President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will support a constitutional amendment to free local governments from the stranglehold of state governments. Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said in a statement that Buhari made his position known when he received the leadership of the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) on Thursday in Abuja.

He stated that the President told the ALGON leadership that the amendment, when carried out, would better the lot of Nigerians at the community level. He stressed that a constitutional amendment was urgently required to clearly define the relationship among the three tiers of government.

He described the frosty relationship between states and local governments as “very serious constitutional problem.

“The relationship between the three tiers of government is not a very nice one, especially that between the local governments and the states. “The states feel like they own the local governments if they are of the same party. It is worse if they are not. “This is a very serious constitutional problem and unless there is absolute clarity and transparency, the relationship will continue to be exploited against the interest of the ordinary people of the country.”

Buhari advised the ALGON executives to hold consultations with their people and lawyers with a view to presenting a bill that would seek constitutional amendment to free the councils from the stranglehold of the states. He said “this will limit the damage they can do to you. The quicker you do this the better, so that you can help your people much more.”

He acknowledged the request by ALGON for the release of 3.2 billion dollars wrongfully deducted by Federal Government for the final settlement of foreign debts in 2005. President Buhari said the government recognized the judgment debt but the timing of the request for its repayment was wrong, given the current economic situation in the country.

In his remarks, the acting ALGON National President, Alhaji Ibrahim Karaye, presented a six-point demand to the President, which included the repayment of the 3.2 billion dollars debts. He stressed the need to ensure the sovereignty of local government administration in the country.

The ALGON leader expressed the Association’s full support to the President’s programmes on improving security, anti-corruption campaign and economic revival.

Global measurement
company, Nielsen, said
Nigeria has again declined in
the prospects rankings of
African countries, falling by a
further three places from its
previous ranking to seventh
position on the firm’s 2016
African Prospects Indicator
(APi) ranking. According to
the firm, while Nigeria topped
its inaugural APi ranking in
the first quarter of 2015, the
country subsequently
dropped to the fourth
position in the second half of
2015.
The firm said:“Nigeria topped
the inaugural list in Quarter
1, 2015, but has
subsequently dropped to a
more moderate fourth
position in the second half of
2015, and currently falls a
further three places to
seventh position.
Its retail, macro and
business prospects have
deteriorated, with the macro
and business indicators,
ranking eighth and sixth
respectively.” Nielsen noted
that market conditions in
Nigeria have remained
extremely constrained,
following the slump in oil
prices.
It added that fuel and power
supply issues, the foreign
exchange crisis, as well as
the naira’s devaluation have
also impacted the economy.
“In April this year, the
International Monetary Fund
(IMF) revised the Nigerian
2016 growth rate down from
the original forecast of 3.2
per cent to 2.3 per cent.
The five main reasons for
this were: lower oil price,
shortfalls in non-oil
revenues, deterioration in
finances of state and local
governments, increased
disruptions in the private
sector activity due to
constraints in access to
foreign exchange, and a
resurgence in security
concerns,” the firm stated.
Nielsen said Cote d’Ivoire,
Kenya and Tanzania maintain
the first, second and third
place on it latest prospects
ranking and currently
provide more stable
investment destinations than
the larger economies of
Nigeria, South Africa and
Angola that have lower
expectations.
The firm further stated that
results reported in the 2016
APi (the third edition) are
based on multiple, weighted
data as at Quarter 1, 2016.
The study covers multi
dimensional, comparative
indicators for nine of Africa’s
leading markets, where
common measurement
information is available, and
is representative of 70 per
cent of Sub Saharan Africa’s
GDP and 48 per cent of the
population.

The Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Chief
Audu Ogbeh, on Wednesday
in Abuja said Nigerian
businessmen demanded 2.5
billion dollars (about N492
billion) a week for importation
of goods and services into
the country. Ogbeh made this
known in a meeting with
officials of VICAMPRO, an
indigenous Agro Company
investing in production of
Irish Potato on Wednesday
in Abuja.
He said that the ministry was
willing to support local
investors with capacity to
produce goods and save the
country’s foreign exchange.
He said that the consumption
of rice in the country was
rising and that a lot of
people were not aware that
the rice had some degree of
arsenic.
The minister said that
consuming rice in large
quantity on a regular basis
was a bit of health risk,
adding that substituting it
with potato would be
welcomed development. “The
volume of importation of
virtually everything into this
country is too much.
“The demand for dollars in
this country as at today is
2.5 billion a week; this is the
quantum of dollars Nigerians
are asking for to import
things. “Since 1986, we
began this habit of importing
everything and doing
virtually nothing at home to
sustain ourselves; now, we
do not have the dollars and
people are very hungry.
“This day was coming
anyway, no matter who was
in power; we have the most
ridiculous method of
devaluing our currency;
every week, we auction the
dollar and naira goes up.
“We sat and were hoping
that by devaluation, we are
going to arrive at Eldorado;
if we continue like this, it will
be a thousand naira to a
dollar,’’ he said.
While commending the
investor, Ogbeh said that
any private sector effort
that would develop local
production of goods would be
fully supported by the
ministry. “We should
aggressively take the West
African market; there is no
reason why we should allow
Irish potato from Ireland and
France and Belgium into West
Africa; it is the same story
with onions.

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Daura called on Nigerian youths to make the country great again through pursuit of knowledge, patriotism and commitment to values that promote national unity.
Receiving over 100 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Daura local government area, in his residence, President Buhari pledged his unalloyed commitment to the unity and prosperity of Nigeria.

He urged them to remain focused in life, pursue their dreams and reject those fanning embers of discord and disintegration of Nigeria.


The President, who specially recognised corps members from the Niger Delta and South-Eastern states serving in Daura, praised the vision of former President Yakubu Gowon in setting up the scheme in 1973.

The President said the scheme had creditably promoted national unity and cohesion by exposing young people to the uniqueness and cultural diversity of Nigeria.

“I asked for those from the other extreme of Nigeria because I very much appreciate the NYSC scheme and whenever I see General Gowon, I always thank him for that”, he declared.

Speaking specifically to corps members from the South Eastern states,
the President said: “Tell your colleagues who want Biafra to forget about it.’’


“As a military commander, I walked from Degem, a border town between the north and the east, to the border between Cameroons and Nigeria.

“I walked on my foot for most of the 30 months that we fought the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, in which at least 2 million Nigerians were killed.

“We were made by our leaders to go and fight Biafra not because of money or oil, because oil was not critical factor then, but because of one Nigeria.

“So if leaderships at various levels failed, it was not the fault of the rest of Nigerians who have no quarrel with one another.

“So please tell your colleagues that we must be together to build this country. It is big enough for us and potentially big enough in terms of resources.

”Those who work hard will earn a respectable living. I have seen this country, I fought for this country and I will continue to work for the unity of this country,’’ the President said.

In his remarks, Mr Egbewumi Adebolu, the Corps Liaison Officer in Daura, thanked the President for the honour of receiving them and making their stay in Daura memorable.

He said the youths strongly believed in the programme of the President to reduce unemployment and create jobs for more Nigerians.

Adebolu thanked the President for his personal gifts of cows, bags of rice and cash to corps members in the community for Salah celebration.

Uneasy lull has pervaded the
multi-billion dollar private
refining subsector in Nigeria,
as foreign and local
contractors have dumped
investments in 19 private
medium scale and modular
refineries. New Telegraph
gathered that except the
650,000 barrels per day
capacity Dangote refinery,
investments running in four
private refineries licenses
are faced with lenders
apathy, while 19 mini or
modular refinery licenses in
private hands have been
abandoned.
These licenses were,
according to reports, issued
for private refineries by the
government of former
President Olusegun
Obasanjo and his
predecessors. While
Obasanjo issued 18 licenses,
others reportedly gave out
seven licenses for medium
scale and modular refineries
between 2005 and 2015.
Checks by this newspaper
showed that out of a total of
25 licenses, only six have
signs of investments, while
those in possession of the
remaining licenses have
begun to market it to win
big-time investors.
The licenses with
considerable investments
are the Niger Delta Petroleum
Resources, Ogbelle, River
State, with the capacity to
produce 1,000 bpsd capacity,
which is operational, while
Amakpe International
Refinery, Eket, Akwa Ibom
State, Resource Petroleum &
Petrochemical Incorporated,
Ibeno, Kainji Resources
Limited, and Omega Butler
Refineries are yet to start
refining.
Amakpe International
Refinery has the capacity to
process 12,000 barrel per
day of Qua Iboe crude into
gasoline, diesel, naphtha and
fuel oil. Another is the $116
million modular refinery
located at Tomaro Island
Port, off Takwa Bay, Lagos,
by Integrated Oil and Gas
Limited, which is expected to
come on stream before the
end of 2016.
“Those with idle licenses are
using different upstream and
downstream conferences all
over the world chasing new
buyers or investors, as the
case may be, for the
licenses. It is clearer to
many now that refining
investments are, for now,
less lucrative, again, for
brief case investors – some
of who got the licenses,” a
top official of the Department
of Petroleum Resources (DPR)
told this newspaper.
Aside from recession and the
crash in demand for refined
products in Nigeria, the
Dangote refinery, which is
expected to flood Nigeria
with products, is also
targeting the control of
market share in West Africa
and beyond. These, further
checks showed, have also
caused setback for refinery
co-location contracts and
made breaking of even in
refining business tough for
small scale investors.
The Department of Petroleum
Resources (DPR), which
statutorily authorised to
issue licences for refinery
operations in the country,
recently said that it had
issued 21 licences to
investors to establish new
refineries. Four investors
had earlier been issued
licences to construct new
plants in the country and the
DPR confirmed that there are
currently 25 private refinery
licences granted to
companies with 21 in the
Licence to Establish (LTE)
category, while four are in
the Approval to Construct
(ATC) category.

Workers in Nigeria’s multi-billion dollars oil and gas industry have resorted to spiritual help, as job cuts by international oil companies (IOCs) and their local counterparts in their global services, including hit an all-time of high of 350,000. The gale of sack commenced in 2014 till when crude prices started to fall till date.

The situation, a source in one of the major oil companies told New Telegraph, is so scary that some workers that are yet to be affected in Nigeria have resorted to engaging in spiritual exploits to evade the sack, especially in this recession.

“While parents of some workers are in their homestead consulting herbalists, pastors and Islamic clerics for spiritual help,some workers are organising prayer sessions and fellowship somewhere in Port Harcourt and the Ikeja area of Lagos to avert the gale of sack sweeping across various sections of the industry,” he said.

Inventory from 12 major oil producers and traders at the weekend, which revealed that 350,000 workers had lost their jobs, showed that the gloomy situation will persist, as “market will stay in the corridor of $40 to $50, max $55 per barrel price.”

Oil companies, especially explorers, slashed hundreds of billions of dollars in investment to weather the rout, but the majority of oil traders reported the mass job loss using the inventory, according to Bloomberg. It said that market re-balancing has been pushed back by at least six months from their projections in early 2016 because of higher-than-expected production from Iran and Saudi Arabia, coupled with the resilience of U.S. shale output.

“The oil market is not yet balanced,” Saad Rahim, chief economist at oil trading house, Trafigura Group Pte, said, adding that the “market has yet to start working through millions of barrels of inventories accumulated during the downturn.”

Checks by New Telegraph showed that over 4,000 skilled and 6,000 unskilled workers were affected in Nigeria. Local oil firms in production and servicing strata of the industry have retrenched employees albeit on a smaller scale.

Further checks show that more workers are likely to be sacked in the coming days, as the harsh conditions in the country show no signs of abating. Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation MPN/NNPC Joint Venture in Akwa Ibom laid off about 150 contract staff and 40 drivers from its employ, while Total fired 100 in its Nigerian operations.

Over 4,000 Nigerians in the oil and gas industry lost their jobs in the last 18 months. A survey by this newspaper showed that while about 75 per cent of these oil workers were former staff in the operations of the IOCs, the indigenous firms sacked about 1,000 staff, which is the remaining 25 per cent.

In total, this number of sacked workers is 16.4 per cent of the total number of staff on sack list by just two oil giants, Shell and Chevron, in their global operations. Oil giant, Shell, had on May 23, declared plans to sack additional 5,000 staff, raising the number of staff to be laid off in Nigeria and other countries of operations by the company and another oil major, Chevron, to 23, 500. These have heightened panic and generated confusion among some staff of the companies who are now considering industrial action.

Shell’s vice president for the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, Paul Goodfellow, who announced the plan to lay off 5,000 more staff before the end of 2016, said that 2,200 more jobs would be cut in the first phase of the new disengagement, as the world’s second biggest oil companies continue to adjust to the slump in oil prices.

This takes the tally of sacking by Shell to 15,000 between 2015 and 2016, as the oil firm continues to adjust to the slump in prices. Chevron, on its own, will round up the number of sacked workers to 8,500 before December while other companies such as ExxonMobil, Total have also sacked about 4,000 workers secretly in their global operations.


“These are tough times for our industry,” Goodfellow said in a statement. “We have to take further difficult decisions to ensure Shell remains competitive through the current, prolonged downturn.” At least 5,000 jobs will be cut this year, Shell said in an emailed statement.

These reductions are in response to oil prices staying “lower for longer,” and as a result of the acquisition of BG Group Plc. earlier this year, said Goodfellow. Shell and BG employed about 94,600 people at the end of 2015.

The industry is cutting deeper despite oil’s 80 per cent recovery since last January. Prices remain about half the level of two years ago and companies’ earnings have been pummelled, debt has increased and credit ratings have been cut. To help protect their balance sheets, companies have deferred or cancelled billions of dollars of projects, renegotiated contracts with suppliers and eliminated thousands of jobs. Shell had, before Goodfellow’s announcement, revealed its plans to sack 10,000 staff and slash direct contractor positions in the company’s unedited full year 2015 results.

While crude has, according to Bloomberg, climbed from the 12-year lows reached at the start of 2016, a supply glut caused by the U.S. shale boom is pinning prices at half the levels of two years ago. “The issue is that once prices go up too fast, American drillers start to produce more,” Arzu Azimov, head of Socar Trading SA, said. “The market will stay in the corridor of $40 to $50, max $55.”

Wife of Godwin Obaseki, the
governorship aspirant under
the All Progressives
Congress, APC, in Edo State,
Betsy Obaseki, has accused
the past administration of the
Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, in the state of pushing
girls in the state into
prostitution in Italy.
Betsy who has been busy
pursuing the aspiration of
her husband spoke to the
Vanguard newspaper in an
interview, pointing out that
the girls should not be
blamed because according to
her, something forced them
into such situation.
“Before we castigate our
daughters who are engaging
in trafficking or travelling to
Italy, I think we should first
sit down and ask why the
situation is like that, it
cannot just happen like
that”, she declared.
She said the obvious reason
was that previous
governments have failed in
the state.
She added “It is the failure
of government that caused it.
“People leave the country to
go to another country in
search of greener pastures.
A child who is comfortable in
his father’s house will not
leave for another man’s
house.
“Children go out when they
are badly treated at home,
when they are not happy. So
rather than government
castigating these our women
they should look inwards and
accept that they have a
responsibility to these girls.
“If you fix this state and
make it attractive our girls
will not leave. You can see
that the trend started
abating when Governor
Oshiomhole came to power,
they started seeing hope in
Edo state and they are living
here today doing one thing
or the other.
“So past governments in this
state failed our people and
that is why they were all
going to Italy. If you make
this state attractive like the
APC government is doing
today, every body will want
to come here and stay.
“So I will not join any one to
castigate these girls at all, it
is never their fault but the
failure of the past
governments. And I thank
God for the Comrade
Governor who has laid the
foundation for progress in
this state.”
She assured that her
husband, Obaseki will build
upon what Oshiomhole had
done and Edo people will see
the state become greater.

1. Germany – 177 Countries.
2. Sweden – 176 Countries.
3. Finland, France, Italy,
Spain, UK – 175 Countries. 4.
Belgium, Denmark,
Netherlands, US – 174
Countries.
5. Austria, Japan, Singapore
– 173 Countries.
6. Canada, Ireland,
Luxembourg, Norway,
Portugal, South Korea,
Switzerland – 172 Countries.
7. Greece, New Zealand –
171 Countries.
8. Australia – 169 Countries.
9. Malta – 168 Countries.
10. Czech Republic, Hungary,
Iceland – 167 Countries.
11. Slovakia – 165 Countries.
12. Liechtenstein, Malaysia,
Slovenia – 164 Countries.
13. Latvia – 163 Countries.
14. Estonia, Lithuania – 162
Countries
15. Poland – 161 Countries.
16. Monaco – 160 Countries.
17. Cyprus – 159 Countries.
18. San Marino – 156
Countries.
19. Chile – 155 Countries.
20. Hong Kong – 154
Countries.
21. Brazil, Bulgaria, Romania
– 153 Countries.
22. Andorra, Argentina – 152
Countries.
23. Brunei Darussalam – 151
Countries.
24. Croatia – 149 Countries.
25. Israel – 147 Countries.
26. Barbados – 141
Countries.
27. Bahamas – 140
Countries.
28. Mexico – 139 Countries.
29. Taiwan, Uruguay – 137
Countries.
30. Antigua and Barbuda,
Vatican City – 134 Countries.
31. Seychelles – 133
Countries.
32. St. Kitts and Nevis,
Venezuela – 132 Countries.
33. Costa Rica – 131
Countries.
34. Trinidad and Tobago –
130 Countries.
35. Mauritius – 128
Countries.
36. Panama – 127 Countries.
37. Paraguay, St Lucia, St
Vincent and the Grenadines
– 125 Countries.
38. United Arab Emirates –
122 Countries.
39. Grenada – 121 Countries.
40. Macau – 120 Countries.
41. Dominica, Honduras – 119
Countries.
42. Guatemala – 116
Countries.
43. El Salvador, Serbia – 115
Countries.
44. Samoa – 112 Countries.
45. Macedonia – 111
Countries.
46. Nicaragua, Tonga,
Vanuatu – 110 Countries.
47. Montenegro – 107
Countries.
48. Russia – 105 Countries.
49. Palau – 104 Countries.
50. Colombia – 103 Countries.
51. Turkey – 102 Countries.
52. Bosnia Herzegovina,
Moldova – 101 Countries. 53.
Albania – 98 Countries.
54. South Africa – 97
Countries.
55. Belize – 94 Countries.
56. Peru, Solomon Islands –
86 Countries.
57. Guyana, Kuwait, Timor-
Leste, Tuvalu – 82
Countries.
58. Ecuador, Fiji, Ukraine –
81 Countries.
59. Maldives, Nauru – 80
Countries.
60. Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
Qatar – 79 Countries. 61.
Jamaica – 78 Countries.
62. Papua New Guinea – 77
Countries.
63. Micronesia – 75
Countries.
64. Suriname – 74 Countries.
65. Bahrain – 73 Countries.
66. Bolivia, Botswana – 72
Countries.
67. Oman, Thailand – 71
Countries.
68. Namibia – 70 Countries.
69. Lesotho, Saudi Arabia –
69 Countries.
70. Kenya – 68 Countries.
71. Belarus, Gambia, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Malawi,
Swaziland – 67 Countries.
72. Tanzania, Tunisia – 65
Countries.
73. Ghana – 64 Countries.
74. Zambia – 63 Countries.
75. Azerbaijan – 62
Countries.
76. Cape Verde, Philippines –
61 Countries.
77. Uganda – 60 Countries.
78. Benin, Cuba, Morocco,
Zimbabwe – 59 Countries.
79. Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan –
58 Countries.
80. Armenia – 57 Countries.
81. Burkina Faso, Ivory
Coast, Mongolia – 56
Countries.
82. Mauritania, Niger,
Senegal, Togo – 55
Countries. 83. Dominican
Republic, Sao Tome, Principe
– 54 Countries.
84. Tajikistan – 53
Countries.
85. India, Mali, Uzbekistan –
52 Countries.
86. Bhutan, Guinea-Bissau,
Mozambique, Sierra Leone –
51 Countries.
87. Cambodia, China – 50
Countries.
88. Chad, Egypt, Gabon,
Turkmenistan – 49
Countries.
89. Algeria, Central African
Republic, Haiti, Madagascar,
Rwanda – 48 Countries.
90. Comoros, Jordan, Laos,
Vietnam – 47 Countries. 91.
Guinea – 46 Countries.
92. Angola, Cameroon,
Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria –
45 Countries.
93. Congo (Republic of),
Djibouti – 44 Countries.
94. Liberia – 43 Countries.
95. Burundi, North Korea,
Myanmar – 42 Countries. 96.
Bangladesh, Congo
(Democratic Republic of),
Lebanon, Sri Lanka – 39
Countries.
97. Kosovo, South Sudan,
Yemen – 38 Countries.
98. Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran,
Nepal, Palestinian Territory,
Sudan – 37 Countries.
99. Libya – 36 Countries.
100. Syria – 32 Countries.
101. Somalia – 31 Countries.
102. Iraq – 30 Countries.
103. Pakistan – 29 Countries.
104. Afghanistan – 25
Countries.
In 2015, Nigeria had visa-
free access to 61 countries
and was 57th position in the
world ranking.
The country has, however,
dropped to 92nd in the world
ranking and has visa-free
access to just 45 countries.

President Muhammadu Buhari will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 71st UN General Assembly (UNGA) scheduled to begin at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, has said.

Mr. Onyeama, who made the fact known in Abuja on Friday at a news conference, said the president would be discussing series of issues which had direct impact on Nigeria.

He said the president would, among others, set the record straight on the issue of human rights violation and sign the Paris Agreement on Climate.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that at the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) held in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal.
The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to 2°C.

The agreement is due to enter into force in 2020.
Mr. Onyeama said the president signing the agreement would send a signal to the world that Nigeria was serious with it. He noted that China and the U.S. had already signed it.

He said the UNGA conference was a unique one where the Nigerian leader had opportunity to meet world leaders and build on the country’s reputation.
“It is one unique conference where world leaders assemble and address issues pre-occupying their minds; it is a wonderful opportunity for the president to build on his reputation.

“President Buhari is well regarded by the world leaders and it will give him opportunity to reconnect and engage them on various issues.
“He needs world leaders’ support in the areas of economy, security, anti-corruption and governance. He will use the opportunity to push for Nigeria’s interest at the UN,” the minister said.

He said the president would also use the opportunity to look for foreign markets for Nigerian’s products and garner support for the economy.

Mr. Onyeama said that the president would also use the opportunity to canvass for the repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen money in foreign banks.

“Mr. President will use the opportunity to canvass for support for the recharge of Lake Chad.
“There will be a discussion on Lake Chad Basin and how to recharge the lake through Central Africa which will cost about $15 billion.

“Mr President will engage and push for investors on the project. He will be looking at Public, Private Partnership to mobilise that kind of funding for Lake Chad.

“Such investment will have direct impact on at least five million people,” he said.
According to Mr. Onyeama, there will also be a discussion on one vision, one Africa where all African nations can have a voice on issues that have direct impact on the continent.

He said the EU would be putting €31 billion on the table to address certain issues affecting Middle East and part of Africa.

He said Nigeria was the only one invited for the meeting to look into how to spend the money, adding that the forum would give Nigeria opportunity to access the fund.
(NAN)

The Independent National
Electoral Commission has
said that the postponement
of Edo governorship election
by two weeks would not
affect the credibility of
election in the date.
INEC Deputy Director for
Voter Education and
Publicity, Mr Nick Dazang,
said on Friday in Abuja that
the commission was
committed to ensuring that
the election does not in any
way fall short of previous
elections.
He said that the commission
had already confirmed its
readiness for the election in
term of preparation, adding,
“what was outstanding was
merely the last stage, which
is implementation.
He said, “We are prepared
in terms of staff needed to
conduct the election and
adequate training including
accreditation for the
observer group; both local
and foreign, that will monitor
the election.
“We have also started
accrediting journalists that
will cover the election. We
have also done much in
terms of sensitisation of the
voters, political parties and
their candidates.
“The postponement of the
election does not in any way
change our preparedness
for the election, neither has
it changed our resolve to
conduct free, fair and
credible election.”
Asked on the lost the
commission might incurred
due to the postponement,
Dazang said that INEC would
no doubt incur additional
cost; especially in some
areas like mobilisation of
staff.
He said, “We are calling back
about 19,000 staff, we have
to pay them again and we
might consider retraining
them ahead of election, so
that they we remember some
of the things that we have
taught them. That is money.
“We have to pay them for
the allowances. We have to
pay them allowances for
coming back to conduct the
election.
“We might have to reprint
one or two of the sensitive
materials to reflect the new
date.
“Thankfully as at the time
our attention was called to
the advisory, we have not
distributed some of the
materials.”
He, however said that the
additional cost to be incurred
would not in any way affect
the conduct of the election as
the commission always made
provision for such
contingency.
Dazang added that the
commission would continue to
engage with the security
agencies to ensure that the
election was peaceful on the
rescheduled date.
He said, “We will also
continue to engage with the
security agencies in the
conduct of future elections.”
NAN

Anti-Riot Police Prevent #BBOG Protesters From Holding Meeting In Abuja



The clampdown order issued by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy group, more anti-riot police officers have been deployed to the Unity Fountain in Abuja in an effort to prevent the activists from holding a meeting.


A large number of combat ready police officers were spotted at the fountain on Thursday morning.

The police chief on Tuesday said that the #BBOG protest constitutes a threat to public peace and order and therefore banned all forms of rally and procession in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs.


According to FCT Police spokesperson Anjuguri Manzah, the command has observed with concern the disregard for the rule of law by some individuals or group of persons with the FCT.

“These indiscriminate actions which are carried out in disorderly and sometimes riotous manner create unwarranted tension and apprehension among law abiding citizens and in the process obstruct legitimate business activities,” Mr. Manzah said.

He also said the command is making it clear that it will continue to be professional in discharging its constitutionally assigned roles in accordance with international best practices, especially as it relates to the fundamental rights of citizens.

“However, the command will not fold its arms and watch some individuals or groups of persons tamper with the existing peaceful atmosphere in the Federal Capital Territory.

“The Command hereby advises any person or group of persons who wish to embark on any demonstration to notify the Commissioner of Police in the FCT in writing and secure approval,” Mr. Manzah added.

#BBOG on Tuesday presented a signed copy of a police permit to the FCT Deputy Commissioner of Police, M.D Garba, that authorized the group to hold the rally, but was ignored as he kept mute. Protesters then stormed the barricade set up by police to prevent them from embarking on their protest.

The group had planned to have a sit-out today at 5:00 p.m. in Abuja.

*Oshiomhole: Don’t Postpone PDP’s Final Burial
*PDP: APC Afraid Of Electoral Defeat


… to shift Edo governorship poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today accede to the demand of both the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to postpone the Saturday, September 10 gubernatorial election in Edo State, New Telegraph has learnt. Impeccable source in INEC told New Telegraph last night that the commission will formally announce the postponement of the election today.

It was learnt that the electoral body will shift the election for between two and three weeks. Beyond the security concerns raised by the security agencies, the electoral body will also hinge the postponement of the governorship poll on the November/December West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSC) holding on Saturday.

Thousands of students in Edo, across Nigeria and West African countries will be sitting for the Mathematics exams on Saturday between 9:30a.m. and 3:30p.m. Students who registered for the examination had staged a protest calling for the postponement of election.

New Telegraph learnt that about 1,700 students have rejected plan to transfer them to neighbouring states for the examination. A source in INEC told New Telegraph that a meeting of the electoral body with the heads of security agencies will hold today in Benin after which INEC will announce its position.

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed that the electoral body had consulted with critical stakeholders and would meet with top echelon of security agencies before it could take an official position on the matter.

At the meeting, the Police and DSS will share the intelligence report on the planned attacks by the terrorist group.The source added that “Edo State has been calibrated and waiting for explosion” with the importation of thugs into the state.

“Both Police and DSS are to provide security for the election, and if the security agencies advised against the conduct of the election, we have no choice. If we do otherwise and anything untoward happens, INEC will be held liable.

So, we will definitely shift the election,” an INEC official told New Telegraph last night. Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday confirmed that political thugs have been imported to the state for the election.

Oshiomhole appealed to INEC “that if INEC is shifting the election, it should not be too far because we are eager to bury the PDP, we have purchased their coffin and ready to be sealed.

“Mr. Nick Dazang, Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, said that in the aftermath of the advice to postpone the election, INEC met with stakeholders in Benin to seek their views and inputs on the matter.

“We have consulted with the stakeholders, which are the political parties and their candidates as well as the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). We have finished the consultation with the stakeholders.

“What the commission has resolved after the meeting is that it will go back and consult with the security agencies to find out the details, because they are the ones that initiated that communication.

“After that, the commission will meet and take a decision,” Dazang said. On the stakeholders’ reaction to the advice, he said: “They were over-whelming in support of going forward with the election as scheduled.

“Most of the political parties, too, were in support, but some of the parties were of the view that we should be careful and get more details on the information.”

The Police and DSS had, earlier yesterday, called on INEC to postpone the Saturday election in Edo State, owing to security concerns. The two security agencies said their call was predicated on available intelligence indicating plans by extremist elements to attack vulnerable communities, as well as crowded places during the Sallah celebration.


Incidentally, the security agencies said Edo State was among the vulnerable targets.In a statement jointly signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Don Awunah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), as well as Mr. Garba Abdullahi of the DSS, the agencies acknowledged the statutory responsibility of the INEC in conducting elections in the country.

They, however, noted that national security will not be compromised on the altar of elections. It was their considered view that the shifting of the much-anticipated poll will enable them deal decisively with the imminent threat.

“The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services, wish to inform the general public that credible intelligence availed the agencies indicate plans by insurgent/extremist elements to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September, 2016.

“Edo State is amongst the states being earmarked for these planned attacks by the extremist elements. “The public would recall that similar threats were issued during the May Labour Day and Democracy Day celebrations as well as the Eid-el-Fitr holidays in July, 2016. However, the security agencies were able to decisively disrupt and thwart the insurgents’ plan.

In the same vein, while election is important, the security agencies cannot allow the peace of the country to be disrupted and we will continue to remain vigilant and ensure consolidation of the successes gained in the current counter-insurgency fight.

“It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC, which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country, to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo State in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats,” the joint statement read.

While acknowledging the inconvenience the postponement might cause, the statement stressed the need to allow security agencies discharge their mandates, without let or hindrance.

It said: “While the Police/ DSS remain mindful of the inconveniences this request may cause the various political stakeholders, it is our strong resolve that security agencies need not be distracted from ensuring a peaceful and secured Nigeria now and always.”

To this end, the Police and DSS assured the public “that the security agencies will continue to remain focused and committed and are being enjoined to remain vigilant,” adding that “the attention of the security agencies should be drawn to any observed unusual movements or actions by groups or individuals in their neighbourhoods.”

The Council of State has
approved the appointment of
the Inspector General of
Police, Ibrahim Idris.
The council met at the
presidential villa, Abuja, on
Wednesday.
It also approved the
appointment of six Resident
Electoral Commissioners
(RECs) for the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC) and five
commissioners for the
National Population
Commission.
Chaired by President
Muhammadu Buhari, the
council also received briefing
on the state of the economy
and efforts by the

The Federal Government has
denied that it imported and
flooded Nigeria’s markets
with Genetically Modified rice.
The Director-General of the
National Biosafety
Management Agency, Rufus
Ebegba, made the position of
government known at a news
conference on Wednesday in
Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria
recalls that an online news
platform had alleged that the
Federal Government through
a firm had flooded the
nation’s market with
poisonous GM rice.
Mr. Ebegba said that there
was no iota of truth in the
report. He noted that no GM
rice had either been imported
or released officially into the
country.
According to him, no such
rice has been commercially
released anywhere in the
world.
He said that the Federal
Government had banned the
importation of rice and there
was no indication that the
ban had been lifted.
Mr. Ebegba described the
online report as a falsehood
and imagination of the writer,
who “probably used a fake
name.”
He added that the report was
intended to cause
unnecessary panic and called
on Nigerians to disregard it.
The director-general also
urged them to join hands
with the government to
ensure safety in the practice
of modern biotechnology in
the country in line with global
best practices.
He said NBMA was capable of
regulating all GMO products
in Nigeria and promised that
the agency would not
compromise on its mandate.
(NAN)

President Muhammadu Buhari
presided over his second
Council of State meeting
today since being the
democratically elected leader
of Nigeria. Several former
heads of state were in
attendance, including former
military ruler Abdulsalami
Abubakar and Ernest
Shonekan, but it was former
President Goodluck Jonathan
who captured the attention of
the media according to
reports.
This is the first Council of
State meeting Mr. Jonathan
has attended since his 2015
electoral defeat, having not
attended the last meeting in
October.
Several governors were
also in attendance at today’s
meeting including Kogi State
Governor Yahaya Bello,
Kaduna State Governor Nasir
El-Rufai, Rivers State
Governor Nyesome Wike,
and Lagos State Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode, among
others.
The Council is expected to
deliberate over several
appointments including that
of the Acting Inspector
General of the Police Ibrahim
Idris and key positions at
the Independent National
Election Commission (INEC).