₦airaland Forum

SUNDAY ABORISADE



The Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Rafiu Ibrahim , has said a team of senior legal experts will handle the allegation of complicity in the Offa robbery saga levelled against the President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki, by the police .

The police have insisted that Saraki is needed to make certain clarifications on the statement of the suspects arrested in connection with the robbery despite the legal advice from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , which absolved the Senate President of any complicity in the act .

But Ibrahim , who is among the 14 senators , who defected from the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that Saraki’ s lawyers , who are mainly Senior Advocates of Nigeria , were already brainstorming on the case .

The Senator ’ s clarification appears to be an indication that the Senate President may not honour the police invitation and would rather ask his lawyers to handle the matter.

His declaration came on the heels of the insistence of the Force PRO, Moshood Jimoh , that Saraki still had a case to answer notwithstanding the fact that a team of investigators grilled the Senate President last week in his office .

Ibrahim said , “ The Senate President has a very strong legal team of many senior advocates of Nigeria who are already working on the issue. He has a legal issue with the police and he will take the case up legally . ”

He explained that the executive arm of government bungled a fresh strategy that was being coordinated by Saraki aimed at reconciling aggrieved federal lawmakers with the APC leadership when the police reportedly barricaded the Senate principal officers’ homes in Abuja .

He said , “As we were strategising on how to convince our members to let us reconsider our stand and shelve our plans to defect , the police brought a letter by 8 pm on Monday , asking the Senate President to appear before them by 8 am on Tuesday.

“ The following day, very early in the morning, the EFCC went to the house of the Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu , blocked his house and successfully ensured that he did not go out.

“Simultaneously , some policemen were also at the home of the Senate President with a specific instruction to prevent him from leaving his house . Those who could carry out such actions could as well kill the principal officers or bomb their houses.

“ My concern at the moment is to ensure that the Senate President is alive . The agents of government are getting desperate just to actualise their plans. ”

Ibrahim added , “ Their plan was to ensure that the two of them were not available for plenary on Tuesday so that some senators could remove Saraki and Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively .

“ However , God , in his infinite mercies and powers , used some people to disorganise their plans by helping Saraki to preside over plenary on Tuesday. It was God , nothing else .

“ We adjourned abruptly on Tuesday because the federal authorities deployed armed policemen who laid siege to the residences of our presiding officers.

“ If they can put the SP and the DSP under house arrest , what stopped them from arresting senators on the streets of Abuja and institute frivolous litigation against them ?”

The senator added that members ’ defection on the floor of the National Assembly chambers would be in phases . ”

Paul Orude


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Till date, the inhabitants of Bangu village, a suburb of Mahuta, in Fakai Local Government Area of Kebbi State, are yet to overcome the shock that exploded right before their eyes after a marital squabble inspired a son–in-law to hack down his mother-in-law.

The agrarian community, dominated by Fulani, which used to bubble with activities, has since gone cold as the eerie feelings of the tragedy refused to go. Fear and apprehension reigned evidently in the minds of the people as they await the likely outcome of what happened to their peaceful community.

A witness told Daily Sun that about a year ago, a 42-year-old Fulani herder, Alhaji Tambaya Manu, took in Hajo Barto, aged 22, as wife. The union, consummated according to Islamic rites, inspired hope, joy and happiness for the parties involved at the time it was contracted.

But days after the solemnization, the marriage began to experience some hiccups, followed by disputes and bickering, which encouraged a decision to end it within a span of its first year.

Consequently, Barto packed her belongings and returned home to her parents, especially as the initial efforts to reconcile with her husband proved abortive.

It was learnt, however, that Manu, who declined entreaties to resolve the marital dispute, suddenly renewed his desire for his wife and wanted her back. To this end, he embarked on a journey to his in-laws in Bangu to hand down his request.

But things did not appear to come as easily as he thought. His request was turned down. Along the line, he was able to identify his mother-in-law as the main obstacle to the return of his wife. Offended by her opposition, he picked up his cutlass and hammered it at her, killing her by the second and third strikes.

Another Fulani herder, Umaru Yero, who is familiar with the tales of the tragedy recounted that Manu returned to Bangu in anger to drag his wife to his house only to be denied:
“When he noticed that his in-laws, especially his mother in-law, were opposed to his wife returning to his house, he decided to attack the woman with his cutlass severally.

The woman died instantly. He struck at his wife too, but she was rescued partially by her step-mother and her father who rushed after the enraged Manu.

“Sensing danger from other herders who were around, he fled into the bush but returned after a few hours to finish his wife and step-mother. But this time around, other herders in the village had been mobilized to repel his aggression. They did that with dangerous weapons and got him seriously injured.”

Another eyewitness, Joro Abdul collaborated Yero: “After many efforts to resolve the marital crisis proved abortive, he stormed his in-law house to retrieve his estranged wife. But when the family members of the woman refused his request, he drew his cutlass and slaughtered his mother-in-law.

Manu, his wife and his step-mother were rushed to Mahuta General Hospital, a four hour drive from Birnin-Kebbi, while others were referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin-Kebbi, for surgery, Manu died before their arrival at the hospital.

Head of Mahuta General Hospital, Dr. Haruna Bala, confirmed that he certified Manu dead after they brought him to the hospital. He added that his wife, whose hands were cut off, was referred to the FMC, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State:
“A woman had an argument with her husband and after sometimes, he came back to pack her load from her parents’ house. But the wife refused to follow him. It was at that point the man started cutting the woman with his cutlass.

“He cut her head, legs, arms, in fact, she sustained severe injuries. The man almost amputated the right hand. Her metarcapal bones, artery of the arms are all gone.

We spent four to five hours to save her life because she was in total shock. When they brought her, she was in coma. We rushed her to the theatre for an emergency and luckily, she survived.

“After reviving her and monitoring her for four days, we referred her to the FMC ,Birnin-Kebbi, to see an orthopedic surgeon.

“We were told that the husband attacked his mother-in-law, father, step-mother and their neighbors came to their rescue and killed the man.” He added that both the lady’s father and step-mother did not sustain serious injuries and were, therefore, attended to at the Primary Health Centre in their village.

Bala confirmed that the police came along with the patient, adding that they brought the lifeless body of the Manu, which he certified dead, before it was returned to them immediately.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mustapha Suleiman, confirmed the incident: “Two people died in the incident, the mother-in-law and the son-in-law who was the husband of their daughter.”

The victim’s father and the estranged and injured wife could not be reached for comments at press time.

Their neighbor, Hajia Mairo Adamu, told Daily Sun during last Thursday market, that since the incident, the affected family has relocated to a safer place to avoid a reprisal attack from Manu’s friends and family members.

She confirmed that the injured wife has regained her strength, adding that, “the only issue is that they are looking for money to foot the bill of her intended surgery at the FMC. Her father wants to sell one of their cows to get money for the surgery.”

lalasticlala

By Baba Negedu




President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, assured Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to return the country to the path of peace and prosperity. He also said it was wrong to blame leaders alone for the present state of affairs in the country. The President, who spoke at the graduation ceremony of Senior Course 40 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, assured of his administration’s efforts to take Nigeria to higher.

“May I assure you of this administration’s effort to return our country on the path of peace and prosperity,” he said. Buhari, who recalled his campaign promises during the last general elections, assured of his administration’s commitment to return the country to the path of peace and prosperity.
He said: “I made three key promises to Nigerians. First is to address the various security challenges facing our country; second, to reposition our economy and third to fight the serious challenge of corruption, which had eaten so deep into the very fabric that sustain our nation. “On the issue of security, we recognise that security challenges abound in all countries of the world, including Nigeria.

I am certain, with the consistent efforts of our security agencies; these challenges shall be considerably mitigated and minimized.” The President said the citizenry cannot be absolved of the blame as well in the nation’s woes. His words: “The change we desire in Nigeria actually starts with us as individuals. In Nigeria, there is the tendency to lay the blame for the state of affairs in the country on the doorsteps of leaders alone.

“Yes, leaders have a major role to play in providing direction and the enabling environment. However, the citizens’ role also is vital in attaining meaningful transformation of any society.” The President hailed the military for their sacrifice, saying: “Over the years, the Nigerian Armed Forces have provided the appropriate response to the numerous security challenges facing our country.

Their response to Boko Haram insurgency, militancy, kidnapping, activities of separatists and armed militias, amongst others, have been very commendable. “The military has also committed huge resources towards stability of the West African sub-region and world peace in general. Our efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which stabilized the West African sub-region readily come to mind. More recently, our armed forces have also contributed to the peace in The Gambia, Mali and South Sudan.

“It, therefore, goes without saying that a force that is extensively committed to the maintenance of local, national, regional and world peace needs to be adequately prepared to confront security challenges as they emerge.” Buhari said his administration will give attention to training in the military. His words: “It is pretty obvious that our dear nation is having its fair share of security challenges.

However, it is important to reiterate that capacity building remains the bedrock of combat ready, effective and efficient military. Incidentally, our tri-service training institutions, especially the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, have been playing critical roles in this regard. “These institutions, as well as the single-service training institutions, must continue to be provided with the requisite support to enable them to discharge their obligations.

To this end, the Federal Government will continue to give priority to the training and welfare of officers and men of our armed forces. This is not only because we salute their courage and sacrifice for the safety and stability of our country, but because the armed forces of Nigeria have continued to be the bastion of our unity.”

The President also said he was delighted to observe that amongst the graduating students are 11 international officers from various African countries. He, therefore, called for partnership among African countries to tackle security challenges facing the continent.

By Oluwafunke Idowu 



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Detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a driver identified as Solomon James, for allegedly attempting to rob his boss and rape his master’s wife.

The suspect was alleged to have stormed his master’s home, identified as Utachy Odim, on July 21 and tried to carry out the dastardly act.

According to the police, James stormed Odim’s residence at Ademola Akande Street, Omole Estate, Lagos and held him and members of his household hostage with a toy gun. Unfortunately, the petrified Odim didn’t know that the gun was toy.

He also didn’t know that the man attempting to rob him was his aggrieved driver, James.

Before entering the apartment, James had cleverly masked his face with a woven material, so that Odim and other members of the household wouldn’t recognise him.

After James breached the security of the house, he ordered Odim to lie-face down, tied his hands behind his back and waved the gun threateningly in the victim’s frightened face.

Speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said: “The suspect, after he gained access into the victim’s apartment, started ransacking the entire house.

He later asked for the victim’s Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) card. He tried to transfer money with the ATM, but he didn’t succeed due to network failure. He became aggressive and asked the victim to surrender original documents of his car and the key, which he did.

The suspect was also armed with condom; he persistently asked for the victim’s wife, fortunately, the woman was not available at that material time. He succeeded in robbing the victim N38,000, his car key and his ATM card.”

The commissioner explained that on receiving the information about the robbery, he directed police operatives to the scene of the crime.

He said: “As soon as the suspect noticed police presence, he jumped the fence to escape, but was arrested. The items so far robbed were recovered from him. During interrogation, it was discovered that the suspect was the complainant’s domestic driver, whose appointment was terminated two months ago.”

Narrating his own story, James said: “I worked for Utachy Odim as his driver. While discussing my payment, I said I would like to be collecting N80,000 monthly, but he disagreed, saying that he would rather preferred to be paying me daily.

We agreed that anytime I rendered my services to him as his driver, he would pay me N5,000. We both agreed on this. I have now worked with him for about three months.

“I know that Odim has a car renter business. I promised to bring customers to him, but it would be based on commission paid on every customer I bring. He agreed to this proposal.

I had since brought eight customers to him, but he refused to give me my commission. I got angry and decided to teach him a lesson.

“It was a vendetta for me. I went to his house last Friday about 8p.m. It was while I was knocking at the gate that I discovered it was unlocked. I made my way into the compound.

When I got into the compound, I masked my face so that people wouldn’t recognise me. I already know the way into the house because I had worked three months for him. I made my way into the house through the kitchen.

The first person I saw was the house help. She screamed when she sighted me, and then ran in the direction of the sitting room. I went after her and there I saw my boss seated. I pointed my toy gun at him, just to scare him.

I asked him for his ATM card, so that I could make a quick transfer for some money, which I believed I had earned through customers that I brought to him.

Unfortunately, the network was bad and the transfer couldn’t go through. I got angry and became scared that I could get caught. I asked him to give me his car keys and hand over the original documents of the car to me. He did as I requested.”

Asked why he came to the operation with a condom, asking for Odim’s wife, James said: “I repeatedly asked for his wife because I wanted to let the woman know what her husband had been doing behind her back.

I was his driver and knew that he used to have sex with young girls. He cheats on everyone, including his wife. I asked after her because I wanted him to confess his sins to her himself.

As for the condom; I didn’t go to Odim’s house with the condom, with the intention of using it. As a man, I’m always with condoms. My intention was not to use it on his wife. I was hurt, because I was cheated. I forgot that the battle was not mine to fight.”

Imohimi said: “This should be a lesson. Any time you have to terminate the appointment of your domestic staff, or you have to let them go due to any situation, it is important that the agency you got the people from are contacted, everything well documented and the local police station notified, so that if there is any problem in your home, the police will know the direction to look.”

Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the APC lawmakers who want to migrate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are free to do just that.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with the APC caucus at the House of Representatives, Oshiomhole said the party would not dangle “dollars” or “automatic tickets” before aggrieved party members in a bit to prevent them from leaving.

Therefore, he said those who want to go to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should go.

“You must know that the access to CBN has been cut off, the access to NNPC has been cut off, the access to converting defence spending to private pockets has been cut off,” Oshiomhole said.

“And then those who have done it, they are helping security agencies to explain. Pit latrines have been opened and people are vomiting left, right and centre. They are confessing like witches and wizards.”

APC has been revving up its efforts to maintain its stranglehold on the National Assembly since Tuesday when 37 of its members at the House of Representatives dumped the party after 15 (now 14) had done the same at the Senate.

However, there was some heartwarming news for it on Tuesday when Shehu Sani, the Kaduna Central senator, confirmed he would not leave the party but give “new surgeon” Oshiomhole the opportunity to “put the party back on track”.

Posted By: Emmanuel Oladesu



Will the defection of some senators and House of Representatives members from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) affect President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances in next year’s election? Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu examines the politics of defection and its implications for both parties and the defectors.



Fourteen All Progressives Congress (APC) senators dumped the ruling party yesterday. The party saw the handwriting on the wall. Its leaders tried frantically to avert the crisis.

But, their strategy apparently failed. The last-minute persuasion was either weak or too late. The big platform became decimated as no fewer than 14 senators and 37 House of Representatives members jumped ship.

Their next port of call for 11 of the defectors is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , their natural habitat, which they deserted almost four years ago to team up with the APC. Three of them went to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). One of the defectors did not name his new party.

There was jubilation in the main beneficiary opposition party. In the APC, opinion is divided on the defection. To analysts, the defection portends danger to the ruling party. But, some of the defectors may have also made some miscalculations. Both the APC and PDP may be facing an uncertain future.

To justify their exit, the defectors have successfully created an impression of cracks in the party. Since the constitution permits members to defect from a crisis-ridden party, the carving out of a ‘Reformed APC’ suggested division, which could warrant defection and attempted balkanisation. The goal of the defectors is twofold – to disorganise and create confusion in the APC and discredit President Muhammadu Buhari through sustained propaganda ahead of next year’s elections.

Yet, the alternative solution being canvassed by the defectors are unclear. They are not armed with superior ideological argument. Neither are they fighting for the masses. The combatants are scheming for more access to state power and resources. The welfare of the people is secondary.

The defection marked the trial of the Adams Oshiomhole leadership. Following the emergence of the former labour leader and governor of Edo State as national chairman, it was expected that he would deploy his persuasive talents and win back the hearts of the APC hardliners. Comrade Oshiomhole, it was said, swung into action. He was said to have made consultations and persuaded the aggrieved chieftains to sheathe their swords, but without success.

But, as he proceeded with the peace moves, his utterances about the activities of the ‘Reformed APC,’ led by Buba Galadiama, were highly inflammatory. The chairman described the would-be defectors as inconsequential elements without a record of honour.

Full of bravado, a combative and fork-tongued Oshiomhole still trivialised the defection, shortly after it was announced.

He likened some of the defectors to politicians who cannot win election on their own strength. He assured that the legitimate complaints of those who have genuine grievances beyond butter and bread, but have shunned the carrot of defection, would be favourably considered by the party.

For many party elders, it is a moment of sober reflection. Reality has dawned on them that APC could only brace for a difficult future. Gone were the euphoria and confidence of 2015.

As some members are leaving the platform, gladiators from other parties are not coming to the party. While APC is not keeping its old friends, it is not making new friends. Thus, the party has to gird its loins as the country warms for next year’s general elections.

Following the shrinkage of the numerical strength in the Senate, the ruling party no longer enjoys a comfortable majority in the Upper Chamber.

The retrogressive status change may worsen the executive/legislative relations in this quarter. The heart and body of the APC Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who is being projected by his supporters as the main issue in politics as at now, is in the PDP.

His foot-soldiers are his advance party to the PDP. Having adjourned the Senate plenary till September, aggrieved defectors will have a sufficient to concentrate on their post-defection plots. Between now and then, the debate on the electioneering bill is put on hold.

In retrospect, the defection may not produce instant effect beyond the perceived alteration of the APC’s status in the parliament. Instructively, when the defectors were in the APC, they acted as opposition leaders. Their opposition to the presidency was hostile and intense than their PDP counterparts.

To observers, history may be repeating itself. In 2014, prominent PDP chieftains had left the party in droves to team up with the Buhari forces to abort the second term ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who insisted on a second term in clear violation of the party’s zoning formula and in utter sensitivity to the popular and justifiable agitation by the North for power shift.

The APC became a platform for strange bed fellows. The old and new members were not united by similarity of ideas. What was paramount in their minds was federal power.

In post-2015 election period, no effort was made to embark on party reforms or erase the pre-election cleavages, which the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the nPDP and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) represented. There was no evolution of the party caucus.

During the National Assembly leadership election when President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to seize the moment, he was somehow aloof because he did not foresee problem working with whoever emerged the leadership. He has said in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015 that belonged to nobody, but to everybody.

The second phase of the defection may coincide with the resumption of plenary by the Senate. It may be close to party nominations for general elections. The climax will be the defection of Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Unlike 2015, many governors may not defect.

There may be no mass defection. Apart from Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom, who are still weighing the options, the APC Governors’ Forum is solidly behind the party and the president.

As the defectors retrace their steps to the PDP, there are some hurdles to cross. There is no position they were promised in the PDP which is not guaranteed for them in the APC, except the presidency. PDP leaders are excited at the APC’s misfortune.
But, not all of them are ready to yield their space for the ‘new comers.’ In Benue State, governorship aspirants on the platform of the PDP have warned Ortom against returning to the party.

How far will the defection affect the fortune of the APC? There are indications that Kwara State is back as a PDP stronghold.

This is due to the Saraki factor. Owing to his popularity and his support base, the state will gravitate towards the PDP in next year’s election. The implication is that Saraki and the other two senators in the Northcentral state will retain their seats in the Upper Chamber, if they are fielded as candidates of the PDP.

Also, in Benue State, the defection of Senator Barnabas Gemade, who represents Benue Northeast, is a major blow. If Gemade and Senator David Mark (Benue South) combine forces, the efforts of Senator George Akume (Northwest) may not be enough to retain the state for the APC in next year’s poll.

It may be a different ball game in Kogi State. Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), who has returned to the PDP, may have to jostle a ticket for re-election with a member of the House of Representatives who have shown interest in the senatorial slot under the PDP.

But, if the tempo of support for President Buhari is sustained in the district, and Senator Smart Adeyemi, is fielded, it may be difficult for Melaye to retain the position.

Taiwo Amodu - Abuja


Certain chieftains of the All Progressives Congress last night met with the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the party national secretariat.

Those who met with Comrade Oshiomhole to discuss the set back suffered by the ruling party at the national assembly included Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Sokoto state governor, Aliyu Wamakko and Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Senator Lawan claimed the APC was still in the majority despite the defection by 15 of its senators to the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

He said: “We came to brief the national Chairman and the National, Working Committee on the incident that happened today in the Senate.

You will recall that there was defection to the PDP and other parties by some of our members in the Senate and what we have come here to do is to brief the national leadership on what has happened.

“Even though we have lost some of our colleagues to the PDP and other parties, the APC still retain the position of the number one party with most seats than any other.

Presently, we are 53 Senators, PDP has 49, ADC has 3 and APGA has 2and we have 2 vacancies because we lost our colleagues in Katsina and Bauchi. They were APC seats and in August, bye-election will be held and APC will reclaim its seats and our majority will increase.

“We are also going to work hard with our leaders to reach out to our colleagues who have left us and give them the comfort they required that this party is the party to work with because we have a president who has remained focused and has done so much with little resources.

“At the end of the day, we are hoping that our colleagues who have left us will come back to this party to continue in the nation-building process.”

He further claimed that his position as Senate Majority Leader was not in any way threatened by the mass defection.

“My position as Senate Leader is not in contention. If you look at our Senate rules, the party with the majority of seats provides the majority leader. I told you that we are 53 and PDP 49. You do not need to be a great mathematician to know that we are in majority. But that is not the issue really.

It is not about the office of the majority leader, but for our colleagues working together and facing the same direction as progressives to make Nigeria better and give the president the support that he requires and for the party to continue to provide the kind of leadership we need. That is what we are looking for.”

Also speaking with newsmen, Ekiti state governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi said the defection would not affect the party fortunes in the forthcoming general elections.”

“What the defection signifies to the party is that it is democracy in action. It does not portend any danger to our party.

“Democracy is not an event, it is a process.
“It is wrong to take an isolated event and come to a conclusion about an issue. As one door shuts, some other doors will open. I urge you to stay tuned.”

Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu , John Ameh , Leke Baiyewu and Success Nwogu


The All Progressives Congress has offered its aggrieved National Assembly members automatic tickets in their constituencies in a last - ditch effort to stop the impending defection of the lawmakers from the party .

This offer , among others, has become necessary to scuttle the planned mass defection of the legislators , which has been slated for the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday , SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

Investigations by our correspondents on Saturday showed that aggrieved APC senators and members of the House of Representatives were determined to formally announce their defection before the National Assembly goes on its eight - week recess on Thursday.

It was gathered that the lawmakers would like to take a final decision on their continued membership of the APC this week to be sure of the platform on which they would contest the 2019 elections.

Primaries of most of the political parties will hold between August and September , a period the National Assembly may still be on vacation.

It was learnt that the only thing that could prevent the defection of the lawmakers was the ongoing negotiation between the APC and the leadership of the Reformed APC.

It was also gathered that the aggrieved lawmakers in the R -APC would hold a make- or -break meeting with their leaders on Tuesday where a final decision on the planned defection would be taken .

A senator , who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of identification, said the proposed mass defection from the APC at the National Assembly was scheduled for the last day of the session to manage the tension that would likely follow the announcement.

He said what could stop the mass defection on Thursday was the automatic ticket the APC was offering the lawmakers . The lawmakers , it was gathered, had insisted that the APC must put the offer in writing .

Asked to confirm the Thursday declaration of the defection, the senator said , “ It is true. It is most likely on Thursday , but I can assure you that if the APC gives Saraki and the rest of us letters (on automatic tickets ) , that is all (about the planned defection). ”


R- APC lawmakers meet faction ’ s leaders on Tuesday

Also , in the House of Representatives , investigations showed that members were waiting for the outcome of the ongoing negotiations between the leadership of the R - APC and the APC National Working Committee before taking a final decision on whether to defect on Thursday or not .

It was gathered that one of the issues on offer was the automatic tickets for the lawmakers in the 2019 elections.

One of the members said , “ Nothing has been concretised , but I will say there have been talks , including the offer of automatic tickets . ”

Another member confided in SUNDAY PUNCH that the R - APC lawmakers were expecting to be briefed on Tuesday by their leaders to decide on the way forward .

“ Our plan to defect has not changed . But our leaders are in talks with them ( APC) and we are patiently waiting . ”


We have not shelved defection plan – Atunwa

But a key member of the factional group and Chairman , House Committee on Justice , Mr. Razak Atunwa , told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that members were ready to accept any offer that would ensure “ justice for all at the end of the day. ”

Atunwa , like others, confirmed that the group had not shelved the defection plan , but admitted that members were also ready to accept offers that would treat all parties as equals.

The lawmaker from Kwara and an ally of Senate President Bukola Saraki, added , “In politics , you never say never . I am aware that a lot of negotiations have been going on.

“ Right now , there is no justice . If it ( offer) doesn ’ t lead to justice , we will go ahead and do what is okay for us in the week . ”


Automatic tickets : Legislators demand written agreement

In the meantime , it was learnt that the aggrieved lawmakers were ready to accept the automatic ticket offer from the APC to remain in the party .

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the lawmakers led by President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Yakubu Dogara , had given a condition to the leadership of the APC.

The condition, according to the aggrieved lawmakers , who spoke to one of our correspondents , is that the offer must be put in writing.

One of the lawmakers , who spoke on condition of anonymity , disclosed that Saraki and Dogara had insisted on a written agreement to retain their leadership of the National Assembly as there were forces in the APC, who worked against their emergence as Senate President and Speaker, respectively .

The source said , “They want to give us automatic tickets . The return ticket is for everybody and there are those who are giving it a thought. They are making an offer to all of us but it all depends on what we finally agree with them .

“ If the offer being made will be written , we are going to take it . It has to be written . If it is not going to be written , nobody is going to take that risk (of believing the party ). It must come through a letter . If they could write that they are giving us automatic tickets , I believe that many will not defect, but if they refuse , certainly , they would be on their own . ”

The lawmaker further disclosed that his colleagues , particularly senators , were considering either the Peoples Democratic Party or the African Democratic Congress, a coalition led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo .

He stated , “ If it is not PDP , it is ADC . Right now , about three senators have moved to the ADC – two from Oyo State and Senator Abdul - Azeez Murtala -Nyako from Adamawa State. If they give us a written agreement , personally , I will not defect , but it must be in writing . ”

The lawmaker stated that the condition became necessary as most of the APC governors were not happy with the National Chairman , Adams Oshiomhole , for making the offer .

The lawmaker noted that some outgoing APC governors had planned to contest the seats currently occupied by some senators from their respective states .

He also said some of the governors were bent on imposing their successors on the APC and blocking senators who wanted to get the governorship tickets ahead of the 2019 elections.


Negotiation ongoing , says APC

When contacted on Saturday the National Publicity Secretary of the APC , Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi , said he was not aware of the automatic ticket offer .

He said , “I do know there are ongoing meetings but I am not aware if anyone is offering anything and what offers are being made. I honestly don’ t know . ”


No offer can appease Saraki’ s embarrassment – Baraje

Meanwhile , the leader of the defunct new PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje , said there was no offer from President Muhammadu Buhari to Saraki that could atone for what he called the embarrassment Saraki allegedly suffered in the last three years.

In an interview with one of our correspondents in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday, Baraje stated that though Saraki was an experienced politician, his loyalists and supporters in Kwara State had taken a decision that with or without Saraki, they no longer wanted to continue being members of the APC.

Baraje said , “I am not concerned with the offer reportedly made by the Presidency to the Senate President . I do not see how that concerns me . As far as I am concerned and as far as our supporters and followers are concerned , they have taken a decision .

“ If the Senate President is going to waiver , all well and good . The followers have indicated that with or without him , they are going out of APC . So , it is left for him to take a decision .

“ As far as I know, there is no recent decision that can replace the kind of embarrassment , debasement and horrifying experiences that the Senate President has gone through in the past. It is unfortunate . ”

Also , the R- APC expressed confidence that attempts by the Buhari - led administration to use the “ carrot and stick ” approach to break its ranks would fail.

The National Publicity Secretary of the R- APC , Kassim Afegbua , in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, in Abuja , on Saturday , said the R - APC was committed to the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with other opposition parties .

He added that “ no amount of carrots” dangled by the Buhari - led administration would derail the process .

Speaking about offers allegedly made by the President to Saraki, Afegbua urged the Senate President not to fall for what he described as a booby trap.

Afegbua said , “Why does the President now feel it is important to play politics ? Since when did he begin to consider Saraki as important ? Where was he when Saraki was being humiliated ?

“ Does he now think that by taking such a man into the inner sanctuary of Aso Rock , he has done a great thing ?

“ There is no sincerity of purpose ; he is just running around because he is desperate to return to power so that when he wins the election , he will now come out in full force to deal with his perceived enemies . Such a man cannot be trusted . ”

Posted By: Yusuf Alli


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be in a hurry to get its deal with members of the Reformed -All Progressives Congress (R-APC) done and sealed.

The two sides have been locked in intense talks and negotiations over the last few weeks for the aggrieved members of the APC to switch camps ahead of next year’s elections.

But President Muhammadu Buhari and the new national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, have also launched peace talks of their own to persuade such APC members to reconsider their plan to dump the party.

With no defection of note happening as expected by the PDP, the party has given Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and others a two-week deadline to make up their minds and rejoin it.

Also being wooed by the PDP are : Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto); Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Governor Samuel Ortom (Benue); ex-Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, many Senators and members of the House of Representatives mostly in the Reformed-All Progressives Congress(R-APC) and other willing defectors.

The Nation gathered that the Senate President who met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, has summoned an emergency meeting of his associates, loyalists and strategists to take a final decision on whether or not to defect.

The meeting, which may hold anytime this week with tomorrow said to be the target date, if all those concerned could make it to Abuja.

It was learnt that Saraki has been in Lagos and Ilorin on whistle stops over the last few days for last minute consultations with his allies.

Sources told The Nation that a committee empanelled by Saraki has recommended that defection is “appropriate and popular” among his loyalists.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the two week deadline was conveyed to Saraki in Ilorin by Governor Nyesom Wike on Wednesday during a closed door session that took place after the Fidau for Hajiya Aishat Baraje, mother of a former National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Baraje, who was also chairman of the New PDP (nPDP), is one of the key promoters of R-APC.

A top source familiar with the development said: “there is no doubt that the PDP delegation came for the Fidau and to mount pressure on Saraki to hasten action on the proposal to accommodate likely defectors from APC to PDP.

“Wike, who led the team, asked Saraki to wrap up decision on the defection within the next one week or two weeks in order to enable PDP adjust its structures ahead of primaries for various elective posts in 2019.

“Do not forget that the defection might alter the party structure at the state level and the power sharing formula. The PDP has clearly stated that it will give equal rights and a sense of belonging to all defectors.

“This deadline applies to Saraki, Dogara, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, other governors, Senators, members of the House of Representatives, Speakers and members of the State Houses of Assembly; and other party chieftains.

“The conduct of primaries by all parties is expected to begin on August 18. Any serious defector, technically, has less than three weeks to do so in order to be able to integrate with the structure of the party.

“And the National Assembly will soon go on break to enable the lawmakers participate in the primaries.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “I think Wike, who is a key facilitator in strengthening PDP ahead of 2019 poll, is working on a deadline to prevent undue pressure on the APC bigwigs which might make them change their decision.”


No timeframe for defection, says Ologbondiyan

However, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said last night that there is no timeframe for defection.

“There is no timeframe for defection. Our constitution says those who are coming to our party can contest election within one month to the conduct of any elective post. And even that one month can still be waived,” he said when contacted by
The Nation.

Continuing, the PDP spokesman said: “I am not aware of the two-week deadline given to those who are defecting and it could not have been true.

“It is natural for those defecting, who want to contest for elective offices in 2019, to join PDP before the primaries.”


What INEC time table stipulates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in January released the guidelines and schedule of activities for the 2019 poll.

According to the guidelines, all political parties are expected to collect forms for all elections latest by August 24, 2018.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the notice of election would be communicated on August 17, 2018 in line with Section 30(1) of the Electoral 2010 which provides that the notice of election be made not later than 90 days before the election.

He said the conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes from the exercise will hold between August 18 and October 7, 2018.


Saraki summons meeting with associates

Sources said Saraki is currently on the last lap of his consultations with his associates on whether to defect or not.

A final decision is expected to be taken at the meeting which will take place anytime this week.

Although it was reliably learnt that the session might take place on Monday, it could not be officially confirmed as at the time of going to the press.

“There is pressure from the two main parties on the President of the Senate. I can tell you that Saraki is on the last lap of consultation on whether to remain in APC or defect to PDP,” a well placed source said last night.

“You can see that even the President, Vice President and some governors met with him at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

“A committee, set up to consult widely in all the zones and local government areas in Kwara State, has strongly recommended that he should defect. Left to members of the immediate family of Saraki, they do not want him to stay a day longer in APC because of his ordeal in the last three years.

“As a leader, the president of the Senate will hold a session with his associates, loyalists and strategists on whether to defect or not. The meeting will hold this week with Monday tentatively in mind. It is a moment he did not expect will come so soon after joining others to form a coalition which led to the birth of APC.”

The source added: “The greatest concern of Saraki and his loyalists borders on whether President Buhari and APC leaders will keep faith if he remains in APC. No one has trust in the presidency and the APC leaders.

“If APC returns to power in 2018, the Buhari administration will be going through its constitutionally acceptable second term in which there will not be anything at stake. Are you sure Saraki will be safe enough?”

lalasticlala

By Juliana Francis 


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A mother, Mrs. Folake Sokoya, has narrated how security guards attached to the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, attacked her, beating her black and blue.

Sokoya, who said that the incident occurred on July 11, explained that she was battered when she rushed to the school to find out why her son, Daniel, was being beaten by security guards.

She explained that trouble started for her after she asked the security men why Daniel was repeatedly slapped and beaten. She claimed that rather than respond, the security guards pounced on her with head butts and barrage of punches. The woman displayed her bruised body, face and injured leg.

Since the incident, Sokoya had been frequenting hospitals and spending money on lab tests, scans and x-rays.

Although Sokoya is demanding the arrest and prosecution of the guards who battered her and Daniel, she thanked her lucky stars that she was alive to tell the story of the encounter.

She said: “People working in the school and students told me that my son and I were lucky. They said that in April the guards shot and killed a student.”

Sokoya noted that the problem with the guards started after they sighted Daniel wearing earrings. She said they accused Daniel of being a cultist and even attempted to force him to write a statement claiming to be one.

Recounting the genesis of the incident, Sokoya, a journalist and media consultant, said: “I sent Daniel to take one of my adopted sons to LASPOTECH, to meet with the admission officer and find out how the boy could get admission into the school. Barely an hour after they left, my son called me that a security man had arrested and taken him to their office.”

She called Daniel friends; one of them told her that the boy was at the security unit and was being beaten.

Sokoya said: “The young lady said that I should hurry to the school; that a man was slapping Daniel and could blind him. I became frightened. I asked if she knew what my son had done, she promised to find out. But I was already on the school premises by then.”

When she reached the security post, she saw Daniel and her heart broke. The boy’s face was all swollen. She walked into the guards’ office, asking to speak with the CSO. She was told that the CSO was not around.

She recalled: “I stepped out with my son and the girl that assisted me in locating him. I called a friend, trying to get the CSO’s phone number. As I was speaking on the phone, one of the two guards approached me. Daniel said that he was the person that attacked and beat him up.

I asked why my son was beaten like a thief. Marks were on his face. I was shocked, when one of them, instead of responding to my question, pushed me, shouting that I should get out of his way. I fell backwards and hit my head on the floor. I stood up with the help of my boys.

I held the man that pushed me and I told him that the CSO must come to see how his men had manhandled me. That was how both men started beating me, giving me a series of blows. One of them gave me a head butt, knocking my glasses off my face. My glasses shattered.”

She was dragged into their office, where they allegedly continued to hit her. When Daniel noticed how badly his mother was being brutalised, he tried to help, but the men turned on him.

In the midst of the bedlam, a tall man walked into the office and ordered that Sokoya should be locked up. He also ordered that her pictures should be taken.
Sokoya stated: “After taking snapshots of me, he forced me into an adjacent office.

He then introduced himself as the CSO. It was then he asked me what happened. It was in that process he realised I was a mother. He told me that his men dealt with my son because he was wearing earrings.

He said that I must write a statement saying that I came to harass his men and tore their clothes because they seized my son’s earring.

He threatened to call the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Shagamu Road Police Division to arrest me if I refused to cooperate. He showed me pictures they took of me and said that he would tell the police that I was a cult member; that I would be locked up.”

Sokoya said that she was not inclined towards her son wearing earrings. She explained that Daniel briefly relocated to USA to live with his dad. But his dad asked him to return to Nigeria in order to sit his final exams. He would be going back in November.

When Daniel returned to Nigeria, Sokoya was shocked to sport the earrings. Furious, she called his dad, who told her that it was nothing. Incidentally, Daniel’s dad told Sokoya that the ear had just been pierced and that the earing could only be removed by Friday. But the LASPOTECH incident happened on Wednesday.

The institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Kuye Olanrewaju, said that Sokoya narration of what transpired on the campus was a pack of lies.

He said that Daniel flouted the school dress code, which was that males shouldn’t wear earrings.

Olanrewaju alleged that when Daniel was instructed to remove the earing; he refused and instead dashed home to call his mother.

“He refused to remove it, and then we had to remove it. He went home to call his mother. The mother came and attacked our security men. We thought she was a mad woman. She tore the clothes of the security men. We have pictures.

With this action, she has landed the boy in trouble. The boy is a spoilt brat. The security men had to defend themselves. It’s not true that the security men tried to force the boy to write a statement that he was a cultist. He was asked to remove the earrings and then placed on surveillance,” the PRO said.

One of the security men, Mr. Hitler Moses, said: “I was heading to the office, when she just grabbed me and started slapping me. I ran and she chased after me. She simply went wild. Everything she said was a lie.”

Daniel, 20, 200Level, studying Hospitality Management, said that he was not aware of such rules and regulation. He explained that before he went to the campus that day, he was checked, along with his identity card. He would later walk a friend out of the gate. It was when he was returning to campus that the drama started.

He said: “One of the security guards approached me and said that I should follow him to the security unit. The only thing I asked was that he should show his identification, which he did and I followed him. When we got to their post, he said I was rude and was wearing earrings. He was still asking me questions when one the guards came from my back and started beating me.

“I had already sent a text message to my mother while I was heading to their post. When my mother came, she asked for the CSO, but they lied that he was not around.

One of them pushed my mum; she fell down and we assisted her up. The security men started beating my mum and I. Before my mum came, I had written a statement, stating how I was beaten. They tore it and said that I should write another one.

They said that I should write that I was a cultist and that I called other people to call to the post to attack them because I was asked to remove my earrings. There was never any time I left the school to go home to call my mother. Whoever said that was lying.”

Afeez Hanafi


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A 27 - year - old man , Emmanuel Eghaghe , is on the run after he beat his mother to death for allegedly refusing to give him a sum of N 20, 000 .

Emmanuel had reportedly visited the 61- year - old woman at her shop on Jinadu Street , Ajangbadi, Lagos State, on July 6 , 2018 .

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Emmanuel told her mother , Helen , that he needed the sum for pocket money.

He reportedly resorted to violence when the elderly woman said she could not afford the amount , slamming her head on the wall while he was struggling to get the money by force.

She was said to have sustained an injury in the head. While blood gushed out of her head , Emmanuel fled the scene .

A resident , who did not want his name in print , told our correspondent that the case was reported to the police at the Ajangbadi Police Division and the deceased’ s brother, who is based in Benin , Edo State, was notified .

He said , “The sister of the suspect has a hotel in the community. He gave their mother a room in the hotel. She also opened a shop for the woman in front of the hotel. On that day, the suspect approached his mother and asked her to give him N 20, 000 pocket money .

“ The woman said she did not have that kind of money . He pushed her to the wall and broke her head in the process . There were bloodstains everywhere and the woman eventually died in a hospital .

He ran away immediately and has yet to be found . His sister was abroad and she was planning to relocate him there .

A resident informed the woman’ s brother and he travelled to Lagos from Benin . I was surprised why a child would do such a cruel thing to his mother . ”

The deceased’ s brother, Friday , told Saturday PUNCH that somebody had called him with Helen ’ s phone number on that day, informing him that Emmanuel was about to kill the sexagenarian, whom he described as a mother .

He said he called back the person several times to know what was wrong, but the phone rang out , adding that a girl who lived with the deceased later picked the call and told him that Emmanuel had killed her .

Friday said , “Around 11 am that day, somebody called me with my mum ’ s (Helen ’ s ) phone number and said somebody wanted to kill her . When I asked the person what the problem was , she cut the call . I called back , but she did not pick her calls .

“ It was a little girl that was staying with her who later picked the call and told me that my mum had been killed . I left Benin immediately for Lagos .

It was the woman who brought me up. Emmanuel was the fifth and the last child of the family. One of them lives in Benin here while others live abroad. I didn’ t know why he killed her . ”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer , CSP Chike Oti , confirmed the incident , noting that the command had launched a manhunt for the suspect.

He said , “The police got a report that the suspect hit his mother ’ s head against the wall in an attempt to get money from her forcefully . As a result, she became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital for treatment . She gave up the ghost at the hospital .

“ The suspect is now at large. Detectives visited the scene and deposited the corpse at the Isolo General Hospital mortuary for autopsy . A manhunt for the suspect is being intensified . ”

lalasticlala

Posted By: Osagie Otabor,


A 19-year-old boy identified as Junior Omo Shaba has killed his lover and left her corpse by a roadside.

The incident happened at No. 2, Akugbe Street, Off Siluko road, Ogida, Egor local government area.

It was learnt the deceased, Matilda Odiri, who is 18 years old was stabbed to death inside her boyfriend’s room during an argument.

The deceased was said to have gone to her boyfriend’s house to spend the night when she was stabbed with a knife on her right upper breast.

Witnesses said the victim was stabbed at about 11pm after she accused her boyfriend of having affairs with other girls
The boyfriend reportedly dumped her body by the road side after killing her to cover his deeds.

He was said to have fled when his father called in the police.

Police sources said the suspect is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

The police source said the suspect confessed that he murdered his lover and dumped her body on the street to cover his evil deed after an argument ensued between them at night.

Shaba told the police that he killed his girlfriend with a knife which she used to peel some oranges they took that night.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said it was a case of murder and the suspect would soon be arraigned in court.

"So Dr, you want to disvirgin my 17yr old Daughter?"

The way she put it.�
"Not really Ma, to treat, we have to break her Hymen. She has IMPERFORATE HYMEN. That's why she hasn't menstruated. Absence of Hymen doesn't make her less a virgin, some are born w/o it�"

"Madam, on examination, we discovered your daughter has an imperforate hymen. This means the hymen is blocking the vagina completely and so, nothing coming from up can come down, including her menses and Ovulation discharge, hence the fluid collection
#DrZobo

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Abdulkareem Haruna


The Borno state police command on Wednesday paraded eight suspected Boko Haram members and their accomplices it said were responsible for the kidnap of Chibok schoolgirls four years ago.

Another 14 suspects also paraded were responsible for various suicide attacks carried out by teenage girls, the police said.

This was disclosed at a press conference by the Borno police command at the force headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

Over 270 Chibok girls were abducted from their school dormitory in 2014. The kidnapping sparked global outrage.

More than 100 of the schoolgirls are still being held by Boko Haram.

lalasticlala

by Oluseyi Awojulugbe



Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of executive power, failed to remit taxes, such as pay as you earn (PAYE), value added tax (VAT) and withholding tax (WHT), to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2016 — despite deducting at source.

The two chambers of the national assembly also failed to remit these taxes same year.

These revelations are contained in the just-released 2016 annual report of the auditor-general of the federation obtained by TheCable.

The auditor-general said State House headquarters did not remit N253,194,782.74 in taxes, while State House operations (president) withheld N10,500,471.26 and State House operations (vice president) N7,497,570.93.

A total of 109 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) — including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) — failed to remit taxes to the appropriate agencies during the audited period, according to the report signed by AM Ayine, the auditor-general of the federation.

Also named as defaulters are teaching hospitals, national parks, federal government colleges, polytechnics, universities, federal ministry of justice, office of the head of civil service of the federation, Nigerian Prison Service, Nigerian Television Authority and National Emergency Management Agency.


NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TOO

On the house of representatives, the auditor-general wrote: “Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions from staff salaries totalling N821,564,296.48 (Eight hundred and twenty-one million, five hundred and sixty-four thousand, two hundred and ninety-six naira, forty-eight kobo), were claimed to have been remitted to the tax authorities, but receipts for the remittances were not produced for audit verification in contravention of Financial Regulation 235 which states that “Deductions for WHT, VAT and PAYE shall be remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service at the same time the payee who is the subject of the deduction is paid.

“The Clerk to the National Assembly should produce the receipts confirming the remittance of the sum of N821,564,296.48 to the Federal Inland Revenue Service for verification. (b) Contrary to the provisions of Financial Regulations 1404(i) and 1405 which require Accounting Officers to provide adequate Advances records and to ensure that officers granted advances retire them promptly, advances granted to officers of the House of Representatives totalling N254,059,513.70 (Two hundred and fifty-four million, fifty-nine thousand, five hundred and thirteen naira, seventy kobo) for procurement of goods and services between January and December, 2016 remained unretired as at the time of examination in June 2017.

“The Clerk to the National Assembly should recover the whole sum of N254,059,513.70 from the defaulting officers and forward recovery particulars for Verification.”

On the senate, he wrote: “Withholding and Value Added Taxes totalling N118,625,057.48 (One hundred and eighteen million, six hundred and twenty-five thousand, fifty-seven naira, forty-eight kobo), which were purportedly remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, were not acknowledged with revenue receipts.

“The Clerk to the National Assembly was requested to recover the whole sum from the defaulting officers and furnish recovery particulars for verification. (b) Withholding and Value Added Taxes totalling N118,625,057.48 (One hundred and eighteen million, six hundred and twenty-five thousand, fifty-seven naira, forty-eight kobo), which were purportedly remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, were not acknowledged with revenue receipts.

The Clerk to the National Assembly should produce the receipts from the Tax Authorities for verification.”

The federal government has been cracking down on tax defaulters recently 2015 but recently declared limited amnesty through VAIDS.

The auditor-general is required by Section 85 (5) of the constitution to submit the report on the audit of the accountant-general’s financial statements to the national assembly within 90 days of receipt of the statements from the accountant-general.

In the executive summary, Ayine wrote: “The Financial Statements of the Federal Government for the year ended 31st December, 2016 were first submitted to me by the Accountant-General of the Federation on 30th June, 2017. Following my preliminary observations, the Statements were significantly amended and resubmitted on 29th September, 2017.

Further amendments to the Financial Statements led to another re-submission on 29th December, 2017 and 16th January, 2018 before the final version was eventually submitted on 20th March, 2018,” he said.



UNREMITTED TAXES AND OTHER DEDUCTIONS


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Posted By: Yusuf Alli


THERE is the N720 billion “invested” by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 12 years?
Nobody seems to have an answer. Not even NHIS boss Prof. Usman Yusuf, The Nation has learnt.

He said the “investments” had no approvals of successive Ministers of Health, past boards of the NHIS and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).

He said billions were lost to diversion and under-payment of interest.

Banks, former Executive Secretaries, select management staff and interest groups were all neck-deep in the scandal, Yusuf alleged.

According to the NHIS Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, there is no trace yet of the N720billion.

Yusuf opened the lid on the corrupt practices in NHIS in a power-point presentation to the agency’s Governing Council in response to a query by the board.

He said when he discovered the scandal, he engaged forensic accountants to get to the root of the matter.

The Nation had exclusively reported that a team raised by the Federal Government discovered that over N138billion of the NHIS cash was trapped in 17 banks, financial companies and individuals’ pockets from January 2011 to date.

In a memo to the Executive Secretary, the Chairman of the Governing Council of NHIS, Dr. Enyantu lfenne, asked him to “clear these concerns(trapped funds and Forensic Audit) and guide Council on the way forward.”

In his response to the query, the Executive Secretary said the rot in the NHIS was unimaginable.

He said: “Over N720billion of NHIS funds were “invested” over 12 years. No approvals from Minister, Board or Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation(OAGF).

“There was no transparency. In the deals were the Chief Executive Officers, banks and other interest groups. Billions of Naira were lost to diversion and underpayment of interest.

“The Executive Secretaries and select management staff were all neck deep in this.”

The Executive Secretary gave insights into the rot he inherited in NHIS and the dispute over forensic audit of the finances/ investments of the agency.

He added: “When I resumed in August 1, 2016, I could not ascertain the state of the finances of the Scheme. My preliminary findings from the review of financial records were shocking to say the least.

“I was unable to ascertain how much of the Scheme’s funds was with commercial banks, for how long and at what rate of return.

“It was unclear to me how much of the Scheme’s money was still with commercial banks before TSA and how much was transferred to TSA.

“The audited accounts of the Scheme for years ended 31st December 2011 to 2016 were in arrears and had not been signed by the previous CEOs.

“In view of all these anomalies and to bring transparency in the finances of the Scheme on December 21st 2016, I engaged the services of professional accounting firm Messrs. Sofura Professional Services to carry out a forensic review of the Scheme’s accounting system and banking transactions.

“Their scope of work included reconciliation of all NHIS current and investment accounts held with commercial banks, reconciliation of NHIS TSA with the CBN.

“Upon their engagement, I called a meeting of NHIS Management made up of all heads of departments and introduced the firm and its partners and the work they have been engaged to do.

“After the meeting, the firm began its work reviewing documents and interacting with relevant staff. I was briefed regularly by the firm on the progress of the work.

“As part of the work, I wrote letters to commercial banks requesting and mandating them to give them all necessary cooperation relating to their engagement.

“Terms of their engagement were clearly spelt out in their letter of engagement; (I) An annual engagement fee of N2,300,000.00 per annum for retainership and;
”Reimbursable expenses and fees for each specific service undertaken for the Scheme as may be agreed upon by both parties from time to time will be paid on submission of evidence for payment to the Scheme at the end of each assignment.

“I am pleased to report that this is the first time in the 13-year history of the NHIS that a forensic audit has been undertaken in the operation of the Scheme including a review of the records of the Finance & Accounts, Contribution Management, Audit and Procurement Departments.

“Following my resumption from suspension on February 6, 2018, I became aware of the engagement of Aruna Bawa & Co. by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to carry out an audit and recovery of NHIS funds held by financial institutions, Companies and individuals into the Federal Government’s treasury.

“The information on the basis of which Aruna Bawa & Co. sought to recover NHIS funds is a product of work that I, as the CEO of NHIS, commissioned by engaging Messrs Sofura Professional Services.

“It is noteworthy that Bawa the principal partner of Aruna Bawa & Co. worked for Sofura professional Services on this assignment.

“In the course of the work, I knew Mr Aruna Bawa as a member of the Sofura team.

NHIS has never had any contractual agreement with Mr Bawa or his firm.

“On March 5, 2018, I wrote a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) asking him to cancel the engagement of Aruna Bawa and his firm as it was based on misrepresentation and that NHIS has no contractual agreement with him.

“I visited the NHIS Council Chairman at her home after inauguration of the board and told her about the issue and that I had written a letter to the AGF asking him to cancel Mr Bawa’s engagement.

“The Chairman suggested I should see the AGF and personally brief him which I promptly did.

“I have been receiving letters from banks asking me to confirm if Bawa is representing the Scheme.

“I have written to the AGF asking him to write to him and all the institutions he had introduced him.

”Messrs Sofura Professional Services is the only legitimate firm that the Scheme has a valid contract with and have been working since engagement.

“In fact, I authorized them to meet with the CBN team yesterday to explain their work at the request of the CBN team which they gave me an update on.

”Apparently, Bawa has been going to the Chairman’s house with bags of documents telling her that I and Messrs Sofura Professional Partners have ulterior motives in our quest to recover NHIS funds, hence the Chairman’s “query”.

The NHIS Executive Secretary also explained why he attended the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland from May 21 to 26.

He said the trip was not a jamboree as being insinuated in some quarters.

He said: “The World Health Assembly is an annual event by Ministers of Health from member nations.

“Nigeria’s delegation included the Minister of State for Health(HMSH) as the leader and heads of Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health(FMoH).

“The theme of the Assembly this year was Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC). As a signatory to the Commitment to UHC, Nigeria’s delegation was ably represented by the NHIS which is the lead Agency in Nigeria’s drive to UHC.

“With the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for the first time since the passing of the National Health Act, the NHIS will receive N275bn to cover vulnerable Nigerians across all geopolitical zones.

All our development partners are very excited for our government’s political will.

“The World Bank and Gates Foundation have already committed an initial $20m into the fund.

“NHIS delegation of only five was grossly inadequate considering the multiple presentations on UHC, Healthcare financing, Equity in Health care, Resource mobilization, aggregation of fragmented pools etc.”

The Governing Council of NHIS was yet to take action on the submissions of the Executive Secretary and response to its query as at the time of filing this report.

Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri



[img]http://s23069.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/IMG-20180714-WA0006.jpg[/img]


A mild drama ensued on Saturday afternoon in Warri, Delta State as a middle-aged man, identified as Tenimu aka Agwa was caught pants down allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.

Tenimu was allegedly caught in the act at about 4:00 p.m on Saturday.

An eyewitness said some youths at Odion community in the heart of Warri where the incident happened descended on the suspect after he had admitted to the crime and the victim’s parents placated.

The youths, wary of reporting the matter to the police, allegedly supervised a corporal punishment preferred on the suspect.

They tied him to a stake and gave him the beating of his life, the witness narrated.

Sources described Tenimu as an ex-convict who has always been in and out of prison.

He allegedly lured the victim to a hideout at Odion community in the heart of Warri and had a carnal knowledge of her.

TribuneOnline gathered that the suspect had been involved in a series of criminal activities.

“Having pleaded with the parents of the girl, the community youth decided to handle the matter rather than reporting it to the police.

“They, however, tied and flogged him with a cane after the suspect had admitted to the offence,” a source said.

Attempts to speak with the parents of the victim did not yield result as they declined being exposed to the public.

As of the time of filing this report, no official report had been forwarded to the police in the area.

lalasticlala

Posted By: Justina Asishana



A 25 year old man, Bello Muche has been apprehended by the Niger state Police Command for allegedly killing his wife.

Bello who is from Gautan Fadama village, Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State said he warned his wife, Husse Ali to stop sleeping around with other men but she refused.

According to him, he was angry with her disobedience and with anger, he used matchete on her.

“I used matche to kill her for refusing to adhere to my instruction, I told her to desist from sleeping around with other men she disobeyed me and I blew my top and killed her.

“My wife was stubborn, I sat her down and told her the implications of what she was doing, she ignored me and she had to pay the price dearly. “

Muche was trailed and arrested by the police operatives while he was trying to escape.

The Command ‘s Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar said that the suspect was apprehended based on a tip-off adding that the matter would be charged to court.

Dr. Sunkanmi Odubunmi, an Associate Professor of Economics in the Lagos State University (LASU), has allegedly been caught in the web of sexual harassment of one his female students.

Coming barely two weeks after the reported sack of one Professor Richard Akindele of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, the insatiable lust for love advances by varsity dons reared its ugly head again at LASU within the week.

Odubunmi a 1987 graduate of the university and best student in Mathematics For Economics, is said to be a no-nonsense economics lecturer and well respected until the recent bubble busted in the latest development that may have changed the university community perception about his personality.

A report said the Oyo State born professor, is presently at the centre of a sex scandal and examination malpractices involving a young girl (names withheld) of the same department.

Available information stated that the student in question, who had vehemently turned down love advances from the lecturer severally, approached and sought the assistance of a non-government organisation to help track the alleged sexual harassment.

According to reports, “The NGO later involved the LASU security to trap the lecturer, who was supposed to be due for a full professorship a week to the incident,” said our source.

The source revealed that the young lady was equipped with sensitive gadgets such as a pen, belt and eyeglasses all with a camera to record their video and audio conversations.

It was alleged that Odubunmi fell for the trap and invited the lady to his office on a Saturday to rewrite the failed paper and she agreed and reported with all the surveillance apparatus on her while the NGO people also stationed themselves in another office not far from Odubunmi’s with the laptops connected to the spy camera’s on the lady.

Left all alone, Professor Odubunmi was said to have given her the papers to write her exams and bolted the office door firmly, while the student got down to writing the papers, the lecturer removed his shirt and started cuddling his student from the back.

The student was said to have become panicky, lost concentration and put up a resistance with the lecturer who later found that the student wore a spy eyeglass.

Having smelt a rat and the plot, Dr. Odunbunmi was alleged to have beaten a retreat, hurriedly dressed up, seized the surveillance glasses and destroyed it.

He was reported to have raised the alarm and varsity security guards that are part of the set up quickly moved in with the NGO team and arrested the enraged lecturer.

A source close to the university’s Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations (CIPPR) confirmed the development, saying that a query had been issued by the management of the institution to Dr. Odubunmiin in line with the disciplinary process of the university.

“The next step is before the Joint Disciplinary Committee of Council and Senate,” the source added.

Dr. Odubunmi was recently drafted into the membership of a committee on Open/Distance Learning & Research Institute constituted by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Lanre Fagbohun.

This is coming barely a month after Professor Olusegun Awonusi, an English Language lecturer at the University of Lagos was alleged to have sexually harassed a female student of the institution.

However, the management of the institution will on Monday disclose to the public report of the Fact-Finding Panel on the allegation of sexual harassment involving Prof Awonusi.

By Sani Tukur


The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has disowned the statement issued by a Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters announcing the appointment of a former Borno governor, Ali Sheriff, as the Director-General of Buhari 2019 Presidential Support Committee.

The aide, Gideon Sammani, on Friday announced that Mr Sheriff would lead a 35-member body, as well as a 10-member National Advisory Committee and a five-member national patrons with Mr Buhari as the grand patron.

The committee is different from Buhari Campaign Organisation, which recently appointed the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as its Director-General and lawyer Festus Keyamo as the spokesperson and director for communications.

A popular Kano musician, Dauda Rarara, was also appointed national director for music, while a Nollywood actor and Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, was named the national publicity secretary.

The chief of staff to the Imo State governor and governorship aspirant of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, was named the national secretary.

However, the OSGF, on Saturday asked Nigerians to disregard the announcement by Mr Sammani.

A release issued by the spokesperson of the SGF, Lawrence Ojabo, said “the attention of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been drawn to documents in circulation in print and social media purportedly issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters in the Presidency as public notice, announcing the names of certain individuals and appointing them into different roles under the BUHARI 2019 PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT COMMITTEE, as well as soliciting for support”.

Mr Ojabo said “it has become imperative to clarify to all Nigerians and in particular to APC members that the said documents are unauthorised, misleading and should therefore be totally disregarded”.

The SGF spokesperson said appropriate “administrative measures are being put in place to ensure that such lapse does not recur in future”.

Nokuthula Mavuwa



A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy’s manhood went erect for days keeping his parents worried about the “early” strong signs of sexual urge.

That was until the child’s mother discovered that her son had been unknowingly eating “sex sweets” that were reported by B-Metro last week.

“I noticed that my son always had an everlasting erection then early this week I saw him munching on these sweets he bought on his way from school and they turned out to be the sex sweets. I quietly banned him from eating sweets for days and the erection is gone,” said Roselyn Chauke.

The sweets packaging is attractive for children and they can easily be mistaken for an ordinary sweet. So convincing is the packaging such that some wholesalers buying from South Africa are not aware what they are really selling.

However, a wholesaler in South Africa argued that the sweets are also good for children but the dangers could be more.
“They have some good effects that could be beneficial to children.

For example constipation relief; system cleansing but other things that come in them can be tricky for a child to handle. We sell them but do not entirely know the side effects and what exactly is in them.

If an adult can have their sexual life boosted by them then I personally discourage people letting their kids eat them,” said Doreen Mponde.

Nsikak Nseyen 


An Ile-Tuntun Customary Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, dissolved the 18-year-old marriage between one Okanlawan Akinbile and wife, Folake, over deception and ritual making.

The plaintiff, Akinbile, who was a businessman, told the court that his wife was deceptive and disobedient.

He said, “I have always had the feeling that my marriage to Folake in 2000 would bring me rest of mind and joy, but I was wrong because disappointment has been the order of the day for me.

“Folake was doing fine until when she suddenly changed.

“She started leaving home in the morning and returning late in the night without any explanation.

“In fact, she stopped taking instructions from me.

“One day, Folake called me from her shop that a soothsayer told her that nobody must sleep in our house that night or there would be tragedy.

“I heeded the warning and no one slept in the house and she convinced me to take some of my property such as fan, DVD player, TV set and mattress for her comfort to her mother’s house where she went.

“I later found out that Folake had deceived me and that she had in fact packed away in style.

“Then, she started blackmailing me that I was intending to use her for money ritual.

“Not too long after, her brother who lived in Abidjan returned to Nigeria to settle the misunderstanding between us.

“I haven’t neglected any of my responsibility towards the children and her.

“Soon after, Folake started again and I cannot continue with that kind of lifestyle, I need rest of mind,” Okanlawan posited.

The respondent, who consented to the divorce, did not deny any of the allegations.

She, however, pointed out that her husband was diabolic and was nursing the intention of using her as a sacrificial lamb for money.

“My lord, it is true that I have been moving in and out of Okanlawan’s home and it is also true that I deceived him into believing that I mustn’t sleep in his house.

“I was just trying to escape to safety from the den of the lion, that is Okanlawan.

“He had made series of attempt to use me as a part of his money ritual object.

“In 2014 when I first packed out, I discovered that anytime Okanlawan wanted to have sexual intercourse with me, he rubs a certain charm made from black soap on his manhood and he would not give me any explanation for his action.

“Again, in December 2017, he presented a certain ring to me as my birthday gift and he directed me to always wear it.

“On the seventh day, Okanlawan confronted me that I haven’t worn the ring and he prostrated to me to wear it.

“When I saw these and many more, I became suspicious of his intention and I decided to pack out.

“Moreover, he has not been responsible in the provision of the welfare needs of the children and I,” Folake said.

Ruling on the matter, the President of the Court in Ibadan, Chief Henry Agbaje, dissolved the 18- year-old marriage.

Agbaje advised the parties to ensure proper upbringing of their children in spite of their separation.

“In the interest of peace and tranquility, the court has put an end to the union between Okanlawan and Folake.

“Folake is granted custody of the three children produced by the union while Okanlawan shall pay a monthly allowance of N10,000 for the children’s feeding,” he held.

By Bashir Bello


KATSINA—AN Inspector (names withheld) has lost his manhood while sodomising a 13-year-old boy in Tudun Markabu, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A source in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Inspector was fond of committing the act with boys in the area, alleging that the last victim used a knife to cut the officer’s manhood.

According to the source, boys, probably victims of the Inspector’s sexual preferences, set him up in vengeance.

The policeman, Vanguard learned, was transferred from Sabuwar Local Government Area to Kankara, before his posting to Faskari, where the incident occurred on Tuesday night.

Confirming the story, Katsina State Police Command’s spokesperson, Gambo Isah, said: “We received the news with dismay. We are not expecting our men to be involved in this kind of act.

“He is in the General Hospital at Faskari and has been referred to the General Hospital, Katsina, but is still in Faskari.
“The Command is investigating the matter.

Immediately he recovers, we will investigate the matter and get all the witnesses. If found wanting, he will face necessary disciplinary action and charged to court.”

By Kayode Ekundayo,


The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set out a provision of a valid court Order as one of the pre-requisite for the release of Bank Verification Number (BVN) information to applicants.

The apex regulator in a memo to Money Deposit Banks and other financial institutions and signed by its Director, Banking and Payment System Department, Dipo Fatokun titled Amendment to the regulatory framework for the bank verification number operations and watch list for the Nigerian Banking Industry, said the amendment implementation is with immediate effect.

“Section 1.6 of the Framework: Eligibility for access to the BVN, which states that “The following entities may have access to BVN information, subject to the approval of the CBN”, is hereby amended to read thus; “The following entities may have access to BVN information, after providing a valid court order, subject to the approval of the CBN”, the memo read.

CBN on October18, 2017 through a circular referenced BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/04/010 said BVN operations and watch-lists for Nigerian financial system was necessary in the quest to develop and enhance security of electronic payment systems in the country.

The Watch-list comprises a database of bank customers’ identified by their BVNs, who have been involved in confirmed fraudulent activities in the Nigerian banking industry.

The guideline stated that participants in the service which are grouped into five categories namely: the CBN, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) and bank customers have access to the customers’ BVN.

It further noted that entities that may have access to BVN information, subject to the approval of the CBN include: DMBs, OFIs, Mobile Money Operators, Payment Service Providers, Law enforcement agencies, Credit Bureaus and Other entities as applicable.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Tor Uja, has said 100 Christian pilgrims absconded during the 2017 pilgrimage to Israel.

Uja, who made this known while receiving security report of the 2017 pilgrimage yesterday in Abuja, said that no pilgrim absconded in Rome and Greece.

The NCPC boss said the 100 pilgrims who absconded were from five states in Nigeria, adding that a serving soldier, a police inspector and a lecturer were among the absconders.

He, however, did not disclose the states and names of the absconders, but tagged the states as “red flag.”

He said pilgrims absconded during pilgrimage as a result of their colonial mindset.

He explained that as part of the efforts of the commission to check pilgrims from absconding, the commission has decided to increase the security surveillance during pilgrimage.

Uja said Nigeria was a country of future while explaining that the coming together of Nigeria was beyond what the colonialists conceived.

He said the coming together was an act of God.

He stressed that one of the major responsibilities the federal government has for its citizens was to provide adequate security.

As a part of the commission’s strategy to check defection of pilgrims while in the Holy Land, he explained that NCPC would intensify its screening mechanism to bring defection to an end.

Uja revealed that the commission has come up with stringent measures that would discourage pilgrims from absconding.

He identified the measures to include black listing states, publishing the names of absconders and their guarantors in national newspapers, and prosecuting them eventually.

He urged Nigerians and particularly the youth to have confidence in the country.

He explained that Christian pilgrimage under his leadership is focused on three aspects which are enhancing the spiritual content of pilgrimage, using pilgrimage to showcase the great beauty and capacity that Nigeria has and using Christian pilgrimage to promote national development.

He said the forum would make Christians go on pilgrimage and come back as better persons.

“It is time to build this country and to give it foundation; it is time to give this country a character; it is time to give this country a vision and a hope.

“It is time to make Nigerians to know that our land is a land of great opportunities.
“We have more opportunities in Nigeria than in America and in Israel.

“We have better land than anywhere else, what we are going to get is a revitalisation to meet with the Lord Jesus Christ afresh and to have a revamping of our spiritual lives.

Uja commended the security committee for a job well done, adding that he would invite them to educate the commission on its observations and recommendation.

He called on the church in Nigeria to be steadfast in prayers for the nation and to provide leadership.

Earlier, Emmanuel Nega, a major general and chairman of the committee, said security is the most important aspect of the commission.

Nega said that the committee was inaugurated to ensure the security of pilgrims to the holy land.

He said the committee has documented its recommendations that would assist the commission in terms of security and to prevent pilgrims from absconding.

According to him, the committee consist of 18 members made up of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Airforce, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State and Service (DSS) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

lalasticlala

Godwin Isenyo , Kaduna



The leadership of the Arewa Youth Forum on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari does not deserve any endorsement for the 2019 presidency .

Reacting to a purported endorsement by some serving All Progressives Congress ’ s lawmakers from the Northwest in Kaduna , the AYF ’ s National President , Alhaji Gambo Gujungu , said Buhari was not fit to return as president in 2019 .

The AYF argued that with the killing spree all over the country, especially in the North, Buhari should serve his mandatory four years term and quit the stage for another Northerner .

Gujungu noted that one sour point about President Buhari ’ s 2019 ambition was his claim that the killings across the country were being carried out by “desperate politicians ” , yet he had not arrested even a single suspect .

The AYF president , therefore , said Nigerians should blame the president for the attacks on innocent citizens.

The AYF boss who spoke to our correspondent on phone on Monday , said the President’ s claim that the killings under whatever guise was caused by desperate politicians , “shows that the president knows them(killers ). ”

He said :” Nigerians should hold the President Buhari responsible for the killings because he made it clear in one of his speeches that it was desperate politicians ’ that are responsible for the herdsmen killings .

“ Being the Commander - in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the bulks stops on his table . It is important , therefore , for him to fish out the desperate politicians as a matter of urgency .

“ Therefore, to allow the president to come in 2019 will spell doom , not only for the North but the entire country.

“This is not 2015 when we said North versus the South . This is not APC or PDP affairs .

“ We have enough Presidential aspirants in the North that are capable and not Buhari again .

“ Buhari should just honourably leave the stage in 2019 so that the North can regain its lost glory . ”
On Sunday, the lawmakers from the Kaduna, Kano ,

Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara States at the inauguration of local
coordinators for the ‘ Northwest Young Parliamentarians in support of Buhari /Osinbajo 2019 , ’ had said that the President had done so well in the areas of security , infrastructure development and deserved to return and complete the good job he started .

The serving lawmakers and dignitaries who attended that event are, the Senate Committee Chairman on police Affairs , Abu Ibrahim (Katsina South constituency) Senator Jibril Barau (Kano North Constituency ), Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central Constituency ) and the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives , Alhassan Ado Doguwa , Samaila Sulaiman , a House of Representatives member from Kaduna , Garba Datti Mohammed from Kaduna’ s Sabon Gari Federal Constituency.

Other lawmakers also present include Saidu Yusuf Miga of Jahum/ Miga Federal Constituency in Jigawa, Hussaini Sulieman Kangiwa (Arewa /Dandi /Federal constituency , Sokoto ) , Ahmed Baba Kaita( Kankia/Ingawa /Kusada Federal Constituency , Katsina), Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Aminu Shagali and Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Aliyu Sabiu Muduru .
Kaduna State Governor , Mallam Nasir El - Rufai, was represented by his Deputy , Barnabas Bala Yusuf . President Buhari ’ s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters , Sumaila Kawu , Minister of Interior , Gen . Abdurrahman Danbazzau (retd ) who was represented by his son , Shamsudeen Bello and a former governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Shinkafi were also present .

Posted By: Collins Nweze



Banks have suspended all cash withdrawals from overseas Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), except for customers whose cards are linked to domiciliary accounts funded locally, The Nation has learnt.

Banks have been encouraging travellers to open and fund dollar accounts, which aside having no spending limits, provide them the flexibility to spend at all times.

The lenders are also raising their card spending limits on Point of Sale (PoS) and online card transactions abroad, an indication of increased dollar liquidity and rising exchange rate stability.

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) at the weekend raised their monthly card spending limit on overseas PoS and online transactions from $1,000 to $3,000 and around $2,000 to $5,000.

GTBank informed its customers of the increase via email. “We would like to inform you that our monthly spending limit on your GTBank Naira MasterCard has been reviewed to $3,000 from $1,000 for your international online and PoS transactions. Kindly note that international ATM cash withdrawal is still restricted,” it said.

“Clothing, shoes, electronics, books…whatever your needs are FCMB Naira Debit Card gives you instant full access to $5,000 monthly to shop online”, FCMB said in an email sent to its customers at the weekend.

GT Bank had nearly two years ago during the height of the dollar scarcity limited monthly transactions on PoS and online transactions using cards to $100, British Pounds Sterling 90, Euro 130 and Canadian Dollar 360. The prevailing dollar scarcity at that time made it difficult for travellers to pay their hotel bills and make reservations and other transactions using their debit cards.

Many banks which announced the suspension of their overseas ATM card services in October 2016 have all lifted the suspension and raised monthly transaction volumes for customers on foreign currency-denominated deals, including those conducted on PoS machines and online.

The dynamics changed in April last year when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the Investors’ & Exporters’ (I&E) Forex window which has so far attracted over $53.9 billion to the economy. The dollar inflows have helped to strengthen the naira against the greenback and brought stability to the forex market.

Financial analysts at Afrinvest West Africa said stability in the forex market followed the increased volume of forex interventions and the coming of I&E FX window, which allows for flexibility in pricing of forex as well as efficiency and transparency in allocation.

For instance, in the first half of 2018, transactions in the I&E Forex window stood at $30 billion, surpassing the $23.9 billion total turnover recorded in 2017 and bringing the overall transactions to $53.9 billion. Although the CBN’s participation is estimated at 30 per cent of the transactions in the window, the increased level of participation to some extent underscores the flexibility of the market as well as investors’ preference of the I&E as the platform for Forex deals.

According to an Afrinvest report titled: “Nigerian economy and financial market H1:2018 review’ released at the weekend, the investment and research firm, said Nigeria’s economic recovery path had been reinforced by the sustained stability in oil prices with four consecutive quarters (since second quarter of 2017) of positive, slow but steady growth.

It, however, said economic activities slowed in the first half of this year, given the delayed passage and implementation of the 2018 “Budget of Consolidation”, a major limiting factor in the drive towards implementing the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) – the fiscal paper drafted to address some of the deep-rooted structural imbalances in the economy.

“In addition, food supply disruptions resulting from the current security crises – which in turn fuelled inflationary pressures – coupled with tighter monetary stance of the CBN towards stabilising the currency market, contributed to the slow growth rate reported.

Nonetheless, the domestic macroeconomic performance has been largely satisfactory on the back of persistent disinflation, rising oil prices and external reserves, increased foreign exchange liquidity with frequency of interventions, improved total capital flows into the country and favourable balance of trade,” the report said.

It said the rise in oil prices impacted positively on Nigeria’s foreign reserves, rising 22.7 per cent to $47.6 billion on June 13, 2018 from $38.8 billion on December 29, 2017.

Consequently, the CBN maintained its exchange rate peg with the naira appreciating to N305.80/$1 (June 2018) from N306/$1 (December 2017) in the official window while the stability and liquidity in the foreign exchange market improved as seen in the growing confidence by investors in the I&E Forex window in the first half of this year relative to fiscal year 2017.

The forex window has largely removed the pressures from the parallel market rate which now, sometimes, trades at a discount to the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) rate.

Also, Renaissance Capital’s (RenCap’s) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Economist, Yvonne Mhango, predicted that the naira would end the year at N356 to dollar in the parallel market. RenCap is a leading frontier market research and investment firm based in many countries, including Nigeria. The local currency exchanges around N360/$ in the parallel market.

In a report titled: “Nigeria: First Quarter 2018 Current Account – surplus swells” , she said Nigeria’s current account (CA) surplus increased to 4.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product -GDP (annualised) in first quarter against 3.3 per cent in first quarter of last year.

“This was in part due to strong export growth of 44 per cent year-on-year in first quarter against 31 per cent in first quarter of last year. That said, imports are also recovering; they grew by the fastest rate since 2014. A one-third increase in current transfers (remittances) helped mitigate a strong increase in income outflows and payments to foreign service providers.

We revise our 2018 CA/GDP forecast up slightly to 3.4 per cent, from 3.3 per cent previously. This supports naira stability and our year forecast is N356/$1,” she said.

The National Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Buba Galadima, on Saturday said that he can order the impeachment of anybody and the National Assembly (NASS), would carry out his order even as he revealed that the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not start today.

Galadima who said this in a television interview also said that the party’s problem did not start with the emergence of Dr. Olusola Saraki as the president of the senate.

He said the problem did not start with the election of the National Assembly leaders, when Dr. Bukola Saraki became the Senate President.
He also lambasted the National Chairman of the APC for saying he would not lose sleep over his departure from the party.

He said: “ The crisis in APC did not start from the election tussle of the National Assembly, because for me that was democracy in action and once legislators are appointed, they put aside their political differences and work as one unit to produce laws for the good governance of the country and also as an arm of government to provide checks and balances to the excess of the government from whatever party the president comes from.

“The real problem of the APC started because those of us who are the founding members of this party, those who made life sacrifice, those of us Nigerians with impeccable patriotism that came together because of the slide then and decided to submerge and subsume our interest to form the APC, I should boldly say that I was one of the nine signatories that formed the APC and nobody can delete that history.

We never see the faces of all these opportunists I am talking about. They never appended their signatures then yet they are reaping from where they did not sow.

“Because they have no history of why the APC was formed, what we suffered and what we did to protect entrenched interest, they started doing things that were not envisaged by the founding fathers of the APC.

“The crisis has been on but it took different dimensions when the tenure of the immediate national officers was expiring. Different interests started resurfacing and through to it, all the ideals for which we formed the APC were thrown (in)to the dustbin.

“Those of us who are patriotic, who have made sacrifices to bring about the formation of this party cannot sit idly and watch them destroy our sweat.”

He argued that the current crisis is the worst the party has experienced. He said “this is the beginning of what you call crisis. I should say that I am glad that Nigerians of all walks of life have shown solidarity with us.

“And for those who could not lose sleep, I wonder why they went cap in hand, kneeling down before the members of National Assembly”.

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Posted By: Yusuf Alli


Senate President Bukola Saraki is warming up to join the race for the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in August, according to sources in his camp.

Hints about his presidential ambition emerged yesterday; just 24 hours after the Supreme Court cleared him of allegations of impropriety in his declaration of assets form by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The news immediately threw the camps of Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who are co-drivers of the R-APC with Saraki, into confusion.

Tambuwal and Kwankwaso are also interested in the PDP presidential ticket and sources said it was their primary reason for wanting to return to the party having found out that they could not wrestle the ticket from President Buhari in the APC.

Saraki, who is said to be under pressure from his supporters to vie for the ticket, has been consulting his associates, political strategists, and well-wishers in the last 24 hours.

If he consents to seek the ticket, the move is bound to alter the Reformed-All Progressives Congress(R-APC) permutations ahead of next year’s elections.

The birth of the R-APC was announced last Wednesday by some top members of the APC who claimed the party has failed to live up to expectation.

Saraki travelled to Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday to commission some projects executed by Governor Nyesom Wike.

The Rivers State Governor is the arrowhead of PDP’s plan to stage a comeback next year.
The governor is credited with sponsoring the election of Prince Uche Secondus as the national chairman of the PDP.

But it could not be ascertained last night if Saraki’s unfolding game-plan informed his Port Harcourt trip yesterday.

The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is also said to have been taken aback by Saraki’s sudden interest in the presidential race.

A source knowledgeable about the relationship between Atiku and Saraki yesterday rated the Senate President’s latest move as an “upset and contrary to the discussion by the two leaders in a country in the Middle East.”

The source said “what was agreed upon by Saraki, Atiku and other contestants was that whoever secured the presidential ticket would be supported by all.”

But the source said Saraki “did not give any commitment to back Atiku only for the presidency.”

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the Supreme Court verdict on Saraki played a big role in changing the permutations in the R-APC and the PDP.


Rules out continued membership of APC, support for Buhari’s re-election

Saraki, it was gathered, has ruled out remaining in APC or backing Buhari for re-election, declining persuasion by a top presidency official that he should remain in the APC.

The Senate President felt he will “not be able to have moral and emotional stamina to campaign for Buhari in view of his humiliation at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the police on Offa robbery.”

His political family and APC supporters in Kwara State are also said to be opposed to mounting the podium for Buhari in 2018/2019 electioneering.

Investigation also showed that Friday’s ruling of the Supreme Court which cleared him of any corruption stigma was the ‘joker’ Saraki needed to rescue his political career.

“Since the pronouncement of the Supreme Court, the Senate President has become morally emboldened to rev up his presidential ambition. He has started consultations in the last 24 hours,” a source said yesterday.

“So far, the preliminary round of consultations indicate that he might participate in the presidential primaries of the PDP with some R-APC aspirants like Tambuwal and Kwankwaso.
“Initial field report and extensive survey have buoyed his confidence of winning the slot.

“With this development, Saraki will slug it out in PDP with Atiku, ex-Governor Ahmed Makarfi; ex-Minister Tanimu Turaki; ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau; ex-Governor Sule Lamido and others.

“Already, Saraki is done with APC going by the formation of R-APC and the defection of some of his backers and political like-minds to PDP.”

Asked why Saraki cannot stay in APC to challenge Buhari for the presidential ticket, the source added: “he believes he did not deserve the humiliation he went through at the tribunal and in the hands of the police.

“What finally made the Senate President to forsake APC was his being linked with those behind the bank robbery and killings in Offa by the Police.

“I think the police pronouncement did more damage and it was that day he drew the line with APC.

“Also, his family, relations and political supporters in Kwara State don’t want to hear anything about APC. The trauma was too much for them.”


Tension in R-APC camp

Assessing the situation in R-APC on the strength of Saraki’s plan to join the race for PDP presidential ticket, an informed source said: “there is tension everywhere now within our ranks.

“From the look of things, having three R-APC leaders seeking the PDP presidential ticket is like a house divided against itself.

“The coming of Saraki will certainly whittle down the prospect of Tambuwal and Kwankwaso because our calculations will change. And do not forget that these three leaders will still have to confront other presidential hopefuls who are in PDP.

“The race may look open but the path is laced with landmines if R-APC members have to split their votes at the presidential primaries of PDP. It would have been better if Saraki stuck to the negotiated offer of Senate Presidency in 2019.

“You can see that the R-APC innovation may not last more than two months because the leaders may fall apart over presidential ticket.”

Asked if Saraki will not be betraying a mutual understanding between him and Atiku in a Middle East country recently, the source said: “there was no pact. What was agreed upon by Saraki, Atiku and other contestants was that whoever secured the presidential ticket will be supported by all.”


PDP leaders root for ‘old’ party members in presidential ticket race

Party sources also said that some PDP leaders are opposed to ceding the party’s presidential slot to defectors from APC.

“We won’t allow them to come back and take over our house. Many of us believe that the R-APC leaders are looking for a refuge camp in PDP and they should not be dictating to us from a position of weakness,” a PDP BoT member told The Nation.

“If we decide not to readmit them into PDP, they will be politically stranded.

“It will be a disaster handing over our presidential mandate to any of the defecting leaders. We want the ticket for any of our old and consistent members who are in the race like Ahmed Makarfi, Tanimu Turaki, Ibrahim Shekarau, Sule Lamido, and to some extent, Atiku Abubakar.

“These R-APC leaders should know their limit. You don’t run into a house cap-in-hand and seize it from the landlord.”

It was gathered that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has been persuaded to support any consensus candidate picked by PDP and other 30 parties it might form an alliance with.

A member of the NWC said: “We have begged Baba to forgive and forget in supporting any common candidate agreed upon by PDP and other coalition parties.

“We made this request having in mind whether the candidate will be Atiku or not. He has left the option open with a target that the APC must be shown the way out of power in 2019.

“Baba is only after a credible choice that can match Buhari. He is no longer fixated on any candidate.”