President Muhammadu Buhari has just finished meeting the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde.

The meeting which started at about 11am was held inside the President’s office in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. It ended at about 12.10pm.

Others at the meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, among others.

Lagarde is expected to brief State House correspondents of the meeting’s outcome inside the Briefing Room of the Council Chambers.

For the second time in a week, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission has placed a former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete who is being investigated for a curious huge transfer made to Switzerland in relation to the dubious $1.1 billion Malabu Oil deal, on an administrative bail.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday moved against Mr. Etete over the transfer of $1.1 billion made to his phoney company, Malabu Oil and Gas, for the sale of OPL 245 to Italian oil giant, Eni and Royal Dutch Shell by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Last Saturday, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the anti-graft commission invited Mr. Etete for questioning after Swiss authorities seized a recent transfer linked to the $1.1 billion.

Last Friday Mr Etete was extensively grilled on the curious transfer to Switzerland and the $1.1 billion payment made to Malabu but was asked to return on Monday for further questioning after he requested time to gather necessary documents in respect of the payment.

A source close to Mr. Etete said he did not return to the EFCC on Monday as expected. He however showed up Wednesday, but after EFCC operatives questioned him for hours, he was again allowed to get more documents about the transfer.

“He came with some documents but as the questioning proceeded he asked to be allowed to locate more documents about the transfer. He was subsequently given an administrative bail and asked to reappear sometime next week,” the source said.

Though the EFCC has been investigating Mr. Etete for several years in relation to the Malabu deal, the investigation was in limbo during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which in the first place offered a federal government account as conduit for the illicit transfer from oil giants Eni and Royal Dutch Shell for the sale of OPL 245.

The Jonathan administration failed to approve or support an investigation even when the scandal triggered by the payment sparked a probe by the House of Representatives, and led to criminal cases in Italian and British courts.

That administration, in fact, actively participated in the dubious transfer of the $1.1 billion when former Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke and former Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, offered the government’s platform to Malabu as a conduit for the round-tripping.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation at the time revealed that Mr. Adoke, on August 16, 2011, hurriedly and furtively authorised the transfer of the money to Malabu, which has a fake address, from a Nigerian government account with JP Morgan International Bank, a day before the resumption of the former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Malabu subsequently transferred the money to other phony companies with falsified addresses in what the EFCC described at the time as a “cloudy scene associated with fraudulent dealings”.

The renewed investigation has rekindled hope that Mr. Etete, who was convicted for money laundering in France in 2005, and prominent members of the Jonathan administration like former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke and former Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama who approved the transfer, will be made to account for their roles in the scandal.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja accepted an invitation from President Paul Biya to visit Cameroon at his earliest convenience for talks on the intensification of cooperation between Nigeria and neighbouring countries in the war against Boko Haram and terrorism.

Receiving the invitation from Sadi Emmanuel, the Cameroonian Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, President Buhari said he will visit Cameroon for the high-level talks soon after the end of the Ramadan fast.

President Buhari, who said that he was putting his experience as a former soldier to good use in the war against Boko Haram, re-emphasized that greater regional and international cooperation was needed to end the atrocities of the terrorist group.

The President commended the efforts of all regional governments, including Cameroon, in supporting Nigeria in the war against Boko Haram, but called for even greater collaboration.

“I am happy that the President has sent you. As you must have observed, I was in Niger and Chad over this issue. I planned to be in Cameroon afterwards, but I received an invitation to attend the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Germany.

“I had to attend the meeting because Boko Haram has been internationalised and it was part of the discussions there,” he told Mr. Emmanuel.

The Special Envoy assured President Buhari of President Biya’s “fraternity, sympathy and brotherly commitment” to working with Nigeria to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Together, we will reinforce our efforts, eradicate the scourge of terrorism and look forward to better things,” he told the President.

President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday in Abuja that his administration has received firm assurances of cooperation from the United States and other countries on the recovery and repatriation of funds stolen from Nigeria.

Speaking at an audience with members of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubakar, President Buhari said it was now up to Nigeria to provide the international community with the facts and figures needed to drive the recovery effort.

“In the next three months, our administration will be busy getting those facts and the figures to help us recover our stolen funds in foreign countries,” the president told the traditional rulers.

Citing the report submitted by the Ahmed Joda-led transition committee, President Buhari said that several revenue-generating institutions in the country have been compromised leading to a weak economy.

At an earlier meeting with governors on Tuesday, President Buhari had assured that his government will recover billions of dollars in the next three months.

He vowed to ensure monies stolen by past officials were returned. He also warned the governors that the era of impunity and brazen theft of public funds was over.

On insecurity, the president said traditional rulers could play a key role in stemming terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria by assisting the government with cost-effective intelligence gathering.

President Buhari also assured the traditional rulers that his administration was working hard to end insecurity and terrorism in the country in the shortest possible time with the cooperation of neighbouring countries and the international community.

Acknowledging that Nigerians expected a lot from his administration, the president appealed for patience and understanding while his government works diligently to speedily overcome the huge national challenges it inherited.

The sultan, Abubakar, had earlier presented the Northern Traditional Rulers’ recommendations to the president on issues related to national development.

The Sultan told the president that as custodians of tradition and stakeholders in the Nigerian project, the traditional rulers had a responsibility to always advise political leaders on the “path of truth and justice”.

“We have always advised our leaders, but their acceptance of our advice is their own prerogative,” the Sultan said.

The traditional rulers assured the president of their unflinching support for his administration’s efforts to fulfil its promises to Nigerians.

The Code of Conduct Bureau will not make public the details of assets declared by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo due to limitations in federal laws covering such release, the office has said.

There has been controversy over the release of the details of the president and vice president’s assets since their inauguration May 29.

Mr. Buhari pledged to publicy declare his assets despite the lack of a law requiring him to do so. The Nigerian Constitution stipulates that senior office holders declare their assets, without requiring them to do so publicly.

Despite his promise, the president has yet to publicly declare his assets three weeks after taking office. His office said those details will be made available after the Code of Conduct Bureau authenticates claims in the declaration forms.

A civil society group, Stop Impunity Nigeria, an affiliate of the Centre for Social Justice, had on June 1, 2015 applied to the CCB to request copies of the completed assets declaration forms by the President and his deputy.
The application, signed by the Lead Director of the Centre, Eze Onyekpere, was pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2011.

But, in its response CCB/HQ/670/G/1/104 dated June 10, 2015 and signed by Ijeanuli Ofor on behalf of the Chairman, the CCB declined the request, citing the absence of prescribed law by the National Assembly authorizing the release of such information to the public.
The Bureau, in its response, made available to PREMIUM TIMES, conceded the right by Nigerians under section 1(1) 3 and 4 of the FOIA 2011, to “access or request information, whether written or not in written form, in the custody of any public agency”.

Regardless, the Bureau said sections 12(1) (a) (v), 14(1) (b) and 15(1)9a) of the same Act empowered it to decline any request, which it considered an “invasion of personal privacy”.

“Assets declarations by public officers contain such personal information, which falls within the exemptions to the disclosure of information in the FOIA,” the Bureau said.

The office explained that paragraph 3(c of the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowered it to “make assets declarations of public officers available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria only on terms and conditions prescribed by the National Assembly”.

“However, the terms and conditions under which that can be done have not yet been prescribed by the National Assembly,” the Bureau said, adding that the group’s request was rejected in view of the absence of the prescribed “terms and conditions”.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Friday said his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo was to receive his blessing and consult him on how to assist him in moving the Senate and the nation forward.

Mr. Saraki made this known to journalists during an interview after his over two hours closed-door meeting with Mr. Obasanjo at his Hilltop home in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

The senate president said he and members of his delegation also came to tap from Mr. Obasanjo’s wisdom and knowledge.

“I’m here with some of my colleagues,” Mr. Saraki said. “Since I’ve been the Senate President, as one of our fathers, the former president, we are here to pay our homage to him, to seek his advice, to get his blessing and also to consult.

“We all know President Obasanjo’s value to this country and we are here to tap from his wisdom, knowledge and experience.”

Mr. Saraki did not say the kind of consultation he held with Mr. Obasanjo but PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported Mr. Saraki as lamenting that his relationship with his party and the president remained soured, 10 days after he was elected senate president.

He therefore requested the former president to step in to help in the reconciliation process.

When reporters asked him how he was sorting out his differences with his party, he said, “As you can see, things are moving smoothly. Definitely, be rest assured that all that would be put behind us very shortly. We are very confident about this.”

Speaking on the calls for a downward review of Nigerian lawmakers’ salaries and allowances, Mr. Saraki said, “Well, I think already that is in progress. If you remember last time, it was about N150billion and it’s coming down to N120billion.
‎
“I think the situation in the country deserves that every public servant must make sacrifices and whatever sacrifice that is necessary, we will do it.

“And that is being done. So, be rest assured that we are sensitive, we are aware of the situation in the country and if we are going to lead, we must lead by example. And we would do that.”

An Egba Chief, Moses Oyebade, has been killed in his home at Ikanna compound, Ago-Oba , Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Oyebade, who was the Oluwo of Ikanna, was shot by gunmen, who stormed his home at midnight on Wednesday.

It was gathered that they broke the window of his bedroom and shot the victim at close range.

The late Oyebade marked his 75th birthday in Lagos recently.

It was gathered that the slain chief was the lone occupant of the building.

The police evacuated his remains after the incident was reported at the Ibara Police Station.

The victim’s first son, Oluyemi, told reporters that there had been several assassination attempts on his father.

“My father was sleeping in his bedroom. The bed is close to the window. The first gunshot hit his hand. Maybe when he was struggling, they shot him again. I guess they shot him three times,” he said.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the killers left a note.

“We have a murder case at hand concerning Chief Moses Oyebade.

“Some men went to his residence, broke his window and shot him at 12am.

“We have examined the place and recovered a note, which contained a message in both English and Yoruba.

“It could be a case of assassination. We will invite some people for interrogation.

“The Commissioner, Valentine Ntomchukwu, has directed that the case be transfered to the Department of Criminal Investigation.”

A 25-year-old woman, Nnena Okoro, has been arrested by the police after she reportedly lured a 14-year-old girl, Faith (pseudonym) to a hotel, where a man raped her.

Okoro lives in Sumoratu Estate, off Ojo Road, Lagos State, where the victim resides. She was said to have been Faith’s confidant.

PUNCH Metro gathered that on the noon of May 16, when the girl’s aunt, with whom she lives, was not around, Okoro approached her and requested that she accompanied her to the Barracks area to buy mangoes.

It was learnt that Okoro rejected the mangoes available in the area and went to Wowo, a nearby street, where the hotel was located.

Our correspondent was told that Okoro, who had allegedly collected an undisclosed amount from the fleeing rapist, lured Faith into a room in the hotel and shut the door.

Faith said her mouth was covered, as Nnena aided the man to rape her.

She said, “Aunty Nnena (Okoro) said I should follow her to buy mangoes in Barracks Lane. She did not like the mangoes they had there and she said we should go to Ojo Road. We went to a hotel and met a man, who she called her friend. Aunty Nnena told me to enter a room. Suddenly, both of them dragged me to the bed. Nnena held my hand and covered my mouth with a cloth. The man pulled off my trousers and raped me. He left the hotel immediately he finished doing it and said he had paid Aunty Nnena.”

“I went outside crying. It was one woman around the area that helped to clean the blood coming out from my private parts when she saw me. She later took me to the Layeni Police Station.”

In her statement to the police, Okoro, who hails from Abia State, confessed to taking the girl to the hotel. She denied coercing the victim into the act and claimed that she had never met the man prior to the incident.

She said, “Faith is my friend. On the fateful day, we both went to buy mangoes on Ojo Road. On getting to a hotel at Tolu, one man called her. They both discussed and the man paid N500 to the hotel attendant and they entered the room. I later left them inside the room to ease myself. It was when I came back that she told me that she was raped. I did not know that she was a virgin. We have never discussed anything like that before. Her pants were stained with blood. I have never seen the man before that day, but I can recognise him if I see him again.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that Okoro had been arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on two counts bordering on the crime, while the police said they had launched a manhunt for the suspect.

The charges read, “That you, Nnena Okoro, and one other male, now at large, on May 16, 2015, at about 3.20pm, at Graziela Hotel on Wowo Street, Tolu, Ajegunle, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; defilement, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, Nnena Okoro, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did hold the hands of 14-year-old Faith to the bed and allowed one other man at large to have unlawful carnal knowledge of her, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

The accused pleaded not guilty.

A police prosecutor, ASP Olusoji Ojaokomo, said a medical test conducted on the girl revealed that her hymen had been ruptured.

The defendant’s counsel pleaded with the court to grant bail to his client.

The presiding m agistrate, Mr. P.A. Adekomaya, admitted her to bail in the sum of N100,000. He adjourned the case till June 22, 2015.

missbehave247:
Not again

Barely two weeks after fuel tanker fire devastated Iyana Ipaja and Idimu areas of Lagos, another fuel tanker laden with 33,000 litres of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as fuel has crashed at the Olori Mojisola Onikoyi in the Banana Island area of Lagos.

Information reaching Daily Sun indicates that the tanker spilled its products on the road at the Banana Island area of Lagos and residents of the area have besieged the scene to scoop fuel.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye in an alert called on resident to desist from scooping the the product to prevent any incident of fire.

He said that already, men of the Fire service have arrive the scene and are making effort to secure the area and prevent fire incidents.

Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Engr. Elias Mbam said yesterday that report on the N8.64 billion wardrobe allowance for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives as being over exaggerated.

This came as the just as the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki read out riot act to government agencies that have not been remitting Federal Government revenue to the Federation account, warning that the government will no longer condone such mismanagement act.

Speaking yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit on the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, the Earlier, the RMAFC Chairman disclosed that wardrobe allowance as spelt out by the Commission has been put at 25 percent of the basic salary which when broken down amounts to N506, 600 per legislator, per annum.

Mbam who noted that the agency has been enjoying cordial relationship with the National Assembly, however called for continued working partnership with a view to enhancing their effectiveness, just as he advised that the agency operates a functional website where information concerning the day-to-day activities of the agency.

Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki while responding to the RMAFC boss, read out riot act to government agencies that have not been remitting Federal Government revenue to the Federation account, warning that the government will no longer condone such mismanagement act.

Senator Saraki who noted that non-compliance by agencies of government has brought major setback in the processes of governance, however reiterated the support of the Senate in bringing back justice to any erring agency that indulges in diverting government revenue to illegal channel adding, “Monetary revenue and allocation is a serious challenge to our economy. Though, diversification of economy is very important but is not an overnight issue. We must block every leakage in government revenue.

“We made campaign promises to Nigerians and we must fulfill all our pledges. It cannot be business as usual. We will do everything within our capacity to elevate the living standard of Nigerians.”

President of the Senate who cleared air on the N8.64billion bogus wardrobe allowance to lawmakers as reported in the media, stressed that the Commission was charged with fixing of remunerations to public office holders and advised the media to be more accurate in their reporting.

In a related development, the Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye has condemned the proposed N8.64 billion wardrobe allowance to be received by lawmakers in the 8th National Assembly, just as he urged the lawmakers to be prepared to accept a pay cut due to the situation in the country.

Senator Melaye said, “I stand solidly on what I earlier said about pay cut. There must be a pay cut to Senators and House of Representative members.

“You can’t be talking about change and this kind of money in this country now when people are hungry. We must be sacrificious. We must show Nigerians that we must sacrifice by allowing a pay cut.”

vickerz:
FREEDOM !
im first to comment !

LAGOS STATE Chief Judge Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade yesterday freed 21 awaiting trial inmates at Kirikiri Medium Prisons.

She freed them in exercise of the powers conferred on her under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007.

Her gesture is part of efforts to decongest prisons.

Justice Atilade was accompanied by Justices Oluwatoyin Ipaye, Aishat Opesanwo, Kudirat Jose, Lateef Lawal-Akapo and Sedoten Ogunsanya as well as her Chief Registrar Emmanuel Ogundare and Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs Idowu Alakija.

She advised the freed inmates to be of good behaviour henceforth, saying: “I release all you today 17th day of June, 2015 from custody pursuant to the powers conferred on me and admonish you to go and sin no more.”

Most of the inmates had spent more time in prison custody than they would have if they had been tried and convicted.

Justice Atilade urged them to refrain from crime because the government has zero tolerance for it.

She implored others not to lose hope in the system, cases would be reviewed periodically to release those who have spent more time in prison than they would have if convicted.

The judge restated her commitment to an effective justice delivery system where the courts work efficiently and the prisons are not congested.

Her visit to the prison to release inmates, she said, would be continuous, adding: “ Those of you released should, henceforth, be of good behaviour. The state government is committed to a crime-free Lagos and anyone found committing crime will be arrested and prosecuted.”

Justice Atilade appealed to non-governmental organisation’s (NGO) and other stakeholders working with the prisons authority to ensure that those released are re-integrated into the society.

Earlier in his opening remark, Officer-In-Charge of the prison, Deputy Controller (DCP) Kayode Odeyemi thanked Justice Atilade for exercising her powers in releasing the inmates’ favour.

He said: “My Lord, today the criminal justice system of Lagos State has taken a leap in seeing that justice is done to all as a result of your visit to the prison because a good number of of inmates with minor offences will be let off the hook.”

Odeyemi thanked the immediate past administration for approving the fortification of the prisons before leaving office.

He appealed to the Judiciary and the executive to assist the prison authority with trucks and buses to ease the challenge of conveying inmates to court.

A total of 2452 inmates are in the prison built to take 1,700 inmates. About 2349 are awaiting trial, 92, convicts, 32, detainees, and 21 described as lodgers/acquitals.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has cleared the air on the ward-robe allowance for the members of the National Assembly, saying each senator is entitled to N506,600 annually and not N8.64 billion as reported in the media.

“Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission was in my office to clarify wardrobe allowance,” Mr. Saraki wrote on twitter Wednesday. “Amount is N506,600 per Senator.”

Mr. Saraki, in response to the media reports that the N460 senators and members of the House of Representatives would receive a whopping N8.64 billion, quoted his interview with BBC in his tweeter handle that “a body responsible for setting up the salaries and allowances was looking into the matter and would publish details of the remuneration on its website.”

Stating that the legislature would be accountable to the people, the senate president said it was not true that each senator would be paid N8.64billion as reported by two Nigerian newspapers.

Speaking earlier while receiving the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Elias Mbam and his team in his office, Mr. Saraki said the Commission is charged with fixing of remunerations to public office holders and advise the media to be more accurate in their reporting.

He warned government agencies failing in remitting Federal Government revenue to the Federation account saying government will no longer condone such mismanagement act.

According to him, non-compliance by agencies of government had brought major setback in the processes of governance.

Mr. Saraki reiterated the support of the Senate in bringing back justice to any erring agency that indulges in diverting government revenue to illegal channel adding, “Monetary revenue and allocation is a serious challenge to our economy. Though, diversification of economy is very important but is not an overnight issue. We must block every leakage in government revenue.

“We made campaign promises to Nigerians and we must fulfill all our pledges. It cannot be business as usual. We will do everything within our capacity to elevate the living standard of Nigerians.”

Earlier, Mr. Mbam said the agency have always enjoyed cordial relationship with the National Assembly while calling for continued working partnership with the view to enhance their effectiveness.

Mr. Mbam condemned the recent media report that exaggerated the wardrobe allowances of Senators and members of the House of Representatives saying, that wardrobe allowance is 25 percent of the basic salary which when broken down amounts to N506, 600 per legislator, per annum.

He advised that the agency operates a functional website where information concerning the day-to-day activities of the agency is published.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed condolences to the president and people of the Republic of Chad, following the twin suicide bombings which took place in the country’s capital on Monday, killing 23 people and wounding more than 100 in the attacks which the Chadian police has blamed on Boko Haram militants.

The President also condoled the people and government of Borno state over the loss of over 60 lives from explosion triggered by abandoned explosives in Monguno town.

According to a statement signed by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, President Buhari expressed his condolences in a telephone call to President Idriss Deby, at 5:30pm on Wednesday, June 17.

“Chad has been in the frontline of the regional fight against the Boko Haram terrorists,” President Buhari said. “They have stood by us through the worst and most difficult times of the challenges we have faced with terrorism. You also have our support during this difficult time.”

He added that it was sad and pitiful that the terrorists had extended their brutal cowardice to the neighbouring country, but expressed hope that it was only a matter of time before the insurgents would be flushed out and dealt with.

He assured the people of Borno state of the commitment of his administration to degrade the insurgency which had necessitated the relocation of the command centre of the military to its hotbed.

“Crushing Boko Haram will remain a priority of my government,” President Buhari said.

joedsuperstar:
According to what we gathered on Naijakoko.com; Yesternight, a tanker's mission to supply fuel was cut short by bad luck around lakowe, beside kaz oil. The driver was so unfortunate as the tanker failed to yearn to his driving skills which yielded to tumbling. Now the tanker is upside down the major road... This is causing a serious traffic jam and this incident is gaining more attention by onlookers. See photos below:
[img]http://3.bp..com/-VuWN2wPl71w/VXQ82MWkqfI/AAAAAAAAEH8/W_D_b53cTZ0/s320/IMG_20150606_223946-711565.jpg[/img][img]http://4.bp..com/-JVP5fljfADw/VXQ82r4b-WI/AAAAAAAAEII/oYFmA9tlKX8/s320/IMG_20150606_224001-714223.jpg[/img][img]http://4.bp..com/-44dOM4AZHzc/VXQ83ajoNkI/AAAAAAAAEIU/YaaPqRpF0mg/s320/IMG_20150606_224005-716771.jpg[/img]
Source: http://www.naijakoko.com/2015/06/fuel-tanker-tumbles-on-lekki-epe.html


http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/06/07/another-fuel-tanker-falls-in-lekki-lagos/

UnknownT:
So what becomes of the former provosts?

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of vice-chancellors for the four federal universities of education and a Federal University of Health Sciences. Notice of the appointments is contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement was signed by Mr Sul Ya’u Sule, the Senior Special Assistant, Public Relations and Protocol to Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Minister of Education.

The statement listed the Vice-Chancellors as Prof. Martins Aghaji for Federal University of Sciences, Otukpo, Benue and Prof. Richard King for Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo. Others are Prof. Sadiq Abubakar for Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri, Prof. Victor Awonusi for Federal University of Education, Kano and Prof. Ibrahim Kolo for Federal University of Education, Zaria.

The statement noted that the appointment was with immediate effect. It added that President Jonathan had also approved the appointment of Dr Nnamdi Olebara, the Special Adviser, Media to Shekarau, as member, Governing Council of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri. The appointment was conveyed to Olebara in a letter signed by the Minister of Education, dated May 26.