₦airaland Forum

17 YEARS AFTER, SENATE PASSES PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/17-years-after-senate-passes-petroleum.html

The Senate yesterday passed the first part of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), a modified version of the much anticipated Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), after 17 years of consideration.
The passage of the PIGB, which is just a quarter of the four components of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), followed the final consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate joint committee on petroleum (upstream, downstream and gas).
According to chairman of the committee, Senator Tayo Alasoadura (APC-Ondo) who presented the report at the plenary, the Senate had to split the PIB into parts for expeditious consideration and passage.
He said, ‘‘This was why the senate decided to consider the first part namely the ‘Petroleum Industry Governance Bill 2017’ first. The other parts which shall arrive the Senate in due course include Bills on ‘Upstream Petroleum License and Lease Administration’; ‘Downstream Oil and Gas Administration’; ‘Petroleum Fiscal’ and ‘Petroleum Revenue Management including Petroleum Host Community Fund (PHCF)”, he said.
After a clause-by-clause consideration, with few amendments, the Senate approved the bill to establish a legal framework for the creation of a more efficient, transparent, competitive and internationalized petroleum industry.
The Bill seeks to create a conducive business environment for the operations of the petroleum industry and overhaul the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The bill, if eventually passed by the House of Representatives and signed by the president into law, will lead to unbundling and restructuring of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR and also create new agencies with more responsibilities.
The new ones that will be established are the National Oil Company (NOC) and National Petroleum Assets Management Commission (NPAMC).
The NOC, as proposed in the bill, will be an “integrated oil and gas company operating as a fully commercial entity and will run like a private company”, while the NPAMC will be a “single petroleum regulatory commission which will focus mainly on regulating the industry”.
The commission will also have responsibility for health and safety regulations in the industry, while collaborating with the Ministry of Environment on environmental issues.
The ministry, currently overseeing the Ogoni cleanup programme, will be represented on the board of the commission.
Explaining the bill further, Senator Alasoadura said, “Our report proposes a slim, focused yet robust framework for effective institutional governance of the Nigeria Petroleum industry. We supported and enhanced the creation of an independent one-stop-shop regulatory agency which will absorb the present Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) into one agency.
“We have streamlined and sharpened the role of the Minister. We have also enhanced the extensive reform of NNPC into two limited liability companies- the National Petroleum Company and Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company to ensure efficient and effective commercial performance.
“In carrying out our assignment we have ensured that the major lapses associated with prior institutional frameworks have been remedied”.
The Bill also made provisions for funding the NPRC as stated in its section 26 that “The commission shall establish and maintain a fund (‘The Fund’) from which all expenditures incurred by the commission shall be defrayed.
The NPRC is also empowered by the bill to spend ten per cent of what it generates for its operations.
The bill seeks to open up the sector to more and better business opportunities, make the sector more transparent and ensure better accountability of revenue derived from oil.
It also pushes for a more inclusive development away from crude oil to other product lines and by-products and robust engagement between international oil companies, IOCs and the government in the area of investment and modifications in the Joint Venture Partnerships, JVPs/cash call obligations.
Similarly, the bill advocates the activation and extension of indigenous participation and local content development, just and fair engagement of the oil producing communities and transparency/accountability in the industry.
In his remarks after the passage of the bill, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki commended the commitment of his colleagues in passing the bill after 17 years.
“I congratulate the 8th Senate with the passage of this landmark bill which has not been passed for many years”, he said, adding that “this Bill is not only for Nigerians but for our investors. We are proud of what has been done”.
Saraki had after inauguration of the 8th Senate in 2015 promised to, among other things, deliver the Petroleum Industry Bill as well as making laws that would better the lot of Nigerian businesses
The bill was broken into four parts to allow for easier passage as it has suffered prolonged debate in the upper legislative chambers.
The new bill which now awaits the assent of the president will lead to the unbundling of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into two companies namely Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company and the National Petroleum Company.
The two companies, according to the bill, shall be supervised by the Ministry of Petroleum Incorporated.
The bill provides that “the Minister shall, within six months after the Effective Date, take such steps as are necessary under the Companies and Allied Matters Act to incorporate two entities – the first may be called the Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company, or such other name as may be available and the other may be called the National Petroleum Company, or such other name as may be available, as companies limited by shares, which shall be vested with certain assets and liabilities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“Upon incorporation and the transfer of assets pursuant to this Act: the Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company (hereinafter called the Management Company in this Act) shall be responsible for the management of assets currently held by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under the Production Sharing Contracts and Back-in Right Provisions under the Petroleum Act 1969 as amended.
“The National Petroleum Company shall be responsible for the management of all other assets held by NNPC except the Production Sharing Contract and Back-in Right assets currently held by the NNPC;
“At the time of its incorporation, the initial shares of the National Petroleum Assets Management Company shall be held in the ratio of 20% by the Bureau for Public Enterprises, 40% by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and 40% by the Ministry of Petroleum Incorporated on behalf of the Government”.
Prior to this development the Bill has gone through 5 sessions of the National Assembly beginning from the 4th Assembly which was inaugurated in 1999 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Attempt to pass the bill by the 7th Senate presided over by Sen. David Mark met with a lot of controversy and rejection of certain clauses in the bill, which forced the Senate then to drop the bill at the point of passage.
Meanwhile, Nigeria yesterday in Vienna secured another exception of crude oil production cuts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
OPEC also agreed to further extend cuts in oil output by nine months to March 2018 as a strategy to battle a global glut of crude.
The exception which was also extended to Libya came as both countries were said to continue to face unrest.
OPEC agreed to keep its own cuts of around 1.2 million bpd in place for nine months, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq told newsmen in Vienna.
He also said Saudi oil exports were set to decline steeply from June, thus helping to speed up market rebalancing.
He revealed that OPEC oil ministers were continuing their discussions with non-OPEC producers, stressing that the proposal for joint cuts was also around 1.8 million bpd, which would see non-OPEC producers cut under 600,000 bpd.
OPEC had in December 2016, agreed its first production cuts in a decade and the first joint cuts with non-OPEC producer nations led by Russia in 15 years.
The two sides decided to remove about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) from the market in the first half of 2017 – equal to 2 per cent of global production.
It is expected that the new extension will also be carried out once again in tandem with a dozen non-members led by top oil producer, Russia, which reduced output with OPEC from January.
The January cuts had helped to push oil back above $50 a barrel this year, giving a fiscal boost to producers, many of which rely heavily on energy revenues and have had to burn through foreign-currency reserves to plug holes in their budgets.
The price rise this year has spurred growth in the U.S. shale industry, which is not participating in the output deal, thus slowing the market’s rebalancing with global crude stocks still near record highs.
Prior to the decision to exempt Nigeria, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, told journalists that Nigeria was not opposed to joining OPEC production caps but would have to wait and see if production came back to acceptable levels.
Meanwhile there are reports that a gas pipeline operated by the Nigerian Gas Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has been attacked close to the oil hub of Warri by suspected rebels.
The attack comes after months of truce in Nigeria, during which the country’s government and Niger Delta leaders had been in negotiations.
An effort to reach NNPC’s Spokesperson was unsuccessful, as he was said to be in an official engagement and could not respond to phone calls at the time of the report.
But agency report said the Spokesperson for Nigeria Gas Company, Violin Antaih, commented: “It has been confirmed, even by the community people, that it was a third-party sabotage.
“If you have a picture of the blast, you will know too well that was exactly what happened because the pipeline was cut into two. A ruptured pipeline will not have such effect”, Antaih added.

It Will Sanitise The Sector – Oil Workers
Meanwhile, NUPENG and PENGASSSAN have commended the Nigerian Senate over the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) 2016 after 17 years of waiting.
The unions described the passage of the bill as a milestone achievement, especially when it is considered that the PIGB is not an Executive Bill.
In a statement signed by Comrade Hyginus Chika Onuegbu, chairman, NUPENG and PENGASSAN joint national committee on the PUB, both unions however observed that, while the passage of the PIGB is commendable, it will not deliver the full benefits of the intended reforms except if the other aspects of the PIB are also legislated
The statement reads in part: “Nigeria has lost over Nm$235 billion due to its inability to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill into law since the reform in the Nigerian Petroleum industry was kick-started 17 years ago.
“We therefore look forward to the concurrent passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) into law by the Federal House of Representatives and also eventual accent by the President of Nigeria.
“We however note that the PIGB only deals with the one aspect of the PIB, that is the governance and institutional framework of the Nigerian Petroleum industry. We therefore look forward to the passage of the other aspect of the Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB) namely, the Petroleum Fiscal Framework Bill; the Petroleum Industry Downstream Administration Bill; the Petroleum Industry Revenue Management Framework Bill and the Petroleum Host Community Bill.”

LEAVE LAGOS IF YOU LIKE BRIBE- LAGOS POLICE COMMISSIONER, OWOSENI TELLS DPOS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/leave-lagos-if-you-like-bribe-lagos.html


Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni warned area commanders and divisional police officers in the state police command to shun bribery or leave the state. He also revealed that some Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the state are on the payroll of fraudsters.
The CP made this revelation on Wednesday at a lecture on code of conduct for law enforcement officers.
Owoseni warned that the era of impunity and corruption among officers was gone, appealing to his subordinates to come for transfer if they would not want to play by the rules in the state. He said:

“I am tired of hearing about shooting or killing of innocent persons. No one has the right to take another man’s life. It is only God that has the right to take a life”.
He warned area commanders and DPOs to shun bribery or leave the state.
He said, “It is your responsibility as a DPO to know those who are collecting bribe under you. If you refuse to stop them, they will stop you from being a DPO.
“It is embarrassing to see policemen collecting bribes and chasing yahoo yahoo boys for a DPO. I would not cover any DPO, I will expose you. Just leave Lagos before I get to your station; I cannot share out of your misconduct. I will give your photographs and details to journalists to expose you.
“I am shocked to hear that some area commanders and DPOs are on the payroll of fraudsters. I am investigating; just pray that I don’t get you. Just know that you are causing pains for taxpayers if you are intimidating them and collecting bribe from criminals.
“It is a curse to build a house with such money; the building would collapse on your head. Some of you even take people to the bank to collect money. If you train your children with the money, they won’t be useful to you.
“If those who were in the force before us bastardised it, we would not have the opportunity to be enlisted in the police.”
He also warned against indiscriminate killings, citing the example of a DPO in Surulere who is currently in detention for killing a young man.
“I am tired of hearing about shooting or killing of innocent persons. No one has the right to take another man’s life. It is only God that has the right to take life,” he said.
“I am tired of pleading with police victims because you are doing what you are not supposed to do.
“Go back to your areas of jurisdiction and warn your men against brutality, indiscriminate use of handcuffs on pregnant women, elders and persons with disability.
“Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) should take note. I will not tolerate any act of indiscipline.
“Learn a lesson from DPO Ijeshatedo, who shot dead a fashion designer. He is in our custody and we are compiling charges against him. He would soon be arraigned in court.
“All DPOs in Ikorodu should use all resources within their disposals to fish out Badoo cult group that has been causing havoc in the community.
“I am giving you all 48 hours to decongest your cells. Nobody should be detained more than 48 hours. I will conduct checks on the cells”, he said.

HOW A PASTOR I TRUSTED DEFRAUDED ME OF N918MILLION – ATIKU’S WIFE
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/how-pastor-i-trusted-defrauded-me-of.html

Titi Atiku, wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday told an Ikeja High Court that she trusted a business partner who allegedly defrauded her of N918 million because of his status as a pastor.
“I thought that the first defendant, being a pastor, he will not defraud me.
“I thought that he was being genuine with me during our business dealings,” Mrs Abubakar said while being cross examined in the ongoing fraud trial against a pastor, Nsikakabasi Akpan-Jacobs, Abdulmalik Ibrahim and Dana Motors Ltd.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had slammed the accused with a 15- count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N918 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.
Amos Ibe, the defence counsel to Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, while cross examining Mrs Abubakar, questioned why she used different monikers in company documents relating to the fraud.
“Before I start cross examining you Ma, should I refer to you as Your Excellency?
“Why was the name Florence Doregos used in the petition from the EFCC which is exhibit one, as well as other fake names in documents you used to transact business with the first defendant?,” Mr. Ibe queried.
Replying, Titi said: “I am Her Excellency forever, it was under my instruction and direction that the petition was written.
“My name is Florence Doregos, my name is Titi Amina Atiku Abubakar, the Mrs in the petition is a mistake made by my Lawyer.
“Florence is my name and it was easy for me to use Doregos while I was in state service.
“The name of my biological father is Dorego Albert, we are from Ilesha but I have cousins who are from the Republic of Benin.
“I can choose Doregos, I can choose Albert as my surname, they are all my names, even Dino Melaye, his name is Daniel but he calls himself Dino.
“I can twist my name anyhow I want.”
Responding to Mr. Ibe’s questions about her identity when she married the former Vice-President, she said “I married my husband at the Ikoyi Registry in 1971.
“I was a Christian before I married my husband, Angelina is my baptismal name, Florence is my confirmation name.
“When I got married to my husband, I converted to Islam and I have been called Amina Titilayo, Titilayo was what I was called at home,” she said.
Mr. Ibe, however, still questioning Mrs Atiku’s real identity, told her that a book written in honour of her husband titled ‘Atiku: The Story of Atiku Abubakar,’ claimed that she was from a Local Government Area in Adamawa.
“I am from my husband’s Local Government Area by virtue of marriage.
“Whether I’m from the moon o, that’s not the matter on ground,” she said.
Mr. Ibe sought to tender the book written in honour of the former Vice-President to the court but it was rejected by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.
“The document does not fall under the definition of a public document under the Evidence Act, it is a private document, it is therefore rejected,” Justice Ipaye said.
NAN reports that THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd, a company created in 2000 belonged to Mrs Atiku, Akpan-Jacobs and Fred Holmes.
She was allegedly to be the majority shareholder with 49 per cent shares, while Holmes and Akpan-Jacobs each had 25 per cent shares.
Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, who also doubled as the company’s Managing Director and Secretary, was accused to have gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and altered the share holding in his favour and forging the company’s board resolution.
He allegedly under the new share arrangement allotted 70 per cent shares to himself and 15 per cent shares each to Titi and Holmes.
According to the EFCC, welding a fraudulent shareholding power, Mr. Akpan-Jacobs sold a property belonging to the company to Dana Motors Nigeria Ltd for N918 million.
The property is located at Plot C63 A, Amuwo-Odofin Commercial Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the defence disputed Mrs Abubakar’s claims that she invested over N1.2billion in the business transactions with the defendants.
“Your petition stated that you invested over N200 million and in another document it stated that you invested over N1.2billion, which fact is correct?
“Do you have accounting reports, did you hire an auditor to look at the accounts, how did you arrive at N1.2billion?
“N200 million is the money I spent in building the bonded terminal, by the time it was ready, it was worth N1.2billion.
“Akpan-Jacobs never gave me any records, I was in the state service, I did not get any auditor, Akpan-Jacobs has the evidence of the money I spent, I didn’t know that our business transactions will become a court case,” she said.
Mrs Abubakar, while in the witness box, accused Mr. Akpan-Jacobs of using her company property as a collateral for a bank loan that he sought when he wanted to run for the Akwa-Ibom governorship election.
“He used my bonded terminal as a collateral for a loan when he wanted to run for governorship of Akwa-Ibom, when he couldn’t refund the money the bank wanted to acquire the bonded terminal, he sold it to Dana Motors Ltd.
“I was the largest shareholder of THA Shipping Company with 49% of shares, my German partner Fred Holmes had 26% and Akpan-Jacobs has 25%.
“Akpan-Jacobs never contributed a dime to the company, I couldn’t be involved in all the documentation because I was in service.
“He did the registration and promotion of the company, he brought all the papers to me at the villa to sign, he later fraudulently changed the shareholding powers of my shipping company to favour himself.
“He gave me 15 percent, Holmes 15 percent and he took 70 percent shareholding power for himself.
“I never entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with him to sell the company, that is why I’m in court, when he couldn’t repay the loan, he sold the company to Dana Motors Ltd.
“When the fraud happened, we initially agreed to settle out of court, but instead of settling, he went to sell the cranes and the company, giving the EFCC N16 million which I received, “ she said.
Mr. Akpan-Jacobs’ lawyer asked the court to cancel the next court date slated for May 24 for continuation of the trial on the grounds of his Ill health.
“My Lord, I ask for the previously adjourned date of May 24 to be vacated because I am currently battling ill health,” Mr. Ibe said.
Babatunde Sonoiki, the EFCC counsel however, opposed Mr. Ibe’s request.
“There have been four adjournments at the cost of the plaintiff, she flies in at great risk to her safety from Abuja for every court date and she is supposed to be helping to take care of a newborn of one of her children.
“We have another witness who has travelled on four occasions for 15 hours by road from Yola and the case keeps being adjourned, I will like to request for a cost of N750,000 from the defendants to cover the financial expenses of the plaintiff,” he said.
Justice Ipaye granted a cost of N100,000 against Mr. Akpan-Jacobs and adjourned the case until July 5 and 6 for continuation of trial.

LAGOS GOVT TO CONSTRUCT EIGHT NEW FERRY JETTIES
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/lagos-govt-to-construct-eight-new-ferry.html

The Lagos State Government is to construct eight new concrete ferry jetties in coastal areas of the state, according to an official.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Development, Mr Adebowale Akinsanya, said at a media briefing on Monday at Alausa, Ikeja, that the new jetties would boost water transportation in the state.
“This will be the first state-owned ferry concrete jetties and we will ensure that they are of globally acceptable standard to ensure safety.
“The jetties have been operating on public-private partnership and as a government, we want to set the pace for other investors who might be coming on board,” he said.
The briefing is part of activities marking the two years of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.
Akinsanya gave the locations as Ilase in Ojo, Ito-Omu waterfront in Epe, Ilado in Amuwo-Odofin, Ofin waterfront in Igbogbo, Baiyeku waterfront in Igbogbo, VIP Chalet, Apa waterfront and Isalu-Iya Afin in Badagry.
The commissioner said the ministry had also started reclaiming of about 29.8 hectares at Oworonshoki foreshore where infrastructure would be provided that would serve as a major transportation hub for water and bus services.
He listed some of the ministry’s achievements as tackling the Atlantic Ocean surge between Goshen Estate and Alpha Beach with 6.8km stretch of the shoreline out of a total length of 7.3 km adequately protected.
According to him, property owners on this stretch can now heave a sigh of relief that their investments had been protected against the surge.
“We are also currently evaluating additional protection of some waterfront schemes. The Lekki Foreshore, Badagry-Marina and Epe-Marina shoreline protection will commence soon’’, he said.
On the challenges facing the ministry, Akinsanya said the ministry was constrained in regulating dredging activities in the state because of a Federal High Court judgment of February 2014.
“The judgment transferred all dredging responsibilities to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
“Hearing of the appeal filed by the state government has been deferred to a later date this year and this is also a challenge.
“There has been an increase in degradation of the fragile shoreline and the environment due to legal challenge from NIWA.
“Consequent, this has resulted in the inability of the ministry to fully enforce and prosecute erring operators on dredging rules, health safety and environmental rules contraventions,” he said.

5 Banks Contribute N245.8bn To CBN’s Real Sector Support Facility
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/5-banks-contribute-n2458bn-to-cbns-real.html


In a move to towards increasing credit to priority sectors of the nation’s economy, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank Plc and three other commercial banks invested N245.8 billion to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF).
The other three banks are Access Bank, Diamond Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. The N300 billion RSSF introduced by CBN in January 2016 and was meant to unlock the potential of the real sector to engender output growth, value added productivity and job creation.
Commercial banks were to contribute five per cent of total naira deposits and the Facility will be used to support large enterprises for startups and expansion financing needs of N500 million up to a maximum of N10 billion.
According EYES OF LAGOS findings, Zenith Bank in 2016 contributed N80.6 billion towards the special intervention reserve held by CBN while United Bank for Africa contributed N54.7 billion.
Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc contributed N49.6 billion and N39.9 billion towards the RSSF in 2016 respectively while Stanbic IBTC Holdings added N20,8 billion towards the special intervention fund last year. The CBN said in 2016, the sum of N2.25 billion was released to two projects under the RSSF, bringing the number of projects to four valued at N6.85 billion from inception in 2014.
In a circular issued by the director, Development Finance Department early 2016, the objectives of the Facility include, “Improve access to finance by the agricultural value chain, manufacturing, mining, solid minerals activities and other strategic sub-sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“Increase output, create jobs, diversify the economy, increase accretion to foreign reserves and provide inputs for the industrial sector on a sustainable basis.”
According to the circular, Loans granted shall have a maximum tenor of 10 years depending on the complexity of the project. “Each project tenor shall be determined in relation to its cash flow and life of the underlying collateral.
“Working capital facility of one year with a maximum rollover of one year subject to approval and the Facility allows for moratorium of one year in the loan repayment schedule,” the circular explained.
Hitherto, the CBN said some banks, which accessed the funds at one per cent interest rate for lending at nine per cent yearly, are not doing so. The CBN said it had suspected that some banks are not only diverting the loans, but also delaying the quarterly repayments remittance from beneficiaries. According to CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the RSSF is expected to support large enterprises for start-ups and expansion of the financing of up to N10 billion.

On The Roller-Coaster Fight Between Dogara And Governor Abubakar
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/on-roller-coaster-fight-between-dogara.html

To many who could not see the rationale behind the roller-coaster fight between Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State on one hand, and federal legislators from the state, led by no less a personality than House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, on the other hand, the appearance of the immediate past governor of the state, Isa Yuguda, at a political rally organised by Dogara penultimate week, goes a long way to resolve what was hitherto seen as a jigsaw puzzle of sort.
For months, people were wondering why, inspite of the olive branch extended on countless occasions to Dogara and his co-travellers by the Bauchi governor, the federal legislators have chosen not to hearken to wise counsel by slamming every door against peace. Many have been suspecting the existence of unseen forces instigating the legislators. There is also, on the other hand, the rumour that the legislators were fighting the governor owing to his refusal to purchase houses, cars and allocate special allowances on monthly basis for the legislators.
If a roll-call is taken of President Buhari’s arch political enemies, Isa Yuguda will surely feature prominently. Here is a man who was denied justice by his political party, the PDP. He decamped to Buhari’s political party of the time, the ANPP, and Buhari campaigned vigorously for Yuguda to win the 2007 gubernatorial election of Bauchi State. Not long after he won, however, as if to give vent to the adage that the leopard does not change its spots, Yuguda crossed back to his PDP and formed a strong opposition against Buhari, his erstwhile benefactor. Left for Isa Yuguda, Buhari will not have come near the presidency of the country.
Though it should surprise no one when birds of the same feather are seen flocking together, there still is something terribly fishy when Dogara, a man always making a show of being a Buhari apologist, organises a rally and makes Yuguda, whose disdain for Buhari is never hidden, the centrepiece of the event. For many, this is one pointer to the fact that the PDP could well have a hand in instigating the endless fight against the Bauchi governor, and the desperate efforts to deploy every fora to demonise him. Proponents of this theory believe the whole motive is to weaken President Buhari’s APC to prepare the grounds for Yuguda’s PDP to take over Bauchi in 2019.
And as if to give vent to this school of thought, Dogara and virtually all the other legislators fighting Governor Abubakar have been categorical that the APC will not win the Bauchi governorship in 2019, unless – according to some of their followers – one of them is fielded as candidate. But does it occur to them that by relentlessly sowing deep seeds of discord and trying to factionalise the APC in Bauchi, a major bastion of support for the party, they are also making it difficult, if not impossible, for the APC to hold-on to the presidency at the next general election? In the typical temporal victory of falsehood over the truth, what is hidden is now coming to light. And this is only a tip of the iceberg!
Dogara succeeded in making what his apologists described as a triumphant entry to Bauchi. He regaled the crowd that received him with stories of federal projects he has cornered, or wants to corner, to the state. Good enough. That, indeed, is what he has been voted by his constituents to do. But the one thing he deliberately missed out in his speech is the cost of the rally, said to run into hundreds of million of naira. That humongous amount is enough to transform the lives of Dogara’s hapless constituents, for good. And his name will have been written in gold. Why then did he waste so much money in a totally-needless ego-driven venture? Was the “contractor” Dogara referred to, in his speech, as being in their midst at the rally, the sponsor of the event? And who is this unnamed contractor? If the contractor was not the financier, who funded the jamboree, or they want us to assume the money was taken from the coffers of the House of Reps? Endless, unanswered questions.
In an article widely published in some newspapers, Dogara’s media aide, my good friend Turaki Hassan, claimed that the Speaker has been renamed “Mai Solar” by his hapless constituents because of solar-powered street lights he was said to have provided to some locality. But since resources are few, and there are competing demands, didn’t it occur to Speaker Dogara that a solar light is the least of the problems facing his constituents? Why can’t he follow in the footsteps of Governor Abubakar by illuminating their hearts with education, or making food available to them by boosting agriculture, even if he is yet to respond to allegations publicly made by another federal legislator that he diverted an important Federal Government’s water project to his own personal farm?
The whole drama, termed as Dogara’s triumphant entry to Bauchi, was a badly-scripted one any person with excess naira could stage. Even when the economy of the country was buoyant, unscrupulous politicians are known to hire crowds to make a political statement. Some even go to neighbouring states to rent crowds and make a fake show of strength.
But what Dogara and his co-travellers did not realise is that they ended up, in a strange way they never intended or imagined, casting Governor Abubakar in good light. The fact that they went to Bauchi and staged that rally without being molested points strongly to the fact that Governor Abubakar is an absolute man of peace who is socially re-orienting the Bauchi society. Many a governor will not have taken an inch of that affront. Stories abound of how some governors hire mercenaries to stop their opponents, by all means. Whether by coincidence or design, the Bauchi Governor left the state for Dogara and co, so that nobody could use his presence to perpetrate mischief.
One expects that rather than dissipating unnecessary energy and humongous resources in fighting the governor of Bauchi, Speaker Dogara should be more concerned with issues to do with accountability and transparency, by lifting the cloud of secrecy around the finances of the House of Reps that he leads. That, by far, is more important to Nigerians, not a needless display of wealth and over-bloated ego. Right now, only a few members have an idea of how things are being run in the House of Representatives. Many are just keeping quiet so as not to rock the boat. Nigerian are being kept in the dark, inspite of some cosmetic efforts to the contrary.
The Speaker also owes it to posterity the responsibility to respond in greater detail to serious allegations of malfeasance levelled against him by his erstwhile benefactor, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin. Distracting Governor Abubakar could never sweep these weighty allegations under the carpet, and however long it might take, it remains one issue that must be unearthed and addressed.
It is saddening that this unnecessary fight has denied Bauchi full benefit of its men in power at the federal level. The governor will definitely have achieved lots more, if he were not being severely distracted. Division is an ill wind that blows no one no good, and that explains why no religion has ever supported it. Dogara, said to be a pastor, ought to know this very well, and abide by it. In unity, you gain strength. One therefore hopes that sooner than later, the Speaker and his co-travellers in the National Assembly will accept the olive branch extended severally to them by Governor Abubakar, in the interest of Bauchi and the whole of Nigeria.
Musa, CEO of Ginet Media, wrote from Bauchi.

Makarfi fumes as Sheriff urges court to shun appeal
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/makarfi-fumes-as-sheriff-urges-court-to.

leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Supreme Court to shun an appeal brought before it by the party’s sacked National Caretaker Committee led by Ahmed Makarfi.



The PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC), led by Ali Modu Sheriff (Chairman), Prof. Wale Oladipo (Secretary) said the Makarfi Committee, having been declared illegal by the February 17, 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, lacked the powers to take decisions for the party, including initiating court proceedings in its name.

The PDP leadership stressed this position in a written argument it made in support of an application it filed on March 21 seeking the striking out of the appeal filed on February 27 by the Markafi Committee against the February 17 Appeal Court’s judgment. The written submission was filed on May 10 in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive on May 4.

The PDP leadership is contending that the Makarfi Committee did not obtain the PDP’s authorisation to appeal in its name and on its behalf, because the PDP under the current leadership, was comfortable with the Appeal Court judgment and does not intent to challenge it.

It contented, in the address written by a group of lawyers, led by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), that since the Court of Appeal, in its February 17 judgment, declared that the Sheriff-led NEC is the authentic leadership organ of the PDP, the Makarfi-led Committee could no longer pursue an appeal in the party’s name.

The Sheriff-led PDP leadership argued that the decision of the Makarfi committee to file an appeal in the name of the PDP without its (the party’s) authorisation was not only illegal, it violated the party’s constitution.

Relying on the provisions of Chapter 5, Articles 35(1), 36(1) and 42(1) of the PDP constitution, it argued that the party, with a corporate personality, could only act through the principal national officer, whose powers and functions are stated in the constitution.

It referred to a May 18, 2016 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) ordering a return to status quo as at May 18, 2016 and the subsequent judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 to the effect that only the Sheriff NEC could instruct lawyers for the party, and urged the Supreme Court not to hear the appeal.

The Sheriff-led PDP leadership noted that it had not by its argument said the Makarfi Committee could not appeal the May 17 judgment of the Appeal Court, having been parties in the case from the trial court, it (the Makarfi Committee) or its members could only appeal as interested parties after first, obtaining the court’s leave to so appeal.



In the substantive appeal, among other issues, Sheriff/PDP lawyers urged that the appeal should either be dismissed or struck out because the supposed appellants (Makarfi’s PDP) did not ‎obtain neither the leave of the Court of Appeal nor that of the Supreme Court before filing the appeal which is based on mixed law and facts.

In a counter argument, the Makarfi Committee, represented by a group of lawyers, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urges the court to discountenance the Sheriff NEC’s arguments and proceed to hear its appeal. It among others, urged the Supreme Court to set aside the Appeal Court’s judgment of February 17.

In its argument dated May 15, the Makarfi Committee queried the legitimacy of the application filed by the Sheriff-led NEC and argued that it was not only strange, but intended to frustrate the hearing of the main appeal.

It argued that it was wrong for Sheriff and others to ask the court not to hear the appeal after briefing Akin Olujinmi (SAN) to represent them in the substantive appeal and filling a respondents’ brief, in which they also made similar arguments in relation to the competence of the appeal.

Relying on Order 8 Rule 6 (1), (2) and (4) of the Supreme Court’s Rules, the Makarfi Committee faulted the March 15, 2017 letter of the Sheriff-led NEC applying to withdraw the appeal and the subsequent application for its strike out. It argued that since Sheriff and others did not file the appeal, they lacked the right to apply to withdraw it.

In a response on point of law, filed by Fagbemi on May 18, the Sheriff-led NEC faulted all legal arguments by the Makarfi Committee, urged the court to discountenance its contention and hold that it lacked the locus standi to file an appeal in the name of the PDP, having been sacked by a subsisting judgment.

On the issue of representation, they explained that while Fagbemi and others were representing the‎ PDP as a party, Olujinmi was leading a team for Sheriff and Oladipo, sued in their personal capacities and representing the National officers, NWC and NEC of the PDP.

The Makarfi Committee has, however filed papers, seeking to regularise their processes. But, this was done after parties had joined issues and briefs exchanged.

It was learnt yesterday that the Supreme Court had rescheduled the hearing of the appeal relating to the PDP leadership dispute for today (May 22).

The court had, on May 4, ordered the filing of the written briefs and adjourned till May 25 for hearing. It could not be ascertained yesterday what informed the court’s decision to bring the date forward.

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Don't Tell The Interviewer About Yourself, This Is What He Really Wants To Hear
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/dont-tell-interviewer-about-yourself.html

A job interview does not have to be tense. In fact, you may find yourself with a very friendly panel, who will go all out to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
However, irrespective of the size and manner of the panel you are faced with, what is required of you is confidence and of course, the appropriate answers to every question you are asked. This part is what’s tricky.
So, in this post, we’d be looking at the simple ways to answer 5 tricky questions you are likely to get in your job interview.
1. Tell Me About Yourself.
This question seems very straightforward. Usually, the first you’d be asked in an interview. However, it is tricky because though it sounds like an invitation to tell your life story, it is not.
When asked the ‘tell me about yourself’ question, what the hiring panel is actually asking you is to tell them about yourself, as it pertains to the position you are applying for.
With this in mind, you should not begin to share generic information about yourself, your family or how many siblings you have. Rather, you could start with your name, academic qualifications, present skills and strengths, previous experiences as well as future professional aspirations. You should also feel free to ask the interviewers for clarifications, just in case there are specific information they’d like to hear about.
Take this for instance:
Question: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Wrong Answer: Hmmn, where do I start? My name is Oluwaseun. I was born in the late 80s and currently married with 6 kids. …
Right Answer: My name is Oluwaseun, a second-year master’s student of marketing communications at the Lagos Business School. Prior to pursing this degree, I worked with the marketing and communications department at Shell, where I developed and honed my skills in copywriting and digital marketing. This experience really piqued my interest in this field and I look forward to an opportunity to learn more and contribute to your marketing communications department…
2. Where do you See Yourself in Five Years?
This question is tricky because you might be tempted to say everything you see yourself doing in five years and completely miss the mark. Like the first question, your answer should be much more professional than personal. What the hiring panel really wants to know is if you are going to stick with them and if you are worth the investment of training.
To answer this question, you could tell them how you think the job will provide you with so many opportunities, such that in 5 years, you'd be in a particular position within the organisation. You can also explain what value you hope to have added as well as how you could also have improved yourself professionally in that time.
Take this for instance:
Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Wrong Answer: In five years, I’d be a millionaire, enjoying life. I’d have built a house and would probably be the CEO of this company …
Right answer: In five years, I hope to have acquired a lot of knowledge in marketing communications, as well as contributed immensely to the growth of my department and the company. I’m also looking forward to eventually taking on additional managerial responsibilities and possibly taking the lead on some projects…
3. What is your Greatest Weakness?
Like the first two, this question is also very tricky because you might be tempted to give personal, instead of professional answers.
When asked this question, what interviewers actually want to know is if or not you are consciously aware of the areas you could improve on. Your weakness does not have to be present. It could be something that you’ve already worked on, but say it anyway. I’d advise that you think about this question before the interview, so you don’t give a generic answer or be at a loss of what to say. No one would believe you if you say you have no weakness.
To answer this question, start by mentioning the weakness, how it poses a problem to your work or career and how you’ve started to work on improving.
Take this for instance:
Question: What is your greatest weakness?
Wrong answer: Hmmn, my greatest weakness is to sleep. I could sleep all day…
Right answer: I used to have to have a problem with time management and this affected me every time I tried to multitask. Currently, I’m working on this through the use of certain time management tools.
4. What did you Hate About your Last Job?
This question is tricky because you might be tempted to spill all the beans about why you hated your boss, the work, the timing - all of it! This is wrong, because as Kachi Tila-Adesina puts it, the interviewers might already begin to picture you sitting elsewhere and literally dragging their name and their organisation in the mud as well.’
To answer this question, start by saying how beneficial the job was, before going to state one or two things you could have changed, if given the opportunity. Also, explain why you think the role you are now applying for is a better fit.
If you did not hate your last job, you can say so. This response can also be adapted, just in case you are asked why you are leaving your current position.
Take this for instance:
Question: What did you hate about your last job?
Wrong answer: Ooh, my boss! I hated my boss! …
Right answer: Well, my last job did offer me an opportunity to learn and grow in my career. However, I think it would have been better if such opportunity was granted in a less hostile work environment... I believe that working here would not just give me a better opportunity to grow, but also a conducive and comfortable work environment, which is very important to growth.
5. How much are you looking to be paid?
Now, this question is tricky because well, money is involved and while you don’t want to short-change yourself, you wouldn’t want to price yourself out of range either!
I know money is very important but when asked this question, don’t jump at the opportunity to scream ‘one million naira!’ Instead, you should have done your research on the organisation you are coming into and how much is standard for the role you are applying for.
If you are aware of how much the company really wants to hire you, say because of your expertise and skills, you can negotiate your salary right there. However, if this is not the case, you’ll need to fall back on the information you’ve gathered on what the going rate is, for the position you’re being interviewed for. In the worst case scenarios, you can request to know more about the role’s responsibilities and benefits packages. You should also mention how you are willing to discuss further when the time is right.
Take this for instance:
Question: How much are you looking to be paid?
Wrong answer: I can’t take anything less than ‘One million naira’!
Right answer: That's a fair question. To answer it properly, I'd need to know more about the role’s responsibilities and benefits package. I am quite confident that knowing the reputation of the company, when the time comes, any offer you make will be competitive.”
There you have it, the simple ways to answer tricky questions in your next job interview. Of course, there are quite a lot more tricky questions than I’ve listed. And while researching for this post, I found a couple of materials on tricky interview questions, which I think you’ll also find helpful. I’ve labelled them material 1, material 2, material 3 and material 4, respectively.
Finally, if you have any questions concerning job search, preparing for an interview or anything career-related, do feel free to ask.
Kindly share this post if you found it useful.

Ebola: No Screening Points, Machines At Seme Border – Report
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/ebola-no-screening-points-machines-at.html


Ebola: No Screening Points, Machines At Seme Border – Report
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/ebola-no-screening-points-machines-at.html

Screenig points, detecting machines, hand sanitisers and other measures to prevent an Ebola outbreak in the country have yet to be provided at the Seme border.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) alerted the world of an outbreak of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Several measures have been put in place at major airports in Nigeria to prevent and curtail the dreaded disease, but no such action was seen to prevent the disease at the border.
Checks conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reveals that there are no screening points, sanitisers and detecting machines at the border.
The reports also said that travellers and residents are also yet to be sensitised on the re-emergence of the disease in DRC and measures government is putting in place to curtail its spread to Nigeria.
Also, Port Health officials were not screening people going in and out of the country through the border.
A port health official, who pleaded for anonymity, told NAN that there is no equipment to screen people.
“We are aware of the recent outbreak of Ebola and the need to put measures on ground since this is the busiest border in the country, but there is no equipment for us.
“We have not been given screening machines, sanitisers have not been provided so there is little or nothing that we can do about it.
“You can be rest assured that once we have the necessary equipment and logistics, we will carry out all the measures that is needed to curtail this dreaded disease,” the source said.
Besides, commuters around the border area who spoke to NAN do not have
knowledge of the recent outbreak of Ebola in DRC.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Tomiwa Sadipe, said that he was not aware
of the recent outbreak.
“I have not heard about anything. As a matter of fact, I’m just
hearing this from you but I’m glad I know so I will be careful,”
Sadipe said.

Demurrage: Shipping Companies Fleece Importers Of Billions Of Naira Daily
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/demurrage-shipping-companies-fleece.html

Even as the federal government is said to be determined to reduce the cost of doing business at Nigerian seaports and to move ahead in its current global ranking on ease of doing business index, findings have shown that some shipping companies operating in the country are taking advantage of the limited free demurrage days to fleece importers of billions of naira on a daily basis.
EYES OF LAGOS investigations show that importers are losing billions of naira to demurrage charges by shipping companies operating in the nation’s seaports.
This was because Nigeria demurrage-free days are the lowest among its peers in neighboring West and Central Africa. According to investigation if not addressed would affect Nigeria ranking in the next global index of ease of doing business.
Demurrage is the charge levied by the shipping line on the consignee if the container is not cleared and returned to the nominated empty depot within the specified free days offered by the line. Demurrage is divided into three periods -First, second and third -that is also far more expensive than others in the sub-region
Investigations have shown that no shippers or importers can clear it’s consignments out of the ports within the stipulated three days free period.
According to document sighted by EYES OF LAGOS, shipping companies’ demurrage fees are as follows: First period N4,500 as against N1, 512 collected in Ghana, second period N7,500 as against N1,890 collected by Ghana and , third period 12,500 as against N1,890 in Ghana.
And with 1,396,057 TEU of containers received at the Lagos Ports in 2013; 1,551,540 in 2014 and another 1,317,212 in 2015, importers and Shippers have lost over N100billion to Shipping companies in demurrage charges.
Data from the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) indicate that Nigeria has five demurrage free days, which is low compared to neighbouring Benin Republic, which has ten demurrage-free days. Ghana, on the other hand, has eight demurrage-free days.
Meanwhile cargo dwell time (time to clear cargo) takes between 20 and 28 days in Nigerian ports, while in Benin Republic, it takes between10 and 15 days. For Ghana, it is between 12 and 14 days and Togo eight and 12 days.
It was gathered that importers who clear their goods from Nigerian ports, pay about 14 charges, while those that clear from off-dock terminals have 20 charges to pay before taking delivery of their consignments.
Confirming this, a recent World Bank report attributed long dwell time of cargo and high cost of doing business at Nigerian ports to rent-seeking on the part of operators especially shipping companies rather than fast tracking cargo clearance.
Maritime experts have argued that the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports started increasing after the concession exercise, which was initially aimed at reducing the cost at maximum efficiency.
Speaking to us, the former Public Relations Officer of Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition (SNFFIEC), David Pius confirmed that it was difficult to clear consignments within the stipulated free period provided by shipping companies in Nigeria. Though, he also attributed dishonest declaration by importers as part of what delay consignments at Seaports and fuel high demurrage.
He said, “There is first, second and third period but as an importer, if you escape the first period, you can’t escape the second period and the third is the highest, N12,500 depending on the terminal. “After that 12,500 they can add any amount depending on how many days the consignments used at the terminal.
Another shipping expert, Tony Anakebe, blamed operators for the delays, saying that when clearing agents’ book for examination, it takes between five to seven days to drop the container for either scanning or examination.
“The service providers are making money from importers. Take for instance, almost 30 percent of the container deposits collected by shipping companies are not refunded and this generates billions of naira”, he added.

MSF Fingered In ‘Secret Backing’ Of Boko Haram
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/msf-fingered-in-secret-backing-of-boko.html
High level security sources have fingered the Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Doctors Without Borders, operating in the North-east, where the organisation’s Brussels Operational Centre is currently based in Maiduguri, in an allegation that it is clandestinely involved in fuelling the Boko Haram conflict.
Eyes Of Lagos Friday findings reveal that the MSF has been refusing to allow the Nigerian Army verify that it was actually distributing food and medicine as it claimed whenever it left Maiduguri into rural areas and did not inform the authorities.
Since the advent of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed the lives of over 100,000 Nigerians, numerous aid and humanitarian organisations have flocked into the country and established offices with the stated goals of assisting Nigeria take care of the millions of displaced created by the conflict.
Due to the urgency of the humanitarian situation in North-east Nigeria, many of these agencies were not properly vetted by the security agencies before they were allowed to set up offices in the country.
This has created a situation where the security services are said to be concerned about the activities of certain purported aid organisations that have been discovered to be engaging in questionable activities.
According to information made available to this paper by confidential sources, one of the most questionable organisations which has been quietly engaging in alleged suspicious activities is the MSF.
MSF Suspended From Niger Republic In 2008
Nine years ago, a Wikileaks document made available to the paper indicated that Niger Republic suspended MSF-France from operating in some of its region, namely Maradi and Agadez where its programmes manifestly focus on combating malnutrition and health issues such as meningitis, measles and malaria.
“The Government of Niger (GON)”, wrote Wikileaks, “forced MSF-France to suspend its Agadez program last fall after three MSF-F vehicles were stolen in a short time frame, which the GON considered “voluntary imprudence” on MSF-F’s part.”
But the real reasons for the suspension were also linked to speculation at the time that MSF colluded with the rebel group, MNJ, to plan the theft. According to the then head of the French chapter of MSF in Niger, Emmanuel Lavieuville, there were strained “relations between MSF-F and the GON… since at least the 2005 food crises, as well as GON suspicions that MSF-F sympathized with the rebel group (MNJ),” Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice, known in English as Nigerien’s Movement for Justice, which has been battling the Niger government since 2007.
In 2014, Aljazeera reported that Myanmar kicked out the organization from the country for its role in caring for sick people, hiring Muslims and lack of “transparency in its work”.
…Sets Up Shop In North-east Without Security Vetting
Security operatives in Nigeria have accused the organisation of flouting Nigeria’s national security and disregarding the country’s sovereignty since it established operations here.
One source in the military command in Maiduguri, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that the organisation had refused to inform the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole of its movements into areas military operations were still ongoing against the Boko Haram terrorists, and places where special security measures were still in place in Borno State.
According to the military source, this was creating a situation where MSF personnel were traveling without informing the relevant authorities, in places where they could be abducted or killed by insurgents, which would create a public relations nightmare for the country.
“Where does it happen that foreigners refuse to obey the rules set by the local authorities in an active war zone? Or is it because it is Nigeria, they feel they can get away with flouting our sovereignty?” a source asked.
The source also said, “They could be bringing in weapons and what have you to store in their warehouses in Maiduguri, and be delivering them to Boko Haram during their clandestine travels along the highways, and we will not know because they refuse to allow us inspect their warehouses and verify that they are not storing items detrimental to Nigeria’s security”.
Another military source said that MSF’s refusal to allow inspection of its warehouses, inform the military before venturing out into areas with insurgent presence, and to take military escort when doing so as other humanitarian agencies do, seemed to indicate that there was something the organisation did not want Nigeria to see it doing.
Smuggled Salkida To France
High ranking security officials have also labelled the MSF as being a threat to Nigeria’s security, following intelligence reports that the organisation had secretly flown former journalist and alleged Boko Haram propagandist Ahmad Salkida, from Nigeria to France where they had contracted him to help them get in contact with the terrorist group, so they can negotiate with the terrorists for MSF to supply food and other items to the few areas controlled by the sect.
It would be recalled that last year Mr Salkida was accused by the Nigerian Army of aiding and abetting terrorism under the Terrorism Prevention Act. His international passport had been seized at the Nigerian diplomatic mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he had been residing, as he had gone to renew it.
Shortly thereafter he had returned to Nigeria, and an agreement had been reached between the State Security Service and the Nigerian Army whereby Mr Salkida would be housed in Abuja, and his passport returned to him, provided he sought permission from the Army via the SSS before he leaves the country. Also he was to desist from publishing Boko Haram videos the terrorists send to him to publish.
However, according to sources who spoke to LEADERSHIP Friday, Mr Salkida had connived with MSF to get a Schengen Visa and fly to France without informing the SSS and the Army, in violation of the agreement reached.
“MSF did not seek and has not sought the Nigerian government’s permission to initiate dialogue with Boko Haram, and to reach a deal with the sect to supply it with food and medicine and other things as it plans to do”, a highly placed intelligence official said
“They are planning to supply food and other things that we don’t know to Boko Haram. To terrorists. And they acting clandestinely like they are an intelligence organisation, not an aid agency”, he said.
“Why can’t MSF ask Nigeria’s permission or inform the government before engaging Salkida and get approval to talk to the enemies of this country? What are they hiding? Is that how it is done? Do you go to a country and start arranging to supply food and medicines to its enemies and you are hiding it from the government?”, another source queried.
A Nigerian Army source told LEADERSHIP Friday that the Army does not want food and medicine to be delivered to Boko Haram under the guise of humanitarian aid, and will oppose it vehemently if such a proposal was put before it by any aid organisation.
He said, “Who wants to be feeding his enemy in war? Make no mistake if MSF begins to deliver food and medicine to Boko Haram as we know it has contracted Salkida to do, it will be providing material support to terrorists who have killed Nigerian soldiers and civilians.
“The excuse they are giving to some people that they have been meeting in Abuja which we are aware of, is that they want to provide food and medicine to women and children under Boko Haram control. This excuse does not fly, because we know Boko Haram will use those foods and medicine for its fighters first, which enables it to stay in the fight longer.
“Our strategy is to starve, kill and deprive Boko Haram of any logistical support so that hunger will push its fighters to come out and surrender, and especially if they have families they will be forced to surrender for their families to see food.
“If they are shot we want them to find no medicine, and have to surrender to get treatment. MSF supplying them food and medicine as we know they are working to do, only prolongs the course of this war and keeps BH in the fight longer, and that is unacceptable”, he concluded.
According to these sources, the woman in charge of the MSF’s attempt to talk to Boko Haram and arrange to supply it food via Ahmad Salkida, is a certain Ghada Hatim, who used to be MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria. She recently handed over to another person and left the country, but has returned below the radar to work on this plan.
People who held meetings or were present at meetings requested by Ms Hatim, with some political, diplomatic and security actors, speaking anonymously, claimed that she refused to recognise that Nigeria had legitimate security concerns if MSF began to transfer food and medicine to Boko Haram.
One of them said she did not see her acting covertly inside Nigeria and her speaking clandestinely with terrorist enemies of the country without informing the government, as flouting Nigeria’s sovereignty and acting against Nigeria’s national security interests.
Th source said, “The most insufferable thing about her and MSF is they dismiss Nigeria’s sovereignty and trivialise the fact that they are planning to supply aid to a terrorist organisation which has killed tens of thousands of Nigerians.
“If this was Egypt can they do that and not get arrested and locked away? Look at how Egypt dealt with those Aljazeera journalists it felt were trampling on its rights as a sovereign nation, that is how we should treat people like Mrs Hatim who are actively working to sabotage our security”.
MSF Denies Involvement In Conflict
When contacted via email, Ms Hatim replied through the same medium that the MSF entertains “interviews/ Q&As on any matter with regard to our humanitarian relief operations in the North East of Nigeria” but sought further information about the newspaper.
After she got our response, an email was sent by the Operational Communications Advisor, Sophie Madden, who, wrote that Hatim passed on our enquiry to her. She asked that all questions for which clarifications are sought should be through to her “or to the Nigeria comms email address (which is in copy) for any future enquiries, rather than going direct to our operational team.”
She said “MSF is not involved in supporting any party to the ongoing conflict in Borno State,” instead the organization is “a medical humanitarian organisation that works in more than 60 countries around the world.
After several email exchanges, Madden replied to questions emailed to her including the ones on the alleged role the organization played in unlawfully ferrying Salkida out of the country, saying: “MSF does not engage in “questionable activities” in Borno state. We would be grateful if you could provide more background information about your questions, which do not reflect the work of MSF.
“As a part of our registration, we comply with official regulations. We inform the authorities of our movements in areas of ongoing conflict, and regularly meet them at state and federal level to provide updates on the work we are doing. It is routine for us to engage with journalists, including those working for publications such as your own, in the course of our work.” Madden added.
She further added: “MSF is a medical humanitarian organisation that has been registered in Borno since 2014, and has been working in Nigeria since 1985. We currently provide much-needed medical humanitarian assistance in eleven places across Borno, including in Maiduguri, Monguno and Ngala.
“Between July and December last year, our staff provided medical consultations to 175,516 people, admitted 3,306 people to hospital and distributed food to 32,365 families in Borno.
“We provide emergency medical humanitarian assistance to people who need it, during conflicts and disease outbreaks, following natural disasters or where people would not otherwise have access to medical care.
“We work according to medical ethics and our own charter which is based on principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality. We treat anyone who needs medical care, regardless of their political affiliation, religion or ethnicity and do not take sides in any of the conflicts in which we work,” she submitted.
Reps Reject Bill On Stigmatisation Of Boko Haram Victims
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday rejected a bill for an Act to prohibit the stigmatisation of victims of insurgency or militancy.
The bill, which was sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Yerima (Kano-APC), sought to provide for prosecution of any person or group, who may prevent such victims from reintegrating in the community.
Leading the debate on the bill, Yerima had said that the bill, if passed, would uphold and protect the fundamental rights of the victims to dignity and freedom of association as enshrined in the Constitution.
According to him, the bill targets victims of Boko Haram insurgency who, after rehabilitation, still find it difficult to reintegrate due to stigmatisation.
While canvassing support for the bill, the lawmaker stressed the need for a mechanism to restrain those who stigmatised such victims in the country.
In his contribution, the chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr Emmanuel Orker-Jev (Benue-APC), opposed the bill.
Order-Jev argued that what the bill sought to achieve had been provided for in relevant sections of the 1999 constitution as amended.
He said, “The Constitution is supreme over Acts of parliament”, and urged members to drop the bill.
After contributions by members, the bill was rejected through a unanimous vote put by the Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

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PDP REP MEMBER EDWARD PWAJOK DEFECTS TO RULING APC
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/pdp-rep-member-edward-pwajok-defects-to.html

A House of Representative member representing Jos South/East on Wednesday, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Hon. Edward Pwajok, 51, was elected into the House as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara, who read the defection letter during plenary disclosed that Pwajok said he was leaving the PDP due to the crisis in the party.
Minority Leader of the House, Mr Leo Ogor (Delta-PDP), who reacted swiftly to the situation raised a point of order to fault Pwajok’s claim that the PDP was factionalised.
He asserted that Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff is the National Chairman of the PDP and thus urged urged Pwajok to vacate his seat.
“We are presently in court and you are aware that Sheriff is the chairman of the party. I find it totally unacceptable and we demand that Pwajok vacates his seat,” Ogor said.
But, welcoming Pwajok to APC, the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos-APC), urged more PDP legislators to capitalise on the crisis within the party to cross over to the ruling party.
Plateau Governor, Mr Simon Lalong, who was at the chamber to witness the defection, later told newsmen that Pwajok’s defection would open the floodgate for other PDP legislators from the state to join APC.
Lalong said that some other PDP legislators in the state were ready to move to the APC.
Also speaking to newsmen, Pwajok said that he was ready for the PDP if the party approached the court over the matter.
He said, “Section 68 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution is clear that where there are divisions in a party, a member can defect to another party.”

REVEALED: COMBINED WEALTH OF DANGOTE, ADENUGA, OTEDOLA, ALAKIJA, DANJUMA CAN END EXTREME POVERTY IN NIGERIA
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/revealed-combined-wealth-of-dangote.html

The combined wealth of Nigeria’s five richest persons, estimated to be about $29.9 billion, can end extreme poverty in the country, a report by Oxfam International has stated.

The Oxfam report was titled ‘Inequality in Nigeria, Exploring the Drivers.’



Forbes magazine lists the five richest Nigerians as Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, Folorunsho Alakija and Theophilus Danjuma.

The Oxfam report exposed the large and growing gap between the rich and poor in Nigeria.
It also revealed that the benefits of the nation’s economic growth had been captured by a few wealthy elite at the expense of the ordinary Nigerians.

According to the report, the economic inequality is a key factor in the conflict in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.
Oxfam International also disclosed that Nigeria’s richest man, Mr. Dangote, earned 8,000 times more in one day than a poor Nigerian would spend on basic needs in a year.

Mr. Dangote is also the richest African with a net worth of $12.5 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Born into a wealthy business family, Mr. Dangote’s business focus includes industries (cement, sugar, flour and so on) as well as oil and gas.

The second richest man, Mike Adenuga, has major business interests in oil and gas as well as telecoms. He is the owner of Globacom, Nigeria’s largest indigenous telecom operator and has a net worth of $10.5 billion.

The third richest person is Femi Otedola, the CEO of Zenon Oil and Gas and Forte Oil whose net worth is $2.3 billion. He is closely followed by the richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, a business tycoon who is into fashion, oil and printing industries. With an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion, she is believed to have made her billions though oil block deals.

The fifth richest person is Theophilus Danjuma, a former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff. He is the founder/chairman of Atlantic Petroleum and has an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion.

According to the latest poverty report by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, about 112 million Nigerians (representing 67.1 per cent of the country’s total population of 167 million) live below poverty level; although lower than that are in extreme poverty.
The bureau also predicted this rising trend was likely to continue.

Absolute poverty is measured by the number of people who can afford only the bare essentials of shelter, food and clothing.
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer but the sector has been tainted by accusations of corruption.

The Oxfam report also said public office holders stole estimated $20 trillion from the treasury between 1960 and 2005, while multinational companies receive tax incentives estimated at $2.9 billion a year.

Cc :Lalasticlala missyb3 fynestboi

chai gheghen see lie Weh don ma

Nigeria can’t rely on recovered loot to fund budget, we must borrow – Adeosun
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/nigeria-cant-rely-on-recovered-loot-to.html

Although Nigeria is currently recovering some looted funds, it cannot rely on the loot to fund the budget, an official has said.

Speaking at an Abuja Town Hall meeting, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said the federal government was working to block wastage, increase GDP and embark on single window project execution.



On budget funding, the minister said that Nigeria would rather go on short term borrowing than rely on recovered loot to fund the annual budget.

“We cannot afford to rely on recovered loots to fund our budget, we have to go on short term borrowing,” she said. “What borrowing does for us is that it gives us flexibility because if we recover a lot from looted funds, we can always pay back.”

“It takes a long time to recover this looted money. Take a look at the Abacha loot, it has been with the Swiss government for 20 years and yet we still don’t have it back. Even on the funds recovered from government officials, we keep going to court to get them back.”

The National Assembly recently passed the 2017 Appropriations Bill, raising the budget from N7.28 trillion earlier proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year, to N7.44 trillion.
On the fight against corruption, Mrs. Adeosun said apart from the Treasury Single Account, TSA, the whistle blowing policy is a vital tool, which has made every Nigerian a detective.

“We have over 2,500 tips from various quarters in the country through the whistle blowing policy, not just the big ones but also the small money. Someone diverting the petty cash for the university, we are able to get in there and stop it. The fight against corruption is for everybody.”

Mrs. Adeosun said some of the whistle blowers were not seeking any financial reward but only exposing corruption out of patriotism.

She also said that the new Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit was making tremendous efforts in tackling issues of ghost workers and dead pensioners.

“The Initiative focuses mainly on our payroll, making sure that everybody who are getting paid are legitimate staff workers and is been paid the right amount. Through this initiative, every week we are finding people who should not be on the payroll and we are removing them.

“We are going to continue with this process until we are sure that 99.9 per cent of our payroll is accurate. The era of one person collecting 20 salaries is over. When we remove all these ghost workers, it will now create more jobs”, Mrs. Adeosun said.

The minister had in a recent Facebook live session disclosed that about 53,000 ghost workers had been removed from the Federal Government payroll through The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit.

Mrs. Adeosun also said the Nigerian economy is gradually coming out of its worst recession in years.
“Nigeria is coming out of recession; we are beginning to see the signs and we will come out to become stronger,” the News Agency of Nigeria quotes her as saying.

Mrs. Adeosun was among nine ministers that participated in the town hall meeting held on Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. The town hall meeting is a midterm review aimed at assessing the performance of various ministries in the country in the two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Those in attendance include Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Budget and National Planning Minister, Udoma Udoma; and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

Mob beat 2 Nigerians accused of selling drugs to students in South Africa
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/mob-beat-2-nigerians-accused-of-selling.html

Two Nigerians accused of selling hard drugs to students in South Africa were thoroughly beaten by a mob. According to Ugo Ugbaje, a South Africa-based Nigerian, the incident occurred at Kuruman Northern Cape area of the country last Friday.


Ugbaje shared photos of the attacks on his Facebook page, saying the victims would have died if the police had not intervened. According to Ugbaje, “may God save us in this country, South Africa.

Two Nigerian guys were almost murdered yesterday (Friday) in Kuruman Northern Cape.

“If not for the police, their lives would have been history by now.” '

Reacting to Ugbaje’s post, Oageng Mol Louw, a South African, said the attackers were protecting their children’s future, adding “there is no racism in this matter. Protecting our kids and their future is important.

“You guys know how dangerous those stuffs are, yet you’re selling them to school kids. Now that’s heartless.” The attack comes two days after two Nigerians were shot dead in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Mike Ibitoye, Chairman of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, identified the victims as Ernest Ughakwesili, 42, and Chimezie Oranusi, 26, both from Anambra State.

Nigerian governors angry as $3.45 Billion Paris Club refund is withheld
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/nigerian-governors-angry-as-345-billion.html

Nigerian state governors eager to have the $3.45 Billion second tranche of the London-Paris Club loan refund may have to wait longer than planned.

The Federal Government is withholding the cash – no thanks to what is believed to be the mismanagement of the first tranche.


The delay follows the ongoing probe of N19billion and $86.5million deducted by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) from the first tranche of N522.74billion.

The Presidency is awaiting the outcome of the investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the first release.

The government is believed to have tactically attributed the delay in remitting the second tranche to the “cash squeeze” the country has been undergoing.

But the governors are angry that some Presidency forces have influenced President Muhammadu Buhari to have a “rethink” on the second tranche.

The President had on April 2, May 24 and May 31, 2016 met with the leadership of the NGF on the financial crisis affecting most of the states, especially non-payment of salaries and pensions.

The governors demanded $6.9billion refund from the Federal Government to states and local governments for alleged over deduction for loans servicing.

They also asked for refund of the money spent by the states on Federal Government projects.

The President conceded to the governors on five conditions:

A thorough reconciliation be carried out between the Federal Government and the states;

50% of the claims submitted by the states be released, prior to completion of the reconciliation, to support states;

25-50% of the cash released will be used to settle outstanding salaries and pension arrears in most states;

There will be judicious use of the remaining 50% on development projects; and that
Local governments will have access to their share of the refund.

The presidency is said to have realised that most of the governors have defaulted in the conditions attached to the release of the refund.

The government is worried about the diversion of N19billion and $86million deducted for payment to consultants and legal advisers engaged by the NGF and some states.

A government source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Buhari administration meant well. To show its commitment, it raised a Refund Committee comprising the Acting President, who is also Chairman of the Board of DMO and the Economic Council; Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari(the chief driver of the Refund Movement; The NGF chairman, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari (Co-Chief Driver of the Refund Movement); the DG of NGF, Mr. Asishana Okaru (Co-odinator of states); Suraj Yakubu (GSCL Consulting Limited) as consultant-in-Chief; Bizplus Consulting Limited, another Consultant, and Alhaji Sani Anani, the refund marketer.

“The committee came up with a template for the release of the first tranche of N522.74billion.

But the security reports on how some governors misapplied the money have shocked the Presidency.

“Many states still owe workers unpaid salaries for as many as 10 months. In some states, pensions have accumulated for about 12 to 15 months. Instead, some governors have diverted the refunds to private use.

“The discovery of EFCC on how some of the loan refunds got into private hands made the government uncomfortable.”

According to the source, “this is why the Federal Government has withheld the second tranche to the states”.

At a meeting with Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the governors were said to have been angry that the second tranche was yet to be released.”

Asked why the government was keeping the governors in suspense on the second tranche of $3.45billion, the source said: “most of the states did not meet the conditions for the release of the first tranche as they still owe some salary arrears.

“As I am talking to you, the reconciliation of claims by the Federal Government and the states is yet to be concluded. The government is being cautious to avoid overpayment to states, the source said, adding:

“More importantly, the EFCC is currently looking into some allegations on the mismanagement of N19billion and $86.5million paid into the accounts of the NGF for payment to consultants and legal advisers. Some consultants who were not hired have been paid while those who did the reconciliation jobs are denied their rights.

“The NGF said it will cooperate with the EFCC. We are awaiting the outcome of the investigation before remitting more refunds.

“We are delaying in effecting more refunds because we need to be circumspect. The governors are angry no doubt but there is no point allowing public funds to go into wrong hands.”

Some of the infractions noticeable in the management of the first tranche of the London-Paris Club loan refunds are as follows:

Computation of state records done at a private home in Maitama belonging to a governor;

Accounts initially opened in the names of two lead consultants but the details of who to be paid were later changed;

N19b remitted into two accounts of NGF;

Commission to consultants cut from 10% to 2% but 5% was on paper as paid;

CBN paid directly to each state without the knowledge of the Accountant-General of the Federation;

Part of the N19b commission traced to a governor’s account and some individuals, including some members of National Assembly;

Apart from central consultants, governors hire separate consultants;

Some governors conceded about 10-20% commission to their consultants;

In some states, governors served as consultants through proxies;

Consultants yet to be paid because the NGF changed commission formula as soon as the first tranche was remitted;

Some governors deviated from using 25% to 50% for payment of outstanding salaries and pensions as agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari.

N’Assembly slashes information ministry’s budget by N120m
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/nassembly-slashes-information-ministrys.html

The newly approved 2017 budget by the National Assembly indicates that the lawmakers slashed the travelling, refreshment and miscellaneous expenses appropriated for Ministry of Information and Culture to from N661 million to N541 million.

The ministry had in the budget estimate proposed to spend N661,006,782 on travelling and transportation, refreshment and miscellaneous in the 2017 fiscal year.
The amount is part of the N49,464,302,080 billion allocated to the ministry from the N7.441 trillion Appropriation Bill for 2017 passed by the National Assembly last Thursday.
The reduction showed that N120 million was deducted from the original budget estimate for the three items.
A breakdown of the amount showed that N254 million is allocated to travelling and transportation as against N273,706,901 earlier allocated; N257 million for miscellaneous, against N347 million earlier allocated, while N30 million is allocated for refreshment as against N40 million earlier allocated in the fiscal year.
Checks showed that N14 million was allocated to printing of security and non-security documents, against N50 million earlier proposed for scanning and keeping of official records. N30 million was also approved for electricity charges in the fiscal year.
Our findings further showed that from the total allocation, N1.9 billion will be spent on capital projects, against N8,380,248,826 earlier proposed out of N6.303 billion, while N4.356 billion is for recurrent expenditure of the ministry.
Other areas expected to take the chunk of the allocation of the ministry include, purchase of fixed assets and maintenance services, which will cost N179 million and N75.9 million respectively, while N94.3 million and N59.5 million will be spent on security services and materials and supplies.
The ministry also in the year in view is expected to spend N4.2 million on financial services and N41 million on utility services.
Also for the year, N50 million has been earmarked for construction and provision of recreational facilities, while another N50 million is allocated to the anniversary celebrations. Similarly, N1.3 billion will go into governance and institutional reforms.
For monitoring and evaluation, research and development, the ministry is to spend N88.6 million and N170 million respectively for the year in view.
Part of the capital projects contained in the budget include acquisition of tangible assets, which got N1.6 million allocation from the capital allocation.
However, N97 million and N140.8 million were earmarked for purchase of motor vehicles publicity and advertising in the ministry.
Meanwhile, the total allocation for the whole of the ministry and parastatals is now N50,367,338,362 as against N49,464,302,080 earlier allocated to the ministry.

Why Nigerians must always stand for truth – Osinbajo
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/why-nigerians-must-always-stand-for.html

The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday appealed to Nigerians to always stand by the truth in their daily lives so as to honour God and secure his intervention.
Delivering a sermon titled, “The Image of God” at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Jesus House, Silverbird Entertainment Centre, in Abuja, Osinbajo stressed that a decision to stand by the truth always entail a level of discomfort or even outright persecution, but that God will always justify the righteous.
Osinbajo recalled the story of Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to bow to the golden image of the idol as ordered by the then King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar,
The Acting President noted that the three Jewish young men, who were then held in captivity in Babylon, refused to bow to that golden image as a result of which they were hauled into the pit of fire.
He observed that in every circumstance of life, people, especially Christians, must stand up to what is right and just.
“When God showed up in the fire through His Son, it was the first direct appearance of God in the Old Testament. If they had chosen to bow to the golden image and thereafter seek to make amends through prayer and fasting, it would not have helped them.
“It is when you are passing through fire that you make a choice for God to honour Him. God said He will show up then.
“God is asking us to stand and stand up for something, be it against corruption, dishonesty, stealing or fraud in our offices etc. If we do not, we are bowing to that image of gold. We should stand for what we believe in as the three Jews did.
“Every time we look at the scripture, God is saying: `Stand for something. You cannot afford to stand for nothing. Stand for Christ. The choice that faced the three Jews is still before us today. We face it every day and we must stand for Christ, especially Christians.
“Are you going to bow to the image of gold or take a chance with God and expect Him to show up? If you stand for Him, He will surely show up. God wants us to trust Him and to believe Him.
“Are you going to bow to the image of gold or trust God to show up when you are thrown to the fiery fire? There are certain things that honouring God can do which fasting and praying cannot do.
“Praying and fasting is good but it is better to Honour God in all that we do to provoke His intervention in our situations.
“The image of Nebuchadnezzar is alive and well today – it exists. That image of gold stand before us everyday and everywhere. We must choose God.
“Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon had represented the system of the world, the corrupt system of the world governed by the devil.
“Nebuchadnezzar was the king of that world system representing Lucifer, the Satan. So Nebuchadnezzar is saying to the people of all nations that Satan rules there. So you have to choose whether to serve the living God or bow to the image of the devil.
“You must choose God. That is a decision which you and I make face everyday.’’

Anyone with a case of corruption against me should blow whistle – Governor Ortom
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/anyone-with-case-of-corruption-against.html

Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has challenged residents of the state not to hesitate to blow the whistle if they had any case of corruption against him or any of his appointees.

“I have tried to run an open and transparent administration. Anyone with a case of corruption against me or any of my officials should blow the whistle and get the approved five per cent reward,” Ortom said on Sunday in Makurdi. He spoke at a children dedication and thanksgiving service organised by Pastor Daniel Unongo, the Government House Chaplain, whose wife delivered a set of twins after 18 years of marriage. Ortom said that his duty as governor was to execute God’s will, and urged the people to feel free to offer their counsel and criticism.

The governor said that he had always sought God’s nod before taking any decision, and urged those attacking his administration to wait and see what would happen in the near future. “Those insulting and criticiing me should wait, watch and see what will happen when I complete my tenure.

“At the moment, I am owing four months salaries and we are believing God that the issue of non-payment of salaries or delay will soon become history.

“ Ours is not the worst; we have states owing workers seven months and even beyond. But, we shall try to tackle the issue,” he said. Ortom commended the Chaplain for keeping faith in God in the face of the pains and challenges that come with barrenness, saying that God had never abandoned those who trusted Him.

The First Lady, Mrs. Eunice Ortom, in her remarks, said that God had again demonstrated His powers by wiping away the tears and pains of the Unongo family. A joyous Unongo, in his response, thanked God for the blessings and urged others in similar situations to turn to God in prayer.

WHY IBB SENT ME TO JAIL – DAVID-WEST
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/why-ibb-sent-me-to-jail-david-west.html

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof Tam David-West, has recalled how former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) sent him to jail because he “drank a cup of tea with a white man”.


David-West, said this when asked his opinion on what he considers President Muhammadu Buhari’s greatest challenge.

According to the elder statesman, corruption was a bigger challenge not insecurity.

“The greatest challenge is not security, because we have very effective security agencies. The greatest challenge of this government is corruption and he is fighting it very well, and expectedly, corruption is fighting back.

“If Nigeria doesn’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria, because it has a lot of money to fight back”, he told The Sun.

“Corruption is two sides, why should somebody give you money to corrupt your conscience? The corrupt people know that most Nigerians are buyable. Corruption can never be fought from one side, and it has always been the problem of successive governments.

“Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida sent me to jail, because he said I drank a cup of tea with a white man and received a gift of wristwatch. I have challenged him to make a public declaration of his assets as I have done mine three times.

“I’m not trying to be self-righteous, if you have personal or self-worth, there is no need for you to be corrupt; how much money would be given to kill your conscience, most of the corrupt people are victims of inferiority complex, that is why they loot to please their egos.

“Buhari is fighting corruption very well, because if you are corrupt, you can’t fight corruption. Buhari has brought out the best characters of Nigerians and the worst aspect of Nigerians.

“The best aspect of Nigerians he has brought out is that he has shown that most Nigerians don’t like corruption”.

Abuja residents turn voter registration to brisk business
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/abuja-residents-turn-voter-registration.html

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have turned ongoing voter registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into money-making activity, selling positions on queues to persons wishing to register fast.
Some of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Friday at the Karu centre in Abuja Municipal Area Council that they paid to some people to get positions in the queue before they were registered.
Due to large turnout of people for registration, INEC officials at the centres devised the method of giving numbers to the people on “first-come, first-serve’’ basis.
However, it was discovered that some persons devised “smart activities’’ of arriving at the registration centres early to collect numbers from INEC officials and hung around to sell them to persons in a hurry to register.
Mary Johnson, a teacher, said that she bought a place on the queue to register on time.
Ms. Johnson said she paid N500 for the space, adding that she was asked to pay N1,000 but had to bargain for N500.
“It takes a whole day to register and I have to go to work, so when I learnt that I could buy a space, I was happy.
“I do not think the officials are aware of what is happening, but we have found it as an easy way out since you can never come early to register because you will always meet people here.
“This is more so when some people come as early as 4 a.m. yet they don’t get to register until evening; so, to avoid that stress I preferred to buy the space,’’ she said.
Grace Benjamin, a nursing mother, said that because she could not afford to stay out for long, it was convenient for her to buy a number to register early and return to her baby.
Ms. Benjamin explained that she opted to buy a space on the queue after queuing for three days but could not register because the queue was “unusually long and the registration process was also slow’’.
She appealed to INEC to look inwards and proffer solutions to the slow process of registration by engaging more staff and equipment.
Andy Chuka, a trader, said that he had been regular at the registration centre for some days but had been unable to register “because some people always come earlier than me to take number’’.
“Here, INEC officials give numbers to people on the basis of first-come, first-serve; I was here yesterday morning at 6 a.m. I was number 96 but I ended up not registering.
“It was later I realised that they were selling queue numbers, so what that means is that if you want to register fast, you buy a number.
“I want the INEC staff to be mindful of the people they give numbers because some people collect numbers and sell them; somebody will come very early and get numbers, then they later sell them.’’
Udoh Sunday said that to get registered was more than a day’s job, adding that someone needed to leave other engagements and “give the whole day to the exercise’’.
“I have been coming here for two days now but I have not been able to register. Today, I came here as early as 4 a.m.
“I am number 44 yet it is about 12.30 p.m. and I have not been able to register. Is it fair?
“The officials are supposed to come at 9 a.m. but they don’t come early yet they close before 3 p.m. So, I am appealing to INEC to look into these issues,’’ he said.
Similarly, Gabriel Eze said he arrived at the centre at 5.30 a.m. but had not been registered as at 1 p.m.
“It is like one can never come early for this registration because whenever you come there will always be someone ahead of you.
“I am beginning to wonder if some people sleep here. For instance, I came here at 5 a.m. and I was given number 45 but yet I have not registered after nine hours.’’
Mr. Eze said that he went to Bwari Area Council first but could not register there and had to come to Karo “yet registering has remained a challenge’’.
One of the INEC officials at the centre told NAN but on condition of anonymity that they were not aware of spaces on the queue being sold.
“When we arrive here, we register the people as they come. Initially, the turnout was low but gradually it started improving and when more people started coming, we resorted to giving them number.
“The idea of the number was to avert commotion, which we noticed was beginning to arise over who came first. So, if they take number and sell it, we are not aware,” the source said.

N13BN: REPS SUMMON OKE, EMEFIELE, OTHERS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/n13bn-reps-summon-oke-emefiele-others.html

The House of Representatives yesterday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the embattled Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke to appear it and explain his role in the N13 billion found in an apartment in Ikoyi Lagos.
It also summoned the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) and Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu,
Chairman of the committee on National Security and Intelligence, mandated to probe the matter, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji confirmed the receipt of useful information and petitions from members of the general public on the local and foreign currencies totaling about $43.4 million, £27,800 and N23.2 million.
At a briefing, Sani who expressed displeasure over the failure of all the stakeholders to appear before the Committee yesterday, explained that the investigative hearing was in line with section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution which empowered the House and indeed National Assembly to expose corruption.
He therefore, urged all the agencies and appointed officials to respect constituted authorities.
The lawmaker informed that the suspended NIA Director General is scheduled to appear before the committee on Wednesday, 10th May, 2017 by 12noon; CBN Governor is to appear by 2pm; acting EFCC chairman is to appear by 3pm while the National Security Adviser is to appear by 4pm, respectively.
“This is the law of the land and we have to respect the constituted Authorities which the National Assembly is one of them. And it is disrespect for any agency that this Government put in place in campaigning against corruption and many Nigerians are very much aware of this saga, this $43 million,” Jaji said.

LADOJA BOUGHT CARS FOR LAWMAKERS TO AVOID IMPEACHMENT – WITNESS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/ladoja-bought-cars-for-lawmakers-to.html

The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday heard that former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja allegedly bought cars for lawmakers to prevent his impeachment.
A prosecution witness, Mr. Adewale Atanda, said this while testifying in Ladoja’s trial before Justice Mohammed Idris.
He had earlier testified that the former governor gave directive that Oyo State’s shares be sold.
He said N634million, which was part of the commission and profit realised by stockbrokers handling the shares’ sale, were used as slush funds to prevent Ladoja’s impeachment.
The witness said the N634million was delivered to him by the stockbrokers.
He said he removed N180million from the sum, which he had earlier borrowed and spent on Ladoja’s instructions during the heat of the impeachment saga.
Part of the N180million, he said, was the N80million he obtained from Wema Bank Plc, which Ladoja used to purchase 22 vehicles for Oyo State lawmakers to prevent his impeachment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Ladoja for allegedly converting N4.7billion from the state treasury to his personal use.
He was charged along with Waheed Akanbi on eight counts of money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds.
Atanda, who was Ladoja’s Special Executive Assistant, said under cross-examination: “The loan was taken through V. T. Leasing Limited, and disbursement were made to the vendors of the vehicles which were collected by Oyo State government.
“I used V. T. Leasing Limited to apply for the loan from Wema bank. Although I am a shareholder with less than one percent, I used my goodwill to get the loan and I did not make any application.
“I did not know the condition attached to the vehicles given to members of State Assembly loyal to Governor Ladoja.
“The vehicles were collected by the Oyo State government’s drivers before handling them to Ladoja’s loyalists at the State House of Assembly members.”
Ladoja was governor from May 29, 2003 to January 12, 2006 when he was impeached. On November 1, 2006, the Appeal Court Ibadan, declared the impeachment null and illegal.
The Supreme Court upheld the decision on November 11, 2009, and Ladajo resumed office on December 12, 2006. He, however, lost a re-election bid.
The witness said another N633 million loan he collected when Ladoja returned as governor was part of expenses incurred when he shut down his hotel for one year to house Ladoja and his 14 loyalists in the Assembly during the impeachment saga.
He said his hotel, Heritage Court and Inn, on Plot 176, Moshood Olugbani Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, was shut down from December 2005 to December 2006, because Ladoja’s life was at risk.
He said there was no agreement that he would be paid back as no one thought Ladoja would return as Governor.
He said when Ladoja was reinstated; he collected the N633 million on Ladoja’s instruction.
Atanda also said he personally delivered £600,000 to Ladoja’s daughter, Bimpe, in London.
Justice Idris has adjourned till May 25 for continuation of trial.

ABDUCTED CROSS RIVER COMMISSIONER REGAINS FREEDOM
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/abducted-cross-river-commissioner.html

Mr Gabriel Odu-Oji, the Commissioner for Water Resources in Cross River, kidnapped on April 9, has regained freedom.
ASP Irene Ugbo, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, confirmed his release in a telephone interview on Monday in Calabar.
“As we speak, the Commissioner for Water Resources has been released and he is right now with his family.
“No ransom was paid to his kidnappers. The combined effort of security agencies in the state and the office of the State Security Adviser were on top of the matter to secure his release.
“We are happy that he was released alive, hale and hearty’’, she said.
Odu-Oji was kidnapped by five gunmen at Mayne Avenue area of Calabar South.

Naira appreciates against dollar
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/naira-appreciates-against-dollar.html

The Naira on Monday appreciated against the dollar at the parallel market, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.


The Nigerian currency gained three points to exchange at N388 to the dollar, stronger than N391 it traded on Friday, while the pound sterling and the Euro closed at N495 and N425.

At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira was sold at N362 to the dollar, while the pound sterling and the Euro closed at N495 and N423.

Trading at the interbank market showed that the Naira closed at N305.7, while the pound sterling and the Euro closed at N453.18 and N386.28.

Currency traders said the liquidity boost at the FOREX market had forced the naira to appreciate.

MAN SLEEPS WITH WIFE’S CORPSE FOR SIX DAYS, SAYS IT RELIEVES GRIEF
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/05/man-sleeps-with-wifes-corpse-for-six.html

A grieving husband who slept next to his wife’s dead body in their bedroom for six days says he couldn’t bear to see her taken off to a mortuary in a body bag.



Leasing agent Russell Davison’s wife Wendy died at their home in Derby, England, after a 10-year battle with cervical cancer.

He said he was determined to keep her at home with their four children and not hand her over to a funeral director.

The dad now wants to reassure others that staying close to a loved one’s dead body is nothing to be scared of.

Russell said he washed and dressed Wendy’s body and placed it in a coffin – which he called a “cocoon” – in the couple’s bedroom.

And Russell insists it should be “the way we treat our dead,” saying it allowed him and the boys to come to terms with their devastating loss.

Russell said: “Wendy died very peacefully, fully sedated, in no pain in mine and Dylan’s arms with our ever faithful dog Elvis snuggled up right next to her too.

“She looked absolutely beautiful, just like she always did in life: no effort, no make-up, just radiant beauty.

“We have been fooled by TV and films into thinking there is something to be scared about with dead bodies – there is not, I can assure you.”

Wendy, 50, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2006 – just after the couple’s joint 40th birthday – and was told three years ago she had six months to live.

But she shunned chemotherapy and radiotherapy and embraced “natural health,” Russell said.

The couple bought a caravan and traveled around Europe, but in September last year returned to Britain as Wendy’s pain became unbearable.

But she was determined to die at home and was nursed by Russell and the boys until her death on April 21.

Russell, also 50, said: “For a long time I have been determined to have Wendy at home when she died.

“I did not want her in the mortuary or handed over to a funeral director, I wanted us to take care of her ourselves at our family home, and have her in our bedroom so I could sleep in the same room.”

He said keeping Wendy at home was like “an emotional decompression chamber,” which helped the family come to terms with her death while she was still there.

Russell said: “The idea of her being taken away in a plastic body bag hours after death is so alien to us all now we really don’t think we could have taken it.”

Source: New York Post