₦airaland Forum

THE Federal Government has declared Friday, 30th March and Monday 2nd April 2018 as Public holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter Monday respectively.

Minister of Interior, Lieutenant Gen. (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja issued by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Julie Nkiru Ejiofor.

Dambazzau, enjoined Christian faithful and Nigerians in general to employ the spiritual ethos of Easter, which include love, peace, and sacrifice, in contributing to the unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

He also urged Nigerians to remain supportive of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts towards building a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.

He implored all Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for the peace and unity of the country.

“The Honourable Minister wishes all Nigerians a Happy Easter celebration,” he said.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/fg-declares-friday-monday-as-public-holidays-for-easter/

post=66142490:
Welcome back home girls.

Dear God, please let Leah Shaibu be back home and unite with her family ASAP.
Don't put her faith in you to shame.

You are the way-maker,
Miracle worker,
promise keeper,
light in the darkness.
THAT IS WHO YOU ARE FATHER.

#PrayersGoingUp

Amen

The 104 Dapchi schoolgirls have arrived the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, on their way home to reunite with their families.

The girls left Abuja Sunday morning via a military airplane following their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.

The girls arrived Maiduguri airport at about 9 a.m. and were immediately conveyed in waiting vehicles amidst tight security to Damaturu by road.

They arrived Damaturu at noon from where they headed straight towards their hometown, Dapchi, about 101km from the capital.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that parents of the girls have gathered in Dapchi awaiting their daughters.

The 104 girls were freed last week, about a month after they were kidnapped from their secondary school in Dapchi. Five others died during the kidnap while the last girl, Leah Sharibu, remains with the Boko Haram who held on to her after she allegedly refused to denounce her Christian faith.

Details later…

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/262999-breaking-104-dapchigirls-arrive-yobe-to-reunite-with-family.html/

gentlebullet:
Hmmm, not only the guys o. i can authoritatively confirm to you that naija girls are more than 70% of all the runs and olosho girls in Ghana. especially Accra, kumasi and Tarkoradi. they have made hotels that were on the verge of running out of business for lack of patronage now bubbling cos they are lodged there and they pay weekly rents. God save Nigeria!

Hmmmm! That's interesting

In spite of plaudits for JAMB over the conduct of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), investigations show that all was not well with the test.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has found that while JAMB is congratulating itself for job well done, many candidates for the examination are hurting because of frustrations from the board.

Such candidates are those who cannot access their results days after JAMB claimed that it had released the results of over 1.5 million of the 1.6 million candidates who sat for UTME from March 9 to March 17.

The candidates said they had followed instructions by JAMB, that they check their results using their credentials on the JAMB website: www.jamb.org.ng, but are getting discouraging messages.

They said the messages from JAMB were that they did not register for the examination or that they did not have any result yet.

A teacher, Joseph Adebola, said five of his students who sat for the test had not got their results and wondered what the problem could be.

Mr. Adebola said he had been worried, especially as some of the mates of the students had got their results and were concentrating on preparations for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

“I have been trying to comfort them so that they can concentrate on the WASSCE coming up in April but it has not been easy.

“JAMB should reduce the tension on the students by releasing their results,’’ he said.

Ben Ugochukwu, also a teacher, said by not letting the children know their fate in the UTME, the board was destroying their confidence.

“The children are going through psychological stress and need to be relieved.

“By withholding information from a student who sat for a test you are destroying him or her, especially when the child is convinced he did not violate any rule,’’ Mr. Ugochukwu said.

A parent, Stephen Ahmed, said he personally drove his son to the examination centre and ensured that he followed instructions.

“I am surprised that I cannot access the result of my child, all I continue to see is: `You do not have any result yet.

“I have tried from many locations and devices, believing it was a network challenge but the answer has been the same.

“My worry is that this boy is to write the Certificate Examination in April; if he can’t get the result of the test earlier, what assurance does he have that the one for a future exam will be released?’’ Ahmed asked.

Inquiries by NAN about the fate of candidates in this situation have not yielded results.

The Head of Information of JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, has not answered telephone calls made to him.

Signs that JAMB was not going to deliver on its promise emerged when it decided to release the results of the candidates who wrote the test on Friday, March 9, NAN said.

The board released the results of the Friday test on Monday, March 11, against its pledge to verify all results before releasing them.

The registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, had said at a pre-test news conference that the board would take few days to verify results before releasing them.

However, JAMB released the first set of results but did not sustain the tempo.

On Wednesday, Mr. Benjamin announced the release of all results, except those of 110,000, whom he said might have been involved in cheating.

He alleged that some students entered the halls with foreign materials and that some centres colluded with candidates to cheat.

The board had claimed prior to the examination that it had acquired the technology to monitor all its over 600 Computer Based Test centres from its control room.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/262942-candidates-complain-over-inability-to-check-jamb-results.html/

So these people still took this business to Ghana. That's serious.

A major shake-up has taken place in the Nigerian Army with the appointment of a new Director, Military Intelligence and an Acting Provost Marshall.

With the new appointment, Major-General S.A Adebayo, is now the new Director Military Intelligence (DMI), while Brigadier-General H. Ahmed, is Acting Provost Marshal (Army).

The redeployment is contained in a document of posting and appointment/amendment of Nigerian Army officers, signed by Major-General F. Yamaha, Military Secretary (Army).

The adjustment included Majors-General H. Garba, who is now Chief of Defence Logistics, K I Abdulkareem, Nigerian Army Resource Centre, A. A. Tarfa, former DMI, to Nigerian Army Corp of Artillery as Corps Commander and A. M. Dikko, to Defence Headquarters.

Others are I O Rabiu, J B Olawunmi, Corp Commander Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, G Oyefosobi, Commander, NATRAC, KAY Isiyaku, A T Haman, former Provost Marshall is to move to the DHQ, as Director Peace Keeping Operations, M O Uzoh, DHQ, AM Aliyu, to Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and HTZ Vintinaba, to DHQ.

Also affected were Brigadiers-General FOE Pearce, NAWC, S. Mohammed, Acting Director DMPIA, and A A Aribiyi.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/24/dapchi-shake-army-new-provost-marshal-dmi-appointed/

Although I am not a Muslim, try and read this piece and it will to a large extent answer the question you have asked

The word ‘nikah’ is an Arabic word, which means ‘marriage’ and is considered to be the religious ceremony where the groom and bride agree to become husband and wife. Marriage in Islam at minimum requires the presence of an officiator, the bride and groom, and two witnesses. A gift called ‘Mahr’ is given from the husband to the wife at the time of marriage or at a later agreed-upon time in the future. As per the tradition of the Prophet (pbuh) the Mahr is supposed to be modest, not extravagant, in value.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state on Friday reacted to the verdict of the Supreme Court on the commencement of hearing in a case filed against the outcome of September 3, 2016 primary in Ondo State by an aspirant, Dr. Olusegun Abraham.

The party in a statement by its Director of Media&Publicity, Steve Otalorilot noted that some political

confusionists have started misinterpreting the apex court’s verdict as outright removal of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu from office and to be replaced with the applicant, Abraham.


The party said “it is unfortunate that this group of people decided to confuse members of our party and the good people of Ondo State in favour of their leader.

“Without prejudice to the judgement handed down by the Supreme Court, every member of APC is convinced that the primary was free, fair and transparent.

“It is established that the authentic party register was used at the primary, which was adjudged free, fair and acceptable by the party which would still form the basis for the application of the plaintiff”.

However, the statement urged all APC members and the citizenry to remain calm and refused to be confused on the court verdict, which is a mere permission to begin the hearing of the case itself.

According to the statement”it is pertinent to let our members and people of Ondo State to know that the governor is unperturbed being a legal luminary who understands that the Supreme Court verdict only permits him to open up his defence and put the record straight.

“The veracity of the matter is largely on Akeredolu’s side considering the avalanche of evidence in his favour.


It said “Akeredolu’s character, popularity and conviction on the fair conduct of the primary prompted other contestants in the primary to congratulate him when he was declared winner.

“It is also clear that the apex court’s verdict is a sheer approval to commence hearing of a case that has not begun.

“Nevertheless, Abraham is currently alone on this legal journey as all other contestants in the primary have been working towards strengthening the party, while the national leadership of the party as well as our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is already working with Akeredolu and our party (APC) for successful implementation of all his people-oriented programmes.”

The APC said the current unity among members of the party was a strong indication that” Abraham is standing alone in his illusion, trying to whip up a dead horse”.

http://thenationonlineng.net/akeredolu-remains-ondo-governor-apc/

The Southeast Professionals in Diaspora, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the nation’s security forces, over the release of 105 Dapchi School girls, abducted by the Boko Haram sect, in Dapchi, Yobe State in February.

According to the group, the release of the girls was a confirmation that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is sincere to Nigerians in keeping its promises.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Engr Dr Fidelis Nze (KSM) and made available to the media, the group said the speedy effort embarked upon by the Buhari’s administration is a demonstration of his true commitment, to the security of lives and properties of Nigerians, and it’s capacity to tackle terrorism with a renewed vigour.

The statement said, “We also wish to commend the various security agencies and partners, who worked tirelessly towards ensuring the rescue of the Dapchi Girls and many others abductees whose release did not make media headlines.”

“Across the oceans, Nigerians in Diaspora are happy to read about the numerous encomiums being showered on the Buhari Administration by our citizens and friends of the country.”

The group also condemn the recent report by global human rights group, Amnesty International, over claims that the Nigerian Military failed to act in preventing the abduction of the now rescued Dapchi School girls.

“We wish to remind Amnesty International and other elements, who are persistently out to demean the effort of our security agencies, particularly the Army, to take time is seeing the accolades that the noteworthy efforts of our agencies with the support of President Muhammadu Buhari, towards curtailing terrorism have earned Nigeria, in term of global recognition. We are confident that the global rating of the Nigerian military will rise even further with the recent achievements being recorded in the war against terrorism in the country.”


“We appeal to our Men and women in the Nigerian Armed forces, to remain steadfast in the ongoing task, as we as Nigerians, remain confident in their abilities and never get distracted by the self serving reports and campaign of Calumny by some of these organizations, particularly the Amnesty International.”

The group further appealed to the Federal Government not to relent on its efforts until the last of the abducted girls have been released or accounted for.

The group also urged Nigerians of all shades of opinion, religion, ethnic and political leanings to desist from politicizing the release of the girls as this could greatly compromise their rehabilitation and reintegration.

https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/03/dapchi-kidnap-igbo-group-applauds-president-buhari/

A former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday said that three million Nigerians have registered with the Coalition Movement of Nigeria (CMN) formed to effect political change in the nation ahead of 2019.

He called citizens to ensure they have their voter cards ahead of the 2019 elections.

Mr. Obasanjo made the disclosure while speaking at the 14th Annual Lecture of Women in Management, Business and Public Service, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. He said the coalition in conjunction with other movements is the way out of the nation’s political problems.

He said the movement would make an inroad into the grassroots across the country. He pointed out that he would pull out of CNM when it transforms into a political party and sponsors persons for elective offices in future elections.

Mr. Obasanjo also encouraged women to be active participants in the next political dispensation, adding they should be ready to support the next phase of the political process.

The former president, who was a guest speaker on the theme, ‘Press for Progress: Women in Politics and Nation Building’, said he was ready to give adequate and full support to women towards playing relevant roles in the country.

Mr. Obasanjo lamented that no woman has attained the position of an elected governor, senate president and some other top positions in the country.

He said women should also be adequately prepared, ”by first putting their feet right and be willing to pay the necessary price to witness the desired change.”

“If only womanhood was enough, Mrs. Hilary Clinton would have made it to the White House but she had a man (Donald Trump) who did what he could do to get to power.

“I don’t want or expect women to climb palm trees to harvest bunch of palm fruits. If anybody says he wants to see my mother climb palm trees, I will take a second look at that person. But women must do what it takes to succeed in Nigerian political space.

“To you women, do not allow any body to build your world for you. Build your world for yourself. Yes, women need encouragement but they must do enough for themselves,” Mr. Obasanjo said.

He urged Nigerian women to take a cue from America and prepare for politics, adding that if being a woman alone was what it takes to succeed in political ambition, Hilary Clinton would have emerged the United States president.

The ex-president, noted for tackling his successors openly, recently advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to recontest in 2019, citing poor performance. He subsequently announced that he would form a broad coalition with the sole motive of wresting political power from the present government in 2019.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/262700-2019-three-million-nigerians-already-registered-with-my-coalition-obasanjo.html/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Gusau, Zamfara, presided over a town hall meeting in continuation of his tour of troubled areas across the country.

The President in company of his aides landed at the Gusau helipad at about 10.40a.m after taking off from Umaru Musa Yar’Adua international airport Katsina.

The governors of Sokoto and Kebbi states, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and Atiku Bagudu respectively, some cabinet ministers, traditional and religious leaders, top government officials were among those who received the president.

President Buhari is scheduled to address traditional rulers and other stakeholders during the visit, and condole with families and communities that suffered from various forms of violent crimes in the state.

Zamfara has witnessed cases of attacks by armed bandits with hundreds of innocent people killed and property worth billions of naira carted away or destroyed.

The recent attack by bandits at Birane village in Zurmi Local Government area of the state left over 50 people dead. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/amplite/president-buhari-arrives-zamfara-addresses-traditional-rulers.html?

One of the Dapchi schoolgirls freed by Boko Haram on Wednesday, Khadija Grema, provided a detailed account of their journey after Boko Haram insurgents abducted them on February 19.

About 110 girls were kidnapped from their secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State. A total of 105 of them were freed on Wednesday morning by the insurgents who dropped them off in Dapchi without any resistant or confrontation by soldiers.

Clad in hijab (overall gown) that was uniformly sewn for all the girls by the Boko Haram, she said their journey to captivity was a harrowing experience that caused the death of some of her school mates.

“We were at the school, about to break our usual Monday voluntary fast, when the gunmen arrived. Everyone was confused and people were screaming; one of them said we should come close to him. They were shooting and everyone was confused. So we ran towards the school gate,” she said in Dapchi on Wednesday.

“When we got there, they called on one Babangida to bring vehicles. They brought the vehicles and began to drive us away. Outside Dapchi, they asked that who amongst us were fasting. And some of us that were fasting were asked to come down from the vehicle. They gave us Maltina, meat, groundnut cake and pure water.

“We had our prayers after breaking the fast. Then we continued our journey until we got to a place with a big tree, they stopped and we were asked to cook food, it was dark, so they put on lamps.

“After eating, then we continued the journey for a long time until we got to a place where there is river, we came down from the trucks and they asked us to enter some canoes that took us across the river.

“Across the river, they took us to a house in one village that I don’t know; we stayed there for sometime. The next day, they came to ask us to come out and we were taken to the river and continued the journey until we got to where a thick forest area. That was where they kept us; and they have not changed our location since then.

“They have been feeding us very well, they treated us very well. They did not beat us; they did not molest us.

“The people that took us away were all speaking Kanuri and Arabic. They didn’t tell us any meaningful reason why we were freed and returned. They just said we are Muslims and they felt it was right for them to free us so that we will not suffer.”

She said some of the girls, apparently the very young ones, who were trampled upon while they were packed in the vehicles that took them out of Dapchi, died on the way.

“Five girls died while we were on the way to the bush; most of them died because they were trampled upon inside the vehicles,” Khadija said.

She added that their abductors did not molest them sexually.

“They did not molest or sexually harass us,” she said. “They even said it was wrong for women and men to sit in the same place.

One Girl Was Not Freed

Khadija added that all of them were promised that they would one day be allowed to go home except one of the girls, Leah Sherubu, who was a Christian and who refused to put on the Hijab or accept Islam.

“They freed all of us except one girl, Leah whom they said would not go because she was a Christian.”

A parent of one of the freed girls also spoke about the girl not released.

​”It was sad when we heard that Leah was not released,” Kachalla Bukar said.

“We were told by the Boko Haram that she was not released because she refused to put on Hijab.”

The terrorists spent about an hour in Dapchi discussing with residents before they left the town.

The freed girls have now been flown to Abuja where they are expected to meet with presidency officials.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/262642-freed-dapchi-schoolgirl-speaks-how-we-were-kidnapped-treated.html/

The All Progressives Congress has described the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls as another demonstration of the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari to secure lives of Nigerians.

Malam Bolaji Abudullahi, APC National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday while expressing delight over the return of the girl by their abductors.

“The APC is extremely delighted with the news of the return of the schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, by Boko Haram.

“With this prompt release of the Dapchi girls, the APC government has demonstrated how government should respond to such situations.

“If the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration had responded with the similar alacrity, the Chibok schoolgirls would have been released or rescued,“ he said.

The APC spokesman noted that instead of giving the situation the urgency it deserved, the PDP wasted several weeks wallowing in denial and conspiracy theories.

This, he said, left the APC government with no choice than to rescue many of the girls and rehabilitate them when it came to power in 2015.

Abudullahi assured Nigerians that the APC-led Federal Government was committed to securing the release of the remaining Chibok schoolgirls still held in captivity by Boko Haram.

The spokesman added that government would ultimately rehabilitate and reunite the girls with their families and loved ones when they were eventually rescued.

He expressed confidence that the reforms that the government had embarked on, would improve the capacity and efficiency of security agencies to prevent the kidnap of children by terrorists.

This, he said, would also diminish the ability of terrorists to carry out attacks on soft targets.

NAN

http://punchng.com/dapchi-girls-this-is-how-government-should-respond-apc-hails-buhari/

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday reassured that it has been rebranded and repositioned and therefore remains the best political vehicle to return Nigeria to the path of good governance and national unity.



In a response to an open letter written by former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, who alleged that the party was being controlled by a few powerful donors and had therefore descended from pride to shame, the party said it had been aggregating opinions of its members and Nigerians at large on the way forward.

It stated that it had since perfected a level playing ground as no individual or group can claim ownership or control of the party under its present leadership.

According to a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, the fears expressed by Orubebe, which was described as one of the party leaders, was rather misplaced as the issues contemplated in his open letter were no longer obtainable in the repositioned PDP.

It was pointed out that the PDP under the leadership of Prince Uche Secondus, had since been thrown open to all Nigerians for equal and unhindered participation, a development, it said has led to the renewed interest of Nigerians on the platform as the only true vehicle to return the nation to good governance.

The statement added: “Furthermore, we have already moved forward by inviting members who had left the party and the responses, which we have received so far, have been very encouraging. Not just that, our party is also receiving new members from other political parties and we will soon commence an online registration to capture the old, new and returning members with equal rights, opportunities and privileges.

“It is imperative to inform that with the proposed membership drive through the online registration, it is certain that the party is being returned to the people, whose financial contributions would make them the true owners of the PDP.

“As a political party, with mass support of Nigerians and representing all interests across the six geopolitical zones, the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, our new leadership has succeeded in bringing all our members on board and we are working together now, more than ever before, to rescue our nation from the misrule of the dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC).


“We, therefore, urge all our members to continue to propagate the ideals of our party and engage only in activities that promote unity and the tenets of democracy in line with the vision of our founding fathers and the overall interest of our dear nation.

“Today, Nigerians across the board are waiting on the PDP to navigate our collective quest for a return to good governance, national cohesion and economic prosperity and we cannot afford to disappoint them.”

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/rebranded-repositioned-we-wont-disappoint-nigerians-―pdp/

The Umbrella Organization of all northerners Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Tuesday charged the Federal Government to immediately bring the menace of killings and kidnapping across the country, especially in the north to an end.

ACF also said the region is tired of being at the receiving end of every negative activity since the beginning of this dispensation in 1999, adding that it is time for all stakeholders to get to work since the country could not survive without the north.

The forum said the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari’s should rise up and end the killing and kidnapping especially of women and children in the region in good time before it is too late.



The apex body was speaking through its Chairman and former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie, when the leadership of the northern women socio-cultural organisation, Jam’iyya Matan Arewa (JMA) visited the ACF National Working Committee (NWC) to discuss how to protect children and women in the region from incessant attacks and kidnapping.

Coomassie, said since it is clear that Nigeria cannot survive without the North, the time has come for leaders from the region to put their heads together to save it from activities that always depicts it in negative light.

His words, “We all know that without the North, Nigeria can never survive. We still stand by it. But now is the time to walk the talk in the interest of our people.

“Chibok girls are still missing. Now it has gone to Dapchi in Yobe State, what happened? Are we always going to be the victims? Boko Haram, see what they did to the Northeast. They have spread over to the North central and even to the southern part of the country.

“Should we continue to be regarded in the negative side? No. We are leaders in our own right and we must exercise this responsibility for our people”, he said.

He continued, that “whenever there is crisis, women and children are always the major victims. Enough is enough. We are proud that you have come forward to meet us to discuss this issue” Coomasie said.

Speaking earlier, Chairperson of JMA, Aishatu Pamela Sadauki, who was represented by Hajiya Aliko Muhammed said, the visit to ACF was paramount in order to plead the course of women and children especially in Northern Nigeria.

“In Northern Nigeria, there are three major socio-cultural groups that shape and amplify opinion of the region and these are ACF, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) and JMA comprising wives of northerners that are now waking up after years of dormancy”, she said

https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/03/arewa-consultative-forum-slams-fg-over-killings-kidnapping-of-school-girls/

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District has alleged that the order by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotum to withdraw officers attached to Very Important Persons in Nigeria was targeted at him.
Melaye in a tweet attacked police IGP, claiming that he wanted to expose him so that he could be killed.

“Withdrawal of police from VIP, I am the target. IG want to expose me so I can be killed. Having survived Assassination attempt twice, I deserve police protection in a country where I’m a taxpayer.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/withdrawal-of-policemen-i-am-the-target-dino-melaye.html

THE Nigerian police on Monday paraded two notorious criminals allegedly working for the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye, to destabilise Kogi state towards the 2019 election.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood, while parading the suspects, Kabiru Saidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salish, said were arrested by men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in Kogi state on January 19, 2018/at Ogojueje in Dekina local government area of the state.

He said the suspects confessed to being members of a kidnapping gang and also working as political thugs for politicians in the state.

He said during interrogation, Saidu had been working as a political thug for Mohammed, who later introduced him to Melaye, who he later met along airport road in Abuja.

Moshood said, “The suspect further confessed that sent Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other thugs to work for him in preparation towards 2019 general election to enable him to challenge his political opponents and disorganise Kogi state”.

He further alleged that the gang leader confessed that the senator gave them one AK47 rifle, two pump action guns and N430,000.

The FPRO, however, said following the indictment of Melaye and criminal confessions against him, the force had written the Senate president requesting him to release Melaye to report to the Kogi State command of the police on March 7, to enable the police to investigate the issue.

He added that the senator had since refused to honour the police invitation, while a case of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms had been filed against the two suspects at the Federal High Court Lokoja.


However, in his reaction to the allegations, Melaye said it was framed up and an orchestrated attempt by the state government to discredited him.

The senator said he had never seen the suspects in his life and did not have anything to do with them.

Melaye said the move was an attempt by the Kogi state government to shut him up and prevent him from speaking the truth about governance in the state.

The senator added that he contested and won the election to the House of Representatives and the Senate without working with political thugs, saying the plan had been exposed to six weeks ago.

Melaye said, “This is an attempt to shut me up and stop me from speaking the truth but they have failed, it is an orchestrated lie by the governor and the police, in have tweeted about six weeks ago that they want to set me up because I got an Intel from government house when they met to set me up

“You can see the conflicting statements by the criminals, I heard one said I gave two AK47 and pump action, while the other said I have only one rifle and that I gave N430,000 to train militia, and that I met them in airport road in December 2017 but they didn’t give a date and time.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/police-parades-criminals-allegedly-working-for-melaye/

President Muhammadu Buhari has threatened to sack chief executives of federal parastatals and agencies that fail to appear before the National Assembly to defend their budgets, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

It was learnt that Buhari made his position known during a meeting he had with the leadership of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday evening.

A source who was at the meeting told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity that Buhari took the decision after the federal lawmakers succeeded in convincing him that they should not be blamed for the delay in passing the appropriation bill so far.

The source said the lawmakers told the President that out of about 60 government parastatals and agencies, only about 10 chief executives had appeared before them to defend their budgets.

The federal lawmakers were also said to have reported some ministers who they claimed had not been cooperating with them to the President.

The source mentioned the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as some of the ministers whose cases came up at the meeting.

The source, however, did not disclose the response of the President on the ministers’ cases.

The source said, “You know that the budget delay, by popular sentiment, is being blamed on the National Assembly. They defended themselves very well before the President that ministers and chief executive officers have not been coming to the National Assembly to defend their budgets.

“They cited some ministers like the Minister of Power, Works and Housing that he has not gone to defend his budget up until now. I am sure you have also been following the exchanges between them and the Minister of Solid Minerals.

“The President was extremely unhappy with what he heard. His directive to the SGF was that they should start fishing out chief executives who fail to defend their budget, because he was told that out of about 60 of them, only about 10 have appeared. He has asked that ministers should supervise them. It is a serious issue.

“He made it clear that by the time people are being sacked, there will be sanity.”

When asked if a new deadline was set at the meeting for the passage of the appropriation bill, the source said the National Assembly would wait for the MDAs to comply with the President’s directive, after which the bill would enjoy speedy processing.

At the end of the meeting on Thursday night, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, had told State House correspondents that Buhari had directed all ministers and parastatals to appear before the National Assembly to defend their budgets.

Mustapha said, “The President gave them (the lawmakers) update on security, economy, job creation, processes in the National Assembly especially with regards to the budget and the need to conclude on it.


“Mr. President has given an instruction that all ministers and parastatals should ensure that they appear before the National Assembly to defend their submissions so that we can get this out of the way.

“You know this is a very dynamic year and there are preparations for elections and we are having quite a lot of security challenges and so if we don’t appropriate, where will the money come from?”

Meanwhile, another source in the Senate who had details of the meeting also told one of our correspondents that Buhari invited the NASS leadership to know what had been responsible for the delayed passage of the appropriation bill.

Buhari was said to have been shocked when he was presented with facts on the low turnout of heads of the MDAs at the budget defence sessions held by Senate and House of Representatives’ Committees.

The source said, “Leaders of the National Assembly discussed the budget with the President. The President did not have full information that officials in the executive have been responsible for the delay. He thought the National Assembly was frustrating the passage but they told him they were not.

“The National Assembly leadership showed him the list of MDAs that have yet to come forward for budget defence or provide details of their budgets to the relevant committees. He was informed that about 70 per cent of the MDAs had not been cooperating with the legislature. The President was surprised.


“This is why the President ordered the SGF to issue a memo to all the MDAs, asking them to comply with National Assembly’s demands within one week. He wants everything to be sorted out within the time frame.”

The legislature and the executive have been passing the buck on which arm of government is responsible for the delayed passage of the budget, which President Muhammadu Buhari laid before a joint session of the Assembly on November 7, 2017.

On Monday, the Senate had said it was still uncertain when the 2018 Appropriation Bill would be passed by the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, had said, “The budget process is on and I cannot tell you this is the specific day it is going to end. All I can tell you specifically is that we are working very hard on it and we want to assure Nigerians that at the end of the day we will have a budget that will serve the purpose of Nigerians.”

The Senate had on February 14, 2018, asked 63 agencies and parastatals under the Federal Government to submit details of their proposed 2018 budgets within one week or risk sanctions.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly had said that while Buhari had complied with the law by laying the 2018 Appropriation Bill along with details of estimates before the lawmakers, agencies of the government had disregarded the law.

On February 28, the Senate had told Nigerians to blame members of Buhari’s cabinet and the ministries, departments and agencies for the delay in the passage of the appropriation bill.

The lawmakers alleged that ministers and heads of Federal Government departments and agencies were allegedly frustrating legislative work on the budget proposal with their foreign trips and non-cooperation with the lawmakers.

But the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze, had denied the allegation, saying the National Assembly already had enough details to work with and pass the appropriation bill.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also disclosed that the meeting was on the budget, security and other national issues.


He said the National Assembly leadership also gave the President their opinions during the interaction.

Saraki said the legislature was working on the budget, noting that some agencies had yet to defend their budget. “We are hoping that with this, they will come and defend their budget,” he said.

http://punchng.com/budget-buhari-threatens-to-sack-heads-of-50-govt-agencies-others/

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja has lambasted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over display of gross misconduct in the prosecution of an alleged N3.1B corruption case.

The Judge who accused the EFCC of frustrating proceedings in the trial and attempting to take over control of court withdrew from the EFCC case and returned its file to the Chief Judge of the Court, Justice Abdul Adamu Kafarati for re-assignment to another court.

The trial involving a serving Colonel in the Nigerian Army, Nicholas Ashinze and five others ran into storm during the cross examination of an EFCC operative, Mr. Hassan Sheidu.

Counsel to Army Officer, Mr. Ernest Nwoye had asked the EFCC operative who conducted investigation into the case to confirm to the court, if the name of Nicholas Ashinze appeared in any of the transactions relating to the N3.1B water project contract and which he answered negatively.

Nwoye also asked the EFCC witness to confirm to the court whether the contract was initiated by the office of the National Security Adviser where the Army Officer served or the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and which he answered in favor of the latter.

Trouble began when another question on whether the NSA office was responsible for payment of the contract and whether the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which effected payment ever declared the water contract illegal or fraudulent and which he answered in the negative.

Nwoye then asked the EFCC witness to tell the court why the name of Nicholas Asinze was put on the charge sheet.

Counsel to EFCC Mr. Ofem Uket became uncomfortable with the cross examination and began interjecting into the proceedings persistently.

Efforts by the Judge and other lawyers that the cross examination be allowed unhindered were rebuffed as the counsel objected to virtually all the questions put to his witness.

In the face off that ensued, Justice Kolawole attempted to call EFCC to order but the effort yielded no fruitful result while other lawyers expressed bitterness on the issue.


The interjection got to the climax when the counsel openly challenged the court records which were severally read out to him by Judge to assuage his feelings.

However, when all effort to call the counsel to order to stop the interjection were rebuffed, Justice Kolawole informed the counsel to conduct himself in manners expected of a legal practitioner which still yet yielded no fruitful result.

At a point, the Judge said he could no longer condone the conduct of EFCC in the trial and announced his withdrawal from the case.

Justice Kolawole accused the anti-graft agency of frustrating his court and desperately seeking to take over control of the court from him against the normal practice.

He said that it was the duty of the court to allow a witness in a criminal trial to be cross examined with questions contemplated by law adding that the display of apprehension by EFCC was unjust and un-called for.

The Judge while lambasting the EFCC for taking the court, laws and the best practice for granted counseled the commission to always put its house in order before rushing to court for trial adding that Justice was not for a particular side.

He therefore opted out of the case and returned the file to the Chief Judge for re-assignment to another judge.

Justice Kolawole had on March 21, 2017 stopped the trial of the defendants in the case when the EFCC in a press statement quoted the court proceedings upside with claims that the defendants were indicted for N36B contract fraud and put on trial before the court.

The press statement which was widely published in the newspapers drew the anger of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Mr. Paul Erokoro who insisted that the EFCC statement was capable of misleading the general public.

The senior lawyer drew the attention of the court to the 13 court charge against the defendants involving N3.1B and not N36B and demanded that the court call the EFCC to order in the media trial of the defendants.

EFCC counsel Mr. Ofem Uket had denied granting press interview but however admitted that the offending press statement emanated from the media unit of EFCC.

In his ruling then, Justice Kolawole condemned the EFCC for conducting two trial for the defendants in the media and his court.

The Judge said that it was wrong of the EFCC to have claimed that the defendants were indicted for N36B alleged fraud when such a bogus figure was not contained in the charge adding that such press statement will prejudice fair trial of the defendants.

The trial however, resumed when the offending newspaper publications were retracted by the EFCC and apologies tendered to the court.

Other defendants in the case are Sadiq Mohammed, a foreigner A.C Wolfang and a lawyer Mr. Edidion Edidion.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/14/dasukigate-judge-lambasts-efcc-misconduct-withdraws-case/

Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has said that his principal will ask the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, questions on why he flouted his relocation order to Benue State as alleged.

Adesina said this Tuesday while featuring on the political platform of Ray Power FM.

Adesina said before taking any action, Buhari would ask the IGP to defend himself on the allegation made by stakeholders of the state at a townhall meeting he had with them in Makurdi on Monday.

Adesina said, “Act immediately and not hearing from the other side? That will not be proper. A father does not act like that.

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

“The IG, as at yesterday (Monday), I knew was out of the country. That allegation came from Benue people.

“Knowing the President as a fair-minded man, he is going to listen to the IG, he is going to ask him to defend himself and then the next step.”

The Presidential spokesperson disagreed that the fact that the IGP allegedly disobeyed Buhari’s directive implied that the president was not in control as being insinuated.

“Those who said that have a right to their opinion. This is a democracy. We don’t stifle opinions. Comments are free, facts are sacred. Those comments are not facts, we know the facts and we stand by the fact.

“The fact is that the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and he runs his government hands-on and efficiently,” he said.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/13/benue-killings-buhari-will-igp-idris-femi-adesina/

Ahead of the 2019 gubernatorial election, the Badagry division Women Development Forum, threw its heaviness overdue the re-election bid of Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Hon. Seyi Bamigbade, Coordinator General of Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard said at Endorsement of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode Continuity and Inauguration of the Women Forum in the Division, he described as its unprecedented all-inclusive governance that had scaled up infrastructure development to ensure the Lagos Mega city statues.

Bamigbade said the New Tax Policy is for the development all Lagosians and urge them to continue their cooperation with the Lagos State Government and not to allow enemies of progress to set back the progress because of polities of Do or Die. He said.

Princess Sewede Pot- Balogun, Coordinator of the Women Forum, said that Ambode was adopted as its sole candidate because of his achievements in the past three years.


she said that the governor’s total dedication to duty coupled with the enormous developmental projects and his desire to make the state a better place to live, had automatically earned him a second term in office.

”In this division, we profited in the programmes and plans of Gov. Ambode led-administration. This is why we are announcing out support for his re-election so that he can continue to make our division and Lagos an enviable state,” she said.

High Chief Dr. Innocent N. Nwankwo, Igbo Spokesman, in Lagos state who led members of the Igbo community to the event said his people supported the move to endorse the governor for the second tenure ticket because of his hardwork and love for all Lagosians irrespective of their tribes or religions, noting that the governor has proved himself to be a detribalized Nigerian and highly focused leader who is commited to the growth of his society.

”I am calling on all non- indigenes to enroll en masse and be in a position to vote in credible candidates such as Gov. Ambode. It is our collective civic responsibility, ” . we must return all how votes for him comes 2019 to ensure 5 Million Votes of the tireless Governor. He said.

He urged residents to be part of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC)., adding that their voter’s card remains their weapon with which they can use to support continuity of good government

Speaking on behalf of the Badagrians, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment said that Ambode’s performance in office had made the state a reference point in the comity of States in Nigeria.


Hon. Hunpe urged his colleagues to mobilise support for the governor’s re-election in 2019.

”Talk about commerce and industry, good health care delivery, good roads across the state, quality education and prompt payment of workers’ salaries and arrears.

”In our division too we can see the records, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Badagry Deep Sea port and other road projects. These are some of the things that placed the governor ahead of his contemporaries nationwide, ” he said.

Receiving the endorsement letter on behalf of Ambode, the Commissioner 1, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Pastor Alagbe said that Badagry was an important and most populated division in the state.

”Population is what drives election and Badagry division has the population, therefore, this endorsement means a lot to the governor.

”The endorsement will motivate him to continue to priorities the growth and development of the state as well as continue making the needs of the residents top issue, ” he said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/igbo-group-backs-ambode-second-term/amp/

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that naysayers had taken to Social Media and spending huge amounts of money to distort the situation in Nigeria.

The Minister stated this at a mini town hall meeting which he organised for members of staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin, Germany and a cross-section of Nigerians residing in the European country.

Mohammed was in Berlin to attend a meeting of African Tourism Ministers, on the sidelines of the International Travel Trade Fair in the German capital.

A statement issued on the mini town hall meeting in Berlin was made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the minister.


The minister said the naysayers, who were hoping to override the string of achievements by the present administration in the country, were spending huge amounts of money to spread fake news about Nigeria.

He said: “Contrary to the fake news being peddled in the Social Media by the naysayers, President Muhammadu Buhari is putting Nigeria back on its feet.

“That is why Nigerians at home and abroad must ensure they have access to authentic information.
“One way is to download the FGNiAPP on their hand-held devices. It is free.”

”The economy is on a steady growth, as attested to be by the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics:

“The economy attracted 12.2 billion dollars in foreign investments in 2017, up from $5.38 billion in 2016.

“That represents 138 per cent increase.


‘’The economy further consolidated its recovery from recession with GDP growing by 1.92 per cent in Q4 2017,compared to 1.40 per cent in Q3 2017 and a contraction of -1.73 per cent in Q4 2016;.

“This means the economy ended 2017 with a growth of 0.82 per cent compared to a
contraction of -1.58 per cent in 2016.

“GDP growth in Q4 2017 was driven by growth in crop production, crude production and natural gas, metal ores, construction, transportation and storage, trade, electricity and gas production,.

“These are indications that the administration’s diversification effort is working.”

Mohammed blamed the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen on environmental, rather than ethnic or religious issues.

He noted that contrary to the narrative being pushed in certain quarters that gave ethnic and religious coloration to the clashes, they were caused by purely environmental issues.

Mohammed said whereas, Nigeria’s population in 1963 was about 48 million, ‘’it is now about 180 million with the country’s land mass remaining the same.’’

He said the implication was that, there were more people per square kilometre, adding that this development raised the chances of clashes over dwindling resources.

The minister also said that Lake Chad that which used to provide water and other resources to more than 30 million people in four countries, including Nigeria in the early 1960s had shrunk by about 90 per cent.

He said the lake which had shrunk from 25,000 square kilometres to 2,500 square kilometres, forced those affected to move south in search of resources.

”These and other reasons, like desertification, have altered the resource landscape, heightened competition for dwindling resources and raised the possibility of clashes between farmers and herders.”

Mohammed, who assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to finding lasting solution to the clashes, noted that the establishment of ranches was one sure way of reducing such clashes.

He, however, said that in resolving the crisis, both the farmers and the herders must be willing to shift slightly from their positions grounded in their way of life over centuries.

For his part, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Alhaji Yusuf Tuggar, commended the patriotism and dedication of the Nigerians in Diaspora, especially those in Germany.

”There is a burgeoning Nigerian community (in Germany), committed to
the prosperity of Nigeria.

“They are well in tune with the policies of the Nigerian government and they are accomplished men and women and worthy ambassadors,” he said.

In their comments, some leaders of the Nigerian Diaspora commended the government for the progress being made in lifting up the country.

They stressed the need to step up efforts to ensure the security of life and property in order to attract more foreign investors to the country.

A naysayer is a person who says something will not or is not possible , or one who is skeptical or cynical about something. (NAN)

http://thenationonlineng.net/contrary-fake-news-social-media-buhari-revamping-nigeria/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday morning arrived the airport at Makurdi, the Benue State capital on a condolence visit to the state.

The former President is in Benue, in solidarity with the governor and people of the state over the incessant killings and attacks by suspected herdsmen.

He was received at the airport by the state Governor Samuel Ortom and other top government officials in the state.


Not less than 158 persons have been reported killed in the sate as a result of sustained herdsmen attacks in the state since the January 11th, an event that led to a mass burial and protest by youths in Makurdi, the state capital.

The former President is expected to visit the mass burial grave site and also meet stakeholders at the government house.

He is also expected to visit the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located in Agan Toll Gate, where over 34, displaced residents of the state are taking refuge.

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose had earlier paid a condolence visit to Benue State on Thursday, February 8. During the visit, he declared support for the Anti-Grazing Law implemented by the state government in 2017, warning that it must not be compromised.

https://www.channelstv.com/2018/03/10/former-president-obasanjo-pays-condolence-visit-to-benue/

GOVERNOR Abubakar Sani- Bello of Niger State, was, on Thursday, attacked by some youths over alleged non-performance and constant travels outside the country on the claim of inviting foreign investors to in the state.

In a demonstration of their anger against the governor’s leadership style, the youth from Bida Local Government Area of the state, in their hundreds, did not only pelt his convoy with stones and other dangerous items, they also chanted some uncomplimentary choruses of ‘ba mu so’ meaning: “ we don’t want,” against him.

Governor Sani-Bello, who got more than he bargained for from the protesting youths, was on a visit to the late Etsu Musa’ s market, scene of last week Thursday’s fire incident in Bida, the ancient Nupe Kingdom for a condolence visit and for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by the fire incident when the youths attacked his convoy.

Saturday Tribune observed that as soon as the scores of youths got wind of his visit to the market on Thursday, they mobilised themselves and laid siege on the burnt market where about 1,500 shops as well as stores were razed last week, while goods estimated at almost N1 billion were completely destroyed by fire.

And no sooner had they sighted the governor and the cars on his convoy that the youth chanted hate choruses at the governor, shouting “Abu Lolo, So Daya, “ meaning, “Governor Sani Bello, One Chance or One Term for Lolo.”

It however took a quick intervention of the mobile policrmen on the escort of the governor to forcefully disperse the youth with shots of canisters of tear gas as they fled in different directions.

However, efforts by Saturday Tribune to get the official reaction of Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, on the incident, proved abortive as he did not pick the several calls to his telephone, just as he did not reply the text message sent to him.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/niger-gov-stoned-by-youths-over-frequent-travels/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in this interview with journalists and social media practitioners, said the federal government had made tremendous efforts in stopping grand corruption in the country today. He also spoke on a wide range of national issues. JONATHAN NDA- ISAIAH presents the excerpts.

On Nigeria’s latest rating by Transparency International on the Corruption Perception Index

I think that by even Transparency International’s own assessment, Transparency International uses nine different indexes to come to a conclusion. In four out of those indexes, Nigeria moved up, in another four Nigeria stabilized & dropped in only one index. So in aggregation, it (T.I) then decides that it has fallen in certain number of points below where we were.

I think the important thing to bear in mind about Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight is that the government has done what it ought to do by focusing on grand corruption. Grand corruption is the type we experienced years before when, for example, $15billion was lost in defence contract. Two, three weeks to election, N100 billion in cash was taken out, and again $293 million in cash, two weeks, three weeks to election. That’s the kind of impunity. And of course you are also familiar with the scam that went on in the NNPC at the time; the so called statutory contracts, that’s grand corruption. That is the corruption that crippled the economy of the country.

Let me tell you very quickly how you can recognize that we have scaled a good deal on grand corruption today: despite the fact that we are earning 60 percent less in revenue, we are actually able to spend more than ever before in the history of this country on infrastructure. In 2017, we spent about N1.3 trillion on capital. That’s the highest in the history of the country. So we are able to do far more with far less because we have controlled the impunity that went on, the grand corruption, and all of that.

Now, how does that translate to perception; because grand corruption is a big aspect of corruption. It’s a big one because if you cannot control grand corruption, you can’t do what you want to do. But then you cannot address the corruption as you go through our airports, our ports or as you go through government offices, in many cases. That’s where the whole perception emerges.

We must have a deeper and much wider way of dealing with corruption. How are you going to do that? You must have an efficient way of doing that; like automation, removing discretion from individuals.

What is the institutionalized process of fighting corruption?

Institutionalization is not a one-off thing, it’s a process, and we are dealing with that, that’s exactly what we are doing. For example, the TSA and being able to look at government accounts and all of that is one way of institutionalizing a process by which you can be sure of what people are doing, how this things are happening. The process of allowing the EFCC to do its work without dictation, saying that “look, this what the EFCC is doing”, and giving them every support that you can. These are ways of institutionalizing. And it is that same process that we are taking in the public service – Automation.

For example, look at all that we have done in the ease of doing business. The whole point of doing that is institutionalizing processes, so that when you come into Nigeria you can get your visa after applying online; so that Customs don’t have to sit around the airport, that is why we are putting in the I-check and we are putting all sorts of other processes. That is to institutionalize; it’s not a one-off process.

What’s the national strategy on anti-corruption?

That’s a long conversation, but put simply, the national strategy is to ensure that public officers in particular are not able to privatize public finances. And how do we intend to achieve that? We intend to achieve that by ensuring that there is consequence for corruption and also by automating processes, removing discretion from individuals because if you don’t remove discretion from individuals the individuals can have discretion as whether or not they will grant certain approvals through certain processes; then you continue to encourage corruption at one level or the other.

Asides from the EFCC, it seems the other anti-corruption agencies such as the ICPC are doing nothing…

Well, I don’t agree. I think that you will find that alongside the work of the EFCC, in fact one of the critical things we do is, we try and re-direct the ICPC. We appointed the executive secretary of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, PACAC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, to head that body and we believe the ICPC is the important part of the whole fight against corruption. We revamped the leadership of the ICPC. Unfortunately we were stalled because it requires Senate confirmation, that hasn’t been done. That is the area of focus for us because the ICPC is supposed to be involved, not just in corruption, but in orientation and re-orientation of the public service. So, it’s an important part of our work.

On allegations of nepotism against the Buhari administration

equal number – 18 Christians, 18 Muslims; but, we have the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as the Head of Service who are Christians. So we have 20 Christians to 18 Muslims; that’s the structure of the cabinet. So if you take that narrative you may argue that perhaps the Christian have the upper hand; that’s a possible narrative.

Let us look a little deeper into that, so there are those who may argue, for example, that the north has an upper hand or perhaps one section has an upper hand in the cabinet as one narrative. The South East, for example, has five states. Four of the South Eastern states have senior ministers; all of them, except one, who is Minister of State for Education.

The President has no choice in that, it is a constitutional requirement…

In assigning particular portfolios he does. In the north, seven northern states have no senior minister, including the President’s home state, Katsina. Now, there are those who will say, if you are nepotistic; surely seven northern states have no senior minister. It’s a narrative depending on how you want to run it.

I give you another example; I’m from the South West. There are people who will say “I am from the South West, the North has everything.” The South West, for the first time in the history of this country, has one Minister who is in charge of three ministries: Power, Works and Housing. The Ministers of Finance & Communications are also from the South West. These are critical ministries. You can run the narrative in whichever way that you choose. There are those who will say, for instance, look at the number of CEOs of agencies of government; the highest number of CEOs in our nation today comes from Ogun State, the state has the largest number. There are those who will say that’s his state (i.e VP’S State). So you can run the narrative depending on how you want to run it.

The President has admitted that, yes there are situations where you can find certain things as true and he intends to have a look at that. For example, you’ve given the example of security positions and he said he is going to take a look at look at it. I believe that is the way to go because you can run any narrative that will suit the figures you are showing. And that is where we have legal process. There are people who don’t know that the number of CEOs from Anambra State are more than the number of CEOs from Katsina State or anywhere else, except Ogun.

On the delay of 2018 budget

We have a democracy that has, as you know, three arms. The two relevant arms for budget are the executive and legislature. If you recall when I was Acting President, I signed the 2017 budget and, at that time, I made the announcement with the full consensus of the National Assembly that, from 2018, we are going to have a budget that is going to apply in January and end in December the normal financial year. We agreed that we will submit our proposal in good time, and we did that first week of November. The President did so. We fulfilled that part of the agreement. The budget is with the National Assembly. There is very little we can do to control that. That’s the system that we have.

Seeming rift between the Executive arm of government and the Legislature

Well, I’m not so sure that the tensions are unknown. The democratic system anywhere as, for example, in the US where we borrow our bicameral legislature from, you find that despite the fact that the Republican Party controls major part of parliament, it still doesn’t mean that bills are necessary going to go through.

So one must assume that the responsibility of the National Assembly is to scrutinize what the executive is doing and not just to be a rubber stamp. But I also agree with you entirely that it’s important for us, for the sake of our country, our economy and for the sake of many young people who are relying on us to deliver. We ensured that we released our budget on time. I want to believe that the executive has done its part and we wait on the National Assembly.

On Nigeria’s debt reportedly now being higher than what was inherited by this administration

No, No, I don’t think so. First let me explain that we have a government that is very prudent, a government that believes in financial prudence, a government that condemns impunity – the way that the thing was practiced before now, and a government that spends resources on the right thing. For the first time in the history of our country, we are spending about N1.3 trillion on capital; it means that we are investing in the right place. We are not just borrowing money anyhow; no, we are investing in the right place.

Every government or most governments anywhere probably look for some points to borrow, but the important thing is what are you borrowing for? And that’s why we building the Lagos-Kano rail, doing the Lagos-Calabar rail, the second Niger Bridge and the Mambilla hydro project that has been abandoned for almost 40 years.

We are improving capacities in power, we are investing in social investment, we are investing long-term in the things that will create an economy that can support a large number of young graduates, who are coming in the market every day. That’s a process that needs a lot of thinking; that needs a lot of investment.

I think the most important thing is to ask that when there was a N9 trillion debt, where is the infrastructure to account for that? I think that is the most important question to ask. It’s not whether you borrow, but what you spend that money on. I think we should be able to prove that the earning is 60% less than the earning in the past five six years. So we are spending far more on the right thing and we are able to ensure that we build a future that young people can truly look forward to.

What about the 50% revenue reportedly being spent on settling debts?

No, we are not spending 50% of our revenue servicing debt. Let me explain that, we have a deficit somehow in the region of about N2.6 trillion now, a lot of our revenue has to be spent on capital and recurrent, and recurrent is 70% of revenue. But for the first time we are spending 30% on capital. Before now when oil was a $115 a barrel, we were spending 11% or 15% on capital, and capital is the most important expenditure because that is where you do the infrastructure in order to be able to build the economy. So the reality is what we are spending is to provide the infrastructure that will last.

Abduction of 110 Dapchi girls in Yobe and the killings in states like Benue and Zamfara. Why didn’t the President or you visit these places earlier?

Let me say it first that no amount of condolence can compensate for the loss of life, whether in Calabar, Mambilla or Benue or where people were killed in Adamawa or Zamfara, any of these states. There is no amount of condolence that can compensate for the loss of life. Benue killing is one set of killing far too much; there is no amount of condolence that can compensate for that. And I want to say that it’s a massive tragedy. But the question that you seem to ask I’ve been to Zamfara, I’ve been to Adamawa when this killing took place. There are those who said, ‘oh, why don’t you visit the Fulani settlement, why do visit only where Christians were?’ I even visited Benue in September where there have been killing before; then I’ve visited them when the flooding took place and we looked at all the issues and tried to address many of these. There have been several of these issues in different places, recently Dapchi. We have expressed condolences, but no amount of condolence would do.


The more important thing, and our focus has been, is first of all ensuring security in these places.

We have to address the security question in a much more robust way; that the police are able to do these effectively. We have deployed the military to Kaduna, two battalions to Kaduna. In Benue and Taraba axis, we have the 93 battalion, we have 72 Special Forces. We have full concentration in Taraba and all of that, and by the way, the military is fighting in most of the North East. So there is a situation where the military is overstretched. So I think the most important thing is first of all to ensure they actually address the security of the people.

The second Niger Bridge and Buhari administration’s efforts to win the South East

Let me just say that the President has pointed out that the South East wasn’t the region that voted heavily for the APC, but that is not in any way stopping the President from appointing four senior ministers from that part of the country. He could have appointed junior ministers. By appointing four senior ministers, I think that it shows that he is interested in the South East region of Nigeria.

Secondly, previous government merely talk about the second Niger Bridge. We have moved to site, we are working on the second Niger Bridge. We’ve provided for the second Niger Bridge in our budget we have also provided infrastructure fund for the second Niger Bridge. Also, we are doing the Lagos-Calabar road. The Lagos-Calabar road goes through the South East region, that’s one of the very important thing we are doing and we put money behind it. The President himself negotiated the loan from the Chinese government. He actually went to China to negotiate and these are ongoing projects.

Ariaria market today is possibly the largest MSME hub in the whole of West Africa. The Federal Government, with the private sector, is powering Ariaria market so that every of the 21,000 shops in Ariaria market has power. The roads to the market are in the budget. Let’s bring it down to what we are doing; the first of our MSME clinics was in Aba and we are committed to ensuring Aba is a hub that it ought to be.

This is where we spend a lot of time and energy to move regulatory agencies so that they actually have a one-stop centre there, so that NAFDAC, SON can move into that place. There is a lot of work that’s going on. The truth is that we do what needs to be done. We were elected to do the right thing by everyone and we are doing it. I’ve gone to the South East several times. I’ve visited Nnewi and many parts of Anambra as well, where we look around and look at ways of supporting industries there and we are still committed to that zone.

Areas that Federal Government could have done better

Let me say that one of the very important things for me, I think we could have done far more in terms of jobs, direct jobs now, because we’ve done enough. We first created jobs in agriculture. Perhaps we are hoping we would be able to provide by now 500,000 of our N-power jobs, but because of the income we are able to provide 200,000. We have another 300,000 waiting to be employed. So maybe a year into our government, we could have done 500,000. So for me I think if we have the kind of resources that people had 10 years ago when oil was $115 per barrel we could have provided far in excess.

I also think that, perhaps in the area of power, especially trying to do much more, but power is privatized. A lot of the power companies, a lot of the GENCOs, the DISCOs in particular, simply don’t have the resources to replace assets, so they slow down. How I wish they have more funds to pump into assets and we hope they have more resources to do so. We’ve put in place the over N700 billion payment assurance scheme, but that is insufficient.

DSS disagreement with the NIA in the past, recommendation of EFCC Chair, Ibrahim Magu, by the President and DSS’ letter against that; these point to discord within the administration…

That’s not true. Let me put it this way; first let’s take the Magu example. One of the things that the President decided to do is to ensure that every agency does its work without direct interference from the President. So the President does not call the EFCC, and say, “Go and arrest Mr Ekpeyong”, no. And that’s one of the most important things about the style of this government, and we want the agencies to do their work. No one has showed up and called Magu and say, “Look go and arrest.” That’s what it is.

While you will find, for example, that the DG, SSS, upon the request by the Senate, wrote a security report and sent it, yet it is up to the President to decide whether he’s going to present this candidate. Interfering with the process of a security report is not leadership, that’s obstructing. He is not supposed to interfere. If you say, “Send your report”, whatever report you want to send, the man defends himself, and we still believe he is the right person for the job. That is the position that we took when he was presented the second time.

Of course, the Senate has had their own say on that and they are entitled to take some of the positions they are taking. But the President believes that this is the right man for the job, so he presented him the second time.

Arrest of DG of NIA by the EFCC

With respect to the arrest of DG, NIA, and some of what took place, I think the fair thing to say is that the President has said that the EFCC has the absolute right to go ahead and do whatever it needs to do to ensure that anybody who has committed a crime, or who is suspected to having committed a crime, is brought to justice, and that’s the position that the EFCC has taken. You know the EFCC has issued a notice for the DG, NIA, and SGF to attend interview with the EFCC; but we are sure that that process would be followed to a logical conclusion.

To ensure that you allow government agency do their business, that’s very important; that’s institution building. Look at what is happening in the US today; the President is sometimes angry with the FBI because the FBI is doing its independent work, and that’s what we hope to achieve: when you see countries where agencies are doing their work the way they are supposed to do it.

https://leadership.ng/2018/03/09/we-have-made-significant-progress-in-stopping-grand-corruption-osinbajo/

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, says some teachers that were being recruited in the state could not write their acceptance letters.

He said after the state sacked 21,780 teachers that “failed” a competency test it organised, some of the new ones were discovered to be unqualified.

El-Rufai was speaking at a roundtable discussion on governance, organised in Abuja on Thursday.

The decision of the Kaduna state government to sack the teachers had drawn criticism from some Nigerians.

After the sack, the government began a recruitment process of another 25,000 teachers.

But “even some of the new teachers we tried to recruit tried to game the system”, the governor said.

“We gave those that passed letters of appointments and a plain sheet of paper to write a simple letter of acceptance and some could not.

“It was clear they didn’t write the tests themselves.”

He said owing to the “strides” recorded by the state government in the education sector, private schools in Kaduna “are in trouble now.”

“All their teachers have now left to join our government,” he said, adding: “We believe that in five years’ time, private education in Kaduna will be a luxury, rather than a necessity.”

El-Rufai said his administration is determined to “fix the education system” in Kaduna and that “if it will cost us re-election, it is a price we are prepared to pay”.

https://www.thecable.ng/el-rufai-new-teachers-recruited-not-write-acceptance-letter/

President Muhammadu Buhari says his government has done its best.

The president said this at the presidential villa in Abua on Thursday, while receiving a delegation from King Salman of Saudi Arabia.

Buhari said his administration was mindful of the three-pronged promises made to Nigerians before the 2015 elections.

He said he remained undeterred and focused on securing the lives and properties of all Nigerians.

“From the very time we came until now, we have been able to do our best, and we remain focused on delivering on our promises,’’ he said.

Buhari told the Saudi Arabian delegation that the priority of his administration had so far been on securing the country, buoying the economy and curbing corruption so that Nigerians would start benefitting from the rich natural and human resources of the country.

The president expressed appreciation to the King Salman Aid and Relief Centre, and the Saudi Development Fund for providing relief materials, worth $10 million, to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the north-east.

Nasser Bin Mutlaq, leader of the Saudi Arabian delegation said the visit and the donation of materials was an extension of the good relations both countries had shared over the years.

https://www.thecable.ng/done-best-says-buhari/

It was a time of confession for Bishop Mike Okonkwo, one of the prominent leaders in Nigerian christian community recently as he told members of his congregation that he has been deceiving them on the issue of payment of tithe.

Okonkwo, who is the founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), told members of his church that contrary to what he has been telling them over the years, anyone who refuses to pay tithe will not be under any form of curse.

He also confessed that he and his colleagues employ the 'threat of curse' to frighten church members to part with their money.

In a video that has now gone viral, the Bishop said pastors are in the habit of using certain “semantics” to manipulate their members into paying tithe.

He said, “The first mention of tithe, there was no curse in it. Abraham gave the tithe of all to Melchizedek which was before the law. There was no curse and he did it willingly.

“I have frightened the church with curses for not paying tithes and that was because I didn’t know any better.

“You know we conjure all kinds of semantics like, ‘If you don’t pay your tithe, your life will be tight,’ and the people pay out of fear without God’s blessing.

“God wants you to pay tithe out of love, it shouldn’t be about the money, but about Jesus.”

In another video, the pastor dispelled the first fruit doctrine - a teaching by some pentecostal pastors to their members to give all of their first salaries in the year or the first profit realised from their business undertakings as offerings.

Bishop Okonkwo said other pastors have approached him to also enforce payment of first fruit in his church, but he had always refused the counsel.

“Can you imagine all the businessmen, all the profit you made and you bring them at my feet. Even if I did not read it in the bible, my conscience will not allow me.

“It is not all the gifts you take, take only the one you will be able to go to bed," he said.

He said he had to let go of a pastor who wanted to imbibe the first fruit doctrine in his church.

http://saharareporters.com/2018/03/07/pastors-use-threat-curses-force-church-members-pay-tithe-bishop-mike-okonkwo-confesses

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday counselled President Muhammad Buhari to rather use the benefit of his state visit to Ghana to draw lessons from his Ghanian counterpart, President Nana Akufo-Addo on how to run a peaceful, united and economically vibrant nation.

The party also criticized President Buhari for offering to assist Ghana in her war against corruption, when his own administration reeked heavily with corruption as evinced by the Transparency International report which exposed the fact that corruption had worsened in Nigeria under his watch.

The party, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Kola Ologbondiyan, said the President and his handlers should have been embarrassed that while the President of Ghana paraded credentials of a robust economy and a peaceful nation, Nigeria, under the Buhari Presidency I was plagued with economic recession and upsurge of violence and daily bloodletting.

According to the Party, “When President Buhari was reeling out President Akufo-Addo achievements in his one year in office; his ingenious approach to job creation; the farming for job initiative, the senior high school free education, one district-one factory projects and one village-one dam initiatives among others; we hope our dear President reflected on the fact that back home, his inept government had instead, wrecked our once robust economy, the reason he had nothing to present to the world at the ceremony.

“We hope President Buhari recollects that unlike his Ghanian counterpart, his administration had nothing to show in its first year in office. Our President recalls that under his own watch, over 8 million Nigerians have lost their jobs, 16 million remained unemployed, 18 million more were underemployed while another 27.44 million refused to work for
various reasons related to frustrations occasioned by the negative policies of his government.

“In the same vein, we hope President Buhari notes that unlike his Ghanian counterpart, who initiated development projects and opened factories, in Nigeria under his watch, many factories have shut down, infrastructures are collapsing, inflation has soared, fuel price has moved from N86.50 to N250-N300 per liter in various parts of his country, while the nation’s debt profile has continued to escalate.

“Furthermore, when President Buhari offered to assist Ghana in her fight against corruption, we hope he remembered that the world already knows that back home, his administration reeks of allegations bordering on
corruption in high places and the Transparency International (TI) report has exposed the fact that corruption has worsened in Nigeria under his government.

“Today, the world knows that what obtains in Nigeria is direct persecution of opposition members under the guise of a fight against corruption, which has been aided by intimidation of the judiciary and incessant harassment of journalists.”

The PDP urged President Buhari’s handlers to stop embarrassing the nation, especially at the international stage.

According to it, “We know that the Presidency sought to use the Ghana visit to curry international endorsement for their 2019 reelection bid, unfortunately, they reaped a harvest of international embarrassment and ridicule

“We want to urge Mr President to be wary of turning Nigeria into a joke in the international arena, especially as the world knows what is obtainable in his government.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/learn-from-ghanian-president-and-stop-embarrassin%e2%80%8eg-nigeria-pdp-tells-―buhari/

The Independent National Electoral Commission says the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards to their owners will begin by the middle of May.

The Ebonyi INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at a strategic security interactive meeting on Wednesday in Abakaliki.


The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the strategic meeting involved INEC officials, representatives of security outfits involved in the conduct of the election as well as the National Orientation Agency, and the National Youth Service Corps.

Obioma said that the commission would commence the distribution of the PVCs to eligible electorate, who registered between 2017 and 2018.

He urged security officials, who were yet to register, to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration to register.

He further urged members of the security agencies, who transferred from other locations, wishing to transfer their cards to Ebonyi to approach any INEC office nearest to them for the transfer.

He warned against double registration, noting that any double registration would result in the cancellation and disqualification of the voter.

“We have concluded arrangements for the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards to their owners and the exercise begins by mid-May and will involve those who registered between 2017 and 2018.

“We have begun early to plan for the 2019 elections and I want to assure you that we will do our best to eliminate factors that will compromise outcome, credibility and integrity of the elections.

“Let me use the opportunity to urge officers who have not registered to register and those wishing to do card transfer to visit any INEC office for the update,” Obioma said.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/07/inec-reveals-voters-will-get-pvc/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Popular Lagos cleric and political activist, Pastor Tunde Bakare has announced the formation of a new political movement which, according to him, would serve as a platform to champion a new political agenda for Nigeria.

Bakare, who ran as a vice presidential candidate to President Muhammadu Buhari under the defunct Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011 presidential election declared that the movement christened ‘New Nigeria Progressive Movement’ would champion the restructuring of Nigeria along the path of true federalism.

Bakare advised Nigerians not to be deceived by power-seeking politicians who would sell restructuring during to them during their campaigns and will not do anything to actualize their promise after assume office.

He said, “Even among those touting restructuring in their political agenda today, there is no visible concerted effort in the direction of long term commitment to fundamental reconceptualization and renegotiation of the Nigeria state. Thus, once the furor of election turns, whims and movement predictably lose momentum, Nigerians be once again will be faced with the daily realities of a nation that is restructured to fail.”

He added that the new movement would liberate Nigerians and position the people to take back the country from the current ruling political class.

“Fellow Nigerians, I’m here to announce to you that the time has come for the true progressives to arise, say enough is enough to political hypnosis; it is time to take our country back.”

“We are stepping in to shape the national conversation beyond elections and begin to lay the groundwork for the restructuring of this nation,” Bakare stated.

Bakare, who is the pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, added that the sole aim of the movement is ‘restructuring’ and the message would be passed across to Nigerians at home and in diaspora.

He also asserted that he would be working to actualize ‘Restructuring for United Nigeria’, which would seek to unite and concertize all ethnic groups in the country.

Bakare said, “We will be going to every nook and cranny with our agenda and message. We have only three points on our agenda, restructuring, restructuring and restructuring. Therefore, our Distinct Nationhood Agenda (DNA) is simple, it is RUN -Restructuring For United Nigeria - this is what I’m set to advance.

“I'm running and leading a movement called the New Nigeria Progressives Movement. We shall join forces with foreign countries, champion reintegration of diverse ethnic groups into true identity until every Nigeria is proud to say ‘I'm a Nigerian’ and also spearhead the orientation of every Nigerians until a minimum of fifty million Nigerians can say ‘NO’ to hypnotic democracy.”

He added that the Movement would strategically bring in competent people who would compete in the political circle of the country and lead the country in line with the restructuring agenda.

http://saharareporters.com/2018/03/05/pastor-tunde-bakare-unveils-political-movement-restructuring-nigeria-campaign