₦airaland Forum

The police in Kwara State have arrested seven people in connection with last Thursday’s deadly armed robbery attack in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of the state.

This is as the command insists that only 17 people were killed during the attack.

The commissioner of police in the state, Lawan Ado, said this while briefing journalists in Ilorin, the state capital.

“Five banks and one micro finance house - Union Bank, EcoBank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Microfinance Bank - were attacked.

“Seven suspects have been arrested, one at Igosun Road and six others at different locations in Offa. They are helping us in our investigation. Seven vehicles abandoned by the armed robbers have also been recovered. However, the number of injured victims is yet to be ascertained as they are receiving treatment in different hospitals,’’ Ado said.

The commissioner of police also disclosed that some rifles were carted away by the robbers. He said the Inspector-General of Police had ordered a full investigation into the incident and directed his intelligence response team and others to assist in arresting the hoodlums.

Meanwhile, Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed has offered N5million to anyone who provides a useful information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the robbery. He assured that every piece of information would be treated confidentially.

In a statement by his senior special assistant on media and communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, the governor called on anyone with useful information on the incident to contact the state police command on the following numbers: 0803 739 1280 and 0803 702 4320.

“While we mourn our dead with a heart full of sadness, and care for the injured by paying all their medical bills, we will do everything in our power to bring the attackers to justice and ensure that never again will any community or people in our state experience such tragedy,’’ Governor Ahmed said.

He said the police and other security agencies had begun a vigorous manhunt for the perpetrators of the crime and pledged to support them to apprehend and successfully prosecute those involved.

Meanwhile, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, who represents the zone, has donated cash to some of the injured victims who are still receiving treatment at various hospitals in the state. He made the donation when he visited the hospitals in the company of the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamasi Esuwoye ll and other prominent Offa indigenes.

“We gave N250,000 and N100,000 respectively to victims. We did that to support them and augment whatever the state government promised to do to assist them,’’ Senator Ibrahim said.

There have been conflicting figures over the number of people killed during the robbery on Thursday last week.

According to police report, 17 people were killed - nine policemen and eight civilians. But other reports say 30 people lost their lives.

A witness who spoke to our correspondent said the bandits killed two other mobile policemen in Okuku, Osun State, who they believed were trailing them.

A medical doctor who spoke to our correspondent at the General Hospital, Offa but did not want his name mentioned, said 21 bodies were brought in around 6pm on Thursday. He added that nine patients who could not be handled at the hospital were referred to the Ilorin General Hospital.

Also, a doctor in one of the private hospitals in Offa, Taiwo Jaiyeola, said three victims of the attack were brought to the hospital dead while one person was still on admission.

A relative of one of the victims at the private hospital, Abdulrafiu Adekunle, said his relative, who was shot on the neck, was recuperating. He thanked God for saving his life.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, Sunday Soladoye, who donated blood in one of the hospitals, called on authorities to provide armoured personnel carriers in the community. He said this would help improve security, adding that robbery incidents in the community were increasing.

Our correspondent learnt that some people had buried their dead relatives while many were seen at the police station trying to get police reports before burying theirs.

The ancient town of Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State was on Thursday thrown into mourning as daredevil men of the underworld attacked banks, killed many people and carted away undisclosed sums of money.

Several armed bandits invaded the second largest town in Kwara State, blew up commercial banks with explosives and opened vaults.

According to eyewitnesses, the robbers, who numbered more than 20, came into the town in 7 to 8 vehicles and sacked the Offa divisional police headquarters, killing every living thing in the vicinity, including policemen, complainants, suspects in custody and animals. Thereafter, they proceeded to the premises of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), First Bank, Zenith Bank and others on the Olofa Road, where they carried out their activities unchallenged.

After the operation, which lasted for about an hour, the robbers fled Offa through Igosun community.

It was gathered that the bandits entered the town at about 4:45pm and operated till about 5:40pm, blocking roads from both Ilorin and Osogbo ends. They came in different vehicles and stationed themselves at strategic areas of the town. It was reported that they also snatched commercial motorcycles and cars to help in their operation and escape.

Our correspondent learnt that the robbers spent few minutes in Igosun High School before they finally left.

Among the policemen killed by the armed robbers who operated in commando style was a man identified as Pelemo, who was expected to retire in a few months, and a pregnant police woman.

An eyewitness said that corpses of six policemen were taken away in his presence while efforts were made to bring others out of the police station.

It was learnt that the General Hospital, Offa, where victims were taken to, was already overpopulated by those who sustained varying degrees of injury.

The police public relations officer in the state, Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirmed the incident said, “Nine of our men and seven civilians were killed while several other people were injured.

“We have also deployed more of our men to Offa while investigation is ongoing.’’

He said that details on the bank robbery would be made after a full investigation.

Narrating the incident, a resident of Offa, who preferred anonymous said, “The robbers are youths. From the faces I saw, they are girls and boys between 18 and 22 years of age,’’ he said.

It was learnt that one of the victims of the incident was a pregnant business woman identified as Omilola Korede, who had gone to lodge a complaint over a transaction in one of the affected banks. She reportedly went with her son.

Three other women who lost their lives in the attack have also been identified as Bunmi Mesan, Iya Muji and Mama the Big Club.

Offa has always been a target of attacks by the men of the underworld due to the heavy concentration of commercial banks. It would be recalled that all the banks in the town have been rendering skeletal services after similar experiences in 2013.

At first, banks in the town started operating between 9am and 12pm after the 2013 incident but later extended the time to 2pm after the community assured them that there won’t be reoccurrence.

In 2013, residents of Omu Aran community were also thrown into a similar situation after armed robbers attacked three banks, killing three persons and escaped with an unspecified amount of money.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Ahmed said, “I am very saddened by the tragic events in Offa today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who died in the armed robbery attack. I am in constant touch with the security agencies in the state and have urged them to do all within their power to secure Offa and environs and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“I have also directed the department in charge of health services to rapidly treat those injured in the attack. My heartfelt condolences go to the people of Offa and the families of victims of today’s attack.”

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt Thursday’s attack in the ancient town was the third in five years.

Members of some vigilante groups told our correspondent that the robbers could operate confidently because their guns were mopped up and they could not face them with sticks.

Sons and daughters of Offa are consulting to find a lasting solution to bank robberies in the town.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/offa-robbery-police-arrest-7-as-gov-ahmed-offers-n5m-bounty.html

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The Arewa Pastors Peace Initiative Nigeria yesterday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja and told him that some pastors were using churches to preach violence and hate.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Presiding Bishop John Abu Richard said they visited Buhari to counter those concocting fake news to destroy his good intentions for Nigeria, especially those giving the impression that the president was against Christians and certain ethnic groups.

He described the president as a ‘God-sent’ timely leader to rescue and restore Nigeria back to her pride; the reason he said they fasted and prayed last year with over 1,000 archbishops, bishops, pastors and evangelists for Buhari’s healing.

“Your Excellency, we the 19 Northern States pastors under the new platform called the Arewa pastors non-denominational initiative for peace in Nigeria believe in your leadership and we are here to let you know that we are fully standing by you and your government to ensure that you succeed and peace is restored to every and corners of the country.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/arewa-pastors-to-buhari-churches-used-to-preach-violence.html

“And to counter those deceiving and poisoning Nigerians with fake news to destroy your good intentions for the country especially those giving the impression that you are against Christians and some ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is a big lie for instance: Some Pastors using places of worship to preach hate, people using Church to preach violence. If you preach war and war broke out, who will go to Church for worship,” he said.

The cleric said the allegation of Islamisation agenda against the president was propaganda by the opposition.

He said they wanted Buhari to support their 5,000 Arewa Pastors Peace and Unity National delegate prayer congress billed to hold at the Eagle Square in Abuja on April 26.

President Buhari told the delegation that accusation of religious bias against his administration was far from the truth.

Buhari, according to a statement by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, was speaking to a delegation of the Arewa Pastors Non-Denominational Initiative for Peace in Nigeria led by Bishop John Abu Richard.

“In my career as a soldier, administrator, and politician, I have never veered from my oath of office.

“When I had the honour to lead a Military Government there were more Christians than Muslims in the Federal Executive Council and the Supreme Military Council.

“This was not by design but I appointed people on their merit without the slightest bias. The present Federal Executive Council is also evenly balanced; again not by design but by respecting and rewarding individual qualities,’’ Buhari said.

He called on religious leaders to work towards the broader goal of building a strong and unified nation.

He also urged them to avoid insinuations that could divide the populace, especially along religious lines.

Nigeria currently incurs over N1.4 trillion yearly as under-recovery or losses on the importation and sale of petrol, minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said yesterday.

The minister made the revelation at a workshop on the Harmonization of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Regulatory Requirements in Abuja.

According to Kachikwu, the government through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), continues to shoulder such huge burden because of the over reliance of the country on premium motor spirit otherwise called petrol.

He said, “The need for clean energy is very essential. We need to move away from the complete (reliance) of our transport sector on PMS. It is creating a lot of under-recovery of over N1.4 trillion around exposures to the government,” the minister said.

He added that, “the earlier we can begin to move into other components of cleaner fuels and rely less on PMS, the safer it will be. The issues of fuel queues will disappear.”

Daily Trust reports that there has been controversy over whether to classify the under-recovery on PMS as outright subsidy or just business losses.

The amount announced by the minister is more than the average N1 trillion appropriated and spent yearly as subsidy payments from 2006 to 2016 when the subsidy scheme was administered.

NNPC has severally explained that there was N774 million under-recoveries in the importation and sale of PMS but the burden was categorized as business losses which the Act establishing NNPC recognizes.

The losses, from the PMS imports, according to the corporation, could not be classified as subsidy since it was not appropriated for by the National Assembly.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, while answering questions from journalists in Abuja recently explained that there was no subsidy but under-recovery because the NNPC was currently doing all the importation.

“They are importing at a higher price than they are selling, which means they are losing money, which means effectively that that loss is being borne by everybody and effectively it reflects in the Federation Account,” she said.

“So, there is no subsidy payment in the way the old subsidy scheme used to work where they were paying the oil marketers, but there is an under recovery, a loss on the importation of the PMS being borne by the NNPC and therefore indirectly being borne by everyone one of us,” she said.

Kachikwu when asked in an interview with journalists after the LPG workshop to confirm the N1.3 trillion under-recovery figure said, “Yes, currently!”

When asked to give details the minister said “let me focus on the gas issue, that (under-recovery) is being addressed at a very high level and I am sure if you talk with NNPC to give a lot more detail on that. I don’t want to work that issue here,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-incurs-n1-4tr-under-recovery-on-petrol-yearly-kachikwu.html

A letter signed by twenty of the twenty four state governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC] is to be delivered to President Muhammadu Buhari shortly demanding that the party’s National Working Committee [NWC] led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun immediately constitute a Convention Planning Committee to organise a national convention to elect new national officers in June.

Daily Trust learnt yesterday from top party sources that governors were signing the letter one by one following the deadlock and heated arguments of the previous day when the governors met with the president at the State House, Abuja.

Daily Trust learnt that as at late afternoon yesterday, 15 governors had signed the letter. First to sign was Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha. Others who signed were Governors Abdul-Aziz Yari of Zamfara, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Kashim Shettima of Borno, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo.

Others who had either signed or were expected to sign include Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Andrew Obaseki of Edo, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa, Abdul-Fatah Ahmed of Kwara and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa.

Our top sources said three APC governors were out of the country and did not attend Tuesday’s meeting. They are Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina, Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe and Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi.

Daily Trust learnt that while the first two would sign the letter, the Bauchi governor could be swayed by his close friend, Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, not to sign the letter. Amaechi is among the party top shots that are pushing for tenure elongation for Oyegun. Four APC governors who strongly advocate tenure extension are not expected to sign the letter. They are Governors Nasiru el-Rufa’i of Kaduna, Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo and Yahaya Bello of Kogi. The latter however was overheard saying at the private meetings, “Let’s go for the convention! What is there?”

The governors’ letter to Buhari also demanded that the convention planning committee to be constituted “should be fair” and should “reflect all interests in the party.” This clause was added, Daily Trust learnt, because APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu circulated a draft list of convention planning committee members heavy with his allies from the defunct AC. The committee is to be made up of three members from each geopolitical zone, including a governor.

Tinubu nominated persons such Senator Abu Ibrahim and Senator Lawal Shu’aibu from North West, Alhaji Kashim Imam and former SGF Babachir David Lawal from North East and Senator George Akume from North Central. All of them were AC members or his personal friends.

Daily Trust also learnt that the push for a convention committee stemmed from the drama that ensued at Tuesday afternoon’s meeting at the State House. A top source said there was much confusion in the run up to the meeting. The meeting with Buhari was fixed for 2pm but another notice told the governors to come an hour earlier but when many of them arrived, confusion arose until Buhari walked in at 2pm.

The sitting arrangement was such that Okorocha, as chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum sat immediately to the president’s right, followed by Yari as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum [NGF], then Kashim Shettima as chairman of Northern States Governors Forum [NSGF], and then other governors in alphabetical order of their states.

Okorocha therefore spoke first; he said APC governors completely aligned with Buhari’s speech at the party’s National Executive Committee [NEC] where he said tenure elongation for party executives was illegal. Yari spoke next and supported Okorocha but Shettima declined to speak.

At that point, Governor El-Rufa’i exploded. He accused Okorocha and Yari of speaking for the governors without authorisation. He said nobody could speak for him and nobody should misinterpret Buhari’s statement at the NEC meeting. The Kaduna governor said he knows Buhari better than all other APC governors because he has been with him since 2010 and he knows his body language very well. Buhari, he said, never said tenure elongation was illegal but that party leaders should go and discuss it.

President Buhari then spoke. He said after APC NEC voted in February to elongate executives’ tenure, he asked several lawyers to examine the decision in relation to the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2010 and APC Constitution. All of them, he said, told him that the action was illegal and could be struck down by the courts.

Buhari said, “The people we are fighting are very rich and they will go to court and defeat us.” Okorocha then tried to end the meeting by saying Buhari had made his stance clear but other governors still spoke. Among them, Ganduje of Kano said the issue should be wrapped up because “too much analysis will lead to paralysis,” while Shettima of Borno said his colleagues should be “measured, calm and considerate” in all matters.

The meeting ended on that note, which was why most Nigerian newspapers reported yesterday that it was deadlocked.

After numerous caucus meetings on Tuesday night to Wednesday morning still failed to resolve the issues, the majority APC governors drafted the letter to Buhari which they began to sign yesterday.

The move, Daily Trust also learnt, was to stymie the Technical Committee led by Governor Simon Lalong that Oyegun inaugurated on Tuesday, allegedly at the behest of pro-elongation governors.

Opponents said Oyegun stuffed the Technical Committee with pro-elongation governors Lalong, el-Rufa’i and Akeredolu as well as its secretary, Muiz Banire. They said the Lalong committee is expected to submit a report to Oyegun saying tenure extension is not illegal. At the APC NEC meeting, both Akeredolu and Banire, who are SANs, were asked to comment on the legality of tenure elongation and both gave long winded speeches in which they suggested it could be legal. At which point Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, also a SAN, spoke and said they were both wrong.

APC to announce congresses date as NEC meets Monday

Meanwhile, the party would hold another NEC meeting on Monday where recommendations from Governor Lalong’s 10-man technical will be discussed.

Party Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, announced this yesterday after two and a half hours’ closed -door discussion with some of the party’s governors at the national secretariat in Abuja.

He said: “Today (yesterday), the governors and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party decided to sit and look at the issues that are seemingly dividing us. I want to say to you with absolute satisfaction and pride that all the issues you have been commenting about in the last two days have been completely and totally resolved.

“We are back in business as one united and happy family. I want to say also that yesterday (Tuesday), we set up a technical committee as ordered by NEC. From the very first minute that we called them to action, they have worked nonstop because I emphasized when I was inaugurating them that their report was time sensitive.

“It is sensitive because we have already sent out notices for the meeting of NEC which will hold on Monday. I am glad to say that the chairman of the technical committee has reported that his report will be ready this evening or tomorrow morning.

“This report will be placed before NEC on Monday, April 9 and appropriate decision will be taken. Thereafter, we will announce to you the further steps that we are going to take resulting from NEC consideration on the recommendations when we receive them.

“The bottom line is that the APC leadership is back as one happy united and focused party, strongly behind our president and strongly behind our governors in all the states.”

Daily Trust, however, gathered that next Monday’s NEC meeting would rather be used to endorse the need for congresses and convention and announce the dates for the exercise.

The governors at the meeting with NWC were Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara; Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun; Yahaya Bello, Kogi; Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa; Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi; Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos; Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano; Rochas Okorocha, Imo; Simon Lalong, Plateau and the deputy governor of Niger State Mohammad Ahmed Ketso.

Daily Trust also gathered those who felt “defeated” by the outcome of the various meetings held in the last two days are now working towards ensuring that the national convention hold in Abuja.

“Those against the tenure elongation have been strategizing to take the convention to the South and probably Lagos in order to complete their scheming but this would be resisted,” a source said.

“The convention must hold at a neutral ground which is Abuja where delegates from all over the states and the FCT would converge,” he added.

Another source said some of the NWC members would seek for a second term but declined to mention names.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/20-apc-govs-demand-convention-committee.html

Two soldiers and several armed bandits were killed in a fierce gun battle in Bawar Daji village in Anka local government area of Zamfara state, council chairman of the LG Alhaji Mustapha Gado told Daily Trust on Wednesday.
He said the troops deployed to the village engaged the armed bandits in a fierce gun duel resulting to the death of two soldiers including a captain.

Last week, at least 30 people were killed in Bawar Daji village in Anka local government area of the state by suspected armed bandits and cattle rustlers.

Governor Yari had in reaction to the carnage gave a shoot at sight order for any civilian spotted by the security operatives wielding rifle adding that they should not waste time taking any one caught bearing arms to court.

Alhaji Mustapha Gado said the corpses of the soldiers were brought to Anka town and then moved to Gusau the state capital adding that the fight continued.

"The commander of the troops was in Anka today from the Bawar Daji village, he came for reinforcement and a good number of military vehicles moved in to the battle field to reinforce those already there," he said.

He said he could not tell about the casualties from the armed bandits side until full details on the ongoing operations is fully obtained adding that prayer is being held for the success of the troops.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/two-soldiers-several-armed-bandits-killed-in-zamfara-gun-battle.html

Buhari a looter is also fighting other looters

The remains of late Sen. Mustapha Bukar has been buried at Gabas cemetery after a funeral prayers held at the Kangiwa Square located in front of the palace of the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruk.

The prayers which was led by the chief Imam of Daura, Imam Salisu Rabiu was attended by Governor Aminu Masari, his Deputy Mannir Yakubu, Senate Leader Ahmed Lawal, who the led several several senators and members of House of Representatives. The Emir of Daura, Umar Faruk, former ministers and senators and Hundreds of sympathisers graced the prayers.

The corpse was airborne to Katsina before a road trip to Daura, his hometown for the funeral prayers which was held at about 5.55pm. He was interned at about 6.10 pm.

In his condolence message, Governor Masari expressed sadness over the death of Senator Engineer Mustafa Bukar, Madawakin Daura, describing it as a sad and painful loss for Katsina State in particular and the nation in general.

Governor Masari in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi described late Senator Mustafa, as a worthy son and representative of Katsina State who had given a good account of himself in the Senate.

"Katsina State will miss his proactive representation in the National Assembly", it stated.

Masari prayed to Allah to forgive him all his shortcomings, grant his soul eternal rest, and grant the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/late-sen-bukar-buried-at-gabas-cemetery-daura.html

hmm

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hope to see one in the future

The member, representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Umar Baba Jibril is dead.

Aged 58 years, Jibril, a three time member of the house, died in the early hours of Friday in Abuja, one of his political associates, Mr Amuda Dan Sulaiman confirmed.

He was until his death, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house.

He was also a former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-deputy-majority-leader-buba-jibril-is-dead.html

Up PDP! down APC!

hmmm

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has denied being part of the Northern Groups Summit (NGS) that was reported to have passed a vote of no confidence on northern leaders.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, ACF said it was neither involved in the preparation nor participated in the said summit and did not mandate any of its members to represent the forum.

“ACF acknowledges the rights of individuals or groups to freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution. Any member who claimed to have represented ACF or signed on behalf of the forum did so on his own,” the ACF stated.

The forum said the views expressed in the said communiqué were those of the conveners and not ACF, which described itself as “an umbrella body for all northerners irrespective of political, ethnic and religious persuasions.”

“The ACF will address the North and the nation on this and similar issues as it always does at the appropriate time,” the statement stated.

Some leaders under the auspices of Northern Groups Summit (NGS) had on Saturday in Kaduna passed a vote of no confidence on politicians of northern extraction, saying most of them had failed.

“Most political office holders from the North are hereby served a notice that they have failed the test to lead the region towards economic recovery and growth,” NGS said.

Some of the signatories to the communiqué included Professor Ango Abdullahi (Chairman, ACF Political Committee/Convener, Northern Elders Forum); Ambassador Ibrahim Mai Sule (ACF); Bello Suleiman (CODE Group); Mataimaki Maiyashi, (Arewa Research Development Project); Zannah Boguma (Borno Elders Forum); Nafiu Baba-Ahmed (Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria), and Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame (Northern Union).

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-re-not-part-of-no-confidence-vote-on-northern-leaders-acf.html

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has advised the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to resign the current his position to embrace farming in his home town instead of politics.

Frank, who was reacting in a statement he signed yesterday in Abuja, to President Muhammadu Buhari's rejection of tenure elongation for the current National Working Committee (NWC) and other executives at all levels, faulted the view expressed by the party spokesman that the previous decision taken by NEC on tenure elongation still stands despite president’s declaration.

While challenging the NWC to tell the world if President Buhari was no longer the leader of the APC, he advised the party leaders to learn how to run party administration from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said, “I'm telling Chief Oyegun to retire now before he disgraces President Buhari. It is shameful and disgraceful for NWC to say Buhari is not the leader of the APC. This is a way of disgracing him before Nigerians and entire world that President has no say in his own party.

“I remember several times the party under Chief Oyegun could not hold meeting, not to talk of taking any decision because the President, who they claimed to be leader of the party then was not available. So, we want to know what has changed now? When it is time to take decision in their favour, Buhari is the leader of APC. But when the president took certain decision against Oyegun and his NWC, Buhari is no longer the leader. This is an embarrassment to the president.”

He hailed President Buhari for his opposition to what he described as illegality.

Frank, however, said that he would resign his position as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC at the expiration of his tenure to pave way for new leaders, saying "I will not be part of illegal tenure extension."

He said had it been the presidency and other national leaders of APC listened to him when he was speaking against impunity and selfishness of Oyegun led-national excos, the crisis APC is going through would have been minimised.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/resign-now-to-embrace-farming-frank-tells-oyegun.html

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The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has said the N13.5 million the National Assembly is paying each senator at the moment is alien to law.

The total monthly entitlement of each Senator as salary and allowances is N1,063,860, it said in a statement yesterday.

Senator Shehu Sani stirred up controversy three weeks ago when he revealed that each senator is paid N13.5 million monthly as “running cost” in addition to N750,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances.

But RMAFC spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the actual entitlement of a senator consisted of the basic salary of N168,866:70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance, N126,650:00; personal assistant pay N42,216:66; domestic staff 126,650:00 and entertainment, N50,660:00.

Other benefits include: utilities, N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals N25,330:00; wardrobe allowance, N42,216,66:00; house maintenance, N8,443.33:00 and constituency allowance, N422,166:66.

“The Law on Salaries and Allowances of Public Office Holders is very clear. As such, only the management of the National Assembly Service Commission can explain the N13.5 million running cost allegedly being enjoyed by each Senator. The Act only covers salary and allowances, not running cost” he said.

The statement added that auditing does not fall within the purview of the Commission and that any payments enjoyed by any political, or public office holders outside those provided in the remuneration Act of 2008 is not known to the Commission and the Chief Accounting Officer of the Agencies concerned should explain it.

The commission therefore urged the general public to visit its website for details of the present Remuneration package for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in Nigeria to avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts.

How running cost rose from N3.4m to N13.5m

A source in the Senate told our correspondent senators used to receive about N3.4m as running cost monthly between 1999 and 2003.

“At the beginning of this democracy it was N10m quarterly and many Senators were not aware of it. I can remember vividly I was the one that drew the attention of my senator to it during one of the Sallah celebration when he was broke.

“The procedure then was that each senator would apply before it would be released to that person. For months, my senator was not aware of it until I told him,” he said.

He said over the years the senators succeeded in tripling the running cost as their annual budget increases.

The budget of the National Assembly rose from N115bn in 2016 to N125bn in last year’s budget.

“You know as their budget increased so also their running cost. In fact, there was a time they collected N60m quarterly, that is N20m monthly,” he said.

The source, a senior staff of the National Assembly said: “The N13.5m quoted by Senator Sani is not static. It goes up and down depending on what the National Assembly gets at the end of the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting. I know there was a month they got N9m.”

Budget details released by National Assembly

On May 11 last year, the leadership of the National Assembly released the details of their budget for the first time since 1999 following public pressure.

From the 2017 budget, which was N125bn, 109 Senators and 360 members of the House earmarked N11.5bn for travel and transport; refreshment - N1.3bn; legislative activities - N21.4bn; vehicles - N6.6bn and consultancy - N5.88bn.

Others are publicity and advertisements - N3bn; fuel and lubricant - N2.1bn and security equipment - N1.5bn.

The total overhead for the National Assembly in 2017 was N85.8bn, while the sum of N14.9bn was for capital and N23.7bn for personnel costs.

Shehu Sani’s disclosure

Senator Sani (APC, Kaduna) who started the running cost controversy was not available for comment last night.

In an interview on March 7 Sani said : “But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750, 000.00.

“The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every Senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

“You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.

“Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used.”

Senate reaction to Shehu Sani’s disclosure

Spokesperson of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi was unavailable for comment last night. He did not reply to the text message sent to him.

But on March 11, this year in his reaction to Sani’s disclosure said their salaries and allowances are well captured in various line times.

“If people had looked critically at the budget of the National Assembly which has since been made public, they would have seen that various line items like traveling, medicals, consultancy and the rest were captured in the budget and they were the funds divided for each Senator’s use.

“Almost all holders of elective and appointive offices have running costs allocated to their offices and that cannot be said to be part of their salaries”, Abdullahi stated.

Our running cost not illegal - Rep

House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas could not be reached for reaction of the House on the matter as he is said to be on an official assignment outside the country.

However, a member of the House confirmed to Daily Trust that indeed they collect running costs and salary, totalling over N7 million monthly and that it cannot be said to be illegal.

The lawmaker, who did not want to be named as he is not the official spokesman of the House, said the amount is meant for travelling, medical, newspaper, constituency offices, entertainment, among others.

The source said it is not only members of the National Assembly that are entitled to such amount, that even ministers and directors in ministries collect such.

“I don’t know why they talk about this all the time as if we’re the only ones collecting such amount. Members of the Executive too collect, except for constituency office,” the lawmaker said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senators-entitled-to-only-n1-06m-monthly-rmafc.html

Mr Dipo Olorunrinu, (PDP Amuwo-Odofin Constituency I), Lagos State House of Assembly has urged the party to give former Vice-President Atiku Abukakar a chance to run for the 2019 Presidential election.

Olorunrinu, the only PDP member in the state Assembly, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

“Let me quickly congratulate his (Abubakar’s) boldness and courage to come out for this position at a time when our party needs a very credible and formidable personality.

“Abukakar is someone that has people around him. We should give him a very big applaud for coming out.
“Let’s see what he has on the table. Personally, I want to appreciate his decision to rule.

“The truth is that, Abubakar’s declaration will actually give the ruling party a run not just for their money, but also their interest in governing in 2019.

“Abubakar is somebody that cuts across geo-political and ethnic zones and he should be given a chance,” Olorunrinu said.

The lawmaker said that Abubakar had garnered enough experience over the years and not seen to be a tribalistic person but a nationalistic politician.

He said that some people didn’t want Abubakar because of their personal interest.

On the rising number of PDP aspirants for the seat of the President, the lawmaker urged them to support the best aspirant that could guarantee victory for the party in 2019.

He urged all aspirants to desist from selfish interest that could ruin the PDP’s chances in the next general elections, saying that the party should be fair to all.

On the apology tendered by the PDP to Nigerians for its past mistakes, Olorunrinu said that the step showed the party’s remorsefulness, sympathy and readiness to make Nigeria great again.

“I can assure you, the party might have failed but learnt how not to fail again.”

Abubakar officially declared his intention to run for the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the PDP on Tuesday in Rivers.
His declaration came few months after he left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Abubakar made his position known while addressing stakeholders of the PDP drawn from the 23 local government areas of Rivers at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-let-s-give-atiku-abubakar-a-chance-lawmaker-urges-pdp.html

The Kano state chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has said that Nigerians will never forgive the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)’s 16 years of bad governance and mismanagement of public funds.

Reacting to the recent statements credited to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, begging Nigerians to forgive the PDP over what he described as mistakes, the Deputy Chairman of APC in Kano, Honorable Shehu Maigari, said the PDP’s appeal to Nigerians was laughable.

Maigari said, the chairman of the leading opposition political party should know that Nigerians were not fools to be deceived by a party to bastardised their economy within the period of 16 years.

He explained that Nigerians would never forget the billions of dollars that were embezzled by the PDP-led government from 1999-2015 in the name of revitalising the power sector.

“The total neglect of agricultural sector which is considered to be the backbone of the nation’s economy under the PDP-led government will also not be forgotten by Nigerians. Likewise, the diversion of billions of naira meant for the purchase of weapons for our gallant soldiers to fight Boko Haram insurgents will never be a bye-gone issue.

“As far as APC Kano is concerned, the so-called PDP mistakes were costly to be forgiven. No right thinking Nigerian will forget and forgive these kinds of expensive mistakes,” Maigari said.

He assured that the leadership approach adopted by the APC-led government was the solution to Nigerian’s challenges of insecurity and high level of corruptions that was inherited from the PDP.

The APC deputy chairman said Nigerians were politically wise to decide for themselves, noting that they were not unmindful of the efforts being made by the Buhari-led government in rescue the nation’s economy from total collapse.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigerians-ll-never-forgive-pdp-says-kano-apc.html

A chieftain of the APC in Nasarawa State, Aliyu Bala Ahmed Tafida and about 20, 000 people have defected to the PDP in the state.

Tafida announced his defection at the weekend in the presence of the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin; the Zonal Chairman (North-Central) of PDP Hon. Dakas Shan; Senator Phillips Gyunka; and Hon. Frances Orogu among others.

Tafida came second in the primaries that produced the late lawmaker representing Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency, Musa Baba Onwana.

Welcoming the defectors, Senator Jibrin said Tafida’s entrance was a blessing to the party. “We in PDP believe power belongs to God and that He gives it to whoever He wants. He has given us before and He has taken it but we are working to position ourselves to enjoy His grave once more next year,” he said.

Tafida said he was happy to be in PDP. “I am happy to be here. I am happy to be where I will be valued, appreciated and be given my due regard.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/aliyu-tafida-many-others-leave-apc-for-pdp-in-nasarawa.html

The PDP has said its apology to Nigerians is a pathway to national healing, renewal of hope and re-mobilisation of the citizenry for the task of rescuing the nation from its current challenges.

The party, in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was deeply saddened that Nigerians were suffering, adding that the apology was to give the masses hope ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“It is imperative to further state that our apology has to do more with the fact that we made certain mistakes that allowed an anti-people movement to take over governance in our country.

“Our situation under the APC has become so pathetic that the world is now contemplating on how to help us. Under the APC misrule, the average life span of Nigerians has become abysmally low, purchasing power is eroded, the middle class has been wiped off, security is almost non-existent, all the economic gains of the PDP years have been destroyed, and our nation is now placed on auto-pilot.

‎”Therefore, our apology is to ask Nigerians, once again, to put their trust in the re-branded PDP, particularly, as our party is the only platform that is committed to the national agenda of peace, unity, justice and prosperous nation,” the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-our-apology-to-nigerians-pathway-to-national-healing.html#

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2019: Buhari assures UN of credible pollPresident Muhammadu Buhari has assured the United Nation (UN) of his commitment to credible, free and fair elections in 2019.

Buhari gave the assurance when the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed met him in Abuja, according to a note by the UN issued from New York.

“On preparations for the 2019 elections and expected support from the United Nations, President Muhammadu Buhari welcomed continuous support from the United Nations.

“And assured the Deputy Secretary-General of his commitment to ensuring credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria,” the UN said.

Mohammed undertook a two-day visit to Nigeria from March 23 to 25, during which she met with Buhari in Abuja and interacted with other senior officials and stakeholders in Lagos.

The UN said the President and the Deputy Secretary-General discussed four main issues: 2019 general elections, deportation of Cameroonian asylum seekers, the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, and the humanitarian and security challenges in Northeast.

“On the situation in Cameroon and the status of Cameroonian Refugees in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Deputy Secretary-General agreed on the need to respect international obligations on the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, the Cameroonians in particular.

“They also called for the respect of the guarantee of fair and humane treatment of those recently arrested and deported to Cameroon,” the UN said.

“On the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, President Muhammadu Buhari assured the Deputy Secretary-General of the country’s intention to sign the agreement following national consultations.

“On the humanitarian and security situation in the North East, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Deputy-Secretary welcomed the speedy return of the recently abducted girls from Dapchi.

“And highlighted the need for particular attention to be given to securing schools through the accelerated implementation of the Safe School Initiative,” the UN added.

The Deputy Secretary-General has departed Abuja for Prague on Sunday, according to the UN. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-buhari-assures-un-of-credible-poll.html

Obj and letters to the serving presidents...

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, yesterday, said they are in court to challenge the tenure elongation of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC) because the extension is illegal.

Mayanchi said they had filed a law suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the nullification of the tenure extension.

He said fresh election must hold at the expiration of the NWC’s tenure by June 30, 2018, adding that the election would add fresh impetus to the party as new crop of leaders would come in to steer its affairs.

He contended that the tenure elongation for the party’s leadership by one year was an affront to the APC Constitution, saying all the members were solidly behind the decision to challenge the action in court.

“Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 13 and 17 of APC constitution are against the action of the state excos; and any move to extend the tenure of the party’s leadership by even one day will be resisted,” he added.

Meanwhile, the court has fixed March 27, for hearing.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-we-re-challenging-oyegun-s-tenure-elongation-zamfara-apc-spokesman.html

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A former minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has expressed joy over the release of abducted Dapchi school girls.

The schoolgirls kidnapped from Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, in Yobe State, were returned to the town by Boko Haram insurgents, according to report.

Reacting,Oby Ezekwesili in a tweet said,"Very good that @AsoRock @NGRPresident have now confirmed the RETURN of OUR #DapchiGirls . WE ARE GLAD. Beyond HAPPY for OUR Girls and their families".

She urged the Federal government to act swiftly and rescue the remaining Chibok girls.

"Pls SWIFTLY DEPLOY the WINNING FORMULA to SECURE RETURN of OUR #112 ChibokGirls who will GOD FORBIDS 4 YEARS with TERRORISTS", she said.