly manipulated himself. This manipulation, it shows, offered him the “free man” status. Unlike his fellow slaves, he integrated with the society better and in his mind, was a free person. His physical freedom followed his mental freedom when he escaped from Georgia. Ruppert, on the other side, realized that he had to save his face and defined him as a smooth-tongued slave that could easily tell a reasonable story to escape.

Ruppert was not alone: Thomas Hamilton and Isaiah Wright also set up advertisements for Hercules, an escaped slave, around June 1793. He was largely defined by a whip mark on his back, and this earned him the title of a notorious offender. “He is an African-American runaway, aged 24 years and was born in the country,” read the advertisement. Hercules was denied instruction but was able to hide his quest for knowledge. He could read well, and this earned him the “very impertinent and artful” title. They expected him to change his name after his empowerment. Name changing by slaves in those days was an indication of an empowered slave. To the slaveholders, it was a risk to their authoritative powers. After acquiring the literacy skills, Hercules became impossible to control and could no longer obey his owners’ commands. The result of this was the placement of a $10 bounty on him: delivered alive or lifeless.

The term “artful” defined the characters of slaves who were learned and literate: those that could transform their identities and possessed excessive knowledge. Artful slaves were those that could read because they had the ability and imagination of interpreting and camouflaging with the world they existed. These were the slaves that were aware of themselves and had created their own identities. Those slaves that could write only were hardly referred to as “artful” because much of what they could do was forge passes to facilitate their escape.

For an escapee to succeed, it required practicality, adaptability, astuteness (mental sharpness). If the slaves were not conspicuous during the escape attempts, that would likely hinder or fault their endeavors. On the other hand, the slaveholders were not ready to embrace the reality that their laborers were now demonstrating agency, skill and empowerment. This was evident in their advertisements as they sought to downplay the successful slaves’ escapes. They advertised for them in manners that tried to portray them as still superior to them. For instance, they used the terms “pretends to be free” to indicate that the slaves were still enslaved but were acting up. They would also say, “acquired a pass” to withhold the fact that the slaves had forged the passes and escaped. Collectively, their attempts could be termed as deliberate vagueness or contemptuous.

The slaves could understand the evil of their statuses after they were able to read and write and this encouraged them to pursue freedom. Reading and writing provided them with mental freedom and they began crafting their free identities. Most importantly, they realized that their only way to escape the slave system was through reading and writing.


http://yourblackeducation.com/how-literacy-encouraged-slave-post-american-revolution-rebellion/