₦airaland Forum

Op .92 riyal is equal to 48.8 naira.

Valmesk:
I read the school will be resuming in the second week of March 2016 so what do you advise students that want to purchase the school 10000 naira aptitude test form,more so,should PDP win the coming gubernatorial election,what is the hope of the school and the pioneer students if the succeeding government decides to wind up the activities of the school with respect to the politics and backlash of APC VERSUS PDP in Edo State.Although i know the house of assembly members have approved the bill recognising the said university after first and second reading/debate in the floor of the house,currently the bill is now with the executive for his assent which i know will be signed into law.

Will advice would be student to be cautious. This a political institution that nemesis will catch up with sooner than later. Future Edo govt will surely look into this Oshomhole scam. Whether APC or PDP.

We are told that it's a PPP between a Private investor and the Edo state Government.
What they didn't tell us is that Afrinvest West Africa is the Private Investor with 65% Equity in that institution and 35% to the Edo State Government.for the Smart few,Afrinvest is owned by Mr Godwin Obaseki a front line Governorship Aspirant in the APC and Oshiomhole's stooge.Godwin Obaseki has served viable conduit for the Governor for the past 5 years during which this project was Orchestrated and Executed.

What was the rationale behind the hurried execution of that project in Secrecy.How much of taxpayers money was deployed to that project.We dare the Edo state Government to debunk these facts with proof and tell Edo people the truth.

The Plan is that Should Obaseki win the Election(God forbid) the name of this institution would be changed to Adams Oshiomhole University of Technology and the state Government would sell off her 35% stake to the Private Investor for a bag of beans and then Oshiomhole becomes the 100% owner of the School.

Why do you think there was a sudden change of decision to make Obaseki his heir apparent? Even with the backlash and utter rejection and condemnation from Party stalwarts,the people and the Palace,the Governor has remained adamant..

Little wonder the School was situated in front of his Iyamho palace on a plot of land owned by the Governor.....

You don't have to believe this,let the State Government publish the facts surrounding this project.

The battle is the Lord's!

EFCC has become very political under Magu. Since June last year when Sheriff was invited by the EFCC nothing was done again. Now he has become the PDP chairman, his case is been re open. Buhari and APC are making mockery of our democracy that Yaradua and Jonathan nurtured for many years. If PDP had done what they are using security agencies, especially DSS and EFCC, to do now, APC and Buhari would never have smelt power. History will judge you harshly.

Those are some of those that rode on the magnanimity of PDP to help APC to power. In other words, they have always been APC members.
By the way, you forgot Professor Julius Okojie, Executive Secretary, National University Commission

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says the current administration will not “abandon the good ideas” of previous governments, including that of former president, Goodluck Jonathan. Amaechi said this at Idu, Abuja, on Thursday, while inspecting the Abuja-Kaduna Rail project along with the contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Company. He said N150 billion would be used to execute the national rail project, with another N60 billion for the Lagos-Kano standard gauge and yet another N60 billion for the Lagos-Calabar project. “What we are doing is implementation of what we met in office. We are not among those who will abandon good ideas,” he said. “If we see an idea that is good, we will adopt it. The Lagos-Kano project was awarded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and we are flying with it. “The Lagos-Calabar project was awarded by former President Goodluck Jonathan and we are also flying with it. What we are doing is implementing those projects that have not been implemented for so many years.” He said the Abuja-Kaduna Rail project was 100 per cent complete and would be launched in May. Amaechi explained that before the launch by President Muhammadu Buhari, there would be a test-run of the rail in March. “The essence of my tour is to enable us assess whether we are ready for commercial activities and I think we are. I will be travelling from Abuja to Kaduna tomorrow through the rail,” he said. “In March, they should start the test-run of the rail services for free, then the proper commercial activity will start in May, where we expect the President to flag-off the use of coaches.”

He advised the contractor to make provisions for temporary stations in Abuja, since Idu is “too far from the city centre”. Amaechi suggested that since the Abuja light rail project had yet to commence, the tracks could be used to pick passengers from the city centre to Kaduna. “The Abuja light rail is expected to start from Abuja and de-board passengers at Idu from where such passengers will move to Kaduna but since the Abuja light rail is not ready, we shall use their tracks to continue to pick passengers from Abuja until they are ready and then we will disengage the temporary facility,” he said. “The role of the station is to convey passengers to Idu, where they will be transferred to the national rail line to proceed to Kaduna.”

He said the only challenge with the project was the fencing. “We need to fence the lines to prevent animals from crossing the rail,” he said. “The tracks are finished and the signalling at Idu is also completed but the major problem we have is fencing and it is because of the peculiar nature of our culture. “Because of our culture, we have to fence and we are going to spend close to $100 million to fence the tracks from Abuja to Kaduna just because we have to protect the railway from animals and human crossing. “The train currently goes at the speed of 60 to 70 kilometres per hour for fear of humans and animals crossing the rail; by the time we start commercial activities, we must secure its path. “We will be running on 120 to 150 kilometres when the trains go commercial; that speed cannot accommodate human and animals crossing the rail, so to protect human beings and animals, we are going ahead with the fencing.”

He said he had instructed CCECC to construct a Railway Academy, where Nigerians would be trained on how to operate the rail system. “I have told the construction company that they will need to build a Railway Academy, where experts will be employed to train Nigerians on how to operate the standard gauge,” he said. “Nigeria is not a dumping ground for technology; you cannot dump technology on us unless you bring the technology with the expertise.”

Earlier in his remarks, Jack Li, managing director of CCECC, said the project, which started in 2011, could not be completed in 2015 as estimated, due to lack of funds. “Finance is part of the challenge delaying the project because it has been long that we received the counterpart fund,” he said. “But we are lucky that the minister has brought back the counterpart funding for us, and we have therefore continued. “The work was delayed for more than half a year; but I expect that all the works will be completed by the middle of May, which is in line with what the minister said.”


https://www.thecable.ng/amaechi-we-wont-abandon-jonathans-ideas

Tension is mounting high in Bayelsa state over the abduction and forced
marriage of 13 year-old Ese Rita Oruru by one Yinusa who resides in Kano.

Yinusa who resides in Opolo, Yenagoa, had abducted Ese on August 12 2015
and eloped with her to Kano and has refused to allow her return home.

The parents of the victim, Mr. and Mrs. Oruru, who had made several visits
to Kano to secure the release of their daughter, have been unsuccesful as
Yinusa’s kinsmen insisted that Ese, who they now refer to as ‘Aisha’,
belongs to them as they are ready to pay the necessary bride price.

The Orurus reported the matter to the Police and the Department of State
Security (DSS) and their promise to bring home Ese has remained
unfulfilled forcing the parents to take the issue to youth and civil
society groups.

In a press conference addressed by Mr. Kizito Andah of the Child
Protection Network, he said civil society and youth groups in Bayelsa are
ready to stage a protest and press home the demand for the release of Ese
from the custody of her abductors.

Andah, who lamented that both the Nigeria Police and the DSS have been
unable to secure the release of Ese, warned against an ethno-religious
crisis which the abduction and forceful conversion into Islam could
trigger in Bayelsa state.

He said CPN was demanding that Nigerians prevail on all relevant
authorities to ensure that Ese is released and her abductors are punished
in line with the laws of the land.

“We strongly believe that the said Miss Ese Rita Oruru has not only has
been hypnotized but also recruited as a tool in the hand of an Islamic
fanatical group in Kano State. Miss Ese Rita Oruru is only 13-years-old
and cannot give informed consent to marriage and is still held hostage.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Oruru are petty traders who are putting all efforts
to meet the needs of their children.”

Securing the return of Miss Ese Rita Oruru would be not only make history
in our strong desire to continually protect our children, but also
reemphasize and stamp our indelible position against the acts of these
culprits. We, therefore, call for all to join our voices to prevail on the
Kano State Government, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to urgently
release Miss Ese Rita Oruru, and demand for the prosecution of her
abductors under the appropriate law and jurisdiction as it is of urgent
national security and public interest.”


http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/kano-man-elopes-marries-13yrs-old-bayelsan-lover/

The Ibrahim Magu is now the EFCC chairman.

He is a Ruler!

ionsman:
Pdp would win Edo state the same way Jonathan won the 2015 election.

No, the same way Buhari won the 2015 election. Edo have tried pdp and apc and seen the difference. Apc in Edo state is a scam. Pdp is the lesser devil. Oshomhole abused their trust and loyalty. You can't fool a people twice and expect them to be happy with you. Apc is a goner in Edo state.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole shocked members of the Senate Committee on Health when he revealed during the 2016 budget defence that the original estimate of his ministry had been largely distorted as strange figures were smuggled into the budget.

This sort of reaffirms the Senate’s claim that the 2016 budget had been tampered with as well as media reports that some senior civil servants have attracted the ire of President Muhammadu Buhari for embarrassing his government through padding of the budget.

Appearing before the Senate committee on Monday, Adewole urged the committee to discard the budget proposal before it and await a new estimate to be re-submitted on Tuesday which would reflect the programmes of the health sector for the year.

He told the committee that there were some health issues on which conclusions had not been made by the ministry and yet allocations were made on them without the ministry’s knowledge.

The minister insisted that the provisions of the budget before the National Assembly was in contrast with the priorities of the health sector as contained in the original budget it prepared and submitted to the budget office.

He noted that some of the votes earmarked by the ministry for some activities had been re-distributed while some important areas in the sector had been excluded.

According to him, “In the revised budget as re-submitted, N15.7 billion for capital allocation has been moved to other areas. Some allocations made are not in keeping with our priorities. There is nothing allocated to public health and family health. Over the last two years, nothing has been done on HIV…

“We have to look into the details of the budget and re-submit it to the committee. This was not what we submitted. We’ll submit another one. We don’t want anything foreign to creep into that budget. What we submitted is not there. We have not reached that stage and we find the money there.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho reasoned that given the submission of the minister, the budget before the committee was not the proposal of the Health Ministry.

While stating that it would be out of place to work on a budget that had already been disowned by the minister, he said, “Honourable minister, we need to have an executive session. You said about this budget that public health is not there. Obviously, the budget we are looking at now is not your own.”

Responding, Adewole said: “Yes, it’s not. We’ll submit the revised document tomorrow (today). It will be an updated version of what you have.”

He further explained that State House Clinic to which N3.9 billion had been allocated in the budget at the expense of other hospitals put together which got far less allocations, is not under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, but is under the Presidency.

The minister, who observed that the figure might not have been the original allocation to the clinic by State House, disclosed that the original allocation might have been inflated by the same forces, which, he said, had distorted his ministry’s original estimates.

The Senate Committee Chairman consequently noted that since the minister said that State House Clinic was not under the watch of the Health Ministry, it also implied that the Health Committee’s oversight function did not extend to the clinic.

He added that it is the responsibility of the Special Duties’ Committee to engage the State House on the budget for the clinic.

The minister went on to dismiss the fears of Nigerians about Zika virus that is ravaging some countries, explaining that the virus had been in the country since 1954, but had been unable to harm citizens because Nigerians had developed strong resistance to it. He therefore stated that the virus should be ignored.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/health-minister-disowns-budget-proposal-says-it-has-strange-figures/

An alleged N50million cash gift from Minister for Solid Minerals, Dr.

Kayode Fayemi to controversial former State Secretary of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Temitope Aluko has created a major division
within the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the State.

Action Group (AG), a faction of Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressive
Congress (APC), accused the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and
former governor of the state of given a sum of N50 million to the former
State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti, Dr.
Temitope Aluko, saying the largesse was too much for a single person at
the expense of thousand of supporters walloping in poverty in the
state.

The group, which sent out Short Message Service (SMS) on Monday evening,
alleged the minister of spending ungratefully on Aluko; maintaining that
the former PDP scribe was only protecting his interest and bargain with
Governor Ayodele Fayose and not either that of Fayemi or even the APC as a
party.

The message read; “Fayemi must explain how he was able to give TKO Aluko
N50m. How can u give just one person N50m while we members of APC wallop in
poverty? Enough is enough!”

Fayemi, who was said to have assured Mr. TKO Aluko of soft landing should
plans go otherwise on Ekitigate, was cautioned by the Action Group APC not
to harbour a political chameleon all in the name of struggle.

The APC Action Group faction being led by Special Adviser (Political) to
the Vice President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, is also alleged that the duo of
Aluko and former Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Hon Femi Bamisile were on
Fayemi’s payroll when he was governor, asking; “of what benefit was the
monthly payments made to Aluko and Bamisile when Fayemi was governor?

“Most importantly, of what political benefit was the payment of N16 million
to Bamisile to rent his his house in GRA, Ado Ekiti for the former Vice
Chancellor of the Ekiti State University?

“When many of our members were suffering, Fayemi was lavishing millions on
Aluko and Bamisile and he is doing the same now with N50 million given to
Aluko on an election that he (Fayemi) made us lose woefully.

“Is the honourable minister saying he is not aware that many of our
supporters and loyalists are traders, artisans and some even jobless, that
could be empowered with the N50 million freely given to Aluko, a known
traitor?”

Speaking further on the revelation according to Aluko, the group opined
that Aluko should have approached the court of law and not the party
involved in the case, saying he was only after the monetary gain and
undeserved recognition the party may eventually accorded him.

“Honestly speaking, Aluko has achieved his aim of given those controversial
statements on air. You asked why? He has already!

“Firstly, he wanted to be tipped before saying anything and Fayemi has done
that earlier before now. The N50 million recently given to Aluko was just
his balance for a job well done according to our inside source and which
most of us in the system are not in any form happy about. The reason cannot
be far-fetched; it was like reaping where one did not sow.

“Again, Aluko wanted to be recognised by the APC, and with the look of
things, evidences abound that he has equally achieved that. The question
now remains, what becomes our fate as party stalwarts in the state when
Aluko has suddenly turned the beneficiary of the ministerial largesse?

“This question and several others are begging for answers from our leaders
at both state and national levels before we start loosing our loyalists to
the oppositions in the state,” the group said.

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/fayemis-n50million-cash-gift-to-aluko-tears-ekiti-apc-apart/

Note the bolded. APC were after the resources of these states. Cry me a river. By the way, why did Amaechi not lead the delegation?

APC governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside

Oyegun expresses disappointment with judiciary
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja


As a fallout of the Supreme Court judgment that resolved the contentious governorship election in Rivers State in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on Wednesday requested a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari to address the party’s affairs and its political fortunes in the state.

A high-level delegation led by the APC governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside, made the request during a meeting with the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Peterside said: “It will interest you to know that many of our members, supporters and sympathisers are still at a loss to see us work as orphans. We have a herculean task explaining to them that we actually formed government at the centre. It is like we lost the elections.

“To an overwhelming majority of them, the only indication that we might be part of government at the federal level is because our leader and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign which led to a people’s revolution that defeated the former ruling party and former Governor of the state, Hon. Chubuike Rotimi Amaechi is a minister.

“The concerns of our members are re-enforced by the fact that more than eight months after APC has formed government at the federal level, notable PDP chieftains and members who spent state resources to work assiduously against us (APC) are still occupying strategic federal government positions, dispensing patronages to PDP members to the disadvantage and chagrin of APC members.

Peterside reported that as a result of the unflinching support party leaders and members gave to President Buhari and the APC, they have been exposed to undue attacks and internal discriminations.

He said: “We were called all sorts of names including being branded as traitors and almost live like outcast in our communities and environments...Even today, we are not out of danger as we a killed, molested, maimed and insulted.”

Peterside also reported that security infrastructure that were skewed against the APC before and during the 2015 elections are still working against and frustrating the party activities in the state.

“The partisanship against us was and is still enormous.” he said.

The delegation, among others, requested the APC national leadership to assist in funding the forthcoming rerun elections in the state.

“The restructuring of the Presidential Amnesty Programme by making sure that the current leadership and managers of the programme understood the political connotation of its implementation; urgent replacement of all agents and heads of agencies that the immediate-past federal government administration used to frustrate the change revolution;

“Purge of vestiges of and sympathisers for the immediate-past federal government administration in the leadership of security agencies, especially in the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“That political appointments in all federal government ministries, departments and agencies including ambassadorial positions be made to reflect the current realities of a change of government.”

Speaking during the meeting, Oyegun expressed shock over the Supreme Court’s decision on the state governorship election which revalidated the victory of the PDP’s candidate, Nyesom Wike.

He, however, promised that the party national leadership would give necessary support to ensure successes in subsequent elections in the state.

Oyegun said: “The APC national leadership has not neglected party leaders and supporters in Rivers State. The state has always been in the front burner of discussion and decision in the party. There is obviously something fundamentally wrong in the state which needs to be investigated and addressed.

“Your visit have had a sober effect on me. This meeting will kickstart urgent actions to address what went wrong. As of today, there a attempts being made by INEC to bar us from elections in Anambra and other states. We must address these issues. I still find the judgement on the Rivers State governorship election totally astonishing. There is something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary.

“We have lost very important resource-rich states to the PDP. No matter how crude oil prices have fallen, it is still the most important revenue earner for the country.

“I will take up your request to facilitate a meeting with the President. We will do that as soon as possible and also make it clear that there are problems which as a party, we must address.

Lamenting the loss of the party at the Rivers elections, Dakuku said the Independent National Electoral Commission was structured to ‘disfavour’ the APC.

“It (INEC) was put in place by the leadership of the last administration to perpetually protect its interest. We are all witnesses to how some of these actors found it convenient to annul results which were favourable to APC but upheld all those favourable to PDP under the same circumstances in the recently concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The Rivers delegation comprised Peterside and his running mate, Hon. Asita Honourable; Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya; member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; Senator Magnus Abe and several aspirants and state APC stalwarts.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/rivers-guber-fallout-rivers-apc-seeks-succour-from-buhari

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday released timetable for Senatorial and House of Representatives rerun elections across the country barring fresh candidates from participating in the contest.

The commission, in a release by the Secretary, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, fixed February and March for the elections even as it disqualified some candidates from partaking in the exercise. It said only candidates and parties that partook in the March 28, 2015 National Assembly/presidential elections would be eligible for the rerun election.

In Abia, the commission disqualified the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. David Ogba Onuoha. It cleared the candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and that of other parties .

In Anambra, the commission disqualified candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs Sharon Ikeazor. APC is only eligible to participate in the poll if Dr. Chris Ngige, currently Minister of Labour and Employment , who contested the March 28, 2015 poll, would resign and vie again.

Similarly, INEC disqualified APC candidates in the Kogi East and Central senatorial districts. It, however, gave green light to other parties that participated in the first election to contest in the new exercise.

In Rivers State where the three senatorial seats were cancelled by courts, the commission cleared all the candidates that contested the cancelled election. It equally cleared all the candidates for the House of Representatives seats in the state.

Giving reasons for barring some candidates, the commission explained that since it is not a general election, it is against the Electoral Act for fresh candidates to contest in the rerun, emphasising that the same candidates and the political parties that contested the first elections should take part.

According to the notice; “Following consultations with major stakeholders in the electoral process and the public interest in the subject, INEC at its meeting on Monday considered and approved dates for the conduct of elections as ordered by the Court of Appeal.

“Consequent upon the judgments of the court, the commission will conduct the elections in 69 of the constituencies with the same political parties and their candidates who participated in the annulled elections in Gombe, Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Taraba, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, and Rivers”.

Announcing that the elections would hold between February 13 and March 19, the commission specifically made it clear that only the same candidates and political parties that participated in the first election will take part in the rerun, adding that the Senate election in Abia North will be held in 43 polling booths.

The public notice further specified that while senatorial elections will take place in five states, like Abia, Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Benue and Rivers, House of Representatives and state Assembly polls will complete the rest reruns.

Giving more breakdown of the elections, INEC disclosed that in Rivers State, six state constituency elections will hold in 124 polling units, three senatorial seats and 12 federal constituencies will be contested in all the whole constituencies, adding that about 18 state assembly seats will be contested.

Concluding, INEC further noted on Rivers: “The commission further gives notice that the political parties and candidates entitled to participate in the elections in the other 11 constituencies are contained in detailed lists of elections.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/re-run-polls-inec-disqualifies-fresh-candidates

ABUJA-President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said that Boko Haram sect was embarrassing his government with their renewed onslaught against the people of the north-east. Speaking against the backdrop of plethora of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dolari Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp in Borno State and the Gombi market in Adamawa State in the passing week, president Buhari said that the insurgents had become more desperate, saying that the recent bombings were attempts to gain public sympathy and attention having suffered terribly in the hands of Nigerian military. President Buhari said the terrorists had been rendered weak, confused and homeless after repeated bombings and ravaging of their camps and hide outs by the military, forcing them to find their way back into the society to wreak havoc, like the case of the Dolari IDP. The President also noted that the materials for the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were locally sourced by the insurgents. He therefore urged Nigerians especially residents of the north-east region to be more vigilant and circumspect. "Having lost the war, they are seeking ways and means to gradually find their way back into society. They are not returning to contribute but to cause more havoc. They are so desperate to embarrass the government and the people that they have no qualms attacking isolated communities and markets. "I urge all citizens wherever they live to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again," the President said. A statement by the senior special assistant on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu stated that President Buhari "extended his condolences to all the people of Chibok, Gombi and Dolari who lost loved ones in the recent attacks and prayed that the Almighty God will comfort them and grant the injured persons quick recovery."

Dangote the tribalist. More than 80% of your wealth is from Lagos, yet you have not built hostels in Unilag and Lasu.

Edo State Governor, Adams
Oshiomhole may have launched a new Airline
in Cape Verde
.
This recently launched Cape Verdian airline
boasts of 11 Commuters planes; making it the
largest airline in Cape Verde. It is owned by a South South Governor in Nigeria
who have very close ties with Cape Verde.

Oshiomhole may likely be the one described here
particularly if you noticed that the name
FORTEADAMS LUXURY FLIGHT is coined from
the name of Edo state governor and his cape
verdan’s wife maiden name Fortes.

If Oshiomhole really owns this Airline or let’s be a
bit more charitable here,if he actually
established the business for his wife, then, he
must have seriously short changed Edo people.
You can’t steal our money and use it like this.
Wouldn’t it be better if he had invested the
money in Edo state? Anyway,we need to
investigate this and if found to be true,we must
claim this Airline as Edo State property.

There is fire on the mountain; Amaechi run, run, run! Wike bring it on!

Good gesture, Peterside. Politics without bitterness. Over to you, 'the lion of Ibima', Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi!

Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 governorship election in Rivers state, has offered his “help” to Nyesom Wike, whose election as governor of the state was upheld by the supreme court on Wednesday.

Addressing his supporters on Thursday, Peterside said that although he had accepted the verdict of the court, he still needed to reflect on some anomalies in the polity.

He promised to contribute his best to the development of the state, saying he would commend Wike when the need arises and “constructively express objection to policies and actions we consider inimical to the overall interest of Rivers people” when necessary.

“…we shall do our best to work for the peace and development of Rivers State and all who reside in it,” he said.

“We shall creatively offer our help to Governor Nyesom Wike. We will provide a virile opposition, serving as a mirror for the conscience of government, in the interest of Rivers people.

“When encouragement is needed towards a just and proper course of dealings, we will offer our commendation to the government. Conversely, we will constructively express objection to policies and actions we consider inimical to the overall interest of Rivers people.”

https://www.thecable.ng/i-offer-my-help-to-wike-says-peterside

Another grave flaw from Buhari's 2016 budget was pointed out today by the House minority leader, Leo Ogor, during the budget debate at the House of Representative.Leading the onslaught on the last day of the debate on the budget, House Minority Leader Leo Ogor said it was disappointing that something as fundamental and important as the sum total of the budget was wrongly presented.

According to Ogor who offered to lend the House his personal calculator to calculate what he said was the correct amount for the sum total of the budget, contrary to the document presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, which has the sum total of the budget at approximately N6.077 trillion, the budget total stands at N6.33 trillion.

“We have before us a budget of N6.077 trillion. But the bill before you, I calculated to be N6.33 trillion and I stand to be corrected. I can give you my calculator and maybe you can work it out,” the lawmaker said.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/pdp-lawmakers-spot-flaws-pass-presidents-budget/

Instead of giving Nigerians the change you championed, give them excuses. Blame Goodluck Jonathan for everything.


In six years of Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, the opposition told us again and again the man was “clueless.” It made sure the tag stuck to him like glue. But now we have a new sheriff in town, with the APC claiming to be better at everything than the PDP. While that might still be subject to debate, there is overwhelming evidence that in the cluelessness department, the PDP is certainly no match for the APC.

Here is a compendium from the APC textbook of cluelessness, provided within barely one year in office. If you want to know how to be a clueless president, this is the APC blueprint.

Blame Game

Instead of giving Nigerians the change you championed, give them excuses. Blame Goodluck Jonathan for everything, including the harmattan. Whenever you make a blunder, pass the buck to the former president. If there is petrol shortage, blame it on Goodluck Jonathan. If the budget is dead on arrival, blame it on Goodluck Jonathan.

In the middle of an economic crisis, promise to provide Nigerians with free education; free meals daily for millions of Nigerian public school-children; free tertiary education; free health-care and free houses. Facing a drastic drop in Nigeria’s income, declare you will be giving grants of N1.5 trillion a year to Nigeria’s poor. When you fail to deliver on any on these highfalutin promises, blame it quickly on Goodluck Jonathan.

Blunders

Forget the name of your vice-presidential running-mate. Call him Yemi Osunbade instead of Yemi Osinbajo. Tell President Obama the name of your political party is the All Nigeria’s Peoples’ Congress when it is All Progressives Congress. Call your party on CNN the All Progressives Confidence.

Tell Al Jazeera INEC means Independent Nigerian Electoral Commission instead of Independent National Electoral Commission. Even though West Germany ceased to exist in 1999 and the current German president is Joachim Gauck, refer to German Chancellor, Angela Merkel as “President Michelle of West Germany.”

Destroy INEC by turning it into a National Commission for Inconclusive Elections. Go to the United Nations and give a rousing speech about fighting Boko Haram, then fail to attend the crucial meeting on Boko Haram at the same U.N. session. Tell the Americans the Chibok girls were abducted from their “hotels” instead of their “hostels.”

Tell Nigerians there is nothing like petroleum subsidy. Then as president, announce the removal of the non-existent petroleum subsidy. Claim Jonathan diverted $700 million from the $1.1 billion Chinese loan for the Lagos/Kano rail project when only $400 million was earmarked for Lagos/Kano rail. Announce that foreign exchange can now be paid into domiciliary accounts without specifying if depositors will be allowed to withdraw them.

Anti-corruption rigmarole

Declare that you will kill corruption in Nigeria while being surrounded and bankrolled by corrupt politicians. Then invite those with corruption allegations hanging over their heads into your cabinet. Maintain: “Jonathan’s ministers stole 150 billion dollars.” But fail to prosecute them for stealing $150 billion. Tell Nigerians $2.1 billion was stolen by the PDP through Dasukigate, but charge people to court for stealing no more than $100 million.

Believe that trying members of the PDP for corruption on the pages of newspapers amounts to waging a serious war on corruption and is a substitute for national economic policy. Say: “We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital.” Then declare to no effect that recovered stolen monies will be used to revamp the national economy.

Insist Abacha never stole any money, and then probe the PDP for the mismanagement of the non-existent Abacha loot recovered from abroad. Fail to recognise that with the official exchange-rate at N198 to $1, while the parallel market rate is N305 to $1, you have created the widest parallel market margin ever recorded in Nigeria’s history and laid the foundation for widespread corruption in the banks.

Accuse the opposition of using public funds to finance its election campaign, but fail to disclose where you got the money to finance your own very expensive election campaign. Claim to be so cash-strapped, you had to borrow N27.5 million to pay for the presidential nomination papers of your party; then state in your assets declaration that you have N30 million in your bank account. Commend INEC for running the ostensibly free and fair election that brought you to power; then challenge in court every election conducted by the same INEC that your party lost.

Contradictions

Claim you inherited an empty treasury in spite of the over $30 billion left in our foreign reserves. Say you met no money in the treasury, then spend N2.2 billion on a four-day junket to the U.S. with no agenda and with nothing achieved.

Say: the federal government of Nigeria is: “the biggest Boko Haram.” Then become the head of the federal government of Nigeria. Declare grandiloquently: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.” Then say: “The constituents (that) gave me 97% cannot in all honesty be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me 5%.” Say you belong to everybody but ensure that your personal aides are virtually all Northerners.

Say: “I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone.” “There will be no paying off old scores. The past is prologue.” Then send EFCC dogs after Elder Godsday Erubebe.

Say: “I pledge myself and the government to the rule of law, in which none shall be so above the law that they are not subject to its dictates, and none shall be so below it that they are not availed of its protection.” Then seek to replace the rule of law with the rule of fear. Go on national television and tell Nigerians you will not be obeying the courts in the cases of Dasuki and Kanu. Interfere in the judicial process by publicly declaring your enemies guilty without trial.

Tell Christiane Amanpour on CNN that you will defeat Boko Haram within two months if elected. Then say you did not say so. Declare that you will defeat Boko Haram by the end of December 2015, then say you only meant to defeat it “technically” after it unleashes mayhem on Maiduguri while you were busy celebrating its fictional defeat.

Say: “Boko Haram is a typical example of small fires causing large fires. An eccentric and unorthodox preacher with a tiny following was given posthumous fame and following by his extra judicial murder at the hands of the police.” Then send troops to massacre hundreds of Shi’ites in Zaria. Involve Nigeria in a Middle Eastern regional struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran by joining the Saudi led anti-terrorist coalition. Open the door for wider terrorist attacks on Nigeria by killing Shi’ites in the North while the Saudis execute Shi’ite mullahs and prisoners in Saudi Arabia.

Prosecute avoidable wars on several home-fronts: against Boko Haramites in the North-east; Shi’ites in the North-west; Biafrans in the South-east; and Niger Deltans in the South-South.

Nonsensical policies

Grind the country to a halt by making yourself Sole Administrator of Nigeria for six months. Squander your vital first 100 days in office doing absolutely nothing; while receiving cheers as “Baba Go-Slow.” Present “body language” as a substitute for policy. Ensure that over N5 trillion is wiped off the Nigerian Stock Exchange within six months of your coming to office.

Promise: “I will stabilise global oil price.” Then watch as the oil price tumbles from $50 to $28 within eight months of your presidency. Also ball-watch as the naira tumbles to a record-breaking N305 to one dollar.

Declare when the country is broke: “I will provide one meal a day for children in public primary schools.” “I will make direct cash transfer of 5,000 naira to the 25 million poorest and most vulnerable citizens.” Propose through your Minister of Science Fiction to create 3.4 million jobs in Nigeria in 2016 through the production of pencils. Plan to have 365 cultural festivals 365 days a year under your Ministry of Culture.

Shout “chanji, chanji” while a large chunk of your party-members are turncoats from the same PDP that ruled the country for the last 16 years. Refer to ministers as noisemakers then establish a Cabinet of ministers. Take six months to choose a cabinet then come out with old cargoes. Tell Nigerians you delayed appointing ministers because you were looking for saints and angels, then appoint many known devils. Say: “The corrupt will not be appointed into my administration.” Then appoint those with corruption allegations hanging over their heads.

Delight in putting square pegs in round holes. Make Kayode Fayemi, who has a Ph.D. in War Studies, Minister for Solid Minerals instead of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Make Professor Anthony Anwukah, a professor of Education and a former vice-chancellor a Junior Minister to a journalist, Adamu Adamu, in the Ministry of Education. Make Solomon Dalong, a former Assistant Inspector of Prisons the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Make Muhammadu Bello, who headed the National Hajj Commission for eight years, FCT Minister.

Budgeting

Propose a N6 trillion budget in 2016 for a nation that failed to meet revenue estimates of N4 trillion in 2015. Predicate this on borrowing N2.2 trillion, which requires N1.2 billion daily to service.

Benchmark your budget on the price of oil being $38 in 2016, making it dead on arrival with the oil price falling to $28 within a fortnight of your budget presentation. Fail to anticipate that, once sanctions against Iran are lifted, the oil price will go further down as Iranian oil is added to the international oil glut. Allocate N40 billion to look for oil in the North East in the middle of an oil glut when Nigeria needs to diversify from oil.

Within the framework of a drastic cut in Nigeria’s income, raise the budget for Aso Rock from N6.6 billion in 2015 to N18 billion in 2016. Earmark N3.6 billion for the purchase of several BMW saloon cars! Budget N1.75 billion for feeding in Aso Rock in 2016 when Jonathan only budgeted N530 million in 2015. Allocate only N29 billion to the Ministry of Agriculture, while earmarking N39 billion for the Ministry of Information and Culture.

Present the budget to the National Assembly without first scrutinising it. Present the budget with fanfare, then send someone to steal it from the National Assembly. Present the budget, then withdraw it after reading it. Remember this: when the budget fails, blame it on Goodluck Jonathan!

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/articles-opinions/how-to-be-a-clueless-president/

It seems things are falling apart so quickly in the house of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), as the wife of the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Remi Tinubu has mocked President Muhammadu Buhari’s government during the Senate plenary today, January 26.

Tinubu’s wife said that the change now experienced by Nigerians is not what was expected.



In her official twitter handle in the Senate, she wrote ” the change that is expected is not the change being experienced



Her husband had also used his newspaper, The Nation to blast President Muhammadu Buhari’s programs, policies and actions.



Shortly after his last media chat, the Nations’ editorial said “the President is yet to come to terms with the change in his standing. He is still struggling with realising that he is no longer General Muhammadu Buhari who could freely express a personal opinion on any issue. As President, in which capacity he was being interviewed, he was expected to be more circumspect in considering and volunteering information. On the arrest, detention, arraignment and trial of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu for treasonable felony, for example, the President could hardly contain his annoyance. He referred to the campaigner for resuscitation of Biafra as “that one you call Kanu”. He did not deny having a preference for continued detention of the man, despite a bail order by the court, thus giving the impression that he has no respect for the judiciary and its decisions.”



Mrs Tinubu also stated that the Buhari’s administration will incur the wrath of women if something is not done to improve the allocation to the women’s affair ministry.

Mrs.Tinubu also accused the government of abandoning women in IDPs.

Buhari’s ministerial list of 36 nominees has only six women. Five are from the North and one from the Southwest.


According to the Nation ” President Buhari should note that no arm of government is necessarily superior to the other. Under the Rule of Law that should prevail in a democracy, supremacy of the executive is a strange doctrine. No man or institution of state has the right to be complainant and judge in its own case.”

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/mrs-tinubu-blasts-president-buhari/

Elose11:
BEVERLY HILLS, January 25, (THEWILL) – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, has described Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, as an “integrity challenged charlatan”.

In a statement on Monday, by Paul Nwabuikwu, her media adviser, the former minister absolved herself of complicity in the arms deal as accused by Falana in a petition he wrote to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Falana had urged the ICC to prosecute and arrest Okonjo-Iweala for failing to “prevent systematic and widespread corruption” in the previous administration.

He described as “criminal” the transfer of recovered $322 million loot of Sani Abacha, former Nigerian dictator, to Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser.

According to Falana, in the petition, which he sent to Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor of the ICC, “the failure of a former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to prevent widespread and systematic corruption including the re-looting of the Abacha loot amounts to complicity under the Rome Statute, and therefore fits the legal requirements of a crime against humanity,” he wrote.

However, Okonjo-Iweala has denied any wrong saying the money was transferred after receiving approval of Goodluck Jonathan, the former president, to transfer a part of the recovered Sani Abacha loot to Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser, after securing guarantees that the money would be properly accounted for.

She claimed that Falana is desperate to link her with the $2.1bn arms scandal because she “hurt the interests of his corrupt sponsors” during her time in office.

She added that some of the funds recovery was done under the regime of former leaders Abdulsalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo when she was not in government.

“It is sad that a person who had earned some prominence as a human rights lawyer now tramples on the human rights of others as a political jobber,” she said.

“It is extremely insensitive and, in fact, inhumane for Falana and his sponsors to level false accusations against someone like Dr Okonjo-Iweala who went through this kind of searing personal ordeal for her principled fight against corruption.

“He and his sponsors are engaged in nothing but media harassment, cyber bullying and intimidation against innocent persons like Dr Okonjo-Iweala for political and pecuniary gain. That is why Nigerians should not give in to Falana’s self-imposed Chronic Cerebral Amnesia (CCA),” she said

Agreed completely with the bolded. Watched Falana on Channelstv last week calling Dasuki and co unprintable names. I was left wondering if this man was indeed a lawyer and a SAN. How can you come on live television to pass judgement on a case we all know is before a court of competent jurisdiction. Falana has become a very bitter and hungry politician. He is lobbying for appointment from Buhari. Wish we still had Gani Fawehinmi! How are the mighty fallen!

BEVERLY HILLS, January 25, (THEWILL) – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, has described Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, as an “integrity challenged charlatan”.

In a statement on Monday, by Paul Nwabuikwu, her media adviser, the former minister absolved herself of complicity in the arms deal as accused by Falana in a petition he wrote to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Falana had urged the ICC to prosecute and arrest Okonjo-Iweala for failing to “prevent systematic and widespread corruption” in the previous administration.

He described as “criminal” the transfer of recovered $322 million loot of Sani Abacha, former Nigerian dictator, to Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser.

According to Falana, in the petition, which he sent to Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor of the ICC, “the failure of a former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to prevent widespread and systematic corruption including the re-looting of the Abacha loot amounts to complicity under the Rome Statute, and therefore fits the legal requirements of a crime against humanity,” he wrote.

However, Okonjo-Iweala has denied any wrong saying the money was transferred after receiving approval of Goodluck Jonathan, the former president, to transfer a part of the recovered Sani Abacha loot to Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser, after securing guarantees that the money would be properly accounted for.

She claimed that Falana is desperate to link her with the $2.1bn arms scandal because she “hurt the interests of his corrupt sponsors” during her time in office.

She added that some of the funds recovery was done under the regime of former leaders Abdulsalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo when she was not in government.

“It is sad that a person who had earned some prominence as a human rights lawyer now tramples on the human rights of others as a political jobber,” she said.

“It is extremely insensitive and, in fact, inhumane for Falana and his sponsors to level false accusations against someone like Dr Okonjo-Iweala who went through this kind of searing personal ordeal for her principled fight against corruption.

“He and his sponsors are engaged in nothing but media harassment, cyber bullying and intimidation against innocent persons like Dr Okonjo-Iweala for political and pecuniary gain. That is why Nigerians should not give in to Falana’s self-imposed Chronic Cerebral Amnesia (CCA),” she said

Olubunmi Okogie, archbishop emeritus of the Catholic archdiocese of Lagos, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to lead by example “on all fronts or risk plunging Nigeria into a state of despondency”.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Gabriel Osu, director of social com­munications of the diocese, Okogie asked the president to focus on policies that would uplift the masses.

He condemned the flouting of court order by security agencies, saying the current government was heading towards “a one-man show”.

Okoji alleged that many Nigerians now have the impression that “Buhari is fast transforming this nation into a police state”.

Our Change must change something. How could we continue to talk of change in a static system? How could we be talking of change when the same crew are governors, ministers, senators, and members of the house of representatives? This is a cyclical devolution of power to the same people who are never out of power!

What sort of change is the pres­ident talking about? When will the youth take over when even a gov­ernor does not take a bow and go? When shall we plan for the replace­ment of delinquent leadership? This is what constitutes change. Change is not changing from Jonathan to Buhari.

Change is behavioural and pervades all levels of society including the family, the church, the mosque, schools, market women and business men. When we talk of change, we talk of positive-salutary, healthy growth and development oriented change that cuts across the entire gamut of the society.

What sort of change is this that ignores the glaring unequal distribu­tion of national income? It is absurd that the same government that is unable to pay N18,000 per month to the lowest grade of labour can afford to pay N1.8 million per month to anyone in the economy. Why must tax payers’ money be used to feed Mr. President and his family?

Why must the tax payers’ money be used to buy brand new exotic vehicles for the legislature, judges, ministers and governors when they are heavily paid?

Why don’t they use loan finance or mortgage finance to buy their cars and houses? This is also a form of looting and it is the cause of grounding the economy and calling in an IMF spin-doctor all the time.

Precisely two years ago this same President Buhari rejected off-hand this use of a spin doctor to heal the ailing economy. He pre­ferred the use of counter-trade and inward looking policies like cutting down costs and flamboyant exotic life styles.

Today, I am not so sure we have the same Buhari. I do hope he has not changed all the colours of the rainbow. The ruling elites are living a luxurious lifestyle while the mass­es are in abject poverty and yet we are all Nigerians. Enough of this change-conundrum.

Note the bolded. Saharareporters is their agent.

Shehu Sani, chairman of senate committee on foreign and domestic debt, has said that corrupt people parading themselves as President Mohammadu Buhari’s friends would soon be interrogated and prosecuted.

Speaking in an interview with journalists on Monday in Kaduna while receiving a group of women who paid him solidarity visit, Sani, who is also the vice chairman of senate committee on foreign affairs, said some of the corrupt people are members of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) who had their political upbringing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) and whose hands were soiled by corruption.

He disclosed that over $200bn stolen by some Nigerians was being stashed away in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE).

According to him, any corrupt person warming himself close to Buhari for cover would be exposed, investigated and prosecuted.

“Corrupt Nigerians have stashed unbelievable amount of monies in Dubai alone in the name of estates acquisition, purchase of exotic houses and business partnership in the last 16 years,” he said.

“Some have stashed raw cash. This is as a rresult the US, and Europe making conditions for laundering of money into their countries very difficult. These crooks have now found it conducive to use the Middle East and South East Asia as their destinations.

“They use names of their cronies, family members and friends to siphon public funds out of Nigeria. Some of them are APC members who had their political upbringing in the then ruling PDP where they soiled their hands in the corruption pot.

“Sooner than later, those who are parading themselves as Buhari’s friends but are corrupt will be interrogated, prosecuted because the president does not know friend or relation as far as the fight against corruption is concerned

“It was based on the information on the quantity and quality of the assets of corrupt Nigerians that President Buhari had to sign that agreement with UAE at Abu Dabi. I can tell you that it was a smart and patriotic move,” he said.

“Let me advise the president to steer clear of hypocrites, because it is better to live with an enemy than hypocrites because hypocrites derive joy from stabbing one’s back.

“Over $200 billion is stashed away from Nigeria to Dubai alone. This may be the monies stolen over the past 20 years. I am not talking about estates and bonds and other securities bought with Nigeria’s stolen money. Buhari is going to recover all these monies and assets with the help of UAE.

“If you notice now, since the agreement, some of the corrupt persons are now rushing to Dubai to effect changes in the ownership of the ill-gotten assets, but they are just wasting their time.

“President Buhari needs the support of all Nigerians to wipe out corruption from the country. The president is on rescue mission. He needs our support.

“We cannot sit down idly and watch people sabotage Buhari; and I can tell you that since Buhari went to Dubai, there have been three attempts to sabotage his government.

“The first one was that they planted a story in newspapers that there was crisis in Buhari’s government because he went to Dubai. The second one was that they planted fake list of Nigerians that have property in Dubai, while we were waiting for the original list of those who have houses in Dubai. And the third one was to sponsor foreign media to discredit Buhari’s economic policies.”

Follow us on twitter @thecableng