Indications have emerged that the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba is a Nigerian of the ethnic Igbo stock. It is said that he was adopted during the Biafran war by his father, Omar Bongo who handed over to him as President.
This development may soon be confirmed as a court in western France on Thursday allowed a family member of Omar Bongo to view the birth certificate of Ali Bongo following accusations that he lied about his country of origin.
The Gabonese constitution demands that one must be born Gabonese to serve as the head of state, but French investigative journalist, Pierre Pean alleged in a recent book that the President was actually a Nigerian and was adopted during the Biafran war in the late 1960s.
The court in Nantes allowed 25-year-old Onaida Maisha Bongo Ondimba, a daughter of former president Omar Bongo, to view the documents in full, which her lawyer, Eric Moutet hailed the decision as “enormous”, though “diplomatically complex”.
Ali Bongo is the only one of ex-president Omar Bongo’s 54 declared heirs not to have produced the identification documents. He claims he was born in Brazzaville in 1959, former capital of French Equatorial Africa.
The Nantes civil registration centre is responsible for all birth certificates of people born in French Equatorial Africa up to 1960, when the former colonial countries in the region gained independence to become Gabon, Congo, Chad and the Central African Republic.
The UK, Spain and Nigeria are among the countries most worried about the rise of Isis, according to new research.
A chart compiled by Statista for The Independent shows the countries most worried about the rise of the terror group - whose British militant member ‘Jihadi John’ was targeted by a US air strike, it emerged today.
While 85 per cent of those polled in Nigeria said they were very concerned about Isis, only a quarter said they felt the same in Indonesia.
In the UK, US, Spain and Lebanon, 70 per cent or more of those polled said they were very concerned.
At the time the data was obtained - in Spring of this year - 58 per cent of those in Russia expressed serious worries about Isis extremism, and 35 per cent in Syria's neighbour Turkey.
Justice Fabiyi is the infamous judge of the Court of Appeal who in 2007 read the lead judgement of that court proclaiming the election of Umaru Yar’adua to have been “free and fair” and in conformity with the electoral rules. He was elevated to the Supreme Court after giving that judgement, but Yar’Adua himself subsequently admitted that the election had been massively rigged.
Saraki, A lawmaker who runs from the Law has found an accomplice in the Judiciary.
Justice John Fabiyi who on Thursday temporarily halted the corruption trial of Nigeria’s Senate president Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) retires in two weeks, according to sources at the Supreme Court.
By law, Justice Fabiyi is required to mandatorily retire from the judiciary on November 25 when he turns 70. He was born on November 25 1945
Justice Fabiyi today led four other judges who gave an order to halt the trial of Saraki pending the determination of the Senate President’s appeal before the court. Saraki is seeking an order halting his trial for falsely declaring his assets.
The Senate President has done everything possible to halt his arraignment on 13 counts of false declaration of assets, using various maneuvers in an effort to get judges of different courts in Nigeria to stop his trial.
[b]A source told SaharaReporters that prior to today’s ruling, Toyin Sanusi, one of his aides, drove a Black Toyota Corolla car, license plate YAB 595 KZ, to a meeting several times with the Supreme Court registrar at No. 17, Mandela Street in Asokoro, Abuja. It was in the house that Saraki’s agents reportedly met some justices.
Saraki intensified his plot to stop the CCT trial when officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) went last week to see a lawyer with a letter and two cheques that prove he bought a property through a proxy, Tunde Morankinyo, and didn’t declare it. The EFCC has invited that lawyer to their office tomorrow.
The property in question, Plot 37A Glover Street, Ikoyi, was paid for with cheques for N309Million and N15.45Million respectively. The house, which has six luxury flats, was bought in 2008. When the EFCC officer confronted Morakinyo with evidence of the cheques, he reportedly buckled under the pressure, sending Saraki into panic mode.[/b]
Justice Fabiyi is the infamous judge of the Court of Appeal who in 2007 read the lead judgement of that court proclaiming the election of Umaru Yar’adua to have been “free and fair” and in conformity with the electoral rules. He was elevated to the Supreme Court after giving that judgement, but Yar’Adua himself subsequently admitted that the election had been massively rigged.
There will be no minister of power in the cabinet inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, TheCable understands.
Although Louis Edozien, former executive director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company, was named as the permanent secretary of power on Tuesday, he may turn out to be the most senior officer in the ministry.
A special adviser on power, who will co-ordinate the sector, is expected to be named by Buhari.
TheCable was informed that because of the conclusion of the privatisation of the power entities, there is no need to have a ministry of power any longer.
“After the generating and distribution companies have all been privatised, the only company left is the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN),” a presidential told TheCable.
“What the government will do now is the regulation of the market. All the agencies to do that are in place. The National Electricity Regulatory Commission will play in key role in that. You also have the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Authority (NEMSA).”
The power sector reform embarked upon by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 led to the unbundling of PHCN into 18 successor companies: six generation companies and 11 distribution companies.
The privatisation was concluded by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.
TCN is managed under contract by Manitoba, a Canadian company.
After five months without ministers, President Muhammadu Buhari will today inaugurate 36 ministers-designate that were recently screened and cleared by the Senate.
The 36 ministers-designate are expected to be given their portfolios today and they will all be sworn in at the same time.
The Presidency had confirmed that the inauguration of the ministers-designate will be carried out on Wednesday, November 11.
From a statement released by Femi Adesina, the special adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, it was revealed that the ministers-designate are allowed to invite only two guests for their inauguration.
Before the commencement of the inaugural session of the council, the ministers-designate will take their oaths of office in the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.
The swearing-in ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00 Hours and the ministers-designate are expected to be seated in the Council Chambers by 09:30 Hours at the latest.
09:45: The ministers-designate have started arriving the Council chambers in Presidential Villa in Abuja for the swearing-in ceremony.
09:47: The likes of former governors, Babatunde Fashola, Chris Ngige, Kayode Fayemi have all arrived.
09: 50: Buhari has also arrived at the Council chambers and is now seated.
President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the names of the new Permanent Secretaries for the Federal Government. His announcement was made through his spokesman, Femi Adesina, through a press released obtained by SaharaReporters moments ago.
The total number of new appointees is 54, including 18 placed in the Federal Civil Service. The statement noted that their appointment takes immediate effect.
The press release and names of appointees can be read below:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF NEW FEDERAL PERMANENT SECRETARIES AND DEPLOYMENT OF PERMANENT SECRETARIES
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of the following as Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service:
1. Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba
2. Alhaji Mahmoud Isa-Dutse
3. Mr. Taiwo Abidogun
4. Dr. Bukar Hassan
5. Mrs. Wakama Belema Asifieka
6. Mr. Jalal Ahmad Arabi
7. Mr. Sabiu Zakari
8. Mrs. Obiageli Phyllis Nwokedi
9. Mr. Aminu Nabegu
10. Mr. Bamgbose Olukunle Oladele
11. Mr. Alo Williams Nwankwo
12. Dr. Shehu Ahmed
13. Mr. Ogbonnaya Innocent Kalu
14. Mrs. Nuratu Jimoh Batagarawa
15. Mr. Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa
16. Mr. Bassey Apkanyung
17. Mr. Louis Edozien
18. Dr. Ugo Roy
President Buhari has also approved the deployment of Federal Permanent Secretaries as follows:
1. Dr. Shehu Ahmad-Fed. Min. of Agric & Rural Development
2. Arch Sunday Echono-Fed. Min. of Communications
3. Alh. Sabiu Zakari-Fed. Min. of Transportation
4. Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba-Fed. Min. of Information & Culture
5. Amb. Danjuma Sheni-Fed. Min. of Defence
6. Dr. Shade Yemi-Esan-Fed. Min. of Education
7. Mrs. Fatima Mede-Budget & National Planning
8. Alh. Mahmoud Isa Dutse-Fed. Min. of Finance
9. Amb. Bulus Lolo-Fed. Min of Foreign Affairs
10. Dr. Amina Shamaki-Fed. Min. of Health
11. Mr. Aliyu Bisalla-Fed. Min. of Industry, Trade & Investment
12. Mr. Bassey Akpanyung-Fed. Min. of Internal Affairs
13. Mr. Taiwo Abidogun-Fed. Ministry of Justice
14. Dr. Habiba Lawal-Fed. Min. of Science & Tech.
15. Dr. Clement Illoh-Fed. Min. of Labour & Productivity
16. Dr. Jamila Shu'ara-Fed. Min of Petroleum Resources
17. Mrs. Binta Bello-Fed. Min of Women Affairs
18. Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye-Federal Capital Territory
19. Mrs. Rabi Jimeta-Fed. Min. of Water Resources
20. Dr. Bukar Hassan-Fed. Min of Environment
21. Mrs. Wakama B. Asifieka-Fed. Min. of Niger Delta Affairs
22. Mr. Istifanus Fuktur-Fed. Min. of Solid Minerals
23. Mr. Christian Ohaa -Fed. Min of Youth & Sports
24. Engr. A.G. Magaji-Fed. Min. of Works & Housing
25. Mr. Louis Edozien-Fed. Min. of Power
26. Mr. Jalal Arabi-State House
27. Mr. Mohammed Bukar-General Services Office, OSGF
28. Mr. Abbas Mohammed-Ecological Fund Office, OSGF
29. Dr. Ugo Roy-Council Secretariat
30. Mr. Aminu Nabegu-Special Services Office, OSGF