₦airaland Forum

And the battle continues...

The All Progressives Congress and
the outlawed New Peoples
Democratic Party have dismissed
claims by a Presidential Aide, Ahmed
Gulak that President Goodluck
Jonathan was under pressure to
contest the 2015 elections.
In separate telephone interviews with
Saturday PUNCH in Abuja, on Friday,
the National Publicity Secretary of the
APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his
nPDP counterpart, Chief
Chukwuemeka Eze, said only those
who did not wish Nigerians well were
mounting such pressures.
Mohammed said the pronouncement
did not come as a surprise because
the President had left no one in doubt
about his desire for a second term
since he took office in 2011.
He said, “Gulak should stop insulting
the intelligence of Nigerians. We all
knew since 2011 that Jonathan was
more concerned about 2015 than
providing leadership. It is only the
likes of Gulak who are mounting such
pressures.”
Commenting on the issue, Eze said
only those benefiting from the
government at the expense of
Nigerians could have been putting
such pressures on Jonathan.
He said, “Let Gulak show us who
these Nigerians are. Certainly not the
Nigerian students who have spent
four months at home because of
ASUU strike, certainly not those who
are suffering from this unprecedented
level of insecurity and the scores of
Nigerian youths who roam the streets
without jobs.
“It must be people like Gulak who are
putting such pressures.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/2015-sycophants-putting-jonathan-under-pressure-apc-npdp/

A Nigerian and Chief Financial Officer
(CFO) of MTN in Iran, Mr. Kunle
Awobodu, is being illegally held
hostage for nine months in the
Islamic country after serving out his
term of office.
The Iranian authorities have
reportedly placed a travel ban on
Awobodu, since March, this year over
alleged fund transfer involving the
telecommunications giant.
Mr. Awobodu, who worked for MTN
Nigeria, was seconded to MTN Iran,
called MTN Irancell, in 2006. He rose
to the position of the CFO in the
company in Iran, reporting to Mr.
Nazir Patel, the group’s CFO in South
Africa.
Saturday Sun learnt that sometimes
in March, the Iranian officials served
him summons to appear at EVIN
Detention Camp in Tehran for
interrogation over transfer of funds,
which his boss in South Africa Patel
did, while head of accounts in Iran.
The interrogation revolved around
MTN Group loans/dividend funds that
were paid by MTN Irancell to MTN
Group via a swap contract
arrangement entered into between
MTN Dubai and the Petro Chemical
Company of Iran (PCC) and his role in
the deal. He reportedly responded to
their queries stating that part of his
responsibility as the CFO of MTN
Irancell was to follow instructions
given to him by MTN Group Chief
Financial Officer at that time, the said
Mr. Nazir Patel; and to ensure proper
records, coordination and
reconciliation of transactions
between MTN Dubai, MTN Irancell
and any other local third party
involved.
After the interrogation, he was told
that they had nothing against him
and that he had done nothing
His passport, laptop, as well as three
storages devices, were, however, later
seized, after further interrogations
and demeaning search of his office
and apartment. All passwords on his
computers were forcibly elicited from
him.
Embattled Awobodu’s contract had
ended in December 2012. However,
due to the delay in finding a
replacement for him, he agreed with
both the Chief Operating Officer of
MTN Irancell (a South African
national named Mr. Ferdi Moolman)
and the former Chief Financial Officer
of MTN Group (South African named
Mr. Patel) to return to Iran in January
2013 to assist the company on urgent
financial matters, including helping
MTN Irancell to close the financial
period which ended in December
2012.
After series of intense interrogation,
the embattled Nigerian was finally
informed that he would not be
allowed to leave Iran until two
conditions were met. One, either he is
able to convince Mr. Patel to travel to
Tehran or, he is able to convince Mr.
Patel to give them a copy of the
relevant documents. Between, the
months of May-July 2013, MTN most
Senior representative in Iran, Mr.
Moolman and the MTN Group Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Dabengwa,
sources informed Saturday Sun, met
with the interrogators several times,
providing them with documentation
and explanations of the contracts for
the funds transfer but it was not until
mid June that Mr. Awobodu’s laptop
was released to him. During all of
these months, the said Mr. Patel
refused to travel to Iran and by the
third week of July 2013, it was
communicated that he had finally
resigned from his post as MTN Group
CFO. A public statement was released
in July 2013 on the Johannesburg
Stock Exchange that he (Mr. Patel)
does not want to prejudice an
ongoing investigation being
conducted by MTN Group.
The Iranian foreign police department
later called for Awobodu’s passport,
saying they had received instructions
from a Judge Pasandideh asking that
he should not be permitted to leave
the country.
All efforts including those of Iranian
lawyers to resolve the matter have
been futile as the MTN boss’ file
keeps moving back and forth between
the Prosecutors office and the
Revolutionary courts of Iran without
anyone taking full responsibility.
Although, throughout this ordeal,
Awobodu consistently kept the
Nigerian Embassy in Tehran updated
on the developments, all he was told
was that two letters had been written
on his behalf to their foreign ministry
counterparts in Iran, without any
response. Also, he was told that a
briefing document was sent to
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Abuja. But never sighted any copy
of these correspondences.
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/im-held-hostage-mtn-boss-cries/

IfionuVal: Pals pls when will Planning Officers II GL8 write their own exam or have they written theirs? Pls reply ASAP

They have already written on Wednesday. Sorry about that.

Let's forget about all these media rants. Soon this matter will be swept under the carpet and the news goes back to Governor Amaechi and other G7 Governors. It seems corruption is part of the transformation agenda of Mr President. Corruption still remains the hallmark of this administration!

Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro,
has clarified issues concerning the
controversy generated by the
imposition of N1,000 processing fee
on the applicants, in the ongoing
recruitment exercise into the Nigerian
Immigration (NIS).
This is coming as some aggrieved
personnel within the parastatal
questioned the rationale behind the
fee, alleging that about N6 billion
should have been generated with an
estimated six million or more
applicants.
Moro, in a statement signed
yesterday by his Special Assistant on
Media, Mr. George Udoh, said the fee
was charged by the consulting firm
handling the recruitment exercise for
administrative purposes.
The minister, in the statement titled:
“Setting the Record Straight”, said
there were some misrepresentations
about his position on the N1,000
processing fee charged for every
applicant applying for a job in NIS,
which is one of the para–military
outfits under the leadership of the
Minister.
He said the response has “become
necessary to set the records straight
by informing members of the public
that the Ministry of Interior does not
charge any fee for job. I have chosen
to set the records straight and to
correct the misleading reports in
some National Newspapers lately
because in spite of spirited efforts
some sections of the media are still
hell bent on dishing out falsehood
and half truths to gullible members of
the public.”
According to him, “this piece is likely
going to be our last attempt to join
issues with those who deliberately
want to distort records, adding that
these explanations will correct the
misrepresentation being peddled by
mischief makers to discredit the good
intentions of the Minister of Interior.
Moro further explained that the
N1,000 charge “is the charge by the
consulting firm to defray cost of
accessing the website to fill forms.
This is also intended to save the
applicants the cost of travelling to
Abuja to submit their application
forms, as well as avoid other inherent
risks, including unauthorised
middlemen activities and other
abuses.”
“It is also against the backdrop of an
earlier exercise that was carried out
some years ago during which
applicants converged on a common
place and there was a stampede
resulting in the loss of some lives.
“As a responsive and responsible
Minister who believes in the rule of
law, I have the greatest respect for the
laws of the land and would not in any
circumstance breach any provision of
an existing law. The N1,000 charge
was approved for the consultant after
due consultations with all relevant
government agencies,” he added.
However, some insiders within the
service who spoke on the condition of
anonymity wondered why such fee
should be charged from jobless
applicants in the first place.
According to them, its like
impoverishing further Nigerians by
taking away the little they have
without even assurance of the job
they were seeking.
“A lot of money will be made by this
so called processing fee and if over
six million Nigerians were to apply for
a vacancy of not more than two to
five thousand, while generating over
N6 billion at their expense,” a source
noted.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/recruitment-saga-moro-clears-air-on-the-n1-000-processing-fee/163757/

Wish them Goodluck!

President Goodluck Jonathan
yesterday, admitted that he was
under pressure to seek a second term
in office, saying, over 1665 campaign
groups have volunteered to work for
his re-election in 2015.
The president however said the
pressure notwithstanding, he would
have to wait until 2014 before making
his decision known to Nigerians.
The president’s presumed second
term bid has been the thrust of the
festering crisis in the ruling People’s
Democratic Party (PDP).
He has also consistently reminded
Nigerians that talks about 2015
elections were distractive and would
not comment on such.
But the leadership of the opposition
All Progressives Congress, APC, has
restated its determination to wrest
political power from the PDP.
There will be a change of guard in
2015, the party said yesterday.
Besides, the APC said it was putting
all efforts to ensure that rigging was
stopped at all cost even as the party
raised the alarm that its members
were being deregistered in Anambra
state ahead of the November 16
governorship election.
Regardless, President Jonathan who
spoke through his special adviser on
political matters, Ali Ahmed Gulak
said, even Nigerians abroad are
“burning in unquenchable desire to
return to the country and cast their
votes for the ruling PDP come 2015”.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a
meeting of the Elders’ Advisory
Council of the Goodluck Support
Group (GSG), Gulak said, despite the
pressure on his boss, Nigerians
would still have to wait until next
year for the president to decide, even
as he maintained that Jonathan’s
only concern for now was on fixing
the nation’s economy.
He said: “Since our last meeting, we
have received various support groups
being coordinated by the GSG. We
have, as of today, 1665. The last to
visit was the Ochendo Solidarity
Movement from Abia State.
About 150 (groups) of them came to
this office. We discussed. They have
called on Mr. President to declare his
intention. They said that they were
not flattering.
“The President had told the whole
nation that his intention would only
be known in 2014, as he would use all
these years to work for Nigeria and
work for Nigeria and work for
Nigeria”, he added, noting that
Nigerians in the Diaspora had been
enthusiastic about the organisation
when it launched its US branch.
“They told us that they would not
only stick to vote, but they would
mobilize themselves to come back
and register and also ask their
relatives to vote for PDP.
``There is no alternative to President
Jonathan come 2015, based on GSG
interactions with different political,
cultural and religious associations,’’
he said.
The Chairman, Council of Elders of the
GSG, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, said many
politicians in the country want to be
identified with the good works of
President Jonathan.
He said “many Nigerians are indeed
happy with what is happening at the
moment, everybody want to be part of
the success story of the current
administration,’’ Mantu said.
There’ll be change in 2015 - APC
Reacting, the Interim National
Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Tijjani
Musa Tumsah told Leadership Friday
that “it is regrettable that in spite of
his dismal performance, Jonathan
still wants to run. We are not
bothered”, he continued, “Because we
are sure that there will be a change in
2015”.
http://leadership.ng/news/081113/2015-presidency-i-m-under-pressure-run-jonathan

Dive-Bomber:
Same way Bokobinhari and Alquaelda's Peoples Party(APC) have instituitionalised terrorism and bloodshed in Nigeria.

BTW, Bokobinhari shld start his fight against corruption frm his slave- asiwaJUJU bola Tinubu.

FIXED!

Corruption runs through every nook and cranny of the country. We'll get there one day!

I'm still thinking

ceo4eva: Same corrupt people moving to APC to satisfy their personal interest.
Where is the hope?
Where will the change come from? Many questions are begging for Answers!

Exactly my thought. Na d same old recycled politicians full everywhere.

donroxy: This woman shoulda humble herself and resign ..... !!!

She already fuc.ke.d-Up !!!

She would have done that if she has some level of integrity. Our system here is probably different and corrupt.

A bricklayer, Mr. Gabriel Omode, has
divorced his wife for allegedly failing
to show him receipts for the payment
of their child’s school fees.
The plaintiff approached an Ikole
Customary Court in Ekiti State on
September 30, seeking the
dissolution of his three-year-old
union with Ruth.
He told the court that Ruth had not
been giving him peace of mind,
accusing her of insubordination, lack
of trust and constant threat to his life.
Omode said was been responsible for
the care and maintenance of the only
child of the marriage, adding that he
never failed to meet incessant
demands for the child’s school fees.
“Ruth never deemed it fit to show me
anything as evidence of the payment
of the fees.”
He, prayed the court to uphold his
request for the marriage’s
dissolution.
Omode told the court that he would
continue to cater for the child,
provided Ruth showed evidence of
payment of the child’s school fees.
Ruth, denied the allegation, adding
that she never diverted her child’s
school fees.
She also denied threatening Omode’s
life, saying the plaintiff was always
making night calls to another
woman, which she kicked against.
Ruth said she packed out of her
matrimonial home when she could no
longer cope with the situation.
She did not object to the dissolution
of the marriage but pleaded that the
court should compel the plaintiff to
take full responsibility for the child’s
maintenance.
In her judgment, Mrs Yemisi Ojo,
dissolved the union and ordered the
plaintiff to pay N5000 naira monthly
for the child’s upkeep.
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/bricklayer-divorces-wife-school-fees/

Former Head of State General
Muhammadu Buhari has stated that
no country in the world is as corrupt
as Nigeria, saying that the All
Progressives Congress (APC) has all
it takes to salvage the country from
its woes.
Buhari spoke in Sokoto yesterday
when he and other APC leaders
visited the state to woo Governor
Aliyu Wamakko into the APC.
According to Buhari, “The coming
together of the opposition political
parties is the best system to stabilize
the polity. I do not think there is any
single country in the world that
suffers the agony of thieves like
Nigeria. There are a lot of pensioners
among you. But what is their state of
living? A lot of them die during
screening process.
“Nigerian has the resources to be
great but the elite have failed to
manage the resources. Now members
of different political parties have now
come together to help salvage the
country. There is no country of the
world that is as corrupt as Nigeria.
On his appeal to the people of the
state to embrace the APC, Buhari
said, “why are we wasting so much
time? “We are here to look for your
understanding and support through
your leaders to come to the APC”.
In his own comment, former Lagos
State Governor Bola Tinubu lamented
that after 53 years of independence,
Nigeria is still a baby that is crawling
and did not know when it will begin
to walk.
Tinubu, who maintained that
Nigerians are not lazy people further
stressed that what the country needed
is good leadership that will help
change our fortune.
On his appeal to Wamakko to join the
party, Tinubu said, “We are inviting
you as a beautiful bride to come and
join us so that we can collaborate to
bring this country to a greater point.
He further described Buhari as the
redemption Nigerians need.
The interim national chairman of the
APC, Chief Bisi Akande, stated that
though Wamakko was a good leader,
he was not fortunate to have
belonged to a good party.
On the decision of the federal
government not to fully compensate
the victims of the Boko Haram sect,
Akande said, “The victims of Boko
Haram cut across all religious and
political divide. The Christians suffers
through the bombing of their
churches, the Muslims are also
affected through the killing of their
people in the mosque. And for a
leader to now come up and say there
is no compensation for any victim of
such attack it is very, very unkind.
And I think this is the kind of policy
that is coming from the centre then it
is very, very unfair.
Responding, Wamakko described
Buhari as a man of his words and
assured that he had heard the
message from the national leadership
of the APC and hope to communicate
it to the stakeholders in the state.
http://leadership.ng/news/071113/no-country-corrupt-nigeria-buhari

A former Head of State,Maj.-
Gen.Muhammadu Buhari, (retd) has
said that the Peoples Democratic
Party-led Federal Government has
institutionalised corruption in
Nigeria.
Buhari spoke in Ilorin on Wednesday
when leaders of the All Progressives
Congress stormed Kwara State to
woo members of the Kwara State
chapter of the PDP loyal to a former
Governor of the state, Dr. Bukola
Saraki.
Other APC chieftains on the entourage
were the Interim National Chairman
of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande; a
former Governor of Lagos State,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; as well as ex-
governors John Oyegun(Edo); and
George Akume (Benue).
Others were ex -Speaker of the House
of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu
Masari; the Interim National Publicity
Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed; a former Minister of
Works, Alhaji Hassan Lawal; and
another former minister, Alhaji Musa
Gwadabe.
Buhari said it was neccessary for all
stakeholders to team up and fight
against corruption, lack of
infrastructure and other
developmental challenges facing the
country.
He said, “That nothing has improved
over the years shows the non-
performance of the ruling PDP.
“The non-performance of the Power
Holding Company of Nigeria and the
Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation is enough to remove any
government in power except in
Nigeria.
“The PDP government has
institutionalised corruption in
Nigeria. There is no way Nigeria, with
its vast population and land can
continue to entertain an army of
unemployed youths without the
resultant effect of kidnapping and the
insurgency by Boko Haram.”
He told the gathering that “the
fundamental objective of the APC is
to secure a hope for Nigerians.”
But the PDP dismissed the comment
by Buhari, saying it was a “ mere
political statement.”
It said it was ironical that the APC
would be wooing governors in a
supposedly corrupt party.
The Deputy National Publicity
Secretary of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim
Jalo, in a telephone interview with
one of our correspondents, stated that
the actions of the opposition party
showed its desperation for power.
Jalo alleged that the APC was looking
for money from the governors to
prosecute the 2015 general elections.
He said, “What he (Buhari) said is a
political statement in the sense that
he is now spearheading a group of
APC leaders who are going round
looking for our aggrieved governors.
“How do you go and woo those from
a descredited their party? Why are
they looking for governors from the
party they feel is corrupt? Why are
you looking for people from a
discredited institution.
“They are looking for the governors
because they want money to fund
their party. It is not that they like the
governors but they just want them
because you cannot run a party
without fund.
“They want to take their money and
dump them. As far as we are
concerned, we are satisfied with the
performance of President Jonathan.”
Tinubu had while asking the PDP
members in the state to join the APC,
said because of the high rate of
unemployment, youths in the country
had become frustrated.
He stated that even if elderly people
could cope with hunger, any graduate
or non-graduate going to bed every
night hungry would not appreciate the
beauty of democracy.
The former governor advised
Nigerians not to be overwhelmed by
their challenges but should rise up
and work for a better country.
Tinubu said, “Can a woman in labour
with pains, who has not been able to
properly take care of the first child
and having the second, think well of
democracy if there is no proper
medical care?
“Can we talk today of solid and good
education that was given to us by our
own fathers, because education is a
weapon against poverty- can we
boast of that in the face of this
unending crisis in the education
sector?
“Before you know it, this electricity
supply will flip and can we continue
to sit back and lament and complain
about the suffering, about
government, about Nigeria going
backward and drifting or do
something.
“Let us talk together, work together
and challenge ourselves for the future
of our children.”
Akande said the APC leadership had
come through the governor, Alhaji
Abdulfatah Ahmed, to invite the PDP
members in the state to join the
opposition party.
He also stated that the invitation was
not limited to the members of the
New PDP in the seven rebel
governors’ camp alone, but to all
other governors and members of the
PDP.
Akande said, “We are starting a
revolution that will make this country
a country of the progressives. And
that is what we have started just
about a week ago and we hope to use
Kwara State as a spring to enter the
heart of every Nigerian.”
Ahmed and the Speaker, Kwara State
House of Assembly, Mr. Razak
Atunwa, decried impunity and the
growing developmental problems in
the country.
They stated that they had listened to
the offer of the APC leadership,
wooing them into APC.
They however said that Saraki, who is
the party leader in the state, would
make a decision that would be
beneficial to the entire members of
the PDP in the state.
Ahmed said even though Nigeria had
come of age, it was “still basking in
residual superstition.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-has-institutionalised-corruption-buhari/

Soon this matter will be swept under the carpet and the news goes back to Governor Amaechi and other G7 Governors. It seems corruption is part of the transformation agenda of Mr President. Corruption still remains the hallmark of this administration!

The ban is reportedly linked to
Tuesday’s clash between Governor
Amaechi’s supporters and security
personnel at Port Harcourt
International Airport
The Nigeria Police Force, Wednesday,
banned all political, socio-cultural,
and religious gatherings within and
around the country’s airport
premises; including tarmacs,
lounges, and other sensitive security
points.
A statement by the Force Public
Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the
ban was part of efforts towards
averting any security breach and the
need to protect critical infrastructure,
travelers, aircrew, airport staff and
personnel at the nation’s local and
international airports.
The police authorities, therefore,
directed the Airport Command
Commissioners of Police and
Commissioners of Police in states
hosting the airports to ensure that, in
line with international best practices,
firm security measures were taken to
safeguard the airports and their
crucial infrastructure and prevent a
situation where the airports were
turned into places of political
assemblies, religious worship and
other social receptions, as there were
enough civic centres, town halls,
assembly halls, etc for public
meetings, carnivals and celebrations
of all kinds.
The statement said the decision was
taken by a strategic security meeting
at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on
Tuesday.
The decision to ban receptions and
carnivals was taken the same day the
security personnel at the Port
Harcourt International Airport clashed
with the supporters of Rivers State
Governor, Chibuike Amaechi.
Confusion had broken out when the
security personnel barred the
governor’s supporters who besieged
the airport to welcome the leaders of
the All Progressives Congress, APC,
who were flying into city to invite him
to join the opposition party.
Mr. Amaechi, who was reportedly on
his way to join his supporters to
receive the opposition figures,
including former Head of State,
Muhammadu Buhari, and former
Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu,
was held up in a traffic gridlock, but
alighted from his car and trekked
about four kilometres to the airport.
Spokesperson of the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria , FAAN, Yakubu
Datti, had told PREMIUM TIMES that
thugs led by Mr. Amaechi, invaded
the airport.
“As I’m talking to you now they have
invaded the tarmac and an Arik flight
just arrived Port Harcourt now,” he
said.
The Police said in the statement that
though it was not unaware of the
constitutional rights of Nigerians to
freedom of movement and assembly,
the enjoyment of these rights must be
situated within the boundary of the
law and appropriate civil behaviour.
“The Force therefore implores
Nigerians to cooperate with the Police
in their effort at improving the
maintenance of effective safety and
security at all the nooks and crannies
of the airport. It further calls on the
Nigerian elite, political and opinion
leaders to assist the Police in the
education and enlightenment of their
fans, admirers, supporters and
followers on the need to abide by
these rules, as failure to comply will
attract appropriate legal sanctions,” it
added.
The Police also said that its Inspector
General, Mohammed Abubakar, “has
reiterated his administration’s
unalloyed commitment towards
eliminating all forms of threat to
internal security, even as he pledges
a safe and conducive environment for
our democracy and democratic
institutions to thrive.”
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/149186-apc-port-harcourt-visit-fallout-nigerian-police-ban-receptions-rallies-airports.html

The seat of Government of Nigeria
would be temporarily moved to
Anambra State on Saturday as
President Goodluck Jonathan, his
Deputy, Namadi Sambo, Senate
President, David Mark and the
National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji
Bamanga Tukur, are expected to lead
the ruling party to officially kick off
campaigns for PDP governorship
candidate, Mr. Tony Nwoye.
Nwoye was on Monday re-confirmed
as the authentic candidate of PDP in
the November 16, 2013 Anambra
State governorship election by the
Supreme Court which upheld the
judgment of the Court of Appeal , Port
Harcourt.
Though the kick-off which would take
place at the Holy Trinity ground in
Onitsha is coming six days to the
election, PDP members said they
were ready for the election, adding
that they had been doing their
grassroots campaign, waiting for the
court to confirm their candidate.
Meanwhile, Nwoye has commenced
visits to traditional rulers in the state
to receive their blessings and assure
them of his party’s readiness for the
election.
Nwoye and his campaign train
yesterday, visited the monarch of
Obosi Kingdom, Igwe Chidubem
Iweka, who prayed for his success
and assured him of his support.
Also, he visited Idemili North and
South, the constituency of All
Progressives Congress (APC)
candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, to
solicit for the people’s votes.
Speaking to newsmen, Nwoye said he
was not bothered about the short
period he has to campaign, saying
the people of the state were solidly
behind him.
He words: “I am not bothered at all,
we are going into the November 16
election fully prepared. This is the
only time PDP has prepared well for
such election in this state and we are
ready to show the people that
Anambra belongs to PDP.
“But first of all, I must thank the
people of the state for the solidarity
they have given me since all the
struggles and I want them to show
the love during the election, I pray
that God will bless them for the
support.”
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/anambra-guber-jonathan-sambo-others-kick-nwoyes-campaign-saturday/

Oseh1: I need an answer pls. Was it a number or a name dat dey
used to send u guys d message? I'm asking because I got an empty message 4rm
411775236. I don't know if it's from d civil service commission.

The message came from 'ASCSCA'
Saw that on a friend's phone, but I'm not too sure of the abbreviation

AbujaIndications emerged yesterday
that $1.03 billion is missing from
Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account
(ECA) in the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN).
This disclosure came to the fore
during the Joint Senate Committee of
Finance and Appropriations on the
2013 budget and federal revenue-
generating agencies.
A member of the committee, Senator
Ita Enang and Coordinating Minister
of the Economy and Finance Minister,
Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gave
different figures of funds accruing to
the ECA.
In the first instance, Senator Enang,
quoting from records available to the
committee, said so far, $14.06 billion
was inflows to the ECA, while $9
billion is outflow, leaving a balance of
$5.06. The minister, who did not tell
the committee how much accrued to
ECA said there is a balance of $4.03
billion.
The difference in figures started when
Senator Enang asked Okonjo-Iweala
how much Nigeria has in the ECA,
how much goes to the SWF and what
the ECA is used for.
The minister replied that the balance
in the ECA stands at $4.3 billion and
the “primary use is in the payment of
oil subsidy for the country…Money
goes in and comes out almost
immediately.”
She also informed the committee that
the ECA is being managed by the
CBN.
Senator Enang, who also chairs the
Rules and Business Committee, on
his part, stated that from records
available to them, the ECA has a
balance of $14.06 billion as inflow,
while outflow reflects $9 billion to
which the minister replied: “It’s a
federation account matter. It belongs
to all tiers of government. When we
pay subsidy, it belongs to all tiers of
government. So, the Federal
Government, states and local
governments are all partakers.”
The minister did not, however,
counter Senator Enang’s figures
before the committee.
On the status of the Sovereign Wealth
Fund (SWF), she said: “The SWF has
$1billion; there have been no further
payments into the SWF, as far as I
know.”
She admitted that there were
leakages within the economy, “with
regards to non-oil revenue,” adding:
“We have launched actions to block
those leakages.”
Also, the minister categorically
denied that the Federal Government is
paying subsidy on kerosene.
Last week, Chairman of the House
Committee on Petroleum
Downstream, Dakuku Peterside, said
government had paid N634 billion to
subsidise kerosene in the last three
years.
Giving the breakdown of the amount,
which Peterside said was spent over
three years, he disclosed that about
N110 billion was spent in 2010;
N324 billion in 2011 and N200 billion
was expended in 2012. No figure was
given for 2013.
In an exchange between the minister
and Senator Bukola Saraki, a
member of the committee, it emerged
that not only does government not
pay any subsidy on kerosene, any
outflow from the ECA was used to pay
for PMS subsidy.
Saraki, who also chairs the
Committee on Environment and
Ecology, pointedly asked the Finance
Minister if government pays subsidy
on kerosene and she replied that the
figures she quoted was for payment
on PMS subsidy.
Not satisfied, thrice, Saraki asked the
minister whether payments from the
ECA included subsidy for kerosene to
which she firmly replied: “Payment is
for PMS only. It doesn’t include
kerosene. I think NNPC should
answer the question on subsidy for
kerosene.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS) has said that the
Federal Government has lost N603,
236, 211, 198.93 billion. Out of this
figure, waivers on petroleum products
gulped a hefty N236, 881, 899,
749.05.
NCS Comptroller General, Abdullahi
Dikko, told the committee that eight
different reasons are responsible for
the loss.
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/1-03bn-missing-excess-crude-account/

FASHOLA IS WORKING!

The governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) Malam Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi has declared that he is not cut
out for the kind of politics played in
Nigeria, saying he cannot survive it.
Sanusi, who stated this in an
interview with the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), said
he would not join politics after his
term as the governor of the apex
bank.
“Being a good central banker does
not make you a good politician. I
have seen many successful people
entering politics only to destroy
everything they had built,” Sanusi
said.
The CBN boss said that he could not
be persuaded by any group to change
his mind about becoming involved in
active politics after his job at the
CBN.
“A lot of people are calling for my
attention to join politics but I told
them that I am not interested. I have
been in Abuja long enough to know
that I cannot survive for one year in
that (political) space,” he said.
Sanusi also accused the politicians of
flooding the country with dollars to
lubricate the electioneering for the
presidential poll that is still 18
months away.
http://leadership.ng/news/051113/i-cannot-survive-nigerian-politics-sanusi

Let a thorough investigation be
carried out and the perpetrators
brought to book. May the souls of the departed rest in peace and may God give their families the fortitude to bear the losses. AMEN.

We're already used to it! As if we do have regular electricity before.
JAMES: I saw a strap of your bra..
TEACHER: Get out!, no class for u 4 a week!.
*Another Boy laughs*
TEACHER: Why did u laugh?
BOY: I saw both straps of d bra
TEACHER: GET OUT, no class 4 u for 1 month!..
*Teacher bends down 2 pick
chalk & AKPOS started walking
out..*
TEACHER: Akpos, why are you
going out?
AKPOS : What I saw just now, I
think my school days are
OVER!!!!....
Click 'LIKE' for AKPOS

Let a thorough investigation be carried out and the perpetrators brought to book. May the souls of the departed rest in peace and may God give their families the fortitude to bear the losses. AMEN.

AS the strike embarked upon by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
enters the fourth month, the union
has flayed alleged plans by the
Federal Government to forcefully
order the re-opening of the
universities today, saying this will
only complicate the situation.
Chairperson of the Uniport chapter of
ASUU, Professor Anthonia
Okerengwo, urged the Federal
Government to toe the path of honour
in its effort towards resolving the
lingering strike.
His University of Benin counterpart,
Dr Anthony Money-Emina, described
as laughable, reports that President
Goodluck Jonathan will order the
union members to go back to work
today.
Similarly, ASUU, University of Ibadan
chapter, through its Secretary, Dr
Ayodeji Omole, said such a report
would further dent the image of the
government as anti-democratic,
cautioning President Jonathan to
allow a sleeping dog lie by
implementing the 2009 ASUU/FGN
agreement which the Federal
Government had already signed.
ASUU vowed that it would not be
intimidated into going back to the
classroom, “unless our demands are
met by the Federal Government.”
ASUU Uniben said that the solution to
the current industrial action
embarked upon by members was for
the Federal Government to come up
with a clear agenda on how to
implement the 2009 agreement and
the Memorandum of Understanding,
MoU, entered with the union in 2012.
Describing as laughable, reports that
government will order the union
members to go back to work, ASUU
urged government to shun
“authoritarian approaches to
resolving issues in dispute with the
union.”
Money-Emina said, “The attention of
our union has been drawn to news
report in the media, alleging that the
President will direct the re-opening of
Nigerian universities with or without
ASUU from Monday.”
Professor Okerengwo in a statement
said: “Arm twisting has never worked
as a dispute resolution strategy. It is
unacceptable to the union that while
the President has invited the union
leadership for a dialogue, some
overzealous assistants to the
president are clandestinely working to
jeopardise the process.
The surest and shortest route to
industrial harmony in the university
system and the fastest approach to
revitalising university education is the
implementation of 2009 agreement
and the 2012 MOU,” the union said.
UI-ASUU, while welcoming an
invitation to ASUU for a meeting
today, warned that it would be
unacceptable to its members if
government failed to come out with a
clear agenda for implementing the
2009 agreement.
It said “The attention of our union is
drawn to news reports in the media
alleging that President Goodluck
Jonathan will direct the re-opening of
all Nigerian universities with or
without ASUU.
“We wish to state that while the
President had issued an invitation to
the leaders of our union for dialogue,
it will be unacceptable to our
members if government fails to come
out with a clear agenda for
implementing the 2009 agreement.
“Authoritarian posturing has never
solved and will not solve the
impasse. We are calling on Mr
President to tow the path of honour
and respect the 2009 Agreement.”
It sounded a note of warning that
“Any proposal not based on a clear
acceptance of a framework for
implementing the 2009 agreement
will, instead, seek to impose a
solution regarding the impasse, and
will not be a solution to the present
crisis.”
Omole said it was laughable that a
government which had earlier
claimed to have released N100billion
has not, in actual fact released even a
kobo.
He said ASUU as a body of
intellectuals, which is ready to pursue
the revatilisation of public education
in Nigeria will purse same to its
logical conclusion even with the
stoppage of salaries.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/ASUU-warns-fg-forced-re-opening-varsities/

So help him God!

so sad indeed!

The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha
diocese said the pandemonium was
not caused by sabotage
A stampede that led to the death of
about 25 people in a church in
Anambra state, Saturday, was caused
by “false alarm”, a senior church
official has said.
Dozens of people were trampled at
the Holy Ghost Adoration Ground in
Uke, Idemili North local council of
Anambra State, during a mad rush.
Over a hundred worshippers
sustained various degrees of injuries,
eye witnesses said.
In a press conference on Sunday,
Valerian Okeke, the Catholic
Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese,
described the incident as
“unfortunate.”
The church also said that the
stampede was not caused by
sabotage. “In the early hours of
Saturday, November 2, there was a
stampede moments after prayers at
Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Uke,”
said Uche Ukor, a Reverend Father
and Director of Social
Communications, who represented
the archbishop.
“The stampede, which occurred while
people were going home, resulted in
the loss of some lives. Some are still
injured and receiving treatments in
some hospitals.”
“The stampede was reportedly
caused by a false alarm raised by
somebody in the crowd along one of
the narrow roads out of the town. The
crowd was so much that people
wanting to leave all at the same time
made it very difficult for people to find
enough space to move,” he added.
More than 50,000 people attended the
church’s vigil, held every first Friday
of the month, presided over by
Emmanuel Obinma, a Catholic priest
popularly referred to as ‘Ebube
Muonso’ (glory of the Holy Spirit).
It was gathered that the stampede
occurred shortly after Peter Obi, the
Anambra State governor; Willie
Obiano, the gubernatorial candidate
of the All Progressives Grand Alliance,
APGA; and Victor Umeh, the party’s
National Chairman, left the ground.
Chris Ngige, the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, blamed
the stampede on the governor and his
people. Both parties are constantly
taking pot shots at each other ahead
of the November 16 governorship
elections.
“Reports reaching me have it that the
APGA campaign train, last night went
to the Adoration Ground at Ukeh and
induced stampede as Obi’s goons
charged at worshippers who booed at
them for campaigning at the holy
ground,” Dr. Ngige had said in a
Facebook post hours after the
incident.
However, the state government has
set up a panel of enquiry to ascertain
the remote and immediate cause of
the stampede.
Responding to questions from
journalists, the church said that it
would not delve into whether the
incident had political connotation.
“The crowd at the centre was
unprecedented on this first Friday of
November probably because it was
the Solemnity of All Saints a holy day
of obligation for Catholic faithful,”
said Rev. Okeke.
“Save for the unprecedented crowd,
the vigil started and ended normally.
My heart goes out to the families and
friends of those who lost their lives in
the incident.
“I promise my closeness to them and
all the faithful of the Holy Ghost
Adoration Centre, Uke, and especially
the Spiritual Director, Rev. Fr.
Emmanuel Obimma, who is hard hit
by the ugly incident,’’ he said.
Rev. Okeke said investigations were
ongoing, adding that efforts would be
made to protect the lives of all
worshippers at the centre.
The archbishop commended the
volunteers and management and staff
of the hospitals where the injured
were receiving treatment.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/147749-anambra-church-stampede-caused-false-alarm-archbishop.html

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