₦airaland Forum

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/obstruction-of-justice-men-who-derail.html

The Kano State House of Assembly has suspended probe of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II.

The Kano State House of Assembly has suspended probe of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The Emir was initially being investigated over the complaints of “questionable expenditures and financial misappropriations” estimated at N3.4 billion.
But the House has decided to drop the probe after Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, pleaded on behalf of the emir.
Ganduje did not act alone. Here are the individuals who prevailed on the House to stop the Investigation:
The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki.
Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara.
Governor of Kano State Abdullahi Ganduje
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s seventy million Muslims.
Retired –General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, former head of state and Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Retired-General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of State and Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and CEO of Dangote Group
Aminu Dantata, Nigerian businessman and promoter of Kano State Foundation

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/futa-reinstates-suspended-bursar.html



Peter Dada, Akure
The Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Akure has ordered the reinstatement of the bursar of the institution, Mr. Emmanuel Oresegun.
Oresegun and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola were earlier suspended by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, following their arraignment at the Ondo State High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimed Commission over alleged financial misconduct

The VC, whose tenure expires on May 23, 2017 too was reinstated last week.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Head, Media and Protocol Unit of the university, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo, the council reinstated the bursar at its meeting.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/we-must-produce-enough-fuel-by-2019-or.html

Okechukwu Nnodim Abuja
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has vowed to resign if the country fails to attain self-sufficiency in the refining of petroleum products by 2019.
Kachikwu, who spoke as a guest on BBC Hard Talk in London on Monday, also stated that he recently signed an agreement with the international oil giant, Agip, for the firm to build a refinery in Nigeria

When asked to state the year that Nigeria would be self-sufficient in refining petroleum products, Kachikwu replied, “I have said 2019, and that is the target that I gave.”
On whether he would leave office if he failed to achieve the target, the minister replied, “Yes, of course. That is the reason why you are in government.”
Kachikwu was also told by his interviewer that the industry was totally dysfunctional considering the fact that Nigeria exports crude oil and imports refined products despite having refineries, but he stated that efforts were being made to revive obsolete facilities in the sector.
Kachikwu said, “Let me say this; yes it is wrong, we ought to process rather than ship out crude. But look at all the efforts I have made in the last few months, including working with investors to begin to reshape the refineries that were comatose for many years.
“The President is there for two years and those refineries were down before he came. Since coming, we’ve been able to get them back to produce seven million litres versus zero. That’s not the 90 per cent template. We’re now refurbishing the refineries and I’ve just signed an agreement with Agip to build a new refinery in Nigeria.”
He added, “I’ve delivered on everything I promised when I came into office. First, I took the NNPC and moved it into a profit-making organisation, which was the first time in history. I removed cash call deficit of over $6bn and we renegotiated it. Everything that I promised, I’ve delivered and I will deliver on the refineries; I’m committed to that.
“And I will also deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria. But bear in mind that one has been there for one and half years, while the President has been there for two years, so I can’t pretend that we are going to solve in one day all the problems that happened in Nigeria in the past.”
The minister stated that oil prices would not “hit the roof again” as was recorded in the past, adding that this had provided an opportunity for Nigeria to get serious.
Kachikwu also stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria, through its monetary policy, had been able to force a lot of citizens out of the consumption culture, a development he said had strengthened the naira considerably.
On the slump in crude oil production in Nigeria, the minister said the activities of militants in the Niger Delta led to the decline in crude output and denied claims that the Federal Government was buying off the restive youths in the region through the payment of huge sums to them.
He stated that over $40bn had been sunk in the Niger Delta in the last 10 years and that nothing tangible was on ground to show for it.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/nigerian-soldier-fighting-boko-haram.html

A Nigerian soldier serving on the frontlines against Boko Haram insurgents has made a video in Hausa language denouncing Nigerian military authorities for neglecting troops. The video obtained by SaharaReporters shows how soldiers living in makeshift houses were affected by rains and a tree apparently felled by the storm.

Nigerian soldier serving on the frontlines against Boko Haram insurgents has made a video in Hausa language denouncing Nigerian military authorities for neglecting troops. The video obtained by SaharaReporters shows how soldiers living in makeshift houses were affected by rains and a tree apparently felled by the storm.
Nigerian Soldier Fighting Boko Haram Complains About Neglect By The Top Hierarchy Of Nigerian ArmyNigerian Soldier Fighting Boko Haram Complains About Neglect By The Top Hierarchy Of Nigerian Army
Translated transcript:
See how soldiers are suffering! God will surely avenge on our behalf. This is the way soldiers in North East are suffering. The first rainfall of the season came today while we are in the bush. They will go out telling the world that they are looking after us - which is not true. All of us have spent more than 2 years here. They are denying our rights (not to spend more than 6months at the war front) and that of our family. We are only doing this video to let you know our situation. We are appealing to Senate to please send a representative to come and see our situation. This tree fell today under 3 soldiers. Thanks to God nobody died. Now we are looking for ways to help them. (somebody shouting from the background, every day is a trouble). The government will send us here without Shelter. IDPs are even better than us. We are doing this video to let people know our situation. Whenever we talk Kukasheka Usman will come and refute us. God will avenge on our behalf. Without the support of God and the military, the terrorists would have overrun the whole country by now. They are really maltreating us. We are doing this video to show you our situation. God will avenge on our behalf.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/apc-wins-katsina-bye-election.html

Prof. Hudu Ayuba, the Returning Officer to the election, who announced the results in Mashi on Sunday, said APC won the election with 27,968 votes.


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mansur Ali of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the bye-election conducted in Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency.

Prof. Hudu Ayuba, the Returning Officer to the election, who announced the results in Mashi on Sunday, said APC won the election with 27,968 votes.

He said Nazif Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 19,451 votes while Kabir Abdullahi of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polled 332 votes.

He announced that the total registered voters in the constituency were 135,571 while 51,576 voters were accredited for the election.

Ayuba said of the the total 50,084 votes cast 47,751 were valid while 2,333 were rejected.

He thanked all those who participated as well as other stakeholders for the success of the exercise.

Malam Abubakar Abdullahi, the agent of PDP candidate, described the election as free and fair, stressing that it was the unanimous decision of the electorate and no one could change it.

NAN reports that the election was sequel to the death of Sani Bello who was representing the constituency.
APC logo

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/presidency-how-buhari-administration.html


The Buhari administration will drive the new executive orders signed last week vigorously in its determination to significantly transform the business environment and how government business is done in the country.

The Spokesperson of the Ag. President, Mr. Laolu Akande disclosed this in response to media inquiries and while giving an update to the press on the new orders signed last Thursday.

He said as part of measures to drive the reforms intended in the executive orders, an interactive event would hold in Abuja on Wednesday where the Ag. President would be discussing in particular, the executive orders on business environment and promoting "Made in Nigeria" products with a cross-section of middle level and senior public and civil servants.

"These are the people who will be directly responsible for the attainment of the objectives of the executive orders, so the Ag. President wants an opportunity to talk with them directly and also hear from them in person."

While noting that the interactive forum would be opened for live coverage by a number of TV stations, and live streaming, Akande added that ensuring the effective implementation of the orders are critical for the overall prosperity of Nigerians and Nigeria.

Besides, as part of activities commemorating the Second year of the Buhari administration, Akande said next week on May 29, a presidential level Report Card event on the Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari presidency would be held at Aso Rock.

"Here at this national event, we shall be updating Nigerians on the progress so far attained, how we are addressing some challenges and how President Buhari's Social Investment Programmes would be significantly expanded going forward," Akande noted.

The SIPs are the N-Power, which selected and engaged 200,000 unemployed Nigerians graduates for a volunteer job programmers, the Conditional Cash Transfer being implemented now in 9 states, General Economic & Empowerment Programme, GEEP-a micro credit scheme that has given out almost 60,000 loans out already, and the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, where 25 million meals have been served and over 1 million primary school pupils in at least seven states are being fed and over 11,000 cooks hired.

Regarding media inquiries on the progress of the report of the Presidential Investigative Panel, Akande urged for patience explaining that when time comes the outcome of the panel would be made manifestly public "and Nigerians would be satisfied." He said the two suspended officials remain suspended.

A SUMMARY OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON EASE OF DOING BUSINESS AS BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR EDITORS AND REPORTERS

Transparency in MDAs

The Order promotes transparency by directing that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) should publish a complete list of all requirements for obtaining permits, licences and approvals, including fees and timelines, in their premises and on their websites within the next 21 days.

The Order also directs that MDAs must communicate with applicants by at least two methods, and any approvals for applications not received within the specified period will be assumed to have been granted to the applicant by default. Any rejections must be given with valid reasons. The Applicant whose application is deemed granted after the expiration of the application period can apply to the supervising Minister to issue any document or certificate required.

Importantly, it is the responsibility of the head of the relevant MDA to ensure that the list is verified and kept up-to-date at all times. If there is any conflict between a published and an unpublished list of requirements, the published list shall prevail.

Default Approvals

The Order directs that MDAs must communicate with applicants by at least two methods, which will be made known to applicants. Any approvals for applications not received within the specified period will be assumed to have been granted to the applicant by default. Any rejections must be given with valid reasons. The Applicant whose application is deemed granted after the expiration of the application period can apply to the supervising Minister to issue any document or certificate required.

The applicant’s acknowledgement copy of the application, including electronic submission acknowledgements, shall serve as proof of the date of submission of the application for purposes of determination of the commencement of the application timeline.

One Government Directive

To simplify application processes for Nigerians, the Order promotes a “One Government” policy. No private applicant will be asked to produce or submit a document issued to it by the FGN as part of an application process if an original of the document is in the possession of another FGN MDA. A photocopy will be sufficient. Instead, FGN MDAs are now required to bear the responsibility of seeking verification or certification directly from the issuing MDA.

Entry Experience of Visitors and Travellers

With specific reference to travellers to Nigeria, visas will be issues within 48 hours and the processing of issuance of visas on arrival shall be carried out in a transparent manner. Our airports and sea ports are not excluded. There will now be only one centrally located interface for agencies and touting has been strictly prohibited.

Any official caught soliciting or receiving bribes from passengers or other port users shall be subject to immediate removal from post and disciplinary as well as criminal proceedings in line with extant laws and regulations.

Ports Operations

All agencies currently physically present in Nigerian Ports have been directed harmonise their operations into one single interface station in one location in the port and implement by a single joint task force at all times.

The Apapa Port shall resume 24-hour operations within 30 days from today and each Port in Nigeria shall assign an existing export terminal to be dedicated to the exportation of agriculture produce within 30 days of this Order in order to jumpstart our international trade and economic activity.

Released by:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
Aso Rock, Abuja

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/judge-behind-n47m-theft-is-justice.html

Justice Atilade was said to have carried out an investigation which revealed that Justice Safari stopped the money from going into the account of the Chief Registrar’s office, which holds such funds, and diverted it into an account operated by him.



The judge involved in the stealing of N47million judgment sum placed in his care, SaharaReporters can disclose, is Justice Ganiyu Safari. The National Judicial Council (NJC) has been trying to identify the perpetrator of the heist.

Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the NJC, reportedly wrote to Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, Chief Judge of Lagos State, requesting explanations on the disappearance of the sum of money from the till of the Lagos State judiciary.

Justice Atilade was said to have carried out an investigation which revealed that Justice Safari stopped the money from going into the account of the Chief Registrar’s office, which holds such funds, and diverted it into an account operated by him.

The diversion occurred while Justice Safari was the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos State. Justice Atilade queried Justice Safari, asking him to explain why he diverted the money.

Investigations, however, revealed that efforts are being made to cover up the misdeed as well as create the least embarrassing escape route for the judge. Sources told SaharaReporters that the judge has already being provided with an escape hatch with the request that he should refund the diverted sum.

However, added sources, he has been unable to raise it. The attempt to spring him from the embarrassing situation, disclosed sources, has also come in the shape of intense pressure being heaped on lawyers demanding investigation into the malfeasance to withdraw their petitions to the NJC and Lagos State Chief Judge if Justice Safari is able to raise the money. Justice Safari walked into trouble following his appointment as the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos State at the twilight of the tenure of Justice Inumidun Akande, the immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State. He had previously served as a Chief Magistrate in an area of the state before his promotion to the position of Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR).

Two parties, said sources, had approached the court over a disputed sum of N47 million. The trial judge ordered one of the parties to deposit the sum being contended the Chief Registrar.

However, Justice Safari directed that the money should be deposited in a separate account from which he eventually re-routed it into his own account.

The illegal act, perpetrated over seven years ago, blew up in Justice Safari's face, following the conclusion of the case and the demand of the winning party that the judgment sum be paid. The failure to get the judgment sum paid pushed the victorious party into petitioning the NJC and Chief Judge of Lagos State.

Justice Safari's matter brings into sharp focus how judicial officers such as court registrars, prosecutors as well as prison officials carry out theft-like schemes.

Litigants are often required to deposit security fees with the Chief Registrar and exclusively payable to a dedicated account domiciled at Zenith Bank branch on Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja. The fees, which are supposed to refundable after resolution of disputes, said sources, are rarely refunded.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/steps-of-registration-in-camp.html


Upon arrival, you will go for clearance using your call up letter, statement of result, and school ID card.

Biometric Registration, which will determine the platoon you belong. And you will be given, "Camp Corps Member Registration Slip" make two photocopy, and keep them for further processing.

Check your state code, the last four digit is important to you. It ranges from, 0 to 9. 0 is platoon 10, 1 is platoon 1, 2 is platoon 2, and 9 is platoon 9.

Go to your platoon inspector with the camp corps member registration slip, Green Card, Call up letter, statement of result, to get your file, meal ticket, and NYSC Kits.

To submit the file the next day, you will need two passport, and instruction will be given on how to arrange your document in your file.

Using your crested NYSC T-Shirt, you will take a passport photograph with NYSC Official for a token.

You will be given : Certificate format, Performance report form, and Bio-data form. Fill, and submit with your crested NYSC passport.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/throw-back-current-first-lady-of-oyo.html



Throw back!!! The current first lady of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi presenting flowers to Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo as the 1st Military Governor of the old Western Region in 1966.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/buratais-alert-uk-pdp-others-warn.html

A statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, on Tuesday, stated, “This is to inform the public that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. T. Y. Buratai, has received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons. On the basis of that, he has warned such persons to desist from these acts.”

Regional bodies, the Peoples Democratic Party, civil rights groups and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria among others, on Wednesday, urged military officers and other individuals toying with the idea of a coup in Nigeria to perish the thought.
Among those that condemned the alleged plot of a military intervention are the United Kingdom Government; the umbrella body for the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum; the Igbo socio-political organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; and a prominent lawyer, Alhaji Yusuf Ali (SAN).
Also, two Civil-Society Organizations – Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders – condemned the alleged romance between some Nigerians and a soldiers for political reasons.
In separate interviews with The PUNCH on Wednesday, they declared that coups were no longer fashionable.
The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, however, warned Buratai not to turn himself to a whistle-blower.
They spoke against the backdrop of a warning by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who alleged, on Tuesday, that some people were approaching soldiers for political reasons, warning the soldiers, who might heed such overtures of serious consequences.
A statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, on Tuesday, stated, “This is to inform the public that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. T. Y. Buratai, has received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons. On the basis of that, he has warned such persons to desist from these acts.”
Although Buratai did not elaborate on the political reasons, there had been fears by some Nigerians that such hobnobbing is a bad omen and may lead to a military intervention.
Curiously also, the COAS warning came a week after a major shakeup in the top echelons of the Army.
Don’t turn the clock backward, says ACF
The ACF applauded the Chief of Army Staff for warning officers and men of the Nigerian Army to steer clear of politics.
The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Muhammad Ibrahim, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna that the warming was timely.
The forum’s spokesman urged Nigerians to expose those who wanted to turn the clock back.
ACF added, “Nigeria, at this time of our democratic experience, cannot afford any distractions by some unpatriotic individuals who want to use the military or other security agencies to disrupt our hard-earned democracy.
“The ACF therefore commends the Chief of Army Staff for his proactive action and appeals to Nigerians to expose those who wish to turn the hand of the clock backwards.”
Expose those approaching soldiers, Makarfi-led PDP, Ohanaeze tell Buratai
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo aligned with the position of the PDP factional group, asking Buratai to expose those that had approached soldiers for political reasons.
The group, however, warned against attempt, by anybody or group, to take advantage of President Muhammadu Buhari’s sickness “to take power through the back door.”
The Deputy Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Chuks Ibegbu, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said the nation deserved to know the individuals concerned.
“He (Buratai) should name those people, so that Nigerians will know who they are, and their motives.
“People should not take advantage of Mr. President’s health condition to take power through the back door.
“Whoever they are, they should know that any attempt to scuttle democracy in this country will be resisted by Nigerians. Military rule is no longer welcome in this country.
“But Buratai should start by naming these people; Nigerians need to know who they are so as to stop them.”
The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, however, urged Buratai to expose politicians who were approaching soldiers for political reasons.
The National Publicity Secretary of the committee, Dayo Adeyeye, said this in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Adeyeye stated, “He should come out more openly and tell Nigerians what is actually happening. What exactly is the nature of the contact politicians are making with the soldiers? We would like to know the nature of the contact and who and who are making the contact.
“It is only reasonable that he exposes those involved. What are those politicians making these contacts asking for? The truth is that as a nation, we cannot go back to Egypt, because democracy is our Promised Land.”
Attempts to get official comments from the ruling All Progressives Congress were unsuccessful. Calls to the mobile telephone of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, indicated that it was switched off.
A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.
Those seeking change must follow democratic process – UK
In its reaction to Buratai’s warning, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, said the United Kingdom would continue to support democracy as the only system of government in Nigeria.
Arkwright further stated that anyone, who was seeking for change, must follow the democratic process which is election.
The British High Commissioner said this in Abuja on Wednesday while fielding questions from journalists after the presentation of a Chatham House Report, titled, ‘Collective Action on Corruption in Nigeria: A Social Norms Approach to Connecting Society and Institutions’.
Arkwrtight said, “The British Government believes that democracy is absolutely critical in Nigeria. There is a democratic process here; there are elections. If you are not happy with your leaders, then you should change your leadership process through your leaders and through elections.
“That is exactly what happened in 2015 and it is what the British Government will expect to happen in Nigeria. So, our position is very clear; we stand for democracy, we stand for the democratic process and we stand for change, if that is what the people of Nigeria want.
“It has to be a choice that the people make and not a choice that is imposed upon them.”
Don’t turn yourself to a whistle-blower, Afenifere tells COAS
But Afenifere condemned the comment by Buratai on an alleged romance between the military and some soldiers, saying the comment had created fear in minds of Nigeria that coup might occur at anytime.
The Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, stated that the COAS should not have made that statement but should have dealt with his men, who were found guilty of hobnobbing with politicians.
Odumakin stated, “The Chief of Army Staff should not have turned himself to a whistle-blower over the matter. He has a directorate of military intelligence, it should have found out those soldiers contacted and who are contacting them, not to be blowing whistle like the EFCC.
“It is very unfortunate that such a statement is coming out from the Chief of Army Staff. The statement has not only created fear but has also indicated that something can happen at any time.”
Buratai’s warning commendable, says Sheriff’s PDP
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, loyal to Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, Bernard Miko, commended the Army chief for reminding his officers and men of their professional ethics.
“The Chief of Army Staff is not a politician, but issuing routine administrative orders to his field commanders on professional ethics which is very commendable,” he said.
Military should deal early with politicking soldiers, say CDHR, CACOL
In their reactions, the CDHR and CACOL said the military should urgently deal with soldiers who are fraternising with some politicians and douse the tension of a military incursion.
The CDHR President, Malachy Ugwumadu, said in an interview with one of our correspondents that Nigeria could not afford the rumours of a military infraction, let alone the action itself.
He called on the Army authorities to deal internally with such perceived indiscipline.
Ugwumadu stated, “The military incursion into politics is an era we have nullified once and for all. We all knew the struggles we had before winning this democracy.
“Our country cannot stand the rumours of a military incursion, let alone the action itself.
“I commend the Chief of Army Staff for being so intelligence-driven and he should immediately fish out the soldiers behind such acts and deal decisively with them.”
CACOL chairman, Debo Adeniran, said, “Nigeria, despite the economic recession, cannot tolerate any military intervention in power. The intelligence arm of the Army should identify soldiers fraternising with rebellious politicians and court-martial them immediately.
“The military should remember that it derives its authority from civil rule, and soldiers fraternising with politics should remember that military rule is no longer fashionable. We do not want a military that is not subject to democracy.”
SAN, ex-DSS boss, former minister condemn politicians - soldiers romance
Yusuf Ali described the warning by the Chief of Army Staff as timely.
He added that more than 50 per cent of the problems bedevilling the nation were caused by military intervention in governance.
The senior advocate added, “It is no more fashionable for the Armed Forces to take over government anywhere in the world.
“We saw what happened in The Gambia and what is even happening in Cote d’Ivoire now.
“I think we should all remember that almost 50 per cent of our problems today were caused by military rule, in the first place.
“Mention any problem we have – corruption, deficit in infrastructure and even militancy and others – was caused by the intervention of the military in governance.
“I think the call by the Chief of Army Staff is quite timely and I pray that reason will prevail.
“The problem we have here is not as much as what they have in India, and the Army never took over for more than 40 years. So we should be allowed to make our mistakes and correct ourselves.”
Also, a former Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki, advised Buratai to report his suspicions to the Department of State Services, the military intelligence units and the National Intelligence Agency.
Seriki stated, “Buratai should have reported such a suspicion to the DSS and the NIA instead of lamenting or amplifying such a matter in the media. This kind of thing is not good for national security.
“He should report the matter to military and army intelligence units. By extension, the Nigerian counter-intelligence, which is the NIA, should have been informed if he had such a suspicion rather than informing the public because this is not good for national security and prestige and honour of the military.”
Seriki, who held four different ministerial portfolios under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, said a military coup in Nigeria in 2017 was highly unlikely.
“Today, military officers are more enlightened and educated; so, they are more professional. The military that I supervised were gentlemen. So, there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
Also speaking with one of our correspondents, a former Director of the DSS, Mike Ejiofor, ruled out the possibility of a military coup d’etat.
He added that Nigerians would not accept military dictatorship again.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Wednesday, Ejiofor, who is the President, Institute of Security Studies, Abuja, said the alarm raised by Buratai might have nothing to do with a possible coup.
The ex-DSS chief said, “The warning by the Chief of Army Staff is a step in the right direction, but thinking of a possible involvement of soldiers in a coup is completely ruled out because Nigerians and the world at large no longer accept such. So, I don’t want to believe that the Chief of Army Staff had a coup in mind when he made that statement.
“The Army is being accused of taking sides in certain conflicts, failing to take necessary actions to quell crisis in some areas. So, I think he (Buratai) was talking of that because military coups are old-fashioned and no Nigerians will welcome that, and I believe that our politicians will never encourage soldiers to overthrow anybody.
“There is no cause for alarm. In fact, I can assure you that if the military comes in or if there is any attempt to come in, Nigerians will drive them away with their bare hands.”

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/where-is-junior.html

WHERE IS JUNIOR? By Emmanuel Idiagi


When I was much younger, they called me Junior.
I ran around and played all the kind of play you could ever imagine.
From crawling to running.
From running to jumping.
From jumping to injuring myself.
We entered a car close to our house. We had a serious journey to embark on. We called all the imaginary passengers to enter with their change so as not to cause delay when we get to the bus stop. The car had flat tyres and my mouth was the sound of the engine. We dropped each passengers at their various destination but in reality the car was static!
Atimes, we went to another vicinity to play a football match. We either came back happy or defeated. Such a match, if luck wasn't with you, you'll come back home, walking with one leg of your slippers because the other leg pulled out during the tournament. If you were prudent enough, you'll look for a little nail to fix it up. If JUNIOR wore one leg of his slippers coming home, no one would see it as absurd.
'He's JUNIOR'
Oh my God! See Junior has started again o...
'Junior! Junior! Come here jare'
Junior is still laughing, eagerly looking for some new fun to catch up with.
I loved the fun. The fun was fun! Wow!
But I pondered recently.
I asked myself, "But where is Junior?"
Right now, if I decide to run around the compound and jump like before, I can see some folks already at alert to catch me, tie me up, to take me to the nearest Psychiatric hospital for check up or something.
But no one would bind up Junior like that. No one would ever think something went wrong with jumping and running JUNIOR.
I hear people call me, 'Uncle! Uncle!'
And I ask myself, 'But what of Junior? Where is he?'
I carry that young boy and the beards around my chin begins to stab his smooth face. He begins to stare at me with naughty looks.
In his mind, I guess he'll be like, 'Why is this Uncle's face stabing me like this now?'
But Junior never had a stabing face. Now, how will I be able to convince this small boy about JUNIOR'S smooth face?
I'm either called a Mentor, an Uncle, a Brother,... but what of JUNIOR? No one wants to call me JUNIOR anymore. Why?
Is that not my name again?
***
Friends, sometimes in life, we need to face reality.
We are no more getting younger each passing day. Our life span is short.
You were called 'baby girl' some time ago but right now, people call you, 'aunty' or 'mummy'.
Sometimes, you get offended.
'Stop that rubbish. I don't like it. Call me...'
Do you know why you get pissed off?
You're still backing reality that's why.

My sister, it's an evident that life is not only changing around you but life is changing with you!

All those we called uncles are now papas.
All those we called papas are now grandpas
All those we called grandpas and grandmas are all gone.

Friends, life is so short.

What do you want to do with your life if I may ask?

People who don't understand the brevity of life will always want you to spend your whole life chatting, laughing and doing so many frivolous things that won't add much value to your life or to your world.

But what's your decision about life?

I have some candid advice for you friend.

Are there some books you've always loved to write? Write them now.

It seems you've always wanted to compose some cool musics. Now is the time.

You've always wanted to learn to play that instrument? You're not sure of tomorrow beloved. Learn it now.

You've always wanted to preach God's Word and do some great work for the kingdom of God? Do it now.

You've always wanted to be a business tycoon or something. The hour is now.

'I want to make sure...'
'I want to be able...'
'I want to...'

NO! JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW. START IMMEDIATELY.

Don't procrastinate anymore.

'JUNIOR' IS NO MORE.

Challenge: Your life is brief. Live your life to please God and impact your world as much as possible to His glory.

Life is like a tale that's told Beloved.
Be wise.

Prayer: O Lord, teach us to number our days and to apply our hearts to wisdom.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/babangida-melaye-saraki-and-audacity-of.html

The nefarious intents in the two gatherings should inform the anti-corruption agencies and, of course, the Buhari government, of the need to retool to take Nigeria from the corrupt tendencies that are battling for the soul of the country.

Two developments that happened in Nigeria this past week serve as pointers that the amber lights of corruption are still aglow even in the face of the onslaught against corruption by the present regime. The marriage of former Military Head of State (though he prefers to be addressed as President) Ibrahim Babangida’s daughter and the launching of Dino Melaye’s book, Antidotes for Corruption, provided a fillip for corrupt Nigerians to come together and share camaraderie among their ilk. Both developments stand out in their attempts to rally the wellheads of corruption and stage an audacious national outing at a time the country is still bleeding from the deep gashes corruption inflicted on it. There is no doubt that in both outings, there were deliberate attempts to serve the Buhari regime and Nigerians a scathing notice that corruption is alive and kicking. There was no doubt that the sidekicks of corruption were served good notice to tarry awhile and stay awake for the re-launching of corruption.

To be sure, no one is begrudging Babangida on the wedding of his daughter. No one is questioning his right to treat his daughter with a lavish nuptial, even as he abridged the rights of millions of Nigerians to decent living by his many vile and corrupt acts and policies whose negative fallouts still resonate decades after his blistering reign. What one finds nauseating is the indecent display of filthy lucre and wealth which attended the wedding. From all seeming indices, it looks like there were deliberate efforts to serve a shell-shocked nation, still smarting from the bruises of corruption, that indeed, corruption is alive and kicking.

Several Nigerian news reports of the Babangida wedding were filled with raunchy, salacious tales of displays of wealth, power and aplomb. The highlight of the wedding reports was the presence of so many private aircrafts in Minna for the wedding. Nigerian media space, so seeped in vanity, reported the presence of 35 to 52 aircrafts in Minna for the wedding! What a banality at a time when Nigeria is going through an asphyxiating economic situation. Nigerian economic woes were occasioned by the the kind of profligacy, impunity and mendacious brazenness that was on display in Minna.

Sentar Dino Melaye, on his part, has come off as a jester whose penchant for buffoonery is beyond compare. Here is a character that strayed upon the national space with a dubious history trying to prescribe antidotes to the same corruption that has dogged his many controversial outings in the Nigerian political space. That the writing of the book is coming soon after Dino Melaye himself was coming out of a blistering academic inquest that leaves very big and embarrassing question marks on his educational claims reveals that the book itself was another effort in revelry, as it connotes a paradox, an irony and indeed a contradiction to antidotes of corruption. Melaye and his cohorts were only mocking the fight against corruption and displaying brazen guffaws on the fight against corruption, and this formed the main theme of their display at the launching venue.

If the intent of Melaye’s Antidotes for Corruption is questionable, the launching itself removed all doubts that indeed, it was a grand parody organized to ridicule and cast aspersions on the anti-corruption battle. It was obvious that rather than whatever the contents of the book were, the main point was to use the launching to provide a platform from which to mount a desperate battle against the anti-corruption war. Simply, it was another case of corruption fighting back. Bukola Saraki, a man dogged with so many corrupt charges in various courts was so conspicuous as the Chief Launcher while Patience Jonathan, the wife of the immediate past president who is facing various corruption charges, was present as the Special Guest of Honor. The launching venue was brimming full with top deck corrupt politicians who designed the show as a rallying point to take free and unsparing darts on the present anti-corruption fight. These were not accidents but deliberate and well orchestrated efforts to gather corrupt politicians to strategize and fight the against the quest to cleanse Nigeria of corruption.

Saraki, all tainted and soiled, didn't waste time to punch freely on the anti-corruption program of the present regime, dismissing it as a circus show (understandably for its inability so far to nab and jail him for multifarious cases of corruption). His cohorts in corruption took turns to tow his line. In all, the launch of Melaye’s book served its main purpose of providing a stage for the fightback of the audaciously corrupt against the fight on corruption. I don't think Melaye fooled himself into thinking that any serious Nigerian would look up to him for antidotes to corruption. I don't think Melaye imagined himself making sense with the same Nigerians that mauled him ceaselessly during his recent putrid academic inquest. He was merely providing a platform for his ilk, whom he unabashedly gathered at his launch, to take free aims at the Buhari anti-corruption war.

The twin efforts within a week to revive the seemingly rested flanks of corruption and re-mount it on the eminent pedestal it was before the coming of the present government, should not be lost on the Buhari government. The audacity on display at the two events should provide a new vista of courage to the anti-corruption agencies that the adder of corruption has been merely scorched and not killed. The nefarious intents in the two gatherings should inform the anti-corruption agencies and, of course, the Buhari government, of the need to retool to take Nigeria from the corrupt tendencies that are battling for the soul of the country. The Melaye and Babangida shows and the display by such vile characters like Saraki should inform the present anti corruption agencies that the task ahead is huge and nothing but going for the necks of the fat cows that mount the present audacious display will assuage the quest of Nigerians for a clean break from the past.

Let’s be clear: Babangida’s putrid mess landed Nigeria in its present quagmire, for he provided the philosophical grounding for the kind of egregious plundering he supervised, as well as the grotesque Abacha carnage, the Obasanjo ogre, and, of course the grandiloquent Jonathan wreckage. Babangida institutionalized and legalized corruption, leading to a systemic destruction of the existing value systems that prop Nigeria’s ethical backbone. He made Nigeria so attractive to corrupt practices and influences and played a central role in the corrupt empowerment of most of the czars that always patronize his many shows of vanity, as his daughter’s wedding was. So long as Nigerians find grounds to solidarize with such compromised and rusty characters like Babangida, so long will the country remain mired in deep morass and serious economic crisis.

Dino Melaye’s case is even more complex. Melaye is a jester, a parodist, a reveler, a masker and a clown rolled into one. His intent in writing Antidotes for Corruption, while being mischievous, is neither meant to convince Nigerians but to play up the flagging wings of corruption. Here is a character that celebrates and deifies self vanity in an obvious effort to cover a deep-layered personality defect and who deigns no scruple celebrating unrooted, unmerited and unexplained wealth at the drop of a hat. Melaye is a tragic-character who struggles to justify multiple faces at the same time; he canonizes himself as an anti-corruption warrior yet displays obscene and indecent wealth with no verifiable source. Here is a character who does not mind sharing the dual faces of a saint and a robber. Here is a character whose life history is strewn with many unfilled gaps and yawning Here is a fellow trolled by serious academic doubts who does not mind laying claim to spurious academic records he neither earned nor merited. Here is a janus-faced poetaster who defies all norms in a bid to claim hallowed seats in the hall of fame where he is an outlaw.

That Dino Melaye can prescribe the antidotes to corruption amounts to a terrible rebuke to anti-corruption itself. His amounts to a blasphemy to decency and and he knows it. He knows that Nigerians will treat his antidotes to corruption with contempt and scorn but then, he has a clear mission to play up corruption. That Dino Melaye, with his doubtful academic credentials, can even pen Antidotes for Corruption shows that the country’s moral fiber is seriously bleeding. His, while being an attempt to belittle probity and accountability, was a grand effort to ridicule and diminish anti-corruption.

All said, it is obvious that the dual developments were meant to score a huge psychological victory against the war on corruption. It must not be allowed to be so. It is certain that the twin developments amounted to a daring audacity of the corrupt, which is why the authorities must redouble the fight against corruption. It behoves the present government and its anti-corruption agencies to see the huge presence of corrupt politicians at Babangida’s daughter’s wedding and the launching of Dino Melaye’s laughable Antidotes for Corruption as signals that the battle to retake Nigeria from the corrupt is still a long and winding war. It must be fought to a standstill. The necessary tools to fight this battle must be acquired, and the resetting of our national moral code must be embarked on. The anti-corruption war cannot accommodate such hideous shows on display at the two events.

Peter Claver Oparah writes from Lagos. You can reach him at peterclaver2000@yahoo.com.



Dino Melaye's "Antidotes for Corruption" launching party, with Bukola Saraki and Patience Jonathan in attendance

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/sacked-delta-speaker-igbuya-leads-thugs.html

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was, on Tuesday, prevented from commissioning a road project in Sapele by thugs led by Mr. Monday Igbuya, the recently impeached Speaker of the state legislature.

Mr. Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, and other top government functionaries were in the area to commission the road and inspect other projects as part of activities marking the second anniversary of his administration.

But Mr. Igbuya, leading a band of thugs, invaded the venue and chased away the governor and his entourage.

The governor, his deputy, the newly elected Speaker of the House, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori; his deputy, Mr. Friday Osanibi, and other dignitaries had taken their seats in readiness for the event when Mr. Igbuya arrived with his thugs to start a protest.

The governor had to be quickly moved away from the venue. Members of his entourage also fled, leaving the venue for thugs believed to be loyal to the new Speaker and the legislator representing Warri North Constituency, Mr. Michael Diden (alias Ejele), to provide a counter-force.

Some Sapele youths and members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also present at the venue, where they chanted “Sheriff Oborevwori is our Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori is our leader.”

A young man, who claimed to be Mr. Igbuya’s supporter, told SaharaReporters that the protest was against the removal of Mr. Igbuya from office by 22 of the 29 members of the House.

"The protest is against Okowa because we know he was behind the impeachment of Igbuya and we can't allow such a person to visit Sapele to do anything. The governor was lucky that he was not attacked. Mr. Igbuya remains the Speaker of the House whether they like it or not. What you saw was child's play. The whole world will hear when we storm the Government House to continue our protest," the visibly angry youth said.

Reacting to the development, a PDP youth leader in Sapele, Mr. Sunny Nwankego, described the incident as unfortunate, blaming it on the youths’ inability to understand that Mr. Igbuya’s reinstatement could not have been true because the House has not yet sat.

"Some misguided and ill-informed supporters of the ousted speaker were celebrating last night at his hotel, claiming that he has been reinstated. To tell you how gullible they are, they do not understand that Igbuya was impeached and suspended for three months. Since then, the House has not sat. Where and when did members sit to lift Igbuya’s suspension and reinstate him as Speaker?" asked Mr. Nwankego.

The belief that Mr. Igbuya has been restored to his previous position was apparently induced by a rumor that Mr. James Ibori, the convicted former governor of the state, had intervened on his behalf.

This, however, was denied by Mr. Ibori, who said his name was just being dropped by Mr. Igbuya’s supporters.

Mr. Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, and other top government functionaries were in the area to commission the road and inspect other projects as part of activities marking the second anniversary of his administration.





Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was, on Tuesday, prevented from commissioning a road project in Sapele by thugs led by Mr. Monday Igbuya, the recently impeached Speaker of the state legislature.

Mr. Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, and other top government functionaries were in the area to commission the road and inspect other projects as part of activities marking the second anniversary of his administration.

But Mr. Igbuya, leading a band of thugs, invaded the venue and chased away the governor and his entourage.

The governor, his deputy, the newly elected Speaker of the House, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori; his deputy, Mr. Friday Osanibi, and other dignitaries had taken their seats in readiness for the event when Mr. Igbuya arrived with his thugs to start a protest.

The governor had to be quickly moved away from the venue. Members of his entourage also fled, leaving the venue for thugs believed to be loyal to the new Speaker and the legislator representing Warri North Constituency, Mr. Michael Diden (alias Ejele), to provide a counter-force.

Some Sapele youths and members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also present at the venue, where they chanted “Sheriff Oborevwori is our Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori is our leader.”

A young man, who claimed to be Mr. Igbuya’s supporter, told SaharaReporters that the protest was against the removal of Mr. Igbuya from office by 22 of the 29 members of the House.

"The protest is against Okowa because we know he was behind the impeachment of Igbuya and we can't allow such a person to visit Sapele to do anything. The governor was lucky that he was not attacked. Mr. Igbuya remains the Speaker of the House whether they like it or not. What you saw was child's play. The whole world will hear when we storm the Government House to continue our protest," the visibly angry youth said.

Reacting to the development, a PDP youth leader in Sapele, Mr. Sunny Nwankego, described the incident as unfortunate, blaming it on the youths’ inability to understand that Mr. Igbuya’s reinstatement could not have been true because the House has not yet sat.

"Some misguided and ill-informed supporters of the ousted speaker were celebrating last night at his hotel, claiming that he has been reinstated. To tell you how gullible they are, they do not understand that Igbuya was impeached and suspended for three months. Since then, the House has not sat. Where and when did members sit to lift Igbuya’s suspension and reinstate him as Speaker?" asked Mr. Nwankego.

The belief that Mr. Igbuya has been restored to his previous position was apparently induced by a rumor that Mr. James Ibori, the convicted former governor of the state, had intervened on his behalf.

This, however, was denied by Mr. Ibori, who said his name was just being dropped by Mr. Igbuya’s supporters.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/one-week-into-president-buharis-return.html

The presidency has debunked the story about the president’s death, with Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu taking to Twitter to condemn the rumor mongers and assure Nigerians of the well-being of his principal.

Ten days after Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari left the country for England to seek medical attention for his deteriorating health, an information war appears to have broken out between those who want him dead and those striving to counter that narrative with their own propaganda.

On the first hand are those using various clones of international news websites to spread rumors that the president is dead. One of those phony websites last weekend made a parody of CNN, but while CNN has a .com domain, the fake website appeared with a .tv web address.

On the other hand of the battle are those trying to counter the rumors by spreading an old picture of a considerably-healthier President Buhari and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The picture was actually taken when Mr. Buhari visited the Lambeth Palace in May 2016.

The presidency has debunked the story about the president’s death, with Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu taking to Twitter to condemn the rumor mongers and assure Nigerians of the well-being of his principal. He did not refer to the part about Buhari’s “recent” visit to the archbishop.

Baseless rumors are trending again that an unpleasant thing has happened to our beloved President, Muhammadu Buhari.

While the presidency assured Nigerians that the president is very much alive, it continues to avoid making available any details of his health status. It is even more confusing that Mr. Garba has been reported as saying that the presidency will rely on third party on information in that regard.

President Buhari left the country on May 7 shortly after receiving the 82 Chibok girls who were freed by Boko Haram in exchange for two of its kingpins who were being held by the Nigerian Army.

Presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina informed Nigerians that the length of the president’s stay in London would be determined by his doctors.

The current trip is the second time the president will be traveling for medicals this year. On January 19, he left on a “medical vacation” that eventually lasted about 50 days. Addressing his Ministers upon his return on March 10, he said he had never been “so sick” since he was a young man, adding that he had received blood transfusion.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/n360m-bribe-trial-of-inec-staff.html



In a ruling on Monday, Justice John Tsoho upheld the objection raised by the INEC staff against their being tried in Abuja since their alleged offense took place in Rivers State.



A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed that the 23 staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accused of accepting N360m bribe from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State are to be tried in the state.

In a ruling on Monday, Justice John Tsoho upheld the objection raised by the INEC staff against their being tried in Abuja since their alleged offense took place in Rivers State.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on March 7 this year, filed a seven-count charge against the 23 INEC staff for allegedly receiving N360m bribe from Wike in connection with the December 10, 2016, rerun elections in River State.

Before they could be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the defendants challenged the prosecution’s decision to conduct the proceedings in Abuja, when they were accused of receiving money in Rivers State.

They sought the transfer of the case to Rivers State, a request the Prosecution objected to and insisted on their trial in Abuja.

In his ruling, Justice Tsoho held that the charge ought to be filed in the capital of Rivers State, Port Harcourt, where the alleged offenses were supposedly committed.

The judge said the prosecution was unable to provide any cogent evidence of insecurity in Port Harcourt to justify the filing of the charge in Abuja.

He said the prosecution failed to support, with evidence, its claims that there was “pervasive insecurity” in Port Harcourt and that the city has become ungovernable.

The judge said the “frightening pictures” attached to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit have no proof of location and time of the incidents.

He added that there was no evidence presented before the court to back the prosecution’s claim that there were daily reports of threat by cult groups in the state.

Justice Tsoho said, in the absence of such evidence, provisions of Section 93 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and Section 45 of the Federal High Court Act, providing that charges must be filed in the area or place where the alleged offences were committed “shall apply”.

He consequently ordered the transfer of the case to Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court for the arraignment of the defendants.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/dino-melaye-launches-anti-corruption.html


Prominent at the occasion were the Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and Minister of Labour Chris Ngige.

Controversial Senator Dino Melaye, who represents the Kogi West Federal Constituency in the Upper House, today in Abuja launched a 600-page book entitled, 'Antidotes for Corruption: The Nigerian Story,' at which the anti-graft agencies were curiously absent.

Many of the high-profile politicians at the event, some of them with known ethical questions, expressed a mixture of surprise and relief to see that there was no single representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Prominent at the occasion were the Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and Minister of Labour Chris Ngige.

Also present were Ghali Na'aba, a former Speaker of the House; Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Idris Wada, a former Kogi State Governor; Attahiru Bafarawa, a former Sokoto State governor; and several senators.

In a speech, Saraki, who is on trial for corruption at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false declaration of assets, described the “sensationalization” of corruption fight as ‘unnecessary and counter-productive.’

In a dig at the government and the EFCC, he said that corruption must be fought to its roots and foundation,rather than blowing it out of proportion on the pages of newspapers.

The Senate President argued that the justice system provides for forensic investigation, which, according to him, is lacking in Nigeria. He commended the resilience of Senator Melaye for writing such a voluminous book despite his busy schedule.

At the middle of the event, there was a sudden appearance of Mrs. Jonathan to a chorus of “Mama Peace!’ which disrupted the event for few minutes. Mrs. Jonathan is currently embroiled in a court battle for nearly $6 million she claims to have obtained from gifts given to her by undisclosed people.

Mr. Melaye, for his part, was temporarily an ‘anti-corruption’ fighter a few years ago as chairman of the ‘Anti-Corruption Network’ in Abuja. He then became astoundingly rich, almost overnight, owning a multi-billion Naira home in Abuja, and routinely flaunting a fleet of exotic cars. He has refused to answer any questions about the source of his wealth.

Only recently, there was a national uproar about whether Mr. Melaye actually earned an undergraduate degree at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. At least two foreign universities he had claimed he earned higher degrees in have since announced he was never a student there.

Senator Melaye has also emerged as one of the critics of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the EFCC, helping to inflict a major setback upon his confirmation in the Senate.



Senator Dino Melaye

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/dino-melaye-launches-anti-corruption.html


Prominent at the occasion were the Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and Minister of Labour Chris Ngige.

Controversial Senator Dino Melaye, who represents the Kogi West Federal Constituency in the Upper House, today in Abuja launched a 600-page book entitled, 'Antidotes for Corruption: The Nigerian Story,' at which the anti-graft agencies were curiously absent.

Many of the high-profile politicians at the event, some of them with known ethical questions, expressed a mixture of surprise and relief to see that there was no single representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Prominent at the occasion were the Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and Minister of Labour Chris Ngige.

Also present were Ghali Na'aba, a former Speaker of the House; Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Idris Wada, a former Kogi State Governor; Attahiru Bafarawa, a former Sokoto State governor; and several senators.

In a speech, Saraki, who is on trial for corruption at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false declaration of assets, described the “sensationalization” of corruption fight as ‘unnecessary and counter-productive.’

In a dig at the government and the EFCC, he said that corruption must be fought to its roots and foundation,rather than blowing it out of proportion on the pages of newspapers.

The Senate President argued that the justice system provides for forensic investigation, which, according to him, is lacking in Nigeria. He commended the resilience of Senator Melaye for writing such a voluminous book despite his busy schedule.

At the middle of the event, there was a sudden appearance of Mrs. Jonathan to a chorus of “Mama Peace!’ which disrupted the event for few minutes. Mrs. Jonathan is currently embroiled in a court battle for nearly $6 million she claims to have obtained from gifts given to her by undisclosed people.

Mr. Melaye, for his part, was temporarily an ‘anti-corruption’ fighter a few years ago as chairman of the ‘Anti-Corruption Network’ in Abuja. He then became astoundingly rich, almost overnight, owning a multi-billion Naira home in Abuja, and routinely flaunting a fleet of exotic cars. He has refused to answer any questions about the source of his wealth.

Only recently, there was a national uproar about whether Mr. Melaye actually earned an undergraduate degree at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. At least two foreign universities he had claimed he earned higher degrees in have since announced he was never a student there.

Senator Melaye has also emerged as one of the critics of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the EFCC, helping to inflict a major setback upon his confirmation in the Senate.



Senator Dino Melaye

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/05/n80b-salary-debt-akeredolu-begs-ondo.html

The governor explained that it was becoming increasingly difficult to use state funds to offset workers’ accumulated and outstanding salaries and arrears.

Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has begged civil servants in the state workforce to waive their outstanding salaries and arrears owed by the immediate past government.

Mr. Akeredolu made the plea when the committee on arrears of salaries of state public servants submitted its final report at the cocoa conference hall in Akure.

Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi headed the committee, which was inaugurated on the March 7, 2017.

The governor explained that it was becoming increasingly difficult to use state funds to offset workers’ accumulated and outstanding salaries and arrears.

He said the government workers must be prepared to “pay the sacrifices” of waiving their salaries as part of their own contributions to the economic development of the state.

“We have said this many times, we must be prepared to pay sacrifices because we don’t borrow money to pay salaries. If they (workers) meet and say they waive two months, we will be glad, but if they insist on having the full arrears, we will look for ways of paying,” Mr. Akeredolu said.

“I will have to address the workers to let them know that it’s not possible to use all our money to pay salaries,” he added.

He promised that the All Progressives Congress-led government in the state would endeavor to not owe civil servants’ salaries accruing from his assumption of office in February 2017.

“I know it is not easy but it is also getting increasingly difficult for the government, too, but whatever we do, we will try not to owe salaries,” the governor said.

SaharaReporters learned that the governor has paid three months’ salaries - February, March and April - to the government workers of the state.

Our correspondent reported that Mr. Akeredolu has also paid one out of six months’ outstanding salaries owed to the workers by the immediate past governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

Mr. Akeredolu stated that the government would, however, look inwardly for solutions by increasing the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in order to help address issues of funds in the state treasury.

Submitting the report, Mr. Agboola claimed that of the total salaries owed to civil servants, N38.57 billion was owed to the workers by the immediate past government of Mr. Mimiko.

The deputy governor disclosed that the figure was excluding an additional N41.5 billion which represents outstanding gratuities.

“What the government is owing now is N34.5 billion, representing five months’ salaries as against the six months we met on board and it is outside the N41.5 billion representing outstanding gratuities.”

In June 2016, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko declared that the monthly wage bill, including pensions, of Ondo State was N3.9 billion.

Mr. Mimiko disclosed the figure while pacifying state workers during one of their protests at the front of the government house in Akure before leaving office.

Political pundits have been asking Mr. Mimiko's successor, Mr. Akeredolu, to declare the true figure of the state monthly wage bill since he promised government transparency after being sworn-in as governor.



Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/jonathan-used-boko-haram-insurgency-to.html

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed why he opposed the re-election of immediate past president, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. Mr. Obasanjo’s reasons are contained in a book, Against the Run of Play, written by Mr. Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of the Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspapers. The book, an account of what happened in the 2015 presidential election, is due for public presentation in Lagos on Friday.

Mr. Obasanjo’s reasons are contained in a book, Against the Run of Play, written by Mr. Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of the Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspapers.

The book, an account of what happened in the 2015 presidential election, is due for public presentation in Lagos on Friday.

The relationship between the former presidents, noted the author, had soured long before the election. Mr. Jonathan, whose political rise is widely credited to Mr. Obasanjo’s influence, had sought to make up with his presumed benefactor and keep him on his side for re-election. He arranged for a meeting with Mr. Obasanjo in his Abeokuta home.

Before leaving for the Ogun State leg of his campaign in January 2015 wrote the author, Mr. Jonathan had concluded plans to visit Mr. Obasanjo, who had agreed to meet him.

Mr. Obasanjo, however, gave a condition: Jonathan must come along with someone of sufficient credibility to act as a witness at the meeting. Mr. Jonathan agreed to bring one along.

He approached the hugely influential General Overseer (GO) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor EA Adeboye, who accepted to play the role of a witness.

But on the evening of 12 January 2015, the agreed date of the meeting scheduled for Mr. Obasanjo’s Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Pastor Adeboye arrived in the company of Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel.

“It was only Pastor Adeboye that Jonathan told me was coming with him, but Bishop Oyedepo is a man I also know very well, so I had no problem with his presence at the meeting,” Mr. Obasanjo was quoted as saying.

The meeting, stated the author, was an unpleasant one for Mr. Jonathan, a man Mr. Obasanjo had assisted to become Vice President and then President. Mr. Obasanjo frontally told Mr. Jonathan that he was not going to support his re-election bid, saying he considered his performance as president sub-par and that he had acted less than honorably for reneging on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoning arrangement, which prescribed that it was the turn of the North to produce the president.

“I told him in the presence of his witness that I was not going to support him for a second-term and I gave my reasons. Aside the issue of zoning on which he was reneging, his stewardship up to that point had also shown very clearly that he was not up to the job,” Obasanjo reportedly said to the author in December 2016.

Mr. Obasanjo, according to the author, claimed to have nothing personal against Mr. Jonathan, explaining that his disagreement with him was based on certain principles on which he was not prepared to compromise.

“My decision was based on what would be for the good of Nigeria and since I didn’t consider Jonathan god enough, I told him to his face. What would I be afraid of?” asked Obasanjo.

The outcome of the meeting was a huge blow to Mr. Jonathan, who was initially billed to be on the ballot in February 2015 before the eventual postponement of the election. Mr. Jonathan, expectedly, left Abeokuta dejected.

The outcome of the meeting was the culmination of years of disdain, initially muted, with which Mr. Obasanjo held the Jonathan presidency. Signs of his irritation first manifested on 3 April 2012, when he resigned his position as chairman of PDP Board of Trustees.

Two months later, he delivered a wounding assessment of the Jonathan’s administration’s capacity to confront corruption.

On 15 June 2012, at a debate organized by the club De Madrid (an independent, non-profit organization comprising 80 former democratic presidents and prime ministers from fifty-six countries) in Geneva, Switzerland, Mr. Obasanjo laid into the Jonathan administration with full force.

“I haven’t seen that will of persistency and consistency in Nigeria because the people that are involved in corruption, they are strongly entrenched and unless you are ready to confront them at the point of even giving your life for it, then you will give in, that is the end of it,” he told BBC

Ritula Shah, moderator of the debate. Clever sniping by an accomplished verbal sniper. From then on, Mr. Jonathan was a sitting duck.

A year later, Mr. Obasanjo abandoned sniping for an all-out shootout. His first major target was the oil pipelines protection initiative of the Jonathan administration.

“This morning, on my way from Abeokuta by road, I was listening to the radio. I heard that the Jonathan administration said that they are going to set up an agency for pipeline protection. Now, what are the police there for? What are all the security agencies doing? This is another chop-chop,” Mr. Obasanjo said in Abuja during a thanksgiving ceremony to mark the 50th birthday of Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education.

He sustained his attack with details of how he thought the Jonathan administration was not interested in accountability, noting that its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency indicated that if allowed to continue in power, Mr. Jonathan could fatally damage the country. “Jonathan and his people turned Boko Haram into an industry for making money. Rather than seek for solution, Boko Haram became an ATM machine for taking money out of the treasury. Take the issue of the Chibok tragedy. If he had acted within the first 48 hours, they would have found most of the girls. The CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria) Chairman of the local chapter in Chibok was here to see me and he explained how they were helpless with no reaction from the authorities for several days,” the book quoted Mr. Obasanjo as saying.

The author noted that Mr. Obasanjo had advised early in the life of the Jonathan administration that Jonathan, as president, needed to pay more attention to the Boko Haram insurgency, a counsel that was ignored.

In November 2012, the author stated, at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary on the pulpit of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the then CAN President, Obasanjo suggested that the Jonathan administration was mishandling the challenge posed by the insurgency.

“My fear is that when you have a sore and you don’t attend to it early enough, it festers and becomes very bad. Don’t leave a problem that can be bad unattended…if you say you don’t want a strong leader who can have all the characteristic of a leader, including the fear of God, then you have a weak leader and the rest of the problems is yours,” he said at the occasion.

Mr. Obasanjo also accused Mr. Jonathan of clannishness and promotion of a form of Ijaw triumphalism, which he described as “sickening”.

“I once asked him: ‘What is this Ijaw thing all about? Can the Ijaw people make you president?’ I remember when he granted pardon to Alamieyeseigha (Diepriye, the former governor of Bayelsa State convicted for corruption) and it became an international embarrassment. I also asked him: ‘Why did you do it?’ He started by offering a lame excuse that it was a Council of State decision before I reminded him that Council of State was merely advisory and that the decision was his. After a while, he said if I was at the meeting, he probably would have acted differently because nobody opposed him on what he could do to address the problem. But it was either because he didn’t have the courage to broach the issue with Alamieyeseigha or he didn’t think it was important. he did nothing afterward,” Adeniyi reported Obasanjo as saying.

The author also noted that the public conduct of some Ijaw men such as ex-militant, Mujahid Dakubo-Asari, and a former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark damaged the image of Jonathan and that of his administration.

Mr. Adeniyi observed that the fact that Mr. Jonathan did not restrain them created the impression that he supported what they were saying and doing. For instance, in May 2013, recalls Adeniyi, Dakubo-Asari said Niger Delta militants would throw the country into chaos if Mr. Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015. Again, on September 9th, 2013, he declared that Jonathan’s presidential ambition in 2015 was already settled.

“The way things are going, there is no sitting on the fence in the battle before us… All of us will have to be in the ring and fight. 2015 is already a settled matter. Goodluck Jonathan would be president in 2015,” Dakubo-Asari declared.

A few days later, Chief Clark did the same, saying Jonathan would remain President in 2015 because it was not yet the turn of the North.

“In the Constitution of Nigeria, every president has two elections to be contested. (Alhaji Shehu) Shagari did it in1979 and 1983. In 1999, (Chief Olusegun) Obasanjo did it and 2003. In 2007, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory did it and if he had remained alive, he would have done it again in 2011. So, Jonathan has the right to contest again. This is an incumbent that has not done a second-term. It is not yet the turn of northerners. They have the right to contest as Nigerians. Yes, but in other parties,” said Chief Clark.

Continue Reading @ http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/jonathan-used-boko-haram-insurgency-to.html

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/jubilation-as-zaria-witnesses-first.html

Jubilation rented the air across Zaria and its environs in Kaduna State as residents witnessed the first rainfall in 2017 which lasted for almost one hour.
The rain, started at about 4:40pm
Some farmers told NAN that they were highly elated with the experience.
Malam Haruna Sidi-Makarfi, a Makarfi-based farmer in Makarfi Local Government Area, expressed gratitude to God for the rainfall, which he described as “a blessing from our creator.”
“Whenever rain starts, as farmers, we must be happy and we must appreciate God Almighty for his blessings.
“And starts clearing his/her farmland preparatory to cultivation’’, Sidi-Makarfi said.
He appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government in providing fertilisers called “Nagari” at a controlled price of N5, 500, saying that the commodity had reached the grassroots.
The peasant farmer, however, appealed to government to supply improved seeds and chemicals at subsidised rates to further boost agricultural participation.
A Zaria-based farmer, Malam Musa Dogara, observed that with the commencement of the rain, farmers would be encouraged to actively prepare for bountiful cultivation.
“We are not only to start preparation for a new farming season, but to also look forward to producing more food for the country.
“I want to appeal to farmers to consider farming as a business not just a traditional thing. Remember, prices of farm produce are on the high side this year.
“Therefore, as farmers, it will be part of patriotism to take advantage of that to produce more for the country to enable it attain food sufficiency”, Dogara said.
He advised the citizens not to relent in praying for God’s blessing for bumper harvest and peace in Nigeria.
Malam Ibrahim Mohammed, also a Zaria-based farmer, appreciated God for what he described as succour not only to farmers but to all residents.
“May God allow us to see the end of the season in good health and bountiful blessings. Ours is just to plant, but it takes the blessing of God to have bumper harvest”, Mohammed said.
NAN reports that many of the residents also expressed gratitude to God for the cooling effect of the rain on the environment.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/violence-erupts-as-protesters-storm.html


Macedonia’s opposition leader was among at least 10 people injured in parliament Thursday after protesters stormed the building following an allegedly unfair vote for a parliamentary speaker, witnesses and local media reported.
An AFP reporter saw Zoran Zaev, who leads the main opposition Social Democrats, with blood on his face in the chaos, while Macedonian media quoting hospital sources said ten people were injured, including two deputies.
The violence erupted after around 100 protesters supporting the rival VMRO-DPMNE party entered parliament waving Macedonian flags and singing the national anthem.
AFP photos and footage on local TV showed at least one masked man inside the building.
“I condemn the attacks on MPs in Skopje in the strongest terms. Violence has NO place in Parliament. Democracy must run its course,” said European Union Commissioner Johannes Hahn on Twitter.
The incident follows months of political deadlock in the Balkan country, where demonstrators have been holding nightly rallies in the capital since an inconclusive December election.
They oppose a proposed coalition between Zaev’s Social Democrats (SDSM) and ethnic Albanians, which they perceive as a threat to national unity.
According to local media, Thursday’s incident broke out after the SDSM and Albanian parties voted in a new parliamentary speaker although the former speaker had closed the day’s session.
Their chosen speaker, Talat Xhaferi, is ethnic Albanian.
For a decade until last year, Macedonia was ruled by the conservative VMRO-DPMNE and its leader Nikola Gruevski.
December’s election saw the party secure 51 seats in the 120-seat parliament — or two more than the SDSM, but the conservatives failed to reach a deal with kingmaking Albanian parties.
Although Zaev then reached an agreement with the Albanian groups, President Gjorge Ivanov refused to give him a mandate to form a government.
An ally of Gruevski, the president expressed concern over the controversial demand of Albanian parties that Albanian be made an official language across Macedonia.
Critics of the demand fear it could lead to the break-up of the small country of around two million people, about a quarter of whom are ethnic Albanians.
The EU and the United States have urged Ivanov to reverse his decision, while Macedonia’s opposition has warned its conservative rivals that they are playing with fire by using the ethnic card in a bid to stay in power.
The vote was supposed to end two years of political upheaval in Macedonia, sparked by a huge wiretapping scandal, but it has only served to deepen the crisis.
The former Yugoslav republic aspires to join both NATO and the EU.
Gruevski called for people to “calm down” after Thursday’s trouble.
“People should not respond to provocations of the SDSM and those who want to push the state into even deeper crisis,” he said on Facebook.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/paris-club-loan-refund-consultant-sues.html


One of the consultants in the payment of the Paris Club loan refund to the states has sued the 36 state governors in his bid to compel them to pay him $176m or the naira equivalent of N53.6bn (at official N305/dollar) as his consultancy fee.
The consultant, Ned Nwoko, accused the governors and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum of paying those he described as phoney consultants, The PUNCH learnt on Monday.
Nwoko had initially written to the NGF to demand the payment of the fee as agreed between his firm and the states.
In his statement of claims, he said, “Despite repeated demands, the defendants have failed or refused or neglected to pay to me the sums due to me for the services rendered.
“That I have not been paid the sums due and payable to me by the state governments and that the defendants made payment of the said sum to some phoney and sham consultants.”
He stated in the statement of claim, which was sighted by our correspondent, that he was “ready and willing to give an undertaking as to damages.”
Nwoko argued that instead of “paying to me the sums due and payable to me for the legal and consultancy services rendered, which led to the realisation of the said release and payment (of the Paris Club refund),” the NGF, governors, Ministry of Finance “caused part of the said money released for legal and consultancy fees to be paid to phoney and sham consultants, who did not render any consultancy and legal services to the state governments.
The PUNCH learnt on Sunday that Ned Nwoko Solicitors, also asked that his firm be paid $71,936,881.36 and N21,940,748,814.30 by 15 states.
Nwoko’s demand was one of the several letters received by the NGF secretariat from consultants, who claimed to have been engaged by the state governments.
It was learnt that the 36 governors of the federation were becoming worried as the number of consultants demanding certain percentage of the Paris Club loan refund continued to increase.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that many of the consultants had sent their letters to the governors while others routed theirs through the national secretariat of the NGF.
The demands were later sent to the NGF.
All the governors, in their letters to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had asked that five per cent of the loan refund to their states be deducted and paid to the NGF directly.
The majority of the letters were titled, ‘Re: Over-deduction on Paris and London Clubs loans on the accounts of state and local governments (1995-2002)’.
A letter from one of the governors requested the minister to “deduct the payment of five per cent consultants’ fee at source from states’ entitlement and paid directly into the NGF secretariat account provided below to defray related consulting and incidental expenses.”
The letters also listed the accounts which the money was to be paid into.
Sources close to the governors said some of the consultants were, however, asking for what was described as a ridiculous amount from the governors.
Documents obtained by our correspondent indicated that some of these states agreed to pay the consultants between 10 to 20 per cent of the money to be recovered by them from their creditors.
Some of the states that signed agreements to pay 10 per cent to their consultants are Abia, Kogi, Adamawa, Taraba, Delta and Zamfara.
While Ondo State signed to pay 12 per cent, states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, Niger signed to pay 15 per cent.
Bayelsa, Oyo and Edo states agreed to pay 20 per cent to their consultants.
For example, the Bayelsa State Government, in its letter dated February 4, 2008, and signed by the then Commissioner for Finance and Budget, asked a consultant (name withheld) to pursue the “problem of her foreign and external debt.”
The consultant was appointed as “solicitors to Bayelsa State Government on Foreign/External Debt.”
Concerning fees, the state government agreed to pay “a total sum amounting to three per cent of any such verified sum and representing the true position of state foreign indebtedness, which said sum must be below the claim at the Debt Management Office.”
The state also promised to pay “20 per cent of all money recovered from the Federal Government or any other institution as money paid in excess of the actual debt owed by the state as at date.”
It was also gathered that the issue of consultants became more problematic when the NGF was factionalised at the tail end of the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The former president has refused to recognise the former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as the second term chairman of the forum.
He, therefore, encouraged its split as the governors of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, formed a parallel NGF, which was led by the former Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang.
However, the Jang-led NGF, which had Mr. Osaro Onaiwu as its Coordinator, gave letters of appointment to some consultants on the Paris Club refund as well.
One of the governors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the indiscriminate appointment of the contractors had became problematic for the NGF.
He said, “There were so many claims by the consultants. There was a governor who said a consultant was demanding $40m as his fees.
“How do you give such a huge amount to a single person whose job you can’t even seem to see? That’s the problem, but I must say that the majority of the consultants were genuinely engaged not by us, but by some of the former governors.”
It was also gathered that Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo had raised the issue of the huge sums of money being paid to the consultants at a meeting he had with the governors while acting as President.
“Astonished with the huge sum, the acting President even asked what type of jobs these consultants did and whether we issued them receipts,” the governor said.
It was gathered that the NGF had paid more than N10bn as fees on the Paris Club loan refund to the consultants.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/were-in-pain-deji-adeleke.html

The younger brother of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Deji, has said that he and the other members of the family and the supporters of his late brother are in pain following his sudden death on Sunday morning.
He said this while thanking the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, who together with Senator Babajide Omoworare and other senators paid the family a condolence visit on Monday.
Saraki, who arrived at the residence in Ede around 3:49pm left about 30 minutes after condoling with Deji and other members of the family of the deceased.
Deji said, “On behalf of the Adeleke family, I want to thank Senator Bukola Saraki and other senators for coming to commiserate with the family. We are still in pain. We love our brother very dearly. He was a man of the people.”
He said the number of people who had been trooping in to commiserate with the family showed that he was well loved by the people.
Saraki, who noted that he came to visit the Adelekes as a family member and as the President of the Senate, said the late politician would be sorely missed by many people whose lives were positively touched by him.
He urged the family to accept the death and pray for the repose of the soul of the departed

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/adelekes-death-protesting-youths-attack.html

Irate youths protesting the sudden demise of Senator Isiaka Adeleke just attacked a journalists attacked to the NTA , Mr . Tope Alabi and his cameraman .

The incident happened as the NTA crew moved to the residence of the late politician in Ede to cover the sad event .

One of the enlightened youths , however , used a motorcycle to rescue Alabi while the cameraman ran inside one of the houses nearby as the youths wielding cudgel and sticks pursued him .

The youths believed that Adeleke was attacked spiritually while other claimed he was poisoned hence his sudden demise.

They said he was killed to pave way for another APC aspirant to win the next year governorship election .

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/fg-reconstitutes-governing-boards-of-25.html

BUHARI
By Funmi Adeyemi
Abuja – President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstitution of the governing boards of all the 25 Federal Polytechnics in the country.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
Adamu said the boards are statutorily responsible for the governance and overall policy formulation for the Institutions concerned.
He said in making the appointments of the Chairpersons and Members of the respective Boards, the President, apart from ensuring geopolitical spread, was also guided by the stipulated requirements for such appointments.
He said the appointement was in line with was contained in each of the Acts establishing various institutions.
He added that each of the appointees was required to, among others, posses a minimum of a National Diploma and be a person of impeccable integrity with a strong commitment to technical education.
According to him, the affected Polytechnics and their respective Chairmen are as follows: Dr J.T. Orkar, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, Afikpo; Chief Michael Oloko, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi and Chief Austin Adeze, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.
Others are Mrs Yalwa Tahir, Federal Polytechnic, Bali; Alhaji Abubakar Dantata, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi; Prof. Muhammad Sani Yakya, Federal Polytechnic, Bida; Alh. Mohammed Abubakar, Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu and Prof. Nasir Yauri, Federal Polytechnic, Ede.
Also, Prof. Eddy Olanipekun, Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe; Dr Ibrahim Liman Sifawa, Federal Polytechnic, Idah; Prof. Abubakar Sadauki, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; Chief Odey Ochicha, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji and Prof. Kingsley Alagoa, Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda.
He also appointed Engr. Bassey Usang Bassey as head Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; Prof. Godwin Sogolo, Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa; Chief Edwin Ogunbor, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri; Chief Osekula Zikora, Federal Polytechnic, Offa and Chief Lasbury Amadi, Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
Others are Sen. Ucha Julius, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny; Prof.Ike Udabah, Federal Polytechnic, Ukana; Chief Abayomi Daramola, Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure and Alhaji Yusuf Hassan, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.
Also in the group are: Prof. David Adewunmi, National Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi; Dr Ismail Biodun Layi Oni, Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin-Kebbi and Mr Lateef Fagbemi, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba.
Adamu said that the new governing boards comprising the Chairmen and Members of the Polytechnics would to be inaugurated on a date to be announced soon.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/lets-put-nigeria-on-worlds-map-by-ben.html

Let’s Put Nigeria on the World’s Map! by Ben Murray-Bruce
The news going round that the current meningitis scourge affecting some parts of Nigeria is the result of the sins of Nigerians is absolute rubbish!

Meningitis is caused by bacteria not sin. If sin caused meningitis, most of us politicians will get it, but it is the poor who suffer it most.

It is more likely that ignorance is a greater destroyer than meningitis.

The real sin causing meningitis is the sin of not budgeting enough money and then mismanaging the little money budgeted to cure and prevent a disease that regularly affects Nigerians.

We have a situation that is almost an epidemic in our hands. Over 330 people have died from meningitis within months.

God gave us as Nigerians some of the brains in the medical world. Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, who removed a fetus from its mother and performed surgery on it and then put the fetus back into the womb is a Nigerian.

Dr. Bennet Omalu, whose story was made into a movie starring Will Smith and who discovered and published findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in American football players is also a Nigerian.

We can’t have such brilliant medical minds and still operate from the mindset that sins cause diseases like meningitis.

If we are to avoid being the laughing stock of the world, we must immediately declare an emergency on meningitis and make it a priority to provide treatment to those affected and vaccines to those in communities vulnerable to the scourge.

If we could defeat Ebola that we were not expecting three years ago, is it meningitis that we get every year that we cannot defeat even if it mutates into a variant that has been around for more than a decade?

For those who do not know it, Nigeria is part of what is known as the Meningitis Belt of Sub Saharan Africa. This Belt begins in The Gambia and extends all the way to Eritrea and the reason meningitis is so prevalent in this region has nothing to do with sin and everything to do with our weather conditions which are conducive for the bacteria that causes meningitis.

An understanding of cause and effect is necessary for any leader if not we will degenerate to the type of leadership that made the Salem Witch Trials possible.

I must stress that the fact that leaders actually believe that meningitis is caused by sin is a vindication of Chinua Achebe’s diagnosis of the cause of Nigeria’s backwardness.

As he said in his 1984 book, The Trouble With Nigeria, ‘the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure in leadership’!

I mean, the other day I was shocked to watch on NTA network news as the Nigerian Customs Service celebrated the interception and destruction of millions of Naira worth of smuggled fish!

Why on earth will the Nigerian Customs destroy 10 million worth of edible smuggled fish in a country with millions of hungry Internally Displaced Persons? Why not give them to the poor instead! If I continue writing on this issue, I will betray a kind of anger that is un-senatorial, but this is one more in the long line of poor leadership decisions that has brought Nigeria to the sorry state she is in.

Recently, I was thinking about our aviation industry because I am a member of the Senate’s Aviation Committee.

Do you know that in 1985 Nigeria Airways had 17 planes while Emirates had only 3 planes? Now we are in 2017 and Emirates has 256 planes while Nigeria Airways has none. The difference is leadership.

In the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum selected the best brains that the world has to offer whether they are UAE citizens or not.

In Nigeria we do the opposite. We rely on quota system instead of merit and then we wonder why things are upside down in our country.

Nigeria Airways died because we sacrificed merit and competence for quota system and ethnicity.

The same practices destroyed the Nigerian National Shipping Line and the Nigerian Railways until it was revived by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

We cannot expect to progress with such retrogressive policies. Insanity was defined by Albert Einstein as doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Expecting quota systems to bring us progress is madness.

And that is why I salute the courage of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in supporting the call to restructure Nigeria along the lines of merit.

If we do not restructure Nigeria, we will continue to watch as smaller nations overtake us while we continue to promote ethnicity over merit and then we wonder why things are upside down in our country.

In fact right now our economy is in a very tenuous state. People with money are now suspects in Nigeria. We are now a country I have seen where suspicions of corruption automatically leads to an assumption that you are guilty of corruption. Suspicion should result in investigation and not an automatic media trial and conviction.

Take the recent case of the $43 million found at Osborne Towers. People’s reputations are being destroyed in the media when we should have carefully and quietly investigated the matter before going to court.

Nigerians are now afraid to be rich Nigeria. Even legitimate business men are losing their gumption because they feel that moving money around might attract suspicion and suspicion is almost as good as conviction in the minds of some people.

And another thing that this Osborne Towers affair brings up is the need for Nigeria to make progress in making the Proceeds of Crime Bill a law. This bill, if signed into law, will do away with the need to subject seized cash to a judicial process before it can be forfeited to the federal government and will enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other law enforcement bodies to fund their considerably expensive operations from the proceeds of crime that they are able to track and seize.

At this juncture, I want to pause and encourage my readers to soberly reflect with me as I mourn.

Patrick Ityohegh was my predecessor as Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority and was also a dear and treasured friend whose extraordinary life added value to Nigeria and the Black Race.

Many Nigerians were able to escape the hardship of life by relaxing to episodes of the Sunny Side of Life in the eighties because Patrick was creative enough to develop that TV show which was a first of its kind in these shores.

He produced other brilliant TV shows and added value to the electronic media in Nigeria. Patrick lived a full and very successful life, so even though I am sad at his passing, those he left behind have every cause to be proud of him and to celebrate the life and heritage he lived and left behind.

May his soul Rest In Peace. Adieu sir, you are now at the side of life that is sunny forever.

The 100th Commonsense Series

How time flies!

Two years ago, I began shooting the common sense messages in video format as my non partisan contribution to the development of the full strata of Nigerian society from the grassroots to the very top.

Now, after 99 episodes, we are about to shot the 100th episode.

Now, this episode is all about giving back!

God has blessed me immensely through Nigeria and by His grace I own Dream Magic Studios, one of the most modern studios on earth!

It is based in Los Angeles and used to be owned by the legendary and sometimes infamous Larry Flint from whom I bought it.

It has some of the very best sound stages the world can boast of and they can be converted into almost any scene required to make a movie.

One of my clients/tenants is Kevin Hart and the studio regularly plays host to some of the best and brightest contemporary movie and TV stars. The best always attracts the best.

To give back to Nigeria and help develop the Nollywood movie industry, I want to shoot a Nollywood/Hollywood movie that will take the world by storm and show the entertainment industry that Nigeria’s movie industry has come of age.

I will finance this movie and guarantee world wide distribution both on television and cinema.

Now, here’s where you come in.

Are you a Nollywood pro? Are you an amateur set on making it big in Nollywood and on the world stage?

Send us your script and a panel to be headed by the queen of the African movie industry, our very own Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, will rate the scripts and select the best script and I will sign a contract with the winner and make their script into a movie that will be of sufficient quality to qualify for entry into the world’s very best Film Festivals.

Who knows, you could even win an Oscar!

Murray-Bruce is the founder of the Silverbird Entertainment Group and the Senator representing Bayelsa-East in the National Assembly

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/boko-haram-ied-kills-three-soldiers-in.html


Three soldiers attached to the 82 Division Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army have reportedly died after troops ran into an Improvised Explosive Device planted by Boko Haram insurgents.
Our correspondent gathered that the troops were on patrol along the Ngoshe-Pulka Road in Borno State when the IED exploded, killing the three soldiers and injuring two others.
It was learnt that during the patrol, some Boko Haram terrorists, who reportedly came in scores, were also killed when they engaged troops in a gun battle.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, could not yet be reached for comment.
Usman had said in a statement on Tuesday that troops of the 82 Division Task Force Battalion attached to 26 Task Force Brigade carried out clearance operations in some villages.
“They intercepted a Boko Haram terrorist, said to be a logistics supplier, at a crossing point around Daushe village,” he added.
Also, the army spokesperson confirmed a clash between troops and Boko Haram insurgents in Dissa and Patawe areas, adding that six insurgents were shot dead.
He said troops recovered AK 47 rifles, nine rounds of ammunition and 22 rounds of NATO ammunition.
Military sources said on Thursday that the insurgents, who clashed with troops along Ngoshe and Pulka route, allegedly carted away four AK 47 rifles and one gun truck, among other weapons from the troops.

http://www.titopeblog.com/2017/04/police-detain-leadership-reporter-over.html

A Kaduna-based journalist, Joseph Midat, arrested by the Kaduna Police Command on Wednesday has yet to be released more than 24 hours after.
The correspondent of Leadership newspaper was said to have been arrested by the police near the secretariat of the Kaduna Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists along Muhammadu Buhari Way, on Wednesday.
It was gathered that Midat was first taken to the Metro Police Station, where he was asked to write a statement, which he did on Wednesday.
By Thursday, he was transferred to the command’s headquarters along the Bida Road in the heart of the city.
There was, however, another version to the arrest of the journalist as it was gathered that Midat was held in connection with an inciting publication which he authored, but a police source told our correspondent that the arrest had nothing to do with professional misconduct.
When contacted on telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Aliyu Usman, told our correspondent he would call back.
Usman had yet to call as of the time of filing this report by 4:23pm.
But a Kaduna based lawyer, Mr. Napoleon Idenala, has faulted the continued detention of the journalist in police custody for more than 48 hours without being charged to court.
He noted that the action of the police was against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He noted that though the cause of the arrest of the journalist was yet unknown, the police had no power to detain him beyond 48 hours without a court order.
He said, “It is incumbent on the police to state the reason for the arrest and even at that, they possess no such right to keep him beyond 48 hours without charging him to court unless such an arrest falls on a public holiday or on weekend such that he could not be charged to court.”
“They can grant him bail if the offence is bailable and tell him to go and come back or unless there is a court order.
“But just as I said, we still don’t know what they have arrested him for. You need to know what somebody has done that would warrant his arrest and subsequent detention.
“If the offence is such that is weighty and the police want to keep him beyond 48 hours, they ought to seek for a court order.”