₦airaland Forum

Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, lawmakers in the House
of Representatives, on
Wednesday, lambasted the
All Progressives Congress
(APC)-led Federal
Government of President
Muhammadu Buhari, for
plunging the country into
economic disaster.
Minority Leader, Leo Ogor,
who spoke at an interactive
session with members of the
United Kingdom, UK
Westminster Foundation for
Democracy, said that this
was the first time the country
is running a government
without clear economic
policies.
Ogor told the delegation,
which visited Deputy
Speaker, Slaimon Lasun, in
his office that apart from
frustrating the nation’s
economy, the governing
party was also clamping
down on opposition to
weaken it and run the
country undemocratically.
“We have our own policies
as opposition. For the first
time, we are running a
government without clear
economic policies, but we are
marking time with them”,
Ogor stated.
However, the Deputy
Speaker regretted that the
contents of parties’
manifestos were often not
transformed into an enduring
government policies, which
obviously was responsible
for the noticeable failures,
insisting that all the political
parties in the country were
guilty of this.
He said that the APC
government was trying to do
this by trying to identify and
separate national
programmes from party
programmes to ensure
continuity by any
government that comes into
power.
“We will develop policies in a
manner that whoever is in
government will pursue
these policies. It is not the
issue of APC or PDP,
everybody is guilty of this
and we are working towards
a change”, Lasun stated.
The Senior Programme
Manager, Africa, of the West
Minister Foundation for
Democracy, Majda El Bied,
had sought to know how the
PDP was faring in opposition,
having just lost the general
election, and the Minority
Leader said the PDP had
adapted even though it has
its minor internal rumblings.
Ogor told the delegation that
they’ve put a formidable
team together to work well
as opposition in this
government.
Labour Representative,
Scarlet MCc Gwire, who is
Communications and
Campaign Specialists and
Consultant for the Labour
Party, however harped on
the need for the ruling party
to allow a free and levelled
playing field for opposition to
thrive as opposition was the
beauty of democracy.

The Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of
Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami,
on Wednesday, justified the
decision of his office to
institute a legal action
against the presiding officers
of the senate over the
alleged forgery of the Senate
Standing Order 2015.
Malami, who honoured the
invitation of the Senate after
three weeks that the Upper
Chamber passed a resolution
to summon him over the
matter, also told the
senators that his office was
convinced that the suit
should be prosecuted in the
interest of the public.
The AGF, who reminded the
federal lawmakers that
making specific comments on
the issue could be sub
judice, however, clarified
that his initial involvement as
a counsel in one of the three
suits instituted on the
forgery saga, does not
constitute any conflict of
interest.
He maintained that the action
of his office was informed by
the police report attached to
the suits which bothered on
criminality, adding that the
provisions of Section 60 of
the constitution empowered
him to file the criminal
charges against the
presiding officers.
Malami refused to answer
queries by members of the
Senate Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and
Legal Matters, on why he
was prosecuting the Senate
President, Bukola Saraki,
and his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, despite the fact
that their names were not
allegedly mentioned in the
police report.
Malami noted that the matter
was a case of conspiracy
and forgery but that asking
him to justify the reasons for
involving the two presiding
officers would be subjudice
because the proof of
evidence was already before
the court.

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that if Nigeria as a country must make meaningful progress, then the law profession has a lot to contribute.His comment may not be unconnected with the spate of conflicting and contradictory judgments emanating from the courts in recent times.He was speaking at the official presentationand unveiling of the book S.T. Hon’s Constitutional and Migration Law in Nigeria,held in Abuja.The book written by an eminent legal luminary, Sebastine Tar Hon, SAN, addresses serious constitutional and legal issues of contemporary times.Obasanjo who aligned himself with the position of the book reviewer, Prof. Dakas Dakas, who had earlier lamented a situation where courts of co-ordinate jurisdiction nowlord it over each other, said: “With all the criticisms that have been said about the practitioners, I concour with the book reviewer and if our country must make progress the law profession must have a lotto do.”The former president, who prayed that Nigeria would continue to make progress, commended the author for producing something that he claimed would be useful not only to legal practitioners and law makers but to the entire citizenry.Vice president, Yemi Osibanjo, in his remarkcommended the author for being clear and unequivocal in addressing controversial legal issue of law, especially the law of evidence and recommended the book to all Nigerians.Osibanjo also commended Hon for delving into issues such as surrogate pregnancy, law of anesthesia (mercy killing), rights of privacy of public figures amongst others noting that the book would help resolve such issues if and when they arises.

More troubles may be in the offing for the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, as the Senate on Tuesday resolved to tackle him for his refusal to honour the invitation extended to him to explain the rationale behind the prosecution of Principal Officers of the senate at the FCT High Court, over allegations of forgery of the 2015 Senate Standing Rules.

The development follows Senate Committee Report on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters headed by Senator David Umaru(APC), Niger North Senatorial District.

David Umaru who moved a motion through Order 43 of 2015 Standing Rules submitted that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami had turned down the invitation on two consecutive times.

“Mr President, Distinguished Colleagues, I want oblige the Senate to consider the Report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the imminent threat to Nigerian Democracy,” he said.

Umaru explained that on the 21st June, 2016, the Chamber resolved that the AGF be mandated to explain the cause behind his decision to prosecute Saraki and 3 others for Senate Standing Rules, which made the Committee to invite him on 23rd June, 2016, but he wrote asking for extension, but did not honour the meeting of 30th July, 2016, a situation he said, was undermining Nigeria democracy.

He lamented that the AGF sent an Aide, Mr. Obono Oba, wh he said was walked out.

He however, revealed that Senior Special Assistant (Senate), Ita Enang while reaching out to the Committee on the issue had apologised on behalf of the AGF, while asking for more time for him (AGF) to appear before the Committee.

In his remark, Saraki wondered if the Chief Law Officer of the Federation could undermine the Senate as to shun in citronella.

He therefore warned that the Senate would the AGF will be sanctioned in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, if he refuses Committee’s invitation yet again.

He urged the Committee to quickly invite him and revert within one week.

“The Constitution is very clear on the issue of Powers of the Senate in dealing with Public Officers and I cannot fathom the Chief Law Officer who should know to turn down Senate invitation. He should be given time within one week to appear and if he refuses again, the Senate will sanction him accordingly,” Saraki maintained.

The Niger Delta Indigenous
Movement for Radical
Change, (NDIMRC) has tackled
President Muhammadu Buhari
over the appointment of Dr.
Maikanti Kacalla Baru as the
new Group Managing Director
of Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
In a press statement by its
President, Nelly Emma,
Secretary, John Sailor and
Public Relations Officer (PRO),
Stanley Mukoro, the group
said the removal of Dr.
Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu was
an unfair treatment not only
to the hard-working
technocrat, but to the entire
people of the neglected oil
rich Niger Delta Region.
It said: “The whole world is
our witness that we raised
the alarm in April this year
that Dr. Maikanti Baru was
desperate to be the GMD of
NNPC and was mounting
pressure on the President to
sack Kachikwu and now we
have been vindicated.”
“The appointment of Baru by
the President is not in the
best interest of the nation,
but to satisfy the interest of
the North. It is unfortunate
that the people of the oil-rich
Niger Delta Region are being
treated this way. Kachikwu
brought a lot of changes into
NNPC and the cabal in the oil
and gas industry never liked
him,” the statement said.
The group accused Baru of
working against Kachikwu’s
reforms in the NNPC,
recalling that it had earlier in
April this year called on
Buhari to sack the new NNPC
boss because of his acts of
desperation to head the
organisation.
It insisted that it was
Kachikwu’s dual roles that
gave confidence to the
people of the Niger Delta and
facilitated the peace deals he
negotiated on behalf of the
government.
Commending Kachikwu for his
resilience, NDIMRC noted that:
“Only last month, Kachikwu
against threat to his life and
members of his family, took a
risky trip to the troubled
Niger Delta region to see
things for himself at the
controversial Nigerian
Maritime University,
Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu
Kingdom, in Warri South
West Local Government Area
of Delta State and his visit
brought hope to the
hopeless people of the
region.
“His trip to the area also
helped to reduce the spate
of attacks on oil facilities by
rampaging militants. Can Baru
take a trip to the Niger Delta
region?
“As the new GMD of NNPC,
can he plead with rampaging
militants in the Niger Delta
region to give peace a
chance and they will listen to
him? The choice of Baru as
the man at the helm of affairs
in NNPC is not the best,”
NDIMRC said”.
“As an oil monitoring group,
we are highly disappointed
that the President decided at
this crucial time to leave the
affairs of the NNPC in the
hands of Baru.
“We are not impressed that
President Buhari in his bid to
satisfy the interest of the
north with more juicy
positions at the detriment of
the oil producing people of
the Niger Delta Region, left
the affairs of NNPC in the
hands of a desperate Baru,
who will only sit in the
comfort of his office in Abuja
without thinking about the
pains the oil producing
people of the Niger Delta
region are passing through,”
NDIMRC stated.

The Presidency on Monday
reacted to claims made by
the BringBackOurGirls group,
saying President Muhammadu
Buhari will never make bogus
claims or play to the gallery
over the fate of the over
200 girls kidnapped in their
school in Chibok, Borno
State, in April 2014.
The BBOG which has been in
the forefront of the campaign
for the rescue of the
abducted girls had recently
alleged that Buhari had
broken all promises made to
the group about rescuing the
missing Chibok girls and that
the government had been
“lackadaisical” in the rescue
mission.
But the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, Garba
Shehu, in a statement made
available to journalists said
although it had honourable
intentions, the BBOG
leadership did not consider
the collateral damage which
must inevitably follow what
he called its “riveting and
dispiriting claim” that the
President has broken all
promises allegedly made to
the group on the issue.
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Shehu said regardless of the
allegation of being
“lackadaisical” in rescuing
the Chibok girls leveled
against the President by the
group, the Federal
Government’s focus has
always been to free the
Chibok girls alive and
unharmed.
He however said it would be
misleading for anybody to
claim that the abducted girls
are within easy grasp.
He said, “The President is
conscious always about the
fact that terrorism in Nigeria
is part of a global
phenomenon. Since coming to
office, his response to it has
been firm and well
considered.
“President Buhari will never
make bogus promises or play
to the gallery. It is
misleading of anyone to
preach that the Chibok girls
are within an easy grasp.
“If the military under the
President knew where they
are held, they will bring the
Chibok girls home today.
“The Presidency is open to
renewed cooperation with the
BBOG group, international
bodies, religious groups,
social workers, and all
others who are assisting in
the field to ensure that those
who have so far been
rescued from Boko Haram
captivity are given the
support they need to make a
full recovery and be
reintegrated fully into the
society.

Nigeria’s Minister of Trade
and Investment, Okechukwu
Enelamah, is to lead a trade
delegation from Nigeria for a
four-day trade and
investment road show in
London, scheduled for July
11 to 15, 2016.
The trade and investment
road show, organised by the
UK Trade & Investment, in
collaboration with Nigeria
Investment Promotion
Commission (NIPC) and
PricewaterhouseCoopers
(PwC), will be attended by a
group of officials from the
Federal and State
governments.
They include the Minister of
Transport, Rotimi Amaechi,
and his counterparts in the
Agriculture & Rural
Development Ministry, Audu
Ogbeh; Water Resources
Minister, Suleiman Adamu as
well as the Minister of State,
Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
The weeklong activity, which
will open with an industry
event tagged “Nigeria Open
for Business”, will highlight
business opportunities in the
energy, agriculture,
transport, solid minerals,
ICT and infrastructure
sectors to UK investors.
Organisers of the event said
the main objective would be
to create a platform for the
Nigerian government to
profile business
opportunities to a UK
audience, build relationships
with international
businesses, link into global
value chains and establish
links to development finance
with the view to developing
stronger commercial ties
between Nigeria and UK.
The Nigeria Open for
Business event would
feature keynote speeches by
Mr. Enelamah and the UK
Trade Envoy to Nigeria,
John Howell as well as
presentations from key UK
government agencies,
namely the UK Export
Finance, Infrastructure and
Projects Authority and
multipliers.
UK Trade & Investment
(UKTI) is the British
government department that

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has noted that a certain utterance made by the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, at the heat of the controversy generated over the use of hijab by female Muslim students in public schools in the state doused tension and confirmed Aregbesola’s neutrality in the conflict.

He lauded the governor for saying the word which, according to him, calmed the tension generated by the court verdict which approved the use of hijab in public schools.


Obasanjo noted this on Saturday in Odeomu, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State at the handover of a multi-purpose hall and a library donated by Senator Yinka Omilani to the community to mark his 80th birthday.

He spoke through one of his allies, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, at a ceremony which had Aregbesola, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi; former Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan; and others dignitaries in attendance.

Majekodunmi said the former president, who was presently in China, asked him to tell Aregbesola that certain things he said during the crisis doused the tension but he did not say what the governor said exactly.

“He (Obasanjo) is in China now. He said the governor (Aregbesola) said something which confirmed his neutrality in the matter; that word went a long way in dousing the tension which recently heightened in the state,” he said.

Boko Haram gunmen killed seven people in a raid on a town in northeast Nigerian Borno state near the border with Cameroon on Saturday, residents told AFP on Saturday. Gunmen on motorcycles stormed the town of Rann in Kalabalge district overnight Friday to Saturday and opened fire on homes, fleeing residents said. "They opened fire on homes as we slept and killed seven people before carting away our food supplies and drugs from the only clinic in the town," Rann resident Abba Abiso said. He said the Islamists remained in the town for two hours before they left. Residents had fled the town into Cameroon and to the town of Gamboru, 28 kilometres away. Another witness Ari Ngamsu added: "The Boko Haram gunmen planted two high calibre explosives on the way outside the town but soldiers from Gamboru succeeded in defusing them at daybreak." Both witnesses spoke on Cameroonian phone lines, the only means of communication available following the destruction of telecom masts by Boko Haram in previous attacks. Rann and nearby villages have been been targeted in a number of attacks by Boko Haram despite successes by the Nigerian military that have pushed the Islamists out of some areas. The attacks have forced villagers to flee their homes, returning to them after they were clawed back by the military. Last month the insurgents sacked neighbouring Wumbi and Jikana villages outside Rann, killing eight people and looting food supplies. Boko Haram which seeks to impose strict Islamic law in northern Nigeria, has killed some 20,000 and displaced more than 2.6 million people since 2009.

The Chairman of Christian
Association of Nigeria in
charge of the 19 Northern
States and Abuja, Reverend
Yakubu Pam has urged
President Muhammad Buhari
to be fair in the sharing of
political appointments.
He declared that northern
Christians were being
seriously marginalized.
Pam in a press statement
issued in Jos, Saturday,
noted with great concern the
exclusion of qualified
Christians in the appointment
into strategic positions under
the present administration.
The Northern CAN lamented
that while there were
volumes of allegations from
the South that the
appointments made so far
were in favour of the north,
facts on the ground revealed
that those appointments
were lopsided in favour of
Muslim north to the detriment
of Northern Christian
community.
The statement advocated for
fairness in the appointment
of qualified Nigerians into
positions of government,
adding that, “the
appointments made so far in
the last one year by
President Muhammadu Buhari
has generated concern
among northern Christians,
especially in the appointment
of Security Chiefs.”
The statement advised the
President to carry out a
review of appointments made
into government positions so
far to ensure that all
sections of the Country
Nigeria were given a sense
of belonging.
On the recent extension of
the Sallah holiday, the cleric
questioned the rationale
behind the Minister of
Interior, retired General
Abdulraman Danbazzau’s
announcement of one
additional day to the two
official days that were earlier
declared as public holiday for
Muslim faithfuls to celebrate
Eid-El-Fitri celebrations.

Factional leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi may have resolved to finally set aside their grievances and give peace a chance, Vanguard reports.

Report says the warring parties have commenced negotiations on how to move forward.

The immediate past national vice chairman of the PDP for South-South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja.

He said the Sheriff faction has made its terms for truce known to the Makarfi group through an ‘intermediary.’

He, however, did not disclose the conditions outlined by Sheriff’s camp for peace to reign in the party.

Ojougboh, who was appointed by Senator Sheriff as deputy chairman, insists that Sheriff remains the authentic chairman of the PDP until a properly constituted convention of the party says otherwise.

He noted that Sheriff's insistence to remain as the party's chairman is not borne out of desperation for power, but to put an end to the reign of impunity in the party and returning power to the people it rightly belongs to.

According to him, PDP governors manipulated the recently conducted party congresses in their states, adding that Sheriff has resolved to revisit the congresses nationwide to ensure that the party returns to the grassroots people and not the governors.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has described critics of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt-Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai as Boko Haram members or sympathizers who should be totally discountenanced, adding that such critics were merely trying to distract Buratai because of his successes in fighting against the insurgents in the North-East.The governor stated this yesterday while flaggingoff the opening of the Maiduguri-Gamboru/Ngalahighway as part of Army Day and Sallah celebrations, noting that the highway was shutdown 27 months ago when attacks on motorists had become too widespread.According to him, “Two years ago, we were undermassive attacks every angle. It was impossible for anyone to move out 10 km away from the state capital. Today, Boko Haram are no longer holding any of our territories.“It is the efforts of good leadership in the Nigerian Army that brought this result. I think anyone criticizing Lt Gen. TY Buratai is economical with the truth. It is either the personsare Boko Haram members or sympathizers. Theywant to distract him but we Borno people are surely behind him.”

Buhari had enough time to
reconsider his position, but
chose instead to send
soldiers and ‘political
jobbers’ into an already
tense conflict zone, said the
self-styled Ultimate
Warriors, a militia claiming
capability to launch rocket
attacks and hit deep-sea
installations while
threatening to “ground the
oil economy.” With production
down to 1.4 million barrels
per day at the nadir, then
partially offset by
unexpected buoyancy in
marginal field performance,
the Nigerian treasury has
had a rough time, with oil
price volatility amid disrupted
output leading to a collapse
in state revenues.
Even civil servants in
several South-South oil
producing states have not
been paid, and popular
disillusion with Buhari’s
reforms has begun to fester.
Criminal charges against the
absconded former petroleum
resources minister Diezani
Alison-Madueke and Atlantic
Energy head Kola Aluko have
been mysteriously dropped.
Confidence in the ability of
government to govern is at
an all-time low amid more
suicide bombings and a US
warning of Islamist threats
to attack expatriates over
the Eid-al-Fitr festival,
marking the end of Ramadan.
In the delta, the reputation
of Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources Ibe
Kachikwu has taken a
beating over the abortive
ceasefire — he has been
removed as managing
director of the Nigerian
National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) and re-
seated as chairman,
surrounded by apparatchiks
of northern power brokers.
One chief executive of an
indigenous oil producer said:
“They’ve been fighting for
control of the NNPC, which is
now dominated by the North,
almost deliberately calculated
to irritate the South-South.
Buhari just doesn’t get it.”
Having returned from London
on a 10-day trip to treat an
ear infection, it is hoped
Buhari may finally hear the
pleas for effective
intervention from an abused
and jaded citizenry.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said on Thursday that the dialogue approach adopted by the Federal Government with militants would end the ongoing bombings of oil facilities in the Niger Delta. The NSCDC Commandant General, Abdullahi Muhammadu, gave the assurance while speaking to journalists in Minna. “The Federal Government has commenced negotiations with some of the aggrieved militants in the region on the need to sheath their swords and embrace peaceful resolutions of all perceived grievances that led to the bombings of oil pipelines in the region. “To the best of my knowledge, I think the Federal Government is already negotiating with them. “At the last meeting we had, we discussed at length and very soon all these bombings will come to an end. “The government is trying to negotiate with them with a view to finding out why they are doing it so in order as to get to the root of the problem.’’ Muhammadu explained that the government chose the option of dialogue with the militant groups in order not to send a wrong signal to the international community on some of the happenings in the country. “You know we are in a democratic setting, so we have to be very careful of what we do. “After the first bombing, second bombing and the third bombing, we were sent there and we did our job there to find out some things. “During the period of our assignment, we went on a fact-finding mission and we came back with some facts which I will not disclose to you now. But I am sure it will soon come to an end,’’ he said.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, is to meet with representatives of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Thursday, a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja said.

The statement, signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the labour ministry, said that the “crucial meeting” was being convened to find a lasting solution to the lingering problems in the oil and gas sector.

It said that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, would also participate in in the dialogue scheduled for 10am in Abuja.

PENGASSAN has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from Thursday over some issues, including the alleged mass sacking of its members by various oil and gas companies.

NAN

Following Nigeria’s
quest and intense desire for
Direct Foreign Investment
(DFI), especially in oil and
gas infrastructure
development, Blooming Faith
Petroleum Limited, a
subsidiary of Blooming Faith
Global Holdings Limited, has
concluded plans to partner
with the Nigerian government
to build and operate a 200,
000 barrels per day capacity
(BPD) refinery in the coastal
state of Akwa Ibom.
Senior management team of
the organization, who are
currently in Nigeria to kick-
start the procedure for the
project, confirmed the
meetings were held with the
leadership of the Nigerian
National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), with a
view to forming a strategic
relationship for the sole
purpose of producing refined
products to shore up
domestic consumption in
Nigeria.
Chairman of the company, Dr.
Robert Yeung, while
speaking on the
development, stated that the
company’s interest in
building a refinery was fired
up by the discovery that
Nigeria, a major oil producing
nation in the world, relied on
importation of refined
products to attend to its
domestic needs.
Yeung said: “We became
immediately interested for
two basic reasons, firstly as
a business entity we have
identified the fact that there
is a vacuum to be filled,
hence there is market for
our produce when we get
started. This is so because
the government of Nigeria
will not import what it can
access locally as being
produced by refineries in-
country.
“Secondly, because of our
confidence in Nigeria as an
investors destination of
choice in Africa as we know
that with a population of
almost 200 million people we
can never get it wrong with
the country and its people.
“We have no interest in
exporting refined products
as our basic objective is to
produce refined petroleum
products for the Nigerian
market, discussions are
currently on-going with the
NNPC and the Department of
Petroleum Resources and we
hope at the end we will get
all necessary approvals as
we are ready to commence
immediately with one hundred
percent funding capability”
he stressed.
The company’s International
Operations Director, Mr. John
Erigwe, stated that the
company had the financial
capability and technical
expertise to see the project
through.
According to him, the
company was deeply
interested and highly
committed to investing in
Nigeria’s economy and it was
“for this reason we sought
the audience of the
leadership of the NNPC
under the Honourable
Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, to meet and
present our ideas and
proposals to the
corporation.”
Erigwe added: “We are fully
interested in doing business
in Nigeria and we don’t
require any road-show to
put our funds in the Nigerian
economy as we have done
our feasibility studies and
risk analysis to conclude that
Nigeria in spite of
bureaucratic bottle necks is
still an investor’s choice
destination.

The Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko and twenty one other lawyers were yesterday announced as new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), by the Supreme Court. The conferment of the prestigious rank on the 22 lawyers yesterday brings a total number of‎ Senior Advocates of Nigeria to451. Meanwhile, activist lawyer Mr. Festus Keyamo who was shortlisted along with 55others, again missed out of the ‎list of successful applicants. The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ahmed Gambo Saleh who doubles as the Secretary of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), announced the list in Abuja yesterday. Ahmed disclosed that a total of 55 lawyers were shortlisted out of the 131 that applied.On the list of the 22 successful ‎candidates are three academicians and two females. The list has the names of
*Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko (D.G Law School); *Nnamonso Eminem
*Prof. Muhammed Tabiu
*Dr. Valerie-Janette Azinge
*Olufunke Agbor
*Olusola Ojutalayo
*Richard Akintunde
*Oyesoji Oyeleke
*James Njeze Ikeyi
*Elisha Kurah.
*Adewunmi ‎Ogunsanya
*Olatubosun Olanipekun
*Chief Kalu Umeh
*Adewale Adesokan
*Andrew Igboekwe
*Fredson Okoli
*Olaseni Adio
*Olasheni Ibiwoye
*Abdulhakeem Mustapha
*Mba Ukweni
*Edward Gyang Pwajok (former Attorney General Plateau State) and
*Prof. Chukwu Omaka. The Chief Registrar said the new SANs will be sworn in on September 19, 2016.

The number of operators in
the downstream oil sector
has continued to thin out out
since the commencement of
the partial deregulation of
the industry, a development
that led to an increase in the
pump price of petrol, The
Punch reports.
It was learnt on Saturday
that petroleum product
marketers, particularly
independent dealers, were
gradually pulling out of the
petrol sale business across
the country as a result of
the high cost currently
required to run the business.
The high business operating
cost, according to marketers,
is occasioned by the recent
hike in the pump price of the
Premium Motor Spirit,
popularly called petrol, by
the Federal Government and
the complete removal of the
fuel subsidy. In addition to
this is the reduction in
consumption of the product
by members of the public.
Government officials,
experts and oil marketers
such as the Corporate
Affairs Manager, Nipco Plc,
Mr. Taofeeq Lawal said the
capital outlay currently
required to effectively
operate in the downstream
oil sector had virtually
doubled. They also explained
that the instability in the
foreign exchange market had
adversely affected the
finances of many oil dealers,
adding that a number of
marketers were finding it
tough to repay the loans
obtained from banks, not to
talk of garnering additional
funds to pay for the PMS at
its new rate.

The founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, has charged Nigerians to stop complaining about the present economic hardship in the country since it was them that voted for change.

Speaking in an interview with the Sun newspaper, he enjoined Nigerians to accept their fate with equanimity and be ready to endure whatever comes with their choice. Fasehun further stated that rather than complain, they should pray for President Muhammadu Buhari.

His words, “Nigerians voted for Buhari. They voted for change. The hard­ship and suffering they are going through now is part of that change. They should not be complaining.


“Instead of complaining, they should be praying for Buhari. Ni­gerians should pray for him, and for Buhari himself Nigerians were cheering him initially but now they are getting despondent. Buhari should not wait until Nigerians start jeering at him as a result of failed promises.”

The OPC founder, who asserted that the Buhari administration was far from meeting his expectations, said, “Hard­ship and suffering have increased. Many Nigerians today are hungry and angry. Even now, the rich also cry. The bad economy has wors­ened the situation with many Ni­gerians finding it increasingly dif­ficult to survive. The situation can’t continue like this, government must find a remedy.

“Power supply has not been encour­aging. Many industries are closing down while millions of jobs are be­ing lost to erratic power supply.

“Many Nigerians that are self-em­ployed including artisans like weld­ers, hair dressers and others who depend on efficient power supply to sustain their small scale ventures have been rendered jobless as a result of poor power supply. This has been a big minus on the part of the admin­istration. Increasing unemployment and job losses occasioned by poor power supply should be a source of concern to the president and his team.”

The Directorate of State
Security (DSS) has
announced that it has
received intelligence
indicating plots by extremists
to attack selected locations
across the country. The
warning was contained in a
press statement issued by
the service on Friday
The DSS warned that the
attacks are planned to take
place in parks and places
where there are large
congregations of
worshippers. It cautioned the
general public to be wary of
suspicious packages and
persons during the Eid-el-
Fitr celebrations.
The statement, signed by
Tony Opuiyo, also
announced the arrest of 14
suspected kidnappers, two
members of the Niger Delta
Avengers and other criminals
across the country.
According to the DSS, Kabiru
Shuaibu, alleged the ring
leader of kidnap gang
running wild in the Northern
part of the country, was
arrested along with three
accomplices on Murtala
Muhammed Bridge in Lokoja,
Kogi State. The names of the
accomplices were given as
Haruna Saleh, Tukur Shuaibu
and Abdulmumuni Adamuna.
The suspects were caught
with a locally-made pistol,
seven cartridges, 14 mobile
phones and N615,000.
In Akure, capital of Ondo
State, six members of a
kidnapping and robbery
gang, suspected to have
kidnapped two Catholic nuns,
were arrested on 8 June.
Members of the gang are
Reuben Akinbehinje, John
Imoleayo Uche, Seun
Lajuwon, Seun Iseoluwa
Akintayo, Lateef Fayemi
Hammed and Saheed Oyewo.
The gang, said the DSS, was
also involved in fuel tanker
diversion and cult activities.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, DSS operatives, on 12
June, arrested one Ifeanyi
Michael Onyike, who was
allegedly involved in the
abduction of the wife of the
Personal Assistant to Mr.
Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of
Transport.
The Northwestern zone of
the country also yielded a
number of arrests of
kidnappers operating in
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and
Zamfara States. On 25 June,
the quartet of Sani Abdullahi,
Rufai Tukur Abdullahi,
Najeeb Abubakar and
Abdullahi Ahmed were
arrested. The group was
said to have been planning
the kidnap of high-value
targets in Katsina State at
the time of the arrest.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the renewed violence in the Niger Delta would not stop his administration from engaging with interest groups from the region in finding solutions to the challenges facing the area. Buhari spoke during the breaking of Ramadan fast with members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. “No amount of militancy shall distract us from engaging with the region,” the President told his guests. While regretting the renewed militancy, Buharj assured his guests that his administration was doing everything possible to address their concerns. He identified some of the critical areas receiving his government’s attention to include the issue of unemployment, poor infrastructure and ecological problems. Buhari again called on the international community to assist his government repatriate looted funds stashed in their countries. This, he added, would also assist his administration to successfully prosecute the looters. The President also said that the Federal Government was not relenting in its efforts to ensure the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in their school in Chibok, Borno States in 2014. He said, “I assure you that we will remain firm in our determination to completely eliminate the terrorist group and shall continue to count on the support of the international community as clearly demonstrated during the recently held Regional Security Summit. “We are not letting off our efforts to secure the release of the remaining Chibok schoolgirls. “We are living daily with the pains of the forcible abduction of these schoolgirls. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps who is also the High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria, Salaheddine Abbas Ibrahima, thanked the President for hosting the diplomatic corps, the second time in the year. He pledged his support and that of his colleagues to Nigeria. He said, “We wish for eternal peace for Nigeria and may your efforts in the shortest time bring prosperity to our people. “Be reassured that the international community will continue to provide the necessary support.”

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped two Indians — Mangipudi Sai Srinivas and Anish Sharma — in Gboko, a town in the Benue State of North- Central Nigeria. Though the incident took place on Wednesday, it came to light on Thursday when the family members of Srinivas approached district collector N. Yuvaraj and city police officers requesting them to take steps to release of Srinivas. The incident took place when Srinivas and his colleague Anish Sharma were travelling in a convoy of three cars to the Dangote Cement plant from their residential quarters at around 7.20 pm on Wednesday. Srinvas and Anish Shara were travelling in the last car and the two car in front of their vehicle were just passing a signal when a group of men surrounded the car, dragged the driver out and kidnapped the two Indians. Talking to the media, Srinivas’ wife M. Lalitha said that Srinvas is a civil engineer and has been working for the Dangote Cement in Gboko for the last three years. “I tried to contact my husband but failed. Later, I got to know that he has been kidnapped

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday charged traditional rulers in Nigeria on the need to encourage their subjects to cultivate lands in order to boost agriculture in the country.
He said this during the breaking of Ramadan fast with traditional rulers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, all efforts must be made to ensure that Nigeria feeds itself in the next few years.
He said: “We must in few years time, at most, be able to feed ourselves. You should therefore encourage your followers to get ready and grow enough food to feed ourselves.
“Tell our people who have lands to cultivate them even if it is to feed their family only.”
Stressing that he assumed office at a difficult time in the history of Nigeria with security and economic challenges, the President said his administration is making progress in the area or security.
He pointed out that the economic challenge was caused by the neglect of the agriculture sector for oil.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, urged all Nigerians to protect the integrity of all, saying God was not wrong when he put everybody together in the country.
He said those beating the drum of division would fail.
The Sultan was optimistic that the nation would overcome its current challenges with commitment from all.
He also prayed for God’s guidance and good health for the President as he leads the country.
The Sultan said it was the duty of Nigerians to continue to pray for all leaders and the country for the desired peace.
He said: “The traditional rulers’ council will continue to support the President in his drive to leave a legacy that future generation would be proud of.”
Those at the dinner included the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Gbom Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe; Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo; Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, before a Federal High Court in Lagos.Mr. Amosu, a retired Air Marshal, was arraigned alongside Jacob Adigun, an Air Vice Marshal, and Gbadebo Olugbenga, an Air Commodore on a 26-count of stealing about N50 billion.The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.The judge granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each.

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria is
paying dearly for incompetence in managing high
revenue that accrued from oil, particularly over
the past decade, and for allowing the decay of
critical infrastructure.
Speaking at the State House, Abuja, Monday,
while receiving the Chief Global CEO of Unilever,
Mr Paul Polman, the President said his
administration was working very hard to change
the structure of the Nigerian economy battered
by several years of mismanagement.
”We refused to save for the rainy day. Now the
rain is beating us. No money, no savings, nothing.
And we are thoroughly wet from the rains,” he
said.
President Buhari said Nigeria was paying the price
for turning herself into a mono economy, but
assured that the country would soon be able to
feed herself, and even export, with the current
emphasis placed on agriculture.
He assured that the Federal Government would
fast-track the implementation of strategies to
ease doing business and attract more investors
into Nigeria.
“We want to create jobs, and supporting
manufacturing is one way to do it. As soon as we
have stabilized our budget, I would personally be
interested in the manufacturing sector,
particularly in the generation of essential raw
materials,” the President said.
The Chief Global CEO of Unilever said the
conglomerate had been in Nigeria for 93 years,
making it the oldest manufacturing concern in
the country.
“Our products are more Nigerian than other
Nigerian brands. Despite the economic downturn,
there are opportunities to further advance our
business here.
“The situation to invest and continue to invest
here is very encouraging,” Mr Polman said,
adding that Unilever had invested about N15
billion in Nigeria in the past three years.