₦airaland Forum

As the effects of ongoing fuel scarcity bites harder throughout the country, commuters feel the pinch as much as vehicle owners do.

In the following photographs taken in Abuja, Olatunji Obasa captures the mood of a nation trembling under the weight of fuel scarcity on the eve of major national holidays.

http://punchng.com/photos-as-fuel-scarcity-bites-harder-commuters-struggle-for-few-available-vehicles/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

AS civil servants in the employ of Osun warm up for industrial action, slated to begin next Wednesday after Christmas holiday, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Jacob Adekomi on Friday affirmed that the labour was not ready to open dialogue with Governor Rauf Aregbesola or any delegation from the state government.
He said the strike action would go on as planned, saying we can only talk or discuss with them after we must have commenced the industrial action by next Wednesday.
Speaking during a telephone chat with Tribune newspaper, Adekomi asserted that “we would give room for dialogue after the commencement of the strike. No room for dialogue now with anybody until after the commencement of the strike. Workers will commence strike as from Wednesday, 27th of December, 2017. No going back. Our 21-day ultimatum earlier given to government would lapse on Tuesday.“
However, this is coming against the backdrop of optimism expressed by Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Adelani Baderinwa that the strike notice would be tackled before next week Wednesday, adding that “I can assure you that we would resolve the whole issues and grey areas with the labour before Wednesday when they plan to start the industrial action”.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/osun-workers-strike-not-ready-dialogue-aregbesola-―nlc-chairman/

Nigeria risks losing American aid for voting against US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

On Thursday, Nigeria voted along with 127 other countries that voted against Trump’s position at the UN general assembly.

The New York Times reported before the vote reported Trump as saying: “All of these nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council or they vote against us, potentially, at the Assembly, they take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us.”

“Well, we’re watching those votes,” he added.

“Let them vote against us; we’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

It is still not clear yet how Trump is going to carry out his threat, given that some of the aids are mandates from the congress.

Nigeria currently enjoys American aid in military and economic sectors.

https://www.thecable.ng/nigeria-risks-losing-american-aid-jerusalem-vote/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma on Thursday decamped to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Honourable Nanna Igbokwe, it will be recalled defected to APC on Tuesday.
The Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara read the letter of defection of Honourable Agbonayinma during the plenary session.
According to the defection letter, the lawmaker claimed that PDP shut the door against him after the court ruling in favour of Senator Ahmed Markafi against Senator Alimodu Sheriff.
He further stated in the letter that, “The Sheriff group which I belong did not participate in the last PDP convention and we were threatened with suspension.”
The Deputy Governor of Edo state and a former member of the House, Honourable Philip Shuaibu was on the ground to receive the lawmaker into APC fold.
He also handed over the APC flag and muffler to Honourable Agbonayinma.
In an unusual move, member of the PDP said that they were not moved by the lawmaker newfound party.
His defection was also applauded by his former party member.
The Deputy minority leader, Honourable Chukwuka Onyema said that there was no regret on the exit of Honourable Agbonayinma from the PDP.
However, briefing newsmen alongside Majority Leader, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and few APC members, Honourable Agbonayinma said that he decided to join the APC because PDP has been factionalised, stressing that he was “happy to return home”.
According to him, “The former PDP which I belong to were totally factionalised. Because of the faction, a house divided can not stand. We have tried under the leadership of the Ali Modu Sheriff to put things straight rather what we hear is amnesty. We are not militant. Senator Sheriff is not a militant. He was only trying to put things straight to stop impunity in the former party”.
He added that, his departure was to bring dividends of democracy to my people and join hands together so that Nigeria can be better.
Speaking on the defection, Honourable Gbajabiamila commended the defected lawmaker for his political philosophy and ideology in debating issues on the floor since the beginning of the 8th Assembly.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/another-pdp-rep-decamp-to-apc/

***Says Ruling Party Bent On stopping Other parties From Contesting Presidency In 2019

*Says Splinter Group Is Storm In Tea Cup

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday predicted that the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) will hit by defections that will leave the party empty before 2019 general election.

The national publicity secretary of party, Kola Ologbodinyan who accused the governing party of trying to destabilize the PDP, said the APC is planning to ensure that no other party fields a presidential candidate in 2019.

The spokesman of the PDP while speaking at a press conference described the emergence of a recent splinter group, concerned candidates and stakeholders, which recently opened a parallel office, as a storm in a tea cup.

Noting that it was strange that a group of individuals will come together to create a splinter group, the party spokesman added that the friction generated by the group will be resolved before the yuletide season closes.

Recall that the member of the House of Representatives, Hon Johnson Agbonayima had defected from the PDP citing the emergence of a splinter group which opened a parallel national party office in Abuja

But while speaking at the conference Ologbodinyan said, “The National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus has been reconciliatory, he has met with some aggrieved members. We will not allow APC to distract us. APC has become very worried since our convention.

“As we speak, the constitution of APC requires them to hold convention every two years but they have not done so. They are so unsettled that PDP is progressing and progressing progressively.

“That is why they are looking some people to cause confusion in our party but we have gone beyond that. What is more important now is that we are embarking on membership drive to win more members back to PDP.

“We are going to stand as a party and we are going to fiercely contest election in 2019. Our doors are open to Nigerians and anyone who is interested in contesting election in 2019 can come in.

“I can assure that majority of people still hanging around in ‎APC are coming back to the home, the PDP. APC is going to the next election as an empty party.”

He added “Just as APC is monitoring our members we are also monitoring them too. Every move to destabilize our system will be resisted.

We won’t allow them to muscle us out. Despite the harassment of our leaders we will stand as a party and fiercely contest in 2019.

APC is afraid they don’t want any party to contest the election. PDP must contest the election in 2019.”

While he maintained that the security agencies are aware of the operations of the concerned candidates and stakeholders he said, “splinter group is storm in a tea cup, it is going no where.”

The party while expressing reservations over the use of the PDP’s colour, name and logo, said “When a child misbehaves you first scold him before calling him back. Before Yuletide closes this matter will be put behind us.”

While he noted that the party internal conflict resolution mechanism is still intact, Ologbodinyan added, “It is needful for them to allow the reconciliation within the party takes its course.”

He further denied claims that the aspirants picked forms after the deadline for the submission for the convention, “I was an aspirant, I was screened and we were all there. To say that some people were not screened is totally strange and I don’t want to accept that. There could be issues but we will sit down as a family to access those issues.”

He added that PDP will begin to engage in membership drive across the nation, adding that the national chairman will go round to wards and states to canvass for membership.

http://leadership.ng/2017/12/21/defections-will-make-apc-empty-2019-pdp/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

The coalition of Niger Delta militants on Thursday sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged double standards in the handling of security issues in the country.

The militants, under the auspices of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, slammed the Federal Government for the controversial propostal to deduct $1bn from the Excess Crude Account to fight the Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

They described the plan to withdraw $1bn from ECA as wicked and insensitive, saying it allegedly disregarded the peace accord signed with the people of the Niger Delta region.

The RNDA, in an email signed by ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonbi to journalists in Yenagoa, the militants warned the government “not to take the present ceasefire agreement for granted.

“Through the ceasefire, the country is enjoying daily crude oil production of between 2.2 and 2.4million barrels of crude production which amount to billions of naira daily for the Federal Government. It also helped the country to get out of recession. So, the government should not take our patience and silence for granted.

“We want to state categorically that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is insensitive and practically negating the principles of natural justice by using resources derived from a neglected region to combat insurgency in the North East in the senseless Boko Haram war to the tune of $1bn from ECA.

“Why not access the fund from excess account from the sale of agriculture products in the northern part of the country? Why must it be from the creeks of the Niger Delta?

“The Federal Government’s insensitivity to the Niger Delta development has obviously reached its crescendo. We will not take this but resist with our might. This broad day light robbery against the Niger Delta people will not be accepted by us. We are going to resist this perpetual injustice against our long-neglected people in the region.”

They, therefore, demanded the region’s own share of $1bn from ECA for the development of the Niger Delta within four weeks.


They warned that the region would witness a massive destruction of oil pipelines if the government failed to accede to their demand.

The coalition boasted that in a well-coordinated attack tagged, ‘Cripple the Economy with Zero Crude Oil Production’, there would be no more oil funds to finance the 2018 budget.

They added, “We will ensure that anything that stands in our way will be crushed without mercy. All foreign nationals are hereby advised to leave the region as all our unit commanders have been put on the red alert to resume ‘operation zero oil production’ on the expiration of the four-week ultimatum.

http://punchng.com/militants-write-buhari-want-1bn-deducted-from-eca-for-ndelta/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting held on Wednesday was not concluded and has been extended to Thursday.
The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, thus becomes the longest FEC meeting by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The president’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said it was extended because the agenda of the meeting has not been exhausted.
The meeting began at about 11 a.m. after Mr. Buhari inaugurated seven newly appointed permanent secretaries.
The cabinet members went on a short break between 1:30 and 2 p.m. after which they continued the meeting till about 5:30 p.m. before adjourning till the next day.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/253120-longest-fec-meeting-under-buhari-extends-to-thursday.html#click=https:///JhVb6gETVJ

The Intellectual Think Tank for Advancement Initiative (ITTA), a civil society organisation, has called on a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to formally declare his intention to contest for president in 2019 general elections or be dragged to court.

The Chairman of the group,Theophilus Ohuoba, told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja that the time was ripe for Atiku to make public his intention to run for the position.

Ohuoba described Atiku as a man with the pedigree to move the country forward by building a robust economy that would create wealth for Nigerians.

“We therefore call on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to immediately make public his intension to run for the presidency of this country come 2019 or we shall collectively drag him to court for denying Nigerians of his good services.

“We also call on all other social organisations to immediately join hands in this crusade to restore Nigeria’s lost glories by promptly declaring for an Atiku Presidency in 2019," he said.

According to Ohuoba, if Atiku is elected as president of the country, there will be an unprecedented participation of distilled youths in his government that is unparalleled in the history of Nigeria.

“Security of lives and properties of both Nigerians and foreigners alike will be assured and he will restructure Nigeria in a way that the North, South, East and West will be better for it.

“We have never been this divided along ethnic, religious and tribal lines.

“Atiku will be the first professional, liberal minded, accommodating, detribalised and successful businessman politician; Nigeria will have as a president.

“He has been tested and trusted. He alone knows the right buttons to press that will re-gig the economy. He is a great communicator; he has a listening ear, a unifying factor that will put us back together to be one strong united Nigeria as it was in the beginning," Ohuoba said. (NAN)

http://saharareporters.com/2017/12/20/group-urges-former-vp-atiku-contest-or-be-sued

David Mark, former Senate President, says he did not flout any law in the acquisition of his residence in Apo, Abuja.

The property is said to be valued at N748 million.

Last week, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) grilled Mark over various allegations bordering on corruption.

In a statement on Tuesday, Paul Mumeh, media aide of Mark, quoted him as saying that the property was offered for sale by the government and he bought it.

The former senate president wondered why the property is a subject of contention.

“No amount of persecution would alter the will of God,” the statement read.

“The property was ‘duly offered for sale, bid for, and purchased like any other person would in line with Federal Government’s Monetisation Policy that was started during the time of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I had the right of first refusal. Even if I did not purchase it, someone else would have. I am a law-abiding citizen. I did not flout any law.

“Curiously, four houses occupied by the then Presiding Officers of National Assembly were offered to the occupants. All of us, me as the then President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his Deputy Bayero Nafada were all given the same offer.

“I am at a loss as to why it is now a subject of contention. If this persecution is about politics, my political party and the 2019 elections, I dare say that only God and Nigerians would decide. No amount of persecution would alter the will of God.

“I had refrained from commenting on this because it is already in the law court. But they have taken the matter to the court of public opinion.

“Senator Mark through his lawyer Ken Ikonne in the suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja had said that he followed due process and legally acquired the property from the FCDA on April 27, 2011.

“Senator Mark is also asking the court for a declaration that an order by the Attorney General of the Federation and one Obono Obla of the Presidential Task Force on Recovery of Government Properties compelling him to vacate the aforesaid property without affording him a fair hearing amounted to a denial of his fundamental human rights, unconstitutional and void.

“He recalled that the Federal Executive Council decided to authorise the sale of the properties housing the principal officers of the National Assembly because the general security of the area had been altered/compromised due to the sale of the other houses in the Legislative Quarters to the public.

“Consequent upon which the houses were offered for sale and duly purchased. Senator Mark was given the first option of refusal upon which he duly accepted on April 21st 2011 and paid the agreed purchase price to the ad hoc committee on sale of Federal Government houses on April 27, 2011.”

https://www.thecable.ng/david-mark-efcc-probe-didnt-flout-law/amp?__twitter_impression=true

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike.

The decision to suspend the strike followed the intervention of the Director of DSS, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

PENGASSAN giving reasons for the strike had earlier alleged anti-labour practices against some of its members by some indigenous oil companies.

The management of Neconde Energy Limited represented by its Medical Director and legal consultants offered a letter of recall to the sacked employees of the company.

The management also agreed to allow the union to exist in the company.

PENGASSAN National PRO, Fortune Obi who disclosed the decision to suspend the strike to Channels television added that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, therefore, agreed to endeavor to resolve anti-union posture by other indigenous companies and marginal field operators while a meeting was fixed for second week of January 2018 to look at the issues.

https://www.channelstv.com/2017/12/18/breaking-pengassan-suspends-nationwide-strike/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

- Interest groups in the Peoples Democratic Party are set to battle each other for control of the party, following the outcome of the national convention

- It has been gathered that power brokers from the southwest are set to battle for the vice presidential ticket which had previously been zoned to the southeast, following the loss of the national chairmanship position

- In the event that the southwest eventually gets the vice presidential ticket, the southeast may be compensated with the Senate presidency; but this is not even guaranteed

As the race for the 2019 presidential election gathers steam, interest groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to battle each other for control of the party.

According to The Independent, following the outcome of the recently-held national convention, some power brokers have commenced underground moves to outwit one another.

NAIJ.com gathers that a serving senator who spoke under the condition of anonymity disclosed that the position of vice presidential candidate of the party may turn out to be more acrimonious than that for the presidency.

He stated that this was because while the presidential ticket had been zoned to the north, those struggling to get the vice presidential ticket would cut across two geopolitical zones.

A staunch member of the opposition party reportedly stated that the election of Uche Secondus as the party’s national chairman has changed the equation on how to share the major offices in the country.

The PDP had previously zoned its national chairmanship position to the southwest, while it zoned the VP slot to the southeast.

The north was given the presidential ticket as well as the speakership of the House of Reps.

Also, the Senate presidency slot was zoned to the southsouth, while the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was allocated to the north.

However, the emergence of Secondus, has reportedly thrown open the VP slot to contention from candidates from the southwest and southeast.

Furthermore, in the event that the VP slot is eventually given to the southwest as compensation for the loss of the national chairmanship, it has been gathered that some power brokers in the region are already working against the ticket being given to the Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, who has a personal ambition of running with former vice president Atiku Abubakar, who is seeking the presidential ticket.

A source further disclosed that in the situation whereby the southwest gets the VP ticket, the southeast would most likely be compensated with the Senate presidency.

According to the source: “The peace of the graveyard existing among power brokers in our party is better imagined. I just can’t fathom how it’s going to be resolved without an implosion.

“One thing is certain, the decision to change the sharing arrangement which has seen Prince Uche Secondus emerge as the chairman will have a ripple effect which if not properly handled, might result into a big crisis for our party.

“Take as a liar anyone who says the Southern leaders of the party did not agree on micro-zoning of the chairmanship to the South-west last year; such a person is being economical with the truth. But the main fact is that interests have changed, and those who feel they own the ace have done what they wanted.

“What we need now is how to move forward. Will the southwest agree to let go of the vice president slot in the interest of the party or will they also insist on having it? That’s the biggest challenge now because the seat was initially given to the southeast in principle.

“Now, that gentleman agreement will no longer work. I doubt if the southwest will agree to let it be maintained in the South-east while they wait on the general election and take the Senate president seat if the PDP eventually gets the majority of seats in the upper legislative chamber.”

Another source also stated: “One can only wait and see what will happen when the expected fight between Governor Ayodele Fayose and Governor Nyesom Wike of River state will burst into public domain because as it stands, the plans of Fayose to become the vice presidential candidate of our party will not materialize because Governor Wike has turned his back on him.

“Take it to the bank, the southwest will be compensated for the loss of the chairmanship position with the vice presidential slot, and it will be given to Governor Olusegun Mimiko who is seen as a more cerebral and calm person who will be easily more marketable across the country far easier than Governor Fayose.

“The reaction of the southeast might also not be palatable as there is going to be a big fight by leaders of the zone who definitely will feel shortchanged after helping the ‘new Don’ from the South-south in achieving his aim of having the party in his kitty.

“The last option for the South-east will be to accept the Senate presidency which is still in the realm of dreams as no one is sure of how the states will vote in the parliamentary elections.”

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the national chairman of the PDP Prince Uche Secondus has said that the PDP will reserve juicy positions for the southwest if the party takes over power in 2019.

In an interview with The Punch, the chairman of the PDP said the party is looking towards presenting a candidate that will unite the country to challenge the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

He said the reconciliation committee of the PDP was working towards uniting aggrieved members.

https://www.naija.ng/amp/1141260-2019-fresh-crisis-looms-pdp-vice-presidential-ticket.html?__twitter_impression=true

This should better be moved to romance section

Oladimeji Ramon

A human rights advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has advised President Muhammadu to be careful not to fall into the same error as his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, as regards the funding and management of information on the Boko Haram insurgency war.

The group’s advice came on the heels of the approval of $1bn for the anti-terrorism war by the National Economic Council.

The money is to be drawn from the Excess Crude Account.

In a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale, SERAP urged Buhari to urgently explain to Nigerians the rationale behind such an allocation when the government itself had consistently claimed that the Boko Haram insurgents had been defeated.

The group said Buhari would do well to address Nigerians on the approved $1bn particular as the corruption allegations stemming from the alleged diversion of the $2.1bn approved by Jonathan had yet to be resolved.

SERAP regretted that the Buhari government had not been communicating adequately with the citizens on decisions which it claimed to be taking on behalf of the masses.

The statement read in part, “Nigerians should have some sense of what it is the government is doing in our name, especially against the background of the declaration by the authorities that the anti-insurgency war has ended and the Boko Haram terror group defeated, as well as the unresolved questions on how over $2bn was spent by former Jonathan administration to fight Boko Haram. The government also ought to tell Nigerians whether and how the legal requirements for approving the extra-budgetary allocations were met.

“As a government presumably pursuing a change-agenda, Buhari should do things differently from the Jonathan administration including by proactively engaging the Nigerian people in an honest conversation about the fight against Boko Haram and the use of the public funds so far invested to prosecute it.


“The Nigerian people do not have sufficient information at hand to evaluate, much less influence, the government’s policies, strategies and funding to end Boko Haram insurgency.

“Nigerians need to know the level of success that has been recorded against Boko Haram, and the security situation in the North-East, as well as the amount of public funds that have been invested to combat terrorism.

“The success of Nigerian constitutional democracy ultimately depends upon an informed citizenry. The government should, therefore, emphasise transparency over secrecy on the spending on Boko Haram.

“Buhari should keep Nigerians up-to-date about what he’s doing to end Boko Haram, including by explaining why $1bn is needed at this time to fight the insurgency.

“Transparency in the spending on Boko Haram would also have an indirect effect on other branches in the sense of setting an example and changing the background tone of government. Such disclosure helps to ensure government’s adherence to the rule of law and promote confidence in the lawfulness of governmental action.

“Since the start of the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigeria defence and security budgets have increased significantly yet there has been no resolution of the conflict, and troops in the front line have reportedly complained of lack of military equipment and resources to fight Boko Haram insurgents and restore full security.

“For instance, in 2014 about N340bn ($1.7bn) was allocated to the military. Funds allocated to the military was the largest in Nigeria’s federal budget in 2014.

“In October 2014, the National Assembly approved a request to borrow $1bn as an additional amount for purchase of military equipment. In 2015, about N375bn ($1.8bn) was allocated to the military in the federal budget.

“In 2015, an interim report of the presidential investigations committee on arms procurement under the Jonathan administration revealed an extra-budgetary spending to the tune of N643.8bn and an additional spending of about $2.1bn under the Jonathan administration.

“The investigation indicated that about $2.1bn was inexplicably disbursed into the office of the National Security Adviser in procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram insurgency, but was not spent for the purpose for which the money was disbursed.

“The lack of transparency and accountability in military spending, during the administration of former president Jonathan has led to the inability of the military to adequately protect people against the violation of their rights by Boko Haram in the northeast of Nigeria.”

http://punchng.com/1bn-bharam-fund-avoid-jonathans-error-serap-tells-buhari/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The Federal Government last night justified the approval by the National Economic Council of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account for the fight against insecurity even as it, for the first time gave reasons for its assertion that the Boko Haram insurgency has been defeated.

The Federal Government’s claims conveyed by the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during an exclusive interview came as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and some other political stakeholders faulted the resolution of the NEC on the drawing of the money.

The PDP in its reaction had alleged that it was unnecessary for the Federal Government to get $1 billion to fight a war the government had in the past claimed to have won. The PDP in its reaction articulated by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan had also alleged that the funds were some surreptitious purposes claiming that the era of lies and propaganda were over.

The claims of the PDP were further articulated by leading human rights lawyer, Barrister Mike Ozekhome who said that lies have an expiry date and also by Senator Mao Ohabunwa, PDP Abia North who faulted the decision by NEC saying that only the National Assembly could release money for the Federal Government.

The All Progressives Congress, APC National Publicity Secretary could not be reached as he did not pick calls to his registered phone line. Mohammed in his reaction blamed the PDP alleging that the PDP is now rebranding itself with the stolen money that was originally meant to fight Boko Haram noting that in one day, “the PDP under Jonathan in one day distributed $269 million cash and N100 billion which was supposed to be money meant to fight Boko Haram.”

Saying that the PDP does not know when to keep quiet, he said: “the sad thing about PDP is that they do not know when not to talk. If they were smart they would know when not to talk,” Mohammed said.

Continuing, he said: “If not for their rapacious corruption Boko Haram would not have metamorphosed into the monster that it became before we came in. If only they had approached governance with honesty transparency, and sense of purpose Boko Haram would not have raged between 2009 and 2015, it was their inept handling of Boko Haram and their corruption that put us in this mess. "

“They seem not to understand that the biggest challenge to any government and the primary responsibility of any government is law and order and security. It is because of the fact that we have been able to contain Boko Haram that they were able to hold their national convention in Abuja. "

“During their time they were not able to celebrate the National Day openly. Under their watch, Boko Haram not only occupied 27 local governments in Borno State but was also active in almost ten states. Not that alone, they used to stroll to the federal capital, and three times they went to bomb the United Nations, the police headquarters and under their watch, the Thisday newspaper was bombed and under their watch, about 200 Chibok girls were abducted.”

Defending the December 2015 declaration by the Federal Government that Boko Haram had been defeated, Mohammed said:: Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed briefing journalists on the proscription of all activities of the Independent People of Biafra at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adehsida “Why do we say that we have decimated Boko Haram? It is not propaganda.

Since we came in 30 months, there has been no single bomb explosion in the Federal Capital, and that is not a mean feat! It is because they don’t understand what security means, they don’t even understand what terrorism means,” he added. “It does not lie in the mouth of the PDP to even criticise the government, and it was their corruption that led us to where we are today. They are spending the same money which they stole, and they are using the money to rebrand themselves, they have no moral justification whatsoever,” the minister fumed yesterday.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ologbondiyan, said the party was alarmed by the subtle plot by the ruling APC administration to secure approvals without recourse to due process, and for purposes of fighting the same insurgents, it earlier claimed to have defeated.

“The PDP wondered why the APC-led federal government had to recourse to the National Economic Council (NEC) while avoiding the direct constitutional appropriation channel of the National Assembly for funding of items already provided for in the federal budget if it actually has nothing to hide.

“The PDP supports the fight against the insurgency. We hold our officers and men confronting the terrorists and securing our territorial integrity in high esteem, but we are concerned about the manipulative tendencies connected with the approvals as well as the veracity of claimed purpose of the fund,” the statement read in part.

While urging the APC-led government to avail Nigerians more information about the intended use of the funds, the party said “Nigerians would recall that the federal government had claimed that it has since defeated the insurgents. If it would take a billion dollar from a nation’s savings to kill what they long claimed dead, then we challenge the APC government to come clean and tell Nigerians the whole truth.

“The era of lies and propaganda is long gone, and Nigerians now know the truth. The federal government must be held accountable and stopped from any move to fritter away our national savings,” even as it called on “The National Assembly to interrogate this proposed disbursement and subject it to a thorough but rapid interrogation.”

The party further enjoined the Buhari administration to tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians, saying “By accepting the $1bn for the fighting insurgency, the APC-led federal government has admitted that it lied when it announced that it had defeated the insurgents. They should, therefore, apologize to Nigerians for giving them a false sense of security, resulting in their vulnerability to attacks by terrorists.”

The party vowed to inflict a heavy defeat on the ruling party come 2019, noting that Nigerians are waiting earnestly for the next general election to make their decision. Chief Ozekhome on his part said: “My take on this is that lies have an expiry date, and when that date comes, the truth will overtake lies."

This government demonized the government of Goodluck Jonathan as having failed to degrade Boko Haram, whereas Boko Haram was so degraded that elections held peacefully in the entire six States of the North East. The height of this alleged non-defeat of the Boko Haram is one of the major planks on which they won the elections.

“Now, the same government is suddenly asking for $1 billion which is about N365 billion, enough for one of the States in Nigeria, to fight the same Boko Haram."

“There are two scenarios here: One, the government has been lying that Boko Haram has been degraded because we have all seen in the last one and a half year that Boko Haram has become more vicious, more potent, more daring and more courageous."

“Secondly, money is being quietly taken to prepare for 2019 elections using Boko Haram as an alibi.”

Senator Ohabunwa on his part flayed the NEC saying the action was illegal.

He said, “Only the National Assembly can appropriate funds for the federal government. The National Executive Council NEC has no such powers; any money that is not appropriated as prescribed by the act of the National Assembly is illegal.”

On his part, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, APC, Kaduna North who noted that no amount to fight would be too much said: “Insurgency in Nigeria is a national calamity. It has cost the nation time, lives and unquantifiable resources. "

Any amount to be voted to fight it and remedy our polity of that insecurity is justified. Senator Hunkuyi, however, took issues with the denomination of the currency used in the withdrawal.

“The method of funding or sources of funding is yet another issue. It must be stated that the official currency of budget and expenditure in Nigeria is and remains the Nigerian currency which is the Naira."

“While I am not yet in full picture of the source of the funds or areas of expenditure for the funds to cover, I await to be better informed on the sources of funding before making further comments.”

http://saharareporters.com/2017/12/16/pdp-rebranding-itself-stolen-arms-money-lai-mohammed

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has said that he does not run family government as alleged by some elites in the state.

He said that those behind the allegation have missed the point.

According to him, “more than 4,000 children had gone to University through Rochas Foundation and more than 15,000 of such children are also in the various colleges of the Foundation”.

He continued that, “when some of them graduate, they chose to be with me and I cannot afford to say no to them and if any of such children becomes anything under me they would say he or she is a member of Rochas Family”


He however said that he does not deny that since his ambition in life is to see people grow through him.

Governor Okorocha spoke when more than five thousand members of the ROCHAS MANDATE MOVEMENT held solidarity rally in his honour him in Owerri.

Okorocha stated further that “those who never offered the people of the state leadership when they held sway but only shared the people’s resources would never come back to power in the state”.

He said stressed that “Uche Nwosu (his son in-law) who is from Nkwerre Local Government Area and Prince Eze Madumere, from Mbaitoli LGA are all counted today members of my family because they have grown to prominence”, adding that “but when they took those steps of faith no one counted them as members of my family”.

The governor noted that he has done the state and her people proud with his monumental achievements.

The Imo governor also reiterated that he would neither run for Senate nor for the President in 2019, but would be keen in who succeeds him and who can sustain the tempo of the achievements recorded by his administration.


His words, “The people I see here are people who are committed. People that are following me not because of what they could gain from me, but because of what we have done for the world. As it stands, come 2019, I’m contesting for nothing. But in my heart, I have searched out and resolved that one man has good thoughts about Nigeria in his heart. Secondly, the possibility of leadership will easily get to the Igbos after him. That man is President Muhammadu Buhari”.

He added “My coming as a leader in Imo State was by your efforts. No big political bigwig supported me and in my stride, I have brought sitting Heads of states of other countries to Imo State”.

In her speech, the Coordinator of the group and Supervisory Commissioner for the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment Mrs. Ogechi Ololo, said the Movement will be poised to insure that someone with the passion to develop the state like the governor will govern the state in 2019, adding that Imo People will not afford to cock and bull stories with Free Education, Urban Renewal and so on.

http://thenationonlineng.net/okorocha-i-dont-run-family-government/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclaimed reports credited to its Group Managing Director, Mr Maikanti Baru, linking Abba Kyari to N50 billion kept away from Treasury Single Account (TSA).

NNPC said on Friday that Baru never said that the Chief of Staff to the President directed the Corporation to keep the sum of N50 billion away from TSA.

A statement on Friday by the Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Abuja, said that the allegation was baseless and “ a clear misrepresentation of the truth’’.

Ughamadu noted that an online publication made the allegation recently.

“By virtue of the operations of the NNPC, the Corporation had made series of compelling cases to the Presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow certain categories of accounts operate outside the TSA, as they contain co-mingled funds governed by detailed agreements with local and international implications.

“NNPC equally wishes to state that while these necessary approvals sought by the NNPC were graciously given by the Presidency, the Chief of Staff merely conveyed the notice of these approvals to the Corporation.

“In the same vein, members of the relevant committee of the National Assembly have requested for copies of such approvals, which were duly provided by the Corporation.

“To claim that the Chief of Staff single-handedly approved these exemptions was not only unfair, but is a complete misrepresentation of facts to mislead the general public.’’

http://leadership.ng/2017/12/15/nnpc-absolves-abba-kyari/

Government workers in Ekiti State have appealed to Governor Ayo Fayose to accord priorities to the payment of backlog of salary arrears owed them rather than giving their children Christmas clothes.

They expressed regrets that many of them are dying of hunger while others who are afflicted with debilitating ailments and lack money to access quality healthcare delivery.

Acting under the aegis of the Enlightened Workers’ Forum (EWF), they welcomed the directive from the Presidency that governors should clear all arrears owed workers before Christmas.

In a press statement made available to The Nation on Friday, EWF Coordinator, Mike Bamidele, criticised the decision of the governor to provide free Christmas clothes to 20,000 children in the state.


Describing the Free Xmas Clothes for Kids project as a “misplaced priority,” Bamidele said workers’ salaries should remain the governors’ priority rather than “unnecessary grandstanding and splurge on frivolities.”

Bamidele said hunger occasioned by the non-payment of salaries has unleashed hardship on workers some of whom, he said are dying of hunger and ailments the can’t treat.

He said: “We are still at a loss why the governor still owes core civil servants five months arrears, workers in institutions on subventions seven months and local government workers and primary school teachers nine months.

“Rather than making sincere and concrete efforts to pay our salaries, the governor is busy distributing Christmas clothes for 20,000 children.

“If he pays their parents regularly, it will be easy for them to buy clothes for their children. It is not the business of government to be buying Christmas clothes for children and this has turned Ekiti to a laughing stock.

“Offering to buy Christmas clothes for children when salaries are not paid is an attempt to play politics with the poverty of the people and turn the innocent kids to pawns on the political chess board.


“We reject this Christmas Clothes for Children project in its entirety; all we need are our salaries and allowances. Let the governor look for means to pay them so that we can have relief.

“A labourer deserves his wages and the sweat of his labour must not dry on his forehead. We have worked for this money, it is our right and not privilege, the governor must pay our salaries.

“We are also using this medium to call on the Federal Government to investigate how bailout funds, Paris Club refunds, Budget Support Funds sent to Ekiti State were spent.

“We believe if these monies are deployed to payment of workers, all these arrears would have been offset by now.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/ekiti-workers-fayose-need-salaries-not-xmas-clothes/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Registers 21 new political parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it has approved the immediate sack of two of its officials and the compulsory retirement of another electoral official for their alleged role in the double registration of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The electoral body, however, stated that it could not take any action against Governor Bello as he still enjoys immunity by virtue of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

The INEC National Commissioner and member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mrs. May Agbmuche-Mbu, also revealed that the commission had approved the registration of 21 political parties bringing the total of registered political parties to 67.

The statement read in part, “Following reports of the alleged double registration by the governor of Kogi State in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise, the commission set up a panel of investigation into the involvement of staff in the matter.

“The initial report set up by the panel was referred to the appointment, promotion and disciplinary committee, which made recommendations to the commission.

“While the governor of Kogi State currently enjoys immunity from prosecution, the commission approved the summary dismissal of two employees for acts of misconduct and the immediate and compulsory retirement of an electoral officer for acts of gross misconduct.”

INEC had in May accused Bello of registering at Wuse Zone 4, Abuja on January 30, 2011 and in Government House, Lokoja on May 23, 2017.

It had stated that the governor’s double registration and doing so outside lNEC’s designated centres “are both illegal”.

Meanwhile, INEC has also announced the registration of 21 new parties.

The parties include: All Blending Party, All Grassroots Alliance, Alliance for New Nigeria, Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, Coalition for Change, Freedom and Justice Party, Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria and Justice Must Prevail Party.

Others include: Legacy Party of Nigeria, Mass Action Joint Alliance, Modern Democratic Party, National Interest Party, National Rescue Mission, New Progressives Movement, Nigeria Democratic Congress Party, People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty, People’s Trust, Providence People’s Congress, Re-Build Nigeria Party, Restoration Party of Nigeria and Sustainable National Party.

http://punchng.com/inec-sacks-three-for-registering-kogi-gov-twice/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Femi Makinde, Osogbo

An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa has said the changing of ‘Osun State’ to ‘State of Osun’ by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola is illegal.

Justice Yinka Afolabi, while delivering the judgment on Thursday in a case instituted by Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ilesa branch, Mr. Kanmi Ajibola, challenging the legality of the “State of Osun Land Use Charge Law,” held that the law and its makers were unknown to the 1999 Constitution.

Aregbesola had changed the name of the state from ‘Osun State’ to ‘State of Osun’ in 2011; but the NBA chairman, who is a human rights activist, approached the court in 2016 and asked the court to declare as null and void all transactions done by the state with the name ‘State of Osun.’

Afolabi also declared that the makers of the law, who are currently serving as members of the State House of Assembly, were not sworn in as members of the ‘State of Osun House of Assembly,’ but as members of ‘Osun State House of Assembly,’ going by the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.

He said, “The executive governor of the state changed the name in 2011. The renaming of a state goes further and deeper for anyone to single-handedly do.

“To re-order the name of Osun State as “State of Osun” is hereby declared as illegal, null and void.

“On the oath of allegiance, I state that the Seventh Schedule is part of the law. It is not a mere draft or a mere oath. It does not give room for any alteration.

“After deposing to an oath of office, you cannot turn around to do otherwise,” Justice Afolabi stated.

The plaintiff had sought an order setting aside the “State of Osun Land Use Charge Law, 2016,” having been enacted by the legislative body that is not known to the Constitution and for the state not known to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). It is not enforceable in Osun State.

Among other reliefs sought, the plaintiff also also prayed for “a declaration that Osun State Government, having been delegated with the power to collect Land use charge revenue by the provisions of sections 2(2) and (3) of the “State of Osun Land use charge Law, 2016,” sections 4(1), 8(2), 10(1) & (5), 16(c)(i) & (ii), 17, 18, 21(3) and 22 of the “State of Osun Land use charge Law, 2016,” are not operable without appointing the Commissioner of Finance in Osun State.

Justice Afolabi threw out all the arguments by the State Attorney-General, Dr. Basiru Ajibola, who was the counsel for the governor and the state government and that of the Director of Legal Services, Mrs. Rachel Ojinni, as he granted all the seven prayers of the plaintiff.

Ajibola said the state government would appeal the verdict at the Court of Appeal

http://punchng.com/the-name-state-of-osun-is-illegal-court-declares/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Barely one week after its national elective convention, fresh crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the outcome of last Saturday’s election.

Not satisfied with the election of the party’s national executive, some aggrieved candidates and stakeholders have threatened to form a parallel National Working Committee (NWC).

Despite ongoing post conventions reconciliation process, the aggrieved candidates, who rejected the results arising from the election at the national convention, are demanding the immediate release of what they called the authentic results of the actual votes cast by delegates at the convention.

They called on the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) to ensure the immediate execution of the demands by convening an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting within seven days from December 12, 2019.

They further threatened to announce the correct results from the convention and inaugurate what they called the authentic NWC of the party should the BoT fail to attend to their demands.

This is contained in a statement signed by the candidates and stakeholders namely Prince Obi-Nwosu Emmanuel, Hassan Adamu, Chief Dr Godwin Chinedu Duru, Comrade Edede Franklyn Maduabuchi and Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar.

Two, out of the five signatories of the statement, Chief Godwin Chinedu Duru and Comrade Edede Franklyn Maduabuchi contested for the positions of national organising secretary and national youth leader respectively at the convention.

Already, the post-convention reconciliation committee of the party, led by Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, has started meeting the aggrieved candidates.

The committee has so far met some of the chairmanship aspirants, including former Minister of Education, Prof Tunde Adeniran; former deputy national chairman, Chief Bode George, among others.

The statement by the aggrieved candidates, which was made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday noted: “Sequel to the 9th December Elective National Convention held at Eagles Square, Abuja: “1) We the concerned candidates and stakeholders hereby reject in totality the results released at the 9th December 2017 National Elective Convention instead of the true results.

“2.) We therefore demand the immediate recall of the purported results and the release with immediate effect the authentic results of the actual votes cast by delegates at the convention.

“3.We hereby call on the chairman of the BOT to ensure the immediate execution of this demand by convening an emergency NEC meeting within 7 days from the date of this notice.

“4. Failure to address item 2 and 3 above, we would have no option but to announce the correct results and inaugurate the authentic National Working Committee of our great party, the PDP.”



Metuh Pleads With Aggrieved Aspirants To Support Secondus

Meanwhile, former national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, said yesterday that the outcome of the party’s national convention has repositioned it to take over power in 2019.

In a statement he personally signed, Metuh urged aggrieved aspirants to join hands with the new party leadership headed by Prince Uche Secondus in providing “a credible opposition that will continuously provide alternatives and options to the policies and programmes of the ruling party.”

The former party spokesman described Secondus as “a tried and tested hand and proven party administrator with exceptional institutional memory to handle the affairs of the party.

“It is incontrovertible that the activities leading to the PDP elective National Convention and the outcome thereof have left no one in doubt that the party has been repositioned to take over power in 2019”, he added.

While underscoring Secondus’ competence for the job, Metuh said, “It is instructive to note that nobody, not even the worst of critics, has questioned Prince Secondus’ competence and capacity to lead the party at this critical time.

“This is essentially owing to the well-established fact that the PDP witnessed one of her best moments under Prince Secondus as Acting National Chairman, during which time a lot of reforms were articulated and implemented.

“It is in that regard that I join our party leaders and other notable stakeholders to congratulate our National Chairman whose victory derived not only from his track record of proven service to our party but also from his very robust and issue-based campaign across all the states and zones of the federation.

“To other aspirants who did not have the opportunity of being elected, it must be understood that the outcome of the election does not in anyway detract from their credibility and their qualification for offices. What is needed now is for them to join hands with the new leadership to reposition the PDP for the task ahead.”

http://leadership.ng/2017/12/14/fresh-crisis-rocks-pdp-5-days-convention/

Author: Seun Durojaiye

- Nigerian man has left internet buzzing with photos of his romantic proposal to his girlfriend

- The said man decided to surprise his woman with a special proposal at SARS headquarters in Rivers state

- Following the EndSARS social media campaign, people have had a lot to say about the proposal's location

Photos from a special marriage proposal that happened recently has gone viral. A Nigerian man who decided to pop the question to his woman thought it interesting to carry it out at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

The proposal which happened in the presence of some SARS officials has left people questioning the motive behind asking for a life-binding commitment with one's partner at a location most Nigerian believe right now is dangerous and oblivious of their human rights.

As Nigerians move strongly behind the EndSARS campaign, it is different in Rivers where a day before the viral marriage proposal, some indigenes of the state organised a rally in support of SARS operation in Rivers.

The proposal which happened in the presence of some SARS officials has left people questioning the motive behind asking for a life-binding commitment with one's partner at a location most Nigerian believe right now is dangerous and oblivious of their human rights.

As Nigerians move strongly behind the EndSARS campaign, it is different in Rivers where a day before the viral marriage proposal, some indigenes of the state organised a rally in support of SARS operation in Rivers.

The SARS official present witnessed and applauded the couple as the bride-to-be said yes to her man.

Meanwhile, there's been an outcry as a man allegedly died in SARS custody of Ondo police command recently.

https://www.naija.ng/amp/1140275-man-proposes-girlfriend-sars-headquarters-rivers-state.html?__twitter_impression=true

Protesters in their hundreds on Wednesday besieged the National Assembly to prevent the passage of a bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the Non-governmental Organisation, NGO, regulatory commission.

The protest was led by renowned human rights activist, Chidi Odinkalu.

The protesters clad in shirts bearing ‘#NoToNOGBill chanted songs to taunt Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and other members of the National Assembly.

The protesters were however denied entry as security operatives shut the gate of the National Assembly.

After minutes of heated arguments and negotiations with security operatives, some of the protesters were allowed in.

The bill is slated for public hearing on Wednesday and Thursday, 13th and 14th December, 2017.

The public hearing on the bill was ongoing at the House of Representatives at the time of this report.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/252339-breaking-protesters-storm-national-assembly-ngo-bill.html/amp?__twitter_impression=true

I think one of the major considerations for choosing Abuja as the nation capital was because of its centrality

Yakubu Gowon, former head of state, says he would have made Jos Nigeria’s capital, but for the fear of being accused of “parochialism and favouritism”.

He said this on Tuesday at the 26th anniversary exhibition and commemoration of the movement of the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja.

Gowon, who was the head of state from 1966 to 1975, said the idea of moving the nation’s capital from Lagos to Abuja was conceived by his government in 1974.

The former head of state said in the course of his search for a new capital city, he was attracted to somewhere in Plateau. Gowon is from Kanke local government area in Plateau state.

He said: “One of the places I saw that attracted me was somewhere in Plateau, those of you who know the place, especially close to Jos forest, will agree that the area is beautiful and I thought that place was beautiful for the capital city.

“But I did not make that choice because I would have been accused of parochialism and favoritism, because it was very close to my original place where I come from. So I said no, I must look at other places.

“The search for a new capital took me around the north-west, and in my state, I continued to look for other places. When I came to Abuja, I was attracted.”

Gowon said although he was the brain behind the present federal capital territory, successive governments failed to name a street in the city after him.

“I had to officially complain to General Ibrahim Babangida when he was the military president, that I have been excluded from getting a street named after me in Abuja, while all other members of the military council who nurtured the idea, had got streets name after them,” he said.

Abuja was made Nigeria’s capital on December 12, 1991.

https://www.thecable.ng/gowon-not-choose-jos-nigerias-capital/amp

John Alechenu , John Ameh and Olaleye Aluko, Abuja

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, raised questions over a “purported” presidential approval exempting some special Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation accounts from the Treasury Single Account.

The accounts, with funds worth N50bn, are still being kept by commercial banks in breach of the TSA policy.

The policy provides that all accounts belonging to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government should be transferred to the TSA.

The TSA, a centralised Federal Government revenue account, is kept by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A Nigerian firm, SystemSpecs, provides the Remita electronic platform for running the TSA, saving the Federal Government revenue that could ordinarily have been lost.

An ad hoc committee of the House, chaired by a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kano State, Mr. Abubakar Danburam-Nuhu, found out that the NNPC directed some commercial banks to keep the accounts outside the TSA.

The CBN confirmed to the committee that it was aware of the excluded accounts, pointing to a document tendered by the NNPC, indicating that there was a presidential approval.

The said approval was a memo written by the Chief Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, authorising the NNPC to exclude the accounts from the TSA.

Expressing surprise over the discovery, Danburam-Nuhu stated, “Banks are still holding accounts with funds up to N50bn outside the TSA.

“The banks claim that there is an approval by the President for the accounts to operate outside the TSA.

“These are NNPC accounts and the corporation must produce evidence of the presidential approval.”

A senior official of the CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, confirmed to the committee that the NNPC indeed wrote to inform the apex bank of the exemptions.

However, he specifically mentioned accounts relating to JV operations as the NNPC accounts covered by the exemptions.

“The banks are actually holding some accounts. We are aware. It’s not yet a case of 100 per cent transfer to the TSA,” he explained.

He also informed the committee that some accounts, still being kept by the banks, had legal limitations, while others were accounts owned by the judiciary and the National Assembly.

A memo by Kyari, purporting to convey President Muhammadu Buhari’s exemption directive, was analysed by members of the committee and was rejected as not convincing.

One of the members, Mr. Edward Pwajok (SAN), said the memo did not say much other than opening with the line, “I have been directed.”

Pwajok added that in the circumstances, the proper thing to do was to summon Kyari to convince the committee that Buhari indeed granted the exemptions.

“Let him come here to show us the evidence of the directive given to him by Mr. President,” he said.

Another member, Mr. Simon Arabo, noted that Kyari’s memo appeared to be an “Executive Order”, which had to be further examined by the committee.

The committee made two rulings: that the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, be summoned to produce the presidential approval within 48 hours.

It also directed the CBN to submit a reconciliation report on the accounts still with commercial banks before the end of this month.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, have criticised President Buhari over the exemption of the NNPC’s N50bn from the Treasury Single Account.

The groups said the allegation of N50bn NNPC accounts’ exemption from TSA was capable of destroying the Buhari administration, if found to be true.

This is also as a Second Republic lawmaker and a northern elder statesman, Dr. Junaid Muhammed, said the National Assembly must “immediately begin impeachment procedures against the President” if the allegation of exemption was found to be true.

The CACOL Director, Debo Adeniran, said, “This allegation is beyond just indicting the government; it will amount to a statement of contradictory principles. It will mean that this administration is working on ambiguous principles which fall short of the hallmark of good governance. It will amount to an abuse of office and conflict of interests. We should still believe that it cannot be true and that the President will condescend to engaging in under-the-hand dealings.”


http://punchng.com/tsa-reps-query-buharis-exemption-of-n50bn-nnpc-accounts/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Lalasticlala Mynd44

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said with Nigeria just coming out of recession, he was not under any illusion of the numerous problems facing the country.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President said this in his submission at the One Planet Summit in Paris, France.

“Having just come out of recession, we are under no illusion of the challenges that we face in Nigeria,” the President said.

Buhari therefore appealed to the international community to support Nigeria’s commitment to reducing the negative effects of climate change.

He told the over 60 Heads of State and Governments, as well as representatives of non-governmental and private organisations that attended the summit with the theme, “Climate Change Financing,” that the country cannot implement its Nationally Determined Contribution without adequate financial, technical and capacity building support from the developed countries.

He said, “Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, we have been strengthening our national efforts towards the implementation of the Agreement and the Marrakech Call for Action and Nigeria had already ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2017.

“The country’s Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce our emission by 20% by 2020 and 40% by 2030 cannot be attained alone.”

http://punchng.com/im-not-under-illusion-of-nigerias-challenges-says-buhari/amp/?__twitter_impression=true