₦airaland Forum

*Says elite who benefited from NSA fighting back
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Levinus Nwabughiogu


ABUJA —The Presidency, last night, rebuffed allegations of selectiveness in the war against corruption made against Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by the erstwhile military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, describing him as a frustrated man.
It also said it had become accustomed to a fight back by the elite class.

The Presidency in a statement by a Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu, also said none of the elite class fighting back had shown evidence of the selectiveness of the fight against corruption.

He further said President Buhari had not at any time interfered with the prosecution of corruption suspects, even as he said several of those fighting back had at one time or the other benefited from security votes from the office of the National Security Adviser. Mallam Garba was, however, quick to exclude Col. Umar from such beneficiaries.

Col. Umar (retd) had in a statement issued, weekend, flayed the Presidency for directing its anti-corruption war at only the opposition, saying the decision to ignore court orders to release erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd(, is inexcusable.

He further said the Buhari administration had in its actions sought to humiliate former President Goodluck Jonathan who he, Umar, praised for his excellent democracy credentials.

Responding, yesterday, Shehu said: “By now, President Buhari’s administration is quite familiar with the barrage of verbal attacks that have accompanied the administration’s determined war against corruption.

“A number of Nigeria’s elite, uncomfortable with the disruption of business as usual, have fought viciously, usually via the media. However, this comment, coming from Colonel Umar, is highly disappointing, because he is not in a position to label accusations. He should, instead, allow others to do this.

“Curiously, despite the various accusations and media attacks, no one has so far come forth with any evidence of President Buhari’s selectiveness in the war against corruption.

“All the agencies involved are allowed freedom to carry out their responsibilities, without any interference whatsoever from the Presidency.

“If Colonel Umar or anyone else feels that they have any evidence to the contrary, they are encouraged to make this public.

“A number of Nigerian elite have over the years, benefitted from various forms of corruption, including monthly payouts from the office of previous National Security Advisers.
“Let me clarify that this is not in reference to Colonel Umar in particular.

“The Buhari’s administration has offended so many of our greedy elite by putting a stop to this, plugging many of the holes through which our country’s resources, belonging to each and every one of us, were looted by a few.

“Naturally, these elite are frustrated. But we shall not allow them to frustrate the war against corruption.
“The war against corruption is here to stay. As long as President Buhari is in power, Nigerians can be rest assured of that. It will not succumb to media attacks. It will not be deterred by false accusations. It will not be quenched by disgruntled elements.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/corruption-umar-is-frustrated-presidency/

— 25th April 2017

From Iheanacho Nwosu,Abuja


The last couple of weeks have been eventful for the Ken Nnamani- led Electoral Reforms Committee. The panel is racing against time. It wants to turn in its report on or before the end of this month.
“We are working day and night to submit our report after the Easter or at month end, a member of the committee told Daily Sun.”

In line with that objective the committee last week held a retreat to put a finishing touch to its report. To a large extent, the panel has executed what seems the most difficult part of its assignment, which is an organising zonal conferences. However, in spite of that, few factors may still work against the timeline set by the panel. First, expectations are, understandably, high on what the committee should churn out. It is being benchmarked against the works of the Justice Mohammed Uwais committee that earlier articulated how best the electoral system could be reformed.
The Nnamani committee is aware of this and may even prefer to delay the submission of its report and get everything right than rush out with a report that would be punctured.

For the records the committee was set up in October 2016 by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. The mandate handed to the committee was to, among other things, tinker with the nation’s extant electoral laws with a view to making them address current challenges.
The Minister had said “it is important to evaluate our democratic journey thus far with a view to fashioning out a more enduring system that will serve present and future generations”.

He said recent judicial decisions have shown that there was urgent need to scale up confidence in the country’s electoral system.

Malami further counseled “the committee is also advised to take a holistic look at the recommendations of Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee”.
The setting up of the committee, understandably, elicited some controversies from key political actors. While some, especially members of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari hailed the move; scores of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members flayed it.

Second republic politician Chief Guy Ikokwu, a lawyer, argued that the Nnamani committee was “a ploy to waste our time and meager resources just like the piecemeal amendments of the constitution. Our democracy cannot be deepened by inconclusive election exercises or the inadequacies of a truly non independent INEC.

“See how nations like Columbia, Hungary, Britain, India and even South Africa recently conducted polls and referendum without government interference or tampering with due process, but our integrity is low and not an example to other black nations even with our human resources.

“All the restructuring exercise can be done this year before we or they auction off our dear national assets and consign our children to an inordinately insidious and enigmatic bondage. A purpose and strong leadership should look to the future and a worthwhile and beneficial legacy. We should reverse these 56 years of militarized unitary mindset and one man governance in all our tiers of governance to reduce the cost of governance and be very development as time is of the essence.”

To Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Publicity Secretary of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere, ‘’it is unfortunate that our presidency appears to lack institutional memory not to know that Uwais has dealt with this matter. A person like Senator Ken Nnamani should be able to remind those who offered him this job that the 2014 national Conference which he was a member also dealt extensively with electoral reforms. If we said Jonathan should have used the money spent on national conference to pay ASUU, what is the justification for wasting our money on what was already dealt with at a time we are in recession?”
Nnamani did not put up a counter poise to the claims of Ikokwu and Odumakin but he did not accept their claims either. Instead he weighed into the debate on how best to stop inconclusive elections that marked most of the outings of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year.

He said “the issue of inconclusive election in the country affects national election which leads to loss of lives and the best way to handle it is to stop inconclusive election. The best way to stop it in advance is to support the government in implementing what will make Nigeria have a non-violence election”.

Although some politicians do not question the integrity and intellectual capacity of Nnamani to deliver in the assignment given to him by the President, they were not comfortable with his political alignment. One of such persons who stepped into public domain to criticize his membership of APC was the Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose. He called on the former Senate President to quit his job on account of his affiliation to APC.

According to Governor Fayose Ken Nnamani should be replaced with a non-partisan person, saying “if the federal government is serious about electoral reform, Senator Nnamani, a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won’t head the Electoral Reform Committee.”

He raised another controversy by arguing that there was nothing wrong with the electoral laws as presently packaged, adding that “it was the same electoral system that produced the present APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari, in an election adjudged as relatively free, fair and credible.

“So what happened to the system after May 29, 2015 that this present government took over? How did we get to this level of inconclusive and questionable elections in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies appear to have become part of the ruling party?”

Governor Fayose maintained that “even when it inherited a working system that conducted elections adjudged as free and fair by local and international communities, INEC has failed consistently to replicate the inherited working system due to overzealousness and rabid passion to work as appendage of the federal government.

“Imagine an election that is ongoing, only for INEC to postpone counting of votes by midnight, with the party agents driven away. Any result announced in the morning has lost any credibility and legitimacy and cannot represent the will of the people.”

He further argued “the only time this country made an attempt at a reliable electoral reform was during the tenure of President Umaru Yar’Adua who appointed retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Uwais as the chairman. This singular move gave the panel credibility, widespread acceptability and massive supports from all over the country and across political divides. Such cannot be said of this panel that is overshadowed with massive moral burdens and conflict of interest as a result of the chairman being a card carrying member of a political party called APC.”
Fayose insisted that ; “Senator Ken Nnamani, being the South-East regional leader of APC is incapable of rising above primordial and party sentiments to give Nigerians anything different from electoral inconclusiveness that we have at the moment. Any reform from such encapsulation can as well be said to be dead on arrival.”
Nnamani did not let Fayose’s claims go unattended to. He dismissed the insinuation that he would influence the outcome of his committee’s report in favour of his party.

To a large extent even critics of Nnamani could hardly hold onto such argument. He cut the current image he has because of some lofty roles he played in the past even as a PDP chieftain and a Senate President.

Dr Obiora Okonkwo, a PDP Chieftain said “Nnamani takes his name seriously. It does not matter the party he belongs, he would always execute his assignment professionally and in the interest of the nation, not in the interest of a select few. I am 100 percent sure that his committee will make Nigerians happy with the report they will submit to the government”, the PDP Senatorial candidate said.

At the last count, the committee held consultations in six geo political zones that make up the polity. At its South- East meeting which took place at Nike Lake Enugu, Nnamani spoke extensively on key areas that the committee would focus on.

He listed the key areas as: “reformation of electoral system, aimed at candidates winning elections only from the people’s vote at the polling booths not at the Court”. He explained that “this is the main reason President Muhammadu Buhari, who is a guinea-pig of electoral malpractice, convoked this constitutional and electoral reform committee.”

Senator Nnamani decried the lack of free, fair and transparent elections, which he said have “caused a lot of harm in our polity.”

He called for the overhauling of “all the unnecessary laws to provide for first line charge of funding for the Independent National Electoral Commission-INEC; an unbundling of INEC, resting of the burden of proof on INEC, among other recommendations.”

Also speaking during the event, the Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Ngozi Emehelu called for an extension of the 180 days statutory period within which election petition cases are adjudicated.

Emehelu said the stipulated time was inadequate for petitioners to prove their cases. She said that petitioners appeared to have an uphill task proving their cases because of limited time, noting that some sections of the electoral act needed to be updated to create more time for adjudication, adding that “there have been cases where petitions are well fought but lost because the proper reliefs are not sought by parties. We recommend that the tribunal be given legal teeth to make consequential orders to grant such reliefs not sought,” she said.

The Justice said that the electoral act had been constantly criticised due to inherent flaws, notwithstanding several alterations, saying that “we recommend that the report of the Justice Uwais committee should be called into play when your committee is doing its work,” she said.

Emehelu also called for the employment of more judges across the country to make up for lost time by the courts, especially because several judges are enrolled to adjudicate on election matters.

In her remarks, a representative of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Mrs. Miriam Menkiti said that amendments of relevant laws needed to be made to provide for an electoral offences commission.

Menkiti also called for the amendment of Section 221 of the Constitution to provide for independent candidacy in the electoral process. She said that all sections of the constitution or electoral act that used one gender needed to be amended in order to check gender discrimination.

Women’s Leader of APC, in the region, Lolo Queen Nwankwo, on her part, called for affirmative action for women especially in the face of the current economic recession facing the country.

Interestingly, the recent passage of amendments to the 2015 Electoral Act by the Senate has, rightly turned attention to the Nnamani Committee. It has also raised huge fears about the place of the committee’s report when it is submitted.

It has also raised huge fears about the place of the committee’s report when it is submitted. Many had thought that recommendations of the Nnamani committee would form party of the key aspects of the Senate’s constitution amendment.

“I don’t know what will become of the Nnamani committee. I had thought that the Senate will accommodate the recommendations of the committee”, Dr Femi Olufunmilade, Head of Department, Political Science of Igbibedion University, Okada, Edo state, said.

By John Owen Nwachukwu on April 24, 2017

The course of the death of senator Isiaka Adeleke has been made public.

The senator reportedly died of overdose of painkillers.

The lifeless body of Adeleke was returned to LAUTECH Hospital, Osogbo, for an autopsy yesterday after his sudden death at the hospital.

Reports that followed his death was that he had died of cardiac arrest, but the indigenes of his home town, Ede, insisted that they wanted to know the cause of his death on the assumption that his death was not natural.

According to Sahara Reporters, the politician did not die of poisoning but as a result of an overdose of painkillers intravenously administered on him.

The online media tweeted, “FLASH: Senator Isiaka Adeleke died as a result of an overdose of painkillers intravenously administered on him, according to pathologists.”


DAILYPOST reported yesterday that Adeleke died
Sunday at Bikets Hospital in Oshogbo, the Osun state capital.

http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/24/cause-senator-isiaka-adelekes-death-revealed/

Barely five days after the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, the Presidency is shopping for his replacement.
Two ministers, two senators, and four others are top on the list of those being considered, The Nation learnt at the weekend.

There were indications that the presidency may have foreclosed the return of Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke, to their offices.
It was gathered that the new SGF might assume more roles, as it was during the tenure of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The President is said to be considering a reduction of the workload of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, by devolving more schedules to the new SGF.
The horse-trading to succeed SGF Lawal may have started in earnest.

It was learnt that three geopolitical zones may produce the next SGF, depending on the disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The zones are North-East (seeking the retention of the office), the North-Central and the South-East.
But the real battle for the slot is between the North-East and the North-Central.

Those being recommended from the North-Central are Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbe (based on performance in office); Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade.

From the Northeast are a yet to be named Minister, a former Ambassador to Botswana, Hajiya Fatima Balla-Abubakar, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Joel Ikenya, and an architect.
It was learnt that the name of the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu kept recurring but it was unclear if the Presidency would give the slot to the Southeast less than two years after the exit of former SGF Anyim Pius Anyim.

A source said: “The battle for SGF Lawal’s job is also assuming a religious dimension, with Christians demanding the replacement of the suspended occupant with another Christian.

“But the President pays more attention to merit and capacity than religious or ethnic colouration.”
“Buhari might strengthen the office of the SGF in order to reduce the heavy workload on the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari who is doing a lot now. There are some schedules which ordinarily ought not to be handled by the Chief of Staff but since such matters demand trust, the President saddles him with them,” the source said.

“He spoke of a plan to restore the Office to the era of Sir Ufot Ekaette under the administration of ex -President Obasanjo.


http://saharareporters.com/2017/04/24/presidency-begins-search-new-sgf

No News as at now.

meanwhile,


April Stipend Ticking.......!!

Indications emerged yesterday of a plot to sack the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun from office.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling party, Mr. Timi Frank confirmed the plot to The Guardian after the surprise shift of the meetings of the National Caucus and the National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for April 24 and 25, 2017 respectively.
Frowning at the postponement of the meetings, he said: “He can get away with it for now, it is not going to be far too long.

Definitely, there are lots of moves on ground now. You will see where everything will head to soon. I can assure you that Odigie-Oyegun will go. His tenure is meant to end in 2018, but we must not wait for his tenure to expire before we change him. If somebody is not competent to do his job, what you do is to remove him.

“You see in PDP where several chairmen emerged because a section of the party felt uncomfortable with the chairman. A lot of things are going backwards in APC due to Odigie-Oyegun’s incompetence,” Frank said.

The Guardian, however, learnt from a competent source that the plot against Odigie-Oyegun would fail as he remains in the good books of President Muhammadu Buhari and most members of the federal executive council (FEC).

The source revealed that those plotting Oyegun’s removal backtracked after discovering that the former of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole being tipped to take over Odigie-Oyegun’s seat could be too “hot and stubborn” to handle.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, faulted the notion that the shift in the meetings was orchestrated by Odigie-Oyegun to keep his job. He said the proposed national convention of the party, which comes after the NEC will definitely hold at the behest of party officials.

Meanwhile, former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, at the APC zonal meeting held at the Abriba home of Nnamadi Iro, urged the people of Abia North to canvass membership for the APC.

According to Kalu, APC has people’s welfare as priority in its policy thrust, stressing that the party is all-inclusive, for Nigerians regardless of tribal, religious, economic and social leanings.

Kalu added that President Muhammadu Buhari is gradually restoring the lost glory of Nigeria and expressed the hope that the region’s political game would change in favour of the APC in 2019. Kalu said the party would drive development in the southeast and called for sensitisation on the benefits of joining APC and supporting the federal administration. The Abia North APC Chairman, Dr. Onyeroha Chukwumerije urged the people not to be left behind in the change mantra.

https://m.guardian.ng/news/plot-to-sack-odigie-oyegun-thickens-as-apc-postpones-nec-meeting/

Following the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Babachir Lawal , leading members of the All Progressives Congress from the South - East have renewed their interest in the top job.
Saturday PUNCH gathered in Abuja , on Friday that the position of the SGF was unlikely to return to the North -East should the Osinbajo committee find Lawal guilty and the President relieves him of his appointment .
This has not dampened the enthusiasm of other contenders from the North -East zone.

It was learnt that in the unlikely event that the President decides that the slot remains in the zone , a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Ambassador Babagana Kingibe and Senate Leader , Ahmed Lawan are among top contenders.

While Kingibe hails from Borno State , Lawan hails from Yobe State . Those routing for the one time Presidential running mate to late Chief MKO Abiola , argue that he is already playing a role behind the scene and that making him SGF will be an added advantage .
Kingibe was appointed as SGF by late former President Umaru Yar ’ Adua in June 2007 and fired from the post on September 8 , 2008 for allegedly spreading rumours about the Yar ’Adua ’s state of health.

Lawan on the other hand is seen as a loyal party member who is one of the few lawmakers who have been in the National Assembly since 2007.

A high ranking member of the APC , who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said , “ I am not a soothsayer but I do know that the President has strong ties to the North -East politically.

“ The North - East as a political entity has remained loyal ; Buhari appreciates and rewards loyalty . Besides, he is committed to rebuilding the area after the Boko Haram crisis . In any case , who says he cannot choose to give it to Adams Oshiomhole (ex- Edo State governor )? it is entirely up to him .”
Asked if the party has been consulted to make nominations the source said , “ Not to the best of my knowledge.”

However, party loyalists from the South - East believe ceding the position to them will give the zone a greater sense of belonging.

Top contenders for the job from the South - East include : the Minister of Labour and Employment , Sen . Chris Ngige and his Science and Technology counterpart , Ogbonnaya Onu , who hail from Anambra and Ebonyi states respectively.

A high ranking member of the party from the zone , who also spoke on condition of anonymity because , “I don’t want to pre - empt the Osinbajo committee ” , said , the South - East deserves a greater sense of belonging.

He said , “ For now , the position has not been declared vacant . However, whenever it becomes vacant, the South - East like every other part of this great country deserves a shot at it.

“ We have competent men and women who can take up the challenge when given the opportunity. Should Mr . President deem it fit to appoint someone from the South - East , it will go a long way in dispelling the baseless rumour that he hates the zone and is punishing us for not voting for him massively like other zones did in 2015 .”

When contacted , the Director - General of the Voice of Nigeria , Osita Okechukwu , explained that there is no denying the fact that the President is trying his best to give all parts of the country a true sense of belonging. He said while he would not want to dabble into the matter of the position of the SGF, “ No matter what anybody says , the truth of the matter is that there is a silent revolution being propelled by President Muhammadu Buhari , aimed at prosperous and progressive society going on in Nigeria.

“ Like any silent revolution , it sips in like water . This is what majority of Ndigbo have identified , resulting in the surge into the All Progressives Congress and support for Mr . President , hence the exodus from the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance from the South -East.

“ The entrants are more anxious , more passionate , and kind of remorseful ; because they were misled into the falsehood that President Buhari will Islamise the country; he will construct only federal roads and other critical infrastructure in the north.

“ Today, the 2015 general election had come and gone , Buhari has not Islamised Nigeria . He has gone to revive abandoned critical infrastructure in the East , West , North and South . Don’ t forget, with the little which accrued to our treasury , he has demonstrated an uncommon foundation for transparency and accountability .”

Reacting to the development , a Kano State delegate to the 2014 National Conference , Dr . Junaid Mohammed , said , the idea that the position of SGF could be zoned as part of the political arrangement was a very dangerous thing started by (President) Obasanjo.

According to him , President Buhari has built on the dangerous precedent set by Obasanjo but that he now has a rare opportunity to correct this error .
Mohammed said , “ Buhari has a chance now to return honour to the position of the office of the SGF by taking it back to the civil service where it truly belongs . There has to be a basis for connecting a holder of that office to the main civil service , I still believe if Buhari is sincere , he should return the position to the civil service irrespective of the political loyalties of the person being considered because the job is essentially a civil service job.

“ I have nothing but contempt for most of the names being mentioned and I believe appointing them will be another serious mistake , there are people who are not being mentioned that have compelling credentials .”
The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof . Itse Sagay, had in an interview on Thursday , said Lawal ’s suspension was a journey to his total removal.

He had said , “ I think the suspensions are inevitable, and in my view , they are a journey to total disengagement .

“ The SGF is a top member of the administration . He should have known that for him to award a contract to his own company is absolutely prohibited by the Code of Conduct and the Constitution . What he was doing was illegal and unconstitutional.

“ The worse is that he didn ’t even award the contract for relevant activity such as for food , rather it was for grass cutting, which is totally unrelated to the needs of this people for very basic life - saving materials.”

http://punchng.com/lawals-suspension-seast-neast-battle-for-sgfs-slot/

This thread has gone Lull...!!

Shehu Sani, the Senator heading the committee whose investigation led to the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has called for the dissolution of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, chaired by Itse Sagay.

Mr. Sani, APC-Kaduna, made the call on Thursday, saying the Sagay-led committee was incompetent, having allegedly defended Mr. Lawal as being without guilt.

PREMIUM TIMES fact-check, however, showed Mr. Sani made the call on false premise.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should as a matter of urgency dissolve his Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption,” said Mr. Sani. “It is a moribund and irrelevant assemblage.”
“A Presidential Advisory Committee headed by a man who defended the SGF is without honour.

“The chairman of the committee attacked me for my report on PINE; now that the president has taken steps in the direction of the committee’s report, I hope the professor will muster the courage to also attack the president. The advisory committee was looking for corruption in Sokoto while it’s there in `shokoto’.

“It is sad that most of the mercenary forces hired to rubbish the integrity of the Senate committee and defend those indicted have suddenly lost their voices.”

‘Itse Sagay Hits Back… ‘Shehu Sani Is Ignorant’
In a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES after Mr. Sani’s comment Thursday evening, Mr. Sagay, professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said Mr. Sani was ‘speaking out of sheer ignorance’.

“My committee did not support the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” said Mr. Sagay. “We didn’t have any official view on that.”
“Personally,” he added, “I did not express an opinion” when the Senate first indicted Mr. Lawal.

He continued, “My view really is that he (Mr. Sani) is smarting on behalf of the Senate that we have sustained our support for Magu and as a result of that support Magu remains in office, and will continue to do his job of clearing corruption which the Senate is not happy about because they want the corruption to stay.

“And it sounds very ill for Senate to say that anybody has no integrity. They have no basis to say that because their own situation as far is integrity is concerned is the most deplorable in the country. It sounds bad in their mouth to say somebody has no integrity.”

After President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Mr. Lawal over allegations of breach of law and due process in the contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative on North East, PREMIUM TIMES sought Mr. Sagay’s view.

“It is the correct thing to do,’ he replied.
“One does not need to express it publicly. My view has always been that he should resign or be sacked because the issues are so clear.”
He said one of the highest officials in the country awarded contracts to himself, which is contrary to the constitution.
“I know at the end of the day he will have to go.”

Fact-Check

PREMIUM TIMES reviewed the claims by the senator and the septuagenarian lawyer, known for harsh views on the Nigerian Senate.
Our independent checks revealed Mr. Sani based his call for the dissolution of Mr. Sagay’s committee on false ground.

Mr. Sagay did not express support for Mr. Lawal at any time, neither did he attack Mr. Sani for his report on Mr. Lawal nor the Senate for asking Mr. Buhari to sack and prosecute the now suspended SGF.

Rather, Mr. Sagay slammed Mr. Sani for attacking and accusing Mr. Buhari of treating corruption in the executive arm with ‘deodorant’.

Then, Mr. Sagay said Mr. Sani’s blistering remark on Mr. Buhari was based on politics.
He in fact denied having much knowledge about the SGF.

“I don’t know too much about the Secretary to the Federal Government, I must confess that. I don’t know much about that,” the professor said then.
“But I know the case of Magu thoroughly. And the allegations are spurious. There is no reality in them. The whole thing was distorted to give a wrong impression about Magu,” said Mr. Sagay on January 26.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/229192-itse-sagay-shehu-sani-squabble-senators-controversial-demand.html

Security operatives, believed to be from the police headquarters, on Thursday evening raided the Abuja home of Danjuma Goje, a former governor of Gombe State, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The operation, which began after 5:00 p.m. was still ongoing as at 7:01 p.m.
Our correspondents report that at least 12 vehicles, including about eight police vans were stationed outside the building.

At least 25 mobile police officers were sighted outside the building, located on Haile Selassie Street, Asoroko.
About half a dozen detectives were also seen standing outside, with even more likely to be inside.

It was initially thought that the operatives who raided the building were from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, hence our earlier report to that effect.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, was not immediately available for comments. But he later circulated a statement saying his agency was not involved in the operation.

A security source said the operatives were from the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector General of Police, and were on a mission to recover funds believed to be hidden in the building.

A whistleblower is believed to have provided that information to the police.

The police is yet to comment on an ongoing operation.
Mr. Goje, a serving senator, is currently being prosecuted for alleged corruption while he was Gombe governor.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/229175-updated-why-nigeria-police-raided-senator-gojes-home.html

Oyetunji Abioye

The naira recorded a major gain on Wednesday , closing at 390 per United States dollar at the parallel market , up from 405 /dollar on Tuesday.

This came barely 24 hours after the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the injection of $ 280 m into the various segments of the forex market and the commencement of its weekly $ 20 , 000 sale to licensed Bureau De Change operators .

Before closing at 405 /dollar on Tuesday , a day after the Easter holidays , the local unit had closed flat at 410 /dollar for seven consecutive days .

As a result , currency analysts had expressed concerns over the exchange rate resistance to the CBN’ s continued dollar supply into the forex market aimed at bridging the gap between parallel and official exchange rates .

Last week , some currency analysts predicted the naira would appreciate this week if the central bank sustained its interventions in the market .

Some experts, however , expressed doubt that the CBN possessed the stock of forex to wage the currency war against speculators .

But the regulator has assured the market participants that with the external reserves currently at $ 30 bn and with oil hovering above $ 50 / barrel , it will sustain the regular dollar injections.

The local currency had closed at 375 /dollar about three weeks ago amid record dollar injections by the central bank .

Last week , commercial banks could not purchase $ 39 m out of the $ 100 m offered for sale by the CBN on Thursday due to shortage of naira .

A breakdown of the CBN ’s $ 280 intervention on Tuesday showed that invisibles such as Business Travel Allowance , Personal Travel Allowance , medical bills and tuition received $ 80m, while the Small and Medium Enterprises window received $ 100 m . Together with the wholesale bid auction of $ 100 m, the CBN sold $ 280 m into the market .

The bank ’s spokesman , Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said the CBN was committed to supplying forex to genuine bank customers .

http://punchng.com/naira-gains-momentum-closes-at-390dollar/

Dangote Oil Refining Company Limited has said the installation of equipment for the crude oil refinery being built in Lagos will begin this month .

The Head , Quality Assurance/ Quality Compliance and Construction, DORC , Mr . Rama Putta , told our correspondent , who visited the site of the plant , that the 650, 000-barrels - per -day refinery would come on stream by September 2019.

According to him , the basic engineering work has reached 98 per cent completion; the detailed engineering , 90 per cent; 3 D modelling, 80 per cent; long lead items ordering , 100 per cent ; bulk plates ordering , 90 per cent ; equipment and bulk items, 50 per cent ; and construction activities , 25 per cent.
He said the sand filling of the site was completed six months ago, adding that 60 per cent of the land was swampy .

Putta said bringing the land to three metres above the mean sea level was the biggest challenge , adding , “ The sand is tightly compacted and ready for the erection of the equipment . No flood can affect our area . The surrounding area is only one metre above the mean sea level . The entire Lagos is only 1.5 metres above the main sea level .

“ We dredged sand from the Atlantic Ocean , about 60 million cubic metres . The world ’s biggest dredgers dredged the sand for about 18 months. It ’ s a big job and is completed successfully. Now , what is left is to erect the equipment. ”

Our correspondent was taken round the site to see some of the materials, including steel , plates and cranes , which were brought in for the construction of the refinery.

Putta stated , “ We need a lot of big cranes . All the equipment are going to come horizontally ; they are to be put vertically . That is why to lift them , we need cranes . We need 300 cranes ; 250 cranes are already here . The remaining cranes are coming from China.
“ We will start erecting the refinery equipment in a week or 10 days ’ time, and it will take about 15 to 20 months.”
According to him , about 3 , 000 pieces of equipment are required for the refinery.

He noted , “ Out of that , more than 200 have already come in . They come in semi - finished shape and we will finish them off. The remaining are being manufactured in various countries, including China, India , America , South Korea , Singapore and Malaysia .
“ The challenge is bringing heavy equipment . There are 300 very heavy equipment and we have given contracts to the biggest shippers in the world to bring them from different countries .”

Putta added , “We have a jetty. All the materials coming from various countries come by ship and they get unloaded at the Apapa ports . From the Apapa port , they come here by road . Some of the equipment are very big , more than 2 , 000 metric tonnes , and they cannot come by road . We bring them from Apapa to our jetty by ship and we unload them .

“ This refinery is going to operate at 110 per cent of its capacity at the minimum . If you don’t make 110 per cent, your profit is only 15 per cent . Majority of the refineries in the world like American refineries, Korean refineries and some Indian refineries operate at more than 105 per cent .”

According to him , the company will begin the trading of petroleum products next year ahead of the completion of the refinery.

He said the company would complete the construction of the refinery’s trading facilities in 2018 and test them by selling imported petroleum products for one year.
The facilities include storage tanks , loading gantries and single point moorings as well as pipelines .

Putta said , “ In September 2018 , we are going to inaugurate our trading facilities , which consist gantries for filling the trucks , and 35 tanks for storing the fluids will be ready. Every day, 2, 600 trucks are going to be filled with petrol , diesel , kerosene and jet fuel.

“ We will buy the products from other countries, because by that time our products will not be ready, and trade them for one year. This is to test our trading facilities . By September 2019, we will sell our own products .”

http://punchng.com/dangote-begins-installation-of-oil-refinery-equipment/

Prominent individuals and eminent persons , groups , on Wednesday , hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for suspending the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr. David Lawal; and the Director -General of National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke .
Among the groups that commended the President for suspending the SGF are the Socio -Economic Rights Accountability Project, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders.

The suspension of Lawal and the NIA boss was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity , Mr. Femi Adesina .

While Lawal was suspended in connection with the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on North - East , Oke was suspended in connection with the uncovering of $ 43 m (about N 13 bn) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Osborne Towers , Ikoyi , Lagos , over which the NIA has made a claim.

According to the statement , Buhari has ordered that thorough investigations be conducted into the allegations against the two top government officials .
The President therefore set up a three - man committee , comprising the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami (SAN ); the National Security Adviser , Babagana Monguno ; and headed by Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo to investigate the allegations .

The committee has 14 days to submit its reports .
The statement read , “President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF, Mr David Babachir Lawal , in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North -East .

“ The President has also directed the suspension of the SGF from office pending the outcome of the investigations .
“ In a related development , the President has ordered a full -scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the EFCC in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi , Lagos , over which the National Intelligence Agency has made a claim .

“ The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds; how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.

“ The President has also directed the suspension of the Director -General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke , pending the outcome of the investigation .
“ A three - man committee , comprising the AGF and Minister of Justice , and the NSA , headed by the Vice -President, is to conduct both investigations .
“ The committee is to submit its reports to the President within 14 days .

“ The most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF’ s office and the most senior officer in the NIA are to act , respectively , during the period of investigation .”
Drama as Osinbajo meets suspended Lawal, Oke
A mild drama played out at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday , shortly after the Presidency announced the suspension of the SGF and the DG of NIA.

Lawal was in a meeting with Osinbajo as of the time his suspension was announced .
As he was descending the staircase of the Vice -President’s office after the meeting , the suspended SGF walked into the waiting hands of State House correspondents .

When he was asked to react to his suspension , he claimed he was not aware of the development .
The following conversation ensued between the reporters and the suspended SGF:
Your suspension has just been announced . How will you react to the development ?
Who announced it ?
The Presidency
Then ask them . Why are you asking me ? Who is the Presidency?
Have you been informed of the suspension ?
By who ? About what ? What about you ? Have you been informed ?
Yes sir.
By who ?
By the Presidency sir.
I have not seen it . I should have been given … I have not seen the press release ; so , I cannot comment on it .
It is currently trending online. Are you doubting the authenticity of the statement ?
I have not seen it .
Tell us the outcome of your meeting with the Vice -President sir.

I am always here. I always meet the Vice -President. I used to come here even before I was made the SGF.
Shortly after , Lawal was driven out of the premises in his official car , Oke also arrived the Presidential Villa.
Immediately he stepped out of his official car and sighted journalists , he was also moved to tears and turned back .

His security operatives quickly shielded him from photojournalists as he was smuggled back into his car .
They made an attempt to drive him into the forecourt of the President ’s office through the Service Chiefs ’ Gate but his convoy was denied access by the security men manning the gate .
He was then driven out of the premises .

Officials from the media office later came out to appeal to journalists to leave the area and return to the Council Chambers ’ Press Gallery .
Shortly after the area was cleared of journalists , Oke returned to meet Osinbajo.
Journalists were barred from interviewing him .
With the presence of the Monguno at the Vice -President’s Office, it is believed that the three - man committee , set up by Buhari to investigate Lawal and Oke , had started work .

SGF giving the administration a bad name – Minister
A minister , who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said the decision to suspend Lawal was part of the consensus reached at a reconciliatory meeting being held by the Presidency and the leadership of the Senate.

The frosty relationship between the Presidency and the Senate has informed the decision of the lawmakers to suspend the screening of the President’ s nominees for the positions of Resident Electoral Commissioners .
The minister said , “The President was advised to suspend the SGF because his issue was already giving the government a bad name.

“ Apart from the fact that he is not known as a major part in the APC , he is also being seen as a cog in the wheel of the government anti -corruption crusade .
“ Already, his issue has also polarised the party and the Presidency. So , in order to give a bite to the anti -corruption war, he needs to be suspended.”
Senate , Reps panels hail Buhari , lawmaker says N ’East contracts probe continues
Meanwhile , the Chairman , Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North - East , Senator Shehu Sani , on Wednesday , hailed Buhari for suspending the SGF.

Sani, in an electronic mail to The PUNCH stated , “It is commendable that the President has taken the Senate committee report and recommendations seriously. The sword of truth is not just cast and sharpened for the neck of foes but also for those of friends .

“ The Senate and the committee have nothing personal against the SGF or any person affected but we simply did our job in conformity with our constitutional responsibilities and the moral calling of our conscience . ”
When asked on the telephone if the SGF would still be expected to appear before the panel , Sani said the probe would continue and the lawmakers would decide when Lawal would appear before them .

Also , the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes described as a “welcome development ” , the President’s suspending Lawal.
The Chairman of the committee , Mr. Kayode Oladele , told The PUNCH that suspending Lawal would allow for an unfettered investigation to be carried out into the contracts.

He explained, “ It will appear that the Presidency has finally come to terms with the resolution of the Senate , calling for an investigation of the SGF.
“ It is logical that in such a situation , suspension is the best step so that the SGF does not use his position to influence the investigation .”

On the NIA ’ boss , Oladele noted that from the point of the EFCC and the law , the money found by the anti -graft agency was “ slush funds” until proven otherwise .
“ Both actions , as taken so far by the Presidency, are a welcome development , ” Oladele said .
Groups, Nigerians react to the suspension of Lawal, Oke
In separate interviews with The PUNCH on Wednesday , some groups said the suspension of the Lawal came late .

But SERAP and CDHR urged the Federal Government to charge suspended SGF and the NIA boss to court if indicted after the investigations .

The SERAP ’s Executive Director , Adetokunbo Mumuni, in an interview , said , “ Immediately the allegations against the SGF surfaced , I stressed that he should step aside . That is what obtains in saner climes and edifying environments . The same applies for the NIA DG .

“ Buhari should step up his game and take decisive actions against them . If the two government officials are eventually indicted , they should be taken to court . Let them have their day in court . This should not just be suspension for suspension sake .”

The CDHR President , Malachy Ugwumadu , said though the Presidency’s action was belated , the two suspended officials must face court action if the allegations against them were established .
He said , “ By and large , it goes to show that this is a government that still wants to fight corruption. We welcome this development . We urge the panel to thoroughly investigate the allegations .’’

In his reaction , the Executive Chairman, CACOL , Mr. Debo Adeniran, said , “ It is a step in the right direction . The suspension of the SGF is belated ; it ought to have been done right from when the news broke out that he spent so much in cutting grasses at the IDP camp .
“ As for the Director -General of the NIA, it is the best thing the government could do to save face and to prove that it is not treating corruption with deodorant rather than using insecticide . That is the way to go .”

A prominent lawyer , Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN ), described the suspension of the SGF and the DG of NIA as a “ good riddance to a bad rubbish ” .
He said , “I am sure the government is beginning to listen to my critical but patriotic voice .
“ We cannot continue to be a laughing stock in the international arena. The chicken is finally coming home to roost . I congratulate PMB on this move, even if belated .”

A former Chairman of the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association , Mr. Chijioke Okoli (SAN ), said although the suspension of the SGF was belated , it was a step in the right direction .
Okoli canvassed support for the President over the actions taken against Lawal and Oke .
The SAN said , “Regarding that of the SGF, my point is that it is extremely belated but it is welcome . It should have been done a long time ago. I think the SGF’ s continued stay in office has done massive disservice to the government.

“ On the NIA DG , for the President to have suspended him , now means that it is actually true as reported by the media that the NIA was laying claim to the money . I had said the NIA should tell its story that it had been keeping the money for covert operations , to the marines. The story doesn’t add up .

“ I think suspending him in the present circumstance even without knowing the entire facts is justified. ”
A member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic , Dr . Junaid Mohammed , said though the suspension of the SGF and the NIA boss was coming a little too late , it was better than nothing.
Mohammed stated , “As far as I am concerned , it is certainly better than nothing.

“ But you can see clearly from the way the suspensions were announced , it was done out of pressure and a sense of appeasement for public opinion . He should take a step further by identifying others and flushing them out of the system. ”
A SAN , Mallam Yusuf Ali , described the suspension of the SGF and the NIA boss as a good development .
Ali stated , “I think the President has done what is expected of him because the man is holding such a high office and he was indicted by the Senate for the IDP ( contract) issue , he had no moral authority anymore .
‘‘Although his suspension was long overdue , the President did it eventually. I salute the President for that .”

The Executive Secretary of the Anti -Corruption Network , Ebenezer Oyetakin , said the suspension of the SGF was overdue .
He said , “ The suspension of the SGF is coming rather too late , but it is better late than never . This is because , beyond the issue of corruption, he is making the government lack rhythm of governance due to total lack of co -ordination .’’

He stated that Oke ’s case was outrageous , adding that the NIA seemed to have outlived its usefulness . Also , the Board Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (popularly called Intersociety) , Emeka Umeaghalasi, said there was nothing wrong with the suspension .
‘‘The matter at hand is purely criminal , requiring the requisite criminal interrogation for the purpose of finding out criminal motives behind the possible guilty acts , ’’ he said.


http://punchng.com/nassembly-panels-sans-others-hail-suspension-of-sgf-nia-boss/

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, will become the largest exporter of rice in the world by 2021.
Adesina said this at the Mo Ibrahim Forum in Morocco at the weekend.

He said Africa should focus on agriculture to drive growth and employment on the continent.
Adesina, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalled that during his tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Dangote decided to invest in local production of rice due to government’s import substitution policies.

He said Dangote initially planned a $300 million investment in production and processing of rice in Nigeria but later changed it to $1 billion three months after.
“If they continue that policy, he would probably be the single largest producer of rice in the world in about four years.

“The reason I was so excited about that is that agriculture is cool; agriculture is a business and agriculture pays,” Adesina said.
Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, said he ventured into rice cultivation because of government’s interest to revive agriculture as the mainstay of the economy and reduce importation of food that could be produced locally.

He lamented that Nigeria consumes 6.5 million metric tonnes of rice which costs the nation over $2 billion annually and commended government’s policy that encourages private sector’s active participation in agriculture.

“In the next three years, we want to produce one million tonnes of quality rice, make it available and affordable to the people.
“We hope to do 150,000 hectares and when we are done, Nigeria will not have anything to do with importation of rice,” Dangote said.

According to him, Dangote Rice Outgrowers Scheme is committed to creating employment, increasing incomes of smallholders farmers and ensuring food security in the country.

He said to achieve the goal, the scheme would provide high quality seeds, fertilisers, agro-chemicals and technical assistance on the best agricultural practice to farmers.

“This scheme will help to diversify the economy, alleviate poverty and reduce the nation’s import bill.
“The scheme has been designed as a one-stop solution for the rice value chain,” Dangote stated.
The pilot phase of the Dangote Outgrowers Scheme launched in Sokoto State would create jobs for 16,000 rice farmers in the state.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/04/18/afdb-president-predicts-dangote-will-become-largest-world-rice-exporter/

Human Rights lawyer and activist, Festus Keyamo, has lauded the whistleblowing policy of the Federal Government as an effective tool in tackling corruption.

Keyamo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, that the various revelations about money stashed in some places were the positive effect of the whistle blowing and that Nigerian will witness more shocking cases.

“People are now ready to blow whistle, the populace now have confidence in assisting the government to fight corruption through whistleblowing.

“The war against corruption which seemed to be lost is now turning back to a win situation and revival for the country. The only warning is that we are not yet there but we have taken a huge step forward.
“Whistleblowing is very good and everybody is now a watchdog. I commend the policy, a situation whereby everybody can raise alarm and also alert the Economic Financial and Crime Commission (EFCC).

“We are gradually winning but we are not there yet as there are many things to be done in this regard,’’ he said.

Keyamo said that though whistleblowing had recorded some success stories, there must be deligent investigation before trial in court to forestall loss of corruption cases.

“The second part of the anti-corruption fight is that we must strengthen the arm of prosecution if we don’t want corruption cases as an exercise in futility.
“The investigative part of the alleged crime must be diligent so that by the time people are taken to court, the case is solid enough and it will be easy for the prosecution to do the job.

“In most cases, by the time the case gets to the prosecutor, the case is hazardly done. But on the other way round, investigation should have been properly carried out and prosecutor will do his part.
“Investigation must be thorough before it gets to the prosecutors, it is important that investigations are well sorted out so that the prosecution becomes easy,’’ he said.

NAN

http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/17/keyamo-says-nigerians-will-witness-shocking-whistle-blowing/

ABUJA—THERE is palpable anxiety as the National Assembly has failed to fulfill its promise of presenting to Nigerians a new constitution which it said would be ready between February and March this year.

However, the two chambers are expected to hold a joint retreat on April 26 to put finishing touches to the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
Besides, Nigerians should not expect to see a new constitution in one full swoop as the ad-hoc committee on constitution amendment has said that the review would be done piecemeal to avoid the 7th Assembly’s experience, where the amendment was concluded and former President Goodluck Jonathan refused to assent to it because of some contentious sections.

Recall that at the working session/retreat of the House Committee on Constitution Review in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in December last year, Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, Yussuff Lasun, had assured that a new constitution would be ready between February and March this year.
Lasun, who is also Deputy Speaker of the House, had explained that the decision to conclude the alteration on time was to give the Presidency ample time to go through it for assent.

He also said to make the constitution amendment process more flexible and practicable, the 4th Alteration Bill had been segmented into 14 bills, while the House was considering over 30 bills referred to the committee by the 8th Assembly.

He said: “It pleases me to inform you that the committee has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Fourth Alteration Bill is given speedy passage and subsequent assent by the President.
“We will round off our work between February and March 2017, to give the President ample time to go through the amendment for his assent.

“In order to make the amendment process more flexible and practicable, the 4th Alteration Bill has been segmented into 14 Bills and we are currently considering over 30 bills referred to the committee by the 8th Assembly.

“Having considered the reasons the Alteration Bill in the 7th Assembly was declined by the President, we have decided that the process should commence de-novo and fast-tracked to ensure a timely passage of the bills.”

Holds retreat April 26

Vanguard reliably gathered that the alteration will not be ready by the end of April as the joint committee of the two chambers is expected to meet on April 26, the day the National Assembly will resume plenary after the Easter break.

It was further gathered that the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee met about four days ago with Lasun and the retreat initially slated for Edo State will no longer hold, although no reason had been given for the change of venue.

Speaking to Vanguard, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Wole Oladimeji, explained that after the retreat on April 26, members will be expected to go to their constituencies for public hearing to collate views from their constituents and it will be submitted to the committee to work on to produce a clean copy.

He said: “At the meeting of the Special Ad-hoc Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, the chairman of the committee, Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff, told members of the committee that they are almost at the final stage of the exercise and that they should, therefore, be more serious with the amendment process.

“The meeting concluded that a joint retreat with the Senate Committee on the review would hold by April 26. After the retreat, members would go to their various constituencies to collate views of the public on the exercise.

“Therefore, the 4th Alteration Bill and some other referrals would be concluded for passage as soon as the report is ready. Both the committee and consultants are working hard to ensure speedy passage of the report.”

Senate has finished work on review since Dec
Also explaining the position of the alteration, the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu, said the Senate presented its own update on the amendment before proceeding on Easter break, adding that the Senate had since December finished work on the review.

He also said experts hired by the two chambers had met and harmonised their positions and that the Senate and House committees will soon meet for the adoption of the harmonised version.
Vanguard further gathered that after the harmonisation by the committees, it would be sent to the committee of the whole for final voting on some of the amendments.

Contemporary issues

Some contemporary issues for constitutional review are control over natural and fiscal resources within the federal structure as balance of power is said to be too heavily tilted in favour of the central government.
The issue of local government creation and the constitutional conflict it has generated in the operations of the 1999 constitution is also another area that will be given attention.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the constitution review recently in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media, said the amendment would be concluded in earnest to further reform the nation’s electoral system.

He also said the alteration would also reposition the local government system, devolve more powers to the states, and reform the judicial system.
Ekweremadu said experts working with the House of Representatives and the Senate Committees on the Constitution amendment project had already harmonised the positions of the two committees, ahead of their joint retreat to vote and adopt the proposals before presenting them to both chambers of the National Assembly for approval and subsequently to the state assemblies for ratification.

Ekweremadu said: “The idea is for every pre-election matter to be filed not later than 14 days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action being complained of in the suit.
“We are also looking at ensuring that judgment in every pre-election matter is delivered in writing within 180 days from the date of filing of the suit, while the appeal from a decision in a pre-election matter shall be filed within 14days from the date of delivery of the judgment that is being appealed. An appeal from a decision of a Court in a pre-election matter shall be heard and disposed of within 60 days from the date of filing of the appeal.

“Again, we seek to alter the Section to provide that where a preliminary objection or any other interlocutory issue touching on the jurisdiction of the tribunal or court or on the competence of the petition itself is raised by a party, the tribunal or court shall suspend ruling thereon and deliver same at the stage of final judgment. This is to ensure that no court stays proceedings on account of an interlocutory issue.”

He also explained that Sections 134(4) and (5), 179 (4) and (5) as well as Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution were proposed for amendment to extend the time for conducting presidential and Governorship re-run elections from seven to 21 days to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adequate time to prepare.

Ekweremadu said the proposed amendments will also empower INEC to de-register political parties, which breach registration requirements or those which fail to win at least one of presidential, governorship, local government chairmanship elections or a seat in the National or State Assembly elections.

On the nation’s federalism, Ekweremadu stated that there were plans to amend the Second Schedule, Part I of the Constitution, to restructure the legislative lists and ensure proper devolution of powers to allow states the needed leverage and room to take initiatives for competitive development.

He said Pensions, Prisons, Railways, Stamp Duties, and Wages would be moved from the Exclusive Legislative List, while Arbitration, Environment, Healthcare, Housing, Prisons, Railways, Road Safety, Land and Agriculture, Youths, Public Complaints, and Aviation would be added to them to constitute the Concurrent List.

On Judicial reforms, he said the National Assembly proposing, among others, amendments to Section 233 of the Constitution to provide for the disposal of applications for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court by three Justices sitting in chambers, if they believed an oral hearing of the application was not required.

Also up for amendment is Paragraph Twelve, Third Schedule dealing with the Federal Judicial Service Commission. Senator Ekweremadu said the proposal here was to alter the composition of the commission by removing the Attorney-General of the Federation from its membership, while the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court would become the deputy chairman of the commission.

Also, membership of the Nigerian Bar Association in the commission is to be increased from two to four, while the tenure of members of the commission would become non-renewable.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/constitution-review-anxiety-nass-fails-meet-deadline/

Five days after $ 43.4 m, £ 27, 000 and N 23 m (about N 13 bn ) was uncovered in a building in Ikoyi , Lagos , the controversy surrounding the huge cash had yet to be resolved as of Sunday.

While the relevant agencies of government , who should unveil the identities of the owners of the seized funds, have maintained an undignified silence , the blame game on who stashed the money in the Ikoyi , Lagos apartment continued.

On Sunday, the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof . Itse Sagay (SAN ), asked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to present evidence of ownership of the $ 43 .4 m, £ 27, 000 and N 23 m ( about N 13 bn) uncovered in a house in Ikoyi , Lagos , by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last Wednesday.

Also on Sunday, Wike sought divine intervention on the seized cash while the PDP insisted that the ruling All Progressives Congress used part of Rivers State money to fund its electioneering in 2015.
After the seizure of the money by the EFCC on Wednesday last week , the commission had gone before a Federal High Court in Lagos where it claimed that no one had come forward to claim the cash and obtained an interim forfeiture order .
The court then ordered that the money would be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government if no one came forward within 30 days to show proof that he or she owned the cash.

The National Intelligence Agency had also gone to President Muhammadu Buhari to claim ownership of the funds and also reportedly present documents as evidence that the funds were approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, Wike , on Friday , claimed the money belonged to the Rivers State Government but was stolen and stashed in the Ikoyi house by his predecessor and current Minister of Transportation , Rotimi Amaechi.

The governor had earlier said the money was proceed from the sale of gas turbine belonging to Rivers State by Amaechi.
Amaechi had dismissed Wike ’ s claim , describing it as reckless and unfounded , saying he ( Amaechi) knew nothing about the seized billions .
Speaking with one of our correspondents on Sunday, Sagay said Wike must present evidence that the cash belonged to the Rivers State Government or else he would not be taken seriously.

He said , “ The court has already given an order that the seizure should be advertised and anybody , who has an interest or thinks he is the owner, should come in and file an affidavit and explain the basis upon which he is claiming the money.

“ So , if Rivers State is serious about what it is saying , it has a fair opportunity to present its case . This should not be a matter of politics . This is something that has to be legally established ; not politics of attack .
“ They ( state officials ) need to file an affidavit to establish ownership and if they can’t , they will lose . So , they have an avenue to establish ownership now and let them go ahead.

“ The Rivers matter is pure politics as far as I am concerned . Since the NIA has claimed ownership , all they need to do is to go to court and present documents and satisfactorily convince the courts that it owns the money and it was obtained legitimately .”

But Wike , on Sunday, called on Christians in the state to seek God ’s intervention over the seized $ 43m.
Wike explained that this was necessary in order to ensure that the Federal Government returned the money to the state government .
Speaking during an Easter service at Saint Peter ’ s Anglican Church in Rumuepirikom , Wike said the church had the responsibility to pray for God to touch the Federal Government of Nigeria to return the money to the state ’s coffers.

“ We need the prayer of the church because there is nothing that prayer cannot do . Pray that God should touch the government of Nigeria so that it will return the money to us . What we are interested in is for the money to come back to us , ” he stressed.

Wike pointed out that contrary to the allegations by Amaechi, he had not declared war on the Federal Government .
According to him , the Rivers State Government is simply requesting the return of the seized funds to the state .
He said , “ I cannot declare war on the Federal Government . Anybody bringing Buhari ’s name should leave Buhari and face his own problems . The issue is who kept the money at the Ikoyi residence ?
“ The money was kept there by the Minister of Transportation , Rotimi Amaechi. No amount of blackmail ; no amount of distraction will stop us from getting our money. ”

Wike argued that “ the selective war on corruption ” would not help the development of the country .
The Vicar of Saint Peter ’s Anglican Church , Rumuepirikom , Venerable Israel Omosioni , prayed God to grant the request of Rivers people for the Ikoyi billions to be returned .

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party , led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi , has described as a circus show the uncovering of huge sums of money of various currencies and denominations on daily basis without any trace of the owners.

This was contained in a statement by the National Publicity of the sacked National Caretaker Committee of the party , Mr . Dayo Adeyeye , and made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

The faction stated , “ The most absurd of this charade is the macabre dance on the so called $ 43, 449, 947, £ 27, 800 and N 23 , 218 , 000, purportedly recovered at an apartment in Osborne Road, Ikoyi , Lagos .
“ The government is at a crossroad as the whistle -blower and the EFCC are now shying away from telling Nigerians who own the money because undeniable evidence links the money to the proceeds from the sale of turbines by the former Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Transport , Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

“ It has also been revealed that part of that proceeds was used by Mr. Amaechi to prosecute the campaigns of the APC in 2015 .”

On government ’s war on corruption, he said the policy had also failed , alleging that it was designed to punish and humiliate members of the PDP alone .
He said this was why many of such cases had been set aside and suspects discharged and acquitted while others remained in the custody of both the EFCC and the Department of State Services without trial.

He said , “ Nigerians may also recall the several allegations of corruption made against prominent APC members that the anti - graft agency has not attended to.
“ The Chairman of EFCC , Mr . Ibrahim Magu , has been rejected twice by the Nigerian Senate because of damning corruption allegations against him made by another agency of government.

“ The same with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari , the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr. Babachir Lawal, and a host of other government officials against whom very serious allegations have been made .
“ None of them has been subjected to the usual interrogations and investigation . ”
He said the claim by the Director -General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency that the agency owns the money “ found” in a private residence was another bad comedy by the APC administration.

The faction said it was astonished at Buhari ’s claim that he had met the expectations of Nigerians , stating that what was on the ground did not tally with the President’s claim .
It argued that the claim of victory over Boko Haram by the Buhari regime was also not true.
Adeyeye said the government was merely using the arms which he said were bought by the regime of the late Umaru Yar ’Adua and Jonathan for the counter -insurgency operations.

He said , “ The Jonathan administration set out to rebuild the region by establishing the Presidential Initiative for the North - East .
“ This initiative covered all sectors in the rehabilitation efforts for the zone with comprehensive project cost and partnership .
“ This project was later inherited by President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians will note how PINE under the APC ’s watch has fared .
“ It has been a monumental disaster with allegations of contract awards to ghost companies and grass -cutters while the IDPs endure daily hardship and starvation.

“ Tragically , we have yet to see the outcome of the investigation into the Nigerian fighter jet that bombed the IDP camp in Borno State killing more than 200 persons .”

Adeyeye , a former Minister of State for Works, claimed that the PDP defeated Boko Haram before it handed over power in 2015, adding that it also reduced kidnapping and other anti - social vices in the country and there was peace in Nigeria as of May 2015.
He lamented that the country was also facing another menace of insecurity in the name of herdsmen , which he said were attacking and displacing communities across the country.

“ Suicide is also gradually becoming a household name in Nigeria as citizens, who cannot cope with the current harsh economic conditions have resorted to taking their own lives , ” he added.
Nigerians have moved beyond PDP ’s torn umbrella –Presidency
But the Presidency said Nigerians had moved beyond the torn umbrella of the opposition PDP .
It said contrary to the party ’s spurious claim , the people were appreciative of Buhari ’s work and were expecting more which would come.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity , Mr. Femi Adesina , said this while responding to a statement by the PDP , in which the party scored Buhari low in terms of performance.
Adesina wondered whether the statement was issued by the “ authentic” PDP or “ the spurious .”
The presidential spokesman said to begin to talk of the PDP which he described as a “ house of commotion” was a mere distraction.

He said , “ Which faction of PDP issued the statement , the authentic or the spurious?
“ By the way, Nigerians have moved beyond the torn umbrella and are appreciative of what President Muhammadu Buhari is doing and expecting more , which will surely come.

“ To talk of the ‘house of commotion’ called PDP now is mere distraction .”
Address Nigerians on seized N 13 bn , SERAP tells Buhari
Meanwhile , human rights advocacy group, Socio -Economic Rights and Accountability Project, says Buhari needs to speak on the recovered N 13 bn in order to clear the controversy surrounding the ownership of the funds.
The group, in a statement on Sunday by its Executive Director , Adetokunbo Mumuni, said heaven would not fall if the government unveiled the real owner of the recovered funds.
It argued that government could not afford to keep the citizen speculating on the real owner of the funds, stressing that the new whistle - blower’ s policy must be matched with transparency.
“ Democracy abhors secrecy , and for Nigerians to be able to hold elected leaders accountable , they must have access to information such as on the real identities of those behind the Ikoyi cash haul .
“ This transparency is fundamental to the operation of the government ’s whistle - blower policy, and inextricably rooted in the notions of good governance and the rule of law under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution ( as amended ), ” SERAP stated.

It argued that keeping the nation in the dark on an issue such as the ownership of the Ikoyi funds was counter - productive to the government ’s anti - corruption fight .
SERAP stated that this would encourage lack of accountability and would give the impression that there was something the government was hiding from the masses.

It added , “ Public scrutiny is a prerequisite for changing harmful , entrenched practices . Rather than operating the whistle -blowers policy as hidden , mysterious mechanism at the far edge of democracy , this government should make the operation of policy more transparent and accessible to the public.

“ It ’s clear that as the EFCC continues to uncover more suspected looted or ill -gotten cash, those blowing the whistle will need greater level of protection.

But without outlawing retaliation and attacks against whistle -blowers, and taking a firm stance on protecting them , the incentive of bounty rewards would be negated, as potential whistle- blowers may be discouraged from performing invaluable public interest service .”

http://punchng.com/seized-n13bn-present-evidence-of-ownership-sagay-tells-wike/

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has vowed to continue his fight against corruption irrespective of those affected.

Magu made the remark on Thursday during an interactive session with staff of the commission to mark its 14th year anniversary.
The anti-graft agency boss declared that the commission was determined to wipe out corruption from Nigeria.

According to Magu, “We will continue to fight corruption whether anybody likes it or not. Because, we know that, that is the only way we can bring succor to this country. Now that we have found ourselves in this position, please, let us put heads together.
“My door is completely open. If something is going on wrong, please come and tell me. If you don’t want to show your face, just write a letter to me. Information is very important. I am alone, if you don’t tell me what is wrong, I would not know.

“I don’t want to know what is right, just tell us how we can correct the system itself, because the system needs correction every day. People are complaining about corruption in the EFCC, which is not good. We should not allow some individuals to spoil our names here.”

Urging operatives of the commission to approach the anti-graft selflessly, in the interest of the nation, Magu disclosed that the successes of the commission were being celebrated in the international communities.
“If you go to United States of America and the United Kingdom, they are all awash with news about us because of this Malabu case.

“So we are succeeding. Be part of the success. Forget about your own interest. Consider the overall interest of this country and the interest of the nation,” he said


https://www.nairaland.com/newtopic?board=20

A former chairman of the People's Democratic Party, Adamu Muazu, has finally admitted that he is the owner of 16 Osborne Road in Ikoyi, Lagos where agents of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently discovered a hoard of $50 million in cash.

Mr. Muazu admitted to owning the building in a telephone conversation between his London-based aide, Akin Oyegoke, and a correspondent of SaharaReporters.

Nigerians, as well as other observers, have been scandalized since news broke yesterday that EFCC agents, acting on a tipoff from whistleblowers, raided the apartment in the upscale Ikoyi suburb of Lagos and found staggering sums of cash in US dollars, British pounds sterling as well as the naira, Nigeria’s currency. The stash of cash was found behind safes placed behind a false wall in Apartment 7B.

The EFCC has yet to officially reveal the owner of the money. However, a senior source at the anti-corruption agency had told SaharaReporters that the cash possibly belonged to Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, an erstwhile director of retail at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Ms. Nnamdi-Ogbue was sacked three days ago over a scandal involving the illegal sale of 130 million liters of gasoline belonging to the NNPC. An EFCC investigator claimed that the fired NNPC executive colluded with a controversial oil marketer, Ifeanyi Ubah, to enable the latter’s Capital Oil Company to sell the NNPC gasoline. Mr. Ubah is currently under detention in Abuja by agents of the Department of State Security (DSS).

However, earlier today Ms. Ogbue denied ownership of the funds but claimed that the owners were well known. One source stated that the apartment where the hoard of cash was discovered belonged to one of the daughters of a top PDP official, Anthony Anenih.

However, Mr. Muazu contacted SaharaReporters through his UK-based aide, Akin Oyegoke, and admitted that he built the house and began selling apartment units to buyers. He also claimed that the building still has some empty apartments yet to be sold.

He also admitted that he reserved the penthouse at the building for his personal use.
Mr. Oyegoke would not disclose Mr. Muazu’s whereabouts but merely said that the former PDP chairman travels between Nigeria and several international destinations.

Mr. Muazu had initially denied the ownership of the property until SaharaReporters revealed the fact that a construction company, ETCO, which built the apartment complex listed him on their website as the owner/client.


http://saharareporters.com/2017/04/13/former-pdp-chairman-finally-admits-ownership-building-where-efcc-found-50m

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointments of Chief Executives and Directors for twenty three Federal Government Agencies.
The list was released Thursday night.

The names of the new appointees and the agencies are as follows:

S/N ORGANIZATION APPOINTEE DESIGNATION

1) National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
Barrister Julie Okah-Donli – Director-General

2) National Centre for Women Development (NCWD)
Barrister Mary Ikpere-Eta – Director-General

3) Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)
Bayo Somefun – Managing Director
Tijani Suleiman – Executive Director
Mr. Jasper Azuatalam – Executive Director
Kemi Nelson – Executive Director

4) Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB)
Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa – Managing Director
Melvin Eboh – Executive Director (Org. Resourcing)
Hajiya Rahimatu Aliyu – Executive Director (Loans Department, Securities Issuance and Market Development)
Umaru Abdullahi Dankane – Executive Director (Policy and Strategy Loans Set-Up and Pay Off)

5) Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE)
Alex Okoh – Director General

6) Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA)
Abdulkadir Saidu Umar – Executive Secretary

7) National Park Service (NPS)
Ibrahim Musa Goni – Conservator-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

8] Service Compact (SERVICOM)
Nnenna A. Akajemeli – National Coordinator/CEO

9) National Directorate of Employment (NDE)
Dr. Nasiru Mohammed Ladan – Director General

10) Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS)
Saliu Dada Alabi – Director General

11) National Research Institute for Chemical Technology
Professor Jef. T. Barminas – Director General

12) Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER)
Dr. Haruna Yerima – Director General

13) Nigeria Insurance Commission (NAICOM)
Sunday Thomas – Deputy Commissioner

14) Consumer Protection Council
Tunde Erukera – Executive Secretary

15) Federal Character Commission
Barr. Mohammed Bello Tukur – Secretary

16) National Pension Commission (PENCOM)
Dikko Aliyu Abdulrahman – Director-General (Subject to Senate Confirmation)
Funso Doherty – Chairman
Akin Akinwale – Executive Commissioner
Abubakar Zaki Magawata – Executive Commissioner
Ben Oviosun – Executive Commissioner
Nyerere Ayim – Executive Commissioner

17) Federal Capital Development Authority
Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin – Executive Secretary

18) Nigeria Agriculture Insurance Corporation
Mrs. Folashade Joseph – Managing Director

19) Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON)
Cecilia Umaru Gaya, mni – Director General

20) Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board
Mrs. Luci Ajayi – Executive Secretary

21) Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority
Barrister Emmanuel Jimme – Managing Director

22) Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission
Lanre Gbajabiamila – Director General

23) Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council
Jalani Aliyu – Director General



http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/13/buhari-appoints-heads-23-federal-agencies-full-list/

A suspended member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has faulted the payslip published by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as understating his emoluments.

He said that if the payslip published by the speaker was authentic, it means he as a member earns more than the speaker, who is the head and presiding officer of the House.

Mr. Jibrin stated this in a series of tweets early Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Mr. Dogara published his payslips in response to a challenge by Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
“If what I saw is the authentic payslip of Mr Speaker, it means I earn more than him from what I see in my salary statement of account” Mr. Jibrin tweeted.
“Perhaps I have been overpaid,” Mr. Jibrin added.
The lawmaker said he has requested for his payslip from National Assembly and will publish it alongside his monthly salary statement of account.

He, however, agreed with the response of Mr. Dogara to Governor El-Rufai, saying the National Assembly has agencies under it too.

“As regard NASS budget, I completely agree with paragraph 9, 10 and 11 but will raise issues on paragraph 5, 6, and the payslip,” Mr. Jibrin tweeted.
“The statement failed to address the call by Nigerians and majority of members for Mr. Speaker to disclose details of our internal budget.

“Beside salaries, allowances and running cost, no member has details of about 20 other expenditure heads captured in Namdas statement.
“I am aware majority of members feel terribly embarrassed and are presently insisting on having access to the internal budget of the House”
“The details of INEC budget does not just ‘exist elsewhere’. The NASS scrutinizes and approves details of INEC budget every year

“Mr Speaker, you know that NILS HQ is not completely funded from NASS allocation but part funded by FG under service wide vote.”
Messrs. Jibrin and Dogara, formerly close allies, have been at loggerheads for almost a year, which lead to the former’s subsequent suspension.
Mr. Jibrin was the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, but was removed to set off the events that culminated in his one year suspension from the House.

He raised issues of padding of the 2016 federal budget against Mr. Dogara and other officials who denied the accusations.
He was replaced as chairman of the appropriations committee by Mustapha Bala (APC-Kano) who was the chairman of House Committee on Housing.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/228670-jibrin-faults-dogaras-published-payslips.html

The presidency on Tuesday gave the clearest indication yet that it would not succumb to the Senate and remove Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the anti-graft EFCC.

The Senate recently refused to screen presidential nominees for the position of the resident electoral commissioners, saying it would not do so until Mr. Magu is removed as Acting EFCC Chairman. The Senate had twice rejected the president’s request to confirm Mr. Magu.

But speaking at an interview with PREMIUM TIMES and other journalists and activists on Tuesday night, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Mr. Magu enjoys the confidence of he and the president.
“I’m fully in support of Magu as the EFCC Chairman just as the president is…” Mr Osinbajo said.
Speaking on the Senate rejection, the vice president said “it is up to the Senate to make their judgement. If our candidate is rejected, …, we can represent our candidate.”

The Senate, while rejecting Mr. Magu the second time had said it would no longer consider him if his name is sent again by the president.
But Mr. Osinbajo gave the clearest indication yet that Mr. Magu may remain in acting capacity as EFCC Chairman for the duration of the Buhari administration.
“I fully agree with Mr. (Femi) Falana that there was no need in the first place to have presented Mr. Magu for confirmation,” he said making reference to the Section 171 of the constitution.

The Vice President said although the EFCC Act requires that an EFCC chairman be confirmed by the Senate, part of Section 171 of the constitution, which is superior to the act, does not mandate such Senate confirmation.

The vice president also described the State Security Service’ action of writing a report against a presidential nominee (Mr. Magu) to the Senate as “a robust expression of our institutions of government.”
He said it shows that the administration does not interfere in the works of its security agencies, making reference to the U.S. where the FBI wrote a report against the U.S. President Donald Trump.

“He (President Buhari) has not interfered with what the DSS want to say,” Mr. Osinbajo said.
Mr. Osinbajo said President Buhari merely studied the SSS (also called DSS) report and reviewed Mr. Magu’s response which he found satisfactory.

“The president looked at what Magu said and what the DSS wrote and he said, ‘I am satisfied with what Magu said.”

A PREMIUM TIMES review of the SSS allegations had shown that most of them were inaccurate .
The controversy over Mr. Magu, who is opposed by majority of senators, some of whom have corruption cases, is one of the issues affecting the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

The Federal Executive Council recently set up a committee headed by Mr. Osinbajo to discuss with the National Assembly leadership and try to end the rift. The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, also got involved in the negotiation.

At a meeting between the APC leadership and the party’s National Assembly caucus, some senators had requested the corruption trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki be dropped for there to be a smooth working relationship with the executive. Mr. Saraki is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false asset declaration with many of the evidence used against him believed to have been sourced by the EFCC.

The Senate President has, however, denied any wrongdoing and said he believed the trial would collapse.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/228617-magu-to-remain-acting-efcc-chairman-as-presidency-declares-full-support-for-anti-corruption-chief.html

Booked

N-POWER: HOW TO EXIT N-POWER PROGRAM

1. Kindly write a formal resignation letter to N-Power through your State focal person.

2. The state focal person will scan your letter and send it to selection@npower.gov.ng

3.We will acknowledge and discontinue you from the Programme.


Best of Luck.....!!

Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Nasir El-Rufai, has responded to the call made by Mr. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, that the Kaduna State government should disclose details of its security votes and local government expenditure. Mr. Dogara's call was a response to Mr. El-Rufai’s request to the National Assembly (NASS) to lift the cloak of opacity by providing further details the on N115 billion 2016 NASS budget.

Responding to Mr. Dogara via a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media and Publicity), Mr. Sam Aruwan, the Kaduna State governor said he welcomed Mr. Dogara's challenge because such is necessary to strengthen the country's democracy.

Specifically, El-Rufai told the House of Representatives Speaker that the budgets of all state governments in Nigeria are detailed and presented under the headings of personnel cost, overhead and capital expenditure which, unlike the NASS budget, is a single-line item of over N100 billion. The governor also noted the the federal legislative budget discloses no information or details.

"NASS can, at least, break down its own single-line budget into the hundreds of line items that are detailed in every state government budget in Nigeria. It is disingenuous to respond to every request for transparency by casting aspersions," said Mr. El-Rufai.
He explained that the Kaduna State government has regularly made public all its budget details.

"In 2016, in an unprecedented step, the state published not only its own budget, but also that of all the 23 local government councils online on the www.openkaduna.com.ng website. The local government budgets provide details of the recurrent and capital spending of every single local government in a transparent manner. The proposed 2017 local government budgets, currently before the State Assembly, are also already online on the same website, and on www.kdsg.gov.ng . Approved State Budgets 2016-2017 can be found on http://openkaduna.com.ng/Budget/approved-budget ," the Kaduna State governor stated. He invited Mr. Dogara to download the budgets and go through at his convenience.

On the subject of security votes, Mr. El-Rufai said if Mr. Dogara had bothered to conduct an online search, he would have found the details of the state government's spending priorities on security.

The governor explained that the Kaduna Comprehensive Security Architecture (KADCoSA), which shapes security spending, rests on four pillars: Justice, Technology, Community Engagement and Support to Security Agencies.

"The 2017 budget details specific amounts N1.5billion for the procurement and installation of CCTV cameras for monitoring and surveillance towards reducing criminal activities within the metropolis; N193million for procurement of Geo-position Interceptor and location of GSM UMTS System to check the trends and Intercept/locate kidnappers’ GSM calls N265 million for the procurement of drones/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to identify locations of armed bandits in our forest reserves across the state and the establishment of a forensic laboratory to assist in determining substantial evidence in cases that otherwise proved difficult. In addition, N2.6billon is allocated in 2017 to support the network of federal security agencies in Kaduna with communications, logistics and materials," the governor further stated.

He equally told Mr. Dogara that details of actual spending in 2015 for security and every line item in the state budgets are also publicly available via the annual report of the Kaduna State Accountant-General, which is accessible on www.kdsg.gov.ng . The 2015 accounts of the state, he added, have been audited, while the audit summary was published in major newspapers and on the state website on 21 June 2016.

In addition, said El-Rufai, the Accountant-General's report for 2016 has been finalized and its audit is ongoing and will be published as usual.
"The audited state government accounts can also be found on http://openkaduna.com.ng/Budget/audited. The Kaduna State government will continue to remain transparent and open in all its finances. That is what we have promised to all our people and that is what our party, the APC and our President stand for," said Mr. El-Rufai.

In an apparent bid to reinforce his claim of transparency, Mr. El-Rufai made public his pay slip, which shows he earns a net salary of N470,521.74. See the pay slip below:

http://saharareporters.com/2017/04/10/el-rufai-releases-details-security-budget-pay-slip-challenges-national-assembly-disclose

Senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, has described the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose as an “agent of destabilisation”, who is out to destroy the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before defecting from the party.

Addressing newsmen on Sunday, Kashamu said he once alerted leaders of the party of Fayose’s inordinate ambition to destroy the party.
Kashamu also likened the party to a barracks “where soldiers come and go, and the barracks remains.”

According to the lawmaker, “I had always known that Fayose has an agenda and alerted our leaders and elders to his agenda of either having his way or destroying the PDP before he leaves for God knows where.

“Now that he is letting the cat out of the bag, I can only say that Fayose has exposed himself.
“He has shown that he is the real agent of destabilisation. He is one of those who want to kill the PDP before he defects. However, it should be clearly pointed out that PDP was not founded because of Fayose or any of us. Whether anyone leaves or not, the party will remain. It will not die.

“The truth of the matter is that the leadership crisis in the PDP was designed and orchestrated because of the inordinate ambition of some people, especially those who are exiting office next year.”


http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/10/fayose-destroy-pdp-decamping-another-party-sen-kashamu/

Fresh requests by the Executive and delays by the committees of the National Assembly have stalled the passage of the 2017 budget , according to information available to The PUNCH on Sunday.
Findings indicated that the budget size of N 7 .298 tn might increase in order to accommodate the fresh requests .

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier set March 30 as the date they would pass the budget , but later made a U -turn.

For instance , at the House , after the various standing committees failed three times to meet deadlines set by the Speaker , Mr. Yakubu Dogara, it said the March 30 date was no longer sacrosanct.

Investigations by The PUNCH showed that lawmakers, who are scheduled to begin their Easter break tomorrow ( Tuesday ), would be unable to pass the budget because of the delays .
One senior official informed one of our correspondents that a more serious factor was the fresh requests for adjustments coming from the Executive lately .
A source stated , “ You will recall that even when President Muhammadu Buhari was away on medical vacation , the Federal Executive Council kept awarding contracts for projects not originally captured in the 2017 budget .

“ But , the projects were indicated as 2017 projects , such as road projects .”
It was learnt that another request not originally included in the budget but that would soon be sent to the National Assembly was a proposal on the settlement of the outstanding arrears owed pensioners by the Federal Government .

“ Accrued arrears owed pensioners are over N 459 bn. The committee set up by Mr . President to look into the arrears is expected to submit additional adjustments to the budget to capture a sizeable amount of the arrears . The committee is chaired by the Minister of Finance , Mrs. Kemi Adeosun , ” the source added.
The requests had reportedly delayed the work of some committees of both chambers of the National Assembly .

It was further learnt that some agencies of government too had yet to complete their budget defence before the respective committees .
“ Such committees have yet to submit their reports to the main Committee on Appropriations. This implies that the Committee on Appropriations still has no detailed budget report to present to the House , ” the source added .

The official stated that key questions had yet to be addressed by the Committee on Appropriations due to the delays .
The source explained , “For instance, will the budget size increase or reduce ? What about the benchmark price ? Are we retaining $ 42.5 ? Oil production came as 2 .2 million barrels per day. Where are we now ? The naira /dollar exchange rate : are we retaining the proposed N 305 or will it change?
“ All of these questions depend on the findings of the committees and the reports presented to the appropriations committee for analysis .”

Asked to comment on the situation , the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs , Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas , simply said that the lawmakers were working hard to pass the budget .
He stated that the House was looking towards the end of April to pass the budget .

“ What I know is that there is no guarantee that we will pass the budget before we go on the Easter break. We will attend to it by the end of this month , hopefully, ” Namdas added .
For the Senate , it was gathered that the lawmakers were also looking at April ending as the likely period to pass the budget .
“ The budget will be passed in this April, ” a senator told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity .

It was, however , learnt that while all the standing committees had submitted their reports to the Committee on Appropriations, their submissions were still not tidy enough.
Copyright PUNCH .


http://punchng.com/2017-budget-fresh-requests-delay-by-committees-stall-passage/

The Federal Government is working towards enacting the Special Crimes Act that will lead to the establishment of special courts to try cases bordering on financial crimes and kidnapping among others.
This is one of the major highlights of the Nigeria Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017 - 2020, which was unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

According to a copy of the document obtained by The PUNCH , the government is concerned that corruption remains an enormous challenge to the country.
It said the government was committed to improving transparency in the management of public resources and fighting corruption in all forms.

According to the document , the Special Crimes Act, as envisioned by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, will deal with financial crimes , kidnapping , cyber crime and drugs among others .
The document read, “The Ministry of Justice will continue the anti - corruption campaign incorporating structured programmes to encourage the use of hotlines , report incentives and offer whistle - blower protection .

“ The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission will prosecute corruption and other crimes more effectively .

“ The Ministry of Interior will strengthen the capacity of anti - corruption agencies and work towards enactment of the Special Crimes Act as envisioned by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption to deal with financial crimes , kidnapping , cyber- crimes and drugs among others .”

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , Mr . Abubakar Malami (SAN ), whose office received the Special Crimes Court Bill , 2016 from PACAC on behalf of the Federal Government , had told one of our correspondents in August 2016 , that his office was reviewing the bill .

The Special Crimes Court Bill, 2016 proposes that the proposed special court will exclusively handle corruption cases , and others , including narcotic , human trafficking, kidnapping , cybercrime, money laundering and other related offences .

The offences under the existing legal framework are being prosecuted by some law enforcement agencies , including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission in Federal High Court , state High Courts , and the Federal Capital Territory High Court .

The intention of the bill is to ensure speedy trial of the offences .
The title of the bill reads, “An Act to provide for the establishment of a Special Crimes Court as a superior court of record to allow for speedy trial of certain offences , including economic and financial crimes , terrorism, money laundering and corruption offences and for related matters .”

On public safety and security , the Federal Government is planning to promote the adoption of community policing strategies.
It is also planning to establish a National Criminal Records Registry to strengthen the Nigeria Police Force , the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Prisons Service, Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The government will also attempt to establish at least one Brigade of the Nigerian Armed Forces in every state capital across the country to fulfil the fundamental demand of the National Security Strategy .
According to the document , government will continue to streamline the number of Ministries , Departments and Agencies between now and 2020.

The continuous streamlining of the number of MDAs is meant “ to eliminate overlapping mandates and reduce public expenditure.”
The present administration had, at inception , reduced the number of ministries from 31 as obtainable under former President Goodluck Jonathan ’s administration , to 24.

The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System was also said to have been used to eliminate thousands of ‘ghost workers ’ from the Federal Government ’s payroll .
The government noted in the new plan that the efficiency of the public service would go a long way in contributing to efforts aimed at revamping the economy .

The document read, “ The extent to which the Federal Government is able to deliver on its commitments in the ERGP will depend on the effectiveness of the public service .
“ Over the years, the public service delivery has been relatively weak with poor coordination and overlapping responsibilities.

“ Other challenges include limited capacity , weak performance management systems and inadequate incentives .”
The government has therefore set policy objectives that include reducing the cost of governance and raising public service productivity by leveraging on technology.

Apart from streamlining the number of MDAs , the government also plans to complete a functional review of all MDAs to link government priorities , ministerial mandates and individual job descriptions and performance targets.

It will also reduce personnel costs and optimise overheads as well as implement e -government across all government bodies , starting with a pilot scheme in selected MDAs .
The Federal Government also plans to, during the period , reposition the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria by recapitalising it from N 2 .5 bn to N 500bn in order to meet the housing needs across the country.
It will improve access to finance for construction industry by fast -tracking implementation of the proposed Family Homes Fund to build two million housing units by 2020.

The government is also planning to strengthen the Bank of Industry and recapitalise the Bank of Agriculture .
“ The Central Bank of Nigeria will operationalise the Development Bank of Nigeria and ramp up provision of loans to 20 , 000 beneficiaries through development finance institutions in 2017 , ” the document added .
According to the ERGP , the government will also complete the road sector reforms to establish a Road Authority and a Road Fund.
This is to enhance best world practices in the administration of road network development and management in the country .
It said , “ The Ministry of Justice will ensure the approval of the Tolling Policy so that some of the major dual carriage ways can be on concession for maintenance and tolling while government utilises the saved funds from this maintenance for other critical roads in the federal road network to the nation ’s refineries, ports , NNPC depots and agricultural hubs among others .”

The government also aims to fast - track the completion of airport cargo and passenger handling terminals to increase capacity from 208 , 424 to 276 , 848 tons and 15 million to 45 million passengers respectively by 2020.
Government said it would continue to engage with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to achieve enduring peace and end attacks on oil facilities .

http://punchng.com/fg-adopts-pacacs-plan-on-courts-for-kidnapping-others/

Pursuant to his powers under the laws establishing the federal universities in Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstitution of Governing Councils of 23 out of the 40 federal universities in the country for a period of four years in the first instance.

The institutions affected are those whose Governing Councils’ tenures have elapsed or would on 9th April, 2017.

In making these appointments, Mr. President had taken cognizance of the requirements for membership into governing councils, which include among others, a minimum of a university degree, high integrity, and commitment to educational development of the country.

In addition, consideration was also given to geo-political spread, in order to reflect federal character and foster sense of belonging.

The affected universities and their Chairmen are as follows:

1. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria – AVM Muktar Mohammed

2. University of Nigeria, Nsukka – Chief Mike Olorunfemi

3. University of Lagos – Dr. Wale Babalakin

4. Federal University of Technology, Owerr (FUTO) – Prof John Ofem

5. University of Calabar – Sen. Nkechi Justina Nworgu

6. University of Ibadan – Joshua Waklek, mni

7. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Uni (ATBU), Bauchi – Amb. Niniola Nimota Akanbi

8. Bayero University, Kano (BUK) – Prof. Ibrahim Gambari

9. Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) – Se. J.K.N. Waku

10. Fed. Uni of Petroleum Res., Effurum (FUPRE) – Prof Shehu Abdullahi Zuru

11. Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna – Prof Femi Odekunle

12. Michael Okpara University of Agric, Umudike (MOUAU) – Engr. Bello Suleiman

13. Modibbo Adama University of Tech, Yola – M. Bukar Zarma

14. Nmandi Azikiwe University, Awka – Alhaji Aziz Bello

15. University of Abuja – Alhaji Sani Maikudi

16. Fed University of Agric, Abeokuta – Dr. Aboki Zhawa

17. Fed University of Agriculture, Makurdi – Prof Alkassum Abba

18. University of Benin – Alhaji Isah Ashiru

19. University of Ilorin – Dr. Jibril Oyekan

20. University of Jos – Prince Tony Momoh

21. University of Maiduguri – Prof. Biodun Adesanya

22. University of Uyo – Prof. A. C. Awujo

23. Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto – Rtd Hon. Justice Pearl Enajere

Those not affected by the reconstitution are the Governing Councils of the 12 new Federal Universities in Lokoja, Otueke, Gashua, Dutsin-Ma, Oye-Ekiti, Lafia, Gusau, Wukari, Kashere, Birnin-Kebbi, Dutse and Ndifu-Alike-Ikwo which were inaugurated in March, 2016 as well as those of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife and University of Port Harcourt, which were re-constituted in January this year (2017).

The tenure of the council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) will elapse in January 2018.
The new Governing Councils are to be inaugurated at the auditorium of the National Universities Commission (NUC) on a date to be announced soon.

Mallam Adamu Adamu

Honourable Minister of Education
06 April, 2017.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/228215-23-federal-universities-get-new-governing-councils-full-list-chairpersons.html

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, has opened up on the reason he stormed out of a peace meeting of the party convened by ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.
National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, yesterday stormed out of a meeting called by former President Goodluck Jonathan to unite the two major factions of the party.

Sheriff arrived at about 3:10 pm when Jonathan had just ended his opening remarks, and sought to preside over the meeting as the party’s authentic chairman.
Sheriff further demanded that he be allowed to make an opening remark but both requests were turned down. It was at this stage that Sheriff walked out with some members of his National Working Committee, NWC.

The former Borno state governor told newsmen that he was shocked at being denied the opportunity to preside over the meeting.

“The party as at today has one national chairman, which is Ali Modu Sheriff. There is no PDP meeting that will take place under any arrangement that I will not make an opening remark as national chairman.

“I think Governor Dickson made a proposal and we have accepted it. Other people have a programme to bring an agenda which is not part of the proposal.
“And as a national chairman of the party, I told you people in my office that I will not be party to anybody using me to do another programme; I will not be.
When asked if he has respect for the former president who convened the meeting, Sheriff said, “I have respected him by flying from abroad to attend the meeting.
“We have a programme, which is initiated by Dickson, anything outside that, I will not be part of it.”

http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/07/walked-jonathan-sheriff/